Dreams of Gods and Monsters Book Review + Discusssion

613 pages in this book. A lot of pages compared to the other two, but it was mostly worth it.

Dreams of Gods and Monsters is the last book in Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy. If you don't know what this book is about, it's primarily about Akiva and Karou's attempt to bring together the chimaera and seraphim in order to destroy the new emperor of Eretz, Jael. That's the main plot, but there are other subplots that start and finish in this last book (including new characters). With that being said, I thought the book flowed easily and tied up nicely in the end. But... there were some minor things that I didn't like.

As always, the first half (the pros and cons) will be full of spoiler-free information. When you see red lettering, that means I'm doing my discussion, which include spoilers.

Cons

Some subplots were completed, but not fully completed as I would like it to be 

Thought the book could be condensed by removing unnecessary chapters

Ending was satisfying (which is good) but felt like it lacked something in order to make the ending even better

 

Pros

  Book is written beautifully

Creative chapter names

Nice development with certain characters

Very visual in describing a scene/setting 

Point of views not only from the chimaera and seraphim, but also from humans too

Satisfying and sweet ending

Discussion (with spoilers)

I liked the beginning of the book with introducing Eliza. I thought it was interesting to bring a new character for the start of the finale book. The mystery involving her was engaging and her role was very integral to the storyline. But man, when she "changed" in that short bit with her seraphim tongue-speaking voodoo language, it was very weird. Anyways, I liked that hinted relationship with her and Scarab towards of the end of the book; it wasn't expected since I always thought Gabriel and Eliza had something going on. GARBRIEL! I wished Gabriel had more of an appearance since he didn't have a major role in the story. I thought he was amiable and caring and felt like he's character didn't have a close end. I also thought the ending of Morgan's character could have been more. Morgan was a jealous, attention seeker, callous asshole who deserves the future repercussions of his actions. I wanted to see him suffer just a little bit more (I sound evil saying that). Same with Esther and Razgut, but I guess their fate is sealed. I felt like there was a lot going in the book that wasn't brought up into very later; like Melliel and the other Misgotten being held in prison by the Stelians. What ever happened to Eidolon who kept saying vague answers about the sky's feeling to Melliel? She just disappeared. Some characters that were introduced were not mentioned ever again, a negative that I find in this book. 
Even with many vanished characters, there were great characters. I absolutely loved Zuzanna and Mik. Not only were there a perspective from the chimaera and seraphim about the alliance and the rebellion of Jael, but there was the point of view of humans too. It was awesome to bring them to Eretz; their perspective displayed the brilliance of Eretz (the magic, the creatures, the whole entirety of it). It just makes me so happy, because they want to help Karou and they care for her and the alliance and the cause and... THEY'RE SUCH GREAT FRIENDS. Sigh. Plus, their humor was a nice contrast to some dark, serious stuff (yes, stuff) in the book. Remember when they, as well as Eliza, rode on the stormhunter with epicness and Mik proposed! That was so magical.
One character who completely changed for the better was Liraz. I loved her character development: angry and pretending-to-not-feel person to a caring and understanding one. Through out her transformation, her bad-assness was still maintained, making her too cool for school. Also, I loved that her and Ziri, at the end, are together. At first, I thought a love triangle was forming between Karou, Ziri, and Akiva. But it wasn't, and I loved that. Liraz grew as a person, and Ziri moved on and felt himself (since he was Thiago). Ziri broke my heart when he knew he would never be with Karou, but it made me smile when he was still willing to help bring the chimaera and seraphim together. Speaking of Karou and Akiva, I liked how it took a while for them to be comfortable again; it felt like they were going through some tough times, which ultimately felt tangible. It was nice that Dreams of Gods and Monsters wasn't saturated with romance-- there was just enough. When the two finished confronting Jael in the Vatican, and they turned invisible and flew to the sky, it was such a touching moment. It almost like I was watching a scene in a movie, I mean, they were holding and kissing each other as they ascended. In my mind, it was a beautiful sight. 
I have to applause the author, Laini Taylor, for seamlessly piecing everything together. A lot of things happened in this book, but as a reader, I felt at ease whilst reading. I can't imagine how difficult it was to bring the character, main idea, and subplots smoothly. I also have to applaud Taylor on her writing. Her writing was effortless and very detailed and full of imagery. I remember in this one scene where the only-then portal was sealed and the battle begun down in Eretz, it felt like I watching a scene in X-Men or something. 
The ending was too happy to me. Maybe I'm just nick-picking or maybe I've read to many sad endings. Well, I did thought the end was sweet-- Karou and Akiva's dream is turning into a reality! But there was something missing in the end. I don't know if the ending should have had more pages or it was rushed. There was something lacking, but otherwise, the ending was satisfying. Hey! You know, I'm glad it wasn't a Mockingjay or an Allegiant ending, so I shouldn't be complaining.

*Discussion Has Ended*

Over all, I enjoyed Dreams of Gods and Monsters very much. Although there were some negatives, it was a good closer for a good series.

4 out 5 stars

Saga Volume 1, 2, and 3 Review + Discussion

After hearing about Saga from many booktubers, I decided to check it out. I wanted to get into comic books and expand my horizons of just reading YA. So, I picked up Saga Volume 1, 2, and 3 from my local library and started reading them (and it was definitely awesome).

 

If you have not read Saga, it's about two ex-soldiers, from different planets and moons, who fall in love, and eventually have a baby. Essentially, Saga focuses on this family and their mission to find normalcy for their child during a tie of galactic war... OH MY LANDS DOESN'T THAT SOUND AWESOME?!!!

I decided to not do an individual review of each volume since I pretty much have the same opinions for all. Combining them all into one review makes it simple, and a fast one too. Also I would like to mention that this is a non-spoiler review until I....

It's okay, it's alright. I'll discuss highlights with spoilers in the Discussion part of this post (you'll see it in red, don't worry). Just scroll down the discussion if you would like to be spoiled.

Cons

Explicit illustrations that can be uncomfortable to some readers

 

Pros

 Very good storyline

Story telling is great

Love the narrator; Since it is told after the events in Saga has passed, I like how the narrator drops subtle hints about a certain character or a place 

Interesting charcters

Emotional shenanigans 

Humorous and clever moments  

Shows different point of views of not only the family, but other characters as well

Discussion (with spoilers)

To make this organized, I will discuss by each volume.

Saga Volume 1:

Can we talk about the opening scene? LOVED it! A lady with wings giving birth with her man, who has horns by the way, helping her deliver? And the fact that they're on the run makes the story really interesting. I adore Marko's and Alana's relationship with each other. They fight, they kiss, they're like any shipped couple! 

Oh boy, the introduction between the Robot-Guy TV head Prince and his partner was sooooooo uncomfortable; it literally scarred me for life. When the Horrors showed up with the full of page of them looking at you, the reader, totally awesome. I liked Izabel and her role in helping the family out, ultimately looking out for them. It was hilarious, and kinda worrying, when Marko was shot and he said, "Please tell Gwendolyn I loved her..." and Alana was like "who the heck is Gwendolyn?" Such a funny scene. Towards the end of the tradeback when the family is being fired by the Landfall soldiers and Alana shoots the soldier who shot her husband was such a badass moment.  And The Will saving the slave girl just broke my heart; it made me feel like The Will isn't so bad at all. At the very end where Izabel and the family finds the tree house, I found it so cool when Marko's parents showed up at the end with their warrior gear-- it was so awesome. 

Saga Volume 2:

I really liked seeing the flashback of Marko and his parents when they were younger; it was a nice opening. Marko's dad was caring, warmhearted, and so cool-- I mean, he knits! In the short time we get to see him, he interacted with his granddaughter like a natural. And the relationship between him and his daughter-in-law was in the works of blossoming... too sad, too sad (you know what I mean).
 :(

He's so cute. I hope to have a father-in-law just like him.

When Marko and his mom goes to find Izabel and they encounter that big, very big guy with his massive...yeah... no comment. But I do like to say that Marko's mom, Klara, is such a bad ass! I hope that as an older lady, I can kick ass like her. It was interesting, as the reader, to be introduced to Gwendolyn. Although I do love the family that Saga revolves around, it was awesome for Gwendolyn to team up with The Will (to hunt down the family, unfortunately). 

