Summary from goodreads: In The Wise Man's Fear, an escalating rivalry with a powerful member of the nobility forces Kvothe to leave the University and seek his fortune abroad. Adrift, penniless, and alone, he travels to Vintas, where he quickly becomes entangled in the politics of courtly society. While attempting to curry favor with a powerful noble, Kvothe uncovers an assassination attempt, comes into conflict with a rival arcanist, and leads a group of mercenaries into the wild, in an attempt to solve the mystery of who (or what) is waylaying travelers on the King's Road. All the while, Kvothe searches for answers, attempting to uncover the truth about the mysterious Amyr, the Chandrian, and the death of his parents. Along the way, Kvothe is put on trial by the legendary Adem mercenaries, is forced to reclaim the honor of the Edema Ruh, and travels into the Fae realm. There he meets Felurian, the faerie woman no man can resist, and who no man has ever survived...until Kvothe. In The Wise Man's Fear, Kvothe takes his first steps on the path of the hero and learns how difficult life can be when a man becomes a legend in his own time.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

This book started off strong. It started off at five stars. Then towards the middle it was 4.5 stars, then 4, and so on and so forth. After reading The Name of the Wind, the first installment of this series, expectations were high, but in all honesty The Wise Man's Fear disappointed. Filled to the brim with filler chapters, the bulk of this fantasy novelwas essentially unnecessary to the grand scheme of the plot. Although the book had its negative aspects, it also had some redeeming qualities such as its prose and its unique stories as well as its consistency.

Before I begin, I would like to point out that The Wise Man's Fear is not a 3.5 stars in comparison to The Name of the Wind, rather its a 3.5 stars simply for its own content.

First, one of the deciding factors for me when I'm reading a novel is the characters: character introduction, character development, character relationships, etc. Frankly, if the characters aren't well written, the story just isn't as good as it can be, and that nagging feeling that there is potential that isn't delivered stresses me out like no other. This is probably the biggest reason The Wise Man's Fear didn't cut it for me.  The characters are interesting in and of themselves. They're all very different and unique, they all seem to have round personalities, and the female characters have strong personalities. However, aside from that, there was not much character development and the introductions didn't leave a strong first impression. It didn't leave a bad first impression either, it was just weak. On top of that, the characters' relationships with one another seemed underdeveloped and rushed and the fact that just about every female character had some sort of romantic relationship with someone was slightly irritating.

Another aspect that I did not like about this novel was that the entirety of the book barely moved the plot along. As opposed to having filler chapters in a novel, The Wise Man's Fear acted a filler novel with the occasional relevant chapter. However, it should be noted that although the majority of the novel seemed unnecessary, the stories that were told were interesting enough to keep a reader going. It had scenes filled with action and scenes filled with humor. Overall, it had a good balance with a little bit of everything.

Last but not least, The Wise Man's Fear was well written and well organized. The prose kept the reader attached even though there were instances in which certain sentences were repetitive. It was enchanting in a way. There was also the organization of the novel. One would assume that since the novel jumps from Kvothe's past to his present, it would be difficult to read. However this particular was not difficult or annoying to read. In fact, I personally looked for to the time shifts.  The author did a great job of being consistent with what to look for in these shifts which made it entertaining to read.

All in all, the novel was both entertaining and frustrating, and I would probably decline the chance to read it again.

If you like fantasy and characters with consistent personalities and good stories, then you should give The Wise Man's Fear a shot.

Summary from goodreads: Marie-Laure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where he works as the master of its thousands of locks. When she is six, Marie-Laure goes blind and her father builds a perfect miniature of their neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great-uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel.
In a mining town in Germany, the orphan Werner grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments, a talent that wins him a place at a brutal academy for Hitler Youth, then a special assignment to track the resistance. More and more aware of the human cost of his intelligence, Werner travels through the heart of the war and, finally, into Saint-Malo, where his story and Marie-Laure’s converge.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Haunting, evocative, and alluring, All the Light We Cannot See captures and depicts the quietest and loudest moments of a devastating war. Its detail and meticulous prose fills the novel with a hushed suspense, one that gives the reader a sense of foreboding and trepidation. It's a novel that teaches and puzzles its readers. It's a novel that, despite its merits, has its flaws.

