Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2) by Sarah J. Maas 4/5 stars

Hey, guys! After reading Throne of Glass, I wanted to read the sequel. I enjoyed Throne of Glass, but wasn't blown away. I felt the same way about Crown of Midnight.

The Cover:

The Cover:
I hate these covers. They show Celaena being an assassin, and, for some reason, she is mildly blue. It really doesn't relate at all to the story, yet anyway. The vibe of this series is more about kings and drama than about assassination. C- cover.

Official Description:
From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.
Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.
Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie... and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.

My Review:
Crown of Midnight was a fitting sequel to Throne of Glass. While the plot has changed from a story about a competition to a story of assassination/rebellion, it still maintains the feel of the first book in the series. It had parts that were better executed than Throne of Glass, as well as elements that were worse.

The characters were actually given a chance to develop in Crown of Midnight. They were thoroughly explored, both in their positives and in their faults. The characters definitely got more interesting in this book. However, this series has morphed into one of multiple perspectives. It is told from Celaena, Chaol, and Dorian's point of views. I had a slight problem with this shift. In my opinion, Dorian had, by far, the most interesting storyline, and it kept being disrupted by Celaena's storyline of her having a bad case of angst. I honestly would have prefered to drop most of the storylines and just focus on Dorian. The other storylines became a bit boring, at least in the middle of the book.

That being said, the plot was fast-paced. It moved quickly and was, for the most part, incredibly entertaining. The plot was fast-paced, with plot twists; however, the twists were incredibly obvious. One of the main plot points is a riddle that Celaena finds and, before even finishing reading the riddle, I had solved it. Meanwhile, Celaena takes almost 200 pages to solve it. It ends up being very frustrating. Even so, I enjoyed the story.

Also, most of the plot is moved along simply by miscommunication, which is one of my pet peeves. It just seems like lazy writing to me for the only motivation for something is miscommunication.

Overall, I would recommend reading Crown of Midnight if you liked Throne of Glass. It was very similar in most ways; even if the plot changes direction, the tone and feeling of this book is about the same. It wasn't spectacular, but I'll probably read the sequel, Heir of Fire, soon.

Phrase:
Ancient Sword

If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
A World Without Heroes
Five Kingdoms series
Red Queen

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Let the Wind Rise (Sky Fall #3) by Shannon Messenger 5/5 stars

Hey, guys! A long, long time ago, I read the first two books in the Sky Fall series. (Book 1 review: Let the Sky Fall) I loved the first two books, but it took a while before I could read Let the Wind Rise. Despite being rusty on the story, I loved this book. It was easy to fall back into and really just a pleasant read!

The Cover:

The Cover:
It shows Vane and a girl, most likely Audra, as they battle against Raiden in a final battle. It's an okay cover, nothing that really catches the attention. I liked the previous style of the series better. B cover

Official Description:
The breathtaking action and whirlwind adventure build to a climax in this thrilling conclusion to the “remarkably unpredictable” Sky Fall trilogy from the bestselling author of the Keeper of the Lost Cities series.
Vane Weston is ready for battle. Against Raiden’s army. Against the slowly corrupting Gale Force. Even against his own peaceful nature as a Westerly. He’ll do whatever it takes, including storming Raiden’s icy fortress with the three people he trusts the least. Anything to bring Audra home safely.
But Audra won’t wait for someone to rescue her. She has Gus—the guardian she was captured with. And she has a strange “guide” left behind by the one prisoner who managed to escape Raiden. The wind is also rising to her side, rallying against their common enemy. When the forces align, Audra makes her play—but Raiden is ready.
Freedom has never held such an impossible price, and both groups know the sacrifices will be great. But Vane and Audra started this fight together. They’ll end it the same way.

My Review:
Let the Wind Rise was a very pleasant book. It wraps up all of the many story lines in an incredibly satisfying way. 

While a lot of the book is centered on the "final showdown", it still has time to develop the characters and their relationships with one another. The characters are still incredible. They are funny, act naturally around each other, and are easy to route for. 

The plot was interesting. I was excited to see what would come next, how the characters would escape from the impossible situations they find themselves in.

I was definitely happy with the conclusion. It tied up all of the loose strings into a nice little bow. It had a "feel-good" ending, which left me happy and glad to have read it.

I would definitely recommend reading Let the Wind Rise (and really the entire series). It was a nice conclusion to a great series.

