Book Review: Trial by Fire by Josephine Angelini

Goodreads summary:

This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor. Her life-threatening allergies keep her from enjoying experiences that others in her hometown of Salem take for granted, which is why she is determined to enjoy her first high school party with her best friend and longtime crush, Tristan. But after a humiliating incident in front of half her graduating class, Lily wishes she could just disappear.

Suddenly, Lily is in a different Salem—one overrun with horrifying creatures and ruled by powerful women called Crucibles. Strongest and cruelest of them all is Lillian . . . Lily's other self in this alternate universe.

What makes Lily weak at home is what makes her extraordinary in New Salem. In this confusing world, Lily is torn between responsibilities she can't hope to shoulder alone and a love she never expected.

My review:

I wanted so badly to love this book, especially since I've loved Angelini's other books and everyone else has nothing but glowing praise for this book.  While I certainly enjoyed it, I just could not get completely into it.  I found the main character hard to root for and annoying.

One of  my problems was the pacing.  I was constantly checking to see how many pages were left.  I don't know why, but it seems like I keep stumbling on books that have strong plots and should be impossible to put down, but something about the pacing - long paragraphs or overdone descriptions, I guess? - makes them seem never-ending.  Thankfully, with Trial by Fire there really was a strong storyline and great writing, so that helped make up for the pacing.

This book is fun and unique...and also a bit confusing.  The basis of the plot is centered around alternate worlds, which is the main reason for the confusion.  It's a lot to keep track of!  But if you pay attention, you'll appreciate the complexity of the story and the way Angelini writes out every detail of the culture she's created.  And the writing was good - yay for entertaining dialogue!

But I just did not like Lily.  She didn't click with me.  I think part of it is that she seems like too much of a martyr.  Not only that, but she's extremely naive.  She thinks she's in love with her friend Tristan, but then in the alternate universe she was falls for a guy Rowan.  The romance just seemed jumbled and all over the place.  

I might read the sequel, but it's not going to be high on my priority list.  Although I appreciated the creativity and detailed world-building, the slow pacing and unlikeable main character ruined the book for me.  But if you're interested, I definitely think it's worth checking out - nearly everyone else seems to have loved this book!  I guess it just wasn't for me.

*I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thanks!

My rating:  3 out of 5 stars

~ Kaitlyn

Update

I'm sure you've all noticed that I haven't been posting as frequently for the last few months.  To put it simply, life has just gotten crazy, and it's going to be even crazier for me in the upcoming months.  The reason why?  I've started college!  I'm a senior in high school, but I'm doing dual enrollment classes at my local community college.  So things are pretty busy.



Unfortunately, since school takes priority over blogging, my posts are going to be even more sporadic than they have been.  I don't want to abandon my blog completely - I've enjoyed the experience of blogging too much to just quit! - but it's definitely going to be taking a backseat.  I still want to post at least 2 or 3 times a month, probably a book review or two and my usual monthly reading update.  But I felt like I should post an update just so everyone officially knows.  I may not have time to post very often, but I'm still here. :) Thanks for sticking around, guys!

My Top 5 Books of August 2014

Here's my slightly belated post for my August reads!  Of course, once school started, it got harder to squeeze in time to read, but I still managed to get a decent amount of reading done.  Here's the books I read in August:

- Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater
- Gilt by Katherine Longshore
- Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead
- The Uninvited by Sophie Jordan
- Strange and Ever After by Susan Dennard
- 16 Things I Thought Were True by Janet Gurtler
- Illusive by Emily Lloyd-Jones
- The Osiris Curse by Paul Crilley
- Hollow City by Ransom Riggs
- Faces of the Dead by Suzanne Weyn
- On the Fence by Kasie West
- Shades of Earth by Beth Revis
- Tokyo Heist by Diana Renn

Here's my top 5 favorites:

1. Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater.  This is my favorite book of Maggie's yet.  I couldn't get over the gorgeous prose.  The writing is just so dang perfect.  I can't count how many lines I highlighted on my Kindle.  Plus, the love story is so poignant and heartbreaking, and the character development is outstanding.  Sooo good!

2. Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead.  I'm loving this series so much.  I was thrilled that part of the story was from Adrian's point-of-view.  He and Sydney are both amazing characters, both on their own and as a couple.  Even though they were separated for a good deal of the story, you could feel the love between them.  And the action?  Ahh!  So may great scenes.  I nearly had chills in some of them!

3. On the Fence by Kasie West.  The best word to sum up this book is adorkable.  I squealed and giggled and swooned an embarrassing number of times.  As always, West wrote a sweet love story that will tug on your heartstrings and make you smile.

4. Illusive by Emily Lloyd-Jones.  I was so surprised by how much I loved this book.  I'd hoped it would be good, since the awesome tagline said "X-Men meets Ocean's Eleven," but i loved it way more than I expected to.  It blew me away, from the fascinating world-building to the witty dialogue to the original characters.  And don't get me started on all the amazing twists.  Such a fun read!

