2014 Reading Challenge

2014 Reading Challenge
Michael has read 1 book toward his goal of 50 books.
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Showing posts with label Honesty Hour. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Honesty Hour. Show all posts

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Honesty Hour (10)

Hey Chroniclers! It is time to celebrate because while this isn't the last post, it is the last post I need to schedule! Also it is Thursday and Thursday brings along Honesty Hour! Honesty Hour is a weekly meme where unlike a review, it's more of a discussion full of spoilers and whatnot. Instead of just the story, I'll talk about certain things like characters, plot, setting, cover, author and whatever else I have to talk about. Now I warn you, the post might be full of spoilers to the novel. PROCEED WITH CAUTION! THERE MAY BE SPOILERS AFTER THE PICTURE!


Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare!

Everyone knows what the novel is about. I've spoken about both the books and the author multiple times so I think I have to go straight ahead and just get on with what I want to talk about on this post. The ending. The book ends with Tessa marrying Will who grows old and passes away and finally Tessa is in our time and Jem, who became a silent brother, becomes normal again and she's able to end up with Jem.

What a stupid ending! It was such a mess! It had such a too perfect ending that it completely sucked. Tessa doesn't know what pain is and Clare gave her no reason to know! She literally made Tessa get with both boys in the end and it's just so stupid. I seriously thought the book ended very Twilight-ish. Everything ended with everyone getting their happy ending and it was just like, "I read this for it to end like that?" I wanted Jem to be a Silent Brother and have Tessa know she can never be with him and vice-versa. I wanted her to feel the pain of knowing that the other is alive but never being able to be with them.

And then there's no actual reason as to why Jem isn't a silent brother anymore so it's like seriously? We don't even get an explanation? As much as I like Cassandra Clare's books, the ending was just horrible and hopefully she learns but I don't think she will. At least not yet.

What do you guys think though? Do you guys agree or not? Leave your comments down below and let's discuss!

Don't forget to check out my other places on the web of inter...
Facebook: The Subtle Chronicler
Twitter: @SubtleChronicle
Goodreads: Michael Araujo
Instagram: AntonioMeks



Thursday, August 22, 2013

Honesty Hour (9)

Hey Chroniclers! It's Thursday once more and you all know what that means! It's time for another Honesty Hour! Honesty Hour is a weekly meme where unlike a review, it's more of a discussion full of spoilers and whatnots. And aside from talking about the book, I can talk about certain characters, plots, settings, covers, authors and anything else that I can think of. Now I warn you, these posts may be full of spoilers. SO PROCEED WITH CAUTION AFTER THE PHOTO FOR SPOILERS MAY BE WITHIN!

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer!

Cinder and Scarlet are the first two fairy retellings in a four part series. Cinder starts off with the retelling of Cinderella in New Beijing in a world full of androids and cyborgs. Everyone swore this was the best thing they had read in the longest but when I finally read it, it fell flat. I enjoyed it but it wasn't what people said it was. I seriously thought it was going to be better but I was reading it so slow because my interest just wasn't holding. My eyes literally glazed over and I had to re-read several passages over and over.

The ending though was something that I liked and made me want to continue the series. Thus I read Scarlet which is the retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. The novel continues the story of Cinder from the first novel and introduces us the character of Scarlet who lives in France. Her grandmother is missing and with the help of a guy called Wolf, she goes out to find her and ends up crossing paths with Cinder.

The thing is, Scarlet was a lot better than Cinder. A lot better. I liked the setting a lot more of Paris and France and liked Scarlet a lot more than I liked Cinder. I actually liked the supporting characters a lot more. The thing about these books is that these books were so over-hyped. If there were ever an over-over-hyped book, it would be these. Everyone literally swore up and down that they were the best thing they had ever read and I was just not that impressed. I do have to say I'm pretty excited for the next two novels and hope that the characters get better and better.

But what are your thoughts on the series? Did you like it or did you have the same problem? Leave your comments down below!

Don't forget to check out my other places on the web of inter...
Facebook: The Subtle Chronicler
Twitter: @SubtleChronicle
Goodreads: Michael Araujo
Instagram: AntonioMeks

 

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Honesty Hour (8)

Hey Chroniclers! Welcome to Thursday which brings you another edition of Honesty Hour! Honesty Hour is a meme where unlike a review, it's more of a discussion full of spoilers and whatnot. And unlike a review, I might speak about multiple different things from characters, to plots, to settings and even covers and authors. Now I warn you, after the photo there might be spoilers. I repeat; THERE MIGHT BE SPOILERS AFTER THE PHOTO! PROCEED WITH CAUTION!


Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan!

The majority of us have read these books when they first come out. Or if you're like me, you read them pretty late. I read the books back in March of 2012, so they had all been out for a while and I was 20. Well away from my teenage years. Now the thing is, while I did like and enjoy the novels, I didn't like them as much as I thought I would. Now, I know don't know the reason why but I think that I know why I was a bit underwhelmed with these books.

The first reason is that it might have been hyped up. Everyone and their mothers were talking about how amazing these books were. They had been on my list for the longest and when the movie came out, I went to the midnight premiere and fell in love with it. I was so excited to read the books but only years later did I have the chance and it just wasn't the same. I think I was expecting something a lot more than what it truly gave me.

Could it have been hyped up? Possibly. Sometimes people talk so much and so grand about novels that you're expecting the book to end all books and then out of nowhere it's average. It happens all the time with a lot of books. Especially in the YA community. People talk about books nonstop, get you hyped up, and then they suck. It's happened to me so many times, that I no longer to you people half the time. By you people, I mean other bloggers. I listen to some but others.... You guys need to stop doing this to me!!!!

The other reason that might be the reason why I didn't enjoy them as much, is my age. I truly think that I was too old to understand the innocence behind the books. I'm growing old and I've got to face it. I won't be able to read certain books and capture the magic that they truly hold. My mind is so poisoned and infiltrated with adultism that I can handle the magic of innocence anymore. I can't handle the fact that these kids are going to win because I'm used to seeing characters dying. I can't handle couples staying together, because I'm used to seeing them separated.

Reading adult novels and older YA books has literally ruined my mind. I can no longer read a children's novel and see it for what it is. I'm always expecting the worse to happen and when it doesn't I think that it is too easy. And it kills me! I want my innocence back! D= That doesn't mean I still didn't enjoy them. I'll still read Rick Riordan's novels but they just won't be the same.

What are your thoughts though? Has your mind been poisoned to the point you can't enjoy younger novels any more? Leave your comments down below and let's discuss!

Don't forget to check out my other places on the web of inter...
Facebook: The Subtle Chronicler
Twitter: @SubtleChronicle
Goodreads: Michael Araujo
Instagram: AntonioMeks



Thursday, August 8, 2013

Honesty Hour (7)

Hiya Chroniclers! It's finally Thursday! And with Thursday comes another edition of Honesty Hour! Honesty Hour is a weekly meme where unlike a review, it's more of a discussion of books, shows and/or movies. But the thing is, I may talk about anything from characters, to plots, to covers, to authors, to really anything else I can think of. Just something that I need to get off my chest like a rant. Now I warn you, posts like these might contain spoilers. But this particular one does not.


Book Covers vs People

Sometimes a book will come out and it'll cause some problems out in the world. Sometimes, the book hasn't even been released yet, but still, people are complaining because of the title and cover. I am in fact talking about David Levithan's Two Boys Kissing. The cover for the novel features exactly what the title says, two boys kissing. Focused right on their faces. Lips-locked. And people are throwing words around about banning it already, and how it's not right and yatta yatta. And I'm sitting here like.... who cares?! We live in 2013. It's been 2000+ years and we're still trying to judge each other and say what is right and what is not? Who are we to judge?

Now the thing is. I have an Instagram where I take a picture of the book I'm currently reading and tag it and people like it and comment and such. I also have friends who like to talk a lot. A lot...

I want to get this book and read it because one, David Levithan is an amazing author and two, I want to piss people off. I know for a fact that if I put up a picture of me reading this book, people are going to talk. And I don't care if they do, it's just the fact that they'll talk. That talk will consist of them assuming things about myself. Again, while I don't care, it still gets me mad that a person can't be themselves. I could be straight, but I'm not narrow. 

I don't judge anybody for their beliefs, or for their likes or dislikes. (Unless you like Twilight) So why must someone judge me and say things like "you must be gay for reading a book about gay people." In what logical world, does reading a book about gay people make you gay? Or mean that you're gay? Does reading about vampires make you a vampire? Does reading a romance book automatically make you be in a relationship? Does reading a book about freaking cats make you a feline? No! So why must I be judged based on something that has no connection to me other than me reading?

