Review: Kinslayer by Jay Kristoff

I can't decide if I'm happy or not about waiting a few months before reading this. I got an eARC a few months back, and like always, I peeked. Which scared me. So I waited. Then I got my pre-ordered hardcover and I had to re-read Stormdancer and be brave enough to read Kinslayer. I loved it so much. But my god. It broke me to pieces. I felt everything. So much heartbreak.

I feel like I shouldn't have to say that my review will contain a whole bunch of spoilers from Stormdancer. But I'm saying it anyway. There will be a lot of spoilers for book one. Just so you are warned :) Probably no spoilers for Kinslayer, though I wish to write about all that happened. But I won't, promise :D Kinslayer was just so amazing and there were so much happening.

I just can't deal with my feelings for this book. I can't. And I don't really know how to begin this review. How to talk about this book without giving away all the spoilers that I have in my heart. I don't know how to remember to talk about all the characters. But I'm hoping to remember most of them. But even if I don't, I loved them all. Because there are so many. Okay, fine, I did not love them all. I hated most of them. Mostly I just loved Kin and Yukiko and Buruu. Though there were a handful of new characters whose gotten a place in my heart. And they were amazing. Mostly cruel people in this book, though.

Kinslayer starts where Stormdancer ended. About 50 days after Yukiko murdered the Shogun. And since her father died in her arms. Sobs. But the thing that broke me the most, was reading the description of the characters in the beginning. I did not realize while reading the ending of Stormdancer that Yukiko left Kin behind in the city. That broke my heart into a million pieces. Thank god I didn't spend a whole year knowing that information. Sigh. Still, it wasn't too bad. Maybe :D Because Kin is in this book a lot.

This is told from the point of view of many characters. Kin, Yukiko, sometimes Buruu and a whole bunch of new characters. I still love that these books are from so many different characters. I was never overwhelmed by it. Though there were a few times that I wished to read more from one characters point of view, and got a little bit frustrated that I had to wait while reading from someone else, lol. But I did love all the different characters. They were all needed. And it is written so well. Easier than book one :)

Well, okay, that might be a lie. I say Kinslayer was written easier than Stormdancer. Not really. Because it seemed to have taken me forever to read this book, when all I did today was read. But I didn't have any trouble with the book, I understood everything. Though there are many names to remember. Many expressions and things to remember as well. I felt like I remembered them all, though, and I'm very happy about that. Would have sucked a bit to not know what was going on, lol. But it was amazing.

There is just so much happening in this book. I think it all happened in three weeks. And while it took me ages to read this book, I just wished it had been longer. Because, damn it, evil ending. But also pretty amazing. Anyway. We get to see a lot more of Yukiko in this book. Sometimes she pissed me off. She did some dumb things. But I adore her. She's strong and awesome. She's trying her best, even with her awful head pains. Those just broke my heart. But I loved reading about it so much, even so.

I do adore Yukiko. But yes. She really frustrated me in this book. Some things in the beginning broke my heart, the first pages. But then a few pages later I was so, so happy. Then even more heartbroken. Unfair. I don't know what her feelings for Kin is. I hope she loves him. I want her to love him. I need them to be together. But sometimes I got the feeling she was just using him. And I couldn't stand that. Hope I'm wrong. Because a few times when she thinks of him.. Swoon. I loved those moments the most.

Then there is Buruu. The thunder tiger. And oh, how I loved him. I loved him and Yukiko together so much. They are amazing. We get to know him a bit more in this book. A few things that broke my heart. But they also made me curious. I need to know more. Hopefully getting to know a lot more in book three. Favorite part of Buruu and Yukiko together is when she and him are one. It's pretty amazing to read about and gah. It just makes me so jealous. I want my own Buruu. To share everything with.

My favorite character in still Kin. He's so adorable in the beginning. But then, in the end, I didn't really understand him. And it broke my heart so much. But I did get it, for the most part. I just.. I wish it doesn't ruin things. I wish he and Yukiko can be together. Because they do make an awesome couple. But oh. Reading about Kin with the Kage.. it broke my heart into pieces. They were so cruel towards him. So evil and mean. So much hate. And, sigh, a new Guildsman. Girl. Grrr. A bit annoyed about it, hih :)

I talk too much. But I just had to. But oh. I need to mention all the new characters. We get to read a lot more of Michi, whom I'm not sure how to feel about. I liked her, but hated what she did to this one man. Sniffs. We also see more of a few characters from Stormdancer. Won't spoil it. But yeah. It was evil! And heartbreak. And all kinds of awesome. Sigh. I can't deal with all the characters in this book. They were just too many and too amazing and just so perfect. Every character is written really, really well.

