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theengineerisreading's reviews
780 reviews
Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith
4.0
Okay, I am guiltily admitting that this book is both hilarious and entertaining for some reason I can't explain. Let me just share you my key takeaways from Andrew Smith's Grasshopper Jungle.
First, the main character's spontaneity is oddly pleasing. Austin Szerba, the Polish boy, did a good job writing the most important information of Iowan history that is generally the history of how the world ended. I love how distinct and concrete the voice and character of Austin and how brave the author is for developing a protagonist like him.
I also love how random the narration is, and as random as it is, it did not affect the whole Grasshopper Jungle apocalypse storyline because my mind clearly understood the story of how these Lutheran teens ventured to save the world from doom. Most lines were cleverly crafted and perfectly fit the characters of Austin, Robby Brees, and Shan Collins.
This book is brave. Though I must put a content warning in this review as this read has gun violence, explicit cursing, challenged racism, and sarcastic blasphemy if that's a thing; I won't forget the fact that this book is an ownvoices book because it represents queer teens and bisexual teens. And there's a lot of lesson we can pick from this book about history and why we keep on doing something wrong even if it's already proven that these wrongdoings did not do us any good.
Lastly, I am glad that I finally had the time to finish this book as the sequel, Exile from Eden, will be available in bookstores soon. For this one, thanks Booksale! Ciao.
Rating: 4stars
First, the main character's spontaneity is oddly pleasing. Austin Szerba, the Polish boy, did a good job writing the most important information of Iowan history that is generally the history of how the world ended. I love how distinct and concrete the voice and character of Austin and how brave the author is for developing a protagonist like him.
I also love how random the narration is, and as random as it is, it did not affect the whole Grasshopper Jungle apocalypse storyline because my mind clearly understood the story of how these Lutheran teens ventured to save the world from doom. Most lines were cleverly crafted and perfectly fit the characters of Austin, Robby Brees, and Shan Collins.
This book is brave. Though I must put a content warning in this review as this read has gun violence, explicit cursing, challenged racism, and sarcastic blasphemy if that's a thing; I won't forget the fact that this book is an ownvoices book because it represents queer teens and bisexual teens. And there's a lot of lesson we can pick from this book about history and why we keep on doing something wrong even if it's already proven that these wrongdoings did not do us any good.
Lastly, I am glad that I finally had the time to finish this book as the sequel, Exile from Eden, will be available in bookstores soon. For this one, thanks Booksale! Ciao.
Rating: 4stars
To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo
4.0
For this month, my entire TBR is filled with backlist titles that I have in my TBR for a long time and will finally visit for today. First on my list is Alexandra Christo's To Kill a Kingdom.
I've been hearing a lot of good reviews about this book since it was released last year because it was a very genius retelling of our beloved Little Mermaid and being in tha nostalgic part of the year when almost all of childhood Disney movies re being remade, I braved myself for another venture down the memory lane with applauded Disney's beloved mermaid retelling.
I love that Alexandra successfully built a world that perfectly fit mermaids and kingdom. The world building was absolutely fantastic that it is unquestionable all throughout the journey. The battle between the underground creatures under the powerful Sea Queen and land dwellers led by Midasan's very own Prince Elian is something I looked forward to and the book did not disappoint.
I also like the fact that our main character is a strong and powerful woman in the name of Princess Lira, an heiress to the Diavolos' most powerful position. I love that even if the character is a fruit of fantasy, Alexandra did not forgt to add human interest in her which perfectly fit in the puzzle of the storyline.
Lastly, the fact that all the twists and curveballs presented in the storyline were totally unpredictable is a gamechanger because that's the factor that forced me to flip the pages until I read the last chapters.
Overall, I will be with the majority of the book community in this one and say that this book by Alexandra Christo is on of the best retellings I've ever read. Cheers to more.
Rating: 4stars
I've been hearing a lot of good reviews about this book since it was released last year because it was a very genius retelling of our beloved Little Mermaid and being in tha nostalgic part of the year when almost all of childhood Disney movies re being remade, I braved myself for another venture down the memory lane with applauded Disney's beloved mermaid retelling.
I love that Alexandra successfully built a world that perfectly fit mermaids and kingdom. The world building was absolutely fantastic that it is unquestionable all throughout the journey. The battle between the underground creatures under the powerful Sea Queen and land dwellers led by Midasan's very own Prince Elian is something I looked forward to and the book did not disappoint.
I also like the fact that our main character is a strong and powerful woman in the name of Princess Lira, an heiress to the Diavolos' most powerful position. I love that even if the character is a fruit of fantasy, Alexandra did not forgt to add human interest in her which perfectly fit in the puzzle of the storyline.
Lastly, the fact that all the twists and curveballs presented in the storyline were totally unpredictable is a gamechanger because that's the factor that forced me to flip the pages until I read the last chapters.
Overall, I will be with the majority of the book community in this one and say that this book by Alexandra Christo is on of the best retellings I've ever read. Cheers to more.
Rating: 4stars
Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
3.0
I had a hard time writing a decent review for this book as I had a busy weekend then weekday job started rolling so maybe I'll try to butcher something with the best I can give.
This book is a light read, I am definitely going to write that because it really is. I love the idea of reading a book about road trip and finding your identity through personal hardship which, in this case, is grief and heartbreak. Though the book presented a lot of backstories for the main characters Amy and Roger, Morgan Matson made sure that all of it will just flavor up the human appeal in each of our MCs.
Another thing I love is that though it is a contemporary read, the storyline never lacked of adventure feels. Amy and Roger's epic detour from California to most American states is truly an enjoyable ride that appeals to the wandeelust in me.
However, I had a hard time placing my judgment for the entirety of the storyline. I must admit that 2012 me may enjoy this book and gave it a five star but living in this golden age of literature and having finished a lot of great reads, I must say that though this book is greatly enjoyable this is not something I will clearly put in my top 5 list. But still, Amy and Roger both have a special place in my bookish heart and for that, Ciao.
Rating: 3stars
This book is a light read, I am definitely going to write that because it really is. I love the idea of reading a book about road trip and finding your identity through personal hardship which, in this case, is grief and heartbreak. Though the book presented a lot of backstories for the main characters Amy and Roger, Morgan Matson made sure that all of it will just flavor up the human appeal in each of our MCs.
Another thing I love is that though it is a contemporary read, the storyline never lacked of adventure feels. Amy and Roger's epic detour from California to most American states is truly an enjoyable ride that appeals to the wandeelust in me.
However, I had a hard time placing my judgment for the entirety of the storyline. I must admit that 2012 me may enjoy this book and gave it a five star but living in this golden age of literature and having finished a lot of great reads, I must say that though this book is greatly enjoyable this is not something I will clearly put in my top 5 list. But still, Amy and Roger both have a special place in my bookish heart and for that, Ciao.
Rating: 3stars
Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer
3.0
This book is something.
I picked Meg Wolitzer's Belzhar up because the gist sounds promising and when I searched the book on Goodreads, the bookish community have mixed opinions on this one hence I braved the storm and try to give my own take on this book.
In my opinion, this book has good intention to represent but lacked in clever execution. I know I may sound bias with this but this one was published way before the world became awake with many societal issues that were being considered nowadays. The story revolved on five teens who were at a recovery facility called The Wooden Barn and enrolled at a mysterious class called Special Topics on English under the supervision of Mrs. Q. With their involvement with each other's 'fragile' lives comes a bigger responsibility for every one which is to always look out for each other. But their class will never be branded special without a reason and the mystery unravel right before their eyes with a huge dilemma involving their past and their future.
As I said before, I expected this one to be an astounding #ownvoices gem yet there were some goods that were not clearly delivered well. I love the entirety of the gist but the storyline focused on Jam Gallaghue and Reeve Maxfield's relationship rather than exploring the character development of both which would be way better than the former. Though the ending made the Jam-Reeve emotional dispute way clearer, the mystery of the Belzhar fell off and so the rest of the story.
Overall, I enjoyed the first 200 pages of the book (which is 80% of it) so I'll still give this one a decent rating. Ciao.
RATING: 3stars
I picked Meg Wolitzer's Belzhar up because the gist sounds promising and when I searched the book on Goodreads, the bookish community have mixed opinions on this one hence I braved the storm and try to give my own take on this book.
In my opinion, this book has good intention to represent but lacked in clever execution. I know I may sound bias with this but this one was published way before the world became awake with many societal issues that were being considered nowadays. The story revolved on five teens who were at a recovery facility called The Wooden Barn and enrolled at a mysterious class called Special Topics on English under the supervision of Mrs. Q. With their involvement with each other's 'fragile' lives comes a bigger responsibility for every one which is to always look out for each other. But their class will never be branded special without a reason and the mystery unravel right before their eyes with a huge dilemma involving their past and their future.
As I said before, I expected this one to be an astounding #ownvoices gem yet there were some goods that were not clearly delivered well. I love the entirety of the gist but the storyline focused on Jam Gallaghue and Reeve Maxfield's relationship rather than exploring the character development of both which would be way better than the former. Though the ending made the Jam-Reeve emotional dispute way clearer, the mystery of the Belzhar fell off and so the rest of the story.
Overall, I enjoyed the first 200 pages of the book (which is 80% of it) so I'll still give this one a decent rating. Ciao.
RATING: 3stars
We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson
5.0
We are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson is probably my last read for this month and I need some serious time to move on because this book is so deep, I almost drowned.
Revolving on the story of Henry Denton, a high school teen who is the apple of the eye of Calypso High School for being known as Space Boy or the boy who was being abducted by aliens. Unknowingly, the reason behind Henry's abduction is he was chosen by our extraterrestrial neighbors to decide whether the world still needs to be saved or not by pressing a red button. But having all these dilemmas in life involving his messed-up family, the suicide of his boyfriend, and the constant bullying at school, Henry decided that the world is too cruel and Earth needs a reset in general. However, the tables turned when Henry met Diego Vega, a mysterious transferee from Colorado who's into painting and art stuff. The question is, is it too late for Diego to enter Henry's life and make him choose to save the world? Or will the fate favor us and Henry push the button for the entire humanity?
First of all, I love how well-written each character in this book is. From our beloved Henry Denton to transforming Charlie and Zooey, it seems that Shaun David Hutchinson invested time in making sure each character stood out in their own unique way. My personal favorite is Nana because I have a soft spot for the elderlies and Ms. Faraci, as underrated as she is in CHS she still deserve all the recognition for helping Henry in keeping his chin up and braving the battle amidst all the hardships.
Another thing I so loved about this book is how real this is. I know the characters and the setting is all fictional but the concept and the passages in this book screams reality and it may be an understatement to say this but trust me, every human in this planet should be obliged to read this gem because that's how fantastic this is.
Lastly, it may be subtle in my own perspective but my key takeaway with this book is that it is always better to practice kindness. This world is already too cruel and unjust to even spread hate and animosity. Be kind. And let's make this world a better place to live in. Ciao.
Rating:5stars
Revolving on the story of Henry Denton, a high school teen who is the apple of the eye of Calypso High School for being known as Space Boy or the boy who was being abducted by aliens. Unknowingly, the reason behind Henry's abduction is he was chosen by our extraterrestrial neighbors to decide whether the world still needs to be saved or not by pressing a red button. But having all these dilemmas in life involving his messed-up family, the suicide of his boyfriend, and the constant bullying at school, Henry decided that the world is too cruel and Earth needs a reset in general. However, the tables turned when Henry met Diego Vega, a mysterious transferee from Colorado who's into painting and art stuff. The question is, is it too late for Diego to enter Henry's life and make him choose to save the world? Or will the fate favor us and Henry push the button for the entire humanity?
First of all, I love how well-written each character in this book is. From our beloved Henry Denton to transforming Charlie and Zooey, it seems that Shaun David Hutchinson invested time in making sure each character stood out in their own unique way. My personal favorite is Nana because I have a soft spot for the elderlies and Ms. Faraci, as underrated as she is in CHS she still deserve all the recognition for helping Henry in keeping his chin up and braving the battle amidst all the hardships.
Another thing I so loved about this book is how real this is. I know the characters and the setting is all fictional but the concept and the passages in this book screams reality and it may be an understatement to say this but trust me, every human in this planet should be obliged to read this gem because that's how fantastic this is.
Lastly, it may be subtle in my own perspective but my key takeaway with this book is that it is always better to practice kindness. This world is already too cruel and unjust to even spread hate and animosity. Be kind. And let's make this world a better place to live in. Ciao.
Rating:5stars
Lalani of the Distant Sea by Erin Entrada Kelly
5.0
Have your ever read a book that connects so much to you it feels like it's seeing through your soul? In my case, Erin Entrada Kelly's MG fantasy debut, Lalani of the Distant Sea, will be THAT book. Because even though the narration did not clearly state that the story has Filipinx MCs and setting, the entirety of the storyline screams Filipino pride.
First, let me just tell you that this book is rich with Filipino folklore and mythology so wonderfully reimagined, it will make yourself more interested to our own stories and legends. Revolving on the story of Lalani Sarita, a young Sanlagitan girl who always thinks outside of the box and loves stories of mysteries. When an overlong drought came upon the island of Sanlagita pestering both the people and their produce, people tried to make ends meet by making the most out of what's left in their village. But Lalani is different as she is a girl with a fresh perspective of the world. When an instance brought her along the footsteps of the forbidden lands of Mount Kahna, Lalani found the truth behind the darkness covering this clandestine landform. But with this comes a choice that pushed her to go beyond her limits and do what she think is best for her family and the rest of Sanlagita. The question is, will she make it out of the quest alive or will she be just like any other Sanlagitan men who tried before but never came back to their homeland?
As powerful and imaginative as it is, Erin's Lalani of the Distant Sea easily became my most favorite book of the year. The fact that it features the best of the best of Philippine mythology and folklore is definitely something that excited me when I first heard about it last year and now that I finished a copy and will soon be released. I love how Erin reimagined most Filipino folk stories like the nunso (a wordplay for nuno sa punso) and Fei Diwata (Diwata means fairy in Filipino). There's also a lot of interesting tale characters in this like Ziva, the goyuk, Bai-Vinca, whenbos, the weeping loset, the Ditasa-Ulod, and the mindorens (which I imagine as tamaraws and mindoren must be derived from Mindoro?) If you want a fresh take on the Philippines old fables and folklores, this book should definitely be on your shelves.
Another thing I love about this book is how it challenges the beauty of childhood thinking in a way that it inspires children and adults like me to always see the bigger picture in everything the way our MC, Lalani, does. The story delivered the notable Erin Kelly vibe which embodies her Filipino trait of being generous to others and being brave in times of desperation.
Moving on, let me highlight another good point on this book which is the importance of making yourself go the distance. Lalani Sarita may be a simple girl in the outside but her brain holds more plans than anyone. She simply had the choice to just accept her fate as a Sanlagitan girl who will be either a mender or a farmer but she did not conform to the norm and instead did her best in forging her own path. This may be subtle but that takeaway tells a lot when it comes to taking the risk and doing things that we should do instead of just going with the flow and be a dead fish.
I may not be able to translate all the things I love about this book but let me have this space to scream that this is how being represented feels like.
Lastly, the illustrations in this book were exemplary and outstanding. Lian Cho's artwork served its purpose and added a clearer view to the picture being painted by Erin's words. And let me just commend Erin, Lian, and the rest of the Greenwillow team for bringing this book to the world. You guys deserved all the love.
FUN FACT:
When I finished the book, I had the time to chat with Erin since I defffff love this and I want to be a Sanlagitan. I asked her who is her inspiration in naming one of the Whenbos in Isa, Sai, and she confirmed that it's me because I met her last year when she's still finishing this book and I absolutely panicked and hell yeah, send a lot of hugs to her. Waaaaaah!
RATING: 5 astonishing pahaalusk shells
First, let me just tell you that this book is rich with Filipino folklore and mythology so wonderfully reimagined, it will make yourself more interested to our own stories and legends. Revolving on the story of Lalani Sarita, a young Sanlagitan girl who always thinks outside of the box and loves stories of mysteries. When an overlong drought came upon the island of Sanlagita pestering both the people and their produce, people tried to make ends meet by making the most out of what's left in their village. But Lalani is different as she is a girl with a fresh perspective of the world. When an instance brought her along the footsteps of the forbidden lands of Mount Kahna, Lalani found the truth behind the darkness covering this clandestine landform. But with this comes a choice that pushed her to go beyond her limits and do what she think is best for her family and the rest of Sanlagita. The question is, will she make it out of the quest alive or will she be just like any other Sanlagitan men who tried before but never came back to their homeland?
As powerful and imaginative as it is, Erin's Lalani of the Distant Sea easily became my most favorite book of the year. The fact that it features the best of the best of Philippine mythology and folklore is definitely something that excited me when I first heard about it last year and now that I finished a copy and will soon be released. I love how Erin reimagined most Filipino folk stories like the nunso (a wordplay for nuno sa punso) and Fei Diwata (Diwata means fairy in Filipino). There's also a lot of interesting tale characters in this like Ziva, the goyuk, Bai-Vinca, whenbos, the weeping loset, the Ditasa-Ulod, and the mindorens (which I imagine as tamaraws and mindoren must be derived from Mindoro?) If you want a fresh take on the Philippines old fables and folklores, this book should definitely be on your shelves.
Another thing I love about this book is how it challenges the beauty of childhood thinking in a way that it inspires children and adults like me to always see the bigger picture in everything the way our MC, Lalani, does. The story delivered the notable Erin Kelly vibe which embodies her Filipino trait of being generous to others and being brave in times of desperation.
Moving on, let me highlight another good point on this book which is the importance of making yourself go the distance. Lalani Sarita may be a simple girl in the outside but her brain holds more plans than anyone. She simply had the choice to just accept her fate as a Sanlagitan girl who will be either a mender or a farmer but she did not conform to the norm and instead did her best in forging her own path. This may be subtle but that takeaway tells a lot when it comes to taking the risk and doing things that we should do instead of just going with the flow and be a dead fish.
I may not be able to translate all the things I love about this book but let me have this space to scream that this is how being represented feels like.
Lastly, the illustrations in this book were exemplary and outstanding. Lian Cho's artwork served its purpose and added a clearer view to the picture being painted by Erin's words. And let me just commend Erin, Lian, and the rest of the Greenwillow team for bringing this book to the world. You guys deserved all the love.
FUN FACT:
When I finished the book, I had the time to chat with Erin since I defffff love this and I want to be a Sanlagitan. I asked her who is her inspiration in naming one of the Whenbos in Isa, Sai, and she confirmed that it's me because I met her last year when she's still finishing this book and I absolutely panicked and hell yeah, send a lot of hugs to her. Waaaaaah!
RATING: 5 astonishing pahaalusk shells
Ignite the Stars by Maura Milan
4.0
I've been seeing a lot of good reviews about this book since it was released last year and now that it's sequel is already scheduled for publishing next month, I finally decided to go with this space adventure.
The first thing that got my interest with this book is because the author, Maura Milan, is a Filipino author and I loooooove reading works by Filipino authors, be it own voices our not.
In Ignite the Stars, Maura delivered a strong and unique storyline focusing on Ia Cõcha, a teen girl space badass known for her sabotaging works against the Commonwealth. But her arrest led to a more complicated territory wars in space resulting to an upcoming war if the issue was not resolved. With her plan to escape the Commonwealth plan on transforming her into a unstoppable cadet of their government, Ia wasted no time in planning a step ahead and doing her best in working hand-in-hand with her brother, Einn Galantin, so she can return to All Black and be the infamous Blood Wolf of the Skies again. But things became different as Ia starts to learn the reality of the universe, with her failed escape plan and an upcoming intergalactic decimation from an unknown force, Ia had to choose on which side she should battle with.
This book seriously gave me Legend (by Marie Lu) vibes and I honestly love that series that's why I also devoured this read in two sittings. I can see Ia Cõcha's grit and determination similar to Daniel Altan Wing, and with that, I was completely sold. The storyline never lacked of action and intense scenes that'll surely make you flip the pages more and more.
I also love that this one was set in space and as far as I can remember, this is the only YA sci-fi I read that happened in this type of setting and Ignite the Stars did not disappoint. Though there were some points in the plot that you need to read twice and convince that this is doable since I'm reading a fictional story, the entirety of the book was enjoyable, overall.
Moreover, Maura writing this one with a strong and powerful girl as her MC was a plus one for me as well since we need more stories featuring badass girls and of course, Ia Cõcha did not disappoint too. Her skills in fighting and intergalactic battles is truly unquestionable and I need more of this story that's why I'm jumping forward to Eclipse the Skies tomorrow. But for now, ciao.
RATING: 4stars
The first thing that got my interest with this book is because the author, Maura Milan, is a Filipino author and I loooooove reading works by Filipino authors, be it own voices our not.
In Ignite the Stars, Maura delivered a strong and unique storyline focusing on Ia Cõcha, a teen girl space badass known for her sabotaging works against the Commonwealth. But her arrest led to a more complicated territory wars in space resulting to an upcoming war if the issue was not resolved. With her plan to escape the Commonwealth plan on transforming her into a unstoppable cadet of their government, Ia wasted no time in planning a step ahead and doing her best in working hand-in-hand with her brother, Einn Galantin, so she can return to All Black and be the infamous Blood Wolf of the Skies again. But things became different as Ia starts to learn the reality of the universe, with her failed escape plan and an upcoming intergalactic decimation from an unknown force, Ia had to choose on which side she should battle with.
This book seriously gave me Legend (by Marie Lu) vibes and I honestly love that series that's why I also devoured this read in two sittings. I can see Ia Cõcha's grit and determination similar to Daniel Altan Wing, and with that, I was completely sold. The storyline never lacked of action and intense scenes that'll surely make you flip the pages more and more.
I also love that this one was set in space and as far as I can remember, this is the only YA sci-fi I read that happened in this type of setting and Ignite the Stars did not disappoint. Though there were some points in the plot that you need to read twice and convince that this is doable since I'm reading a fictional story, the entirety of the book was enjoyable, overall.
Moreover, Maura writing this one with a strong and powerful girl as her MC was a plus one for me as well since we need more stories featuring badass girls and of course, Ia Cõcha did not disappoint too. Her skills in fighting and intergalactic battles is truly unquestionable and I need more of this story that's why I'm jumping forward to Eclipse the Skies tomorrow. But for now, ciao.
RATING: 4stars
Eclipse the Skies by Maura Milan
4.0
So here comes the sequel to the most-awaited space-themed dysptopian novel. In this book, Maura Milan focused on Ia Cõcha's battle against her evil brother, Einn Galatin, after the latter wreak havoc on most of Commonwealth's territory.
With the brewing intergalactic war between Einn-led rebels and the weakening forces of Royal Star Force, Ia has had to make a choice between making her dream of bringing Commonwealth down or taking his brother down before he unleash his full force and be the god of the universe he dreams of ever since. Stars, planets, starjets, lasers, blades, and anger will all clash in this riveting sequel to Maura Milan's debut novel, Ignite the Stars. The question is who will stand the test of time? Will it be our beloved outlaw-turned-hero Ia Cõcha or her powerful evil sibling Einn.
Let's have a serious talk. I am still enraged with all these type of tropes that let you have unhappy endings. I mean, after building all that chemistry between Ia and Knives my past self reading the book 100 pages before the end was so sure that these two are deserving of a majestic sunset viewing in the end. But no, our beloved Blood wolf of the Skies made a huge sacrifice for the entire universe leaving our poor good-hearted Knives alone in the vast blanket of blackness. Anyway, that just made this story even greater and it showed on my pace as I finished this book in two days, reading in-between breaks and meetings.
On a lighter note, Eclipse the Skies showed Maura Milan's darker style of writing. Her flexibility greatly showed in the chapters of this book and how our beloved characters turned into something we love, hate, or worse, abhor.
Overall, this duology is an unexpected ride that I wholeheartedly enjoyed all along and I am more than happy to read more books featuring our esteemed intergalactic heroes.
RATING: 4stars
With the brewing intergalactic war between Einn-led rebels and the weakening forces of Royal Star Force, Ia has had to make a choice between making her dream of bringing Commonwealth down or taking his brother down before he unleash his full force and be the god of the universe he dreams of ever since. Stars, planets, starjets, lasers, blades, and anger will all clash in this riveting sequel to Maura Milan's debut novel, Ignite the Stars. The question is who will stand the test of time? Will it be our beloved outlaw-turned-hero Ia Cõcha or her powerful evil sibling Einn.
Let's have a serious talk. I am still enraged with all these type of tropes that let you have unhappy endings. I mean, after building all that chemistry between Ia and Knives my past self reading the book 100 pages before the end was so sure that these two are deserving of a majestic sunset viewing in the end. But no, our beloved Blood wolf of the Skies made a huge sacrifice for the entire universe leaving our poor good-hearted Knives alone in the vast blanket of blackness. Anyway, that just made this story even greater and it showed on my pace as I finished this book in two days, reading in-between breaks and meetings.
On a lighter note, Eclipse the Skies showed Maura Milan's darker style of writing. Her flexibility greatly showed in the chapters of this book and how our beloved characters turned into something we love, hate, or worse, abhor.
Overall, this duology is an unexpected ride that I wholeheartedly enjoyed all along and I am more than happy to read more books featuring our esteemed intergalactic heroes.
RATING: 4stars
Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds
4.0
After waiting for months to get my hands on this anticipated 2019 debut novel by Justin A. Reynolds, I finally had the courage to flip the pages of Opposite of Always and well, let's see what my key takeaways are with this book.
First thing that got me interested in this book is the idea of time travel. Pitch me something that has time travel and I'll surely put it up on my TBR. And I've read a lot of good time travel novels and this one is a cute, contemporary gem that is surely remarkable and is on my Top 5 list of favorite time travel books.
The characters. Ughhhh. I love them all. From Jackie Ellieson King to Kate Edwards to Jillian and Francisco to Abuela and even annoying Reggie Edwards, everyone in this book stood out with their own unique characteristics and they are all lovable as hell. My most favorite (though I know we should not pick favorites) is Jack King because his character is spontaneous and though he sometimes has personality issues when it comes to making decisions, his final act clearly showed up how genuine of a person he is in doing his best for the person, er, people he love. I hope I have the same courage and confidence as his because that would be totally cool. And am I the only one who noticed but are the main characters names derived from the Titanic's MCs, Jack and Rose (Kate Winslet)?
There are a lot of enjoyable moments in this book that I just found myself giggling and blushing for our main characters but I particularly love Jack and Kate's cereal moments. With Kate being the eternal Cap'n to Jack's Crunch and that impulsive, massive cereal shopping... I wished I can be with them during that time because that sounds so fun in my head.
Moreover, I love how this one sounded so innocent and mature at the same time. Though the main focus of this story revolved on Jack King's attempt to save the love of his life in a series of looping time travel, the bigger picture showed a lot of obstacles a teenage can encounter during the journey to adulthood. Like Franny's conflict with his father, Jillian and her family issues, and Jack's sort-of-misadventure when it comes to choosing the right path to saving Kate. All in all, this book shows that we all have different battles in our own circle that's why we should always be more mindful and sensitive before we speak or act towards others.
Lastly, if I am going to point out a possible area of improvement for this book I think it would be the pacing of each time travel. There were times that the loop seems to happen for a time longer than four months and it was confusing at first but overall, the story was really enjoyable and it was a cute, fluffy read that will make you question, Are you willing to relive the worst parts of your life just to save the one you love? It's definitely a yes for me.
RATING: 4stars
First thing that got me interested in this book is the idea of time travel. Pitch me something that has time travel and I'll surely put it up on my TBR. And I've read a lot of good time travel novels and this one is a cute, contemporary gem that is surely remarkable and is on my Top 5 list of favorite time travel books.
The characters. Ughhhh. I love them all. From Jackie Ellieson King to Kate Edwards to Jillian and Francisco to Abuela and even annoying Reggie Edwards, everyone in this book stood out with their own unique characteristics and they are all lovable as hell. My most favorite (though I know we should not pick favorites) is Jack King because his character is spontaneous and though he sometimes has personality issues when it comes to making decisions, his final act clearly showed up how genuine of a person he is in doing his best for the person, er, people he love. I hope I have the same courage and confidence as his because that would be totally cool. And am I the only one who noticed but are the main characters names derived from the Titanic's MCs, Jack and Rose (Kate Winslet)?
There are a lot of enjoyable moments in this book that I just found myself giggling and blushing for our main characters but I particularly love Jack and Kate's cereal moments. With Kate being the eternal Cap'n to Jack's Crunch and that impulsive, massive cereal shopping... I wished I can be with them during that time because that sounds so fun in my head.
Moreover, I love how this one sounded so innocent and mature at the same time. Though the main focus of this story revolved on Jack King's attempt to save the love of his life in a series of looping time travel, the bigger picture showed a lot of obstacles a teenage can encounter during the journey to adulthood. Like Franny's conflict with his father, Jillian and her family issues, and Jack's sort-of-misadventure when it comes to choosing the right path to saving Kate. All in all, this book shows that we all have different battles in our own circle that's why we should always be more mindful and sensitive before we speak or act towards others.
Lastly, if I am going to point out a possible area of improvement for this book I think it would be the pacing of each time travel. There were times that the loop seems to happen for a time longer than four months and it was confusing at first but overall, the story was really enjoyable and it was a cute, fluffy read that will make you question, Are you willing to relive the worst parts of your life just to save the one you love? It's definitely a yes for me.
RATING: 4stars
Spindle Fire by Lexa Hillyer
4.0
As poetic as the words within this book, Spindle Fire is a retelling masterpiece that is both enjoyable and entertaining in a brand new level.
Revolving on the story of Deluce's half-sister princesses Aurora and Isabella, the latter being a bastard royal, Spindle Fire features a tweaked story of the beloved classic Sleeping Beauty with more intense wickedness and emotional content. Both our princesses were taken away of their primary senses. Aurora without sense of touch and voice, while Isabelle with no sense of sight after being tithed by faeries during Aurora's royal christening. But these conditions did not affect their sisterhood as they become binded as years grow by. That was until the veiled curse of evil faerie Malfleur finally came to life after Aurora got pricked on a spindle of a magical spinning wheel. This fate led the Kingdom of Deluce to succumb to the sleeping sickness which is the side effect of the evil fae's trick, and prompted Isabelle to venture on an impossible quest to find the right person that will be on her side to save her sister from her slumber, and their kingdom from an expected damnation.
Here's what I love about Spindle Fire...
First, I really do enjoy books that focus on retellings. Even if this is only the second book from the same category that I read this year, I'm still awestruck with the way Lexa Hillyer crafted this book and how this made the beloved fairytale even more lovable and memorable.
I also love the fact that this highlights the importance of being connected with your family. It may be too *cheesy* but I seriously think that our thinking reflects on the books we read in our life and if we are feeding our minds with books that has good morals, then we'll run this world humanely. Though Spindle Fire showed two different pictures of sisterhood, it is still clear how different one was from the other. I mean, I love that this book pointed out the beauty in sticking out for the ones we love, especially our family.
Fierce, badass girls fighting fierce, wicked faeries? Who wouldn't love that? I am loving this women-empowered novels and we need more books with female MCs.
Though I rated the world-building in this book as something that can be improved, the magical dark realm of Sommeil was cleverly crafted and I am living for Aurora-Heath *even if Heath is sometimes annoying* and I super stan Isbe and Prince William.
What I don't like about Spindle Fire? Aside from the fact that Gilbert completely stepped out of the frame after their encounter with the narwhals at the Strait of Sorrow, there is nothing wrong with Spindle Fire and I'm dying to start Winter Glass tomorrow before I go to work because that ending was something I hoped to happen but did not completely expect. Cliffhangers being cliffhangers, I need to read the sequel soon.
Rating: 4.5stars
Revolving on the story of Deluce's half-sister princesses Aurora and Isabella, the latter being a bastard royal, Spindle Fire features a tweaked story of the beloved classic Sleeping Beauty with more intense wickedness and emotional content. Both our princesses were taken away of their primary senses. Aurora without sense of touch and voice, while Isabelle with no sense of sight after being tithed by faeries during Aurora's royal christening. But these conditions did not affect their sisterhood as they become binded as years grow by. That was until the veiled curse of evil faerie Malfleur finally came to life after Aurora got pricked on a spindle of a magical spinning wheel. This fate led the Kingdom of Deluce to succumb to the sleeping sickness which is the side effect of the evil fae's trick, and prompted Isabelle to venture on an impossible quest to find the right person that will be on her side to save her sister from her slumber, and their kingdom from an expected damnation.
Here's what I love about Spindle Fire...
First, I really do enjoy books that focus on retellings. Even if this is only the second book from the same category that I read this year, I'm still awestruck with the way Lexa Hillyer crafted this book and how this made the beloved fairytale even more lovable and memorable.
I also love the fact that this highlights the importance of being connected with your family. It may be too *cheesy* but I seriously think that our thinking reflects on the books we read in our life and if we are feeding our minds with books that has good morals, then we'll run this world humanely. Though Spindle Fire showed two different pictures of sisterhood, it is still clear how different one was from the other. I mean, I love that this book pointed out the beauty in sticking out for the ones we love, especially our family.
Fierce, badass girls fighting fierce, wicked faeries? Who wouldn't love that? I am loving this women-empowered novels and we need more books with female MCs.
Though I rated the world-building in this book as something that can be improved, the magical dark realm of Sommeil was cleverly crafted and I am living for Aurora-Heath *even if Heath is sometimes annoying* and I super stan Isbe and Prince William.
What I don't like about Spindle Fire? Aside from the fact that Gilbert completely stepped out of the frame after their encounter with the narwhals at the Strait of Sorrow, there is nothing wrong with Spindle Fire and I'm dying to start Winter Glass tomorrow before I go to work because that ending was something I hoped to happen but did not completely expect. Cliffhangers being cliffhangers, I need to read the sequel soon.
Rating: 4.5stars