People are quick to judge and yet they hate being judged themselves My theory, they're obviously self-conscious about themselves. So I will read this book, I will put it up and Instagram and people are obviously going to talk. But I know who I am and have no problem. I just want to live in a world where reading a book about LGBT is normal and doesn't mean that you yourself are any of the LGBT. 

I also put it up on Tumblr but that is completely different because Tumblr is literally the Island of Misfit Toys. If anyone judges you, they do it behind anonymous messages and you get more support than anything on there. So to all of your authors out there, write more books about LGBT people. Make them put covers that will make people feel completely awkward. Because if we have to listen and deal with their crap, they'll have to do the same with ours. And to all of you readers out there. Buy this book! Even if you don't want to read it, just buy it. Because this can be the start of something new. Not to get all High School Musical but it's true. Change can only come if you challenge the normal. Make the abnormal go away.  

My question is though, had the cover been different. Had it not featured two boys kissing, would people still judge you for the title as much as they would now? Or would they not care? Leave your comments down below with your thoughts because I would really love to know. 

Don't forget to check out my other places on the web of inter...
Facebook: The Subtle Chronicler
Twitter: @SubtleChronicle
Goodreads: Michael Araujo
Instagram: AntonioMeks



Thursday, April 25, 2013

Honesty Hour (6)

Hola Chroniclers! I've posted every day this week which is cray cray! I even posted two posts on Tuesday! Sweet Books, I'm doing good! I must not stop so today I bring you another Honesty Hour post! Honesty Hour is a meme where unlike a review, it's more of a discussion full of spoilers and whatnot. I might also speak of just certain characters, authors, settings, writing, etc. etc. Now I warn you, after the picture THERE WILL BE SPOILERS! SPOILERS AFTER THE PHOTO! PROCEED WITH CAUTION!


Firelight Trilogy by Sophie Jordan.

Firelight was one of those books where I got it for the cover. I barely knew what it was about aside that it involved Draki and I found that interesting. But the cover is what I really got it for. Once I read it I was a bit on the fence about it. I expected the book to be bigger and the content to be better. The premise was good, I think that people who turn into Dragons with powers is a cool thing but the writing and the way everything played out and what did happen just fell flat. I enjoyed it but not as much as I would like. I just expected it to be completely different than what it really is.

Vanish came out and I got it a while after but when I read it I felt like the story, once again was just lacking. I felt like it was too short and too little actually happened, but I couldn't just stop it and had to finish the series. So I continued and bought Hidden the final book of the trilogy. I feel like I need to breathe before speaking of it. First off when I got the book, I noticed right away that it was the shortest of them all. The other two are already short but this one is just super small. Doesn't even reach 300 pages. I was already put off by how short it was.

But, I read it. And as I was reading I kept thinking, stupid people making stupid decisions. We're introduced to characters who feel like they have a great importance and they're there for about 5 pages before never being seen again. The ending felt like it was robbing me. Everything felt rushed and out of nowhere it was done. Nothing really happened. The deaths that did happen and the twists and turns that did felt too sudden and quick to have any real impact.

I remember telling someone that the trilogy would be better off as one whole book. It would feel a bit more full and less rushing. Sort of like a bind-up but just one book. But I was so disappointed in the final book and even the series as a whole. I thought it was going to be something else and it could have been an amazing thing. But it failed.

My thing is, I can't judge authors because I don't know their motives or why they write. But I feel like authors now-a-days are rushing to get as many books out as they can instead of taking their time. It works for some but for others it falls flat. I'm not saying that Sophie Jordan writes just for money or to get many books out but the fact is, to me, she could have done way better with the trilogy. And I know she's writing other books, was writing books and has written other books during the trilogy and that might be the reason why.

I know this post said there would be spoilers and there really weren't any, and this is mainly due to the fact that I couldn't exactly remember what happened in the trilogy. I read the last book earlier this month, and I had to go back to the final pages and glance through it to remember before posting this up! It says something  right there.

But what are your thoughts on the series? Did you like it or not? I know a lot of people on goodreads said it was amazing and that it was the best books they had read and I'm just like.... but I'd love to hear your opinion. What are your thoughts on the author as well! Let me know!

