Tag: Fantasy

Warcross (Warcross, #1) – Marie Lu

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Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ 💫

Synopsis:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu—when a game called Warcross takes the world by storm, one girl hacks her way into its dangerous depths.

For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life. The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down Warcross players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty-hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not been easy. To make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships—only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation.

Convinced she’s going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when instead she gets a call from the game’s creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year’s tournament in order to uncover a security problem . . . and he wants Emika for the job. With no time to lose, Emika’s whisked off to Tokyo and thrust into a world of fame and fortune that she’s only dreamed of. But soon her investigation uncovers a sinister plot, with major consequences for the entire Warcross empire.

In this sci-fi thriller, #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu conjures an immersive, exhilarating world where choosing who to trust may be the biggest gamble of all.

Review:

Welp, that was a let down. I have heard such promising things about Warcross, but unfortunately it fell flat for me. There were some parts that I liked, but I really disliked others. Warcross follows broke, down on her luck, hacker Emika Chen who accidentally hacks her way into the virtual world (Warcross) game championships. Warcross was predictable and a little bland.

Now, forgive me, but I still haven’t read Ready Player One. I’ve seen the movie and the book is on my ever growing TBR list. Based on what I saw in the movie, the Neurolink and Warcross game seemed like straight rip offs of the Oasis and Easter Egg competition from Ready Player One. I knew this before starting Warcross, but I hoped that the story and world would save it. Unfortunately, it didn’t. Speaking of the Warcross game/Neurolink world, I’m still not sure if I fully understand it. Neurolink is basically just a virtual world that you can either just live in or play the Warcross game? The game itself seems like a more complex capture the flag. It was all very hard to visualize. I feel like Lu could have done more world building and scene setting instead of just brushing over it with a few quick sentences. It was all show and very little tell.

The actual Warcross game seemed super cool. I really liked how there were five different roles on each team. Each role had a title, special uniform, and specialty during the game. I was a little disappointed that we only get to see one full game. My favorite chapters were when the Phoenix Riders were in a Warcross game.

The main character in Warcross is Emika Chen. Emika is brilliant hacker . . . or so we’re told. She has a hack for everything and it all seems way too easy. This was one of the other big problems that I had with Warcross. Everything seemed to come way too easily for Emika. She didn’t have to deal with much conflict. Also, I wanted to know more about Emika and her story, especially bounty hunter scenes.

Emika’s love interest is Hideo Tanaka – he’s a young, billionaire, tech genius who created the Neurolink and Warcross game. I know that it’s probably not pronounced this way, but every time I read his name my brain automatically says hideous. This is super unfortunate because he is supposed to be this dreamy, elusive love interest. All I think is hideous lol. It took me out of the story every time I read it.

Now, for the most important part of Warcross . . . 

DID YOU KNOW EMIKA HAS RAINBOW HAIR?!?

I’m not sure if you caught the thousand references to her hair, but Emika has rainbow locks. She doesn’t just bundle her hair . . . she bundles her rainbow hair. It’s not just her hair that flies in the wind . . . it’s her rainbow hair. WE GET IT! It was actually comical how many times Emika’s rainbow hair was mentioned.

The big twist at the end was pretty predictable, but the book does end on a cliffhanger. Even though I wasn’t a big fan of Warcross, I am still going to start Wildcard. We’ll see if it ends up being a DNF or not. . .

The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air, #2) – Holly Black

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Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Synopsis: 

The enchanting and bloodthirsty sequel to the New York Times bestselling novel The Cruel Prince.

You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.

The first lesson is to make yourself strong.

After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her younger brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.

When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.

Review:

This will contain spoilers from The Cruel Prince.

Here’s the thing . . . I liked The Cruel Prince. I didn’t love it and I am not as obsessed as most of the YA world. I was definitely looking forward to reading The Wicked King, but I wasn’t as excited as I was for other releases. The Wicked King totally exceeded my expectations!

The Wicked King picks up five months after the ending of The Cruel Prince when Jude tricked Cardan into becoming the High King. Jude is basically the puppet-master of Elfhame. She has her hands full – both mentally and physically – running the kingdom and trying to keep Cardan in check. The clock is ticking for Jude. She must figure out how to extend Cardan’s obedience before the year + one day ends. Jude must also battle her complex feelings for Cardan. The Wicked King was full of drama, political intrigue, sexual tension, twists and turns, and magic.

One of my biggest issues with The Cruel Prince was that the characters seemed very one dimensional. There was little depth beyond the typical YA tropes. For example, Jude wonders why Cardan hates her. It’s supposed to be a big reveal that Cardan is actually attracted to Jude, but it was obvious and expected. I think that Holly Black greatly improved on her writing and character development in The Wicked King. The characters had so much more depth. Jude wasn’t simply a mortal girl struggling to fit into the faerie world. She is a powerful woman who used her intelligence to gain power. We learn that Jude is actually quite power-hungry. She doesn’t want to lose the power she’s gained. It was both shocking and exciting to see how much Jude has changed and embraced her true desires. Cardan also gained so much depth. To the kingdom, he appears to still be the cruel playboy disinterested king, but Jude (and we as the readers) get to see how much he’s grown. Cardan is now in the game. He spies, manipulates, and uses power just as much as everyone else. Holly Black did an excellent job growing her characters.

