The Blair Book Project

“But memories make us who we are. Without them, we are nothing.”

This would actually be the first time I witnessed a book meet its hype and book comparisons. When the blurb mentioned that this was for fans of Cassie Clare’s City of Bones and Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone, it truly was fitting. Hooray!

To be honest, I kind of thought this was another overrated, hyped up debut novel. I’ve been lucking out since last year with debut novels that sadly do not meet my expectations, so I was really happy to find my experience with this book take a different turn.

The Girl at Midnight has an impressive set of characters and POVs – not to mention an interesting mix of species, [way to go creative, Ms. Grey!] – that would keep readers turning page after page after page. I’m quite surprised to find that although we have a witty, snarky female protagonist in Echo, we have with us a not so brooding, non-enigmatic love interest, Caius, who also happens to show a fairly humorous side. Normally when we have an amusing female, the male comes off the mysterious, serious type. I say, “yay!” to that change!

The plot does not fail either, this was way more adventurous than I expected. Readers will find themselves immersed in a unique and well thought of storyline, filled with funny banters, intense escapes and bold discoveries. It’s not the type of book that you’d make predictions ahead and they turn out exactly the way you thought. Although you might come close, The Girl at Midnight has its fair share of twists and surprises that would leave you impressed. This is an exciting new series to watch out for! Kudos, Melissa Grey!

*Thank you, Random House Children's, Delacorte Press and NetGalley for granting my request to view The Girl at Midnight.

For more of my reviews, please visit my blog:
The Blair Book Project @ www.theblairbookproject.blogspot.com

“It was my belief that great minds with proper tools could change history.”

Seeker is one of those books that grip you in on the very first chapter. It has a very intriguing opening and quite an action packed beginning. With an interesting mystery you’d want to see unravel, and a unique set of characters, the first few chapters of Seeker make you feel like there is going to be one hell of story to watch out for. Sadly, it felt short of what I felt it could offer.

Seeker lacked a more elaborate history on what this world was really about. The mystery of the story was too vague and did not untangle enough into that of which a reader, such as myself, would be satisfied with. I would have wanted to see how the Seekers were before they became tainted. I wanted to get to know each house that existed beforehand. Instead, I was left with a narrow descriptive that it just so happened over time.

The characters were another problem I had with this book. While I found them to be unique at first, they turned out confusing to me throughout the story. Quin is a typical YA protagonist, badass and all that; Shinobu didn’t seem to be such a significant character up until the middle of the book; John, I don’t understand. He’s a villain and a good guy all in one, is that it? Even after his motives were revealed, I still didn’t get his decisions. Briac would have made an incredibly spiteful villain, but alas, he was told to be gruesome but not shown enough in a way that would make me despise him so bad that I couldn’t wait for him to die. And Master Tan just happened to be there at the right place, at the right time? That was too convenient.

I also didn’t understand the purpose of the athame. It didn’t seem to be incredibly relevant, sure it has the power to let a person travel from one place to another in the blink of an eye, but I don’t see how that should have affected the decisions the characters made in their lives.

Although I fail to see the riveting story in Seeker, I can’t deny that it has a huge amount of potential to become an incredibly ground breaking series. I think it just needs a little more detail to its world. It turned out more of a chase, and an abruptly blooming love story than anything else. I would have enjoyed this a lot more if I saw a more progressive storyline.

*Thank you, Random House and NetGalley for granting my request to view Seeker.

For more of my reviews, please visit my blog:
The Blair Book Project @ www.theblairbookproject.blogspot.com

I wasn’t a big fan of the first book from this series, Scorched. But I always saw the plot as something intriguing. Even though the book didn’t meet my expectations, I was hoping to see it improve with the next books to come. So in spite of my uncertainties, I thought to give Shattered a try.

Shattered started off with a rather confusing prologue. It made me wonder, “Did I mistake this sequel for another book?” Always the impatient reader that I am, I suppose I should have waited until I reached the first chapter. What? I couldn’t help but react too soon!

I was glad to see that Shattered turned out way more eventful than Scorched. I had complained before that Scorched had an inconsistent pacing. Shattered on the other hand, showed off an exciting flow to the story.

I don’t think I felt improvement character-wise though. Trinity is struggling but she has that ever-determined persona that she always had going for her since book one. Caleb was turning into a weary yet redeemable character. Connor’s still self-righteous. He was boring to begin with in my opinion and I don’t find him any more interesting with this book.

The addition of Scarlet as a character first felt like it was unnecessary, then upon the Caleb-encounter, it felt like a consolation prize for him since he felt like being singled out by Trinity and Connor. Finally by the end I see the purpose behind the emergence of her character.

I’m beginning to understand Emmy a lot more now. I perceived her as simply a newborn dragon. I didn’t see it in a way that I could look at her as a growing teenager as well. Still, she felt way more human than dragon to me that way so I’m still skeptical.

The ending of Shattered was an unexpected turn out for something I thought to be more of a love story than anything else. Although I may have gripes with this book, I can’t deny that I’m excited to see how this would continue on. I’m still hoping for more improvements though, but overall this was a quick and momentous read.

*Thank you, Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley for granting my request to view Shattered

For more of my reviews, please visit my blog:
The Blair Book Project @ www.theblairbookproject.blogspot.com

Welcome back to the world where a once great tale of a stubborn pirate, Ananna, and her assassin, Naji, came about. An adventure filled with wonders and dangers of a world so vast and breathtaking for two unlikely allies, who eventually turned into star crossed lovers; a story that had fan girls like me swooning and sighing over a simple, sweet ending.

