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the golden trio

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BOOKS I READ IN 2018 → To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo

“Love is a word we scarcely hear in the ocean. It exists only in my song and on the lips of the princes I’ve killed. And I have never heard it from my mother’s mouth.”

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Everless (Everless #1) by Sara Holland

Basically, going into this I thought it was In Time with bits of Full Metal Alchemist thrown in. I wasn’t completely right but I wasn’t wrong either. The world building was quite unique but I still felt like I’ve seen all of this before. The flashbacks and unraveling of past histories reminded me of The Demon King where I felt it was done better and more effectively. The predictable moments balanced out the surprises. But what I didn’t appreciate was Jules’ blatant disregard of good advice for the sake of plot advancement. I really didn’t understand why she did some of the stuff she did because 90% of the time it felt like the most idiotic decision making. Also, I disliked how information was given - secrets were kept for the sake of keeping secrets. JUST COMMUNICATE. I hate “I’ll explain later” so much. I mentioned that the world building was unique but I want to learn more. Time is bound to iron. The iron from blood is made into coin but what about iron as a mineral - does it exist? What are they building weapons out of? Can you use mineral iron as a substitute for blood iron? What happens when you bleed heavily but live, do you decrease your life span even if you heal because blood has left your body? Also given rest, people create more blood, so how is it that the people have a finite amount of Time in their blood if they can just make more blood/iron in blood. Do some people produce more time in their blood than others in general? I know its magic but these questions really bugged me. With that said, I wasn’t bored. The last few chapters were surprisingly good in action and plot twist. I was never invested in the characters or plot but I did want to keep reading. 3/5

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Ash Princess (Ash Princess Trilogy #1) by Laura Sebastian

The beginning of the story progressed a little too quickly. There was a lot of exposition, A LOT. I would have appreciated spending time with Theo and her day to day life before she decided to change it. It may have allowed me to connect with her better. The story tended to recount the past a little more heavily instead of letting us experience it. It’s a difficult task Theo has but it almost seemed too easy at times. The plans come to fruition a little too easily but as a consequence, her inner struggle becomes more of a focus. Typically I prefer a focus on the character development but Theo’s conflict seems way too repetitive. She shouldn’t trust Søren since he’s the enemy, but she does, I get it! I do appreciate that Theo keeps the larger goal in mind and doesn’t make overtly stupid moves. I understood why she’s doing what she’s doing which is a plus. I didn’t care for either of the love interests. Søren is interesting objectively but there’s something missing there for me to connect with. Same with Blaise. The other side characters are quite unique from each other which is always great. Cress and Thora’s relationship had the best tension for me. I hope the fallout leads to some really great story in the next book. I think I find Erik the most interesting and he had like 3 pages of dialogue. I do wish things went differently with Søren and Thora actually carried out the original plan. It would have allowed a super fresh and unexpected turn and may have given a great direction for Erik. I was so excited when it was happening but only realized how disappointed I was when it didn’t happen. I don’t think that’s where this story is going and unfortunately it keeps things predictable in a paint by numbers kind of way. The world building is serviceable. It’s vivid but I think more could’ve been done. We know the basics but it’s forgettable for the most part. I appreciated the moments Thora and her allies spent reminiscing about the past and sharing stories which helped to expand the universe a little bit. Considering this is YA- usually shorter in length, I can’t complain too much. The end however did feel quite anticlimactic for me. It wasn’t very explosive and felt more like the middle of the story. It wasn’t much of a cliffhanger nor was it a great conclusion. I didn’t really like the Dragonsbane reveal all that much. Overall the story is nothing new, I’ve read this a thousand times but it kept me interested enough to continue. 3.5/5

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The Valley of Horses (Earth's Children #2) by Jean M. Auel

For a good portion of the book I was quite bored. The books in this series dont have a lot of plot but Clan of the Cave Bear had a lot of interesting characters and I enjoyed reading about clan life. Valley of Horses similarly has limited plot but it wasn’t balanced by a great cast of characters. For the most part all of the new people annoyed me. Jondalar is the worst. This story would have been better served with us following only Ayla on her way to find her people and discover new cultures. 3/5

