King of Scars / Leigh Bardugo

3.5/5

With the news of the Grishaverse Netflix adaptation, I decided to reread the Grisha trilogy and the Six of Crows duology, and took it as a perfect opportunity to get around to reading King of Scars. While this novel can be read without reading all of the Grisha trilogy and the Six of Crows duology first, I highly advise against that because King of Scars is more of an extension of these series rather than its own being.

While the cast of characters are each strong enough to hold his or her own, it still feels as if their main stories were already told. I felt as though Bardugo could not think of a new adversary or challenge, which is why in King of Scars the plot line is still focused on the aftermath of the previous novels. The entire novel is about Nikolai's recovery from the nichevo'ya bite. Nina's scenes felt completely unrelated from Nikolai's storyline and she was in the exact same mindset as the end of Crooked Kingdom, which made her chapters dull and static. It emphasized the feeling that this novel is more of a "Where are they now?" story than a strong tale that stands on its own.

I'd heard a lot of hype over a plot twist at the end of the King of Scars, and when I finally reached it I found it incredibly disappointing. As I stated earlier, the plot twist only reinforced Bardugo's lack of new ideas. She extends the challenges she created in earlier novels, and her move of bringing back an old adversary is a cheap trick. 

I'd recommend King of Scars to those who have read the Grisha novels (if you haven't, you should, because they are amazing stories dealing with themes of greed, power, and belonging) because you get to see your favorite characters again. Knowing their backstories makes it feel like you know a secret when you read King of Scars. But overall, this is nowhere near the strongest of Bardugo's work. 

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown / Holly Black

5/5

After reading Cruel Prince, I had major withdrawals and knew my best chance of filling the hole would be another Holly Black novel. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown did not disappoint. Every character was developed and unique; I loved how strong Tana is and how unorthodox of a male counterpart Gavriel is. I also loved the world Holly Black built. Her version of vampirism and how it infected the globe is different from any other vampire world I've read, and I found it very intriguing. The novel was dark and real (which may seem ironic given that it contains vampires), and Holly Black has no problem covering a wide variety of emotions which were expertly displayed in Tana and then felt by me.

When I reached the ending, the reveal made me see certain characters and scenes in a different light and I felt the need to turn back to the beginning and reread nearly the entire novel. It's almost similar to Yuri on Ice. The first time you watch Yuri, you see it through Yuri's perspective, but the second time you watch it, you see it through Viktor's perspective. This is similar; the first reading is Tana's perspective and the second is Gavriel's.

Overall, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown nails it in strong characterization and world building, and I definitely will be returning to it for a good read. I'd recommend it to both fantasy and science fiction lovers because Black has designed a world that blends the two. It's a gritty and interesting novel, and I highly recommend visiting it in Coldtown. 

The Cruel Prince / Holly Black

5/5

The Folk of the Air trilogy by Holly Black is my obsession of the year. It's been months since I first read The Cruel Prince and I still can't stop thinking about it. This series has me searching up fan art, and that is rare for me. I absolutely cannot wait until the third and final book is released this November, and I highly recommend fans of The Winner's Curse, Grave Mercy, and Throne of Glass to read up on these novels just in time for the third.

There are so many things that make The Folk of the Air worthy of my time and obsession. First, Holly Black is a very experienced writer both in her prose and in her tying of various plot lines. She has created multiple well-rounded characters. The relationship (notice I didn't call it a romance) between Jude and Cardan is unlike any other main relationship I've seen in a YA novel, but the originality of all of the relationships that Jude has cannot be overlooked. I especially love the dynamic between her and her father, Madoc. Holly Black has captured so many complexities and contradictions in the relationships of her characters.

Holly Black also does an amazing job with Jude's voice. The way she phrases thoughts is so particular. I adored the slightly unreliable narration, and the way Holly Black never has to explicitly state something in order to convey her meaning. 

I could go on forever. Do yourself a favor and check out The Cruel Prince. Like the title suggests, it's a cruel and brutal book, and I love it for that. 

2019 "Haul" Part I

4/5

The must-read sequel to the must-read Strange the Dreamer. Laini Taylor closes her duology with beautiful writing. I highly recommend fans of fantasy, political metaphors, romance, and lovely prose to read this pair of books.

4.5/5

I loved the double perspectives of To Kill a Kingdom because it allowed me to love Lira's sheer skill and cruelty while also sympathizing with Elian. I was rooting for both. The similarities to the classic Little Mermaid story are so slight I barely felt them, and when I started to piece together the common threads, it was a delight. I would definitely recommend To Kill a Kingdom to fans of love interests in competition, like Winner's Curse.

0/5

I had high hopes for Girls of Paper and Fire, but I found the entire novel very sexist and very boring. It might as well be written from the third person, the main character is utterly useless and does nothing. Even her badass same-sex love interest couldn't save the novel, and that's saying a lot. Definitely do not bother reading. 

4/5

I finally got around to reading the sequel to The Diabolic. It took me a while because I loved the ending of The Diabolic and how it required a leap of faith, and when I finally heard there was a sequel I was worried it would ruin the first. I did not have to be worried. The Empress continues and further develops the complicated relationship between Nemesis and Tyrus, and I loved the plot twist that is revealed. I highly recommend picking up the series if you haven't already. I know I'll be reading the next.

4/5

An intriguing concept, well-developed characters, a high-stakes plot, and strong writing. I loved Kell; Lila, not so much. She's definitely more of an annoying character, but the strength of Kell's chapters and the interactions with Rhy and Holland had me fully invested. I also loved the idea of different version of the same city, and though it seems confusing, V.E. Schwab articulates it beautifully. I enjoyed the plot and the ending, and can't wait to read the sequel, mainly to spend more with Rhy and Holland. 

