Review | Three Dark Crowns (Three Dark Crowns #1) by Kendare Blake

Published: September 20, 2016
Publisher: Harper Teen
Pages: 416
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

THE BLURB

Fans of acclaimed author Kendare Blake's Anna Dressed in Blood will devour her latest novel, a dark and inventive fantasy about three sisters who must fight to the death to become queen. 

In every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is born: three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to spark hungry flames or vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomachache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of lions. 

But becoming the Queen Crowned isn't solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it's not just a game of win or lose... it's life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins. 

The last queen standing gets the crown.

MY THOUGHTS

It took me five days to finish this book. Not because it's boring but because I was trying to slow down my reading pace to make the story last. Because I just love this book, I love reading about each of its characters, and I love facing the perils in its dark, dark world. 

Three dark queens
are born in glen,
sweet little triplets
will never be friends

Three dark sisters
all fair to be seen,
two to devour
and one to be Queen

I won't even lie: Three Dark Crowns was a bit disappointing. The blurb screams bloody battle but none of that really happened in this book. At first it felt like I've been deprived of what was promised but looking back I still enjoyed it. Oh, I loved it! It is easy to forgive Kendare Blake for the lack of action in there because I can see what she's trying to do. She's cooking some evil for us, you guys!

Majority of this book is about laying foundations. We get to see the whole of Fennbirn, its strange traditions, and its even stranger magic system. We get to know the triplets individually. In the end, I was actually more grateful than disappointed that Blake took time in letting us into the sister's lives, showing us their strengths and flaws, the people they love, and the things that matter to them. 

Yeah, make us love them before you kill them, Blake!

It was a bit slow in the middle with all those foundation building. Which is why this book might not work for everybody. For patient readers like me though, that won't be much of an issue. I think it was important to have a build-up like this instead of just jumping into the brutal parts of the series. This way the readers got to familiarize the world, know some of the political intrigues, and understand the magic. And of course it allows readers to understand each of the sisters, which I think, is necessary if you are to take sides. 

I'm afraid though, that Blake has done a really good job with the sisters. Because, have I chosen sides? Usually, I always know who's side I'm on. But all three sisters were incredibly admirable and each possess a kind of fierceness that is theirs alone. So for the first time, I don't know who to cheer for!

The story is set in a strange, magical island in the mist where a triplet is born in each generation. Each has a gift that they will someday use against each other. When they come of age, the sisters will compete for the crown in a battle to death. 

Katharine is a poisoner. Her gift was supposed to make her able to take just any kind of poison without being affected by it. But her gift was weak. The island had poisoner queens for the past three generations so, weak gift or not, the expectations from every poisoner on the island weighs heavy on her shoulder.

Arsinoe is a naturalist. Supposedly she can tame animals and make anything bloom from flowers to crops. But she can't. She believe herself giftless. She has long ago accepted her fate of being killed by one of her sisters despite her people's hopes.

Mirabella is an elemental and perhaps the most powerful of the three. She can manipulate all elements, conjure a storm, and bathe in fire. Problem is, her heart might be too soft for a queen.

My favorite part of this book would be the genuine friendships, the support, and the loyalty that each queen gets from the people they grew up with. Their are people who support them for their own personal motives. But deep down, even they, truly cared.

The romance is strong in here. It's like having a lot of boyfriends in one book. And where there is romance there will be betrayals. And... It. Will. Hurt! There is one love triangle and I don't really get why it's even there. It wasn't a mood killer but it felt random and just unnecessary to me. Personally, I think that part of the book would have been better, glorious even, without that inessential romantic entanglement. But everything else is so good I decided to let this pass.

The last part of the book was jaw-dropping. If my expectations for the second installment weren't on maximum, it is now after that ending! After all these set-up, I think the conclusion for this duology will be ruthless, deadly, and savage. Hopefully.

MY RATING

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Review | The Reader (Sea of Ink and Gold #1) by Traci Chee

Published: September 13, 2016

Publisher: Putnan

Pages: 442

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

THE BLURB

Sefia lives her life on the run. After her father was viciously murdered, she flees to the forest with her aunt Nin, the only person left she can trust. They survive in the wilderness together, hunting and stealing what they need, forever looking over their shoulders for new threats. But whrn Nin is kidnapped, Sefia is suddenly on her own, with no way to know who's taken Nin or where she is. Her only clue is a strange rectangular object that once belonged to her father left behind, something she comes to realize is a book. 

Though reading is unheard of in Sefia's world, she slowly learns, unearthing the book's closely guarded secrets, which may be the key to Nin's disappearance and discovering what really happened the day her father was killed. With no time to lose, and the unexpected help of swashbuckling pirates and an enigmatic stranger, Sefia sets out on a dangerous journey to rescue her aunt, using the book as her guide. In the end, she discovers what the book had been trying to tell her all along: Nothing is as it seems, and the end of her story is only the beginning.

