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wellreadandcaffinated's review against another edition
5.0
Check out my review on abookishlifeforme.blogspot.com
http://abookishlifeforme.blogspot.com/2015/01/gates-of-thread-and-stone.html
http://abookishlifeforme.blogspot.com/2015/01/gates-of-thread-and-stone.html
bwilcox's review against another edition
5.0
I love when a book ends up being completely different then what I expected. Judging from the story line, I assumed this book would just be another young adult book, that would just eventually blend into all the other book I have read. However this was not the case.
One of the main reasons I loved this book was the plot line. I is nice to have a author focus on the plot line, and foreshadowing, and adding literary devices instead of worrying about the "romance" in the book. When I finished the book, I was still so enthralled with the great plot twists and the ending of the first book.
I loved the setting, and the background of a dystopian society, and the adding of magic. I liked how it was not the very whimsical magic, but more human? It is hard to explain, I guess you will have to read the book to understand :)
My only complaint, was I felt that the main character, Kai, never really progressed significatnly on finding out about herself, and learned how to control her unique gift. It was a little sudden at the end when... *Spoilers*... but I enjoyed it.
One of the main reasons I loved this book was the plot line. I is nice to have a author focus on the plot line, and foreshadowing, and adding literary devices instead of worrying about the "romance" in the book. When I finished the book, I was still so enthralled with the great plot twists and the ending of the first book.
I loved the setting, and the background of a dystopian society, and the adding of magic. I liked how it was not the very whimsical magic, but more human? It is hard to explain, I guess you will have to read the book to understand :)
My only complaint, was I felt that the main character, Kai, never really progressed significatnly on finding out about herself, and learned how to control her unique gift. It was a little sudden at the end when... *Spoilers*... but I enjoyed it.
emleemay's review against another edition
1.0
Just in case you missed the blurb, let me remind us all what this book is supposed to be about:
In a city of walls and secrets, where only one man is supposed to possess magic, seventeen-year-old Kai struggles to keep hidden her own secret—she can manipulate the threads of time... She will leave the only home she’s ever known and risk getting caught up in a revolution centuries in the making. But to save Reev, Kai must unravel the threads of her past and face shocking truths about her brother, her friendship with Avan, and her unique power.
Magic... check.
Adventure... check.
Sibling love... check.
Recipe for awesomeness... sure sounds like it to me!
But, you see, here's the thing. Apparently, Kai is some badass, talented manipulator of time - that's what we're told. But I guess I missed all her hardcore magical talents somewhere between her poetic ramblings about Avan and her "oh my, Avan's sexy arm just brushed against my innocent, blushing virginal arm" nonsense. Okay no, the author didn't say her arm blushed (or was a virgin), I made it up. But I'm sure you catch my drift.
And apparently there was some adventure and apparently their lives were in danger and maybe I would have got a better sense of that if not every single one of Kai's thoughts were about Avan. The original plot line of her brother being kidnapped intrigued me, but it was quickly lost beneath the romancing and angsting. I felt like I kept waiting for the good stuff to happen in this book. It has such a great title and interesting premise that I was sure something really good was just around the corner.
So... I waited. And got:
“Without Avan in front of me, I felt unsteady. I leaned forward, resting my hands on the seat. It was warm. I drew away, flustered.
Sometimes, with the shop counter between us, it was easy to look at Avan and admire him from the safe standpoint of a friend, to see him as just a boy from the Alley.”
And then:
“Being this close to Avan was a practice in contradictions. His body heat and the solid comfort of his back soothed me. I could relax against him and feel secure enough to sleep, even if only lightly. It was almost like being with Reev. But Reev didn’t also make me hyperaware of every point of contact between us. The shift of his muscles beneath my cheek. The backs of his thighs. The way our hips aligned on the seat. For the first hour, my heart pounded so hard, it was like a battering ram against my ribs.”
And: “I leaned against his side and felt his arm circle my shoulders. Even though I knew it wasn’t true, I imagined his warmth like a Sun that shone just for me.”
I thought this was going to be fantasy, not romance. And interesting, not boring. But this book was about 90% romantic angst; and boring romantic angst at that. The "heroine" was prudish to the point that even thinking about a kiss made her blush... I just lost interest so quickly that I'm amazed I managed to force myself through. I will say that the last quarter is marginally better than the rest but it wasn't enough to rescue the book, in my opinion.
