kellyjcm's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely fantastic. Sizzling romance, strong character growth, political maneuvering. This book has it all, as well as a unique fantasy world that I'm not going to comment on until I finish the trilogy.
trin_ney18's review against another edition
5.0
4.5/5 Stars
I LOVE THIS SERIES SO MUCH
What I Loved
- I love when people can find inner strength and realize just how much of a badass they are.
- The romance melted my heart. I just loved the slow burn of it and the angst. I'm not the biggest romance fan but I loved this one too much for words.
- The culture is so rich in this series and I feel like I'm becoming a more open-minded person when I read it.
- I want to protect all these babies. I'm older than some of the characters, which makes me feel like a failure at life but I want to wrap them all up in a hug and protect them from the bad things in life.
What I Didn't Like
-It just kind of felt like we had all this lead up for a little bit of nothing to happen. I am super excited for the finale though. I don't want the series to end but I need everything to end happily ever after for my babies.
I LOVE THIS SERIES SO MUCH
What I Loved
- I love when people can find inner strength and realize just how much of a badass they are.
- The romance melted my heart. I just loved the slow burn of it and the angst. I'm not the biggest romance fan but I loved this one too much for words.
- The culture is so rich in this series and I feel like I'm becoming a more open-minded person when I read it.
- I want to protect all these babies. I'm older than some of the characters, which makes me feel like a failure at life but I want to wrap them all up in a hug and protect them from the bad things in life.
What I Didn't Like
-It just kind of felt like we had all this lead up for a little bit of nothing to happen. I am super excited for the finale though. I don't want the series to end but I need everything to end happily ever after for my babies.
snowbenton's review against another edition
3.0
I like Elisa (and Hector, of course) but there was way too much hemming and hawing. I wanted more court intrigue, more action, more plot. The ending was good, though, and I'm excited to read the last one.
kateava's review against another edition
4.0
I liked the book, but I read the second and third so quickly and close together that I'm going to do one review of them together and leave it with the third book.
However, I just wanted to say that I am confused about the titles. This naming style is super common in YA right now but I feel like the goal is just to create some kind of --aesthetic-- but it tells you absolutely nothing about the book. Anybody else annoyed by this trend (or do you really like it)? Why is the first called The Girl of Fire and Thorns? What does fire or thorns have to do with Elisa or the magic system or the plot?
4/5 stars, I liked it even though most sequels tend to be disappointing.
However, I just wanted to say that I am confused about the titles. This naming style is super common in YA right now but I feel like the goal is just to create some kind of --aesthetic-- but it tells you absolutely nothing about the book. Anybody else annoyed by this trend (or do you really like it)? Why is the first called The Girl of Fire and Thorns? What does fire or thorns have to do with Elisa or the magic system or the plot?
4/5 stars, I liked it even though most sequels tend to be disappointing.
bahbadook's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
<strong>Long live the queen</strong>
I have to say, I was really worried for Victor, there. I mean, our girl is well on her way to being a black widow. If I managed to be correct on that, well, that's one of those things that I'm not going to talk about.
I will say that I love Rosario. I want one like Rosario. I don't want one like me and luckily my mother hasn't cursed me with that yet. But I do want one like Rosario. He just deserves all the hugs and love. All of them. Mara is so sweet. Bélén (there may be an extra accent in there but he's honestly lucky I remember his name because I'm terrible with them, I don't know what the main girl's name is. Lucero is the first name of her names but I don't remember the real one. Whatever. Not important.) is just a good guy. The characters I love, I still love. The characters not so much, I feel validated in my dislike.
I wish we could have had more desert time. I have a real big soft spot for the people in the desert even though I'm not sure which direction they were. It's not south or north. Whatever.
Instead we got court intrigue and FEELINGS. We got feelings last book too but these are FEELINGS. And also some holy crap moments. I was so worried. And travelling through the sewers! Ew. But also, sewers are the most romantic place apparently.
