Red Queen (Victoria Aveyard, #1)

In a world of fantasy, there are people split into two categories, those with silver blood blessed with extraordinary powers and those with red blood living an unfortunate lives to serve the army that keeps losing and to work endlessly. Mare Barrow is almost eighteen and the only work she found was theft, by the time she turns eighteen and she doesn't have work, she will be sent to war with the rest of her brothers. When she comes across a stranger and tries to steal from him, later finding herself work at the Silver Palace because of him. She discovers she's something more between those glass walls, she's got powers too and she's willing to use them if it means fixing the world. This may be more of a story about revenge and breaking the system, rather than a romance story. She's torn between the brother she has to marry, Maven, the shadow to his older brother, and Cal, the leader and warrior. 

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I give 

★★★★✩

The reason for it was mainly how it was written. Or perhaps the lack of chemistry between Mare and every possible guy she could have a relationship with. Kilorn, Cal and Maven. Though, I found it difficult to root for any relationship, I think the character made it easier for me to despise Cal and love Maven or Kilorn more. Even so, with the awful/amazing plot twist, I love, love, love the devil!

I think I might've seen everything coming. It's never good when someone is too perfect, that's for sure. 

Will I recommend this to anyone? Yes. I have a feeling the second book is a lot better. 

There was so much I liked about this book so i'm just going to go ahead and make a list. WE all love lists!

Things I loved!

1. She's a strong protagonist with a huge heart. She's got the powers of Silver people but is a Red blooded person in the heart and mind. 

2. She has no idea how to be the prince's fiance. She's got no Silver manners and has no idea how to act like a royal woman. 

3. Her powers consist of creating electricity. If that's not badass, I don't know what is. Fire would've been too much of a cliche, mostly because I play dota and Lina exists. 

4. We don't know who she'll end up with. There's the shadow boy, whom we want her to be with because he didn't have it all like Cal did. Not his father's attention, nor the women's. He's good with words but terrible in action. Can't say the same for Cal, whom we all find attractive because he's the alpha. So really, who is it going to be?! And then there's Kilorn. I like him, he's stubborn and not regal. And his character development is grand compared to the beginning. 

5. She gets have a cool bodyguard. I adore Lucas, and I wish it didn't have to end that way with him.

6. Not everybody in this book really dies, so what am I to expect in the next book!? hint Shade hint

7. I expected one of the brothers to betray the king, I never thought it wouldn't be Cal.

8. There are others like her! Whaaa- I can't wait to see what powers everyone else has. 

9. There's so much p

retending and she's so bad at it, it's pretty amusing and worrying because any moment, she could be making a wrong move to expose herself. It's pretty great.

10. The cameras she always felt, were they Maven's all along?!

11. The whole idea of her preferring the brother she's not supposed to marry is just overwhelming and beautiful. 

12. The whole betrayal theme going on is pretty great too. What goes around come back around. She wants to betray Cal for them rebels, instead she gets betrayed by the person she least expected. The moment of realization was unbelievable, simply mind-blowing.

Things I disliked. 

1. Does Evangeline really believe her powers were "tricks"? 

2. She gives up too easily. But then again she never signed up for this, and who said joining those rebels was going to be easy?!

3. I couldn't love Maven until he turned evil. 

4. Am I ever going to like Cal? I know I did at first, I don't know what stopped. Oh, right, he kisses his brother's fiance. That just ... yeah.

5. The king's death is too fast. 

Throne Of Glass (Throne of Glass series #1 by Sarah J. Maas)

In the dark, filthy salt mines of Endovier, an eighteen-year old girl is serving a life sentence. She is a trained assassin, the best of her kind, but she made a fatal mistake. She got caught.

Young Captain Westfall offers her a deal: her freedom in return for one huge sacrifice. Celaena must represent the prince in a to-the-death tournament - fighting the most gifted thieves and assassins in the land. Live or die, Celaena will be free. Win or lose, she is about to discover her true destiny. 

But will her assassin's heart be melted?

Review

I give  ★★★★★

Third-person perspective is extremely different.  I still get into the mind of the character, but her thoughts don't matter as much as her actions. Also knowing what the other people think is so different. 

This novel starts out when they take her, so we don't get much insight into what she does at the mines, just when she talks about it with the Prince or Chaol, Captain Westfall. There is a love triangle going on, I knew it as soon as both guys were introduced. Now it only depends on who she'll end up with. The "Shatter Me" had an unpredictable ending, so I can only hope that who I choose as my final favourite  will remain Celaena's lets say "lover".

She has such a strong character, I fell in love with her personality as soon as one could. She is not thoughtless or even stupid. She considers all of her enemies and I think she has a good sense of judgement when it comes to those around her. She thinks of what benefits her, and her only, but then she has these small acts, or well excessive acts of selflessness, like saving Mr. Thief and  telling him to leave because he was in danger. And she likes books! So little characters in novels are actively enjoying their hobbies. 

“No. I can survive well enough on my own— if given the proper reading material.”

But she does, and the piano playing. It is great, however I wish I was given more information  on her past "lover", which would be so unusual for an assassin to have. 

I was a bit conflicted about the fact that she fell for the Prince, or at least liked him in that way, maybe or maybe not it was for her own benefit but for an assassin, assuming she kills without blinking an eye, her heart is all over the place. Or at least that is how it seems. 

"Say my name, Say, 'Very well, Dorian'."

She rolled her eyes. "If it pleases Your Magnanimous Holiness, I shall call you by your first name."

This book made me smile more than I can remember. It has these little moments that just warm my heart from visible acts of humanity, or how she is in fact still young for all of this. 

Chaol is such an uptight person. There are rarely any non-serious moments with him, but even those serious, he just, he just, I don't know I have high hopes for him but my head is stretched between both of them, Chaol and Dorian. I like Chaol because he seems mysterious, and stronger than Dorian, who just gives his heart away without even hesitating, and he seems so oblivious sometimes, it makes me wonder if he actually cares about what is happening in the world, and if he does why not show that?

A Chaol momento:

“How long was I asleep?" she whispered. He didn't respond. 
"How long was I asleep?" she asked again, and noticed a hint of red in his cheeks. 
"You were asleep, too?" 
"Until you began drooling on my shoulder.”

Ok, Nehemia. These names confused me completely. I was convinced Nehemia was the same character as Kaltain. So I was basically against Nehemia halfway through the book. What is up with these names? I could not even remember most and then Nehemia gives Celaena another name for the sake of their friendship? Elentiya, like I'm going to remember that by the time I start the next book. 

Despite the names, I've enjoyed this book and it is why I think it deserves 5 stars, I would not give less. Never, Let the next books not disappoint me. 

Unravel Me (Shatter Me series #2 By Tahere Mafi)

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.

She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.

Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.

In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life.

Review

I give  ★★★★★

I wasn't sure where this book was going, with the underground people and all that. All Juliette ever did was feel sorry for herself

"I'm a monster."

Oh don't touch me.

"Adam are you ok? Did I kill you?

"I could've killed you, I could've killed you, Adam-"

ENOUGH!

Gosh, halfway through this book this woman won't stop feeling sorry for herself, so what if he dies? It's not her fault. None of this is!

And all of this stops as soon as Kenji finally says: 

"You have to live with it, just like the rest of us." 

"You and Kent need to sort out your drama ASAP."

And I think this guy saved Juliette from all the imaginary slaps I would have given her if she felt sorry for herself one more time.

Juliette also catches a glimpse of Warner's humanity at the beginning of the book. I had to read "Destroy Me", a novella on Warner's point of view to see what he'd been doing for the first 100 pages of "Unravel Me".

I loved so much about this book, especially that Juliette improved so much and developed into this new person, with courage. It was a slow improvement, and I suppose I didn't see her greatest potential here but her character was different. She got up and she faced her abilities. She ends her relationship with Adam as an act of protection, and I suppose without being in a relationship with him, she is more able to be independent. Especially when she faces Warner's father, that was so great. 

All I know is that my hand is around Anderson's throat and I've pinned him to the wall, so overcome by a blind, burning, all-consuming rage that I think my brain has already caught on fire and dissolved into ash. 

I squeeze a little harder

He's sputtering. He's gasping. He's trying to get at my arms, clawing limp hands at my body and he's turning red and blue and purple and I'm enjoying it. I'm enjoying it so, so much. 

I think I'm smiling.

This is the real juliette we all want, and a glimpse of her is what we get to see in this book. I loved this scene, mostly because it all took me by surprise and I would not stop reading, I was a machine with no stop button and it was beautiful. 

And then my favourite parts come along, where Juliette needs to visit Warner for information until those visits just sort of become a necessity. I loved those short moments. I knew it would be the beginning of something more between them. 

"He hasn't moved an inch since I stepped into this room. He's resting on his side, his back to the wall, his left arm tucked under his face, his right arm against his torso, his entire body perfect bare, strong, smooth, and smelling faintly of soap. I don't know why I can't stop staring at him." 

This is so sweet, she's finally discovered that she's physically attracted to him! Ah. Finally. 

I suppose this book is more about the development of her relationship with Warner, and it could not have made me happier. It was such a great book, with tiny little events that complete the entire story. 

Kenji is another favourite character. He's just so down to earth, honest and funny. He definitely makes things a lot easier for Juliette, and I would give him so much credit for his friendship and advice. He's made me laugh countless times and I don't know if this book would have been the same without him.

"I mean, I just have to say-the last line? 'I wish I could love you less'? That was genius.Really, really nice. I think Winston actually shed a tear-" 

DIED.

This book is about choosing between Adam and Warner, I only hope that your choice is as good as mine. And the next one is better.