Arclight by Josin L. McQuein

 

Arclight

 

By: Josin L. McQuein

 

My Rating:

 

1 / 5 Stars

 

My Review:

 

There is a lot to say about this book, but for me it was a complete disappointment. I was so excited for it's release, to just be let down in the worst way. Let me just break it down.

 

First:

The beginning

It's like being dropped into the middle of an action movie, and you have no idea which way to go or what is happening. It's just a free-fall into nothingness really, and I don't know why it's initially so fast paced and then a complete halt of excitement...

there was too much repetition for me after the first couple of chapters and it felt like the events were just encircling and predictable.

 

Second:

The characters were are flat and anti-climactic. There is no real antagonist, and that just leaves this book dead in the water....The book is mainly about figuring out where Marina comes from and who ( or what) she really is....

which was obvious from the middle....which made the rest of the book pointless...

 

Third:

The love story

...so annoying and very blah, it did nothing for me. It was not very original and pretty anti-climatic as well....from the first two pages you can guess who the love interest is, and where it will go...and once the ball got rolling on that, my eyes started rolling as well...it was very immature and dry from then on.

 

**SPOILERS**

 

Fourth:

The "creatures" (Fade)

[NOTE TO SELF: I should have not read this after "Shadow and Bone."] I was like "oh yay...scary creatures in the dark..." trying to be optimistic, these creatures come from a post apocalyptic America, where the other book, the creatures are magically incarnated, lost souls....which were terrifying..so this book had to beat that..

and it didn't

 once the revelation of what they truly are comes to pass...It kind of reminds me of the movie "Avatar" and the book takes a 180...

I thought from the beginning that there was some crazy beasts stomping around or alien creatures...but no...and it was really disappointing...I really couldn't take much more. I wasn't impressed or surprised...

 

 **END OF SPOILERS**

 

In a nutshell, this book had an idea that was "okay"...and the execution was kind of immature. The foundation was just not there and the book suffered immensely because of that. I feels as if it was written quickly and very staggered, like every chapter was a new idea and nothing was connected. It was too much going on and just not a good base.

 

This is my honest opinion, but I am sure it's just McQuein's first book, so she will get her footing...

this one just fell way too short for me.

 

 

Shadow and Bone by: Leigh Bardugo

Shadow and Bone

By: Leigh Bardugo

My Rating:

4 / 5 Stars

My Review:

At the beginning, I was really kinda on the edge of whether or not this book was what I wanted to read. I read a lot of good reviews, some from a couple of my favorite authors, so I gave it a shot.

The first little bit of the book was a little slow for me, I wasn't too sure what was going on or understood too much of the history, so that was a through off.

However

after a couple of chapters, I started to get a better grasp for this world and sunk into it a little more.

The powers from the "Grisha" were a little confusing because they are not like your typical wizards or witches, or magic wielders (what have you.) But that is awesome and very refreshing to have a different type of magic and this world is very thick with war and tyranny, seduction and magic, it does get intoxicating.

The Darkling rules over the Grisha as the oldest and most powerful of them all, and he is a pretty deviant villain, and I loved him. As the story went on, it was a delicious sort of hate and that he had, and I really enjoyed him as the antagonist.

Alina is a perfect protagonist. She begins as a weak and scared orphan who holds on to her childhood love by all means.

She grows so much and I really thought that her struggle and conviction was palpable and luscious.

The internal and physical struggle that she goes through shows her growth as a person and it makes for an amazing hero to cheer for. From fearing the dark to conquering it; it's a very harrowing tale, to say that least.  

The twist and turns that  Bardugo takes you through is page turning, but it just took a little while for that feeling to sink in (for me.) About the last few chapters were the best for me...other than that it was just a slow and steady introduction into the series.

I am almost certain that the second book will have that suspense and magic that I love in reading, and this isn't the first series where the first book to a while for me to get convinced. But now I am a big fan, and cannot wait for the next installment.



Dark Triumph by: Robin Lafevers



Dark Triumph

By: Robin LaFevers

My Rating:

5 / 5 Stars

                   

My Review:

Being the sequel to a stellar book, it had a lot to live up to. However, Dark Triumph is so much better than Grave Mercy. Sybella is very dark and mysterious, and honestly, I didn’t care too much for her in the first book: I figured she was just insane. This book is very, very dark, to say the least. The torment and anguish that this character goes through is unfathomable. It made for a good story, but the way Robin Lafevers gives life to this tale makes it a monster of its own.

The conviction and passion that is exhibited so precisely in this story is riveting and electrifying. Sybella is a haunted and disturbed girl, who is not as relatable as Ismae, just because her back story is just that dark and she is so thirsty for blood shed. But that does not take away from how likable she is. She is very poised and cynical, but later on, such a precious and tender part of her is revealed and it could not have come from the most unexpected of people.

 *Spoilers*

I thought it was so charming how her name is Sybella (almost like Belle) and how she falls in love with Beast. I was like “AHHHH SO CUTE!” but this love shows was she really is and what she needed was someone as passionate as this man to save her from her tormented hell.  I fell in love with this Beast as well and how gentle he was with her. It was a heart rendering love, that was not over exaggerated, but gave just the right ambiance for Sybellas personality and her side of the story. It was a perfect match, and I am so please at how it evolved.

*end of this spoiler*

The tale is thick with adventure, torture, suspense and captures this beautiful realm of the supernatural and fantasy mixed with fictional history that is so succulent as it is extraordinary!  

This character is such a “KICK-ASS” girl, who is just so violent, seductive, but also venerable, there is a piece of her in every girl. It was a magnificent read, and I recommend this to anyone who has a great fondness of any YA fantasy, fictional history with a touch of supernatural realm. It was the perfect book for me; I am so in love with this series, it’s just incredible!

I cannot wait to hear Anniths story, she is such a contrast to both Sybella and Ismae!

10 STAR BOOK!!!!!!!!!

The Shattered Mountain By Rae Carson

The Shattered Mountain

By: Rae Carson

My Rating:

4 / 5

              

My Review:

I really enjoyed this short story. Mara is a very deep and amazing character and I am glad that Ms. Carson let's us explore her journey that she took; which inevitably crosses paths with our hero, Elisa.

It did take me a while to get used to Elisa as a character, just because of how unheroic she began in the first book. However, Mara, right off the bat, was a strong and brave person.

She, and her group of lost-children, go through a terrible tragedy and ever more perils in the journey they must take after the cataclysmic event.  

I really am in love with Rae Carson’s story telling. She develops these luscious worlds that are so tangible and astonishing. I cannot wait for the conclusion to the “Girl of Fire and Thorns,” however, I am sad that this tale is coming to a close. The world that is created in this tale is just marvelous!