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stins's review against another edition
4.0
I am so excited to read more about the Bloody Baroness. This was a very promising start to the story. And boy do I love an evil queen, more of that in the parts to follow and I will be beyond happy!
toffiladyreader's review against another edition
4.0
Can anybody please explain to me WHY DOES IT GET SO MUCH HATE????
I get it, It's not perfect, sometimes the plot can be slow and the ending was a bit predecible, but I really liked it. The world, the all female crew, even Dex at the beggining, how Andi ACTUALLY KILLS AND THEN MOURNS THOSE PEOPLE BECAUSE SHE IS ALSO A PERSON, how I hated General Cortas and his stupid mission... it was a very enjoyable read for me and I hope I can read Nexus in the near future to see how it ends.
Buddy read with my amazing friend Anne from Luxemburgo, who also enjoyed it as much as I did
I get it, It's not perfect, sometimes the plot can be slow and the ending was a bit predecible, but I really liked it. The world, the all female crew, even Dex at the beggining, how Andi ACTUALLY KILLS AND THEN MOURNS THOSE PEOPLE BECAUSE SHE IS ALSO A PERSON, how I hated General Cortas and his stupid mission... it was a very enjoyable read for me and I hope I can read Nexus in the near future to see how it ends.
Buddy read with my amazing friend Anne from Luxemburgo, who also enjoyed it as much as I did
marthamayfair's review against another edition
4.0
Solo diré tres palabras: mujeres piratas espaciales. Si con esto y la preciosa portada aún no estáis convencidos con leer este libro, nada lo hará.
Vale, hablando en serio, escogí el libro puesto que una de las autoras (Sasha) es mi booktuber favorita, y cuando leí la sinopsis supe que tenia que leerlo. También había visto muy malas críticas del libro y tenía curiosidad. Ahora una vez finalizado puedo decir que no las entiendo, teniendo en cuenta que muchas son de gente que ni lo acabó.
Empecemos; este libro nos narra la historia de Androma, conocida como la Baronesa Sangrienta, una pirata espacial que junto a su tripulación de mujeres recorre la galaxia aceptando todo tipo de trabajos, ya os podéis imaginar que serán de todo menos legales. Un día su pasado vuelve a por ella y se ve envuelta en un encargo con un hombre al que esperaba no tener que volver a ver en su vida y bueno, a partir de aquí, todo se complica.
Este libro me recuerda a una mezcla de Trono de Cristal y Seis de Cuervos. La protagonista, Androma, es una mujer de pelo platino, muy guapa que por culpa del destino cuando era muy joven se ve apartada de su vida acaudalada y tiene que vivir como una criminal para sobrevivir. Sus compañeras son lo más. Me encanta que hayan creado un universo con diferentes razas en él.
En lo que a trama se refiere, el libro está escrito en los diferentes puntos de vista de los personajes principales y la misión que deben tomar es una misión prácticamente imposible. Esos dos factores me recordaron mucho a Seis de Cuervos, aunque en el fondo no tiene nada que ver.
En definitiva, es un libro que me ha gustado mucho. El único problema que le veo es que era muy largo y eso a veces hacía que fuera un poco pesado en depende de que momento.
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I will only say three words: female space pirates. If with this and the beautiful cover you are not yet convinced to read this book, nothing will.
Okay, seriously, I chose the book because one of the authors (Sasha) is my favorite booktuber, and when I read the synopsis I knew I had to read it. I had also seen very bad reviews of the book and I was curious. Now once finished I can say that I do not understand them, considering that many are from people who did not finish it.
Let's begin; this book tells us the story of Androma, known as the Bloody Baroness, a space pirate who along with his crew of women travels the galaxy accepting all kinds of jobs, and you can imagine that they will be anything but legal. One day her past comes back for her and she is involved in a job with a man she hoped she would not have to see again in her life and well, from here, everything gets complicated.
This book reminds me of a mixture of Throne of Glass and Six of Crows. The protagonist, Androma, is a woman with platinum hair, very beautiful that because of fate when she was very young she is separated from her wealthy life and has to live like a criminal to survive. Her partners are amazing. I love that they created a universe with different races in it.
As far as the plot is concerned, the book is written in the different points of view of the main characters and the mission they must take is an almost impossible mission. Those two factors reminded me a lot of Six of Crows, although deep down it has nothing to do with it.
In conclusion, it is a book that I liked very much. The only problem that I see is that it was very long and that sometimes made it a bit heavy depending on what time.
Vale, hablando en serio, escogí el libro puesto que una de las autoras (Sasha) es mi booktuber favorita, y cuando leí la sinopsis supe que tenia que leerlo. También había visto muy malas críticas del libro y tenía curiosidad. Ahora una vez finalizado puedo decir que no las entiendo, teniendo en cuenta que muchas son de gente que ni lo acabó.
Empecemos; este libro nos narra la historia de Androma, conocida como la Baronesa Sangrienta, una pirata espacial que junto a su tripulación de mujeres recorre la galaxia aceptando todo tipo de trabajos, ya os podéis imaginar que serán de todo menos legales. Un día su pasado vuelve a por ella y se ve envuelta en un encargo con un hombre al que esperaba no tener que volver a ver en su vida y bueno, a partir de aquí, todo se complica.
Este libro me recuerda a una mezcla de Trono de Cristal y Seis de Cuervos. La protagonista, Androma, es una mujer de pelo platino, muy guapa que por culpa del destino cuando era muy joven se ve apartada de su vida acaudalada y tiene que vivir como una criminal para sobrevivir. Sus compañeras son lo más. Me encanta que hayan creado un universo con diferentes razas en él.
En lo que a trama se refiere, el libro está escrito en los diferentes puntos de vista de los personajes principales y la misión que deben tomar es una misión prácticamente imposible. Esos dos factores me recordaron mucho a Seis de Cuervos, aunque en el fondo no tiene nada que ver.
En definitiva, es un libro que me ha gustado mucho. El único problema que le veo es que era muy largo y eso a veces hacía que fuera un poco pesado en depende de que momento.
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I will only say three words: female space pirates. If with this and the beautiful cover you are not yet convinced to read this book, nothing will.
Okay, seriously, I chose the book because one of the authors (Sasha) is my favorite booktuber, and when I read the synopsis I knew I had to read it. I had also seen very bad reviews of the book and I was curious. Now once finished I can say that I do not understand them, considering that many are from people who did not finish it.
Let's begin; this book tells us the story of Androma, known as the Bloody Baroness, a space pirate who along with his crew of women travels the galaxy accepting all kinds of jobs, and you can imagine that they will be anything but legal. One day her past comes back for her and she is involved in a job with a man she hoped she would not have to see again in her life and well, from here, everything gets complicated.
This book reminds me of a mixture of Throne of Glass and Six of Crows. The protagonist, Androma, is a woman with platinum hair, very beautiful that because of fate when she was very young she is separated from her wealthy life and has to live like a criminal to survive. Her partners are amazing. I love that they created a universe with different races in it.
As far as the plot is concerned, the book is written in the different points of view of the main characters and the mission they must take is an almost impossible mission. Those two factors reminded me a lot of Six of Crows, although deep down it has nothing to do with it.
In conclusion, it is a book that I liked very much. The only problem that I see is that it was very long and that sometimes made it a bit heavy depending on what time.
kchilders's review against another edition
3.0
I seriously struggled to get through this book. The world they have created is beyond spectacular but I found the plot line to be predictable and the writing to be corny at times. I wanted to much more from this book and I didn't really find myself wanting to go back to it until about 3/4 of the way through. Which is a major problem.
I get extremely frustrated when YA stories set in amazing worlds with plots that have exponential potential focus on the love story. There was so much more to tell here, so much more intrigue, adventure, and investigation could have been applied. When the main characters came upon the crazy mystery of the young man the rescue having altered DNA no one questions it! Alarms aren't raised, higher ups aren't called, nothing it is not addressed again until the very end.
I was also very frustrated by this strong, ruthless space warrior becoming completely undone by her ex. The fact that her inner dialogue focused so much on him during times of major ACTUAL physical conflict with an enemy was annoying and at time felt unnecessarily angsty.
The best part of this book was the POV changes between the protagonist and main antagonist. I found myself being drawn into the antagonists story more because it was simply more interesting.
If you are looking for your run of the mill YA with a love focus this is for you. If you are looking for something with more teeth I would search elsewhere.
I get extremely frustrated when YA stories set in amazing worlds with plots that have exponential potential focus on the love story. There was so much more to tell here, so much more intrigue, adventure, and investigation could have been applied. When the main characters came upon the crazy mystery of the young man the rescue having altered DNA no one questions it! Alarms aren't raised, higher ups aren't called, nothing it is not addressed again until the very end.
I was also very frustrated by this strong, ruthless space warrior becoming completely undone by her ex. The fact that her inner dialogue focused so much on him during times of major ACTUAL physical conflict with an enemy was annoying and at time felt unnecessarily angsty.
The best part of this book was the POV changes between the protagonist and main antagonist. I found myself being drawn into the antagonists story more because it was simply more interesting.
If you are looking for your run of the mill YA with a love focus this is for you. If you are looking for something with more teeth I would search elsewhere.
narteest's review against another edition
2.0
Received a copy via Netgalley, many thanks for the advanced copy, this review is in no way influenced by this, and represent my honest thoughts and opinions.
I originally had no idea who the authors were and merely requested the book based off the cover (yeppp, when there's a chance of rejection I went for anything possible that I might want to read) and of course was approved to my surprise. it wasn't until just before my first attempt at reading this did I actually go and read reviews and see what I was up for. The reviews put me off. But since it wasn't sitting well with me to not read it for myself, I pulled it together and gave it crack.
First off, I want to say, this book HAS POTENTIAL. I think the last time I felt like I needed to justify something was when I read Throne of Glass. I really did not like the writing of the first book though Sarah J Maas has improved since. Zenith on the other hand is a different story.
So starting with the very brief positives:
[1] Potential: This book has it. The idea is interesting, and so is the plot. A female space pirate crew? Sure, why not? An antiheroine? Why not again? A rescue plot. Yeah, typical, but again, why not? Oh and it's high concept sci-fi which I do like.
And...that's about it. I can't think of many more positives. This book was a whole 500 pages too long.
Which brings me to the not so positive stuff:
[1] The obvious: Many other reviewers have commented that Zenith is a rip off of Six Crows, and yes, in the beginning for nearly 50%, Zenith feels a bit like Six of Crows, and if you haven't read SoCs then this will probably be really cool to you. Except, I already read SoC just a month, and trust me, SoC is a thousand times better. That book is incomparable. You might have an awesome crew, a badass female in Andi, and a supposedly cool guy in Dex, someone to get out of prison like Valen, and the rest. But you can't compare it to Kaz and his crew. AT ALL. That's the first similarity. The other similarity I felt was indeed similar to Celaena Sar-whatever from Throne of Glass. In terms of character, and also the style of writing (I'll get to this later). And then I got a slight feel of Queen Levana from the Lunar Chronicles but less interesting, and less captivating. Now, similarities are fine if they are only similarities, but the first half of this book really gave me the Six of Crows feels to the point where I was desperately wanting to read the ACTUAL Six of Crows.
[2] Characters? Er...yeah about that there were too many to actually keep count, and it's not like Six of Crows where there were many yet their stories and names were clear in the mind. Granted, some of the characters had some interesting pre-conceptions, but their delivery was well, not awful but not in the way of making much sense either. Let's see, we have Androma - first the name feels like it came from a spat of constipation. It's not awful but it's like it has no roots to make it beautiful? It doesn't sound natural, but it does sound...unique. There's Dex...pointless? (We'll talk more about him too in a minute). There's Lira whom I actually didn't mind at all, except....I have no idea how her story fit in. Gilly and what'shername who were introduced and hung about....really...if it weren't for their repeated inclusions, you'd forget them after five hundred pages. Valen...he was also a bit interesting except...the execution wasn't fantastic so the poor guy ended up being completely useless and a waste of space *sigh*. And oh! There's the governor, who reminds me of the guy from Six of Crows.
[3] ANDROMA RACELLA, her last name sounds like ratella or something. Anyway, names asides. This girl, is the baddest ass in the whole universe. Except. I kind of didn't get that vibe at all.
(Um...just how long was her pirating life? And you can't be the best without going through many mistakes and whatnot.)
(She gave mercy to three of the guys, an attempt on the author's side to just give Andi a reason to kill them, and it's not mercy. Since Andi and her crew blasted and cut through everyone else without caring. Which makes me ask, for this section, why bother wasting space with this, if just to have her say 'I wanted to kill them anyways'? Pointless.)
(This obviously, doesn't make any sense when the past between them is revealed and it doesn't seem like (or at least not clarified) they knew each other for a long time either!)
(I absolutely abhor the glorification going on here. It. Makes. No. Sense. Since we don't even know anything about Andi in the first place!! What she cares about, or likes, or hates, or values.)
The concept of Andi's character is good, as with the good and the bad, but the execution didn't feel right at all. Yes, someone can be bloody in their kills. Yes, someone can be heartless. Yes, someone can experience something that makes her like that. But Androma is a contradiction of herself. She hates herself for something she did in the past, and all her flashbacks depict her as someone fun, someone normal, before the accident, except even with the reveal of the accident, everything about Andi falls flat. She's the badass without the bad. She's a monster yet she kills without caring, without even any emotions - this could work for other characters in other books, but it doesn't work for Andi, because we NEVER, NOT ONCE, see her struggle. AND IT'S INFURIATING.
[4] DEXTRO, I really don't like your name either. It reminded me of gastro, and dextrous, and anything but a decent name. Well, Dex is fine, but Dextro.... really? Out of all the characters, felt Dex was the pale imitation of Kaz. It didn't feel like Andi, but I felt it from Dex. And not overall, but for certain things. It wasn't good. Dex's personality is flat too. He attempts cool, but fails at doing so many times. He moons over Andi, but it sounds awful. There is absolutely nothing to like about Dex. Sometimes it seems like he's bonded with the crew, but mostly, nope. It makes me wonder too whether he had any friends, or life beyond Andi. And yet at the very end, when Dex's reason for betraying Andi is revealed, you hear about a father...for the first time ever. It's so sudden that it feels like a slap in the face. And you think, oh, so you did have a life outside of Andi previously?
[5] The rest of crew are completely forgettable.
