noun [kee-smash] a random string of letters and symbols typed out on a keyboard or touchscreen, used to signal intense emotion in written communication:
As someone who was not at all impressed by Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Mass, I was extremely reluctant to pick up this series, especially given the fact that it received the same amount of hype that Throne of Glass did–a book I did not enjoy at all. For this reason, I had very low expectations when my best friend forced me to read ACOTAR (you know you gotta read a book when your BFF says “read this book or friendship over”).
And well…surprise, surprise, I once again have the unpopular opinion.
I have read many amazing YA fantasy books, but it’s not often that I read a YA fantasy that leaves me breathless with excitement and anticipation with every page, and keeps me up all night even when I have a midterm early morning the next day.
With a simple, yet captivating narration style, immensely likable protagonists, well-developed characters, and a uniquely diverse plot that explores Islamic/Pakistani cultures and myths, An Ember In The Ashes by Sabaa Tahir is a book that I recommend to everyone to read, especially to those who are looking for a bit of diversity in their reading.
First off, a huge thanks to Aentee from Read At Midnight for recommending this book. Had I known what a jewel The Fifth Season is, I would have read it sooner. Click here for her review of the book.
Synopsis
THIS IS THE WAY THE WORLD ENDS… FOR THE LAST TIME. A season of endings has begun. It starts with the great red rift across the heart of the world’s sole continent, spewing ash that blots out the sun. It starts with death, with a murdered son and a missing daughter. It starts with betrayal, and long dormant wounds rising up to fester. This is the Stillness, a land long familiar with catastrophe, where the power of the earth is wielded as a weapon. And where there is no mercy.
Ratings: ☕☕☕☕☕ 5/5
Let’s start with the end of the world, why don’t we? Get it over with and move on to more important things.
There are many great, well-known fantasy books that have a strong engaging narration, incredibly realistic and powerful world building, heartbreaking plot twists and characters so unforgettable that you can’t help but be emotionally invested in them as if they were real, all written with such skill and perfect execution that you are transported into a time and place far far away from the reality you live in, which is exactly the reason why you read fantasy in the first place. To discover a world unlike any you know.
Trigger Warning: contains some scenes of graphic violence and torture. PG-13
This is my review for the second book of the Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard. Do not read this review if you have not read the previous book, as this review contains spoilers from the previous book. To see my review of Red Queen, click here.
If I thought Red Queen was “sweet” torture–you know, the kind of book that is really bad for your emotional stability but so addictive that you can’t help but want to keep reading it–then Glass Sword was, simply put, pure devastation. This book wrecked me, left emotional scars that will take a long time to heal, and made me have trust issues. Victoria Aveyard does not pull any punches, so if you are planning on picking this book up, readers beware: you are in for abrasive, ruthless protagonists, a violent psychopathic antagonist, and of course let’s not forget the disastrous fates of some beloved characters from the previous book.
Last week I reviewed The Wrath and The Dawn by Renee Ahdeih, a retelling of the classic One Thousand and One Nights story, and I found myself having a rather negative unpopular opinion about it. Deciding that it would be best if TWATD and I parted our ways before our relationship could become more toxic, I chose to try my luck with E.K. Johnston’s A Thousand Nights instead. And I have a lot to say about it.
I’ve been struggling to write this review without fangirling and failed five times. Just thinking about this story is making me feel tingly and excited inside! Unique, captivating and unforgettable, Victoria Aveyard’s debut novel Red Queen is a must-read for…well…everyone.
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Ratings: ☕☕☕☕ (4/5)
Tim Learn once again entertains his readers with another of Chewy Noh’s adventures–this time with a far more intriguing, complex but also amusing plot. In this second installment, not only do we see a lot more of Korean mythology, but some of the loose threads from the first book were taken care of here. Funny, light, and entertaining, this a was nice refreshing story after all the serious books I’ve read this past few months.
While the first book slowly built the suspense, this book began with a bang. I was hooked from the very beginning, and the writing had me turning the pages until the very end. The occasional shifting to the mythology was a bonus too (who knew Koreans had a bathroom goddess?) and I enjoyed the references to the cultural differences between Korea and USA (by the way, face size matters in Bangladesh too–the smaller your face, the prettier you are). I didn’t find a single chapter that felt like a filler, or one that seemed boring to me. I wouldn’t call it mind-blowing amazing as the writing style is very simple, but it has a certain charm to it.
There were certain intense scenes that could have been written better–in an attempt to avoid spilling spoilers, all I can say is that the “scary” parts of the story were not in fact scary enough, even for children. I am not saying it was bad, because it wasn’t…it just lacked believability. Other than that minor flaw, the overall storytelling was humorous and easy to absorb.
The Characters: Unlike the first book, we don’t really get to see that much of the large supporting cast, which was honestly fine by me–Chewy, Su Bin and Clint’s characterization was so smooth and well executed that I didn’t really care. In a book like this there isn’t much space for character development, but I enjoyed the way the kids (namely Chewy and Su) resolved their conflicts and eventually became friends. Clint and Su Bin’s puppy love never failed to put a smile on my face, and as annoying as Kent The Bully and Miss Wolfe were, I enjoyed watching Chewy juggle his normal life problems with his supernatural problems.
The only issue I have is with the mother, the grandfather, and the grandmother. Chewy has horrible adult figures in his life, and their lack of responsibility and awareness really did not make any sense to me. I understand why writers don’t want to give spotlight to parental figures in YA/MG books, but making them act more immature and childish than their own kids is certainly not a good way to go. Not only is it ridiculous but it also makes the entire story a lot less convincing.
The Plot: The plot of this book was a lot more complex than that of the first book. In The Fall of The Mu-Dang, the plot is focused entirely on Chewy and his superpower. In the Phantasm of Winter, we get to see more of the supernatural world the book is set in, a lot more action, a whole lot of suspense and much more unexpected twists (and thankfully very little school drama). The pacing was quite fast too and it’s finally allowing the series to develop more.
The Ending: Usually I find cliffhanger endings rather cliché; not all books need to have an open ending. This book is one of them. That being said, the ending wasn’t good enough to get me excited about the third book in the series, even with all the hints about what might happen in the next installment.
As I said before, this book belongs in the MG genre and not YA. I imagine children will love this series, so if you are looking for a book that will suit a young audience then I would definitely recommend you to give this a try.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
This review is a little difficult for me to write, because Chewy Noh and The Fall of the Mu-dang is one of those books you have a love/hate relationship with. Obviously, I am leaning towards love (hence the four coffee cups) and would recommend this book to anyone and everyone regardless of age. If you are looking for a light, humorous read that will bring out the inner child in you, this is the book to read.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
I started this book with low expectations—and by the time I was a little more than halfway done, I was convinced this was going to be one of the best books I have read—only to be sorely disappointed by the last quarter of the story. In spite of this—I’d still recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy and fae stories—this book may not be without its flaws, but it’s not a completely waste of time either. To put it in a nutshell—Lauren Bird Horowitz’s debut novel Shattered Blue is a roller coaster ride.