The world of Elfhame expands in The Wicked King. Though mentioned in The Cruel Prince, we didn’t get to explore the Undersea until now. The addition of the Undersea and its Queen was fascinating. I thought these scenes were some of Black’s best writing. The Undersea made me think of a very dark Little Mermaid kingdom. I would love to continue to explore the Undersea and more of the world of Elfhame!

The Wicked King was full of massive twists and turns. The ending was shocking and it was crazy to find out that nothing is what it seemed! The Cruel Prince ended with a reveal and cliffhanger, but it is NOTHING compared to The Wicked King. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

A couple of quick notes:

  • This series should be called The Cruel FOLK and The Wicked FOLK because DAMN those faerie folk are straight up evil sometimes.
  • I got my copy of the The Wicked King in the Owl Crate special edition box. Kudos to Owl Crate and Holly Black for cultivating an incredible box. I liked the exclusive cover for The Cruel Prince, but the Owl Crate cover for The Wicked King is perfect and absolutely gorgeous!

EDIT: So the more I thought about this book & series the more I dislike it. I am all for the enemies to lovers trope, but only if it’s done the right way. Jude & Cardan’s relationship is toxic. It is totally emotionally and physically abusive. Both parties abuse and manipulate the other. It is unhealthy and actually quite disturbing. It glosses over and romanticizes an abusive relationship. It is a terrible message to send to young teens (and actually everyone of all ages) who read this book. I could keep ranting but I’ll stop here.

Grace & Fury (Grace & Fury, #1) – Tracy Banghart

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Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Synopsis: 

Serina Tessaro has been groomed her whole life to become a Grace–someone to stand by the heir to the throne as a shining, subjugated example of the perfect woman. It’s her chance to secure a better life for her family, and to keep her headstrong and rebellious younger sister, Nomi, out of trouble. But when Nomi catches the Heir’s eye instead, Serina is the one who takes the fall for the dangerous secret her sister has been hiding.

Trapped in a life she never wanted, Nomi has only one option: surrender to her role as a Grace until she can use her position to save Serina. But this is easier said than done…. A traitor walks the halls of the palazzo, and deception lurks in every corner.

Meanwhile Serina is running out of time. Imprisoned on an island where she must fight to the death to survive, surrounded by women stronger than she is, one wrong move could cost her everything. There is no room for weakness on Mount Ruin, especially weaknesses of the heart.

Thrilling and captivating, Grace and Fury is a story of fierce sisterhood, and of survival in a world that’s determined to break you.

Review:

I received Grace and Fury in the Owl Crate August 2018 “Ruthless Royals” box. I had heard about the book and thought it sounded interesting, but I probably wouldn’t have read it if it hadn’t been in this box. One of my favorite things about Owl Crate is the exclusive covers. The exclusive cover of Grace and Fury is stunning! I like it more than the original cover.

The story follows two sisters, Nomi and Serina, in a land where women are oppressed and have no rights or power. Through a series of events Serina is imprisoned and Nomi is forced to stay in the palace as a Grace of the Heir. I liked both sisters stories, but Serina’s was more exciting. Mount Ruin (aka the island prison) is crazy and full of super intense action. Serina starts off as a “perfect” woman who submits and never rebels. I really liked watching her grow into a strong, independent woman.

One of the biggest strengths of Grace and Fury is the imagery. Tracy Banghart was able to create beautiful scenery with her writing. I especially loved the Graces’ dresses and all the Italian influence. Even the gruesome scenes at the Mount Ruin amphitheater were beautifully written.

Grace and Fury was very predictable. As soon as Nomi and Serina arrived in the palace and we met the Heir (Malachi) and his brother (Asa) I knew exactly where the story would go. All of the romances were too insta-lovey and obvious from the characters first meetings. Despite this, the story was a lot of fun and I enjoyed it.

My favorite part of  Grace and Fury is the female power! The world in Grace and Fury is all kinds of f***** up!! I absolutely loved watching the women realize that they do have power and that they can create change. The best was that the women realized they’re better when they work together! Grace and Fury was full of amazing feminist messages and I loved every bit of it. This is what took the book from a 2.5 star rating to 3 stars.

I’ll wrap this review up by including my favorite feminist quotes from the book . . .

“You fight back. Always.”

“In all the stories, women give up everything,” Maris said, her voice tight.  “We are always supposed to give. We are never supposed to fight. Why do you think that is?” . . . Voice low, knowing she was walking on a knife’s edge, she murmured,  “Because they’re afraid of what will happen if we do.”

But Serina couldn’t stop. A wave was building in her chest, and if she didn’t speak, it would  destroy her. “Why do we let them do this to us?” she asked, and she was thinking of more than  the guard’s barbaric fights. “Why do we let them break us? Starve us? Punish us for being  ourselves? Is it because we think we’re sweet, delicate flowers and we let them?” Her voice rose. “I  don’t think we’ve ever been what they want. That’s why we’re here in the first place.” She remembered what Oracle had said when she’d arrived, and suddenly, the words meant even more now, because Serina believed them. “We are not flowers,” she said  firmly. “Like you said, Oracle, we are concrete and barbed wire. We are iron.” Serina stared at the women surrounding her. “We are smart, and we are dangerous. The guards know that. They  know we have the power to overthrow them, if we’d just work together.  We need to stop killing each other and fight them.”

I wanted to add this part last so I could talk about how Grace and Fury reminded me a lot of The Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. It was actually a little too similar in some parts.

SPOILERS BELOW FOR BOTH BOOKS.

