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: The Comedy of Errors | Bloodlines | The Golden Lily

Title: The Comedy of Errors
Author: William Shakespeare
Original title: The Comedy of Errors
First published: 1591
Genre: Play, Comedy, Classic
Series: --
Publisher: Avenel Books
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 20
Finished: 19/04/2020
Summary: Two sets of twins are separated at birth by a storm at sea: a pair of masters (both named Antipholus) and a pair of servants (both named Dromio). Years later, the Antipholus-and-Dromio pair raised in Syracuse happen to visit Ephesus, where the respective twins reside—providing the basis for ongoing incidents of mistaken identity, within a lively plot of quarrels, arrests, and a grand courtroom denouement.

My thoughts: This is the book I read for the prompt to read an entire book/literary work in just one room. I of course picked my bedroom, which is where I do the vast majority of my reading nowadays. I did, however, venture outside with this book, but only to take a photo for instagram.
So what did I think? Well, this is the first time I properly delve into Shakespeare, and I must admit I was a bit apprehensive. Would it be too difficult? Would I understand nothing? Would I be left in despair? Alas, this was not the case. It actually went really well! I've seen the play before in Swedish, and that helped me a bit in following the plot. It's an amusing story, but what I enjoyed most were the typical Shakespeare insults that I've only seen in quotes before. "Dromio, thou drone, thou snail, thou slug, thou sot." It was a good time, and I'm glad to have finally read some Shakespeare. I feel encouraged to read more in the future. This is also the oldest piece of literature I've ever read now, I think!
PS. This play took up only 20 pages of my edition, whereas it usually takes up around 100 pages when it's published on it's own. Just saying, that font was small and compressed af :/

Rating: 3,25/5

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Title: Bloodlines
Author: Richelle Mead
Original title: Bloodlines
First published: 2011
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Series: Bloodlines #1
Publisher: Razorbill
Format: Paperback
Pages: 421
Finished: 26/04/2020
Summary: Spoiler alert for Vampire Academy! Sydney belongs to a secret group who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the world of humans and vampires.
But when Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, she fears she's still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. What unfolds is far worse. The sister of Moroi queen Lissa Dragomir is in mortal danger, and goes into hiding. Now Sydney must act as her protector.
The last thing Sydney wants is to be accused of sympathizing with vampires. And now she has to live with one...

My thoughts: I read "Bloodlines" for the reading theme of April, which was to read a book with big or somehow annoying faces on the cover. The covers for all the books in this series are all about faces, so it seemed an appropriate choice. I've also wanted to delve into the "Bloodlines" series for over a year now, since it's the sequel spin-off series to "Vampire Academy", which I really enjoyed in early 2019.
There's something about these vampire books that makes me want to keep reading forever. Once I'm reading one of these books, I can't stop thinking about them in between reading sessions. Are they great pieces of literature? Well, perhaps not on the same level as for example "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr, but I don't think that's a fair comparison to make. Mead's books are pure YA entertainment, and she does it well. There wasn't a ton of action in this first book of the series, but I still enjoyed it a lot because of the characters. I really like the new protagonist, Sydney, and feel that I can relate to her on a more personal level than I could to Rose. She's academically ambitious, wants to solve all the problems she encounters, and always wants to do her best to help others. And of course I'm still loving Adrian, despite his obvious faults. He's the stellar image of what a love interest was supposed to look like in YA fantasy novels back around 2010; tough on the outside but soft on the inside, emotionally unstable, and is reluctant to fall in love with the protagonist. Clearly that was a winning concept then, and I'm still enjoying it now for old time's sake.
I sincerely look forward to continue reading the series, and I can only imagine that it gets better from here.

Rating: 4,25/5

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Title: The Golden Lily
Author: Richelle Mead
Original title: The Golden Lily
First published: 2012
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Series: Bloodlines #2
Publisher: Razorbill
Format: Paperback
Pages: 418
Finished: 04/05/2020
Summary: Spoiler alert! In hiding in a Californian boarding school, Sydney's life has become irrevocably intertwined with Jill Dragomir, the vampire Moroi princess she has been tasked with protecting. She has grown close to those in Jill's royal circle - and to someone in particular. Someone that forces her to question everything the alchemists believe in. Someone forbidden.
When a shocking secret threatens to tear the vampire world - her new world - apart, Sydney's loyalties are tested more than ever. Should she trust the alchemists - or her heart?