All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr starts off at a crawl and drags on. It's slow, to say the least. While at times its pace certainly establishes the ominous atmosphere, serving as a reinforcement for the foreboding the reader is meant to feel, it could also be seen as a detrimental aspect of the novel, (especially since there were other qualities that served the same purpose of suspense).

With the slow beginning came an arguably unsatisfactory ending. The way the suspense was built up, slowly and carefully, provoked the reader into expecting great things. But the moment the readers were waiting for, the moment when all three story lines collided, was fleeting.

However, this is where the criticisms end.

All the Light We Cannot See is a masterfully written novel with a strong foundation, an organized structure, and an unbelievable amount of detail. Its captivating and descriptive language locked the reader's attention from the beginning and its voice put the readers in a trance. The way the characters were built is also worthy of praise. Each character with their different backstories and different personalities and relationships made the novel all the more mesmerizing. Although the characters moved around the plot and changed with events, the attention given to the characters made it seem as if the plot moved around the characters. As if the characters were in charge and if anything were to happen to any of them there would be nothing to read about, even though logically there would be plenty.

There is so much good in All the Light We Cannot See it easily outweighs the faults. It is definitely a book I would recommend for the patient and historical fiction fanatics.

Summary from goodreads: Seconds before the Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last fifteen years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor. Together this dynamic pair begin a journey through space aided by quotes from The Hitchhiker's Guide ("A towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have") and a galaxy-full of fellow travelers: Zaphod Beeblebrox--the two-headed, three-armed ex-hippie and totally out-to-lunch president of the galaxy; Trillian, Zaphod's girlfriend (formally Tricia McMillan), whom Arthur tried to pick up at a cocktail party once upon a time zone; Marvin, a paranoid, brilliant, and chronically depressed robot; Veet Voojagig, a former graduate student who is obsessed with the disappearance of all the ballpoint pens he bought over the years.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

The premise of this book is nonsense. And to be honest, it's the best nonsense you may ever read.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a sci-fi/fantasy novel you'll either love or loathe. It's an extremely nerdy book, if you will, and its humor really isn't for everyone. But there are aspects to this work that should be appreciated all the same. For example, although The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is more plot (and comedy) driven than it is character driven, the author did not sacrifice the dynamics of said characters and allowed them to have distinct personalities that made the book all the more enjoyable. On top of that, it's innovative (even though that should go without saying).

One thing that should be noted about The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is that despite its screwball humor, its jokes can be understood and applied years and centuries from now. To better understand this, while and if you read this look out for the  dialogue between two cops and Zaphod & Company. However, with all its jokes and all its sarcasm, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is good-natured and unproblematic; something that really can't be said for many novels.

As for the characters that were previously mentioned, they all have prominent and unique personalities which were somewhat unnecessary but wholly appreciated. Although the characters did not grow in the first book of this series, it is easy to see that they all have room for development which is something to look forward to.

With all this being said, the book did not come without its subjective faults. Aside from the humor that might not be to every reader's taste, the layout and transitioning of the book most probably has the same effect. There is always something happening to the characters, however considering the novel as a whole, the book is not necessarily fast paced. Another criticism that could be made about The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is that the author's personality shines more  than the plot.

All in all, even though this book is not for everyone, if you have the patience and the right mindset, a lot of people will enjoy this book as many already have.

Summary from goodreads: 2015…All her life, Myra Farrow has been obsessed with medieval castles—and the kings and princes who once inhabited them. Now, wealthy videogame designer Steve Bernard wants her to model for a princess character in his new game. Myra can’t resist his offer, especially when she learns that Steve plans to film inside the mysterious Hue Castle—a cursed, barren, colorless place forbidden to visitors for centuries. But unknown to Myra, her soul is bound to Hue Castle by blood and sorcery. When she enters its doors, she awakens dark powers that will reach through time—stealing her past, torturing her present, and rewriting her future.
1415…Edward Hue, the last of the Hue royal bloodline, has never stood in the sunshine or held a living flower. Cursed from birth to live in darkness and bring death to all he touches, he is at the mercy of his cruel, tyrannical father, who will not rest until he shatters Edward’s soul and makes his son into a diabolical copy of himself. Edward’s one hope is the mysterious woman who haunts his dreams—who will either break his curse and bring him out of the darkness, or destroy him utterly.
For Myra and Edward, past and future collide in a tale of love, obsession, betrayal, and the hope for redemption. 

