Summary: The last night of the year. Now the days of winter begin and the Goblin King rides abroad, searching for his bride…All her life, Liesl has heard tales of the beautiful, dangerous Goblin King. They’ve enraptured her mind, her spirit, and inspired her musical compositions. Now eighteen and helping to run her family’s inn, Liesl can’t help but feel that her musical dreams and childhood fantasies are slipping away.
But when her own sister is taken by the Goblin King, Liesl has no choice but to journey to the Underground to save her. Drawn to the strange, captivating world she finds―and the mysterious man who rules it―she soon faces an impossible decision. And with time and the old laws working against her, Liesl must discover who she truly is before her fate is sealed. Rich with music and magic, S. Jae-Jones's Wintersong will sweep you away into a world you won’t soon forget My Opinion: I cannot form coherent thoughts about this book. It was absolutely incredible. I picked this book up because it reminded me a lot of "The Labyrinth" which I'd watched about two months ago. There were similarities of course, but there were also a lot of differences. For one, I actually wanted the main character and the Goblin King to get together, unlike in the movie which would have been totally creepy. But in the book, the relationship between Liesl and Der Erlkonig is melancholy and romantic and star-crossed and it made for a great read. For another, I absolutely loved the way Jones tied in music with this book. It seemed like every other page was Liesl writing sheet music, or playing the piano, or singing. This book was already so gothic romance and the longing for music really added to it. I was hooked from page one, and I could hardly put the book down. Absolutely loved it and would 10 out of 10 recommend. Characters: Liesl has to be one of my favorite heroines. She is strong and intelligent and so intent on becoming a composer even though women "weren't allowed" or whatever. I love the relationship between her and the Goblin King, but I truly think my favorite thing about Liesl was her love of music. It was a part of her, and I found a similar soul to my own in her. Of course she's flawed and selfish and stubborn, but that's what makes a person a person, and S. Jae-Jones pulled it off flawlessly. I only hope to be able to write a character as good one day. As for the Goblin King, he was tortured. (Aren't all supposedly villainous but secretly caring bad boys?) But he truly cared for Liesl, and I loved the fact that they bonded over music. Their intense love and passion for music translated into their love, and it was so romantic and beautiful to read. There's still some secrets that he's hiding, which I'm hoping will be cleared up in the next book (BECAUSE THERE'S A NEXT BOOK YESSSS!!!!!!:D:D). But I loved the characters. Rating: 4.7 stars Summary: World War II is drawing to a close in East Prussia and thousands of refugees are on a desperate trek toward freedom, many with something to hide. Among them are Joana, Emilia, and Florian, whose paths converge en route to the ship that promises salvation, the Wilhelm Gustloff. Forced by circumstance to unite, the three find their strength, courage, and trust in each other tested with each step closer to safety.
Just when it seems freedom is within their grasp, tragedy strikes. Not country, nor culture, nor status matter as all ten thousand people—adults and children alike—aboard must fight for the same thing: survival. Told in alternating points of view and perfect for fans of Anthony Doerr's Pulitzer Prize-winning All the Light We Cannot See, Erik Larson's Dead Wake, and Elizabeth Wein's Printz Honor Book Code Name Verity, this masterful work of historical fiction is inspired by the real-life tragedy that was the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff--the greatest maritime disaster in history. As she did in Between Shades of Gray, Ruta Sepetys unearths a shockingly little-known casualty of a gruesome war, and proves that humanity and love can prevail, even in the darkest of hours. My Opinion/Characters: In Salt to the Sea, three teenagers are forced together by circumstance while trying to flee from East Prussia: Joana, a pretty Lithuanian nurse; Florian, the Prussian knight who is harboring a priceless piece of art; and Emilia, a Polish girl in a pink hat with a sad secret. The fourth narrator in the story is Alfred Frick, a young Nazi who you can’t help but immediately hate. The four characters have different backstories and backgrounds, but have one thing in common: they all find refuge on the ship, the Wilhelm Gustloff, until it is hit with a Russian torpedo. Salt to the Sea is filled with many memorable characters. The relationship between the Shoe Poet, an old shoemaker who finds stories in people’s shoes, and the Wandering Boy, a little boy of five or six whose grandmother “fell asleep and didn’t wake up,” brings tears to the eye. Throughout the book, as their relationship progresses, the little boy calls the Shoe Poet “Opi,” which is German for grandpa. Another wonderful character is Ingrid, a blind girl who has to hide her disability due to Hitler’s rules. One thing that sets this book apart is the fact that it is based off of the largest maritime tragedy in history. The ship’s capacity was 1,436 people. An estimated 10,500 people were aboard the Wilhelm Gustloff, which included refugees, injured soldiers, and the sailors. The ship was hit by a torpedo and sunk within the hour. About 9,400 people died, with 5,000 of that number being children. The tragedy was covered up in the casualties of World War II. I completely loved this book. It made me laugh, it made me cry. Mostly it made me cry. It is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read in my entire life. Sepetys truly captures the horror and the will to survive in her book. She illustrates the night of January 30, 1945 in chilling clarity. A woman throws her baby down to a sailor only to miss and have the baby plunge to its death. People trampled to death by the storming mass trying to get off of the ship. Her characters are fictional, but their stories feel real. This is a must-read book. Read it and remember the tragedy that was worse than the Titanic and the Lusitania combined. Read it and remember the 9,400 people who no one knows died. Rating: 5 stars Summary: Bahrain, 1970. After a summer spent with her parents and brothers, fifteen-year-old Anna is taking a plane back to boarding school in England. The plane never makes it home. Anna's flight is hijacked by Palestinian terrorists. They land the plane in the Jordanian desert, the engines are switched off, and demands are issued. If they are not met, the terrorists will blow up the plane, killing all the hostages. The heat becomes unbearable, food and water supplies dwindle. The deadline ticks down. All alone, Anna begins to face the possibility she may never see her family again.
Based on true events, this is a story about ordinary people facing agonizing horror, of courage and resilience My Opinion: This book had me on my toes. Oh my goodness, it was suspenseful. I was convinced that someone was about to die 80% of the time. It was an amazing read. I have serious respect for Miriam Moss (and not just for writing and publishing a book.) To be able to relive that terrifying experience, and to be able to paint the picture so perfectly must have been incredibly hard. But I felt like in order for her to fully move on, she needed to write this book. It was a vibe I was getting from it. What I think I liked most of all is that she told the reader that the hijackers were human as well. After 9/11, people were terrified to get on a plane, were terrified of anyone who didn't look like them. But the experience that Moss described.... wow, just wow. They didn't want to hurt anyone, but they wanted to be heard and that spoke volumes. It's hard to describe my feelings as I read this book. I think it's one of those that you just have to read for yourself. Characters: Anna---she is based off of Moss. This girl is made of some tough stuff. She didn't cry or act weak. She dealt with everything that was thrown at her. She sat next to a 9-year old boy, and she stayed strong for him. She was miserable and terrified and hungry, but she refused to give up hope. She was an incredible character to read about. Marni--Anna's mother. Now, while the reader mostly learns of Marni through Anna's perspective, there are a few chapters from Marni's point of view when she finds out that Anna's plane has been hijacked, and let me tell you, she is a mother through and through. She stays strong for her two boys, Anna's younger brothers. No matter how much she wants to rage and cry, she is their rock. She's even what keeps Anna going on the plane. To be that kind of person for someone is something that I aspire to be. Rating: 4.7 stars Summary: Once there was a world’s end.
The forests burned, the lakes and rivers dried up, and the oceans swelled. Then came a plague, and fever spread across the globe. Families died, violence reigned, and man killed man. Next came WICKED, who were looking for an answer. And then they found the perfect boy. The boy’s name was Thomas, and Thomas built a maze. Now there are secrets. There are lies. And there are loyalties history could never have foreseen. This is the story of that boy, Thomas, and how he built a maze that only he could tear down. All will be revealed. A prequel to the worldwide Maze Runner phenomenon, The Fever Code is the book that holds all the answers. How did WICKED find the Gladers? Who are Group B? And what side are Thomas and Teresa really on? Lies will be exposed. Secrets will be uncovered. Loyalties will be proven. Fans will never see the truth coming. Before there was the Maze, there was The Fever Code. My Opinion: I was very disappointed to find that this book was not in Newt's point of view. I read somewhere that it was, but it was just the prologue. Everything else was from Thomas's point of view, which wasn't bad, but was still a bit of a let-down. Other than that, the book was really good. I don't really know what to write in here without telling any spoilers, so this will be short. To sum it up, truly, it was a good read. It answered some questions, and I felt like it did the series justice. There were some parts with Newt that made me want to cry, and the "behind the scenes" look you get at WICKED is really quite heartbreaking. I'm glad I read it, but at the same time, I kind of hate myself for it. Characters: The usual characters from the previous books. It was interesting to see the Thomas before the maze, the Newt before the maze, the Minho before the maze because the foundation of their characters were the same. It was also cool to see the cliques were the same before the maze as well. Rating: 3.7 stars (I wanted Newt POV) Summary: 21st century girl. 18th century ghost. Heads will roll!
