Right and wrong. Sin or virtue. Monstrous and holy.
This book was incredibly flawed and often read like fanfiction… but I ATE IT UP! The vibes were
Right and wrong. Sin or virtue. Monstrous and holy.
This book was incredibly flawed and often read like fanfiction… but I ATE IT UP! The vibes were Battle of the Labyrinth meets The Hunger Games, with a sprinkle of yearning, a dash of religious critique, and a cast of autistic characters.
☀ The story was A LOT. The pacing might throw you off because the story starts out really simple with a clear goal and a clear way to get to said goal, then suddenly, towards the end, there are a bunch of "twists" (I'm putting this in quotes because personally, I wasn't too surprised by any of it) that do get kind of crazy. By that point I was already invested in the book enough that the sudden bombardment of events didn't dampen my enjoyment of the book.
☀ The setting? The monsters? Yes yes yes. When I started reading this book, I was picturing the bright sun over a quaint hill where the heroine was, well, fighting a fish-man-monster, then a couple of chapters later, we're literally thrust into hell and I was ALL for it. The atmosphere was dark and gritty, and I had such a blast reading about all of the deadly creatures (should I be saying this?) our MCs encountered.
☀ The characters truly made me love the book despite all of its flaws. I loved being in both Alesta's and Kyr's heads. While they (mostly Alesta) were difficult to like at some points, they were both realistic and relatable characters. Both of them were both weak yet strong, unsure yet determined, selfish yet righteous. It was empowering to see them battle with their own thoughts (and, well, monsters that were physically there) and try to come to terms with who they are.
I feel as though I read a rough draft rather than a completed novel. Rules for Rule Breaking had all the right variables that could have made it a speI feel as though I read a rough draft rather than a completed novel. Rules for Rule Breaking had all the right variables that could have made it a spectacular read, but nothing was really explored in depth.
Bobby and Winter are both incredibly relatable characters. I think they accurately represent the more traditional Asian families. They had a lot of thoughts and feelings that I could relate to, from things like Bobby being ashamed of not knowing how to speak Korean, to Winter pretending that everything comes easy to her when in fact she works so hard. Definitely appreciated them.
Now the story is where the low rating comes from. The story was incredibly shallow. There were a lot of themes that could have been explored — culture, family, friendships, responsibility, society — but everything took a backseat to the romance. Normally, I'd be okay with a romance-forward, mindless read, but it seems like a waste to have all of these themes right in front of you, only to have them not be extensively discussed.
This wasn't one of the worst YA contemporaries I've read (it's definitely not bad, either), but there was definitely a lot of wasted potential in this. I just wanted it to be more than what it was....more
“We live in a terrible time. An era when the truth is a crime. And there is nothing we can do about it—”
♡ A Crane Among Wolves is dark, gripping,
“We live in a terrible time. An era when the truth is a crime. And there is nothing we can do about it—”
♡ A Crane Among Wolves is dark, gripping, and heart-wrenching. The main story is based off true events from Korea's devastating history, and Jane Hur doesn't shy away from showing us the heinous deeds of King Yeonsan.
I often found myself reflecting on the story and its similarities to events from both of the cultures I associate with (Filipino and Chinese). I'm sure every nation has experienced (or is currently experiencing) ruthlessness, selfishness, and unjustness from people in power. This story highlights how these gruesome times should not be forgotten, and how there are crimes that should never be forgiven.
There's a lot of sub-plots woven into the story as well, including the planning of a secret coup, the mystery of a murderer, and the pining of two young characters. Fair warning: If you're looking for something fast-paced and action packed, this isn't for you. This book focuses a lot more on the bigger picture rather than the individual events that were going on.
♡ Iseul and Daehyun are likeable characters, and I was definitely on this journey with them, the whole way through. Neither were perfect by any means, but they both fit perfectly into this story.
Iseul. Iseul's character goes through a lot of character development. She starts off as a spoiled (but self-aware) girl who has no choice but to grow up and toughen up when she realizes how cruel the world can be… even to young girls like her.
Daehyun. He's very much the poster boy of a Historical K-drama — a tad stoic, very mysterious, and overall just the good guy. I would have loved to get to know him more (his chapters were half as short as Iseul's), but a liked his character well enough. He had this honesty to his character that I really appreciated.
Tomorrow, the kingdom could sink into the sea. Tomorrow, all the elders we trusted could betray us. Tomorrow, the fog might consume everything we loved. But I had him today. And he had me.
♡ Iseul and Daehyun together?This was enemies-to-lovers done well. I found their relationship to be slow and realistic. We got a few he's-touching-me-and-that's-making-my-stomach-tickle-but-idk-why scenes before we got the I'll-scarifice-my-life-to-keep-you-safe scenarios. I don't think you'd get attached to their romance at first (at least I didn't), but by the end, you'll feel your heart just bursting for these two. The angst and the yearning were so good.
“In dark times, every mother becomes your mother, every child your child, every sister your sister… and every stranger-in-need a friend.”
