Rebel Belle Review

Rebel Belle Review
By Rachel Hawkins

Summary from Goodreads

Harper Price, peerless Southern belle, was born ready for a Homecoming tiara. But after a strange run-in at the dance imbues her with incredible abilities, Harper's destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She becomes a Paladin, one of an ancient line of guardians with agility, super strength and lethal fighting instincts.

Just when life can't get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she's charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy and possibly Harper's least favorite person. But things get complicated when Harper starts falling for him—and discovers that David's own fate could very well be to destroy Earth.

With snappy banter, cotillion dresses, non-stop action and a touch of magic, this new young adult series from bestseller Rachel Hawkins is going to make y'all beg for more.

My Review

With this being my fourth Rachel Hawkins book (I previously read and loved the Hex Hall trilogy), I have found that her books are best read quickly, within a couple of days, possibly a week tops. That being said, this book took me around a month to read. Between school and homework and obligations and such, I didn't have much time to read and I just couldn't justify spending time reading, so then I didn't and this book just sat half-read, staring at me guiltily on my desk. I flew through probably about 200 pages of this really quickly, and I probably could have flown through the rest of it too, if I'd tried. It was overall a very quick read and a really fun time.

Rachel Hawkins writes very sassy female main characters. They don't take crap from anyone and they know who they are and that they can kick-butt. Harper, our main character, was no different. Harper was super sassy and had some great lines, and her interactions with other characters were always thoroughly entertaining. However, in the beginning, Harper bothered me a little. While she was a really fun POV to follow, she also just irked me a little. She came off as little shallow and stuck-up at times, and it just bothered me. She did grow on me as the book went on, though, and I ended up liking her.

"Brandon's hair was a few shades darker than Bee's, more gold than blond, and while I guess he was attractive in a clean-cut jock kind of way, I'd never go for his type. Too many muscles, too few brain cells." (p. 70)

One thing that kind of bothered me was the situation with Harper's sister. I won't go into depth on the situation, because spoilers (I think?), but it just didn't really feel fleshed out. It was mentioned in the beginning, so maybe it's just because I read the beginning so long ago, but the situation felt a little brushed over to me and almost a little unnecessary at points, and it was kind of dropped once there was more drama in Harper's life. This is why I should have finished the book sooner.

"David's grin slowly faded and his fingers fiddled with the edge of his T-shirt, pulling it up and over his bicep a little. Since when did David Stark have biceps? How did you get any muscle tome when all you did was type and be annoying?" (p. 187) 

I really quite like David Stark very much. He balanced Harper out and brought her down to earth. David was so many things that Harper wasn't, but at the same time, they were very similar. David was kind of a dork (in the best way possible) and I loved every time he talked to Harper. David would always tease and kind of poke fun at Harper, which was such a change from Ryan, who just kind of annoyed me.Yeah, I'd take David over Ryan any day. Ryan is more or less your stereotypical, one-dimensional jock/homecoming king/boyfriend of the captain of the cheerleading squad. Okay, maybe he is slightly more than one dimension, but I still like David more.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, but I wish I had been able to read it faster, because I think that would have improved my reading experience. I will be picking up the sequel, eventually but I don't know how soon I will be reading because at this point I'm just not super inclined to read it. I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. 

Amulet Volumes 1-4 Review

Amulet Volumes 1-4 Review
By Kazu Kibuishi

Amulet Volume 1: The Stonekeeper Summary from Goodreads

Graphic novel star Kazu Kibuishi creates a world of terrible, man-eating demons, a mechanical rabbit, a giant robot---and two ordinary children on a life-or-death mission.

After the tragic death of their father, Emily and Navin move with their mother to the home of her deceased great-grandfather, but the strange house proves to be dangerous. Before long, a sinister creature lures the kids' mom through a door in the basement. Em and Navin, desperate not to lose her, follow her into an underground world inhabited by demons, robots, and talking animals.

Eventually, they enlist the help of a small mechanical rabbit named Miskit. Together with Miskit, they face the most terrifying monster of all, and Em finally has the chance to save someone she loves.

My Review

I normally don't read graphic novels. I've just never been one of those people who are drawn to them. Other than this series, I have read one graphic novel, and that was Blankets, which was completely different from the Amulet series. Even though this isn't the type of book I would usually read, after reading the first volume, I will find myself drawn to these books and I always look forward to picking them up and reading the next one. I really liked the first four books I've read, and I can't wait to keep reading them.

This map is found in the back of Volume 3, The Cloud Searchers, and it so beautiful.

The artwork in this series is so beautiful and I love the use of color in this series. Their are some really beautiful full-page drawings that can be found throughout the series and they are all so detailed and so well done (some of these will be placed throughout the review, as you may have already noticed).

Volume 4, The Last Council, p. 21

In this story, a really strong aspect is the presence of family. Family is what started this entire series from the first fifteen pages and it continues to drive and motivate the characters. The love that Emily and Navin have for their mom is so sweet and touching, and their mom is so protective and supportive of them. Emily and Navin also have a really good relationship, especially since they have to stick together to survive in this foreign world that they were thrown into, and it's nice to see such a solid sibling bond in a series.

