“It was a very hard thing to have crushed the heart, and the hopes, of a friend.”
Equally hated and adored, Fire is one of the last human monsters that lives in the mountains of the Dells where King Nash clings to his throne while rebel lords in the north and south plot to steal his throne. The forest and the mountains are filled with with spies, thieves, and lawless men. With the ability to control minds, Fire is wanted by those in power to use it for their greed but she guards it fiercely unwilling to harness it to harm innocent people especially when she has so many of her own. But, when Prince Brigan comes to bring her to King City with a propistion she can’t refuse and the more she immerses herself into the environment, the more she sees how much her power could save the kingdom. If only she wasn’t so afraid of turning into her father.
This is probably my favorite book out the series and rereading it was a real treat as it had been a long time since I’d read it the first time. The writing in this book is more polished than the first one and I think that’s part of the reason why it’s more enjoyable to me than the first. Fire is different than Katsa and less annoying and the dynamics she has with those around her were very interesting and I did enjoy seeing her growth throughout the story. I really felt for her in how she was so afraid of repeating the mistakes that her father made and didn’t want to turn into him. I think that part made her feel very human because I do think that’s something that many of us are afraid of doing and the inner struggle to branch out and start a new path is terrifying and overwhelming. It was a fun reread and I’ll be working on the third book soon so keep a look out for that!
“When a monster stopped behaving like a monster, did it stop being a monster? Did it become something else?”
All her life, Katsa has been an outsider as she’s a graceling, a rare group of people who are bore in her land with an extreme skill: killing a man with her bare hands. As the niece of the King, you would think she would enjoy having a life of privilege but it’s hard to enjoy it when you’re spending so much time doing the King’s dirty work. But, such is the life that she has until an encounter with Prince Po and finds herself falling for him and the closer they become, the more she discovers that not everything is well within the kingdom as a terrible secret about her race is bound to tear the seven kingdoms apart.
It’s been awhile since I first this series and it was a good reread, fun to go back and see how I feel about the book from when I first read. It’s one of my favorite YA series and a new one is coming out in October so I thought I would start the re-read now so I can be ready for when it comes. I love the different names for the books and each story is it’s own and it’s been fun reading these books again. This first book was never my fave, I really like Fire and the others as I found the main character, Katsa very annoying but I did enjoy the other aspects of the book especially with the world-building as that always helps. Katsa is a graceling which is the ability to kill a person at the slightest touch and being the King’s niece, she has helped torture, murder, and struck horror into the lives of anyone who opposes the king. The older she gets, the more insecure she feels not only with who she is and the skill she possesses and soon begins to start living a double life as a hero. What I loved about this book with not only the world-building, every character was fully fleshed out and even though Katsa annoyed me, I did like aspects of her personality. It’s a very interesting plot and I think it was well written so if it sounds up your alley, then go ahead and check it out!
What a fun book! This is another one that lived up to the hype so I was happy about that. I will defintely be reading the #2 & #3 book in this series. I had heard really good things about this so I’m glad it lived up to my expectations. Slow burn and fake dating are two of my favorite tropes and it was done really well in the book as it felt very real. I love the dynamics between the two main characters, Stella and Michael who are so perfect for each other. This was a truly fun and cute read!
What a fun and enjoyable read! I have really enjoyed this series as I found the characters especially the women interesting and unique in their own way. The story follows Khai & Esme as the two navigate through their sudden romance. Both Khai & Esme are fully fleshed out characters who have their own struggles that make them compelling characters. Khai with his autism and Esme with being a young single mother, I felt for both of them as they tried to deal with own struggles while navigating their sudden romance. I really enjoy Hoang’s writing especially making her characters seem very real so it’s easy to identify with them. I loved this book and can’t wait to read the 3rd one!
I can’t decide which of these books I liked the best in the series as they were all so unique, interesting, and fun in their own way. Hoang does an excellent job of not doing the same old things especially with similar characters. I feel like they’re brand new and that’s what keeps interested and entertained! So onto the book, I love Anna and Quan, they were very fun and interesting characters and I loved the dynamic between them. I related a lot to Anna especially with her mental health and enjoyed seeing her grow as a person and I love how Quan was so tender with her. They really had great chemistry and I was rooting for them the entire time! Hoang never disappoints as I laughed and cried from the beginning to end! Highly suggest reading this series, I loved it so much!
This book is such an emotional roller-coaster and Sarah J Maas is lucky that I love her books so much because I never read books that are 700 or 800 pages long. But, I love her characters and world building and this book lives up to it. One of the things that I love about Sarah j Maas books is how she builds her worlds as it always feel like you’re there in the world as the story is unfolding. World-building is something that gets me hooked on a story and she really has a way with words that I’ve always loved. The characters, Bryce and Hunt were unique and interesting and they had their own flaws that made their dynamic very real. With the way that she builds the world and characters makes it so easy to be invested that you get lost in the world. That’s what I’ve always loved about her books!
WOW! The book was wild, chaotic, entertaining and full of high octane drama. The beginning of the book was a little slow but man it picked up and I hooked and not able to put it down till the end. The sequel follows Bryce and Hunt on a new adventure and while they want to relax and time for themselves, the world has other plans.It was so good to see Bryce and Hunt, their relationships is done so well and I love them.This book was well worth the wait but I hate that I have to wait even longer for the third book. She’s so good with characters and how she builds her world that makes you feel like you’re actually there. This book was so good and I loved every minute of it!! Highly recommend this book!
“I’m not exactly a “there are nuances to this situation” type of girl. I’m more of an “if it’s still moving, you didn’t use enough ammunition” type of girl.”
