Tag: bookreview

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Aurora Burning

Dee’s Reading Tree

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

aurora burning by amie kaufman and jay kristoff
Picture from Goodreads

Synopsis from Goodreads: (**Don’t read if you haven’t read the first book in the series**)

Our heroes are back… kind of. From the bestselling co-authors of the Illuminae Files comes the second book in the epic series about a squad of misfits, losers, and discipline cases who just might be the galaxy’s best hope for survival.

First, the bad news: an ancient evil—you know, your standard consume-all-life-in-the-galaxy deal—is about to be unleashed. The good news? Squad 312 is standing by to save the day. They’ve just got to take care of a few small distractions first.

Like the clan of gremps who’d like to rearrange their favorite faces.

And the cadre of illegit GIA agents with creepy flowers where their eyes used to be, who’ll stop at nothing to get their hands on Auri.

Then there’s Kal’s long-lost sister, who’s not exactly happy to see her baby brother, and has a Syldrathi army at her back. With half the known galaxy on their tails, Squad 312 has never felt so wanted.

When they learn the Hadfield has been found, it’s time to come out of hiding. Two centuries ago, the colony ship vanished, leaving Auri as its sole survivor. Now, its black box might be what saves them. But time is short, and if Auri can’t learn to master her powers as a Trigger, the squad and all their admirers are going to be deader than the Great Ultrasaur of Abraaxis IV.

Shocking revelations, bank heists, mysterious gifts, inappropriately tight bodysuits, and an epic firefight will determine the fate of the Aurora Legion’s most unforgettable heroes—and maybe the rest of the galaxy as well.

My Mini Review:

Son of a biscuit! I love Squad 312. I don’t believe I’ve ever loved a band of misfits so much. If you haven’t listened to these books in audio form you are missing out! I couldn’t stop listening. The book is read by a full cast of characters along with sound effects and it is absolutely amazing. It sounds like listening to a very descriptive movie.

Speaking of characters, I love them ALL. Which I believe is so hard to pull off as an author. Each character is unique, but they are all likeable for their uniqueness and eccentricities. I did have favorites though. Tyler and Finian stole my heart. Tyler with his stubbornness and leadership, and Finian with his sense of humor. Also, Aurora’s uniglass Magellan was super hilarious. I found myself laughing out loud at many points in this story, and close to tears in others.

The story begins in the middle of the action, and the action doesn’t stop all the way until the end. The characters are on the run from… well EVERYONE, and it’s best if they don’t stay in one place too long. Their team chemistry was great. I was so sad when this book ended, and I cant believe I’ll have to wait another year for the next one. If you are a fan of YA/Fantasy, I highly recommend this series.

I was not paid for this review, and all opinions are my own. If you are interested in purchasing this book, please consider using my Amazon affiliate link (by clicking on the top or bottom pictures) and helping a fellow book blogger out 🙂

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The Grace Year

Dee’s Reading Tree

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

the grace year book by kim liggett
Picture from Goodreads

Author: Kim Liggett

Published: October 8, 2019

ISBN: 1250145449

Pages: 416

Synopsis from Goodreads:

In Garner County, girls are told they have the power to lure grown men from their beds, to drive women mad with jealousy. They believe their very skin emits a powerful aphrodisiac, the potent essence of youth, of a girl on the edge of womanhood. That’s why they’re banished for their sixteenth year, to release their magic into the wild so they can return purified and ready for marriage. But not all of them will make it home alive.

Sixteen-year-old Tierney James dreams of a better life—a society that doesn’t pit friend against friend or woman against woman, but as her own grace year draws near, she quickly realizes that it’s not just the brutal elements they must fear. It’s not even the poachers in the woods, men who are waiting for a chance to grab one of the girls in order to make a fortune on the black market. Their greatest threat may very well be each other.

With sharp prose and gritty realism, The Grace Year examines the complex and sometimes twisted relationships between girls, the women they eventually become, and the difficult decisions they make in-between.

