Cheeky Review of All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

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All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

First off, sorry I haven't been posting much. I've been in a reading slump. This book kind of made it worse/better. To make up for it, I've been "summer cleaning," getting ready for my senior year. *gasp* Anyway, onto my review!

So I finished this yesterday and I was a jumble of emotions so I took a day to calm down and collect my thoughts.

I have no idea what I expected going into this book (I think I thought there could be a happily ever after?) and I was SO crushed by the ending. The story itself was quite interesting- I loved Violet and Finch's dynamic and journey. I did find myself skimming towards the end though... I found Finch's thoughts sometimes to be so out of the world and unrelatable... it made me question a little whether anyone could think so many things that deeply (I'm sure there are, I'm just underestimating teenage boys.) 

Jennifer Niven definitely handled the subject of suicide well; she helps you understand more of the possible reasons and justifications a person might have in wanting to commit suicide and you really do learn to sympathize with the victim and the victim's family. I do believe that it isn't right to shame a person who has chosen to commit suicide; (s)he is a victim too. She just addressed this issue so tactfully while being very informative; I'm in awe.

Overall, it's such a great read that will kick you in the guts. I finished the book and got into that "existential crisis" moment where I questioned life after death... (watch danisnotonfire's video on that, it's great and relatable) If a book can get me that far, it's doing something right.

I'll definitely get a book up to you all soon and I might make a post about senior year: expectations vs reality, responsibilities, stress, clubs, schoolwork, college apps... comment below what YOU want.

I love you all so much,

xx Jennifer

Some Movie Reviews (Insurgent, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Cinderella, Guardians of the Galaxy...)

HEY people of the interwebs.

It's Jennifer. (I just did someone's YT intro.)

As some of you may know, I just went on a cruise and on the cruise, I got the opportunity to see many of the most recent films that I haven't gotten the chance to see. And so, I'm going to do a condensed mini review of each.

Insurgent: 8/10 

I heard good and bad things about this so I came in with reasonably average expectations and the movie turned out to be great! I honestly don't remember much about the book so I can't say that it closely aligned with the book but what I can say that it ended the same way the book did (it probably took different paths to get there though). I know many were outraged that they placed the sex scene in this book but I thought they made the timing very fitting and it was tastefully done. There were really nice visual effects regarding the sims and an okay plot that managed to get us through the movie.

Avengers: Age of Ultron: 9/10

Having taken computer science, I know the struggle when it comes to animation. And oh my goodness, I was blown away by the effects in this movie. Sure the plot of this movie was sub-par- I couldn't care! Everything felt so epic and I was just rooting for the heroes. Looking back now, I actually do wish there was more of a cohesive, thought-out plot but I won't fault them for it. It's clearly an action movie and action we got!

Guardians of the Galaxy: 5/10

Admittedly, I watched this at 10-12 at night so that might be the reason I kept falling asleep?? The plot was better than Avengers but I just found myself bored out of my mind and not invested at all in the protagonists. I was falling asleep during the action scenes!!! Yes, the raccoon (Bradley Cooper) was funny but the cartoon element just wasn't hitting it for me. The film was a little too childish for my tastes. I just can't give a movie that had me nodding throughout higher than a 5. Kind of a disappointment due to the acclaim it got.

Cinderella: 4/10

It was literally what you expect from any movie like this. I missed the intro (I don't know how long it was) but I came in when she was at the first ball. I felt like the movie was too short (in regards to the time of the first ball to her marriage with the prince) and nothing eventful happened. Maybe the intro had some deep stuff but from what I watched, it felt insufficient.

Unbroken: 7/10

This really wasn't my type of movie. I had no idea what it was going into it. I came in about 30 mins late so I was at the raft scene. It was so gripping though and I found myself just on Louis' side and praying they made it to safety. I left the movie at the POW camp (because my cousins wanted me to) but now that I know it was produced/directed by Angelina Jolie, I wish I could have finished it to give you all a more accurate review. From the 20 minutes I watched, it seemed to be an accurate portrayal and very stark and grim.

