Book Review: Stormcaster (Shattered Realms #3)

Release Date: April 3, 2018
Author: Cinda Williams Chima
Publisher: HarperTeen
Length: 544 pages
Source: Library Audio Book

The third book in the thrilling four-book Shattered Realms series from New York Times bestselling author Cinda Williams Chima

The Empresss in the east—the unspeakably cruel ruler whose power grew in Flamecaster and Shadowcaster—tightens her grip in this chilling third installment in the series.

Vagabond seafarer Evan Strangward can move the ocean and the wind, but his magical abilities seem paltry in comparison to Empress Celestine’s. As Celestine’s bloodsworn armies grow, Evan travels to the Fells to warn the queendom of her imminent invasion. If he can’t convince the Gray Wolf queen to take a stand, he knows that the Seven Realms will fall. Among the dead will be the one person Evan can’t stand to lose.

Meanwhile, the queen’s formidable daughter, Princess Alyssa ana’Raisa, is already a prisoner aboard the empress’s ship. Lyss may be the last remaining hope of bringing down the empress from within her own tightly controlled territory.

Multiple intricately interwoven storylines converge in this gripping novel about a brave, coordinated effort to undermine a horrific tyrant.

    

Review:

Characters: I honestly don't know how to write this section because there are just so many characters that this installment focuses on. I mean, I went into this book expecting it to feel like the other installments, a change in focus, this one on Evan Strangward, his story, and what's going on in Carthis, which we sort of get, while possibly getting a few chapters here and there continuing the previous installment and showing what happened to Alyssa after the end of Shadowcaster, which we also sort of get. However, instead, this installment really felt like the first time this series has come into focus as a new generation of heroes banding together to take down a new foe. While I enjoy the first two installments in this series I really fell in love with this series here, this was the first time that I could truly see the focus of this series, which is mostly the amazing and complex characters that fill this amazing world, and while the story might have been spread a bit thin due to how may POVs there are, but honestly I wouldn't have it any other way it really illustrates the scope of this world and this story.

Romances: So, I'm not going to lie to you, there's very little romance in this book, with the romances from the previous books split up for the entire installment we don't get that much development on that front, other than off-handed references and some not so off-handed references here and there, but no real development for the couple. We do have a new POV in this book in the form of Evan Strangward, who is the focus of most of the beginning of this book, and that long beginning does detail a romance that he has, and while it is an adorable romance that I ship to no end, it's not in the book much beyond the beginning and while I understand why that is, as they each have different parts to play in this story, I just wish we could have seen more of them together in this book.

World Building: As I said before, this book was series changing for me, I would say it's mostly because it actually continues the story we know. While the previous installment did continue the story from Flamecaster a bit, Shadowcaster felt more like a companion novel, telling a concurrent story from a different front. This installment, well this installment feels like a mix of those two plotlines with a dash of Carthis and I love it. While there are so many Points of View that sometimes the plotlines can feel a bit spread thin at times, I never felt a lull in the story. I was hooked from the very beginning that the only times I would set this story aside were to make sure I didn't burn through it too fast, which in a way I kind of did as I'm anxiously awaiting the final installment in this series. This book expands the scope of this story so much and finally introduces us to Carthis, the Empire across the sea where a great many mythical creatures are assumed to live, including dragons. It was hard not to be struck with what exploring this world, even more, would be like, I mean, I would be completely down for a series set in this world that takes place completely, or almost completely, in Carthis because I feel there's still so much left to learn and I'm not sure how much will be able to come out in the final installment in this series.

Predictability: So, I'm not sure how to talk about the predictablilty in this installment as, while there are a good number of unpredictable and surprising moments in this installment, I still feel no closer to the answer to two of the biggest mysteries in this series, the first being the origin of those with mage marks, and while it seems that we get some explanation on that, I don't trust the source it comes from, and secondly, who is targeting the royal family, which again I would say we get "closer" to figuring out who it is, but since I'm pretty sure I figured out who it is near the beginning of the previous installment I was kind of hoping that that reveal wouldn't be drawn out. Again, I will say that there are a lot of amazing unpredictable moments in this installment but I felt they all happened at the moment and I didn't really feel a large build-up to anything unexpected.

Ending: So, since there are a few plotlines this book follows there are quite a few final climactic moments and I'll be honest with you, they're all full of tension, including something I thought would never happen in this series, and a particularly bad ass moment by one of my new favorite characters, even if they didn't need to be put in a situation where that badassery was necessary. Anyway, each of these moments is fraught with tension leading to some of the most intense moments in this series. It all leads up to some rather moments where we learn more about not only what just happened, but what will happen as this series heads into its final installment and it ends with one hell of a cliffhanger.

Rating:

Okay, look, I loved this book, it was nearly impossible to put down and I practically flew through the story. I am so sad that I have to wait for the next installment, and I just pray that it'll be worth the wait!

Book Review: Defiance (The Courier's Daughter #1)

Release Date: August 28, 2012
Author: C. J. Redwine
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Length: 403 pages
Source: Purchased Book

Defiance by C. J. Redwine is rich postapocalyptic YA fantasy perfect for fans of Graceling and Tamora Pierce.

While the other girls in the walled city-state of Baalboden learn to sew and dance, Rachel Adams learns to track and hunt. While they bend like reeds to the will of their male Protectors, she uses hers for sparring practice.

When Rachel's father fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the city's brutal Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector: her father's apprentice, Logan—the boy she declared her love to and who turned her down two years before. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father's survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can't be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.

    

Review:

Protagonists: Rachel and Logan are, at their core, fairly by the book protagonists for this genre. Rachel is a fierce and impulsive girl who knows how to hold her own in a fight, while Logan is her foil, he's more of a planner, who takes time to run through variables before charging in guns blazing. At first, I wasn't all that impressed with these characters, that is until I saw how these characters reacted to certain events that transpire in this book. How they react, and how their choices affect them in this story and bring about real consequences, was really interesting to see. As the story goes on these characters' flaws come out and we see them grow into well fleshed out characters with real issues and having to deal with that on top of this post-apocalyptic mess.

Romance: So, I wasn't too taken with this romance. Maybe it's that Ever the Hunted by Erin Summerill has a very similar romantic premise, even though that story came out after this one, but there wasn't anything about that romance that hooked me. I mean, there is chemistry between the two characters, but their emotional connection doesn't feel developed past, they'll die for the other, and I really wish there were flashbacks, things to really drive home the connection between these two characters, also it was a tad annoying to have the male romantic lead not have feelings for our female lead, only to develop them when the plot called for it. Overall, I felt it was underdeveloped as a who and could have been fleshed out more.

World Building: Going into this book I was expecting more of a fantasy than a post-apocalyptic world. There are a couple of fantasy elements to the story, but that doesn't quite come through. It's not that there's anything wrong with post-apocalyptic books, in fact, if I read this around the time it came out I probably would have loved the story and this world but I wasn't a huge fan of the post-apocalyptic setting, that mixed with the extremely sexist city-state our characters lived in, which for the record is meant to be terrible, it just wasn't something I was prepared for, I almost threw the book because of the horrific villain in this book. On the whole, I really enjoyed the premise, but at this point, it's not exactly my cup of tea.

Predictability: Looking over this story, I don't really know if there was anything I was able to predict. I mean, I was able to see where the story was going to go more or less, though there were a few twists I didn't see coming, I had a vague idea how the plot would progress, it just sort of progressed rather slowly, so there wasn't all that much that ultimately happens in this story, I mean I feel like we didn't get to the main meat of story until over halfway through the book. As things got to the end, well there were quite a few things I did not see coming.

Ending: The final climax of this book is intense, although, I was listening to this book on audio from my local library, and I would recommend just actually reading the book because I didn't really feel the urgency in the final climax, but I know I would have if I just read the ending. Anyway, the final climax is really interesting because it's very game-changing and again I was happy to see real consequences for characters' actions, whether that's a protagonist or antagonist I'm talking about you'll just have to read and see. THe cooldown period as the dust settles seems to just wrap up this installment's story and begin setting things up for the sequel.

Rating:

I would say this is a pretty middle of the road book, I didn't hate it, but it just wasn't my cup of tea at the moment. I'm sure I'll continue with this series and maybe by then, I'll be in a more post-apocalyptic mood. Regardless, this is an interesting adventure and if you're looking for a post-apocalyptic tale with a touch of fantasy, give this book a try.

Book Review: Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orïsha #1)

Release Date: March 6, 2018
Author: Tomi Adeyemi
Publisher: Henry Holt Books for Young Readers
Length: 525 pages
Source: Purchased Book/Audio Book

Tomi Adeyemi conjures a stunning world of dark magic and danger in her West African-inspired fantasy debut, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Sabaa Tahir.

Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zelie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were targeted and killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.

Now, Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.

Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers—and her growing feelings for the enemy.

    

Review:

Protagonists: In the land of Orïsha, magic used to be everywhere and exist in everything, that is until the day of the Raid when soldiers with majacite weapons slaughtered the maji, those who could wield magical gifts from the gods, and magic died. Zélie is a diviner, someone who was supposed to be a maji before magic went away. Now she's treated like trash by the monarchy and she wants to fight back. Incidentally, she bumps into a rogue princess named Amari who just so happens may know how to bring magic back. However, their quest will be perilous as they're being tracked by the crown prince of Orïsha, Inan, who wants to eradicate magic just as much as his twisted father. All three of these main characters were so brilliantly complex. There were a couple of times, specifically with Inan, that I thought his character development was moving along too fast, only to realize what the author was really doing which took me by surprise for a minute before everything sunk in, and I really enjoyed what she did with his character. I love Zélie, she's a bit hotheaded and impulsive, but she fights for the freedom of her people and over the course of the book she really comes into her own, and while character development is all about getting stronger, what I really like is that Zélie's strength and character arc doesn't always come from good moments, in fact, there are many horrific moments that define who Zélie becomes. Finally, there's Amari, who I also grew to love, though I felt she wasn't featured as much as Zélie and Inan, she probably grows the most in this story and while I don't want to talk too much more here, I will say that Amari's character arc pretty much blew me away.

Romance: Honestly, I'm not too sure what to write here, mainly because even though it's been a while since I finished this book, I'm still trying to figure out not only my feelings on things but what feelings are still applicable going into future installments. On the whole I really enjoyed the romances in this book, they don't distract from the main plotline, and instead really help to elevate the story being told here. First, there's the obvious romance, since it's heavily hinted at in the synopsis, and that is the romance between Zélie and Inan. I'm a huge fan of the hate to love trope and I really fell in love with these two characters, basically because of how realistic their romance eventually seems. At first, there's a lot about a "connection" between the two, but when their romance really starts to be tested, that's when I really found myself in awe of just how real the romance started to feel, warts and all. There is another romance in this book, though not as obvious and while it doesn't get nearly as much time in the spotlight as Zélie and Inan's romance, I'm definitely looking forward to how it develops in the future.

World Building: This book is dense. I mean, there's so much story packed into this book and while it's over 500 pages, there's still so much that happens in this story and so much about the world that we learn. I've been on something of a Fantasy kick lately and while I find myself enjoying most of them, I've become aware that most fantasy worlds share a lot of similarities that make it hard for certain fantasy worlds to stand out among the crowd, but not this world. This world is so rich and vibrant that it sticks out easily. I loved how everything in this world is described because I truly felt the world come to life before me, well after I did a bit of Googling so I could form a better mental picture because there were a few things I wasn't familiar with. The wildlife of this world is incredible and terrifying and every city in this world felt a unique from the last. I love the world of Orïsha, from the vibrant culture, the entrancing folklore, and fearsome fauna that roam the landscape, and that's not even getting into the fantastic magic system in this world. In this world there are, or were, ten maji clans, each boasting a different gift from the gods, some were elementalists, some healers, and others could connect with the souls of the living or dead. Each type of maji that we see in this world is fantastic and the powers they can wield are mighty, while I think there's still more to learn about magic, the story of where it went, which is the focus, more or less, of this book, was an interesting one to learn. Then there's the political intrigue as we have a very punishing monarchy that oppresses diviners who literally have no way to fight back. A monarchy that places taxes on diviners just because of who they are and who will put you into the stocks, a death sentence essentially, if you can't pay your taxes. This is a world that has a lot of faults, but I do like that the author really explores the complexities of this world and doesn't just have a right and wrong side.

Predictability: Reading this book was almost like taking a breath of fresh air. While I do like to see how authors will approach different tropes, such as the heir reclaims their kingdom trope, It was exhilarating to read this book, that, while it does have a few tropes, really comes off as something unique, while still feeling a bit familiar. I'm trying to figure out how many things I was able to figure out ahead of time in this book, and aside from the very obvious, there wasn't anything I was able to figure out. In fact, this story has some really phenomenal twists that utterly blew me away, and one that nearly made my heart stop.

Ending: How is it that this ending was so epic? Well, honestly I know how it was. The author shows a phenomenal final climax from multiple perspectives to really fill out the scope of what this final clash means for not only these characters but the world as a whole. What I'm personally annoyed about though is that there's a gigantic cliffhanger at the end of this book and there's so much left up in the air and I just need to know what happens right this second and I can't wait to see how our heroes move forward in the next installment.

Rating:

Okay, I'll say it, this is hands down the BEST BOOK I'VE EVER READ. No joke, the fantasy world is rich and dense, the characters are phenomenal and flawed, and the story is just so unbelievably epic and I can't wait to see what happens after that climactic ending.

Blog Tour Audio Book Review: The Flames (The Feud Trilogy #2) + GIVEAWAY!

Release Date: January 18, 2018
Author: Kyle Prue
Narrator: Jon Eric Preston
Publisher: Cartwright Publishing
Length: 434 pages/12 hrs. & 16 mins.
Source: Audio Book Review Copy

To survive incredible odds, one teen may have to trust both his former enemies and his fire-forged destiny…

Neil Vapros is one of the last free warriors of the great city of Altryon. He and his brother’s only chance of staying alive involves trusting an uneasy alliance with their former enemies. But in the world beyond his city’s walls, Neil’s life is much more dangerous than he ever imagined possible…

The Emperor has hired a ruthless madman and a vicious pack of assassins to hunt down the last supernatural survivors. As the allies attempt to hide from their enemies, the leader of a rebellion singles out Neil as the answer to a prophecy. Neil isn’t sure he believes he’s been “chosen,” but he knows one thing for sure: their only chance for survival lies in sticking together. While treachery and pain wait around every corner, Neil and his allies may win the day, but victory without casualties could prove impossible…

The Flames is the second book in the award-winning Epic Feud trilogy of young adult fantasy novels. If you like rich fantasy settings, imaginative supernatural abilities, and tough-as-nails characters, then you’ll love Kyle Prue’s electrifying adventure.

    

Review:

Protagonists: After being nearly hunted to extinction the last of the Lightborns from the city of Altryon have escaped into the outside world, a world they were once taught was a wasteland filled with savages, but is, in fact, full of thriving civilizations. With their hurt still fresh they aren't ready to fight back against the Empire, but sometimes the fight will come to you whether you want it or not. While Neil is arguably the main character of this book, and of this series, I really loved that all of our main characters have really well developed and defined character arcs in this book. I never really felt that one character was more important than the other, even when Neil starts to get pulled into a "Chosen One" storyline, I never felt that he became the focus of the story. Each character has a great deal of character development in this book, and what I found interesting was that the author definitely made it clear what it was that each character had to learn over the course of this book, but their character development still felt very natural and not like it was being shoved down my throat, which is usually how it is when the "lesson" our protagonist(s) has to learn is made obvious.

Romance: I wasn't sure if I was going to comment on this as the romance in this book is definitely on the lighter side for a YA novel, which is great honestly as I've kind of gotten a little romanced out lately. In fact, at first, I wasn't sure what to think about the lack of romance in this book, especially when the feelings between characters were growing a tad too fast for my liking, though with the time jump between this book and the previous one, on top of the fact that what we know about what transpired during that time jump is limited. Anyway, there are actually multiple romances in this book and I have to say I really enjoyed them both. Again, they weren't touched on a whole lot, and they never felt like anything more than a small subplot, but I felt it was handled well, and the little we do see makes an impact.

World Building: Woah, once we left the city of Altryon this world got a whole lot bigger. In fact, not that much of this book, if any, takes place within the Industrial City. There is so much of this world to still learn about and the complexities of this outside world are an interesting place to start. I was rather shocked going into the outside and just seeing how much story potential there is for these characters as they explore the world beyond the city. There's so much world building to talk about, from new villains to new discoveries surrounding the Lightborns, but unfortunately, I don't want to give too much away. I will say this though, it doesn't take too long in this book for things to get interesting and that's only the tip of the iceberg. Even after the phenomenal expansion to the story and the world that this book is there's still more I want to know, and if the next book is even half as story and world dense as this one I know I won't be disappointed.

Predictability: Like I said, this book doesn't take long for the story to get interesting and what better way than with a twist or to from left field. I mean, I'm thinking back on this book and trying to figure out if I was able to predict any twists, in a reasonable amount of time before they actually happen, and I can't really think of any. There are a couple that I got before the actual reveal, but within a second or two doesn't count. The twists and turns this story has are phenomenal, there wasn't a single one that I wasn't invested in, and while they aren't all good, in fact, I feel there are very few that were good for our heroes, they were still masterfully executed.

Ending: Going into the end of this story, and with it being the penultimate installment, I knew things were going to get good, and they sure did. The final climax, or honestly climaxes as we got different climactic events from different points of view, was amazing. It was a fantastic way to wrap up this adventure, while still leaving a great deal open for the next installment, or installments as this story opened this world up a lot and I could see more than one installment following this one. Anyway, the final climaxes were amazing, full of excitement and tension and I truly felt there was a lot at stake. While the very end of this book wasn't as game-changing as the previous one, that doesn't mean that it isn't as impactful, as a few things are revealed after the dust has settled and let me just say I'm happy it has taken me a while to get to this installment because that cliffhanger is just plain evil!

Audio Book Notes: As I've said ad nauseam, I'm not very well versed in reviewing the presentation of audio books. That being said though if you're going to pick up an audio book, this series definitely has some fantastic ones. While this audio book doesn't have a lot of production value put into it (ambient sound, background music, etc.) the narrator puts his all into presenting a thoroughly invigorating performance. It's hard not to get swept up into this world with such a masterful storyteller conveying the tale, every emotion the characters had I could feel in the narrator's performance, and at the end of the day, that really makes an audio book stand out.

Rating:

I'm quite surprised with how much I fell into this story and couldn't get out. This world is so rich and dense, the characters are phenomenal, and the story is way too easy to get swept away in. While I did greatly enjoy the first book, this installment was everything I was looking for in this series and I (literally) cannot wait until the second installment.

About the Author:

Kyle Prue is an award-winning author, actor, and comedian. Kyle wrote The Sparks: Book 1 of the Feud Trilogy when he was just 16 years old. Kyle has spent the past year on a national book tour visiting over 80 middle and high schools and meeting over 60,000 students. Kyle is now a freshman at the University of Michigan, studying acting and creative writing. He still visits schools and is a keynote speaker for conferences.

Kyle is the founder of Sparking Literacy, a non-profit dedicated to lowering the high school dropout rate by inspiring teens to read, write and follow their dreams.  The Sparks has won numerous national awards including Best YA Fiction awards from: The Florida Authors and Publisher’s Association, the Florida Book Festival, New England Book Festival, Midwest Book Festival, Southern California Book Festival, and the International London Book Festival. Kyle also won an International Moonbeam Award and IndieFab Award for Best Young Author.

Website⎮Twitter⎮Facebook⎮Instagram

About the Narrator:

Jon Eric Preston received his Theatre degree from Florida State University after returning from the London program. He earned top honors narrating in the Dramatic Interpretation category on the Speech and Debate team, and performed professionally in Children’s Theatre companies and did National Tours of A Christmas Carol, Twelfth Night, and Othello.

Giveaway!

The Flames Giveaway: Kindle Fire

Disclosure:

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Kyle Prue. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

Book Review: Ever the Brave (Clash of Kingdoms #2)

Release Date: December 5, 2017
Author: Erin Summerill
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Length: 464 pages
Source: Purchased Book

Ever the Divided. Ever the Feared. Ever the Brave.

After saving King Aodren with her newfound Channeler powers, Britta only wants to live a peaceful life in her childhood home. Unfortunately, saving the King has created a tether between them she cannot sever, no matter how much she'd like to, and now he's insisting on making her a noble lady. And there are those who want to use Britta’s power for evil designs. If Britta cannot find a way to harness her new magical ability, her life—as well as her country—may be lost.

The stakes are higher than ever in the sequel to Ever the Hunted, as Britta struggles to protect her kingdom and her heart.

    

Review:

Protagonists: Unlike the first book in this series there are three narrators to this tale. Britta, after saving the king and her kingdom just wants to live on her father's land, her land, and live a simple life, but she still needs to hide her gifts and her tether to the king doesn't really make life easier for her. Cohen has been hot on the trail of the Spiriter who enthralled the king, but his trip into Shaerdan only leads to more questions as young Channeler girls have been disappearing from Shaerdan. Back in Malam, King Aodren is free from a nearly year-long thrall of the Spiriter and now hopes to be a king that his people would be proud of and respect, but with unrest still in his kingdom can he be the leader his people deserve? I love all three of these characters, even more so than in the previous book, and honestly, I wasn't expecting to like Aodren that much, but while I wasn't so keen on him toward the beginning he definitely wormed his way into my heart. Britta is such an amazing and strong character in this book and I loved seeing her grow and learn more about her gifts in this book as well as figure out her place in this world and where she belongs.

Romance: Going into this book I wasn't a huge fan of how it seemed that the author was going to introduce a love triangle, especially since, while there is a third book in this series, this was the end of Britta and Cohen's story, so adding in a love triangle at this point felt very unnecessary and wasn't something I was going to take seriously, especially knowing, who the focus of book three is. That all being said, I actually really enjoyed the romance in this book, it can get a bit angsty and Cohen's jealousy and overprotectiveness can be insufferable at times, but one of the things I love about this story is that we have a character like Cohen who has these glaring flaws, but his development in this book is remarkable and while I won't say too much, I'm actually glad that the author added this little wrinkle to the story and really liked how he used the love triangle in a very interesting way.

World Building: So... I'm a bit confused. As I looked back on both this and the first book in the series, something about the main villain's motivation doesn't make sense, in fact there are a few things that don't quite make sense, unfortunately since it all has to do with spoilers I can't exactly talk about it here, but I sort of feel like there was a disconnect somewhere in the villain's logic or I just missed something because I'm still not 100% certain of what they were trying to achieve. The world itself was fine, I mean, again there wasn't anything about this world to really make it pop, much like the first book, but I've sort of come to see that this series is much more about the characters than the world, which I'm not complaining about because the characters of this series are awesome. That being said though, the world does develop more and we come to understand the magic system more.

Predictability: So, near the end of the previous installment there was a little bit of foreshadowing that I picked up on and thought it was maybe going to be a big revelation pretty far into this book, except, it was revealed early on in this tale, and worst of all, I never felt like that twist reached its full potential for the story. Looking back on this book there wasn't much I was able to predict as long as there was even a small bit of foreshadowing. The only times I was genuinely shocked by something in this book is if it came out of nowhere or nearly out of nowhere.

Ending: The final climax of this book is spectacular. Where the final climax of the previous book was more subdued and full of revelations rather than action, this climax is chock full of magical action and combat. The cooldown period after all the excitement and tension does a fantastic job wrapping up this story and while there are still avenues to explore in this world, obviously, I was pleasantly surprised with how okay I was that Britta and Cohen's story ends here.

Rating:

While I feel this installment did a fantastic job when it came to the romance and really enjoyed what the author did there, the motivations of some characters, mixed with some seemingly obvious missed opportunities when it comes to one twist, disappointed me. This is still a fantastic adventure in this world and I'm excited to continue the story through another Point of View.

Book Review: Say You'll Remember Me

Release Date: January 30, 2018
Author: Katie McGarry
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Length: 452 pages
Source: Purchased Book

When Drix was convicted of a crime--one he didn't commit--he thought his life was over. But opportunity came with the new Second Chance Program, the governor's newest pet project to get delinquents off the streets, rehabilitated and back into society. Drix knows this is his chance to get his life back on track, even if it means being paraded in front of reporters for a while.

Elle knows she lives a life of privilege. As the governor's daughter, she can open doors with her name alone. But the expectations and pressure to be someone she isn't may be too much to handle. She wants to follow her own path, whatever that means.

When Drix and Elle meet, their connection is immediate, but so are their problems. Drix is not the type of boy Elle's parents have in mind for her, and Elle is not the kind of girl who can understand Drix's messy life.

But sometimes love can breach all barriers.

Fighting against a society that can't imagine them together, Drix and Elle must push themselves--Drix to confront the truth of the robbery, and Elle to assert her independence--and each other to finally get what they deserve.

    

Review:

Protagonists: After serving time for a crime he didn’t commit, Drix is just trying to get back to a normal life, but being the face of the governor’s new Second Chance program isn’t exactly life as normal for him. He can’t stop thinking of the night of the robbery, why he was there, and who could have committed the crime he paid for. Elle is the governor’s daughter, she’s lived a sheltered life of privilege, however as Elle tries to pursue her passions, she realizes that her charmed life has been controlled by her parents. I love these characters so much and watching them find their place in the world. Their struggles to find themselves and figure out what they want out of life was so inspiring to read. Much like all of Katie McGarry’s books, while the character development of these two characters is connected to their interactions and romance with each other, their development is influenced by so much more such as friends, family, and their own life experiences.

Romance: The relationship between these two characters is fantastic. While their connection with each other is immediate, the chasm between them due to their circumstances feels endless. Because of that, even though their feelings for each other are obvious, they are sort of pushed apart. However, they won't let the world tell them how they should feel about each other and while there is a fair share of angst and self-destructive behavior on at least one of their parts, their romance is something to root for and I loved watching their story unfold. There are many times in this book that while I had a good idea how everything would turn out, I knew that these characters weren't going to be together without causing some collateral damage as they have just so many barricades in the way of their romance and while the end of this book isn't super idealistic, I was surprised at how many barricades they were able to get over, even if they ended up smashing a couple.

World Building: First off, I really liked seeing the story from not only a guy who has been convicted of a crime and while he took a plea deal to get a lighter sentence, he's affected by those choices he made, even though he never actually committed that crime, but we also see a character whose father is a governor, who is probably even more controlled by her parents than Breanna in Walk the Edge, who has had to deal with playing the part of the perfect daughter, and while she believes in her father and his goals, has to figure out who she is. These are two backgrounds that we haven't really seen McGarry tackle in the past, though there are a few tell-tale hallmarks of this author such as the male protagonist having an extended family of friends to watch his back. I really enjoyed McGarry's commentary on the School to Prison Pipeline in this book (which plays a prominent role in the story) and thought that it was handled perfectly.

Predictability: So with most books by this author, there are a few mysteries sprinkled throughout the story, whether they're larger mysteries like who really committed the crime that Drix took the fall for or smaller ones like someone who's been leaking things about Elle and a family friend making them seem like a couple. I do have to say that when it came to all the mysteries I had a pretty good idea what would happen, but there was always a wrinkle in there somewhere that would catch me off guard. As I said in the romance section, I wasn't sure how everything in this story would end, especially when it came to the romance, but that small bit of doubt really helped propel me through the story.

Ending: As I said before, the ending to this story isn't idyllic. This isn't a contemporary where every small little loose end is tied up perfectly with next to no all out for our heroes. There are consequences that our characters have to deal with. The final climax is fraught with tension and after everything comes to a head, I was about ready to explode myself. There are a few dangling threads left at the end of this book, nothing too terrible, as the main components of this story are all tied up pretty securely, but there is a part of me that is sad that even though Drix has a rather large extended family and friends, that this is truly a standalone for now, and a book focusing on one of his "family" members isn't that likely.

Rating:

As someone who tends to love books by this author, I'm not surprised that I loved it. I feel what McGarry can do so well is to write characters with such depth that they come alive on the page, and that's definitely true of this book, I loved the characters and the story and I'm a little sad that this doesn't appear to be a new series as I want to know more about the side characters that we tragically didn't see enough of.