Least Favourite Books of 2019

I read the most books this year than I have ever in my life and with that comes a few books that I was a bit ehh about. I didn’t hate any of these books by any means I think that most of them just wasn’t for me!

So with that being said my lowest rated/least favourite books of 2019 are:

26032887The Wicked King by Holly Black – Jude is I think one of my least favourite female protagonists ever. She thinks she is untouchable and doesn’t need anyone’s help. There are certain instances like when she’s warned to have a guard with her at all times and then she will rides off by herself and gets ambushed. It’s just really pretentious and annoying and I just can’t warm to her at all. ⭐️2/5 stars

9781408890080Circe by Madeline Miller – This I just found incredibly dry and boring. I was enjoying myself for about the first quarter of the book but then all of the excitement and action king of leaked out of the plot and I was left with Circe on an island by herself for most of the story. I found I didn’t really form a connection to any of the characters and by the end of it I really didn’t care. There wasn’t really any sort of build up of anticipation and the ending was a little too open ended for me. ⭐️2/5 stars

81E7BnpXpZLGeekerella by Ashley Poston – For the majority of the book Elle just got on my nerves. Letting Catherine and Chloe walk all over her and just bowing down to them and not doing anything about it. Just accepting all of the horrible things they do to her and not trying to fight back at all. Other than that the book wasn’t bad at all, it was a little tropey at times but overall pretty fast paced and entertaining. ⭐️3/5 stars

9781784708238The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood – If I had not seen TV show first I think I would have been very confused by this book. There isn’t quite a set structure to it. We read solely from Offred’s point of view however, it jumps quite a lot from past to present and their isn’t a whole lot of information given about what is happening. I was left feeling quite unfulfilled with this book. The ending was quite abrupt and didn’t really wrap anything up or answered any questions. ⭐️3/5 stars

51BhQZOH9zLThe Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers – a good majority of the book bored me. All of the spacial/sciency talk didn’t do anything for me personally and kind stilted the pace of the book. It was only 400 pages but it felt like closer to 600 to me. I picked this book up and put it down several times during the month and really the only reason I managed to finish it was because it fit a challenge in the Reading Rush. There wasn’t really anything in the book that was driving me to pick it up and finish. ⭐️3/5 stars

y648The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang – Some of the decisions that Rin made kind of grated me. She was definitely right when she said that the Gods have no sway over her, she made all of the decisions that led her to that ultimate conclusion and most of those decisions didn’t sit well with me. When she chose to side with Altan over Master Jiang that’s really when I knew I wasn’t feeling her anymore. She wouldn’t heed the advice of those who have had years and even decades more experience than her. ⭐️3/5 stars

81YstLg924LThe Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin – It was just kind of ok…. We definitely delved a lot deeper into the story and the reasoning’s behind the study of the defect, but I wasn’t really left with any overwhelming feelings after the ending. I started to question Mara and her decisions a lot in this book. Yes I know she was tortured and has had a lot of emotional and physical trauma happen to her in a short period of time, but I didn’t really like who she became after she escaped. ⭐️3/5 stars

February Wrap Up

I am very proud of my progress this month! As I said I have been on holidays in February so I did have more than enough time for reading but I tried not to let it take over my holidays. I did enjoy myself and have a bit of a break from reading throughout the month but I did still manage to get quite a bit done!

HP and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling⭐️5/5 stars

King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo⭐️4/5 stars

A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner⭐️3/5 stars

P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han⭐️4/5 stars

Smoke in the Sun by Renee Ahdieh⭐️4/5 stars

Always & Forever Lara Jean by Jenny Han⭐️4/5 stars

The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin⭐️4/5 stars

Truthwitch by Susan Dennard ⭐️4.5/5 stars

Skyward by Brandon Sanderson⭐️4.5/5 stars

The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin⭐️3.5/5 stars

The Vanishing Stair by Maureen Johnson⭐️5/5 stars

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The Retribution of Mara Dyer Review

81YstLg924LI didn’t absolutely love it and I didn’t hate it either.

It was just kind of ok…. We definitely delved a lot deeper into the story and the reasoning’s behind the study of the defect, but I wasn’t really left with any overwhelming feelings after the ending.

This book really starts with a lot of tense, highly emotional scenes that set up the tone of the book very well. The stakes were very high throughout the first 100 pages or so and it really had me on the edge of my seat and turning the pages. But with that being said the rest of the book was just kind of mediocre for me. I like that the flashbacks are more in depth and we are getting the answers to a lot of questions but the direction that the book went with wasn’t a favourite of mine.

I started to question Mara and her decisions a lot in this third instalment of the series. Yes I know she was tortured and has had a lot of emotional and physical trauma happen to her a short period of time, but I didn’t really like who she became after she escaped. Sure she did save Stella and Jamie but I don’t feel like that justifies some of her actions since. I was wholly on Stella’s side after the incident in the subway and I fully supported her decision to leave and go home… I feel like I would of done the same. I think it was the fact that Mara took on the role of judge and executioner and really would of followed through had it not been for Jamie and Stella’s presence. It didn’t sit well with me and I thought she was very detached.

Daniel really shone for me in this book, his staunch support of his sister and commitment to finding the truth and uncovering the secrets of the trial was wonderful. I love the bond that they share and I really enjoyed his character and how solid and stable he is.

Noah didn’t do a lot for me in this book either. I know there was the whole mystery surrounding his death but I had no doubt that he would be making a reappearance. It was a little obvious and when he did finally show up it wasn’t all that impressive or shocking. He just kind of strolled in and it wasn’t impactful at all for me.

It was a very fast paced book and I did read it really quickly but I wasn’t satisfied with the ending. Everything was exposed and it made sense but it didn’t really answer all of the questions that I wanted and it was a very open ended conclusion. I wasn’t left awestruck or dumbfounded I was just like ok.

⭐️3.5/5 A little anticlimactic…

The Mara Dyer Series

img_2865I was actually really surprised how much I enjoyed The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. When I picked it up I just had this feeling like I knew I wasn’t going to be a fan, I kind of had this preconceived notion that it was going to be slow and boring and that wasn’t the case at all. I think it’s also mostly due to the fact that I haven’t really heard a lot of good reviews for this series. I try not to let anything I hear sway my reading plans but sometimes it niggles in the back of my mind and I can’t help it. I am really glad that I did end up enjoying the book and I am really excited to continue on with The Evolution and The Retribution of Mara Dyer. The first book ended on a pretty intense cliff hanger and I can’t wait to get into all of it in the next installment in the series!!

Happy Reading📚

February TBR

This is going to be the month of series! I will be finishing a few series that I have loved and also starting some new series that have been on my TBR for a long time now! I am very excited for this month as it’s my birthday month and I have a few weeks of holidays so there is going to be plenty of time for reading!!

The Evolution of Mara Dyer & The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

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Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

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A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner

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Smoke in the Sun by Renee Ahdieh

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King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo

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The Vanishing Stair by Maureen Johnson

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P.S. I Still Love You & Always and Forever Lara Jean by Jenny Han

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Skyward by Brandon Sanderson

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