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A review by annettebooksofhopeanddreams
Justice in Magic by Ky Venn
2.0
I learned my lesson in the beginning of my book blogging career. Never request a review copy you're not that interested in. Nowadays I check blurbs, check genres and determine if I would have also gotten the book if I would have had to pay for it. That's usually a great system. I rarely request review copies of books that eventually disappoint me. But once in a while a book sounds awesome and seems cater all my wants and then turns out to be not for me.
It's hard to write my review for this book, because I quite clearly saw all the potential. There is an amazing world that's just begging to be explored. There are some amazing characters who I'd love to get to know better. And once in a while there are glimpses of a bigger storyline filled with mysteries and discoveries. But despite the book having potential, I never really cared about the book or the characters in this story. I never felt any connection with them.
I think part of the problem is the pacing and how detailed situations, meetings and characters are described. Some things are described vividly and take a lot of time. Other times weeks pass by in three single sentences. That doesn't have to be a problem, but I somehow had the feeling that the more detailed scenes were mostly in the beginning of the book, which was very much the introduction. Where the scenes that I would have wanted to feel and experience were passing by in a blink.
The other issue I had with the book is that it feels like the book is missing a certain punch line. I understand that in our lives loads of things happen without a reason, but when everything in a book happens without a reason, when we learn nothing of motivations or thoughts behind decisions it feels like the story lacks direction. I think the direction is probably there and might be revealed in future books, I just think this book ALSO needed a clearer direction already for the reader.
I think the biggest issue though is that we are told about the characters in this story, but are never given the chance to actually get to know them. The author describes what's happening, but we simply read that our character feels a connection with other characters, but we're not really shown those. Especially the romance doesn't get enough attention. We get no chance to build a connection with the love interest, to understand what makes him so unique, to fall a little in love with him too.
And last but not least: For New Adult the heroine sounded a little young and especially with her history I would have expected her to be less naive. The writing style also seemed a little simple in general. If those few smut scenes hadn't been in the book, this could have been a YA aimed at 14 year olds. (Which is NOT bad perse. Just not what I personally expected.)
It's hard to write my review for this book, because I quite clearly saw all the potential. There is an amazing world that's just begging to be explored. There are some amazing characters who I'd love to get to know better. And once in a while there are glimpses of a bigger storyline filled with mysteries and discoveries. But despite the book having potential, I never really cared about the book or the characters in this story. I never felt any connection with them.
I think part of the problem is the pacing and how detailed situations, meetings and characters are described. Some things are described vividly and take a lot of time. Other times weeks pass by in three single sentences. That doesn't have to be a problem, but I somehow had the feeling that the more detailed scenes were mostly in the beginning of the book, which was very much the introduction. Where the scenes that I would have wanted to feel and experience were passing by in a blink.
The other issue I had with the book is that it feels like the book is missing a certain punch line. I understand that in our lives loads of things happen without a reason, but when everything in a book happens without a reason, when we learn nothing of motivations or thoughts behind decisions it feels like the story lacks direction. I think the direction is probably there and might be revealed in future books, I just think this book ALSO needed a clearer direction already for the reader.
I think the biggest issue though is that we are told about the characters in this story, but are never given the chance to actually get to know them. The author describes what's happening, but we simply read that our character feels a connection with other characters, but we're not really shown those. Especially the romance doesn't get enough attention. We get no chance to build a connection with the love interest, to understand what makes him so unique, to fall a little in love with him too.
And last but not least: For New Adult the heroine sounded a little young and especially with her history I would have expected her to be less naive. The writing style also seemed a little simple in general. If those few smut scenes hadn't been in the book, this could have been a YA aimed at 14 year olds. (Which is NOT bad perse. Just not what I personally expected.)