My thoughts: I enjoyed this just as much as "Bloodlines"! Sydney is still a character I can relate to and I liked seeing even more of Adrian. Guessing what's going to happen in the story isn't super difficult, but sometimes that's what I need in a book. Easy to love, easy to follow. Not everything needs to be super complicated. I just want to keep flying through this series, but I think I'm going to take a small break to read something else between this and the next book, "The Indigo Spell". Luckily, the upcoming two books in the series are both just over 400 pages. After that, I'm in trouble with the rest of the series... oh well.

Rating: 4,25/5

Book reviews: Calamity | Wayward Son | Sent i november

Title: Calamity
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Original title: Calamity
First published: 2016
Genre: Sci-fi, YA, Dystopia
Series: The Reckoners #3
Publisher: Gollancz
Format: Paperback
Pages: 421
Finished: 17/10/2019
Summary: Spoiler alert! When Calamity lit up the sky, the Epics were born. David’s fate has been tied to their villainy ever since that historic night. Steelheart killed his father. Firefight stole his heart. And now Regalia has turned his closest ally into a dangerous enemy. David knew Prof’s secret, and kept it even when the Reckoners’ leader struggled to control the effects of his Epic powers. But facing Obliteration in Babilar was too much. Prof has now embraced his Epic destiny. He’s disappeared into those murky shadows of menace Epics are infamous for the world over, and everyone knows there’s no turning back. . . . But everyone is wrong. Redemption is possible for Epics—Megan proved it. They’re not lost. Not completely. And David is just about crazy enough to face down the most powerful High Epic of all to get his friend back. Or die trying.

My thoughts: I've finally finished this trilogy! This series has been a very solid 4/5 star series, which is not to the looked down upon, because not many series manage with such a consistency in quality until the very end. This conclusion was well thought out and executed in a great way, with a ton of explosions and epic fight scenes. It was all I wanted it to be. I don't have a more to say, but feel free to check out my reviews for previous books in the series, which you'll find on this blog (just search for "Steelheart" and "Firefight" in the search bar). I highly recommend this series if you're looking for exciting action and super hero elements, along with a quirky and fun narrative.

Rating: 4,25/5

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Title: Wayward Son
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Original title: Wayward Son
First published: 2019
Genre: Fantasy, LGBTQ+, YA
Series: Simon Snow #2
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 368
Finished: 31/10/2019
Summary: Spoiler alert! The story is supposed to be over. Simon Snow did everything he was supposed to do. He beat the villain. He won the war. He even fell in love. Now comes the good part, right? Now comes the happily ever after…
So why can’t Simon Snow get off the couch?
What he needs, according to his best friend, is a change of scenery. He just needs to see himself in a new light...

That’s how Simon and Penny and Baz end up in a vintage convertible, tearing across the American West. They find trouble, of course. (Dragons, vampires, skunk-headed things with shotguns.) And they get lost. They get so lost, they start to wonder whether they ever knew where they were headed in the first place…

My thoughts: Getting through this novel was a long process, despite the average page numbers. While I enjoyed this novel and had looked forward to continue following the characters from the previous book, I didn't get what I'd hoped from "Wayward Son". I believe this feeling is based on a few aspects that I'll be mentioning just quickly, because this is not a book that I disliked, it just wasn't what I'd expected or hoped for.
One thing I'd expected was for this to have more feel good elements to it. I assure you that I didn't expected it to be all lovey-dovey, happy sappy, golly good the entire time, but perhaps a tad more lighthearted. I knew that this novel was going to be about dealing with mental health, depression, and feelings of being lost in life. This novel delivered on those aspects in I way that I think was done well, but the angst wasn't really what I came here for.
The other main thing that actually disappointed me with this book was the setting. I just had a hard time enjoying the rapid road trip through America. I found it blurry and not descriptive enough. With such a fleeting environment, I'd have hoped for a more secure spot (such as the school in the last book of the series) that I could properly imagine in my mind. However, I found that this novel had few such places to offer.
On the more positive note, which I believe this novel actually deserves, I do think Rowell dealt well with the mental health issues in this book. I also feel that Baz's and Simon's relationship developed in a realistic way that can be hard to find in other YA fantasy novels. I also think that Agatha got a nice shot at character development. The plot had some pretty exciting points that I enjoyed, and overall it's a decent fantasy adventure story. It didn't have me loving it like "Carry On" did, but it's still a rather solid book.