The city of light just got a little darker. . . . Colette Iselin is excited to go to Paris on a class trip. She'll get to soak up the beauty and culture, and maybe even learn something about her family's French roots. But a series of gruesome murders are taking place across the city, putting everyone on edge. And as she tours museums and palaces, Colette keeps seeing a strange vision: a pale woman in a ball gown and powdered wig, who looks suspiciously like Marie Antoinette. Colette knows her popular, status-obsessed friends won't believe her, so she seeks out the help of a charming French boy. Together, they uncover a shocking secret involving a dark, hidden history. When Colette realizes she herself may hold the key to the mystery, her own life is in danger. . . . My Opinion: This was such a fun book to read. For one, I very much enjoyed the characters. Colette was witty and somewhat nice, but still extremely flawed which is always interesting to read. For another, it's set in Paris, France. And I really love Paris, France. (I really love France in general.) I've been to Paris, so as the book went on I could physically see some of the monuments it talked about, such as the Eiffel Tower at night and the Arc de Triomphe. There was a lot of French history and language in the book (I was really proud to understand the majority of it!). It was so interesting. Katie Alender clearly did her research because I learned a whole bunch of stuff about French history and Marie Antoinette. While some of the information in the book was fictional (there is no such thing as the Order of the Key which was a huge part of the book), it was still so entertaining. I loved reading about the fashion, the food, the architecture. And I especially loved the chapters when the victims were murdered, because they were beheaded as Marie Antoinette was and it was funny. Characters: Colette Iselin--main character. She took four years of Spanish only to switch to French so she could go on her school's French trip. She has two friends, one who is super passive and the other who is more like a frenemy. Colette is extremely obsessed with her image, but as the book progresses, she changes. There is some definite character development, which I enjoyed. Also, Alender ties in Colette's inability to make good friends with Marie Antoinette's death, and that was pretty cool to read. (I really don't think there are any other characters worth talking about. Pilar, Colette's passive friend, is sweet, but I really don't feel like we get to know many other characters besides Colette.) Rating: 5 stars Summary: Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown's gates, you can never leave.
One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself. My Opinion: Step aside, Twilight, there's a new vampire book in town and, no offense, it is so much better. First of all, the book kept to the traditional sense of vampirism. You know, burns in the sun, holy water, stake through the heart, all that sort of stuff. It was fun to read. Second of all, the main character is hard-core. She knows what she wants (to not be a vampire) and she strives for it, even if that striving will cause her 70+ days of excruciating pain. Not to mention that she completely goes to battle with at least four different vampires/vampires-to-be. The book was fun, intense, a little gory in some places (maybe too gory for my tastes, but I powered through). It was nice to read a book that wasn't afraid of pushing the boundaries; in fact, I wouldn't be surprised if this was a banned/challenged book. Holly Black does not hold back. Characters: Tana--as mentioned before, she is a survivor. First of all, she wakes up at a party to find all of her friends dead. Terrifying, right? Then, she finds her ex-boyfriend infected (going Cold, as it's called in the book) and an actual real life vampire, and she decides to save them. She's the kind of person I want to be; she's aware that there could be terrible consequences, but she does it anyway because she knows what is right. Honestly, Tana is the biggest reason to read the book. You don't find many characters like her: compassionate, intelligent, the will to live, the ability to rip out a vampire's throat. Fun times. Aidan--he's okay. He's a kind of a jerk, kind of a sweetheart. The ex-boyfriend who Tana is determined to keep from going Cold while he would just rather be a vampire. Frankly, I think I would have liked him more if he wasn't so selfish, but he was and I guess that made him more realistic and relatable, but seriously. Let the girl get out of Coldtown. Gavriel--vampire. I really liked him! He's a super old vampire from Russia, and he's out for revenge but he protects Tana for some strange reason, but it's cute and I just really like him. I'm a sucker for vampires, to be honest. Plus, he's kind of crazy, and reminds me of a lost little puppy. Rating: 4.5 stars (again, a little gory. Could have dealt with a little less gore, but then again, what do you expect in a vampire novel?) Summary: Taylor Simmons is screwed. Things were hard enough when her single-minded dedication to her studies earned her the reputation of being an Ice Queen, but after getting drunk at a party and waking up next to bad boy surfer Evan McKinley, the entire school seems intent on tearing Taylor down with mockery and gossip.