Here are all the similarities between Grace and Fury and The Red Queen . . . 

  • There are two brothers (Cal & Maven/Malachi & Asa) who are the King’s/Superior’s sons. The older brother (Cal/Malachi) will be the heir.
  • The lead (Mare/Nomi) connects with the younger brother first.
  • The younger brother (Maven/Asa) is more progressive and a visionary. He convinces the lead (Mare/Nomi) that he is the better brother and cares about the same things she does. He convinces her that he could lead better and should be heir.
  • The lead (Mare/Nomi) and the younger brother (Maven/Asa) scheme to overthrow the cruel king/superior.
  • The lead (Mare/Nomi) starts to develop feelings for both brothers and is torn between the two. She feels wrong about her connection with the older brother (Cal/Malachi).
  • In the big twist, it’s revealed that the younger brother (Maven/Asa) is actually the bad guy and had been manipulating the lead (Mare/Nomi) all along. The older brother (Cal/Malachi) is actually the good guy.
  • The younger brother (Maven/Asa) murders his father and frames the older brother (Cal/Malachi).
  • The older brother (Cal/Malachi) and the lead (Mare/Nomi) are imprisoned by the younger brother (Maven/Asa) who then assumes leadership.

Shadow of the Fox (Shadow of the Fox, #1) – Julie Kagawa

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Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis:

One thousand years ago, the great Kami Dragon was summoned to grant a single terrible wish—and the land of Iwagoto was plunged into an age of darkness and chaos.

Now, for whoever holds the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers, a new wish will be granted. A new age is about to dawn.

Raised by monks in the isolated Silent Winds temple, Yumeko has trained all her life to hide her yokai nature. Half kitsune, half human, her skill with illusion is matched only by her penchant for mischief. Until the day her home is burned to the ground, her adoptive family is brutally slain and she is forced to flee for her life with the temple’s greatest treasure—one part of the ancient scroll.

There are many who would claim the dragon’s wish for their own. Kage Tatsumi, a mysterious samurai of the Shadow Clan, is one such hunter, under orders to retrieve the scroll…at any cost. Fate brings Kage and Yumeko together. With a promise to lead him to the scroll, an uneasy alliance is formed, offering Yumeko her best hope for survival. But he seeks what she has hidden away, and her deception could ultimately tear them both apart.

With an army of demons at her heels and the unlikeliest of allies at her side, Yumeko’s secrets are more than a matter of life or death. They are the key to the fate of the world itself.

Review:

I received Shadow of the Fox in my Owl Crate October 2018 box. When I heard the premise of this book I knew I had to read it. I was thrilled to see it in my Owl Crate box. And can we talk about that cover!? It’s gorgeous!! The cover of Shadow of the Fox is one of my favorite 2018 covers. 

I really enjoyed Shadow of the Fox! It was unlike anything I have read before. The story follows Yumeko, a half-kitsune (fox magic) girl who is tasked with protecting a piece of the dragon scroll. During her journey she meets a lot of different people, but most important is Kage Tatsumi. Tatsumi is the Kage Demonslayer and possessor of the demon sword. He agrees to help Yumeko so that he can get the scroll. I am so happy with the way the author handled the relationship between Yumeko and Tatsumi. As they grew closer I was worried that there would be insta love and the story would veer away from the plot and action and towards their romance. Luckily, the author did not do that at all. Their relationship was not the main focus of the story, and it develops slowly. They do feel comfortable with one another and the love is definitely developing, but it doesn’t happen overnight. I really liked this about Shadow of the Fox. 

Shadow of the Fox was full of magic, action, demons, samurai, and Japanese culture. It was exciting! The action and suspense was so well done. The first chapter pulled me in immediately. It was perfect! I had no idea what to expect, but the first chapter hooked me in from the first sentence. It was a super fun book with lots of twists and turns. I am very curious to see what happens next!  

A few stray thoughts . . .

  • Lady Satomi is one scary villain! She was terrifying and so truly evil!
  • The god damned blood magic giant centipede. I COULD NOT HANDLE THIS. It’s no secret that I do not do well with bugs and this was so hard to read! The author definitely did a great job in scaring me and giving me the creeps!
  • Speaking of blood magic . . . I thought the use and imagery of blood magic was incredibly well done. It was just so evil!
  • The Kodama (aka tree spirit minor gods) were adorable! They actually reminded me of the Bowtruckle (Pickett) in Fantastic Beasts! 
  • The whole graveyard village curse subplot seemed kind of out of nowhere and really didn’t add much to the overall plot.
  • I loved that there is a glossary at the end of the book. I am very unfamiliar with Japanese culture and folklore, so this was extremely helpful. Whenever I couldn’t remember what a word or name meant I would just flip to the back of the book. I loved it!
  • The last few chapters are full of twists, turns, and reveals. I was hoping that Shadow of the Fox was going to be a stand alone, but it is going to be a trilogy. After reading the last few chapters I knew I wanted more and I can’t wait to see what happens next! 
  • Favorite quotes:
    • “May the Kami bless you, and may you never lose that fire that burns within your soul.”
    • “One step at a time, little fox. The spider does not spin its web in a heartbeat, nor does the albatross fly across oceans with a few flaps of its wings. Many would consider what they do impossible, and yet, they still complete their tasks without fail, because they simply . . . start.”

Sky in the Deep – Adrienne Young

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Rating: ⭐️⭐️

Synopsis:

OND ELDR. BREATHE FIRE.

Raised to be a warrior, seventeen-year-old Eelyn fights alongside her Aska clansmen in an ancient, rivalry against the Riki clan. Her life is brutal but simple: fight and survive. Until the day she sees the impossible on the battlefield―her brother, fighting with the enemy―the brother she watched die five years ago.

Faced with her brother’s betrayal, she must survive the winter in the mountains with the Riki, in a village where every neighbor is an enemy, every battle scar possibly one she delivered. But when the Riki village is raided by a ruthless clan thought to be a legend, Eelyn is even more desperate to get back to her beloved family.

She is given no choice but to trust Fiske, her brother’s friend, who sees her as a threat. They must do the impossible: unite the clans to fight together, or risk being slaughtered one by one. Driven by a love for her clan and her growing love for Fiske, Eelyn must confront her own definition of loyalty and family while daring to put her faith in the people she’s spent her life hating.

Review:

I received Sky in the Deep in the OwlCrate “Fight Like a Girl” May 2018 box. I absolutely loved the premise . . . female vikings!! The world was stunning. The imagery and scenery were absolutely beautiful. I loved the setting. This was the saving grace for me in Sky in the Deep. The story itself was disappointing. 

I was expecting a thrilling adventure led by a badass viking girl! Eelyn was fierce and definitely badass, but I felt the story lost the thrilling adventure. The book opens with an awesome chapter. It begins with a bloody battle that ends with an epic cliffhanger . . . Eelyn sees her dead brother on the battlefield fighting with the enemy (the Riki). After a series of events, Eelyn is kidnapped by the Riki and brought to their village. This is where the story lost me. I was so bored! Nothing really happened until the end. 

I had several issues with Sky in the Deep:

  • The world and imagery was beautiful, but the actual world building was lacking. I felt like the author just threw random words and phrases and I was supposed to know what she meant. For example, Eeyln freaks out at the possibility of being a dyr. I had no idea what this was and it took a couple of more chapters for me to realize it meant slave. 
  • The pacing. . . or lack thereof. The start, until Eeyln becomes a dyr and the end are the only exciting parts. Literally nothing happened in the middle. There was a lot of talking. The author tried to put something extra in with the bear and the Tala’s premonition/prophecy, but it fell flat. It could have been really interesting, but unfortunately the author did not delve in enough. 
  • The insta-love between Eelyn and Fiske. When I read the synopsis I knew that there would likely be insta-love, but this was just too much. Eeyln and Fiske go from barely speaking and literally trying to kill one another to being in love and “belonging” to each other. Even though I was expecting it, their relationship came out of left field. Nothing happens between them to lead to this undying love. They see a bear together and I guess that brings them closer, but that’s still pretty weak. I will accept insta-love if there’s moments and reasons for why the two characters fall in love, but I didn’t see that in Sky in the Deep. 
  • The Herja aka the shared enemy. I wish that the author would have included more history and/or explored the Herja more. They sounded absolutely terrifying in her descriptions, but they just felt like a prop. I think the story would have been a lot more exciting and interesting if the Herja were included more. 
  • The ending. The last ~75-100 pages finally pick up again and it’s building up to what should be an epic battle and conclusion. It was supposed to be this huge battle with drama galore, but it was the opposite. The ending was so damn fast and neat. I blinked and it was over.  I love happy endings (especially in a stand alone book), but this was just ridiculous. It was so easy and everything worked out perfectly. It was boring and uneventful. 

As you can see I was not a big fan of Sky in the Deep. I hate being so hard on books and authors, but I have to share my honest opinions. Sky in the Deep was ok . . . I don’t feel super strongly about it. It’s a stand alone book, but the author announced that there will be a companion novel published. 

Let me know what you thought of Sky in the Deep!!

Archenemies (Renegades, #2) – Marissa Meyer

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35425827Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Synopsis:

The Renegades Trilogy continues, in this fiercely awaited second installment after the New York Times-bestselling Renegades by Marissa Meyer, author of the Lunar Chronicles.

Time is running out.
Together, they can save the world.
But they each other’s worst nightmare.

Nova’s double life is about to get a lot more complicated:

As Insomnia, she is a full-fledged member of the Renegades, a syndicate of powerful and beloved superheroes. She works with Adrian’s patrol unit to protect the weak and maintain order in Gatlon City.

As Nightmare, she is an Anarchist – a group of of villains who are determined to destroy the Renegades. Nova wants vengeance against the so-called heroes who once failed her when she needed them most.

But as Nova, her feelings for Adrian are deepening, despite the fact that he is the son of her sworn enemies and, unbeknownst to Nova, he has some dangerous secrets of his own.

In this second installment of the Renegades trilogy, Nova, Adrian, and the rest of their crew – Ruby, Oscar, and Danna — are faced with escalating crime in Gatlon City, while covert weapons and conflicting missions have Nova and Adrian questioning not only their beliefs about justice, but also the feelings they have for each other.

The line between good and evil has been blurred, but what’s clear to them both is that too much power could mean the end of their city – and the world – as they know it.

Review: 

This review will contain spoilers for Renegades. 

I loved being back in this world of prodigies, heroes, and villains! I have been anxiously awaiting Archenemies since finishing Renegades last year. I have been dying to know what’s next for Nova and Adrian . . . and of course Ace Anarchy! Marissa Meyer ended Renegades with a huge reveal and cliffhanger so I jumped right into Archenemies to find out what happens next.

