Showing posts with label Review: Book. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Review: Book. Show all posts

5 June 2015

Review: Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Title: Between Shades of Gray
Author: Ruta Sepetys
Published: April 1st 2011
Source: Audiobook
Pages: 344
Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.

Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously--and at great risk--documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart.

REVIEW

Like most books set during the war, I was expecting a lot of grit but this was very toned down, probably because it is aimed at a younger audience. This would have been better, darker, more realistic if it were written for adults. I was looking for a lot more 'realness' in the story (eg. prostitution, rape, torture etc.) This was rather tame compared to other historical fictions, a lot of these issues were glossed over by telling the reader that these things may have happened instead of showing.

The writing style was very detached, it was a little too simplistic for a book dealing with such a serious topic. Even when something really bad happens, all we get is a one sentence reaction from Lina and that's it. It was a little strange and it kinda ruined the moment for me. Furthermore, this is written in first-person so I was expecting a lot more emotion and I wanted to connect with the characters but I didn't feel for the characters. Even when people died, I was shocked/slightly sad (for like 2 seconds) but I did not FEEL heart broken. I felt like I had a heart of stone, which I swear I do not! (I tear rather easily when reading)

There were some shocking moments but it dragged a lot inbetween and I felt like the writing perpetuated the poor pace of the story. The book definitely got better towards the end when things picked up.

It was however rather interesting to read from a different point of view since a lot of WWII stories are from either the Germans' or the Jews' pov.

The romance was cute and I loved how it gave her hope. That's what love is isn't it? When all else fails, you'll have love! I really liked that this was the book's message, it is a very romantic way to look at obstacles. :) Romance was not the main focus of the story though but it did help the main character go through tough times.

VERDICT

This is a good introduction for teens to historical fiction or to history in general. Do not go in expecting a dark account of WWII and you will not be disappointed. I could not visualise a lot of the scenes due to the simplistic writing style and I am a visual person so this was not a memorable read for me. In general there was more telling than showing and because of that I did not feel emotionally connection with the characters and their situations.

I would recommend this if you are looking for an introduction into the genre.

Plot: 3/5 
Pacing: 3/5
Originality: 3.5/5 
Writing style: 2.5/5
World Building: 2.5/5
Characters: 2.5/5 
Feels: 3/5
Enjoyment: 3/5
Cover: 3/5
Overall rating: 

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3 June 2015

Review: An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa tahir

Title: An Ember in the Ashes
Author: Sabaa Tahir
Published: April 28th 2015
Source: Hardcover
Pages: 446
Series: An Ember in the Ashes #1
Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

REVIEW

How I felt as I went through the book: I LOVED the first 40% (4 stars) and then it got draggy all the way till the last 100 pages. (3 stars) It was so exciting! But then I soon realised that there were only 50 pages left and there was no way that that one giant loose end was going to be tied up by the end of the book. (2 stars)

This book was marketed as this interesting standalone fantasy novel and I picked it up thinking that that was really rare and hard to pull off. I decided to read it solely based on that fact. And needless to say, I FELT CHEATED. You can't create hype based on a lie! BLEAGH. This left a bad taste in my mouth. If this was wrapped up well enough with just a tiny bit of loose ends that had the potential to be expanded into a sequel, I would have been perfectly fine with it but what annoyed me was that this was OBVIOUSLY not meant to be a standalone. There were a buttload of things left unexplained and the ending made it seem like this was a 800 book that got cut right in the middle, it was abrupt and did not address the whole "their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself" as stated in the synopsis. Nothing the characters did in this book is actually going to affect the empire. 

The biggest problem for me was Laia as a character and her storyline. She did not make any progress at all towards saving her brother. I don't get it. I felt like she did not really add any value to the story other than being the damsel in distress 99% of the time. I could've skipped most of her chapters and the book would still make sense.

Elias was okay I guess. He was kind but not really swoon worthy/ memorable.

I was surprisingly okay with the love triangle/square that everyone is hating on. It played a part in the plot but it didn't overshadow it. Anyway I guess I just don't really care for the characters in general so I am not invested enough in the romance to be annoyed by it. :P This was probably an attempt at forbidden love but tbh, I don't even know why Elias finds Laia attractive, it seemed more like pity to me.

