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mehsi's review against another edition
3.0
3 stars for the following reasons:
-1 star for the craptastic ending.
-1 star for Mary. Dear Lord, she became a total Bitch (yes with a capital B).
I am disappointed in this book. Not only because of characters, but also because of the ending.
First of all characters.
Lillia and Kat are great characters and I loved them a lot in this book. Sure Lillia is still not all that tactful with how she treats boys (she should just have been honest from the get-go), but I still really liked her. She really has grown since the first book.
Then we have Mary, after the revelation of the last book (which was a shock), she turned into a total bitch. I am sure if she had thought things through, hello? You disappeared on them, what did you think, they would hold a national search for you? They tried their best to find you and when they didn't, life freaking continues. And yes, then things might happen, and yes, you can freaking cry and be pissed off all you want, but sorry you have no right to get pissy pissy about it. Eff off.
She was utterly selfish, she was a total Bitch and sorry, I loved her in the previous books, and in this book I just wanted to erase her. Throw her away. I am really sad this happened, she was one of my favourite characters in the previous books.
The rest of the book is nice-ish/so-so, but it felt more like: Oh hey, we had a revelation at the end, and now we have to write a book with it, because otherwise people will get pissy and angry and demand answers. It was totally over the top and I didn't like the revenge things any more. Especially since it just didn't fit.
I felt sorry for Reeve, for all he had to go through. Sure he was a prick, and sure he bullied people. And yes I hate bullying and all that, but he was also a kid, and he also was very sad about it when things turned bad. Even know, years after it happened, he was sad about it, horrified by what he had done.
And considering what happened in the previous books, I think he had his fair share of Revenge Cake.
Then we have the ending and all that brought up for me. I hated the ending. So very very much. I won't spoil anything, but various things that happened shouldn't have happened, it felt like they went for the easy way out, and in their way of doing that, destroyed everything they have written. It was just utterly silly and I am really hoping they will rewrite it, or make an extra small novella with a rewritten ending, because sorry, this is just a crappy way to end a series.
All in all. I would say read the first 2 books, then the first few pages of this book and then drop it and run. Don't let this book ruin the series for you.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
-1 star for the craptastic ending.
-1 star for Mary. Dear Lord, she became a total Bitch (yes with a capital B).
I am disappointed in this book. Not only because of characters, but also because of the ending.
First of all characters.
Lillia and Kat are great characters and I loved them a lot in this book. Sure Lillia is still not all that tactful with how she treats boys (she should just have been honest from the get-go), but I still really liked her. She really has grown since the first book.
Then we have Mary, after the revelation of the last book (which was a shock), she turned into a total bitch. I am sure if she had thought things through, hello? You disappeared on them, what did you think, they would hold a national search for you? They tried their best to find you and when they didn't, life freaking continues. And yes, then things might happen, and yes, you can freaking cry and be pissed off all you want, but sorry you have no right to get pissy pissy about it. Eff off.
She was utterly selfish, she was a total Bitch and sorry, I loved her in the previous books, and in this book I just wanted to erase her. Throw her away. I am really sad this happened, she was one of my favourite characters in the previous books.
The rest of the book is nice-ish/so-so, but it felt more like: Oh hey, we had a revelation at the end, and now we have to write a book with it, because otherwise people will get pissy and angry and demand answers. It was totally over the top and I didn't like the revenge things any more. Especially since it just didn't fit.
I felt sorry for Reeve, for all he had to go through. Sure he was a prick, and sure he bullied people. And yes I hate bullying and all that, but he was also a kid, and he also was very sad about it when things turned bad. Even know, years after it happened, he was sad about it, horrified by what he had done.
And considering what happened in the previous books, I think he had his fair share of Revenge Cake.