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Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah

This was absolutely amazing. I actually listened to the audiobook and I loved hearing Trevor Noah’s voice tell the story of his childhood to me. The essays felt so personal and honest but was, at the same time, very educational. I didn’t know much about South Africa going into it but I loved hearing about it. The stories about the culture in his home, the city, being biracial and dealing with racist issues, and his family were all told in mesmerizing detail. I tried to think if any particular part that was my favourite but I can’t think of just one. The house turd, the cd piracy, and Hitler were some of my favourite funny essays. Everything about his mother was also amazing. Loved it. 5/5

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The Clan of the Cave Bear (Earth's Children #1) by Jean M. Auel

The very detailed descriptions of prehistoric life were vivid early on but at times could get repetitive when you get the gist of how they are. Broud’s constant villainy got a little old near the end. All of Ayla’s wins were also tiring- I wanted her to be bad at something that was outside of her just trying to belong to the Clan. But I still enjoyed reading through the first bit of her story as it was rich and creative. 4/5

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The Hot Shot (Game On #4) by Kristen Callihan

It was funny and a good time. It had somewhat of a plot even though it was kind of out there. There was a great balance between slow burn and a type of insta-love. The attraction was almost immediate but I didn’t hate it because Chess and Finn behaved like adults for the most part. Some issues get resolved quite quickly after they are presented but it still felt earned more often than not. 4.5/5

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When It's Real by Erin Watt

Super fun and light. Loved all the characters and really enjoyed it. The characters felt dynamic and well formed and even though the plot was light, it didn’t feel boring. 4.5/5

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Broken Prince (The Royals #2) by Erin Watt

It’s so melodramatic and I kind of liked it until I didn't anymore. This whole Brooke nonsense (nonsense #1) was so grating and I know that Ella needs time but it felt so repetitive because the same conversation happened again and again. I did, however, appreciate how it was resolved within the family even though it felt almost too smooth a resolution. Nonsense #2 is a whole other story and I think I need to change how I am looking at the tone of this series as it’s different than when it started. The visual logistics needs to be improved. The descriptions can be hard to follow where one person is doing something and suddenly they’re somewhere else and it felt like you missed what happened. Also I wish there was more plot to go with the character development. The best part is watching this family slowly come together. This for me is where the heart of the story lies. Back to nonsense #2 : How can Reed be so stupid... but I’m still reading the next one. 3.5/5

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Paper Princess (The Royals #1) by Erin Watt

Definitely did not think I was going to like it as much as I did. It pulled all the strings of my younger, teen heart and was mature at the same time. Ella's a well rounded character and I like that she was vulnerable and tough in a brittle sort of way. The whole story is completely fantastical but still felt real. 4/5

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Wicked Games (Games #1) by Jessica Clare

I'm a fan of Survivor and I've always been looking for fiction or romance that takes place in a survivor type game show or some other reality show. It's blowing my mind that I haven't found this series earlier. It had everything a survivor type show needed: an island, castaways, challenges, tribal, juries, and alliances. Abby and Dean were cute together and they made reading this one a breeze. There were some really cheesy moments but it didn't stop me from feeling the butterflies. There were some problems but honestly, after finishing the book, I can't say what they were. I just let myself enjoy the story. I was really invested in these two. I just wish they spent more time with backstabbing alliances and blind sides in game because its one of my favourite aspects of Survivor. But I get that that would increase the dramatics and I'm satisfied with how easy this one was. 4.5/5

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It Ain't Me, Babe (Hades Hangmen #1) by Tillie Cole

I didn't hate it, but it was so damn frustrating. I couldn't connect at all with Mae and Styx's relationship. Almost no build up since the whole thing was basically "i was searching for you this whole time after meeting for 3 seconds 15 years ago". Mae and Styx were interesting separately, and when dealing with everything other than their love for each other. I liked the turf war stuff with Styx and wished there was more. I also liked Mae's journey away from her cult and this definitely needed more time. The concept is quite unique and its what attracted me the most but half of the book was just annoying sex and it barely explored the interesting aspects of the story. This felt like the biggest missed opportunity. The last 10% were very exciting and I wished the whole book was about the Hades club with a side of Mae and Styx. Also, I understand where the setting is but a lot of misogynistic talk. This aspect couldv'e been rounded out some more if it was flipped on its head a little. Lets have an all female club...I dunno, anything to balance out the slurs. Mae, you were someone's property your whole life and you're this willing to immediately be someone else's property? Don't you just want to belong to yourself for a while?? 3/5

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An Extraordinary Union (The Loyal League #1) by Alyssa Cole

Well written with a more unique subject matter to frame the historical romance. I didn't love how they got together but appreciated that they (almost) always thought about the mission first. Malcolm and Elle are interesting characters that save each other and have their own skills that are important. They teach each other and grow together, which is nice to see. 3.5/5

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Changing His Game (Gamers #1) by Megan Erickson

I might be being a bit harsh since I didn't hate it but I didn't really like any of the concepts either. Well it was immediately lust but then becomes love somehow? Where was the development? They just kept saying that this was the first time they want to really be with a person... but why? None of the characters were particularly interesting. This is probably due to the fact that we barely spent time with them going through anything of note. Also... was there... a plot? 2.5/5

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Kushiel's Dart (Phèdre's Trilogy #1) by Jacqueline Carey

I've read this book more than any other. My copy is in tatters. Based on that alone I have to say it's my favourite book of all time. A lot of reviewers say that it's heavily BDSM, sometimes gratuitously so. I may be a little skewed in my view mostly because I've read this so many times that all the BDSM doesn't feel explicit at all when it might be a little jarring to others. Sometimes it actually feels tame and glossed over. There are very disturbing moments but it's not entirely sexual. And the story goes beyond so much more than that. For me it's really an adventure fantasy. The long road that fate takes- for individuals to play pivotal parts in history. It's the journey to save a kingdom. The scope of the story itself is so vast and detailed that its difficult to keep track of everything and all the character connections that's going on. When you get a hold of the world building, you can focus on the characters and my experience reading this book has been rich in different ways each time. The length of the novel is daunting but I think necessary. If it was any different it would feel rushed and incomplete. No part felt superfluous as the narration is either explaining the place, the plot, or the character. I can't even get into the characters because I'll never stop. They feel like real people to me, like it was real history. Carey kind of flawlessly weaves her imagined world with real world religion and landscape. Each character is so nuanced and flawed. Joscelin only shows up 30% of the way in. That's crazy to me and to date I hadn't read something else like that. Phedre is such a great heroine, it's such a joy to see her evolve. Where the thread of each character is going is unpredictable but when we get there, it's such a revelation. Their motivations are so individual and realistic. Heroes can become villains and villains can be heroic. The villains. Every great hero needs a foil. Phedre has many but there is one whose actions affect every aspect of the story. The ultimate game maker. The first time I read this book, the mastery of the plot revelations were so well done, it was shocking to me. It might have been because I read this book in my formative years but in a way I'm measuring every thing I read against this one. Does it make me feel the same, do I care about the characters, are they memorable? I'm sure there are flaws but I'm too close to see it now. I can't say if this book formed my reading tastes or if it was perfectly made for me but my love for Phedre's story and this series is boundless. 5/5 but more.

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The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside The Room, the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made by Greg Sestero,  Tom Bissell

In some ways the film The Room has changed my life. I think I might be able to separate memories with before The Room and after the Room. It was after this movie in which I realized I can watch films just for how bad it was and it became a genre into itself. The book about this movie was incredibly eye opening. Even though I knew a lot of the mythos behind the movie going in, there were tons of chapters totally new, hilarious, and sometimes poignant about a man who wanted to make his dreams come true and the person who helped him get there. This behind the scenes look will also change the way I look at the movie. The countless hours behind it, the crews reactions, and how it all came together in the end will really add a layer to the viewing experience moving forward. It was also very interesting to read about two hollywood stories that weren't completely success stories. It's undeniable that both Tommy and Greg have worked hard and for better or for worse came away with something that will be remembered forever. 4/5