5/5

I loved Warcross, and Wildcard is a strong close to the series. I don't think it's as fun as Warcross, but that makes sense considering this is the part where Emiko dives deeper into the darker side of the game and confronts many more moral questions. Marie Lu delivers with strong, interesting characters, and an exciting plot. Recommend.

5/5

Overall, a well-written realistic fiction novel. I appreciate the representation it provides and that none of the characters were cliches. I recommend it for those looking for a lighter read (in the sense that it's not like fantasy/scifi with heavy politics and assassination) that isn't afraid of heavier topics that do not usually receive as much attention in YA. Samira Ahmed also did a good job with Maya's relationship with a certain boy, and avoided any overly dramatic cliches. I really appreciated that.

The Queen's Rising / Rebecca Ross

5/5

I couldn't put The Queen's Rising down. I've always enjoyed the YA concepts that include training, so the concept of the five passions in this novel is what drew me in initially. After I started reading, what kept me hooked is the delicate relationship between Brienna and Cartier. Anyone who knows me knows I hate age differences, but the relationship between Brienna and Cartier was so carefully written and delicately designed that I couldn't get enough. It felt precious and it was full of admiration. Their romance was never the center of the plot, which I appreciate, though it was often the center of my attention.

Though the concept of training and mastering an art or skill is not particular original in YA novels, what was different in The Queen's Rising is that the protagonist isn't the special, most powerful trainee to ever exist, nor does some hidden power show up half-way through the novel that, surprise surprise, reveals her to be the most powerful all along. Instead, The Queen's Rising is full of other plot twists and reveals that kept me hooked. 

The Queen's Rising is similar to Grave Mercy in that it begins with a group of girls training for a purpose, but a unique trait of The Queen's Rising is that our protagonist is able to form healthy relationships with men that aren't based on sex and there also weren't any assault scenes, which are common in novels set in historical periods that involve kingdoms. 

I thoroughly enjoyed The Queen's Rising from beginning to end; it wrapped up nicely, which is rare as oftentimes YA novels can begin to feel forced toward the end. There is a sequel, but I'm not sure I will be reading it for fear of it tainting the delicate relationship I love between Brienna and Cartier! I recommend this to fans of Grave Mercy and other novels of overthrowing kingdoms. 

These Vicious Masks / Tarun Shanker, Kelly Zekas

4.5/5

These Vicious Masks immediately drew me in with smooth writing that was easy to read and Evelyn's strong personality. At first, I was skeptical of Evelyn's originality, because there are many historical fiction YA novels that begin with a girl who is "different," who doesn't like balls or suitors. But These Vicious Masks didn't fall into the trap of stressing how Evelyn was a special snowflake. Rather, Evelyn remains focused on her goal of solving the conspiracy around her sister's disappearance. I also liked how in one scene she's called out for her disdain for societal rules and this disdain backfires on her. 

Evelyn's narration is witty and Shanker and Zekas always come up with interesting ways to express her emotions, rather than falling back on overused phrases. I also adored watching the relationship between Mr Braddock and Evelyn develop; it reminded me of Darcy and Elizabeth's relationship.

I tore through These Vicious Masks because the writing is always entertaining, the characters are mysterious, and action is consistent and fast. I would recommend it to fans of The Gentlemen's Guide to Vice and Virtue, characters with powers, and Pride and Prejudice. 

Winter Break Adventures

Unfortunately I did not meet my Goodreads reading goal this year but now I know how to set a more realistic goal. I averaged two to three books a month which I am decently proud of, considering I kept that pace throughout the school year, and aim to do the same this year. Here are brief reviews of what I devoured over winter break, when I realized I was desperately behind on my 2018 goal! 

3.5/5

Eliza and Her Monsters opened me up to the world of online comics that I am not well-versed in, and I enjoyed learning more about Eliza's world and how it worked. Zappia slowly, delicately builds relationships between Eliza and others. The tone took an unexpectedly serious shift toward the end of the novel that I at first found a little hard to buy, but after thinking about it a little more, made sense in the greater scheme of the novel. It's a novel about mental illness that isn't solely about mental illness, which I was able to see after I finished. Readers who are introverted, struggle with social anxiety, or are passionate to the online world of comics will relate to Eliza and Her Monsters. 

3/5

I was incredibly excited reading Beasts Made of Night because the concept of solidifying sins and eating them as a way to own and defeat them intrigued me. I devoured Taj's story and his life as an aki, and how their culture was built around the aki. I enjoyed the creative lore, and that Taj was able to meet and build relationships with several female characters and Onyebuchi never fell into the trope of multiple love interests or over-romanticization. But as I continued reading, the novel lost plot and drive, and towards the end, the action became a tangled mess. I would recommend fantasy-lovers to pick up Beasts to learn about the interesting world, devious plot lines, and intriguing characters, but don't have high expectations for a final action-packed scene. 

4/5

Spontaneous is a witty, action-packed novel that will have you smiling at our protagonist Mara's blunt narration but also sympathizing with her honest vulnerability. The clever, almost snarking writing of the first chapter hooked me in and kept me engaged for the entirety of the novel. I wasn't sure where Starmer would take the novel, whether he wanted to bring in a scientific or magical approach to explain the combustion or to leave it a mystery, but I don't believe that it matters. The brilliance of the book isn't in the details of the combustion but in Starmer's engaging narration and the edge-of-your-seat situation he's put his characters in. I recommend Spontaneous to those who like a fun read that also offers substance. 

0/5

The blurb of Overturned drew my interest, but the interest died quickly after I started the novel. Reading Overturned felt as if I was reading the diary of a snooty, spoiled teenage girl, the kind who liked to write in capital letters and put periods after every word. Aside from the writing, our protagonist was also incredibly selfish, particularly in her treatment of her best friend. Overall, I couldn't even finish Overturned and would not recommend it.