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finnelyslibrary's review
1.0
I really wanted to like this one, but just couldn't get into it. Sometimes I can get past main characters who irritate me, but I just couldn't get past the multiple irritating MC perspectives.
kjanie's review
4.0
4/5 stars
I was blown away by the sheer detail of this fantasy world. Creatures after creatures showed up and I soon knew that nothing was off limits. I was fully captivated by this book and I could never predict what was going to happen. It is fully of action-packed excitement, tonnes of sarcasm and a plethora of magic beings. The book only got better as it progressed and by the end, I couldn't stop reading because I just had to know what was going to happen. The subtle presence of a slow-building romance was also a huge bonus. I can't wait to read the next book in this series!
Sachi was overcome with grief when her best friend died, and six months later she is still struggling to return to her normal routine. She thinks she sees him all around Melbourne, despite his death, and she never thought much of it until she saw him being held by a grim-reaper type figure. This is when Sachin starts to realise that her world is not at all what it seemed, and the death of her friend may not have been an unfortunate accident. Not only does she see her friend, Sachi also sees a hooded person who seems to be from a wrong century altogether. She tries to forget these weird occurrences, until one day she is kidnapped and thrown right into the chaotic Shadowlands.
Unbeknownst to most humans, the world is kept in balance by a bunch of immortals known as the Order of Light and Dark. The Shadowlands live parallel to the normal human world and exists synonymously, seemingly without problems. Bet when some rowdy immortals stir up trouble, the balance between life and death is thrown out of sorts. Now, eighteen year old Sachi is a major piece in the mystery surrounding the Shadowlands, even if she didn't know it before. Her mundane life has been completely turned upside down as she must navigate and understand this new world, with the help of two reapers who act as guides, kidnappers and protectors.
It's so hard to give an urban fantasy book like this a good description, because nothing I can says will do it justice. There ware as just so much gong on in the book, it just loses so much when I try to narrow it down to a paragraph or two. Just know that the world in this book was alight with magic, intrigue and mystery. The Shadowlands was such a dark, but very cool place and I was just enthralled with learning about it. The world building became more elaborate as the book progressed, and I am now dying to read the next book so I can dive deeper into this world. I admit, at the start I was drawing a lot of parallels with The Mortal Instruments at an alarming rate. But, the further I delved into the novel, the more original it because. I watched this book grow into a unique and wholly fascinating story as I was reading.
I really just want to gush about the overall pace of the story. I never normally go into the technicalities in my reviews, but the pace of this book was perfect. It was a slow build at the start, then things just got crazy from there. Not only was there an intricate fantastical plot, but there was also emotional development. It was all intertwine perfectly, along with the other perspectives in the novel. At the start I was unsure how all the little pieces would come together, but they did. Everything came together at the end perfectly like a jigsaw piece. That's probably why I found this book so addictive, the plot was just so well structured. Plus, there was a couple of major plot twists at the end that had me going crazy. By the end of the book, my heart was beating like crazy I was fully enthralled in the story
As a lover of romance, I can't possibly finish this review without mentioning the love interest in this book. You know how I was talking about their being two Shadowlander reapers with Sachi? Well, I forgot to mention that they were also really hot, like male model status good looking. And maybe, just maybe, there was a romance between Sachi and one of these reapers. I don't know if it's a spoiler to say who she falls for, but to be safe, I'll just not reveal his name. All you need to know is that it is a subtle romance that builds for the most of the book. There is also a couple of really sweet scenes where all the built up tension explodes. I'm excited to see the relationship explored in the next books in the series.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
I was blown away by the sheer detail of this fantasy world. Creatures after creatures showed up and I soon knew that nothing was off limits. I was fully captivated by this book and I could never predict what was going to happen. It is fully of action-packed excitement, tonnes of sarcasm and a plethora of magic beings. The book only got better as it progressed and by the end, I couldn't stop reading because I just had to know what was going to happen. The subtle presence of a slow-building romance was also a huge bonus. I can't wait to read the next book in this series!
