WARNING: THIS REVIEW IS SUPER RAMBLY AND PROBABLY NOT THAT GREAT
Burning Bridge is the second book in The Ranger's Apprentice series. It really picks uWARNING: THIS REVIEW IS SUPER RAMBLY AND PROBABLY NOT THAT GREAT
Burning Bridge is the second book in The Ranger's Apprentice series. It really picks up from where book one finishes, continuing to follow the story of the characters we were introduced to and following a few more.
Whereas the first book can be seen as boring for 80% of the book, The Burning Bridge has a lot more plot for the reader to immerse themselves in. When I first read this book in 2010 I remember not being able to put it down, staying up late by using my lamp and covering the cracks of my door with jumpers so no one would know - obviously I was a big rebel.
The Burning Bridge focuses primarily on Will, Gilan and Horace. They are on a quest, so to say, to visit the Celtics in order to provide information about an upcoming war. However, upon arrival it is obvious something is amiss. The Celtics, who are stated to be clean people, have left watch bases abandoned and not in the standard they would. The trio continue further into villages to find more or less the same thing only to learn they have been outsmarted. Basically the plot line, so much more happens that I don't want to mention due to spoilers as well.
Characters
With characters we get so many perspectives I can't really focus on certain primary characters in order to fill this section of my review. What is needed to know is we get humour from each perspective. As well as gaining insights between the trio and Halt back at the castle where he seems to be throwing Lords in moats.
World-Building
The world building wasn't as vital or obvious in this book, since so much had been established in the previous book. It was still present however with how the author described the characters and added a slight magical twist to it all. It was alluring in the sense it is both historical and fanatical.
Overall
Overall, this review is incredibly scattered but I woke up at 5am so I'm giving myself a break personally. I enjoyed this book immensely. Seeing Alyss and Halt interact was hilarious, as well was finding out about him and Lady Pauline. I absolutely adore the characters of this series and would, without a doubt, recommend it to people who are unsure if they should pick it up. It's worth the read.
SPOILERS WHICH I WONT MARK SORRY AND REALLY CRAP REVIEW BECAUSE I JUST DONT CARE
Boundless was a book I chose to read to get it out of my TBR. UltimateSPOILERS WHICH I WONT MARK SORRY AND REALLY CRAP REVIEW BECAUSE I JUST DONT CARE
Boundless was a book I chose to read to get it out of my TBR. Ultimately, it was a re-read of a series once loved and treasured by myself. Now, it's a book I found myself cringing at the idea of even recognising I read - my sincere apologies to the author considering I once did adore these characters and stories.
It's possible I'm falling into a slump though considering my average rating lately has been a 3. If I do fall into the horrific slump I'm blaming The Darkest Minds
I skimmed this book though to be honest. I didn't enjoy it so I didn't want to read it like I would another book, so I don't remember a whole lot from it.
Before we start, some quotes:
“What’s the matter, kid?” she asks when I don’t answer. “Vision got you down?”
I gulp in a breath. “How did you know?”
“I get them, too. Plus I’ve been hanging around people who have visions for most of my life. I recognize the post-vision face.”
Okay, just the one. I thought that one was amusing and gave me flashbacks to That's So Raven. Most of the quotes in this book were eye roll worthy, though this is probably the best book in the series and I'm endlessly proud of Clara for not buying into the soul mate crap with Christian.
Characters
Clara had some great character development. I still hated her, but I found her absolutely infuriating still. She made some dumb decisions and her whole entire mind tended to focus on irrelevant things e.g. boys and her crappy friend Angela (I have a lot of feelings about her which I won't include in this review.)
Tucker has been the most sane person in this whole trilogy. His actions make sense and I wouldn't have been mad if he hadn't have gotten back with Clara because I love him.
Christian may have been better in this book but doesn't mean I didn't want to punch him in the nose like eighty times throughout this book. I mean, he definitely deserved the nose jab too - it would be worth the broken hand.
I don't even want to talk about the world building, plot or writing. I just want to put this series behind me. I'm glad I'm done. I'm upset I didn't connect with these characters as much. I would recommend this series to a younger audience perhaps, but possibly not to an older one. Maybe it's just me....more
Catching Jordan was a book I read in 2012 and for some reason I can remember like the back of my hand. I've readPROBABLY SPOILERS - YOU'VE BEEN WARNED
Catching Jordan was a book I read in 2012 and for some reason I can remember like the back of my hand. I've read a lot of books in the years in the four years that have passed.
It's not that this story is well written, it's not. It's not that this story is really that interesting, it's not. I honestly can't tell you why this group of characters and plot line have stayed in my head for the past four years. I'm not even sure this book had a meaningful impact on me at the time. I mean 15 was a time where I didn't really know who I was as a person, so maybe that's why I enjoyed it so much.
Moving on to the actual book, and not ramblings from my mind, Catching Jordan is a fast paced book that can easily be read in one sitting. It's also free if you don't mind ebook formats on Wattpad. Though, everything was kind of annoying. It was a bit soap opera like, cliche, and our leads seemed ridiculous with some of their actions to the point I couldn't stop rolling my eyes.
Characters
Jordan a tomboy football player who thinks anyone who portrays a remotely feminine quality is a slut or not worth her time. She was rude and I honestly didn't feel the tomboy element of her bar the football element. My sister is a tomboy and I don't think I could pay her to wear a dress or her to miss a soccer practice.
Jordan just was judgemental to the core and honestly, I'm not sure she was overly talented at football. I don't know anything about football though so I could be wrong.
