#ebunderground

Hunted

by Meagan Spooner

This was a pretty dang fantastic retelling. Typically I'm a bit leery about Beauty and the Beast retellings, because there's often the creepy "girl falling in love with her captor" aspect that's honestly a bit gross. But this isn't just a Beauty and the Beast retelling, but it has aspects of the Russian fairytale, "Ivan, the Firebird and the Gray Wolf".

-The novel, for the most part, is narrated by Yeva, a huntress, the favorite of her father's three daughters. Beauty was her childhood nickname. And, when her father never comes home, she's the first to propose to go and search for him.

-Throughout the novel, the POV of the beast takes up a chapter or two, to show is gradually changing mindset. 

-Remember what I said about most Beauty and the Beast retellings can be kind of gross? Well, at first, Yeva doesn't realize that the Beast is her capture. Then, she figures it out, she attempts to kill him. She has conversations with people about the problems of woman falling in love with men who are cruel to them, and worries she's one of those woman. 

-Well the story progresses slowly, there's an elegance to it. A carefulness that leads to the story feeling very well-thought out.

-But, yes, at times it can make everything feel slowed down. Bits of the story dragged, and the ending felt mildly rushed, and like it had more potential than it had.

But I liked it! Meagan Spooner has a great writing style, and I look forward to her next book.

4/5 stars

Traitor to the Throne

by Alwyn Hamilton

This book was disappointing. I LOVED Rebel of the Sands. Really, really loved it. But this book kind of took out all the things that I loved about the first and replaced them with less-fun things.

THE CHARACTERS. What happened to them? Where's the impulsive, snarky Amani? And Jin? BARELY IN THE BOOK. I missed his face. He had great snark.

It's less gun-slinging western and more political.

Also, my ship nosedived. That was fun.

Such a huge cast of characters. I COULDN'T KEEP UP WITH THEM.

But I did like a few things:

The worldbuilding is freaking amazing. I love the worldbuilding.

Yes, the characters are still great and well developed.

And I'd kill for this writing style. I really would.

So yes, this book is suffering from a sophmore slump but I still enjoyed it, even if I didn't love it as much as the first.

3/5 stars

Long May She Reign

by Rhiannon Thomas

For a book that uses the word "massacre" on the back, this book was actually a pretty light epic fantasy. That was somewhat surprising, considering, again, the word "massacre", but really, this book was more about the political side of things, which a side of poisoning and death.

I've been really looking forward to this pretty much since it was announced. It's such a fantastic idea: nerdy teenage girl becomes queen after everyone else gets murdered. But I did have some problems with it, but first, the things I liked!

NON SEXIST FANTASY WORLD. It's sad that this makes me so happy, but books without sexism are so rare, that this was welcome and refreshing.

Focus on female friendships! Again, a sadly rare thing in fantasy, but Freya's two closest friends were both girls, and there was no petty backstabbing stuff, which, again, tends to happen in epic fantasy if there are two girls who are friends.

Freya would die for her cat.

It was all so gloriously science-y and nerdy. Freya reads stuff and does experiments and builds a laboratory in the dungeon.

At first, Freya was protrayed pretty accurately with social anxiety. But notice how I say "at first".

What I didn't Like:

Freya's social anxiety just seemed to disappear. One minute it was there, and one minute is was gone. Which is disappointing for several reasons: a) because it was an accurate protrayal which rarely happens, and b) Because it just doesn't work that like. Anxiety, social or not, just doesn't disappear because it isn't convenient.

Freya looked down on everyone who wasn't nerdy and science-y. I get that you base your whole life around your science, but that doesn't mean that everyone who chooses to not go into science isn't as good as you.

Freya had a couple of brief stumbling moments as a new queen at first, then she became perfect, and she became perfect by doing the opposite of what her advisers tell her to do because naturally royal advisers know nothing.

This kingdom seriously needs to sort out it's priorities. You throw jewels in the river during a funeral, tax the people because you threw jewels into the river, and then arrest people who can't pay this stupid tax? Or, what about your entire court was just poisoned, but you don't make sure that every single thing that goes in your new queen's mouth has been checked?

The ending was anticlimantic and honestly rather stupid.

The romance is... not good.

Yeah, this book disappointed me. It was still an entertaining read, but I had a lot of problems with it, and it wasn't as great as I hoped, or as good as it could be.

3/5 stars

A List of Cages

by Robin Roe

This book has to be one of the most anticipated books of 2017 that's flying oddly under the radar. I've seen it on numerous "new releases I can't wait to read" lists, but at the same time people aren't really talking about it. I can't believe it hasn't exploded, honestly, because it's the kind of book it seems like the book blogging community would adore.

The book follows Julian and Adam. Julian was formally Adam's foster brother after his parents died, until he has taken in by a relative. He has several learning disabilities, including dyslexia, and sees the school psychologist, but he doesn't ever really show up for his appointments. Adam is the aide to the school psychologist, and is tasked with tracking down Julian so he actually comes to his appointments. Both boys are clearly shocked at coming face to face with each other after so many years. They resume their friendship, but as they grow closer, Adam begins to suspect there's something not quite right with Julian's life, and that not-quite-right thing Julian is desperate to keep secret.

What I Liked: 

-The friendship. It's sadly rare to have a YA book have the main relationship be a friendship, and an amazing, genuine friendship to boot. And while Adam and Julian's friendship is the focus, there are other friendships in the book, like Adam and Charlie. It's kind of sad how happy and surprised I was that this was the case.

-Adorable characters. Seriously. Adam is sincere and genuine and kindness. Not only does he want to know Julian again, he makes efforts to get to know Julian's friends despite a four-year age gap, he remembers the things Julian liked and didn't like from when they lived together, and he wants to know Julian as he is, now, not just the Julian from the past. And Julian himself is a total sweetheart. He's quiet and intelligent and just really, really needs a hug.

-The writing style is incredible. Especially considering Robin Roe is a debut author. If all of her future books have this amazing of a writing style, I'll read them in a heartbeat.

-The treatment of mental illness in this book was spot on. 

-This book is an emotional gut punch. It holds nothing back. It's brutally honest, empathetic, and brilliantly executed. Somehow heartbreaking and uplifting right at the same time.

Basically, read this book. As soon as it comes out. 

5/5 stars

It’s Not Me, It’s You  by Stephanie Kate Strohm

Royal Bastards

by Andrew Shvarts

I've been looking forward to this book since it was pretty much announced, so the fact that my reaction to it was "ehhh", I'm kind of disappointed. (read: really disappointed)

Now, I loved the first 40ish percent of it! There's all the things you expect out of an entertaining fantasy novel: snark and food and magic and betrayal and blood and all of that fun stuff, and I liked the characters are first! I really did! (not Miles, though. Miles gave me a ~vibe, and it wasn't a good one), but then we hit a spot a little bit before the middle and I just...it lost what was making me enjoy it. 

The characters, which were great at the beginning, slowly started to wear on me as the story went on, because they literally NEVER CHANGED. They were the exact same characters as they were on the first page they were introduced. And supposedly this "let's hike across the country!" thing they were doing took months, so, uh...you'd be different people. Especially if you just watched your parents straight-up murder someone.

And, honestly? The plot was pretty predicable. I knew what would happen and who would do this to who and who would die, and I was hoping that the book would surprise me, it just...didn't.

I also have A LOT of problems with Miles. For one, the whole "unrequited crush since childhood" thing. Please stop writing characters like this. If he has had a crush on you since you two were seven and the boy still hasn't grown out of it at like seventeen, there's a problem there. IT'S REALLY CREEPY. And honestly? Totally unrealistic. And for him to be mad enough that you told him no, you don't want to date him, that he goes and does something that's pretty much a guarentee to you getting killed...NO. EW. 

So yeah. First half of this book: I really liked! The rest of it? Not really.

3/5 stars

Forest of a Thousand Lanterns

by Julie C. Dao

Okay, so I went into this knowing that it seems like literally everyone who has read this book has adored it, and so I went into it thinking I'd probably adore it, too, because the last few super-super hyped books I've read (THUG, When Dimple Met Rishi, Geekerella,) I all really enjoyed. But apparently I'm in the minority on this one, because...uh...I really didn't like it. Here's the thing: yes, this book is beautifully written. I wouldn't be surprised if the author came from poetry origins. But, there's a point where everything gets too beautiful, and you're left just kind of blinking at the book, because what the hell does that even mean??? To put it shortly: Purple prose. Purple prose everywhere. But I'll get to that in a bit. Why I Did Not Like This Book: -There is such a emphasis on beauty! Pretty much every single time Xifeng is mentioned, something is said about her lotus lips or perfect skin or glowing eyes. And yes, I get that this is a Snow White retelling with Xifeng as the Evil Queen, but really, it started to drag. A lot. I get it. This girl is beautiful, almost inhumanly so, and that she causes heads to turn everywhere she goes, ect. ect. ect. -And that leads to the next thing: so much girl hate. The very first girl we're introduced to, the first time we meet her she's flirting with Xifeng's boyfriend/lover/courtship person, and Xifeng gets jealous at first, then thinks Wei would never fall for such a "plain, moon-faced girl" with Xifeng around. All the women Xifeng meet (with the exception of one) hate her on sight because of how beautiful she is, or are instantly jealous, again, because of how beautiful she is. And, really? That's not how most girls are. 

-The romance? Yep. Let me just say one thing about Wei: NOPE. That sums up my feels for him, and his relationship with Xifeng quite nicely. -Oh, and speaking of? YAY ANOTHER SEXIST FANTASY WORLD, WHAT WE ALL WANT. You are literally BUILDING a world. WHY does it have to be sexist? We get enough of that in the real world already. -The worldbuilding was seriously lacking. I mean, it's Chinese-inspired, with a couple of neighboring kingdoms that I think are Japan and Indonesia inspired, and that the kingdom/world/city/whatever is run by the Emperor and Empress, but other than that? No clue. I know they have a religion, but I have no idea what the religion is. I know they have social classes, but how those social classes interact? No idea. Money? What's money? Trade routes? Yeah, but going and coming from where? -There are weird time jumps all over the place. And I have no idea how the timeline works. At one point, it seems like Xifeng has only been somewhere for a few days, but then apparently she's been there a month? Then years have gone past suddenly? I spent the entire book super confused.

The ending felt very, very rushed. So rushed. And not in a good, exciting way, more in a "the author suddenly got really excited to finish this novel" and "Pacing? What pacing?" sort of way.

SPOILER IN BRACKETS

[[ so...Xifeng is apparently the daughter of the Serpent God, who is apparently evil, which means she is apparently evil, and now suddenly miss Empress Head-in-the-clouds knows she's evil, but then the Empress gives birth to a daughter (Snow White...or, excuse me, White Jade), and it seems like she's about to die, but nope, it says next paragraph she lives for another two years, and has never talked to Xifeng since giving birth to Jade, even though she somehow "knows" that Xifeng is Now Suddenly Evil?? And this all happens in probably less than three chapters. ]]

-Also, remember how I mentioned the purple prose? Sometimes I can ignore it, but this time...I would be reading, and then there would be a phrase just so odd and overly pretty that it would disrupt whatever small reading flow I had managed to get into to. I'm not talking Laini Taylor's truly beautiful walks-the-line-of-purple-prose here. I'm talking really, really odd. "Wei buried his face in her hair, a fish ensnared in a dark net." Okay, a little weird, but whatever. "The woman's essence filled her like air." Seems vaguely sexual, which gets even weirder considering it's sharing a paragraph with the phrase "her skin vomits a crimson river". "The demon queen turned her face upward, her eyes reflecting the dreams of the stars." I'm sorry, but what does that even mean??? -And, finally, my last, and biggest, problem. Guma. Oh, Guma. You don't need to get through one chapter to know that her relationship with Xifeng (her niece) is an abusive one; both physically and emotionally. And, at the beginning, Xifeng seems to realize this, and even shows the signs of being in an abusive relationship, and she gets out of it and starts realizing how toxic it really was, but then, much, much later in the novel, when she thinks of Guma she starts considering her the perfect, mothering caregiver who always loved Xifeng and did the best for her, always? The same woman who literally beat her with a cane? And I don't think that's something that the novel should be doing. Because that's NOT a good light to put an abusive relationship in, especially because of how hard they are to get out of. Guma should NOT be suddenly put in this glowing light because months have gone by and now, oh yeah, even though she was cruel she was actually amazing and loved me? No. NO. I somehow managed to finish this novel, despite it grating on my every nerve, so it gets two stars, not one. Still, though, I'm not recommending it. If you want a Chinese-inspired fairy-tale retelling/fantasy novel, read Ash by Malinda Lo. 2/5 stars

And Then There Were Four

by Nancy Werlin

And Then There Were Four is a fast-paced teen thriller with compelling (yet farfetched) circumstances. Caleb, Saralinda, Evangeline, Antoine, and Kenyon meet under false pretenses in a old building on the outskirts of their New England private school campus. With in minutes of their arrival the building mysteriously collapses. The five students are able to escape, only to keep narrowly escaping (and sometimes not even) death. Before long, they realize they are being targeted by sophisticated murderers… and it only takes a few chapters more until they realize their assassins are their parents. This book was certainly a page turner for me, the fast paced action and the life-or-death stakes made And Then There Were Four very compelling. Though the plot is slightly unrealistic, the characters are relatable and complex, which adds to the dynamic. I would recommend this book to anyone willing to suspend their disbelief looking for a fast-paced-action-filled read.