These kinds of pictures, the ones looking straight at the reader, are my faves.

I liked the action between the family and the Gwen-Will-Sophie (the slave girl they saved). It was epic and felt like I was watching a sci-fi film. I thought the end of this volume was perfect. My reaction was: "Oh no! Robot Prince Guy, do not catch the family!!  Don't you there you erotic robot! AHHHHH." 

Saga Volume 3:

There are new characters in this tradeback that I like: Upsher and Doff. They are amphibian-like creatures, none that we ever saw in the previous volumes. I liked their character development as they question if Marko's and Alana's relationship is worth covering for the planet's sake or theirs. This couple adds another dimension in the chase to find the family. 

Wonderful couple. Excited to see them in the future.

Alana is very much like us readers. Fangirling over her favorite author from her favorite book, I mean, I would definitely react that way too. Mr. Heist warmed my heart by letting the family rest at his place. Mr. Heist's death broke my heat; he and Marko's mom had something going on too. The Will's illusions of his lover, The Stalk, very much reminded me of Rick's illusions of Lori (from the Walking Dead). I suddenly felt sympathy for this character, knowing he's continuously in mourning. In this volume, I also feel something towards the Lying Cat with her, I think it's a female, facial expressions.

To me, I like these two characters.

 Again, with the previous volume, the end was action-packed. Even Hazel mentioned it in her narration. The fight between Marko, Gwendolyn, and Alana at the top of the lighthouse was something similar to some scene in a sci-fi film. My heart stopped for a second when Alana was pushed by Marko. I was like, "NOOOOO. THE BABY!!!" But then she comes flying, holding Hazel. SO COOL. To me, it was such a plot twist when The Will's sister comes to visit him at the hospital. Previously, I thought she was a man, but she wasn't, and the readers get to see that The Will has a sister named Sophie. SOPHIE. The little girl that The Will named..... ahh. It breaks my heart (in a good way of course!). The last page of this tradeback made me so joyful: Alana sporting long hair whilst Baby Hazel, who's a little grown up, is standing. SO CUTE.

All in all (is that a phrase?), I enjoyed Saga. As a person who is just starting to get into comic book, I thoroughly enjoyed this series. Action-packed, emotional feelings, bad-ass scenarios, and unique characters, what can a reader need more of? 

4.5 out of 5 stars

Dorothy Must Die Review + Discussion

Yesterday I finished Danielle Paige's debut YA novel, Dorothy Must Die. And here a review and my thoughts on it.

 

Dorothy Must Die showcases an evil version of Dorothy and her friends. It's surely a different story from the Wizard of Oz and the main character isn't Dorothy. Instead, it revolves around a teen named Amy Gumm who is in a unfortunate state in her life: estranged father, intoxicated mother, a pregnant bully, and life at Dusty Acres, Kansas. But then, a tornado passes by and she is swept away, landing herself on the land of Oz. Because of Dorothy's powerful leadership in Oz, the magic is diminishing and Oz is corrupting, prompting Amy to get recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked. Her mission is to kill Dorothy. The concept is cool, but they are cons that make this book a little more than mediocre. Oh, and also I will discuss the pros and cons with and no spoilers. The writing in red will direct you to the proper information.

*Pros and Cons with no spoilers*

Cons

Stereotypical elements on Amy's background

Slow in the "beginning", or first-half of the book 

Some undeveloped characters

Pros

Instriguing scenes

 Different versions of Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Lion, and the Scarecrow

Still able to read this book even if you're not familiar with the Wizard of Oz story

Amy's conflicts

 

*Pros and Cons with spoilers (Discussion)*

 

Cons

• I felt like Amy's life in Kansas was stereotypical with the divorced & sucky parents and having a sucky life in a trailer home and being bullied by a "mean girl" who happens to be pregnant. It felt like Amy's "normal" life was too unfortunate and felt like it could be apart of a dramatic show or another story.
• I wasn't interested in the characters or the world until the second half of the book. For me, the interesting parts happened after around the 200th page. In other words, it was a slow first-half.
• Characters, I felt, were underdeveloped. I couldn't sympathize with some of the characters when they were in a situation that calls for pity (e.g. Gert).