World building was poor to say the least. Everyone keeps talking about how this is set in ancient Rome but I didn't get that from the book at all. There were little to no descriptions of the buildings, the people, the surroundings. The only setting I got from it was that it was some dirty castle surrounded by a desert!? Is that what Ancient Rome was like?

The writing style is simplistic and very easy to get through but it just doesn't work for high fantasy, imo.

There was also a lot of offhand mentions of rape and some random sexist comments that were so jarring, I had to put the book down for 2 days.
"She can't turn into a girl on me now" - referring to a character's emotions 
"She screams, a girlish shriek I know I should never ever mention." - may I know what a girlish shriek is? 
My issue with it was that the female character let it slide and she did not say anything about it, making it seem okay

I would not have read this had I known that it was going to be a series and false marketing is just disgusting, so I am not continuing with this series.

The only reason I am not giving this less than 2 stars is that I did not think of DNF-ing it even at the boring bits so I guess Tahir did something right?

VERDICT

This does not live up to its hype. Even if the publishers did not falsely market the book, I would still have given this 2 stars because the synopsis was misleading, resulting in a totally different set of expectations on my end. Nothing is worse than a book that ends crappily.

I would recommend this to anyone who is curious or hasn't read the synopsis. ;)

Plot: 3/5 
Pacing: 2.5/5
Originality: 2.5/5 
Writing style: 2.5/5
World Building: 1.5/5
Characters: 2.5/5 
Feels: 2.5/5
Enjoyment: 2/5
Cover: 3/5
Overall rating: 

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28 May 2015

Review: Trouble by Non Pratt

Title: Trouble
Author: Non Pratt
Published: March 6th 2014
Source: Paperback
Pages: 384
In this dazzling debut novel, a pregnant teen learns the meaning of friendship—from the boy who pretends to be her baby’s father.

When the entire high school finds out that Hannah Shepard is pregnant via her ex-best friend, she has a full-on meltdown in her backyard. The one witness (besides the rest of the world): Aaron Tyler, a transfer student and the only boy who doesn’t seem to want to get into Hannah’s pants. Confused and scared, Hannah needs someone to be on her side. Wishing to make up for his own past mistakes, Aaron does the unthinkable and offers to pretend to be the father of Hannah’s unborn baby. Even more unbelievable, Hannah hears herself saying “yes.”

Told in alternating perspectives between Hannah and Aaron, Trouble is the story of two teenagers helping each other to move forward in the wake of tragedy and devastating choices. As you read about their year of loss, regret, and hope, you’ll remember your first, real best friend—and how they were like a first love.

REVIEW

This review will be short and sweet!

Trouble did not meet my expectations (which were very high because of all the hype) but it was still a really enjoyable read and I loved how different it was! It addressed a lot of the problems that teenagers faced like trying to fit in, bullying, family problems etc. Slut shaming also played a huge part in the book. Non Pratt did an amazing job of addressing these issues without being preachy at all. Aaron also had an atypical best friend (Neville) that I thought was really cool. How often do you read about a young guy having an old man as a best friend? It was a really interesting way of looking at the elderly.

Trouble had a slow start but I thought that it was a great build up towards the mystery surrounding Hannah's pregnancy and Aaron's past! The writing was simple but highly effective in conveying emotions and it really helped in the pacing of the story. It didn't feel draggy even at the slower parts of the book because it was such a quick read! 

One issue I had was the ending. It felt very rushed and I wanted to know MORE! What happened after the birth of the baby? I wish there was an epilogue. It just felt like the character arcs never really completed. 

VERDICT

This is one of those books where all the emotions creep up on you. You don't realise how attached you are to the characters until the book end and you realised that you have been rooting for all of them!

I would recommend this to anyone that is looking for a funny and different YA contemporary!


Plot:4/5 
Pacing: 3.5/5
Originality: 3.55 
Writing style: 4/5
Characters: 4/5 
Feels: 4/5
Enjoyment: 4/5
Cover: 4.5/5
Overall rating: 

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25 May 2015

Review: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Title: Gone Girl
Author: Gillian Flynn
Published: August 26th 2014
Source: Audiobook
Pages: 560 (19 hours)
On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne's fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick's clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn't doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife's head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media--as well as Amy's fiercely doting parents--the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he's definitely bitter--but is he really a killer?

As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister, Margo, at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn't do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet?