Desperate to salvage her reputation, Taylor persuades Evan to pretend they're in a serious romantic relationship. After all, it's better to be the girl who tames the wild surfer than just another notch on his surfboard. My Opinion: Warning--I am trash for the fake boyfriend trope. So, I might be a little biased for this book. But I loved it. It was adorable and hilarious. The dialogue was witty and fresh. The main character has an obsession with mushrooms (which I myself cannot relate to, as I hate mushrooms, but it was cute anyway). And, as mentioned before, I love the fake boyfriend trope. It kills me. The only problem that I have with this book is a few chapters in the beginning. The book begins with the main character, Taylor, waking up in a bed with a notorious playboy (and they didn't have sex, just fell asleep). And she is labeled as a slut. People make fun of her, call her a whore and a slut, laugh at her behind her back. Her "reputation" is ruined. Meanwhile, no one says anything about Mr. Playboy. That makes me really freaking mad. Why should a girl be considered slutty for sleeping around while a boy is not? Why should a girl be ruined for having sex and a boy is simply patted on the back, handed a condom, and sent on his way? It's ridiculous. To quote Allison Reynolds from The Breakfast Club, "If say you haven't, you're a prude. If you say you have, you're a slut. It's a trap." It makes me really angry, and I guess I understand why the author did it because otherwise they didn't need to get together, but still. Ridiculous. I was so angry as I was reading it. Urgh. Characters: Taylor Simmons--extreme good girl, straight-A student, Columbia bound (she hopes), wants to be a lawyer, extremely driven. I really liked Taylor. There were some moments when I wanted to strangle her (like all good protagonists), but she was a great character. I loved how snarky she was, and I was also able to connect with her in some ways. Taylor was a great character, although I'm still upset about the whole "slut" thing that she bought into. Come on, Taylor, you're better than that. Evan McKinley--bad boy surfer. He was very... open. It was interesting to read. He was fun. I always like when I get to read a book from both love interests' perspectives because I get to see how they fall in love with each other. And I liked how Evan stood up for Taylor, even when he barely knew her. I also like how he changed for her, rather than she having to change for him. (Although, really, all he did was apply himself and not sleep with every girl he saw. It wasn't that big of a change.) Rating: 4 stars (I'm sorry, but the whole slut thing just made me too mad.) Summary: Salem's Vengeance, Salem's Fury, and Salem's Legacy. These books are set nineteen years after the Salem Witch Trials. (I don't want to write each of these summaries so feel free to look them up.)
My Opinion: These books are very interesting. They taught me a lot about the Salem Witch Trials and gave an interesting take on why they occurred. The first book follows Sarah Kelly, who has a surprising connection to the Salem Witch Trials. The second and third books, however, follow Sarah's younger sister, Rebecca. Rebecca is very different from Sarah. Where Sarah is proper and delicate, Rebecca is wild and ready to fight. Frankly, this is the reason why I wasn't all for this book. I didn't like how Sarah narrated one book while Rebecca narrated the next two. I would have preferred one person for all of the books, or a different person for each book. While I understand why the author did it, I didn't like it. Don't get me wrong: I liked the books. I just would have liked consistency better. Another thing about this book is that there were a lot of typos. A lot. There was half of a paragraph that wasn't even italicized when it was supposed to be. There were misspelled names every once in a while, and some missed punctuation marks. The author should have just gotten a better editor. Characters: Sarah Kelly--I liked her. She cared very much about her family, and at the end of the book, she made a big sacrifice that affected her for the rest of her life. Rebecca Kelly--I didn't like her as much. She was raised by Native Americans and completely embraced it. I liked Rebecca in the fact that she was independent and did what needed to be done. She was strong and loved her family and fought for herself. We need characters like that. However, she was a little too driven by revenge, and, quite frankly, judgmental. I understand that most teenagers like that, but I didn't like her attitude. Bishop--he was Irish and old and funny and there for a family in their time of need. I love the song that he made up: it added for some much needed levity. He was one of those fun characters, but he was more than just there for a laugh. He was probably my favorite character in the series in all honesty. Rating: Three-point-six stars Summary: Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city—a city where the violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as good-hearted as his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent—but he’s one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul with a simple strain of music. When the chance arises to keep an eye on Kate, who’s just been kicked out of her sixth boarding school and returned home, August jumps at it. But Kate discovers August’s secret, and after a failed assassination attempt the pair must flee for their lives.
