Deviations by Anma Natsu - non-spoiler review

Hey there!!

I was recently sent a review copy of Deviations by Anma Natsu from XPressonReads. It was a super interesting read.

Firstly, a brief outline of the novel:

Deviations 

by Anma Natsu Publication date: February 14th 2016Genres: Romance, Young Adult

Blurb:“We’re just deviants, that’s all.  You, me, Taka.  We’re deliciously, wonderfully deviant.”

ScarredSeventeen-year-old Miho has spent years struggling to deal with the aftermath of a tragic accident.  Between the nightmares, PTSD, depression, and her parents’ abandonment, the burden of being the sole survivor has her near her breaking point.  The darkness whispers to her, promises of release from the pain, from being a burden, if she is willing to give up.
BatteredWhile the girls love classmate Shinji’s blond hair and blue eyes, to his father it’s all the proof he needs that his wife was unfaithful.  Unwanted and unloved, Shinji is used to his mother’s hatred, his brother’s indifference, and his father’s violence.  Male or female, he doesn’t care; his regular string of sexual partners helps him temporarily forget that he will soon have to leave the only person he loves, if he can survive that long.
ControlledAs the first-born son, Shinji’s best friend Taka has known from birth that his future was not his own.  He’ll go to the right schools, get the right grades, take over the family business, and produce a perfect heir with a perfect wife, just as his father dictates.  Taka’s wants and desires are irrelevant; he can’t change his fate nor escape it, any more than he can protect the only person who keeps him sane.
AttractedDrawn to one another like moths to a flame, the three find themselves torn between what society deems acceptable and a happiness they never dreamed existed.

My thoughts:

I went into this novel with no idea whatsoever of what to expect, and was extremely surprised! The cover gives very little away, but there are so many intriguing themes present throughout this book. In regards to the characters, they were extremely well fleshed out, each with their own flaws and issues at home. 

The setting was also very interesting; I haven't read many books set in Japan, so I enjoyed reading through that different cultural lens. 

In regards to the romance, I believe it was extremely well done, and seriously challenged me! Without giving anything away, it was not at all what I expected.

Anma Natsu's writing is both poetic and relatable, and she is able to articulate some extremely serious issues and tragic situations quite eloquently.

For a trigger warning: there is depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other mental issues throughout this novel. There is also domestic violence present. 

I would recommend not reading this novel unless you are 18+, as it has a lot of explicit sexual content and covers serious domestic issues. 

Overall, I found this a challenging read in regards to the content, however I believe it was dealt with extremely well. Not something I normally pick up, but was definitely an eye opener and would recommend if you would like to read something from a different cultural perspective that deals with mental issues, domestic issues, and sexuality.

Rating: 3.75/5

Love always,

Ari

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas - review

Hey guys!

I've just finished A Court of Thorns of Roses by Sarah J. Maas and had to share my thoughts with you immediately.

ACOTAR is a loose retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and is set in a land where humans are separated from faeries by an inpenetrable wall. The faeries in this tale are beautiful, but extremely dangerous creatures that humans live in constant fear of. Feyre is a human, hunting in order to protect her family. One day, however, she hits a target that will change the course of her life, and the lives of the entire faerie kingdom forever.
This is a dark tale, filled with romance, fantasy, and bloodlust, and I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys a good retelling!

I have some mixed feeling about this one, however overall I did thoroughly enjoy the story. I found the characters slightly difficult to connect with for various reasons that I'll discuss in the spoilery section, and I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about the romance present in the novel. However, the characters were very interesting and their dynamic was extremely engaging. I loved the politics behind the relationships between faeries and humans, and how this complicated some of the relationships in the novel.

In regards to the plot, I really, really enjoyed it! I'm finding that I love retellings of fairy tales, and while ACOTAR is only a loose retelling, I could definitely feel the Beauty and the Beast vibes which I adored. It did get quite violent and bloody in parts which I found quite difficult to read, so I wouldn't recommend this for anyone probably under around 15, or if you're sensitive to that kind of material. This is a very dark book!

Whilst I definitely prefer the Throne of Glass series over ACOTAR, I am very excited to see where this series goes, and overall found it an enjoyable read!

Rating: 3.75/5

SPOILERY SECTION:

Characters and relationships:

I found the characters and relationships in this novel the most difficult aspect for me to engage with. Feyre was definitely a strong protagonist, who was quite well fleshed out with a variety of layers. However, I did find her slightly difficult to relate to due to the constant walls that she put up to hide her emotions and appear stoic. Tamlyn I really enjoyed, and found easier to connect to in regards to his expression of emotions (but how frustrating was it when he wasn't saying anything at all when they were Under the Mountain!!). My favourite characters, though, would have to be Lucien and Rhysand. I found Lucien super funny and complex, initially appearing as an antagonist, who you later find out is such a wonderful and damaged man. Rhysand obviously appears and awful person, but he has reasons for every single thing he does, and ultimately is the one who saves Feyre's life, and therefore the lives of all in the faerie realm. Let's wait and see for the rest of the series though to find out what his true motives were...

In terms of the relationship between Feyre and Tamlyn, I found it pretty disappointing. My problem wasn't that it was insta-lovey, as I didn't really find it that way, but rather that I didn't entirely feel the chemistry (apart from physical) between them. There were a couple of conversations that they had that made up for this slightly, but they seemed to barely talk to one another and yet fall deeply in love. Sarah J. Maas' incredible romance writing does lead me to partly forgive this however, as how gorgeous are her love scenes??
Whilst this is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and so it was inevitable that it would be Tamlyn that Feyre would fall for, I found it extremely obvious, and think maybe it could have taken a bit longer for the romance to develop, with more talking scenes between the two of them.

Plot and world:

The plot and world-building was for sure my favourite part of this novel, I adored it!! This world, as Sarah J. Maas' always are, is incredibly intricate and so, so interesting. I love how she incorporates politics into her worlds, and this was done fantastically in ACOTAR.

I loved the plot twists all throughout this novel, as we slowly begin to understand what this terrible 'blight' is - I was absolutely not expecting what was to come, it was done so well!! I never even considered that Tamlyn was unable to tell Feyre what was really going on, and him needing a human girl who killed on of his own to fall in love with him!! I guess I should have seen it coming, being a Beauty and the Beast retelling, but I was so blown away!

The only issue that I had with the plot was the very ending, when Feyre ultimately is turned into High Fae. From the moment her and Tamlyn met I guessed this was going to happen, and found it pretty disappointing and a cop-out. I hate comparing books, but it happens a lot in YA when a love interest is immortal and the other is not, they always end up becoming immortal one way or another. I feel that it would have been more interesting if this hadn't been the case, and they'd had to deal with Feyre growing old while Tamlyn did not.

I know I've been pretty critical with this one, but don't get me wrong, I did really enjoy it!! I found it an interesting one to deconstruct and consider flaws in the plot and characters, but I definitely recommend it for lovers of retellings and Sarah J. Maas' writing.

Let me know in the comments what you thought of ACOTAR!!

Love always,

Ari

Passenger by Alexandra Bracken - review

Hi there!

I just finished Passenger by Alexandra Bracken and had to write about it immediately because holy cow I absolutely loved it!!

Passenger follows the journey of Etta, a young violin prodigy who discovers that her family is not what she had always believed. She is thrust into a time travelling adventure, during which she comes across Nicholas, a handsome sailor. They must work together to ensure the safety of Etta's loved ones and all that she has worked for towards a fulfilling future.

I absolutely adored Alexandra Bracken's writing style in The Darkest Minds, and Passenger was no exception. Her description brought to life the variety of settings and characters and allowed the reader to connect on a deeper level with the protagonists.

Her characters are rich and detailed, and you are continually learning new aspects of their personality and history. Speaking of history, this novel is full of it! It is so enriching following Etta and Nicholas into different countries and time periods and learning little details about each. Highly, highly recommend this novel!!

Rating: 5/5

SPOILERY SECTION:

I don't even know where to start! This book is definitely in my list of favourite books so far in 2016!
Let's discuss characters first. I loved the complexity of them, especially Etta and Nicholas, of course. Etta is such a strong female heroine, which is an immediate plus. Her focus on her career with the violin is a wonderful, refreshing aspect to her character, as opposed to her being solely obsessed with her love interest. I also really enjoyed her love for her family and her drive to do whatever it takes to save them.

Similarly, Nicholas has so many layers to him, he is a joy to read about! His guarded personality develops the mystery of his past, however it is clear that it hides a very soft and loving side to him. Again, his focus on his future and achieving his goal of running his own ship is inspiring.

In regards to Etta and Nicholas' romance, I thoroughly enjoyed how it wasn't insta-lovey, and the 'forbidenness' wasn't overplayed. Rather, the conflict came predominantly from both individuals being focused on their careers and not wanting to put them in jeopardy. When they do finally reveal their feelings, it feels completely natural, and comes at the perfect point in the storyline. They have such a wonderful chemistry, and challenge one another in a way that a positive relationship truly should.

Plot-wise, I frequently found myself staying up late at night, unable to put the book down due to the gripping story. I adore how Etta and Nicholas travel to different countries and times, providing such stunning imagery. Despite how drawn out the search for the astrolobe could seem, it at no point gets boring, and the threat of being caught by an Ironwood or Thorns maintians the pace.

Finally, the ending. I thought from around the middle of the novel that something serious would have to happen to either Etta or Nicholas, as it would be too obvious for him to go with her back to her time, and would completely go against his morals. Also, considering that this is not a stand-alone novel, it was inevitable that something drastic would need to occur as a final cliff-hanger. I think it was a perfect way to end the first novel in this series, with Etta disappeared and Nicholas on the hunt for her. Now I absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel!!! I also enjoyed the plot twist of Sophia wanting the astrolobe for herself to make Ironwood's life hell! It added so much depth to her character and was a really clever aspect for Alexandra to include.

Overall, I obviously adored Passenger! Please let me know in the comments if you've read it, what are your thoughts, and if you haven't, are you planning to?

Love always,

Ari