Did I miss anything? Agree with anything? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below :).
Check out my other How To Guides: How to Write a Killer Romance Novel // How To Be a YA Hero: This One’s For the Gals. // How To Be a Killer YA Villain
Category: Young Adult Literature
When Flat Characters Fall In Love: Olivia Twist by Lorie Langdon
Title: Olivia Twist
Author: Lorie Langdon
Genre: Fiction, Romance
Pages: 336
Format: eBook
Grade: F(1/5)
Description (from GoodReads):
Olivia Brownlow is no damsel in distress. Born in a workhouse and raised as a boy among thieving London street gangs, she is as tough and cunning as they come. When she is taken in by her uncle after a caper gone wrong, her life goes from fighting and stealing on the streets to lavish dinners and soirees as a debutante in high society. But she can’t seem to escape her past … or forget the teeming slums where children just like her still scrabble to survive.
Jack MacCarron rose from his place in London’s East End to become the adopted “nephew” of a society matron. Little does society know that MacCarron is a false name for a boy once known among London gangs as the Artful Dodger, and that he and his “aunt” are robbing them blind every chance they get. When Jack encounters Olivia Brownlow in places he least expects, his curiosity is piqued. Why is a society girl helping a bunch of homeless orphan thieves? Even more intriguing, why does she remind him so much of someone he once knew? Jack finds himself wondering if going legit and risking it all might be worth it for love.
Olivia Twist is an innovative reimagining of Charles Dickens’ classic tale Oliver Twist, in which Olivia was forced to live as a boy for her own safety until she was rescued from the streets. Now eighteen, Olivia finds herself at a crossroads: revealed secrets threaten to destroy the “proper” life she has built for her herself, while newfound feelings for an arrogant young man she shouldn’t like could derail her carefully laid plans for the future.
Quick Review
- Flowery and underdeveloped writing (see rant post here)
- Super perfect characters with no personality
- Predictable and gross instalove story
Detailed Review
As a child, Olivia Brownlow masqueraded as a thief named Oliver. Now, Olivia lives a high-society life with her uncle. But when a young man from her past reappears, her future is threatened.
Would it be cruel to say that this is one of the worst books I have ever read? Because it’s rather unfortunate that I don’t really have anything positive to say about this book. I suppose if I had to, I would mention that this was an incredibly easy read, but only because there isn’t any complexity to the story, characters, or writing.
Ultimately,this book is riddled with undeveloped writing. At best, it’s cheesy, overly descriptive, and full of cliches. I mean, the author wrote this lovely number:
“Whiskey, govnah?” A serving girl leaned into Jack’s face, her ample bosom blurring as it threatened to spill out of its laces. His gaze flicked from her chest to her face, and he reared back in his seat (106).
And honestly, that’s one of the less cringy excerpts from the novel. In essence, this felt like something I would have read on fictionpress in the early 2000s. Those were some dark times (just kidding– it was a great place to grow as a young writer).
But even though I hated the writing from the first page, I decided to keep reading. Surely, this book would have something redeeming about it. After all, I hate Sarah J. Maas’ writing, but I love A Court of Thorns and Roses.
Unfortunately, I didn’t find something redeeming. Instead, I was confronted with flat characters and a predictable plot.
The two main characters, Jack and Olivia, are essentially Gary and Mary Sues. Olivia was supposedly an independent and tough lady who grew up on the streets, yet she manages to act like a fragile little lady who faints after eating one too many tarts (seriously. Is this a thing?). So she’s essentially strong, feisty, and incredibly beautiful. But even better–she has an oh-so-tragic past that she has to keep secret. This makes her simply irresistible. And then there’s Jack. The dashing bad-boy who also has a tragic past, but is really just gentle, romantic, and loyal.
Naturally, the two characters fall in love instantly. There’s some danger, of course, but it’s all cheesy and predictable. If it isn’t predictable, it’s just incredibly ridiculous. It’s all just gross.
But the biggest problem isn’t found in Olivia Twist’s writing, characters, or plot. It’s that this book didn’t feel even remotely like young adult literature. Instead, I felt like the author was writing under the assumption that a teenager can’t handle complex language, ideas, or plots. Everything felt fluffy and watered down. At best, I would say this felt like middle grade fiction (and even for that, I would still give this book a bad rating).
In the end, the only thing I liked about this book was that I didn’t have to spend too much time reading the damned thing.
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Time is currency, and the rich are winning: Everless by Sara Holland
Title: Everless (Everless #1)
Author: Sara Holland
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Pages: 362
Format: eBook
Grade: C(3/5)
Description (from GoodReads):
In the kingdom of Sempera, time is currency—extracted from blood, bound to iron, and consumed to add time to one’s own lifespan. The rich aristocracy, like the Gerlings, tax the poor to the hilt, extending their own lives by centuries.
No one resents the Gerlings more than Jules Ember. A decade ago, she and her father were servants at Everless, the Gerlings’ palatial estate, until a fateful accident forced them to flee in the dead of night. When Jules discovers that her father is dying, she knows that she must return to Everless to earn more time for him before she loses him forever.
But going back to Everless brings more danger—and temptation—than Jules could have ever imagined. Soon she’s caught in a tangle of violent secrets and finds her heart torn between two people she thought she’d never see again. Her decisions have the power to change her fate—and the fate of time itself.
Quick Review
- A strong yet vulnerable female protagonist
- A terrifying world where blood is money
- Cheesy villain who needs some serious work
Detailed Review
Jules lives in a world where time is money, literally. In Sempera, your years are taken from your blood and boiled down into a coin you can use for payment. For the rich, this is wonderful. They can live for decade after decade. But the poor, it’s a curse that leaves you with a short life expectancy. So when Jules learns her father has little time left, she returns to the estate that she and her father once ran from in a desperate hope to save his life. But little does she know that going back to Everless is dangerous, especially for her.
The entire concept of Jules’ world is both terrifying and intriguing. The idea of paying off your debts with a coin boiled from blood? Naturally, with this form of currency comes a lot of corruption. And readers can see that when they see the differences between the life Jules and her father lead, and the lives of the wealthy. Quite honestly, I would have liked to see more development here because the idea alone creates the potential for some seriously messed up stuff.
Instead of focusing on the politics of this world, Holland focuses on the magic used to create this currency. This makes sense–it has to be a central part of the plot. It’s also different from what I’ve seen before. I also enjoyed that it stemmed from SEmpera’s mythology. Those elements added a depth to Everless that I rather enjoyed.
But I suppose, more than anything, I enjoyed Jules. I liked that she was strong and angry and brave, but she was also incredibly vulnerable. I liked that she is someone who is obviously going to come into her own strength throughout the course of the series. I liked that she was flawed and naive because it means that she has so much room to grow.
Despite this, I found some of the decisions she made a little unbelievable. I’m not going to go into detail because I don’t want to spoil it for anyone, but she does jump into dangerous situations that didn’t really make sense. She makes really stupid decisions that felt a little…off.
In addition, the villain felt like a comic book character. You know, cheesy, a crappy motive, evil for the sake of being evil. I like a more complex villain, and the one in Everless didn’t feel complex, despite that character’s history. Hopefully, there’s more development there in the future.
In the end, this was the flaw that kept me from loving Everless. But even though Everless isn’t a new favorite, it is the first young adult fantasy novel I’ve enjoyed in a while, and honestly, that was refreshing enough.
Forget Me Not by A.M. Taylor: A Simple Whodunit That Was Seriously Lacking
Title: Forget Me Not
Author: A,M. Taylor
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Pages: N/A
Format: eBook
Grade: D(2/5)
Description (from GoodReads):
WHAT HAPPENED TO NORA?
When Maddie met Nora, their friendship felt as easy as breathing. And when Nora disappeared, all the air went with her. Without her best friend, Maddie’s life became impossible.
Ten years later, Nora is still missing and Maddie is still searching. People have been questioned. People have even been accused. But no one has managed to find Nora.
Then, in the same spot where Nora went missing, the murdered body of Nora’s little sister is found. Convinced this is no coincidence, Maddie resolves to uncover the killer and find Nora – dead or alive.
But will she be able to cope, when we learn what really happened to Nora…?
Quick Review
- Figured out the murderer at the beginning of the book
- Unrealistic plot that only exists so Maddie can figure it out
- Annoying and selfish main character
Detailed Review
Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
When Maddie was seventeen, her best friend, Nora, went missing. Ten years later, there hasn’t been an arrest and Nora hasn’t been found. But when Nora’s little sister’s body is found, Maddie finds that she’s determined more than ever to find out what happened to both Nora and her little sister.
Forget Me Not wasn’t a poorly written novel. The descriptions weren’t cheesy, and the dialogue didn’t usually make me cringe. I also enjoyed the flashbacks–I thought it added a nice, personal touch and allowed us to get to know Maddie better.
But ultimately, the statement that this wasn’t a “poorly written novel” is my positive for the book because so many other things were off.
But for me, the biggest problem I had with this book is that I figured out the mystery after the first few chapters. I’m pretty sure it was chapter one, but it took me awhile to read this book because I didn’t really enjoy it. So anyway, yeah. It’s blatantly obvious. I guess I get what the author was trying to do: he/she was trying to make sure the murderer was obvious from the beginning by including a scene where they interact with someone in a very creepy manner. In reality, this desperately needed to be toned down. And Taylor did try to make other people look guilty. It could have worked if it hadn’t been for this initial scene. There were a few other major hints, but I don’t want to spoil it for anyone who might want to read it.
The plot was also incredibly unrealistic. This is a basic mystery. I figured it out early on, and yet I was expected to believe that the special agents brought in to investigate the case couldn’t figure it out. For example, Maddie has the brilliant idea (that obviously no one else would have thought of) to go into both Nora and Noelle’s Facebooks. Like the investigators wouldn’t have gotten a warrant (and yes, someone being presumed murdered and definitely murdered is enough to get a warrant to read that person’s messages). And if they would have gone through those messages, then they would have figured out who was responsible for their death’s. But you know, Maddie’s a brilliant armchair detective, so she has to figure it out.
There were also these incredibly painful parts where Maddie logs into Reddit to read theories about Nora’s disappearance. Apparently, some kid from her hometown blogs about it. Right, okay. It was just awkward.
And then there’s Maddie herself. Maddie is selfish and abrasive. She jumps quickly into police interrogation mode, but it just felt odd because who does that? More importantly, other characters tiptoe around poor Maddie’s grief, including the brother of the two deceased girls. Yeah, sorry? He’s the one who lost his sisters. By the end of the novel, I was tired of Maddie.
So in the end, I didn’t like Forget Me Not. It’s too obvious, there are some major issues with plot, and the main character is annoying.
How to Write a Killer Romance Novel
Other Guides: How To Be a YA Hero: This One’s for the Gals // How to Be a Killer YA Villain
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What Should You Read? Classic Lit, #2
Let me know what book you get in the comments below! Have you read it? Want to read it?
Want more? Here are some of my other “What Should You Read?” Charts:
//What Should You Read? Classic Lit // What Should You Read? Romance// What Should You Read? YA Fantasy// What Should You Read? YA Contemporary//What Should You Read? Fantasy//
The Books (Descriptions from GoodReads/Amazon):
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie: GoodReads, Amazon
First, there were ten—a curious assortment of strangers summoned as weekend guests to a private island off the coast of Devon. Their host, an eccentric millionaire unknown to all of them, is nowhere to be found. All that the guests have in common is a wicked past they’re unwilling to reveal—and a secret that will seal their fate. For each has been marked for murder. One by one they fall prey. Before the weekend is out, there will be none. And only the dead are above suspicion.
The Crucible by Arthur Miller: GoodReads, Amazon
“I believe that the reader will discover here the essential nature of one of the strangest and most awful chapters in human history,” Arthur Miller wrote of his classic play about the witch-hunts and trials in seventeenth-century Salem, Massachusetts. Based on historical people and real events, Miller’s drama is a searing portrait of a community engulfed by hysteria. In the rigid theocracy of Salem, rumors that women are practicing witchcraft galvanize the town’s most basic fears and suspicions; and when a young girl accuses Elizabeth Proctor of being a witch, self-righteous church leaders and townspeople insist that Elizabeth be brought to trial. The ruthlessness of the prosecutors and the eagerness of neighbor to testify against neighbor brilliantly illuminate the destructive power of socially sanctioned violence.
Written in 1953, The Crucible is a mirror Miller uses to reflect the anti-communist hysteria inspired by Senator Joseph McCarthy’s “witch-hunts” in the United States. Within the text itself, Miller contemplates the parallels, writing, “Political opposition… is given an inhumane overlay, which then justifies the abrogation of all normally applied customs of civilized behavior. A political policy is equated with moral right, and opposition to it with diabolical malevolence.”
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley: GoodReads, Amazon
Mary Shelley began writing Frankenstein when she was only eighteen. At once a Gothic thriller, a passionate romance, and a cautionary tale about the dangers of science, Frankenstein tells the story of committed science student Victor Frankenstein. Obsessed with discovering the cause of generation and life and bestowing animation upon lifeless matter, Frankenstein assembles a human being from stolen body parts but; upon bringing it to life, he recoils in horror at the creature’s hideousness. Tormented by isolation and loneliness, the once-innocent creature turns to evil and unleashes a campaign of murderous revenge against his creator, Frankenstein.
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens: GoodReads, Amazon
In what may be Dickens’s best novel, humble, orphaned Pip is apprenticed to the dirty work of the forge but dares to dream of becoming a gentleman — and one day, under sudden and enigmatic circumstances, he finds himself in possession of “great expectations.” In this gripping tale of crime and guilt, revenge and reward, the compelling characters include Magwitch, the fearful and fearsome convict; Estella, whose beauty is excelled only by her haughtiness; and the embittered Miss Havisham, an eccentric jilted bride.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald: GoodReads, Amazon
The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s third book, stands as the supreme achievement of his career. First published in 1925, this quintessential novel of the Jazz Age has been acclaimed by generations of readers. The story of the mysteriously wealthy Jay Gatsby and his love for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan, of lavish parties on Long Island at a time when The New York Times noted “gin was the national drink and sex the national obsession,” it is an exquisitely crafted tale of America in the 1920s.
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison: GoodReads, Amazon
First published in 1952 and immediately hailed as a masterpiece, Invisible Man is one of those rare novels that have changed the shape of American literature. For not only does Ralph Ellison’s nightmare journey across the racial divide tell unparalleled truths about the nature of bigotry and its effects on the minds of both victims and perpetrators, it gives us an entirely new model of what a novel can be.
As he journeys from the Deep South to the streets and basements of Harlem, from a horrifying “battle royal” where black men are reduced to fighting animals, to a Communist rally where they are elevated to the status of trophies, Ralph Ellison’s nameless protagonist ushers readers into a parallel universe that throws our own into harsh and even hilarious relief. Suspenseful and sardonic, narrated in a voice that takes in the symphonic range of the American language, black and white, Invisible Man is one of the most audacious and dazzling novels of our century.
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson: GoodReads, Amazon
In this harrowing tale of good and evil, the mild-mannered Dr. Jekyll develops a potion that unleashes his secret, inner persona—the loathsome, twisted Mr. Hyde.
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte: GoodReads, Amazon
Wuthering Heights is a wild, passionate story of the intense and almost demonic love between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, a foundling adopted by Catherine’s father. After Mr Earnshaw’s death, Heathcliff is bullied and humiliated by Catherine’s brother Hindley and wrongly believing that his love for Catherine is not reciprocated, leaves Wuthering Heights, only to return years later as a wealthy and polished man. He proceeds to exact a terrible revenge for his former miseries. The action of the story is chaotic and unremittingly violent, but the accomplished handling of a complex structure, the evocative descriptions of the lonely moorland setting and the poetic grandeur of vision combine to make this unique novel a masterpiece of English literature
Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr: A Fantasy Romance For Teens
Title: Wicked Lovely (#1)
Author: Melissa Marr
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance
Pages: 328
Format: eBook
Grade: D+(2.5/5)
Description (from GoodReads):
Rule #3: Don’t stare at invisible faeries.
Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in the mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty – especially if they learn of her Sight – and wishes she were as blind to their presence as other teens.Rule #2: Don’t speak to invisible faeries.
Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer.Rule #1: Don’t ever attract their attention.
But it’s too late. Keenan is the Summer King, who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost — regardless of her plans or desires.Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; her life; everything.
Faery intrigue, mortal love, and the clash of ancient rules and modern expectations swirl together in Melissa Marr’s stunning twenty-first-century faery tale.
Quick Review
- Interesting idea with some layers of darkness tossed in
- A too-perfect main character
- Cheesy AF romance
Detailed Review
Aislinn is a mortal cursed with a unique gift: she can see faeries. But these faeries aren’t little winged humanoids who live in flowers. These are the fae: dangerous, cruel, frightening. So when the Summer King decides he wants her to be his queen, Aislinn’s world suddenly becomes more dangerous to both her and her loved ones.
Wicked Lovely is a book that thirteen-year-old me would have loved. It has a little bit of magic and a lot of romance. But twenty-something-year-old-me wasn’t so impressed. Instead, I saw a book that caters to the fancies of a young teen girl, an audience I’m no longer apart of.
In terms of writing, Wicked Lovely wasn’t bad, but nothing stuck out either. I read it quickly, not noticing anything particularly beautiful or profound, but not noticing anything horribly cheesy. Granted, there were moments. Some of the dialogue was a little…off, but I suppose that has to do with the fact that one of the main characters is a faerie king who is a little out of touch with the modern world.
And the story was interesting. I liked the darker elements with Donia. I liked the idea of the weird bargain between Keenan, his mother, and the whole Summer Queen thing. And I also like that the ending wasn’t typical (albeit it was still very predictable).
But I found so many things to be off-putting.
The romance was completely cheesy, and I found it to be completely unrealistic. I don’t buy into young men giving up their “player” lifestyle for the sake of a girl he isn’t even dating. The cuddling in front of random people wasn’t cute; it was weird and uncomfortable, like when you see kids making out in the hallway of your high school. Sure, they think they’re sweet, but no one else does. And finally. I don’t buy that someone would put themselves in dangerous situations or be so trusting of someone they barely entered a relationship with.
And then there’s Aislinn. She’s beautiful, smart, and powerful. She’s also entirely too perfect and has little, if any, flaws. And more importantly, certain characters don’t seem to question her sanity when she claims to see things that no one else can see. Really? REALLY?!
Ultimately, everything wrapped up too nicely. All the knots were tied, and it didn’t feel like there were any true loose ends. It was too much of a happily ever after, and I guess this makes me a little weird, but I hate perfectly happy endings. Things don’t wrap up nicely in real life, and I hate when they do in fiction. It just feels…forced.
In the end, Wicked Lovely isn’t a book I would recommend to the adult who loves young adult literature. There were traces of potential there, but that potential was never reached.
How To Be a YA Hero: This One’s For the Gals.
Want to be a villain instead? Check out this totally killer guide just for you!
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
What Should You Read? 90’s Throwback Edition
Who doesn’t like a little nostalgia? These are some books that totally remind me of my childhood, so I guess it’s really more 90’s/early 00’s. Anyway, have you read any of them?
Let me know what book you get in the comments below! Have you read it? Want to read it?
Want more? Here are some of my other “What Should You Read?” Charts:
//What Should You Read? Classic Lit // What Should You Read? Romance// What Should You Read? YA Fantasy// What Should You Read? YA Contemporary//What Should You Read? Fantasy//
The Books (Descriptions from GoodReads/Amazon):
Animorphs: The Invasion by Katherine Applegate: GoodReads, Amazon
Sometimes weird things happen to people. Ask Jake. He may tell you about the night he and his friends saw the strange light in the sky. He may even tell you about what happened when they realized the “light” was only a plane — from another planet. Here’s where Jake’s story gets a little weird. It’s where they’re told that the human race is under attack — and given the chance to fight back.
Now Jake, Rachel, Cassie, Tobias, and Marco have the power to morph into any animal they choose. And they must use that power to outsmart an evil that is greater than anything the world has ever seen…
The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket: GoodReads, Amazon
Dear Reader,
I’m sorry to say that the book you are holding in your hands is extremely unpleasant. It tells an unhappy tale about three very unlucky children. Even though they are charming and clever, the Baudelaire siblings lead lives filled with misery and woe. From the very first page of this book when the children are at the beach and receive terrible news, continuing on through the entire story, disaster lurks at their heels. One might say they are magnets for misfortune.
In this short book alone, the three youngsters encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune, and cold porridge for breakfast.
It is my sad duty to write down these unpleasant tales, but there is nothing stopping you from putting this book down at once and reading something happy, if you prefer that sort of thing.
With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket
Everworld by K.A. Applegate: GoodReads, Amazon
There is a place that shouldn’t exist. But does. And there are creatures that shouldn’t exist. But do. Welcome to a land where all of your dreams and nightmares are very real—and often deadly. Welcome to Everworld.
David’s life was pretty normal. School. Friends. Girlfriend. Actually, Senna was probably the oddest aspect of his life. She was beautiful. Smart. But there was something very different about her. Something strange.
And on the day it began, everything happened so quickly. One moment, Senna was with him. The next, she was swallowed up by the earth, her screams echoing from far, far away. David couldn’t just let her go. Neither could the others. His friends—and hers. So, they followed. And found themselves in a world they could have never imagined.
Now they have to find Senna and get home without losing their lives. Or their minds. Or both…
The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney: GoodReads, Amazon
The face on the milk carton looks like an ordinary little girl: hair in tight pigtails, a dress with a narrow white collar, a three-year-old who was kidnapped more than twelve years ago from a shopping mall in New Jersey.
As fifteen-year-old Janie Johnson stares at the milk carton, she feels overcome with shock. She knows that little girl is she. But how could it be true?
Janie can’t believe that her loving parents kidnapped her, until she begins to piece together clues that don’t make sense. Why are there no pictures of Janie before she was four? Her parents have always said they didn’t have a camera. Now that explanation sounds feeble. Something is terribly wrong, and Janie is afraid to find out what happened more than twelve years ago.
In this gripping page-turner, the reader will unravel — as Janie does — the twisted events that changed the lives of two families forever.
The Giver by M.T. Anderson: GoodReads, Amazon
Twelve-year-old Jonas lives in a seemingly ideal world. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver does he begin to understand the dark secrets behind this fragile community.
Holes by Louis Sachar: GoodReads, Amazon
Stanley tries to dig up the truth in this inventive and darkly humorous tale of crime and punishment—and redemption. Ages 10+
Stanley Yelnats is under a curse. A curse that began with his no-good-dirty-rotten- pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather and has since followed generations of Yelnats. Now Stanley has been unjustly sent to a boys’ detention center, Camp Green Lake, where the warden makes the boys “build character” by spending all day, every day, digging holes: five feet wide and five feet deep. It doesn’t take long for Stanley to realize there’s more than character improvement going on at Camp Green Lake. The boys are digging holes because the warden is looking for something. Stanley tries to dig up the truth in this inventive and darkly humorous tale of crime and punishment—and redemption.
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones: GoodReads, Amazon
Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Howl’s castle. To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there’s far more to Howl—and herself—than first meets the eye.
So You Want to Be a Wizard? by Diane Duane: GoodReads, Amazon
Nita Callahan is at the end of her rope because of the bullies who’ve been hounding her at school… until she discovers a mysterious library book that promises her the chance to become a wizard. But she has no idea of the difference that taking the Wizard’s Oath is going to make in her life. Shortly, in company with fellow beginner-wizard Kit Rodriguez, Nita’s catapulted into what will be the adventure of a lifetime — if she and Kit can both live through it. For every wizard’s career starts with an Ordeal in which he or she must challenge the one power in the universe that hates wizardry more than anything else: the Lone Power that invented death and turned it loose in the worlds. Plunged into a dark and deadly alternate New York full of the Lone One’s creatures, Kit and Nita must venture into the very heart of darkness to find the stolen, legendary Book of Night with Moon. Only with the dangerous power of the wizardly Book do they have a chance to save not just their own lives, but their world…
Witch Child by Celia Rees: GoodReads, Amazon
The spellbinding diary of a teenage girl who escapes persecution as a witch–only to face new intolerance in a Puritan settlement.
Enter the world of young Mary Newbury, a world where simply being different can cost a person her life. Hidden until now in the pages of her diary, Mary’s startling story begins in 1659, the year her beloved grandmother is hanged in the public square as a witch. Mary narrowly escapes a similar fate, only to face intolerance and new danger among the Puritans in the New World. How long can she hide her true identity? Will she ever find a place where her healing powers will not be feared?
The Skylark’s Song by J.M. Frey, A Space-Age Forbidden Romance
Title: The Skylark’s Song
Author: J.M. Frey
Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult
Pages: 277
Format: eBook
Grade: F (1/5)
Description (from the publisher):
A Saskwyan flight mechanic with uncanny luck, seventeen-year-old Robin Arianhod grew up in the shadow of a decade-long war. But the skies are stalked by the Coyote—a ruthless Klonn pilot who picks off crippled airships and retreating soldiers. And as the only person to have survived an aerial dance with Saskwya’s greatest scourge, Robin has earned his attention.
As a pilot, Robin is good. But the Coyote is better. When he shoots her down and takes her prisoner, Robin finds herself locked into a new kind of dance. The possibility of genuine affection from a man who should be her enemy has left her with a choice: accept the Coyote’s offer of freedom and romance in exchange for repairing a strange rocket pack that could spell Saskwya’s defeat, but become a traitor to her country. Or betray her own heart and escape. If she takes the rocket pack and flees, she could end the war from the inside.
All she has to do is fly.
Quick Review
- Cheesy writing and painful dialogue
- Cardboard cut-out characters
- World building? What world building?
Detailed Review
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.
Sometimes, I judge a book’s quality by how quickly I read it. Usually, this is a good thing: it means I was absorbed in the story, that it was a page turner. The Skylark’s Song was an exception to this rule. I read it quickly not because I was absorbed in the story but rather because I wanted to get it over with. And quite honestly, had I not requested this book on Netgalley, I wouldn’t have finished it.
I requested The Skylark’s Song because it sounded interesting. Robin is just a flight mechanic, but somehow she earns the attention of the notorious fighter pilot called the Coyote. When he takes her as his captive, she finds herself faced with a difficult choice: follow her heart and stay with him, or escape to return to her country.
Unfortunately instead of being a fun read, it was a painful one.
The writing was hard to get through. I found myself skipping over paragraphs because I thought it was just too cheesy. I’m not even sure what made it cheesy. Sure, I have a lot of pet peeves. “Wry smile” (ugh), “golden skin” (what does that even mean?), characters constantly “scowling”. And the dialogue was just gross. The Coyote said. “my dear” ALL the friggin’ time, and the mean kids pretty much called Robin a worthless Sealie, which felt more like over-the-top bullying than real prejudice.
But I can sometimes forgive bad writing (see my obsession with A Court of Thorns and Roses…Sorry, Sarah). I can forgive it when essentially everything else is good. Unfortunately, that was not the case with The Skylark’s Song.
The characters did not feel real. Robin was stubborn and strong, but really these were just the character traits the author assigned her. She had no personality. And the Coyote was just another Bad Boy who was insta-in-love with Robin. Really, it’s hard to write about characterization when there isn’t much there.
There was also a poorly executed attempt at world building. I understood there was a war, but I never really understood why. Was it just because flying around and shooting people is “cool”? ‘Cause that’s the vibe I got. I also didn’t understand what being a Sealie meant. I get that it’s a religion , but like what does that entail? And then there’s the whole prejudice against the Sealie. I didn’t understand why it existed. Of course, racism/prejudice doesn’t ever have a good why, but there has to be something to it, right? Fear? Misunderstanding? Stereotypes? You’ve gotta give me something.
And the actual story? Well, I mean I guess it was there.
Ultimately, this isn’t a book I would recommend. Sure, there might be a few readers out there for it, but I’m not one of them. If you want something cheesy (and I get it–sometimes I do too), this might fill that need. Other than that….No thanks.
The Cozied Reader 