Double Review- Tress of the Emerald Sea

August 17, 2023 youwanttoreadthistrustme1 Comment

Title: Tress of the Emerald Sea

Author: Brandon Sanderson

Page Count: 369

Series: Secret Projects/within Cosmere Universe

Publishing Date/Publisher: April 4, 2023/Gollancz

Format: Hardback

Review:

This is easily in my top three books of all time. It was whimsical, delightful, and fun, and while the stakes for Tress were high, it was still a cozy fantasy. Hoid, the narrator, provided funny commentary while also dropping some profound wisdom throughout the story in a way that was surprising but welcomed.

The story is everything I could possibly want- pirates, sorcery, soulmates, and a very unique setting that I would love to live in, despite the dangers. I can’t get enough of this book and have read it three times in the past month (and am on another reread- it’s become a happy and safe place to escape to).

Reader: Kymberly

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Woooohooo back after a long hiatus (I had a baby!).

This was truly a delightful adventure. Fantasy books are rarely standalones, but this is a rare book that wraps up nicely without feeling too long or too short. Filled with quirky characters and infused with both humor and wisdom, this is a book that can appeal to nearly all ages. This is my first Sanderson book, so it was also my first foray into the Cosmere. Based on what I’ve read from other reviewers, there may be some characters, settings, or events of significance for fans of this author sprinkled throughout the story, but this did not hinder the reading experience for me in any way. The setting is particularly unusual and the oceans of spores felt more like characters than places. The spores are surprisingly integral to the storyline and drive the plot forward in unique and unexpected ways. I agree with Kym that although the characters are on a high stakes quest, the overall reading experience is very pleasant. I felt like I was learning and growing along with our well-intentioned and goodhearted heroine, Tress. Although I wouldn’t have minded a sequel, I am pleased with the way the story ended.

Reader: Bekah

Rating: 4 stars

Fiction · Historical · Horror · LGBTQ+ · Science Fiction · Young Adult

Deathless Divide

July 27, 2022July 27, 2022 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

Title: Deathless Divide

Author: Justina Ireland

Performers: Bahni Turpin & Jordan Cobb

Length: 14 hr, 34 min

Series: Dread Nation, Book 2

Publishing Date/Publisher: February 4, 2020 by HarperAudio

Format: eAudiobook

Review: Dare I say it, I might like the sequel even better than the first book. Considering how impressed I was by Dread Nation, that is high praise. I really loved the dark direction Jane’s story goes in, and we get to know Katherine on a deeper level. In the first book, I felt giving it an LGBT+ label was a bit of a stretch, but after reading this book I have amended my opinion. The romantic relationships, however, are not the focus of this story, at least not in the way you would expect. It is a story of revenge, justice, friendship and women who kick butt – both dead and alive. I personally loved it and was a little sad to learn that this is a duology, not a trilogy. It did have a satisfying ending though, so I can’t complain too much. It was a very creative combination of science fiction, history, and horror.

I highly recommend that readers listen to it in audiobook format.

Reader: Bekah

Rating: 5 Stars

Fiction · Science Fiction · Young Adult

The Last She

August 6, 2021 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

Title: The Last She

Author: H.J. Nelson

Page Count: 352

Series: Unknown

Publishing Date/Publisher: December 7, 2021 by Wattpad Books

Format: eBook

Review: This is one of those times when I feel like I am reading a different book than most other reviewers. Unlike a lot of other readers, I felt this book had an overdone plot with no depth or real backstory for any of the characters. I think there was supposed to be a love triangle, but I’m honestly not sure. Gabriel made no sense as a character, so he was an uninteresting “villain.” Ara and Kaden? The reader surmises that they have all these deep conversations in order to justify their connection, but we are not privvy to any of the details. Plot twists? I guess, but they don’t go anywhere. The cliffhanger at the end implies that this story is going to go on a whole new tangent. No questions are answered, only more questions. You can draw a lot of comparisons to other books in the genre, but this one is nothing special.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Fantasy · Fiction · Romance · Science Fiction · Young Adult

Secrets of the Starcrossed

March 26, 2021 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

Title: Secrets of the Starcrossed

Author: Clara O’Connor

Performer: Jan Cramer

Length: 13 hr, 17 min

Series: The Once and Future Queen, Book 1

Publishing Date/Publisher: January 21, 2021 by One More Chapter

Format: eAudiobook

Review: This was probably one of the most frustrating books I have ever read. I liked the author’s writing style, and enjoyed the setting – a sort of futuristic reimagining of an alternate history. I also thought the author very cleverly blended science fiction with fantasy as she pitted scientific advances against magic.