The Fault in Our Stars (TFIOS): 9/10

I got to watch this again! I disliked the book (forgive me, I think it's just the way John Green writes) but I enjoyed the movie! It does seem to align well with the book and it has every element that a movie should have. A good plot, script, and message. And a great cast. I don't know... this movie just gives me fuzzies, yanno?

Night of the Museum: Secret of the Tomb: 7/10

I had no idea there was a sequel. I really didn't want to watch but my cousins dragged me into it. I had a rough time getting into it (perhaps because I had grown out of it) and it had a weird plot that I sometimes couldn't follow but it managed to pull me in with its humor and charm and I left with a smile on my face.

Into the Woods: 8/10

This movie/musical was really great! I only watched about 20-30 minutes of it so I'm speaking off of that short snippet but I found the portrayals of the different tales accurate and creative and the connections between all of the storylines were epic! I am not a fan of musicals (I couldn't survive Les Miserables) so I thought this movie would disappoint but actually the songs were decent! Overall, I'm impressed and if I ever am really, really bored, I will finish this movie (although the ending seems obvious).




Should I do more movie reviews? Comment below what you want!
xx Jennifer

Review of Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen

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Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen

Ah this book was good; it definitely hooked me in and didn't let me go until the very end.

This book definitely had its ups and downs for me. The MAJOR down for me was the main character herself and her decisions. I felt like the MC was the complete opposite of me and made so many stupid decisions that I just "couldn't." I would almost abandon the book because of her but then Sarah Dessen with her oh so amazing writing would just make her relatable and I could then see the rationale behind all of her choices- which is pretty amazing considering her decisions were all really poor...

This book definitely centers on the friendship between Halley and Scarlett; she portrays their friendship well. The romance definitely took a backseat which was kind of a shame, since I was looking for a romance... and this romance was definitely not one of Sarah Dessen's typical ones... Macon had me squealing in the beginning and then it all went downhill...

Oh, I almost forgot her relationship with her parents. I think Sarah Dessen did an amazing job with the parents; she managed to portray them in a way from Halley's perspective where you can see how teens disagree so much with their parents but when you take a break from the book and think in your own perspective, you see the love and care the parents had for Halley and how wise Halley's mom was. You really do see the love (sometimes overbearing) a mom has for her child.

Overall, the story and writing was great; I just had a problem with a few of the characters and relating to them fully. Not one of Sarah Dessen's best but definitely not her worst!

xx Jennifer

Review of The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

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The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Ahhh this book...

I'm disappointed by a book again. I had really high hopes because of the high rating but if anything, that made this book that much more painful.

Up to this point, I've read so much dystopian novels that this one seemed like a poor attempt at it. The ideas were not that original, especially with the camps. I found the whole situation very false and off- the whole world was basically like ours but just suddenly the children had these inexplicable powers- the author failed to clarify if these powers were inherent in humans this whole time or explain how they suddenly manifested. The whole failed experiment seemed improbable- I truly couldn't see how society could degenerate to it...

Once again, the romance seemed quite forced and present for the sake of having romance. I felt little sparks between Liam and Ruby...

However, the plot was pretty good, especially the end!! The book had a pretty clear direction up until Slip Kid and afterward... only downhill. The plot/story was the only thing that salvaged this book besides 3 characters that I loved/hated: Chubs, Zu, and Clancy. Each were unique in their own ways and in the end, I found myself loving all 3 (Clancy in a different way...). Chubs is #friendgoals and Zu is the cutest angel alive!

And the writing was pretty good. Nothing to really say on that front.

Overall, I mean... it was good, not great. 3.5 stars.

Next book will be good!! I have hope!! Will probably read Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen... while filling in the gaps with Hannibal! Leave your comments about how you feel about this book and Hannibal- would love to know!

Until next time,
xx Jennifer

Short and Simple: Alienated by Melissa Landers

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Alienated by Melissa Landers

Aw, this book disappointed me. I kind of had high expectations since my friend recommended it to me but fell short.