So disappointed.
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In a city of walls and secrets, where only one man is supposed to possess magic, seventeen-year-old Kai struggles to keep hidden her own secret—she can manipulate the threads of time... She will leave the only home she’s ever known and risk getting caught up in a revolution centuries in the making. But to save Reev, Kai must unravel the threads of her past and face shocking truths about her brother, her friendship with Avan, and her unique power.
Magic... check.
Adventure... check.
Sibling love... check.
Recipe for awesomeness... sure sounds like it to me!
But, you see, here's the thing. Apparently, Kai is some badass, talented manipulator of time - that's what we're told. But I guess I missed all her hardcore magical talents somewhere between her poetic ramblings about Avan and her "oh my, Avan's sexy arm just brushed against my innocent, blushing virginal arm" nonsense. Okay no, the author didn't say her arm blushed (or was a virgin), I made it up. But I'm sure you catch my drift.
And apparently there was some adventure and apparently their lives were in danger and maybe I would have got a better sense of that if not every single one of Kai's thoughts were about Avan. The original plot line of her brother being kidnapped intrigued me, but it was quickly lost beneath the romancing and angsting. I felt like I kept waiting for the good stuff to happen in this book. It has such a great title and interesting premise that I was sure something really good was just around the corner.
So... I waited. And got:
“Without Avan in front of me, I felt unsteady. I leaned forward, resting my hands on the seat. It was warm. I drew away, flustered.
Sometimes, with the shop counter between us, it was easy to look at Avan and admire him from the safe standpoint of a friend, to see him as just a boy from the Alley.”
And then:
“Being this close to Avan was a practice in contradictions. His body heat and the solid comfort of his back soothed me. I could relax against him and feel secure enough to sleep, even if only lightly. It was almost like being with Reev. But Reev didn’t also make me hyperaware of every point of contact between us. The shift of his muscles beneath my cheek. The backs of his thighs. The way our hips aligned on the seat. For the first hour, my heart pounded so hard, it was like a battering ram against my ribs.”
And: “I leaned against his side and felt his arm circle my shoulders. Even though I knew it wasn’t true, I imagined his warmth like a Sun that shone just for me.”
I thought this was going to be fantasy, not romance. And interesting, not boring. But this book was about 90% romantic angst; and boring romantic angst at that. The "heroine" was prudish to the point that even thinking about a kiss made her blush... I just lost interest so quickly that I'm amazed I managed to force myself through. I will say that the last quarter is marginally better than the rest but it wasn't enough to rescue the book, in my opinion.
So disappointed.
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catherine_dalton08's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
beccaj2180's review against another edition
4.0
I didn't have any real expectations for this book when I began to listen to it today, except that a lot of the reviewers that I follow thought it was a great book. Most of the time, that's enough for me. Anyway, I agree that this book was fantastic. The story and world building were incredible - very unique. My only real issue with the book was Kai.
I remember saying at one point when I read Deception that I feel like some authors think that an angry girl = a strong girl - in this book, just like that one, I felt like the author replaced strength with anger. The character is determined to do everything herself - she absolutely does not need anyone else - and she is right about everything, except that she's ridiculously naive when it comes to boys and their passionate looks and stares. She fights and screams and pushes everyone away, makes stupid choices that put her in peril, and then feels super guilty when the people around her get hurt. This girl is NOT strong. This girl is a brat, thus my "she's a brat" shelf.
None of those things made this book terrible, though. I caught myself rolling my eyes a few times when it seemed like she was purposely trying to piss someone off, but ultimately I really, really enjoyed the book.
I remember saying at one point when I read Deception that I feel like some authors think that an angry girl = a strong girl - in this book, just like that one, I felt like the author replaced strength with anger. The character is determined to do everything herself - she absolutely does not need anyone else - and she is right about everything, except that she's ridiculously naive when it comes to boys and their passionate looks and stares. She fights and screams and pushes everyone away, makes stupid choices that put her in peril, and then feels super guilty when the people around her get hurt. This girl is NOT strong. This girl is a brat, thus my "she's a brat" shelf.
None of those things made this book terrible, though. I caught myself rolling my eyes a few times when it seemed like she was purposely trying to piss someone off, but ultimately I really, really enjoyed the book.
cat1586's review
4.0
I'd have to agree with some of the comments in other reviews about the more splendid covers of books being almost directly linked to a very subpar story line these days, but take the chance on this one. Not only is the cover eye catching, I found the story to be one of the best stories I've read this year, and in this particular genre, one of the best I've read in a really long time.
From the beginning you're brought into action, and what I later found I loved about this story was how everything that happens to Kai is meant to serve a purpose. There are very little filler pages in this story and that helped it progress easily. From literally the first sentence in the book the frame work is being laid, and even though Lori managed to spin some awesome world building into this first book, she doesn't weigh you down with information you aren't going to need. Even some of the instances between Kai and Avan, that everyone wants to roll their eyes at, comes back to be usable in the second book. With all of this though, the book isn't heavy. With a story line taking us to a world that hasn't been beaten to death, (looking at you vampires), it could be so easy to weigh everything down with Martin like detail in every single brick wall. Lori doesn't do that though. She gives you details that you can use as you go; to build onto the frame that shes set for you. By the end of the book you have a pretty good understanding of the world, the state it's in now, and what happened to bring it there. (also, prequel. Just sayin)
The characters Lori introduces are unique and have enough substance in themselves to carry this story well into an interesting trilogy. The substance that those characters then give to each other and the world that is built in this book only do more to make it a stronger story line. I could go on about a few of them that I found to be favourites, but I would give the story away and that's no fun. But... just make it to Irra.
I can see where some people have rated this book low due to the angsty almost-romance that flows throughout the entire story, but honestly, if you read beyond that, the world that Lori has built is quite unique and worth exploring. And Kai? She's more than just a damsel in distress. While she may not have a firm handle on her powers, she still charges off into the unknown, willing to do anything it takes to save what is most important to her. By the final chapters of the book shes even more capable and she's accomplished a lot of things a lesser person might not have. All be it, with some help. But a guiding help, more than the typical "let me do this for you" help one tends to find with lead female characters. Even if her one blunder could have been avoided with a little more thought and a little less blind emotion taking control. If I were to fault Kai in anything really, it would be her tendency to become hot headed and shut down instead of listening to what the other character is trying to tell her. I think you see that more toward the end of this book and definitely throughout the sequel, but I think that kind of immature behaviour is more frustrating to read through than any of the romance going on in this book.
The romance itself would be lovely to watch unfold if Kai had shared a little less of her back and forth, and sometimes more than mildly oblivious, thoughts when it came to Avan. After a while I did roll my eyes a few times and think to myself "get it together girl!". But on the flip side, if you can refrain from eye rolling long enough, I think you get to see so much emotion coming from Avan, that while Kai is apparently oblivious, you as the reader are not. You get to see how affected he is by her, and maybe its just me, but its been so long since I've found a book that includes a romance that isn't completely just some hopeless girl biting her fingernails over which boy to choose, that having this two sided, hesitant, version of a romance was in itself a little refreshing. Was there a little too much time spent on Kai reiterating how well she got to know every muscle in Avan's back? Probably, but I'm inclined to let it slide because everything outside of that is worth getting to know.
From the beginning you're brought into action, and what I later found I loved about this story was how everything that happens to Kai is meant to serve a purpose. There are very little filler pages in this story and that helped it progress easily. From literally the first sentence in the book the frame work is being laid, and even though Lori managed to spin some awesome world building into this first book, she doesn't weigh you down with information you aren't going to need. Even some of the instances between Kai and Avan, that everyone wants to roll their eyes at, comes back to be usable in the second book. With all of this though, the book isn't heavy. With a story line taking us to a world that hasn't been beaten to death, (looking at you vampires), it could be so easy to weigh everything down with Martin like detail in every single brick wall. Lori doesn't do that though. She gives you details that you can use as you go; to build onto the frame that shes set for you. By the end of the book you have a pretty good understanding of the world, the state it's in now, and what happened to bring it there. (also, prequel. Just sayin)
The characters Lori introduces are unique and have enough substance in themselves to carry this story well into an interesting trilogy. The substance that those characters then give to each other and the world that is built in this book only do more to make it a stronger story line. I could go on about a few of them that I found to be favourites, but I would give the story away and that's no fun. But... just make it to Irra.