Also don't forget to check me out on other places around the web of inter...

Twitter: @SubtleChronicle
Facebook: The Subtle Chronicler
Goodreads: Michael Araujo


   


Thursday, April 18, 2013

Honesty Hour (5)

Hey Chroniclers! How is everyone doing. I haven't done one of these in a while but I figured that I'd do one today since I've been thinking about this. Honesty Hour is a meme where unlike a review, it's more of a discussion. I give my spoiler filled thoughts about a book. Whether I speak specifically of the characters, author, story, or even an author! This will allow people who have read the books as well to come in and give their opinions about the matter. Again, I warn you there are spoilers after the picture, so if you haven't read the books that are shown below, TURN BACK NOW FOR THERE ARE SPOILERS WITHIN!


Kelley Armstrong's YA Series.

Kelley Armstrong first wrote a Trilogy about a group of teens who are supernatural.

The Summoning we are first introduced to these characters as they found out who they are and what is going on. I loved this book and felt like it had everything that I was looking for. The Awakening and The Reckoning follows their story as they attempt to survive on their own and free themselves from what follows them. The trilogy was seriously an amazing story and I loved everything about it and at this moment I can't find one bad thing to tell.

Of course we wanted more of these characters and the world they live in so Kelley Armstrong gave us a second trilogy. The trilogy is set in the same world except it gives us a whole new cast of characters.

I was so excited to read The Gathering and when it finally came I did love it. I did feel as if it were lacking a bit in the action department. But I loved the characters and the mystery to what types of supernaturals the new cast were kept me reading. The book ended with an exciting scene that I really enjoyed and got me to come back for The Calling. Upon reading the sequel, we learned that the teens are extinct supernaturals resurrected back to life. Sirens, Skin-Changers, Demon Hunters etc. etc. The book ended with a promising sequel in the way.

Thus we finally get The Rising and this is where the Honesty Hour and my problem with it comes in. The whole novel was setting itself up for this fight. The new characters were finding each other and getting back together and they set out to find this other group of supernaturals who turn out to be the characters from the first trilogy. So now we have this big super group of supernaturals and they want war. They want to bring down the organizations fighting for them and then out of nowhere, they end up living in a secluded village made by the organization.

My problem with all of this is, all of this talk about bringing them down and they end up partnered with them. Okay. Kelley Armstrong stated that it was the final book and she wasn't going to write anymore. In the near future. It's not planned. Which means we get this crappy ending. I would understand if she had more planned because the characters joined this organization to train with them and then bring them down from the inside. But there's nothing planned. We get such an open-ended ending that it seems very lackluster.

It's really bothering me, I mean I was seriously getting excited for this crazy ending and then just nothing. I really do hope that she writes another trilogy to tie it all together. But here's what I think she should do. She should write two more trilogies. The first trilogy will be with another group of Supernaturals who will already know about themselves but find out what the organization is doing. In the second book they're running off and fighting for their lives and the third book they attempt to find the secluded village where the others live and end up finding them. The last trilogy will be everyone from the three groups bringing down the organization. With the first book from Chloe's (1st Trilogy) POV, second, from Maya's and third with the third trilogy's main character.

One can only hope. But what do you guys think. Were you guys happy with the ending of the series or did you find it lackluster as well? Let me know down in the comments below! and Kelley, if you're reading this, please write more so it can all end amazingly!


Also don't forget to check me out on other places around the web of inter...

Twitter: @SubtleChronicle
Facebook: The Subtle Chronicler
Goodreads: Michael Araujo



   
   

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Honesty Hour (4)

Ola Chroniclers! (Just went all Portuguese on you guys!) How is everyone doing? Hopefully not as lazy and cold as I am. I'm dreading going into that freezing bathroom and taking a shower. But, we are here to talk about books! Today I'll be bringing back another post that I haven't done in the longest. It is called... Honesty Hour! Honesty Hour is this thing I do where I talk about a series or characters or something from a book. It's not a book review nor is it like one. This is more of a discussion WITH SPOILERS that I kind of tell the truth on how I really feel and don't try to sugar coat anything. You can check out example of the previous three down below;

Harry Potter Characters James Potter, Cho Chang, Severus Snape, and Draco Malfoy
The Mortal Instruments Pre-Lost Souls
Nightshade Trilogy Pre-Bloodrose

For this week I've decided to do another trilogy of which I have some feelings towards and that is...