I felt like the supernatural alien aspect of it was too forced because all this book was at the end of the day was a romance. Plain and simple. To be honest, the whole intergalactic idea running through this book was a joke with too many coincidences (like the ease of learning language, same DNA but improved, mind reading)- Landers tried to make up some weird differences like four toes and no belly button which really didn't distinguish much from Aelyx and Cara.

Even the romance wasn't great! It was kind of too insta-love and I had a hard time believing that Aelyx would just dump his plans like that so soon for her. The romance just didn't feel right.

In the end, everything felt really forced. It's such a shame because I really wanted this book to be great. I mean, I read this in a day so it was an easy read (which is why it's 3 stars!). This book might be good for someone who doesn't want to think- just read.

I most likely won't read the sequel. :/

Hopefully my next read will be better! Thinking it will be The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken...

xx Jennifer

Review of the Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas

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The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas

I am literally so done with this series (in the best way possible). I don't make a habit of reading novellas but since the five novellas were oh so neatly condensed into an entire book, I figured why the heck not. I didn't particularly have any expectations since I thought that this book wouldn't really influence my readings of the rest of the series. Boy was I wrong. Reading these novellas, I could recognize the references and allusions to different parts of her past in the other books. THEY ALL MAKE SENSE. The novellas individually are like beautifully wrapped presents- each capable of standing on its own. But together, they become a really intricate story with an actual plot throughout all 5; it was great to read. I was going to review each novella individually but I am too lazy for that- plus the stories really combine to form one big story so I'll just generalize: Writing was great as always. Less fantasy, which is to be expected because this is before her Fae side came to life. MANY interesting new and somewhat familiar characters like Sam and Arobynn. It was really interesting to see Sam and Arobynn come to life since they have always had only small references to them in the other books; I had no idea Arobynn was what he was. And Sam. SAM BROKE MY HEART. IT WAS AWFUL. I SAW IT COMING YET I STILL CRIED. This book punches you in all the feels. Every single one. LOVE. xx Jennifer

Review of Fragments by Dan Wells

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Fragments by Dan Wells

AHHHHHH this book. Dan Wells really knows how to craft a dystopian novel.

I am not sure why, but I had been avoiding this book for a long time. Probably because the book was LONG and I forgot everything from Partials.

Luckily, Dan Wells managed to get me through and understand most of it! His writing is very descriptive and stylistic, despite its bleak topic. Speaking of, the whole book had a very dry, stark feel that was quite depressing to read about- but not something that could be avoided. The protagonists had to go through the struggles he set up in the book; it was the only fair thing he could have done to the characters.

The plot and story were really complex and developed well (while I didn't really care for Marcus' or Haru's perspective...) and I found myself on the edge of my seat for the cure to the RM virus and Partials' expiration date. Dan Wells really did the science fiction genre justice. So much sci-fi to last you a lifetime.

Of course, he managed to squeeze the barest of romance in there. It managed to satisfy me but definitely not detract from the whole story. (Kira x Sam all the way!) Some might say the romance was forced and unnecessary, which a small part of me agrees with but I just can't help but enjoy the romance. I can't help it!

Overall, I am just SO IMPRESSED with Dan Wells' creativity in this construction of the dystopia and all of the twists and turns. There really aren't enough true sci-fi YA books out there; this book be breaking boundaries! (such slang)

Have 9 books left on my TBR pile from the library... what will I read next? ;)

xx Jennifer

Short and Simple: Fire and Flood by Victoria Scott

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Fire and Flood by Victoria Scott

I have been in a reading slump and this book luckily helped me through that!

I read this book over a week on a cruise ship so perhaps my feelings towards it are due to my elation on the ship but this book didn't really live up to the hype...? 

The concept was so similar to the Hunger Games; it had a predictable plot; the writing was quite bland... and worst of all, the romance was SO, SO forced and only there to please the teen girls undoubtedly reading the book. It didn't really engage me the way I wanted to (then again, maybe because I was on a cruise and had so many other things to do). 