Summary from goodreads: Orphaned, penniless, Jacob Jankowski jumps a freight train in the dark, and in that instant, transforms his future. By morning, he's landed a job with the Flying Squadron of the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. By nightfall, he's in love. In an America made colourless by prohibition and the Depression, the circus is a refuge of sequins and sensuality. But behind the glamour lies a darker world, where both animals and men are dispensable. Where falling in love is the most dangerous act of all... 

Rating: 2/5 stars

*If you're expecting an abundance of elephants, prepare to be disappointed.

A novel about a circus during the Depression and Prohibition era? Seems interesting. 

Written in first person point of view and shifting between modern time and the past, Water for Elephants was disappointing, to say the least. It had a few things going for it. For one, the plot was interesting; or more appropriately, the plot had potential. It also had a lot of imagery, and the beginning was more than enough to draw the reader in. But that's where the strengths end. As for the weaknesses, there were too many to make the novel worth reading. The execution was poor, the characters were flat, it was unnecessarily explicit several too many times, etc.

The synopsis of this novel makes it seem like the story had a clear direction. The first chapter then solidifies the greatness that is to be expected. But really, it was messy and confusing. Not confusing in the sense where you don't understand what's happening, rather it was confusing in the sense where you don't understand why it's being narrated.

Early on in the story, there was a murder, which makes it seem as if the rest of the novel narrates events that lead up to this cold blooded murder. However, when the reader finishes, they find that the story could have been told in a few pages, meaning about fifty percent of the scenes described was simply excess information. True, the glory of most novels is watching how a story unfolds and seeing how one event leads to another and watching the characters develop, so on and so forth. But these aspects rarely made an appearance in Water for Elephants. 

The characters could have been written better. With the exception of the main character, none of the characters really developed, and if they did, their development was unsatisfactory. Jacob went from being sad to being in love without much of a transition. As for Marlena, she was the most underdeveloped of them all. She was trying to be a strong, round character. But in reality, she was just a love interest. 

The best parts of Water for Elephants were the scenes written in modern time from the perspective of the old and bitter Jacob. Although these scenes were few, they came in all the right moments and there were just enough of them. With that being said, the characters were diverse and they all had unique personalities. In addition, as annoying as the characters were and as confusing as the execution was, the plot kept the reader hooked.

All in all, Water for Elephants is not a novel I would recommend. It may be a better read the second time around since the reader would understand it more, but in all honesty, with the way story played out, there really isn't much to motivate me to read it again (but that's my personal opinion). 

The Martian, a science fiction novel written by Andy Weir in shifting perspectives, keeps the reader laughing and on the edge of their seats with the intense plot and humorous narration. With half of the novel being written as a journal in first person point of view and the other half being written in third person point of view, the story was innovative and realistic, although there was room for improvement in regards to the characterization.

Summary from goodreads: Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations. Yet he spends his life willingly, knowing that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children. But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity already reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and sprawling parks spread across the planet. Darrow—and Reds like him—are nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class. Inspired by a longing for justice, and driven by the memory of lost love, Darrow sacrifices everything to infiltrate the legendary Institute, a proving ground for the dominant Gold caste, where the next generation of humanity's overlords struggle for power. He will be forced to compete for his life and the very future of civilization against the best and most brutal of Society's ruling class. There, he will stop at nothing to bring down his enemies... even if it means he has to become one of them to do so.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Red Rising was...interesting. With a rocky start, the book served to be an immensely entertaining sci-fi dystopian novel with a diverse cast and a decent amount of bloodshed (considering the plot).

The beginning of Red Rising certainly did not give the book the kick beginnings are supposed to give. It threw information about the difficult-to-grasp world the character was living in at the reader and it didn't really explain what most things were or how certain things worked. But with common sense and context clues as tools, the reader is more than capable of working out what's what.

Time and time again, there are great books with great plots and great scenery etc, etc. However, the characters in about eighty percents of these books are just...boring. Whatever the reason may be, whether it's because the character is static or predictable, the character just makes the read a disappointing one. Red Rising is not one of these books. As the reader delves deeper into the story, the plot gets more intense and more characters are introduced at a steady pace. Which is great, because just about every single one of the characters has an interesting storyline and a personality that keeps the reader hooked - even if the character wasn't likable or brought about destruction to other characters the reader was rooting for. That's probably because they were well written, and that's probably what made this book.

The plot and setting of the book were unique. Many compare it to The Hunger Games because it has some parallels: dystopian novel, teenagers put in a game to find the strongest, but that's where the similarities end. The story of Red Rising is fast paced. Something is always happening, but the deeper we go into the story, the more the overall plot and purpose is ignored. There are mentions here and there of what drives Darrow, the main character. But the mentions were few and far between, and they almost seemed like an afterthought.

Aside from the plot, there was an abundance of imagery. Sometimes, it was overwhelming since it took place on Mars, so there had to be a lot of imagination on the reader's part. But for the most part, the imagery was well placed and fully appreciated.

If Red Rising succeeded in anything, it was in thoroughly entertaining its readers. But it is not for the faint hearted. If you easily get attached and will cry buckets of tears for a character you loved and lost, then Red Rising is not the book for you. However, if you are a fan of sci-fi dystopian novels and appreciate character development and a well thought out plot, then this might be your cup of tea.

Afterthought: This book had a lot of "Don't cry like a girl" and "He screamed like a girl" or "He  giggled like a girl", so if you're not willing to overlook those lines, steer clear of Red Rising.

Summary from goodreads: I have two weeks. You'll shoot me at the end no matter what I do.
That's what you do to enemy agents. It's what we do to enemy agents. But I look at all the dark and twisted roads ahead and cooperation is the easy way out. Possibly the only way out for a girl caught red-handed doing dirty work like mine - and I will do anything, anything to avoid SS-Hauptsturmführer von Linden interrogating me again.
He has said that I can have as much paper as I need. All I have to do is cough up everything I can remember about the British War Effort. And I'm going to. But the story of how I came to be here starts with my friend Maddie. She is the pilot who flew me into France - an Allied Invasion of Two.
We are a sensational team.

Summary from goodreads: Soon after Gwenda moved into her new home, odd things started to happen. Despite her best efforts to modernise the house, she only succeeded in dredging up its past. Worse, she felt an irrational sense of terror every time she climbed the stairs... In fear, Gwenda turned to Miss Marple to exorcise her ghosts. Between them, they were to solve a 'perfect' crime committed many years before. 

Rating: 4/5 stars


Sleeping Murder has sealed my impression of Agatha Christie.

Agatha Christie is known for her mystery novels, and of her most famous novels is And Then There Were None. Personally, I believe Sleeping Murder should hold that title instead. If anything, Sleeping Murder is a satisfying read. It has a unique voice, thoroughly consistent characterization, just enough imagery, and a plot that will keep the reader engaged.

Firstly: the voice of the novel. The novel is written in a way so that it keeps the reader skeptical, but still leads them to draw their own deductions. The way this is done is interesting. Sleeping Murder is written in third person omniscient, meaning it follows all the characters in the story. So it follows Miss Marple, the renowned detective; Mr and Mrs Reed, the characters who brought a murder to Miss Marple's attention; and the side characters who play the roles of suspects and assistants. When the narrator is exposing Mr and Mrs. Reed's actions and thoughts, the prose is generally more straight forward. It clearly states who they think is guilty and why. However, when it comes to Miss Marple, the writing is more vague. The sections that narrate her thoughts are filled with ellipses galore and usually end with mini cliff hangers (in a sense). Because of the different ways Miss Marple and Mr and Mrs. Reed tackle the mystery, and because the reader reads both of their accounts, the reader ends up tackling the case in the same ways. They are, in a way, conditioned by the narrator to think the same way the characters think, which is why there is both skepticism (from Miss Marple) and rash deductions (from Mr and Mrs. Reed). With that being said, it should be noted that the writing style may not be to everyone's taste given that it's sometimes choppy.