Henry was obviously who was going to be the winner of this love triangle. He was the best friend turned lover, which is a bit annoying considering I just want a platonic female and male relationship. All I want. He seemed cool, but whatever. I didn't care in the end because he was a drama queen. Ignoring his best friend and sleeping with a bunch of girls despite being in love with her was so immature.
Ty was an asshole. I have nothing more to say. Controlling, manipulative asshole.
These characters were overall ridiculous and beyond realistic.
Plot
I mean - what plot at the end of the day? It was a whole drama fest going on between the characters that had me rolling my eyes. Football took the backseat as the protagonist focused on which boy she chose and the ridiculous problems she faced.
Though, I had some incredibly large problems with the plot such as;
Blatant stereotyping, every girl who wasn't Jordan was either a slut or bimbo. She couldn't handle the fact that maybe other woman would like football. She had to be the special snowflake.
Sexism due to fact Jordan is a female football player and a super special snowflake. Her dad doesn't want her to play and won't support her, the university of Alabama won't let her play, and ultimately she gets ridiculed for loving football. Most of the time however, it's ignore.
Slut shaming which I slightly mentioned in the stereotyping. Everyone bar Jordan is a slut in this book. They're always sleeping with each other, the football team is always talking about sex. It was just ridiculous.
Writing
Was meh. It took me a while to really slip into. The writing was all over the place in some parts and left me, yet again, rolling my eyes at a bulk of this book.
Overall
I'm honestly not sure if two stars is too harsh or too kind for this book. It's flipped me on my head but I hope that, now, I'll finally stop thinking about this plot. Not to say this isn't a bad book, it's a quick read to indulge in while between books or feeling a slump coming. It just won't be high on my recommendation list....more
Hallowed is the second book in the Unearthly series. It's definitely a book which suffers from middle book syndrome in my opinion. It was slow and honHallowed is the second book in the Unearthly series. It's definitely a book which suffers from middle book syndrome in my opinion. It was slow and honestly just lead up for the finale. Obviously, things to happen but (view spoiler)[Clara's mum dying was a cop out in order to get rid of the parental elements of the story. (hide spoiler)]
I'm really bad at reviewing series, especially the middle book. I've rewritten this review hundreds of time. A lot happens but also nothing happens, it's very confusing. None of the characters change. Clara remains annoying. Christian is creepy. Tucker is the best. Angela constantly degrades Clara and everyone else. Wendy only pops in when necessary.
Overall, probably verging more on a two stars over three stars. It was slow and I almost gave up half way through this particular novel. However, I'm going to read the finale and hopefully I enjoy it a bit more than this considering I don't remember much from Boundless. I may end up adding more to this review but for now I'm still processing all that happened and not sure how to describe it since I don't want to delve to far into the world of spoilers....more
“Seven half-bloods shall answer the call, To storm or fire the world must fall. An oath to keep with a final breath, And foes bear arms to the Doors of D“Seven half-bloods shall answer the call, To storm or fire the world must fall. An oath to keep with a final breath, And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.”
Blood of Olympus was an eh book to me. Maybe it was the fact the perspectives weren't the ones I wanted to see? I mean sure I love Reyna and Nico isn't the worst perspective to see, Leo wasn't the worst either, but c'mon about Piper and Jason. Completely and utterly annoying perspectives to read about. This re-read however was the best for me considering I remembered little of what happened.
This finale isn't the best either. It falls flat in my opinion and is almost the definition of the word anti-climatic. It seems frustrating that Rick had to couple up all our heroes as well. I just didn't see why it was necessary to the plot at all. Even (view spoiler)[Nico got paired up! (hide spoiler)] like what the hell?! I was just glad we had Reyna.
Jason son of Jupiter, wasn't awful this book. I mean, he got stabbed in the first chapter and was almost useless after that because (view spoiler)[he was neither Greek or Roman? Honestly, I have no idea (hide spoiler)], I still kind of wished he had died and I'm not ashamed to admit that. I found his perspective to be dull and wanting it over more so than anything. Jason's sudden friendship with Percy left me confused as well. I don't know where it came from, but I honestly wasn't that into it in the slightest. I just didn't find him all that impressive I guess compared to Thalia, who I'll admit is a 100 times more badass in my eyes.
Reyna a daughter of Bellona. Reyna was without a doubt my favourite point of view. She was powerful, strong and positively an inspirational woman - especially compared to Piper. Reyna was just so interesting, we knew almost nothing about her so getting to know her story and how she eventually came to Camp Jupiter, her relationship with her sister and her trusting the Greeks. Basically, I'm completely team Reyna and you can fight me on it.
Leo a son of Hephaestus, a a favourite in mine in previous books. However, I felt myself growing tiresome in this finale with him. His mind seemed set on Calypso and I didn't enjoy the fact he was suddenly all about this particular girl. Of course, Leo has always been a tad girl crazy but still. Can we talk about how absolutely awful that last chapter of his was?! (view spoiler)[WHY DID YOU NOT JUST DIE LEMME CRY AND LEMME KNOW YOU'RE DEAD! (hide spoiler)]
Nico a son of Hades. This, thank the lord, was another point of view I enjoyed. Sure, we know about Nico quite a bit from previous books but getting an insight into his head and seeing how he had matured since his first appearance was awesome in my opinion. I liked how he helped Reyna, opening up to her and letting her open up to me. It was a great friendship that blossomed and I'm gonna add it to my list of brotps (which pass my list of otp's in this series by a large amount).
Piper our special little snowflake who's also a daughter of Aphrodite. I just don't see how she was that special, she had basically no skill with any weapons but just decided that she could defeat gods and goddesses personally? Sure, whatever Rick. I didn't enjoy her sudden friendships with Annabeth or Hazel either, absolutely no development leading to them. As far as daughters of Aphrodite go though, Piper never could have lived up to my expectations especially after Silena from the original Percy Jackson serious. That is all I'm going to say is my infected toe caused me less pain than Piper's chapters. Good day. Will save my rant for elsewhere (aka just read my other reviews for this series).
I loved this series, don't get me wrong. I dreaded reading this book though in my re-read of the series. Not because it was bad, but because I hated the points of view present. The book certainly surpassed those awful feelings of dread, but it still fell flat. Part of that is (view spoiler)[that Rick paired Leo off. Why?! What was the point?! And then proceeded not to kill any of seven! Sure, it's a middle grade series but I need a death of a main character every now and again especially if it's hyped up. The final battle also sucked. Five books and hundreds upon hundreds of pages and that's what we get? Thanks Rick. (hide spoiler)] In the end was a numerous things, incredibly Piper and Jason's perspectives for me. They weren't as bad as previous books, but that's not saying much.
Overall, a book that deserves a solid four in my opinion. I would have given it a three, but Reyna deserves an entire star for herself....more
IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE FIRST THREE BOOKS IN THE SERIES THERE ARE LIKELY SPOILERS - I WILL DO MY BEST TO MARK THEM BUT YOU'VE BEEN WARNED
“My friends,IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE FIRST THREE BOOKS IN THE SERIES THERE ARE LIKELY SPOILERS - I WILL DO MY BEST TO MARK THEM BUT YOU'VE BEEN WARNED
“My friends, tell the sun and the stars hello for me.”
I'm still mad there was no prophecy for me to use as my beginning quote - but I hope you enjoy the next best thing I found.
House of Hades is the fourth book in the Heroes of Olympus series. The book is one that contains a point of view from each character of the infamous seven. It picks up basically instantly after (view spoiler)[Percy and Annabeth fall into Tartarus. (hide spoiler)] We begin with Hazel's point of view as the remaining group face an attack on the ship during their voyage to Greece. The perspectives of Jason, Piper, Frank, Leo and Hazel all allow for that journey in description, giving us the thoughts of each character during their dangerous trip to Greece and to the Doors of Death. Annabeth and Percy's points of view (view spoiler)[describe their journey through Tartarus and their mission to reach the Doors of Death, (hide spoiler)] chapters which I personally preferred compared to the Greece trip. I may be biased in my love for both Percy and Annabeth though.
Our characters, in the order they feature in. The chapter segregation in this book aren't as polished as the previous three in the series. They're random and give you ever perspective of the seven and their reactions to the events unfolding. I did eventually work out a pattern though: you get a few chapters of the characters who are travelling to Greece and then a few from either Percy or Annabeth.
Like I have for all the books in this series, here's a deconstruction of my thoughts of the characters involved:
Hazel, daughter of Pluto, is an extremely important character in this particular book. Sure, she'd had some important parts to play aka coming back from the death when she had died in 1940, having liked Leo's great-grandfather who he looks like, being the only one able to call the fastest horse and now, she can control Mist! I realise this is a massive spoiler in some cases, but I'm too lazy to mark it. Hazel is definitely one of my favourites in the group. I find her funny with her old timey ways and just a beautiful character. I tend to forget her age and just picture her as a 16 year old (I mean technically she's like 70 or something but reality is she's 13).
Annabeth, daughter of Athena, is obviously my favourite and I will never stop declaring my love for Annabeth - who, in my opinion, is the Hermione Granger of this series. During hers and Percy's trip (view spoiler)[
- ha, trip -(hide spoiler)] in (view spoiler)[Tartarus (hide spoiler)] she has to use her wits to keep the pair alive. Of course, without her it is likely Percy would have died in his first hour.
I ALSO JUST WANNA SAY; (view spoiler)[how bloody sad is it that Annabeth lost both Daedalus's laptop AND the bronze dagger which Luke had given her all those years ago when she fell into Tartarus?! (hide spoiler)] Very much made me want to cry.
Leo, son of Hephaestus, and a character - in my opinion - that seems to be only useful for the character relief. Don't get me wrong, I love Leo! He's amusing. It just seemed like Rick has placed him as a scapegoat in some ways, and the (view spoiler)[Calypso (hide spoiler)] was just ridiculous in my own opinion. I didn't bother reading those parts. I also want to mention how annoying it got that he blamed himself for what happened to Percy and Annabeth. His interaction with the monkey dwarfs? I can't remember their name oops, was hilarious.
Percy, son of Poseidon, is wandering through (view spoiler)[Tartarus (hide spoiler)] with Annabeth for the majority of the book. The pair are on a mission to close the Doors of Death and are also struggling to survive the harsh conditions of the environment they are in. Percy continues his sense of humour through his monologue and continually makes sure to keep Annabeth's hopes up during the trek. He's constantly there to reassure her and that warms my Percabeth trash of a heart.
Frank, son of Mars, changes a lot this book. Physically I mean, he's still our baby mentally. He learns to accept that he's a child of war and embrace what that means. Deciding he doesn't want to be what he classifies as "useless" to the group. Especially when with Hazel and Nico on a mini quest that featured in the book. I will always love Frank, he's just a super big teddy bear and it warms my heart. Though, I wish Rick hadn't had him go through a physical transformation such as he did. I didn't think it was necessary and we could have kept our chubby and baby faced Frank.
