Category: Book Reviews

Book Reviews

Book Review: The Cousins by Karen M McManus

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Happy Easter Monday bookish people! I’m back with another book review. This time it’s for a Young Adult Mystery/Thriller book that I received in my December Illumicrate box. My copy has beautiful sprayed black edges and I was very excited to finally get to read it. So excited in fact that I couldn’t even wait for the 1st of April to start reading so technically I read it in March but it is part of my April TBR.

In this book review I will give star ratings for four categories and I will write a little about each one. I will try to keep it as spoiler free as possible. I hope you enjoy my book review.

Plot:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

The Cousins by Karen M McManus has a fast paced and thrilling plot. Practically every chapter had a twist that I was not expecting and scattered throughout the book are small hints of information that lead up to the climax of the mystery. I was hooked from the very first chapter of this book, It is told from different points of view throughout and I felt that this added to the tension of the book because it allowed me to see into the thoughts that make those characters do what they choose to do. There were so many unexpected twists in this book but I will say I did manage to guess the climax of the mystery which didn’t impact my enjoyment of the book. The only thing I would say is that there is a lot of focus on the relationship between two of the main characters, I won’t say which ones, and personally I didn’t enjoy this part of the novel because I felt that the focus was too much on them rather than the overall mystery.

Characters:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

In this book there are plenty of characters that fit together like a jigsaw puzzle in this Young Adult Mystery book and for me I felt there were too many characters. As it focused on the main characters, the cousins, their parents, their grandmother, the staff on the island, the people who were on the island when the parents were teenagers and the mystery that surrounded them. Because of this I felt that some characters did not have a clear enough purpose. Again this didn’t take away from the book as a whole and didn’t have much of an impact on my enjoyment of the book,.

Writing and Dialogue:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

The writing style of this book was smooth and clear. It was very easy for me to become caught up in the story because of the great writing and how the complexity of the mystery was presented throughout, given to the reader in tiny hints that all come together at the end. The dialogue gives the characters personality. It also was the perfect blend of showing and telling, it didn’t give away the mystery which happens with some books.

Overall:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I gave this book four stars overall because it was a great mystery book. Apart from a few small points about the book I really enjoyed it. I felt that the ending was very satisfactory and it felt right for this book.

Blurb/Synopsis:

Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story are cousins, but they barely know each another, and they’ve never even met their grandmother. Rich and reclusive, she disinherited their parents before they were born. So when they each receive a letter inviting them to work at her island resort for the summer, they’re surprised… and curious.

Their parents are all clear on one point—not going is not an option. This could be the opportunity to get back into Grandmother’s good graces. But when the cousins arrive on the island, it’s immediately clear that she has different plans for them. And the longer they stay, the more they realize how mysterious—and dark—their family’s past is.

The entire Story family has secrets. Whatever pulled them apart years ago isn’t over—and this summer, the cousins will learn everything.

That’s it for this book review, I hope you enjoyed it!

Book Reviews, Uncategorized

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh Book Review

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Happy Monday bookish people! This is the final book review for books I read during the Becca and the Books (YouTube) 48 hour Bookopoly reading challenge. The prompt for this one was POC rep and I was very excited to finally get around to reading the Wrath and the Dawn. I’d previously read The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh and enjoyed it so I was anticipating good things.

In this book review I will give star ratings for four categories and I will write a little about each of these. I will try to keep it as spoiler free as possible. I hope you enjoy my book review.

Plot:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

The overall premise of this book is one that really intrigued me however it’s execution didn’t live up to my expectations. Personally I felt that most of the big events of this book were not explored to their full potential. I enjoyed the beginning half of the book the most because the pace was slower and it helped to ramp up the tension.

Characters:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

I did particularly enjoy the relationship between the two main characters Khalid and Sharzhad. Their storyline was one that I felt partially invested in. Most of the other characters in the book I felt were introduced just enough in this one so that they could have a place in the second book. That is how I felt throughout, that this book was mostly just a set up for the second book The Rose and the Dagger.

Writing and Dialogue:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Again, a three star rating because the writing was okay, it wasn’t bad or difficult to read and the dialogue was a useful plot device but there did feel to be something missing, just to take the dialogue up a notch.

Overall:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Overall I gave this a three star, I might pick up the second book some time in the future but I also might not. I don’t have anything else to say about this book.

Blurb/Synopsis:

One Life to One Dawn.

