Review: The Becoming of Noah Shaw by Michelle Hodkin

The Becoming of Noah Shaw

Author: Michelle Hodkin
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Series: The Shaw Confessions #1
Pages: Hardcover, 1st Edition, 384 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: November 7th 2017

Summary:

In the first book of the Shaw Confessions, the companion series to the New York Times bestselling Mara Dyer novels, old skeletons are laid bare and new promises prove deadly. This is what happens after happily ever after.

Everyone thinks seventeen-year-old Noah Shaw has the world on a string.

They’re wrong.

Mara Dyer is the only one he trusts with his secrets and his future.

He shouldn’t.

And both are scared that uncovering the truth about themselves will force them apart.

They’re right.

Review:


I don't even know...

This book was depressing.
Noah was kinda boring, also in full on ostrich-sticking-head-in-sand syndrome.
Noah was depressing to read.
(I get that's kind of the point because he is depressed, but still.

I miss Mara, she was more interesting, especially now that she is fully manifested. Unfortunately, we don't get much of anyone else at all except for Noah.

The plot was...I don't even know!
I mean there was a stuff happening...kind of, but the characters weren't actually doing much of anything about it, till the last like 15%.

Too much shit happened in the last 15%.

And guess what? Not only do we not have any answers but there are so many more questions. It would have been nice if there was like, idk, a single book arc, and an overarching series plot arc, and oh, I don't know, have a resolution for the single book arc? Is that too much to ask?

This book just felt like a huge filler.

Am I going to read the next one? Yes, because I need freaking answers and I kinda want to know what crazy shit Hodkin is going to come up with next.


Rating: 

Ella

Review: The Cruel Prince

The Cruel Prince

Author: Holly Black
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Series: The Folk of the Air #1
Pages: Hardcover, 370 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: January 2nd 2018

Summary:

Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

Review:

I seem to have this issue with Holly Black's books where I just can not for the life of me connect with the characters. This book, as its rating suggests, has all the winning ingredients. Everything from great characters/growth, world building, awesome creatures, good plot, good pacing, awesome action and badassery, and yet...I couldn't care one bit. I almost DNF'd this, but I was already more than halfway through and said what the hell, might as well finish at this point. I'm glad I did cause that last 100 pages was where it made me truly interested in what was going on.

Here is the kicker though. I still don't really care about our main character. I feel more for Cardan, which we know much less about, but I still got hooked enough to want to find out how this series is going to play out.

Rating: 


Review: Ella

Review: Let's Talk About Love by Claire Kann

Let's Talk About Love

Author: Claire Kann
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Pages: ebook, 304 pages
Genre: YA
Release Date: January 23rd 2018

Summary:

Alice had her whole summer planned. Non-stop all-you-can-eat buffets while marathoning her favorite TV shows (best friends totally included) with the smallest dash of adulting--working at the library to pay her share of the rent. The only thing missing from her perfect plan? Her girlfriend (who ended things when Alice confessed she's asexual). Alice is done with dating--no thank you, do not pass go, stick a fork in her, done.

But then Alice meets Takumi and she can’t stop thinking about him or the rom com-grade romance feels she did not ask for (uncertainty, butterflies, and swoons, oh my!).

When her blissful summer takes an unexpected turn, and Takumi becomes her knight with a shiny library employee badge (close enough), Alice has to decide if she’s willing to risk their friendship for a love that might not be reciprocated—or understood.

Review:

Always there for some ace rep! This book was adorable and the rep was mostly great and on point (that weird freak out when she meets Takumi was well, weird for me, cause I just don't get it? but other than that it was great.)

What I didn't like was just how cutesy this book was and Alice as well. Felt a bit childish at times and it reminds me of how people usually think aces are childish because we don't like sex would have been nice if it was a bit more adult or serious, but that might just be me reading too much into it.