“What is it with you people? Why are you all so stabby and kidnappy?”
Sachi was overcome with grief when her best friend died, and six months later she is still struggling to return to her normal routine. She thinks she sees him all around Melbourne, despite his death, and she never thought much of it until she saw him being held by a grim-reaper type figure. This is when Sachin starts to realise that her world is not at all what it seemed, and the death of her friend may not have been an unfortunate accident. Not only does she see her friend, Sachi also sees a hooded person who seems to be from a wrong century altogether. She tries to forget these weird occurrences, until one day she is kidnapped and thrown right into the chaotic Shadowlands.
Unbeknownst to most humans, the world is kept in balance by a bunch of immortals known as the Order of Light and Dark. The Shadowlands live parallel to the normal human world and exists synonymously, seemingly without problems. Bet when some rowdy immortals stir up trouble, the balance between life and death is thrown out of sorts. Now, eighteen year old Sachi is a major piece in the mystery surrounding the Shadowlands, even if she didn't know it before. Her mundane life has been completely turned upside down as she must navigate and understand this new world, with the help of two reapers who act as guides, kidnappers and protectors.
"Creatures of all shapes and sizes came into existence, with names like angel, demon, faery, and dragon. They existed together peacefully, these new creatures of The Shadowlands. Until, eventually, they did not…”
It's so hard to give an urban fantasy book like this a good description, because nothing I can says will do it justice. There ware as just so much gong on in the book, it just loses so much when I try to narrow it down to a paragraph or two. Just know that the world in this book was alight with magic, intrigue and mystery. The Shadowlands was such a dark, but very cool place and I was just enthralled with learning about it. The world building became more elaborate as the book progressed, and I am now dying to read the next book so I can dive deeper into this world. I admit, at the start I was drawing a lot of parallels with The Mortal Instruments at an alarming rate. But, the further I delved into the novel, the more original it because. I watched this book grow into a unique and wholly fascinating story as I was reading.
I really just want to gush about the overall pace of the story. I never normally go into the technicalities in my reviews, but the pace of this book was perfect. It was a slow build at the start, then things just got crazy from there. Not only was there an intricate fantastical plot, but there was also emotional development. It was all intertwine perfectly, along with the other perspectives in the novel. At the start I was unsure how all the little pieces would come together, but they did. Everything came together at the end perfectly like a jigsaw piece. That's probably why I found this book so addictive, the plot was just so well structured. Plus, there was a couple of major plot twists at the end that had me going crazy. By the end of the book, my heart was beating like crazy I was fully enthralled in the story
As a lover of romance, I can't possibly finish this review without mentioning the love interest in this book. You know how I was talking about their being two Shadowlander reapers with Sachi? Well, I forgot to mention that they were also really hot, like male model status good looking. And maybe, just maybe, there was a romance between Sachi and one of these reapers. I don't know if it's a spoiler to say who she falls for, but to be safe, I'll just not reveal his name. All you need to know is that it is a subtle romance that builds for the most of the book. There is also a couple of really sweet scenes where all the built up tension explodes. I'm excited to see the relationship explored in the next books in the series.
“For so long she'd wanted to touch this work of art that was this boy, this too beautiful to be real creation, and now her hands were refusing to be patient.”
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
cmryan's review
3.0
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
If I'm being completely honest, I was expecting to find this an imitation of Clare's work, but I was pleasantly surprised. Whilst the writing style read as quite similar to fanfiction and fandom references were occasionally overwhelming, the plot was incredible. Fast paced with captivating characters, Bye uses the supernatural world and the use of the word 'shadow' in complex way that's easy to read. Unlike many YA protagonists, Byes' didn't pale in comparison to her background characters, which says a lot because some of the background characters are amazing. Despite the fact the novel is obviously aimed towards a younger adult audience, I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait to buy the sequel.
