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Book Review: Winter

Posted on December 10, 2015December 9, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis from Amazon:

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend–the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters? Fans will not want to miss this thrilling conclusion to Marissa Meyer’s national bestselling Lunar Chronicles series.

*Note: If you haven’t read the first three books in The Lunar Chronicles, DO NOT read this review unless you want to be spoiled. You’ve been warned!*

First, I would like to applaud Marissa Meyer for the diversity in her novels. Winer is DARK skinned, y’all! Do you even know what that means? That’s crazy and unfortunately rare in YA novels (and literature in general). And Prince Kai and the people of the Common Wealth are Asian. Also, unlike most dystopian novels this doesn’t take place in America, although we do have Thorne who’s American.

Plus, Winter has a mental health issue and Jacin handles it perfectly by being there for her and telling her she’s perfect just the way she is. Meyer handled this so well. I loved everything about this book and this series. So good!

Winter picks up a few weeks after Cress ended and Cinder and her crew are planning their revolution, although that’s, of course, easier said than done. Plus Wolf is still distressed about Scarlet and I just wanted to give him a hug and tell him everything would be okay.

Cress and Thorne were the cutest and I loved how shy they were with each other. Also, seeing Cinder and Kai work together was so cute and they made a great team. Basically, all the ships sailed in this novel and I absolutely loved it.

This novel was more than just romance though. There were some kick a** fight scenes and just great strategies all around. Cinder and co. kicked butt and took names and I loved it.

I’m so sad this series is over. I loved binge reading it and I’ll miss it. Thankfully there’s a collection of short stories coming next year so I can still get by Lunar Chronicles fix.

Borrow or Buy: Buy!

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“Broken isn’t the same as unfixable.”

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Book Review: Clockwork Prince

Posted on November 26, 2015November 26, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis from Amazon.com:

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street—and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa’s powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister’s war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move—and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will—the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

*Spoiler Alert: If you haven’t read Clockwork Angel yet don’t read this review.*

I don’t even know where to begin with this book. There was betrayal, a love triangle, action, surprises, and so much more. I loved it. Honestly, I don’t even know what else to say.

At the start of this novel ~~Benedick~~ Benedict Lightwood (who I still can’t believe is Izzy and Alec’s ancestor but I digress) attempts to take the London Institute from Charlotte. The Consul isn’t having it so instead he tasks Charlotte with finding the Magister (Mortmain) in two weeks or else she’ll lose the Institute.

Well, that’s easier said than done when their only connection to Mortmain was Tessa’s brother, Nate, who’s disappeared. Meanwhile, Lightwood’s sons, Gideon and Gabriel, are sent to the Institute to train Tessa and Sophie, which only stresses out Charlotte more.

I really felt for Charlotte in this novel. I find her relationship with Henry interesting and I swear if anything happens to them in the next book I will raise hell.

Just kidding. Maybe.

I also fell in love with Jem Carstairs. I was already starting to fall in love him in the first novel but this book pushed me over the edge. He’s so sweet and kind and I just want him to live forever and protect him from all harm. Obviously I know that’s not possible but still. Almost all his lines hit me in the feels.

One thing, or rather person, that did bother me in this book was Tessa. I get that there’s a love triangle but I think she needed to be honest with Will and Jem about it instead acting as if she loved just the one and not both. If she breaks Jem’s hurt in the next book I’ll be pissed.

But besides that, great novel!

Borrow or Buy: Buy!!!

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“I can offer you my life, but it is a short life; I can offer you my heart, though I have no idea how many more beats it shall sustain. But I love you enough to hope that you will not care that I am being selfish in trying to make the rest of my life – whatever length – happy, by spending it with you.”

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Book Review: Legend

Posted on November 19, 2015November 25, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

*This book is part of my POPSUGAR 2015 Reading Challenge*

Synopsis:

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths – until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.

I’ve been hearing about this book for a while but there’s just so many dystopian novels and I resisted getting swept up into another trilogy.

But this one was definitely worth a read and worth all the hype. The novel is told in alternating point of views between the main characters, June and Day, which is interesting because they both have very different relationships with the Republic.

June is a prodigy who’s rich and has always led a comfortable life whereas Day is on the run, living in the poor sectors and just trying to help his family survive.

To be honest, I found their instant connection a little unbelievable but I still really liked their love story. More than that though, I liked the plot. The way June is so analytical and how she sees her world was really interesting and I loved Day’s character. I also really like Day’s friend, Tess, and I thought the character portrayal of Thomas and Commander Jameson were very well done.

Marie Lu structures this novel very well with the death of June’s brother, Metias, being the catalyst and how it connects to not only Day but also his little brother, Eden. I also like how we only scraped the surface of the bigger conflict between the Republic that June and Day live in and the Colonies that oppose them.

This was a pretty intense book for the first novel in the trilogy and I’m excited to see where this goes. Definitely a must read.

Borrow or Buy: Buy!

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“Each day means a new twenty-four hours. Each day means everything’s possible again. You live in the moment, you die in the moment, you take it all one day at a time.”

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