Review: Golden Son

Golden Son by Pierce Brown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was happy with the ending of the first novel Red Rising, and appreciated not feeling the need to read the second one immediately. I get burned out on stories if I read them back to back. That isn't always the case, but it happens often. This book has a little more of a cliff hanger ending, but I'm not in a rush to get the next novel. I think I'll enjoy mulling this one for a while. It added to the story in a way I wasn't expecting.

Darrow is one badass character. He is willing to get dirty, and he is human. He makes mistakes in this novel. He made mistakes in the first novel, but they didn't seem the same as the ones he makes in this one. Here I saw him more as someone lost and looking for a way to find who he is, and why he should continue. I'm not sure he figured it out by the end. He does have a mission/purpose, but is that going to be enough to get him through. Darrow had friends in the previous novel, but here he feels more alone. I'm hoping he finds those friends and relationships again.

I'm invested in the story and looking forward to the next novel. I absolutely love the world.

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Review: The Handmaid's Tale

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I found the writing style of this the book to be a bit difficult. At times I had a hard time guessing if it was a memory, something happening currently, or if it was a reflection on something past or something recent. The novel jumps around quite a bit. Also, quotation marks... What happened to them? Sometimes they were there, sometimes they weren't. This was a style choice, and one I understand. However, it did add to some confusion for me.

The Handmaid's Tale is part dystopian and part historical (at least in feel). I liked the mix. As with any political novel, I saw echos of past events as well as current events. I've very glad I don't live in this world. I am glad I read the novel. I was surprised by the calm way the story was told. Offred has a short moment of upset that bleeds through into the narration, but for the most part the emotion is removed from the story, and you feel separated from the actions. I liked that aspect of the story, and I know I related to the story more as a result.

Offred was an engaging narrator. Sometimes I wanted more details, but she likely didn't have much. The Handmaids were isolated and segregated on purpose. The Republic of Gilead is not a kind place for women, even though it tries to brainwash the women into thinking they are empowered through reproduction. Offred knows this is not true, and as a Handmaid she struggles with the mix of old she remembers and the new constraints and expectations placed on her.

This is a novel I will consider and think about for a while. It may be taken as a cautionary story by many, but I didn't see it that way. The Republic of Gilead feels close to our reality, but I don't see it as a reflection of things to come.

I recommend this novel. It will encourage you to think.

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Review: Night Study

Night Study by Maria V. Snyder
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After the big reveal that came at the end of Shadow Study, it wasn't surprising that this novel continues to play off of that. Previous novels in the Study series had an end, however; the last novel and this novel did not have endings. Night Study picks up a few seconds after Shadow Study ends. I have a feeling that Dawn Study will pick up seconds after Night Study ends.

I devoured this novel. It was a fun read and the action was nonstop. Yelena, even without her magic, is a fun character. I thought this was the first novel were we really get to spend some time getting to know Valek. Shadow Study started us on the path of getting to know him, but this novel really gave us incite into his character. I liked what I learned. I almost wish the author would have split the point of view sooner so we could get to know the other characters. This time we have the addition of Leif as a narrator. I really enjoyed his narration. I didn't think I would as he sometimes came off as aloof and whiny. Janco continues as a narrator and his humor adds a light side to the novel.

I'm really looking forward to the next, and am hopeful maybe the author will keep writing in this world.

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Review: The Turncoat's Gambit

The Turncoat's Gambit by Andrea Cremer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed the ending to this series. In fact, I went and found this book as soon as I finished The Conjurer's Riddle. This book was a little bit different from the previous books and it had a more balanced view of the resistance and the empire. (Wow, writing that I just realized the Star Wars connection. I can't believe I didn't notice it when I was reading the series.) The different sides both have good and bad. I appreciated seeing this.

Charlotte makes difficult decisions in this novel, and I was glad to see the ending of the book because it rang true for me. I wasn't sure how things would end between the resistance and empire, but for the characters it felt right. I'm really glad I found this series.

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Review: Shadow Study

Shadow Study by Maria V. Snyder
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When I first started reading this book I thought it would be fine without reading the Glass series. I quickly found that I would probably have enjoyed the story more if I had read the series first. However, I didn't feel like I should stop reading and go read the Glass series first. The main reason I didn't is because I was drawn into Yelena and Valek's story very quickly, and I found I could understand the story without them.

This novel includes Valek and Janco's points of view in addition to Yelena. I found I really liked having the additional view points. The story could take place in multiple locations and I felt like we missed less because of it. I like being where the action is. Who doesn't though?

I'm really looking forward to reading more.

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Review: The Conjurer's Riddle

The Conjurer's Riddle by Andrea Cremer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book started off a little slow, but by the end I was liking it more than I had the first book, The Inventor's Secret. Charlotte and Grave are still in danger because of who Grave is. Charlotte is now the leader for the children of the rebellion. I didn't like her unfeeling nature at the beginning when she is leading the children. Grave felt more than she did, or at least he expressed it better than she did.

Half way through Charlotte begins to feel more, as the result of a run in with death and I was able to relate to her more then, and I enjoyed the story a lot more from that point forward too.

I'm really looking forward to the next book.

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Review: The Great Unexpected

The Great Unexpected by Sharon Creech
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was slow. I never felt like the story went anywhere. There wasn't any tension in the story to make me care about the characters. It was an easy read. I finished the book because I kept hoping for something more. The reveal at the end of the story just didn't do it for me and left me feeling meh about the book.

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Review: Devil in Spring

Devil in Spring by Lisa Kleypas
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I liked parts of this book more than the others in the series, but I also found parts of it to be the most frustrating.

After helping a Pandora Ravenel, whose dress got stuck, Gabriel, Lord St. Vincent, is accused of compromising Pandora. Pandora strongly protests and says there is no way she will marry him. At first Gabriel seems to protest the idea, but when Pandora says it will ruin her life if she marries, Gabriel seems to change his mind. This didn't seem quite right to me. I understand society dictates they marry since they were caught alone together. However, it seems like maybe the romance that resulted was not as real as it could have been. I didn't believe that Gabriel changed his mind about marrying Pandora as quickly as the narrative indicates he does.

I did enjoy the book and the romance does grow and become more believable as the book progresses. I'm really enjoying the series and will look for the next when it is released.

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Review: Marrying Winterborne

Marrying Winterborne by Lisa Kleypas
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I liked this novel a little more than I liked the first in the series. I would recommend reading the first before you read this one as it fills in some of the back stories for the main characters Helen and Rhys.

The story didn't go where I expected it to go and that was actually a good thing in this case. I find it interesting how authors of historical romances get around the virgin bride expectation and this was an interesting way to do it. This book felt more like an ending that the previous book in the series. I'm going to look for the next novel in the series, but I don't feel like I'm missing part of the story by not running out and getting it right now.

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