Book review 37 - Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas

Pages: 562
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication date: September 2, 2014S
Summary: 
Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien’s only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan’s Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King’s Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan’s biggest threat – and his own toughest enemy. 

While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. 

My thoughts:

I am going to be honest right now and tell you this is more of a 3 star book, but I am giving it 4 stars because it's a Throne of Glass book. But it is not a 4 star book at all.

I am not sure what books 4, 5 and 6 are going to be like, but this will be my least favourite book in the series, I can already tell. It just didn't have the same feeling as the other books for me and it didn't draw me in like the others did. I finished both Crown of Midnight and Throne of Glass in 1-3 days, and a Throne of Glass reread in 1 sitting, yet this took me almost 2 weeks to get through.

I did like it, I will star my review by saying that I did like it. I will continue with the series. I see the important of this book and the world building and the characters we meet and their development and the new storylines, I know it means something, but yeah I had issues.

My first issue is with the characters themselves. Everything felt off about me. I barely cared about Chaol, my FAVOURITE character, because his storyline is so minuscule and unimportant in this book. He's really only used to further Aedion's plot and it saddens me to see my favourite character reduced to nothing. Not to mention I am so disgusted with the hate he receives. Not just from the fans, but from the characters. Celaena hates him for something that she could never have stopped, even if she wanted to. Dorian hates him for keeping secrets that were not his to tell, and everyone else just hates him because they can. Like leave him alone. 
Then we get Dorian, who had a terribly boring storyline and once again only seemed to be in this book to further the plotline of another new character, Sorcha. I liked her a lot. She's sweet and caring and gentle and I love her relationship with Dorian. I enjoyed their POVs but I really just don't care about their storyline much.
And Celaena. Not going to lie, she started off irritating me. This whiny selfish woe is me attitude was really not my cup of tea. Celaena was never one to have a pity party but the first 200 pages of her story was a Celaena pity party and I wasn't having it. Thank god she improved because I would have lost all hope in this book. I ended up loving her storyline starting midway through the book and I am so so so excited for book 4. I also ~liked~ Rowan. I can't get over how much I hated him at the beginning, nor will I ever lose some of that feeling. He grew on me, but he isn't my favourite (well, he's my favourite male of this book because Chaol and Dorian were so useless). I think the whole carranam think with Rowan is awfully convenient and I am praying to everyone I can think of to not make these 2 a romantic plot because I will officially give up. 
I think Manon's storyline in this book is my favourite now. Her storyline made no sense to me at first naturally since it was really weirdly introduced, but I love it. Her little creature monster and her are so cute (not a word normally used to describe Manon) and I just liked it. I still am not quite sure how it fits in, but I know it will. I just thoroughly enjoyed her POVs, which I did not at the beginning.

I think my biggest problem stemmed from the storylines in this book and the inconsistency it created with me. When I started the book, I hated Celaena and Manon's storylines. I kept waiting and waiting for Chaol and Dorian's, and they were so short. But gradually that shifted until I was craving Manon and Celaena and I didn't care about Chaol and Dorian as much. I don't like to dread POVs. It's a problem I also face with Game of Thrones. I just find dreading any part of a book to be something negative about the book.

Now, I really do need to ititerate that I did not hate this book. Yes, this review is filled with entirely negative things basically, but I did enjoy it. Celaena is still so kick ass. I loved the new weird creatures she faced, and the new people she met in the kitchens. I love Sorscha so much and am so glad to see Dorian happy with someone. Aedion is not a character I fully love yet, but I do like his story and I am looking forward to reading more about him and Aelin and seeing how they will react to one another. Overall, a really great book, a crucial inclusion to the Throne of Glass series, just not my favourite of the 6

Book review #30 - Daughter Of Deep Silence by Carrie Ryan

Pages: 375
Publisher: Dutton Books
Publication date: May 26, 2015
Summary: 
In the wake of the devastating destruction of the luxury yacht Persephone, just three souls remain to tell its story—and two of them are lying. Only Frances Mace knows the terrifying truth, and she’ll stop at nothing to avenge the murders of everyone she held dear. Even if it means taking down the boy she loves and possibly losing herself in the process.

My thoughts:

"Sometimes I think that's the hardest part to recover from. Not the loss of someone, but the loss of the possibility of them." 

I am a huge fan of this book! I knew I would be honestly but I am still surprised. 

This book is essentially the tv show Revenge as a book. Revenge is one of my favourite tv shows so naturally I gravitated towards this book. This was such a unique story. It is very similar to the show, but in reality there are no books like this one. It's such a unique story and I would have almost rather this have been an adult fiction book that was a bit longer and more developed.