REVIEW

First up, let me just highlight the fact that this audiobook is 19 hours long. Yup, nearly one entire day. Until now, I don't know if I regret spending all that time. On one hand, I really enjoyed the mystery, the weird and the psychological aspects of it but gah it dragged on for forever!!! The pacing really killed the story for me. It was so bad that at one point where there were twists and revelations (that were supposedly very shocking), I did not feel anything at all. I just wanted the book to be over. I had enough of all the crazy and excessive swearing in the book.

I actually really liked the psychological thriller aspects but it just took way too long to get there and the writing did not help. During the first half of the book (nearly 10 hours of audiobook) all you hear about is a couple having #firstworldproblems and how much they sucked at communicating. Imagine watching a 10 hour vlog about a couple's day to day arguments about random things. Not only that, you also read about every single mundane conversation that Nick has with people that really didn't matter in the grander scheme of things. For example: there was this lady that kept flirting with Nick throughout the investigation. I don't understand her significance in the entire story and it is even more annoying that I had to listen to her flirt and Nick trying to respond nicely. I don't get it?!

I've always thought of myself as being okay with unlikable characters but Gone Girl really challenges your patience. There is NOTHING likeable about Nick or Amy. They are whiney, immature, narcissistic, crazy adults and it did not help that the narrator for Amy narrated in a really annoying way. It was very condescending and her quiz-style diary entries were a pain to listen to. Had I read this book, I would've skipped all the stupid quizes. Also, the problem with hating these characters is that you can't root for anyone in the book. I was very distant and just didn't care about the characters. This is kind of problematic because its a thriller! You are supposed to be afraid that someone would be killed but I was ready for both characters to drop dead anytime.

Has this book been 100 pages shorter, I would've been so much more tolerable of Nick and Amy and the swearing. Did I mention how much swearing there is in this? It was so unnecessary and it was honestly a turn off. If you can't stand a couple of f-bombs in real life you will cringe and suffer through this book.

Many people do not seem to like the ending but I thought that it suited the story quite well! It is open ended and it kind of continues the thriller aspect of the story which I thought was pretty genius. And since the characters were so unlikable, a well wrapped up ending would have been too fake. :P

VERDICT

I feel like I am not getting Gone Girl. So many people rave about it and yes it was rather interesting and different but it did not really work as a whole. If I were to rate just the plot itself, it would be a solid 4 stars but there are so many other elements that just didn't work for me.

As you can see from Goodreads, Gone Girl is a hit or miss. Read it if you are curious, it is quite different from the usual mystery thrillers. Try to avoid the audiobook if you can, it is easier to skip the boring bits/incessant swearing when you are actually reading the book. ;)

I would recommend this to anyone that loves unlikable characters and/or psychological thrillers.


Plot:4/5 
Pacing: 1/5
Originality: 4/5 
Writing style: 2/5
Characters: 2/5 
Feels: 3/5
Enjoyment: 2.5/5
Cover: 3.5/5
Overall rating: 

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21 May 2015

Review: Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anne Blankman

Title: Prisoner of Night and Fog
Author: Anne Blankman
Published: April 22nd 2014
Source: Hardcover
Pages: 401
Series: Prisoner of Night and Fog #1
In 1930s Munich, danger lurks behind dark corners, and secrets are buried deep within the city. But Gretchen Müller, who grew up in the National Socialist Party under the wing of her "uncle" Dolf, has been shielded from that side of society ever since her father traded his life for Dolf's, and Gretchen is his favorite, his pet.

Uncle Dolf is none other than Adolf Hitler. And Gretchen follows his every command.

Until she meets a fearless and handsome young Jewish reporter named Daniel Cohen. Gretchen should despise Daniel, yet she can't stop herself from listening to his story: that her father, the adored Nazi martyr, was actually murdered by an unknown comrade. She also can't help the fierce attraction brewing between them, despite everything she's been taught to believe about Jews.

As Gretchen investigates the very people she's always considered friends, she must decide where her loyalties lie. Will she choose the safety of her former life as a Nazi darling, or will she dare to dig up the truth—even if it could get her and Daniel killed?

From debut author Anne Blankman comes this harrowing and evocative story about an ordinary girl faced with the extraordinary decision to give up everything she's ever believed . . . and to trust her own heart instead.

