Author: jmcneel2

A good author knows how to strike that perfect balance. They know how to keep a book interesting, give you enough story and character development while not making it feel bloated or thin. It is a very fine balance and each book has its own balance that each particular author has to keep. The books in this weeks review unfortunately do not have that balance and it is a real shame. Evermore by Sara Holland is the sequel to Everless and while Everless had real promise, it also had some pretty glaring faults, namely being thin and feeling rushed. Evermore falls into similar traps. Queen of Air and Darkness is the third book in yet another Shadowhunters series by Cassandra Clare. But unlike her previous books, I have some real issues with this final book in the trilogy, namely that it tried to do too much. I am going to issue a SPOILER WARNING just in case I happen to touch on subjects that could spoil both books.

 

As I said in the intro, Evermore is the sequel to Everless. Quick synopsis of the first book, a girl finds out that she is one of the great legends from the stories that are told in the world. She discovers that she can time and she has to stop her great enemy. Everless had a lot of promise, particularly in the interesting story that it started to tell. I was genuinely intrigued. So of course I was eager to read the sequel and I must say, I was a bit disappointed. Evermore suffers many of the same issues that the first book had and there doesn’t seem to be much in the way of improvement here.

Let’s start with the good. While the world had some detail in the first book, it is expanded upon here which is very welcome. A good world makes it easier for me to like a book. The flashbacks add a good layer of detail, even if they can be quite complicated to understand at times. The lack of a true romance story also works in the books favor. While there are hints of one, it is never fully realized and that is a good thing. This story did not need a romantic subplot and the lack of one kept the story on track.  The characters, while unspectacular, are not terrible either although do feel a bit empty which I will come to in a moment. Jules is driven, although indecisive at times but is a solid lead that is dragged down by the books biggest issue.

Like the first book, Evermore feels empty at times. While the first book was light on world building and had a decent story, Evermore has decent world building but sacrifices the interesting story. The story felt rushed and overall just light on detail. It mostly involved sitting in various open spaces or buildings and waiting for a vision. That was it. A few action sequences are sprinkled here and there but for the most part, the story feels light. Because the story feels light, the characters suffer for it. Liam feels like a very underdeveloped character as does Jules’ sister, Ina. Even the villain Caro feels underwhelming. And when your villain feels underwhelming, you have yourself a problem. 90% of the character development seemed to occur in the first book while the story raced ahead with little added detail. The ending clearly sets up a third book, but even then I wasn’t impressed. The ending rushed with little attention to detail and a fight that ended quickly.

Overall, a decent world and decent story are very much wasted by an empty and rushed sequel that flies by with little action or memorable moments. Characters feel weak and underdeveloped while the story ends while a dull thud. At this point, I am not 100% sure if I will read the third one if one is ever released.

Verdict- 3 stars. If you’ve read the first one at least read this one. But it’s not a series I will recommend.

 

We go from an empty book that is over too quickly, to a book that feels bloated and like it was trying to fit to much into one book. Queen of Air and Darkness is the final book in Cassandra Clare’s Dark Artifices Trilogy set in the excellent Shadowhunters universe. Now in the past, I have had nothing but praise for Clare’s books and up till the third book, that trend continued. I had very much enjoyed the first two books and was super excited to read the finale, especially when I saw that the book was close to 900 pages. But that page length should have given me the warning that all may not be well in the finale. I very quickly became bogged down in a sea of detail, names and plot points. It was all a little too much and in the end, I was left with a lot of mixed emotions.

Again, we will start with the good things. As always, the world of the Shadowhunters is an excellent one and Clare continues to expand upon it here. The lands of Faerie are explored and the book ends in a way that reshapes the entire Shadowhunters world. The lore is also added to, which I also love. Details about the early Shadowhunters are revealed that again, threatens to reshape their society. The secret of the Parabati rune is explored which adds another layer to the lore as well. The characters continue to be impressive, although that is also a downside that I will get into later. Emma and Jules are once again the focus and their story has many twists and turns in it, although with a fairly predictable resolution. Kit and Ty are by far my favorite characters in this new trilogy and their story is really a wonderful one as we watch Ty mourn the loss of his twin sister Livvy.  It is also nice to see Clary and Jace have a beautiful, if entirely predictable ending to their story. But honestly there is WAY to many character stories for me to mention every one and that gets me into my single biggest issue with this book.