The vast majority of this book focuses on Nova and Adrian dealing with their respective secret identities. Adrian’s role as the Sentinel has not gone to plan at all. He isn’t seen as the hero he was hoping for. It’s a constant debate within him to keep going or let the Sentinel die. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely adore Adrian and I love the concept of the Sentinel’s tattoos, but the whole Sentinel conundrum got a little bit annoying. I just wanted him to tell his friends and family that it was him! As for Nova, she is struggling with her feelings throughout the entire book. She is an Anarchist and believes in revenge against the Renegades, but she starts to see that not all Renegades are bad. She is so conflicted by her feelings for Adrian and her developing friendships with Oscar, Ruby, and Max. I honestly went back and forth with my feelings for Nova. Part of me is like – Nova you have a good thing going here! You have friends and a boy that cares about you. The Renegade organization is corrupt, but there is some good. You can work to change it with Adrian’s help! But, the other part of me is – the Renegades are so horribly corrupt! How come they get to decide everything without input from the public! Bring them down, Nova! Nova makes a lot of good points regarding what’s wrong with the Renegade organization. . .

  • The Renegades made themselves judge, jury, lawmakers, and executioners.
  • None of the Council’s laws or code was ever voted on or officially accepted by the public.
  • The Renegades force their code and rules onto everyone. If you don’t follow everything = you’re a villain.

I definitely agree with her about how screwed up the Renegade organization is, BUT Nova’s solution (aka what Ace has told her) needs work. She wants to bring down the organization, but doesn’t have a real plan for what to do after. It seems like Ace just wants to create chaos. There needs to be a middle ground between the Renegades and the Anarchists.

Minor spoiler . . . . . . .

One of the biggest conflicts in Archenemies is the introduction of Agent N. The Renegade scientists have created an antidote to permanently neutralize a prodigy’s power. The Council plans to equip all Renegade patrol units with Agent N to use in the field. “Anyone with extraordinary abilities who chooses to conduct themselves in an unlawful manner will no longer be tolerated. They will forfeit the privilege of being a prodigy.” It’s all kinds of messed up. Nova is rightfully furious. Agent N is a violation of prodigy rights (which Ace fought for during the Age of Anarchy). The Renegades are deciding who is allowed to be a prodigy. There is no fair trial or due process. To show how Agent N works, the council demonstrates it on Winston (aka the Puppeteer). Obviously, I find Winston horrible and absolutely terrifying, but this scene was brutal to read! It was devastating to watch him realize that his power was gone. His entire being had been changed.

I totally agree with Nova about Agent N. “This is a clear corruption of power. They can’t just send patrol units out on the streets with this stuff and expect that mistakes won’t be made. That people won’t let their emotions get away from them. What about a fair trial? Evidence? What if someone makes a living using their ability, and then it gets taken away, without a second thought? Or what if someone were to turn their life around and start using their power to help people? Agent N would take that choice away from them. You know, the Renegades talk an awful lot about human rights, but this is a violation of prodigy rights.” Now, I don’t know what Marissa Meyer’s beliefs are, but this part can easily be applied to gun violence in our society. I don’t know if that’s what she intended, but I totally got that.

I was all on board with Nova at this part, but then she takes the Agent N to Ace who wants to weaponize it against the Renegades. Nova thinks that doing so would make them no different than the Renegades, but she still agrees. I hope that her blind allegiance to Ace is dealt with in the next book.

A couple of quick points before I wrap this up. . .

  • I said this in my review for Renegades (which is on GoodReads), but I’ll say it again. I love all the different prodigy abilities. Everything is so unique and interesting. There are standard superhero powers like flying and invincibility, but then there are super unique ones like Sketch’s drawing or Ruby’s blood crystals. I would definitely want Sketch’s power. How cool would it be to be able to draw anything into existence!?
  • Hawthorn was so creepy! The tentacles and the way she spider crawls! It was straight out of a horror movie! I was a little disappointed that she didn’t have a huge role in Archenemies. 
  • I thought the Artifacts Department was a super (pun intended) cool detail. I would totally be fascinated like Callum. And speaking of Callum, I loved him! He was such a nerd and I loved it. And his power!? It was beautiful!
  • Adrian creating the mural of Nova’s dream . . . absolutely stunning.
  • Adrian is so adorably awkward around Nova. I love it!
  • For some reason I just noticed Phobia on the cover and holy shit! He is terrifying!!

My one complaint for Archenemies is that it was very slow going. The majority of the book is devoted to Nova and Adrian’s inner conflict and their romance. I liked the book, but I wasn’t head over heels for it. BUT THEN. THAT ENDING. Marissa Meyer did it again. The entire book was building and leading up to the absolutely explosive ending. I was going to rate this book 3.5 stars, but the ending bumped it up to 4!! It was so good. I can’t believe I have to wait another year to find out what happens next!!!

Tarot – Marissa Kennerson (Advanced Reader Copy)

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40490866Rating: ⭐️💫

Synopsis:

Her fate is so much more than the cards she was dealt.

Born of a forbidden union between the Queen and the tyrannical King’s archnemesis, Anna is forced to live out her days isolated in the Tower, with only her mentors and friends the Hermit, the Fool, and the Magician to keep her company. To pass the time, Anna imagines unique worlds populated by creatives and dreamers–the exact opposite of the King’s land of fixed fates and rigid rules–and weaves them into four glorious tapestries.