My Mini Review:

This book was a mixture of a female version of Lord of the Flies meets The Hunger Games. It delves into what happens when teenage girls are left to their own devices to survive by whatever means necessary. I found Tierny to be a strong female character who did her best to stay alive even when all odds were stacked against her. The plot was action packed and it kept me engaged and invested throughout. The premise of the story, despite the similarities to the other stories mentioned above, was very unique. I also admit to not having expected some of the plot twists.

Many people seem to have enjoyed this book. I really liked it, all they way until that terrible ending. Usually I don’t mind endings, to me it has always been the journey that matters. But this ending was so bad that it almost negated everything that came before it. Almost, but not quite. I believe there could be some redemption in the next book, if she does end up writing one. I don’t do spoilers, so I won’t say anything else on that matter. I would recommend this book if you are looking for a quick thrilling YA read, and if you are able to deal with an unsatisfying ending.

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review. However, if you click on my link and end up buying the book Amazon will pay me a small fee. Thank you for supporting a small blog like mine 🙂

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Scythe

Dee’s Reading Tree

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

scythe by neil shusterman
Picture from Goodreads

Author: Neil Shusterman

Series: Arc of a Scythe, #1

Published: November 22, 2016

ISBN: 1442472421

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Thou shalt kill.

A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery. Humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.

Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.

My Review:

Hope in the shadow of fear is the world’s most powerful motivator”

I can’t believe I waited so long to start reading this series. This was such a great book with a very unique story. I enjoyed how the author went into great detail describing this new world where there is no famine, war, or disease, and everything is controlled by an entity called “The Thunderhead,” which for some reason really reminded me of “The Cloud” I-phones use to store information. Shusterman did a great job explaining all the new terminology, and I did not feel overwhelmed or lost at any point.

There was a lot of character development as Citra and Rowan navigate through the moral and psychological ramifications of taking human lives. Usually I go for the strong female characters, but I couldn’t decide whom I liked best out of these two. Rowan definitely went through the most changes throughout the story, and Citra was so smart and cunning. There was a small romantic aspect here, but it did not take center stage.

Without the threat of suffering, we can’t experience true joy.”

The story was fast paced and action packed, but it also allowed some lulls in between the action for explanations. I especially enjoyed the diary entries from the different Scythes, which gave us a glimpse into their inner thoughts and fears. If you are a fan of YA/Fantasy and you have been putting off reading this story, I highly recommend you read it! You will not regret it. I can’t wait to dive into the rest of the series.

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review. However, if you click on my link and end up buying the book Amazon will pay me a small fee. Thank you for supporting a small blog like mine 🙂

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The Poppy War

Dee’s Reading Tree

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

the poppy war by r.f. kuang

Author: R.F. Kuang

Series: The Poppy War, #1

Published: May 1, 2018

Pages: 644

Synopsis from Goodreads:

When Rin aced the Keju—the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies—it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard—the most elite military school in Nikan—was even more surprising.

But surprises aren’t always good.

Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive—and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school.

For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away . . .

Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late.

My Mini Review:

War doesn’t determine who’s right. War determines who remains.”

I decided to read this book after reading some of the raving reviews. I didn’t even read the synopsis and just dove right in. I was definitely not expecting such a monumental book, not only is it 644 pages, but the story develops across many years of Rin’s life. When we begin the story Rin is fourteen years old, and by the end she is nineteen. The character development was amazing to say the least. One of my favorite side characters was Kitay, who becomes one of Rin’s best friends. I adored the way he just had to say what was on his mind at all times, and I appreciated his honesty.

Children ceased to be children when you put a sword in their hands.”

I think I should warn you all, since no one ever warned me, that this book is very graphic. It contains explicit descriptions of rape, killing, and it does not discriminate between women or children. I listened to the audio book, and at times I had to stop because it made me very uncomfortable. I do believe the author’s point in doing this was to enrage the reader, just like these heinous acts enraged Rin into taking action. But as a reader, I only ended up feeling powerless and frustrated. I do recommend this book if you can stomach graphic violence, and I believe Kuang has created an amazing work of art depicting the realities of war and the effect it can have on a nation and its people.