If I'm being completely honest, I was expecting to find this an imitation of Clare's work, but I was pleasantly surprised. Whilst the writing style read as quite similar to fanfiction and fandom references were occasionally overwhelming, the plot was incredible. Fast paced with captivating characters, Bye uses the supernatural world and the use of the word 'shadow' in complex way that's easy to read. Unlike many YA protagonists, Byes' didn't pale in comparison to her background characters, which says a lot because some of the background characters are amazing. Despite the fact the novel is obviously aimed towards a younger adult audience, I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait to buy the sequel.
cynsworkshop's review against another edition
4.0
Captivating from Beginning to End | Review of ‘Out of the Shadows’ (Shadowlands #1)
A fun captivating read from beginning to end with mythology, mystery, and fantasy layered into every facet of the story. A perfect read for fans of Cassandra Clare[...]
Read more of this post at Cyn's Workshop
A fun captivating read from beginning to end with mythology, mystery, and fantasy layered into every facet of the story. A perfect read for fans of Cassandra Clare[...]
Read more of this post at Cyn's Workshop
si0bhan's review against another edition
4.0
I’m going to be completely honest with you here; I had a little bit of fear when I started this one. You see, the synopsis of Out of the Shadows grabbed me hard. I was all kinds of excited to start this one. Despite the writing being flawless, it took me a while to get into this one. I can easily assign blame for why this happened – I had too many Shadowhunter feelings. I realise it says this book is perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, but at first I feared there would be too many similarities. We had meetings in bars. We had a hidden world of the supernatural. We had the Shadowland, which sounds far too much like Shadowhunter to be mere coincidence. Thus, a part of my brain went on the attack. I had a serious ‘uh-oh, lack of originality’ moment.
Fear not, this feeling of mine was so wrong. Honestly, I cannot remember the last time I was so wrong about a book.
Whilst there are bits and pieces throughout that reminded me of other young adult fantasy novels, this is an all too common occurrence nowadays. It is so rare to find a book that is one hundred percent original. This one, though, is pretty high up there. After reading a few chapters, once the story got hold of me, I found I was pulled into a unique world that left me wanting more. Upon finishing, I have one very serious question: when can I get my hands on book two? It was such a turnaround, my initial view of ‘okay this is somewhat interesting’ transforming into ‘oh gosh I need to know what happens next’. In other words, if like me you can be somewhat judgemental and require a bit of persuading when it comes to books, I suggest you give this one the chance to really get a hold of you. I assure you, it is a well worth the read.
As I’ve already stated, it’s flawlessly written. Ashlee Nicole Bye really knows how to write a story. She has her own voice, the kind that pulls you in and really makes the world come to life. There are so many emotions throughout, taking you on a rollercoaster ride. You get inside the minds of the characters, and you come to really connection with them – both the good and the questionable. Not to mention the humour. Humour is always wonderful in stories, and it’s well done in this. It isn’t so overdone that you’re reading a comical book, but there are certain scenes that will cause you to have a good giggle. One character in particular I wish to see more of in the future, mainly because this guy really had me giggling.
It’s not just the writing that is wonderful, though. The world building is also beautiful. At first I was unsure, but as the story developed so many things came together. It’s one of those stories where you need to work to understand what it is you’re being given, one of those stories where you need to look for the connections that exist. I’m not saying it is hard work – far from it – merely that if you look hard you get to see how well everything is brought together. There are wonderful surface connections, but when you take a moment to breathe you can really appreciate what is going on below the surface. I cannot say this enough: the world building is fabulous, developing well beyond my initial ideas of what we would be given. Moreover, there is still so much I need to learn more about – things I cannot wait to read about in the future books.
Plus the characters. Oh how I came to love them. Although there was a couple of clichés to be seen, each was an individual and I came to love them all. Good or bad, I found myself loving them. Not to mention the development that occurs – and those character twists. Damn, things developed in this one and I loved it. I really could rant and rave for a long time about how I enjoyed the progression of the characters in this one, but I won’t. I honestly do not believe I’m capable of fangirling without giving spoilers, such are the feelings I’m dealing with. Just know some of the character arcs will leave you with a ‘hot damn what happened’ by the end. They’re just so good.
