True facts: I almost DNF'd this book because of the writing style alone. There's just no other way to say this, but it was just so damn purple. Some oTrue facts: I almost DNF'd this book because of the writing style alone. There's just no other way to say this, but it was just so damn purple. Some of it was really nice, like so:
“This is what I want: I want to grab my brother’s hand and run back through time, losing years like coats falling from our shoulders.�
Other times I felt like I was stuck in paintball war of words:
“My heart leaves, hitchhikes right out of my body, heads north, catches a ferry across the Bering Sea and plants itself in Siberia with the polar bears and ibex and long-horned goats until it turns into a teeny-tiny glacier.
Because I imagined it.�
Then some of the time, it made me laugh:
“For the record, I’m in the midst of a penis panic attack.�
Only to feel like I was drowning in a rainbow ocean:
“He floated into the air high above the sleeping forest, his green hat spinning a few feet above his head. In his hand was the open suitcase and out of it spilled a whole sky of stars.�
WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN? I think I'm way too much of a cynic to jive with this kind of writing. It was like Shatter Me went on an acid trip and threw up all over my pages. Still, I'm impressed with Jandy because both Noah and Jude's chapters were VERY different from each other, containing two different narration styles. Honestly, she pulled it off well. I never had trouble figuring out whose chapter I was reading: Noah liked to abuse metaphors and Jude talked in fragments to her dead grandmother. How Jandy managed to do this so flawlessly is beyond me, but clearly it's the mark of a very talented writer.
Your love for I'll Give You the Sun will depend entirely on how you feel about the writing style. It's can be VERY jarring in the beginning, but the story itself is good. I loved how it wasn't necessarily a love story -- though, there is the cutest romance between Noah and the boy next door that I wanted so much more from -- but a story about second chances and the relationship between siblings.
But I really have to talk about the scene between Noah and Brian where they are in Noah's room together... figuring things out... and wow. I did not see it going there and was rather pleased Jandy didn't shy away from such a powerful moment for those boys....more
I tried really hard to like Snow Like Ashes. Really hard. There are a lot of things a person might try to do. You can try to ride a bike. Try to draw.I tried really hard to like Snow Like Ashes. Really hard. There are a lot of things a person might try to do. You can try to ride a bike. Try to draw. Try to, I don't know, jump off a cliff. And that's when I realized I was being completely ridiculous. You can't force yourself to like something no matter how hard you try. So I stopped trying and just continued reading, mostly because I really hate DNFing books, and took the pressure off of myself. Needless to day, Snow Like Ashes never improved for me.
Be warned that this review will be full of spoilers, but not really since you can figure everything out by the second chapter. But I thought I'd at least throw it out there.
The basic premise around Snow Like Ashes is one you've read before. There's a kingdom that has been ruined by an evil king of another kingdom, imprisoning its subjects and killing the queen. However, a few survive, including a knight, an heir to the throne, an orphaned girl and a bunch of other people who serve absolutely no other purpose other than existing. For 16 years, this group seeks a magic locket that will somehow help free their people and restore the magic of the Winter kingdom.
The story is told from Meira's point of view, a girl who was orphaned during collapse of Winter. She's just a normal girl trying to fit in and belong to the cause. A girl who prefers combat over dresses. ²Ñ±ð¾±°ù²¹Ìý¾±²õ not a terrible heroine, but one I had zero emotional connection with. If you are like me, you'll probably start wondering from chapter one why the author decided to tell this story from Meira's point of view. And by chapter two you'll notice a few things:
- Mather, the heir to the Winter throne, flinches when he is referred to as the king - Sir told Meira from a young age not to call him "father" - The magic of Winter is always passed down to a female - Sir never lets Meira go on the dangerous missions, but somehow it's a great idea to send their heir, Mather... - Mather feels bad that he won't be able to use Winter's magic even after they get the locket back
And if that's not enough to persuade you that something fishy is going on there are these clues by 40%:
- Of course Meira would be betrothed to a Prince and promised a title after Winter was restored - The Cordellan king calls Mather king in italics - Hannah, the dead Queen of Winter, appears in Meira's dreams all the time
Unfortunately for me, that killed most of the enjoyment I might have received from Snow Like Ashes. Knowing the big plot twist from the very beginning diminished my anticipation of getting to the end and having that "AH HA!" moment that I love so much in stories.