REVIEW

I had the biggest problem with the pacing of this. Like almost all murder mysteries, things were dragged out. At one point, Gretchen could've asked her mum about the letters instead of actually putting herself through all sorts of crap just to eventually go back and ask the mum about it. This made dramatic sense but zero logic. I really hate it when books do this, which is mostly why I can't stand mysteries.

The twists were not surprising at all and I was just waiting to be proven right 90% of the time. It really sucked the joy out of reading. So many things were so painfully obvious but the two baffoons were still 'figuring it out' and it was so annoying and painfully drawn out.

Even though the writing was great for a suspenseful read, it kept giving me renewed hope that a huge plot twist was on its way, only to be disappointed again.

This was fun and interesting for the first 60% (which is why this is getting 3 stars instead of 2) and then I lost interest rapidly. Between the illogical crime solving and random romance, there just wasn't anything good going for it.

I thought that the romance would play a bigger part according to the book synopsis but honestly if Daniel was just a friend, it wouldn't have made any difference to the story. It was very redundant and felt forced. It was also rather insta-lovey. I was mostly drawn to this book because I thought it would be more about forbidden love and the likes but nope, that doesn't really play a part in Prisoner of Night and Fog.

The characters were also rather meh. It was interesting to see Hitler in his day to day life but that was about it. The main character was pitiful but I did not really connect with her and I was pretty much detached throughout the book.

I loved the author's notes though! It was really interesting to see all the research that went into the book and which aspects where fictional and which were real events etc.

VERDICT
Overall, this was really disappointing and I had really high hopes for this. I wish that this was mostly historical fiction rather than a mystery. This was a great idea but execution was lacking. I would've loved this a lot more if the story was more condensed and was at least 50 pages shorter. 

I will not be continuing with this series.

I would not recommend this to anyone that's not a fan of mysteries. I guess murder mystery lovers may enjoy this more?

Plot:3.5/5 
Pacing: 3/5
Originality: 4.5/5 
Writing style: 4/5
Characters: 3.5/5 
Feels: 3/5
Enjoyment: 3/5
Cover: 4/5
Overall rating: 

17 May 2015

Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas


Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Published: May 5th 2015
Source: ebook
Pages: 416
Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses #1
A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

REVIEW

First off, I am super hard to please. I am very critical by nature so I usually tear things to shreds. BUT THIS BOOK!!! It blew me away! This is one of the most well-balanced book I have read in ages. Writing, characters, world building, plot, pacing, romance etc were all done so well. This is hands down going to be one of my top books this year.

I was seeing this everywhere on Twitter, Goodreads, BookTube & Blogs and I was doing rather well on my readathons so I decided to veer off my TBR to check this crazy hype out. I have to admit that I was prepared to hate this book and call out on the stupid hype so I read the negative reviews on Goodreads before starting the book (keeping my expectations low and all). AND I AM SO SORRY SARAH J. MAAS FOR I HAVE WRONGED YOU. How could I have doubted you. ACOTAR IS BOMB. Better than Throne of Glass (I have only read the first book in the series though.)! It reminded me of why I love fantasy and romance. Instead of taking the usual back seat, the romance in ACOTAR was the driving force of the plot, just like Beauty and the Beast. I am a huge fan of Beauty and the Beast and this book does it so much justice!

Some people are complaining that it is unlike Beauty and the Beast but I beg to differ. I recently watched the Broadway musical Beauty and the Beast and it was HILARIOUS! ACOTAR gave me all the same feels and Tamlin was that beast who struggled to befriend Feyre and eventually they fall in love. To me, that is the essence of Beauty and the Beast. The fact that the beast/Tamlin has to win her over even though she was held 'captive'. Even though Tamlin does not look that gross/hairy/ugly as the Beast but the fact is, he is a scary and hateful faerie! He is a creature that used to enslave humans, how could anyone love him? That is where the twist is. I think some people might have missed that. Its more than just the looks.

Speaking of twists, I loved Maas' take on the curse. It was genius! :) 

Also, the pacing was amazing! There was SO MUCH going on that I was never bored, not even for a second. This did not suffer from the usual first-book-is-a-set-up-book syndrome.

If you are expecting a high fantasy similar to Maas' other series: Throne of Glass, this is not it. Beauty and the Beast is a love story -> ACOTAR is mostly a love story. HOWEVER, even though they take a back seat, there is a lot of world building and politics going on in the book as well. Also, there are a lot of fantastical and scary creatures in this book. It adds such an interesting element! I am really excited to see how it all unfolds as the series progresses!