Now, enter this world again to meet a new protagonist, Hanna, a simple apprentice to a secretive said-to-be fisherman. She gets a taste of an adventure she didn’t sign up for, with a mysterious boy trying to help her out, and with danger lurking in air, and eventually… NOTHING HAPPENS.

Wait… – WTF?!

I know. It was kind of annoying to reach the end of the book, and yet I have learned nothing of what was going on other than the basics.

The reason I picked this book up was because I adored Cassandra Rose Clarke’s The Assassin’s Curse and The Pirate’s Wish. Seeing that it was such a lovely story, I thought The Wizard’s Promise would bring about just as an exciting tale as those two. Damn, was I so wrong!

So maybe some would say I’m exaggerating over how uneventful this book was, so let me elaborate. It isn’t that nothing really went on or that the story didn’t flow out, it was just a tedious narrative with nothing IMPORTANT going on. Major parts of the book focused on the mundane life of Hanna, who I find to be such an annoying protagonist. Prepare to watch her fishing and using her magic to cast the winds; being angry at her mentor, and this mysterious non-human boy; complaining and wanting to go home; being furious over being taken away from home when she said she wanted an adventure like Ananna’s; and see the Mist come threaten and put people around her at harms way and eventually leave her alone again until they feel like they want to do it again. Then we go back to fishing! OMG! I get it! She’s a fisherman… err, woman. Whatever. Get on with it already!

After The Assassin’s Curse and The Pirate’s Wish, I expected to see a story just as adventurous, if not more, with The Wizard’s Promise. I didn’t expect to watch a protagonist spend months on the sea and in a foreign territory with one or two disasters happen then eventually end up with nothing. So I don’t think I will be reading the next installment.

*Thank you, Strange Chemistry and Netgalley for granting my request to view The Wizard's Promise.

For more of my reviews, please visit my blog:
The Blair Book Project @ www.theblairbookproject.blogspot.com

“I was scared of having you, then losing you again. But it would be worth it a thousand times over. I was an idiot. I’m sorry.”

I do believe there is no heart out there that Tarver Merendsen cannot melt into a puddle of goo with the story brought by These Broken Stars.

This book has defied every thought I conjured up at every step of the way. First, on the Icarus, a Titanic-like tragedy occurs, I thought it ought to be just another tragic love story. And then comes the crash to an unknown planet. Another moment I thought it might turn out to be another survival of the fittest situation, and yet it was more than that.

Tarver and Lilac’s character’s were very well established and come with definitive backgrounds that solidify their qualities. It also makes for a more empathic approach once readers get to see changes in them during the time spent on the mysterious planet after the crash.

There are but a few authors who are capable of writing alternating points-of-view that a reader can truly tell apart the characters’ personality and voices. I’ve read some that make them sound so much alike, and trying hard to make them seem like they are just coincidentally thinking of the same things.

I don’t think I need to point out how beautifully crafted the world – err, universe rather – that These Broken Stars has been written in. While there may be techie, sci-fi terms and descriptions thrown here and there, it was not a struggle to play with imagination.

These Broken Stars is a stellar book written by a very imaginative duo, Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner. I love the originality of the story. I love the voices of the characters. I was engrossed with the mystery encased into the story. And I love the idea that just when I thought things were as it is – bam! I’m hit with another fascinating plot twist. If I didn’t look incredibly ridiculous doing a standing ovation in my room alone (or in a random public place) while looking at this book, I’d do it. But instead, I’ll settle with it just happening in my head. My mind has definitely been blown!

*Thank you, Disney-Hyperion for granting my request to view These Broken Stars

For more of my reviews, please visit my blog:
The Blair Book Project @ www.theblairbookproject.blogspot.com

“You’ll still be beautifully yourself when that pretty kitten has grown up to be a nice-enough cat and the wildflower has faded.”

I am one to never pass up a chance to read a fairy tale retelling. So it comes to no surprise that I just had to read The Stepsister’s Tale. A Cinderella story told in the eyes of the “wicked” stepsister? This should be interesting.

The Stepsister’s Tale indeed have quite an intriguing opening; how expectations of high society could push a person to deceive and live in denial.

Jane was a receptive character, it’s not hard to feel compassion for someone who refuses to stick to what is expected of her or what society dictates, and choose to do what it takes to take care of her family. I wouldn’t say the same for Jane’s younger sister, Maude, and her mother though. They felt a bit insignificant unless needed, but I can see that there really isn’t much for their characters to do in the story.

Cinderella – or rather, Isabella in this book – was such a spoiled brat! I’ve always come to love and pity our little heroine in the other stories but I had a sudden change of heart with this one. Goodness! I don’t think I have the patience to watch children such as her.

While I find the beginning of the book to my liking, I felt a little skeptical with the middle of the book. It seemed to have gone through a redundant strain of events with not much excitement. Although I understand the need to show the harshness of Jane and her family’s situation, I have to admit it was kind of boring.

I like the interesting twist to the classic fairy tale. I also highly appreciate the fact that another person was set to be the villain in the story – that was new! However, I feel like it was a little short on closure over some details. For one, whatever happened to the King’s lands? Given the scarcity of food for the village where Jane and her family lived, did the people get the chance to thrive again? What of the fairies rumored to be hiding in the woods? Did they truly exist or was that simply a figment of the imagination?

Although I must say I am happy over how Jane’s story has ended, there were several parts left unrequited, which I would have respected a lot more if given some conclusive answers.

*Thank you, Harlequin Teen and Netgalley for granting my request to view The Stepsister’s Tale.

For more of my reviews, please visit my blog:
The Blair Book Project @ www.theblairbookproject.blogspot.com