The world in Snow Like Ashes is a basic one. There are 8 kingdoms: 4 Seasons and 4 Rhythms, each with their own conduit filled with magic. Spring is ruled by Angra, a dominating and oppressive leader hell bent on destroying Winter. The reason why he's so focused isn't very clear and I'm thinking that might be part of the deeper plot of the trilogy. The issue I had is how the world is described to the reader. Info dumps plague Snow Like Ashes in the worst possible way. But then it's taken a step further with Meira giving explanations of the info dumps.
Just as Winter focused its magic on mining, Coredell focuses its conduit on opportunity--on helping its citizenswork a situation in their favor so they get the most out of it. Opportunistic, resourceful, swindlers: whatever they're called, they can make "leaves turn to gold"--a Cordellan phrase Sir explained in our many lessons, referring to the fact that they're so good at turning a profit it's as if they make leaves on a tree turn into gold coins. That explains Captain Dominick's curse earlier--golden leaves.
Maybe it's just me, but I didn't need this explanation and many times it felt like Meira over-monologued her monologues and talked her way into complete circles. This coupled with a plot that felt very contrived, especially in the beginning, didn't always make for an enjoyable reading experience for me.
- Meira is allowed to go on a really dangerous mission to collect half of the locket because Mather lies to Sir about her besting him in close range combat. A lie that was not at all convincible. - This is Meira first dangerous mission and she just happens to overhear where the locket is located by people who were warned not to speak the location out loud. - After 16 years of trying to get this half of the locket, Meira succeeds because this really dangerous villain put her on a horse, conveniently, without checking her first for weapons, and she gallops away. - Shockingly, no one pursues her.
I just don't buy that. Just like I don't buy the names of the Seasons' capitols: Juli, Ocktuber, Jannuari and Abril. Sure these may seem like great obvious choices to play off months in which these seasons flourish if you live in the Northern Hemisphere of the world. But if you perhaps live in Australia or Asia, January is the exact opposite of winter... it's summer. It was little things like this that left Snow Like Ashes feeling very unpolished.
And now I feel bad because I haven't exactly said anything good about this book. But the thing is, nothing really sticks out for me. Snow Like Ashes failed to completely capture my interest and, therefore, is more of a meh read. One that isn't terrible, but that I won't remember much about to actually recommend it to someone.
But there was one scene that stuck out: the dick fight. Prince Theron and Mather just had to flex their muscles at each other over Meira. I understood Mather's reaction because he's in love with Meira and doesn't like the idea of her marrying Theron. But what about Theron? Pride maybe? Is he territorial? All I know is that, Mather started beating on his chest and Theron thought that was a great time to start comparing dick sizes.
"No matter what I use, I always hit my mark."
Things just start getting more and more ridiculous from there with Meira's monologuing.
No man can refuse to answer that call.
[image]
It's the kind of sword fight Sir has told stories about...
Sir, has warned Meira of these Mythical Fights of the Dick.
Meanwhile, I was all...
So yup, that was the best part of the book and then it got boring again. I find out the big plot twist and discovered... oh wait... I already knew the plot twist and that made that little scene really anticlimactic. At that point, I was just waiting for the book to end. I had gotten that far and refused to give up because I'm really stubborn and I enjoy torturing myself. Though, in hindsight, I probably should have stopped.
Basically, this book just wasn't for me. That doesn't mean you shouldn't check it out, but if you do decide to give it a go and you aren't impressed by chapter 5, chances are it isn't for you either.