Jason, son of Jupiter, doesn't do a whole lot in the book in my opinion so I haven't got much to say. I know that he's annoying if that's any constitution? I really don't have much to say apart from the fact I loved the way he treated Nico. It warmed my heart despite the fact I'm not the biggest Jason fan.
Piper, daughter of Aphrodite, is a character I remain to hate. I don't care that she took on a goddess one-on-one in this book. Nor do I care that she tries to redeem herself. She doesn't in my books considering how overbearingly annoying she was in the books she has appeared in. Piper is a character I doubt I will like again and I know for a fact that if she was real I would probably avoid her like the plague on steroids. I can write more but I have conducted way too many rants on her in my reviews and she is no longer worth the finger exercise.
I also want to do a shoutout to Nico, Coach Hedge and Bob the Titan for being absolutely incredible side characters who I would have preferred to read about in some cases.
I had my problems with this book, obviously. The problems centred primarily around Jason and Piper, I will admit. I just don't like them. They're characters I feel have been forced upon us as readers and we are meant to love them because they are "a golden couple". I just can't deal with it.
I tried to mention my dislikes in each of the characters little things I did, except Percy and Annabeth because I'm not even ashamed of my preference for the pair. I think what made this re-read more painful for me in reading the other perspectives was I remembered this book perfectly. I can't remember what unfolds in the next book, but I remembered each event clear as day for House of Hades and that got slightly tiresome.
Though, I do enjoy some of the friendships and relationships. I love Hazel and Frank on top of Annabeth and Percy. Frank and Leo are also my brotp of the century.
Overall, House of Hades was an interesting re-read. I love experiencing the adventures of the characters though the writing always does feel like it's lacking something with the third person point of view. Though, anything Rick writes will be high up in my list of recommendations....more
2.5 stars, my first rating with a .5 in it. This book is not quite a three but not as low as a two. Purely for the sheer amusement I got from it. I al2.5 stars, my first rating with a .5 in it. This book is not quite a three but not as low as a two. Purely for the sheer amusement I got from it. I also hate to say, but I'm probably going to continue this series no matter how much I find it ridiculous.
A review of Born at Midnight by 14 year old Amber would have probably been raving about how amazing it was. However current Amber ain't having none of that shit.
So, without further ado, a summary from me about the book that tries to paint supernaturals in a different light but falls from the mark due to the voice of our protagonist. WARNING: slightly exaggerated and copious amounts of the acronym 'omg'. Oh and spoilers Kylie: omg my parents are getting divorced Kylie: omg my mums a bitch Kylie: omg my dad doesn't love me Kylie: omg I have a stalker Kylie: omg my boyfriend dumped me because I wouldn't sleep with him Kylie: omg my best friend changed aka she had sex and enjoys partying Kylie: omg to top I have to go to a summer camp with freaks Kylie: omg she had coloured hair she's a freak Kylie: omg she dresses like a goth she's a freak colour is so in Kylie: omg so many piercings he's a freak Kylie: omg that guy looks like my ex boyfriend Kylie: omg I'm not a freak Kylie: omg I am a freak Kylie: omg I'm a freak of all freaks Kylie: omg nah I have a brain tumour Kylie: omg vampires Kylie: omg I need to stop comparing that guy who looks like my ex boyfriend to my ex boyfriend Kylie: omg nah Kylie: omg I have to room with a vampire and witch Kylie: omg that guy killed my cat Kylie: omg he's a werewolf Kylie: omg I can see dead people Kylie: omg never mind boys
Okay, I'll stop summarising the plot there because honestly I'm annoyed and that's only the first 30% of the book. BUT if you're annoyed by my summary this book is in no for you because that is basically what being in Kylie's mind is like. Wash, rinse and repeat everything numerous times and now we have the Born at Midnight. In saying that, I did enjoy this book embarrassingly enough. Was the writing good quality or was Kylie original? No, and in no way was our special little unreadable Kylie unpredictable in her actions or behaviours. I think it reminded me of an easier time when I read it originally and honestly? It was pretty fucking amusing.
A fun fact about this novel? The word "breath" is mentioned 85 times. I don't think I've used that word 85 times in my life.
Besides that Here are some perfect quotes to highlight the amusement I found present and to complete my review while I laugh:
I'm going to refrain from using quotes from the beginning of the book because almost every line contained the word "freak" or was just plain dumb. So, the entire first 20% or so can go under this section of my review.
“Kylie looked at the clock; it was almost one in the morning. She couldn’t help but wonder exactly what Lucas and Holiday were doing at that hour. Sure, the camp leader was older, but not by many years.
“Are you and he … close?”
“Depends on what you mean by close.” Holiday arched a brow. “This is his third time here. He’s assisting us with some things and even training to work with us next year. But that’s all.”
Oh Kylie, of course it's plausible to wonder whether a lady in her twenties is having a relationship with a 17 year old boy at a summer camp.
“Kylie pressed a hand to her stomach, sorry that she’d asked. Of course, her sickly feeling could partly be due to the fact that she’d hardly slept. Then on second thought, nope, it was for sure the blood. The idea repulsed her in a big way. Seeing the red stuff in those glasses during dinner last night had been too much. If nothing else, at least Kylie might lose a few pounds over the summer.”
That's our girl Kylie! Keeping her priorities properly in place!
“Questions like: if I am a supernatural what other kind of species could I be? And if I’m not one of you, do I have some kind of a brain tumor? Kylie didn’t know which was worse."