Rating: 3,75/5

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Title: Sent i november (Late in November)
Author: Tove Jansson
Original title: Sent i november
First published: 1970
Genre: Fantasy, Classic
Series: Mumintrollen #9
Publisher: Alfabeta
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 161
Finished: 13/11/2019
Summary: 'They can't have moved away without saying a word!'
Winter is coming, and the Fillyjonk, the Hemulen, Toft, Mymble, etc. are all waiting in Moominvalley to see the Moomins return home. Winter doesn't seem right without them...

My thoughts: My love for the Moomin design has grown over the past few years, resulting in a small collection of T-shirts and mugs. This book, however, has been with me for a long time. It was gifted to me on the day of my baptism (19 years ago) and has remained in my possession ever since. However, I have no memory of ever reading it before. Hence is why I decided to do so now, in November. Fitting, since it's obviously titled "Late in November" in Swedish.
I was immediately drawn to the character depth in this novel, and I was surprised to find that it appeals to an older audience than I thought it would. In my mind, the Moomin stories are for children and I had therefore prepared myself for a children's book. Nevertheless, what I got was something more and something unexpected. I found a story that delved into the lives and minds of side characters that I knew very little to nothing about. These characters had surprising depth to them, and also substantial development throughout the story. I felt that the tale offered wisdom on expectations we hold for others and ourselves, and how we can easily be very disappointed when those expectations aren't met, and learning to live with life, one's self, and people as they truly are and appreciating that. All in all, I was pleasantly surprised and will be looking for other Moomin novels to read in the future.

Rating: 4,25/5

Book reviews: Spirit Bound | Yttersta offret | Elden

Title: Spirit Bound

Author: Richelle Mead
Original title: Spirit Bound
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Series: Vampire Academy #5
Publisher: Razorbill
Format: Paperback
Pages: 489
Finished: 03/02/2019
Summary: Spoiler alert! After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri's birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir's - and to her best friend, Lissa. It is at long last graduation, and the girls can't wait for their real lives beyond the Academy's iron gates to begin. But Rose's heart still aches for Dimitri, and she knows he's out there, somewhere. She failed to kill him when she had the chance. And now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and now he is hunting her. And this time he won't rest until Rose joins him... forever.

My thoughts: Due to sickness, this took me a full week to finish. Trust me, it would’ve taken like four days otherwise, because this series just hook onto me and don’t let go until I’m done reading. The last book, “Blood Promise” didn’t impress me quite as much as the third, “Shadow Kiss”, and now it seems more like a filler novel to me. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t boring, and the character development of Rose was important, but it could’ve been shortened down by at least 100 pages. This book, “Spirit Bound”, was more reasonable in that aspect. At just under 500 pages, the story made decent progress and some characters, whom I now love, got more time in the spotlight, AND, of course, exciting stuff happened. However, I have a few burning spoiler thoughts on my mind that I need to share, so if you’ve NOT read the 5 first books in the Vampire Academy series, do not attempt to read what I’ve written next.

If you HAVE read the 5 first books, you can go ahead and mark this white text to read the spoiler section of this review: So, this book definitely has me conflicted on the sudden strong triangle drama. I was 100% team Dimitri up until the fourth book, which had me doubting (because of the whole Strigoi thing), but this just almost turned me around to being team Adrian. In fact, I am team Adrian right now. Admittedly, I’ll probably change my mind when Mead wants me to in the last book, but ADRIAN!!! Such a sweet little potato, the crispiest fry in the pile, the softest ball of them all. He deserves more than Rose though, seeing as all she can think about is Dimitri. About that, I can’t fault her for being super focused on Dimitri. Like, it’s her former lover turned death machine, turned back into a dhampir and then…?? He’s being a pitiful little meep about it, and NOT in a good way. He acts like Edward Cullen in New Moon. It’s that level of selfish pity and I’m not liking it. Instead, Dimitri is worshipping Lissa, which I also get, but why so intensely? Idk he seems fake all of a sudden. Or just boring. I hope he turns around in the next book and makes up for this, because he definitely has to if I’m gonna go over on his team again.

Rating: 4/5

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Title: Yttersta offret (The Ultimate Sacrifice)
Author: Richelle Mead
Original title: Last Sacrifice
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Series: Vampire Academy #6
Publisher: Bonnier Carlsen
Format: Paperback
Pages: 647
Finished: 08/02/2019
Summary: Spoiler alert! The Queen is dead and the Moroi world will never be the same. Rose Hathaway is awaiting wrongful execution and there exists only one man who can stall this terrible fate. Rose must look to both Dimitri and Adrian, the two great loves of her life, to find him. With her best friend, Lissa, in a deadly struggle for the royal throne, the girls find themselves forced to rely upon enemies and questioning those they thought could trust... But what if true freedom means sacrificing the most important thing of all? Each other.

My thoughts: I did it! I finished the series! Woop!

But was it good? I’m not certain. Like, sure, it was good, but it wasn’t really what I’d wished for. In my opinion, this series peaked with the third book, “Shadow Kissed”, and from then on… it got a bit bleak, didn’t it? Don’t get me wrong, the series still has a lot to offer in the last half; action, drama, some nice characters (*cough* Adrian *cough*) and stuff. It’s all swell, and I did enjoy it, but there turned out to be several things I was missing. I’ll get into that in the spoiler section of this review. All you spoiler free peeps need to know is that the series is definitely worth reading and that much of my displeasure was probably due to all the spoilers I’d gotten before I even started the series. Alright, let’s get on with the spoilers.

Mark the following white text in the SPOILER SECTION to get the juicy stuff: I ended up not really being on Team Dimitri? Like, I knew it was gonna be endgame with Dimitri and Rose, but with Dimitri not “doing his romantic part” for two and a half thick ass books, I lost interest in him. They went on with this New Moon style pretend one sided romance for so long that I just moved on. It didn’t help that Rose got a better boyfriend than Dimitri too. Adrian was such a babe, but then again I’m glad they weren’t endgame. Adrian deserves better than Rose’s Dimitri thirsty ass. I guess that’s one of the reasons that I wasn’t pleased with the ending; it sucked for Adrian. Poor boy. The rest was happy as fuck, too happy. Lissa became a fucking queen (I don’t like that? Feels fake? Tbh she’s 18, I wouldn’t put her in the position of so much power.), Rose got her Dimitri AND her freedom AND happy ending and all that jazz and I ain’t liking it to be completely honest. This series went from being kinda badass to ending with “love solves everything” crap and it was just… weak. Also, the Swedish translations aren’t good. I read book three and five in English, and those turned out to be my favourites in the series. Coincidence? I think not!

Ok so this has all sounded so negative, but in all honesty even though I’m displeased with the ending, this series was a lot of fun. Rose’s character development was good; she definitely changed a lot from the first book. The romance(s) became a bit wobbly at the end, but it is what it is. Like I said, it could depend on me being majorly spoiled at some important shit in this series (like Dimitri becoming strigoi and Lissa becoming queen). The best parts of this series was the third book, pre-strigoi Dimitri, and Adrian <3

Rating: 4/5

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Title: Elden (The Fire)
Author: Maria V. Snyder
Original title: Fire Study
Genre: High fantasy, YA
Series: Poison Study #3
Publisher: Harlequin
Format: Paperback
Pages: 376
Finished: 13/02/2019
Summary: Spoiler alert! When word that Yelena is a Soulfinder—able to capture and release souls—spreads like wildfire, people grow uneasy. Already Yelena's unusual abilities and past have set her apart. As the Council debates Yelena's fate, she receives a disturbing message: a plot is rising against her homeland, led by a murderous sorcerer she has defeated before...

My thoughts: Another series finished; this time “Poison Study” by Maria V. Snyder. I enjoyed this series to an extent which I had never fathomed. These books could very well have been written as tailored for my tastes. Of course, that means I loved them. Like, really loved them. Everything about this series was good. Characters? Good, and on all parts of the good-evil spectrum. World building? Superb, cool, and easy to get to know. Plot? Fast paced and exciting. Narrative? Good af. Everything? Awesome. Super duper. Plz read.

Valek is my new fictional crush (as is Ambrose and Yelena, but not to the same extent). That's all.
(PS: There is a follow-up trilogy to this that is called "Soulfinders", which I really want to read now)

Rating: 5/5

Book reviews: Fruset blod | Shadow Kiss | Löftet

Title: Fruset blod (Frozen Blood)
Author: Richelle Mead
Original title: Frostbite
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Series: Vampire Academy #2
Publisher: Bonnier Carlsen
Format: Paperback
Pages: 334
Finished: 10/01/2019
Summary: Spoiler alert! It’s winter break at St. Vladimir’s, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy’s crawling with Guardians—including Rose’s hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if hand-to-hand combat with her mom wasn’t bad enough, Rose’s tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason’s got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa’s head while she’s making out with her boyfriend, Christian! The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy’s not taking any risks... This year, St. Vlad’s annual holiday ski trip is mandatory. But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price...

My thoughts: I read this book with the motivation to work on two of my reading goals for this year; to continue series I’ve already started, and to read books I’ve owned for several years. I read the first book in 2014, and have owned this second book for just as long. It was a really quick read, even surprisingly quick, and I’ll be moving on to the next book right after this. “Fruset blod”, or “Frost Bite” in English, was entertaining, but I didn’t love it. Don’t worry, I didn’t dislike it either. I just didn’t love it, which is rare for a book that I finish so quickly without forcing myself. I had a few issues with the novel that weren’t glaring to me, but which definitely affected my judgement. One negative aspect was an underlying sexism and quite blatant heteronormativity through the whole book; something I would probably barely have noticed had I read this years ago. It wasn’t annoying to an extent that I felt annoyed, but, you know, I noticed it and it was consistent. The other big thing was the main character, who is cocky and impulsive… a bit too impulsive, sometimes, for my liking. She often acts completely without thought for consequences, and more than once I felt an urge to face palm at her rash actions. Nevertheless, I don’t dislike her at all as a main character; in fact I can see good potential for her character development in later installments of the series.
Other than that? The romance is nice, the plot is exciting, and the world building credible. The language is easy and fun, and the amount of swear words seems to me a nice choice of style for a YA series. I had fun reading it and look forward to the third, but not final, book!

Rating: 3/5

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Title: Shadow Kiss
Author: Richelle Mead
Original title: Shadow Kiss
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Series: Vampire Academy #3
Publisher: Razorbill
Format: Paperback
Pages: 443
Finished: 12/01/2019
Summary: Spoiler alert! Rose knows it is forbidden to love another guardian. Her best friend, Lissa - the last Dragomir princess - must always come first. Unfortunately, when it comes to gorgeous Dimitri Belikov, some rules are meant to be broken... Then a strange darkness begins to grow in Rose's mind, and ghostly shadows warn of a terrible evil drawing nearer to the Academy's iron gates. The immortal undead are closing in, and they want vengeance for the lives Rose has stolen. In a heart-stopping battle to rival her worst nightmares, Rose will have to choose between life, love, and the two people who matter most... but will her choice mean that only one can survive?

