Category: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Books, Romance, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Young Adult/ Teen

BOOK REVIEW: An Ember In The Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

by Zaheerah2 Comments on BOOK REVIEW: An Ember In The Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

you can find the book at:

GoodReads
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Author Website

 

my review:

Rating: ★★★★☆

“You are an ember in the ashes, Elias Veturius. You will spark and burn, ravage and destroy. You cannot change it. You cannot stop it.”

 

Laia is one of the Scholars – now ruled over by the Martial Empire – many of whom are poor and illiterate. When her brother is arrested by the Masks, she seeks out the Resistance for help. However, they demand that in return she must enter Blackcliff Military Academy as a slave to spy on the Commandant. Elias – the son of the Commandant – makes up the other perspective in this book.

The two main characters each have their own point of view, which I loved and was captivated by both. Laia and Elias have some major internal struggles going on. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I felt strongly for the characters, and the plot kept me going and I couldn’t put this book down! Both are unsure of the person that they are and what kind of person they want to be. It was beautiful to see them find the strength within themselves to survive in the very different but equally challenging positions they are in. It was lovely seeing their stories intertwine and seeing these similarities come to light. I was engrossed in the story, while it was slow-paced and the action not present throughout, I never felt the lack of it. A right balance was offered.

However, this isn’t really a complete story. The beginning doesn’t spend any time at all fleshing out the characters before everything changes for them. Rather than laying a foundation, Tahir pushes us right into the action. While this would annoy me for most books, but with Embers, it worked, and I was sped through this. It’s getting a sequel, and I’m glad because this is in no way a functional standalone, that some people thought it would be, since so many storylines were left unresolved. I thought it was well-paced and remained engaging throughout. There are a lot of flaws to point out, and a lot could have been improved.

Another aspect that had room for improvement was the romance. I’ll give Tahir credit, as I didn’t find it as bad, but I had a hard time buying some of the attractions between characters because they rarely interact. Overall, I had a fun time reading this, it’s an alright starter for a promising YA fantasy series. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for book 2!

Books, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Young Adult/ Teen

BOOK REVIEW: A Whole New World by Lis Braswell

by ZaheerahLeave a Comment on BOOK REVIEW: A Whole New World by Lis Braswell

~ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review~

you can find the book at:

GoodReads
Amazon
Barnes and Noble (unavailable at the moment)
Author Website

 

 

 

my review:
Rating: ★★☆☆☆
I had to think about this one and then decide how I was going to write it, but overall – it didn’t live up to it’s potential – mostly because the first 30% was literally a rushed version of the first 30 minutes of the original movie before the original material finally kicked in. The characters – old and new- were underdeveloped and the conflict didn’t emphasise what the actual stakes in the real story were. It had some good moments but, overall, not so good.

This action-packed book had a sufficiently built world, easily visualised, but what was lacking was characterisation. It was fast-paced yet, but I wanted it to be slower. There were also more than a handful of new roles in this story: friends and enemies but they were as flat as a board, leaving me feeling no sympathy for them in their crisis.

In this book, I didn’t really root for anyone apart from Morgiana—a kick-ass, witty female friend of Aladdin. She was my favourite character. Aladdin is supposed to be the charming, “diamond in the rough” street rat – who excels at thieving. Seriously—every time he tries to steal something he gets caught. I suppose it could be for narrative tension/suspense, but it felt sloppy. Jasmine is even worse. She starts off as a self-absorbed princess and doesn’t really lose that. Yes—she’s savvy; she’s a quick learner; she’s reflective—and she has moments where I can see what the author was trying to do – make her into a Katniss-type revolutionary leader. But it didn’t work right.

The relationship between Jasmine and Aladdin irked me so much. Yes, it happens in the film, but in this book, you could replace their name with anyone other YA couple, and it works. The whole romance felt very modern, very contemporary as if they were just two American teens with crushes on each other. It didn’t even sound anywhere near accurate. Even if they’re both orphans and impoverished street rats, I would still imagine that there are cultural customs and traditions in place – behaviour that’s inappropriate between two young, unmarried people.

As like the film, Jafar is our evil villain and even more so in the adaptation, and that REALLY irritated me. He doesn’t seem to have a backstory – there’s no reason why he is the way he is, and ultimately this drives him mad. I get that he’s supposed to be the villain, but again, this just seems to be “the easy way out.” It’s all right to have a good power-hungry dictator as your villain – but when there’s no reason, it just seems simplistic and sloppy.

The ending was typical. There’s a plan – a weak one – and our main characters band together to save the day. Of course. Despite the tension the author attempts to depict, there’s never really any doubt that Jafar’s going to lose and they win. Her best attempt at dramatic tension results in Jasmine being tempted by the dark magic – but luckily she has Aladdin there to draw her back to the light. It all resolves relatively quickly.

What really disappointed me was that this was such a fantastic opportunity to represent the cultural diversity that is so lacking in children’s and YA novels – to tell a Middle Eastern/Arabic tale with accurate cultural customs and beliefs – to show readers something probably unfamiliar to them in an appealing way. Since it’s based on Aladdin, it is already going to attract readers, it was a perfect opportunity to do so.

Books, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Young Adult/ Teen

BOOK REVIEW: End of Days by Susan Ee

by ZaheerahLeave a Comment on BOOK REVIEW: End of Days by Susan Ee

you can find the book at:

GoodReads
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

goodreads summary:

End of Days is the explosive conclusion to Susan Ee’s bestselling Penryn & the End of Days trilogy.

After a daring escape from the angels, Penryn and Raffe are on the run. They’re both desperate to find a doctor who can reverse the twisted changes inflicted by the angels on Raffe and Penryn’s sister. As they set off in search of answers, a startling revelation about Raffe’s past unleashes dark forces that threaten them all.

When the angels release an apocalyptic nightmare onto humans, both sides are set on a path toward war. As unlikely alliances form and strategies shift, who will emerge victorious? Forced to pick sides in the fight for control of the earthly realm, Raffe and Penryn must choose: Their own kind, or each other?

my review:

Rating:
★★★☆☆

It begins right where World After left off—Raffe with Penryn in his arms, flying, and Paige sitting on Beliel’s body which is being carried by scorpion-tailed locusts. While Word After left me disappointed, I’m not gonna lie so did this. While WA was good for the last 30%, this whole book was a mix of really good/really disappointing.

The character development in this book is very profound. Penryn has always been an independent and strong female character, but in this final installment, Susan Ee takes her badass quality to a whole new level. Raffe, on the other hand, has always been a fierce believer but in this book, the battle between his responsibilities and his heart gets tougher. He’s not just an archangel; he’s a warrior. The story, pacing, and my overall excitement gives this book 3 stars. However, there were many disappointing scenes.

The romance in this series has always been subtle yet powerful. I really enjoyed their relationship because of their intense chemistry, but at some parts, I was disappointed. Especially when they’re lying in bed together, it turned a bit too desperate for me. She moved his hand so it would be on her nipple?????? I didn’t find it at all sexy or steamy but slightly creeped out at Penryn’s actions and Raffes response.

Penryn used to be smart but lost most of it as the story progressed. She let herself be manipulated and used for the most pathetic of reasons. She was seriously a TSTL character with Beliel, she knew he was manipulative, but she still let herself be tricked by him, all so she could spy on more of Raffe’s memories. Her actions probably resulted in the deaths of dozens of humans, those hellions she released must have killed a few people when they escaped, but that thought never crossed her mind.
Also, why was Paige the chosen one when it came to the locusts? How could she control them? Where did that power and ability to come from? Did Doc engineer it that way? If so, how? And why Paige? I felt like it was only put in to have that whole dramatic moment where Penryn was told her sister would be their savior.

That one page where Layla comes back on her side was way too convenient. One minute she was happy with being evil and then she turns back around to coincide with Raffe and Penryn needing help. I felt like a better ending would have been Raffe returning back to heaven, taking all the angels with him, as he initially promised with Penryn.

Overall, an unsatisfying ending to what could have been a decent series.
Books, Romance, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Young Adult/ Teen

BOOK REVIEW: World After by Susan Ee

by ZaheerahLeave a Comment on BOOK REVIEW: World After by Susan Ee

you can find the book at:

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Amazon
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goodreads summary:

In this sequel to the bestselling fantasy thriller, Angelfall, the survivors of the angel apocalypse begin to scrape back together what’s left of the modern world.

When a group of people capture Penryn’s sister Paige, thinking she’s a monster, the situation ends in a massacre. Paige disappears. Humans are terrified. Mom is heartbroken.

[..] Meanwhile, Raffe hunts for his wings. Without them, he can’t rejoin the angels, can’t take his rightful place as one of their leaders. When faced with recapturing his wings or helping Penryn survive, which will he choose?

my review:

Rating: ★★★☆☆

After reading Angelfall, I had very high expectations for the sequel. And I’m -almost- not wrong.If anything, this book is a page-turner. Like the first book, it has a lot of violence and action. There were definitely a lot of scenes that had me on the edge of my seat. But it all happened at the last 30% of the book.

I did enjoy the development of their family dynamics. Penryn’s mother and her sister page are mainly absent throughout Angelfall, so I liked that they played a more prominent role in the sequel. We get to experience and learn more about their relationship, which is very very complicated. I’m glad the dark humour stayed throughout the book. And the relationship between Penryn and the twins is my favourite relationship in the entire novel. In this book, I felt her struggle more, and it gave her more layers, and she was easier to relate to. Also, the romance doesn’t overwhelm the entire story. It could have quickly been pushed down the route where it was just full-on romance and love triangles and whatnot. Fortunately, that’s not the case here. There’s still that hint of romance, but without distracting too much from the actual conflict.

However, what didn’t work for was the pacing. It just felt too long at the beginning, and I think it’s just that it took a while to really get into the heart of the story. It just felt like a lot of build-ups rather than having its own robust and central plot. The end seemed to be moving towards a more significant conflict, but then it was cut off abruptly. I was also sort of disappointed by the reunion of Penryn and Raffe. The meeting between him and Penryn was anti-climatic. I mean, he thought she was dead, and then it was kind of like

Penryn: yooo I’m not dead
Raffe: k

The scene where he thought she was dead in the first book was so heartbreaking, and then the whole thing where he returned her (supposedly dead) body to her mother even though it could’ve gotten him killed. I guess I wanted the scene to be more emotional…

If the last 25% were the whole book, this probably would have gotten a five-star rating and went straight to the favourite shelf on Goodreads, but unfortunately, the first 75% felt complete filler that could have been sped up a little more. I had to force myself to read and not skim. However, the scenes explaining Paige and what happened to her was fascinating, and the relationship between her and Beliel was really creepy. Overall, it was still enjoyable and exciting, and I can’t wait to read the final book.

Books, Romance, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Young Adult/ Teen

BOOK REVIEW: Angelfall by Susan Ee

by ZaheerahLeave a Comment on BOOK REVIEW: Angelfall by Susan Ee

you can find the book at:

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Amazon
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my review:

Rating: ★★★★★

We have declared war on any being that dares to think they can wipe us out without a fight. No matter how celestial, no matter how powerful they are, this is our home and we will fight to keep it.

Six weeks after an attack on earth, the world has been torn apart by a war between angels and humans. Penryn accidentally finds herself watching an angel getting his wings brutally cut off. In trying to help, she is forced to watch as her wheelchair-bound little sister is taken away. Penryn demands that Raffe provides assistance in finding her sibling, and the two natural enemies must work together to outwit danger at every turn.

TO BEGIN WITH, SHOUTOUT TO SIAN FOR TELLING ME TO READ THIS BOOK.FOUR FOR YOU SIAN, YOU GO SIAN.

I’ve read my fair share of angel books, and they’ve all disappointed me. But Angelfall is different in a post-apocalyptic world where Angels have taken over, Penryn is only trying to survive with her schizophrenic mother and sister. Like most books about angels, the main character is usually swooning over these adonis looking people, but no, these angels are brutal and terrifying (and beautiful). Susan Ee’s fantastic debut is one of the best post-apocalyptic YA I’ve ever read, and it blew me away with its perfectly paced blend of action, story, and emotional tension.

Penryn is a fantastic heroine, a funny girl who happens to be amazing in combat. Her interactions with everyone else is so entertaining and hilarious. Raffe is not your usual broody YA main character. [ps agnostic angels was something I was not expecting!]. He’s so intriguing and funny it’s impossible not to be drawn to him anyway. His relationship with Penryn develops slowly and naturally as they struggle to find shelter and to survive in bleak circumstances, all against a dark backdrop of war and all kinds of unspeakable horrors.

Readers who are uneasy with gruesome books should be warned that there are some pretty intense scenarios, although they are well done and mostly appear in the aftermath.It’s exciting to find an author who writes such dark and vivid imagery and doesn’t shy away from the gory scene.

I have a few minor complaints, mostly about Penryn’s failure to ask enough questions, as this seemed entirely out of character for someone who tries to guess whether she can keep someone alive long enough to be of use to her. I also wish we’d learned a bit more about the war. (also, I heard this went from a 5 book series to 3…why?!!)

The action-packed story, funny dialogue, unforgettable characters all make for an incredible read. The twists and turns of this story are greatly done.

Books, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Young Adult/ Teen

BOOK REVIEW: Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

by Zaheerah1 Comment on BOOK REVIEW: Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

you can find the book at:

GoodReads
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

my review:

Rating: ★★★☆☆

[Edit 18/12/2015: I should note that i’ve actually researched more in FFF and I definitely have no intention to continue the series]

At first, I wasn’t sure about reading this book due to the shady things. However, for this review, I’ve put all that aside, and this review is based on Paige’s work.

“Dorothy Must Die” is a dark twist on the Oz classic where Dorothy has become a power-hungry fascist leader with the Scarecrow, Lion, and Tin Man as her evil henchmen. Then comes Amy “trailer trash” Gumm. She lives in Kansas, with her drug addict mum, and no future and only a rat name Star as her companion. Her life is terrible until a tornado comes, blowing her trailer straight out of her world and into Oz. And this isn’t the Oz she had grown up learning about. It’s more post-apocalyptic than a fairytale beginning. And Amy must team up with Revolutionary Order Of The Wicked, and trained with one mission in mind, Dorothy must die…

The setting for the novel is so beautiful, it deserves to be visualised. It is such a dark, twisted version of Oz. This book is so dark. The characters are so angry, with good reasons. So many have been sacrificed at the whim of Dorothy and her evil gang. And none of them has a choice, and they can’t stand up against the power of those with magic.

I love the portrayal of Dorothy, she becomes so twisted. It takes brains and manipulation and power to get as far as she did in the land of Oz. She commands her minions, the Tin Woodman, the Scarecrow, Glinda. Dorothy may be vain, but power gets to people’s head, and she turns evil. Her character is sheer madness. And it’s understandable why she hates Amy so much.

Dorothy’s face was burning with aggrieved rage. “I am the only one. There can only be one.”

My gut twisted. I understood. We had the same story. It was like we were wearing the same dress to the prom. Dorothy thought her landing here was fate—that it made her special. Another girl from Kansas meant that it was just a regular occurrence and that she wasn’t special at all. Or—worse—that I was here to take her place.

Amy is such a realistic character, she does heroic actions but realises her stupidity in some things. She’s not entirely lovely nor entirely mean. And she has a matter of running away, which is understandable. When she finds herself in Oz, she does the thing where every reader yells at the main character for not doing: she walks away.. or well tries to, but that’s destiny for you. There is romance, but it’s light. Amy has a crush on the hot fighter guy, but the romance is very light and understandable. It didn’t bother me. The plot takes priority.

Overall, since this is the first in the series, there’s going to be a lot of world building and development and not the best resolution. But it was an exciting start.