Cytonic continues with the adventurous and brave, Spensa who has proved herself as one of the best star fighter pilots for the Defiant Defense Force in the human enclave of Detritus and she saved her people from death at the hand of the Krell, a mysterious alien species that has been holding them hostage for decades. Not only that, she has traveled light years as an undercover spy to infiltrate the superiority, where she learned of the galaxy beyond her small, desolate planet home.
But, now the superiority, the governing galactic alliance bent on dominating human life has started a galaxy wide war. And Spensa knows the weapons that they plan to use: The Delvers which are an ancient, mysterious alien forces that can wipe out entire planetary systems in an instant. But there is one thing that could saved them and it is Spensa herself, as she is cytonic and has faced and defeated a delver. She knows it’s not going to be easy but she is willing to do whatever is needed to keep her people from harm even if she risks losing her own life.
This was a truly enjoying book and I am looking forward to more even though it’s gonna be a long wai One of the best aspects of the book was the setting and character development as it was really well written as he really knows how to reel you in and make you beg for more. I have really enjoyed seeing the character development of Spensa because I think she’s a really great protagonist with relatable flaws and traits.This is a perfect set up for Defiant as it’s really the lull before the storm and while it had it’s downsides being slow paced at times, I think it does a good job of setting up what will happen. Go check it out if you haven’t!
“All the money, all the power—none of it compares to a good book. A book gives you everything. It gives you a window into other souls, other worlds.”
The Plot:
While Stevie Bell may have solved the murder of her classmate, she now finds herself into a new brew of trouble as strange things keep occurring and before she can investigate, her parents pull her out of the academy for her own safety. They want her to move on from this obsession and focus on other things but Stevie feels isolated, disconnected, and alone. To add insult to injury, she finds herself thinking of David, the boy she kissed but also the boy who lied to her. Stevie doesn’t want to ever seen him again but when David’s father, Edward King makes a visit and wants Stevie to come back to the school to make nice with David. He tells her that he’s in the middle of a campaign and can’t afford for David to cause any trouble. If Stevie is there, he will make nice.
The prospect of returning to Ellington Academy is to exciting to turn down as Stevie knows she’s close to solving the murder. But, the path to truth is much more dangerous than before and Stevie must be careful or she could be next.
This novel takes a very unexpected turn that I didn’t see coming, I nearly gasped and threw my book but I loved it at the same time. The plot is what I love the most as it’s unique, entertaining and keeps you guessing what will happen next.
The characters:
So much growth for Stevie, I really enjoy her as a protagonist. She’s very real and relatable and I loved seeing her grown as a character. I felt for her when she was back home and feeling disconnected from everything as that can be really difficult and in addition to that, she felt hurt by David. I can’t say that I blame her for being hurt that he lied to her as I would feel the same. I already had a feeling that she would seen David soon and while David does improve and grow, I still can’t like him as much I liked Stevie. I did enjoy their banter and the dynamics that they have in this telling but I don’t buy the romance, it’s awkward and feels forced.
The writing:
Johnson’s writing is what I love the most. She knows how to write unexpected twists and turns in a way that you don’t even seen coming until it happens. I really enjoy how she’s able to create an atmosphere that’s so real and she does a great job with the dynamics between the characters. Overall, a very entertaining, edge of your seat thriller that keeps you wanting more!
I have decided to do more than book reviews on this blog and I’m excited to start a book of the week meme. Every Sunday, I will pick a book that I’ve recently read and stood out to me and I will share what’s it’s about, what I liked and didn’t like, the characters, quotes, and who I think would enjoy it.
The Plot:
So I’m delighted to share the pick for this. Truly Devious is a young adult mystery series by Maureen Johnson. The series is made up of four books with the last book being released this year. It follows Stevie Bell, a true crime enthusiast starting her first year at famed and exclusive Ellington Academy where she is determined to solve the mysterious disappearances of the wife and child of founder, Albert Ellington. The only clue that was left was a dubious mocking riddle signed by Truly Devious, the case would go down as one of the greatest unsolved crime in history. But solving the case isn’t the only thing Stevie struggles with, she’s also dealing with the rigorous new school life and find common ground with her roommates.
As she gets adjusted to that new life, strange things begin happening and Truly Devious has made them their return as a classmate of Stevie is found murdered. Although cautioned to stay safe, Stevie throws herself into the investigation and must rely on her survival skills or she could be the next victim.
The characters:
One of the pros of the book are the characters as they were well written, unique, and the dynamics between them felt very real. Stevie is a fun and quirky protagonist and I found myself relating to her throughout the book especially with her true crime obsession. But, she was also self-aware, competent, and had a great attitude and head on her shoulders. Her best friends, Janelle and Nate were pretty great as well and I loved the dynamics between the three. I wasn’t too crazy about David, he was kinda annoying and while I guess you could call him the love interest, this isn’t a heavy romance story. I couldn’t really feel out his character and if he truly liked Stevie or he was using her.
The writing:
While I did enjoy the pace of the writing, there were parts where it was slow. But, for the most part I felt like the writing fit the scene. Sometimes I struggle with dual timeline books but the way the scenes from 1938 were written didn’t take away from the present day scenes and I think added depth to the story. What I truly loved about the writing is how Johnson cracks up the heat and you don’t notice it until it’s too late. I felt like the twists and turns were done really well and kept me on the edge of my seat. You also can’t tell if the the killer from the 1930’s has returned or if it’s someone else and that was also suspenseful and kept me wanting more.
Overall, Truly Devious is a fantastic murder mystery with well written and complex characters, an interesting plot that will keep you wanting more, and set you up to anticipate book two with delight. I’m glad that I finally got the chance to read this book and I have already finished book 2 so hopefully before the end of the month, I will have read them all. Check it out!
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