MY THOUGHTS

If I am to describe this book in one word, it would be magical. Or enchanting. Or astounding. Which, of course, is a lot of words. But who can blame me? That was one magically good read! 

This is a book. You are the reader. Look closer. There's magic here.

It's exactly what I'd call a busy book because it has a lot of things going on in there. It has magic, perilous adventures, assassins, and heavens yes! It has pirates too! To make it even more adorable, it comes with excellent writing that will hook you and reel you in, an artful world-building, and well-done characters. Who doesnt love those?

In Kelanna, when they mourn, they tell stories —as if the stories will keep you close to them. Believing that if they tell them often enough, for long enough, you won't be forgotten. Hoping that the stories will keep you alive —if only in memory.

The Reader centers in a world where people doesn't know how to read. Those who can were bound by oath to protect the Book with their lives. 

Our heroine, Sefia, and her family had been on the run ever since she could remember, though it wasn't clear to her who they're running away from or why. After her father was brutally murdered, Sefia was left with no one but her aunt Nin, and a strange rectangular object that once belonged to her parents, fell into her possession and is now hers to protect. When Nin was taken by the same people who murdered her father, Sefia started her long journey to rescue her and alongside it, her journey to learning how to read.

Sefia isn't just a tough character. She's strong-willed, smart, and determined. I love that there's always hope in her that doesn't die easily. The way she focused on Nin being alive when it's more likely that she's not, is really admirable. She's a very sensible character and it's hard not t admire her so damn much.

And Archer! Strange, silent, Archer. I'm still not sure how this dangerous and lethal boy managed to win my heart without even saying a word. I guess it was his sense of loyalty that won me over. He doesn't speak so he had become this insane puzzle that I'm so eager to solve. I was dying to read about his past the whole time!

"Home's what you make it." Nin shrugged. "Could be a ship. Could be what you carry around on your back day after day. Could be family. Or maybe just one person you love more than any other. That's home."

Having each other is the best thing that happened to Archer and Sefia. They grew strong as one finds a home in the other. Their growth throughout this book was remarkably impressive. From two scared souls to a duo that dares to beat the odds. Although the romance was kept subtle, it was there, it's lovely, and it won't be ignored.

Another thing that got me rooted in this book is the fact that no one gets a boring part. Every character have their own brand of interesting. Captain Reed and his crew aboard the Current, Lin and Mareah, even Tanin, they are all amazing parts of what makes this book grand. At first I have no idea how these characters were connected because it felt like they were all living in separate stories. But the moment their connections started to unfold, everything made perfect sense and. It. Was. Genius!

The Reader is a treasure chest. It has so much to offer: friendship, loyalty, duty, love, hope, courage, even violence and bloodshed. It will take up a lot of your time and it will claim your undivided attention. But with all those surprises hidden in the corner and all those wonders just waiting to be revealed, it would be worth it.

I really did enjoy this book a bunch. YA Fantasy is like a home to me. It's the genre that I always get back to. If you're like me then your name is in this book.

MY RATING

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Review | All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood

Published: August 09, 2016
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
Pages: 346
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

THE BLURB

As the daughter of a meth dealer, Wavy knows not to trust people, not even her own parents. Struggling to raise her little brother, eight-year-old Wavy is the only responsible "adult" around. She finds peace in the starry Midwestern night sky above the fields behind her house. One night everything changes when she witnesses one of her father's thugs, Kellen, a tattooed ex-con with a heart of gold, wreck his motorcycle. What follows is a shocking love story between two unlikely people that asks tough questions, reminding us of all the ugly and wonderful things that life has to offer.

MY THOUGHTS

First thought: Well, true love exists. But sometimes, time is a bitch that tries to ruin it for you.

I needed to collect myself after this one. It totally owned me! And it kind of made me question a lot of things— my feelings, my reaction, my judgements. I read books mostly for entertainment. Other times, I read to live some people's lives that have no resemblance to mine and this book was surprisingly good at giving me that. Gritty, unsettling, and daring, this book is something I wouldn't normally read... and love, but here I am, so eager to give this a five star!

I liked learning things. How numbers worked together to explain the stars. How molecules made the world. All the ugly and wonderful things people had done in the last two thousand years.

All the Ugly and Wonderful Things follows the life of Wavy from age eight to twenty-one. With a drug dealer for a father, an abusive and negligent mother, and a baby brother to take care of, Wavy struggles to cope with the very unpleasant world she's in. She's quite tough for an eight year old but still my heart wanted to weep for her. Then she met Kellen, one of her father's men, and in him she found someone to lean on.

