Mini Reviews

Hello, hi!

How are you? Me? I am kinda freaking out? But thanks for asking. (Even though nobody really asked. Shhh.)

So! Mini reviews.

So, yes, that’s a thing I am trying to start. Have I mentioned that I wanted to do this? If not, then this is me, mentioning the intent. I am just going wild, aren’t I? Starting new things left and right but the thing is, I can’t be stuck in the same loop of book reviews and book tags, there’s gotta be something new to the blog every now and then. You must be bored to see those things on my blog, right?

I hope to make this blog even better, so, keep our fingers crossed!

In any case, since I can’t post reviews for every book I read, I thought, why not share those thoughts of mine in a miniature size? I have seen them being done by other bloggers and frankly, that’s a really good idea! I loved it so much that I put it in the back of my head but never really gotten around to it. Oops!

So, here we are, with mini reviews today! There will be three mini reviews and in bullet points to make things easier on everyone. Let’s hope this is something you guys like.

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson

Elantris was the capital of Arelon: gigantic, beautiful, literally radiant, filled with benevolent beings who used their powerful magical abilities for the benefit of all. Yet each of these demigods was once an ordinary person until touched by the mysterious transforming power of the Shaod. Ten years ago, without warning, the magic failed. Elantrians became wizened, leper-like, powerless creatures, and Elantris itself dark, filthy, and crumbling.

Arelon’s new capital, Kae, crouches in the shadow of Elantris. Princess Sarene of Teod arrives for a marriage of state with Crown Prince Raoden, hoping — based on their correspondence — to also find love. She finds instead that Raoden has died and she is considered his widow. Both Teod and Arelon are under threat as the last remaining holdouts against the imperial ambitions of the ruthless religious fanatics of Fjordell. So Sarene decides to use her new status to counter the machinations of Hrathen, a Fjordell high priest who has come to Kae to convert Arelon and claim it for his emperor and his god.

But neither Sarene nor Hrathen suspect the truth about Prince Raoden. Stricken by the same curse that ruined Elantris, Raoden was secretly exiled by his father to the dark city. His struggle to help the wretches trapped there begins a series of events that will bring hope to Arelon, and perhaps reveal the secret of Elantris itself.

A rare epic fantasy that doesn’t recycle the classics and that is a complete and satisfying story in one volume, Elantris is fleet and fun, full of surprises and characters to care about. It’s also the wonderful debut of a welcome new star in the constellation of fantasy. 

Things I liked:

1. Really well developed main characters
2. Hrathen, his grayness was frankly such a delight to read.
3. The politics were pretty awesome!
4. Raoden is such a good character, he’s not quite the typical hero but it works out
5. Sarene is so well written, her flaws work wonderfully with her political mind and feminist views.
6. A really well developed world, I always fall for that, ok? World-building is my weakness along with strong characters. This won both those points.

Things I disliked:

1. I am not sure if there are things I could strongly dislike about it.
2. However, I guess, some people might not care for the length of the book. Sanderson is famous for that, I guess.
3. I am sure that the more I read Sanderson’s books, the more fault I might find with this one because that seems to be trend but for now, this is it.

Amazon

+++

Lost Solace by Karl Drinkwater

Sometimes spaceships disappear with everyone on board – the Lost Ships. But sometimes they come back, strangely altered, derelict, and rumoured to be full of horrors.

Opal is on a mission. She’s been seeking something her whole life. Something she is willing to die for. And she thinks it might be on a Lost Ship.

Opal has stolen Clarissa, an experimental AI-controlled spaceship, from the military. Together they have tracked down a Lost Ship, in a lonely nebula far from colonised space.

The Lost Ship is falling into the gravity well of a neutron star, and will soon be truly lost … forever. Legends say the ships harbour death, but there’s no time for indecision.

Opal gears up to board it. She’s just one woman, entering an alien and lethal environment. But perhaps with the aid of Clarissa’s intelligence – and an armoured spacesuit – Opal may stand a chance.

Can she face her demons and survive?

Things I liked:

1. A pretty gutsy and resourceful female protagonist
2. The action!!!! I loved the action in this one.
3. The concept of the ghost ship and what the main character actually encounters
4. The AI Clarissa, she sometimes stole the show to be perfectly honest.
5. The plot is also good, it gives to us inch by inch of why Opal is there.
6. The sheer bravery/ stubbornness of Opal when confronted with forces much bigger and stronger than hers.

Things I disliked:

1. If I had to pick a few, I guess, why Opal chose to find the Lost Ship comes far too late in the book.
2. I didn’t know it was not a stand-alone! I need the next book now!
3. I wanted more social interaction in the novel? As in, Opal mostly converses with the AI or for a while to the military people. I wanted some normal conversations, even flashbacks could have worked.

Amazon

+++

Love & Luck by Jenna Evans Welch

Addie is visiting Ireland for her aunt’s over-the-top destination wedding, and hoping she can stop thinking about the one horrible thing she did that left her miserable and heartbroken—and threatens her future. But her brother, Ian, isn’t about to let her forget, and his constant needling leads to arguments and even a fistfight between the two once inseparable siblings. Miserable, Addie can’t wait to visit her friend in Italy and leave her brother—and her problems—behind.

So when Addie discovers an unusual guidebook, Ireland for the Heartbroken, hidden in the dusty shelves of the hotel library, she’s able to finally escape her anxious mind and Ian’s criticism.

And then their travel plans change. Suddenly Addie finds herself on a whirlwind tour of the Emerald Isle, trapped in the world’s smallest vehicle with Ian and his admittedly cute, Irish-accented friend Rowan. As the trio journeys over breathtaking green hills, past countless castles, and through a number of fairy-tale forests, Addie hopes her guidebook will heal not only her broken heart, but also her shattered relationship with her brother.

That is if they don’t get completely lost along the way.

Things I liked:

1. The same sort of lovely writing that had me gushing over Love & Gelato, it’s present here and that made my shitty day, let me tell you.
2. Sibling bonds are pretty strong in this one, just family feels are everywhere, ok? I really loved Ian and Addie’s relationship in this one. Both angry at each other but at the same time, the love and genuine affection for each other shines throughout the book.
3. Rowan! My man. This dude stole my heart with his fanboyish-ness and his awkward jumping in to stop an argument between Ian and Addie. He was just charming and cute, ok?
4. We get to meet Lina and Ren again!
5. There was a serious issue handled so well, at least, in my opinion.
6. Ireland, man. It’s one of my dream destination, to read about it always brings a smile to my face.

Things I disliked:

1. The suspense of what had happened kinda took some enjoyment? But not really.
2. I wish there was more of Ireland in the book? Even though there was enough of it for me to love it. I just thought it wouldn’t have harmed the plot to have included more places.
3. I really wanted to read about the time Rowan was coming for a visit. Also, how things went at Addie’s school. The author left me hanging and I wanna know more. Please. Basically, sort of open-ended and hence, I am greedy.

Amazon

+++

And that’s it. I am doing this for the first time so if it fails then I am sorry? But I had to experiment, didn’t I? Oh, well.

In any case, have you read any of the books? Did you love them/ hate them? Should I do this sort of post again or would you rather the normal reviews? Tell me in the comments!