Totally Kylie! Brain tumour or being supernatural?! Tough choice!
“Kylie shot her roommate a glance. Honestly, were boys the only things Miranda ever thought about?”
So true Kylie! Miranda has mentioned guys like four times and you've only thought about Trey, Derek, and Lucas like a hundred times since arriving at the camp yesterday. Miranda is such a hoe!
“Touching him caused her to recall how she used to touch Trey. How much she liked Trey, missed Trey."
I can't even make a joke about this one - I'm just plain uncomfortable. a nice guy you met yesterday gives up a pint of blood to hang out with you and you continue to compare him to your ex boyfriend #goals if you didn't get it by now folks with this weird love interest thing it's very obvious that Derek will not be the one that Kylie ends up with
“Look, if I get one zit, I’l drain your blood while you’re asleep and sel it on eBay."
Look, this one just made me laugh like it should. Della's probably my favourite character.
“Kylie’s headache resumed its pounding. And the fear that she really could have a tumor stirred in her chest. She envisioned herself with her head shaved and big ugly scars running across her skull. It was horrible.
But so was admitting that she was as much of a freak as the rest of them."
Just little old Kylie with her priorities set straight again!
“Because he left me for some slut who would put out, that’s why.”
You got it Kylie! a girl who sleeps with someone once totally makes them a slut, how could I ever forget?
“Kylie watched as his shirttail shifted upward, exposing a very hard abdomen. The hem of his shirt inched higher, and she took in the cutest inny belly button she’d ever seen."
I got nothing for this one just uncomfortable laughter.
I'll stop there because it just gets worse as our protagonist can't choose between three guys. Definitely not a book I would choose to pick up now, but I won't deny the amusement factor that kept me laughing throughout. So, let's try book two and see if it's any better than this laugh fest.
P.S. I'm really curious as to how to put gifs and photos in my reviews as well, so if anyone can do an explanation for dummies that'd be awesome....more
Ruins of Gorlan was a book I read when I first started high school, which was in 2010, I think. I graduated last year so I refuse to acknowledge ma3.5
Ruins of Gorlan was a book I read when I first started high school, which was in 2010, I think. I graduated last year so I refuse to acknowledge maths. It's a book I've hunted for a while now, and I'm so glad to have my hands on it that it's ridiculous.
I did have problems with this book during my re-read though. Maybe because it's a middle grade book, probably not. However, this book reads like an introductory novel. We barely get much action but are instead introduced to the world of the story.
The story we have is about a 15 year old orphan named Will. In his kingdom when a ward of the Baron turns 15 there is a chance for craft masters to take on apprentices, to train them to be a great knight, cook, or diplomat. Will, a small boy, has his eyes set on being a knight. However, when the Choosing Day comes he is not given a position that will grant him knighthood, he is however chosen by the mysterious Ranger - a craft no one knows much about bar from the Rangers. It is rumoured they know magic from the way they blend into the shadows. At first, Will has an aversion to the position. But, as Halt, his master, and him grow closer he learns to love his craft.
That is basically the plot of this particular book. We get several perspectives in the book, but the two which continue to pop up are Horace, a ward who Will grew up with, and Will. Also, despite the plot being slightly boring, the descriptions are beautiful and the characters are developed beautifully. For example, the Baron, and the fact no one seems to understand his sense of humour.
Characters
Will is our small main character. At 15 he is quite scrawny and aims to be a knight. It's all he's ever wanted since he was put on a doorstep of the castle without a second name. He has created a story after being told his father was a hero. As a Ranger though he finally feels at home with Halt.
Will was a pretty interesting character. As a young boy it wasn't as interesting to me considering I'm an 18 year old girl, but I still loved his perspectives. (view spoiler)[Him and Alyss have always been my otp as well. (hide spoiler)] It was nice to be back in his head after all these years where I wasn't and had forgotten the story. I loved his relationships with his friend, how one developed with Horace, his relationship with both Tug and Halt as well.
His character could have been developed a bit more, but it will be in later books, but he is ultimately loyal to a fault and brave.
Horace was the bully when him and Will were the wards of the Baron. He used his strength against him, Will using his wit to outsmart Horace. Horace is recruited into battle school on his path to knighthood, and he's great. He's smart and great with a sword, except now he's on the receiving end of bullies. Three second year apprentices making his life a living hell at the school. Thankfully, that sorts itself out thanks to both Halt and Will.
Horace had some incredible character development purely in this first book. He changed from an obnoxious and boastful character into one who could joke about his shortcomings and refrained from mentioning his positives. I really loved his chapters, and the insight into the other school.
This book is primary world-building so it was incredibly well developed. It is a historical feeling world with magic elements to it. You have Knights, castles, Baron's, and Ladies. But, there is also the element of Wargals and different beasts which weren't present in that time period.
I love the world, personally. I think it's perfectly done by the author and an absolute stand out.
Plot
Was pretty subpar, which is why I've rated this book 3 stars. I know the later books have much more vibrant plots, this book was purely getting us into the world and introducing the antagonist who will appear later.
I still loved the plot in this book, Will's journey into loving being a Ranger.
I also still had favourite parts. For example, a Ranger's horse needs to be asked before you're allowed to ride it. Each horse had a unique phrase and you must say it before being allowed on the horse. This completely eliminates the element of stealing. (view spoiler)[The fact that both Will and Horace were bucked off Tug was hilarious! (hide spoiler)]
Writing
The writing was a tad wordy in some places. But, it was descriptive to the point you were hearing and seeing what the protagonist did. The Ranger's job is to see everything, and to do so you must use all your senses, so the author describes everything in a way where you are able to understand what is happening perfectly.
I also liked the fact that despite the fact a few people had grey hair it was always describe in different hues so I wasn't picturing the same character in the same way. This goes for other words too, I'm just using grey as an example.
Overall
I recommend this book if you're looking to return to your middle grade roots, or just have a fast read. The characters are interesting. The world is interesting. The crafts are interesting. Women aren't even discriminated against, they're given crafts as well. So, I definitely recommend this without a doubt despite how my rating may seem low....more
"He underestimated you, and that is not a tragedy. That you have proven to be better, cleverer, and stronger than anyone could have expected, ... - i "He underestimated you, and that is not a tragedy. That you have proven to be better, cleverer, and stronger than anyone could have expected, ... - it is a triumph."
I read these books a few years ago as they were released, and then just haven't picked them up again despite reading TMI twice more since and them being the reason I met one of my best friends. I only chose to do a re-read to be ready for Lady Midnight's release. I'm now left banging my head against a wall in the stupidity of the past me. This trilogy will always be my favourite trilogy I believe. The characters are absolutely amazing and despite having already read these books, I still found myself shocked at so many cases because I had forgotten.
Clare manages to engage me in every book of hers I have read. The characters are always so three dimensional to me, maybe not to others, and I always want to know what will happen. In this trilogy I did find myself frustrated at the main protagonists actions (that's usually a given with Clare's books though) and at the treatment of women (not that that can be helped in the time period it was set).
(view spoiler)[ I must say that I absolutely adored that Tessa ended up with Will, I'd never been a big fan of Jem. Also, the fact that in the epilogue we got to hear about Tessa and Will's life together and how they had incorporated Jem into it despite his status as a Silent Brother (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)](hide spoiler)]...more
Becoming Rain is the second book in the Burying Water series. However, we don't follow water and Jesse again. Different characters are introduced and Becoming Rain is the second book in the Burying Water series. However, we don't follow water and Jesse again. Different characters are introduced and we get to fully grasp why Jesse's best friend did what he did in the previous book. I'm pretty sure this book was my favourite when I read it last year, that no longer applies, I think. I've always been a sucker for a book, movie or tv show with detectives in it. I just like the mystery. Sure, most of this mystery was explained but I liked the fact that we were still able to work out small things.
Once again in K.A. Tucker's series Burying Water we get the perspectives of both our leads. Going into Clara's head, who is a perpetrator, and Luke, who can be viewed as a victim in my opinion.
Clara, or better known as Rain in this particular book, is a detective. She's aiming to work her way to the FBI, busting pimps and scumbags until the FBI approaches her needing her for their case. Clara fits the profile of the woman they need to infiltrate and find out information via a suspected criminal, Luke. Luke was Jesse's best friend, roommate and the reason Water didn't die in the previous book. In this book he is still trying to learn what his uncle Rust is actually doing on his side business, the one that connects him to the mafia. Clara's job is to become Rain and gain Luke's trust, finding out enough information to bring the entire operation down. However, a romance occurs and begins to really screw both our protagonists over.
Both characters got a tad annoying. In some cases Clara seemed like the worst detective ever, never quite doing her job properly. However, I did enjoy her perspective for the most part of the book. It got tiresome, but that was to be expected the more she grew feelings for Luke. Luke, however, seemed plain stupid and naive in almost every situation. He was constantly needing explaining. The romance between the pair was a tad rushed as well.
Overall, it was a good book. I did enjoy it, despite struggling through parts in this re-read....more
Eyes Turned Skyward was yet another let down of a re-read. This book in particular felt like it too me forever to read. Why? It was the exact same as Eyes Turned Skyward was yet another let down of a re-read. This book in particular felt like it too me forever to read. Why? It was the exact same as the first one. There was no difference. The characters were the same, continuing to make the same mistakes by refusing to say what was wrong and then proceeding to say 'I love you' way too early.
This book in particular focuses on Jagger who was Josh's best friend in the first book, we are however introduced to a bunch of new characters as Jagger takes on flight school (I honestly don't know what it's called). Paisley is the female lead, and other perspective, and I've never wanted to punch a character more - that's probably a lie I think I've said I've wanted to punch characters in way too many reviews. Paisley lost her sister two years prior due to a heart condition which Paisley has as well. Paisley is living to please everyone so she doesn't cause any strife on her family until Jagger enters her life.
That's when stuff gets unbelievable. I hated the whirlwind romance. The cheating. The characters overall. Everyone was ridiculous and couldn't communicate. Now, I'm a straight up person. I like to lay everything down but I know some people don't. I just don't see the point in tip-toeing around things and I don't think it would have been hard for Jagger to say the secret he had and for Paisley to say her life-threatening heart.
Characters
“Hi, I’m Paisley. I’m twenty years old, and my heart is a ticking time bomb. Want to be friends?”
Paisley was infuriating. I didn't understand her. Her character kept changing from personalities, and it got tiresome. I didn't really care for her by the end and I honestly skipped the epilogue because her and Jagger are obviously going to get their happily ever after. The lines said by her were incredibly cheesy and the only credibility I can give her is that she waited at least a month before saying 'I love you'.
I also understand that romance heroines are meant to be meek and weak a lot of the time, but Paisley took it to a whole new level. She couldn't even tell people that she didn't like the nickname Lee until Jagger mentioned it. I'm all about girl power (I sound like my mother) and I hate when girls in books don't do anything until a male lead comes into their life and changes them. No girl, you do you and you work for what you want.
Paisley was one of the worst female characters I have read in New Adult fiction I think.
“I'd rather burn for just a moment, to really experience love than live a lifetime safe without it."
Jagger was better than Paisley, but only marginally. He was the reformed bad boy who had a photographic memory - which I felt was a pointless attribute to him since it was rarely used. He is a "flyboy" and for some reason for half the book doesn't tell Paisley that. I know, my reaction was okay, so this book is about two idiots. I mean, don't get me wrong. In books you can't give everything away, but simple things like "I'm studying to be a pilot" isn't that damn hard.
Jagger fell for Paisley way too hard as well. From the moment he sees her on the beach he's basically obsessed. And, of course, because Paisley is a damsel in distress she can't swim and is tossed in the water!!! What?!?!?!? Yes. Her best friend who she has known her whole life asked a guy to do it. Now, side note, shouldn't the best friend have known Paisley couldn't swim? Anyway, whatever, that is never brought up again despite two swim lessons from Jagger and the epilogue.
I realise that Jagger is painted as a literal hero, but I don't think I can even count how many times I rolled my eyes at the dialogue. For a reformed bad boy/player who had sworn off girl's I must say he was fucking cheesy as hell. He was constantly talking about love and how it was all burning and powerful. Like, okay, but you've known her a day - can we rethink that?
Plot
The plot wasn't very much there. It was there to support the romance. The major plot besides the romance was the fact that Jagger was studying to be a pilot and Paisley didn't want to tell Jagger about her heart condition while she tried to make a decision on whether to get a pacemaker.
Problems popped up incredibly Jagger's father and the surgery that Paisley would eventually need, but it was all supercial and not developed enough to actually be substainial to the plot.
Writing
The writing is what saved this book from being a single star. It was a fast read despite feeling like dragging on due to how many times I found myself rolling my eyes or groaning in annoyance. I couldn't get past a lot of the plot, but I will applaud the author on her writing. Just, next time she should create different characters from her first book - in my opinion.
Overall
Overall, I don't mean to offend anyone who liked this book, I didn't like it and now I'm not sure if I want to continue the series since this book was painful....more
“Wrongly chosen, wrongly slain, A hero Valhalla cannot contain. Nine days hence the sun must go east, Ere Sword of Summ
Completely spoiler free review.
“Wrongly chosen, wrongly slain, A hero Valhalla cannot contain. Nine days hence the sun must go east, Ere Sword of Summer unbinds the beast.”
The Sword of Sunmer is the first book in the Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series. As all of Rick's books do is based around a mythology. In this case, it is the Norse Gods. I personally have no knowledge on the Norse Gods, I know Thor, Odin and Loki and that is only from the franchise. In Rick's other books I had some knowledge of the mythology (Greek, Roman and Egyptian) but I was beyond confused a lot in this book, even though it was a re-read. That would probably be the primary reason behind the fact I have given this book four stars, and how it was a little bit slow.
In this particular book, we follow Magnus Chase as he dies, is reborn and bombarded with information as well as being given the task to basically save the world in seven days. Very familiar to the Percy Jackson franchise, but in this case, we have a different set of Gods, mortals and groups of people. I loved the diversity that Rick put into this book, with Hearth being death and Sam being Muslim. I felt that the representations weren't exploited and treated in a way that was completely realistic (as in the fact no one really made comments about it).
“Of course I’d end up in Valhalla on my sixteenth birthday. Just my luck.”
I can understand why people would be annoyed with this series due to the fact in some parts it is similar to all of Rick's other books. This is due to the fact that Magnus is Annabeth's cousin primarily and she features quite frequently as a minor character. I feel like she will come into play into the later books and that makes me excited. In some cases, Magnus does have the voice of Percy, but he is his own person.
This quote serves no purpose I just thought it was funny so I'm going to include it tbh.
“The point is, this rope is even better! I call it Andskoti, the Adversary. It is woven with the most powerful paradoxes in the Nine Worlds – Wi-Fi with no lag, a politician’s sincerity, a printer that prints, healthy deep-fried food and an interesting grammar lecture!”
Characters
Magnus is our main character and son of Frey. Now, you may be thinking - Amber, who the heck is Frey? Trust me, I was too. I had no idea. I thought maybe he would be a child of Thor considering his famous credibility (I would say is highly due to Chris Hemsworth tbh) but Frey is not any Norse God I myself have heard of with my limited knowledge. It also seemed neither had Magnus because this is the description we are given from a children's book:
“Frey was the god of spring and summer! read the caption. He was the god of wealth, abundance and fertility. His twin sister, Freya, the goddess of love, was very pretty! She had cats."
Now to point out what most people think when they look at the cover, "wow, that kid sure looks like Kurt Cobain", and apparently this is purposeful. How do I know this? Let me provide another quote for you.
“You look like Kurt Cobain, my mom used to tease me. I loved Kurt Cobain, except for the fact that he died."
So, moving on from these things - Magnus is a hilarious protagonist. I found myself frequently laughing at his lines even if I found myself growing bored in the beginning. His personality was absolutely hilarious and definitly fit the image of a homeless 16 year old boy. The fact that for two years Magnus had been homeless and no one had come for him was something I found slightly unbelievable, is the American system really like this? I'm not even sure if the Australian system is like this honestly.
Magnus was constantly getting the Norse names wrong. I liked that. It helped me with the pronunciation which I proceeded to forget the next paragraph when another God was named.