Pros

• There were many scenes that were intriguing. (When Amy saves Ollie's sister, the Wizard confrontation, Jellia's reveal at the party, Pete and the garden, Pete transformation into Ozma)
• It was a great twist on Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and the Lion. They were very weird, vicious, and interesting. They're the real bad guys.
• Really liked the Wizard, Jellia, and Ollie. The Wizard was a suspicious-type of character, Jellia was strong and awesome, Ollie was a character that made me smile.
• I read this book knowing the basic facts of the Wizard of Oz, but it wasn't necessary to read/watch it in order for me to get parts of the book. It's all explained and easy to follow.
• Amy's conflicts on whether or not the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked is good or not

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It is not my favorite of all books, but it wasn't bad. I think the series definitely has potential.

3.5 out of 5 stars

Ignite Me Review

Hello. Just yesterday, I finished the last book in the Shatter Me trilogy, Ignite Me, by Tahereh Mafi. I was really excited about reading Ignite Me, especially how the Shatter Me trilogy was one of my favorite YA dystopian series. Unfortunately, there were some elements that directed me towards a 4 out of 5 stars.

The book starts off with Juliette, the main character, waking up in a room, finding herself healed from a gunshot wound she received by Anderson (Warner's father). She does not know if anyone from Omega Point, especially Adam and Kenji, made it out alive from The Reestablishment's bombing of the area. She is determine to fight against The Reestablishment with the help of a man who she thought she hates, Warner. The synopsis sounded amazing, but there were definitely cons in the novel, which I will proceed to name and later explain.

Cons

- The balance of action and character development were unequal; about 90% of the book was purely building and fixing relationships

- lots and lots of "lovey dovey" scenes

- The last fifty pages were the only action in Ignite Me

- The ending felt rushed 

- Not enough character development of many characters; too much emphasis on others

- Slow middle

 *Get ready for spoilers now*

There was too much development of the relationships between Juliette and Warner, Juliette and Adam, and even Juliette and Kenji. I absolutely adore Warner, but the "lovey dovey" scenes made me close the book several times to contain myself from reading it. I wasn't necessarily cringing, I just couldn't read the scene with a straight face. Adam became flat out rude compared to his sweet self in  Shatter Me. Although I do appreciate how the relationships were evolving, the majority of this book was all about that I think for a proper YA dystopian book, and especially the last one of a series, there should be equal parts of action and equal parts of character development. With that being said, the ending was rushed (due to the improper balance that I just mentioned). The death of Anderson was too easy and too fast. Finding Sara and Sonya was coincidental: first Juliette wonders where they were, but then she finds them right after. I can't help but wonder how Warner just flat out agreed to let Juliette become the leader of Sector. I know he loves and supports her, but there should be a little bit of conflict there. But no, he easily agrees for her to replace Anderson. I was really gutted when there was no character development with the other survivors of Omega Point: Castle, Ian, Brendon, Winston, Alia, and Lily. It would have been awesome if Castle had a part in the story line; I always thought Castle was similar Professor X from X-Men, but they are not. I disliked how these characters were pushed to the sidelines because they could have been an awesome addition to everything that is happening to the story, but unfortunately, they're characters were "unimportant."

Despite the negatives, there were some things that I liked about Ignite Me. I love how Warner and Juliette's relationship blossomed, showing Warner's actual, kind self. He's a bit of a softee ^_^ And a romantic man. I was swooned by his gentleman quality and charm. I liked how we see a vulnerable side of him and how he is caring towards his mother (which we find about in this book). Kenji and Juliette are both considered to be best friends and Kenji's humor really brightens up the mood in Ignite Me. I liked the pop culture nods that referenced Power Rangers and Bruce Lee. A lot of readers had problems with Juliette and her poetic and extraneous ways, but Juliette doesn't have as many poetic and "annoying" (as some people mention) writing in Ignite Me as the other books. This wasn't a bad book, it was a good one. It's definitely worth reading if you started the Shatter Me trilogy, but I thought Ignite Me was going to be a fantastic end to the series. Sadly, it wasn't.

The ending was kind-of a cliff hanger, but a satisfying one. An example I can think of with a similar ending is The Dark Knight Rises film. The ending of The Dark Knight Rises is open enough for any expansion of the story line, but it is an uplifting end, making the audience fulfilled with the end of the Dark Knight trilogy. The situation is the same for Ignite Me. The ending is hopeful, but could be expanded upon even further.

Ignite Me is not like Allegiant, which has a surprising end, or Mockingjay in which many characters died. This one is its own book and is one that is a gratifying completion to the Shatter Me series.

4 out of 5 stars

Ready Player One Review

I finished this book 11 at night. And it was grand.

This was a fantastic book. In short, it's about an eighteen year old named Wade Watts, who competes in this  Easter Egg hunt, within this mega video game called OASIS, where the creator of the OASIS, James Halliday, left after he passed away. With a huge prize with many "gunters" participating and an evil company in play, this book is the epitome of EPIC.

I really liked the main protagonist Wade, or Parzival. I find him witty, nerdy, and just great. I also liked the other characters introduced: Aech, Art3mis, Shoto. Great character development.

I found the book to be slow in some parts, but by the last a hundred pages, it really picks up the pace. It's easy to read and the author way of describing the environment and the game and everything is well written out. Cline really lets you visually interpreted the world he creates.

The references I find too much. There was so many 80's nostalgia, it was confusing to visualize in my head (especially when I did not grew up in the 80's era).

Overall, I find this book fun and quirky. I enjoyed reading it.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. 

Everything is Illuminated Review

***NO SPOILERS***

I finished the book "Everything is Illuminated" last week. You can either love this book, or despise it. For me, I'm near the "despise" meter.

The synopsis reads:

With only a yellowing photograph in hand, a young man - also named Jonathan Safran Foer - sets out to find the woman who may or may not have saved his grandfather from the Nazis. Accompanied by an old man haunted by memories of the war; an amorous dog named Sammy Davis, Junior, Junior; and the unforgettable Alex, a young Ukrainian translator who speaks in a sublimely butchered English, Jonathan is led on a quixotic journey over a devastated landscape and into an unexpected past.

The novel explores many themes such as the meaning of love, illumination, memories, etc. I like how this book actually is pretty meaningful than it appears. But I dislike the fact that it takes so long to explain these themes that were present. A lot of the chapters, I felt, were useless. Just there as a filler and as a comedic relief  (although find that Alex's voice and the quest provides humor already). Many of the passages were profane, which doesn't seem to interest my still young self. This book can be perceived more positively if read by an older reader. So my disinterest is partially due to myself, not the book.

I didn't understand the chapters that was set in the past with Brod and Yankel and Kolker. I was confused on who was actually the voice (I later found out it was Jonathan). But I do like Grandfather though. He's viewed as this unimportant "blind" old man in the beginning, but later through out the book, he becomes an important component in the entirety of the novel.

I like Alex and Grandfather. Jonathan was okay. Loose ends were not tied in some parts. The Seeing Eye Bitch, AKA the dog, was not present at the end, which was unfortunate. I liked the emotional ending, but just the overused adult references and useless filler really got to me.

I give this book 2 out of 5 stars.

Eleanor and Park Review

***NO SPOILERS***

Recently, I have finished a YA novel called "Eleanor and Park" by Rainbow Rowell. I was drawn to this book,in truth, mostly due to it's cute, geeky cover. But it's synopsis was something that appealed to me, especially good for my young romantic genre taste.

The book covers two voices, both in second person, both from Eleanor to Park, and vice versa. It explores young love and problems facing inside one's family with a bunch of 80's trivia. 

In short, it was an mediocre read for me: it wasn't bad but it wasn't great. I felt it lacked chemistry between these two characters and honestly I felt that Eleanor was sort of annoying in some aspects through out this book, but at the same time, I felt sympathy for her too. 

I liked the cute interaction between these two and I liked Park's blossoming feelings towards Eleanor. Yet, I felt the ending was rushed and just came with full force. The ending wasn't resolute. It gives the reader to ponder on their interpretation of what happened and what would happen in the future. 

I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.