I can see where some people have rated this book low due to the angsty almost-romance that flows throughout the entire story, but honestly, if you read beyond that, the world that Lori has built is quite unique and worth exploring. And Kai? She's more than just a damsel in distress. While she may not have a firm handle on her powers, she still charges off into the unknown, willing to do anything it takes to save what is most important to her. By the final chapters of the book shes even more capable and she's accomplished a lot of things a lesser person might not have. All be it, with some help. But a guiding help, more than the typical "let me do this for you" help one tends to find with lead female characters. Even if her one blunder could have been avoided with a little more thought and a little less blind emotion taking control. If I were to fault Kai in anything really, it would be her tendency to become hot headed and shut down instead of listening to what the other character is trying to tell her. I think you see that more toward the end of this book and definitely throughout the sequel, but I think that kind of immature behaviour is more frustrating to read through than any of the romance going on in this book.
The romance itself would be lovely to watch unfold if Kai had shared a little less of her back and forth, and sometimes more than mildly oblivious, thoughts when it came to Avan. After a while I did roll my eyes a few times and think to myself "get it together girl!". But on the flip side, if you can refrain from eye rolling long enough, I think you get to see so much emotion coming from Avan, that while Kai is apparently oblivious, you as the reader are not. You get to see how affected he is by her, and maybe its just me, but its been so long since I've found a book that includes a romance that isn't completely just some hopeless girl biting her fingernails over which boy to choose, that having this two sided, hesitant, version of a romance was in itself a little refreshing. Was there a little too much time spent on Kai reiterating how well she got to know every muscle in Avan's back? Probably, but I'm inclined to let it slide because everything outside of that is worth getting to know.
linzthebookworm's review against another edition
4.0
*Disclaimer: I received an e-book copy for review from NetGalley*
I found this to be a really refreshing read. I felt that Kai was a strong character who was able to protect and fight for herself. I was pleasantly surprised by many of the twists, but felt like some of the sequences were too convenient. Everything seemed to go a little to easily in Kai's favor, and it would have been nice to see things be more challenging to her. I didn't really trust Avan through most of the story, and the ending made sense as to why. Overall I really liked it, and would definitely give the second book in the series a try.
I found this to be a really refreshing read. I felt that Kai was a strong character who was able to protect and fight for herself. I was pleasantly surprised by many of the twists, but felt like some of the sequences were too convenient. Everything seemed to go a little to easily in Kai's favor, and it would have been nice to see things be more challenging to her. I didn't really trust Avan through most of the story, and the ending made sense as to why. Overall I really liked it, and would definitely give the second book in the series a try.
babs_reviews's review against another edition
3.0
I liked the book, enough that I'm curious for the next installment.
I had a hard time connecting with the main character Kai, she seemed a little wish-washy to me at times and honestly I just couldn't picture the name Kai for a girl. She seemed to bounce from fierce and independent to naïve and dependent. She was adamant that she didn't need Reev or Avan to 'take care of her' but really she did. At times she was clueless.
The concept of bending time was unique and the way she wrote it was incredibly creative though I would have liked to see more of it. It was only a handful of times Kai actually used the threads. It was meant to be this great power that she held but it felt small compared to what others could do.
I liked the world she built but felt it came to end toward the 3/4 mark. Like she just stopped building it. I would have liked a little more insight into the Infinites as the story unfolded instead of in a heap at the end.
I'll be adding the next book to my TBR but I won't rush it to the top.
Overall, I'd give it more like 3.5. I liked it but it wasn't amazing.
I had a hard time connecting with the main character Kai, she seemed a little wish-washy to me at times and honestly I just couldn't picture the name Kai for a girl. She seemed to bounce from fierce and independent to naïve and dependent. She was adamant that she didn't need Reev or Avan to 'take care of her' but really she did. At times she was clueless.
The concept of bending time was unique and the way she wrote it was incredibly creative though I would have liked to see more of it. It was only a handful of times Kai actually used the threads. It was meant to be this great power that she held but it felt small compared to what others could do.
I liked the world she built but felt it came to end toward the 3/4 mark. Like she just stopped building it. I would have liked a little more insight into the Infinites as the story unfolded instead of in a heap at the end.
I'll be adding the next book to my TBR but I won't rush it to the top.
Overall, I'd give it more like 3.5. I liked it but it wasn't amazing.