ARC was acquired at Book Expo America 2014. I was not paid for this review.
More reviews and other fantastical things at ....more
Christine Heppermann handles female issues in such a unique and interesting way in Poisoned Apples. Her poetic style is quirky, witty and deeply real,Christine Heppermann handles female issues in such a unique and interesting way in Poisoned Apples. Her poetic style is quirky, witty and deeply real, highlighting numerous problems with gender inequality girls face throughout their pubescent stage into adulthood. Keep in mind, however, that she also somehow manages to infuse these with classic fairy tales we grow up on. Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood and other themes like Prince Charming are merged with issues such as sex, eating disorders, body image, social pressures, sexism, abuse and more. And as an added bonus we're treated to mesmerizing photographs like this:
[image]
For the most part, I really felt like I could identify with many of the poems in one way or another, especially the ones on body image and the society's outrageous beauty standards for women through use of mainstream media. I love how she questions what beauty is and what it means to be a woman. But I supposed what I liked best was Heppermann's ability to convey these messages in very little words. Take, for example, Photoshopped Poem:
Some say the Before poem had character. This poem is much more attractive. With the Healing Brush Tool I took out most of the lines. I left in a few so it wouldn't look unnatural.
The way the poems are written are so very clever and smart. Some even made me chuckle a bit with her use of sometimes unusual places, phrases and items. Simon Says, the Abercrombie dressing room and even G.I. Joe's all seem to find themselves in the pages of Poisoned Apples. I've found myself re-reading some of my favorites at random times of the day and I seem to take something different away each time.
Also, guys, THAT COVER.
[image]
Now, I will says that there were some poems that completely went over my head, but that's mostly my fault for being genuinely terrible at poetry. Alas, even Steph Sinclair has her Kryptonite.
That doesn't change the fact that this tiny book, only 128 pages, is probably one of the most memorable that I've read this year and I want as many of my friends to pick this novel up. It feels like this one could get easily overlooked at a bookstore and that's a real shame because Heppermann's bold style is bound to leave marks and open dialogue. It's not to be missed.
ARC was provided by the publisher for an honest review. No monies were exchanged. More reviews and other other fantastical things at ....more
Well, this was terrible. I hated everything but the cover.
I’m proud of myself for finishing this The Queen of the Tearling even though it’s turned outWell, this was terrible. I hated everything but the cover.
I’m proud of myself for finishing this The Queen of the Tearling even though it’s turned out to be one of my most disappointing reads this year. HarperCollins was really pushing this title marking-wise, and while it’s not considered YA, they did offer it to quite a few YA bloggers for consideration for review. I had to be the special person to request it. I wish I hadn’t have done that.
The Queen of the Tearling tried to do a lot of things and that’s its biggest problem. You can’t have a high fantasy, historic society set in the future and NOT do any type of world building. You can’t have set rules up in your world only to break it because MAGIC. It’s not nice to tease the reader from the very beginning of SECRETS and have you supporting cast dangle it in from of us like a carrot for the entirety of the novel and NEVER TELL US by the end. Because that’s exactly what happened. It really made me question what the point of the novel was considering I learned nothing new about the plot or characters by the end.
I’m also surprised this was marketed as Adult to YA readers when it really is just a poorly plotted MG fantasy. For all this book had going for it � and it had a lot, including a movie deal with Emma Watson attached to star! � I expected so much more. I expected to be blown away, and maybe that was part of the problem, but really the level of SUCK contained in The Queen of the Tearling is baffling. I don’t recommend it at all....more
This is the first review I've ever written where I'm leaving a book unrated. I both loved and hated this book equally. There were parts that really frThis is the first review I've ever written where I'm leaving a book unrated. I both loved and hated this book equally. There were parts that really frustrated me, bored me, excited me, and completely hooked me. I'm not even sure what Red Rising is really classified as. One half of the book feels very Dystopian/sci-fi while the other half reads like an entirely different genre, perhaps High Fantasy. If I were to even attempt to describe what this book is I'd say image Gladiator and Lord of the Flies having an illicit love affair on an acid trip. Their baby would be Red Rising. How do I fit a book like that on a 1-5 star rating scale?
