The Iron King / Julie Kagawa

2.5/5

I have been hungry for books; it's been difficult to get my hands on a book since returning to campus. So it isn't strange that I burned through The Iron King in a day. The Iron King isn't the most well-written, nor does it possess the most clever plot, but it is satisfying enough.

Many plot points and phrases were trite and cringeworthy, but overall I enjoyed following our protagonist on her journey. Meghan Chase is fun to watch, and I was so happy to have a real, solid book in my hands (not something online) that I didn't mind the unoriginal world and storyline too much.

I would recommend The Iron King to those who've read all the great YA fantasies out there and are looking for an quick time-killer. Meghan is a more than tolerable protagonist and the idea of the Iron King is interesting. But if you've never read The Mortal Instruments, or Cinder, or Throne of Glass, all novels well deserving of their fame, then The Iron King definitely is not priority.

Powerless / Tera Lynn Childs & Tracy Deebs

3.5/5

Powerless is a fun, action-packed read. I like the premise of the novel, that one can be powerless but not helpless, and I was looking forward to a strong female lead putting some people in their place.

And indeed, our protagonist Kenna does put some people in their place. She learns and grows a lot throughout the novel, and I loved watching her character development. I liked her strength, intelligence, and resilience, and her internal conflict over right and wrong is written well. These points make Powerless worth reading, and earned the novel a respectable rating from me. 

Now for the points I have problems with: a minor one is the amount of testosterone in this novel. There was a bit too much of the macho, I-must-protect-my-girl thing going on. I can see how Childs and Deebs want to emphasize how Kenna doesn't need to be protected by placing overprotective people around her, but the amount of male tension was a little excessive. This is a forgivable problem; the one I had a harder time with was Kenna's discovery that she has powers. I couldn't believe it. The novel is literally called "Powerless". Its very premise is that Kenna is powerless and that overcomes this disadvantage to be strong. And yet, the trope of having a clueless protagonist discover her hidden powers still can not be escaped.

Overall, I would recommend Powerless to those who like entertaining, fast-paced fantasy reads. Powerless deals with themes of right and wrong and finding strength in your own identity, distinguishing it from the crowd of supernatural novels. Though I won't be reading the next one, these traits are strong enough to make Powerless worth picking up.

Crooked Kingdom / Leigh Bardugo

4/5

Crooked Kingdom is definitely a must-read; I don't think it's possible to read something as amazing as Six of Crows and then not read the sequel.

Crooked Kingdom wasn't as amazing as Six of Crows was for me. It's a tying up of loose ends, whereas Crows is an ambitious, well-woven novel that left me awed and excited. Crooked Kingdom is still dark and gritty, but the characters have already been discovered and understood, so some plots points didn't pack as strong of a punch.

But how can one not read it? Crows is amazing, one of the best books I've read in a long, long while, and the sequel can not be missed. It doesn't beat the first, but still stands near the top of its genre. If you've read Six of Crows, I know you'll be reading Crooked Kingdom; and if you haven't read Six of Crows...well then, what have you been doing?

The Diabolic / S.J. Kincaid

4/5

S.J. Kincaid's The Diabolic has both character and plot, and that makes a book for me. I greatly enjoyed The Diabolic; it's earned high praise from me.

The Diabolic's characters were well-developed and relatable. A big selling point of this novel is the protagonist Nemesis's development and discovery of her own humanity. Her arc and emotional scope are well-written, and Kincaid never neglects her other characters either. Both Donia and Tyrus were as whole and complete as Nemesis.

I love that the conclusion was left a little open-ended and involved a huge leap of faith, which is further emphasized by the fact that The Diabolic is a standalone-- another quality I greatly appreciate in books. The plot is intense and high-stakes, and I would recommend this novel to others who crave those similar traits in their reads. 

Anna and the French Kiss / Stephanie Perkins

3/5

I'd heard passionate praise over Anna and the French Kiss, which is why I deigned to read a novel with such a cheesy title. It is also why I stuck through the entirety of the book, despite its lack of plot. 

Anna and the French Kiss was enjoyable, and I did burn through the book quickly. But I spent most of the journey wondering when a plot line other than Anna and St. Clair's relationship was going to be introduced. Spoiler: there isn't any. This novel deals with these two characters only. I don't mind a small cast, but when the novel is this long and the cast is two average teenagers set in a nonfiction world, the reading gets a little monotonous. Anna and St. Clair were interesting, but there were definitely aspects to their characters that were cliche and overly-dramatic. Daddy problems are trite, along with St. Clair's overwhelming fear of heights. The two lovers were charming and realistic enough to carry me through four hundred pages, but I was disappointed that the supporting characters did not receive more attention. Their circle of friends all interested me, and Perkins' poor treatment of them is a shame.

Anna and the French Kiss would have earned a higher rating from me if it contained more hard substance than fluff. I went in expecting a complete novel, a text that would cover different aspects of Anna's life. I imagined a coming-of-age novel that would confront Anna's personal growth and development, especially because she is now in a completely new environment, facing the ending of one chapter of her life and the beginning of another. But instead, Anna's exploration of her new surroundings are made into romantic opportunities for her relationship with St. Clair to develop, and her passion for movies is merely a side plot. Yes, I enjoyed her Parisian dates and the movie-critiquing interest that made her human, but looking back those weren't enough to bring Anna above average.

Perkins' novel details a sweet relationship and will definitely appeal to romantics and dreamers, or to young teens looking for a light mood booster. But if you're like me and prefer more complete plots, perhaps look for another book (a similar but better novel would be Morgan Matson's Since You've Been Gone).