Can a hypnotist cure you of your dreams? | The Cure for Dreaming

The Cure for Dreaming by Cat Winters

Published: October 14th 2014 by Harry N. Abrams

Genres: young adult, historical, paranormal

Summary: Olivia Mead is a headstrong, independent girl—a suffragist—in an age that prefers its girls to be docile. It’s 1900 in Oregon, and Olivia’s father, concerned that she’s headed for trouble, convinces a stage mesmerist to try to hypnotize the rebellion out of her. But the hypnotist, an intriguing young man named Henri Reverie, gives her a terrible gift instead: she’s able to see people’s true natures, manifesting as visions of darkness and goodness, while also unable to speak her true thoughts out loud. These supernatural challenges only make Olivia more determined to speak her mind, and so she’s drawn into a dangerous relationship with the hypnotist and his mysterious motives, all while secretly fighting for the rights of women. Winters breathes new life into history once again with an atmospheric, vividly real story, including archival photos and art from the period throughout.

REVIEW

For some reason, I have always been hesitant to pick up a book by Cat Winters, because I thought she only wrote books set during World War One and I’m not a fan of this time period, to be honest. But I kept seeing positive reviews for her books and added one to my TBR, in hopes to read it someday, before deciding October was the month to do so, with Halloween around the corner. Now I just want to slap myself for not reading The Cure from Dreaming sooner, because it was absolutely fantastic!

This novel captured my attention from the first page. I was swept away in 1900 Oregon and was walking along Olivia the entire time. The fact that Cat Winters added black and white photographs helped a lot to picture this era, even if it was pretty easy for me. The author really did her research perfectly, because she captured the feeling of that time period.

To be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever read a book about the suffragist movement before, but I was so involved along these women and now I would love to learn more about that. I was shocked to see women speaking against other women: I can understand women not fighting for their rights, but it’s so frightening to see women fighting for not having rights, even though it happened. It was so hard to read everything men said to women during the entire book, how they belittled them, but sadly it happened and the worst part… Is that it’s still happening. This book definitely made me go through a wide spectrum of emotions, and anger was definitely part of them, because seeing women being bullied is so infuriating.

Olivia was an amazing heroine. She was headstrong, independent and wasn’t afraid to fight for what she wanted. In the fact, the more her father was trying to tame her, the bolder she became and I was admiring her so much. At first, she was a character with beliefs but didn’t act on them too much, until she truly became active as a suffragist and stood for herself. She was definitely relatable and likeable and she’s my new favourite.

At first, Henri appeared distant, because he was this mysterious hypnotist performer but the more we got to know him, the more we saw he was human and flawed. I personally loved his close relationship to his sister, because as you might know by now, I’m always a sucker for sibling bonds. Moreover, I was digging his French accent, as I’m French myself, because it’s so enjoyable to understand a ‘foreign’ language in a book, as it was written in English.

The secondary characters had an importance place in this novel, to the point they even saved the day, at some point. It was very interesting to read about all these women that fought for their rights and to see how mentalities were changing in this new century.

I loved Olivia and Henri’s relationship. This book didn’t focus on the romance and actually I would have loved for it to. For once, I’m complaining about that, who am I? Olivia and Henri were the perfect partenaires all along the book and it was interesting to see how Olivia came to trust him, even if she didn’t rely on him too much. Between the two, she was clearly the stronger one by the end, which is so rare in books. Nevertheless, these two brought out the best of each other and I would love to read a sequel or an epilogue about them.

I confess I was drawn to this book because of the hypnosis aspect, and I was completely satisfied. The first chapter of the book was dedicated to Henri Reverie’s first show and I felt in love right away with this book because of it. I love how hypnosis was part of the American folklore and that the author incorporated to her book so beautifully. Indeed, the ‘paranormal’ aspect, with Olivia seeing the world as it actually is, was just a metaphor for us as human beings, and the way we acted, because Olivia could actually see the wickedness in people, which was so interesting. Cat Winters never completely explains how Henri hypnotized people, but it was part of the magic of this book, but we still got to understand how to resist it.

