Book Review: A Court of Silver Flame by Sarah J. Maas

This is a reread. Like... my third reread, but whatever. Sometimes when you're going through a lot, you need comfort characters. Nesta and Cassian are mine.

While I acknowledge that SJM has some issues (lack of diversity being a main one), I have to say that I adore this book. One thing she has always been good at writing is mental health. It would have been easy for her to let Nesta fall to the wayside and just become a background character that people tolerated for what she could do for them.

Instead, she allows Nesta the opportunity to heal and my heart breaks and mends itself all throughout.

From the beginning of the novel, there are hints of Nesta's trauma, things she doesn't talk about. Like her inability to tolerate crackling fires. Another is how she lashes out at Cassian as a means of pushing him away.

Cassian is my heart. I love that he could always see beyond the brutal shell Nesta kept and that he kept extending his hand to her.

One of my favorite elements of this book aside from the romance is the friendship Nesta cultivated with Gwyn and Emerie. I am a big fan of the found family trope, and I really like that we got to see Nesta make a place for herself in the Night Court.

The romance is *chef's kiss*.

Things I still didn't like after a third read: Rhys keeping the truth from Feyre. That still feels so out of character. I know this novel is meant to be Nesta's POV, but it really didn't feel natural that Rhys kept the truth about the baby from her. It really felt like that was just an excuse to allow Rhys to go feral on Nesta so that they could have the wilderness scenes where Nesta finally breaks down and admits everything to Cassian.

I have also found that I really hate the trope where a character has to sacrifice their power at the end. Why can't we have both? Why couldn't Nesta have used the Dread Trove to save Feyre? Why did she have to strike a bargain with the Cauldron to save them?

Also, In ACOWAR, I loved the pact between Feyre and Rhys (where you go, I go), but this book really highlighted how dumb they were to make that bargain. Seriously, guys, it's nice to be romantic, but you really didn't think this one through.

All in all, I adore this book even if I didn't like all of the plot points.

I am worried, however, that SJM is going to change plots because the fandom has so many theories. I really want to see Azriel and Gwyn get together, but I worry that she's going to change it because so many fans have guessed it (GOT anyone?).

Always a fun read, I'm sure I'll do it again soon.

Abbie

From Page to Screen: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Are you ready? Really ready? This is one of my favorites, so it's no wonder that I picked it to be early on in this series! Also. Dystopian is probably my favorite genre, even if it isn't very popular right now. I first read this series at the peak of 2010s dystopia, and I have reread it multiple times since.

The BOOK

I originally started this series once all three books were out, so I didn't have any of the dreaded waiting between books.

I must say, however, I devoured this series in a matter of days the first time.

My first impression on this re-read was how fast of a read it was. While the book is 400+ pages, I read it over a handful of days.

The book itself is very well written. Roth did a fantastic job of getting a character invested from the very beginning and keeping that engagement throughout the entire story.

Given that I've seen the movie more recently than the book, there were a few details that I forgot: like just how competitive the initiates were amongst themselves. One of the initiates literally has their eye stabbed in the dormitory. This wasn't included in the movie, but I really wish it had been, because that moment gives a lot of insight into one of the villains: Peter.

Part of me really, really, wishes this was adult. I think that this has more to do with my personal preferences than anything, because once, I would completely devour YA for years on end.

Visually, Roth did a fantastic job describing settings and characters. I never once felt like I was in a black box, which happens for me more often than not.

Not to come back to the changes in movie, but the ending was slightly different. Honestly, I think I preferred the movie.

The MOVIE

Yall. This movie. This movie is everything that I could have ever imagined and more. While the casting may not have been the most accurate, I felt like they did a fantastic job specifically with the leads and direct supporting characters.

This movie introduced me to one of my favorite actresses, Zoe Kravitz. I first fell in love with her portrayal as Christina, and that continues on the rewatch. In the book, Christina was a little more competitive and petty than in the movie. I loved the bond between the two women on the screen.

Who can argue that Tobias "Four" Eaton is yummy?

I'll wait.

*crickets*

That said, Theo James looked wayyy too old to play an 18-year-old. I get it, totally. I love Theo, I've seen just about everything he's been in, but I really wish they had cast someone a little more age appropriate.

There is one moment that I don't know a single other actor could have played. When Tris and Four are discussing ----

I enjoyed Theo James's smarm. He played it so well.

The movie added Tris's elimination after the first round in the movie, which did not happen in the book. I, however, loved that change, especially when she came running toward the train.

I liked that they didn't make Christina as selfish as she was in the book.

I hated that they made Caleb a yes man in the movie, rather than the whole plot of their mom trying to get him to research the serums and allowing him to come to his own conclusion about Erudite.

Eric was spot. on.

I wish they'd have kept Edward's attack in the movie. Sadly, it was a plot point that had to be cut for time.

I liked Kate Winslet as Jeanine. She was perfectly cast, and the ending scene with the "I'm Divergent" line is *chef's kiss*.

Another thing I thought the movie did better than the books was to show Tris's hesitation to kill one of her friends under the influence of the serum.

Ansel Elgort can't run. That is all.

Final THOUGHTS

I just. This story is fantastic, which is why the rest of the series is so depressing. Well, not the rest of the series. Just... Allegiant. Insurgent (book) is fantastic, but the movie veered so far from the book that I would not suggest watching it. Allegiant is a whole hot mess in itself, and it never completely made it to screen (they split it into two parts, and the final part never filmed).

In my opinion, the movies really screwed one of the best character arcs: Peter. They didn't fully explore his shades of gray, and I really wanted to see that.

If you enjoy dystopian with unique worldbuilding, YA appropriate romance, and want to be left feeling the need to kick some ass, absolutely check out BOTH the movie and the book. Just don't go any further into the series. :)

Book Review: The Shattered City by Lisa Maxwell

It's no secret that I've been a big fan of The Last Magician series since I read the first book. Lisa Maxwell has literally had me hooked since the beginning with the 'will they, won't they' between Esta and Harte. In book three, The Serpent's Curse, she gave me what I wanted, but left an air of uncertainty about it.

The Shattered City picks right up where book three ended: Esta and Harte are back in New York, just across the Brink. They have to return to the city because they have to finish what they started.

The beginning of this novel was a little slow. I'll admit it took me a while to get through the first two hundred pages. She's thicc. But, once Esta and Harte returned to the city, the action picked up and it. didn't. stop.

Maxwell did a fantastic job of weaving several plots together to bring this fantastic series to its ending.

Between action packed scenes and tender romance, I I could not have been more pleased with this book. Also, there's a pretty amazing plot twist toward the end that literally had me messaging Lisa on Instagram because I was SO shocked.

I've tried to write time travel. Time travel is hard, but Lisa did such an amazing job of literally bringing the story full circle and giving everyone the happily ever after that they all worked so hard for. I loved it. I can't wait to see what she writes next!

Abbie