For all the good things that Queen of Air and Darkness has in it, it suffers from the opposite problem that Evermore had. This book has way too much in it. Too many characters, too many plot points and too many story arcs that have to be wrapped up. Now normally that is not a bad thing. Sarah J Maas’ Kingdom of Ash, finale in the outstanding Throne of Glass series, had the same thing. However, that book never felt bloated or to immense. Air and Darkness on the other the other hand feels rushed and jam-packed with way to many details to fully keep track of. I honestly can not remember  all the plot points and story arcs that spread throughout this book. And that is a massive problem. I was often having to read chapters and sections over again because I was getting lost in the sea of information this book throws at you. There would be four or five different perspectives in one chapter, which made it hard to follow at times. I honestly felt like that this book should have been split into two books. Too many characters to remember, too many arcs and too much back and forth for me to fully enjoy what should have been a phenomenal book and an easy five-star review. Plus the ending of this book leaves more questions than answers about the future of the world. Clare has stated that the next series will the last in the Shadowhunters realm and that series is set in the past with characters from the Infernal Devices trilogy. So that is another huge question mark for, one that impacts my final verdict.

Overall, this book should have been an outstanding finale that tugged at your emotions and shaped the future of the Shadowhunters world. And while it did those things, the fact that Clare had to cram this book with around a million characters and story arcs to go along with a question producing ending really put a damper on the praise for this book.

Verdict- 4 stars. A tough 4 stars to dish out but this book was just too much in one book. A must read like her other books, but you are warned.

 

 

Happy New Year one and all! I hope 2018 has been kind to you and I hope that 2019 is even better. I figured I would end the year with a solo review that is very different in its story telling, but is beautiful in its imagery. Because of certain subject matter, which I will get into in the review, Girls of Paper and Fire is definitely not for everyone. One of the main plot points is bound to cause issues with some people, but for me I didn’t mind and it was definitely a nice change of pace. Due to the fact of it being New Years, this is only a solo review. Before I get on to the review, My goal for next year is to read and review 50 books or more. With that being said, feel free to comment with recommendations that you have read, or that you would like me to attempt to read and review next year. Also, SPOILER ALERT in this book. Because of some of the material in this book, I will be spoiling some pretty major plot points.

The story line for this book is a pretty familiar one. A young, beautiful girl is taken from her home and forced to serve in the court of the evil ruler. In most cases, the plot would proceed to have the girl fall in love with said ruler after discovering he is not so bad. You all know the drill. Except, this book does play by traditional rules. The main character, Lei, continues to despise the king and instead falls in love with one of her fellow Paper Girls, Wren. This is one of the first books that I have read that prominently features a same-sex relationship but I must say, it is incredibly well done and was a pleasant surprise in a book that I figured would follow traditional plot points. The story is good one that really focuses on Lei and the other Paper Girls and how they each adjust to life in the court.

Each girl has their own unique personality which is welcome. While some feature more than others, they all feature at various points across the book. The side characters, while not terrible, are nothing special to write home about either. I don’t recall one really sticking out in my mind.

The book strengths are the plot as I mentioned and the gorgeous imagery. Ngan does a beautiful job setting scenes not just with sights, but also with sounds and scents. I really did feel like I was in this court at several points and it at has to do with the beautiful imagery.

The world is also well-developed and hopefully it will get even more developed in the follow-up books. All the clans are given histories and the gods are also prominent throughout.

Overall, this book was a good solid read. The surprise relationship blew me away a little bit and the fact that the book didn’t stick to the normal stereotypes was a pleasant surprise. The plot was good, the main characters were solid and the world was a well-developed one. The imagery was outstanding and I really hope that all these good trends continue in the next book.

Verdict- 4 stars. The same-sex relationship of the main characters should not deter those from a very solid book from a debut author.

 

 

So often we read books that are uplifting, have a happy ending and are overall positive and uplifting. And while those kind of books are definitely a joy to read, books that are darker in nature can be a real treat to enjoy. That’s the theme of the two books in this weeks review. One is a series that I have really enjoyed but turned really dark in this book. The other book is one that just caught my eye. Books with darker themes and tones, if done well, can be really enjoyable because of how different they are.

 

Two Dark Reigns by Kendare Blake is third entry in the Three Dark Crowns series that has kept me on my toes for the entire series. And as each book has gotten progressively darker as the series has progressed.

The world building in this series has always been strength of the books and it continues here. You get your first look at life on the Mainland and it is a stark contrast to what life is like on Fennbirn. They despise the outsiders and think that those coming from Fennbirn are backwards thinking. But I think the biggest world building aspect added here is the addition of the Blue Queen. The fourth born sister is revealed in splendid fashion in this book. Coming to Arsinoe through visions, a story line, which I will not reveal, is told that shatters many previous stories and sets a of the three courses that the final book could go. The dream scenes are well done and doesn’t allow you to guess the massive plot twist.

 

And while the saga of the Blue Queen occupies most of Mirabella and Arsinoe’s time, the Blue Queen also shapes Katherine’s story. As the Mist that surrounds Fennbirn beings to deposit bodies onto the island, Katherine begins to suspect that the dead queens are responsible. The dead queens that currently inhabit her drive her emotions, her actions. They drive her whole story which makes her story unpredictable and really good. And the ending of her story in this, the last pages of the book, again change the complexion of the final book.

The one story line that I had guessed from the second book is the Jules plot line. It takes away from the Katherine, Mirabella and Arisnoe. And unlike the story lines involving the three sisters, Jules’ story line is predictable. And like the other two stories, her story is going to determine the course of the final.

The most remarkable thing about this book is that I never knew where this book was going, save for the Jules plot line. I was constantly on my toes and once the last chapter or two hit, I was stunned at the ending the implications that the ending implied.

All in all, this was yet another fantastic entry in the series. The additional world building adds another layer to the book. Plus the plot lines are fantastic. They constantly keep you on your toes and you never really know where the book will go. The only issue I have is the Jules story line and it’s a pretty significant one.

Verdict- 4 Stars. A wonderful book, only brought down by one poor plot line.

 

 

The next book is one I stumbled upon purely by accident. Give The Dark My Love by Beth Revis is truly a one of a kind book in terms of books that I have read. It’s dark, grim, enjoyable and illustrates the lengths some of us will go.

Our main character Nedra is a good main character. She is smart, determined and confident. Going to a prestigious medicinal alchemy  school, Nedra longs to cure a plague that is spreading across the island. Along with the “romantic lead” Grey Astor, it’s a race against time. These two are contrasting styles. Nedra is single minded and once she sets of heart on something, she does it. Grey tries to keep her free and easy but in the end it doesn’t pan out that way.

The world building is solid in this book. The history is very well thought out and plays a HUGE part in this book. It is referenced numerous times in the book when it comes to certain characters, events or places. It is detailed and isn’t just a throw in. It is an integral part of the story and helps determine the fate of the story.

The story itself is not bad. It isn’t full of action, romance or even intrigue. It has a mixture of all three, although in very small doses. The plot is not a grandiose one but it does offer surprises at multiple turns. The ending in particular leaves me wondering where this book goes. The story is a fast paced story, even  though it lacks the action of a faster paced story. Not a bad plot by any means, by not a remarkable one either.

But the strength of this book for me was the tone of this book. Normally, this is the type of book that would not work. It was dark, grim, involved LOTS of necromancy and didn’t have the expected conclusion that everyone assumes must happen in a YA Fantasy novel. But here, the darkness of the book really stands out as the difference maker. It was so different and unique from books that I have read that I found myself enjoying it, even though it is not that remarkable of a book. The tone and mood really help make this book a fine read.

Overall it’s a solid book that I found enjoyable but not memorably remarkable. I think it works because it is so different from other books of its kind. The darkness, grim edge and unexpected conclusion make this a halfway decent read despite not really standing out in any way.

Verdict- 4 Stars. While not remarkable by any means, it is a good book mostly due to its dark and grim tone.

 

I may have used this title once before, but hey if it’s good once, it’s good a second time. It’s back to the Historical Fiction books this week and once again, two of the best in the business are the authors. As I’ve mentioned before, Alison Weir is recognized as one of the top Historical Fiction writers. In her own right however, Allison Pataki is very good in the genre as well. And just like in my last review of Historical Fiction novels, these two books span very different, but are good in their own way.

 

 

Book Three in Alison Weir’s brilliant Six Tudor Queens series follows the story of Jane Seymour. This book is just as excellent as the previous two in the series. I think that this book is by far my favorite so far. The storytelling in this book is top-notch, and overall the story of Jane Seymour is fascinating.

What I love most about this book is Jane Seymour herself. Unlike the two previous queens, Jane never wanted royalty. She wanted a peaceful life and originally wanted to be a Nun. However, her family wanted more for her. So she served in the court of Katherine of Aragon, Henry’s first wife. She wanted to be good to her people, while at the same time, keeping her religious faith. While she wasn’t queen for very long, her story leading up to being queen is a truly fascinating one. And once she was there, the shadow of Anne Boleyn loomed over her which really adds a measure of complexity to final part of her story.

As with her previous books, Weir’s prose is world-class. She really makes you feel for Jane in this book The writing, the story setup and imagery in this book are all world class.

Weir has done it again with this book. It paints a fascinating picture with excellent prose and beautiful storytelling. 3 for 3 in my book.

Verdict- 5 Stars. If you liked the previous 2 books, you can’t go wrong with this one.

 

 

 

 

We move from Tudor England, to the mid-nineteenth century and the Austro-Hungarian empire. The Accidental Empress tells the story of Emperor Franz Josef’s popular wife Elisabeth, known as Sisi. This book is told through the perspective of Sisi and tells the story up till the empire became a dual-monarchy. This book is a little more tricky to review, because on one hand it has a lot of good things going for it, but on the other hand there is a very big issue that I have with the book that clouds my review.

Lets start with the good things. The writing in this book is outstanding. The first-person narrative style really suits this book. You really get a glimpse inside the mind of Sisi as events unfold. The imagery, cast of characters, and the story in general are excellent.

But my one problem with this book is Sisi herself. The portrayal is accurate to her real life counterpart. And while her story is very interesting and kept me interested, Sisi as a character never seemed to grip me the way other Historical Fiction portrayals did. To this day, I am still not able to quite say way I never really liked the portrayal. It might have been her attitude but I’m not 100% sure. Either way, when the main character, especially in a Historical Fiction portrayal, is unlikable, it makes it hard on the reader.

For me, the book was a solid read. The story, the writing, the imagery, everything was there for a fantastic book. But, the main character is not really likable, that tends to drag the score of the review down for me.

Verdict- 4 stars. Had everything but a likable portrayal of Sisi. Still, it’s a good read.

Greetings followers! I first off want to apologize for the lack of reviews over the past couple of months. School has been thoroughly beating me to a pulp this semester so that has severely limited my ability to write reviews. But, I have some free time now and I have many books to review so expect some reviews over the next week or so.

The first review back from my hiatus is going to be over what I believe to be the best book I have ever read. It is no surprise that it is the last book in the fantastic Throne of Glass series. This series is one of my favorite series of all time. Not only that, but the author, Sarah J. Maas, has a way of writing that I find to be spectacular. She is easily one of if not my favorite author of all-time. The final book in the series was two years in the making and it was definitely worth the wait. It was emotional, suspenseful, action packed, and overall just an amazing book. I will try to keep spoilers to a minimum in this review but just in case, I am going to throw out a large SPOILER ALERT right here. You all have been fully warned, and with that out-of-the-way its on to the review.

 

 

I first off want to say that this was a massive read. 980 pages long. But, it had to be in order to wrap the immense amount of story lines that are jam-packed into this book. And it does it superbly. No singular story line felt rushed, incomplete, open-ended or forgotten. Every story got its fair share of the limelight. Aelin and Rowan’s story, Aedion and Lysandra’s story, Elide and Lorcan, Manon and Dorian, Chaol and Yrene. These are just the couple story lines. Those story lines alone could have made an entire book. But Maas also had to wrap up Erawan, Maeve, the Wyrdkeys, the witch kingdom and the war. And yet, despite this overwhelming amount of plot points, the book never felt bloated. It had just the right amount of pacing, attention to detail and each story line got a conclusion, even if not 100% satisfying. Every story got its own time in the limelight and I never felt lost when reading the book. I knew when the story had shifted to new character, new place or new plot point. This should be the model for how you wrap up a series (yes Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen series, I’m looking at you).

On top of the excellent flow of the book, the overall story is rich with detail and emotion. I have never felt more immersed in a book then I have when reading this particular book. I genuinely felt like I was fighting alongside Aelin and her companions every step of the way. And that is what a good author needs to do, especially in a high fantasy setting such as this one. If you are unable to immerse your readers in your book, you will have a hard keeping those readers. Maas does not have that problem. She continues to expand on the lore, the setting, the characters and just the overall world building, which up till has been stellar to begin with. On an emotional level, this book had me running the full gamut of emotions. And it started off very quickly. By page 40, I had already cried once and it wasn’t going to be the last. I cried, I laughed, I cheered, I got angry. And yet, I never stopped reading. I have never been more emotional reading a book since Empire of Storm (book 5 in the series) came out 2 years ago. And again, that is what a good story needs to do. There was genuine tension throughout the entire book about who was going to survive and who was going to die. I will not spoil the body count of this book, but just know that there is a large body count. And that for me was the genius of this book. Maas was not afraid to take risks. The easy thing to do would have been to let everyone live and sail off into the sunset. But she didn’t do that. She took risks, killed of people and played with your emotions that left you feeling like you had punched in the gut. I was breathless and in tears at the end of this book. The final payoff is 100% worth all the heartache that you are put through in this book.

And for you me, that is the brilliance of Maas and her writing. She plays with your emotions, takes risks, while at the same time immersing you in a fantastic world. She makes you care for every single character and makes you invested in their stories. I have read other fantasy series where I have liked the most of the characters but not all. However, in this series and her other series, Maas makes me care about the fate of every single character. And this book is the prime example of making readers sweat the fate of their favorite characters.

I could honestly talk about this book for days but I’m not going to. Overall, this book was emotional, action packed, suspenseful and beautiful all at the same time. It really shows how far the series has come and just how good of a writer Sarah J. Maas is. This in my opinion is her finest work to date and I can not wait for her adult fantasy series, Crescent City, to be released next fall.

Verdict- 5 stars. No surprise that this book, like all of her other books, earns a five-star rating from me. Easily the best book in the series and quite simply, the best book I have ever read.

 

 

 

 

 

It’s a royalty themed set of reviews this week. Recently, I have been reading more and more Historical Fiction novels that mostly deal with some of the great European Monarchies. I started reading this genre more often based on recommendations from two of best friends who I worked at the bookstore with. Historical Fiction can be a tricky subject not only to write, but also to read. You have to balance the true, historical side of the book, while still making it entertaining and not straying into complete fiction territory. The two authors of this weeks book, Alison Weir and C.W. Gortner, are two of the best writers when it comes to the Historical Fiction genre. Weir in particular, has set a high bar when it comes to the genre particularly with regards to the Tudor Era in British history. And these two books are a stark contrast between the two people they are about. One, was hated by her subjects and died a pretty horrific death, while the other was beloved by her subjects and was a model queen. And with the intro out-of-the-way, it’s onto the reviews.

 

 

 

Book two in Alison Weir’s excellent Is Tudor Queens series is not only an excellent read, but it also attempts to shine new light on a figure mostly seeing the negative light. From little Tudor history I know, I always thought of Anne Boleyn as someone who was with every single man she could find and as someone who stole King Henry VIII from his first wife, Katherine of Aragon. This book however, really shines some light on who Anne Boleyn really was and really changed my opinion about her.

As with her book on Katherine of Aragon, this book is beautiful written and really does capture the spirit of the times. The book starts well before Anne becomes Queen and it really does show how she evolved as a person and how her experiences in other courts shaped the person she was to become. For me, that’s the most interesting part of this book. From the start of the book to the time Anne’s relationship starts with Henry is the most interesting part that really shows who Anne really was.

Anne resisted Henry’s advances for so long which is a stark contrast to what I have always thought of Anne. She was bright, intelligent, fiercely driven and not at all what the history books tell us. And for me, that is the main takeaway of this book. In these first  two books, Weir has attempted to shine new light on the wives on Henry VIII and she does a superb job of it. My opinion of Anne Boleyn has changed dramatically because of this book. I don’t look at her in the negative light that history portrays her as. But instead she needs to be seen as a driven and very intelligent woman who had circumstances beyond her control thrust upon her.

Overall, this was truly an outstanding book. Weir once again delivers with superb writing, excellent story telling and a fascinating portrayal of a fascinating individual. It is a thought-provoking book and really changes our understanding of Anne Boleyn.

Verdict- 5 stars. A truly fabulous read from a fantastic author. Highly recommend for anyone who is a fan of Tudor England. Can not wait to read the third one.

 

 

 

We move on from a Tudor England queen who was not well liked by her people, to an Tsarina who was well-loved by her people. This is a subject that I know almost nothing about this subject, but I was super interested in this book when I first found out about it. And boy am I glad I picked it up. This book was OUTSTANDING. I can not praise this book enough. It is easily a top 10 book for me and the more I think about it, the closer it inches towards top 5 territory.

Tsarina Maria Feodorovna  is truly as fascinating figure and one that hardly anybody knows. She was Danish princess who was originally going to marry the first son of Tsar Nicholas II. However, once he died, she married the second son. And that is where her story starts getting interesting. She was fiercely loyal woman, incredibly intelligent and not afraid to get involved in politics. She advocated for political reforms, was involved in politics not only when her husband was the Tsar, but also when her son ascended to the throne.

Not only was she heavily involved in politics, but she was active on the social scene and more importantly, served as head of the Red Cross in St. Petersburg. Her charitable work endeared her to her people. And when the revolution occurred, she stood her ground in her home country until she was forced out of the country. She was devoted to her family, helped shaped the landscape of Europe and one of the giants of the European Monarchy stage. She witnessed first hand so much historians yet she is person that is forgotten by history.

For me that’s the big takeaway from this book. A well-loved, outstanding but forgotten historical figure. The story telling was phenomenal, the writing was beautiful and free-flowing and the first person narration of Maria is so well done. I have so many good things to say about this book. I quickly became one of my favorites and one that I can not recommend this enough.

Verdict- 5 Stars. This is one of the easiest 5 star reviews I will ever give out. This book is truly a masterpiece. Can’t recommend it enough.

 

 

 

 

 

I am back! After my two month hiatus, I am returning to running my blog. My two month-long research job has come to end and so I now have the time to not write these posts, but also read the books that I plan on reviewing. I appreciate all of my follower’s patience and I hope that everyone continues to enjoy. My first post back will conclude an excellent series that I have thoroughly enjoyed. Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles combine classic fairy tales with a science fiction flavor and they have been an absolute treat to read. And in the past week, I have completed the final two books, Cress and Winter.