In all honesty, the only thing I really wanted by the end of the story was more. There was so much happen in this one, it wiggled deeper into my heart than I’d anticipated, and now I’m left feeling empty. I feel as though it was a rather short read for such a wonderfully developed world, with so many stories going on. I know it was just an introductory book, the first in the series, but I would have liked it to be a bit longer. Yes, I’m interested to see where every arc goes; however, I would have liked a better indication of where some things were heading.
Not to mention that epilogue. Seriously, damn, what’s next?
Overall, this one turned out to be a wonderful read. The sooner I get my hands on the second Shadowlands book, the sooner I will be a happy fan.
Fear not, this feeling of mine was so wrong. Honestly, I cannot remember the last time I was so wrong about a book.
Whilst there are bits and pieces throughout that reminded me of other young adult fantasy novels, this is an all too common occurrence nowadays. It is so rare to find a book that is one hundred percent original. This one, though, is pretty high up there. After reading a few chapters, once the story got hold of me, I found I was pulled into a unique world that left me wanting more. Upon finishing, I have one very serious question: when can I get my hands on book two? It was such a turnaround, my initial view of ‘okay this is somewhat interesting’ transforming into ‘oh gosh I need to know what happens next’. In other words, if like me you can be somewhat judgemental and require a bit of persuading when it comes to books, I suggest you give this one the chance to really get a hold of you. I assure you, it is a well worth the read.
As I’ve already stated, it’s flawlessly written. Ashlee Nicole Bye really knows how to write a story. She has her own voice, the kind that pulls you in and really makes the world come to life. There are so many emotions throughout, taking you on a rollercoaster ride. You get inside the minds of the characters, and you come to really connection with them – both the good and the questionable. Not to mention the humour. Humour is always wonderful in stories, and it’s well done in this. It isn’t so overdone that you’re reading a comical book, but there are certain scenes that will cause you to have a good giggle. One character in particular I wish to see more of in the future, mainly because this guy really had me giggling.
It’s not just the writing that is wonderful, though. The world building is also beautiful. At first I was unsure, but as the story developed so many things came together. It’s one of those stories where you need to work to understand what it is you’re being given, one of those stories where you need to look for the connections that exist. I’m not saying it is hard work – far from it – merely that if you look hard you get to see how well everything is brought together. There are wonderful surface connections, but when you take a moment to breathe you can really appreciate what is going on below the surface. I cannot say this enough: the world building is fabulous, developing well beyond my initial ideas of what we would be given. Moreover, there is still so much I need to learn more about – things I cannot wait to read about in the future books.
Plus the characters. Oh how I came to love them. Although there was a couple of clichés to be seen, each was an individual and I came to love them all. Good or bad, I found myself loving them. Not to mention the development that occurs – and those character twists. Damn, things developed in this one and I loved it. I really could rant and rave for a long time about how I enjoyed the progression of the characters in this one, but I won’t. I honestly do not believe I’m capable of fangirling without giving spoilers, such are the feelings I’m dealing with. Just know some of the character arcs will leave you with a ‘hot damn what happened’ by the end. They’re just so good.
In all honesty, the only thing I really wanted by the end of the story was more. There was so much happen in this one, it wiggled deeper into my heart than I’d anticipated, and now I’m left feeling empty. I feel as though it was a rather short read for such a wonderfully developed world, with so many stories going on. I know it was just an introductory book, the first in the series, but I would have liked it to be a bit longer. Yes, I’m interested to see where every arc goes; however, I would have liked a better indication of where some things were heading.
Not to mention that epilogue. Seriously, damn, what’s next?
Overall, this one turned out to be a wonderful read. The sooner I get my hands on the second Shadowlands book, the sooner I will be a happy fan.
mj_james_writes's review
4.0
Out of the Shadows by Ashlee Nicole Bye is a debut Urban Fantasy novel that presents the paranormal world as a dimension that at one point connected with our own. The shadow world is filled with all the creatures of our myths, some that wanted to protect the fragile humans and others who wished to dominate. As an intermediary between these two fractions you have the Order of Dark and Light, which are reapers that schedule death and collect souls to carry them off to the world of shadows.