“First, what are we doing here? Second, why is Odin’s throne named Lid Scalp?’ ‘Hlidskjalf. Put an h at the beginning and an f at the end. On that first letter you have to sound like you’re hawking spit.’ ‘On further reflection, I don’t care."
I'm not even sure what else to say about Magnus. I loved his character. He was hilarious and made quite rational decisions. I also liked the fact that, just like the Percy Jackson books, there was no romance featured in this book. If there was I'm sure it would have taken away from the major plot and made this book even longer than what it is.
Samirah al-Abbas is going to be the side character I choose to talk to. I could talk about Blitz or Hearth but I'm going to choose Sam because I like her more. Sam is the daughter of Loki and a Muslim. She isn't dead either. She's a Valkyrie. Which basically means when someone dies in battle she makes the choice whether or not to take them to the Valhalla to be immortal or to fight in Ragnarök (Doomsday) when it comes.
“She shook my hand, her grip so tight my finger bones popped. ‘I will now escort you to dinner.’ She forced a smile. ‘If you embarrass me, I’ll be the first to kill you.”
I enjoyed her character immensely. I found her amusing and someone who wasn't afraid to do what she wanted. It also showed that not all Muslim women are oppressed - which I argue with my mum about a lot. I loved how she was willing to put Magnus in his place and go head to head with him. I loved how she didn't want to be anything like her father. She was vehemently against her father actually, choosing instead to be one of Odin's Valkyrie. Again, I don't really know what else to say about Sam. I am excited to see where her character will go in later books that is for sure.
“The Tree of … Lay-rah-dur. You named your tree.’ ‘Most important things have names.’ She frowned at me. ‘Who are you again?’ ‘Very funny.”
World-Building
The world-building, like in all Rick's books, was flawless. He flawlessly paints a world in which the Gods are intermingled into both our world and society. He makes me believe at some points that maybe Gods are the reason everything happens, which is stupid. I just love how absolutely incredible it is that Rick includes sites from Boston as well, I think.
Again, I'm sucking at saying very much in this review but if you have read any of other Rick's books you will know how he creates his worlds and he does so in The Summer Sword.
Plot
There was so much plot that it got confusing at some points. So much was happening throughout the book while we tried to get to know the characters and learn the mythology that I found myself needing breaks in order to be able to successfully get through this book. I know that without a doubt I need to read a few contemporaries after this because it's left my brain a frazzled mess - considering I read this during my final exams last year I may just blame it for my test scores HA.
The plot centres around Magnus' quest to postpone Ragnarök, which many people are looking at hastening. For this quest everything goes wrong at every turn and there are constantly Nordic (is that the right word?) words thrown in which personally threw me off the story a little bit. Hopefully when I get around to reading book two I will understand the world a bit more and the plot will be easier to follow.
Writing
The writing was spectacular. It was classic Rick despite the fact it was a little confusing. I wouldn't personally recommend this book to middle-grade students like I'm sure it is aimed to be because it is a bit more dense than The Kane Chronicles, Percy Jackson and The Heroes of Olympus.
Overall
Overall, this book was incredible. I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the jokes. I enjoyed the incorperation of characters from the Percy Jackson series. I would recommend this book definitely. ...more
“The truth is like that water: it doesn’t matter how hard you try to bury it; it’ll always find some way back to the surface. It’s resilient.”
Bur4.5.
“The truth is like that water: it doesn’t matter how hard you try to bury it; it’ll always find some way back to the surface. It’s resilient.”
Burying Water was one of my favourite reads of 2015. I'm glad to say that it has remained a favourite in 2016. This book told me if I was to kill someone peroxide is the best way to go in removing blood and not bleach, a fact which confirmed by a friend of my mums who used to work for a branch of the police. So, remember, kids, use an oxygenated liquid when removing blood so when they shine that light you ain't getting busted.
The story is told from two perspectives, our male and female lead. As well as this it takes place in both the past and the present, giving the audience a full idea of how the circumstances have come to arise (this sounds like an English essay I wrote last year lol). The two main characters we are presented with are:
Water, previously named Alex. She is represented to us in the guise of three names: Alex, Jane Doe and Water. Water wakes up in a hospital, in present time, with absolutely no knowledge of how she got to the hospital or who she is. She is completely and utterly lost on what has caused her so much pain to lose her memory and lead to almost death. I liked seeing how Water adapted back into society, and her relationship with the old lady Ginny completely warmed my heart. Ginny was grouchy but I adored her and so did Water. Water finally was able to become her own person as well after years of being someone she wasn't, despite not remembering. It was nice to see her story unfold.
Jesse is our male lead, his perspective however focuses on the "then". I was interested in how his perspective interweaved into the story, and in some cases I found it more interesting to read. Jesse is from a small town where everyone knows each other business, growing up the son of the sheriff he got himself into some mischief including being accused of attempted murder. Jesse later moves to Portland to work as a mechanic and that's when he first encounters Alex/Water. I didn't mind Jesse. He was an interesting character, though the romance between the pair felt rushed in some aspects. I also didn't enjoy the fact that he had almost no remorse for sleeping with a married woman.
Overall, it wasn't a bad book or a bad re-read. A 4.5 definitely, losing that half a star because I did get annoyed in some sections of the book. I did want a tad bit more pop but compared to some new adult books this is a plot that surpasses all others.
Side note: as a girl who hits like six foot in height or close to it, I get slightly confused when 5'8 is considered tall. My sister is 5'8 I would say and I personally see her as short. Though, it is a common thing I find in books - protagonists who are super short or 5'8 which is classified tall....more