In a land ruled by a murderous boy-king, each dawn brings heartache to a new family. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have a silk cord wrapped around her throat come morning. When sixteen-year-old Shahrzad’s dearest friend falls victim to Khalid, Shahrzad vows vengeance and volunteers to be his next bride. Shahrzad is determined not only to stay alive, but to end the caliph’s reign of terror once and for all.

Night after night, Shahrzad beguiles Khalid, weaving stories that enchant, ensuring her survival, though she knows each dawn could be her last. But something she never expected begins to happen: Khalid is nothing like what she’d imagined him to be. This monster is a boy with a tormented heart. Incredibly, Shahrzad finds herself falling in love. How is this possible? It’s an unforgivable betrayal. Still, Shahrzad has come to understand all is not as it seems in this palace of marble and stone. She resolves to uncover whatever secrets lurk and, despite her love, be ready to take Khalid’s life as retribution for the many lives he’s stolen. Can their love survive this world of stories and secrets?

That’s it for this book review, I hope you enjoyed it!

Book Reviews, Uncategorized

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman Book Review

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Happy Monday bookish people! This was the sixth book I read for the Becca and the Books 48 hour Bookopoly challenge. The prompt for this one was first in a series. I’d gotten the whole of the Invisible Library series so far given to me for Christmas last year so I was very excited to finally get to start this series.

In this book review I will give star ratings for four categories and I will write a little about each one. I will try to keep it as spoiler free as possible. I hope you enjoy my book review.

Plot:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

The plot of this book is intricate and well put together. It has one of my favourite things to be in books currently – books about books, or in this case books about spy librarians. I loved the mixture of a spy with a library worker. The plot was interesting and kept me hooked throughout, my only issue was that the whole book was fast paced, there were no moments to breathe and so I felt that the book could have benefitted from a few moments that were less tense so that I could just focus on the characters and their relationships in those moments. It set the world up very well for the rest of the books in the series.

Characters:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I adored the characters in this book, mainly Irene and Kai. This book gave me the feelings of a cosy crime novel even though it’s an adult fantasy book, just because of the characters and the villians in the story. I personally felt there was an inkling of a romance between Irene and Kai that could be developed over the rest of the series but there wasn’t much at all of it in this first book. I am really looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series and seeing what adventures they go on next.

Writing and Dialogue:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

The writing style was smooth although in some places quite technical and the dialogue was useful for showing both the personality of Irene and Kai and for showing their relationship. There’s not much else for me to say here.

Overall:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Overall I gave this book three stars. I loved the book but I think the series is going to get better the further into it I get.

Blurb/Synopsis:

Irene must be at the top of her game or she’ll be off the case – permanently…

Irene is a professional spy for the mysterious Library, which harvests fiction from different realities. And along with her enigmatic assistant Kai, she’s posted to an alternative London. Their mission – to retrieve a dangerous book. But when they arrive, it’s already been stolen. London’s underground factions seem prepared to fight to the very death to find her book.

Adding to the jeopardy, this world is chaos-infested – the laws of nature bent to allow supernatural creatures and unpredictable magic. Irene’s new assistant is also hiding secrets of his own.

Soon, she’s up to her eyebrows in a heady mix of danger, clues and secret societies. Yet failure is not an option – the nature of reality itself is at stake. 

That’s it for this book review, I hope you enjoyed reading it!

Book Reviews

The Ravens by Kass Morgan and Danielle Paige Book Review

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Happy Monday Bookish people! It’s time for another book review. This time it’s the fifth book I read in the Becca and the Books (YouTube) Bookopolathon 48 hour challenge. The prompt was a chance card where I took the remaining books on my March TBR and used a random number generator to see which one I should read. I was very happy to end up with The Ravens, I got this book in one of my Illumicrate monthly boxes and it has beautiful sprayed pink edges. My expectations were high for this book and it didn’t quite get there, if you know that feeling when a book just doesn’t quite have what it should to make it great.

In this book review I will give star ratings for four categories and I will write a little about each of these. I will try to keep it as spoiler free as possible. I hope you enjoy reading my book review.

plot:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

The plot of this book was interesting, living in the UK I didn’t know much about sororities and American teenage culture so that part was a bit of a mystery to me although I did feel like it’s a very stereotypical portrayal particularly the character Scarlett Winters. The plot had a couple of twists that I didn’t see coming but at the same time were quite predictable and if I hadn’t already read four books in the 24 hours before they might not have been as good a twist as I thought they were. I felt the plot had a good order for the events that happened and each scene linked together well.