I have been looking for a new Urban Fantasy series to add to my must-read pile, and this is the series. The world building is not unique, which would be hard in such a saturated market, but it is solid and well built. Characterization is a strength of Out of the Shadows. At first, it was a little hard to follow who was who. I mixed up two of the main male characters a few times. It was never bad, I always felt connected to the characters and the story. There are quite a few characters in the story, with a few intertwining subplots. Bye does a good job, and as the book continues an excellent job, of giving each of those characters a unique voice. I knew that it was a story I was going to enjoy from the first chapter.
There were times in the novel where my connection to the story was halted because of the writing. The words and sentences did not flow as well as they could have, and I had to reread to understand what the author was trying to say. It was not major disruptions, but it was a slight concern when I first started to read. However, by the end those disruptions were rare. You can see the growth of Bye as a writer from the start of the novel to the finish. I am excited to read the second book in the series; I am sure that it will start out a lot stronger then Out of the Shadows. Although, Bye did an amazing job with her debut novel.
I have been looking for a new Urban Fantasy series to add to my must-read pile, and this is the series. The world building is not unique, which would be hard in such a saturated market, but it is solid and well built. Characterization is a strength of Out of the Shadows. At first, it was a little hard to follow who was who. I mixed up two of the main male characters a few times. It was never bad, I always felt connected to the characters and the story. There are quite a few characters in the story, with a few intertwining subplots. Bye does a good job, and as the book continues an excellent job, of giving each of those characters a unique voice. I knew that it was a story I was going to enjoy from the first chapter.
There were times in the novel where my connection to the story was halted because of the writing. The words and sentences did not flow as well as they could have, and I had to reread to understand what the author was trying to say. It was not major disruptions, but it was a slight concern when I first started to read. However, by the end those disruptions were rare. You can see the growth of Bye as a writer from the start of the novel to the finish. I am excited to read the second book in the series; I am sure that it will start out a lot stronger then Out of the Shadows. Although, Bye did an amazing job with her debut novel.
kari_marie's review
3.0
I listened to this one and enjoyed it. I liked that it took place in Australia which for some reason I have not read many books based there. Overall this was a good listen but nothing stands out as spectacular. I was not drawn to continuously listen to it. This was a typical fantasy novel. There were some pop culture references which is always enjoyable. There is a very intriguing villain. I will read book two just to see.
To sum up, this was an enjoyable book if slightly forgettable.
To sum up, this was an enjoyable book if slightly forgettable.
quixoticreads's review
4.0
The Laughing Listener
Format: Ebook
*I was generously given a copy in exchange for an honest review*
Rating: 4 Stars
I should start this by saying I am a HUGE fan of Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices series. So when I read a description for this book that promised it would satisfy Cassandra Clare fans, I OBVIOUSLY jumped on it. In the beginning I wasn’t sure what to expect, but by the end I was a transformed Shadowlander fangirl. I was promised satisfaction and can report that I am definitely SATISFIED.
via GIPHY
THE REHASH
Sachi Manning is an average girl living her life in Melbourne, Australia. She’s just graduated with her best friends Olivia and Gabe and can feel the endless freedom ahead of her as they prepare for a trip across Europe. So naturally, that’s when Gabe gets killed, leaving Sachi and her friends shattered. And Gabe isn’t the only one—there have been a string of similar murders that humans are blaming on a serial killer, but the supernatural know better.
Fast forward six months and Sachi is getting through life one day at a time, living with her brother Nikko, and working at a local cafe. At night she has terrible nightmares that make sleeping hard, but she’s getting by. Out of the blue one day, she starts noticing things she never has before. One of the bartenders has tiny horns, a server is running around with pointy ears, and there’s a guy walking around Melbourne with a Doctor Who, Willy Wonka vibe. Trying not to think too much about these strange sightings, Sachi lets her friends talk her into going out to a club for the first time in months. While she’s there, she just happens to see Julian—Doctor Willy Wonka himself—with a freaking SCYTHE about to slice up Gabe, the guy that’s suppose to ALREADY BE DEAD.
