BOOK REVIEW + DISCUSSION: EMPIRE OF STORMS BY SARAH J. MAAS (Spoilers!)

Title: Empire of Storms

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Goodreads Summary: The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those who don't.

As the kingdoms of Erilea fracture around her, enemies must become allies if Aelin is to keep those she loves from falling to the dark forces poised to claim her world. With war looming on all horizons, the only chance for salvation lies in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.

Rating: 2.75-3 out of 5 stars

Review: 

Okay, we're five books in now. This non-spoiler section is going to be short. If you saw my review for Queen of Shadows, you'll know that I wasn't a big fan of it. As someone who really enjoyed the first three books of the series, it was heartbreaking to have an installment be so disappointing. Having said that, I did enjoy this book more than QoS, but it still doesn't feel the same as the earlier books of the series. The series took a big shift in QoS and we kind of just have to deal with it now, but I also just don't enjoy it as much anymore. I really like how the world has built and the complex plots that have surfaced, but the characters feel harder to connect to (some moreso than others, of course) and I am pretty tired of a lot of the romances occurring. I've decided I can still enjoy some parts of this series if I accept this difference but it's just never going to spur the same love I had for it in the beginning. I also feel like some of the plot points mirrored those in ACOMAF (which I wasn't fond on either), which bothered me a lot because it shows SJM struggling to keep her two series separated. 

Okay, onto spoiler stuff so I can actually discuss my feelings instead of being super vague! Warning: this will probably be long. I have a lot to talk about!

BOOK REVIEW: NEVERNIGHT BY JAY KRISTOFF (No Spoilers!)

Title: Nevernight [Goodreads Link]

Author: Jay Kristoff

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Goodreads Summary: Destined to destroy empires Mia Covere is only ten years old when she is given her first lesson in death. 

Six years later, the child raised in the shadows takes her first steps towards keeping the promise she made on the day that she lost everything. 

But the chance to strike against such powerful enemies will be fleeting, so if she is to have her revenge, Mia must become a weapon without equal. She must prove herself against the deadliest of friends and enemies, and survive the tutelage of murderers, liars and demons at the heart of a murder cult. 

The Red Church is no Hogwarts, but Mia is no ordinary student. The shadows loves her. And they drink her fear. 

Review: 

BOOK REVIEW: Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (No Spoilers!)

Title: Illuminae

Authors: Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Rating: 4/5 stars

Goodreads Summary:  This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do. 

This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.

Review:

If you've seen reviews of this before, basically everyone mentions how unique the reading experience for this book is and I really think it was a great part of it. I've read things told entirely in correspondence before but this goes beyond that, telling the story in bits and pieces of different things. It's also laid really interestingly, with the text sometimes going all over the place. While this made things really cool (and also made reading it quick), the fault that I feel always arises with this technique is that it takes a bit longer for the reader to get into the story. It's  harder to work out all the characters and create a bigger picture when you're only shown little glimpses of everthing. Having said that, though, I think Illuminae only struggles with this the first 100-200 pages and after that it is a complete non-issue.

The story itself is pretty unique and took turns I really wasn't expecting. It was definitely darker than I had thought it to be. I was amazed at how tense everything gets as the story progress. The pages were just flying by. I was also surprised to find out that this book was a part of a series (I don't know why, but I thought it was a stand-alone) but the more I think about it, the more excited I am for it. This first book has left quite a few threads hanging and I also just want to know more about this world. So far it's been almost entirely in space so there's a plethora of possibilities. 

Overall, this book was really, really fantastic! My only issues have to do with the beginning but the rest of it is honestly just great. Highly, highly recommend and can't wait to see where this story goes! Let me know down in the comments your thoughts on Illuminae :)

Until next time!