Matched Trilogy by Ally Condie!

I bought Matched around the same time it had just come out and I bought it simply because the cover looked amazing. I'm a cover freak and judge a bit by the covers. I didn't even read the synopsis with that much attention. I knew it was Dystopian so I figured it would be good. So I finally read it and while it was good it lacked so much! I found myself bored at times, especially when the main character, Cassia, spends the majority of her time climbing a hill and thinking. When I think of Dystopian I think of action and a revolution. While there was talks of revolting and Cassia says she is, I didn't see it. No action was taken for there to be a revolution.

Also as we know she gets Matched with her best friend and then another guys picture flashes. The fact that she falls in love with this other guy simply out of curiosity. I thought it was a low blow to her best friend. There was no way that she could just instantly love this guy she has basically never fully met. I thought it was a cheap way to get into the love story and perhaps should have been played out a bit better.

The only part that really got me pumped up was towards the end. A certain scene where two parents are being separated from each other and are trying to grab each others hands. That's what got me going. It showed me that the world Cassia lives in has power to do whatever they want. But then it went back to falling flat.

Enter Crossed. I was a bit hesitant to getting into this one but I finally did. It was certainly much more action-packed than the first one but at times it got a bit boring as well. I liked the whole running away thing but again it didn't feel like Cassia was giving the revolution she keeps talking about. The part that really got me infuriated was the ending.

After everything Cassia and the others went through. After everything they had to do. Out of nowhere they go back to the city. Just like that. Again it felt like such a cheap shot and I felt as if I was stolen a good ending for the book. The set up for this "revolution" to play out in book 3 was so random at the end of the second book I can't even put it into words. The way it was played out felt dumb to me. I just really felt cheated. The characters spend the whole time running away not wanting to go back and in one page they end up back. Not captured. They went back themselves. There was nothing leading up to that, it was so random.

And thus, I am afraid for Reached. Especially since the book is huge, I'm so afraid that it'll disappoint me. I'll read it soon this year but I'm so afraid that I'm going to get a crappy ending that it'll probably just make me wish I've never read the trilogy in the first place. But we shall see how it goes. I personally think that this trilogy got too much hype for what it's not worth.

AND! They're making it a movie which let's be honest, I will watch. I like watching adaptations and seeing how they play out compared to the book. I don't complain about scenes not being in there or some changes because if I want the actual thing, I'd read the book. A movie is a movie is a movie. But I am afraid that it's going to be a bit boring like the book unless they change it up a bit.

What are your thoughts on the trilogy? Was it over-hyped or do you think it was actually good? Leave your comments down below.

 Don't forget to check me out on other places around the web of inter...

Twitter: @SubtleChronicle
Facebook: The Subtle Chronicler
Goodreads: Michael Araujo

And if you want to buy the books to check them out for yourselves...


   

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Tuesday's Novel Spotlight (48)

Hey Chroniclers! It is Tuesday which can only mean one thing. Books have been released into the world! And there's so many but only one will be chosen to be featured on the blog. Today will be a bit different than usual because the book is actually a sequel so I won't do my usual verdict, cover, story thing. Especially because I didn't read the first book yet so I don't want to be spoiled! That book though is....


Rise by Andrea Cremer.

This is the second and last book in her two-part sequel to her Nightshade Trilogy. I love it when authors write a bunch of books set in the same world and then match the covers along the way. And as much as I don't exactly like the covers for her books, I do enjoy how the spines look all together on a bookshelf. I do hope they continue the theme with black and one color with the next books if there are any. I'm thinking Orange, Pink, White, Brown, Gray, etc. etc. It'll just be cool all together.

I will buy this one for sure as I seem to enjoy Cremer's work. Or most of it.
You can check out what I mean in my Honesty Hour of the Nightshade Trilogy. And since then I have read Bloodrose and enjoyed it immensely.

But yea that's it. I don't know when I'll buy this one seeing as I'm trying to save my money until I get a job but I will buy it for sure someday.

Will you guys be getting Rise? Let me know in the comments below.

And remember;
Save a Panda: read a book.


Check me out on other places on the internet;

Twitter: @SubtleChronicle
Facebook: The Subtle Chronicler
Goodreads: Michael Araujo

And don't forget to check out the books!