The main girl, Frances, was really great. I obviously sympathized with her and what she went through and I was so on board with her revenge storyline. But at the same time, there reached a point where I wanted to be like "enough is enough". She is unlikeable, but likeable at the same time. I found a lot of similarities between myself and her and that made it that much easier to relate to her. 
As for side characters, they were all great. Grey was such a complex character. I felt like I understood his struggle and while I didn't approve of what he did, I still find it in me to care about him. Shepard is a character I felt sad for truly. He lost the girl he loves and I feel like that stayed with him for so long. I cared about him and his forgiving and loving personality. He also reminds me of Jared Howe from The Host because he loves someone who really doesn't exist anymore; who has someone else living in their body. The person he love became someone else. 
I also approve that this book wasn't a love triangle. It could have been, really could have, but Carrie Ryan dealt with that so easily and wonderfully that I didn't have to live through a love triangle. 

While I loved this book, and rated it 5 stars, I did have problems with it. Well, I had problems with the end. I didn't agree with it.
spoilers ahead 

I like that the "bad guy" died. I like that Shepard and Grey lived. I like that she confessed to the female cop. I liked all of that. I do not like that she essentially goes off on her own and leaves them both behind. I know it's better if she starts over, especially since she "died". But she really could have started over with Grey. I know at the end of the book she decided to right a letter to him and tell him that she was alive and everything, but I don't like not knowing how that worked out. We got closure, but no closure at the same time. I also didn't like how quickly it ended. There was very little planning and execution of her plan, it just seemed a bit rushed. Still good, but I would have liked another 30 pages to maybe wrap things just a bit tidier. 

All I wish for this book is that it was longer. More developed storyline. More detail in the plot. More planning and acting out of her revenge. Otherwise, I was extremely satisfied with this book and I do definitely recommend it!

Book review 29 - The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

Pages: 372

Publisher: Speak
Publication date: September 1, 2011
Summary: 
Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London to start a new life at boarding school just as a series of brutal murders mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper killing spree of more than a century ago has broken out across the city. The police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man believed to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him - the only one who can see him. And now Rory has become his next target...unless she can tap her previously unknown abilities to turn the tables.

My thoughts:

Just a fun fact about me: I don't read book blurbs. Whether I've been anticipating the book for a long time, or it's a book I've never heard of, I don't read blurbs. I find they give away too many little spoilers that I would much rather find out. Therefore I am a judge a book by it's cover type of person.
That being said, I chose to read this entirely because I loved Maureen Johnson's story in Let It Snow. That was my entire reason and therefore I had no idea what this book was about.
To put it mildly, I was extremely ecstatic when I realized that this was a Jack the Ripper story. I love to study Serial Killers, I read biographies and true crime books constantly and I study them in school so when I started this I was extremely excited. It did not disappoint.
Johnson managed to include this really unique idea and plot point into a story that I already liked. I would have loved to just read about a Jack the Ripper copycat, but the extra plots and storylines she included were amazing.
Her character building is so well done, I can see how talented Maureen Johnson is just from this one book. Rory is a strong character, and on top of that, she had about 10 minor characters who all managed to have their own personality, which is often times rare to see. 
I will say, one thing that I found refreshing was the lack of love story. Yes there's a minor love interest, nothing major, but it doesn't dominate the storyline. Not even close, and I like that. Not that I don't love some good fluff once in a while, but I really wanted to read a book about something else with no romance and this definitely delivered.
Overall, a really really unique book that was well done. 

Book review 28 - Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Pages: 503

Publisher: Knopf
Publication date: June 2002
Summary: 
When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself. 

Overnight his simple life is shattered, and he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic, and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds.

Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands.

My thoughts:

I am not big on epic fantasy like this. It's usually very hard for me to world build in my head and imagine the setting and everything. It's not a problem I usually have with anything else, but for some reason epic fantasy does that to me. This book, however, didn't do that to me. I actually really REALLY enjoyed this! 

This was my first time reading Eragon. When this book was really huge and blowing up all over the book world, I was reading my adult contemporary and just had no time for silly YA nonsense. Now that all I read is silly YA nonsense, I figured it was time to give this a try. I'm really glad I did to be honest. This was a fresh and unique world, a unique storyline and really interesting. I did watch the movie in theaters and really liked it, clearly I don't now. The movie is horrible. I've never seen a worse book to movie in my entire life, it was infuriating. 

Eragon was such a good character. I loved him. He was the exact way a 15 year old should be portrayed. Selfish and silly and dumb, and yet he is mature in the right moments and takes on his responsibility because he has to. As well, his reactions to things are fitting. His reaction to his uncle dying was exactly how it should have been, his reaction to his cousin moving/leaving was perfect and his reaction when Braum died was again very appropriate. It is clear that the author knows how to write male characters realistically and I am a huge fan of this since I often find issues with the way characters are portrayed realistically. 

Reading his interactions with Saphira (forgive me for spelling, I listened to this book) were my favourite parts. His insecurities were something he wasn't afraid to voice to her. Her voice in the audiobook made me have issues with her, but if I'm being honest I am not her biggest fan. I appreciate her but I don't love her. I just love their relationship and dynamic.

The very very minor romance plot in this story don't fit for me. I'm sure it gets developed and explored much more later on but right now I just don't think it's appropriate. 