 

Book three in the series, Cress, continues where Scarlet left off and also continues many of the same themes. As with the first two books, the book continues the strong fairy tale overtures as well as introducing yet another female protagonist. In this particular book, the new character is a hacker named Cress. And right away, she takes on a Rapunzel theme. Cress is a very interesting character, just like Scarlet and Cinder before her. After having lived a sheltered life for most of life, Cress has to very quickly adapt to her new surroundings. While at first, she struggles with it, she begins to adapt with the help of Captain Carswell Throne, who takes on a more prominent role in this book than he did in the previous book. Cress and Throne form an interesting, though awkward at times, duo. What is interesting with these two, is much like in the previous books, you can tell right away that there is going to be some form of romantic partnership. In each book, there is the damsel in distress and there is a knight in shining armor.

One of my favorite parts of this book is the fact that we get more of an insight into Queen Levana’s personality. We see how determined she is to eliminate Cinder and she will do anything to protect her throne. I really feel like Levana is a really interesting figure and she is finally explored a little bit in this book. We also get some great back story with Dr. Erland and Cress which his fate even more heartbreaking.

The story itself is a roller coaster which follows Cress and Thorne, Cinder and her group, as well as the ever-present wedding threat between Kai and Levana. The story keeps you on your toes and easily switches the points so well. Each story line is different and unique and I think that is what really makes this book.

This book really does have it all. It continues the great stories from the two previous books as well as introducing great new characters. As with the other books, this book is an easy five-star review for me.

Verdict- 5 stars. As with the other books, a great read and one that I highly recommend.

 

 

 

The final book of the excellent Lunar Chronicles, Marissa Meyer delivers an excellent conclusion while also introducing probably the most interesting female protagonist in the entire series.

While this book was the longest by far, but it never felt like it dragged. The plot was a definite ride that kept you on your toes and shifts between story lines so well. Each story is tied up fairly well, even though the ending seemed a little flat. Although the story lines where very neatly tied up and I liked each ending, there was something about the overall ending that rubbed me the wrong way. Not enough for to really impact my verdict or judgement of the book, but enough that it leaves me wondering.

The newest character to be introduced in this book is the excellent and very intriguing Princess Winter. We were given a very brief glimpse of Winter at the end of Cress. Although, her fairy tale aspect isn’t abundantly clear in the book, (even though the cover gives it away), her story takes on a Snow White aspect. Princess Winter to me is by far the most interesting of all the female protagonists in the series. Her mental state is a big subject in this book but the reasoning for her mental state is fascinating to me. Known as “Lunar Sickness”, Winter’s decreased mental state is due the fact that she refuses to use her Lunar Glamour. Although this is the first time this has been mentioned, it is well thought out, creative and is a great plot device. Winter is loved by her people, but because she can not be queen, she helps Cinder in other ways despite her mental state. And when the Snow White aspect does hit, it is well done in terms of the story. Although her story ends open-ended, I feel like she really steals the show in this particular book.

Levana continues to be expanded upon in this book, which I really did like to see. Her motives are made more clear towards the end of the book and you almost feel a sense of guilt for her. She continues to relentlessly hunt Cinder and her party, all while managing her step daughter Winter and the wedding to emperor Kai. She is a very good villain for the series and a part of me would love to see a full novel on just her.

The story telling is once again top-notch here. It switches between the many story lines so well that you are never confused at where you are in the story. Each character is given plenty of time to shine and each gets a beautiful wrap up even if they are a little open-ended for my taste.

Overall, this is a series that I LOVED. I had received many recommendations and the series did not disappoint. There was so much more I could have talked about here, but I want to avoid spoilers. Much like the other three books, this final entry was fantastic and a definite treat to read.

Verdict- 5 Stars. An outstanding conclusion to an outstanding series.

Normal review service has temporally resumed. I’ve got two reviews this time around. One is a book that I have been meaning to review for quite some time while the other is a recent completion. One starts a new series that has potential while the other is a worthy sequel in a series that I really enjoying. Been a while since I’ve posted this but it’s on to the reviews.

 

Caraval by Stephanie Garber is a book that has been out for a while. While I had seen it plenty of times at my bookstore, I never really felt the urge to read. However, the book came out in hardcover in our bargain section so I figured it’s only 4$, there is no harm in reading it”. And while I am not disappointed that I read it, this book is one of the harder ones to review. There are things I liked about the book and things I didn’t. Plus the ending left me confused and trying to comprehend what had happened.