Characters:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

I enjoyed the character of Vivi Deveroux the most. She had a personality that was nice and fresh compared to the others in the book. The other characters I felt were very predictable and stereotypical rather than their own personalities. I liked them, I liked the twist of who the villian is and I did sort of like the love interest. But I think there could have been more character development and that would have made the book better.

Writing and Dialogue:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Again, I don’t have much to say either way on these. The dialogue was good and it was needed to help with the tone of the novel. The writing style was good, It didn’t obviously stand out that two people had written it so their styles must have blended together well.

Overall:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

I gave this book three stars overall because I did enjoy it and I probably will plan on reading the second book in the series which is meant to be coming out this year. However, I wouldn’t say I loved this book and it won’t be in any of my favourite’s lists.

Blurb/Synopsis:

Kappa Rho Nu isn’t your average sorority. Their parties are notorious. Their fundraisers are known for being Westerly College’s most elaborate affairs. But beneath the veil of Greek life and prestige, the sisters of Kappu Rho Nu share a secret: they’re a coven of witches. For Vivi Deveraux, being one of Kappa Rho Nu’s Ravens means getting a chance to redefine herself. For Scarlett Winters, a bonafide Raven and daughter of a legacy Raven, pledge this year means living up to her mother’s impossible expectations of becoming Kappa Rho Nu’s next president. Scarlett knows she’d be the perfect candidate — that is, if she didn’t have one human-sized skeleton in her closet…. When Vivi and Scarlett are paired as big and little for initiation, they find themselves sinking into the sinister world of blood oaths and betrayals.

That’s it for this book review, I hope you enjoyed it!

Book Reviews

What A Way To Go by Julia Forster Book Review

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Happy Monday bookish people! This was another of the books I read for the Becca and the Books (YouTube) 48 Hour Bookopolathon challenge. The prompt was to read a book outside your comfort zone. This book has been on my shelf literally forever and I kept not picking it up because of it being so far out of my comfort zone. I usually read fantasy as my main genre and this book I’d class more as literary fiction. I will say now if you don’t like low rated book reviews this is not the book review for you. I am glad I read it but I did not actually enjoy this book.

Plot:

Rating: 1 out of 5.

This book didn’t feel like it had a plot. Definitely not one that was at all clear to me while reading it. It’s set in the 80’s I believe and so a lot of the nostalgia was completely lost on me, I didn’t understand it and that might be one of the reasons I didn’t enjoy it as much. I don’t really have anything else to say here, the plot wasn’t really a plot.

Character:

Rating: 2 out of 5.

This book is written from a child’s point of view, I’m not completely sure how old she is, it’s unique and a great way to use metaphors and give the whole story a sense of innocence. However, I didn’t feel anything for the character, I felt disconnected and I felt that the character herself was disconnected from the story and so the experience of reading her character was difficult. No other characters are really explored in any depth and I found them all easily forgettable.

Dialogue and Writing:

Rating: 1 out of 5.

I didn’t enjoy either of these features of the novel. The dialogue felt cold and overthought and the writing style was clunky and jarring, It wasn’t an enjoyable experience reading it.

Overall:

Rating: 2 out of 5.

I gave this book a generous two stars and I don’t have much else to say about that. I probably will unhaul this book eventually.

That’s it for this book review, unfortunately it wasn’t a very positive one to write but I will always be honest in my review of books.

Book Reviews

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer Book Review

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Happy Monday Bookish People! Here is the book review for the second book that I read for the Becca and the Books 48 hour Bookopolathon challenge. The second prompt was a fantasy book and I chose A Curse so Dark and Lonely because, it was on my March TBR, and also I have the full trilogy on my shelf and I hadn’t yet read it. It was about time I finally read it, so many people have recommended it to me.

I will give star ratings for four categories and I will write a little about each one. I will try to keep it as spoiler free as possible. I hope you enjoy reading my book review.

Plot:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

This book is advertised as a Beauty and the Beast retelling, and it is one of the best retellings that I have read. I think the plot of this book is well constructed and builds the tension brilliantly. It starts with an event that is a catalyst for the rest of the novel and it is paced well so the novel has both exciting events and tension but also leaves enough room for character development. This book has a great plot for this book and it also sets up an over arching plot for the rest of the series which has made me very excited to read the rest of this series – soon!