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review. However, if you click on my link and end up buying the book Amazon will pay me a small fee. Thank you for supporting a small blog like mine 🙂

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The Starless Sea

Dee’s Reading Tree

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

the starless sea by erin morgenstern
Picture from Goodreads

Author: Erin Morgenstern

Published: November 5th, 2019

Pages: 498

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Far beneath the surface of the earth, upon the shores of the Starless Sea, there is a labyrinthine collection of tunnels and rooms filled with stories. The entryways that lead to this sanctuary are often hidden, sometimes on forest floors, sometimes in private homes, sometimes in plain sight. But those who seek will find. Their doors have been waiting for them.

Zachary Ezra Rawlins is searching for his door, though he does not know it. He follows a silent siren song, an inexplicable knowledge that he is meant for another place. When he discovers a mysterious book in the stacks of his campus library he begins to read, entranced by tales of lovelorn prisoners, lost cities, and nameless acolytes. Suddenly a turn of the page brings Zachary to a story from his own childhood impossibly written in this book that is older than he is.

A bee, a key, and a sword emblazoned on the book lead Zachary to two people who will change the course of his life: Mirabel, a fierce, pink-haired painter, and Dorian, a handsome, barefoot man with shifting alliances. These strangers guide Zachary through masquerade party dances and whispered back room stories to the headquarters of a secret society where doorknobs hang from ribbons, and finally through a door conjured from paint to the place he has always yearned for. Amid twisting tunnels filled with books, gilded ballrooms, and wine-dark shores Zachary falls into an intoxicating world soaked in romance and mystery. But a battle is raging over the fate of this place and though there are those who would willingly sacrifice everything to protect it, there are just as many intent on its destruction. As Zachary, Mirabel, and Dorian venture deeper into the space and its histories and myths, searching for answers and each other, a timeless love story unspools, casting a spell of pirates, painters, lovers, liars, and ships that sail upon a Starless Sea.

My Review:

We are all stardust and stories.”

I admit I’ve never read The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern before, and after reading The Starless Sea I might have to. I did hear through the reviewer grape vine that The Starless sea was a good book to listen to as an audio, so I purchased it. I did enjoy the audio, but I think I will purchase the real book for a re-read. One of the main narrators for the audio book had a bit of a monotone voice which made the narrative seem boring and slow at times.

Be brave…Be bold. Be loud. Never change for anyone but yourself. Any soul worth their star-stuff will take the whole package as is and however it grows. Don’t waste your time on anyone who doesn’t believe you when you tell them how you feel.”

I really loved Zachary Ezra Rawlins, the main character. He was so introspective and sweet. I liked that he battled his depression by diving into books. One of my favorite side characters was Eleanor, and I enjoyed her and Simon’s romantic side story. I also really liked Zachary’s friend Kat who refused to give up on him until the end.

The descriptions of the scenery as the story progressed from one scene to another were amazing. The dresses, the dancing, and the music were described in great detail. Then we would be transported to book mazes, ships, and snow covered Inns. I could almost feel the wind and the freezing snow on my face as I read.

Strange, isn’t it? To love a book. When the words on the pages become so precious that they feel like part of your own history because they are.”

This was a book within a book and stories within a story, I’ve never read anything like it. The writing was poetic and entrancing. I was transported to this fairy tale like world containing mysterious books and secret libraries, and honestly I did not want to leave. This story was a book lover’s dream come true, and it’s hard to describe how it was lovely and confusing at the same time. After I was done my mind was spinning in circles, but I will be glad to do a re-read soon. I’m sure even after a few re-reads I will still be a bit confused, but happy. I highly recommend this one to all book worms out there looking to get lost for a while in The Starless Sea.

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review. However, if you click on my link and end up buying the book Amazon will pay me a small fee. Thank you for supporting a small blog like mine 🙂

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Deviate

Dee’s Reading Tree

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Author: Jay Kristoff

Series: Lifelike (#2)

Published: June 25, 2019

Synopsis from Goodreads: **skip this part and go straight to the review if you haven’t read Lifelike, the first book in the series**

Lemon Fresh has seen better days.