Another problem was Feenie and their main fight at the costume party. Feenie never apologized. SHE NEVER APOLOGIZED. It was Family Night and she gets ditched in the middle of a party after she went to get them drinks ffs. Like high school all over again and yet these are people she considers family, and somehow Feenie feels entitled to ditch her bff in that manner to go have a quickie WHEN IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE FAMILY NIGHT. If this had been any other random day where they had just decided to go to this party it wouldn't be quite as big of an issue, still one because ditching, but not quite as hurtful, and Feenie still never apologized, and that's fking rude. How was it ever okay to treat Alice like a random third wheel? Boundaries and such should have been done earlier in this friendship they've got but it's still in no way excuses Feenie's behavior. It infuriated me because Feenie blamed it on Alice's aceness. Like Alice wouldn't have been pissed that she had gotten ditched for sex during family night if she weren't ace. No Feenie, it's called being A DECENT FRIEND.

Anyway...That ending, when Alice confesses to Takumi killed me. I don't even make it that far cause unlike Alice I'm upfront about my aceness so we don't even make it to the friendship stage. Not worth putting in the effort if nothing is ever gonna come out of it I guess.

If anyone is looking for more ace rep try How To Be Normal by TJ Klune, hilarious read.



Rating: 




Reviewed by Ella

Review: Nevernight by Jay Kristoff

Nevernight

Author: Jay Kristoff
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
Series: The Nevernight Chronicle #1
Pages: Hardcover, 448 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: August 9th 2016

Summary:

The first in a new fantasy series from the New York Times bestselling author.

In a land where three suns almost never set, a fledgling killer joins a school of assassins, seeking vengeance against the powers who destroyed her family.

Daughter of an executed traitor, Mia Corvere is barely able to escape her father’s failed rebellion with her life. Alone and friendless, she hides in a city built from the bones of a dead god, hunted by the Senate and her father’s former comrades. But her gift for speaking with the shadows leads her to the door of a retired killer, and a future she never imagined.

Now, Mia is apprenticed to the deadliest flock of assassins in the entire Republic—the Red Church. If she bests her fellow students in contests of steel, poison and the subtle arts, she’ll be inducted among the Blades of the Lady of Blessed Murder, and one step closer to the vengeance she desires. But a killer is loose within the Church’s halls, the bloody secrets of Mia’s past return to haunt her, and a plot to bring down the entire congregation is unfolding in the shadows she so loves.

Will she even survive to initiation, let alone have her revenge?

Review:

Ultimately I really enjoyed this book. Many people seemed to have issues with the footnotes, I on the other hand really enjoyed them. Even though trying to read footnotes in an ereader is annoying as hell (they really need to make this easier somehow?), I just really liked reading about all the little side stories/legends.

I knew going in how Kristoff writes (see Stormdancer), so I was prepared, but even then it took some getting used to and I was never really happy with the diction and dialogue. It just didn't seem consistent to me. On one hand they try being super polite and whatnot and speak all old school, then turn around and use modern curse words. It was a weird give and take.

It was also quiet slow, which again I knew from how Stormdancer went down, but this one was even slower than usually, but at least to me, not necessarily in a bad way. I just wasn't sure where it was going in the first 50%. I couldn't really get a read on a Mia, she had one goal then acted some contradictory way, so finally figuring her out helped things move along much better.

With all I've written above you are probably wondering how it made it to 4 stars. Simple, I still very much enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the world building, I enjoyed figuring out Mia and her powers. I also trust Kristoff and I know that the turns the book took towards the end are going to end up being awesome in the coming books.

If you didn't like Stormdancer, you are most likely not going to like this one. If you haven't read Kristoff's other works, and my points haven't completely turned you off, then definitely give it a go

Rating: 

Fanfics : TeenWolf

Ella's Guide To Fanfics

TeenWolf

Ah, the world of fanfics! Never thought it'd be so immersed in it, but here I am completely addicted to TeenWolf fanfics and currently the best of friends with AO3, where I get my fanfic fix :)

My current addiction started like any other. That damn curiousity that killed the poor cat. In this case, I'd been missing TeenWolf (because it's a damn awesome show! Crappy CGI notwithstanding) since it was in between seasons and a fanfic showed up on my Goodreads feed, so I read the synopsis, it had Stiles and Derek (My favorite characters), and it just went downhill from there.

That first fateful fanfic was No Homo by RemainNameless, and it was awesome. Beware, it's really porny, but awesome xD Since then I've read WAY too many fanfics to try and list them all so I'll just be listing my top 5 of all time.

The main things I look for in my fanfic is for Derek and Stiles to be in character and this is actually harder than it seems even if there is a show they are based on. Its hard to capture their essence, but when done right, it's just lovely. Second top thing, is the world, because while I do read ones where there are no werewolves, I prefer when they are part of the story. And lastly, the writing of course, but I think that goes hand in hand with the characterization and world building.

With that said, my favorite fanfic author and top fanfic of all time is:

Lock All the Doors Behind You by EntangledNow

• This fic is amazing. I think my fascination stems from how raw and pure their relationship forms. It's all purely based on fierce loyalty and protectiveness. Entangled does such an amazing job at capturing Stiles and Derek too. I've gone through basically everything she has written for TW, because she is just that good.

Hagalaz series by TheHatterTheory

• This fic has the best goddamn world building ever! And the characters! GAH. It has 5 parts with the biggest being 214k words. This is no lightweight fanfic, which I'm utterly glad for because it made the awesome last that much longer. Definitely recommend.

We've Written Volumes (in Blood and Scars and Ink) by Notthequiettype

• Another one with excellent world building and characterization. Gimmie fight scenes and creature features!

Now for some heartbreaking ones, because I'm a sucker for pining and suffering.

Safety in Silence by Survivah

• This had SO MUCH pining, but so damn good! It broke my heart how Derek kept watching Stiles from afar and didn't think he was any good for Stiles and just D:

I Know Where Babies Come From, Derek by DiscontentedWinter

• Look, I'm not a crier by any stretch of the definition. But this fic hit me right in the feels! That ending, omg. I was dying. There were actual tears coming out of my eyes. Damn good fic. Also the writing is fantastic cause as it turns out DiscontentedWinter = Lisa Henry. One of my fave m/m authors, so it worked out pretty damn well.

I have also read A LOT of fluff, cause you can never have too much fluff, specially not when it comes to these two :)

If you haven't watched TeenWolf you need to get on that ASAP because Tyler Hoechlin *shirtless* and the amazing acting by Dylan O'Brien. Seriously, you guys need to get on that.

Ella

Review: Storm Glass by Maria V. Snyder

Storm Glass

Author: Maria V. Snyder
Publisher: Mira
Series: Glass #1, The Chronicles of Ixia #4
Pages: Paperback, 488 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date:

Summary:

As a glassmaker and a magician-in-training, Opal Cowen understands trial by fire. Now it's time to test her mettle. Someone has sabotaged the Stormdancer clan's glass orbs, killing their most powerful magicians. The Stormdancers—particularly the mysterious and mercurial Kade—require Opal's unique talents to prevent it happening again. But when the mission goes awry, Opal must tap in to a new kind of magic as stunningly potent as it is frightening. And the further she delves into the intrigue behind the glass and magic, the more distorted things appear. With lives hanging in the balance—including her own—Opal must control powers she hadn't known she possessed… - powers that might lead to disaster beyond anything she's ever known.

Review:

Great start to a new trilogy in the same world as Yelena and Valek. Forgotten how much I missed all those characters, and now there are new ones that I'll be missing! (Read: Kade).

Snyder is just so good at making her characters come alive, and their character growth! Even the villains never remained static. Opal has her issues, which is totally understandable because of what happened in the Study series. Just because it's understandable didn't mean I didn't want to shake her a few times so she would get that she was awesome! Her self-esteem and confidence issues were astronomical. BUT! She slowly starts coming into herself. She starts seeing the flaw in her thinking that she is useless, that she doesn't amount to much, etc, and Snyder just does it so well.

The even better part is that it's not just Opal doing some growth, it's everyone else too. It's Kade getting through his sister's death and accepting his growing feelings for Opal. It's Zitora figuring out how to get people to respect her Master Magician status.

The plot wasn't half bad either :P There was one major bit that leads to the main show down which I thought was ridiculously obvious and yet Opal was so damn oblivious. Like not even a tiny seed of doubt or suspicion about the whole thing. Trying not to hold it against Opal and Snyder too much though:P

All in all, great start and now, on to the next one!


Rating: 

Ella

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