Darrow is a Helldriver on Mars, drilling in mines with the belief that one day his people will live on the surface once the planet is ready. He and his people live under strict rules. While Darrow is more than happy to keep his head down and do his job, his wife Eo, has a different dream. She considers her people slaves to the Gold, the ruling class, and wants to take action to free them from their chains. Through a course of unfortunate events, Darrow finds himself on the surface disguised as a Gold, and with the help of other rebels, enrolls in the Academy with an ending goal to rise in the ranks of the Gold's society. The only problem is that the school is literally a war among the students.
I was initially drawn to this book because of the interesting premise and the glowing early reviews from my friends on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ. I was a little surprised to not have heard of this book, but was eager to find out what the fuss was about. The only thing that worried me was that a few of my more critical friends had either DNF'd or gave it a lower rating. As I started reading I could immediately see why so many gave up. Red Rising's beginning is very slow and often times a little dull. I did struggle through the first 100 pages and almost gave up myself a few times. Darrow isn't the most interesting guy to read about in the beginning and I didn't really connect well with him at first.
HOWEVER
When Darrow goes through his transformation and enrolls in the school SHIT GOT REAL really fast. I don't know what I was expecting when he got the academy. Desks, chairs, tests, teen drama on a grander scale, probably. What I didn't expect was for Darrow's first test to include killing a boy with his bare hands, placed in a House Mars with other killer teens with the expectation to conquer the other Houses through warfare. I mean, WHAT. That's the part where I had to go back and re-read the blurb, because WHAT WAS I READING? (Let me just say I can see this all playing out marvelously on the big screen. No wonder they .)
So naturally I abandoned Real Life and become hopelessly addicted to the story. Darrow, a boy filled with rage due to the injustice placed on him as a Red, is placed in House Mars with a bunch of other hotheads and psychopaths. Due to their nature, it's hard for them to agree on anything and the House quickly becomes divided with the stronger tribe being controlled by Titus. The House struggles to find food and water, some resorting to eating animals raw. Tensions continue to rise between the Housemates until it ultimately results in a few brutal deaths.
The Houses continue to battle between each other in a battlefield that resembles many High Fantasy stories, complete with castles and Grecian allusions, while their teachers watch on. For Darrow, winning this "game" means more than just getting a better career option in the Gold's society like the other students. It means being in a position of power to help the rebels free the Reds from slavery. Over the course of months, battles are lost/won, enemies are made and alliances formed. Darrow begins to see that it's not just Reds who are trapped within their color.
What I loved most about Red Rising was the action and premise. I don't think I've ever read a book that had such a jarring genre mesh up that actually works to the point where it feels like you've read two different books at once. The strategy of the battles and ambushes were well thought out, the characters were well-developed and the world building very rich, reminding me of The Bone Season. There are a lot of slang words that initially turned me off because there's so much and each color (think: caste system) has their own. The terms blooddamn, glorydamn, and goodman were the three that seemed to annoy me the most, but by the end, I felt I really had a good grasp on it all.
I also enjoyed Darrow as a character and his development from a person who was willing to stay under the Golds' boot to someone who was willing to poke the lion. I'm not sure at what point I started rooting for this guy, but by the end where Darrow is going HAM on everyone, I was completely entertained and couldn't turn pages fast enough. He reminded me of Huntsalone from The Seven Realms series in that way due to how tactical he had become. I also have to agree with the other reviewers that say Darrow is a Gary Stu, Mary Sue's more perfect and cuter brother. Ha. It's so true. He's one of those The One characters where it can only be him that brings the society to his knees. No other Red has gotten as far as him, who is as smart as him, has been this awesome. He does have his moments where he does fail and almost die, but for the most part he's The One. I personally didn't really care because I was having too much fun by the end, so there's that.