My Opinion: I love Victoria Schwab's writing. The Archived, A Gathering of Shadows, and Vicious are a few of the books that I've read and absolutely loved. This book, however, has to be my favorite young adult book of hers. I love books that take a different approach to writing, and this book absolutely takes the cake. The book starts off with Kate setting a chapel on fire at her boarding school. I automatically loved her, and it was a great beginning for a story. Then we meet August and get a slight glimpse into his backstory, which draws the reader in even more. The story alternates between Kate's and August's perspective, both in third-person. I never felt bored while reading this book. There was continuous action or dialogue or descriptions. I just wanted to keep reading and reading and reading. Which I did. In the perspective of a future-editor, there were quite a few mistakes. Somewhat frequent typos and a few punctuation errors, but I probably only noticed them because I'm picky. All in all, this book was amazing and I'd recommend it to anyone. Particularly someone who is into fantasy/violent books. Characters: Kate Harker--probably my favorite female character ever. She is clever and ambitious, and she knows what she wants and how to get it. She can be ruthless, but she still has a conscious. All she really wants is for her father to view her as his daughter, and she will stop at nothing to get her way. When she and August are running for their lives, she doesn't let August hide her away. She fights. Hard. With her cigarette lighter/pocket knife. To sum it up: Kate Harker is amazing. August Flynn--I love him. I think what I love most about him, besides the fact that he's a monster (Sunai, Sunai, eyes like coal, sing you a song and steal your soul), is that he plays the violin. Granted, he has to play the violin in order to take souls so he can survive, but he still plays the violin. And it's more than just playing the violin, he loves music, mostly classical. I just loved reading about his passion for music. About how he wants to be human so he can play the violin without fear of hurting someone. I just really love August Flynn and his violin. Some other minor characters (but it was mostly about Kate and Harker): Leo, August's older brother and also a Sunai, is okay. He's a little too cruel for me to really like him. Ilsa, August's oldest sister and the first Sunai, is wonderful. She's one of those characters who isn't quite altogether almost. She reminds me of Luna from Harry Potter. She's sweet, and she loves cats. Which brings me to the last character I'm going to discuss: Allegro. The cat of a deceased man. August brings Allegro back to Flynn Headquarters. He's a cute little kitty. There are other characters, too (such as Callum Harker, Kate's father, and Sloan, a Malchai monster), but these are the ones that I felt like discussing. Rating: Five stars (three-point-eight for grammar/spelling/punctuation) Summary: I am surrounded on all sides by a desert. A guest, in a prison of sand and sun. My family is here. And I do not know whom I can trust. In a land on the brink of war, Shahrzad has been torn from the love of her husband Khalid, the Caliph of Khorasan. She once believed him a monster, but his secrets revealed a man tormented by guilt and a powerful curse—one that might keep them apart forever. Reunited with her family–who have taken refuge with enemies of Khalid–and her childhood sweetheart Tariq, she should be happy. But Tariq now commands forces set on destroying Khalid’s empire. Shahrzad is almost a prisoner caught between loyalties to people she loves. But she refuses to be a pawn and devises a plan.
While her father, Jahandar, continues to play with magical forces he doesn’t yet understand, Shahrzad tries to uncover powers that may lie dormant within her. With the help of a tattered old carpet and a tempestuous but sage young man, Shahrzad will attempt to break the curse and reunite with her one true love. My Opinion: This book was seriously amazing. I'm always a sucker for fairy tales and love stories, and this combines both. While it's not quite a fairy tale, it's a re-imagining of One Thousand and One Nights. Now, this is the second book in a two-book series, so I won't say too much because spoilers. However, I sincerely encourage you to read this series. The first book, The Wrath and the Dawn, is just as incredible as the second one. The story line grabs you from the beginning, and does not let go. If you love romance, magic, and mystery, all set in an Aladdin-type universe, then this is the series for you. Characters: The main character of the series is Sharzhad. In the first book, she volunteers to be the next bride of the Caliph of Khorasan, who murders his brides every dawn. However, she volunteers in order to exact revenge on the caliph because he killed her best friend. Anyway, she is such a wonderfully flawed character. Throughout the books, many people call her bratty, selfish, and arrogant, and she accepts it. She knows that she is flawed-that she is bratty, selfish, and arrogant. I think Renee Ahdieh invented such an amazing character to be the protaganist of her series. Sharzhad's husband, Khalid, the Caliph of Khorasan, is just as flawed as Sharzhad. He's known as the "murderous boy-king" and he does nothing to dispute this. While he has killed many girls, it was for a really good reason, but he knows that isn't an excuse. He hates himself for what he has to do, and that's really admirable. He's also extremely protective of Sharzhad and his family and friends. Some people may describe him as a "redeemable character", but I don't think that there is anything to be redeemed. He's a great character. Period. Rating: Five stars |
AuthorJust some reviews about some books I've recently read. Check 'em out! Archives
March 2017
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