Phrase:
Fire-whirl

If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
A World Without Heroes (Beyonders #1)

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The River (Hatchet #2) by Gary Paulsen 3.5/5 stars

Hey, guys! In fifth grade, I read Hatchet (a good survival book, that I'd recommend) and loved it. Last week, I saw that there was a sequel, which didn't make much sense to me because of Hatchet's ending. Based entirely on curiousity, I decided to read it as it is only 130 pages.

The Cover(s):

The Cover(s):
Both covers show Brian with Derek and the river that Brian must journey down in order to get help when disaster strikes.

Official Description:
"We want you to do it again."These words, spoken to Brian Robeson, will change his life. Two years earlier, Brian was stranded alone in the wilderness for fifty-four days with nothing but a small hatchet. Yet he survived. Now the government wants him to do it again to go back into the wilderness so that astronauts and the military can learn the survival techniques that kept Brian alive.

(The full description has a major spoiler in it, which I found ruined a bit of the story for me. If you want to read the whole description click here)

My Review:
In order to really enjoy this book, you have to dispense your belief at the situations that lead to the book even existing. The origin is a bit ridiculous, but the actual story is interesting. 

Brian's quest for survival is still interesting to read and isn't completely repetitive of Hatchet. That being said, I did enjoy Hatchet more. The River is interesting to read though, filled with suspense. 

Overall, I would recommend reading The River if you read Hatchet and enjoyed it. I think that this series is especially great for young (7-12 year old) boys to get them interested in reading. 

Phrase:
A secret map

If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
Ender's Game

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Six of Crows (Six of Crows #1) by Leigh Bardugo 5/5 stars

Hey, guys! After hearing various people singing its praises, I decided to read Six of Crows. It was fantastic, and I was definitely glad that I read it!

The Cover:

The Cover:

It shows the wing of a crow in flight. The crow works and is relevant as crows show up constantly in this book. The tagline, "Six dangerous outcasts, one impossible heist." also does a great job of setting the mood. A+ cover.

Official Description:

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revengeA sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wagerA runaway with a privileged pastA spy known as the WraithA Heartrender using her magic to survive the slumsA thief with a gift for unlikely escapes 
Kaz's crew are the only ones who might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first.

My Review:

I loved this book. I assumed that I would like it based on the buzz that it caused, but it was even better than the hype gave it credit for. 

The characters were surprisingly complex. This book is told in an alternating 3rd person style narration. The point of view switches, but the writing is all in 3rd person. Usually, with a book like this, you find yourself wanting more "screen time" from one character and wishing that the other characters would, at the very least, do something interesting. That was not the case with this book. I found myself really enjoying all of the characters. The backstories, relationships, and current attitudes of all of the characters were worth exploring.

The plot was fast-paced. I enjoyed the element of suspense evident throughout Six of Crows. There were daring escapes galore as well as various plots and potential betrayals. The story definitely moves incredibly fast!

I cannot convey how much I'd recommend Six of Crows. It has non stop action, prison heists, great characters, and a fun and clever writing style that brings it all together. The second and final book in this series, Crooked Kingdom, is now out, and I can't wait to get my hands on it!

Audiobook Review:

I listened to this book as an audiobook read by Jay Snyder, Brandon Rubin,  Fred Berman, Lauren Fortgang, Roger Clark , Elizabeth Evans, and Tristan Morris, 

All of the voice actors were incredibly talented and easy to engage with. However, it was as if they had no idea who the other narrators were doing. For example, the voice for Kaz varied from a raspy to a laid back sounding voice, depending on the narrator. It would have been nice if they were more united on things like voices and subtle pronunciations. Overall, a good audiobook, but not without faults.

Phrase:

Dirty Hands

If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
City of Saints and Thieves

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Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf 3/5 stars

Hey, guys! This is another book that I read in an English class, Mrs. Dalloway. I didn't particularly like it, but I can see how others would. 

The Cover:

The Cover:
It shows 50 year old Clarissa Dalloway preparing for her party. Nothing too exciting but it fits with the book. B- cover

Official Description:
In this vivid portrait of one day in a woman's life, Clarissa Dalloway is preoccupied with the last-minute details of party preparation while in her mind she is much more than a perfect society hostess. As she readies her house, she is flooded with far-away remembrances. And, met with the realities of the present, Clarissa reexamines the choices she has made, hesitantly looking ahead to growing old. Undeniably triumphant, this is the inspired novelistic outline of human consciousness.