But on the eve of her sixteenth birthday and her promised release from the Tower, Anna discovers her true lineage: She’s the daughter of Marco, a powerful magician, and the King is worried that his magical gifts are starting to surface in Anna. Fearing for her life, Anna flees the Tower and finds herself in Cups, a lush, tropical land full of all the adventure, free-spiritedness, and creativity she imagined while weaving.

Anna thinks she’s found paradise in this world of beachside parties, endless food and drink, and exhilarating romance. But when the fabric of Cups begins to unravel, Anna discovers that her tapestries are more than just forbidden expression. They’re the foundation for a new world that she is destined to create–as long as the terrors from the old world don’t catch up with her first.

Review (Spoiler Free):

I received this ARC of Tarot by Marissa Kennerson from Penguin Teen in exchange for my review. This ARC was a giveaway in exchange for reviewing the Four Dead Queens ARC I had received at Book Con 2018. I had not heard of Tarot so I was excited about discovering a new author.

  • My first pre-reading impressions. . .
    • I do not like the cover. The colors are vibrant and super pretty, but I despise when book covers feature real people. I feel like they can do so much better!
    • The premise sounds super interesting and unique! I’m looking forward to discovering a new world!

 I started reading Tarot and I was initially very intrigued. Anna has been imprisoned in a tower for her whole life. She was raised by three advisers. I wanted to know more about Anna, the King, and why he imprisoned her. Anna is an incredibly talented weaver. She creates beautiful tapestries of different worlds. . . Pentacles, Wands, Swords, and an unnamed Tropical land. The King is a tyrant. He believes that “People are born into their positions for a reason. Fates are a fixed thing, destiny preordained.” When a subject is born the King decides their craft and who they will marry. He dictates every aspect of his subjects lives. The King also outlawed magic. He seems to be terrified of Anna’s potential. After a series of events, the King decides that Anna needs to be executed. Anna’s three advisers (the Magician, the Fool, and the Hermit – it really bugs me that they don’t have actual names) help her escape. I really liked the Fool’s quote during this part . . . “Think of this as an adventure. Have faith in your abilities. You are moving forward, and that is never a bad thing.” It’s a good quote to live by. Anna takes scraps of her tapestries with her. While Anna is on the run she is about to be caught, but she takes out her tapestry fragments and wishes she could dive in. The next thing she knows a bridge appears and she crosses it into a new tropical jungle and beach land.

Now this is where the book lost me. The land that Anna discovers is known as “Cups” which is the dumbest name. Like why is it named that?! They literally never say!! However, I will say that the imagery in Cups is beautiful. It’s this gorgeous white villa with turquoise shutters on a stunning beach. Anna meets all these gorgeous people that she hardcore insta-loves. It’s actually ridiculous. And it’s not just romantic insta-love. It’s everything insta-love. James is Anna’s love interest. They know each other for like one week and are already in love and obsessed with each other. They literally never talk about anything . . . they just meet and are in love. At one point James says to Anna, “I don’t know how much time you need, but not talking to you is killing me.” I actually laughed out loud at this. YOU HAVE LITERALLY KNOWN THIS GIRL FOR A WEEK. Oh and Topper loves Anna after knowing her for five minutes and she feels connected to him even though she’s in love with James. Give me a break. This felt like a token love triangle. And don’t even get me started on the “villain” Ivy.  Ridiculous. She’s supposed to be the villain at the villa, but they barely interact. And then they make up and are instant besties! It was just unreal.

Back in the Anna’s home world, the King is searching for her. He eventually finds out where she is and goes after her. I am keeping this review spoiler free so I won’t go any further into what happens. I’ll just say that the big reveal about Anna and her powers was not at all shocking.

I know I was pretty tough on Tarot in this review. I do feel bad about that, but I am so bummed with how Tarot turned out. It sounded super intriguing, but unfortunately fell flat. I only gave it an extra 1/2 star because the imagery was beautiful and the idea was good.

Vengeful (Villains, #2) – V.E. Schwab

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26856502

Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️💫

Synopsis:

A super-powered collision of extraordinary minds and vengeful intentions―#1 New York Times bestselling author V. E. Schwab returns with the thrilling follow-up to Vicious.

Magneto and Professor X. Superman and Lex Luthor. Victor Vale and Eli Ever. Sydney and Serena Clarke. Great partnerships, now soured on the vine.

But Marcella Riggins needs no one. Flush from her brush with death, she’s finally gained the control she’s always sought―and will use her new-found power to bring the city of Merit to its knees. She’ll do whatever it takes, collecting her own sidekicks, and leveraging the two most infamous EOs, Victor Vale and Eli Ever, against each other.

With Marcella’s rise, new enmities create opportunity–and the stage of Merit City will once again be set for a final, terrible reckoning.

Review:

This review contains some spoilers.

What an epic sequel! Victoria Schwab once again delivered an incredibly creative and addictive story! Vengeful was a terrific follow-up to Vicious and I can’t wait to see what happens next. Vengeful was suspenseful, intense, and fun!

Like Vicious, Vengeful is told using flashbacks that vary in time range. This was one of my favorite parts of Vicious and I am so happy to say that it got even better in Vengeful. I love how the timeline is not told chronologically from start to finish. The story jumps back and forth in the timeline throughout the story. It is all leading to the present which is the last part of the book. It could be confusing, but I did not find it hard to follow at all.  I think it’s a super cool way to tell the story and to provide insight and history into the characters’ actions.

