Jess Loves to Read!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I started this book the morning after finishing Under Different Stars, the first book in the Kricket series. I finished it the same day!

After reading The Daughter of Smoke and Bones series, I decided to try other books featuring more “magical” elements and fantasy, where I was going through a purely dystopian phase. I’m glad I chose this series next!
However, I’m sad that I have to wait for the third book to find out what happens next. (EDIT: Just looked, and somehow I missed that the third book is on NetGalley as well. So maybe I won’t have to wait long!).

This book kept me just as interested as the first. Unlike the very beginning of the first book, I did not consider putting this one down at any point. HINT: Enrique SUCKED!

Throughout this book, Kricket continued to be strong, clever and smart. Still love the main character, and I can’t wait to see what Amy Bartol has in store for Kricket in the next installment!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

I was super excited to read this book after reading the description and all the positive reviews. 

This was the first non-dystopian/fantasy book that I’ve read in quite a while. It was a nice change of pace. I read this on my birthday, and although it was not the best book I’ve ever read, it was an alright choice for a birthday book.

I thought the book was very well written. It flowed nicely, and I liked that she included their IM’s and Madeline’s drawings. 

First of all, girl who is allergic to the world, great idea for a story! Second, in response to the reviews where some have pointed out the foolishness of Madeline suddenly willing to risk her life and health after being in close proximity to a boy for the first time. I took these comments into consideration when I read, but then I remembered my first crush, my first love and when I first met my soulmate. Love will make you do crazy things, without worrying about the consequences to yourself. I think this book captures that idea perfectly. So, even though he was the only boy she had ever known, she knew in her heart that she loved him and would risk her life to be able to live with him, because living in her bubble for the rest of her life without him would be as bad as death. 

Although this book (like many others) focused heavily on the fact that Madeline fell in love the second she saw Olly. I believe another reviewer called it “instalove.” This is one thing that I hate about YA books. Instead of instantly deciding that they are attracted to a boy or deciding that they want to get to know a boy, they are instantly in love with him and are willing to die for him. However, it bothered me much less in this book than it does in some. This girl has been isolated from everyone but her mother, her nurse, and her occasional interactions with her tutors. Of course when she sees the gorgeous new neighbor, she’s going to decide that she loves him as soon as he shows her some attention. 

*Disclaimer: This paragraph is spoiler-ish*

The one thing that I did like about this book, something that I have not seen featured in any other book featuring “instalove:” the boy questions her instalove!  Olly did not fall in instalove. He was intrigued by the girl next door that never left her house. He was attracted to her and developed a relationship with her, which led to love. He also points out that he knows that his love for her is real, because he has never felt like this with anyone else before. Then, he shares his concern that although he is head-over-heels in love with her, “But, it’s different for you…It’s your first time for everything. Maddy, but not for me.” At first she starts to get upset, “But then, I realize that he’s not trying to dismiss or belittle my feelings. He’s just scared. Given my lack of choices, what if I’ve just chosen him by default?

I think that her reply was adequate (not sure if that’s the word I want to say, but I can’t think of a stronger word that described my opinion): “I promise you that I know my own heart, it’s one of the few things that’s not completely new to me.” 

I’m usually not into sappy-ness, and this book almost pushed my sappy-limit, but overall, I enjoyed it. However, I do not think I would have enjoyed it nearly as much without the twist at the end. Although, I think the actual ending could have been done better, I feel like the twist at the end made the book much better. Not because it made it possible for the happy ending, but because it made it gave the book more texture. 

Great job on your first novel, Mrs. Yoon. I look forward to reading more from you in the future!

I loved this series! I read the first two books in 2 days, but this one took me a bit longer. With the first two, I wanted to keep going to see what happened next, but this one didn't have that effect. I finished it, because I wanted to see how it ended, but I think it could have been done much better.

This book really surprised me...I'm usually not into so much fantasy, angels and monsters and magic and such...but I am in love with these books! I sped through the first two and am reading the third now. I was curious because of all the great reviews, and I was very pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this book!

The character development is great! The book is very well-written! This book got me hooked and I couldn't stop until I figured out what happened at the end of the third book!

I love Karou! Too many YA books stAAar the heroine who is love-struck and spends half the book having a pity party about how she cannot be with her love...even is she just met the guy a couple of weeks (sometimes even days before), it's always "instalove" and she can do nothing without him. Karou is independent, smart and can do anything without a boy to back her up!

Karou is strong, but when the portals burned she lost the only family she every knew. Even the strongest would have to grieve. However, Karou does not sulk in her apartment for weeks, she devises a plan to travel the world and steal wishes from some of the most dangerous people Brimstone traded with

I love Zuzana! She is exactly what Karou needs to keep her connected to the human world.

I cannot get over how good this book was! I read this one in a day, and only waited until the next day to start the next book, because my bf decided that I needed him to be the voice of reason and remind me that I needed to get some sleep if I was going to go to work the next day.

Those are the books I love...the ones that get me so enthralled that I must be reminded to perform necessary human functions, such as sleeping or eating. LOL I'm glad that my bf is willing to be the voice of reason when I need to sleep or bring me food if I will not put my book down.

I thought that Red Queen was awesome! I was disappointed that I would have to wait to see what happened next and put all future books at the top of my to-read lis so that I could read them as soon as they came outt. This was a little disappointing though. It wasn't terrible, but it definitely didn't live up to the expectations of the first book. I am still looking forward to the next installment and am hoping it keeps up with the first books standards.

I don't understand why be upset about a book coming out? Why take the time to write a review of a book you haven't read in a series you claim not to like? And after all that bitching you still read it?

first of all, James Patterson must be doing something right. secondly, all these people must have way too much time on their hands.
This is the first review I've written on here, bc all the other ones from people that hadn't even read it yet wrote confused me. No, it wasn't as good as the first books, but it did wrap everything up. He did drag it out a bit, but overall, I really liked the series!

I wanted to read this book since it was first released, and it did not disappoint. It kept me engaged, and I finished it in one night. Ms. Phillips has certainly had a wild life, and I enjoyed reading about it.