Book Review

BOOK REVIEW: The Good Sister by Jamie Kain

Book Review

The Good Sister by Jamie Kain

Author: Jamie Kain
Genre: Young Adult/Fiction
Series: No

The Good Sister: ★★★★/5

Wow. I really loved this book and I can’t really pinpoint why I do. Well, maybe I can and a few of the reasons are subjective and circumstantial, BUT a lot of the reasons are not.

First and foremost, if you are born into a family with three children (especially three girls), read it. I just so happen to be the middle child of three sisters. A lot of people say that the middle child syndrome is a stereotype, but really people…a stereotype only emerges because there are so many damn people who fit it! (I totally fit the middle child stereotype BTW, and I embrace it!) I’ll go more into, Rachel, the middle child later in my brief character analysis section.

One thing I really did enjoy that the author did on a literary level was the way she tied loose ends and resolved all the conflicts (even the small minor ones that you thought she might forget). I’m a stickler for this, because I hate to read a book and at the end of it be like…”Hey, what happened to so-and-so…” or “Why did this happen then?” You get the point. It was really heartfelt and will definitely resonate with readers with siblings with a bit of rivalry and sibling hatred (all siblings have/are experiencing this, and if don’t think so…then you’re in denial).

The book is separated by chapters told in the three different viewpoints of each of the sisters. Sarah is the oldest sister who died, so she’s given the least amount of pages, but just enough for a dead girl. Rachel is the middle sister, and she gets just that, a medium amount of the book. Asha is the youngest sister, and like all youngest children, they get everything (jk…that was a really melodramatic middle child comment to say haha). I really liked this aspect of the book; the different views allowed me to step into each of their lives and really understand the spectrum of their feelings surrounding a single event. The perspectives were well written and decipherable, even if the chapters weren’t titled the name of the sister it was told in.

The book was a tad bit slow for me in the beginning, but it became increasingly interesting as I read on. The first few chapters of Asha and Rachel sometimes too similar for me, but as they developed as characters I noticed their own personal quirks and personalities that made them unique. Actually, every character in this book was believable, which is pretty rare for me to say.

SARAH: Sarah is the oldest sister. She was diagnosed with cancer, survived, then re-diagnosed with it again, but that’s not what killed her (because that would be too obvious, duh). I won’t say how she died because there’s a lot of shrouded mystery around it and I don’t want to spoil it for you. Anyways, she’s genuinely kind and even though she wasn’t given as many pages, I still read enough to like her.

RACHEL: Rachel is the middle sister. Anyways, she’s basically a flirtatious bitch that doesn’t give a rat’s ass about the world or the people in it; she knows it, she owns it, and she revels in it. Though, she does have, albeit a small one, guiding compass at times and isn’t completely coldhearted; she has glimpses of compassion that many people wouldn’t notice. She’s the misunderstood one who acts the way she does not particularly because she wants to, but because it’s a defense mechanism. Anyways, she’s kind of the antagonist that readers will find they like in the end.

ASHA: Asha is the youngest sister. Most of the book is led by her and her struggle to find reasons or meaning from Sarah’s death. She takes it the hardest as life becomes pointless to her. Asha’s character makes me think of vanilla ice cream–she goes with every situation, but makes her presence known in the process. (PS. I love Sin, her best friend).

There wasn’t one physical evil villain, except maybe their mom, Lena (ugh, hate that woman). The villain was death–why it happens, how it happens, what happens after, how fates are connected, and a few enlightened ideas of the afterlife (one of them, I found super intriguing!). Overall the plot was written with a natural and believable flow. It felt as if I was watching life as it happened (through Sarah’s passed eyes) and I think that’s what made the book so special, that it didn’t really feel like a book at all, but a real life, and in the end that’s what an author wants a reader to feel.

4/5 for this wonderful book. One of the few contemporary fiction books that I’ve read, but definitely one that I would recommend you to read! Loved it and I hope anyone who reads it does too!

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BOOK REVIEW: The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

Book Review

The Darkest Part of the Forest

Author: Holly Black
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy/Gay & Lesbian
Series: No

The Darkest Part of the Forest: ★★.5

So, I had to wait a while before I could write my review for The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black, because I wasn’t exactly sure how I felt about it. Overall, I wasn’t excited nor did I hate it. It just fell flat for me. The cover art is dreadfully beautiful and I really wanted to love it–it was the only part of the book that I actually loved.

The writing was simple, which isn’t an issue to me, but I did find it somewhat repetitive. I understand that authors should maintain a consistent writing style throughout a book, but I found that she continually wrote the same types of sentences. And these sentences stood out like a sore thumb every time she did it. For example, when she listed things: “Then she walked fast, elbowing through the merry crowd; past pipers and fiddlers; past stick-thin fairies with powdery wings; past willowy green women with black mouths and tongues, wearing dresses fine as mist; past long-fingered girls with crowns……..” and the list goes on for about FIVE more times. There were at least 3-4 times the author did this and even though her descriptions were very whimsical, I found myself skimming over it.

