aemryreads's reviews
29 reviews

OFFICIAL RATING 4.5 stars.

This book started as nothing but is ending as everything to me, and while that is an exaggeration, it is a good way to describe my feelings throughout the book.

I described this book to my friend as a mix of The Hunger Games, All Of Us Villains, and Harry Potter, which I think stands true. Take the harry potter with a grain of salt, it's mostly because there are also houses in this book.

Let's begin with my praise.

PLOT: Rebellion is a common plot among books of all genres, especially sci-fi. Brown is able to make this very start of the rebellion so very intriguing with his prose, plot points, and characters, while simultaneously using these very things to make the reader think and navigate the plot on their own. So much happened in this book and yet, once finished, we know it is only a dent in the fortress. Incredible.

CHARACTERS: You guys know how much I love my characters, so let's get into this. There are SO MANY CHARACTERS IN THIS GODDAMN BOOK. That being said, it is pretty easy to follow along and keep up with who is who and whatnot. Each character is so unique that the HUGE cast isn't a problem. Assuming you're paying attention, character confusion shouldn't be a huge issue. I found our main character, Darrow's, development to be intriguing. It makes me wonder what will come of him by the end of the series. Will he succeed in his mission or will he live to become the thing he hated? This all being said, Sevro was my favorite character. He is so iconic. And I absolutely love how

Spoiler

he was supposed to be an easy kill in The Passage, but ended up being one of the smartest and crucial members of the army/cast of characters in general

WRITING: The writing style took some getting used to, but I enjoy it thoroughly now. I also appreciate that certain plot points weren't elaborated too much. For example,

Spoiler

when Sevro tells Darrow he edited out his last words to Apollo, it isn't clear whether or not he knows. We as the reader can infer he does know and we also realize the power Sevro now holds and how it puts everything at stake... but Brown doesn't elaborate on this. Because he doesn't need to. He knows the reader is keeping up and instead of filling space repeating stakes (like many fantasy authors do), he uses his pen to continue the story

Brown trusts his readers, allowing him to make use of the pages he has, rather than waste them.

Overall: I loved this book. It was a bit slow at the beginning to me, but it paid off. Boy, does it pay off. I am so excited to read the second book and see how things flesh out. Not much else to say. Definitely recommend this one!

I finished this a while ago, but forgot to log it. I swear it didn't take me over a month to read 200 pages YOU GUYS HAVE TO BELIEVE ME

Oh my god.

This was everything I could have wanted in a book. The prose is well-written. The characters show development continuously. There is fun. There are jokes. There are stakes. There is tension. The plot hooks you and drags you for four hundred pages, then leaves you with its hook still in your mouth, and you think to yourself, "That was pain and I know that next time it will probably be so much worse, but I know what I'm getting myself into and damn it, if the next hook doesn't land in my mouth as soon as possible, I will go on living a shallow life, knowing that it would only be one more rush of pages that would change my life."

I feel I have learned. This book and the one before are proof that learning does not only stem from nonfiction. There are life lessons within this fictional world on paper. There are mistakes to learn from. Morals to guide us. Ideas that mirror our very world that is not ink on a page.

There are twists and turns and unexpected plot points, and simultaneously, there are plot points that are to be expected, that we hope and pray we are wrong about. The writing is smart. Reveals are earned and stick the landing.

What to say other than this book is golden. Teehee.

I can't wait to spend twenty bucks on the next one.

OFFICIAL RATING: 4.5 STARS

I wrote a review about this last night right after I finished the book, but it's safe to say that it probably doesn't convey my thoughts very well. So here are my thoughts after getting a full night's rest and being able to think on this book more.

What an absolute gem. I've heard some criticisms online about this trilogy that just make me so flabbergasted because how could you not enjoy this series? The writing in this book was consistent with the previous two books, meaning it was well-done, fast-paced, witty, smart, and unpredictable. I truly think this is one of the only series I have read where I have no idea what is going on sometimes, but in a good way. The way Brown writes plot twists is also so much fun because he does one of two things:

1- He'll leave a few breadcrumbs. Enough for you to know something is going to come from it, but have no idea what that thing is.
2- Knocking you over the head and expecting you to just get back up and keep reading.

What a fun time, either way. I was always on my toes and waiting for the payoff of certain things. That being said, there was one plot point that was set up PAGES before the payoff, which was only annoying because it tricked me and caused me emotional grief after forgetting about the setup. For fellow readers, I'm talking about when

Spoiler

Cassius is given the holocube by Darrow after their talk. This happened and then so much other shit happened before Cassius "kills" Sevro. And I forgot about it, so I thought that Cassius was actually a bad guy and I was like FUUCCKKK and the fact that he killed my Goblin??? I was like FUUUUUUUUUUCCCCKKK. I am so serious when I say that I had to pause for a solid few minutes after that initial shooting to cry silently before continuing. But then later on, I was like waiiit, something is up... more on that in a few sentences xoxo to my spoiler queens

Another skill I want to commend Brown for is his attention to detail. I'm sure there are dozens of examples but one specific one caught my eye in the third act of this book. Darrow lists some names. One name is left out. And that was E V E R Y T H I N G to me. It doesn't mean much out of context, but let me tell you, it reversed the heart attack I had several chapters prior. It is just so admirable to me. And it's like a little treat for the readers who are hanging on to every word - a little hint of what's to come without being too forward.

The themes overall are just so important. You've got the power of friendship, you've got found family, you've got equality, you've got trust, you've got morality, death and spirituality. All of which are more complex than I have written here, but man. Above all else, is the theme of hope and change for the better. The tragedies that push some of these themes forward are so emotionally wrecking. I didn't necessarily cry over some of them, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't take a moment of silence for certain plot points. Even now, having read the entire series, some of these thematic moments weigh on my heart. Ugh.

The best books are those that you think about and always come back to. I can say assuredly that I will be thinking about these characters and everything they've gone through for a bit. What a wonderful ride. It would be silly to not at least try this series out.



Initial Post-Reading Review (written in the depths of morning past my bedtime fr):

When I picked up this book tonight, I had around a hundred pages left. I told myself, "I'm going to finish this tonight," but I knew that the chance of that being a lie was pretty high. "And then... the funniest thing happened." - Bo Burnham.

This book took me about two weeks to finish and I felt myself struggling to pick it up with the same ease that I picked up the first two books. I still am not quite sure why that is, but I knew that I would finish this book even if it took longer than I would've liked. And when I reached a certain point tonight, I got to that point where I just couldn't put it down. It is currently 1:30 in the morning. I regret nothing.

Now to the actual book review and then an overall series review.

MORNING STAR REVIEW:

I have been struggling to put into words a proper opinion on this book. Perhaps that is because it is 1:38 in the morning now and I am used to going to bed before 11. But, who's to say?

As I mentioned, I struggled a bit to enjoy this book as much as Golden Son. I thought maybe it was because I just didn't like the thought of finishing such a great series, but that's sort of a cop-out. I found this book to be fundamentally different than its predecessors, which is completely due to the point that we're at in this book-spanning plot. We're in a space we haven't been in for either of the other novels, so of course it would feel different.

I also find that there is less tension in a way. There is still that worry of whether or not a plan with work or if they will achieve their goals, but I find that the interpersonal relationship tensions are very far and few. There is one that we get in the first quarter of the novel and it plays out rather well. And I don't think it's necessarily bad to lack those issues as a subplot, nor do I think the book would benefit from said subplots. If those subplots were to exist, it would introduce other issues (repetition, unnecessary plot points), so I can deal with that lower level of tension.

I like the character development. And I like it a lot. Over the course of this series, we are introduced constantly to new faces and names, but the ones that stick around develop like fine wine, whether for better or for worse. I found motivations to be logical and in character, and major developments to make sense and benefit the story and characters, obviously.

The fun of this book is one of my favorite things about it. There are serious themes in this book and ideas of morality and immortality and power and YET, we're still fed those quick banter-filled conversations over the coms before our favorite characters go out to war. And we're given the hilarious one-liners by the beloved friends we made along the way. And we're reminded that these guys are just like us. And it's just good fun.

I can't say I liked this more than Golden Son, but I can't complain about anything in Morning Star. Maybe a little, but if a book makes me cry (which this one did several times near the end, including the last line uh huh yeah), it deserves my appreciation.

SERIES REVIEW:

This series will probably be my favorite of the year. I absolutely love this world I was introduced to, the characters I've met, and the themes I can take into my own life. This book was so enjoyable. It was fun, action-packed, thrilling, political, funny, and well-written. What more could I ask for, really?

I have been and will continue to recommend this series. It was a great change of pace from my usual fantasy binges and has altered my brain chemistry I think. Note that it is almost 2 in the morning for me. That is how long I have been trying to piece together these sentences and hope they make sense. I'll check on this in the morning to see if I wrote anything stupid.

4.5/5 series

omnis vir lupis :)

probably the fastest I've ever read through a manga volume (I read most of this volume over the past hour and a half)

not sure what this arc is called, but I'm absolutely loving it. The character development for Kaneki is so interesting and I love love love it.

I haven't looked into the anime at all because I want to finish the manga before I watch it, but I hope these chapters are animated (I'd be very surprised if they weren't). Okay, I just looked it up and apparently season one of the anime covers 66 chapters, which is perfect because this volume covers ch 59-68. That means that season one is going to finish on such a crazy plot point wow. I'm so excited to finish this manga and watch the anime.

Definitely my favorite of the volumes so far and it's not just because I think Ken looks cooler with grey hair

4.5 stars

was a pretty solid ending to this arc. The Owl plotline was interesting but not my favorite. Lots of setup though, so I am excited to see where this goes.

After months and months of waiting, it's finally here - my next book review.

Johannes Cabal struck me as an interesting read from the second I read the back of the book in the local Barnes and Noble. Never did I imagine I would have as much fun as I did reading this. Some books are interesting and not fun. Some books are fun but lack a depth to them. This does it all, baby.

It's a simple plot, really. But the characters are so fun to follow, most of all, obviously, Johannes Cabal. If you love a good antihero, morally grey protagonist, what are you waiting for. Buy this book. Buy it. Buy it.

My favorite thing about this novel is the writing style. It is so easy to read, yet so descriptive, captivating, intelligent, witty, all the good words to describe writing. I laughed every chapter, which I didn't expect at all considering the plot. As we got to the end as things became a bit more tense, the writing held up. There were even points where I was like, "oh, this is getting sort of eerie. I was just laughing like five minutes ago"

This review is pretty ass compared to my usual stuff, but maybe that's because I actually liked the book! Has anybody noticed that my reviews are way shorter when I really like a book because I have less to shit on? I certainly have. Anyway, this is the best you're gonna get from me. I'm pretty pooped.

Overall, great book. Already have the next in the series. Definitely recommend for anybody who likes darker plots with a layer of humor, some weird plot elements, and the need to be unexpectedly provoked into thought.

xoxo, gossip girl

P.S.
It's good to be back, goodreads. Did you miss me? Hello to my small amount of followers, both of whom do NOT read my reviews. I cherish you.

This took me longer to get into than I had thought it would, especially given the fact that we hit the ground running from page one.

I don’t know if it’s fair to say I was disappointed, but I feel it is my truth. There were elements of this book that were executed very well, one of those things being Nick’s character. However, the execution of this plot left me wanting more which is an issue since the book really focuses on the main plot - its subplots receive less attention than they deserve.

I found myself interested in the religion aspect of it - how could you not be - especially as someone with a religious background. The world building was interested for sure… to an extent. Near the beginning of my read, I found myself sort of being prompted to think about religion and you know, have some thoughts. Prime thinking time. But as the book went on, I found myself a bit bored I guess. And I think that comes down to the writing style.

I’m not sure if this is this author’s first novel (and I’m aware I could look this information up, but frankly it’s my bed time and I’m too lazy), but it seemed at times like they just wanted to get their book over with. There were several points where I wanted more. More information. More description. Details. Character moments. ESPECIALLY during the climax. That was over too soon for my satisfaction. This story deserved more than what it ended up with.

Another issue that came up due to the writing style (for me) was confusion just in general I guess. Don’t think that sentence made sense. Please bear with me.

I still don’t know the relationships between side characters. Who is Sadaf dating? Or is it Aisha? Are they together? There’s a pair that’s together and a third person that is always with them but isn’t part of the couple. Main complaint here is that I wanted more time with these side characters. There were quite a few, by the way, for them not really doing anything other than existing. No offense, but in reality, Cormac is the only one who felt real to me. Everyone else just felt like they were there for numbers.

More confusion arose near the end when Benji was fighting the enemy man. I could just be dumb as rocks but I couldn’t tell at certain points if they were underwater or not. At one point it was like “he shoved me into the water” and then further down the page it was like “he was going to crack my head on the concrete” and I was like huh? I thought we were in the water. Not to say that there can’t be concrete underwater. The wording is just weird and creates confusion.

It had a lot of potential, but it felt pretty flat to me overall. Pretty cool concept though. Definitely engaged in some pondering while reading this.

Blatant retelling of When Harry Met Sally with too many Taylor Swift references.

That being said… did I enjoy myself? Yeah. Yeah, I did.

Minor plagiarism aside, this novel was more enjoyable than any other works of Lynn Painter that I’ve indulged in. God, I hope that sentence made sense. Was it cheesy? Yeah definitely. Was there a whole job description for pages and pages just for it to have no relevance later because they end up working at a desk? Yeah, there was. Was it probably illogical and have plot points of fake dating that made no sense just for the hell of including fake dating? When is there ever a logical explanation for fake dating. Be real.

All of this was made acceptable by 1- the story pacing and 2- Charlie.

PACING: unlike Painter’s other novels, this one felt like things were progressing in a logical fashion. I get pretty upset when the romance is realized and acted on early on, and while there were obvious emotions early on, the real attraction between characters didn’t seem to come into play until around halfway through the book, which was great for me as a reader. I need me a slow burn.

CHARLIE: the most likable of Painter’s love interests undoubtedly. Sarcastic and funny on the outside, extremely loving and caring in the inside - textbook definition of a trope (me when I don’t know the definition of trope) (you get the point I was trying to make) but it’s fun to read so I don’t give a damn.

I had a complaint but I just forgot it. Give me a second.

Oh.

Lynn needs to get into the adult sphere. Because why am I reading about high schoolers? Okay, realizing this one is on me. However, Lynn has a great way of writing and it always gives me butterflies but at one point I was reading this and I was like oh hey so these guys are like not grown ups. AND ON TOP OF THIS, LYNN WRITES LIKE THEY ARE.

This is my complaint. Why write adult characters and be like “nah but they’re in high school”???? The characters in this book, while cheesy at times and prone to stupid jokes or nicknames or statements and actions in general, are overall too mature in their thoughts and actions to be in high school. This book would’ve been elevated if it had taken place in like their second year of college. BECAUSE ALSO WHY ARE THEY IN HIGH SCHOOL WHEN WE DONT EVEN HAVE SCENES OR PLOT POINTS THAT HAVE TO WITH SCHOOLING??? It’ll be like “oh yeah Charlie is actually super smart” and then they play trivia to prove that point. Not once were the characters in school. SO JUST PUT THEM IN COLLEGE. PUT THEM IN COLLEGE.

I’m sure there’s plenty other things to nitpick about but I’ll leave it here because I need to go blow my nose.

Just know this book, while main thing several decent size faults, is a good, quick, enjoyable read.

Also shoutout to this book for marking me reaching my reading goal. 24 books for 2024.

Pray I can complete my 25 for 2025. Bye bye readers. (Nobody is reading this smh)