Volume 3, The Cloud Searchers, p. 31 

Emily and Navin are also exceptionally strong characters. They were thrown into this entirely new world, with magic systems and creatures and dangers that would never be found on Earth, and they take everything with a grain of salt. Emily and Navin accept a lot of responsibility and some powerful leadership roles in this series, and they have really grown up in just the four volumes I've read. 

The villains and magic system are really intriguing in this series. The magic system takes a little while to learn about, and it confused me at first, but over time, things start to make more sense. The villains are also all so complex and they all have so many layers to them and so much mystery surrounding them, which I really want to learn more about. All of the characters, curses, and magic, in general, are just so cool and whimsical.

Volume 3, The Cloud Searchers, p. 1

Overall, this series is just so much fun and, like I mentioned before, the artwork is just so beautiful and full of color and detail. My favorites of this series so far are probably Volume 1, The Stonekeeper, and Volume 4, The Last Council, but I think Volume 4 might pull a little bit further ahead and claim the sole spot as my favorite. I would definitely recommend this series, especially if you've never read a graphic novel or haven't read many before (like me), since it's pretty easy to follow. I gave Volumes 1-3, The Stonekeepers, The Stonekeeper's Curse, and The Cloud Searchers all 4 out of 5 stars. I gave Volume 4, The Last Council, 5 out 5 stars.  

Siege and Storm Review

Siege and Storm Review (Shadow and Bone Book #2)
By Leigh Bardugo

CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS FOR SHADOW AND BONE

Summary from Goodreads

Darkness never dies.

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her--or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

My Review

This book was so good, like the first one. I think I have to say that I liked this sequel more than Shadow and Bone, though, but I loved both of them. I really loved the writing in this book. The writing was so beautiful and wonderful and spectacular and all the adjectives. The pacing was well done in this book and her descriptions were specific and made the image really vivid in my mind.

"His voice was raw white wood, torn from the heart of the tree." (p. 418)

The writing in this book was also really funny at times, too, and would help to lighten the mood. And I actually laughed out loud sometimes, which doesn't happen a lot with me, so that was a plus.

"'My brother snores like a drunk bear.'

I laughed. 'Mal snores, too.'

'Then they can perform a duet.'" (p. 90)       

Alina progressed so much in this book. It was great to see Alina finally come into her own and accept her fate as a leader. Alina had to take on a leadership role and she embraced it and faced it head on, which was so different from the same girl who used to run from her powers. Alina is also really loyal to her country, which is an admirable quality for her to have and shows her bravery. I liked Alina a lot in this book and I can't wait to see where she progresses in Ruin and Rising.

We meet a new character in this book and, boy, is he a great new character. Early on, Alina meets Sturmhond and he is such a good character. Sturmhond is so funny and sarcastic and sassy and all of his lines are just great and laugh-out-loud worthy. Sutrmhond was super confident and sometimes a little arrogant, but he was never too arrogant or cocky to the point where I found him annoying.

"Mal crossed his arms and considered the privateer. 'I can't decide if you're crazy or stupid.'

'I have so many good qualities,' Sturmhond said. 'It can be hard to choose.'" (p. 81)

I really liked most of the book. I got a little bit bored in the middle, but it didn't last long. One thing that I didn't like, but always seemed to be there, though, was Mal. He annoys me to no end, and I don't like the relationship he has with Alina. I didn't love him in the first book, but now I just really don't like him. I can sum up most of my feelings with this one thought Alina had in the beginning of the book and I'll just leave it at that.

"I felt like I had when we were kids: capable Mal and useless Alina." (p. 13)

Overall, I liked this book and I will be completing the trilogy and definitely be reading more of Leigh Bardugo's work once it comes out. I gave this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Shadow and Bone Review

Shadow and Bone Review (Shadow and Bone Book #1)

By Leigh Bardugo

Summary from Goodreads:

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.

My Review:

I must begin this by saying how much I loved this book. Shadow and Bone completely blew me away. I went into this book knowing there was a good amount of hype around it, so I tried not to keep my expectations too high, but there were still expectations. This book, however, exceeded all of my expectations and it was just so great and wonderful and enjoyable.

At first, the book seems confusing, because, as the reader, we are just thrown into the world and magic system, so the words were all new and foreign, along with the politics of the world. Leigh Bardugo does a good job world-building though, and she never just dumped information on us all at once, but rather slowly explained more things as time went on. Leigh Bardugo's writing in general was also amazing. She had some of the most beautiful descriptions, her writing being both beautiful and easy to read, and she created some fascinating characters, including Alina, our main character, and the Darkling. Alina was a strong character and knew how to hold her own after being thrown into this entirely new world of being Grisha. And then there's the Darkling. 

Before I even read this book, I had heard about the Darkling and everyone’s love for him. I was hoping I would also love him, and he definitely stole my heart. I have so many feelings for the Darkling that I can’t explain, but he is a very complex and amazing character, and one of the highlights of the book. Leigh Bardugo created an amazing character when she created the Darkling. In the beginning, I mostly read for the Darkling, and while the plot was good, I was just more interested in the Darkling. Around halfway, however, I began really reading for the plot. There was a lot of world building and getting used to the magic system in the beginning of the book, but in the last half of the book, I was completely captured by the plot, and I found the book more action-packed, and this solidified my love for the book.

Overall, I loved this book and I cannot wait to read the sequel, which I will be doing very soon. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone.

I gave this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.