Overall though, I really enjoyed this. It was something new and creative that I have never experienced before and it's really a nice breath of fresh air!

Book review 27 - The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer

Pages: 380

Publisher: Athenuem
Publication date: 2002
Summary: 
Matteo Alacran was not born; he was harvested with the DNA from El Patron, lord of a country called Opium. Can a boy who was bred to guarantee another’s survival find his own purpose in life? And can he ever be free?

My thoughts:

I'm so happy that I've been reading such unique books lately! Before now I had heard of this book, as is normal since it's quite old, but I had no idea what it was about. I saw it recently at the library and read the blurb and it interested me so when I found it really cheap at a used bookstore I decided to buy it.
I'm glad I did! I really enjoyed it.
The setting is probably my favourite part. I love that it's pretty much in Mexico. I feel like there are a lack of books that are set in Mexico and it was refreshing to read a little bit about their culture and urban legends and things. 
This book is such a great fantasy book. I love the eejits, the idea of clones and everything else. It's futuristic but doesn't feel that way at all. It felt like it could have been modern day. 
The characters were also great. Matt was such a precious child and I felt so bad for him so much throughout the book. His life was so tragic and sad. Celia is another character I love because she was so loving and Tam Lin was probably my favourite minor character. The antagonists in this book are so well written because I was so frustrated with them the entire time I read the book!

My one and only problem was Ton Ton's dialogue. The author kept including random "uh" in the middle of every sentence and I didn't understand what they were meant to be? Maybe a stutter or something but either way it would lose the flow of the book for me. Thankfully he was not in a lot of the book but I am hoping that by the second book this will be easier to read or less of an issue for Ton Ton.

Such a creative and unique book!

Book review 25 - Throne of Glass by Sarah Maas

Pages: 404

Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication date: August 7, 2012
Summary: 
After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

My thoughts:

This book was AMAZING. 

Celaena is definitely my favourite fictional woman. She is this high class crazy assassin that essentially passes off as a normal girl. She is so sassy and sweet and kick ass and just omg I love her to death. THIS is what I want in a strong female heroine.
The characters are so well written in this book. Chaol and Dorian are entirely different characters, each having aspects that appeal to Celaena. The author was able to create these two men and make this less of a love triangle and more of a love line. 
The world they live in is also so interesting. There is the appropriate amount of background and world building to make this book interesting, but not excessive. The plot is really interesting and I kind of love the competition aspect of the story. It has a lot of different plot points that can get complicated, but they are easy to follow and instead of confusing you they just leave you wanting more.

Book review 24 - Obsidian by Jennifer Armentrout

Pages: 335
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Publication date: May 8, 2012
Summary: 
Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring… until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something… unexpected happens. 

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. 

If I don’t kill him first, that is.

My thoughts:

24 hours, it took me all of 24 hours to read this book and fall in love with this series.
And holy mother eff I am in love.
Listen, I had really high expectations going into this book. It has an extremely high rating given the fact that it also has nearly 100,000 ratings. I read some bad reviews of the book, but those didn't phase me. I had expectations and I went in ready to be let down.
I was so so NOT let down. This book delivered everything I wanted.
The writing: basic but still super enjoyable. Katy has an amazing voice. 
The plot: There are a few Twilight crossovers but I truly believe they are accidents. The plot is so unique. I honestly loved the story line and let me tell you Aliens are not my thing at all. Like ever.
But the characters. Oh my god the characters. Daemon Black is the hottest sassiest most infuriating male character I've ever witnessed. He is a class A asshole and I fell in love with him the moment we met him. The worlds biggest asshole I don't even think you can fully understand how much of a dick he is until you read this book and still he is actually a gift from god himself. The sass he produces could actually fuel the world enough for the rest of eternity. Put him and Celaena Sardothien in a room together for a few hours and give me some popcorn and we have ourselves some entertainment. 
Katy has a really nice voice. She's not very exciting if I am being honest, a book reviewer, but she's not a super amazing character. She is however highly relatable. A boring standard girl who spends all her time inside reading and on her blog.... hmmmm I've heard that before.. I can tell that she will eventually be a really kickass character that will far surpass anything I could ever be. She is too nice to Daemon considering the shit he has put her through. I honestly think she should have been much meaner to him but she's feisty and I like that. Dee is great, you can see the vulnerability in her but she's such a sweet bubbly character. Exact opposite of Mr. Asshole himself. Everyone else I vaguely care about but not really. Although I will say Kat's mom reminds me of Mama McCall from Teen Wolf.
Seriously though this book delivered in every way I wanted. Sassy, funny, action, great paranormal, and even steamy in a way that didn't piss me off like YA steamy scenes usually do. The sexual tension between Kat and Daemon was beautiful like it was so real I could feel it through my book.
I will say though, I am not 100% sure what the hell happened at the end of the book. There was a bit of confusion happening but I am hoping that something clears it all up in book 2... which I am starting right now.
I definitely recommend this book. Definitely.