The problem with ruling is that people want to kill you. And guess who is now ruling and still has assassins after her. The word is in fact still. She had assassins on her in the first book too.
This book wasn't as strong as the last one. But it is a middle book so I'm not as stressed about it. But I am pleased with the book and I'm looking forward to seeing how everything plays out.
I have to say, I was really worried for Victor, there. I mean, our girl is well on her way to being a black widow. If I managed to be correct on that, well, that's one of those things that I'm not going to talk about.
I will say that I love Rosario. I want one like Rosario. I don't want one like me and luckily my mother hasn't cursed me with that yet. But I do want one like Rosario. He just deserves all the hugs and love. All of them. Mara is so sweet. Bélén (there may be an extra accent in there but he's honestly lucky I remember his name because I'm terrible with them, I don't know what the main girl's name is. Lucero is the first name of her names but I don't remember the real one. Whatever. Not important.) is just a good guy. The characters I love, I still love. The characters not so much, I feel validated in my dislike.
I wish we could have had more desert time. I have a real big soft spot for the people in the desert even though I'm not sure which direction they were. It's not south or north. Whatever.
Instead we got court intrigue and FEELINGS. We got feelings last book too but these are FEELINGS. And also some holy crap moments. I was so worried. And travelling through the sewers! Ew. But also, sewers are the most romantic place apparently.
The problem with ruling is that people want to kill you. And guess who is now ruling and still has assassins after her. The word is in fact still. She had assassins on her in the first book too.
This book wasn't as strong as the last one. But it is a middle book so I'm not as stressed about it. But I am pleased with the book and I'm looking forward to seeing how everything plays out.
laphenix's review against another edition
3.0
Almost lost a reader over the line that read something like, "may your baby [girl] be beautiful, charming, and slender" --not intelligent, not kind, nor even healthy. Carson, women deserve better than this.
alienor's review against another edition
Warning : This is not a review for the book, because I didn't reach further than 7% (Hector did shave his moustache, though, so : woot! #LittleVictory). This is only an extended status because
Anyway. Stop rambling Anna damn it.
All of that is to say that I'm taking a little time off Goodreads so I apologize in advance if I don't answer your comments right away. I am not ignoring you. Truth is, I love reading and reviewing books as much as I love
Coupled with the semi-slump that I've been dragging for months now (don't be fooled by my 5 stars ratings, I have to start almost 10 books every fucking time before finding a book I actually like enough to finish), tons of work to do and millions hours of sleep to catch up to (I need to start following my time-zone and stop thinking that time is extensible, for real. 3 hours of sleep is not a night, Anna is my new mantra), and here I am, flirting with burn-out.
Oh my Gosh. I do whine like a pro, don't I?
*ashamed face*
To sum-up : Happy reading everyone, and see you for [b:The Raven King|17378527|The Raven King (The Raven Cycle, #4)|Maggie Stiefvater|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1459349248s/17378527.jpg|24170172] <3 (or sooner, I have no idea, actually)
______________________
SEE? No one can tell me that I don't listen to my friends.
Indeed I read [b:The Girl of Fire and Thorns|10429092|The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Fire and Thorns, #1)|Rae Carson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1323448113s/10429092.jpg|13282366] recently and ehhh there's no nice way to put it so : I hated it. Too much religion, flat characters, uninteresting plot, nonsensical world-building.
BUT.
I have too many friends who told me that, well, IT GETS WAY BETTER in [b:The Crown of Embers|10816908|The Crown of Embers (Fire and Thorns, #2)|Rae Carson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1335241091s/10816908.jpg|15730581] (and that a certain guy loses his moustache, hehe) so here we go.
Also, I'm craving for fantasy for some reason and I cannot read any of the new releases because they're all from series I never read or, you know, SANITY so.
I trust you on this, guys.
Pressure much, I know :P
upstatelibrarygal's review against another edition
4.0
The 2014 reading year is off to a good start with this book - the second in the series. I find the characters continue to be unique and compelling and the storyline is likewise unique in my opinion. Looking forward to book 3 in the series!