A favorite of mine was Hana. And her brother, Yoshi. They were so damn amazing. But my god. The scenes with them broke my heart the most. Well, maybe. Loved their cat, Daken. Heartbreak. Loved Yoshi's boyfriend. Even more heartbreak. Loved Hana so much. She's tough and smart and sweet. And broken too, I think. I just wish to know even more about them. But I loved how much I did get to know about them both. But damn it. So much heartbreak with them. So much pain and torture. So unfair.

You should know that there is a lot of torture in this book. And you get to read all of it. It's awful. And I loved it so much. Must be something wrong with me, lol. But it was amazing to read about. All of it was. But so much pain. So much heartbreak. So much torture. There is also sex scenes between some new characters. Which I kind of liked. Though, uhm, I might have wished for it between someone else, oh well. Maybe in another book :D Anyway. This is still an YA book. An amazing one at that. <3

I wish to talk forever about Kinslayer. But I won't. But my god. There is so much happening and I feel like I haven't expressed it well enough. So many amazing characters. Some new creepy creatures. Whom I NEED to know more about. You know, that gorgeous dragon on the most gorgeous book cover. The plot is just amazing in this book. But damn it. I can't get over all the heartbreak. And the betrayal. Yet I have a small hope inside me. Just need book three now, please. Kinslayer was amazing. Read it. Right now.

I hope my review ended up making sense. My head isn't really making much sense right now, though. Feeling so much. And so little, because Kinslayer did break me. Evil book! Yet I couldn't help but love it. Damn it. I cannot wait for book three. Yet I fear the wait will be more than a year. Sigh. I want it now! Anyway. Kinslayer is a MUST after having read Stormdancer. And you need to read both. Thank you so much to St. Martins Press for eARC via NetGalley, though I ended up reading my hardcover of the book :)

Goodreads - Buy it

Update: Newer and better review of the book can be found here.

In My Mailbox #99

I got some pretty amazing books this week. <3 The Dream Thieves. Love. Kinslayer. Mega love. Just read it, writing my review now :) Got some other amazing books and things as well. <3 Though, sobs. Still missing so much. Unfair. Oh, well. I've been feeling like crap for weeks now, and yesterday I finally got more medicine. So hoping to be feeling a lot better in a few days. We'll see. Oh, I'm also very sad. Because I keep getting declined for Rebel Spring and The Offering and Vitro on Edelweiss. Three books that I'm absolutely dying to read. Sobs. Making me sad. What did you get this week?

Rose Under Fire. Read this just a short while ago. Oh, this book is just so perfect. Love my hardcover :)
Thornhill. I really hope to find time to read this soon :D Really loved book one. So excited for this.
The Dream Thieves. Gorgeous US hardcovers. <3 Sigh. They are perfect. Need to re-read soon, hih :)
The Waking Dark. People said this was scary and awful and I just had to buy it. Hope I will love it :D
Origin. Loved this book. So I just had to own this gorgeous US paperback. <3 Need to read the extras :D
This Song Will Save Your Life. Read this a short while ago. It was beautiful. Love the hardcover <3
Bitterblue. Oh, gorgeous, gorgeous US paperback. PERFECT book. Perfect series. So much love.
The Dream Thieves. Gorgeous UK paperbacks :D They are really pretty and I love them. Amazing book.
Kinslayer. Oh, BEST COVERS EVER, I think. So gorgeous. Such an awful perfect book. Loved it.

Tinker Bell. Bought these three for just £10 :D But ohh. Just realized I'm missing movie one.. Need.
Fierce Reads Bookmark. Got this in my hardcover of TSWSYL. <3 Gorgeous bookmark! I love it.
City of Bones. My first CD from amazon was broken. So they sent me a new one. Thank you :D Love it.
The Dream Thieves. Yesss. Signed UK paperback :D LOVE that the sticker wasn't stuck inside. <3
Cat. Cat keychain and nail file. <3 Got from my mom from her vacation. They are pretty cute, hih :)
Porco Rosso. I now have all the Studio Ghibli figures of this kind :D Love this one; it's pretty cute.
My Blue Nose Friends. These plushes are awesome. I own very many of them, lol. Just so, so cute :D

In My Mailbox is an weekly meme made by The Story Siren.