As for the characterization, its consistency is something to be admired. The personalities are represented through both their speech and actions. Granted the fact that there is no development in regards to any of the characters, one has to keep in mind the fact that Sleeping Murder is a mystery novel, so the consistency of characterization is a more valuable asset than the development.

Sleeping Murder is not heavy with imagery. It does not go on to describe every little detail of the weather or the plants. Most of the imagery that is found in the story somehow contributes to the actual crime, making every detail in the novel significant to the case. If not for the purpose of assisting in the deduction of the crime, minimal imagery was given in order for the reader to have a general idea of what the scenes look like. But aside from that, Sleeping Murder does not spend time on things that are not essential to the plot.

All in all, Agatha Christie's Sleeping Murder is definitely a book I'd recommend if you are a fan mystery novels and looking for a short, satisfying read.

Synopsis from goodreads: Told in Kvothe's own voice, this is the tale of the magically gifted young man who grows to be the most notorious wizard his world has ever seen. 
The intimate narrative of his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, his years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-ridden city, his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a legendary school of magic, and his life as a fugitive after the murder of a king form a gripping coming-of-age story unrivaled in recent literature. 

Rating: 4.5/5

The Name of the Wind is nothing short of a legend in the making.

Summary from goodreads: When Queenie Hennessy discovers that Harold Fry is walking the length of England to save her, and all she has to do is wait, she is shocked. Her note had explained she was dying. How can she wait? A new volunteer at the hospice suggests that Queenie should write again; only this time she must tell Harold everything. In confessing to secrets she has hidden for twenty years, she will find atonement for the past. As the volunteer points out, 'Even though you've done your travelling, you're starting a new journey too.' Queenie thought her first letter would be the end of the story. She was wrong. It was the beginning.

Rating: 3.8/5
*The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is the first installment of the Harold Fry series.*
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy are both novels that require a bit more motivation to read than a dramatic or action filled novel. If you are a reader who is more inclined to fast paced novels, then chances are you won't be a very big fan of this series.
With that being said, The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy is written with so much expertise and intricacy that any reader who is interested will find themselves in awe once they pick up on the smaller details. It may take some time for the reader to adjust their mentality to that of one which focuses not so much on the plot but on the writing, but it is well worth the read once they are in that state of mind. This novel has an abundance of diverse characters, a great deal of parallelism, consistency while shifting between one place and time to another, and a unique writing style.
First and foremost, the characterization in this novel has to be commended. There are so many side characters that one would assume that they were all just supporting characters thrown in the story to keep it moving. But that is not the case. As one reads, it is near impossible for the complexity of each and every single one of the side characters to go unnoticed. They are given so much attention and care that a reader could almost yearn for books dedicated to their backstories. There were characters that were clearly and obviously round while others were more subtly written and there were characters who went through an admirable amount of development while others developments had to be deciphered. In addition, they were all so different. There were not two characters from the two installments combined that had similar personalities. 
Moving on to a more particular writing trait: parallelism. As to not give too much away, the parts of the story that could have been perceived as parallel will not be mentioned, but it could be expected that there is almost more parallelism than you know what to do with between Harold and his wife as a single story line and Queenie's storyline. While on the topic of specific writing traits, one could also expect imagery (a lot of it, but not as much as The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry).
An interesting feature about this novel is that it is constantly shifting between Queenie's modern day perspective and her backstory. Normally, a reader would find themselves confused and it would be hard to keep track, but the first line of each transition every time the story shifts is usually enough for the reader to understand. At the same time, the storyline was consistent yet progressive. The reader has to keep in mind that the main character is dying, so her deteriorating condition is portrayed through her writing (since it is written in first person) while still keeping a consistent voice throughout.

In both the first and second novels in this series there was a clear goal. This is very refreshing because the characters don't get sidetracked and neither do the readers. In the first novel, Harold Fry's goal was to walk to Queenie, and in the second novel, Queenie's goal was to write a letter to Harold. In a way, this builds suspense and makes anything and everything that happens so much more impactful than it would have been if there were a fast paced plot. The writing style as a whole was very smooth and had a strong voice that fit well with the main character. There were varying sentence structures and adjectives galore. If any of this sounds like your cup of tea, then you should definitely give this novel a read.