The story was good, but fell short of great. The story is told from the single point of view of a girl named Cassandra making the story entirely character driven. I really felt like I was in her thoughts, which became downright annoying when she would just have the same circular line of thinking over, and over, and over again. The actual plot could be summed up in a few minutes and was highly predictable, yet it took over 13 hours of listening time to get to the inevitable conclusion.

The romance in this story is perhaps it’s greatest failure. Cassandra harps on and on about the connection she feels to the mysterious boy Devyn, who is constantly pulling her in and then pushing her away with no explanation. Honestly I just wanted to reach through the pages and slap them both across the face, and tell them to just get. to. the. point. I really wish there had been some POV chapters from Devyn’s perspective, because his portrayal through the eyes of Cassandra was not at all flattering. Perhaps if I had some backstory and clearer motivators for him, I would have been willing to root for him.

By the end I had no answers and no clear picture of where the story is going. Considering how long this book was, I probably won’t be picking up the next one. I highly suspect that the three books in the trilogy could have easily fit into a duology if all the repetitive filler was cut out.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Fantasy · Fiction · Horror · Science Fiction · Young Adult

The Call

January 23, 2021 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

Title: The Call

Author: Peadar Ó Guilín

Performer: Amy Shiels

Length: 7 hr, 25 min

Series: The Call, Book 1

Publishing Date/Publisher: September 1, 2016 by Scholastic Audio

Format: eAudiobook

Review: What a truly disturbing read. The twisted Grey Land that Ó Guilín has created is truly horrifying, but the capacity for human cruelty he puts on display is equally so. I have read several books recently with fairies as a theme, but none of them come even close to the darkness of this book. There were times when I felt my stomach turn while reading it, and yet I couldn’t put it down because I HAD to know what would happen to Nessa when she was called.

Nessa is a character to be reckoned with. She is intelligent, brave, and resourceful – with an indomitable will to survive. It is really refreshing to see a character with such a prominent disability reject the narrative that has been shoved down her throat by society. Everyone believes her disability is a death sentence, but she works harder and smarter to defy the odds by honing her strengths.

I was a little fuzzy about the history of the Sidhe and their banishment to the Grey Lands…I would have liked more information about that as context for their cruelty. Were they always so cruel? Was there ever a time they co-existed with humans? How was the Grey Land created? Maybe some of these questions are answered in the second book.

Amy Shiels was an excellent narrator for this tale. Her characterization of the Sidhe really upped the creep factor! I think the book got an additional 1/2 star from me for her performance alone.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Contemporary · Fiction · Magical Realism · Paranormal · Romance · Science Fiction · Young Adult

Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything

November 24, 2020 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

Title: Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything

Author: Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

Page Count: 432

Series: Unknown

Publishing Date/Publisher: August 20, 2020 by Simon Pulse

Format: eBook

Review: I went into this book without reading the synopsis, so to say that I was blindsided by the science fiction angle would be an understatement. This book has very strong undertones of magical realism for the first half of the book and them BAM!…it hits you with aliens. Admittedly, the concept was clever…aliens abducting illegal aliens. It takes a strong stance on immigration issues, and is a clear reprimand for how immigrants are treated by the United States government.

Although I found this to be an enjoyable read, I feel that the author tackled too many issues with her story line. I can appreciate a good genre crossover – combining magical realism and science fiction was creative – however, the plot became very convoluted for the last half of the book. I think I would have enjoyed the story more if the author had tightened up the plot a bit. In addition to the magical realism elements, extraterrestrials, and social commentary, there is also a romance that plays out between the main character, Sia, and the hot new guy at her school. Through the lens of this relationship the author explores trauma, first love, racism, family dynamics, and abuse. Combined with all the other elements of this story, it’s just a lot. Perhaps if these additional elements had been more subtle, it would have worked, but I felt that taking on so much detracted from the flow of the story.

It is very unclear to me whether this book is meant to be part of a series or a standalone. The author leaves the readers with a cliffhanger, but I cannot find any references to a sequel.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Fiction · Science Fiction

Dune

November 10, 2020 youwanttoreadthistrustme2 Comments

Title: Dune

Author: Frank Herbert

Page Count: 694

Series: Dune Chronicles, Book 1

Publishing Date/Publisher: October 25, 2016 by Penguin Group (first published in June 1965)

Format: Hardcover

Review: Well if Lonesome Dove is my Western genre comparison to A Game of Thrones, Dune is my science fiction comparison. It’s a long epic about shifting allegiances, dynamic power plays, violence, and unexpected deaths. Admittedly this book moved up my TBR list because of the upcoming film adaptation starring my boy Jason Momoa as Duncan Idaho. I haven’t watched any other film adaptations, so I look forward to seeing how this story plays out on the big screen.

Aside from that, this book confirmed a suspicion about myself that I have theorized about but not really tested…hardcore science fiction and/or space operas are not really my jam. My lukewarm feelings about both The Left Hand of Darkness and this book have confirmed it. Of course this isn’t to say that I will never again delve into this literary realm…it’s just that it seems I prefer my science fiction to have a little more fantasy woven into it.

I was not a huge fan of Herbert’s writing style, but I do have to give him credit for his world building skills. The Appendices at the end of the book were helpful because there are many characters, planets, and legends to keep track of. I recommend glancing through it periodically as you read the book for clarity and context.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Fiction · Science Fiction

The Left Hand of Darkness

September 16, 2020 youwanttoreadthistrustme1 Comment

Title: The Left Hand of Darkness

Author: Ursula K. Le Guin

Performer: George Guidall

Length: 9 hr, 39 min

Series: Hainish Cycle, Book 4

Publishing Date/Publisher: 2018 by Recorded Books

Format: eAudiobook

Review: There are a few prolific science fiction writers that I have had on my TBR list for some time, and Ursula K. Le Guin is one of them. I decided to tackle The Left Hand of Darkness because of it’s many awards and stellar reviews. Unfortunately, despite it’s many accolades, I did not personally enjoy it. I do, however, understand why it has received the praise bestowed upon it. It is a rather revolutionary work, both for the time it was written and the current time, and it is deeply philosophical….too philosophical for me. Although I do like a book that expands my thinking, I found it to be boring. Gethen as a setting sounds like my personal hell – cold and icy. The ambisexual nature of the native people was interesting, but there was not any particular character that I especially liked. The pacing of the book is hard to describe because to me it felt slow in some parts and rushed in others. All things considered, it is unlikely that I will read anymore books by Le Guin, but nevertheless I can say that I truly appreciate what she has done for the science fiction genre.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Fiction · Science Fiction · Young Adult

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

September 5, 2020 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

Title: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Author: Suzanne Collins

Page Count: 439

Series: The Hunger Games, Book 0

Publishing Date/Publisher: May 19, 2020

Format: eBook

Review: It has taken me awhile to write this review, mostly because I have had a hard time coming to terms with how I feel about this book. To say that I was a fan of The Hunger Games series would be a huge understatement…I was obsessed. I thought about it night and day as I blazed through the series. Nearly every other aspect of my life was put on hold, and when the first movie was released in theaters, I immediately bought a ticket and showed up in full Capitol inspired regalia. I talked to anyone who would listen about it, and religiously followed several fan blogs. All that said, I was positively tickled when I saw that Suzanne Collins would be writing a prequel. I was a little apprehensive when I read the initial synopsis, but I do love a good villain origin story, so I figured it couldn’t be bad.

I was wrong. So, so wrong. In fact, when I finally finished, my first thought was: WTF did I just read? I am completely confused about what the author was attempting to do with this story. Origin stories, when done right, can lend so much perspective to the actions of a villain. This did not happen at all with The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Instead of adding more depth to the character of Coriolanus Snow, it made him seem shallow and his nature was constantly portrayed in contradiction of itself. Everything he loves, he also seems to hate, and this is very confusing as a reader because his motives are even murkier than his character. The romance was disturbing and felt very “off” to me. This particular aspect of the story resulted in an ending that was bizarre to say the least. I was left with an overall feeling of disquiet when I finished, and I am not sure if this was or was not the authors intent.

The only thing I enjoyed about this reading experience was looking for the little Easter eggs and THG tie-ins woven throughout the storyline. There were enough of them that I decided to give this book a two star rating instead of a one.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Fiction · Horror · Science Fiction · Young Adult

Cut Off

April 6, 2020 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

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Title: Cut Off

Author: Adrianne Finlay

Page Count: 384

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: August 11, 2020 by HMH Books for Young Readers

Format: eBook

Review: I was obsessed with the Lost series back when it was airing, so when this book was described as “Warcross meets Lost…” I knew I simply must read it. Unfortunately for me, it was just…meh. There were a couple scenes that creeped me out in the beginning, but overall it was not particularly exciting. The one thing it did have in common with Lost was that the final reveal was truly disappointing. I knew there was going to be a science fiction element to the story, but it was a bit more sci-fi-y than I was expecting. I also wanted to see more character complexity and development. The characters felt very formulaic to me: the brainiac, the deceiver, the loner, and the closed off beauty. Nobody really surprised me or made me question what I knew about them. I wasn’t really feeling the romantic angle either. In a story like this, I feel the romance should add more depth to the plot or characters, but it didn’t really serve to do so as much as I wanted. It was not a terrible read, but also not one I enjoyed enough to give a higher rating.

Reader: Bekah

Rating: