Tag: ya review

Reviews

Clap When You Land Review

by amyleighreads3 Comments on Clap When You Land Review

43892137._SY475_This was great!

Clap When You Land is about two sisters who didn’t know each other existed. Their father was leading a double life and would live throughout the year with one of his daughters in New York and then in the summer would go back to the Dominican Republic to be with his other daughter, until he tragically dies in a plane crash.

The tone of the book and the format was spectacular. Having the story told in verse I felt made the story that much more personal and poignant. It really connected me to the characters and made me so much more invested in them individually.

We see both Camino and Yahaira simultaneously having to deal with their father’s death and working through their grief. I loved the contrasts between the two sisters and learning how different both their lives have been even though they both have the same father. How he influenced them both separately yet they still have similar memories about his mannerisms and his overall presence.

Camino felt a little more passive and naïve to me. She is hopeful when she finds out about her sister and wasn’t as betrayed be her father than what Yahaira was. Her relationship with her Tia was wonderful to read and I just loved the fact that she chose to stay with Camino to raise her after her sister died even though she knew what her brother in law was doing in New York.

Yahaira had a bit more of that New Yorker attitude I felt. She really had to step up when her mother couldn’t cope with her grief and make sure that they weren’t being taken advantage of by their extended family. I think he anger with her father and her sister was natural but the fact that she overcame that and replied to Camino really showed her true character.

The overall theme of grief and sisterhood really impacted me and at times made me tear up a little. The scene in the rain where Yahaira, her mother and Tia went and saved Camino from El Cero was very powerful.

Overall this was a pretty fast read for me even though the pacing was a little stalled at times. I would of liked to get more time with the sisters actually together and getting to know each other a bit more as opposed to having the majority of the story with them separated.

⭐️4/5 stars Highly enjoyed, highly recommend!

Reviews

Kingsbane Review

by amyleighreads2 Comments on Kingsbane Review

*Spoilers below*

40523458._SY475_Kingsbane continues pretty much straight after where Furyborn left off. Eliana is trying to come to terms with her new powers and Rielle is assuaging her guilt over the deaths of her father and the king by locating the legendary castings to fix the Gate containing the angels.

I just straight up don’t really like Rielle’s character. I can appreciate how she is pushing the plot forward but I find her to be incredibly insufferable. First of all having to be talked into saving the capital of Borsvall from the tidal wave by Ludivine and Audric, almost condemning all of those innocent people because she was outraged that they would dare threaten her and had absolutely no remorse doing so. Then slaughtering all of those Obex members because they were rightfully mistrustful of her after she weakened the Gate further. She has no humility and believes that her power gives her the right to just do whatever she wants with no repercussions and that doesn’t sit well with me at all. I’m very much on the Queen’s side about her thoughts for her.

Audric is just so blindly in love with Rielle that one or two little placations from her and he just dismisses all of the problematic things she says and does. Granted he does finally stand up for himself after finding out about what happened with his father but I felt like it was a little too late at that point. I don’t trust Ludivine at all at this point either. She stepped up and played more of a role in this book than the previous and I am curious as to whom she truly is and what her intentions are.

I MUCH preferred Eliana’s storyline compared to her mothers. Seeing her make her castings and tapping into her powers kept me very much engaged in the plot. Even though she was quite closed off and standoffish in the first book she starts to open up more and develops more relationships with those around her. She is still making some questionable decisions but overall I really like how her character is evolving.

Now we come to Simon. Once again he killed me in this book! I was always attached to him the most out of all the characters and he definitely took us on a journey of discovery in this book. We gain a little more insight into what he has doing all these years and the level of devotion he has for Eliana is touching bordering on the side of being a little too possessive. He really opens up to Eliana and they find salvation in each other only for it all to be ripped away and we discover who he truly is. UGH!!!!

I have to say Claire Legrand has masterfully developed each character and have given them all a purpose in the plot. The pacing was too up and down for me, we have large sections of nothing really going on and then all the action seemingly taking place all at once. I am still very much invested and can’t wait to find out what will happen next!

⭐️4/5 stars that ending …. WOW!

Reviews

The City of Brass Review

by amyleighreadsLeave a Comment on The City of Brass Review

36215220._SY475_For some reason I didn’t think I was going to like this book, I’ve been putting it off for months and months now and I was pleasantly surprised how much I loved this book!

It follows Nahri a young woman in 18th century Cairo, who masquerades as a healer for the wealthy  but ends up stealing from them to make ends meet. During one of her ceremonies Nahri ends up inadvertently summoning a djinn, thrusting her into a magical world she didn’t believe existed.

I really liked Nahri’s character and her development over the course of the story. It was a subtle shift but we really see her become a lot more open and honest both with Dara and herself. She was a little frustrating at times, especially when she refused to see the patients and didn’t even try to listen to Nisreen about the Daeva clan and what was happening to them out in the city. I’m glad Nisreen gave it to her straight and tried to make her accountable for her actions.