- Jess, xxx

TOP 5 WEDNESDAY: Characters I Defend

Hey guys! It's been awhile since I did a T5W but I really liked this week's topic - top 5 characters you defend. I took this to mean characters which are popularly hated upon by people for things that I believe are dumb, or they were treated poorly by writers. I also included two TV characters bc Why not? If you don't know what Top 5 Wednesdays are, it was created by gingerreadslainey but currently hosted by ThoughsonTomes and here's the Goodreads group for any more info :)

#5: Bellamy Blake from The 100 (TV show)

I guess this is a book as well but I've only watched the show. Also, this is a two parter defense. Bellamy is one of my absolute favs from this show but the writers honestly made so mistakes with his character in the latest season, which also caused a lot of hatred from the fans towards him. But I still think he is genuinely a good person at heart but the world of The 100 would mess with anyone's moral compass, so I will continue to defend him forever.

#4: Martha Jones from Doctor Who (TV show)

I don't see much of this nowadays (probs bc Martha's season was so long ago now), but back in the day, people really hated Martha. I think the main reason was she was the companion that followed Rose, whom so many people loved. But honestly, I never got it. Martha is one of my all-time favourite characters. She was so strong, complex and intelligent, and also put up with all of the Doctor's shit. Honestly, I will fight anyone who thinks little of Martha Jones.

#3: Harry Potter from the Harry Potter series

Now I used to be this person but then I changed my mind. Harry gets so much hate for being angst-y and impulsive and just in general people crap on his decisions, particularly from OotP onwards. But what people forget to consider is the PTSD Harry is probably suffering, the emotional and physical abuse he endured growing up and the basic shitshow that his life is. So yeah, I don't think he deserves the hate he gets.

#2: Susan Pevensie from The Chronicles of Narnia

OKAY SO LEMME TELL YOU ABOUT HOW MAD I STILL AM ABOUT SUSAN PEVENSIE. I will honestly never forgive C.S. Lewis for what he did at the end of The Chronicles of Narnia. If you haven't read The Last Battle and care to not know how it ends, I would suggest skipping this. So anyway, it makes me so mad that Susan wasn't allowed back into Narnia (and also assumedly Heaven) basically because she grew up a little and enjoyed girly things. As if it was the greatest sin that she should do so. And on top of that, she loses her entire family because they all die at the end but she's still demonized by the narrative. Honestly, I'll never be over that shit. #SusanPevensieDeservedBetter

#1: Sansa Stark from the A Song of Ice and Fire series

If you know me at all (or have followed my posts for a bit), you should have guessed this was coming. I love and will defend Sansa Stark to my dying breath. I absolutely cannot stand the amount of hate and dismissal she gets from the fandom for being just a "naive little girl". Well, I hate to break it to you but she was, what, 13? When the series began, and it's sadly ironic how the is called naive for dreaming of gallant knights and great tsles by the same people who are literally reading a fantasy story about just that. I also think people don't understand her in that they don't see that she doesn't fight with swords but with her wits and inner strength. She's such a complicated and interesting character but the fandom often disregards her in favour of Arya who's more conventionally badass. Why can't people appreciate how great both of them are? 

Okay, I went off on some tangents there but I just have a lot of feelings, haha. Let me know in the comments your thoughts on the characters I chose or even which characters you always defend.

Until next time!

- J, xxx

BOOK REVIEW: ME BEFORE YOU (SLIGHT SPOILERS)

Title: Me Before You [Goodreads Link]

Author: Jojo Moyes

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Goodreads Summary: Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.

What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is what keeps her sane.

Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he's going to put a stop to that.

What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time.

Review:

Let me begin by saying that I recommend people go into this novel knowing as little as possible. It's not because there's huge twists or its stark originality, I just think it's a really wonderful story that could possibly not be as much enjoyed with prior expectations already put on it. In general, I think most books are best delved into on a clean slate but I'm just pushing it with this novel because of the movie coming out. Do as I did and watch the trailer after reading the book. The movie looks amazing but let yourself enjoy the story before learning too much like I believe the trailer shows.

Anyway, onto the actual review! THIS BOOK, GUYS. THIS. BOOK. 

I don't know if I've ever cried as hard in a book as I did this one. Moyes has a real knack for capturing emotions so authentically and beautifully that I was just a puddle at the end (even though I guessed what would happen). But it wasn't just the end. It was the anxiety in the maze scene and the anger at Will earlier on. They were written so truthfully and everything felt so real, like I was there in Lou's shoes. So when the end came, it was the same deal and I spend a good while consoling myself.