The only problem I had was that I didn't really feel for the two main characters. Tamlin fell quite flat for me and even though I loved the romance, I felt that the build up towards it was nearly non-existent. It felt a little sudden and I wished that there was a little more angst. (I never thought I would ever ask for more angst lol.) 

*SPOILER STARTS HERE*
I do think that the romance was done this way on purpose though. It seems to be hinting at something that might happen as the series progresses. Remember how the Shatter Me series unfolded? ;) My guess is that Feyre will eventually fall in love with Rhys! Since the current relationship seems a bit flimsy, we would all be okay when that ship sails and we welcome a new ship, right?  And needless to say, I am #TeamRhys. Tamlin just doesn't seem as exciting :P I can't wait for the monthly sleepovers with Rhys! <3
*SPOILER ENDS HERE*


VERDICT

Read this. I promise it would be worth your while! :D GO GO GO!

Side note: Feyre is 19 and there are some steamy scenes in this book. Why isn't it categorised as New Adult? This doesn't seem very appropriate for anyone under 16.

Recommended for anyone that loves romance, fairytale retellings and the Throne of Glass series!

Plot:4.5/5 
Pacing: 5/5
Originality: 4.5/5 
Writing style: 5/5
Characters: 4/5 
Feels: 5/5
Enjoyment: 5/5
Cover: 4.5/5
Overall rating: 

14 May 2015

Review: Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

Title: Isla and the Happily Ever After
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Published: August 14th 2014
Source: ebook
Pages: 352
Series: Anna and the French Kiss #3
From the glittering streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris, falling in love is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective artist Josh.

But as they begin their senior year in France, Isla and Josh are quickly forced to confront the heartbreaking reality that happily-ever-afters aren’t always forever.

Their romantic journey is skillfully intertwined with those of beloved couples Anna and Étienne and Lola and Cricket, whose paths are destined to collide in a sweeping finale certain to please fans old and new.

REVIEW

Having read the other 2 books in the Anna and the French Kiss companion series, I was super excited to read this but man this had to be my least favourite in the whole series.

The writing was of course amazing, in true Stephanie Perkins fashion, I was completely drawn into the story. However, the plot was very boring and predictable and after the first 50% my patience ran thin and I just wasn't as invested in the story as I wanted to be.

I did not like Isla. She doesn't think before she speaks and she was just way too immature for my tastes. Also, she was very insecure. Obviously this is realistic and normal in real life but she doesn't seem to realise that she is insecure and try to work on it. Instead, she just says the first thing that comes to her head and blames the guy for everything. This is why guys think girls are crazy bitches :P

Josh was sweet and cute but he was rather immature too. I mean if you knew that your girlfriend is insecure would you really show her drawings of your naked girlfriend!?!? Anyway, I didn't really feel like I knew him at all so I couldn't connect with him. They were just apart too much that we didn't really get to see that much of Josh.

Kurt was such an interesting side character but he was so horribly neglected it was so sad. Also, he was completely abandoned by Isla when she got together with Josh. This is not how you treat friends. This issue was brought up but it felt like there wasn't a real conclusion to this, adding to my frustration with Isla.


The romance wasn't ship worthy. I didn't really feel like their relationship progressed from the puppy-love stage and they could've easily solved their argument/issues by simply communicating rather than wallowing in self pity and attempting to seek revenge. Meh. Also, they were SUPER DUPER DRAMATIC about everything UGH no just stop. They had to be separated for 2 months and they behaved like someone was dying or that they were gonna be apart for 20 years. The relationship was just very juvenile and I was laughing and cringing at all the silliness. 

VERDICT

Aside from the writing, there was really nothing much going for this book and while it was cute and fluffy, the characters and romance was very juvenile and seriously got on my nerves.

This series just went downhill from Anna and it is a real pity because I had such high expectations for Stephanie Perkins.

Recommended for anyone that wants to complete the series, if you've not read any of the books in the series, you might just wanna read Anna and stop at there.

Plot: 2.5/5 
Pacing: 2.5/5
Originality: 2/5 
Writing style: 4/5
Characters: 2.5/5 
Feels: 2.5/5
Enjoyment: 3.5/5
Cover: 3/5
Overall rating: