Bookish Review! Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

“Anyone can betray anyone.” 
― Victoria Aveyard, Red Queen

What it’s about?  “The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers.

To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change.

Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the center of
those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control.

But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win?” 

(from: Goodreads)

Initial thoughts: I finally read Red Queen, the NYT bestseller, the book everyone has been raving about for the past year. I wanted to love this book, I really, really did. I’m not someone who lets the hype a book has affect my reading experience. Red Queen sounded so amazing, I was so excited, but unfortunately, the execution of the story just fell flat for me. I had to really push myself to finish, which makes me sad. I probably would’ve DNF it if I didn’t want to write this review. I know that so many people loved this book, I tried, I really did! But this book just wasn’t for me…

The plot: The premise of Red Queen had promise, but I just felt like that was never fulfilled. Nothing about the plot, for me, was very exciting or unique. Nothing seemed new or fresh. The story felt like The Hunger games with a fantasy twist, only it wasn’t nearly as good as The Hunger Games. Some plot elements just seemed impractical and predictable. Nothing in the climax even surprised me (I saw it coming), which was so disappointing. (Also, was it just me or did it seem like the Silvers had an unlimited arsenal of abilities they could have??? Seriously it was like every single Silver had a different type of ability and I couldn’t even keep track of what they could do. I don’t know, it was just weird to me…and it really seemed like some Silvers were given a certain ability because the author needed to use that ability to move the plot along…)

The writing: The writing in Red Queen wasn’t bad, it just seemed average. It did seem like there were some things that were repeated over and over again, which became a little annoying. Also, I just never really felt connected to the characters. I felt distanced from them and I was never fully drawn into the story.  

Overall: I hate to write such a negative review. This was just how I felt, but obviously this book has been enjoyed by so many people. I do think that Red Queen was entertaining, the concept was interesting, I just don’t think it was as good as it could have been. In my opinion there are other, better books out there that I would’ve rather spent my time on. If you are interested in reading something like The Hunger Games with a fantasy edge, then give Red Queen a try. But ultimately, it was nothing new, mediocre, and didn’t live up to its potential.

Rating: 2 ½ out of 5 stars 

Bookish Review! The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

“Aglionby Academy was the number one reason Blue had developed her two rules: One, stay away from boys because they were trouble. And two, stay away from Aglionby boys, because they were bastards.” 
― Maggie Stiefvater, The Raven Boys

Synopsis:  "Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her. His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Gansey is different. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been told by her psychic family that she will kill her true love. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore."

The Raven Boys thrusts you into a world of magic and mystery, accompanied by a flawed, but incredibly lovable cast of characters that you won't soon forget. 

Initial Thoughts: I adored this book! Even from the first page, I couldn't seem to put it down. There was just this mystical quality to the story that drew me in and kept me engaged the whole time, I could feel the story building, shaping, and forming with each chapter. The story felt so fantastical and interesting that I fell in love with it and the characters.

The Plot: Honestly, the plot was a little slow forming, which I think that some readers will struggle with. For me, though, I was drawn in by the mystery and trying to figure out what was really going on. The second half of the book was really when things started to pick up the pace. I could just feel that the author was weaving this intricate plot, and I just couldn't wait to discover what she had in store for the reader.

The Writing: The writing style was beautiful and vivid. I loved the use of language and metaphor and simile and just the over all tone of the book. At first, the shifting points of view did throw me off a little bit, I don't normally like jumping around to different characters heads, but I eventually got used to it and it felt natural and fluid. I ended up really liking the POV changes. I really loved getting to know each and every one of the characters, especially the boys. The relationships between the characters was beautiful and you couldn't help but fall in love with them.

Over-all Thoughts and Rating: This was an amazingly written book and the story was very unique and interesting. I got very attached to all the characters and can't wait to continue on with the series. My only issue was that I felt like the book ended too suddenly. It didn't feel like a whole story, but again, this is a series so it is what it is. I have heard that some people found this book confusing or hard to follow, but I didn't feel that way at all. I felt like the plot was slow in the beginning, and the writing style took some getting used to, but after that the story flew by. I would recommend this to fans of the paranormal and mystery.

I gave this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars.