srcgiiireads

[srcgiiireads]

Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Laini Taylor – 500/5 stars

Lowkey spoilers. Nothing real major, just like kinda the major thing about the book. But if you haven’t read it, maybe just skip most of the third and the fourth paragraph…. lmao..

First of all, I am in love with this story. This is the third time I’ve read it and seriously, Laini Taylor’s writing never fails to amaze me. Fantastic world-building and interesting characters who you’ll inevitably get attached to and end up feeling like crying about cause you’re so invested.

Second, one thing I’m really bad about (and I hate, hate, hate myself for it) is reading chapter titles because I’ve gotten way too accustomed to books with only number chapters, so I really tried this time around (and overall, I mean, I’m trying to make a better effort to do it anyways) to notice the names of the chapters, because they really really do matter. Laini uses them really effectively to give a glimpse into what will happen or what’s going on, and if you pay attention to the name, you get to see exactly what it refers to.

Third, I’m a sucker for rhetoric and story-building. OHHHHHHH MY GOD, I could rant about rhetoric and all this crap all day. And, it’s not even, like, coherent ranting, it’s like rambling nothings where I repeat myself ten times and pretty much just go, “you know what I mean? you see what I’m talking about?” I’m gonna try to contain myself, but I just can’t not: OK. Parallels. This is a thing that I’m all over Maggie Stiefvater for; UUUGHh, The Raven King is full full full of it (6:21 anybody??, depending on where you began the story, etc, etc I’m sorry I’m obsessed). And, tbh, I only really became a rhetoric buff within the last year or so, so this was something new for me to appreciate this time around. So anaphora (the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses) is used really well, throughout the whole book in a long sense, by Taylor in how she subtly writes about hope, and hope, and hope, and hope, and then Karou means hope, and then when you finally get to the part (you know what part–it’s the part-don’t even try to act confused), there’s more talk about hope and you’re just like OH, that’s what was going on for the whole book. And I just love all of the unconscious Madrigal that comes through, like Karou’s phantom self who she's sure would be fighting, wanting to fly, the angel wings for her art project, etc etc. Karou even says the same exact thing about the power of hope being stronger than wishes that Madrigal later says in the flashbacks, and how Karou wishes for BLUE HAIR.

Also, I notice things much much more every time. Like this time, I kept wondering how Mad had never had to worry about hurting Akiva with her hamsas whereas Karou has to buy those gloves, but after the wishbone, she talks about how Mad was “pure” and hamsa-less, and oh I was just like, oh what an idiot @ me. But that’s mostly irrelevant. haha

And oh, I just, love that moment where everything comes together, when Akiva brings her the wishbone, and they break it, and KAROU = MADRIGAL, and anguished Akiva breaks my HEART UGH. I just think it’s a really powerful moment, and Laini writes it so well. UGH, I’m spellbound every time. EVERY TIME. Damn it.

EDIT: LOL featured is my previous review from 2014:

This book was so amazing. Laini Taylor is such an amazing author, she uses flashbacks MARVELOUSLY (they contribute to the story so greatly and are just so wonderfully written!!). Her writing was just so great, I seriously could barely put it down (which sucked cause I re-read this for a DOSAB re-read group, and had to stick to schedule :)

There are so many little moments and quotes that were wonderful, I couldn’t keep count of them. Masterfully written. I ABSOLUTELY, TOTALLY, COMPLETELY FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOK from the first sentence. Wonderful :)

Just so great! LOL.

[srcgiiireads]

Red Queen, Victoria Aveyard – 5/5 stars

Okay. I’m going to gush because this was SO GOOD.

I am obsessed. Completely and utterly. Like, this had some familiar themes and tropes, but it was done really well, in a new way.

Reading this has been long long overdue, but I’m so glad I finally got around to it. First, I loved the characters. They were actually more diverse than I thought they would be and I was pleased with their “three dimension-ality.” Obviously, not all were truly who I thought they would be or wanted them to be and not all could be as evil as they seemed to be, but it was actually really hard for me to gauge the true personalities of some characters; about a certain prince, I just had a feeling despite liking him some, and I kept doubting the queen and characters like Evangeline. I was honestly waiting for a Lysandra/Manon/Zoya Nazyalensky character to appear in either of those two, but I was mostly disappointed in that aspect. 

The main characters, like Cal and Maven and Mare, actually had a lot of depth I thought–none of them seemed like shallow characters; and even others like the queen and the king, though obviously having their faults, had moments where you kind of sympathized with or at least recognized their moments of human emotion.

Also, despite how hard it actually was to predict some things, the few things that I could see coming were awesome, because I love knowing I’m right…. LOL. And, I’m really really hoping that no weird triangle between Cal/Mare/Kilorn shows up in the next books, because I’m just over that for now…. Not that I want Kilorn to leave, I just would prefer if he would stay Mare’s friend instead of something more. So…. fingers crossed, then..

And obviously the book addresses real problems of equality and unjust treatment of people who are different, which is something that’s also addressed in books like The Selection and others (I was thinking about this earlier, but of course now that I’m typing my review other books with similar themes are escaping me, but anyways)–I liked the way that Red Queen dealt with and showed it. There are always lots of solutions presented to problems like this, but not all are wise and not all are truly just, and I thought that that was pretty well reflected in the opinions and actions of various characters versus those of others.

Overall, I really liked this book and the themes it dealt with, as well as the characters and the plot. Definitely will be continuing.

[srcgiiireads]

The Job (Fox and O’Hare #3), Janet Evanovich – SOLID 4.5/5 stars

Ooooooh yeah, Kate O'Hare and Nick Fox do it again. (Or Kate and Nick Hartley???)

First of all, I know that the forced partnership and constant sexual tension between the two of them is like the whole point of the books honestly, and there's really no reason for them to actually ever get together, but WOW I WISH THEY WOULD. Fingers acrossed every new book I start because yeah. Why not, y'know?

This one was actually very different from the last two, which was fun, though of course it follows the same formula of bad, killer guy that the two con and bring in. And aside from the attraction between Kate and Nick, these are very very very White Collar-ish, so you know I'll keep reading till the end of time. Also, Matt Bomer is totally Nick in my mind. UUUUGH.

Except, he's also Sam Clafin so obviously really I have no clue. But he's totally a babe. Honestly haven't fan cast Kate yet, but sooner or later you know it'll happen. I'm almost seeing an Olsen? Idk. I'm just ranting now.

[srcgiiireads]

Perfect Scoundrels (Heist Society #3), Ally Carter –  5/5 stars

Yeah, this one is definitely 5/5.

It’s similar to the previous book in that Kat (and the crew) is running a con where the reader really doesn’t get to know all of the details until the end of the book. Another Ocean’s Twelve kinda thing. And it’s really enjoyable to see all of the pieces fall together. Soooo good.

But, this one is also unique because Kat isn’t working against Eddie’s wishes and with only her personal crew – in this book we get to see a whole lot more of the family and watch them all come together in helping Kat and Hale. So that’s really exciting, to me at least.

And I just love this series so much. Yeah I love spy stuff, but my real weak spot is heists and cons so these get me every time. Also, I actually remembered like none of this plot, so it was definitely fun to read because I was surprised all over again every time.

[srcgiiireads]

Double Crossed, A Spies and Thieves Story, Gallagher 5.5 & Heist 2.5, Ally Carter – 5/5 stars

Well, I love Hale. I love Macey. I love Abbey and Kat. It was fluff and it was fun and it was everything I’ve ever ever ever wanted. That’s really all.

I mean, it’s not like there’s actually a huge plot or lots of character development, it’s just a fun, fluffy, exciting story where you get to see two of your favorite (usually, separate) characters and experience what might happen if their worlds collided.

[srcgiiireads]

Uncommon Criminals (Heist Society #2), Ally Carter –  5/5 stars

Yeah, I really love these books. And I say this at the beginning of every Heist/Gallagher novel, but: always a good read.

