Book reviews: Britt-Marie var här | The Black Prism | Vampire Academy: A Graphic Novel

Title: Britt-Marie var här (Britt-Marie Was Here)
Author: Fredrik Backman
Narrator: Marie Richardson
Original title: Britt-Marie var här
First published: 2014
Genre: Contemporary, Adult
Series: --
Publisher: Bonnier
Format: Audiobook
Time: 11h 13min
Finished: 
Summary: At first sight, Britt-Marie is a fussy, passive-aggressive busybody. But hidden inside her is a woman who has bigger dreams and a warmer heart than anyone around her imagines. When she finds herself alone for the first time in decades, she realises she's spent her life making choices for the sake of other people. Is it too late for her to change? And in a small town of big-hearted misfits, can Britt-Marie find a place where she truly belongs?

My thoughts: "Britt-Marie var här" is both a story about fitting in and breaking free. To go from accepting one's lot in life to demanding something better for oneself. To exit one's comfort zone and widen one's horizons. About feeling needed and wanted. About a world changing, but on a very small scale.
This was a very nice little story. I must say it was expertly narrated by Marie Richardson, whose voice fit perfectly with Britt-Marie's character. I suppose this book is sort of feelgood, while also being quite sombre at times. It's got some good wisdom to share, while also being a bit ridiculous at times. Overall, I wasn't blown away, but I liked it a fair bit nonetheless. Britt-Marie was a great character to follow, and the book almost made me feel something for football (other than utter despise). I liked the setting, because it was uniquely described and I felt like I've been in a hundred similar little towns in my life. Run down, but still loved. However, I didn't feel a lot for most of the characters, and the kids kind of annoyed me. But I appreciated Britt-Marie enough to look past that.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to try out good Swedish literature, and who's looking for something uplifting, thought through, warm, and unique. I'd love to read more books centred around senior characters. I also recommend the audiobook in Swedish.
PS. The book has been translated to several different languages, including English, if you'd like to check it out.

Rating: 3,5/5

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Title: The Black Prism
Author: Brent Weeks
Original title: The Black Prism
First published: 2010
Genre: High fantasy, Adult
Series: Lightbringer #1
Publisher: Orbit
Format: Paperback
Pages: 735
Finished: 17/06/2020
Summary: Guile is the Prism, the most powerful man in the world. He is high priest and emperor, a man whose power, wit, and charm are all that preserves a tenuous peace. Yet Prisms never last, and Guile knows exactly how long he has left to live.
When Guile discovers he has a son, born in a far kingdom after the war that put him in power, he must decide how much he's willing to pay to protect a secret that could tear his world apart.

My thoughts: Oh, where to start? Perhaps with the expectations I had? They were high to say the least. Lots of people on BookTube had raved about the series, what with the somewhat recent release of the final instalment, and the reviews on Goodreads were raving. This was bound to be my new favourite thing in the world! What could go wrong? Everybody loved it!
A lot could go wrong, it would seem. Truly, a lot. I will keep myself as short as I can. Let's start with the protagonists. Kip, who is around 15 years old, is an insolent little brat and I'd rather see him dead. He has very few redeeming qualities. He is rude, insensitive, dumb, and immature. I wish him no happiness as a character, but I much less wish to hear more of his whining. Then there's Gavin, who is a so-called morally grey character, meaning the reader is supposed to like and feel for him despite him being morally dubious. Was he morally dubious? Yes. Did I like him? No. He's twice Kip's age but they have about the same mindset and maturity level. There is also Karris, the female protagonist. I didn't feel much of anything for her.
Next, there is the blatant sexism sprinkled lovingly all over this novel. The majority of the female characters were at some point, often at several points, described as sex objects. Their breasts, lips, butts, and hips were mentioned over and over again. Far too many times for me to keep up with the counting. Both Kip and Gavin express themselves in a very sexist manner and seem to have a immature (yes, I'm using that word again) view on women. To make up for the fact that Gavin can't have the love of his life, he's got a sex slave who looks like her to sleep with him instead. At several points Kip shows some minor 'weakness' or emotion and it's joked that 'he's almost as bad as a woman'. I didn't see any point to all this sexism and I grew tired of it very quickly.
Third is the writing style, plotting, and other. The style of the writing is very simple, almost juvenile. Not in any way elegant or beautiful. I almost think Brent Weeks must be a 15 year old himself in a disguise. The writing would also switch at random from third person view to first person to presumably show a character's thoughts, but would do so without any italic text or quotation marks.  The plot was repetitive. Kip almost drowns more than three times in the course of one book. Three times. Brent Weeks got obsessed with describing what it's like to nearly drown, and decided to include it several times for the same character and no one else. I've also read the word 'luxin' enough times for a life time through this book. There are several small but noticeable plot holes that I won't mention because they're spoilers.
What did I even like? I think some of the world building was interesting. The story had promise, but wasn't executed well. It was way too long. I'm glad I finished it, though, and didn't leave it half read. At least now I can write a review. I don't recommend this book to anyone I like.

Rating: 2,25/5

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Title: Vampire Academy: A Graphic Novel
Author: Richelle Mead
Illustrator: Emma Vieceli
Original title: Vampire Academy: A Graphic Novel
First published: 2011
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Series: Vampire Academy: The Graphic Novel #1
Publisher: Penguin
Format: Paperback
Pages: 144
Finished: 20/07/2020
Summary: St Vladimir's Academy isn't just any boarding school - hidden away, it's a place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They've been on the run, but now they're being dragged back to St Vladimir's where the girls must survive a world of forbidden romances, a ruthless social scene and terrifying night time rituals. But most of all, they must stay alive.

My thoughts: I read this for the challenge to read a book from a genre you wish you'd read more of for the 2020 Reading Rush!
While I loved the "Vampire Academy" series, the first book was my least favourite. It's a bit simple, shallow, and cliche. I wanted to read the graphic novel adaption to see if it added anything to the story of the first book that would make it better. I didn't find that was the case. The story became compressed because of this new format, and thus a lot of character and world building was lost on clumsy exposition and a frenzied pacing. It was, however, pleasant to see certain aspects of the story visualised, such as the St Vladimir school, the magic, and some of the characters that I thought was very well depicted. Overall I didn't fall head over heels for the art style, though satisfactory, or the shortened format.

Rating: 2,25/5

Book reviews: Skyward | The Indigo Spell | A Gathering of Shadows

Title: Skyward
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Original title: Skyward

First published: 2018
Genre: Science fiction, YA
Series: Skyward #1
Publisher: Gollancz
Format: Paperback
Pages: 510
Finished: 10/05/2020
Summary: Defeated, crushed, and driven almost to extinction, the remnants of the human race are trapped on a planet that is constantly attacked by mysterious alien starfighters. Spensa, a teenage girl living among them, longs to be a pilot. When she discovers the wreckage of an ancient ship, she realizes this dream might be possible—assuming she can repair the ship, navigate flight school, and (perhaps most importantly) persuade the strange machine to help her. Because this ship, uniquely, appears to have a soul.

My thoughts: I had a lot of fun reading this with two of my friends! I was excited to finally read "Skyward" after all the hype taking place on booktube and Goodreads. I'd previously read Sanderson's other young adult series, "The Reckoners", which I enjoyed quite a bit, and I was interested to see how he'd tackle this new series in the sci-fi genre.
"Skyward" has some similarities to "Steelheart", in that the protagonist lost their father to an evil force at an early age, and since they've idolised their father and their life goal revolves around his fate. They both set out to join the army/rebel group set on defeating said evil. They both use slightly silly swearwords.
I so far like "Skyward" more than "The Reckoners" series. I think Spensa was a stronger written character than David was; she's fierce, determined, and passionate. She also has a humorous streak and a flare for dramatic wording, which I found really endearing. She's a rebel amongst rebel, an outlaw of outcasts, and she won't let anything stand in her way. I loved her character development through the story, and I'm curious to see where Sanderson will lead her character next.
The world building and social + military systems were easy to fall into, and the language it's written in is simple and flowing. I could perhaps have done with a few more flowery lines (we attempted to collect quotes for every book talk), but that's not exactly what I expect from Sanderson anyway. The side characters were also well written. One flaw I can mention there is that an amount of characters are introduced in the first half of the book that were a bit hard to distinguish from one another and who practically disappeared in the second half of the novel. My effort to remember their names and roles were certainly to no use. Another flaw was the hint to a possible romance, but which was quickly snuffed out and therefore seemed rather unnecessary to the story. I will say that a character I liked a lot was M-bot, who put a smile to my lips and made any scene amazing.
The plot was well paced, and as expected the finale was epic and thrilling. It left a few loose threads that will surely be picked up in the sequel. We could do with some expanding on the world and look more beyond the atmosphere. Overall, a greatly entertaining and well written novel.

Rating: 4,5/5

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Title: The Indigo Spell
Author: Richelle Mead
Original title: The Indigo Spell
First published: 2013
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Series: Bloodlines #3
Publisher: Penguin
Format: Paperback
Pages: 401
Finished: 20/05/2020
Summary: Spoiler alert! Sydney Sage is an Alchemist. She protects vampire secrets - and human lives. In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she is struggling to decide between following her Alchemist teachings - or her heart.
Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch, a former Alchemist who is now on the run. As Marcus pushes her to rebel, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought.
There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as Sydney searches for the person attacking powerful young witches, she realizes that she must embrace her magical blood - or else she will be next.

My thoughts: Small spoiler alert! I'm lucky this just passes the 400 page mark, or else I wouldn't know what to do with myself.
Oh boy, this series is addicting. Richelle Mead is a master at capturing my attention and holding on to it. Whenever I'm not reading these books, I'm thinking about them almost constantly. What's gonna happen next? Will Sydney and Adrian be able to be together? When will things unravel? It's no secret now that I am loving this series, and even more so than I did with "Vampire Academy". While it's not the most beautifully written or crafted story, I find great value in the way it manages to entertain me and amuse me. I do wish, though, that the story would 'zoom out' a little on the world building and show more of what's going on elsewhere than in Sydney's life. Maybe that's something we'll see more of in the second half of the series. I also think we should've seen more of Jill in this book. We've done that in the past, so why leave her character in the shadows in this book? She's rather important to the story, after all.
The romantic tension between Sydney and Adrian grew significantly with this novel, and I have to say that I appreciate the slow burn that Mead provides us with. This isn't a story where the two lovebirds are willing to die for each other within the span of one book. It actually takes them several books to gain feelings for one another, which is rather more realistic, if you ask me.
I liked this book and lot, and it might be my favourite in the series so far. Looking forward to the next one soon.

Rating: 4,25/5

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Title: A Gathering of Shadows
Author: V.E. Schwab
Original title: A Gathering of Shadows
First published: 2016
Genre: Adult, Fantasy
Series: Shades of Magic #2
Publisher: Tor
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 509
Finished: 31/05/2020
Summary: Spoiler alert! Kell is plagued by his guilt. Restless, and having given up smuggling, he is visited by dreams of ominous magical events, waking only to think of Lila. As Red London prepares for the Element Games – an extravagant international competition of magic – a certain pirate ship draws closer. But another London is coming back to life, a shadow that was gone in the night reappears in the morning. Black London has risen again – and so to keep magic's balance, another London must fall.

My thoughts: I picked this book to read in May thanks to the monthly reading theme, which was to read a book with something white on the cover. This cover appears a little beige on this image, but I'd say it definitely counts!
I seem to go into Schwab's books with lower and lower expectations for each that I read. Still, I had high hopes for this one. It's one of her newer adult works, and the sequel to a book that I actually really enjoyed two years back. I just assumed I'd love this. And I did really like parts of it. Schwab has an incredible way with words that I found myself marvelling at throughout this book. Her metaphors are beautifully crafted, and I can tell there's a lot of thought put into her writing. She's also great at crafting morally grey characters, which is why "Vicious" is one of my favourite books ever. This book also showcases that talent of hers, with superb a character like Delilah Bard. They're wonderfully human and flawed.
I want to love everything about this book. But I didn't, and it saddens me a lot. I used to consider V.E. Schwab as one of my absolute favourite authors, and now I'm not at all sure anymore. But why did this book fall flat to me?
Well, despite a strong first scene, this book never manage to quite catch my attention. I dragged my feet behind myself while reading it. I did think some scenes were very suspenseful and well written, but I wish I'd felt hooked since page one. Spoiler alert! I regrettably felt little to no interest for the main plot point of the story; the magical version of the Olympic Games. I wish Schwab would've either focused completely on the competition, or let it be left out completely. I wanted to know more and feel invested, but I never got to that point. I didn't care what the outcome was, nor did I root for anyone. Another thing that bothered me a lot actually was character motivation. I didn't understand why Lila went out of her way to enter the competition. I almost get why Kell felt urged to enter, but even then I was doubting. Neither character seemed to actually really want to enter, but did it anyway, despite how bad things would go if they were found out. I became quite annoyed at this. Blatantly stupid decisions need better motivations. I also think Lila is a little too conveniently powerful. I wish she'd be badass without super magical powers.
There were a few too many cursive emphasised words (mostly adjectives and verbs) at the end of sentences to show how amazing and surprising some things were. I felt the emphasised words became a tad too many, often with up to two on each page. It's a personal preference for me, I realize, but something that bothered me a little all the same.
Other small things I noticed: The made up language 'Arnesian' sounds ridiculous. I'm sorry, but I think exactly that whenever it's written on a page. Characters are all very moody and broody, maybe too extreme. I get that this is a Slytherin novel, though.
My favourite characters in this book were Alucard, (Spoiler alert: Holland), and Lila.

Rating: 3,75/5

Book reviews: Throne of Glass | Crown of Midnight | Spinning Silver

Title: Throne of Glass

Author: Sarah J. Maas
Original title: Throne of Glass
First published: 2012
Genre: High fantasy, YA
Series: Throne of Glass #1
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 404
Finished: 31/03/2020
Summary: When magic has gone from the world, and a vicious king rules from his throne of glass, an assassin comes to the castle. She does not come to kill, but to win her freedom. If she can defeat twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition to find the greatest assassin in the land, she will become the King's Champion and be released from prison.
But something evil dwells in the castle—and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying, horribly, one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival—and a desperate quest to root out the source of the evil before it destroys her world.

My thoughts: Finally, I read the kind of book that was much needed to get my desire to read going again. This novel is fast paced and easy; a true page turner. There's basically everything I wanted right now; a quick and witty dialogue, an actually well executed love triangle drama, some secrets, fights, and fantasy politics. Not to say that it was a perfect book, but it was a perfectly timed read. "Throne of Glass", along with the second book in the series, has been living in my shelves for years upon years (since 2013, when the pretty cover version was released in hardcover). I finally got to it!
Besides the positive things about it, this book had its flaws. While Celaena is described as a ruthless and badass assassin (which she can be), I found that her actions contradicted that statement at times. She sleeps unguarded a lot, and lets people sneak into her rooms without noticing them. She's also not quite as daring/unafraid as I'd expect of an assassin with her reputation. And while the love triangle was good in the way that I really didn't know who Celaena would choose, both of the love interest were quite similar in their personalities. I do know that they become more distinct in the second book, but them being so alike made me rather indifferent to who Celaena would choose.
All in all, it was a pleasant and exciting read that I without a doubt enjoyed quite a bit. I look forward to the rest of the series, and I hope it won't break my heart as much as I suspect it will.
(PS. Dorian has nothing on Chaol. Period.)

Rating: 4/5

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Title: Crown of Midnight
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Original title: Crown of Midnight
First published: 2013
Genre: YA, High fantasy
Series: Throne of Glass #2
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 418
Finished: 04/04/2020
Summary: Spoiler alert! From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.
Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.
Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie... and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.

My thoughts: Small spoiler alert! My emotions have been played with :( What a roller-coaster.
"Crown of Midnight" opens up the plot for a much wider reach, giving us a clearer view of where Maas is taking the series. While the first book was mostly just a fun time, this second instalment in the series takes on a more serious tone as Celaena's emotions are tested and we learn more about her past. So when it comes down to it, did I like the change or not?
I did! While the 'rebellion against the ruler(s)' sort of plot/trope isn't always my cup of tea, I think this one has potential. We need a little more world building for me to actually care about the different kingdoms in the Erilea lands, but I think we'll get more of that as the series progresses. I do not think that the king is the best written antagonist I've ever read about, but he's not the worst either.
One thing I complained about in the previous book was that Dorian and Chaol's characters were too alike. They became more distinct in this novel, which is great, and the love triangle in "Throne of Glass" was pretty much gone. Huzzah! There's still a lot of angsty yearning going on that I don't like a ton, but I hope it'll pass with the next book.
Celaena has mood swings like no other, and she constantly changes her mind like the weather. In some cases I'm with her, but in most cases I'm not. I like reading from her perspective partly, but I'm glad we get other perspectives as well. I don't think I'd like the books half as much if I was stuck with only Celaena. I also didn't like how she reasoned and acted after that thing in the middle happened :/
Overall, this was an entertaining and fast read. The series isn't great yet, and it remains to be seen if it will ever live up to the hype. I understand why people rave about it; it's easy, dramatic, romantic, and continues to have big reveals strewn over it (unfortunately I saw the 'big reveal' at the end of this book coming from book one). For me, it lacks a writing style that is beautiful and flowing enough, and I wish there were more descriptions of the environment/world around Celaena. I want more complex politics and world building. And some continued character development for our main characters. Other than that, I had a swell time!

Rating: 4,25/5

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Title: Spinning Silver
Author: Naomi Novik
Original title: Spinning Silver
First published: 2018
Genre: Fantasy, Retelling, YA
Series: --
Publisher: Del Rey
Format: Paperback
Pages: 466
Finished: 14/04/2020
Summary: Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders, but her father’s too kind-hearted to collect his debts. They face poverty, until Miryem hardens her own heart and takes up his work in their village. Her success creates rumours she can turn silver into gold, which attract the fairy king of winter himself. He sets her an impossible challenge – and if she fails, she’ll die. Yet if she triumphs, it may mean a fate worse than death. And in her desperate efforts to succeed, Miryem unwittingly spins a web which draws in the unhappy daughter of a lord.
Irina’s father schemes to wed her to the tsar – he will pay any price to achieve this goal. However, the dashing tsar is not what he seems. And the secret he hides threatens to consume the lands of mortals and winter alike. Torn between deadly choices, Miryem and Irina embark on a quest that will take them to the limits of sacrifice, power and love.

My thoughts: My friend has been so incredibly kind to let me borrow this book for a solid two months. I had a hard time getting into it since it's pretty sparse when it comes to dialogue and I've been in a bit of a reading slump. But I've finally finished it at last! I must say, it was well worth pushing through. The pacing is on the slower side, which I don't mind in a book, especially when it makes up for it in characters and writing. This one did just that. I loved following three stubborn, ambitious, and brave young women who were driven by love for their family rather than romantic interests. Yes, there is some romance, but to have it be written in the way this book did it was a breath of fresh air. Romance was not the point of the novel. I think great love shown for family above all is seldom shown well in YA fantasy and I wish it wasn't that way.The way Miryem puts her parents before all else was moving and something I could relate to more than a girl willing to die for the boy she's known for a month.
The characters overall were expertly constructed, and I was able to both love and hate a few at the same time. The settings were also described well; sometimes I felt a cold chill run through me even though I had a heating blanket over me. Can't say I was sad to miss out on snow this winter after reading this book ;)
All in all, "Spinning Silver" is a very good book that is only held back a little by lacking some pace and being a little too long. Had it been shortened down some, I think it could have been even more perfect.

Rating: 4,5/5

Book reviews: The Archived | The Priory of the Orange Tree | Daisy Jones & The Six

Title: The Archived
Author: Victoria Schwab
Original title: The Archived
First published: 2013
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Series: The Archived #1
Publisher: Hyperion
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 327
Finished: 25/12/2019
Summary: Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive. Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now Da is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was: a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often-violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive.
Being a Keeper isn't just dangerous-it's a constant reminder of those Mac has lost. Da's death was hard enough, but now that her little brother is gone too, Mac starts to wonder about the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking. In the Archive, the dead must never be disturbed. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself might crumble and fall.

My thoughts: I wanted to squeeze this in before the end of the year, as I've been wanting to read it for a long time and probably won't get the chance to in 2020. After reading "The Near Witch", another one of Schwab's earlier YA works, I didn't have very high expectations on this one. It turned out that I was right in that assumption, because it is obvious that Schwab is an author who has developed immensely in her writing over time. And that's awesome; her adult novels keep such a high quality, and "Vicious" is one of my all time favourite novels. Nevertheless, this also means that her older work is of a lower standard. This was the case with "The Archived".
I just never got into this story. The concept was sort of intriguing, though not executed well enough for it to keep my interest. Schwab's writing style has also developed since these early novels, hence we're lacking the presence of its current quality in this one. The protagonist was rather bland, though I will say I didn't necessarily dislike any of the other characters. In fact, I disliked Mackenzie the most (didn't hate her). I found Schwab's negative comment on a boy looking silly because he wore eyeliner rather repulsive, and I hope that's something she's left behind her.
I can see why she never completed the trilogy, and why she's be hesitant to do so now. It's a step down from the author she's become, and I don't know if she'd be able to go back to the style of writing she once had when she wrote "The Archived". I just don't think the project would be very successful, and she's much better off creating new original worlds and characters instead.
All in all, I'm sad to say this turned out to be a very average YA urban fantasy novel that was bound to get lost in the sea from the very start. I'm happy to see that Schwab has evolved in her style, and that she nowadays publishes splendid novel and has a faithful following. However, to fans of her later work, I don't suggest that you explore her earlier books, unless you wish to see how her writing has changed. There's better stuff out there.

Rating: 3/5

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Title: The Priory of the Orange Tree
Author: Samantha Shannon
Original title: The Priory of the Orange Tree
First published: 2019
Genre: High fantasy, Adult
Series: --
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Format: Paperback
Pages: 804
Finished: 26/12/2019
Summary: The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction - but assassins are getting closer to her door. Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic.
Across the dark sea, Tane has trained to be a dragonrider since she was a child, but is forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel. Meanwhile, the divided East and West refuse to parley, and forces of chaos are rising from their sleep.

My thoughts: I finish off 2019 by reading one of the biggest books I've ever taken on. This behemoth came out this year and has been celebrated by many of those who have read it. I myself want to dive more into high fantasy, and thought that this gorgeous book would help me along the way. It did!
The start was a bit slow, as Shannon begins with building up the new world and its politics. However, once all the information had settled in my brain, I found that I grew accustomed to the ways of this world with ease. I was looking for a slow paced novel filled to the brim with high fantasy politics, and that is partly what I got out of it. Luckily, I also got a lot more.
I ended up thinking I was gonna rate this around 4/5 stars in the beginning, to being sure it was near a 5/5 star read towards the end. This story just keeps on building and building and the world and characters grew more and more rich until I reached a point where I went from thinking it was good to knowing it was amazing. I found the relationships really endearing, and the slow build up to the romance was very nice. I was at the edge of my seat, wondering what was going to happen, and whose hearts would be broken!
The few downsides to this book involves the finale and perspectives. Out of the four perspectives, I only found that two or three helped fulfil the story. One of them (I have a specific one in mind) could easily have been skipped. They could've been kept as a character, but the added perspective just slowed down the whole narrative. These parts were my least favourite in the story. When it comes to the finale, I will be writing mild spoilers (I think you could still enjoy the book knowing them, but be warned). Too see those spoilers, highlight the following 'invisible' text: The finale was luckily not a rushed one, which I appreciate. However, the stakes were high, and I wish the losses would have been greater. It would have had a greater impact on me if somebody important had died or something else sad had occurred. Nothing of that sort really happened, and hence I didn't get the tearful and emotional ending I'd anticipated and hoped for. I wanted it to pack a harder punch. It's still a satisfactory ending, though, so I'm not mad. Just a little underwhelmed by that particular part of the story.
I've heard the book get some criticism for being a standalone novel, because there's a ton to explore in the universe and with the characters that Shannon has built. However, I like that it's a standalone. I don't have to worry about mentally preparing for a sequel and the (possible) disappointments it might bring, and the big project of reading another book of this size. It's done very well as a standalone story, and I think it should get good credit for that!
I want to say that the book is truly worth reading. I ended up not rating it a full 5/5 stars because of the downsides that I mentioned, but I still consider this one of the best books I read in 2019.

Rating: 4,75/5

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Title: Daisy Jones & The Six

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Narrator: Full cast
Original title: Daisy Jones & The Six
First published: 2019
Genre: Historical, Adult
Series: --
Publisher: Penguin
Format: Audiobook
Time: 9h 3min
Finished: 07/01/2020
Summary: Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late sixties, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it’s the rock and roll she loves most. By the time she’s twenty, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things.
Also getting noticed is The Six, a band led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she’s pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Billy goes a little wild on the road.
Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes that the key to supercharged success is to put the two together. What happens next will become the stuff of legend.

My thoughts: This is the first audiobook I've listened to in over a year, and I was pleasantly surprised by the format. Especially this book, with its full cast of voice actors, was incredibly well produced, and I had a lot of fun listening to it. It's also my first book by Taylor Jenkins Reid, and I know she's gotten praise for writing characters that felt like they've actually existed. This format definitely added to that quality.
Besides this being a phenomenal audiobook, it's also a very good book. The characters are well written and developed, and the format felt new and refreshing. I felt for the characters, and I could imagining them existing in real life. I was almost convinced that Daisy Jones and The Six were great artists from the 70's. The author did a great job with the interview style of writing, and I'd love to get to her other book, "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo", later this year.
The slight downsides to this book is that I know I wouldn't have like it as much if I'd read it rather than listened to it. The audio production just adds so much to it. I guess that shouldn't lower my opinion of it, and I could consider re-reading it in physical form, but I don't think I'd enjoy it as much. The other thing which is the main reason that I couldn't give the book the highest rating, was that it pushed too hard on the romance. I wasn't for the romance; I thought it was unnecessary and added little to the story, yet it was given a lot of space and importance.
Other than that, though, it's a great book. I highly recommend the audiobook, and I think it'd be good in its original form as well. I'm happy to have read this book, and I look forward to more by this author!

Rating: 4,25/5

Book reviews: The Near Witch | Så talade Zarathustra | Red Queen

Title: The Near Witch
Author: Victoria Schwab
Original title: The Near Witch

First published: 2011
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Series: --
Publisher: Hyperion
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 282
Finished: 31/03/2019
Summary: The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children. If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company. There are no strangers in the town of Near. These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.
But when an actual stranger, a boy who seems to fade like smoke, appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true. The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

My thoughts: This is Victoria Schwab’s debut novel; since then she’s written masterpieces like Vicious and A Darker Shade of Magic. “The Near Witch” really shows how much Schwab has developed as an author. While this book isn’t bad, it did lack some things when it came to the characters; I never connected to anyone, didn’t care about what happened to them, and the relationships didn’t convince me. This led me to not enjoying this as much as I’d hoped for, but I’m still really glad that I read it.

It should be said that when I found this, in first edition, in a secondhand store in Lund, I was almost moved to tears. That’s how happy I was. One of my best finds and bargains ever, in terms of books.

Rating: 3/5 

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Title: Så talade Zarathustra (Thus Spoke Zarathustra)
Author: Friedrich Nietzsche
Original title: Also sprach Zarathustra
First published: 1883-1885
Genre: Philosophy, fiction
Series: --
Publisher: Symposion
Format: Paperback
Pages: 317
Finished: 08/04/2019
Summary: Nietzsche was one of the most revolutionary and subversive thinkers in Western philosophy, and Thus Spoke Zarathustraremains his most famous and influential work. It describes how the ancient Persian prophet Zarathustra descends from his solitude in the mountains to tell the world that God is dead and that the Superman, the human embodiment of divinity, is his successor. Nietzsche's utterance 'God is dead', his insistence that the meaning of life is to be found in purely human terms, and his doctrine of the Superman and the will to power were all later seized upon and unrecognisably twisted by, among others, Nazi intellectuals. With blazing intensity and poetic brilliance, Nietzsche argues that the meaning of existence is not to be found in religious pieties or meek submission to authority, but in an all-powerful life force: passionate, chaotic and free.

My thoughts: I read this book for philosophy 2. I’d never laid my hands on a Nietzsche work before, so I thought now was the perfect time. From hearing about his works earlier, I’d gotten the impression that this book would be a challenge. Was I going to understand anything? Would I even be able to read the entire thing, with its tiny text and 300+ pages?
In the end, I finished the book after more than two months of reading, but understood very little of it. I think I’ll appreciate it more if I read some essays to help me understand what Nietzsche is trying to convey. Though, I did understand that Zarathustra, the main character, dislikes women, priests, religion, Jews, Romans and people in general. On the other hand, he enjoys caves and complaining, and has a love for being dramatic.
My overall thought it that reading this book was very interesting, and it’s cool to be able to say I’ve read something by Nietzsche. While it was a long and slightly painful experience, I somehow enjoyed the dramatic narrative and Zarathustra’s whiny personality.

Rating: 2/5

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Title: Red Queen
Author: Victoria Aveyard
Original title: Red Queen
First published: 2015
Genre: Fantasy, Dystopian, YA
Series: Red Queen #1
Publisher: Orion
Format: Paperback
Pages: 383
Finished: 21/04/2019
Summary: The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change. That is, until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.

My thoughts: Somebody told me this was supposed to be some good shit, so I read it. To be honest with you, I went in with hesitant expectations. I remember when this book first came out; it was hyped to the brink of starting a new religion (or so it seemed on the YouTubers I was watching at the time), but the reviews that came out of it were mixed. Some said it was amazing, perhaps the best book of 2015. Others said they'd expected more, that it was over hyped but bland in an ocean of similar young adult fiction. Keeping that in mind, and being someone who backs off in the presence of hype, I didn't have sky high expectations going into this. So, what side did I end up on; the praisers or the shruggers?
After finishing “Red Queen”, I unfortunately have to admit that I belong to the group that weren’t very impressed with the novel. But hear me out; I do believe I have some valid points, and I’m not about to throw this book in a muddy puddle and let it rot.

There are several good aspects of “Red Queen”, some of which I think strongly contributed to its success. One is that it’s a mix of fantasy and dystopia, two genres that have been massively popular the past 10+ years. Along with that, super powers are another popular aspect to modern time fiction, as we can clearly see in the success of Marvel productions. “Red Queen” manages to mix elements of both “The Hunger Games” and the Marvel franchise, creating something that is tailored to modern tastes. Furthermore, this results in an idea and world that are definitely cool and worth exploring. I’ll also admit that the plot, along with the world, has potential to develop into something promising. With these words, I’ll leave the praising part of this review in favour of criticism.

Despite the potential of the premise, “Red Queen” did not, in my personal opinion, live up to even half of the hype. I say this with regret; of course I want to love it. I even started out by consciously ignoring the flaws I saw with the novel at least 100 pages in, but when it continued to produce flaws, both new and similar, throughout the whole book, I found it hard to overlook them. Even when I did overlook them, there was little else for me to actually enjoy about this book. If you like this novel and feel insulted by my review, you are welcome to stop reading here, as I start my list of complaints (consisting of two major faults). I will try to keep myself short.

1: The storytelling. First of all, the author seemed to have a hard time showing rather than telling. Instead of describing what the main character felt in a discreet but understandable way (such as “I clenched my fist around the fork handle, glaring at my plate in barely upheld silence” to signal anger, would instead be “I was fuming with anger and therefore tried to stay silent so I wouldn’t say anything rude”). With such a hyped book, discovering this as a common fault throughout the book makes the author seem unprofessional. Secondly, the exposition was poorly executed. Once again, exposition is something that should be unravelled in a careful, natural way in the storytelling, rather than being dumped on the reader all at once in a clumsy manner. I found that this graceless exposition could have been made so much better than it was. Thirdly, the plot was rushed where it shouldn’t have been. In exciting and important scenes, the reader should get a good description of the events that led there, and in no way should details that could enrich the atmosphere be left out. What I mean by this is that a lot of exciting plot points in this novel were weakened by rushing through them. Thus, where it could have turned epic, to me, it often fell flat. My last complaint with the storytelling is that the characters were poorly built; not in that they weren’t individuals, but that I as a reader didn’t get to see them enough in the plot to bond with them, and therefore I only cared for what happened to less than a handful of characters.

2: The protagonist. Her name is Mare, but I’ve met her a dozen times before in other young adult fantasy novels, written by other authors. To me, Mare didn’t in any particular way stand out in the crowd of female protagonists that dominate the YA category, and thus I had a hard time bonding with her and caring for what happened to her. It goes without saying that the bland and generic female protagonist that is so common is not to my tastes. Furthermore (this part contains spoilers, so mark the white text if you wish to proceed): the way Mare’s emotions shifted back and forth for Cal had me feeling that the romance was very plastic. I believe the author wanted me, as a reader, to root for Mare to end up with one of the brothers, and while Cal was probably my favourite character, I never really wanted him to end up with Mare. When she first fell for Cal, it came out of nowhere and had not at all been built up to properly. She then did several 180’s with her feelings for him, all of which seemed more and more dis-believable. In the end, I would rather have seen Mare die so that we could follow Cal as a protagonist instead, seeing as he was by far the most compassionate and interesting character (he even had a touch of a personality).

That concludes my review. Love it or hate it, that’s up to you. I am willing to give this series another go and read the second book. Like I said, I didn’t dislike everything about this book. It had its good parts and it still has potential.

Rating: 3/5