After the climactic battle in Babel, she finds herself separated from Ezekiel and Cricket in the wastelands. Lemon’s abilities to manipulate electricity mark her as a deviate, and deadly corporate operatives are hunting her to use as a weapon in the war between BioMaas Incorporated and Daedelus Technologies. Instead, Lemon finds herself falling in with a group of fellow deviates—a band of teenagers with astonishing abilities, led by an enigmatic figure known as the Major, who may hold the secrets to Lemon’s past.

Meanwhile, Cricket finds himself in possession of the puritanical Brotherhood, a religious cult set for a head-on collision with the Major and his band. Searching for Lemon, Ezekiel finds a strange ally in an old enemy, and uncovers a plot that may see him reunited with his beloved Ana.

And inside Babel, a remade Eve hatches a plan to bring an end to the world.

My Mini Review:

Once again I’m in awe of Mr. Kristoff’s writing. How does he do it? Kristoff has created such real and relatable characters in this series, so much so that I’ve even become attached to some of the villains. How does he make up such catchy slang words? True cert, and at the risk of sounding like a total lunatic, I find myself wanting to use these words in real life all the time.

Kristoff also makes you ponder moral, environmental, and life questions as you read, while also inserting lots of humor. He shows you the issues from both sides, and in different characters’ perspectives. I personally love reading post apocalyptic books like these, because I enjoy seeing the different ways humanity would react and adapt to the end of the world as we know it.

I highly recommend this series to all Sci-Fi/ Fantasy fans. The third book in the series, Truelife, will be released June 30, 2020, and I can’t wait!

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review. However, if you click on my link and end up buying the book Amazon will pay me a small fee. Thank you for supporting a small blog like mine 🙂

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House of Salt and Sorrows

Dee’s Reading Tree

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Author: Erin A. Craig

Published: August 6, 2019

ISBN: 1984831925

Pages: 403

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor, a manor by the sea, with her sisters, their father, and stepmother. Once they were twelve, but loneliness fills the grand halls now that four of the girls’ lives have been cut short. Each death was more tragic than the last—the plague, a plummeting fall, a drowning, a slippery plunge—and there are whispers throughout the surrounding villages that the family is cursed by the gods.

Disturbed by a series of ghostly visions, Annaleigh becomes increasingly suspicious that the deaths were no accidents. Her sisters have been sneaking out every night to attend glittering balls, dancing until dawn in silk gowns and shimmering slippers, and Annaleigh isn’t sure whether to try to stop them or to join their forbidden trysts. Because who—or what—are they really dancing with?

When Annaleigh’s involvement with a mysterious stranger who has secrets of his own intensifies, it’s a race to unravel the darkness that has fallen over her family—before it claims her next.

My Mini Review:

It took me a while to get into this twisted tale of the twelve dancing sisters. I love fairy tale retellings, but this one was so slow. Thankfully, the action finally picks up after the sixtieth percentile or so. What kept me reading you say?

The descriptions of the scenery and various settings were hypnotic to say the least. I love the ocean, and just like the main character Annaleigh, I grew up in an island. I found the whole ocean setting to be magical, and it awoke so many fond childhood memories.

I’ve never wanted to leave the sea. It’s my home.”

Annaleigh

I know this was supposed to be a creepy story, but as I’ve said before, ghosts just don’t do it for me. I’ve made a mental note to do some research before I read a book to see if it has anything to do with ghosts so that I save myself the trouble, or at least I’m mentally prepared to not be scared.

I found it hard to keep track of all the sisters for a while, it took me half the book to get the hang of all their names and ages. The romance aspect of the story was nice and sweet. I also admit I didn’t expect the final plot twist. If you love ghost stories and don’t mind a slow start to a book, I recommend this one. If not, then I would say you’re better off skipping it.