I’ll start with the characters because, like most of this book, there are good and bad points. Our main heroine is Scarlett. She is a character that seems like a decent enough character but also has major flaws that I wasn’t really happy with. She has been dreaming of seeing Caraval for years. And when her chance finally comes, she basically refuses to go. Now she has a simple enough of a reason for refusing to go. She is set to be married in a short period of time. When circumstances beyond her control finally force her to go to Caraval, she basically hates it. Now again, the plot sorta drives this point but at the same time, she is so singularly focused on the two main things in her life, her sister and her impending marriage, that she becomes an almost unlikable character. That’s not to say I totally hate her because I don’t But out of all the characters, Scarlett is one I like the least and really wish her story would have been written better.

Her two companion characters on the other hand, her sister Tella, and the love interest Julian are another matter entirely. Tella is full of energy and has a love of wanting to see the world. Now this I can definitely relate to which made me interested in Tella as a character. Tella however, is full of secrets which makes her such a fascinating character. You see her in the first few and the last few chapters of the book and this allows you to form all kinds different ideas about her as character. Her love for her sister is strong and evident, as evidenced by the end of the book. The same goes for Scarlett as well which is a saving grace of her character. But to me the most interesting of the three main characters is Julian. Throughout the whole book, just when you think you have a bead on who Julian is, a new “truth” emerges”. This really keeps you on your toes and you are never quite sure if you should trust Julian on not. He is charismatic, secretive, willing to help Scarlett and overall is just a good solid character with a great story.

The hardest thing for me to review about this book is the story itself. There isn’t much world building in here so you are mostly left to create the world yourself. The world feels shallow which to me is a big downside. Initially, the story is a slow starter but starts to pick up in the second half. The story is full of twists and turns that definitely keeps you on your toes in terms of the plot twists. Although at times, the plot twists just became expected which is a downer. The second half of the book, almost every chapter has some sort of twist so it becomes slightly overbearing in terms of the twists. But my biggest issue with this book without question has to be the ending. I will not spoil the ending for those who want to read the book. But the ending is downright confusing, is filled to the brim with plot twists and almost doesn’t make sense when you first read it. I had to read the last few chapters multiple times to actually understand what had happened and how the book actually ended. On top of that, the book ends a bit open-ended. Now to its credit, it does set up the sequel very well so props to that.

Overall, this is a very hard book to judge for me. On one hand, the prose in this book is excellent at times as well as some of the main characters. But on the other hand, the story line, the lack of world building and my almost dislike of the main character Scarlett almost make me not want to read the sequel Legendary. Almost. The wonderful prose and imagery have convinced me to read the second one. And I really hope that the story and world building have improved in that book. As for this one, I will say go read it but don’t expect to much from it.

Verdict- 3.5 stars. Not a terrible read by any stretch of the imagination.

 

 

 

Unlike Caraval, which was a bit of hard review to write, Scarlet by Marissa Meyer is quite an easy review. The second entry in the excellent Lunar Chronicles series, Scarlet is truly a worthy successor. The book continues the quasi-fairy tale/Science Fiction mixture which once again works to its advantage.

The story basically picks up right where Cinder left off. However, instead of starting the story with Cinder, we are introduced to two new and very important characters. The story transitions between Scarlet and Wolf who are at the heart of this entry, Cinder and a fellow prison escapee named Carswell Thorne and Emperor Kai who is still struggling with ramifications from the previous book. The story transitions smoothly, all the new characters are integrated so well and once again, the excellent world building continues in this book as new elements are constantly added.

Our three newcomers are Scarlet Benoit, Wolf and Captain Carswell Thorne. Scarlet is probably the main focus of this entry in the series. She is your typical 18-year-old girl who lives with her grandmother. However, when her grandmother disappears and the police refuse to investigate, Scarlet takes matters into her own hands. He is confident, a firebrand of a character and is very willing to get her hands dirty to succeed in her goal. She is an excellent addition to this book. Along the way to finding her grandmother, Scarlet meets by far the most interesting new character and that is Wolf. Shown as a street fighter, Wolf seems to have an odd pull towards Scarlet which really keeps their story flowing nicely. Accused of kidnapping her grandmother, Wolf decides to help Scarlet. His story has so many twists and reveals, (none of which I will reveal for my readers) that I honestly just want to know even more about his character. Our third new addition is Captain Carswell Throne. While initially I thought I might dislike this character, I grew to like him as a character. He is very brash, upfront, cocky and a definite womanizer. Imprisoned along with Cinder, he eventually helps Cinder and agrees to help her take down Queen Levana. He adds a good mixture of humor into a group that is sorely needing some humor.

Speaking of Queen Levana, I had written in my Cinder review that I was wanting more of her character. And while I didn’t get as much as I would have liked, I got just enough to want more. She really is a great villain. She manipulates, feigns that manipulation and then uses it to her advantage. Truly a great villain worthy of this series.

Overall, Scarlet, truly is a worthy successor in this series. It takes everything about the first book and either continues the trend of makes it better. The stakes are higher, the story is great and the new characters fit seamlessly into the story. This series truly is a great series and I can not wait to finish the next two books.