Kat and her crew and funny and charming, lovable, and talented. This book is nothing less than the first one, and honestly, may be better? Because it has one of those Ocean's Twelve plots where really nothing you think is happening is actually happening (once the real heist is being pulled off), and it's so much fun. Plus it has the added bonus of showing us a bit of Uncle Eddie's past. And they're hilarious; I love the crew so much. I laugh every time the Bagshaws make the "Mom and Dad fighting" jokes. I mean, it honestly never gets old. ALso major crush on Gabrielle and Kat, always. Also MAJOR MAJOR crush on Hale (always). Swoon swoon SWOON.

Woohoo!

[srcgiiireads]

Out of Sight, Out of Time (Gallagher Girls #5), Ally Carter –  4/5 stars

As always: Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls series is a pleasure to read every time. A few notes about Book 5.

Out of Sight, Out of Time is fun in the way that we continue to see the girls grow up and see their skills improve as they're thrust into the real world, but it's also intimidating in a way because they're forced to face the real threat that the Circle presents and are really dodging danger at every step. But at the same time, that's what makes it so exciting. The girls always seem so young in the first books and watching them mature throughout the series, but even just comparing them now to the first book, is really striking. This one is also fun because it's somewhat of a mystery that you get to watch unravel as Cammie retraces her steps from the last summer.

Also, Zach. Which is all I honestly need. I would really really really like to read about Grown Up Zach cause swoon. Which also brings me to Townsend, who is awesome as he's not set so much as a bad guy in this one, so we can start to appreciate him. And I liked that Ally subtly makes comparisons between him and Zach, which is something I obviously never noticed the first time around.

That is all.

[srcgiiireads]

Only the Good Spy Young (Gallgher Girls #4), Ally Carter –  4/5 stars

Gallagher Girls never disappoint. The fourth book doesn't slow dow, really, but it does change in the way that Cammie and the girls only really have a few big moments. Most of this book is focused on understanding what the Circle of Cavan is and to uncover the truth about Joe Solomon and his involvement with the Circle, so as it's not disappointing, it's a little bit less than the others for some reason, imo.

However, the intensity of the books still increases and the stakes get higher as the girls mature and start to realize the threat they are actually facing.

Also, still love Zach. Always will. Forever. FIVEever.

[srcgiiireads]

Murder on the Orient Express, Agatha Christie –  5/5 stars

Woohoo. This was awesome. I've read a few Agatha Christie books, but not many, which is a travesty considering I LOVE murder mysteries. Obviously with the movie coming in November, I wanted to read this so that I could go see it, and it was awesome. Hercule Poirot is a funny little guy, and he had some lines that actually made me laugh (fingers crossed that they make it into the movie). I totally didn't guess the ending, though I wanted to figure it out, but the ending is phenomenal–it was something I never saw coming.

[srcgiiireads]

ACOWAR, Sarah J. Maas – 100/5 stars

Well, obviously I'm obsessed with SJM so really she can do no wrong. I'm always satisfied. And left craving more.

This book was everything I've been waiting for since first starting the series. Though there was obviously a huge level of excitement and underlying tension because of the looming threat of Hybern, but at the same time there is a levity and lots of humor woven in. I love all of the characters–UGH I LOVE THEM ALL SO SO SO SO MUCH–and I finally had a chance to fall  as much in love with Nesta and Elain as I am with the rest of Feyre and Co. There were also some AWESOME reveals/twists–some I saw coming, some I didn't even consider and it was amazing. The last 30 pages were probably the most intense of all, I was real uptight while reading. Also, ships kind of sank, some have sailed, some are still fighting, and some are FINALLY REALITY. Roller coaster ride there.

More in depth review may come later, but for now I can't really concentrate bc I'm just a mess of feelings.

[srcgiiireads]

Reawakened (#1), Colleen Houck – 3/5 stars

It's been a looooong time since I've read her other books, but this was still similar in some aspects, most notably in the Signature™ Sizzling Reincarnated God Love Interest with Equally Hot Reincarnated God Bro(s). But, the Egyptian spin was fun and interesting. Aesthetics to come from this will be 10/10 very aesthetically pleasing.

The characters were alright, there wasn't anything I really hated about any of them, but I guess I was mostly lukewarm about it all. Lots of character growth in Lily, less noticeable growth for Amon, and I feel like there's still really not enough about Asten and Ahmost to really be able to tell with them–but they're all likable characters, so well enough I guess.

The ending felt pretty resolved to me. I see where the events of the epilogue could move us into a second book, but I don't really understand how the conflict with Set/h would be continued logically and interestingly, other than that he has a stronger foothold than they thought so the Super Hot Reincarnated Egyptian God Bros will have to come back earlier than their next planned rising? But att the same time, I feel like that's really not that interesting... Idk.

Overall, yeah it was good, but I guess I don't really see how it will continue to move forward. I'll keep reading the series for sure, though, I'm sure.

[srcgiiireads]

The Chase (Fox and O’Hare #2), Janet Evanovich –  4.5/5 stars

Near perfect rating bc I loved it an awful lot because I’m a sucker for this series and anything like it (aka How to Win Friends and Influence People Dramione fic by the good and lovely and perfect olivieblake because it’s essentially this but less art heists and more spy stuff plus the added bonus of DRAMIONE but anyways moving on), but I mean it’s not like it’s Maggie or Cassandra or Leigh. Still good (so good), but more of just a fun read and not something I’m utterly and completely wasted by.

The Chase was a fun and exciting read. I'm a complete sucker for these books and these characters. First of all if Nick Fox doesn't = Neal Caffrey in your mind, you are lying to yourself cause let's be real: suave, sexy, fluffy teddy bear con men and international art thieves with questionable ideas of what counts as criminal and an aversion to committing acts of serious violence (aka NOT TRIGGY HAPPY) teaming up with FBI agents are the way to my (and everyone else's) heart.

Kate is the best. She's funny, she's cute, she's smart and strong willed, she eats In N Out, she's a kick ass FBI agent, and is the perfect counterpart and partner (obviously I mean for LIFE not like just for off the books FBI jobs) for Nick. The rest of the crew–Joe, Willie, Boyd, Jack–are funny and quirky in their own ways and offer even more comedic moments.

These books are fast paced and exciting with just the right amount of subtle, not so subtle sexual tension and wit. The jobs are exhilarating and thrilling to imagine (because nothing gets your pulse racing like art museum heists and other white collar crimes, right? just me?) They're quick and easy reads to get lost in, and always fun to read again. Can't wait to read The Job.

[srcgiiireads]

Legion (Talon #4), Julie Kagawa –  4/5 stars

I definitely enjoyed this one.

In this book, we finally get to see Ember realize her background and Talon's true purpose for her, which is really exciting and ups the ante a little bit more. We also see Dante continue to move in the opposite direction as Ember and I think that this book, as well as the last, really let the reader see a lot more of Dante's character, his reasoning, and his motivation which makes him a good foil, if an obvious one, to Ember. I think I've mostly overcome my immense dislike of Riley, so that's a positive for sure. And Garret isn't dead yet, so positive #2.

Garret's whole near-death experience was not only terrifying, as I'm in love with the man, but actually was also very exciting what with Riley's minor/slightly major blood transfusion. We've already started seeing some interesting effects from that, and I'm excited to see more. I'm also hoping that this will do something to allow him & Ember to, I dunno, maybe like BE TOGETHER 5EVER, but whatever that's just a thought.

Also, it was really nice to finally see Riley's rogue hatchlings and St. George come together to fight Talon. This will hopefully be the start of a new partnership that exemplifies the world and future Ember and Garret see for dragons and humans.

Looking forward to the next one!

[srcgiiireads]

Salt to the Sea, Ruta Sepetys – 5/5 stars

RUTA SEPETYS IS WITHOUT A DOUBT A NEW FAVORITE AUTHOR. I love, love, loved this. Maybe more than Between Shades of Gray? Maybe just equal, but I really really loved it. Ruta Sepetys hit it out of the park–I mean seriously really far, so far out it's longer than a HR by Aaron Judge. I loved the division of the book into four different POVs. The way Florian, Emilia, and Joana interact and think about each other is really cool to see, especially because the POVs change very quickly, you're never really in one person's chapter enough for it to start to drag on–things keep being switched up. Each character is unique and alluring in his/her own way. Well, except for Alfred honestly. Alfred was frankly repulsive; I just couldn't find any way to lessen my dislike for him. He was annoyingly narcissistic and cared only for fame and his own self righteousness. He was weirdly obsessed with Hannelore (which: good twist btw!!!) and literally couldn't see past his blind acceptance of Hitler's atrocious policies that attacked innocent parties, not to mention he's totally a psychopath and he also tries to kill Emilia at the end there, when her being Polish is inconsequential in light of the fact that THE SHIP HAS JUST SUNK AND YOU ARE IN A LIFEBOAT AND YOU'LL FREEZE TO DEATH IF NO ONE FINDS YOU BUT NO MATTER LET'S KILL THE POLE and let's not forget about the time he takes a life jacket from the girl crushed by the piano or whatever when the ship crashes and when he doesn't even try to save anyone but himself when the ship is going down. Ugh, I did NOT like Alfred. I could only pity him. And only barely that. Joana is an amazing character. She is so wonderful and tries to help everybody and cares so much about Lina (who, obviously, I have tons of feelings about bc Between Shades of Gray and Siberia and gulags and the consequences of Joana's family escaping Lithuania aka Lina's deportation) and she has one of Lina's drawings and Florian and her willingness to help him and her willingness to take on the kids and her need to help everybody and ughhhhhhh she's so strong and great and isn't it great how finding people to care for and to be with can make anyone's drive to survive that much stronger, like once she was responsible for more than just herself she was that much more determined. Florian is way cool cause he is the person Alfred could've become. He was once a blind acolyte of Dr. Lange and Koch, and thereby Hitler, but he was never fully engrossed and when he saw he was being used and deceived he got out and he made a plan and he was not gonna endure that. Also, he's an awesome artist and forger, so a little bit of Neal Caffrey, so what's not to love? Also, he was very opposed to being held back by anyone at the beginning of the book and he continually pushes away Emilia and Joana and Opi (I can't remember his name? Ugh I'm emotional again), but by the end he has realized that he doesn't need to push others away and he fights to be with Joana and to save her and to save the kids and he takes them on as his own charges. And he's single handedly the one who makes Emilia connect with and really recognize her baby. He is 100% the knight that Emilia think of him as. Emilia, oh dear sweet Emilia. What a precious soul. She is so strong, she fights and endures so much adversity and she is so loving and kind and could've been weighed down by the wrongs that had been done to her but instead she still chooses to believe that there is still some goodness in the world. And she has her baby which is the strongest thing of all, and she cares so much for Florian and Joana, even though she's only just met them, and she just knows that Florian is a good man and she trusts him completely with her baby and her baby's survival. And she literally pushes Klaus into a boat at the end, and she gives her baby down too, and then she refuses to be the last person to get in the boat because she's not going to save herself when there are others to be saved and that's why she is so so so much better than stupid Alfred–because she literally sacrifices herself to save her baby and her friends and stupid Alfred just doesn't care about anyone but himself and continually proves it. So that was just a wild ride overall, watching the characters grow (or in Alfred's case, not grow, but just get more creepy and gross and repulsive) from the beginning of the book to the point when the Wilhelm Gustloff departs. And then when reading it, I just knew that everything was gonna go downhill and it was even worse because I knew it would be bad–I mean, "single greatest tragedy in maritime history"–but I didn't know exactly what it would be because as the book bio says it was a "shockingly little known casualty" of the war and I was soo tempted to look it up and see what happened, but I didn't want to be spoiled and then it was so much more worse than I thought. What a breathtaking tragedy; it's so so heartbreaking. And, the ending, oh the ending. The letter. Florian and Joana and Klaus and Halkina in America, and Emilia WHO DIES OH WHYYYYYY AND IS BURIED UNDER ROSES!!! ROSES–what is up with me reading WW2 historical fiction in which someone dies and is buried under roses ughhhghghghghghghghgh my heart cannot take it. But, another thing I really enjoyed was the sheer diversity of stories about WW2: I mean you have The Complete Maus and then you have Night and even Rose Under Fire–stories of Hitler's camps and survivor's tales–then you have things like Code Name Verity and The Book Thief and stories of resistance against the the Nazi Reich–you even have The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History and even Heist Society and even WHITE COLLAR touches on these stories that talk about other little known casualties of the war such as priceless works of art that were stolen by Hitler and the Party–and then you have Between Shades of Gray which is a lot like Night and Maus, but revolves around Stalin's policies–and then there is something like this book, which was a little bit of everything between everyone's different stories: Alfred's path as a Nazi psychopath, Florian's path as a former acolyte to a deserter and a traitor resisting the injustices committed by the party as well as an art historian and restoration expert, Joana's path as a nurse and a refugee from Stalin's Russia, and Emilia's path as a Polish refugee running from Hitler's practices. I don't know why I'm ranting so much, this was just an amazing read that followed such interesting and mostly lovable characters and showed the countless different paths and stories that come from WW2 and showed the strength of mankind to survive and to persevere and ugh the roses at the end, oh so many feelings.

[srcgiiireads]

Between Shades of Gray, Ruta Sepetys – 5/5 stars

In Between Shades of Gray, Ruta Sepetys weaves a poignant, moving story that follows one sixteen year old girl deported from her home, separated from her father, and forced to work in labor camps, with only hope and her family to cling to for survival.

Lina's story evokes a sense of sadness as well as hope in the reader, as well as makes the reader think about the consequences and outcomes of war and such heinous mistreatment of human beings: the tension and fear that everyone deported must face in the light of their situation; the unlikely connections and coming together of people thrust into tragedy and strife; the fight for survival, strength from family, love, and hope; consequences of other's actions, even unintended ones; aging and growing beyond one's age through hardship and out of necessity; etc., etc., honestly I could go on forever. Though Lina's story is not real, the true stories that hers is based on show how wonderfully resilient and strong people can be when faced with discrimination and unjust treatment. It's amazing to be reminded and shown how people can come together when faced with calamity and how people have the will to survive, even when all the odds are stacked against them. And even more incredible, is the courage of some of the persecuted who buried accounts of their experiences for others to find later, despite the danger it would prove to them if discovered by the wrong people.

I can't express how right it feels to me that Andrius and Lina do get married, after the twelve years she spends in Siberia with Jonas. I think it's also another beautiful example of how people are brought together by disaster, and also can be a kind of healing for those who experience disaster–to be with someone who experienced the same things and understands the emotional wounds that accompany such survival, to have someone who knows the source and knows how to comfort and whisk away nightmares and torments. I dunno, I literally just finished reading the book so I'm a little emotional and am mostly just rambling without forming any real coherent thoughts. I just like the idea of Andrius finding Lina and Jonas, and them being happy and healing together.

I also appreciate Septetys's inclusion of a character like Nikolai Kretzsky. Through him, she shows the blur between black and white, and right and wrong in times of despair. First, he is always a reluctant member of the NKVD, though he also always does what is expected of him as a member when in the presence of other officers. When he's in the presence of Lina, her mother, and Andrius, he starts to step a little away from the role he is supposed to be playing, but he never fully can distance himself, though it is obvious he is not truly one of the other officers. In his own ways, he tries to help and actually drastically changes situations for more positive outcomes, such as when he rescues–for lack of a better word?–Mrs. Vilsky from other officers ogling and objectifying her in the camp near Turaciak, and when he disappears from Trofimovsk but sends word to the doctor who later saves countless lives there. Though I don't think these actions make up for his other deeds in any real way, it does show that help can come from the most unexpected places and that there will always be some who cannot blindly follow the dehumanizing ideas of others. Between shades of gray, indeed.

Overall, this book is a masterpiece that brings every emotion, from happiness to sadness to hope to despair, to it's reader and showcases the resiliency of mankind, its refusal to go quietly into the night, and its fight to survive even the worst ordeals and is a new definite favorite.

[srcgiiireads]

Walk on Earth a Stranger (Gold Seer #1), Rae Carson – 5/5 stars honestly

Wow! It's been years since I read The Girl of Fire and Thorns series, by Rae Carson, and it was a pleasant surprise to see a new book beside those on the shelves at my library yesterday.

I wasn't sure exactly what to expect from this compared to Girl of Fire and Thorns, but it totally piqued my interest and was an exciting and fun read. Lee's journey westward has a similarity in the beginning to the journey of Huck and Jim in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. There is just about as much suspense in Lee's journey as well. I was pretty tightly wound for a lot of the beginning of the book, despite knowing that she would make it out (I mean, come on, you always know they're gonna make it out), but I think Carson's ability to write scenes that continued to put me on edge regardless should really be commended, lmao.

I loved Lee's personality and her no-nonsense attitude about what a woman can and can't do, as well as her refusal to be put down by the others in the company when her identity finally came out. She grows, in general, throughout the story by becoming a competent and brave leader and a hard worker by her time working for the Joyners on the boat and working with the company traveling across the plains–all as a man to the outside world, but this shapes Leah the girl as well and strengthens her resolve to survive and to stay strong and make the journey to California. Also, there really isn't much insight into Jefferson's character, imo, but he is part of the reason that Lee pushes forward and contributes to her drive. And, obviously, I imagine him as completely adorable. And, obviously, I am a sucker for their little barely-there-and-kinda-subtle-but-really-not-that-subtle pull Leah and Jeff feel towards each other...so...not nearly enough Sappy Romance for me in this one Rae.. (Hoping and expecting that to be remedied cause what can I say? I'm a romantic). I'm also really attached to Becky and little Andy Joyner so I hope hope hope they are in the next book. Leah's gold divining also seemed to take a bit of back seat for most of the journey, with a few exceptions, which wasn't really a problem for me, as there was really nothing for that to be used for while they were traveling, but I do hope we get to see more of it later.

Another thing I loved about the book was that quite a lot of the book is devoted to the journey across with the company across the Great Plains. As I live in (the Great State of) Wyoming, I recognized a lot of the landscape I see daily within their journey. There are rolling plains as far as the eye can see here, filled with golden grass waving in the wind (side note: THE WIND SUCKS SO BAD) and there are antelope literally all over the place and yeah it’s kind of boring because it’s all flat and there really aren’t trees but it’s home and it's honestly it’s own kind of gorgeous. I also live only about an hour away, if that, away from Independence Rock and I got little thrills to read about it and imagine Leah and Jeff carving their names there. It's just awesome to see the place I call home featured in such a book. Kids in Wyoming constantly hear and read and learn about settler's experiences traveling West, so this was very familiar, yet refreshing because of Leah's narrative.

Definitely will be reading the next book!

Also, peep the stock photos I found of Wyoming. But seriously, I literally live here. And it’s amazing to imagine Leah traveling through.

SERIOUSLY, I dunno about anyone else but is this not kinda a little bit breathtaking?

Ok, we don’t just have random wild buffalo roaming around anymore, but we do have herds that ranchers and what not own and put out to pasture.

Independence Rock is literally the dumbest looking piece of rock ever, but wow people on the Oregon Trail made it here and started carving their names into it and everyone followed suit and it’s amazing to go to.

We totally have antelope literally all over the damn place. They are kinda gorgeous. Taste like shit. Too much sagebrush. They do make good jerky though.. if anyone was wondering.

[srcgiiireads]

City of Saints and Thieves, Natalie C. Anderson –  4/5 stars

I liked this book a lot actually. I was a little surprised because I wasn't super into it for the first few chapters, but it really picked up and got more and more interesting and exciting as the stakes grew higher and Tina's story intensified.

As always, I appreciate a good twist/unveiling/aha moment and I totally got one. I'd be interested in going back to reread it to try to find any signs that pointed to it that may have been there, but I'll have to save that for another time. Also, Tina is just so badass; she's awesome. With her tattoos and her drive to succeed and her commitment to protect the people she loves and everything about her.

It was probably the first book I've read that really reveals real situations that people have to deal with in Kenya and Congo, with militias, dirty business, and blood money–I've seen Blood Diamond, but beyond that I haven't seen stuff about this much–so this was really refreshing to read a book based on many real experiences of actual refugees in Africa. It also featured diverse characters, and wasn't afraid to talk about the sad, cruel reality of what these people face with subjects like rape, kidnapping, and murder. I think it’s good to be reminded of stark realities like this, because otherwise it’s very easy to block unpleasant things out of our minds.

Overall, good read. Enjoyed it.