Vengeful follows Eli, Victor, Sydney, Mitch, Dominic, and Detective Stell, but also adds some new characters into the mix. Marcella Riggins, June, and Jonathan are all EOs. Marcella is crazy!! I started out the book rooting for her. I was like yes girl you go and kick that scum husband’s ass! But, wow, Marcella took it a bit far! She went absolutely crazy. She actually seemed unbeatable because she was so powerful. I will say that I did love several of Marcella’s quotes. She’s all about the girl power. . .

  • “But glass is only brittle until it breaks. Then it’s sharp.”
  • “How many men would she have to turn to dust before one took her seriously?”
  • “Men are always so impatient. Perhaps it comes from a lifetime of being given what you want, when you want it.” 

She is a badass, but she took it way too far. She became extremely violent and power-hungry. Her POV was super fun to read though!

June is another new character in Vengeful. WHO IS SHE!?! I have so many questions. Who is she? What is her real name? What was her near death experience? Why doesn’t she want to look like her true “self”? What happened to her to cause her to have a kill list? Why is she obsessed with Sydney? June is a huge mystery and Schwab ended Vengeful without any answers. I need the next book! Sydney and June become friends in Vengeful. Sydney is in an interesting place. She is struggling with her grief for her sister, Serena, but she is fiercely loyal to Victor and Mitch. Sydney’s presence was definitely lesser in this book, but one of my favorite parts of her story was seeing her experiment with her power. It was so interesting and super creepy! Schwab’s writing is so good that I was picturing a small blonde girl reviving dead birds in my head for days! Again, I want to know why Sydney is so important to June! I can’t wait to find out more.

In my review for Vicious I talked about how despite some of his actions, I loved rooting for Victor. He was the perfect anti-hero. However, in Vengeful, I had a much harder time rooting for him. Victor has become even more violent and ruthless. I understand his thought process, but his actions were excessive. I am very curious about what is next for Victor. At the end of Vengeful, Eli is dead (is he really?) and Victor has set off on his own. Victor’s plan and focus was Eli for the past 15 years. What’s next for Victor?

In Vengeful, we get to learn more about Eli and his past. It was implied in Vicious that Eli was abused during his childhood, but we did not get to hear about his history. Vengeful dives right in and shows Eli’s past and why he is the way he is. I truly feel for him because of his father’s abuse, but Eli is 100% a psychopath. In all of the chapters focused on Eli’s childhood, Eli constantly points out that he is shaping himself to present what is considered normal. He is constantly altering his persona and presenting an act to his peers. He doesn’t seem to have any real feelings or remorse. He is very superficial and charming. Maybe I’ve been listening to too much “My Favorite Murder” podcast episodes, but reading Eli’s history reminded me of hearing Karen and Georgia talk about serial killer’s childhoods and personalities. As we saw in Vicious, Eli obviously becomes a serial killer. He is totally a psychopath. I can totally imagine the episode of “My Favorite Murder” where Karen or Georgia tells the story of Eli. He fits the “mold” of a serial killer so well. It was fascinating to read! Also. . . is Eli REALLY permanently dead? I know he had the power suppressant in his system so he actually died, but I just don’t buy it!! I have a feeling that this is not the last time we see Eli. One quick side note about Eli. . .HOLY SHIT WITH THE DISSECTING SCENES! Absolutely terrifying!!

The ONLY reason I gave Vengeful four and a half stars instead of five is because it was a little slow to start for me. Also I want answers!! It was a great ending to the story, but it is killing me not knowing more about June, Eli, Victor! Victoria Schwab has done it again!

Muse of Nightmares (Strange the Dreamer, #2) – Laini Taylor

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25446343Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis:

Sarai has lived and breathed nightmares since she was six years old.
She believed she knew every horror, and was beyond surprise.
She was wrong.
In the wake of tragedy, neither Lazlo nor Sarai are who they were before. One a god, the other a ghost, they struggle to grasp the new boundaries of their selves as dark-minded Minya holds them hostage, intent on vengeance against Weep.
Lazlo faces an unthinkable choice–save the woman he loves, or everyone else?–while Sarai feels more helpless than ever. But is she? Sometimes, only the direst need can teach us our own depths, and Sarai, the muse of nightmares, has not yet discovered what she’s capable of.
As humans and godspawn reel in the aftermath of the citadel’s near fall, a new foe shatters their fragile hopes, and the mysteries of the Mesarthim are resurrected: Where did the gods come from, and why? What was done with thousands of children born in the citadel nursery? And most important of all, as forgotten doors are opened and new worlds revealed: Must heroes always slay monsters, or is it possible to save them instead?
Love and hate, revenge and redemption, destruction and salvation all clash in this gorgeous sequel to the New York Times bestseller, Strange the Dreamer.

Review:

This review will contain some minor spoilers.

I’ve said it a million times before and I’ll say it again and again. . . Laini Taylor is an exceptional storyteller. She writes the most beautiful words and creates stunning and imaginative worlds. Laini’s writing is literally magic. All of her books are so lyrical and full of unique characters and worlds. Muse of Nightmares was no exception. Strange the Dreamer is one of my all time favorite books and I was thrilled to be back in this world. I had no idea what to except from Muse of Nightmares, but I was blown away. Laini has outdone herself. Muse was better than I could have ever imagined.

Muse picks up immediately after Strange ended. Sarai has just died and Minya saved her soul using her power. Minya tries to use Sarai against Lazlo. She wants Lazlo to take her and her ghost army down to Weep to attack Eril-Fane and the humans. I had forgotten how dang creepy Minya is! Laini writes her creepiness so well! “The girl was so small in her unnatural body, still dressed in the fifteen-year tatters of her nursery clothes. Her face was round and soft, a child’s face, and her big dark eyes blazed with vicious triumph. With nothing but the burn of those eyes to contradict the rest of her–her tininess, her grubiness–she managed to radiate power, and worse than power: a malignant zealotry that was its own law and covenant.” I can see Minya perfectly in my mind and she terrifies me…especially whenever the other characters comment on her childish voice. Despite being such a good villain, I definitely feel for Minya. She has experienced such trauma in her life and been forced to be the adult for Sarai, Ruby, Sparrow, and Feral. Her childhood was ripped away and all that was left was hate. “Death had made her who she was: this unnatural child who never grew up, who never forgot, and would never forgive.” This does not excuse Minya’s behavior, but it shows that she is a very complex character. This is something Laini does so well…she is able to create complex villains who the audience can understand. Throughout Muse we learn more about Minya, her history, and why she is so hateful. I gained so much perspective and by the end of the book I was so happy with Minya’s story arc and ending.

One of the biggest plot points in Muse is Skathis’s history and discovering what happened to the other godspawn children from the citadel nursery. I had absolutely no ideas or theories. It was a slow build up to the reveal, but I liked watching the characters put the clues together (especially with the addition of Nova and her POV). I was shocked by the reveal! Both because I wasn’t expecting it and it shows how terrible Skathis was!! I won’t go into details to keep spoilers minimal, but I am still thinking about what happened to the other godspawn children.

The world of Strange the Dreamer and Muse of Nightmares expanded massively in this book. We learn that long ago the Seraphim discovered that there were thousands of parallel worlds in addition to their own (Meliz). The used their magic to cut through the barriers and create portals to and from each world. Zeru (the world in which Strange and Muse take place) is just one of thousands of worlds. This means that the world and universe that Laini has created is HUGE! This brings me to my absolute favorite part of Muse. . . the EPIC callback to the Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy. When learning about the Seraphim and what happened to them, the narrator states that the Seraph world of Meliz was lost so they escaped into the neighboring world of ERETZ!!! It then states. . . “A bold young queen in that distant world was even now training a legion of angels and chimaera to battle the darkness and hopefully destroy it. But that’s another story.” I actually screamed when I read this! I just love Laini and her writing so much! I love how it’s all connected!!! The best part…this means that the stories in this universe are infinite. Laini can create as many worlds as she wants and it will all be connected. I hope that one day Lazlo, Sarai, and co. will meet Karou and Akiva! A girl can dream, right?!

A few quick points…

  • The dream sequences were pure beauty, imagination, and creativity. I love watching Lazlo and Sarai live in their fantasies and be truly happy and safe. I think the way they can change the dreamscape is one of the coolest and most inventive parts of the story. I want to go the Dreamer’s Weep!
  • Lazlo and Sarai’s love is so pure and beautiful. They care and love one another so deeply. Lazlo shows Sarai that she doesn’t have to be “The Muse of Nightmares,” but instead can be “The Goddess of Dreams.” Sarai shows Lazlo what it’s like to be loved and to have a family.
  • I loved Thyon Nero’s story arc! He was redeemed and began to change into a good person. I loved seeing him make friends and actually want to belong! I was so happy that he joined the expedition crew at the end.

The ending was perfect. PERFECT. Laini Taylor is a queen and she joins J.K. Rowling and Sarah J. Maas as my favorite authors.

I have a ridiculous number of favorite quotes marked, but I tried to narrow it down. . .

  • “There’s been so much pain. This is a chance for a new beginning. We aren’t our parents. We don’t have to be monsters. Don’t make us monsters.”
  • He was strange the dreamer, after all. He wasn’t your ordinary dreamer, prey to all the vagaries of the unconscious. He moved through his mind with the assuredness of an explorer and the grace of a poet.
  • “There must be things that are impossible. But I don’t believe we’ve gotten there yet. Look at us. We’ve barely begin. Sarai, we’re magic.”
  • “Just because the power is mine, it doesn’t follow that all choices are.”
  • But Sarai knew what she knew–what only she knew–and the greatest feat of strength she had ever witnessed was the one he performed every day: continuing to live for the sake of others, when it would be so much easier to stop.
  • “Can we leave the past behind us?” she asked. Could they? The question was everything. “That’s an excellent place for the past,” said Suheyla. “If you don’t leave it there, it clutters up and you just keep tripping over it.”
  • “You can’t save everyone, Sarai. You know that, don’t you?” “I know,” she said. “But we can try. And…maybe that’s how we save ourselves.”
  • “People,” she said. “People are our safe places. I have one: a person who’s a home and a world to me.”
  • Once upon a time there was a silence that dreamed of becoming a song, and then I found you, and now everything is music.
  • Out of hundreds of worlds?” said Thyon. “It would be stranger if there weren’t dragons.”
  • Wishes don’t just come true. They’re only the target you paint around what you want. You still have to hit the bull’s eye yourself.
  • Men have decided between them that this is what my body and labor are worth for life.
    • I included this quote because I found it so powerful and relevant to today’s society. I am tired of old men in our government telling women what we can and can’t do with our bodies. This is my PSA to GO VOTE!