Book Recommendation: Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

I had forgotten how much I loved Stormdancer. It's been way more than a year since I first read it last summer. It took me forever to re-read it, even though I've wanted to read it again ever since I finished it. But I was worried about reading it again, because I remembered this one thing that would break my heart and annoy me a tiny bit. And it still did. But it wasn't all that bad, and I felt like I understood it better this time. So yeah. I'm very glad I re-read Stormdancer now, before I finally read Kinslayer :)

It took me a few days to re-read this. It's kind of a difficult book to read with a whole bunch of complicated words. But it is also written so good and I loved the world and characters so much. While it was hard to read sometimes, it was very worth it. I think Stormdancer is an amazing book and I recommend that you all read it. It may be a tiny bit hard to understand in the beginning, but you should not give up on it. Because it's so interesting and it gave me all the feels. Happiness and heartbreak.

Stormdancer is told from so many different point of views. But it is mostly just told from the point of view of Yukiko, a sixteen year old girl. And oh, I loved her so much. She's strong and kind and sweet. Well, fine, she does this one selfish thing that broke my heart a bit. But I still like her, and I think she's an amazing heroine. I loved reading about her past, about her brother and mother. Though those flashback scenes shattered my heart. So sad. Yet I loved those scenes so much. I loved Yukiko's heart.

I don't know how to write this. How to write about this amazing book. I wish to talk about all of it, yet I shouldn't talk about it at all because I feel that I will spoil everything. But I think I have some things to talk about, most likely. All those characters. I loved Yukiko and Buruu the most. Though Kin might be my favorite character. He's so sweet and honest and he has the sweetest heart. I don't understand how people can hurt him so much. I loved reading from his point of view, though that too was sad.

Another character I liked was Yukiko's father. He is the Black Fox of Shima and he's pretty amazing. Well, okay, he's not that amazing in this book. He has faded away and he smokes too much Lotus. It just broke my heart, all of it. Especially when I learned why he is that way. So much heartbreak, damn it. Unfair. But so, so good. And real. I also loved reading about his friends, they were amazing. I'm bad at remembering how their names are spelled, just know that they are all very amazing to read about.

There is so much to read about in this book. So many things to learn. The plot is truly amazing and I just cannot explain it at all. But yeah. I loved reading about it. About the Lotus and the Guildsmen and everything. I loved reading about the legends. I hated how bad things were in this world. I loved it as well. I want to get to know more about it all. About the lands next to Shima. I want to know everything. Mostly I want to know even more about the thunder tiger. He was truly amazing to read about.

This book is mostly about Yukiko and Buruu. Though we get to read about a bunch of other characters too. But those are the main ones. And I loved reading about them together. Their arguments. Their love. Their friendship. It was written so perfect though it did make me so sad most of the time. But it was so good and I loved reading about. I loved the parts in the middle of the book the most, when they are all out in the forest. Sigh. Loved that. Ohh, also curious about the Oni. They were so creepy.

I just can't describe this book. I can't share how I felt about it, because I felt so much. It is amazing and I'm so glad I read it and just re-read it. It's heartbreaking. It's beautiful. There is a little romance in this book, with Yukiko and Hiro. I did not approve. At all. I adore Kin. Sniffs. But oh, it was interesting to read about, for the most part, and I didn't really hate it. Just hated that Kin got hurt. Not fair at all. Anyway. Stormdancer is amazing. And I loved it so much. Now I'm worried about starting Kinslayer :)

Stormdancer. Jay Kristoff. The Book Depository.
My old review of Stormdancer.

Update: Newer and better review of the book can be found here.

Waiting on Wednesday #101

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

PERFECT RUIN BY LAUREN DESTEFANO

Goodreads Description:

On Internment, the floating island in the clouds where 16-year-old Morgan Stockhour lives, getting too close to the edge can lead to madness. Even though Morgan's older brother, Lex, was a Jumper, Morgan vows never to end up like him. She tries her best not to mind that her life is orderly and boring, and if she ever wonders about the ground, and why it is forbidden, she takes solace in best friend Pen and her betrothed, Basil.

Then a murder, the first in a generation, rocks the city. With whispers swirling and fear on the wind, Morgan can no longer stop herself from investigating, especially when she meets Judas. He is the boy being blamed for the murder — betrothed to the victim — but Morgan is convinced of his innocence. Secrets lay at the heart of Internment, but nothing can prepare Morgan for what she will find — or who she will lose.

Hardcover, 356 pages

Expected publication: October 1st 2013 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Pre-Order here.

