alexanedesbiens's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
irrelahvant's review against another edition
2.0
Mary is a character that I hate. No, I've read books with people who have been plotting revenge but Mary is just sick in the head. There I said it. She's an unlikeable character. Like girl, calm down man. I wanted to let it out after reading this book.
Moving on, I honestly felt cheated. For the ending, for the relationship here. Yes. I am a sucker for cliche endings eventhough I cringed at sappy stuff. I just wanted a satisfying ending. Like what stupid Mary wanted throughout the series; closure. Suddenly after the whole catastrophe, they stopped talking to one another? Like I was #TeamReeve when I read Fire with Fire and suddenly it all came tumbling down like Pompeii????????
I am annoyed. Yes I am. I wanted to know what happened to Reeve and Lilia but nope. Nothing. Suddenly she flings herself to Alex back. I feel so cheated and disrespected. I am exaggerating and I know that but I didn't stay up till 3 in the morning.
That is all. Ainee out
Moving on, I honestly felt cheated. For the ending, for the relationship here. Yes. I am a sucker for cliche endings eventhough I cringed at sappy stuff. I just wanted a satisfying ending. Like what stupid Mary wanted throughout the series; closure. Suddenly after the whole catastrophe, they stopped talking to one another? Like I was #TeamReeve when I read Fire with Fire and suddenly it all came tumbling down like Pompeii????????
I am annoyed. Yes I am. I wanted to know what happened to Reeve and Lilia but nope. Nothing. Suddenly she flings herself to Alex back. I feel so cheated and disrespected. I am exaggerating and I know that but I didn't stay up till 3 in the morning.
That is all. Ainee out
ceruleandays's review against another edition
2.0
2.5/5 stars.
Honestly, I’m a bit disappointed in this book. When compared to the first two books in the series this doesn’t make up to it at all. It was getting boring and i had to push myself to read some parts of the book. I was also a bit confused at the ending.
Honestly, I’m a bit disappointed in this book. When compared to the first two books in the series this doesn’t make up to it at all. It was getting boring and i had to push myself to read some parts of the book. I was also a bit confused at the ending.
zeina8's review against another edition
2.0
I loved this trilogy but I have to say I'm quite disappointed in this finale book. It had it's moments with the supernatural elements and Reeve and Lillas relationship but overall it fell short it was too rushed and didn't have any real resolution and lets not even mention that epilogue it was basically lets just tell you about all the bad things that happened after Mary left.
caitminch's review against another edition
2.0
yeah, i didn't like this one. i don't understand why they introduced a supernatural aspect and tbh i really didn't like it, to say the book was relatively short it dragged like mad. the entire book just filled me with rage and made me more and more annoyed, it didn't live up to the first one and it definitely didn't live up to the second one.
bookswithbre's review against another edition
3.0
I think this is the most disappointing finale to a series I have ever read. I loved the first two books beyond words, but the ending to Ashes to Ashes was just terrible. The only reason I'm giving this book 3 stars is because the Honestly, I would have much preferred Fire with Fire to be the last book, because Ashes to Ashes was a complete disappointment.
Spoiler
relationship between Reeve and Lilia was lovely at times, and some of the quotes were beautiful! However, it was completely anti-climatic and honestly? I am so angry that it ended like that! What was the point of the build up in their relationship?!hyebitshines's review against another edition
4.0
This whole series has just been an emotional what-the-fuckery UvU
At the end of the second book, sweet Mary realizes she's been dead all along. Mary died as the overweight seventh grader who committed suicide in her room... AND TURNS BATSHIT CRAZY VENGEFUL GHOST. I think that's what bothered me about this book: Mary's 180 degree turnaround in character. I get vengefulness, I embrace crazy bitches, but there has to be some sort of development for such a change. Mary is basically your stereotypical revenge-seeking horror movie ghost, even if it's rooted in a justified motive. It was forcibly interspersed with excerpts from spiritual/exorcising books that were supposed to explain Mary's powers. I just. The depiction of Mary and her internal though process was too sporadic between brief realizations that what she's doing is wrong to convenient I-still-want-to-kill-Reeve re-realizations. I wanted to throttle this damn ghost for most of the book.
Lillia.. Oh, Lillia. In so many ways, it was easy to roll my eyes at her between her wealthy life of designer clothes and cute little boutiques and all the boys that were in love with her. But like how Kat says she can see why Lillia has boys eating out of the palm of her hand, I couldn't help but begrudgingly care about this spoiled lil princess (and I mean that with the most affection I can muster). I most definitely saw and indulged in Jenny Han's writing with the descriptions of all the beautiful clothes and delicate pretty little somethings Lillia owns *sighs*
BUT OKAY-- Lillia and Reeve. I could see, everyone could see they were a fast-burning, passionate romance that was doomed from its inception on the night of Rennie's death. But I just couldn't stop myself from rooting for them, for their happily ever after. It makes sense that they don't end up together. It makes sense that Lillia and Alex eventually do become a couple in a quiet, melancholy way as adults. I'm still grappling between a two-year-old tantrum, feeling like the ending was a cop-out, and taking the ending in stride.
Finally, I was so happy for Kat. When this book series started, she was this gruff, social-outcast, partially by Rennie's fault and partially her own stubbornness. By the end, she's still the same gruff, wants-to-be-baddass girl, but she's made up with Rennie before her death and learned how to get along with the other people of Jar Island that she was so eager to hate at the start.
I might have hated parts of this book but I think a good part of it might have been the heart-palipating reading experience of watching these characters-- Lillia, Kat, Mary, Reeve, Alex, Rennie, etc.-- act all so flinchingly human as they make mistakes and suffer the consequences. From the beginning to the end, this has been the kind of addicting, all-consuming reading experience in spite of my efforts. My favorite part was the ending part told from a grown-up Lillia's perspective:
"I still go back to Jar Island for holidays and during the summer. And sometimes I'll see Reeve driving around in his truck. He and Luke took over his dad's business. I remember how he used to look in his football uniform. No boy has ever been as handsome as Reeve in that uniform, on that field. I remember what it felt like to fall in love for the first time. You think you'll never love like that again. But you do.
Life is long if you let it be.
I only wish Mary had been able to find that out.
I hope she got off Jar Island.
I hope she found her peace."
To me, Jar Island will remain a haunted, fogged-over island of ghosts and regrets and terrible-somethings laced with the bittersweet sting of nostalgia and unguarded passion. Bye bye, Jar Island. I can't say I'll miss you because you were sort of a beautiful hellhole, but I will surely never forget you.
At the end of the second book, sweet Mary realizes she's been dead all along. Mary died as the overweight seventh grader who committed suicide in her room... AND TURNS BATSHIT CRAZY VENGEFUL GHOST. I think that's what bothered me about this book: Mary's 180 degree turnaround in character. I get vengefulness, I embrace crazy bitches, but there has to be some sort of development for such a change. Mary is basically your stereotypical revenge-seeking horror movie ghost, even if it's rooted in a justified motive. It was forcibly interspersed with excerpts from spiritual/exorcising books that were supposed to explain Mary's powers. I just. The depiction of Mary and her internal though process was too sporadic between brief realizations that what she's doing is wrong to convenient I-still-want-to-kill-Reeve re-realizations. I wanted to throttle this damn ghost for most of the book.
Lillia.. Oh, Lillia. In so many ways, it was easy to roll my eyes at her between her wealthy life of designer clothes and cute little boutiques and all the boys that were in love with her. But like how Kat says she can see why Lillia has boys eating out of the palm of her hand, I couldn't help but begrudgingly care about this spoiled lil princess (and I mean that with the most affection I can muster). I most definitely saw and indulged in Jenny Han's writing with the descriptions of all the beautiful clothes and delicate pretty little somethings Lillia owns *sighs*
BUT OKAY-- Lillia and Reeve. I could see, everyone could see they were a fast-burning, passionate romance that was doomed from its inception on the night of Rennie's death. But I just couldn't stop myself from rooting for them, for their happily ever after. It makes sense that they don't end up together. It makes sense that Lillia and Alex eventually do become a couple in a quiet, melancholy way as adults. I'm still grappling between a two-year-old tantrum, feeling like the ending was a cop-out, and taking the ending in stride.
Finally, I was so happy for Kat. When this book series started, she was this gruff, social-outcast, partially by Rennie's fault and partially her own stubbornness. By the end, she's still the same gruff, wants-to-be-baddass girl, but she's made up with Rennie before her death and learned how to get along with the other people of Jar Island that she was so eager to hate at the start.
I might have hated parts of this book but I think a good part of it might have been the heart-palipating reading experience of watching these characters-- Lillia, Kat, Mary, Reeve, Alex, Rennie, etc.-- act all so flinchingly human as they make mistakes and suffer the consequences. From the beginning to the end, this has been the kind of addicting, all-consuming reading experience in spite of my efforts. My favorite part was the ending part told from a grown-up Lillia's perspective:
"I still go back to Jar Island for holidays and during the summer. And sometimes I'll see Reeve driving around in his truck. He and Luke took over his dad's business. I remember how he used to look in his football uniform. No boy has ever been as handsome as Reeve in that uniform, on that field. I remember what it felt like to fall in love for the first time. You think you'll never love like that again. But you do.
Life is long if you let it be.
I only wish Mary had been able to find that out.
I hope she got off Jar Island.
I hope she found her peace."
To me, Jar Island will remain a haunted, fogged-over island of ghosts and regrets and terrible-somethings laced with the bittersweet sting of nostalgia and unguarded passion. Bye bye, Jar Island. I can't say I'll miss you because you were sort of a beautiful hellhole, but I will surely never forget you.
kirstennicole's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-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
4.75