Despite the many faults I pointed out, I think the book did offer a bit more originality with "the Cure" and I'm definitely looking forward to what Victoria Scott does with the sequel.

xx Jennifer

Short and Simple: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

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Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Oh goodness, I have no words. I LOVED this book. Everything from the story to the characters to the romance to the writing. All of it was incredible.

The story, no matter how simplistic, was so engaging (probably due to the charismatic characters) and I found myself hooked. The characters were all so real but Cath has a place in my heart because she reminded me of myself (with her social anxiety and love for fictional universes). Fangirl connected with me in this way because I myself am a fangirl and feel the same emotions (GAHHHH). The romance came from an unexpected person WHO I AM ALL FOR. (I have such Levi views, I can't.) And Rainbow Rowell's writing flows so naturally that I cannot physically wait for her next books. I am officially hooked onto the Rainbow Rowell train. 

My last words are fitting for a review of this book. I am a PROUD fangirl.

xx Jennifer

July 2015

This July has been HECTIC (and thus I now have a bit of a reading slump) and I wanted to update you guys on it as well as relive it for myself.

The first week of July (July 1-5) was very blissful. I had no events or activities so I just read as many books as possible (as you can see from the book reviews on my blog). On July 4, there was a BIG clearance at the local Dillard's Clearance Center so I went (how patriotic of me!) and managed to buy 2 potential prom dresses. The blue one below was $20 and the black one was about $15. WHAT A BARGAIN! The blue one does need a little sewing (because the embellishments are kind of coming off). Both dresses need a trim and hem but I will probably just ask my aunt to do that because why waste money on that, am I right?! Comment below telling me which dress I should wear to prom :)

The week after (July 6-10) was my camp at UHD regarding watersheds. I had no idea what a watershed was going into it and I still kind of don't but the camp taught me SO much regarding research and lab techniques since we were in a microbiology lab where everything must be sterile! (Bunsen burners, 92-well plates, micropipettes, you name it!) I had little expectations going into the camp but with all the free food and activities, it turned out to be one of the best! The pic below is my incubation of several colonies from a toilet seat (much cleaner than I thought)!

After that camp was the STEM camp (July 13-17) at the same location. It was two weeks but I could only attend the first week because of my cruise the second week. I actually had high expectations of the STEM camp because it was more well funded with more activities and participants AND everyone got a free TI-89 at the end of it (but not me; Woe is me). Of course, it had to not meet those expectations. Everything was disorganized and the information taught was either too basic or taught from professors with really hard to understand accents that I was left frustrated or confused. Half of the time there, the head teacher spent trying to sell the campers UHD and I grew sick of it after the first day... (Did I mention I got a 4 year scholarship to UHD from the first camp? No? Well yeah, I did. That's how determined they were for us to attend their school!) We also had SAT prep, even for the people who already took it and were satisfied with their scores so I was left nodding off at the end of every day when that allotted time arrived. On top of all of that, when I told the leaders that I couldn't attend the second week, they said that I could POSSIBLY get a calculator but I had to contact them again after the cruise. (which I did, and I have yet to hear back from them)... Not my most pleasant camp. A positive thing is that I got to do DNA fingerprinting (gel electrophoresis) which was awesome!! Here are our results:

During the past two weeks of camp, I TRIED and TRIED to read the Mark of Athena but had little luck. I just can't seem to get into it since it's been years since the Son of Neptune... (and I am currently having the same dilemma with Fragments by Dan Wells!) I also failed to keep up with the Journey to Splits by blogilates as well as my pilates workouts... I have no one to blame but myself for not making the time and lacking motivation. I also didn't pack for the week long cruise I had the following week... I left that til the Friday night before. Which was really bad because I also happened to schedule a dinner with my middle school friends that same night.

The dinner with them was actually a little awkward. I felt kind of out of place since many I hadn't spoken to in years and had become quite distant. People change and I could definitely feel the rift. In that moment, I remember feeling so sad and isolated but looking back now, I've come to terms with the fact that people change and grow and it's not bad to have different friends than the ones you started out with. It was at Carrabba's, an Italian place, and while it was good, the pasta/cheese was a little too heavy for me. I will never get along well with cheese. 

Then... came the cruise. We went with some of my extended family on Carnival Freedom. Y'all, I know Carnival gets a bad rep (understandably), but Carnival really does have GREAT food and good service! (It lacks on the entertainment... at least on the older ships.) So going into it, I wasn't really expecting much. I just wanted to be home with my books since the Friday before, I had picked up 13 books from the library! The cruise really did have no entertainment whatsoever but I went to the many dance classes (really fun!) AND THE FOOD. SUCH DELICIOUSNESS. My cruise schedule literally consisted of wake up, eat, sleep, eat, sleep, eat, watch movie, sleep. Repeat. The gourmet food was amazing (since I usually eat the same foods at home over and over). Carnival also had the latest films as part of their entertainment so I got to watch Night of the Museum 2, Cinderella, TFIOS (have already seen), Mockingjay Part 1 (have already seen as well), Insurgent, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Unbroken, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Into the Woods... now I have so many movies in my arsenal! I went to two of the three ports and died of heat- honestly, just staying on the ship is the best. Sadly, the last port, which I didn't exit the ship for, turned out to be the best because of the white fine sand and clear blue water. The other two ports had kind of dirty water and really rocky sand. Overall, the cruise was amazing because I got to relax and not stress about reality. (Although I found out about the Lafayette theater shooting which was heartbreaking, RIP.) I'll add a few pics of the many we took on the cruise.

 

Now that I am at home, I am filled with stress from school clubs to college apps... HELP. Any tips on how relieve stress, just comment below for me please!

BUT CAN I GET A HOLLA FOR THE DRAMA, HELLO MONSTER. BECAUSE IT IS AMAZING. WATCH IT!

Have a wonderful day everyone and enjoy summer!

xx Jennifer

Short and Simple: Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

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Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

Sarah Dessen really is so magical. She manages to craft a story that relates SO well to teens. Even if my life isn't at all like Sydney's, I found her rollercoaster of emotions quite similar to mine throughout the years.

The story honestly has such heart and her writing makes the reader feel like they are there with Sydney throughout each of her struggles. This book was more about the romance- it was about building trust and confidence between friends and family.

Really heartwarming story by Sarah Dessen! I have been reading quite a lot of books though so I wasn't quite as spellbound as I would have liked but still... it's Sarah Dessen. QUEEN.

*** Was anyone emotionally disturbed by Ames?!?! Oh my goodness, I wanted to vomit so many times during any scenes involving him. Just no. ***

xx Jennifer

Short and Simple: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

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 A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

This was a really great Beauty and the Beast retelling! Gorgeous writing as always.

Throughout the story, I found myself making comparisons to Heir of Fire (as I had just read it and LOVED it) and that kind of made my experience less enjoyable. I kind of expected more fantasy but instead got more romance (which I was perfectly fine with! It fills in the missing romance from the TOG series haha.). However, I found the two main personalities similar to Celaena and Rowan and a lot of the Fae facts/fantasy so similar that it kind of had me cringing (the mating, iron, shapeshifting)... I kind of wish Maas kind of ventured beyond the Fae world that she is so comfortable with.

HOWEVER, the story is great! The first half of the book went a little slow but that was to build up the romance and the second half passed in a flash with all of the action- I was pleased. And the ending!!! I am SO pleased with it- I absolutely don't need a sequel to ruin it haha. I'm thinking Maas will do another retelling centering on different characters in the same world...?

Overall, really great! I had really high expectations after TOG and she didn't disappoint!

xx Jennifer

(Happy Fourth of July, guys!)

A Heartwrenching Review of Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

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Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

First off, before you guys read my review, I highly encourage you all to read the synopsis of this book in order to understand what I'll be talking about.

This book is about an incestuous relationship that develops between two siblings. Their love for each other stems from being neglected by a wayward, alcoholic mother thus having to raise their other three siblings by themselves. Their promotion to parental figures, in my eyes, cause them to love each other like a mother would for a father. 

Tabitha Suzuma's writing is gorgeous and effortless. It doesn't try to embellish anything but accurately relays what is necessary for the reader to understand what goes on behind Lochan's and Maya's minds as they progress in their forbidden relationship. Suzuma honestly made the progression of their romance real and natural. It seemed like it couldn't have not gone in that direction.

Of course, this book made me reevaluate what my views were of incest- something that rarely, if ever, crosses my minds. I have the same view when I first started reading it to having finished it- I think that although it should be accepted, the couple shouldn't be allowed to reproduce and no PDA. But of course, I feel similarly about gay relationships and even straight relationships (in terms of PDA). I think this book just made me understand incest more and be more tolerant/accepting. 

There's no doubt that this book left me questioning my relationships with my relatives. I think we all have those moments where we look at a relative and think "wow they're hot" or "wow they're so nice and caring" but we never cross that societal boundary and make a move on that. I am just THANKFUL I am an only child so I don't have to face any troubling thoughts after finishing the book.

Onto the story. It was SO good; I think Tabitha Suzuma portrayed the alcoholic mother and the effects of being raised by an alcoholic parent well- it affects so many people around the world. The family of 5 that they had was so heartwarming and real; they all became my little siblings. Each little detail about their individual habits (like Lochan's sore on his lip) and chores just made the tale vividly real and honest. 

But the END! GAH, the last couple of chapters were absolutely brutal. I cried and then sobbed at the ending (I type this as my tears dry and harden on my cheeks). It's such an agonizing ending but so fitting for this story. Any book that can leave me feeling this emotionally drained is AMAZING. This ending was nothing less than amazing.

A review I recommend y'all read is this one: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/120724743?book_show_action=false 

It's super funny and relatable!

I'm going to go calm my nerves down now and numb myself of all emotions. I'll be back with a review of A Court of Thorns and Roses!

Until then,

Jennifer xx

Short and Simple: The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski

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The Winner's Crime - Marie Rutkoski

I think this book had the same impression on me as the first. It was good yet it left me feeling a little empty and disconnected inside.

The story was great and all but I wish it was easier to connect to the characters. And I felt the book for the most didn't progress at all until the very end... I grew impatient very easily. And I am the WORST about misunderstandings and this book was full of them and the main characters would never talk to each other. It irritated the heck out of me. Even if I understand why.

The book lacked something... but I can't quite pinpoint it. Despite it all, I still think it was a good read that will please those who enjoyed the first book!

xx Jennifer

Short and Simple: The Heir by Kiera Cass

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The Heir - Kiera Cass

Honestly, going into this book, I had low expectations. I had little idea of what I was getting into when I expected this series to be a trilogy- not that I'm complaining. But it was such a great guilty pleasure- the romance was really sweet! I did not expect this to be a deep book with a ton of dystopia and it definitely wasn't but it delivered on what we all expect from this series- cuteness, romance, and drama. I love a lot of the guys but the only thing that really irritated me was Eadlyn. SHE IS SUCH A SPOILED BRAT. I understand that Kiera Cass was probably trying to portray her as flawed and over the course of the next two books, she's going to have Eadlyn undergo a character development that will make her manageable but for now, I couldn't STAND her until the very end of the book. I have an addiction to Bachelor/Bachelorette and this definitely filled that void. I'm eager for the sequel just because now the guys have my heart much like Kaitlyn Bristowe's contestants this season have mine. xx Jennifer

Review of P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

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P.S. I Still Love You - Jenny Han

I can't decide between 3 to 4 stars, so I gave it 3 based on the ending.

It honestly pains me to give it that low of a rating. I had such HIGH expectations for this book because To All the Boys I've Loved Before killed me. It was SO good and I went in all Team Peter.

Oh, how things changed.

The book missed its little sparkle that is Jenny Han's signature. I feel like a lot of really cute moments were glossed over and not really treasured- whether it be with Kitty, Peter, or John. I wish she could have expanded more on those moments. Don't even get me started on that ending. The resolution was WAY too quick and I was left extremely dissatisfied- more on that later.