Kellen on the other hand has his own rough history as a child. So he took care of Wavy when her parents couldn't be bothered to check on her. Later they developed an unlikely connection with each other and so begins the story of their unconventional love.

With a very controversial subject matter, I agree that not everybody might like this book. It doesn't shy away from making its readers uncomfortable. For me though, I loved it.  I think it was flawlessly carried out. It's not that I approve of everything that had happened but nothing in this book was simply black and white. Inch by inch, I understood Kellen and Wavy as the story unfolds. Until all I see is the genuine love between them and I couldn't help but hope the best for them.

Not everyone falls in love in a conventional manner.  And Bryn Greenwood kind of gave us a glimpse of how society saw (and sometimes judge) this kind of relationship by making us see Wavy and Kellen through different perspectives, both from people who knew them personally and people who are a complete stranger to them. Also, she showed us what it's like to be in that person's shoe— the person who falls in love with someone and somehow knew that it's kind of wrong and wouldn't be all good in society's eyes. And that's where the beauty of this book lies. It makes you see and it makes you feel.

The title, I think, is most fitting because Greenwood made a unique and evocative story that shows the ugly and the wonderful things in love, in people, and in society. This story has a lot of courage in it. It's wonderful and Greenwood has this power to make her characters' emotions become your own. So be ready.

All the Ugly and Wonderful Things was something I haven't come accross before . I was skeptical at first because I wasn't sure if I'll be able to tolerate the subject. But I'm glad I go into this book. This will probably stay with me for a long time, if not for life. It's a masterpiece. If you're looking for something completely unique, or if you just want to go out of your reading comfort zone, this might be for you.

MY RATING

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Review | This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity #1) by Victoria Schwab

Published: July 05, 2016
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Pages: 464
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

THE BLURB

There's no such thing as safe in a city at war, a city overrun with monsters. In this dark urban fantasy from author Victoria Schwab,  a young woman and a young man must choose whether to become heroes or villains —and friends or enemies —with the future of their home at stake. The first of the two books. 

Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city —a city where the violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as good-hearted as his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent —but he's one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul from a simple strain of music. When the chance arises to keep an eye on Kate, who's just been kicked out of her sixth boarding school and rerurned home, August jumps at it. But Kate discovers August's secrets, and after a failed assassination attempt the pair must flee for their lives.

MY THOUGHTS

For the past weeks, I've buried my face in a series of books at princes and princesses, castle politics, and scheming villains. This Savage Song has none of those which makes it a perfect breather. What it has are Monsters!

"Monsters, Monsters, big and small,
They're gonna come and eat you all.
Corsai, Corsai, tooth and claw,
Shadow and bone will eat you raw.
Malchai, Malchai, sharp and sly, 
Smile and bite and drink you dry.
Sunai, Sunai, eyes like coal,
Sing you a song and steal your soul."

I've had my fill of stories about monsters as a child but it's never a common one with Victoria Schwab. Her stories were always so deliciously unique and just the right amount of creepy. An engrossing supernatural tale is what this is. The moment I started reading, I was completely absorbedand it was just impossible to set down.

This is not the kind of book that you will love instantly after a few pages, but I tell you, Schwab knows how to handle a book. She doesn't dump information unceremoniously to her readers. I love how we came to know every character bit by bit. I love how she builds this dark yet amazing world that just keeps getting darker and darker as the story progressed. And on top of all that, I really love the idea of violence breeding actual monsters in this world. It kind of makes you want to do good, and only good, or else your own monsters will come hunt you.

"It hadn't been just about the sinner in the end, it was about the sin itself, the shadow that ate away a human's light."

Another interesting thing is that the two main characters belong to different sides of the divided city of Verity, which automatically makes them enemies. To make matters worse, Kate Harker is human while August Flynn is a monster. Just the word monster makes August sound like the villain, but in Schwab's dangerous world, the line between humans and monsters is a blur. Humans aren't all innocent and monsters aren't all bad. 

Kate and August are two powerful characters with beautiful flaws. Kate hates monsters for a good reason. But as they come to realize that they were facing the same enemy, as they learn to watch each other's back, it was fantastically beautiful that I wished a spark ( make it a bonfire) to ignite between the two.  Sadly, there's no romance in this book. But not to worry because the lack of it is not a deal breaker at all. Here we have two strangers turned from enemies to allies and later on developed a meaningful friendship. Anyway, the story was still awesome without romance, the characters were lovable, the angst were well-placed, and the suspense was gripping it's almost like the pages are all begging to be turned.

There are some parts I found a little bit boring but overall the story was just awesome that all those boring parts were cancelled out. The best part, for me, is that huge cliffhanger ending. I bet it will leave many readers wanting more like it did to me. I highly recommend this not just to Schwab's fans but also to those who love dark dystopian and paranormal reads.

MY RATING

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