Book Review: The Girl of Fire and Thorns

Title: The Girl of Fire and Thorns
Author: Rae Carson
Rating: 2/5 Stars
Series: Fire and Thorns (Book 1)


* Means there is a spoiler at the bottom. Don't want to see the spoiler? Don't scroll to the very bottom.

Color me confused.

This book was 423 pages long. I understood maybe 210 pages? If I was lucky. There just seemed to be so many twists and turns and plot holes and, most of all, just this general sense of meh. It wasn't necessarily a bad book, but there was nothing about it that screamed "good book" either. It was just...okay. Which normally would earn it 3 stars, except for the ending which was, in my opinion, a little ridiculous. Like I read it a couple times and it still seemed kinda weird to me but I was scrolling through other reviews on Goodreads and maybe it's just me because so far I've only found one other person who has mentioned it... I just thought it was really strange and one of those things that people would mention but...

Anyway, Elisa is the bearer of the Godstone, which (little iffy on this because I didn't quite get how this worked but I read this after a run, I was a little tired so could have just been my mush brain) she received when a shaft of sunlight shined on her navel (?) and she is now responsible for a "great act of service" in which she might (and probably will, if past records are any indication) die. But first, she gets married to a king who promptly asks her to pretend that they are... not married? So that he can use it to his political advantage? And then gets kidnapped and that's about where I a) became officially confused and b) lost interest and wandered off to write essays. Me deciding to write essays instead of reading is a bad sign. I hate essays. Because once she gets kidnapped her personality kinda changes and not necessarily in a good way?

I think the hard part for me was that (and other people have mentioned this too) as soon as she started losing weight all of a sudden her Godstone had all these new properties, and she turned into this completely different person, which (I think) sent the opposite message that Carson might have been going for when she introduced Elisa as someone who loved to eat and was overweight. The message that seemed to come across was if you lose weight all of your problems would be magically solved, and I think it should have been more along the lines of acceptance and empowerment and stuff like that.*

LIKES:
+ I didn't necessarily have to drag myself through this book, I just didn't necessarily like it.
+ Elisa was actually a pretty strong character. There were some moments that seemed out-of-character for her where she seemed to complain more but other than that...
+ My favorite character was the prince, who showed up for like .5 seconds. I wish he had been in there more.

DISLIKES:
- The ending.**
- The message it sent about weight and losing weight.
- The title takes a second to figure out. Like it doesn't make any sense until you think about the whole thorn ritual that she goes through and then it kinda makes sense.
- There was way less magic than I thought. Like way less (as in almost none).

I'm not finishing the series... I just don't like it enough to make the time worth it.

See this review on Goodreads.







SPOILER SECTION:
* Also, the fact that her own husband all of a sudden didn't recognize her when she weighed less and acted more attracted to her really bothered me. His son recognized her right away, but he treated her like he'd never met her.
** I'm imagining this as like a pinwheel/fidgit-spinner thing on her bellybutton. She saved the day with a pinwheel on her bellybutton?! I'm... not convinced.

Book Review: Blackbirds

Title: Blackbirds
Author: Chuck Wendig
Rating: 2/5 Stars
Series: Miriam Black (Book 1)

I think I'm just on a disappointing-book reading spree right now. I saw this book on the "new arrivals" shelf that I have begun stalking at my library, and I thought that it looked like an awesome series. Protagonist with the ability to tell when people are going to die? It sounded like a nice action/thriller, and then I read it and it... wasn't.

First things first, Miriam was one of the most irritating protagonists that I have read in a long time. I understand the angle that Wendig was going for, but it just seemed extremely overdone, like he was intentionally trying to make her the most irritating, irrational, annoying character that he possibly could. And I'm not sure that he meant her character to be like that. Also, her entire character can be summed up in like 5 words, which is really frustrating. When I talk about a character I want to be able to go into an in-depth analysis of their personality and not just be like "yeah she smokes and cusses and..." because I've just summarized 40% of her personality.

Also this book is just really gross. Like really gross. I don't normally have a problem with descriptions that other people cannot handle but this was way over the top. Just reading it made me feel ill. There were brains getting blown everywhere, people getting shoved down garbage disposals, knives going through eyes, it was just disgusting. And there were other details about more... romantic... things that were just yuck as well. Seriously, I don't want to read about that.

And linear plot that makes sense? Nonexistent. It was like jumping around on a trampoline half the time, I couldn't tell what the heck was going on. One second we are in X location, the next we are some random place that I don't know. And names. I am so bad with names but Wendig kept throwing names out there that I was supposed to know but didn't.

LIKES:
+ The snippets where we get to find out how people will die were actually pretty interesting and, in my opinion, some of the better-written parts of the book. They were still pretty gruesome and over-the-top, but at least they weren't pogo-sticking all over the place.
+ There were certainly plenty of plot twists, and I was surprised by a ton of the twists and turns. In this way, the confusing plot actually helped with the suspense because I was so lost that I couldn't  predict anything.

