Authors: Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian
Part of a Series? The first book in the Burn for Burn trilogy.
Synopsis: Lillia, Kat and Mary live on the picturesque Jar Island, where everyone knows everyone. The girls all want the same thing: revenge on someone who's done them wrong. When they find out that they can help each other, they team up and set out to take down the three people who have hurt them most - but soon realise that one simple act of revenge can spark off a whole chain of events.
Rating: 5 stars.
*Note: I wrote this a year ago when I had no blogging experience whatsoever. If I have any time in the future I'll try to do an updated review, but for now enjoy!*
So, first of all: this book is INCREDIBLE! The plot is so good, and it is very well-written; I think there was one paragraph that didn’t flow as well as every other one. It is told from three viewpoints - our main characters Lillia, Kat, and Mary - and each main character is easily likeable yet distinctly different. It’s interesting seeing how the three main characters interact with each other because they really are opposites - Mary is quiet, Kat is a rebel, and Lillia is popular - and how they changed throughout the book.
I could not decide throughout the entire book if I liked Rennie or not. There were points - such as when she was trying to catch Reeve’s attention - when I felt sorry for her, and other points - like when she ditched Kat - when I really didn’t like her.
The ending was… 0_0 (my face at the last few pages). I have no idea what will happen to Reeve in the second book, but I think he’ll pull through. And I felt for Lillia as she started to waver about all these schemes towards the end. And what is happening with Mary?! Are these powers real or in her head or–?
Overall, this is an amazing book, and I am so excited to read the second one! 5/5 stars.
Showing posts with label jenny han. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jenny han. Show all posts
Sunday, 11 October 2015
Monday, 31 August 2015
August Wrap-Up!
To see all the books I've acquired in August, visit my bookhaul here.
August was a good reading month for me! I read nine books in total,, compared to my usual five or six in previous months, and the books were great. I think I read so much because I went on holiday at the start of August and got through four books alone in that first week!
Thanks for reading(:
August was a good reading month for me! I read nine books in total,, compared to my usual five or six in previous months, and the books were great. I think I read so much because I went on holiday at the start of August and got through four books alone in that first week!
- Blackfin Sky by Kat Ellis - I'm working on a full review of this at the moment, and it was really good! Spooky, creepy and mysterious, the town of Blackfin was excellently created, and I look forward to reading Kat Ellis' new books, as Blackfin Sky was her debut novel. 4 stars.
- Scarlet by Marissa Meyer - This is the second book in the Lunar Chronicles series, and my full review can be found here. I loved Scarlet almost as much as Cinder, and I especially loved the introduction of Captain Carswell Thorne! If you're unsure about reading the Lunar Chronicles because of all the hype around it, try Cinder anyway, because I think it will live up to expectations. 4.5 - 5 stars.
- PS I Still Love You by Jenny Han - The sequel to To All The Boys I've Loved Before, PSISLY was just as sweet as the first book. Reading about how Lara Jean and Peter's relationship changed was fantastic, and I loved the points Jenny Han made about double standards. These books are not just a fluffy, cute romance (although they definitely have that in), but are about family and friends and high school. Family is definitely important in these two books. 4.25 stars.
- The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater - I'm also working on a review of the entire Raven Cycle so far. I enjoyed The Dream Thieves just as much as The Raven Boys, although it once again took me a while to get into the world again. Having just finished PS I Still Love You, where the love interest's surname is Kavinsky, it was quite confusing to read about another, much wilder, much less nice Kavinsky! I didn't like him at all, but I have to admit that his texts to Ronan made me laugh! Blue is such a strong character, and even though the concept of ley lines and Welsh kings are very confusing, the characters really make this series. 4.5 stars.
- Let's Get Lost - This was the perfect summer read! I loved all of the different stories, although I think Elliot's was the least satisfying. Leila was our main character, the one that linked Hudson, Elliot, Sonia, and Bree's lives together, but each of the others were well-developed and likeable. I think Leila's story was my favourite, although I loved her friendship with Bree. 4.75 stars.
- Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anne Blankman - I have a more detailed review of this on my Goodreads account, but I enjoyed this book a lot! It was an interesting, well-written historical fiction novel and I'm very excited to read the second book in this series. 4.5 stars.
- Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater - This is the third book in The Raven Cycle, and it. Was. FANTASTIC! All of the things I love about The Raven Boys and The Dream Thieves - all of the funny dialogue, all of the intriguing characters, all of the mystery - was apparent in every single page of Blue Lily, Lily Blue. I think this is one of my favourite reads of 2015 so far, and I am incredibly excited for The Raven King! 5 stars.
- Panic by Lauren Oliver - This was so very tense! I flew through Panic as I just had to know what would happen next. The challenges were crazy and very, very dangerous, and Lauren Oliver's writing was wonderful. 4 stars.
- Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins - Hex Hall was funny and entertaining. Jenna was my favourite character, and Sophie was a likeable protagonist whose sarcasm often made me giggle. There were several parts that felt a little tired, like I had read them before, but I can definitely see the potential in this series and I'm looking forward to seeing what else Sophie gets up to! 3.5 - 4 stars.
- A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams - I had to read this for school, and I wasn't expecting much. However, I was pleasantly surprised! A Streetcar Named Desire was an emotional whirlwind of a play, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. It also took next to no time to read - maybe only an hour and a half! 3.5 - 4 stars.
- I'm currently reading 1984 by George Orwell, and according to Goodreads I'm 24% done with it. So far I'm not enjoying it as much as I had hoped, but I hope that will improve as I continue.
Thanks for reading(:
Tuesday, 26 May 2015
Ashes to Ashes - Review
Title: Ashes to Ashes
Author (s): Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian
Synopsis (from Goodreads): New Year's Eve ended with a bang and Mary, Kat and Lillia may not be prepared for what is to come.
After Rennie's death, Kat and Lillia try to put the pieces together of what happened to her. They both blame themselves. If Lillia hadn't left with Reeve... If Kat had only stayed with Rennie... Things could have been different. Now they will never be the same.
Only Mary knows the truth about that night. About what she is. She also knows the truth about Lillia and Reeve falling in love, about Reeve being happy when all he deserves is misery, just like the misery he caused her. Now their childish attempts at revenge are a thing of the past and Mary is out for blood. Will she leave anything in her wake or will all that remain be ashes?
Part of a series? The concluding book in the Burn for Burn trilogy.
Rating: 4.5 stars.
This was just as tense and exciting as the other two books in the trilogy. Ashes to Ashes was also pretty heart-breaking, the epilogue especially! It rounded everything up and didn't leave any loose ends, so the trilogy truly feels finished, however much I didn't want it to end!
*SPOILER FROM THIS POINT ON!*
For those of you who have read my review for Fire with Fire (and my review of Burn for Burn, which is lurking somewhere on my Tumblr...I don't know how to use Tumblr, ok?), you'll know that I love Reeve and Lillia. Like, I REALLY love them together. In Fire with Fire, this was hard, as it was kind of a forbidden love and a part of me knew that I shouldn't want them to be with each other. Happily, however, in Ashes to Ashes I could fully ship them with no guilt! They were adorable, and when he bought her the rose I had a large fangirl moment.
Which was why the ending was painful. I think a lot of people like Alex and Lillia together, but I'm not one of them. I don't like Alex as a character; he just feels too perfect. Reeve and Lillia not ending up together hurt, but at least they were moderately happy after Mary.
Mary was quite terrifying at times! I wasn't expecting her to become a proper, revenge-seeking ghost after she's been so kind and timid throughout the first two books, but she certainly did it well! I think the scariest moment was when she ruined Lillia's room and made her leave Reeve; the fact that Han and Vivian put that scene after a happy one made it much more effective. I liked how we still had chapters from Mary's point of view, even though she's a ghost, as it was interesting to read from the 'vengeful spirit's' perspective.
Kat remained my favourite character, staying strong and adding humour to an otherwise quite angst-y book. She helpfully provided us with a life lesson or two, such as 'reading and driving is some dangerous shit' and 'quitting smoking during a freaking ghost exorcism was a dumb-ass move'. Her loyalty towards Mary at the beginning was touching and showed how true she believed her friendship with her to be.
Ashes to Ashes didn't feel slow or boring at all, and while there were a few moments that occasionally didn't flow as well as usual, it was a strong conclusion to a strong trilogy. I liked how Han and Vivian took elements of a typical ghost story- the vengeful ghost, the abandoned house - and weaved them into a relatable, refreshingly new plot. I was not expecting for the Burn for Burn trilogy to go in the direction it did, but I love it!
Author (s): Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian
Synopsis (from Goodreads): New Year's Eve ended with a bang and Mary, Kat and Lillia may not be prepared for what is to come.
After Rennie's death, Kat and Lillia try to put the pieces together of what happened to her. They both blame themselves. If Lillia hadn't left with Reeve... If Kat had only stayed with Rennie... Things could have been different. Now they will never be the same.
Only Mary knows the truth about that night. About what she is. She also knows the truth about Lillia and Reeve falling in love, about Reeve being happy when all he deserves is misery, just like the misery he caused her. Now their childish attempts at revenge are a thing of the past and Mary is out for blood. Will she leave anything in her wake or will all that remain be ashes?
Part of a series? The concluding book in the Burn for Burn trilogy.
Rating: 4.5 stars.
This was just as tense and exciting as the other two books in the trilogy. Ashes to Ashes was also pretty heart-breaking, the epilogue especially! It rounded everything up and didn't leave any loose ends, so the trilogy truly feels finished, however much I didn't want it to end!
*SPOILER FROM THIS POINT ON!*
For those of you who have read my review for Fire with Fire (and my review of Burn for Burn, which is lurking somewhere on my Tumblr...I don't know how to use Tumblr, ok?), you'll know that I love Reeve and Lillia. Like, I REALLY love them together. In Fire with Fire, this was hard, as it was kind of a forbidden love and a part of me knew that I shouldn't want them to be with each other. Happily, however, in Ashes to Ashes I could fully ship them with no guilt! They were adorable, and when he bought her the rose I had a large fangirl moment.
Which was why the ending was painful. I think a lot of people like Alex and Lillia together, but I'm not one of them. I don't like Alex as a character; he just feels too perfect. Reeve and Lillia not ending up together hurt, but at least they were moderately happy after Mary.
Mary was quite terrifying at times! I wasn't expecting her to become a proper, revenge-seeking ghost after she's been so kind and timid throughout the first two books, but she certainly did it well! I think the scariest moment was when she ruined Lillia's room and made her leave Reeve; the fact that Han and Vivian put that scene after a happy one made it much more effective. I liked how we still had chapters from Mary's point of view, even though she's a ghost, as it was interesting to read from the 'vengeful spirit's' perspective.
Kat remained my favourite character, staying strong and adding humour to an otherwise quite angst-y book. She helpfully provided us with a life lesson or two, such as 'reading and driving is some dangerous shit' and 'quitting smoking during a freaking ghost exorcism was a dumb-ass move'. Her loyalty towards Mary at the beginning was touching and showed how true she believed her friendship with her to be.
Ashes to Ashes didn't feel slow or boring at all, and while there were a few moments that occasionally didn't flow as well as usual, it was a strong conclusion to a strong trilogy. I liked how Han and Vivian took elements of a typical ghost story- the vengeful ghost, the abandoned house - and weaved them into a relatable, refreshingly new plot. I was not expecting for the Burn for Burn trilogy to go in the direction it did, but I love it!
Wednesday, 13 May 2015
Fire With Fire - Review
Title: Fire With Fire
Author (s): Siobhan Vivian and Jenny Han
Synopsis (from Goodreads): Lillia, Kat, and Mary had the perfect plan. Work together in secret to take down the people who wronged them. But things didn’t exactly go the way they’d hoped at the Homecoming Dance.
Not even close.
For now, it looks like they got away with it. All they have to do is move on and pick up the pieces, forget there ever was a pact. But it’s not easy, not when Reeve is still a total jerk and Rennie’s meaner than she ever was before.
And then there’s sweet little Mary…she knows there’s something seriously wrong with her. If she can’t control her anger, she’s sure that someone will get hurt even worse than Reeve was. Mary understands now that it’s not just that Reeve bullied her—it’s that he made her love him.
Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, burn for a burn. A broken heart for a broken heart. The girls are up to the task. They’ll make Reeve fall in love with Lillia and then they will crush him. It’s the only way he’ll learn.
It seems once a fire is lit, the only thing you can do is let it burn...
Part of a Series? Yes, the Burn for Burn Trilogy.
Rating: 4.5 stars.
It's been a while since I read Burn for Burn, but I loved it when I did. People getting revenge and cover up their tracks are my kind of books, so I don't know why I wasn't expecting Fire with Fire to not be as good as Burn for Burn, because it definitely was! I highly recommend picking this series up, so go read them and come back!
*SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ON - SERIOUSLY, GO READ FIRE WITH FIRE FIRST!*
*SERIOUSLY SERIOUSLY. DO NOT RUIN THIS BOOK FOR YOURSELF!*
The characterisation was strong, like in the first book; everyone's personality is clearly defined. Out of our main three characters, I have to say Kat is my favourite, as I love how she has a no-nonsense attitude towards most things, but is still vulnerable at times. Their - Lillia, Kat, and Mary - relationship was another thing I really loved. I was kind of expecting them to drift away from each other a la Pretty Little Liars (books, not TV show), so I was really happy to see them all sticking together! The way Kat supported Mary was especially sweet.
The writing styles of the two authors blended together well, and while there was the occasional paragraph which didn't flow with the rest of the story, but it never felt disjointed. Han and Vivian have also perfected the knack of reminding people about what happened in the first book. Sometimes authors just info-dump in the first chapter of a second book, which is really annoying, but they definitely didn't do that. I haven't read Burn for Burn for months, but I felt like I knew the important facts about it without feeling like the story was paused while we had a recap.
Can we just talk about Reeve and Lillia for a second? Like, I completely did not expect to like them together when Lillia first started trying to get him to love her, but by the end of the book I was starting to ship them (I'm about halfway through Ashes to Ashes and the shipping is still going strong). The way they left Rennie's party together and Rennie was screaming at them and...oh, it was emotional.
I don't think I can do a review on Fire with Fire without talking about THAT ending. Two bombshells in the space of a few chapters...I needed to find out what was happening so badly I almost forsook revision (but didn't...kind of...). Now, I never liked Rennie, not even when she arrived at Kat's house. I was sure she was just getting close to Kat to get back at Lillia. But at the party I did feel sorry for her; that scene was so intense I couldn't stop reading it! And even though I didn't like her, it was such a shock when she died and what had happened just before she died that I really did pity her.
Which leads onto the next bombshell nicely. Mary. Throughout the entire book I was sure that the paranormal aspects of the book were fake. I mean, SURE. I thought Mary zoned out or something
and did the things that she thought of, but that clearly didn't happen (I'm so good at guessing plots). And then we get this:
'I'm dead.'
Me: Wut
'Elizabeth Mary Donovan Zane. Sleep, my little one, sleep.'
Biggest. Plot twist. Ever. EVER.
(well, that I've read anyway).
I still can't believe it! Characters dying in the middle of series, characters dying at the end of series, narrators dying (we all know which one I'm talking about) - those I've read. But one where one of the three main characters HAS BEEN DEAD SINCE BEFORE THE BOOKS BEGAN is new. Well done to Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian for creating such a mind-boggling plot twist - and well done to Burn for Burn fans, because I was never spoiled for it once! I was too shocked to even cry. It was more surprising than Rennie's death (but that's because I was spoiled for that one, thank you blurb of Ashes to Ashes!).
I gave this book 4.5 out of 5 because, as I've said, there were a few points that didn't flow well, but everything else was very strong. I've carried straight onto Ashes to Ashes, and it's just as good, so I might do another review of that book when I'm done (or I could revise...that would be wiser). What did you think of Fire with Fire? Favourite moments, lines, characters? Let me know in the comments!
Thanks for reading, and I'll leave you with a quote from Kat that I loved and found helpful for exams:
'It doesn't make sense to feel sad about something you can't do s*** about.'
Author (s): Siobhan Vivian and Jenny Han
Synopsis (from Goodreads): Lillia, Kat, and Mary had the perfect plan. Work together in secret to take down the people who wronged them. But things didn’t exactly go the way they’d hoped at the Homecoming Dance.
Not even close.
For now, it looks like they got away with it. All they have to do is move on and pick up the pieces, forget there ever was a pact. But it’s not easy, not when Reeve is still a total jerk and Rennie’s meaner than she ever was before.