If there is one thing that really bothered me it would be the way rape was handled in the story. I understand that in times of war this happens and I wasn't bothered that it was included, but it was the way it was used to develop certain characters that did not sit well with me. This is one of the reasons why I'm just unsure what to rate Red Rising. The rape really bothered me to the point where I saw red, mainly because it was so unnecessary. But, at the same time, I did really enjoy the novel. I'll go into that deeper in my spoiler tag.
(view spoiler)[Titus' character was one that I felt lacked. His entire back story involves a tragedy where his wife was raped by Golds. So in an effort to gain revenge, he decides it's only fair to rape Gold women from other Houses who were captured during different battles. This is not a great way to use rape in a story. Titus' character is demonized and therefore viewed as unredeemable by the reader because he's done The Ultimate Bad Thing by raping women. This later justifies his death and makes Darrow look like a savior.
Then, while Darrow and a female character are camping out in a cave, boys enter and sexually assault her while Darrow is away. He comes back to see her in her underwear tied up. He punishes these boys by hunting them down and killing them. Again, he is the awesome savior of women.
Later, another situation of almost rape comes up when Darrow is in charge and he's left with the responsibility of punishing the criminal. Rape in that situation was used as the catalyst to make Darrow out to be The Ultimate Hero for stopping rape. Why is it that most of the Bad Guys are sexually assaulting women just for Darrow to come swooping in to the rescue? Using rape to condemn certain characters and raise others up is tasteless, in my opinion, and is a complete turn off. The sad thing is that Red Rising didn't need any of it to show the brutality of the Academy's warring Houses. There was enough killing to go around to prove that point. Having your female characters sexually assaulted just because they have vaginas and because rape must be the worst thing to happen to a woman is not the way to go. (hide spoiler)]
The ending was nothing short of entertaining. Lots of planning, revenge, battles and death. Just how I like my action. There really isn't a cliffhanger, thank goodness, but I REALLY want to know what happens next. I'm wondering if Golden Son will have as much action given where Darrow is headed next, but Pierce Brown has convinced me that I need to stick around to find out what happens next. I would recommend this to mature YA readers as this is considered Adult with crossover appeal to the YA audience. If it feels like you're stuck on those first 100 pages, take heart, the second half will blow your socks off, sucker punch you in the kidneys and feed your innards to the dogs. But you'll like it.
ARC was provided by the publisher for an honest review. No monies or gifts were exchanged.
I really don't know how to review this book, guys. It was such a mindfuck that I'm not sure the right words even exist to describe this, but I'll try.I really don't know how to review this book, guys. It was such a mindfuck that I'm not sure the right words even exist to describe this, but I'll try. It's dark, twisted and strange. On some level, I knew what the twist was -- which is my only criticism -- but the final one at the very, very end? WHOA. What the fuck did I just read?
Unfortunately, I can't really talk about any aspects of this novel without completely giving it away, so you'll just have to read it for yourself. If you enjoy psychological thrillers, unreliable narrators, weird characters, this book is for you....more
REBECCA FUCKING LOWMAN. IÂ had to get that off my chest.
Say What You Will and I were getting along great for the most part -- yes, even despite my dislREBECCA FUCKING LOWMAN. IÂ had to get that off my chest.
Say What You Will and I were getting along great for the most part -- yes, even despite my dislike of this narrator -- until the main character, Amy, decided she didn't give two shits about anyone but herself. Matthew goes out his way for Amy and cares for her, helps her when no one else does. And what does Amy do to repay him time and time again? She insults him, cheats on him and still expects him to show up when she is at her lowest. I just hated seeing a character used so much. It bothered me to no end. Make no mistake, Amy was a Mary Sue with a walker. Her only flaw besides just being a shitty person was her cerebral palsy, which she uses to her advantage. When she's called out on this by Matthew, she brushes him off.
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