I found that the premise of the book was overall very promising. It revolved around this sleeping horned-boy/prince–just like Sleeping Beauty. But, I found myself wanting to learn more about the Horned-Boy (Severin). The focus shifted so quickly that I found myself disappointed that his past was just kind of thrown into the mess as a means of just appeasing readers. I was not appeased, not completely at least. The flow of the book started really slow and all of the sudden the conflict hit and BAM the climax. Done. There just wasn’t enough for me to really take it all in and it left me feeling…bleh. I feel like the end scene was supposed to be this super epic moment, but it really didn’t come off that way to me.

NOTE!!! This book includes homosexual themes. And I’m going to be really careful what I say because I know it’s a sensitive topic in which heated debates arise. I want you all to know that I’m Christian and homosexuality is against my faith. With that being said, I don’t go condemning homosexuals for their life choices. I watch Project Runway all the time and I love the gay people on there (they’re usually the most hilarious/creative ones). Anyways, Hazel’s brother Ben is gay and when it was first introduced it shocked me because I wasn’t expecting it. I just didn’t think his homosexuality was believable in all honesty–I mean if you’re going to make a character gay, then please own it. I wouldn’t have known he was gay unless the author had literally written it down (which she did). Basically, parents, be aware it does play a large role in this (I won’t write the spoiler here) book.

HAZEL: A good chunk of the book was the development of her character, but at the end of the book she didn’t even know who she really was. I wanted to see her develop and discover herself, though that didn’t happen.

BEN: The gay brother, who didn’t seem too gay save the fact he went around kissing boys. There was a lot of hidden torture in this character that I felt would’ve been interesting for readers to learn more about, however you only really get just barely under the surface level.

JACK: Jack was probably my favorite character. I wish there was more about him. I think the turmoil he suffered being part of both Faerieland and Fairfold could’ve been exploited even further.

SEVERIN (THE HORNED-BOY): I didn’t really like him. I was expecting to like him, but I didn’t. He was one-dimensional and the only big development was his realization at the end of the book (WHICH WAS WAY RANDOM AND NOT AT ALL SWEET…)

All in all, I can’t say that I would explicitly recommend this book to my friends. I wouldn’t tell you guys to go out and buy it, but if you’re able to borrow it from the library or a fellow bookworm, then I would say that’s the way to go. Thus, The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black is rated a 2.5 in my library. (Sigh…that’s the lowest review I’ve ever given) Reminder my rating is based on my personal preference, you might read this book and find it the most amazing read ever.

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BOOK REVIEW: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Book Review

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author: Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy/Romance
Series: Throne of Glass Series (Incomplete)

Throne of Glass: ★★★★

I’m going to start with the cover. Typically, I hate when covers have human representations of the characters because it robs me of the right to picture the main character the way I read her to look. But, damn, Celaena looks so badass on the cover that I couldn’t imagine it any other way. So, this time I will accept the cover and it is a check from me.

The main problem I had with the book was the length. I loved how I was swept into the world of Erilea, however there were times where I dragged my feet and had to force myself to read because things were becoming very repetitive. I was too often too thankful when the author would pass over some of the Tests. Whew. Besides that, I thought the writing was actually quite wonderful. To me, the dialogue is what was the shining star. Each character had a unique way with words and Maas was able to maintain that through every comment they made throughout the book, which made them more believable allowing them to come to life. I found that her visual descriptions were at times a bit confusing and superfluous, and shamefully I may have skimmed those parts one too many times.

CELAENA – What.A.Badass. I love this chick. She was a strong and just–despite her career choice–heroine. I found myself following and anticipating her endless sassy remarks and got caught up in her playful, witty banter with the other characters of the book. She’s not perfect, but that’s what makes her perfect. Her flaws were obvious and she owned up to it every step of the way. She was a character filled with contradictions whether it was the fact that she was a cold killing machine, yet still loved dressing in frilly dresses and stuffing her face with candy, or just the fact that there were many occasions where she always felt two directly opposing feelings. (ie. “her arms felt heavy, and light at the same time” “there was a warmth in her, but a chill ran down her back” etc etc)

CHAOL – Holy. I am in a love & hate relationship with this guy, mostly love, but I do have a bone to pick with him. I think he is absolutely adorable and Maas did an amazing job of presenting his character through his tough exterior and undeniable compassion. I enjoyed his POVs as he was trying to figure out what exactly he was feeling and where he stood. I THINK he somewhat figured it out in the end, but I’m not entirely sure. AND that **** better be a symbol foreshadowing the future, or I might flip my table. I wish there was a little bit more…

DORIAN – I have no idea why, but I kept imagining him to be much younger than he was stated to be. The way he spoke and was written into the story, I couldn’t really believe he was 19. His character was probably the least believable for me. I didn’t particularly dislike him as a character, but I couldn’t find myself rallying for him.