♡ Iseul and Daehyun also have a gorgeous found family in the side characters. The side characters were all well-written, and I definitely grew to love them. (Special shoutout to my favorite character, Wonsik!) They all had specific roles to play in the story, and I enjoyed watching our main characters grow bonds with them. Like with Daehyun, it would have been nice to have a liiitle bit more of a background for them, but overall, we have a pretty solid cast here.
“History moves its course, but it is the youth who point the current in its direction.”
♡ The writing style definitely leans a bit serious for this one. It's not the easiest read in the world (i.e., the writing is far from casual), but it adds to the ambiance. Trust me, if anything, you will feel like you're in 1500s Joseon. The writing also just makes the story deeper and more impactful.
♡ I'm going to leave this review with my favorite thing about the book: the ending is something I will think about and reread over and over again. (In fact, I've already reread it three times!) It's perfect. It's the best way to get off the emotional rollercoaster that is A Crane Among Wolves. No spoilers from me, though, so you'll just have to read it for yourselves.
TLDR: If you're interested in some fantastic storytelling about politics and power, featuring a team of unique characters (and an angst-y romance between the two MCs), please do yourselves a favor by picking this book up....more
This would be FANTASTIC as a C-Drama (yup, the kind with flying boys, magical bamboo forests and at least 60 episodes), but was way too overwhelming aThis would be FANTASTIC as a C-Drama (yup, the kind with flying boys, magical bamboo forests and at least 60 episodes), but was way too overwhelming as a book.
✨ The world-building was this book's greatest strength, but also its greatest flaw. The author focused on this too much, highlighting details about all these Celestial beings, giving them uniaue stories and whatnot... just to have them be irrelevant to the actual story. A reason why it took me so long to read this was because I was telling myself that I needed to understand everything before moving on, only to be disappointed that I didn't actually need all that information. I appreciated it, though. Everything was definitely amazingly fleshed out for a standalone.
✨ I felt very detached from the characters. Don't get me wrong — they're not badly written by any means. Xue's both curious and courageous, which are both traits I love in a main character. I think the writing style just made it hard for me to really empathize with her. I also kind of found it hilarious how the male lead was always sick/knocked out and therefore absent??? ...more
Twelfth Night is the PERFECT read for anyone looking for something fun and charming but also... socially relevant. This book delt with so many topics Twelfth Night is the PERFECT read for anyone looking for something fun and charming but also... socially relevant. This book delt with so many topics like sexism, sexuality, social and familial responsibility, dealing with self-worth issues, etc., but incorporated everything so realistically into a light-hearted romcom.
I don't want to be considered beautiful without being seen as capable, too.
I'm both so similar and so different from the MC Viola Reyes that it's kind of comical to me. She's a self-proclaimed nerd (same) with very strong feminist views (also same)... but the difference is, she is so firm with her own self-worth that she is willing to put her friendships on the line so that she doesn't ever get stepped on as a woman, which is something I can only aspire to be.
I don't know how any girl can exist in the world without being perpetually furious.
I can understand people who would hate Viola. She's definitely a bitch who just assumes the worst of everyone. BUT! While I was reading from her perspective, I constantly found myself thinking, Yup, this is what being a woman is like. She basically voiced out everything I keep hidden in the depths of my brain.
Then we have our hero, Jack Orsino. He's charming, sweet, and has everything figured out... until he doesn't. He's definitely not the most memorable character, but he's likeable and does grow a lot in the book.
Twelfth Knight wins in the side character department, though, which is so rare for a contemporary romcom. We have Olivia, who is so charismatic and deep. She's a fantastic friend and a wonderful sister. There's also Bash (Viola's twin brother) who is lively and unexpectedly caring.
"I think we're lonely. Like, as a species." "So what does that mean?" "That we can like who we are and still like being alone and still want to feel connected."
We have so much character and relationship growth in this book from all angles -- we have characters who learn to look at life differently, and characters who we realize are truly the garbage of society; we have relationships that make it through complicated situations, and relationships that are formally broken for good reason. I really appreciated how this book showed both the good and bad in society.
There are only a few minor qualms I have that turned this book from a 5-star to a 4-star: - Jack felt more like a side character than a main character to me. Normally, I'd be more than fine about the heroine taking the spotlight, but this book was written in 2 POVs, so I would have liked to feel more connected to him. - I needed more romance! Like I said, there were so many things dealt with in this book that it felt like the romance did take the back seat sometimes. - One of the MCs (Viola) was... Filipino? This felt so random and unexplored. She didn't feel Filipino at all, so I didn't even realize this until she started calling her grandmother lola. I wish they'd either incorporated more culture into her character.
Overall, though, this was a fantastic read. Here's to all the feminist nerds of the world who need to be seen! ❤...more
Now, I know it sounds like a good thing to have a jam-packed story, BUT HEAR ME OUT. I think what ended up happening here was that the author focused too much on incorporating as many events as possible into the story that she wasn't able to give any attention to the other aspects that should have driven the story forward, such as the characters and the world-building. I'm just going to give a brief rundown of what worked and what didn't.
WHAT I LIKED
⭐ I did appreciate the story for what it was. If you're into adventure- or quest-type stories, then you might enjoy this one. A LOT definitely went on, and it was nice to have a little taste of different mythical creatures and scenarios as the story progressed.
⭐ The general idea of the characters -- a big YES for me. I love myself a cast of characters with completely different backgrounds. The Night Hunt already gets bonus points for giving us monster girls and boys alone, despite their lack of personalities -- which brings me to the things I didn't like...
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE
⭐ Good god were these characters super dry. The main characters felt like they were written for a much younger audience (or this could be a sign of aging for me) with their insta-love and cringe-y banter. I couldn't differentiate any of the side characters, and they were too conveniently thrown into the mix. I.e., there really isn't a lot of character development.
⭐ There was little to no world-building. The author tried to incorporate some, but it was done... not-so gracefully. I can't tell you anything about this world, because I am still confused about all of it.
⭐ The writing style was just NOT for me. It came off very juvenile sounding. I might have appreciated this book more if it was marketed to a younger audience, but given how dark this was supposed to be, I expected a LOT more maturity from it.
Basically: I didn't enjoy this as much as I would have liked, BUT I will still continue to read from this author because I do love the concepts she brings to the table.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!...more
There were aspects about this sequel that I liked more than the first book, and there were some that I liked less. However, the only constant thought There were aspects about this sequel that I liked more than the first book, and there were some that I liked less. However, the only constant thought in my head throughout both reads was: this duology really would have been so much better without the romance. It always felt like an unnecessary subplot that took away from the fantasy and the mystery that should have been the main focus of both this and the first book.
Key points: Main mystery did not have any foreshadowing (though the "background" behind this was WAY more interesting than the first book), secondary mystery was very obvious, fake marriage subplot with no chemistry, lots of info-dumping and guessing on the fantasy world-building (could have been done better, but the idea was great)
After some internalizing, I've come to realize that I really have almost nothing good to say about this book... so I've lowered the rating to 1 star. After some internalizing, I've come to realize that I really have almost nothing good to say about this book... so I've lowered the rating to 1 star. Anyway, to be straightforward: this book was weird as fuck. I felt genuinely disturbed and uncomfortable while reading this one, and I'm not sure if that was entirely intentional. I'll try to break it all down.
WORLD BUILDING AND LORE Well, the world building was absolutely non-existent, which was definitely a shame. The concept behind the Vespertine and the religious background behind everything would have been so interesting to read about if everything was just fleshed out properly.
PLOT AND PACING For a book that's almost 400 pages long, maybe less than a hundred pages were used for the actual story. Majority of the book focused on, well, something else. I will say, though, that there were a few surprising twists toward the end, amidst all the very predictable ones. (Yes, I'm willing to give this book some credit.)
CHARACTERS AND RELATIONSHIPS Girl, please. None of the characters had any personality. The author only really attempted to give the main character a sob story background and left the rest of the characters up in the air. I honestly don't even remember any of the characters' names. A don’t even get me started on the romance — I don’t even know if I can call it that.
WRITING STYLE There were SO MANY repetitive scenes and repetitive descriptions. This thing could make you feel like you're stuck in a time loop, wondering why the hell this scene you're reading sounds insanely familiar... and that's because you've read basically the same thing ten pages ago.
OVERALL As a people-pleaser, it's difficult for me to say that I wouldn't recommend this, but as a terrible liar, I also can't say that I would. Do with that what you will.
A genuine revenge plot with a strong cast of characters
A Bright Heart was just the authentic revenge plot that I've been looking for. Mingshin's intenA genuine revenge plot with a strong cast of characters
A Bright Heart was just the authentic revenge plot that I've been looking for. Mingshin's intentions are clear from the very beginning, and she doesn't lose sight of who she is and what she has to do. HOWEVER! This isn't just a book about rage and retribution. Mingshin's also surrounded by a cast of characters who range from entitled princes to loyal handmaidens, vengeful family members to powerful politicians. There's a lot of depth to the story in terms of both plot and characters that made this an enjoyable read.
Not the best world-building, and not the best pacing, either
There might be times where you'll feel like you've missed something, and I think the writing style has a lot to do with this. The writing style is very straightforward, which does give this story more of a fairytale-like vibe (which is great). BUT this also makes it hard for the reader to absorb information about the world-building (which has a lot more telling than showing), and also makes the book seem a lot more fast-paced than it really is.
Incredibly cheesy, but an enjoyable read overall
A lot of the scenes in the book are reminiscent of many other YA books. It was very much a "love will conquer all" type of read, but I was surprisingly okay with it. The heart of the characters really made the book worth reading. If you're looking for a REAL revenge story with a headstrong and clever heroine, I'd recommend this one.
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars Other key points not mentioned (i.e., they had no impact on my rating): Decent romance (not slow-burn, but not that cringe-worthy, either), slightly predictable (though I wouldn't call this a mystery novel, so that's okay), kind of annoyed that I went into this thinking it was a standalone but it will have a sequel
Thank you so much to the publisher for the review copy!...more
aimee (aimeecanread)
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