DISLIKES:
- Miriam, because of all the reasons listed above
- Confusing plot that made no sense at all
- Miriam's relationships with other people, because she seemed to gravitate towards the people who would treat her horribly. And then when there was someone who would actually treat her in a decent manner she realized what a bad influence she would be, ran away, and changed nothing about her life.
- Gross details. Over-the-top gross details.
- Ending that made zero sense considering all the stuff that Miriam spews during the book about fate.

I just can't finish this series. I mean I could, but I would just be dragging myself through 3 more books of yuck, and I've decided by TBR is too big for that. I will, however, be trying Wendig's other book Zer0s, because maybe it's better?

See this review on Goodreads.

Book Review: Flame in the Mist

Title: Flame in the Mist
Author: Renée Ahdieh
Rating: 2/5 Stars
Series: Flame in the Mist (Book 1)

Well that was disappointing. I honestly should have given up after the first 20 pages but I had been waiting so long to read this book that I figured I would give it another shot... and another one... until I finished the book and just felt let down.

This was probably one of the most boring books that I've read in a while, and a lot of other people really liked it so I'm not sure what went wrong with me when I was reading it... I just couldn't make myself be interested in Mariko's story at all. I felt like I was dragging myself through the book, I wasn't excited to read it at all, and actually decided to edit my essays instead of reading (which I guess I needed to do since I had put them off while reading The End of the Day but still). I also spent way more time on my phone than I normally do, just to avoid picking the book up.

It basically follows Mariko, the future bride of the son of the emperor, as she gets attacked, joins a group of bandits called the Black Clan, and realizes that her life has been wonderful at the expense of others. She also learns how to fend for herself, and just how sheltered she has been. We also get some glimpses into the lives of her brother and the emperor/his wife/his consort, but those were really rare. My issue isn't necessarily with the plot, but just the execution. It seemed to drag on and on and I just lost interest 20 pages in.

Besides the whole instalove thing and slow plot there wasn't really anything I could put my finger on and go "this is why I didn't like the book," I just can't find a reason to like it, if that makes sense.

LIKES:
+ The premise of the book was quite interesting, and with the blurb I really wanted to read it. I almost felt like the blurb was more exciting than the actual book though...
+ When Mariko wasn't complaining she could actually be kinda tough. And she was super inventive, which was nice!
+ Semi-suprising plot twist at the end

DISLIKES:
- Mariko complained A LOT. About everything.
- Instalove
- Really slow plot, and Mariko was really hard to connect to/care about
- It was impossible (for me) to keep track of the characters. I didn't know who was who half of the time.

Now I just have to decide if I am reading Ahdieh's other series... It is supposed to be good, but then again so was this book.

See this review on Goodreads.

Book Review: The Mime Order [Mild Spoilers]

Title: The Mime Order
Author: Samantha Shannon
Rating: 2/5 Stars
Series: The Bone Season (Book 2)

Warning: Mild-ish spoilers ahead. Read at your own risk.

I finished this yesterday but my brain is apparently a big bag of mush and I cannot retain anything so apologies in advance for yet another rambling and disorganized review. One day I will be completely on top of things, probably the same day that I can look at my TBR without getting short of breath.

I feel like this book was, in a way, pretty forgettable. I mean, I read The Bone Season 11 days ago and remember the events of that much better than I remember the events of this book, which should really tell you something. I feel like the last couple chapters of this book should have turned into the first couple chapters of the third book and then this book should have just...not existed...

Basically it picks up where the last book left off, and the first like 40% of the book is Paige deciding if she should go back to Jaxon or not. For some reason I imagine this as Paige pacing back and forth wearing a track in the ground but that's not what happened there was some other stuff thrown in there as well but it obviously wasn't interesting enough for me to remember... and then the last 60% is Warden-filled but also probably the most interesting part of the book. Not the Warden part. But the action part because betrayal, tension, mystery, all that jazz.

LIKES:
+ The last part of the book was awesome. Lots of action, mystery, etc. as well as some betrayal and subversive plots because why not chuck that in there too? I loved it, it reminded me of why I decided to continue reading the series even though the first one made me a puddle of uncertain mush. (I have issues when reading a series. As in, once I read the first one I feel obligated to read all of the others even if they were supremely terrible. Because you can't just abandon a series, who does that?! I have gotten better as my TBR has grown though, because no one has time to read an awful series with that monstrous pile staring straight at you...)
+ Excluding the first 40% of the book, I felt like the book moved the plot along quite nicely. There was actually a reason for everything/what was going on, I was drawn into the story, AND I chose to read it instead of studying for my tests because what is studying. All I know how to do is put it off and read books because... TBR lists...
+ I really liked how we got to know some of the secondary characters better, as well as their backstories. Because if there's one thing I hate (besides romance, love triangles, etc.) it's flat secondary characters

DISLIKES:
- The first 40% of the book because what was that even. I'm an indecisive person (MAJORLY indecisive) and even I was getting frustrated. PICK PAIGE, PICK.
- Warden because why does he have to get involved in EVERYTHING.
- Romance
-Some of the events at the end were confusing, and maybe it's just because my brain = mush but I got lost.
- Still upset with the slang. And the whole order-tree although there was a helpful guide in the back of this one probably because a lot of people didn't understand the slang in the first one!