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review. However, if you click on my link and end up buying the book Amazon will pay me a small fee. Thank you for supporting a small blog like mine 🙂

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Twice in a Blue Moon

Dee’s Reading Tree

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

twice in a blue moon by christina lauren

Author: Christina Lauren

Published: October 22, 2019

ISBN: 1982135700

Pages: 358

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Sam Brandis was Tate Jones’s first: Her first love. Her first everything. Including her first heartbreak.

During a whirlwind two-week vacation abroad, Sam and Tate fell for each other in only the way that first loves do: sharing all of their hopes, dreams, and deepest secrets along the way. Sam was the first, and only, person that Tate—the long-lost daughter of one of the world’s biggest film stars—ever revealed her identity to. So when it became clear her trust was misplaced, her world shattered for good.

Fourteen years later, Tate, now an up-and-coming actress, only thinks about her first love every once in a blue moon. When she steps onto the set of her first big break, he’s the last person she expects to see. Yet here Sam is, the same charming, confident man she knew, but even more alluring than she remembered. Forced to confront the man who betrayed her, Tate must ask herself if it’s possible to do the wrong thing for the right reason… and whether “once in a lifetime” can come around twice.

My Mini Review:

This book wasn’t as full of humor as I’ve come to expect from Christina Lauren, it had a more serious tone. Maybe that’s why a lot of her fans didn’t enjoy it? On the other hand, I enjoyed it tremendously. I fell in love with Tate and Sam as a young couple, and then as they grew into themselves and tried to find their paths in life. Lauren is especially good at capturing all the awkward scenes, and I could sometimes feel myself blushing along with the characters.

I was very intrigued by the whole acting industry. I’m not familiar with what goes on behind the scenes of a movie, and I learned a lot from this book. Lauren goes into detail about the film industry, the media, and the situations actors are exposed to. There was also the more serious racism theme, as the book dealt with the story of a biracial couple back in a time where this kind of relationship was not accepted.

My favorite side characters were Marcus and Charlie. Marcus was always there for Tate when she needed him to ground her and help her, and Charlie was the free spirit. I always have a soft spot for the wild ones. I enjoyed how different this book was from any others I’ve read before, and I was surprised I even enjoyed the celebrity point of view. I recommend this book to all Romance fans, and to all those interested in the film industry.

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review. However, if you click on my link and end up buying the book Amazon will pay me a small fee. Thank you for supporting a small blog like mine 🙂

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Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating

Dee’s Reading Tree

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Author: Christina Lauren

Published: September 4, 2018

ISBN: 1501165852

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Hazel Camille Bradford knows she’s a lot to take—and frankly, most men aren’t up to the challenge. If her army of pets and thrill for the absurd don’t send them running, her lack of filter means she’ll say exactly the wrong thing in a delicate moment. Their loss. She’s a good soul in search of honest fun.

Josh Im has known Hazel since college, where her zany playfulness proved completely incompatible with his mellow restraint. From the first night they met—when she gracelessly threw up on his shoes—to when she sent him an unintelligible email while in a post-surgical haze, Josh has always thought of Hazel more as a spectacle than a peer. But now, ten years later, after a cheating girlfriend has turned his life upside down, going out with Hazel is a breath of fresh air.

Not that Josh and Hazel date. At least, not each other. Because setting each other up on progressively terrible double blind dates means there’s nothing between them…right?

My Review:

I fell in love with Christina Lauren’s writing after reading their book The Unhoneymooners. Josh and Hazel’s story was full of all the humor and laugh-out-loud moments that I’ve come to expect from their writing. I’ve added most of their books to my TBR after reading this last one. I feel like all these books would make great romantic comedy movies one day.

Hazel reminded me of Louisa Clark, one of my favorite Contemporary female characters from the novel Me Before You, by Jojo Moyes. She was so full of life, and so unapologetically herself. She dressed how she wanted, and was not afraid to speak her mind.

Josh was down to earth, and so sweet. His OCD reminded me a lot of myself. Except, I honestly don’t know if I would ever be able to deal with someone like Hazel. Although I feel like you don’t really “deal” with Hazel, you just suffer through and hope you survive in one piece.