My Review:
Mrs. Dalloway is a snapshot of a single day in London as Clarissa prepares for a party and a long-lost friend comes into town, making her ask herself if she has any regrets about how her life turned out. Meanwhile, a seemingly unrelated character, Septimus, faces his world unraveling because of his PTSD. 

Mrs. Dalloway is a novel that focuses on nostalgia, the beauty/cruelty of the world, and the power of small moments. Most of Mrs. Dalloway was enjoyable enough to read. However, nothing really happens throughout the entire book. Nothing is changed as a result of this day in the lives of the characters. Everything remains the exact same, which makes this book feel inconsequential, to me.

That being said, Mrs. Dalloway does a great job of contrasting different people's thoughts, which can be pretty interesting. It all depends on what kind of book you want to read.

Overall, I would recommend this book for people who want to read about varying point of views and are motivated more by writing style than plot, as this book has a very compelling writing style with a very stagnant plot. 

Phrase:
Exquisite moments

If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
As I Lay Dying

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The Midnight Star (The Young Elites #3) by Marie Lu 4/5 stars

Hey, guys! After reading The Young Elites and The Rose Society, I was excited to read the third, and final, book in the Young Elites series. I had forgotten a lot of the details though, and one thing this series isn't good about is refreshing you on the last books. If you don't remember very much, maybe try to refresh yourself first!

The Cover:

The Cover:

It shows the night sky above a mountain range, the setting for the final battle of the series. It fits the theme of the first few covers, which I appreciate. But, while dramatic, the cover isn't very relevant. B- cover

Official Description:

There was once a time when darkness shrouded the world, and the darkness had a queen.
Adelina Amouteru is done suffering. She’s turned her back on those who have betrayed her and achieved the ultimate revenge: victory. Her reign as the White Wolf has been a triumphant one, but with each conquest her cruelty only grows. The darkness within her has begun to spiral out of control, threatening to destroy all she’s gained.
When a new danger appears, Adelina’s forced to revisit old wounds, putting not only herself at risk, but every Elite. In order to preserve her empire, Adelina and her Roses must join the Daggers on a perilous quest—though this uneasy alliance may prove to be the real danger.

My Review:

I love the idea of this book. The premise is to follow a character as they slowly become corrupted by power. You are rooting for Adelina, but should you be? It's a neat idea that is very well executed. The Midnight Star starts with Adelina as a harsh dictator, ruling by fear. She kills without mercy, her only goal to continue to conquer.

The character development is the strong point of the series. You can see these characters grow and become corrupted or maybe more pure as events shape them. While I wouldn't go as far as to say I liked any of the characters, I can appreciate them.

The plot of The Midnight Star was the weakest of the three books. The first third was Adelina with her army, the second third was filler, and the last third was a weird storyline that involved travelling to appeal to the gods. The last section seemed to come from nowhere. It wasn't really relevant and detracted from the story in my opinion. It didn't fit with the theme of self-reliance and felt like a hurried way to wrap up the series. 

I was happy with the overall ending to the book, but the way that ending was achieved was sub-par at best. 

Overall, I'd recommend The Midnight Star if you enjoyed the previous books and still remember them well. If it's been a year, or more, like it was with me, you may want to refresh yourself. While I didn't enjoy it as much as the earlier books, it was still interesting to read and worthwhile.

Phrase:

An illusion of pain

If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
Red Queen
The Young Elites / The Rose Society
The Wrath and the Dawn

The Legend series (also by Marie Lu)

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Of Triton (The Syrena Legacy #2) by Anna Banks 3/5 stars

Hey, guys! In a weird bit of impulse, I decided to read Of Triton, the sequel to Of Poseidon, a book I didn't particularly like. I honestly don't know why I read this book. I liked it better than the first book, but wasn't blown away. I would say I was disappointed but I honestly wasn't expecting much.