I also think it's wrong to reference this story as a romance book. There's elements of romance but what this book is really about is Lou and her trying to figure herself out. The story is about her trying to find out who she is and be able to take on the world. But even though that's the main thread of the book, it doesn't cheapen everything else that occurs. The relationships she forms and the other characters involved never feel like devices to further the story but actually important parts of the story itself.

Now this last part I'm going to get into a really big spoiler so please skip this paragraph if you intend to read the book!

What I've found differs among people is how well I thought this book dealt with the hard topics or the topics a lot of literature tend to shy away from. It was a book that involved romance but didn't romanticise severe disability. It also dealt with a topic that I've never seen in a book: assisted suicide. I give Moyes praise for doing this because as much it pained my heart to see Will die at the end, I loved that she highlighted the importance of allowing people to have full bodily autonomy in such cases and emphasised that it was Will's choice, not anyone else's. I know it's a contentious topic so I won't go deeper into my opinions but this was a real great thing to explore in a novel of this genre.

So, overall I absolutely adored this book. I would highly recommend it, but also make sure you grab the tissues beforehand. For those who have read, let me know how you found the book. Some people feel like it was ableist, do you agree or disagree? Also, have you read the sequel and if so, would you recommend it? Discuss in the comments!

Until next time,
- J, xxx 

BOOK REVIEW: RED QUEEN BY VICTORIA AVEYARD (SPOILER-FREE)

Title: Red Queen [Goodreads Link]

Author: Victoria Aveyard

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Goodreads Summary: The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change.

That is, until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.

Fearful of Mare’s potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime.

But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance – Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart.

Review: 

I'm going to start off by saying that I enjoyed Red Queen a whole lot, but, in saying, it's hard to ignore how much the book relies on tropes and cliches to further the story's development. This probably made me shed half a star from the rating because I literally predicted every twist and turn the story took. BUT. I still stand by the point that this book is a lot of fun and didn't take long to captivate me and make sure I didn't put it down. It's not unique, but I don't think that's always a bad thing. 

There's also a bunch of interesting and complex characters in this story. The idea of "anyone can betray anyone" runs deeps in the story and I think that makes you always look a bit closer into what characters are doing and see different sides to everyone. I enjoyed that Mare was really headstrong and sure of herself, but I did think that made her a little hard to read from at times. Sometimes she was so passionate about her opinions that had very quickly developed and it was difficult, as a reader, to rationalise her decisions. But overall, the characters were A+.

As for the setting, Aveyard really captures the scenes that are directly present in the story but I hope that in future books we get some more world building for everything else. I would also like some more information of the war and why it's happening/how it started. I think these things need to be developed more to strengthen this series. 

Overall, this book is a fun ride, that's both compelling and emotionally captivating. If you, like me, really enjoy the elemental stuff from Avatar: The Last Airbender, you'll really enjoy some of the fight scenes we get in this book (seriously!). I can't wait to see where this series goes and hope it only gets better from here. Also, I'm rooting for Cal/Mare #soznotsoz (also, who wants to see them duel as much as me???)

Let me know in the comments your thoughts on Red Queen. How'd you find the shock ending?

Until next time, 

- J, xxx

BOOK REVIEW: SNOW LIKE ASHES BY SARA RAASCH (SPOILERS!)

Title: Snow Like Ashes [Goodreads Link]

Author: Sara Raasch

Goodreads Summary: Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Review: 

I enjoyed so much of this book but I can't help but feel that it was just missing a little something that could've made it amazing. Before I pick it apart in detail, I want to quickly say that this book wasn't overly unique or original but it had a really well-developed world, an interesting premise, complex characters and really lovely writing (seriously, this has some really great quotable lines in it!), so I would wholeheartedly recommend it. It's a really solid high fantasy novel that I thoroughly enjoyed, I just think it had a little more room to grow to make it even better. Since it is only the first in the series, perhaps we will see this happen in future books.

CONTINUE READING FOR SPOILER-Y CONTENT!