Feels like I've waited forever for Perfect Ruin to come out. And soon it is here! I cannot wait to read it. I adore Lauren DeStefano so much, and I loved her other books, and I just know I will love this one too. Cannot wait to get to know Morgan and Pen and Basil and Judas. And the world! Sigh. So excited. <3
What are you waiting for?

Review: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

I've known for months that when I finally got to read this book I would love it. And I did. I loved it so much. It broke my heart a bit, though. Because it's very real and I felt so much for everything that happened in this book. It almost made me cry. It made me smile like a crazy person. I just loved it so much.

I don't think I will post any spoilers in my review. Just talking about the things I loved. Like Cath and Levi. And Cath's obsession with Simon Snow. Which was all kinds of awesome and I can relate to that so much. Fangirl was the best kind of book. Cath is a part of a fandom. Yet I'm fangirling about her :)

I don't know how to deal with my feelings for this book. On the one hand, I loved it more than Eleanor and Park. But on the other this romance seemed to have more issues at first than Eleanor and Park did. But then again, this romance might have been ever better and sweeter and gave me all the feels. Sigh. I just loved them both. Both books are amazing. I need more.

There is so much to love in Fangirl. And I loved all of it. The book is told from the point of view of Cath, 18 year old first-year college student. I adored her so much. She felt so much like myself in the beginning. Though not really, since I have not gone to college. I don't have the same experience as she does and get. Probably won't ever, but I'm okay with that. Because I get to read books like this. I get to fall in love with these amazing characters. I loved reading about Cath. She's cute, funny and I loved her.

Cath is a twin. Her sister is named Wren, and I think I liked her. I can't decide. She got better near the end. Maybe. But oh. She's a bit awful in this book. She's selfish and mean and I did not approve of her. She hurt Cath a lot. I did not like that. But, I loved their father. He's a bit crazy but I loved that about him. He's awesome. Wish we had gotten to read more about him, though. Then there is their mother. I hated her. She left when they were eight. We get to read a bit about her. Glad Cath hated her too.

There is just so much in this book. So many characters. So many things happening, though it isn't all that exciting things, since it's not a fantasy book. But oh. I loved all the little things. I loved reading about Cath in college. About her writing class. About her writing with asshole-Nick. Most of all I loved that Cath wrote fan fiction. I haven't tried it yet, but years ago I loved reading it so much. I craved it. And yeah. This was amazing to read about. Because I got Cath's obsession. Like I'm obsessed with Rob.

I loved reading about Cath's roommate, Reagan. She's awesome. Though I did understand why Cath got jealous a few times. That was a bit sad. But yeah. Reagan was amazing and I loved her. Then there is Levi. The love interest. And oh, he is perfect. Well, he does some dumb things, but I don't hate him for it. He's charming and sweet and all kinds of amazing. I loved reading about him. And him and Cath together. It was so good. And sweet. And I can't get over it. I wanted more, but I loved what there was.

I need to know more about Simon Snow, though. And Baz. Cath write about them being in love, and it's the sweetest thing. I want to read her entire fan fiction. I want to read the eight books. Though they sound a lot like Harry Potter, they are not the same. And, goddamn it, I wanted them to be real. Now just waiting for Rainbow to write those eight books, lol :D Would love to read them. Though first I need a sequel to Fangirl. <3 Oh, I've talked too much. Just, writing is perfect. The characters are amazing.

There were a couple of things I disliked about the ending of this book. Which I will discuss. And it will be spoilery. Though nothing too bad, I think, just some of the romance. I guess you should read it if you want to know :) But anyway. The romance is awesome, but oh. I kept waiting for this one thing to happen, because it had been pretty steamy and Cath thought about sex a lot, and then it never happened. At least she never mentioned it happening. That disappointed me. Need a sequel for it ;p

But even though I did not get that sex scene, there were still some amazing kissing scenes and no-kissing scenes. This was a romantic book and I loved Cath and Levi so much. But yeah. I am disappointed that I didn't get to know whether they slept together or not. Thought that was an important thing to get to know. Oh, well. I was happy about the ending. But yes, I do want another book :) Need it. I need to know what happened with Cath's fan fiction. What happened with the final Snow book.

Anyway. This book is amazing. I loved it and I think all of you would love it too. So, go buy it if you haven't yet. And if you do have it then go read it. It's worth it. Even with the bit of heartbreak. I enjoyed the ending of the book. Okay, I enjoyed all of the book. And if you haven't read Eleanor & Park either, then you should do that too :D Because both books by Rainbow are amazing. I hope she continues to write these amazing YA books. I will read anything she writes. (Well, about teenagers. <3)

Goodreads - Buy it