Overall, I had no idea what to expect when I first started reading the book. And frankly, I found myself surprised when there were mentions of Fae, gnomes, etc. It didn’t bother me, but it did take me for a loop. I gave this book a 4/5 stars because I did enjoy it and found myself engaged while reading it, however a 5/5 book for me is one that I just can’t put down and need to see what happens and then find myself in awe that the author just blew my mind. There were times while I was reading that I assumed what was about to happen next and was basically just waiting for Celaena to hurry up and figure it out.

I’ll definitely be picking up the next book in the series, Crown of Midnight, to see what happens next though. (But with Celaena’s four-year-long contract, I hope it doesn’t feel that long…) I might take a break from this series since I don’t have the second book yet and throw myself into a new world.

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BOOK REVIEW: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Book Review

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Author: Victoria Aveyard
Genre: Dystopian, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
Series: Book One (Incomplete)

 Red Queen – ★★★★★

First off, let me just say I went into reading this book after a huge hype. Everyone was saying how amazing it was and how unexpected the end was; there were also countless mentions of “twists” by other reviewers that made me even more expectant of surprises.

The writing is basically flawless, easy to follow, and smooth. It’s a fast read, not only because you can’t stop and have to read on, but also because the flow of the writing is so nice. Aveyard does an amazing job with sewing in the details naturally without smacking you in the face with it.

MARE BARROW – (Bone Marrow?) Besides her funny name, she is a likable main character. Yes, certain things she did kind of pissed me off, but overall I understood why she said the things she did and did the things she did. Plus, she develops as a character at such a believable speed that she seems like an actual person.

CAL – When I was first introduced to Cal, I pictured him as scrawny and awkward, then by the end of the book he was all of a sudden, big and mighty (though I guess being in a place where you’re uncomfortable can have that effect on you.) He’s just and compassionate and I loved his character despite the “bad” things he did and the loyalties he kept. He was basically the only one who was honest, which I found naively honorable.

The romance wasn’t quite developed as much as I would’ve liked it to be, but I understand that it’s going through the growing pains. I’m hopeful the next one will have a little bit more movement in the love department, but I definitely see a love triangle developing.

“The Twist” is…I won’t say, because honestly I don’t know what the other reviewers were referring to. There were moments in the book where I was like “Oh, I saw that one coming…” and then there were times where I was like “Wait, wtf just happened??” This book has it all: love, betrayal, victories, and POWER. It kept me on my toes the entire time.

This is the first book of the series and I’m itching to read the second one, which is supposed to be released in February 2016 (too far…). Also! If you didn’t already know, they’re going to be making this book into a movie!! I love when books are adapted into movies, especially fantasy ones. Since Aveyard studied as a screenwriter, I think she innately has a visual style of writing because I was able to picture everything while reading.

GO OUT AND BUY THIS BOOK. It should be part of your collection, because why not? Not only is it a great read, the cover is freaking fantastic.

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BOOK REVIEW – Penryn & the End of Days Trilogy by Susan Ee

Book Review

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Author: Susan Ee
Genre: Fantasy, Dystopian, Romance
Series: Penryn & the End of Days Trilogy (Complete)

Angelfall – ★★★★
World After – ★★★
End of Days – ★★★★★

I usually do not like post-apocalyptic stories, maybe because it’s now seeming like a fad, but this trilogy was extremely original. It was a very easy read for me that I finished the first book in one night! Susan Ee does an amazing job with her hauntingly beautiful descriptions. I felt I was following Penryn on her tumultuous journey through each book. One thing that truly stands out is Ee’s character development. I felt each character growing as I read deeper into the trilogy. I felt for each character and connected with each one.

RAFFE – the justified and strong gentleman/angel. You feel for him every step of the way and can’t help but love him

PENRYN – I love a spunky heroine who’s not afraid to get her hands a little dirty

The romance aspect of the book is present between Raffe and Penryn, albeit it takes a bit of time to get to, but they’re in a post-apocalyptic world so what can I expect? Although, the first time Penryn makes a real move (I won’t spoil what she does), I found it extremely awkward! I could barely read it and felt embarrassed for her…I’m not sure if that was Ee’s intention, but if it was then kudos, my friend.

I know the old saying goes, don’t judge a book by its cover, but I am guilty as charged when it comes to book covers. If a book’s cover catches my eye, I can’t help but buy it. I absolutely LOVE this trilogy’s cover series, because not only is it visually appealing, it reflects the development of each book.

Overall, I thought Ee was extremely clever with the way she tied the story together and I kept reading because I had no idea how she was going to end it, which is a feat because I usually expect all the unexpectedness in books.

BUY ANGELFALL ON AMAZON

BUY WORLD AFTER ON AMAZON

BUT END OF DAYS ON AMAZON