(I don't have a great photo, my original idea was to Bookstagram the hell out of the ones I wanted to review, but I just haven't had the time and it's already the 8th March!)
The Girl of Ink and Stars | Kiran Millwood Hargrave
Starting with the hardest book to review. Hmmm. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed this world, and the characters, and I am a sucker for a magical quest of some form, but there was just something lacking. I was drawn in by the gorgeous cover and decorated pages, and I am really glad I have read the book, but I don't think I will be in a rush to recommend the book to any of my friends, especially compared to the two other books in this review.
I am well aware that this is a children's book, and a really great one at that, but I don't think it quite fits into the young adult category that I was sold the book under, as I don't think it quite builds the world, the romance or the characters up enough to keep an adult completely engaged.
★★★
Heartless | Marissa Meyer
I will tell you what was heartless...THIS BOOK IS HEARTLESS.
The premise is a young Queen of Hearts, so I feel stupid telling you that whilst part of me knew going into the book that this could not end well, I was still absolutely heartbroken at how the book ended. I read on in naive hope, but the Queen of Hearts needed to become the character we all know from Alice in Wonderland, and whilst it was heartbreaking, it also left me incredibly satisfied.
The world is definitely easy to recognise as Alice in Wonderland, but I also really feel it would stand alone if you didn't have any real knowledge of the original story. The characters are well crafted and Jest is just gorgeous, I found myself, not unlike Catherine, flicking through the pages until he appeared again (and I am not sorry about it).
Heartless is easy to fall in love with and hard to forget.
★★★★
Caraval | Stephanie Garber I purchased this book on a bit of a whim in Waterstones when I was in a particularly bad mood and decided that books were what would cheer me up. I did a bit of googling before I began to read it (I couldn't help myself) and the reviews seem to suggest this book is Marmite to a lot of people.
I am definitely in camp love, I can see the faults, and I definitely think Emily May makes some good points in her review, but I found the book intoxicating, which made me forget a lot of the things I would normally be judgemental about.
The islands, the game, Scarlett, Julian, I just fell head over heals for them all.
I picked up this book with low expectations and in the mood to be proved wrong, and I read every page with wild abandon and let every ridiculous metaphor lead me into the world of Legend. I shall definitely be purchasing Legend when it comes out, even with my reservations of a change of narrator.
★★★★1/2
Guess I have had a pretty lucky month when it comes to the books I have chosen to read! What are you reading at the moment? x
NB I did not mean to put these in order of stars, that is not what I intended, it's just the order I read the books in.
Social Icons