Review: Winterkill by Kate A. Boorman

This is my second time reading this book. I first read it almost three years ago now. Back then I gave this book a five stars. I loved it a lot. Yet I didn't read the sequels when they came out. And so now I decided to re-read this book, so that I can finally get to read book two and three. Oh. I'm not sure how to say this.

But, well. This time when reading this book I didn't really like it at all. And it breaks my heart. Because I do remember that I loved it. I had forgotten just about all the details, but still. I can't believe I have changed that much in just three years. But I must have. I loved it that first time. But this time, it's a two star for me. Sniffs.

I really wish I could say that I loved this book. And I did love it that once. But not this time. This time I had so many issues with it and I just don't understand why I did love it almost three years ago. Sigh. I'm so, so sad that I didn't love it this time too. It just breaks my heart. But even so, I'm still going to read book two next, and I'm excited about it. I hope that it will be better for me, and that I will love it lots. Crossing all my fingers. I'm trying to decide how to write this review of mine. I'm going to have issues trying to describe this book this time. Because, yeah, I really didn't think that I would end up disliking it now. And I'm already having trouble finding the words. But I'm trying my best. Just really wishing I could have loved it this second time too.

I wouldn't say that I had issues with the writing, thankfully. Some things were a bit hard to understand, but for the most part I liked the writing. Sadly, one thing I noticed while re-reading this book, is that it focus a whole lot on religion. And that just isn't my type of thing at all. Talk about the Almighty and whatever. They are all pretty obsessed with it, in a way. And in the way they live too, which just wasn't for me at all. I am unsure how it didn't bother me the first time I read it. Aw. I do not like religion books at all. Was too much.

But it also wasn't all bad. I did like the main character, Emmeline, a little bit at least. Was curious about her, and wanted to know her better. But I also sadly felt like I didn't get to know her much. I was curious about her past, about her grandmother. Wanted to know more about that. Her dad wasn't very interesting at all, sadly. Emmeline has problems with a foot. And I liked that a lot, that she was a bit broken. Except, well, she keeps hurting herself with her foot on purpose, all the time. I didn't care for that. Not my thing.

This book is about a village. It seems like it's set far in the past, considering how they all live. Supposed to be a type of fantasy book. But, well, there weren't anything magic in this one. No magical creatures. So no fantasy at all. Aw. But I still did enjoy the plot at times. And I did love it the first time I read it. But, well. This time I didn't care much for it. Aw. I found the story to be pretty boring and moving way too slow. And then the ending moving way too fast. Was too rushed, and not that good either. Still, curious about more.

Anyway. About this village. I liked reading about how things worked in this place. If there had been less religion, I might have liked it more. I also liked this village because it reminded me about the movie, The Village, which I saw years ago and liked a lot. But this one was a bit too boring, sadly. I just couldn't find it in me to care for Emmeline. She just turned sixteen. Boys that are sixteen will want to marry her now. But also this man that is ten years older than her. He wants to marry her too. And just. Ugh. I did not like this.

I'm not sure how I managed to enjoy this part when I first read it. Okay, how I managed to just move past it. Because this time I cannot. This man wants to marry Emmeline. He's starting to hang around her all the time. She doesn't tell him no. But she does not want to be with him, and she doesn't feel anything for him, yet she's still thinking that she has to marry him. And I didn't care for that at all. Ugh. He wasn't a love interest. He was just this creepy older guy and I did not like him one bit. It annoyed me so much too.

The love interest is a boy of sixteen, Kane. And I wish I could say that I loved him. But I really didn't. He fell so flat to me. I didn't care for him one bit. Emmeline just suddenly notices him in the crowd, and her stomach feels weird right away. Uhm. Okay. And then they sort of spend time together. Not much time. Not time to talk to each other about themselves. But they are in love a little bit after. Even saying I love you. Just. Gah. It bothered me a lot. Such insta-love. I just didn't feel anything, sadly. Aw. Disappointing.

I just. I so wish I had been able to love this book again. But I wasn't. I was pretty disappointed by it, to be honest. Sort of wish I hadn't read it again, since my opinion changed. Aw. But also glad I did. And I will be reading the next two books. Hope they will be better for me. I didn't share much about the plot, because it isn't much of one. It's interesting at times, but I wasn't in love with it. Sigh. I do think you should read this book, though. Because I did love it that time three years ago. I just had all these issues this time. Sigh.

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