Tiger's Curse / Colleen Houck

3.5/5

I've got some mixed feelings, but overall positive-- I'm smiling as I write this because...well, thinking of the Tiger's Curse makes me smile because at times it was just so silly.

The reason I found Tiger's Curse silly at times is because it is written for children. Or at least, the writing was suitable for children. It's all short, simple sentences. I guess Tiger's Curse would also be appropriate for older readers, but only if you have the patience. I love Kelsey because she's sarcastic and strong and fun, but oftentimes the overly-obvious dialogue and silly conversations would have me covering my face with embarrassment. When I first started the book, I was afraid someone would look over my shoulder, see how simple the words and sentences were, and judge me terribly-- especially because those simple sentences were often describing something vaguely sexual, like how attractive Ren is, or all the tiger licking.

Which brings me to my next point: I was a little uncomfortable with all of the licking tiger-Ren did to Kelsey. But I guess it's all supposed to be very innocent because it's meant for children.

Anyway, the novel is pretty long, and when I discovered how childish the writing is, I really debated whether or not to continue because 1) I was really embarrassed, and 2) I didn't know if I'd be able to make it through such a long novel with such writing. The writing isn't bad at all (on the contrary, I would say it's pretty good), it just isn't tailored for audiences over fifteen. But ultimately I did make it through, and I did like it. Sure, there were some cheesy parts, but there were also very good themes with depth, along with some very thought-provoking, touching scenes. By the end of the novel, I was pretty passionate and invested in the characters, but in a lighthearted, joking way. It's a children's book, and I always knew nothing truly horrible would happen. 

I really like all of the characters and I want to know what happens to them...so I googled it. There are way too many books in the series, and each book is way too long, for me to spend so much of my time reading writing that isn't challenging or engaging for me. I would recommend this book to parents who want to read to children aged around eleven to fifteen, and possibly even younger if they skip the makeout scenes. They can experience an adventurous but also safe YA novel that touches upon themes of self-identity, and Kelsey will introduce them to strength, compassion, and self-respect. 

Nameless / Jennifer Jenkins

2.5/5

I didn't finish Nameless. I just couldn't get into it.

Nameless has a strong female lead, it has a high-stakes plot, it has a (kinda) interesting male lead...But I just couldn't get into. Everything felt flat and dull. The writing is simple and plain, like Jenkins is always just sitting on the surface, never diving deeper. I never felt anything intense or engaging. Its plot isn't extremely original, but that isn't the problem. I could easily have dealt with this plot, especially since I like this kind of plot: the dystopian, Divergent-like, there's-a-tyrant-we-must-overthrow or we-must-beat-the-system kind of plot. The problem is that the plot and writing are executed very, very superficially. Nothing is added or done differently to make it engaging, the way other books with this plot are. 

I was curious about what happens, which was why I kept reading even after I'd realized that I wasn't enjoying it that much. But after a while I realized that I was barely halfway, and that there was no way I was going to make it through that many more pages and dedicate that much more time to a novel that was flat and unengaging. I think this novel could be a good introduction to fantasy though. Like if you're thirteen years old or younger, haven't read the better series out there yet, and wanna get a feel for the genre, or if English isn't your first language, then try this? Just remember not to judge the entire genre based on this novel. 

Yeah, I won't be reading the next one.

The Game of Love and Death / Martha Brockenbrough

3/5

Overall, I enjoyed The Game of Love and Death. Flora and Henry are well-developed, and watching the way the characters intertwined was very interesting. 

The novel is enjoyable, and the reason I didn't give it a higher rating is because to receive a higher rating from me, I need an intense plot with higher stakes, and I need more than just a romance plot. I give books high ratings when they leave me freaking out and screaming inside, and I just didn't feel that kind of engagement with The Game of Love and Death. Its only plot is the relationship between Henry and Flora-- it is a very good relationship, realistic and relatable, and I would have absolutely adored it if that hadn't been the only focus of the book.

This book was very ambitious in trying to personify Love and Death. I love books that do that, where abstract ideas or emotions are made into characters, but the thing is that since everyone has a different opinion of what something abstract means, oftentimes these characters don't match up with what a reader wants. I don't mind when these characters don't match up with what I would imagine, and I'm always eager to see how the author interprets them. The problem I had with Love and Death is that I was very excited to have a book focused on these two characters, and they weren't developed or explored as fully as I would have liked. I think I had imagined a novel set in a fantasy world, with more of a focus on powers or magic, but that huge potential for the supernatural was pushed aside to make room for Flora and Henry. Not necessarily in a bad way, it just wasn't what I was expecting or what I wanted from this novel.

I liked reading about the human characters though. Flora is strong (which I love), Henry's struggles are engaging, and Ethan's plot is especially heartbreaking (in the best way). Even little Annabel is entertaining. I do recommend giving The Game of Love and Death a try. If you love romance, this is a very good romantic book and will most likely be a new favorite. But if you're looking for something more intense and fast-paced, then maybe pass this one up.

Zeroes / Scott Westerfield

4/5

I really enjoyed Zeroes, mainly due to the characters and how interesting their powers were. The authors came up with some very creative powers, and also wrote their characters very well. I was interested in each of them (although maybe not Chizara, I found her rather annoying) and how each of their roles came together. I loved slowly learning more and more about everyone's back story and what exactly happened in their past, and I loved how these events were revealed subtly. The authors placed new information throughout the path of the plot, which kept me intent and focused. 

I did feel like the plot was a little lacking. It felt a little like the story was kept simple in order to fully introduce and focus on the characters, their relationships, their development, and their powers. Each of these aspects, though, were done well, and fully deserve the limelight.

All in all I really liked Zeroes and the ending left me satisfied, so I'm not sure if I'd read the next. Usually sequels end up tainting the first novel, and I'd hate for that to happen.

If you like interweaving plots and storylines (which I do) that tie together diverse, well-developed characters, set with a unobtrusive background of powers, then this book is definitely for you!