Readiculous Em

3.5/5 stars

This book was short, so it was naturally very fast-paced. It was interesting to see Levana's past, as it shaped her to be the queen she is in the Lunar Chronicles. After reading the book, I can see why some people would be sympathetic towards Levana. By learning about her past, you start to understand Levana's character and actions.

I also liked how we got to see more of Levana's relationship with both Selene and Winter. It was nice to understand more about the dynamic of their relationship, as it wasn't conveyed in the other books.

Although this book was an interesting and quick read, I gave it 3.5 stars because Luna was underdeveloped. I was looking forward to learning more about Luna's society and features, yet I was thoroughly disappointed. The setting was hardly described, and frankly, I didn't learn much about Luna.

If you've read the Lunar Chronicles, you should definitely check this book out. It's interesting to read from Levana's point of view, and this book will keep you satisfied until Winter's release. November 10th please come sooner.

4.5/5 stars

Maybe Someday is about twenty-two year old Sydney who discovers that her boyfriend is cheating on her with her best friend/roommate. Homeless, heartbroken, and betrayed, Sydney finds herself staying with her neighbor, Ridge. As they bond over their passion for music, they begin to form a connection with each other. Truths unfold, emotions run rampant, and things turn a lot more complicated.

I typically read Young Adult novels, but this New Adult novel has convinced me to read more NA. This book holds so many subtle lessons. It’s not your typical love story; it’s so much more than that. It’s about finding yourself, being selfless, and handling situations with honesty and maturity. It’s about moving on, connecting without words, and being independent.

Colleen Hoover has a talent with making the reader feel the emotions the characters are experiencing. There are so many complications between Sydney and Ridge which causes them to feel a mixture of confusion, guilt, and yearning. Throughout this novel, I felt their whirlwind of emotions as if I were one of them. Sometimes I supported their relationship, sometimes I didn’t. It wasn’t until halfway into the book that I realized that this is exactly what Colleen wants us to feel. She wants us to feel their conflicted emotions so we can relate to them, and boy, did I feel them.

Surprisingly, I liked all the characters in the book. Sydney is independent, and I respect that so much. She’s unwilling to ask her parents to back her up, and she values herself and doesn’t let anyone lower her self-worth. Ridge is beautiful with words, but not in an over-the-top way. He’s no Augustus Waters, but he manages to pour his heart and soul into his words while making it realistic at the same time. Warren, Ridge’s best friend and roommate, is simply hilarious. His remarks throughout the story made me laugh and added entertainment into the story. He’s funny, but can be serious at times. He’s so supportive of all his friends, and is always the shoulder to lean on.

All in all, Maybe Someday was a fulfilling read. You feel all the happiness and pain the two main characters face, and that’s what makes the story so beautiful. It really pierces you in the heart, and is definitely a book you should pick up if you’re looking for an emotionally charged romance.

4/5 stars

If you’re interested in reading a book filled with magic, love, and a hint of mystery, this book is for you.

Shadow and Bone is set in Ravka, a once-mighty nation. Ravka is now torn into two parts, the homeland and the Fold. The Fold is a land of darkness filled with monsters that feed on humans. The story follows Alina Starkov, a teenage orphan drafted in the army as a Mapmaker. She is sent on a dangerous mission into the Fold with other soldiers including her best friend, Mal. While in the Fold, they are attacked by bloodthirsty monsters. Everything seems hopeless until Alina reveals a power strong enough to save them. She is sent to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite. The leader of the Grisha, the Darkling, takes a particular interest in Alina. He sees her as the one who can save the nation and destroy the Fold. Whisked away from her best friend and held with an expectation of being the nation’s savior, Alina struggles to find her way into her changing life.

The Darkling was one word: mysterious. He was so so so mysterious and that’s what drew me into him. I wanted to know about his past, his thoughts, his intentions. Everything about him was intriguing, but no, I don’t ship him with Alina. I SHIP MAL WITH HER. Mal is such a wonderful character. He’s the kind of character who makes your heart feel all warm and fuzzy. He’s funny and sweet and handsome and charming and courageous and does it get any better than that??? He’s definitely one of my favorite characters in the book. I mean, who wouldn't love him? (Besides the Darkling of course). And then there’s Alina. Alina had her moments, but I felt she was a little dull at times. I enjoyed her character, but I didn’t LOVE her. I heard her character grows in the second and third book, so I’m excited for that.

The plot was pretty much like any other fantasy novel except for the plot twist. Oh man, the plot twist killed me. It was so unexpected, and I didn’t believe it at first.

Overall, the book was interesting and a great read. I can’t wait to pick up the sequel, Siege and Storm!!

1.5/5 stars

DNF at 52%. One word--disappointed.

A book about a girl who gets kidnapped and suffers through Stockholm Syndrome? Sounds interesting, or so I thought. The premise was intriguing, and it made me so excited to read the book. When I did pick up this book, boy, was I disappointed.

In short, this book is about a 16-year-old girl named Gemma who gets abducted from the airport by a twenty-four-year-old man named Ty. He takes her to an isolated desert, hoping to get her to fall in love with him. This book is told in a single letter from Gemma to Ty, recounting her thoughts during her time as his captive.

The pacing of the book was terribly slow. For the first half of the book, Gemma narrates her time with Ty as a captive. They spend their time in a desert, which makes the book especially boring because the only two characters are Gemma and Ty. Gemma spends so much time talking about camels and snakes to the point that I wanted to rip my hair out and smash my Kindle in the wall. Sure, it's fine to read about camels, but Lucy Christopher describes them so heavily that I just ended up skipping paragraphs at a time. Not only were scenes overly-descriptive, there was no action whatsoever in the first half of the book. The book was so bland and unexciting as there was hardly any tension, fights, or even romance.

The one thing I liked about the book was the point of view. I liked reading second person narrative because it made the story seem more raw and personal. Overall, however, the book was a huge let-down. I rarely leave books unfinished, but this book has become an exception.