Verdict- 5 stars, If you loved the first book, you won’t be disappointed.

 

 

I realize it has been over a week since my last post but there have been good reasons. First and foremost, I started a 40 hour a week research position for my school. This has hindered not only my ability to write the posts themselves but also to read the books I plan on reviewing. I can not promise that I will get a post up each week but I will try to continue posting when I can. Secondly, I was in New York City this past weekend. I decided to do a post on my trip to New York City, particularly my visit to the Strand Bookstore and seeing the musical Anastasia on Broadway.

Located in Greenwich Village, the Strand Bookstore is an icon in the world of bookstores. Comprising of four floors and contain over 2 million books, the store is a must see for any bookworm. It is very easy to become lost among the many shelves and it truly does feel like a bookstore. The store sells both new releases as well as used books so you never know what you will find in the store. I bought eleven books to buy and I could have easily bought more. There is a little something for everyone in the store. Everything from fiction, to history to comics and graphic novels and everything in between. The store does also buy your old books although don’t be surprised if they take everything. It is very rare for the sellers desk to take everything and the store credit you get back isn’t always great. That aside, this was a great place to visit. It felt like an old-fashioned bookstore where you could browse and be surprised by what you find. Highly recommend it for any bookworm.

 

The biggest highlight of the trip for me was the Broadway smash hit Anastasia. Loosely based around the 1997 Fox animated movie, the musical centers around the journey of one girl as she discovers who she really is. As a die-hard theater person, seeing a show on Broadway has always been a dream of mine. I came across the soundtrack for this show purely by accident and I was hooked. The songs were great and couldn’t wait to see it performed live. The show did not disappoint. On multiple occasions during and after the show, I was in tears because of how genuinely beautiful the show was. The costumes, the set design, the acting and especially the music were all top-notch. Part of the original cast were still performing which made the show even better. Christy Altomare, who plays the lead role of Anya was especially amazing. Her rendition of “Journey to the Past“, which closes the first act, was so good that words do not do it justice. There are times when you go and see a show and you find even one tiny thing to complain about. This show however, was one of the rare occasions where I found no flaws. Everything about the show was amazing and spectacular. I highly recommend this show for anyone who is a fan of the theater. Easily worth the price of admission. And on top of that, I got my Playbill program signed by John Bolton and Zach Adkins who play the main male roles of Vlad and Dimitri respectively

So that was part of my New York City trip. I also hope to have a book review up sometime next week. Thank you so much everyone for bearing with me over the course of the summer. Happy reading everyone!

 

 

 

 

This review is another solo review but there are good reasons for it. First off, Katherine of Aragon: The True Queen by Alison Weir is an outstanding book that deserves its own review. However, the book is outside the realm of my historical expertise. As a world war historian, Tudor England is about as far out of my knowledge as possible. This book is the first in a series about the wives of Henry VIII and after reading this one, I do intend to read the rest of the set. So this review is likely to be a little shorter but I will try to give as good of a review as possible.

The book is a historical fiction novel that chronicles the life of Katherine of Aragon from the time she moved to England to her death. The time period covered in the book is an extensive one but it never feels like it. The story always seems very well grounded and never really seems to drag at any one point. While the story primary focuses on Katherine, you do get a decent glimpse of other events in Europe at the time. And while this never detracts from the main story, these side events seem to give a greater depth to the book which is welcome.

Weir does an excellent job of establishing and then really developing Katherine as person. Told in third person narrative, you are able to get a sense of the emotions that Katherine goes through over the course of her life. You see her devoted not only to her husband Henry VIII, but you also see her devoted to Spain, her ladies of the court and most importantly to her daughter Elizabeth and the Catholic church. Fiercely loyal and not one to back down, she easily makes her presence felt in the court and in England. The people of England loved her as queen and the book does a superb job of showing that on multiple cases. The book really comes into its own when Henry makes an effort to divorce Katherine. The historical event is expertly well-written, made easy to understand and it allows you see just how devoted Katherine was to her husband and the church during the whole process.

 

 

The detail lavished in this book is superb. Everything from the clothes, to the castles and the occupants of those castles are well described and it really does make you feel like you are truly there in Tudor England. When it comes to Historical accuracy I will defer to my Tudor historian friends. Two of my best friends are experts on the subject and they have told me that the book is fairly accurate and that very few liberties were taken with the historical record.

 

Overall, this is an outstanding read especially for those are unfamiliar with the subject. I knew very little about the subject but I never really felt like that was a detriment. The book is fairly easy to understand, very well-written and does an excellent job of telling the story of Katherine of Aragon.

Verdict- 5 stars, A truly great read and I can’t wait to read the rest of series.