Characters:

Rating: 5 out of 5.

I loved the characters in this book. The main protagonist is Harper and her personality is headstrong and fierce while being very caring. From the first page I had to know what would happen with her character, I was rooting for her. The two main male characters the first book follows is Prince Rhen and his loyal Guardsman Grey. Both of these are well developed interesting characters who I am very excited about seeing where their stories go. I felt that the ending of this book was slightly rushed with certain parts of it but still had a satisfying ending.

Dialogue and Writing:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

The writing style in this book is a comfortable and easy read, it matches the genre of fantasy well. As for the dialogue I felt this novel had good dialogue between the characters that really cemented their relationships and helped create the mood for the novel overall.

Overall:

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Overall I gave this book five stars because I really enjoyed it and instantly wished I could pick up the second one and read it immediately, unfortunately I couldn’t but that’s what I wanted to do. It was well written, well balanced between plot and character and a brilliantly clever retelling.

Blurb/Synopsis:

Fall in love, break the curse.

Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year, Prince Rhen, the heir of Emberfall, thought he could be saved easily if a girl fell for him. But that was before he turned into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. Before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.

Nothing has ever been easy for Harper. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, Harper learned to be tough enough to survive. When she tries to save a stranger on the streets of Washington, DC, she’s pulled into a magical world.

Break the curse, save the kingdom.

Harper doesn’t know where she is or what to believe. A prince? A curse? A monster? As she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what’s at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.

That’s it for this book review. I hope you enjoyed it! If you’ve read this book, what did you think of it? Do you enjoy retellings?

Book Reviews, Uncategorized

Ever Cursed by Corey Ann Haydu Book review

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It’s Monday again bookish people! That means it’s time for another book review. Today I’m going to be uploading the book reviews for all the books I read last weekend for the Becca and the Books (YouTube) 48 hour Bookopolathon. Starting with my first read which was for the prompt of dark cover and that was Ever Cursed by Corey Ann Haydu. As usual I will give star ratings for four categories and I will write a little about each of these. I will try to keep it as spoiler free as possible. I hope you enjoy my book review.

A friend of mine gifted me this book (and many others) and the blurb interested me a lot, especially because it’s a very short book for a fantasy so I was excited to get to read it. It didn’t quite live up to my expectations of it, I enjoyed it but I thought it could have been better.

Plot:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

I felt the plot of Ever Cursed had the potential to be a great fast paced fantasy novel that would have flowed smoothly and captured my attention. In my opinion the plot did not reach it’s full potential in this way. It had wonderful elements such as the witch giving a curse (and a very unique type of curse that I hadn’t seen in a book before) and the quest for the cure. These elements ultimately made the story enjoyable for me but they felt like they were missing something. I’ll talk a bit more about this when talking about characters but I was underwhelmed by the plot of this novel.

Characters:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Again, I felt that the characters in this book had the potential to be great but I wasn’t invested in them in the way I had hoped I would be. The book is told in the switching POVs of Jane, one of the cursed princesses, and the witch that cursed them. I find this an interesting dynamic, getting to see both points of view but neither of the characters make me root for them, I didn’t feel the need to see what happened at the end to either of the characters. Also in this book there is the tiniest inkling of a romance but it’s such a small part of the plot it doesn’t seem connected to the story and personally I think the book would have been better without it.

Dialogue and Writing:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

This is one section I really enjoyed in this novel. If you’ve read any of my previous book reviews you will know how much weight I put on the dialogue in a book. It can really make or break my enjoyment of a book. I enjoyed the conversations between the princesses in this book, it was the only time I felt the other princesses became proper characters rather than 2D people. The dialogue also gave most of the information, it was a telling not showing situation in this book which isn’t something I usually like. The writing style itself I thought was good, it was easy to follow and didn’t feel clunky.

Overall:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Overall I can only give this book three stars. I enjoyed it but not as much as I thought I would and I didn’t think there was enough urgency or character development given to the book.

Blurb/Synopsis:

Damsel meets A Heart in a Body in the World in this incisive and lyrical feminist fairy tale about a princess determined to save her sisters from a curse, even if it means allying herself with the very witch who cast it.

The Princesses of Ever are beloved by the kingdom and their father, the King. They are cherished, admired.

Cursed.

Jane, Alice, Nora, Grace, and Eden carry the burden of being punished for a crime they did not commit, or even know about. They are each cursed to be Without one essential thing—the ability to eat, sleep, love, remember, or hope. And their mother, the Queen, is imprisoned, frozen in time in an unbreakable glass box.

But when Eden’s curse sets in on her thirteenth birthday, the princesses are given the opportunity to break the curse, preventing it from becoming a True Spell and dooming the princesses for life. To do this, they must confront the one who cast the spell—Reagan, a young witch who might not be the villain they thought—as well as the wickedness plaguing their own kingdom…and family.

Told through the eyes of Reagan and Jane—the witch and the bewitched—this insightful twist of a fairy tale explores power in a patriarchal kingdom not unlike our own.

That’s it for this book review, I hope you all enjoyed it! If you’ve read this book what did you think of it?

Book Reviews

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell Book Review

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Happy Monday bookish people! It’s the beginning of another week, I’m pretty sure I’ve already exhausted my reading brain (and my eyes haha) for the rest of this week. This weekend I took part in Becca and the Books (on YouTube) Bookopoly 48 hour challenge. I somehow managed to read different books for all eight prompts. In one weekend I read eight books! – That’s more than I read in the whole of February!

And one of those books that I read for the prompt of contemporary was Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. I’ve been putting off this book since I got it. Mainly because I don’t usually read contemporary books, or books with romance at its centre. So I was surprised by this book, especially when I found myself enjoying it.

In this book review I will give star ratings for four categories and I will write a little about each of these. I will try to keep it as spoiler free as possible. I hope you enjoy reading my book review.

Plot:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I hadn’t read any of Rainbow Rowell’s other books before and I wasn’t sure what to expect but I thought the plot of this book was excellent. It was intricate and fit together very well. some parts of the story felt a tiny bit cliched but that is easy to ignore because of how included in the story you as a reader feels. I felt the plot was fast paced and kept me thinking about what was going to happen next, When I finished reading I was satisfied about the ending while still wishing I was deep in the story because of how much I enjoyed it.

Characters:

Rating: 5 out of 5.

I was very invested in the characters in this book, particularly the protagonist Cath. The character of Cath resonated with me in a lot of ways, the social anxiety, the love of writing and many of her other qualities. I could see myself in the character and this made me feel for her even more. I wanted her to have a good ending. I felt the characters emotions all throughout, literally felt them because at more than one point I was crying. I do cry at a lot of fantasy books but not usually contemporary ones, I mean obviously because I’ve only read three or four. I loved every character in this bool, they were well developed and interesting. They all had a part to play in the plot and even though at some points I didn’t like some of the characters by the end I did.

Dialogue and Writing:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I don’t have much to say for this category. The writing style was good, it flowed well and I was carried along with the story without noticing, that I think is a thing that only really good books do. The dialogue in this book is sometimes funny, sometimes sad, sometimes heartfelt but always exactly what that character would say. It made the characters feel real and likeable and unique.

Overall:

Rating: 5 out of 5.

I can’t believe I’m saying this about a contemporary but overall I’m giving this books five stars. It was undeniably entertaining and I was completely immersed in the story, I can’t give it any other rating.

Synopsis/Blurb:

Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan…. But for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fanfiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere. Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend; a fiction-writing professor who thinks fanfiction is the end of the civilized world; a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words… and she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

Book Reviews

Book Review: Victoria Schwab’s Bridge of Souls

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Hello again bookish people! Wow, three posts today, I’m being very productive. I’m bringing you a book review for Bridge of Souls by Victoria Schwab. This is the third book in the Cassidy Blake series (City of Ghosts, Tunnel of Bones, Bridge of Souls). I was so excited to finally get this book. I read the first two in the series because I love Victoria Schwab’s other books – A Darker Shade of Magic and the Villians series particularly and I loved them so I could not wait to get my hands on the third book. I was not disappointed, it was just as good as the first two and I was fully immersed in the world of Cassidy and Jacob. In this book review I will give star ratings for four categories and I will write a little about each of these. I will try to keep it spoiler free as possible. I hope you enjoy reading my book review.

Everywhere you step, everywhere you stay, was once home to something – and someone – else.

Plot:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Following on from the first two books this book begins in a new city, this time it was New Orleans, I thought it was well researched and the plot was exciting and engaging. I felt every part of the story fit well together and didn’t feel forced. The plot of the first novel in the series was light hearted and each book after has had a darker tone, higher stakes at play, Bridge of Souls is no different and I felt the tension of the plot along with the characters which I think is one of the best things that an Author can manage to do.

Characters:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Already having been introduced to Cassidy and Jacob, the two main protagonists in the series, in the first two novels I felt like I knew them very well. I enjoy the relationship between the characters in this novel, the friendship between Cassidy and Jacob and the relationship each of those characters have with Cassidy’s parents. They are funny and interesting and I was very invested in the characters which caused me to feel sad for them when I needed to and relieved and worried and happy.

Dialogue and Writing:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

The writing style is smooth and carries you along in the story, it is easy and clear to read. The dialogue is one of my favourite things about this series. It gives the characters likeable and interesting personalities and shows the relationship between Cassidy and Jacob. It is also a great tool to lighten the tone by having the conversations between the characters.

Overall:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

There’s not much more I can say here. I gave this book four stars overall because I really enjoyed reading this book and being back in the world of Cassidy and Jacob. I thought it was well-written and well researched. I cannot wait for the next book in this series (hopefully there will be more!).

Synopsis/Blurb

Where there are ghosts, Cassidy Blake follows … unless it’s the other way around?

Cass thinks she might have this ghost-hunting thing down. After all, she and her ghost best friend, Jacob, have survived two haunted cities while travelling for her parents’ TV show.

But nothing can prepare Cass for New Orleans, which wears all of its hauntings on its sleeve. In a city of ghost tours and tombs, raucous music and all kinds of magic, Cass could get lost in all the colourful, grisly local legends. And the city’s biggest surprise is a foe Cass never expected to face: a servant of Death itself.

Cass takes on her most dangerous challenge yet…

Book Reviews

Book Review: Maggie Stiefvater’s The Raven Boys

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Hello bookish people! Happy Mother’s Day to everyone! Today I’m bringing you a book review for The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, the first book in The Raven Boys four book series. I thought this book was okay, it was an enjoyable opening book to a series. In this book review I will give star ratings for four categories and I will write a little about each of these. I will try to keep it as spoiler free as possible. I hope you enjoy reading my book review!

This is a well-written, enjoyable opening novel to the series. It introduces the characters and has a contained conflict as well as an overarching conflict for the rest of the series. It has a unique and interesting premise that made me want to pick up this book. It cuts between the POVs of multiple characters including that of Blue, the main protagonist, Gansey and Adam.

Blue has spent the majority of her sixteen years being told that if she kisses her true love, he will die.

Plot:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

This novel has an interesting plot. It is a well planned, well-written and intriguing plot that keeps you reading on until the end, and I felt the ending was satisfactory to complete the story for this book while still managing to set up an intriguing story for the second book in the series, particularly because of the final line.
However, I felt there were too many little stories happening at the same time which made them hard to follow, and they didn’t all get solved within this first book. Also, it felt like an opening novel rather than a novel with a very defined plot, it seemed to centre around introducing the characters and their relationships (which I don’t think is a bad thing), that’s why I can only give the plot three stars.

Characters:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I thought that the characters in this novel were brilliantly engaging. One of the high points for me was the dialogue between them, particularly between Blue and Gansey, it is interesting and well-written. It makes me like the characters. I find I am very much a character-based reader, I enjoy their interactions and the things that add to the plot I find are the things that are revealed through dialogue or the lack of it. The main characters in this novel (Noah, Blue, Gansey, Adam and Ronan) are all clear characters, each with their own conflict. I would have liked this novel to explore Noah and Ronan more than it did as I found their characters lacking compared to the others but overall I thought the characters were a highlight in this book.

Dialogue and Writing:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

I don’t have much more to say about this, as I’ve mentioned it in the previous two categories but I could only give this category three stars because I felt that the writing in the beginning may have been a little slow to actually delve into the story and because of this the writing in the second half felt too rushed for my preferences.

Overall:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

So, overall I’m rating this book three stars. I enjoyed the book and I definitely plan on reading the second book in the series (I’ve heard that’s the best one? so I’m looking forward to it). I am invested in the characters and their relationships but I couldn’t give a higher star rating because I wasn’t all that invested in the plot but I was at the same time – that probably doesn’t make much sense. I enjoyed it, but I probably won’t reread it any time soon.

Synopsis/Blurb:

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

From Maggie Stiefvater, the bestselling and acclaimed author of the Shiver trilogy and The Scorpio Races, comes a spellbinding new series where the inevitability of death and the nature of love lead us to a place we’ve never been before.