Scan barcode
chargio12's review against another edition
3.0
Tossup between 2.5 and 3 Stars.
Ughh, this book had so much potential but it sadly fell flat for me. Loved the first half of the book, the characters, the plot was intriguing and different, but then it just all fell apart. I feel like this book fell apart when Ava (Avery) and Ambrose were discovered on the island, I won’t go into detail, but that’s where this book lost all potential. I feel like soooooo much more could’ve been done with this storyline (sigh) ohh well. I might read the other two books in the future, trying not to give up all hope. Still a great read and I loved Charlotte’s writing style.
Ughh, this book had so much potential but it sadly fell flat for me. Loved the first half of the book, the characters, the plot was intriguing and different, but then it just all fell apart. I feel like this book fell apart when Ava (Avery) and Ambrose were discovered on the island, I won’t go into detail, but that’s where this book lost all potential. I feel like soooooo much more could’ve been done with this storyline (sigh) ohh well. I might read the other two books in the future, trying not to give up all hope. Still a great read and I loved Charlotte’s writing style.
taylahkruisdyk's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
curls's review against another edition
2.0
This quote sums up why this book was such a disappointment much better than my ramblings ever could.
‘You don’t deserve his cruelty,’ Ava told me gently. She reached out and ran a finger over the fading purple bruises around my neck. ‘Don’t you understand that?’
I shook my head. ‘What would you have me do?’
‘Leave him.’
‘You don’t leave the people you love,’ I told her simply.
She stopped, considering this. ‘But when they hurt you, Rose? No one is allowed to hurt you. Not ever.’
I didn’t know how to make her understand. ‘I know that. I agree. But have you ever been in love?’
Ava smiled brokenly. ‘Yes.’
‘And if that person hurt you, would you leave?’ She didn’t say anything.
‘The pain of his absence,’ I murmured, ‘would hurt me more than anything he could do to me.’
‘If he loved you, he wouldn’t hurt you,’ she said stubbornly.
‘That may be true,’ I agreed softly. ‘But I can’t give up on him’
‘You don’t deserve his cruelty,’ Ava told me gently. She reached out and ran a finger over the fading purple bruises around my neck. ‘Don’t you understand that?’
I shook my head. ‘What would you have me do?’
‘Leave him.’
‘You don’t leave the people you love,’ I told her simply.
She stopped, considering this. ‘But when they hurt you, Rose? No one is allowed to hurt you. Not ever.’
I didn’t know how to make her understand. ‘I know that. I agree. But have you ever been in love?’
Ava smiled brokenly. ‘Yes.’
‘And if that person hurt you, would you leave?’ She didn’t say anything.
‘The pain of his absence,’ I murmured, ‘would hurt me more than anything he could do to me.’
‘If he loved you, he wouldn’t hurt you,’ she said stubbornly.
‘That may be true,’ I agreed softly. ‘But I can’t give up on him’
nikayla's review against another edition
5.0
This is officially my new favourite book.
A fantastic story line with lots of twists to keep you interested.
I loved the characters and their individual personalities and reading each characters POV.
A fantastic story line with lots of twists to keep you interested.
I loved the characters and their individual personalities and reading each characters POV.
adriannatriche's review against another edition
5.0
I loved loved loved this book, I'm very curious to find out what happens in the next Chronicles of Kaya.
tmleblanc's review against another edition
3.0
Avery by Charlotte McConaghy is a book about many things…love, identity–both personal and national, grief and tradition. Charlotte McConaghy expertly weaves these large themes together to create a compelling novel.
Upon getting my copy of Avery, I was a bit concerned because the cover has a banner that read “Random Romance.” In general, I’m not a huge fan of romance novels, but I did get a chance to read another of Ms. McConaghy’s novels earlier this year and decided to jump in with both feet. And in the end, I was happy I gave the story a chance.
What did I like about Avery?
The world building. Kaya and Perenti came alive. Both countries have unique identities and traditions. Kaya embraces love. Perenti embraces chaos. The opinions of each country were equally shared so it was difficult to determine which country and characters to side with.
Ava and Ambrose. These two main characters played off each other well. The relationship built at a reasonable pace (as in no insta-love) and had its equal share of reasonable ups and downs based on the events surrounding the “I’m madly in love with you” vs. “I hate your guts” moments. In other words, their relationship seemed real.
I loved Roselyn. Her story really struck a chord with me and I wanted to know more about her mysterious back story–her abusive father and her loving mother. Her upbringing definitely shaped her and I want to know more!
What didn’t I like about Avery?
Thorne and Roselyn. While their story was interesting and I wanted to know more. I felt what little was shared wasn’t fully formed. As a result, how their back stories and roles in the Perenti royalty fit in with the bigger picture of what Ava and Ambrose were trying to accomplish seemed a bit stilted.
I don’t feel Thorne’s voice was unique and many times I became confused on whose point of view I was reading. Ava, Thorne and Ambrose, when they are together, have a similar tone because they are warriors/fighters.
How one of the big reveals was handled. I’m not sure how much I can say without sharing a spoiler. It involves Ava and the Queen of Perenti. If a single bit of information had been discovered earlier in the novel, it would have provided more tension between Ava and Ambrose and another reason for them to implement change.
Overall, I enjoyed Avery by Charlotte McConaghy. She built a unique, balanced world with believable relationships and real-world problems. I look forward to the next book in the Kayan Chronicles series!
Upon getting my copy of Avery, I was a bit concerned because the cover has a banner that read “Random Romance.” In general, I’m not a huge fan of romance novels, but I did get a chance to read another of Ms. McConaghy’s novels earlier this year and decided to jump in with both feet. And in the end, I was happy I gave the story a chance.
What did I like about Avery?
The world building. Kaya and Perenti came alive. Both countries have unique identities and traditions. Kaya embraces love. Perenti embraces chaos. The opinions of each country were equally shared so it was difficult to determine which country and characters to side with.
Ava and Ambrose. These two main characters played off each other well. The relationship built at a reasonable pace (as in no insta-love) and had its equal share of reasonable ups and downs based on the events surrounding the “I’m madly in love with you” vs. “I hate your guts” moments. In other words, their relationship seemed real.
I loved Roselyn. Her story really struck a chord with me and I wanted to know more about her mysterious back story–her abusive father and her loving mother. Her upbringing definitely shaped her and I want to know more!
What didn’t I like about Avery?
Thorne and Roselyn. While their story was interesting and I wanted to know more. I felt what little was shared wasn’t fully formed. As a result, how their back stories and roles in the Perenti royalty fit in with the bigger picture of what Ava and Ambrose were trying to accomplish seemed a bit stilted.
I don’t feel Thorne’s voice was unique and many times I became confused on whose point of view I was reading. Ava, Thorne and Ambrose, when they are together, have a similar tone because they are warriors/fighters.
How one of the big reveals was handled. I’m not sure how much I can say without sharing a spoiler. It involves Ava and the Queen of Perenti. If a single bit of information had been discovered earlier in the novel, it would have provided more tension between Ava and Ambrose and another reason for them to implement change.
Overall, I enjoyed Avery by Charlotte McConaghy. She built a unique, balanced world with believable relationships and real-world problems. I look forward to the next book in the Kayan Chronicles series!
eroga's review against another edition
2.0
this book had an interesting concept, great action, romance etc. HOWEVER....as a feminist this book bothered me a lot. The relationship between rose and Thorne, where to start? He is a brutal, violent, abusive man who "can't control himself" yet rose loves him to bits. The most disturbing part was a conversation between Ava and rose about how much braver and harder and nobler it is to love and stuck with someone who essentially treats you like a punching bag. I would not recommend this to teen girls who may be influenced by this codswollop.
This is made even more bothersome as the main character is so kick ass, she gets things done, fights her own battles, stands up for herself and shows great determination and courage.
The only reason this got two stars was because of the pace and page turning nature of this book, and Ava's character. Otherwise this would have got one star, and would have been thrown in disgust to join twilight and fallen.
Oh and there was a typo (at least I hope it was a typo) that annoyed me, it's "feat" not "feet" grrrr!
This is made even more bothersome as the main character is so kick ass, she gets things done, fights her own battles, stands up for herself and shows great determination and courage.
The only reason this got two stars was because of the pace and page turning nature of this book, and Ava's character. Otherwise this would have got one star, and would have been thrown in disgust to join twilight and fallen.
Oh and there was a typo (at least I hope it was a typo) that annoyed me, it's "feat" not "feet" grrrr!
raven_morgan's review against another edition
4.0
Avery is the first book in a new Young Adult series by Australian author Charlotte McConaghy, The Chronicles of Kaya.
When Ava’s bond-mate Avery is killed, Ava naturally expects to die as well. But Ava does not die. She fades, grows numb, loses her sense of taste, but she does not die. Rejected by her family and friends, she sets on the only course she can: revenge against the Queen of Pirenti, murderer of Avery. Pirenti is a barbaric country where travelling as a woman is too dangerous, and so she disguises herself as a boy and takes her dead lover’s name, Avery.
In Pirenti, love is seen as weakness and power comes from violence. The princes of Pirenti are Ambrose and Thorne. Thorne is married to the fragile and strange Roselyn, a woman for whom he can express his love for only as violence. When Ava’s path crosses Ambrose’s, and eventually Thorne and Roselyn, everything must change for them all.
This is a book that I would have adored as a teenager. The hook–lovers bonded for life–would have grabbed me and not let go. I can easily see this book and series being a gateway for many younger readers into fantasy, especially those who have mostly read only mainstream YA.
As an adult, and especially as one who has read a lot of fantasy (aimed both at YA and adult audiences), I was initially wary of many of the tropes McConaghy uses in the book. The bonding between lovers veers very close to love at first sight, and the fact that Kayans have colour changing eyes seemed yet another recycling of old tropes.
However, as I read on, I found that McConaghy was pushing past many of these tropes. The colour-changing eyes was used to good effect, and the bonding was shown to be something that didn’t necessarily have to be instantaneous. More refreshing is that Ava herself is never a weak character–she doubts herself at times, but she’s never a damsel in distress.
Some readers will likely find the parts of the story which focus on violence against women (especially Roselyn) confronting, and may wish to avoid the book on that basis. However, as with the other plot threads, I felt that McConaghy explored this with respect (and with an actual cultural reason for the said violence in Pirenti). I actually found Roselyn to be one of the most fascinating characters in the book, and I hope that her story is further explored in the future.
All in all, this was a satisfying read for myself as an adult reader who has consumed a great deal of fantasy, and I could see it easily being an almost obsessive read for many a younger reader. Highly recommended.
When Ava’s bond-mate Avery is killed, Ava naturally expects to die as well. But Ava does not die. She fades, grows numb, loses her sense of taste, but she does not die. Rejected by her family and friends, she sets on the only course she can: revenge against the Queen of Pirenti, murderer of Avery. Pirenti is a barbaric country where travelling as a woman is too dangerous, and so she disguises herself as a boy and takes her dead lover’s name, Avery.
In Pirenti, love is seen as weakness and power comes from violence. The princes of Pirenti are Ambrose and Thorne. Thorne is married to the fragile and strange Roselyn, a woman for whom he can express his love for only as violence. When Ava’s path crosses Ambrose’s, and eventually Thorne and Roselyn, everything must change for them all.
This is a book that I would have adored as a teenager. The hook–lovers bonded for life–would have grabbed me and not let go. I can easily see this book and series being a gateway for many younger readers into fantasy, especially those who have mostly read only mainstream YA.
As an adult, and especially as one who has read a lot of fantasy (aimed both at YA and adult audiences), I was initially wary of many of the tropes McConaghy uses in the book. The bonding between lovers veers very close to love at first sight, and the fact that Kayans have colour changing eyes seemed yet another recycling of old tropes.
However, as I read on, I found that McConaghy was pushing past many of these tropes. The colour-changing eyes was used to good effect, and the bonding was shown to be something that didn’t necessarily have to be instantaneous. More refreshing is that Ava herself is never a weak character–she doubts herself at times, but she’s never a damsel in distress.
Some readers will likely find the parts of the story which focus on violence against women (especially Roselyn) confronting, and may wish to avoid the book on that basis. However, as with the other plot threads, I felt that McConaghy explored this with respect (and with an actual cultural reason for the said violence in Pirenti). I actually found Roselyn to be one of the most fascinating characters in the book, and I hope that her story is further explored in the future.
All in all, this was a satisfying read for myself as an adult reader who has consumed a great deal of fantasy, and I could see it easily being an almost obsessive read for many a younger reader. Highly recommended.