[6] Writing and Plot are debatable. Like I keep saying. There's plenty of potential. Let's start with plot - plot was standard, nothing special. Where it strikes me all wrong is of course the parts when things go wrong just because they could, and not in un-cliched way. If the crew is so good or the ship so good, then they got caught WAY TOO EARLY at the beginning of the book. In saying that, the ship breaks down way too conveniently. Convenience can work, but it totally doesn't here. It makes it sound like a parody and it was really hard to stay serious when I read through all the hard, serious parts. As for the writing. It's like it mimics Sarah J Maas, and not in a good way. Although I could comment on Maas' writing til the end of the world, I will say it's not bad, and it's improved since her first book, and it goes somewhere, all those beautiful catchy memorable sentences that gloriously paints this michelangelo with words, in comparison, it's much better than what I got in Zenith. The writing is superfluous, half the time pointless. All the time in attempts to paint michelangelo, it fails to bring it to any main point. We get many pointless descriptions that talk about the horrors and death that she caused, but it's places where bits of the past or some feeling or emotion could have been described, but isn't which leaves me wondering what in the world was being discussed.
[7] Sounds like a parody, this crossed my mind a hundred times.
[8] Relationships, and I'm not just talking romance (we'll discuss this in more detail in the next point). A close crew should have good relations or at least strong ties that have them arguing but sticking together. Sure, on some level Andi's crew SORT OF cares for each other, except on others, this was seriously just ANDI, ANDI, ANDI and she wasn't even all that great. There was no real chemistry between her and the other characters. There is no mystery or bond as to why and how they got together in the first place!
[9] Individual depth was missing for every single character. I know some was held back for the sake of a reveal (Queen Nor for example), but it's a waste of pov. Lira wasn't bad, but I wanted more for her, because I don't see how she relates! Andi and Dex, absolutely no depth at all. The rest of the crew...so forgettable simple because they had no depth. It's funny too because each and every one of them had something interesting hinted at background, but it's never developed.
[10] Romance, is something I don't always need in a book, but this one had one, and it definitely didn't sound like one. I swear neither Dex nor Andi seemed to even like each other. Even when the reveal is revealed, it's all spoken but never felt. If anything that whole dialogue just felt like an unnecessary weight to every other burden in this book! Where were my flashbacks of their romance? Of the emotions that would have give that entire dialogue every bit of feeling it deserved?
[11] Exactly how old is the entire crew?? It sounds like they're all over thirty or something. Gilly a young kid did not get any justice at all and made a baby killing machine. Andi sounds like she's forty something since she seems to have experienced sooooooo many things but never clearly detailed. Exactly when did she and Dex meet? How long were they together? When did that accident happen with Kalee? When was she betrayed? When this and when that? I was just a bit confused.
[12] Multiple POV, were way too many. With few that seemed interesting, yet didn't seem to fit into the story at all. There were present povs (Andi, Dex, Lira, etc) and then past, and then idk what. Dex had to be the worst pov, since it was pretty much reading as Andi's pov but with Dex's name - there were several incidences when the pov switched and it didn't really, and there were other times, when there was a pointless pov switched mainly to show Andi's bloody deeds, even though it could have been narrated from Dex's pov!
[13] Um aliens? Different species? I feel like everyone looked like human/mostly human....and didn't get the feeling there were many other species? Was that just me, or was it the lack of description?
[14] I think there are still tonnes more, but for now, I'll leave it at this. Anything else, I'm sure there are a thousand reviews out there that will tell you.
OVERALL
This had potential. It feels like it could have been edited more critically. I won't comment about the authors and their youtube fame - this has nothing to do with that even if they might have received the opportunity because of their popularity. But they still wanted to write and they did, but this was 500 long and painful read. I won't lie, I skimmed the second half. I couldn't deal with the writing that felt like it wasn't going anywhere, lacked many descriptions about characters and their pasts, and of the world. This had potential. But in my opinion, it was the lack of seriously harsh critic in the editing process that was the downfall of all of this potential. So much dialogue could have been cut or rearranged. So many descriptions could have been cut too. And pointless pov shifts could have been taken out. There was this one scene where there's a fight going on, and the pov switches from Dex to Andi just to show her cutting down some more, and to let everyone know the Bloody Baronness was coming, and then it cuts back. LIKE WHAT WAS THE POINT?
In short. Potential, but not the most brilliant execution.
I originally had no idea who the authors were and merely requested the book based off the cover (yeppp, when there's a chance of rejection I went for anything possible that I might want to read) and of course was approved to my surprise. it wasn't until just before my first attempt at reading this did I actually go and read reviews and see what I was up for. The reviews put me off. But since it wasn't sitting well with me to not read it for myself, I pulled it together and gave it crack.
First off, I want to say, this book HAS POTENTIAL. I think the last time I felt like I needed to justify something was when I read Throne of Glass. I really did not like the writing of the first book though Sarah J Maas has improved since. Zenith on the other hand is a different story.
So starting with the very brief positives:
[1] Potential: This book has it. The idea is interesting, and so is the plot. A female space pirate crew? Sure, why not? An antiheroine? Why not again? A rescue plot. Yeah, typical, but again, why not? Oh and it's high concept sci-fi which I do like.
And...that's about it. I can't think of many more positives. This book was a whole 500 pages too long.
Which brings me to the not so positive stuff:
[1] The obvious: Many other reviewers have commented that Zenith is a rip off of Six Crows, and yes, in the beginning for nearly 50%, Zenith feels a bit like Six of Crows, and if you haven't read SoCs then this will probably be really cool to you. Except, I already read SoC just a month, and trust me, SoC is a thousand times better. That book is incomparable. You might have an awesome crew, a badass female in Andi, and a supposedly cool guy in Dex, someone to get out of prison like Valen, and the rest. But you can't compare it to Kaz and his crew. AT ALL. That's the first similarity. The other similarity I felt was indeed similar to Celaena Sar-whatever from Throne of Glass. In terms of character, and also the style of writing (I'll get to this later). And then I got a slight feel of Queen Levana from the Lunar Chronicles but less interesting, and less captivating. Now, similarities are fine if they are only similarities, but the first half of this book really gave me the Six of Crows feels to the point where I was desperately wanting to read the ACTUAL Six of Crows.
[2] Characters? Er...yeah about that there were too many to actually keep count, and it's not like Six of Crows where there were many yet their stories and names were clear in the mind. Granted, some of the characters had some interesting pre-conceptions, but their delivery was well, not awful but not in the way of making much sense either. Let's see, we have Androma - first the name feels like it came from a spat of constipation. It's not awful but it's like it has no roots to make it beautiful? It doesn't sound natural, but it does sound...unique. There's Dex...pointless? (We'll talk more about him too in a minute). There's Lira whom I actually didn't mind at all, except....I have no idea how her story fit in. Gilly and what'shername who were introduced and hung about....really...if it weren't for their repeated inclusions, you'd forget them after five hundred pages. Valen...he was also a bit interesting except...the execution wasn't fantastic so the poor guy ended up being completely useless and a waste of space *sigh*. And oh! There's the governor, who reminds me of the guy from Six of Crows.
[3] ANDROMA RACELLA, her last name sounds like ratella or something. Anyway, names asides. This girl, is the baddest ass in the whole universe. Except. I kind of didn't get that vibe at all.
For the first time in her pirating life, someone had bested her.
(Um...just how long was her pirating life? And you can't be the best without going through many mistakes and whatnot.)
"Is that mercy I hear?" Dex smiled as he walked backwards, to stop at the silver ladder that lead to the deck below. His fingers curledover the railing, his boots poised over the hole in the floor. "Surely not, from the Bloody Baroness."
Andi shrugged. "I wanted to kill them anyways."
(She gave mercy to three of the guys, an attempt on the author's side to just give Andi a reason to kill them, and it's not mercy. Since Andi and her crew blasted and cut through everyone else without caring. Which makes me ask, for this section, why bother wasting space with this, if just to have her say 'I wanted to kill them anyways'? Pointless.)
Andi laughed from beneath her hood. "I have a reputation to uphold, Dextro.
I made it a priority to learn every hidden detail about my partner's past." With that, she dismissed him.
(This obviously, doesn't make any sense when the past between them is revealed and it doesn't seem like (or at least not clarified) they knew each other for a long time either!)
He howled and dropped, and then she was off again, leaping over his fallen form,
her hands itching to raise hell, draw blood, and spread the glory of her name. The Bloody Baroness was here. She'd make sure every single one.
(I absolutely abhor the glorification going on here. It. Makes. No. Sense. Since we don't even know anything about Andi in the first place!! What she cares about, or likes, or hates, or values.)
The concept of Andi's character is good, as with the good and the bad, but the execution didn't feel right at all. Yes, someone can be bloody in their kills. Yes, someone can be heartless. Yes, someone can experience something that makes her like that. But Androma is a contradiction of herself. She hates herself for something she did in the past, and all her flashbacks depict her as someone fun, someone normal, before the accident, except even with the reveal of the accident, everything about Andi falls flat. She's the badass without the bad. She's a monster yet she kills without caring, without even any emotions - this could work for other characters in other books, but it doesn't work for Andi, because we NEVER, NOT ONCE, see her struggle. AND IT'S INFURIATING.
[4] DEXTRO, I really don't like your name either. It reminded me of gastro, and dextrous, and anything but a decent name. Well, Dex is fine, but Dextro.... really? Out of all the characters, felt Dex was the pale imitation of Kaz. It didn't feel like Andi, but I felt it from Dex. And not overall, but for certain things. It wasn't good. Dex's personality is flat too. He attempts cool, but fails at doing so many times. He moons over Andi, but it sounds awful. There is absolutely nothing to like about Dex. Sometimes it seems like he's bonded with the crew, but mostly, nope. It makes me wonder too whether he had any friends, or life beyond Andi. And yet at the very end, when Dex's reason for betraying Andi is revealed, you hear about a father...for the first time ever. It's so sudden that it feels like a slap in the face. And you think, oh, so you did have a life outside of Andi previously?
[5] The rest of crew are completely forgettable.
[6] Writing and Plot are debatable. Like I keep saying. There's plenty of potential. Let's start with plot - plot was standard, nothing special. Where it strikes me all wrong is of course the parts when things go wrong just because they could, and not in un-cliched way. If the crew is so good or the ship so good, then they got caught WAY TOO EARLY at the beginning of the book. In saying that, the ship breaks down way too conveniently. Convenience can work, but it totally doesn't here. It makes it sound like a parody and it was really hard to stay serious when I read through all the hard, serious parts. As for the writing. It's like it mimics Sarah J Maas, and not in a good way. Although I could comment on Maas' writing til the end of the world, I will say it's not bad, and it's improved since her first book, and it goes somewhere, all those beautiful catchy memorable sentences that gloriously paints this michelangelo with words, in comparison, it's much better than what I got in Zenith. The writing is superfluous, half the time pointless. All the time in attempts to paint michelangelo, it fails to bring it to any main point. We get many pointless descriptions that talk about the horrors and death that she caused, but it's places where bits of the past or some feeling or emotion could have been described, but isn't which leaves me wondering what in the world was being discussed.
[7] Sounds like a parody, this crossed my mind a hundred times.
[8] Relationships, and I'm not just talking romance (we'll discuss this in more detail in the next point). A close crew should have good relations or at least strong ties that have them arguing but sticking together. Sure, on some level Andi's crew SORT OF cares for each other, except on others, this was seriously just ANDI, ANDI, ANDI and she wasn't even all that great. There was no real chemistry between her and the other characters. There is no mystery or bond as to why and how they got together in the first place!
[9] Individual depth was missing for every single character. I know some was held back for the sake of a reveal (Queen Nor for example), but it's a waste of pov. Lira wasn't bad, but I wanted more for her, because I don't see how she relates! Andi and Dex, absolutely no depth at all. The rest of the crew...so forgettable simple because they had no depth. It's funny too because each and every one of them had something interesting hinted at background, but it's never developed.
[10] Romance, is something I don't always need in a book, but this one had one, and it definitely didn't sound like one. I swear neither Dex nor Andi seemed to even like each other. Even when the reveal is revealed, it's all spoken but never felt. If anything that whole dialogue just felt like an unnecessary weight to every other burden in this book! Where were my flashbacks of their romance? Of the emotions that would have give that entire dialogue every bit of feeling it deserved?
[11] Exactly how old is the entire crew?? It sounds like they're all over thirty or something. Gilly a young kid did not get any justice at all and made a baby killing machine. Andi sounds like she's forty something since she seems to have experienced sooooooo many things but never clearly detailed. Exactly when did she and Dex meet? How long were they together? When did that accident happen with Kalee? When was she betrayed? When this and when that? I was just a bit confused.
[12] Multiple POV, were way too many. With few that seemed interesting, yet didn't seem to fit into the story at all. There were present povs (Andi, Dex, Lira, etc) and then past, and then idk what. Dex had to be the worst pov, since it was pretty much reading as Andi's pov but with Dex's name - there were several incidences when the pov switched and it didn't really, and there were other times, when there was a pointless pov switched mainly to show Andi's bloody deeds, even though it could have been narrated from Dex's pov!
[13] Um aliens? Different species? I feel like everyone looked like human/mostly human....and didn't get the feeling there were many other species? Was that just me, or was it the lack of description?
[14] I think there are still tonnes more, but for now, I'll leave it at this. Anything else, I'm sure there are a thousand reviews out there that will tell you.
OVERALL
This had potential. It feels like it could have been edited more critically. I won't comment about the authors and their youtube fame - this has nothing to do with that even if they might have received the opportunity because of their popularity. But they still wanted to write and they did, but this was 500 long and painful read. I won't lie, I skimmed the second half. I couldn't deal with the writing that felt like it wasn't going anywhere, lacked many descriptions about characters and their pasts, and of the world. This had potential. But in my opinion, it was the lack of seriously harsh critic in the editing process that was the downfall of all of this potential. So much dialogue could have been cut or rearranged. So many descriptions could have been cut too. And pointless pov shifts could have been taken out. There was this one scene where there's a fight going on, and the pov switches from Dex to Andi just to show her cutting down some more, and to let everyone know the Bloody Baronness was coming, and then it cuts back. LIKE WHAT WAS THE POINT?
In short. Potential, but not the most brilliant execution.
thebookberrie's review against another edition
I can't do it. I tried so hard but I'm just not strong enough.
I'm going to be straight up with you, this book is an actual garbage fire and I am trying to say that in the nicest way possible. It's poorly edited (if at all), poorly researched, it's cliche, it copies HEAVILY from other popular YA novels of late, and it's just so damn boring. Above all else I did not expect how boring this book would be. Plus it's so long for about no reason. The whole scifi aspect was just so lazy. I'm not even sure the authors are a fan of scifi? Without one of the author's and her booktube fame, this book never would have gotten published and nor do I think it should have. I'm still shocked a team of people whose literal job it is let a book this bad get published but hey, money from teenagers speaks.
I have to mention it because it is important but the authors basically played the system to a #1 NYT spot. Last year they self-pubbed a 60 page book titled "Zenith Part 1" for cheap. Once they had successfully used Sasha Alsberg's youtube fanbase to get NYT #1 for ebooks that week, they (surprise!) managed to get picked up by a traditional publisher, before the book was even finished. Why let their writing speak for itself when trying to get published when you can use your viewers to get a book deal? Also isn't it interesting that it seems like the only ones actually liking this book are her friends from booktube or fans of Sasha? I get they want to support their friend but the glowing reviews are ridiculous.
Authors aside? The book is still not good, in any sense of the word. The writing is bad and the story itself is worse. Let along how bad the characters are. The PTSD rep was also awful, there when it was convenient and gone when it wasn't. The whole book was painful to try to read it, honestly. There are a lot of italics and repeated phrases, weird metaphors, and pointless POV switches. There is a lot of name dropping of random planets, solar systems, and other various things that I guess you are just supposed to know about. And the dialogue was the worst I've ever seen. I'm still cringing thinking about how cheesy and awful it was and the fact that someone wrote this, had others look at it and think it was good. Enjoy this quote that is almost NSFW in how bad it is:
Again, still cringing and none of them were actually badass. The fights were also of course really badly done. Sorry but you can't actually behead three men in one sword swipe, that isn't how that works. Plus if you run at a trained solider with a sword while he is holding a gun, there is NO way he isn't going to just shoot your crazy ass. Bodies drop to the amazing Bloody Baroness like they are nothing because she's amazing and perfect and I'm not buying it.
"Guardians of the Galaxy with an all girl crew!" nope, bye. Dropped at 40% because I literally can not stand it any longer. This garbage fire book does not deserve that beautiful cover.
I'm going to be straight up with you, this book is an actual garbage fire and I am trying to say that in the nicest way possible. It's poorly edited (if at all), poorly researched, it's cliche, it copies HEAVILY from other popular YA novels of late, and it's just so damn boring. Above all else I did not expect how boring this book would be. Plus it's so long for about no reason. The whole scifi aspect was just so lazy. I'm not even sure the authors are a fan of scifi? Without one of the author's and her booktube fame, this book never would have gotten published and nor do I think it should have. I'm still shocked a team of people whose literal job it is let a book this bad get published but hey, money from teenagers speaks.
I have to mention it because it is important but the authors basically played the system to a #1 NYT spot. Last year they self-pubbed a 60 page book titled "Zenith Part 1" for cheap. Once they had successfully used Sasha Alsberg's youtube fanbase to get NYT #1 for ebooks that week, they (surprise!) managed to get picked up by a traditional publisher, before the book was even finished. Why let their writing speak for itself when trying to get published when you can use your viewers to get a book deal? Also isn't it interesting that it seems like the only ones actually liking this book are her friends from booktube or fans of Sasha? I get they want to support their friend but the glowing reviews are ridiculous.
Authors aside? The book is still not good, in any sense of the word. The writing is bad and the story itself is worse. Let along how bad the characters are. The PTSD rep was also awful, there when it was convenient and gone when it wasn't. The whole book was painful to try to read it, honestly. There are a lot of italics and repeated phrases, weird metaphors, and pointless POV switches. There is a lot of name dropping of random planets, solar systems, and other various things that I guess you are just supposed to know about. And the dialogue was the worst I've ever seen. I'm still cringing thinking about how cheesy and awful it was and the fact that someone wrote this, had others look at it and think it was good. Enjoy this quote that is almost NSFW in how bad it is:
"What's wrong, Dex? You don't want to come out and play with me?" Andi said, her voice a dangerous purr.Androma Raciella is such a bad wannabe copy of Celaena from [b:Throne of Glass|7896527|Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1)|Sarah J. Maas|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1495278054s/7896527.jpg|11138426] that it's hilarious. Andi is known as the BLOODY BARONESS and is so badass!!! She has two unbreakable electric swords (wot), WHITE AND PURPLE HAIR, cool cuffs that she can ricochet bullets with, and for some reason some metal plates on her face that never get explained. Her ship is made out of GLASS (strongest material EVER!) There's a 13 year old girl in her crew that has a double triggered gun made from GOLD (again, wot) and loves killing (but then breaks into tears whenever!) Another one is 8ft tall and bulletproof (except you can break her nose) and the last girl has glowing scales (only on her arms though otherwise it wouldn't be cute) that are attached to her moods or something. Everything about these characters is a young girl's badass wish fulfillment and it's all done for the aesthetic. Also a lot of other random people have weird things like horns or they're blue, because ALIENS.
Dex chuckled, his mahogany hair falling across one brown eye as he stepped forth to meet her gaze. "You were always one for theatrics, Androma. My little bitter ballerina."
"I am not-and never will be-yours."
"We'll see about that."
Again, still cringing and none of them were actually badass. The fights were also of course really badly done. Sorry but you can't actually behead three men in one sword swipe, that isn't how that works. Plus if you run at a trained solider with a sword while he is holding a gun, there is NO way he isn't going to just shoot your crazy ass. Bodies drop to the amazing Bloody Baroness like they are nothing because she's amazing and perfect and I'm not buying it.
"Guardians of the Galaxy with an all girl crew!" nope, bye. Dropped at 40% because I literally can not stand it any longer. This garbage fire book does not deserve that beautiful cover.
johanna_lydia's review against another edition
5.0
first I'd like to say that I don't personally know the authors of this book and I will give my HONEST opinion in this review. Also I am german so if there are any grammar or spelling mistakes in this review than I apologize for that.
I love zenith!!! very unpopular opinion..
Of course we all know that the only reason why this book is a bestseller is that Sasha is very popular. I mean yes, the only reason why I bought this book was because I love Sasha..
I usually don't write reviews, but I just had to write one for zenith, because I saw all the hate that it got and I just wanted to give it some love.
First of all the characters: I really like Andi, she is badass and so strong. The same with Lira. And I just love the fact that there is this crew of female space pirates. And Dex... I mean. He is just awesome!!! And I always love a little pet in a book.
The plot: it's exciting and action packed. It had me sitting on the edge of my seat.
The world: I really like the system that the authors created and the whole kind of futuristic theme of it with some other elements like, well actual books and ball dresses..
The writing: honestly this is the only point where I could understand the critique, but it isn't that bad. some of the things that the haters say about zenith are just pathetic and it's basically the case in EVERY SINGLE YOUNG ADULT BOOK OUT THERE!!!!!
One of my favorite scenes by the way was the ball scene:D (just wanted to put that out there)
Before I read reviews of zenith I wanted to give this book 5 stars. But then I read some and it made me want to give it 4 stars because I thought I couldn't love this book. That just made me realise even more how much reviews influence your opinion on a book. please form your own opinion and don't say something is good or bad just because everyone else thinks so. This realisation made me want to give the 5 stars even more, so here we go (well actually 4,5 stars but goodreads doesn't have that). I think a lot of people just finally have one of those books again that they can hate to the ground and they won't be judged for it.
Please give zenith a chance. I definitely had a great time with it and I can't to read the sequel. Also I'm very excited for project red. I really hope Sasha is going to come up with something, that is gonna blow us away.
I love zenith!!! very unpopular opinion..
Of course we all know that the only reason why this book is a bestseller is that Sasha is very popular. I mean yes, the only reason why I bought this book was because I love Sasha..
I usually don't write reviews, but I just had to write one for zenith, because I saw all the hate that it got and I just wanted to give it some love.
First of all the characters: I really like Andi, she is badass and so strong. The same with Lira. And I just love the fact that there is this crew of female space pirates. And Dex... I mean. He is just awesome!!! And I always love a little pet in a book.
The plot: it's exciting and action packed. It had me sitting on the edge of my seat.
The world: I really like the system that the authors created and the whole kind of futuristic theme of it with some other elements like, well actual books and ball dresses..
The writing: honestly this is the only point where I could understand the critique, but it isn't that bad. some of the things that the haters say about zenith are just pathetic and it's basically the case in EVERY SINGLE YOUNG ADULT BOOK OUT THERE!!!!!
One of my favorite scenes by the way was the ball scene:D (just wanted to put that out there)
Before I read reviews of zenith I wanted to give this book 5 stars. But then I read some and it made me want to give it 4 stars because I thought I couldn't love this book. That just made me realise even more how much reviews influence your opinion on a book. please form your own opinion and don't say something is good or bad just because everyone else thinks so. This realisation made me want to give the 5 stars even more, so here we go (well actually 4,5 stars but goodreads doesn't have that). I think a lot of people just finally have one of those books again that they can hate to the ground and they won't be judged for it.
Please give zenith a chance. I definitely had a great time with it and I can't to read the sequel. Also I'm very excited for project red. I really hope Sasha is going to come up with something, that is gonna blow us away.
tenshiwing07's review against another edition
My favorite thing is the strong friend group and bond in the crew.
The plot is fine, pretty typical for this type of book. Lots and lots of misunderstanding angst, which I expect in YA since it's the most used trope but don't love to see. I had fun reading it mainly. It would have been a hit to me if we could have avoided the cringe romance.
The plot twist.... I saw it the minute it was introduced, but I think it isn't totally fair for me to say that since I call the plot twist in 90% of the books I read. It might not have been as predictable as I think.
The plot is fine, pretty typical for this type of book. Lots and lots of misunderstanding angst, which I expect in YA since it's the most used trope but don't love to see. I had fun reading it mainly. It would have been a hit to me if we could have avoided the cringe romance.
The plot twist.... I saw it the minute it was introduced, but I think it isn't totally fair for me to say that since I call the plot twist in 90% of the books I read. It might not have been as predictable as I think.
iceyreads74's review against another edition
4.0
This was really entertaining, and I'm super excited to see where the rest of this series will go!