4.5 stars

Review: Lies We Tell Ourselves

16:00

Lies We Tell Ourselves
By Robin Talley

 Source: E-book personal purchase
Page Count: 377
Genres: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+, 

 Goodreads Synopsis:
It’s 1959. The battle for civil rights is raging. And it’s Sarah’s first day of school as one of the first black students at previously all-white Jefferson High.
No one wants Sarah there. Not the Governor. Not the teachers. And certainly not the students – especially Linda, daughter of the town’s most ardent segregationist.
Sarah and Linda are supposed to despise each other. But the more time they spend together, the less their differences matter. And both girls start to feel something they’ve never felt before. Something they’re determined to ignore.
Because it’s one thing to stand up to an unjust world – but another to be terrified of what’s in your own heart.
My review:
This is a very difficult topic to write and read about. I’ve never heard about - let alone read - a book about racism and lesbianism in the 50s, so I think that’s why I found it so hard hitting. By no means was it a fun and enjoyable book to read, but it is so important, and I think everyone should read it.

I think everyone should read this book also because of the actual plot and characters. Not only was it about a topic that is still (sadly) very relevant to today’s society, the character development was very well done. It was written in dual POV, meaning we got to see both character developments first hand. I liked the way both of the protagonists changed, but Sarah was my favourite character because she was so gutsy. I really cared about her (much more than I did about Linda) so became much more invested in the story.  

The plot was good, but not brilliant - I felt like it was the only thing that was letting the book down. At times, it felt like the book wasn’t going anywhere because of the repetitiveness of the main events. It became slow, and although I still wanted to read on, it could have been moved on much quicker. Some parts weren’t necessary, and I would have preferred if the book was shorter to keep a faster pace.

I felt very satisfied with the ending. The epilogue was a nice touch, and made me feel much happier. It gave a much needed break from the rest of the book, as it was lighter, compared the the way that the majority was so hard hitting! It closed the book really well.

Overall, this is a very important book, and a definite must read for everyone! It is very well written, and the author has obviously done her research very well. She’s very talented, and I really look forward to reading her future books.
My rating:

3.5 stars

Review: A Darker Shade of Magic

16:00

A Darker Shade of Magic
By V. E. Schwab

Source: Personal purchase, paperback
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fiction

 Goodreads Synopsis:
Kell is one of the last Travelers—rare magicians who choose a parallel universe to visit. 
Grey London is dirty, boring, lacks magic, ruled by mad King George. Red London is where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. White London is ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne. People fight to control magic, and the magic fights back, draining the city to its very bones. Once there was Black London - but no one speaks of that now.
Officially, Kell is the Red Traveler, personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell smuggles for those willing to pay for even a glimpse of a world they’ll never see. This dangerous hobby sets him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She robs him, saves him from a dangerous enemy, then forces him to another world for her 'proper adventure'.
But perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, Kell and Lila will first need to stay alive — trickier than they hoped.
This is another book that I have really mixed views on. It was very well written, with complex characters who were easy to love, yet (and I hate to say this, and am somewhat scared because so many people love this book) in some places I found it boring. I liked the fact that it was Adult Fiction, yet had the same magical feel like a YA read.


The characters were my favourite element of this book. They were badass so I was cheering for them, yet complex and had depth so they were loveable. Both Kell (the male protagonist) and Lila (the female protagonist, who wasn’t focused on as much as Kell was) were different yet similar, and very interesting to read about.
The thing that I didn’t like was the pace of the book at the beginning. Because there were 4 different Londons in the book, 4 different world-builds got a bit slow. I was also a little bit confused and really had to pay attention to which world we were in. I really had to persevere through the start because of this book.


It was only until around the middle of the book a goal formed. I began caring much more about what was happening because we were working towards something - I was more invested because I actually wanted to know what was going to happen.


The ending was very exciting. I was really invested in the story by this point, and lots was happening. There was lots of action so I really wanted to read on. This was definitely my favourite part of the story. Things were also a lot less confusing in this part.

Overall, I enjoyed this story, but felt like the start could have been sped up a bit. It was very well written, and the characters were loveable. The book was also very imaginative which made it even more of an interesting read.

My rating:

2.5 stars

Review: The Winner's Curse

18:21

The Winner's Curse
By Marie Rutkoski

 Source: Personal purchase, paperback
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Dystopia, Historical

 Goodreads Synopsis:
Winning what you want may cost you everything you love... 
As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions. 
One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin. 
But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined. 
Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.


 I was attempting to say positive things about this book, but I realised that my feelings throughout the entire book were:

This book was definitely a cover buy, and one that - after reading the book - I kind of regret. There were elements I liked, but I feel like the bits I really disliked overshadowed them. My main problem with the book was that it was boring. It felt like nothing happened.

The problem was, for the main part of the book, there was no goal. There wasn’t a journey to get somewhere. Nothing was happening! It made me lose interest in the characters and the plot. The ‘plot twists’ were underwhelming, and there was no tension at all. It was so tame in parts that I actually considered giving up.

My favourite thing about the book was Kestrel. She was really strong-willed and interesting to read about because she was so original. She was clever, cunning and crafty, which is unusual in YA books. At some points, she reminded me of myself greatly.

Another thing I didn’t like was the ending. It was meant to be the exciting part, but because I’d already lost interest, I didn’t find it exciting at all. At parts it was confusing, and I really had to force myself to finish the book.

Overall, I didn’t enjoy the book. Although it was really well written and had complex characters, I found it dragged and made me lose interest. I probably won’t be picking up the next book, and would recommend it to fans of Red Queen, because they have similar settings, and are both quite tame. Also, if you’re not a massive fan of fantasy but want the slow burning romance, or want to get into the genre, I would recommend this book.

My reaction:

My rating:


Favourite quotes:

“Isn't that what stories do, make real things fake, and fake things real?”

“Happiness depends on being free, and freedom depends on being courageous.”