The writing was nice although I felt at times, Lara Jean sounded like a middle schooler until Jenny Han brought up she was a junior. As a junior going on senior, I can confidently say that we do not talk like that. But that was only for the first half of the book; then she began talking like a normal teenager. I related to Lara Jean A LOT in terms of her idealistic goals (for the retirement home, for parties) and her love for love. As a teenager, I would say most of us are in love with love and I definitely pine for a lot of guys like she does. I loved the sweet moments between her and Kitty and her family. And Stormy. And John.

That brings on the love square. It was the basis of the entire story and I was SO FRUSTRATED. Yes, Peter and Lara Jean were totally cute together. But I think their relationship was kinda veering off track due to Lara Jean's jealousy of Gene and the fact that it was TOTALLY justified! I know many say that it's just a trademark of Peter (his confident, arrogant self that many adore) but it irked me the wrong way how much he cared for Gene and put her before Lara Jean. It felt so unfair. And in the end... SPOILER: (when she pinned the blame on herself for being jealous, I was so MAD! She shouldn't have had to apologize. I wish Peter acknowledged his part in it) END OF SPOILER I got even more put off by the ripped-off poem and his taking back the necklace. I wasn't pleased with Peter and felt like he wasn't putting enough into the relationship... As for John, I immediately shipped Lara Jean with John. They have so much in common (unlike she and Peter a lot of the time) and both liked each other. What more not to like? He treats her so well and prioritizes her. And makes time for her. I just wish we got to see more John. I am upset that Jenny Han used John like a plot device even though I took him so seriously. UGH I WISH JOHN HAD A CHANCE. :(

That ending still has me upset and scratching my head. I just wish the ending was different. :/

xx Jennifer

Review of Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

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Heir of Fire - Sarah J. Maas

Honestly, if I could, I would shower a billion stars on this book. It was THAT good. HoF is definitely up there now in my favorite books, if not my absolute favorite.

I genuinely think Sarah J. Maas' writing gets better with each book she writes. I started Throne of Glass enjoying it while finding it quite similar to the other books in YA these days. Crown of Midnight delightedly surprised me as more elements of fantasy were woven into the story and it concentrated less on the romance and more of the world of TOG. And now, Heir of Fire. It was near perfection- everything I would want in a book.

THE FANTASY. This aspect of the book I definitely enjoyed very much. It was mainly in Celaena's and Manon's perspectives, thus the two that I most eagerly devoured. I just found all the tales fascinating and while more details kept piling up, it never became convoluted because each twist made sense- fit like a missing puzzle piece. The foreign creatures- the wyverns, the skinwalkers, and the Valg- were just so fascinating and added to the intrigue of the story as well as being formidable enemies of Celaena.

THE WORLD. Maas did so much worldbuilding in this book. With each book in the series, the world is opened tenfold more. I think that was what ToG lacked- the story only focused on just the court of Adarlan. It lacked... authenticity (for lack of a better word) for such an issue to only be focused within a castle was unrealistic and in this book, you could truly see the far reaches of the issue and how complex the King's plans were. You could see all of the lands and people that were affected and the obstacles Celaena must face to conquer back her land and annihilate the King. I admit, all of the different lands and territories confused the heck out of me but it totally fit. I look forward to more.

THE STORY. was. overwhelming. So much happened in those 560+ pages. THOSE TWISTS AND TURNS. Each character went through so much and honestly I don't know how half of them managed to survive the book. I think I would have died 10 pages in (I doubt even that long.) I really appreciated that Sarah wasn't afraid to throw her main characters in hell. It seemed more real to me, to see them face such adversity- it makes the triumph all the more greater in the end. It was a really powerful, emotional story that delivered a powerful message of strength and acceptance. Oh, and I cried about four times. four. THE END THOUGH. MORE ON THAT LATER.