My thoughts: Spoiler free section: aaaAAaaaAAAAAaAaAAaaaaaaaaaaAaskjflkdsjgskl!!!!!!!!!!1! OMFG!!! ...phew. Damn. Wow. Where to start?
This book had me warming up to this series in just the way I was hoping it would. After the second book, “Frostbite”, I was entertained, but a lot was still missing for me. I wanted to see more character development for Rose, more wider world building, and definitely development in the main romance. Guess what I got? I got ALL OF THAT, baby! Woop! I think I prefer the English version over the Swedish translations, but as I already own books 4 and 6 in Swedish, the only other book I’ll read in English will be “Spirit Bound”, the 6th instalment. However, I’m not moping! I’m so looking forward to continuing with this series! This book had my adrenaline rushing and my blood pumping. If I could see the potential after reading book 2, imagine my anticipation after this! Kkjslkdjgksldg
Spoiler section: (mark white text to read spoiler review) Rose is still being called whore left and right, I feel, which had me siding with her a lot more than I thought I would. All the other characters having prejudices and suspicions about her just made me cheer harder for her. And fuck Queen Tatiana! >:( Some of the things I really liked about this book were the new aspect of Rose being affected by being shadow-kissed in a more clear way. It definitely adds more to her character. I only wish she would've taken time to talk more to Mason's ghost and, idk, apologised for never telling him she could never love him back? But I guess he got the message anyway. He didn't seem too upset. We also saw Rose developing a lot as a person, both after the finale of the last book, and in her interactions with Dimitri and evil peeps like Tatiana and Victor. Her new perspective on the relationship between herself and Lissa also brought a lot of credibility to Rose’s character and had me sympathising with her. Also, we got to know more about Dimitri’s side of the romance. He’s been pretty silent about the whole thing for the past two books, but in this one his character was really pushed to talk and act more, which I found to be positive. Therefore, I also felt a lot more about the romance in this book than earlier. Also, THE PLOT TWIST. I had Dimitri becoming a Strigoi spoiled for me years ago, so I KNEW IT WOULD HAPPEN sooner or later and I could sense it towards the end and I didn’t really want to finish the last 40 pages but I DID and it was rough but I also LOVE how the book ended with Rose leaving the school and Lissa (temporarily, maybe, according to her) to try to find Dimitri. I like Lissa and her friendship with Rose, but what I like more is Rose being strong enough to leave Lissa and do something for herself. Awesome characters development! Great plot! Woop!


Rating: 4,5/5

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Title: Löftet (The Promise)
Author: Richelle Mead
Original title: Blood Promise
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Series: Vampire Academy #4
Publisher: Bonnier Carlsen
Format: Paperback
Pages: 522
Finished: 17/01/2019
Summary: Spoiler alert! The recent attack on St. Vladimir's Academy devastated the entire Moroi world. Many are dead. And, for the few victims carried off by Strigoi, their fates are even worse. A rare tattoo now adorns Rose's neck, a mark that says she's killed far too many Strigoi to count. But only one victim matters ... Dimitri Belikov. Rose must now choose one of two very different paths: honoring her life's vow to protect Lissa—her best friend and the last surviving Dragomir princess—or, dropping out of the Academy to strike out on her own and hunt down the man she loves. She'll have to go to the ends of the earth to find Dimitri and keep the promise he begged her to make. But the question is, when the time comes, will he want to be saved? 

My thoughts: Big spoiler warning! After “Shadow Kiss”, I was super excited to continue the series, which I of course did immediately. Unfortunately I read this fourth book in Swedish, which was a bit of a downer. The translation is at times faulty, words are sometimes misspelt or completely missing from sentences, and the language overall feels stilted. There were jumps in time in the plot which seemed sudden and confusing, and I can’t tell if that’s the translator’s fault or the author’s. Overall, this book was darker than the last one, and I missed Dimitri a lot. Rose was distanced from her own self in a way for the whole book, which is understandable when you think about what she’s going through, but it also had me feeling unsettled at times. We followed another story in this book, namely Lissa’s. I was irritated at her character in the beginning of this novel, which I hadn’t really been before, but I also think we got to know her character better as the story progressed. The relationship between Lissa and Rose grew stronger and more credible. We’re also getting more familiar with both Adrian and Jill, which I like. Other than that, I don’t have much to say, except that I’m anxious to get my hands on the next book in the series.


Rating: 4/5