5. Shades of Earth by Beth Revis.  It took me a while to get into this book, mostly because it's been two and a half years since I read the first two books in the series.  Thankfully, it wasn't too confusing once I got into it, and I ended up really enjoying it!  It's a great ending for the series, full of danger and thrills.

Did you read any good books this past month?

~ Kaitlyn

Book Review: Faces of the Dead by Suzanne Weyn

Goodreads summary:

When Marie-Therese, daughter of Marie Antoinette, slips into the streets of Paris at the height of the French Revolution, she finds a world much darker than what she's ever known.

When Marie-Thérèse Charlotte of France learns of the powerful rebellion sweeping her country, the sheltered princess is determined to see the revolution for herself. Switching places with a chambermaid, the princess sneaks out of the safety of the royal palace and into the heart of a city in strife.

Soon the princess is brushing shoulders with revolutionaries and activists. One boy in particular, Henri, befriends her and has her questioning the only life she's known. When the princess returns to the palace one night to find an angry mob storming its walls, she's forced into hiding in Paris. Henri brings her to the workshop of one Mademoiselle Grosholtz, whose wax figures seem to bring the famous back from the dead, and who looks at Marie-Thérèse as if she can see all of her secrets. There, the princess quickly discovers there's much more to the outside world - and to the mysterious woman's wax figures - than meets the eye.

My review:

I've always enjoyed Weyn's books.  They're quick, fun reads, and I read quite a few of her fairytale retellings in my early teens.  So I was looking forward to reading Faces of the Dead.  It was a fast and interesting read that held my attention, although it does have a few problems.

What I liked:  History fans, be sure to check this book out!  Weyn captures the gritty feel of the French Revolution perfectly, and she doesn't hold back.  Every dark detail is there.  I felt like I was swept away in that time period.  Even in such a short book, I learned so many facts about the French Revolution.

There is a strong cast of characters too.  It's so clever that the main character, Marie-Therese, is the daughter of Marie Antionette!  I haven't heard of many YA books about Marie Antionette, and I liked how she's inserted into the story.  In fact, all the members of Marie-Therese's family are so realistic and distinctive.  Another interesting addition is Marie-Therese's maidservant and friend, who looks just like her, enough that the two of them frequently switch roles.  I liked all the characters and felt caught up in their story.

What I didn't like:  Something about this book just didn't click for me.  I liked everything, but I didn't love it.  I think part of the reason why this book didn't totally work for me is that it's so short.  It's barely 200 pages, and it took me a little over an hour to read it.  It was as if the whole story was over so quickly, especially because it spans so much time - we jump from Marie-Therese's childhood, to her preteens, to her teens, etc.  It was like the story never paused long enough for me to grow attached to the characters.

Something else that felt off was the magical aspect of the story.  I guess this book is considered a historical fantasy, but it felt so much more like a historical book than a fantasy.  The magical aspect isn't even introduced until halfway through the story, and it seemed very out of place.  Plus, the ending is tied up way too easily thanks to the magic.  It just wasn't very satisfying.

Faces of the Dead is a decent, entertaining, and very quick read.  The detailed setting and strong characters add life to the story, but it was too short and jumbled for me to really love it.  Still, I'll keep my eye out for more of Weyn's books.

*I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thanks!

My rating:  3 out of 5 stars

~ Kaitlyn

Waiting on Wednesday (49)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we can't wait to read.

My pick is Suspicion by Alexandra Monir!

Goodreads summary:

Mysterious. Magnificent. Creepy. Welcome to Rockford Manor.

"There's something hidden in the Maze." Seventeen-year-old Imogen has never forgotten the last words her father said to her seven years ago, before the blazing fire that consumed him, her mother, and the gardens of her family's English country manor.

Haunted by her parents' deaths, Imogen moves to New York City with her new guardians. But when a letter arrives with the news of her cousin's untimely death, revealing that Imogen is now the only heir left to run the estate, she returns to England and warily accepts her role as duchess.

All is not as it seems at Rockford, and Imogen quickly learns that dark secrets lurk behind the mansion's aristocratic exterior, hinting that the spate of deaths in her family were no accident. And at the center of the mystery is Imogen herself--and Sebastian, the childhood friend she has secretly loved for years. Just what has Imogen walked into?

Combining a fresh twist on the classic REBECCA with a spine-tingling mystery and powerful romance, SUSPICION is an action-packed thrill ride.

My thoughts:

I just found out about this book yesterday while browsing Netgalley, and WOW!  It sounds amazing.  Fresh twist on Rebecca?  How about yes.  And it was pitched on Netgalley as a modern Downton Abbey.  Um, yes please.  I can't freakin' wait for this book!

Suspicion releases December 9, 2014.

What's your WoW pick?

~ Kaitlyn

Book Review: Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater

A standalone companion book to the internationally bestselling Shiver Trilogy. 