THE WRITING. It was absolutely beautiful. I haven't read such amazing writing in a long while. Everything was original and flowed together perfectly. It was really beautiful. I don't know how many times I have to repeat that to get it across. Like, I would read and just stare in awe at the writing. She shifted between different POV's seamlessly and you could really see each unique personality.

THE CHARACTERS. After CoM, I was concerned because there were too few characters to carry a rich, developed sequel. Luckily, she introduced a crapload of new characters and I loved every. single. one.

Celaena: HER GROWTH. She developed so much as she learned to accept her Fae side. I feel like she went in as a bratty, arrogant girl and came out a mature, confident woman. She learned so much more about herself and grew into Aelin. Her friendship and bond with Rowan really strengthened that. I do wish she didn't blame herself SO MUCH for the death of her loved ones throughout the book- I understand it was necessary for the plot but it seemed to drag on and on. But of course, that's Celaena's nature to care. I'm just grateful that by the end, she possessed more self-control. AND IS READY TO TAKE DOWN THE KING OF ADARLAN. AND MAEVE.

Rowan: After finishing CoM, I read the reviews of HoF and everyone was Team Rowan. I went into HoF very hesitant because I was all for Team Chaol but I knew inside I would convert. And I did. So hard. His soul just complements Aelin's perfectly- even his power of ice and wind fits! He knows when and how to reel her in and he just understands her past struggles perfectly because he's gone through similar ones. I was kind of hesitant because he was centuries old but their maturity seemed on par with each other by the end. They just FIT. They are so comfortable together- there are no secrets and they trust each other completely. He knocked it out of the water. #TeamRowan

Chaol: I still love him. He really struggled to see where his priorities were. And it was completely understandable. He spent his entire life loyal to the King just to see the world flip upside down; he definitely needed time to think and grow in order to make such a big decision. And I really respect his decision to send Celaena away to protect her. And I even further respect his final decision at the end of the book. Throughout the book, I really doubted that he could ever end up with Celaena because of his inability to accept her for her and I still do doubt it but his decision spoke volumes and I do definitely see the potential for their relationship to grow again. Or just as easily to end in friendship. I'm just really satisfied with his character arc and I'm excited to see where he goes. Also, #bromancegoals (w/ Dorian) - they really pulled through in the end :')

Dorian: Oh, how I tired of him in CoM!! Having him have Sorscha there to depend on was so great because he stopped whining (haha, I'm joking... sorta)!! He really matured and became a true king in the end. It hurt to see the rift between Chaol and him for three fourths of the book but I think it really allowed him to concentrate on what mattered. His final sacrifice for Chaol just broke me. Boy to man. I am NOT excited to see what's in store for him in the next book... He had to deal with so much at the end and then that final *thing* happened. I'm shaking my head right now. And also, I just don't ship him with Celaena- I just don't see it. Maybe I will in the future... But I think they are great friends and allies. (Also I don't get the hate on Sorscha- she did nothing wrong... she was really supportive of him and his decisions and so trustworthy!)

Manon: AH SHE IS SO FEISTY. She honestly scared me when I first met on her but she really grew on me. I am confident she has a soul- she showed a lot of bravery in saving her rival. She and Abraxos are #goals. I mean she is apparently an enemy but honestly I think she will band with Aelin after witnessing the king's atrocities... I mean Sarah J. Maas hinted at her empathy. I have hope. But for now, I'll leave it at that she is such a badass. I need MORE.

Aedion: UGH HE'S SO LOYAL. I LOVE HIM. His fealty of Aelin is really amazing that it endured this long. He really has a lot of depth to him and I am so eager to know more about him. His sacrifice for Chaol/Dorian/Celaena AHH. Is it okay to also ship him with Celaena? Because I see it. I really do.

THE ROMANCE: Honestly not a lot of it in this book. I was hoping for more but I think in the end, the book deserved to not be overwrought with it in order for the fantasy to shine. I ship her with Rowan and Aedion so much but my heart breaks for Chaol because he was my #1 bae and I think he'll be really wrecked when/if she ends things with him officially.

This is Jennifer signing off now. xx