 

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Honest Hour (3)

Hello everybody and welcome to another edition of Honesty Hour. I've been meaning to do this specific one for a while now but for some reason I just kept putting it off. But finally I decided to go ahead and change it up a bit from my original plan. My favorite series is Harry Potter and it comes as no surprise. But there's a lot of things that I feel about it that I just haven't really said. 


So for this week, I'll focus on The Characters. Not all of them but some. The ones that really got to me as I was reading. Now it's not all bad as Honesty Hour isn't just bad stuff despite my previous posts. It's just a way to say my actual feelings about the books and such. So let's begin. WARNING: There may be a few curse words! 

Cho Chang: While I was re-reading the series, I began to notice one thing. Cho Chang acted like such a bitch. The way she treated Harry while they were "dating" and the whole crying over Cedric ordeal even after she was with Harry really pissed me off. I was seriously yelling at her to move the hell on because it happened a long time ago. I don't exactly mean getting over his death but I do mean getting over him being her boyfriend. She was with Harry now and I seriously felt that the only reason she was with him was because he was the last person to be with Cedric. Especially on the part where she asks Harry if Cedric mentioned her before he died. It just makes her vain and inconsiderate to the fact that they were about to die, and eventually did, and all she cares about is that his last words were that he loved her. It's weird because in the movie we see a completely different side of her than in the books. In the movie she's such a sweet girl yet in the book she's a hard ass Quidditch player who can't make up her mind. 

James Potter: Now this one you may be able to argue over but I find no excuse at all. James Potter was a bully. Simple as that. He tortured Severus Snape through his years at Hogwarts and basically stole Lily away from him. And when I say steal I actually mean steal. Severus called Lily a mudblood because of one condition. James was bullying him and embarrassing him in front of everyone. I'm not condoning Snape's words during that moment because he was also wrong but just imagine if James didn't pick on Severus. Imagine if James left him alone and didn't acknowledge him. Snape wouldn't have called Lily a mudblood and they would've still talked to each other. It was clear that Lily loved Snape. He was the first person she had that she shared something with. It would never go away from her heart and her mind. So I do call James a bully because he hated Snape for the simple fact of hating him and he tore love apart. 

Severus Snape: It seems that J.K. Rowling had a theme with many of her characters. They were bullies. I know I just said Severus Snape was bullied at Hogwarts and I do feel bad for him. But what I do not feel bad for is the fact that he in turn bullied Harry. He claims it's because he's James' son but that is no damn excuse to pick on an eleven-year-old when you are a grown man. If he clearly loved Lily like he said he did he would've protected Harry out in the open and not give a damn what anyone said. Okay, maybe not protect because then the plan to kill Voldemort wouldn't work but he would've been a lot nicer to Harry during school. And the fact that EVERYONE and their mothers feel sorry for him during his death pisses me off. Am I glad that he died? No, I'm sad that a character this deep was killed but it had to be done. I'm actually glad that he did die. He deserved everything he got. He wasn't really protecting Harry, he was protecting his memory of Lily. His last words weren't Harry Potter, I believe in you. His last words were, You have your mother's eyes. Snape didn't care for Harry at all and the simple fact that he put him through hell makes me glad that he was punished for it. Even if it was extreme. 

Draco Malfoy: Last but not least is Draco. Another example of the whole feel sorry for the bully type of character. Draco was Harry's enemy from day one and it could not have been clearer. This kid while he still was a child wanted bad things to happen to Harry. He also put him through hell and it seemed as if Harry couldn't escape from it. So why is it that when Draco has to kill Dumbledore that everyone starts feeling bad for him. Oh this poor soul, afraid for his life, forced to do what he didn't want to. He lowered his wand, he was going to join the good side. Bull crap! Draco signed up for it. He became a Death Eater! He knew exactly what was going to happen and had been in on the whole Voldemort / Death Eater ordeal for YEARS! His father was one. So no, I don't feel bad for him that he was almost killed, that he was basically tortured. He signed up for it and now he has to pay for what he deserves. Next time he should think twice about what he really wants before acting!

