#ainereviewsbook

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Book Review: Radio Silence

Radio Silence

by Alice Oseman

THIS BOOK SNEAKED UP BEHIND ME AND BOWLED ME OVER WITH IT'S AMAZINGNESS. Seriously, everyone has been telling me I'd absolutely adore it, and I started it and doubted that it would be amazing as everyone said, but then I looked up and it was almost midnight and my eyes were burning and I absolutely adored it.

The book is about Frances, an artist, and a fanartist for her favorite podcast: Universe City. From what it's been described as in the book, it seems kind of like a Welcome to Nightvale type of podcast, or maybe something more along the lines of, say, The Bright Sessions, or The Message in terms of storytelling. Then there's Aled, the brother of Frances's best friend who vanished a few years ago. And it turns out Aled is the creator of Universe City. 

What I Liked:

-Aled and Frances are AMAZING. Frances is this study-aholic who has done EVERYTHING she possibly can to get into Cambridge, her dream school. She has friends, but at the same time she's extremely lonely because her school friends know straight-A's-and-studying Frances, but not who she really is - an artist, a fangirl, and a massive nerd.

Aled is awkward and anxious and a total sweetheart and kind of a dork. And Frances befriends him and they start creating Universe City stuff together and the levels of DORKINESS and NERDINESS in this book is AMAZING. 

-Also??? The relationship between Frances and Aled in this book is TOTALLY PLATONIC. Frances is bisexual and kind of had a crush on Aled's sister and Aled is demisexual, homoromantic and has his own secret crush going on. THEY'RE JUST REALLY GREAT FRIENDS.

-It totally captured the anxiety and unsureness of being about to start what a lot of people tell you is the beginning of the rest of your life. College is stressful. And no matter what you do you're going to have doubts about it, because there will always seem like there's something that's more practical or maybe this will get you a better job possibly or going to this college will give you possibly a better education but this college is cheaper and you won't need to get as many loans. And it captured all of that PERFECTLY. 

-ACTUAL SUPPORTIVE PARENT ALERT. Frances and her mom get along really well and she helps out Frances when Frances needs help and wasn't just there to ground Frances and/or feed her like so many other YA parents.

-And this book's writing style was fantastic. It took me a chapter to get into it, but once I did it grabbed me by my heartstrings and didn't let go, not once. I came up gasping for air and totally, utterly, completely in love with this book.

-THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING SO READ IT.

-Also Alice Oseman needs to write something else immediately. Like, right now. Pretty please?

5/5 stars

-Aine

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Book Review: Hunted

Hunted

by Meagan Spooner

This was a pretty dang fantastic retelling. Typically I'm a bit leery about Beauty and the Beast retellings, because there's often the creepy "girl falling in love with her captor" aspect that's honestly a bit gross. But this isn't just a Beauty and the Beast retelling, but it has aspects of the Russian fairytale, "Ivan, the Firebird and the Gray Wolf".

-The novel, for the most part, is narrated by Yeva, a huntress, the favorite of her father's three daughters. Beauty was her childhood nickname. And, when her father never comes home, she's the first to propose to go and search for him.

-Throughout the novel, the POV of the beast takes up a chapter or two, to show is gradually changing mindset. 

-Remember what I said about most Beauty and the Beast retellings can be kind of gross? Well, at first, Yeva doesn't realize that the Beast is her capture. Then, she figures it out, she attempts to kill him. She has conversations with people about the problems of woman falling in love with men who are cruel to them, and worries she's one of those woman. 

-Well the story progresses slowly, there's an elegance to it. A carefulness that leads to the story feeling very well-thought out.

-But, yes, at times it can make everything feel slowed down. Bits of the story dragged, and the ending felt mildly rushed, and like it had more potential than it had.

But I liked it! Meagan Spooner has a great writing style, and I look forward to her next book.

4/5 stars

-Aine

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Book Review: Traitor to the Throne

Traitor to the Throne

by Alwyn Hamilton

This book was disappointing. I LOVED Rebel of the Sands. Really, really loved it. But this book kind of took out all the things that I loved about the first and replaced them with less-fun things.

THE CHARACTERS. What happened to them? Where's the impulsive, snarky Amani? And Jin? BARELY IN THE BOOK. I missed his face. He had great snark.

It's less gun-slinging western and more political.

Also, my ship nosedived. That was fun.

Such a huge cast of characters. I COULDN'T KEEP UP WITH THEM.

But I did like a few things:

The worldbuilding is freaking amazing. I love the worldbuilding.

Yes, the characters are still great and well developed.

And I'd kill for this writing style. I really would.

So yes, this book is suffering from a sophmore slump but I still enjoyed it, even if I didn't love it as much as the first.

3/5 stars

-Aine

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Book Review: Long May She Reign

Long May She Reign

by Rhiannon Thomas

For a book that uses the word "massacre" on the back, this book was actually a pretty light epic fantasy. That was somewhat surprising, considering, again, the word "massacre", but really, this book was more about the political side of things, which a side of poisoning and death.

I've been really looking forward to this pretty much since it was announced. It's such a fantastic idea: nerdy teenage girl becomes queen after everyone else gets murdered. But I did have some problems with it, but first, the things I liked!

NON SEXIST FANTASY WORLD. It's sad that this makes me so happy, but books without sexism are so rare, that this was welcome and refreshing.

Focus on female friendships! Again, a sadly rare thing in fantasy, but Freya's two closest friends were both girls, and there was no petty backstabbing stuff, which, again, tends to happen in epic fantasy if there are two girls who are friends.

Freya would die for her cat.

It was all so gloriously science-y and nerdy. Freya reads stuff and does experiments and builds a laboratory in the dungeon.

At first, Freya was protrayed pretty accurately with social anxiety. But notice how I say "at first".

What I didn't Like:

Freya's social anxiety just seemed to disappear. One minute it was there, and one minute is was gone. Which is disappointing for several reasons: a) because it was an accurate protrayal which rarely happens, and b) Because it just doesn't work that like. Anxiety, social or not, just doesn't disappear because it isn't convenient.

Freya looked down on everyone who wasn't nerdy and science-y. I get that you base your whole life around your science, but that doesn't mean that everyone who chooses to not go into science isn't as good as you.

Freya had a couple of brief stumbling moments as a new queen at first, then she became perfect, and she became perfect by doing the opposite of what her advisers tell her to do because naturally royal advisers know nothing.

This kingdom seriously needs to sort out it's priorities. You throw jewels in the river during a funeral, tax the people because you threw jewels into the river, and then arrest people who can't pay this stupid tax? Or, what about your entire court was just poisoned, but you don't make sure that every single thing that goes in your new queen's mouth has been checked?

The ending was anticlimantic and honestly rather stupid.

The romance is... not good.

Yeah, this book disappointed me. It was still an entertaining read, but I had a lot of problems with it, and it wasn't as great as I hoped, or as good as it could be.

3/5 stars

-Aine

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Book Review: A List of Cages

A List of Cages

by Robin Roe

This book has to be one of the most anticipated books of 2017 that's flying oddly under the radar. I've seen it on numerous "new releases I can't wait to read" lists, but at the same time people aren't really talking about it. I can't believe it hasn't exploded, honestly, because it's the kind of book it seems like the book blogging community would adore.

The book follows Julian and Adam. Julian was formally Adam's foster brother after his parents died, until he has taken in by a relative. He has several learning disabilities, including dyslexia, and sees the school psychologist, but he doesn't ever really show up for his appointments. Adam is the aide to the school psychologist, and is tasked with tracking down Julian so he actually comes to his appointments. Both boys are clearly shocked at coming face to face with each other after so many years. They resume their friendship, but as they grow closer, Adam begins to suspect there's something not quite right with Julian's life, and that not-quite-right thing Julian is desperate to keep secret.

What I Liked: 

-The friendship. It's sadly rare to have a YA book have the main relationship be a friendship, and an amazing, genuine friendship to boot. And while Adam and Julian's friendship is the focus, there are other friendships in the book, like Adam and Charlie. It's kind of sad how happy and surprised I was that this was the case.

-Adorable characters. Seriously. Adam is sincere and genuine and kindness. Not only does he want to know Julian again, he makes efforts to get to know Julian's friends despite a four-year age gap, he remembers the things Julian liked and didn't like from when they lived together, and he wants to know Julian as he is, now, not just the Julian from the past. And Julian himself is a total sweetheart. He's quiet and intelligent and just really, really needs a hug.

-The writing style is incredible. Especially considering Robin Roe is a debut author. If all of her future books have this amazing of a writing style, I'll read them in a heartbeat.

-The treatment of mental illness in this book was spot on. 

-This book is an emotional gut punch. It holds nothing back. It's brutally honest, empathetic, and brilliantly executed. Somehow heartbreaking and uplifting right at the same time.

Basically, read this book. As soon as it comes out. 

5/5 stars

-Aine

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Book Review: Jane, Unlimited

Jane, Unlimited

by Kristen Cashore

This book is definitely going on one of my "what the hell did I just read" shelves, although I haven't decided if it's going on the "in a good way" shelf or "in a bad way" shelf. Because I haven't actually decided if I liked it or not. So this review is going to go rating-less for now, because, like I said, I really have no idea how I feel about it.

The Good:

-This book is being described as choose your own adventure-esque, and I think that's pretty accurate, but throw in some major Clue vibes, minus all the bets with actual money on who the murderer is and the kicking people under the table to try and make them look guilty (although, that could just be how my family plays it). But that sounds like an awesome combination, right? (the choose your own adventure and Clue, not bets and kicking).

-I'm a sucker for books written kind of bizarrely, and this book is no exception. 

-The characters are freaking FANTASTIC. So well written and unique; their personalities don't start to blend into each other, and they stand out and are complex and realistic and just generally really great.

-I love books where you can watch all the tiny, seemingly unimportant threads slowly get tied together, and this book did that.

The Bad:

-It's just so WEIRD. And I'm not sure if I like this book's brand of weird.

-The cover is really, really awful. I'm sorry, but it is. I thought it was one of those simple covers that ARCs sometimes get before the actual book gets released, but nope, it's the actual cover, and I just...who thought this cover looked good? Like really. 

-The book did drag at times. Enough that I almost put it down, because while I do love watching threads come together, it can get a bit slow at times. And it did get slow.

So yeah. Not quite sure how I feel about this book. My main reaction to finishing it was "huh, that was...weird", so I'm not really sure if I liked it or if I disliked it or what. Maybe I need to give it a couple of weeks and try again.

-Aine

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Book Review: Royal Bastards

Royal Bastards

by Andrew Shvarts

I've been looking forward to this book since it was pretty much announced, so the fact that my reaction to it was "ehhh", I'm kind of disappointed. (read: really disappointed)

Now, I loved the first 40ish percent of it! There's all the things you expect out of an entertaining fantasy novel: snark and food and magic and betrayal and blood and all of that fun stuff, and I liked the characters are first! I really did! (not Miles, though. Miles gave me a ~vibe, and it wasn't a good one), but then we hit a spot a little bit before the middle and I just...it lost what was making me enjoy it. 

The characters, which were great at the beginning, slowly started to wear on me as the story went on, because they literally NEVER CHANGED. They were the exact same characters as they were on the first page they were introduced. And supposedly this "let's hike across the country!" thing they were doing took months, so, uh...you'd be different people. Especially if you just watched your parents straight-up murder someone.

And, honestly? The plot was pretty predicable. I knew what would happen and who would do this to who and who would die, and I was hoping that the book would surprise me, it just...didn't.

I also have A LOT of problems with Miles. For one, the whole "unrequited crush since childhood" thing. Please stop writing characters like this. If he has had a crush on you since you two were seven and the boy still hasn't grown out of it at like seventeen, there's a problem there. IT'S REALLY CREEPY. And honestly? Totally unrealistic. And for him to be mad enough that you told him no, you don't want to date him, that he goes and does something that's pretty much a guarentee to you getting killed...NO. EW. 

So yeah. First half of this book: I really liked! The rest of it? Not really.

3/5 stars

-Aine

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Book Review: Meet Cute

Meet Cute

edited by Jennifer L. Armentrout

This book stands up to it's title, because it's really, really cute. REALLY CUTE. I can't get over how cute it is. 

Also, in the name of total honestly, I didn't actually know the term "meet cute" before I started this book, so I finished the first few stories and was like WHAT THE HECK, IT JUST STOPS? AS THEY MEET? and then I googled what a meet cute was...and yeah. Makes sense. (also, the name of the butcher in iZombie makes SO MUCH more sense now)

So, the basic gist of this book is that it's a whole bunch of teenagers, meeting their love interests; but only their first meeting. Their meet cutes. And they were CUTE. These are little tiny snippets of the beginnings of relationships, and they varied from romcom romantic to friends to lovers.

The stories were wonderfully inclusive, too, which is fantastic (not all white cishet stories!), and I don't think there was one story that I didn't enjoy. Some did fall a bit more flat than others, and of course I have my favorites, like the one about two girls meeting during a layover in an airport, but this is easily the best anthology I've read. Anthologies and I don't really get along because I tend to only like two or three out of a dozen or so stories, but this anthology is a solid, thoroughly enjoyable one.

4/5 stars

-Aine