I know a couple people who really liked this book, it just wasn't my cup of coffee (not tea because I hate tea). I feel like the first part of it was just way too slow for me to get interested, and the second part had to work overtime to make it up.

See this review on Goodreads.

Book Review: Front Lines

Title: Front Lines
Author: Michael Grant
Rating: 2/5 Stars
Series: Front Lines (Book 1)

I was not in love with this book. I read Grant's other series (BZRK) and actually enjoyed it, so I was hoping that it would be the same with this series. Unfortunately, it was not to be. I feel like the premise/idea behind this book was actually pretty cool, but I just couldn't get behind the writing.

One of my main issues was that all the characters seemed to blend. I could never remember who was who, where they were stationed, their backstories, etc. Their chapters were all written in the same type of voice, so it wasn't super obvious who it was (at least to me) until you came across some detail like they are an intelligence officer, and then I would go searching for the character who was the intelligence officer. However, it's really hard to read when you keep flipping back and forth to figure out who's who. Everyone had really unique and different backgrounds, but they still seemed to blend so I don't know how that happened.

Also, I never really got into the story. At first it seemed kinda interesting/cool but about a quarter/halfway into the book I started dragging my feet. I found myself reaching for my phone or laptop more than I did for this book, which is the opposite of how it normally is when I am reading. Plus, it took me 3 days to finish this book which, page-wise, I could have finished in one (it was only 548 pages). I just couldn't bring myself to pick up the book, unless the other option was studying for my math test because that's not going so well and I'm just trying to avoid it.

I really wasn't a fan of this book, I was planning on reading the second (and even the third when it came out), but I think I'll just end here. I'm curious as to who the hospital writer is, but not enough to keep reading.

LIKES:
+I like reading about wars (this sounds awful, but it's the tactics/strategy that interests me, not the whole killing part) and this book had women soldiers in a war, so I thought it was going to be good! (Basically--good premise, not-so-good execution)
+ I really want to know who the hospital writer is, every time I forgot about them all of a sudden they had a chapter and that itch would come back and I couldn't scratch it!
+ It wasn't the worst book ever, there was action and some strategy and all that, I just wasn't interested...
+ The first part of the book (where all the characters are introduced) was really interesting! It just kinda went downhill from there though...

DISLIKES:
- All the characters blended because all their chapters were written the same way... also, way too many different characters who had their own chapters. I love dual narrators, I can tolerate 3 (normally), but 3 characters with similar voices made my head spin
- There wasn't anything really drawing you into the story. Half the time I couldn't even remember why I was reading it! The only thing I can think of is that there was not a lot of showing and a ton of telling (this is bringing me back to my junior high days...)
- It was really hard for me to connect with the characters because, like I said, they all blended. So I had no clue who's chapter I was reading.
- Love triangles. Gack. Also the romance seemed really oddly placed, and interrupted the story. I would have just taken it out all together.

I would recommend reading BZRK over this series, it's a totally different story but much more interesting.

See this review on Goodreads.

Book Review: Dead Girls Society

Title: Dead Girls Society

Author: Michelle Krys

Rating: 2/5 Stars

Series: N/A

This book was not my favorite. I didn’t have super high expectations for the book based on the first couple of pages that I had read but I figured that it was worth a shot. A quick disclaimer though: I’m not sure that there was necessarily anything wrong with the book, I think it just might have been geared towards a different (younger) age group, and I was just the wrong reader for it. However, I really did like the premise of the book, just not the execution.

LIKES:

+ The idea behind the book was actually a pretty good one. Secret society coerces players into participating in these “dares," with certain consequences to follow should you not follow the rules. I think that’s actually a really cool idea, I just didn’t like how it was carried out.

+ The suspense was actually pretty good, and it successfully confused the heck out of me trying to figure out who the Society was. It wasn’t one of those books where you just know that so-and-so is the one behind everything because it’s so obvious. It ruins books (and movies) for me when that happens, because isn’t the whole purpose of the book to figure out who committed the crime?

+ It was a pretty quick read. This may have been because it was so short but at least I didn’t have to drag myself through it like I had to for a certain trilogy… 

+ I actually kinda cared about what happened to the characters and how the story ended

DISLIKES:

- I felt like the writing was meant for a younger age group, maybe junior high level? I just felt like it wasn’t up to par with recent books that I had read. It just felt a little…simplistic.

- I also felt like the plot was a little simplistic as well. I can’t exactly describe it but I just felt like it was more surface level? I didn’t feel super drawn into the story or anything like that.

- The cliffhanger at the end, because to the best of my knowledge a) there isn’t a book 2 and b) if there is a book 2 I probably won’t read it but will have to deal with this cliffhanger…

- Certain events that should have been really important were just kinda glossed over and I really didn’t like that. Almost like a plot hole filler?

This book really wasn’t for me, but I think it was more of a wrong-reader type issue than anything else. I know a lot of people seemed to really like it, so I think it was mostly that I was just the wrong audience for this book. However, I definitely won’t be reading any future books in this series if it becomes one.

See this review on Goodreads.