And then there’s sweet little Mary…she knows there’s something seriously wrong with her. If she can’t control her anger, she’s sure that someone will get hurt even worse than Reeve was. Mary understands now that it’s not just that Reeve bullied her—it’s that he made her love him.
Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, burn for a burn. A broken heart for a broken heart. The girls are up to the task. They’ll make Reeve fall in love with Lillia and then they will crush him. It’s the only way he’ll learn.
It seems once a fire is lit, the only thing you can do is let it burn...
Part of a Series? Yes, the Burn for Burn Trilogy.
Rating: 4.5 stars.
It's been a while since I read Burn for Burn, but I loved it when I did. People getting revenge and cover up their tracks are my kind of books, so I don't know why I wasn't expecting Fire with Fire to not be as good as Burn for Burn, because it definitely was! I highly recommend picking this series up, so go read them and come back!
*SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ON - SERIOUSLY, GO READ FIRE WITH FIRE FIRST!*
*SERIOUSLY SERIOUSLY. DO NOT RUIN THIS BOOK FOR YOURSELF!*
The characterisation was strong, like in the first book; everyone's personality is clearly defined. Out of our main three characters, I have to say Kat is my favourite, as I love how she has a no-nonsense attitude towards most things, but is still vulnerable at times. Their - Lillia, Kat, and Mary - relationship was another thing I really loved. I was kind of expecting them to drift away from each other a la Pretty Little Liars (books, not TV show), so I was really happy to see them all sticking together! The way Kat supported Mary was especially sweet.
The writing styles of the two authors blended together well, and while there was the occasional paragraph which didn't flow with the rest of the story, but it never felt disjointed. Han and Vivian have also perfected the knack of reminding people about what happened in the first book. Sometimes authors just info-dump in the first chapter of a second book, which is really annoying, but they definitely didn't do that. I haven't read Burn for Burn for months, but I felt like I knew the important facts about it without feeling like the story was paused while we had a recap.
Can we just talk about Reeve and Lillia for a second? Like, I completely did not expect to like them together when Lillia first started trying to get him to love her, but by the end of the book I was starting to ship them (I'm about halfway through Ashes to Ashes and the shipping is still going strong). The way they left Rennie's party together and Rennie was screaming at them and...oh, it was emotional.
I don't think I can do a review on Fire with Fire without talking about THAT ending. Two bombshells in the space of a few chapters...I needed to find out what was happening so badly I almost forsook revision (but didn't...kind of...). Now, I never liked Rennie, not even when she arrived at Kat's house. I was sure she was just getting close to Kat to get back at Lillia. But at the party I did feel sorry for her; that scene was so intense I couldn't stop reading it! And even though I didn't like her, it was such a shock when she died and what had happened just before she died that I really did pity her.
Which leads onto the next bombshell nicely. Mary. Throughout the entire book I was sure that the paranormal aspects of the book were fake. I mean, SURE. I thought Mary zoned out or something
and did the things that she thought of, but that clearly didn't happen (I'm so good at guessing plots). And then we get this:
'I'm dead.'
Me: Wut
'Elizabeth Mary Donovan Zane. Sleep, my little one, sleep.'
Biggest. Plot twist. Ever. EVER.
(well, that I've read anyway).
I still can't believe it! Characters dying in the middle of series, characters dying at the end of series, narrators dying (we all know which one I'm talking about) - those I've read. But one where one of the three main characters HAS BEEN DEAD SINCE BEFORE THE BOOKS BEGAN is new. Well done to Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian for creating such a mind-boggling plot twist - and well done to Burn for Burn fans, because I was never spoiled for it once! I was too shocked to even cry. It was more surprising than Rennie's death (but that's because I was spoiled for that one, thank you blurb of Ashes to Ashes!).
I gave this book 4.5 out of 5 because, as I've said, there were a few points that didn't flow well, but everything else was very strong. I've carried straight onto Ashes to Ashes, and it's just as good, so I might do another review of that book when I'm done (or I could revise...that would be wiser). What did you think of Fire with Fire? Favourite moments, lines, characters? Let me know in the comments!
Thanks for reading, and I'll leave you with a quote from Kat that I loved and found helpful for exams:
'It doesn't make sense to feel sad about something you can't do s*** about.'
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