The Cover:

The Cover:

Oh, look. It's two people kissing underwater. Woohoo. But, I'm not impressed and probably wouldn't read this out in public. C- cover

Official Description:

Emma has just learned that her mother is a long-lost Poseidon princess, and now struggles with an identity crisis: As a Half-Breed, she’s a freak in the human world and an abomination in the Syrena realm below. Syrena law states that all Half-Breeds should be put to death.
As if that’s not bad enough, her mother’s reappearance among the Syrena turns the two kingdoms—Poseidon and Triton—against one another. Which leaves Emma with a decision to make: Should she comply with Galen’s request to keep herself safe and just hope for the best? Or should she risk it all and reveal herself—and her Gift—to save a people she’s never known?
Once again, Anna Banks infuses Emma and Galen's points of view with humor, intrigue, and waves of romance.

My Review:

Most of this book, believe it or not, was about a trial. Sure, it was an underwater trial starring mermaids but still. It really wasn't what I was expecting. 

The dialogue is still cheesy. Some of the "romance" between the characters is forced, if not a bit creepy. (The constant talk of mating seems possessive and a bit backwards.) The generic plot line of a Hot Merman Boyfriend was uninteresting and forced. However, I really enjoyed the court-case plot. I found myself speed-reading through certain parts. One of the character's betrayal completely caught me off guard, which I loved. That was great. 

Did the positive outweigh the bad? Not really. If you liked the first book, you'll like this one too. I probably won't read the third, and last, book in this series, but who know? I didn't plan on reading Of Triton either!

Phrase:

Reyna's scream

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Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver 3.5/5 stars

Hey, guys! A few months ago, I read the first half of Before I Fall. It was okay, but I got distracted and temporarily set it aside. A few days ago, I saw the trailer for the movie adaptation (inserted below), which prompted me to finally finish reading Before I Fall.

The Cover:

The Cover:
It shows Sam, laying on her side, most likely after just waking up on the next installment of her day. I generally don't like covers with just a girl's face; they limit creativity regarding character creation and are cliche. C- cover

Official Description:
For popular high school senior Samantha Kingston, February 12—"Cupid Day"—should be one big party, a day of valentines and roses and the privileges that come with being at the top of the social pyramid. And it is…until she dies in a terrible accident that night.
However, she still wakes up the next morning. In fact, Sam lives the last day of her life seven times, until she realizes that by making even the slightest changes, she may hold more power than she ever imagined.

My Review:
Before I Fall is an interesting mix of the movies Groundhog Day and Mean Girls with Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. It follows the idea of Groundhog Day -- repeating the same day over until you get it perfect -- with the unlikable characters and high school drama of Mean Girls and some of the themes of Thirteen Reasons Why.

I was so excited to read this book. I love the idea of time loops! I think that they're a great chance to explore characters and, generally, fun to read about. However, I found the characters to be so unlikable that I couldn't enjoy one of the most important pieces of this book --  character development.

The entire point of this book is to be impressed by Sam's transition from a "mean girl" into a nice person who is selfless, etc. If it was executed well, I would have been all for it. However, Sam stayed a "mean girl" throughout. Even if Sam changes, she is still friends with Lindsay (a character who is so awful that she should honestly be in prison). Even in her moment of transformation into a nice person, she is selfish and inconsiderate of others. Instead of Before I Fall proving that all people are redeemable and are worthwhile, it seemed to prove the opposite.

That being said, the plot was interesting, if cliche. I found myself curious as to how it would be resolved. The storyline was obviously well-thought out. I wouldn't call it a page-turner, mostly because the nature of a time-loop story doesn't really allow the fast-paced types of stories. The story definitely had direction, though, allowing the book to move fairly fast.

Overall, I would not recommend reading Before I Fall. It was entertaining but it wasn't executed very well. Maybe with different characters, I would have liked this book. As it was, it was just okay. 

Phrase:
Cupid's Day

Movie Trailer:

Other Books By Lauren Oliver:
Panic
Delirium / Pandemonium

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Calamity (Reckoners #3) by Brandon Sanderson 5/5 stars

Hey, guys! I little while ago, I read the first two books in the Reckoners series and really enjoyed them: Steelheart (book 1) and Firefight (book 2). I'd definitely recommend them, if you haven't' read them already. Calamity, the last book in the trilogy, was also great.