I enjoyed how realistic the story was, full of awkward moments, and a lot of romantic tension. I admit I did not expect a lot of the plot twists, and they kept me very engaged and invested in the characters’ futures. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to all Romance fans, and to readers who just need a feel-good book along with some good laughs.

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review. However, if you click on my link and end up buying the book Amazon will pay me a small fee. Thank you for supporting a small blog like mine 🙂

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Chain of Gold

Dee’s Reading Tree

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

chain of gold by cassandra clare
Picture from Goodreads

Author: Cassandra Clare

Series: The Last Hours (#1)

Published: March 3, 2020

ISBN: 1481431870

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Welcome to Edwardian London, a time of electric lights and long shadows, the celebration of artistic beauty and the wild pursuit of pleasure, with demons waiting in the dark. For years there has been peace in the Shadowhunter world. James and Lucie Herondale, children of the famous Will and Tessa, have grown up in an idyll with their loving friends and family, listening to stories of good defeating evil and love conquering all. But everything changes when the Blackthorn and Carstairs families come to London…and so does a remorseless and inescapable plague.

James Herondale longs for a great love, and thinks he has found it in the beautiful, mysterious Grace Blackthorn. Cordelia Carstairs is desperate to become a hero, save her family from ruin, and keep her secret love for James hidden. When disaster strikes the Shadowhunters, James, Cordelia and their friends are plunged into a wild adventure which will reveal dark and incredible powers, and the true cruel price of being a hero…and falling in love.

My Review:

Humanity is drawn to light, not darkness”

Mathew

First, let me start by thanking Cassandra Clare for once again creating such an amazing group of lovable Shadowhunters. Each character was wonderful in their own right, and also had great chemistry with the rest of the group. Cordelia quickly became one of my favorite female Shadowhunters of all time. I loved how strong and tenacious she was, and how even in a time where women were viewed as meek and submissive, she was not afraid to speak her mind. I knew that James, being Will Herondale’s son, would quickly steal my heart and I wasn’t wrong. He reminded me so much of Jem (Will’s parabatai) as well. James was a good mix of brave, smart, and gentle.

Do not let those who cannot see the truth tell you who you are. You are the flame that cannot be put out. You are the star that cannot be lost. You are who you have always been, and that is enough…”

Jem

My favorite side characters were Lucy and Mathew. How could I not fall in love with Lucy when I see so much of myself in her? Lucy sees the world in stories, and she carries her writing materials with her most of the time in case a good scene pops into her head. Mathew is dark and mysterious, he carries a burden that I hope we will find more about in the books to come. Of course I loved the appearance of Magnus, one of my all time favorite characters. His humor always makes any situation better.

She thought of the secrets people kept and the way they were like scars or wounds beneath the skin. You could not always see them, but if you touched on them in the wrong way, you could cause great pain.”

Cordelia

The story did have a slow start, and it took me a while to get into it. At first, so many Shadowhunter family names were being thrown around that I admit to having to go look at the Shadowhunter family trees to keep track of everyone (by the way NEVER do this unless you want a lot of spoilers). Once the action got going it became hard for me to put the book down.

It matters not how a man dies, but how he lives.”

S.J.

My only issue with this book was the fact that the plot went around in circles. At the end of the book I felt like we were right back where we started. There was a lot of character development and transitions, but not a lot of progress was made in the story itself. Thankfully, this is only book one in the series, so I’m expecting the plot to be much more developed in the books to come.

We do not get to choose when in our lives we feel pain…it comes when it comes, and we try to remember, even though we cannot imagine a day when it will release its hold on us, that all pain fades. All misery passes.”

Mathew

I find myself enjoying Clare’s books more when they are set in the 1800’s-1900’s, than when they are set in modern times. The characters seem to express themselves with a lot more passion. If you haven’t read Cassandra Clare’s books, I highly recommend her other series The Infernal Devices, set in the late 1800’s, and I recommend this one (Chain of Gold) which also seems very promising.

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review. However, if you click on my link and end up buying the book Amazon will pay me a small fee. Thank you for supporting a small blog like mine 🙂