The ending was definitely faithful to Olivia and for that, I think it wrapped the book perfectly. However, I thought I would get one more chapter after it, so when I realized the book was over, I started to cry, because I would have loved an epilogue. I’m feeling so bittersweet, because I do understand the ending, but I just want more time with these characters. It’s so rare I’m that attached to characters during standalone novels, but right now it’s the case and I need to see them again. Please.

Overall, this book came as a huge surprise and I know I will be thinking about it long after I’ve finished it. It is a story about equality, pursuing one’s dreams and how oppressing a minority will only make it fight harder. I adore this book with my whole heart, and I would love to see Olivia and Henri again. I think this one is a perfect read for Halloween, so go ahead, you won't be disappointed!

Have you read any books by Cat Winters? Have you read this one? What did you think? Have you read other books involving hypnosis? What do you like to read around Halloween?

Paris was accurate so I'm alive! | The Magician

The Magician (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #2) by Michael Scott

Published: June 24th 2008 by Delacorte Press

Genre: young adult, fantasy

Goodreads summary: Ashes to ashes…

California: In the hands of Dr. John Dee and the Dark Elders, the book of Abraham the Mage could mean the destruction of the world as we know it. The most powerful book of all time, it holds the secret of eternal life—a secret more dangerous than any one man should ever possess. And Dee is two pages away from the knowledge that would bring the Dark Elders into ultimate power.

His only obstacle? Josh and Sophie Newman—who are eight thousand miles away.

Paris: After fleeing Ojai, Nicholas, Sophie, Josh, and Scatty emerge in Paris. The City of Lights. Home to Nicholas Flamel. Only, this homecoming is anything but sweet.

Niccolò Machiavelli, immortal author and celebrated art collector, is working for Dee. He's in hot pursuit, and time is running out for Nicholas and Perenelle. Every day they spend without the book, they age one year: their magic becomes weaker and their bodies more frail. For Flamel, the Prophecy is growing clearer and clearer. It's time for Sophie to learn the second elemental magic.

Fire Magic. 

And there's only one man who can teach it to her: Flamel's old student the Comte de Saint-Germain—alchemist, magician, and rock star. 

Josh and Sophie Newman are the world's only hope. If they don't turn on each other first.

REVIEW

Reading a book series everyone read and loved during their childhood involves so much pressure when you do read it, but years after. I was expecting an amazing first book, but sadly it didn't deliver, so I was a little reluctant to continue with the series, at first. But well, there are reasons everyone loves the Alchemyst series, right? So I gave the second book a go and I will definitely pick up the sequel in the future, because this series is starting to reach its potential.

WHAT I LIKED

The setting - As you know, I live in Paris when I'm at uni and because of that, I'm always anxious when American authors set their books in the City of Lights, because they're trying to make their characters speak French and the language is all wrong, or they only speak of le Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. It's cliché, but sadly, I've read so many books that fit that category that I can cry with frustration. However, Michael Scott definitely did his research, it was so realistic and I loved it. When the characters were taking the subway, he was even mentioning the name of the situation, which totally pleased me. He also named the streets the characters were passing and because of that, I felt like I was there. The author definitely captured the feeling of the city and took the reader to so many places!

Addictive writing - I have to admit that while I wasn't always entertained by the plot, the writing kept me reading. Indeed, Michael Scott has a way with words that makes me craving for more, which is definitely a gift. Moreover, he's very good at writing action scenes, because he had me turning the pages so fast.

A plot filled with tension - I wasn't very invested in the first novel, but this one was so much better. Indeed, I felt like the stakes were higher and I enjoyed the new "villain" that was introduced, because he seems so shady and I think he might become one of my favourites, okay? He's an opportunist and it's one of the best types of characters, haha. But anyway, because the characters were chased down, the plot was filled with tension and the action scenes were so well-written, like I said! Also we went to the catacombs, so it's a win-win situation for me.

The world-building - While I still noticed case of info-dumps (ugh), I was so much more invested in the world, maybe because it was set in France and I knew more about the characters based off the historical figures. But anyway, I thought it was more interesting, because it was easier to digest the information - even if it was still hard during the first chapters.

The temptation - I loved that this theme was so important in this book. Indeed, while Sophie's powers had been Awakened during the first book, Josh's, her twin, hadn't. Because of that, he was jealous of her and craving power, which lead him to be weaker in front of the temptation.

WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER

The pacing- I have to admit that I skim-read sometimes… Oops. I felt like it dragged a little in the middle, because there was so much action in the beginning and at the end of the story. Moreover, this book felt a little like a filler, as it was still about learning a new element, and it will also be the case in The Sorceress. It makes me frustrated because the plot line was similar to the first one and I wanted the main plot line to move forward. It's the problem when the series is six-book long, I guess…

I didn't like/relate to the characters - They could die and I wouldn't cry… Oops. I think it's a problem, but I have no feeling whatsoever about ANY of the characters. Please, someone tell me I'll like them when I read the next book, because I can't read a book without feelings for the characters! Moreover, I'm frustrated that even when they hadn't powers, they were SO special because they lived everywhere. How is that relatable? Most of us live in the same city until graduation, or sometimes more. It was enough to make them travel everywhere during the series, right?

The time-span - This book is set on three days… Which is ridiculous, considering it was 464 pages long! Moreover, the characters slept fourteen hours in the middle so how. Is. It. Possible? I understand that the characters were chased down and the author managed to create tension, but it's so unrealistic that so much happened in a few hours/days.

The ending - It felt anticlimactic, in my opinion. The plot was pretty good in the last third of the novel, because it was filled with tension and crazy scenes but the ending? It felt so flat. The characters are doing extraordinary things for the whole novel and then… They take the train to go somewhere else and learn another element. THE FALL WAS HARD, GUYS. At least if the author hadn't said what was going to happen next it would have been fine, but I was disappointed.

Overall, I think the Magician was a step-up from the first book and I will definitely read the sequels, because I'm intrigued to see what will happen next. While some elements irritated me, like an unrealistic time-span or a flat ending, I really enjoyed reading this book, because it was full of tension, which kept me glued to the story, thanks to the writing. This series is starting to live up to its potential and I can understand why so many readers loved it when they were younger!

Other:

• Review of The Alchemyst

Have you read this series? Do you love it? Which book is your favourite? Do you keep reading book series even when you don't really like the characters?

Monsters are gonna come and eat you all | This Savage Song

This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity #1) by V.E. Schwab

Published: June 7th 2016 by Titan Books Ltd

Genre: young adult, dystopia, paranormal

Goodreads summary: There’s no such thing as safe in a city at war, a city overrun with monsters. In this dark urban fantasy from author Victoria Schwab, a young woman and a young man must choose whether to become heroes or villains—and friends or enemies—with the future of their home at stake. The first of two books.

Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city—a city where the violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as good-hearted as his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent—but he’s one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul with a simple strain of music. When the chance arises to keep an eye on Kate, who’s just been kicked out of her sixth boarding school and returned home, August jumps at it. But Kate discovers August’s secret, and after a failed assassination attempt the pair must flee for their lives.

REVIEW

By now, you must know that Victoria Schwab is one of my favourite authors, and she never disappoints. Sure, I don't read all of her books 5 stars, but it's still so pretty damn close every time.

To be honest, I would love to see what is happening in Victoria Schwab's head, because she always crafts such unique and dark worlds I'm deeply in love with (but living there wouldn't be the best idea, right?). This Savage Song was a post-apocalyptic novel where monsters appeared because of all the violence that we, humans, perpetrated. This idea is so interesting considering what happened in the world in the last few years, but also so disturbing. While the idea of this world was creepy, I was engrossed by it, because I love when there are monsters in a world, as it means so many possibilities. There also was a song about it in the book (like Lila had a song in A Gathering of Shadows <3), which I'm totally digging and you should too.

    “Monsters, monsters, big and small,

    They're gonna come and eat you all.

    Corsai, Corsai, tooth and claw,

    Shadow and bone will eat you raw.

    Malchai, Malchai, sharp and sly,

    Smile and bite and drink you dry.

    Sunai, Sunai, eyes like coal,

    Sing you a song and steal your soul.

    Monsters, monsters, big and small,

    They're gonna come and eat you all!” 

Schwab is so talented when it comes to world-building, because you never feel overwhelmed with all this new information to process. Indeed, she gives you hints on what is going in but doesn't deliver the whole information until her reader actually needs it. This book was about the notion of good and evil and how complex it was, especially in such a terrible world. You couldn't exactly tell who was "right" and who was "wrong", because the situation was unique. Her writing is so vivid and she can writes such amazing sentences, I fall in love with it every time. It feels like her characters are coming off the page, which can be a little frightening at times, because Kate Harker would definitely scare me to death.

The book started on a quote of Vicious, Schwab's first adult novel, and I loved that so much. It made me laugh, because you need some nerve to do that, but she can totally get away with it, as it was one of the best books I've ever read. While the prologue totally hooked me (because OMG, Kate), it took me about 100 pages to really get into the story, because there wasn't much happening. The first third of the book built a lot of the initial situation - so the synopsis is actually spoiling something happening almost halfway through - but the book was so worth it after that. It was so action-packed and fast-paced and I couldn't stop reading, because I was rooting for the characters and was scared for them at the same time. I loved the last twists Schwab used, because I hadn't seen that coming at all, and I'm pretty excited for Our Dark Duet, the sequel, because while it didn't end on a cliff-hanger, I'm intrigued by the direction the book will go.

The characters were so complex and I was so in love with them. On one hand, we had Kate, who was so kickass and willing to prove her father that she was worth it, she was a Harker, but realized, during the book, that the notions between good and evil weren't as simple and maybe her father wasn't the good guy. On the other hand, you had August who also wanted to prove himself, but was so insecure and willing to be human. He was so, so cute. Except when he was dangerous? But even then. Also he was playing the violin and lured his preys thanks to it, how cool is that (except for the preys, oops)? He was becoming so strong near the end of this first book and I can't wait to see who he'll become. So basically, it was about these teenagers trying to figure themselves out in a messed-up world and went through so much character development. Moreover, Ilsa, August's sister, was such a scary but precious cinnamon roll.

You might have seen a lot of reviewers mention that, but there is no romance in this book. None. Kate and August are coming together not even because there are friends, but because their situation is calling for it, and then, of course they become friends, because it's a life or death situation. But that was all. I loved their relationship, because they came to be so loyal to each other, no matter how awful the situation was and thinking about it…  It is praiseworthy.

Overall, this book was amazing, but it took me some time to get into it, because I was waiting more from the plot. But once I went through this, I was completely addicted to This Savage Song and didn't want it to end. It had such complex and relatable characters on top of a unique and scary world. I don't read dystopian novels that much these days, but you forget it's one while you're reading it, because it doesn't really use the tropes of the genre. I would 100% recommend this book to everyone, but be warned that it could take you time in the beginning.

Have you read this book yet? What did you think of it? What's your favourite book by Victoria Schwab (it's close between Vicious and A Gathering of Shadows for me)?

All the stories are true | The Alchemyst

The Alchemyst (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #1)

Published: May 22nd 2007 by Delacorte Press

Genre: young adult, fantasy

Goodreads summary: Read the first book in the New York Times bestselling The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series, perfect for fans of The Maze Runner and Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

He holds the secret that can end the world.

The truth: Nicholas Flamel was born in Paris on September 28, 1330. Nearly 700 years later, he is acknowledged as the greatest Alchemyst of his day. It is said that he discovered the secret of eternal life.

The records show that he died in 1418.

But his tomb is empty.

The legend: Nicholas Flamel lives. But only because he has been making the elixir of life for centuries. The secret of eternal life is hidden within the book he protects—the Book of Abraham the Mage. It's the most powerful book that has ever existed. In the wrong hands, it will destroy the world. That's exactly what Dr. John Dee plans to do when he steals it. Humankind won't know what's happening until it's too late. And if the prophecy is right, Sophie and Josh Newman are the only ones with the power to save the world as we know it.

Sometimes legends are true.

And Sophie and Josh Newman are about to find themselves in the middle of the greatest legend of all time.

REVIEW

After hearing my boyfriend talking about this series for two years, I finally gave in and read it. It totally felt like this book had been written almost ten years ago, so I feel like my younger self would have loved it so much more than my twenty years old self did, but it was still a good book. This book was written like YA was back in the day, but my expectations have changed, here was the problem.

Starting with the plot, this book was quite predictable, because it’s the type of book we’ve all read a thousand times before, with teenagers finding out our world is bigger than they thought and they’re special snowflakes meant to save it. I don’t think many things happened, it really felt like an introduction to this world, but it has so much potential for the rest of the series. As The Alchemyst was more of a set-up, the main storyline was pretty cool and I’m eager to see where the author is going with it. I enjoyed that this book had multiple points of view, especially with John Dee’s one, which was interesting, as he was the antagonist of the series and it’s rare to have it.

The world was interesting, because it was based off every lore of ever, which means the author has infinite possibilities, so I’m excited for this. He talked about Egyptian mythology, but also Celtic’s with the Morrhigan, which reminded me, in that aspect, of The Last Apprentice series by Joseph Delaney. However, I was annoyed at the amount of info-dump there was during the book, which led to irritation and boredom while reading it. There was so much information I couldn’t process all of it, so it’s likely I’ll have forgotten most of it by the time I read the second book. Because of that, Nick’s point of view was one of the hardest to get through, because he was explaining the world All. The. Time.

I never understood how Nicolas had escaped Dee for so long, as his alias was “Nick Fleming”. It was so obvious that it was ridiculous. I think the author didn’t dwell too long on that, but because of it, I felt so convenient that Dee found him just when Josh and Sophie were there THAT summer. But whatever. I still need to give this book a bonus point because the author remembered his characters had parents and thought an excuse for them, because it rarely happens, you know? Nevertheless, I found the magic system to be amazing and I cannot wait to read more on that (but please, no more infodump).

While the main characters were deeply annoying, I think that Scott portrayed realistic teenagers. They felt hot-and-cold, being real clever at times and totally dumb at others, but well, I could understand it. It prevented me to care for them though… But maybe it’ll be better in the sequels. Nevertheless, I liked the situation the author put the twins in, because it will lead to so much tension in the next books. I cared more about the secondary characters, because they were mythical beings, which made them so much more interesting.

Overall, I took way too long to read this and because of that, I wasn’t a huge fan of this book. I still went through it pretty quickly, so it still had an addictive quality to it, but it was predictable and had tons of info-dump, even though the world was interesting. This book must be aimed at middle schoolers, even though the characters are fifteen, in my opinion. I have hopes the sequel will improve a lot, because the characters will get through some development, and the plot will be more exciting.

Have you read this series? Do you think it improves in the later books? Are you fascinated with alchemy and want more books about it?

Is the Apocalypse coming? | Riders

Riders (Riders #1) by Veronica Rossi

Published: February 16th 2016 by Tor Teen

Genre: young adult, fantasy

Goodreads summary: Riders. A new fantasy adventure from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Veronica Rossi.

For eighteen-year-old Gideon Blake, nothing but death can keep him from achieving his goal of becoming a U.S. Army Ranger. As it turns out, it does.

Recovering from the accident that most definitely killed him, Gideon finds himself with strange new powers and a bizarre cuff he can't remove. His death has brought to life his real destiny. He has become War, one of the legendary four horsemen of the apocalypse.

Over the coming weeks, he and the other horsemen--Conquest, Famine, and Death--are brought together by a beautiful but frustratingly secretive girl to help save humanity from an ancient evil on the emergence.

They fail.

Now--bound, bloodied, and drugged--Gideon is interrogated by the authorities about his role in a battle that has become an international incident. If he stands any chance of saving his friends and the girl he's fallen for--not to mention all of humankind--he needs to convince the skeptical government officials the world is in imminent danger.

But will anyone believe him?

REVIEW

Going into Riders, I was a bit anxious, because I had seen mixed reviews about it. If you’ve read Under the Never Sky (if you didn’t, you should!), don’t expect a similar book, because it definitely wasn’t. In my opinion, Riders was pretty unique and I loved that the author choose to include the lore around the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

For 75% of the book, Gideon, the main character, was describing what had happened to him, because he found himself in a tricky situation in the first page of the book. I think that it was really interesting that Rossi chose to tell the story this way, because it almost felt like it was a report. Riders felt like a standalone, because overall, almost everything was resolved in the span of this one book, the sequel will be more Daryn’s point of view. Indeed, the beginning of the book was more about finding the others Horsemen and then get through with their quest. It was a lot to process at times, but at the same time it was a bit slow and repetitive during some part of the book.

This book was set in different locations all around the world, it wasn’t just about the U.S. – which I’m kind of sick of, these days – but also set in Italy and Norway. You could find this same diversity in the cast of characters, which I wasn’t expecting. Out of the four horsemen, two were typical Caucasian males, when the two others weren’t (but no spoilers!). I really enjoyed that aspect, because as an incarnation of the four horsemen, the boys were chosen and it showed that they were equals. The ending was definitely crazy, with a plot twist I wasn’t expecting (I was pretty naïve on that one, apparently). The author wasn’t scared to hurt her characters, which I totally respected, because they were fighting demons/fallen angels, after all.

I was thrown off a little in the beginning, because I’m not used to read books with only a male’s point of view, but I got used to it quickly. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Gideon’s character in the beginning, because he was macho (ugh), but he went through many character development during the book, which felt realistic. Nevertheless, I loved that his character was so realistic, trying to find ways to cope with what happened to him a year before, which still made him likeable. Moreover, I learnt a lot about the army reading this book, because Gideon had been training to become a Ranger before the accident happened, which was a bit outside of my comfort zone, as I avoid books about the military most of the time.

Out of the rest of the boys, Bas was definitely my favourite. Rossi managed to give us fleshed-out characters, even when she had five main characters. Daryn’s character wasn’t as developed as the others though, but I think it’s because the sequel will focus on her. She was still a pretty tough character and I loved how she was still the leader of the team, despite being the only girl there. I’m intrigued to learn more about the seekers in the next book, because it felt mysterious, as we weren’t in her head.

The team spirit definitely wasn’t there between everyone in the beginning, but the characters worked a lot towards that, so it was a success in this. The last chapter showed it, for there was a real bond between Marcus and Gideon, when they almost were trying to kill each other in the beginning. About the romance, the connection between two of the characters happened pretty quickly, but I enjoyed how it built up and how it ended up in the first book. I’m looking forward to see what happens between them next.

Overall, I found Riders to be a unique book that I quite enjoyed, even if it wasn’t perfect. I would recommend it to you if you’re looking for a badass and original adventure, even though it could be slow at times. Don’t expect this one to be similar to Under the Never Sky, though, but it showed how Rossi evolved as a writer since her debut novel.

Have you read this book? What did you think of it? Did you like Veronica Rossi's first series, Under the Never Sky?

A game-changing sequel that focused A LOT on the romance | Soldier

Soldier (Talon #3) by Julie Kagawa

Published: April 26th 2016 by Harlequin TEEN

Genre: young adult, fantasy

Goodreads summary: The price of freedom is everything.

When forced to choose between safety with the dragon organization Talon and being hunted forever as an outcast, Ember Hill chose to stand with Riley and his band of rogue dragons rather than become an assassin for Talon. She’s lost any contact with her twin brother, Dante, a Talon devotee, as well as Garret, the former-enemy soldier who challenged her beliefs about her human side.

As Ember and Riley hide and regroup to fight another day, Garret journeys alone to the United Kingdom, birthplace of the ancient and secret Order of St. George, to spy on his former brothers and uncover deadly and shocking secrets that will shake the foundations of dragons and dragonslayers alike and place them all in imminent danger as Talon’s new order rises.

REVIEW

I discovered Julie Kagawa last year and devoured seven of her books. By far, her Talon series is my favourite, and this third instalment definitely confirmed it. It is a long series, because there are still two books to be published, but in my opinion, it won’t be too much. If you love dragons, you should definitely read it!

Soldier picked up right after the ending of Rogue and the plot was totally addictive, I devoured the book in a few sittings when I got time. While Soldier was the middle book of the series, I didn’t feel like it was a filler at all. At the beginning of the novel, Garret uncovers game-changing secrets and the rest of the book deals with the consequences of that. I liked to see everyone team up against their enemies and I cannot wait to see how they’ll work together next. Soldier totally made the main plot progress and opened up new subplots.

However, I wanted more character development. Ember mentioned several times that she had changed with all she’s been through, but I would have liked to see it more, she was still a whiny teenager (even though I like her). Riley was still the same character that in the first book, and I never really liked him, so we have a complicated relationship. Can another dragon burn him or something? I was satisfied with Garret’s development though, because he just wanted justice and to show the truth, which is laudable.

This book still had four points of view, five if you count Garret’s flashbacks and Kagawa managed to balance them perfectly. I’ll admit that Dante’s point of view wasn’t the best, because it was far away from the action, but I found it to be totally useful, since he was our only way to know what was going on in Talon. What was happening there was totally dreadful, which was to be expected after the epilogue of Rogue. Moreover, it amuses me that we don’t have much of his point of view, and then it ends on his with a big revelation.

What truly surprised me was that Kagawa managed to expand the world she created. Indeed, because Garret was uncovering truths about the Order, we saw more of the organization, but also flashbacks of how he came to be a soldier. Moreover, we learnt more about the dragons, with some unexpected aspects. Also, some of the revelations made my heart stop for a second.

I won’t lie, this book totally contained a love triangle and it focused a lot on that aspect. In Kagawa’s defence, it seemed realistic, because Ember was conflicted between her human side and her dragon side. However, I really don’t like when authors pull the “we’re meant to be together” trope, because I believe we choose who we love. Not the contrary. So yeah, I admit I was a little pissed at some point, but it’ll wear off. I’m totally team Garret, since I love their chemistry so much more, and because sometimes, I feel life Riley wants to own Ember, which isn’t a healthy relationship at all. But maybe it’s just that I don’t get their chemistry, who knows?

Soldier ended on a cliffhanger, which disappointed me a little, since it was already the case last time. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the last chapters, they were action-packed, filled with tension and I couldn’t stop reading. I think the book could have done with one more chapter, because the resolution to this cliff-hanger is a little obvious since it’s YA fiction.

Overall, it was a solid instalment in the Talon series and you should definitely read this series if you haven’t given it a shot yet, because DRAGONS. I’m so happy that Kagawa didn’t made a filler of this book, since it had an actual goal and helped move the stories. I would have liked more character development though, and to get read of this “we’re meant to be” trope. But other than that, it was pretty good and I can’t wait for Legion!

Other:

• Review of Talon (book #1)
• Review of Rogue (book #2)

Have you read any of Julie Kagawa's novels? Which one is your favourite? Have you started the Talon series yet? Do you love books about dragons?

"This is the end. Hold your breath and count to ten." | Lady Renegades & The Crown

It’s time to say goodbye to some series I’ve been reading! I feel a lot of series are concluding this year and while I’m always sad to say goodbye, it helps the tbr pile a little, let’s be real. Today, I’m talking about The Crown by Kiera Cass (can I laugh if books are added in the series again? But I hope she won’t do that) and Lady Renegades by Rachel Hawkins.

Lady Renegades (Rebel Belle #3) by Rachel Hawkins

Published: April 5th 2016 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Genre: young adult, fantasy

Goodreads summary: Just as Harper Price starts coming to terms with her role as David Stark’s battle-ready Paladin, protector, and girlfriend—her world goes crazy all over again.

Overwhelmed by his Oracle powers, David flees Pine Grove and starts turning teenage girls into Paladins—and these young ladies seem to think that Harper is the enemy David needs protecting from.  Ordinarily, Harper would be able to fight off any Paladin who comes her way, but her powers have been dwindling since David left town…which means her life is on the line yet again.

New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hawkins brings the fun once again in the finale of this pitch-perfect romantic paranormal comedy series.

REVIEW

I read the first two books in the series last year and while I really enjoyed the first one, I found that the second one was pretty much a filler. I liked this one better, but it still wasn’t as good as Rebel Belle. In fact, my main problem was how short it was: it’s not even 300 pages long!

In my opinion, the plot isn’t one you find in finales: it was about finding David for almost the whole book, I would have liked that part to be shorter. I enjoyed that in the beginning, the lives of the characters were back to normal, with summer jobs, but it didn’t last long. Indeed, the action picked up right at the end of the first chapter and it put me right into this world again. But after the characters left, I found the quest to be repetitive, even though there were some action-packed scenes and revelations. Once David was found, there were only 30 pages left or something, which made the ending feel rushed, even if I liked it. Still, Lady Renegades was so much fun to read, because the fantasy aspect wasn’t too heavy and the characters made me laugh.

My favourite part was clearly the characters. In Rebel Belle, when Harper Price was introduced, she felt like a typical Mary Sue, but then she was confronted to tricky situations, because she acquired powers by accident. She went through a lot during this series, but she was still so much to read about. In this instalment, I liked that the author focused on her friendship with Bee. I even came to like Blythe, who was more of an antagonist in the first books, because of the decisions she made, but also her backstory. Basically, she saved the day, in the end, when she didn’t have to. I wished we had seen more of David, he’s so much fun to read about when he’s bickering with Harper. Also, I felt like Ryan was left behind, because he chose not to come, and then we saw him in another scene and that was all.

Overall, this was a good trilogy and I liked it more than Hex Hall, Rachel Hawkins’ first trilogy. The premise was original, but this effect only lasted in the first book. In Lady Renegades, I liked that the characters went through so much development, but I would have liked the plot to be more complex, because it didn’t feel like a finale. In fact, I wanted Miss Mayhen and Lady Renegades to be longer, or maybe it should have been a duology. I think some readers won’t see the final twist coming, which made the series end on a bittersweet note.

The Crown (The Selection #5) by Kiera Cass

Published: May 3rd 2016 by HarperTeen

Genre: young adult, dystopia, romance

Goodreads summary: Kiera Cass’s bestselling Selection series has enchanted readers from the very first page. Now the end of the journey is here, in a wonderfully romantic series finale that will sweep you off your feet.

Twenty years have passed since the events of The One, and America and Maxon’s daughter is the first princess to hold a Selection of her own. Princess Eadlyn didn’t think she would find a real partner among the Selection’s thirty-five suitors, let alone true love. But sometimes the heart has a way of surprising you... and now Eadlyn must make a choice that feels more difficult—and more important—than she ever expected.

The Selection series has sold more than 3 million copies and captured the hearts of fans around the world. This swoon-worthy final installment is the happily ever after they’ve all been waiting for.

REVIEW

In this series, the books were fun and quick to read, this one was no exception. Like so many reviewers, I had mixed feelings about The Heir, mainly because Eadlyn was so self-centred and arrogant. I think I liked this one slightly better, but I found that everything that happened was convenient and a little bit rushed.

Maybe I’m wrong – I read the Heir last year – but I felt like between these two instalments, Eadlyn drastically changed, but I liked her more this way. She went from this spoiled little princess to a caring and open young woman. I can believe that she had potential to become like that, but it felt sudden and that it wasn’t the same character as in the first one. Let’s be real, I was pretty sure about who she would pick and I was totally right, it’s not even funny when it happens… Anyway, I liked the boys that were still in the Elite and they all deserved a chance. There was a plot twist about one of them I didn’t see coming and I was pleased about, though. The romance aspect is something I enjoyed in this one, much more than in the Heir, because Eadlyn was more open to it. However, there is an epilogue and I felt like it was utterly useless. I found that the last chapter was enough to wrap up the romance and that the epilogue was way too cheesy and didn’t have a purpose.

I also felt like everything that happened was pretty convenient, it just happened, poof. In the end, it was just a book to make (pretty much) everything right again for Eadlyn, but it’s not life.  In my opinion, this book should have been longer, since it’s the finale of a five books long series (sort of). It should have been a way to say goodbye to this world, but it just felt similar to the others. It would have been time to expand the world but ha! As if. There are some loose ends I wanted to be deepened – like Eadlyn’s twin said there were complications about something but it was never explained.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this one, it was quick and fun, but it doesn’t stand out among all the books I read. I liked Eadlyn more in The Crown, because she had character development, but it felt way too quick. I would have liked the loose ends to be explored but Kiera Cass stayed in what should be expected.

Have you read any of these series? What do you think of them? Have you read these finales yet?