Then we have the ending and all that brought up for me. I hated the ending. So very very much. I won't spoil anything, but various things that happened shouldn't have happened, it felt like they went for the easy way out, and in their way of doing that, destroyed everything they have written. It was just utterly silly and I am really hoping they will rewrite it, or make an extra small novella with a rewritten ending, because sorry, this is just a crappy way to end a series.
All in all. I would say read the first 2 books, then the first few pages of this book and then drop it and run. Don't let this book ruin the series for you.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
elliearchive's review against another edition
2.0
i got real sick of these characters man, glad its over haha i like the ending tbh
brendalovesbooks's review against another edition
2.0
The writing in this book is insanely compelling. It's easy to read, and kept me turning pages. But if an author doesn't know how to write a good ending to a series, it ruins the whole thing. The ending was abrupt, but even worse, the epilogue was written for a different book. Seriously, it didn't match this book at all. I mean, the names of the characters were the same, but characterization and everything that had happened in the previous three books was just thrown out the window. That's not good writing.
caitykat30's review against another edition
3.0
I love love loved the first two books. I read them in four days total I just couldnt put them down. That being said..f**k. This. Book. I hated so much about it and the epilogue basically broke my heart. Scratch that. The epilogue DID break my heart. This book was a let down compared to the rest of the series but if you're going to read it please please PLEASE skip the epilogue, unless you want the entire series ruined for you.
tianamaelyn's review against another edition
3.0
Better than the sequel. I couldn’t stand Mary though. Still feel like the paranormal stuff came out of nowhere and I probably would have liked the stories better if I knew it was coming. Also what was that last chapter? I feel like everything didn’t make sense.
narteest's review against another edition
4.0
Finishing this, I was left with mixed feelings. Overall, I really did enjoy this book as the final book to the series, at the same time, I was left pondering some questions.
The Plot:
This is the final book to the trilogy, and all the revenge that Kat, Lillia and Mary planned in book 1 is now coming to a final end. With the cliffhanger that we, as readers, were left with at the end of Fire with Fire, you definitely want to know what happens in Ashes to Ashes. Mary goes psycho in her thirst for revenge, while Kat and Lillia are left without Mary, wondering where Mary went, and dealing with the aftermath of Rennie's death, and also the choices they made in Fire with Fire.
Overall I had nothing against the plot. The events of this novel was thought out well and displayed the maximum character development.
It was also quite gripping, and intense, and all of Mary's sections were very emotional. Lillia's too since she must deal with her choices and feelings for Reeve. As for Kat, she grew on me the most.
The Characters:
Oh god, how do I described the hurricane I went through with each of these characters? As much as I felt for each of these characters inthe other books, this one just really brought out their characters. You really see them develop, and you really see them hurt.
Lillia > I liked Lillia a lot more in this book. It might be because I got to see her when she wasn't thinking about revenge or worried about her rep or what. Lillia grieves for Rennie. But she also loves Reeve, and she wants to balance both except at the end of the last book, it's obvious she can't have both. And yet in this one, even though she can be with Reeve now, there's so much guilty, not just with the dead Rennie in between them, but also Mary. I really liked seeing Lillia happy in this book. I liked seeing her with Reeve even though Reeve got corny sometimes, it's evident that he's really deeply in love with her. But then when things take a turn for the worse with Mary, Lillia does whatever she can to save Reeve.
Kat > Kat was probably my favourite character in this novel. She changes a lot. Well, without Lillia's urging, she mightn't have. But in this one, they are both clearly open friends (can't remember when they revealed that in the previous book) and lean on each other. But Kat, out of them both, she's the one who grows the most. From the beginning of the trilogy to the end, you see her go from outcast to someone who gave social gatherings a chance and wasn't afraid to take that chance.
Mary > Her story hits the climax in this book. I loved her chaotic madness, her desperation for revenge and payback. But, for Mary, her ending kind of disappointed me. It was like there was so much climax, and then her resolution isn't really very satisfactory. Rather, it's very anticlimatic.