Sinner follows Cole St. Clair, a pivotal character from the #1 New York Times bestselling Shiver Trilogy. Everybody thinks they know Cole's story. Stardom. Addiction. Downfall. Disappearance. But only a few people know Cole's darkest secret -- his ability to shift into a wolf. One of these people is Isabel. At one point, they may have even loved each other. But that feels like a lifetime ago. Now Cole is back. Back in the spotlight. Back in the danger zone. Back in Isabel's life. Can this sinner be saved?

Goodreads summary:

I was beyond thrilled when it was announced that Maggie Stiefvater had written a book about Cole and Isabel.  I can remember the exact moment I saw the news on my phone and started squealing out loud, much to the alarm of my family, haha.  Cole and Isabel were my favorite characters in the original trilogy, so to say I had big expectations is an understatement.  I'm so happy to say that Sinner was amazing!  Even better than the trilogy, in my opinion.  It's definitely my favorite of Maggie's books.

Sinner is a lot different from the first three books in that it's not so much focused on werewolves as it is on the characters of Cole and Isabel.  They are both such complex and broken characters.  I love that they both have tons of faults - just look at the title of the book, after all - but it's impossible to not love them anyway.  And of course, they are amazing as a couple too.  Cole and Isabel both fight a lot, have tons of issues to work through, and have dark pasts, but underneath it all they are deeply in love with each other.  It's a beautiful romance that's impossible to forget.

As I mentioned above, the plot doesn't focus much on the werewolf aspect.  It's touched upon briefly and comes into play during a few scenes, but this is really more of a contemporary novel.  It's about two broken people who are trying to find themselves, and in doing so find their way back to each other.  And as always, I'm still just astounded at the writing.  Maggie writes some of the most gorgeous prose ever.  I usually only highlight a few passages here and there when I read a book on my Kindle, but I was highlighting like crazy while reading Sinner!  There were so many profound quotes and amazing little lines and achingly beautiful descriptions.  It's a treat to read a book that is full of such detailed writing in every aspect - the setting, the characters, the storyline.  I loved it.

If you're a Maggie Stiefvater fan, there's no doubt in my mind that you're going to love this book.  It's perfect in every way, and I'm so happy that Cole and Isabel got their own story and their own happy ending.  Filled with lovely writing and irresistible characters, Sinner is one book you don't want to miss.

*I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thanks!

My rating:  5 out of 5 stars

~ Kaitlyn

My Top 5 Books of July 2014

Umm, how is it August already?  Because I am so not ready for school to start in a couple weeks!  Thankfully, I still managed to squeeze in a small amount of reading this past month despite being gone at camp for a week.  Here are the books I read in July:

- Trial by Fire by Josephine Angelini
- Nantucket Red by Leila Howland
- This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen
- The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith
- House of Ivy and Sorrow by Natalie Whipple
- The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
- Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout
- The Falconer by Elizabeth May
- Take Me On by Katie McGarry
- Death Sworn by Leah Cypess
- After the End by Amy Plum
- Deliverance by C. J. Redwine

Yikes, I seriously need to step up on my reading game!  My top five:

1. Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout.  I'm convinced that no matter what genre JLA chooses to write, it's gonna be awesome.  This book is different than what she usually writes; it's a contemporary thriller with a mystery twist.  I loved it!  Suspenseful, humorous, addictive, and everything that a JLA book should be.

2. Take Me On by Katie McGarry.  GAH.  She writes the BEST contemporary romances ever!  I love how she can take the most cliched romance storyline and spin it into this emotional story that will make you tear up.  And she writes some of the best book boyfriends ever. ;) West was so swoon-worthy and I loved him and Haley together!

3. Death Sworn by Leah Cypess.  This book wasn't even on my to-read list, I just grabbed it randomly at the library because I remembered skimming some bloggers' reviews of it.  Now I'm sooo glad that I did, because this fantasy book kept me turning the pages late into the night.  Creative and full of action.  Also, loved how the chemistry developed into a romance!  I had to make a concentrated effort not to squeal out loud at the adorableness of the growing romance between Illeni and her love interest, lol.  Loved it!

4. The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith.  Another fantastic contemporary author.  I always highly enjoy her books; they are this lovely mixture of thoughtful reflections on life, uniquely developed characters, sweet yet realistic romances, and touches of humor here and there.  This one was about long-distance relationships and if they can really work, and I adored it.  Such a fun read!

5. Deliverance by C. J. Redwine.  An awesome ending to a fantasy trilogy that I've loved.  I will say I preferred the other books in this series, though.  For some reason it took me longer to get through this one, I guess the pacing was a little slow and it didn't hold my attention the whole time.  But overall it's a solid ending to a series I'll always love.  Lots of action and amazing character development.  I can't wait to read what this author writes next!

What books have you read lately that you loved?

~ Kaitlyn