Review: Tiger's Quest, by Colleen Houck

Series: The Tiger Saga #2 

Back in Oregon, Kelsey tries to pick up the pieces of her life and push aside her feelings for Ren. But danger lurks around the corner, forcing her to return to India where she embarks on a second quest--this time with Ren's dark, bad-boy brother Kishan, who has also fallen prey to the Tiger's Curse. Fraught with danger, spellbinding dreams, and choices of the heart, TIGER'S QUEST brings the trio one step closer to breaking the spell that binds them.

Source: The Book Depository

4.5 stars

              

DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE PREVIOUS BOOKS IN THE SERIES.

This book has been sitting on my shelf for quite a while now, so I decided Spring Break was the perfect time to read it! Great book!

Interesting plot: 2/2
I think this book had a much more interesting plot than the first book in the series. First of all, Colleen Houck developed a world very carefully, that unlike many other YA books, you can actually how well thought out this was, with the legends and myths, to learning about different cultures. I like that as Kelsey is learning in the book, the reader is learning, too. I liked the fact that a main character was taken away almost at the beginning of the book, and another one came in to blow the readers away. Kishan and Kelsey's adventures went above everything I was expecting from this book. If you want a nice read, with adventures that actually make you feel you are there with them, I recommend this book to you.

Characters: 2/2

In Tiger's Curse I absolutely loved Ren and Kishan, and sort of disliked Kelsey. In this book, one character completely takes the spotlight, and I'm talking about Kishan, who in this book proved himself to be a sensitive, complex character that not only made Kelsey doubt her feelings, but also made me doubt mine. He's daring, very attractive, and has a soft side of him that makes the reader see the true man before the bad guy facade. Kelsey grew on me with this book, and a lot of people called her attitude 'clingy' at the end of the book, but I sort of get why she feels that way. I would, too.

Pace: 1.5/2

 Tiger's Quest had a good pace, but almost every adventure scene to me happened just too fast. I wish they'd last longer, to seem a bit more realistic, and not make the characters seem almost invincible. They got hurt, yes, but succeeded in a just a few pages.

Writing style: 2/2

Colleen Houck's style is very interesting and easy to read. She's sarcastic at times, and I think her division of character dialogue's and description of characters is very good. She's consistent with her writing from Kelsey's perspective  and picking up a second book from her and recognizing her writing style and character's voice was a very good sign.

Recommend it? 2/2

Yes! I liked it even better than Tiger's Curse! Read that one first, though, hehe.

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Review: Vampire Academy, by Richelle Mead

Series: Vampire Academy #1
St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger...

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.

Source: Amazon Kindle Store

     

I'm probably the last person on Earth to read this book, and after hearing tons of people raving about it, I was very excited to read, but unfortunately, it was not as good as I had expected.

Interesting plot: 1/2
Vampire Academy is a book I think I got a negative view of it because of how much I expected of it. The plot was interesting when it came to character development and the whole world behind the book. Everything about Moroi people and dhampirs and all of that is explained with detail and makes the reader interested in the world we're reading about. However, I think this book specifically had some ups and downs that made the story slow it times. Still, I wanna find out what happens in the next bok.

Characters: 2/2
I thought character development was actually pretty good in this book, I just didn't enjoy reading about some of the characters. To me, the best two characters were Rose and Dimitri. Not only did their personalities developed and change through the book, but their relationship as well. One character I didn't enjoy reading about, though, was Lissa, who I thought was very difficult on herself unnecessarily, but that might be just me. I really wanted the author to develop the villain character a lot more, since his villainy comes as a very big surprise, but a sort of uninformed surprise that just came as confusing.

Pace: 2/2
I think it's because everyone was gushing about that I thought it would start as a book I wouldn't be able to put down, but I think it started out really slow, and I made a note when I thought it picked up and it is when my Kindle said I was about 60% into the book. The rest of the book was really interesting and with a good plot but then it happened just SO fast. Some problems for the characters lasted for 1 or 2 pages. So I really want to read the next book in the series and see how the author balanced pace in the next one.

Writing style: 2/2
Richelle Mead has a great writing style, and specially how she uses the connection between Rose and Lissa, and she changes the speaker's voice as if she were feeling as Lissa is, which I find is difficult for various authors. Her words flow flawlessly, and she's a great writer when it comes to keeping the story easy to understand and make the reader want to keep reading.

Recommend it? 1/2
DEFINITELY YES.

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Review: Daughter of Smoke & Bone, by Laini Taylor

Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #1)by Laini TaylorAmazon | Goodreads | Book DepositoryAround the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky. 
In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grows dangerously low. 
And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war. 
Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.
When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

Source: Amazon Kindle

Rating:  

   

Daughter of Smoke and Bone was a book that started out with a concept I had never come across before, and that I found rather fascinating. Laini Taylor's writing was captivating from the beginning, and that kept me hooked as I kept reading throughout the book. The war happening in the story, along with the great characters made this book very enjoyable for me.

Interesting plot: 1/2

I wish I could give this a 2/2, seriously. But the book was really amazing at the beginning, but halfway through the book, it got a little more intense, and very very detailed. Which is great, because it gives a lot of information on everything the reader does not know, but I think it was a little too much for me. The details made me read the book a lot slower, just so I could perfectly understand all that was happening, so I think it became duller than the first half of the book.

Characters: 1/2

I absolutely adored Karou. She was an amazing character, who was brave, and knew how to express everything she thinks. Her friendship with Zuzana was very real, and for once, I thought it was great to find a fantasy novel where the best friend knows everything, and the main character trusts in her the secrets of her world.

Although I loved both Zuzana, and Karou, I didn't enjoy the character of Akiva. I understood why he did everything he did, but his character seemed weak, compared to Karou, and although he was intense and determined, I didn't enjoy his presence. However, as the novel progressed, so did his strength, so that was great!

Pace: 1/2

I already went over this, and how I thought it became sort of slow at certain points, but the beginning was amazingly paced so I give this one 1 point.

Writing Style 2/2

I loved how Laini Taylor managed to create a really interesting plot that was transmitted beautifully through her writing style. Kept you hooked throughout the novel.

Recommend it?: 2/2

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Review: The Iron King, by Julie Kagawa

The Iron King (The Iron Fey #1)

by Julie Kagawa 
Amazon | Goodreads | Book Depository
Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

Source: Amazon Kindle

Rating: 

  

This book was completely amazing, and I loved it! I'm probably one of the few people who read this book until now, but I'm really glad I did. It had everything I look for in a book.

Interesting plot: 2/2

The Iron King had a plot that completely blew me away. Julie Kagawa created a world where faeries exist, along many other creatures, and made it completely real for me. I honestly thought I was reading something that truly happened. The book kept me hooked at all times, and every thing that happened made me grip the nearest cushion and hug it tightly.

Characters: 2/2

The main character, Meghan, is adorable! She cares for her family, and for people she basically just met, and she's an amazing person towards everyone. I loved how brave she was no matter what she encountered. One of my favorite characters of all time.

Pace: 2/2

It never stopped, no matter what happened, it never had dull moments. I love books like this one, because if they become dull I lose interest.

Writing style: 2/2

Julie Kagawa never ceases to amaze me. With The Immortal Rules, I loved how easygoing she was with her writing. I liked in said book, as well as in The Iron King that she does not care to use some words other authors seem to be afraid of. I understand how some authors prefer to write in a "cleaner" language, but Julie's seem much more real.

Recommend it? 2/2

YES!

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