Relationships
Lillia & Reeve > their ending totally sucked. Sure I know it was fitting to the story, but it sucked. And while yes I loved the ending, loved how perfect it was for this kind of story and series, that needed an ending like this. I think it just wasn't fair for the both of them. Though I try and rationalise how right the ending is, still, I can still say it sucked right?
Lillia & Alex > I like that they resolve their issues in this one. Poor Alex! But then, there was one thing I really hated. I hated how Lillia, the moment Reeve was threatened, she turned to Alex (even though they were fighting, he really does appear at the right moment) and I really don't know what to think about the convenience of Lillia moving on and saying she and Reeve broke up, and yet never really explaining the truth to Alex. I don't know, is it weird that I would have loved to have seen a seen in which she explains it? Yet at the same time I totally get why such a scene wasn't needed. Lillia was hiding the truth, not just because she wouldn't be believed, but because she wanted Reeve to live. Still it added to drama and I don't know, sweet or not, Alex was way too nice.
Lillia & everyone else > Seriously, some people put Rennie on way too high a pedestal. This book really emphasises on extreme bullying and while I know bullying is a serious problem, geezzzz shouldn't friends stick together? And yet, because Han and Vivian are geniuses, they make everything believable in this novel. They put the evens and feelings in the right places and you can't just help but shake your head and believe in the story being told. I guess in the end, the way Lillia makes up with her friends was nice.
Kat & Oberlin > I liked her resolution, I guess it gives her a chance to move on from death, but after working so hard, it was a shame that what Kat had to give up on was a place at Oberlin...
O v e r a l l > Each character developed well. Reeve hurt the most, and at the end he was so regretful, I think his story was the saddest.
Actually. I should probably class this as a gothic novel.
Setting
Jar Island.
Overall:
This is a terrible review, but I would definitely suggest it as a suggestive read. It's so much shorter than the previous book, but it ties up the loose ends. Satisfactory conclusion, intense, a little disappointing, but good nonetheless.
The Plot:
This is the final book to the trilogy, and all the revenge that Kat, Lillia and Mary planned in book 1 is now coming to a final end. With the cliffhanger that we, as readers, were left with at the end of Fire with Fire, you definitely want to know what happens in Ashes to Ashes. Mary goes psycho in her thirst for revenge, while Kat and Lillia are left without Mary, wondering where Mary went, and dealing with the aftermath of Rennie's death, and also the choices they made in Fire with Fire.
Overall I had nothing against the plot. The events of this novel was thought out well and displayed the maximum character development.
It was also quite gripping, and intense, and all of Mary's sections were very emotional. Lillia's too since she must deal with her choices and feelings for Reeve. As for Kat, she grew on me the most.
The Characters:
Oh god, how do I described the hurricane I went through with each of these characters? As much as I felt for each of these characters inthe other books, this one just really brought out their characters. You really see them develop, and you really see them hurt.
Lillia > I liked Lillia a lot more in this book. It might be because I got to see her when she wasn't thinking about revenge or worried about her rep or what. Lillia grieves for Rennie. But she also loves Reeve, and she wants to balance both except at the end of the last book, it's obvious she can't have both. And yet in this one, even though she can be with Reeve now, there's so much guilty, not just with the dead Rennie in between them, but also Mary. I really liked seeing Lillia happy in this book. I liked seeing her with Reeve even though Reeve got corny sometimes, it's evident that he's really deeply in love with her. But then when things take a turn for the worse with Mary, Lillia does whatever she can to save Reeve.
Kat > Kat was probably my favourite character in this novel. She changes a lot. Well, without Lillia's urging, she mightn't have. But in this one, they are both clearly open friends (can't remember when they revealed that in the previous book) and lean on each other. But Kat, out of them both, she's the one who grows the most. From the beginning of the trilogy to the end, you see her go from outcast to someone who gave social gatherings a chance and wasn't afraid to take that chance.
Mary > Her story hits the climax in this book. I loved her chaotic madness, her desperation for revenge and payback. But, for Mary, her ending kind of disappointed me. It was like there was so much climax, and then her resolution isn't really very satisfactory. Rather, it's very anticlimatic.
Relationships
Lillia & Reeve > their ending totally sucked. Sure I know it was fitting to the story, but it sucked. And while yes I loved the ending, loved how perfect it was for this kind of story and series, that needed an ending like this. I think it just wasn't fair for the both of them. Though I try and rationalise how right the ending is, still, I can still say it sucked right?
Lillia & Alex > I like that they resolve their issues in this one. Poor Alex! But then, there was one thing I really hated. I hated how Lillia, the moment Reeve was threatened, she turned to Alex (even though they were fighting, he really does appear at the right moment) and I really don't know what to think about the convenience of Lillia moving on and saying she and Reeve broke up, and yet never really explaining the truth to Alex. I don't know, is it weird that I would have loved to have seen a seen in which she explains it? Yet at the same time I totally get why such a scene wasn't needed. Lillia was hiding the truth, not just because she wouldn't be believed, but because she wanted Reeve to live. Still it added to drama and I don't know, sweet or not, Alex was way too nice.
Lillia & everyone else > Seriously, some people put Rennie on way too high a pedestal. This book really emphasises on extreme bullying and while I know bullying is a serious problem, geezzzz shouldn't friends stick together? And yet, because Han and Vivian are geniuses, they make everything believable in this novel. They put the evens and feelings in the right places and you can't just help but shake your head and believe in the story being told. I guess in the end, the way Lillia makes up with her friends was nice.
Kat & Oberlin > I liked her resolution, I guess it gives her a chance to move on from death, but after working so hard, it was a shame that what Kat had to give up on was a place at Oberlin...
O v e r a l l > Each character developed well. Reeve hurt the most, and at the end he was so regretful, I think his story was the saddest.
Actually. I should probably class this as a gothic novel.
Setting
Jar Island.
Overall:
This is a terrible review, but I would definitely suggest it as a suggestive read. It's so much shorter than the previous book, but it ties up the loose ends. Satisfactory conclusion, intense, a little disappointing, but good nonetheless.
judemoon's review against another edition
3.0
I was afraid of not liking this third book as much as I liked the other two and I was (as expected) right. In my case I'm sure it was because of the timing, because I read the second book 3 or 4 years prior to this one, so I had forgotten half of the plot and I obvsly noticed some things I hadn't quite catch at that time.
The plot was quite good, it just felt quite... hectic. Lots of things happened and some of them came out of the blue and I must say at times I felt a little bit confused about everything.
As for the characters I actually was dissapointed with my renewed view of them. There's some people that I didn't like from the very beginning, Reeve and Rennie for example, but characters like Lillia and Kat felt much more flat than I remembered. This happened basically because I didn't understand the motifs behind the mayority of their decisions, specially Lillia's, so I couldn't quite connect to them or feel as much sympathy for them as I would've liked it to.
In general, I didn't love it, but I would recommend it if you are starting to read YA and you want a fast-paced trilogy, because if there's something I really enjoyed about these books was how fast you read them.
My rating: 6/10
The plot was quite good, it just felt quite... hectic. Lots of things happened and some of them came out of the blue and I must say at times I felt a little bit confused about everything.
As for the characters I actually was dissapointed with my renewed view of them. There's some people that I didn't like from the very beginning, Reeve and Rennie for example, but characters like Lillia and Kat felt much more flat than I remembered. This happened basically because I didn't understand the motifs behind the mayority of their decisions, specially Lillia's, so I couldn't quite connect to them or feel as much sympathy for them as I would've liked it to.
In general, I didn't love it, but I would recommend it if you are starting to read YA and you want a fast-paced trilogy, because if there's something I really enjoyed about these books was how fast you read them.
My rating: 6/10
writer_a_fox's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5