This brings Sachi, Julian, and his partner Moss together on a quest to find out what Sachi really is and discover how people like Gabe keep turning up “dead” when they’re not suppose to. All the while, an acquaintance (co-worker?????) of Julian and Moss named Griffin lurks in the background, scheming and making his own plans for Sachi Manning.
THE UGLY
When I first started reading this, my inner fangirl was so full of The Mortal Instruments that the parallels between the two stories blinded me like a sharp laser beam to the eye. I was worried that there might be too many similarities. A sassy, strong girl with an amazing talent for drawing? Two brothers-from-another-mother that are red hot with amazing fighting skillz (that’s right, WITH A Z!!)? An entire hidden realm of mythical creatures that dumb humans don’t even know exist?
Plus, I admit that I was a tad overwhelmed in the beginning. We are literally just dumped right in the middle of an entire fantastical world with a lot of terms and characters I kept forgetting two pages later.
THE GOOD
HOWEVER. It only took me a few chapters to realize that this novel is completely in a world of it’s own. I thought the universe this book takes place in was very well thought out, complete with it’s own geography, rules, key players, and history. That’s why I was so overwhelmed at the start, but once Sachi comes along and we discover it with her, everything makes a lot more sense. Plus, being overwhelmed with information at the beginning kind of made the story more believable. If there really WAS a hidden mythical universe that I randomly and suddenly discovered (PLEASE LET THIS HAPPEN. DRAGONS AND UNICORNS IN MY LIFE WOULD BE GREAT), I would probably be really confused about it. Know what I mean? No? Okay moving on…
I also really SUPER FELL IN LOVE WITH THE CHARACTERS. Moss is just THE BEST and I wish I could watch the Vampire Diaries with him in real life. Sachi has a lot of spunk that was awesome to see in a female protagonist, despite the fact she frustrated me from time to time. And Julian. JULIAN. UGH. Similar to Jace Lightwood, I simultaneously want to hug and strangle Julian. So OBVIOUSLY that means I’m #OBSESSED with him now.
And this book is freakin’ funny! It’s filled to the brim with amazing humor and pop culture references that I really appreciated. It kept me engaged and I WANT MORE! When I was thumbing through the first few introductory pages, I knew I was in for a treat when I glanced at the table of contents. Here’s a sampling of my favorite chapter titles:
• “A Knee to the Groin is Always a Safe Bet”
• “All the Librarians Are High”
• “Who Doesn’t Love a Good Cat Gif?”
• “Cue Dawson Ugly Cry”
• “Why it’s Important to Always Keep Someone Else’s Dried Blood on Hand”
• “Don’t Do Drugs—You’ll Wake Up in a White Cell With the Whole World Thinking You’re Dead”
The jokes in this book gave me strong Buffy the Vampire Slayer vibes and I loved it. That’s like, the highest compliment I can give!
via GIPHY
FINAL WORD
This book is a tad overwhelming in the beginning and has some strong parallels to the The Mortal Instruments, but I really loved this. It’s a hilarious, fun read that I would TOTALLY recommend!
Format: Ebook
*I was generously given a copy in exchange for an honest review*
Rating: 4 Stars
I should start this by saying I am a HUGE fan of Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices series. So when I read a description for this book that promised it would satisfy Cassandra Clare fans, I OBVIOUSLY jumped on it. In the beginning I wasn’t sure what to expect, but by the end I was a transformed Shadowlander fangirl. I was promised satisfaction and can report that I am definitely SATISFIED.
via GIPHY
THE REHASH
Sachi Manning is an average girl living her life in Melbourne, Australia. She’s just graduated with her best friends Olivia and Gabe and can feel the endless freedom ahead of her as they prepare for a trip across Europe. So naturally, that’s when Gabe gets killed, leaving Sachi and her friends shattered. And Gabe isn’t the only one—there have been a string of similar murders that humans are blaming on a serial killer, but the supernatural know better.