I’m not a fan of how Dara kept so many secrets from Nahri and just expected her to follow him with no explanation on his part. He did become a little too possessive over her in the end there and that did grate my nerves a little. He still intrigues me a lot and I am so very much invested in his storyline, what really happened all those years ago, who freed him from his slavery and what other secrets he is hiding.

Ali’s plotIine I wasn’t as invested in as the others, I guess I am a bit more biased towards the Daeva clan than I am with his family. I appreciated that he is trying to go against his father and help the Shafit plight in the city but he gives up to easily in my opinion, and I thought he deserved the punishment he got in the end. He was completely outclassed by his father and the Sheik’s death was pretty much in vain at this point. I guess I just expected more from his character, especially since he is built up to be this feared warrior.

I loved the overall concept and the premise of the story. The world building was wonderful and highly atmospheric. I could do with a little more information about the magic system and the extent of the powers of the different clans. I can’t wait to find out this world and how each of the characters develops as the story continues!

⭐️4/5 stars I need to continue ASAP!

Reviews

Furyborn Review

by amyleighreads1 Comment on Furyborn Review

34323570Furyborn is a dual perspective novel about Eliana and Rielle; two young women set 1000 years apart that are the focus of an ancient prophecy

Rielle I am a bit ambivalent towards to be completely honest. I wasn’t all that invested in her character even though she was one of the main protagonists. She just came across a little too arrogant and conceited. Yes she has had to overcome a lot of obstacle hiding her powers for so many years and having to deal with the guilt of her mother’s death, but there was just something about her that rubbed me the wrong way. I think it has to do with letting Corien into her mind so easily, especially after finding out what he was and still perpetuating his attachment to her.

Eliana was frustrating at times as well. Again I can understand why she chose to be the assassin of the empire for so many years but when she tried to betray the resistance and almost murder those 300ish people for her own selfish reasons it really soured her for me. She does redeem herself though and sees the error of her ways, but I just wish she was a little more open to those around her and wasn’t so closed off and snappish all the time.

Simon definitely intrigues me the most! What happened when he let go of the thread at the start and how did he come to be under the employ of the emperor? Broody, secretive, sullen male protagonists are a crutch for me, I guess I give them a bit more leeway than female protagonists who have the same characteristics but that’s just me…

Even though our two female protagonists got on my nerves it didn’t take away from the story at all. Every character really has that morally grey, ambiguous nature where you don’t really know what side they are truly on. It raises the stakes consistently and maintains a level of unpredictability throughout the course of the story line.

I loved the dual timeline and seeing how the world differs between the two. I am very much invested in the story and want to find out more about what happened during that two year window between Rielle, Audric and Corien. The world building was wonderful, the juxtaposition between the two countries and how the perception of magic has changed over time.

⭐️4/5 stars I was invested from the start!

Reviews

The Guinevere Deception Review

by amyleighreads1 Comment on The Guinevere Deception Review

43568394This book is a retelling of the Arthurian legend. Princess Guinevere has come to Camelot to wed the charismatic King Arthur. With magic clawing at the kingdom’s borders, the great wizard Merlin sent in Guinevere his apprentice and daughter to be Arthur’s wife and his protector from those who want to see the young king’s idyllic city fail.

I actually really enjoyed Guinevere’s character. She was quite young and naïve at times, which usually bugs me but it was written in a way that endeared me to her instead. She is very determined and committed to her duties but still comes across and acts like the 16 year old that she is. She displays emotions and understands Arthur’s position yet she still yearns for his attention thus drawing herself closer to Mordred who is giving her what she wants. I think since we aren’t given her true name and identity that she is definitely not who we assume her to be, I’m thinking she has something to do with the River Queen since she is so terrified of water.

Mordred was an interesting character. He is always around and I feel has a lot more focus in this book than even Arthur. He remains quite standoffish and mysterious for the majority of the book yet I was intrigued by him and what his intentions were with Guinevere. Why was he always around her, why didn’t he expose her magic and is his feelings for her true?

Arthur didn’t get a lot of time in this book. Even though he is one of the main protagonists we don’t really get enough of him for me to be quite so invested in his character over the others. I think he definitely should have spent more time with Guinevere and kind of neglected her. I get that he was actually the one who was protecting her in the end but we don’t get enough scenes with the both of them together. I was disappointed when he didn’t go straight after her when she was kidnapped and it felt like it was a too little too late when he did eventually choose her over the kingdom.

The twists were interesting but the first half of the book was a little slower paced and we didn’t really get any answers until the right around the end, and even then there is still so much we don’t know. Hopefully the next book expands more and we are given more context and details!

⭐️3/5 stars good not great, has potential!