The Cover:

The Cover:
It shows the bright star that is Calamity over modern-day Atlanta, the setting of Calamity. It fits with the series's theme of an exploding circle, which I appreciate. A- cover

Official Description:
When Calamity lit up the sky, the Epics were born. David’s fate has been tied to their villainy ever since that historic night. Steelheart killed his father. Firefight stole his heart. And now Regalia has turned his closest ally into a dangerous enemy.
David knew Prof’s secret, and kept it even when the Reckoners’ leader struggled to control the effects of his Epic powers. But facing Obliteration in Babilar was too much. Prof has now embraced his Epic destiny. He’s disappeared into those murky shadows of menace Epics are infamous for the world over, and everyone knows there’s no turning back…
But everyone is wrong. Redemption is possible for Epics—Megan proved it. They’re not lost. Not completely. And David is just about crazy enough to face down the most powerful High Epic of all to get his friend back. Or die trying.

My Review:
I loved Calamity. It continued the drama of Firefight while also adding some new developments.

David is one of my favorite characters of all time. He is lovable, yet flawed. A really interesting character to read about. The supporter characters are also all well fleshed out. I enjoyed ready how they all developed in this book, as well as how their relationships changed. 

The conclusion was satisfactory. It summed everything up very well, leaving me happy with both the ending and the lack of loose ends. While the final battle was a bit cheesy, the conclusion was fulfilling. It was definitely an interesting way to finish the series.

Overall, I'd recommend Calamity if you liked the previous books in this series. I thought it wasn't quite as good as Firefight but still really good.  It's definitely worth reading!


Phrase:
Space Station

If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
Steelheart and Firefight
The Rest of Us Just Live Here

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City of Saints & Thieves by Natalie C. Anderson 4.5/5 stars

Hey, guys! I was able to receive a copy of City of Saints & Thieves during Yall Fest in October, and it is now official out in stores!

The Cover:

The Cover:
It shows Tina blending into the background of the colors of Sangui City as a refugee from the Congo. It's a neat cover that fits with this book. A- cover

Official Description:
In the shadows of Sangui City, there lives a girl who doesn't exist. After fleeing the Congo as refugees, Tina and her mother arrived in Kenya looking for the chance to build a new life and home. Her mother quickly found work as a maid for a prominent family, headed by Roland Greyhill, one of the city’s most respected business leaders. But Tina soon learns that the Greyhill fortune was made from a life of corruption and crime. So when her mother is found shot to death in Mr. Greyhill's personal study, she knows exactly who’s behind it.

With revenge always on her mind, Tina spends the next four years surviving on the streets alone, working as a master thief for the Goondas, Sangui City’s local gang. It’s a job for the Goondas that finally brings Tina back to the Greyhill estate, giving her the chance for vengeance she’s been waiting for. But as soon as she steps inside the lavish home, she’s overtaken by the pain of old wounds and the pull of past friendships, setting into motion a dangerous cascade of events that could, at any moment, cost Tina her life. But finally uncovering the incredible truth about who killed her mother—and why—keeps her holding on in this fast-paced nail-biting thriller.

My Review:
I wasn't sure how I would feel about City of Saints and Thieves because I wasn't sure what to expect. This book felt like a mystery novel meshed with an adventure novel, with some political documentary mixed in. The main story was Tina's attempts to get revenge for her mother's murder, as well as make sure she knows who the murderer is. The backdrop is refugee-crisis and the effect of war-torn African countries on the women and children in those places. This set-up added depth and an interesting element to the story, yet still did not seem preachy at all.

The characters were fun to read about. Tina was a well-thought out character who was easy to route for. She was not perfect, but her imperfections improved her as a character. The supporting characters (Boyboy, Michael) were also interesting and developed, though to a lesser extent than Tina. However, the other characters in this book were a bit one-dimensional. For example, Tina's sister is frequently mentioned yet is flat with very few relevant emotions.

The characters were also really representative. They were a variety of races, from different backgrounds, different sexualities. It had a nice variety that is not often represented, and, again, this book was able to have a diverse cast of characters without really unnatural (like it was trying to prove something).

The plot was mostly fast-paced. It was easy to get involved with the story. It moved quickly for the most part, with only a few slow parts.

I especially liked the transition between characters with one of Tina's "rules" for surviving on the streets of Sangui City. It allowed a smooth transition between chapters and a comedic break.

Overall, I would recommend reading City of Saints & Thieves if you like stories about murder mysteries, street gangs, or African politics/ refugees. It is a nice mix of all of them!

(Warning: While being a Young Adult book, it does mention some adult themes (i.e. rape).)

Phrase:
Kiki

If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
Six of Crows

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