Fast forward six months and Sachi is getting through life one day at a time, living with her brother Nikko, and working at a local cafe. At night she has terrible nightmares that make sleeping hard, but she’s getting by. Out of the blue one day, she starts noticing things she never has before. One of the bartenders has tiny horns, a server is running around with pointy ears, and there’s a guy walking around Melbourne with a Doctor Who, Willy Wonka vibe. Trying not to think too much about these strange sightings, Sachi lets her friends talk her into going out to a club for the first time in months. While she’s there, she just happens to see Julian—Doctor Willy Wonka himself—with a freaking SCYTHE about to slice up Gabe, the guy that’s suppose to ALREADY BE DEAD.
This brings Sachi, Julian, and his partner Moss together on a quest to find out what Sachi really is and discover how people like Gabe keep turning up “dead” when they’re not suppose to. All the while, an acquaintance (co-worker?????) of Julian and Moss named Griffin lurks in the background, scheming and making his own plans for Sachi Manning.
THE UGLY
When I first started reading this, my inner fangirl was so full of The Mortal Instruments that the parallels between the two stories blinded me like a sharp laser beam to the eye. I was worried that there might be too many similarities. A sassy, strong girl with an amazing talent for drawing? Two brothers-from-another-mother that are red hot with amazing fighting skillz (that’s right, WITH A Z!!)? An entire hidden realm of mythical creatures that dumb humans don’t even know exist?
Plus, I admit that I was a tad overwhelmed in the beginning. We are literally just dumped right in the middle of an entire fantastical world with a lot of terms and characters I kept forgetting two pages later.
THE GOOD
HOWEVER. It only took me a few chapters to realize that this novel is completely in a world of it’s own. I thought the universe this book takes place in was very well thought out, complete with it’s own geography, rules, key players, and history. That’s why I was so overwhelmed at the start, but once Sachi comes along and we discover it with her, everything makes a lot more sense. Plus, being overwhelmed with information at the beginning kind of made the story more believable. If there really WAS a hidden mythical universe that I randomly and suddenly discovered (PLEASE LET THIS HAPPEN. DRAGONS AND UNICORNS IN MY LIFE WOULD BE GREAT), I would probably be really confused about it. Know what I mean? No? Okay moving on…
I also really SUPER FELL IN LOVE WITH THE CHARACTERS. Moss is just THE BEST and I wish I could watch the Vampire Diaries with him in real life. Sachi has a lot of spunk that was awesome to see in a female protagonist, despite the fact she frustrated me from time to time. And Julian. JULIAN. UGH. Similar to Jace Lightwood, I simultaneously want to hug and strangle Julian. So OBVIOUSLY that means I’m #OBSESSED with him now.
And this book is freakin’ funny! It’s filled to the brim with amazing humor and pop culture references that I really appreciated. It kept me engaged and I WANT MORE! When I was thumbing through the first few introductory pages, I knew I was in for a treat when I glanced at the table of contents. Here’s a sampling of my favorite chapter titles:
• “A Knee to the Groin is Always a Safe Bet”
• “All the Librarians Are High”
• “Who Doesn’t Love a Good Cat Gif?”
• “Cue Dawson Ugly Cry”
• “Why it’s Important to Always Keep Someone Else’s Dried Blood on Hand”
• “Don’t Do Drugs—You’ll Wake Up in a White Cell With the Whole World Thinking You’re Dead”
The jokes in this book gave me strong Buffy the Vampire Slayer vibes and I loved it. That’s like, the highest compliment I can give!
via GIPHY
FINAL WORD
This book is a tad overwhelming in the beginning and has some strong parallels to the The Mortal Instruments, but I really loved this. It’s a hilarious, fun read that I would TOTALLY recommend!
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