And that my friends is what I present to you. These four characters really got to me during the series re-read. There's so much more I can go on about other characters but I didn't want you guys to be here all day. But, I would love for you guys to let me know; which characters do you guys see in a different light? Leave your comments down below so we can get discussing. It is possible that I can do more Harry Potter Honesty Hour's along with more characters. Who knows? I just have to look into my heart for what I really feel.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Honesty Hour (1)

Hello everybody! Sorry for the late post but I've been sick in bed and only now did I muster the courage to get online. Anyway, Honest Hour is a new thing I'll be doing possibly weekly. While it might seem like a review, it'll be full of spoilers and can talk from one book to multiple books. The reason for this is that my reviews are usually spoiler-free and I don't really go into length talking about it. I don't want to give away anything that might ruin the story during those reviews so I warn you that this will be full of spoils and should only be read if you have read the novels. 



To start this off I chose a series that I read two of its books last year.


Starting with Nightshade by Andrea Cremer. When I read this book I was all into it. It was something new, dark and humorous. The love-triangle that was in it was different than what I had previously read before. Instead of a girl falling for two people she had to choose between someone she was falling for and someone she had to be with due to her laws. 


When I began reading Nightshade I was also watching Skins UK from E4 so I kind of put the two together. Skins is about a group of teens in their last two years of High School with different personalities and it chronicles the events that lead up to graduation. Nightshade reminded me of that with how it was two groups coming together as one with everyone having a different personality. How they would hang out in the cafeteria and go to a night club even if it was to investigate. It was a really good novel that I went in with low expectations. The action was great, the characters were awesome and the ending was just intense. 


Then comes Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer. Before the book came out they decided to change the covers to what is up top. For some reason I felt as if this would ruin the story for me as I compare the covers with the novel itself. I decided to forget about it and finally read it. Boy was I disappointed. I went into this with such high expectations and was greatly let down. The magic of the characters were gone. Although most of the characters aren't there for part of the story because of certain reasons, the new characters just weren't working for me. Their introduction was too abrupt and not enough development went on. The story seemed too rushed and yet it dragged on. 


I kind of confused myself with that when I first said it but then I thought about it. Wolfsbane felt as if it could have been a couple of chapters in Nightshade, if some scenes were taken out of course. But for the scenes that were in it, it took a long time for the story to get there and when it did it was just bam, done, over. It should have been longer, more properly developed. It took almost two hundred pages before anything exciting happened. And when it did I was thinking to myself how out of place it seemed. The world we were introduced to in the first novel had changed drastically in the second that it seemed out of the ordinary. Nothing really felt familiar and it felt as if Calla herself had changed overnight. But read it I did and when I got to the end I just felt as if time might have been wasted. I wasn't feeling the story but I was still going to read the third novel.


Before even reading Wolfsbane I looked it up and saw that the cover for the third novel was out and that's when I found out.


Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer was set to be released January 2012, just mere months after the release of the second. I thought it was mistake but then it was confirmed that the release date was true and I thought to myself that it was over. I don't know what happened, if she previously wrote all three books and they were just now getting published or if she rushed through them but that kind of killed it for me. 


I have this thing with authors not taking their time writing books. To me a book should be properly done and not rushed through. When I see an author writing two books per year it freaks me out because I wonder if they're really doing it for the story or for the money. For some authors it does work such as Ellen Hopkins. She writes an adult novel and young adult novel a year and when we read it it's amazing. But the thing is, she writes in free verse. It doesn't take long to do and yet she does her research and her studying and it shows in the work. Yet we see Cassandra Clare releasing two books per month and the result is one such as City of Fallen Angels which was the shortest book and something that shouldn't have ever been published. It just felt like an excuse for more of Clary and Jace make-out scenes.


But when I recently got Bloodrose I saw that it was bigger than the other two and I thought maybe she it might redeem herself and that I shouldn't give up on it. Perhaps it'll have the same BAM as the first one and give me something that I actually want. But I won't exactly know until I start reading it.


And so with this I leave you guys here. What do you guys think of these novels? Give me your thoughts on them and let me know if you think authors should take their time with their writing. 


I also would like to say that I respect every author and would never say anything to bash them. If I'm against something it would be their work and not them as a person. I am a fan of Cassandra Clare and even though I might not like City of Fallen Angels I still like her other work. The same goes for Andrea Cremer. Even if I didn't enjoy Wolfsbane as much as Nightshade I will still go into Bloodrose with hopes that it'll get to me and enjoy any other work she releases. 
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