Book Reviews – Worlds Within Pages Blog

Review: The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

December 1, 2019by worldswithinpagesblog1 Comment

After almost a decade after the release of The Night Circus, The Starless Sea, released in early November of this year, was an incredibly highly-anticipated new novel from Erin Morgenstern.

All over Instagram, Goodreads, and anywhere books are talked about, The Starless Sea has been getting rave reviews from people who have been relentless evangelicals for this novel. Because of this hype, I wanted to offer my thoughts in a more in-depth, but spoiler free, review from my perspective.

What I Liked About the Novel:

Overall, I enjoyed my time reading The Starless Sea. It’s incredibly reminiscent of the dreamlike atmosphere Morgenstern created in The Night Circus and kept me guessing, entertained, and captivated by its whimsy.

One thing that I kept comparing this story to, which is not a negative thing, is Alice and Wonderland. The idea that someone falls down a “rabbit hole” of sorts and experiences otherworldly things that they have to figure out along the way is not a “new idea,” but Morgenstern’s execution of this trope was unique. While the setup was familiar, nothing else about the story was. I really loved the setting of this novel which was so book-focused and centered on literature. Despite the high level of adventure, there was comfort and a sense of “home” that made you desperate to visit the underground library/world in which it takes place.

In addition to the overall richness of the story, I was constantly highlighting quotes throughout the entire novel. There were so many hard-hitting (in a good way) nuggets of beautiful prose that resonated with me so fully. Here are a few of my favorites:

“”You’re not wearing shoes.” “I hate shoes.” “Hate is a strong emotion for footwear,” Zachary observes. “Most of my emotions are strong,” Dorian responds.”

“We’re here to wander through other people’s stories, searching for our own. To seeking,” Dorian says, tilting the bottle toward Zachary.”

“No, each one’s different. They have similar elements, though. All stories do, no matter what form they take. Something was, and then something changed. Change is what a story is, after all.”

What Did Not Work for Me About the Novel:

The characters in this book are, in my opinion, definitely not the main focus of this story. You hear their stories, follow their perspectives, but the world building of the story and the “once upon a time” setup leaves little room for “who are these characters” and “what motivates them.” While this is something that a lot of readers don’t mind, I find that, especially with fantasy novels, I need to have more character development to be able to really connect with the fantastic themes. Even character physical descriptions would have been nice just to be able to picture them in your mind. Some authors leave out descriptions on purpose so the reader can form them in their minds, so maybe that was a purposeful omission, but I would have liked even small hints.

While I enjoyed the interwoven stories from the magical books featured within the worlds of this story, I felt distracted by the fact that I was required to remember themes, characters, and storylines I was told hundreds of pages ago to be able to connect them to things that were currently happening in the main plot. If you did not remember the importance or finer details of those side stories, you would miss them and quickly become lost. Because I read the book so slowly over a few weeks, I think I shot myself in the foot in this regard. I should have taken notes or added bookmarks with markers of those side stories so I could revisit them when the context popped up later on, but I didn’t and found myself having to flip back and forth for reminders. This hurt my understanding especially when characters in the “now plot” ended up being one or two different characters with one or two different connections in the “side story plots.”

The last thing I felt could have been better executed in this book were the romantic themes. Because this is intended to be a spoiler-free review, I won’t mention whose romance arc I wasn’t convinced of, but for those who have read it, as a hint, it is the romance of those who travel into a wardrobe together (amidst Narnia jokes) and attend a ball. I really wish there would have been a more natural progression of the romance between them so we could see it flower and feel more connected to their love as an observer.

Overall Thoughts:

As I mentioned, I did enjoy this story. I do think I could have been a better reader of this book and I feel my slow reading and lack of attentiveness may have contributed to my enjoying it maybe a bit less than others.

For those who like star ratings, I give this novel a 3.5/5 stars with a caveat that “it’s not you… it’s me, The Starless Sea.”

Book Reviews

Review: Butterfly in Frost by Sylvia Day

September 1, 2019September 2, 2019by worldswithinpagesblogLeave a Comment

*Thank you to Amazon Publishing for sponsoring this post and providing me with a free copy of Butterfly in Frost!*

It’s a cozy and dreary day here in Michigan which means you are not likely to find me leaving my bed anytime soon (and that’s just how I want it to be). Luckily, books are great company for days like this!

I recently read Butterfly in Frost by Sylvia Day which was kindly provided to me by Amazon Publishing. Hardcore romance novel fans probably recognize the author’s name and know her from her Crossfire series. This book, while not a sequel to that series, does contain a few familiar characters you might recognize!

Butterfly in Frost follows a woman named Teagan Ransom who moves across the country as a result of her extreme distress following a very public divorce. When she moves home, she discovers that a very hunky neighbor named Garrett Frost has moved in, setting her soul on fire in a way she never thought she would feel again. They are immediately attracted to one another in a way that seems abnormal for them, but neither have any plans to fight their feelings.

There is one thing I don’t think anyone can deny: Slyvia Day writes EXTREMELY steamy and sexy scenes between characters. Sexual tension can be incredibly difficult to capture on paper, but Sylvia doesn’t shy away from creating scenes that make you blush. At just under 190 pages long, this novella was a quick read and at some points even FUNNY. Given that I read it in just a few hours, this book could easily be one you could bring with you for a day at the beach or on a short flight.

What I liked about this book the most was the twist ending. I don’t think I have ever read a book that had a similar ending to it, especially in a romance novel, so I think the creativity behind the twist was something that was well thought out. I MAY have yelled “WAIT?? WHAT?” when I discovered what had happened. I don’t want to give too much away, but all I will say is, if you are looking for a book that will throw you through a loop at the end, you have found what you’re looking for in this book. I also enjoyed the friendship Teagan shared with her friend Roxy. Roxy is extremely supportive of Teagan and her happiness and frequently pushes her to do what’s best for her to be happy (in this case, meaning moving on from her troubles of the past and being with Garrett). I think a lot of times, female friendships are extremely overlooked and underrated because everything in the book is normally about the female romance, but I love to see ladies supporting ladies when they’re going through a rough time… or just there to have fun! 🙂

If you love books that contain:

Insta-lust and fast feelings
Quickly-paced plots
Light and fluffy fun
Alpha-male love interests
Women who are “starting over” after a rough time
Sexual tension
Hot and steamy scenes
Twist endings
Female friendships
Wealthy “rich and famous” lifestyles

… then this book may grab your interest!

Thank you again to Amazon Publishing for sending Butterfly in Frost my way and for sponsoring this post! I really appreciate the opportunity to read it!

If you guys want to check this book out, you can purchase it via my link at: www.amazon.com/ButterflyInFrost-3

Book Reviews, featured

June Reading Wrap Up

June 30, 2019August 21, 2019by worldswithinpagesblog1 Comment

In the month of June, I read a large book that, apparently, has taken others MONTHS to finish. While I am proud and happy with this massive undertaking, it also means that I didn’t read a large quantity of books. Not mad about it though, because I really liked all of what I read and had an overall REALLY phenomenal reading month. I have also been really enjoying SLOWING THE EFF DOWN with my reading, but that is another blog post for another time… {foreshadowing??

In the month of June, I read four books (technically, I am still making my way through the fourth book, but shhhh…..). I read the first book in the Song of Ice and Fire series, Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin, Miracle Creek by Angie Kim, The Whisper Man by Alex North, and I am about halfway through The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. To read a quick and snappy overview of what I thought about what I read, keep reading!

Miracle Creek by Angie KimOverall rating: 5/5 stars

What I loved about this book is that it tied turbulent family dynamics and drama into a bow wrapped around a mystery that you couldn’t help but remain on the edge of your seat for. It is always extremely refreshing to have authors go full throttle into the lives of their characters while balancing the overall plot, neither outweighing the other. Angie Kim did a PHENOMENAL job with this book and I highly recommend this one to people who love mysteries surrounding small towns, domestic drama, legal proceedings, and overall anxiety and tensions between characters.
Game of Thrones by George R.R. MartinOverall rating: 5/5 stars

After the last episode aired on the final season of Game of Thrones, I finally had an excuse to start the books. I have really been enjoying visiting my friends and foes in Westeros and I am really excited to start the second book in July. Yes, these books are MASSIVE and yes, they are a bit over hyped in terms of popularity. But take it from someone who never lies about the quality of books regardless of their popularity: The series is (so far) so freaking GOOD. SO GOOD. I love it so much. In case you were wondering, which a lot of people do, yes, I do think you should watch the show before reading the books. This may seem backwards coming from a reader, but having the characters faces/storylines/etc. to reference as you work your way through the book makes it about 10x easier to remember who people are, where they come from, and why they’re relevant (or irrelevant) to the story. I recommend this series to people who love the show, love large fantasy novels, enjoy rotating character perspectives, and those who love a good political fantasy tome.
The Whisper Man by Alex NorthOverall rating: 4/5 stars

I am so grateful to Celadon Books for sending me an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) of The Whisper Man by Alex North. I believe that this novel was previously published in Europe, but it will be available in the US for the first time on August 20, 2019. If you like books that will make you peek around corners, watching for dangerous serial killers, you will find exactly what your spooky heart needs in this novel. Trust me, I read a lot of horror and it takes a LOT to really rock my boat. This book creeped me OUT. It probably didn’t help that my husband was away for work while I was reading it, but STILL. This one has minimal gore, a hint of supernatural, a heartwarming undertone, and spine tingling creepiness. Basically, it’s perfect, and you should all read it! The only reason I did not give it 5 stars is because I would have liked it to have been a bit longer to really flesh out some of the smaller characters and interactions people had with one another.
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
Overall rating: First half of the book is a 3.5/5, final rating TBD

Here’s the thing about this book for me: While it is beautifully written, explores topics that people would rather not talk about (i.e. the death of a parent), and has kept my attention for quite some time, I do think that this book is way too long and would benefit from “wrapping things up” in about half the time it is currently using. Yes, I understand that the depth of the book is intentional and needed for this Pulitzer-Prize-winning novel to shine in all its glory, but I think a good cutback of about 25% of this book would be beneficial to my overall interest and compulsion to read it. I have started to listen to the audiobook versus reading the paperback because a) the narrator is great and b) I don’t think I would make it through this book on my own haha. TBD how much I end up liking it once I complete it.

That’s it! That’s my June monthly wrap up! I am hoping to have a few more books to talk about next month, but we shall see. What did you read this month? Any new favorites?

Until then, thank you for reading and I will see you next time!

-Alisa

Book Reviews

Review: Man Fast by Natasha Scripture

June 12, 2019June 12, 2019by worldswithinpagesblogLeave a Comment

*Thank you to Amazon Publishing for sponsoring this post.*

In a world that is incredibly noisy, overstimulating, and increasingly expecting more and more from us, it can be hard to come to a place where you feel you understand your true purpose. Some of us find purpose in our families, some in our careers, and others hope to find purpose in a romantic relationship. It can be hard to set aside time and mental head space dedicated to figuring out where we can locate the answer to the void that so many of us feel in our lives. Natasha Scripture, the author of the memoir “Man Fast” explores this same question: What is her purpose?

In Man Fast, Natasha embarks on a journey of self discovery after experiencing the incredible loss and heartache of losing her father, a man she was incredibly close to. Initially, Natasha’s grief is overwhelming and it takes on a life of its own as it drives her decisions and her direction in her life (or lack thereof). But eventually, this grief is what Natasha uses as a catalyst, a pivotal moment in her life where she goes from someone who uses her grief as a crutch to someone who uses it as wings.

Although this novel is a memoir, what I liked about it is that it read like a close friend who was telling you her story over a cup of tea. There were many times throughout the book where she would say she felt a certain way about something that happened or about the direction her life was headed and I would breathe a sigh of relief, finally feeling that someone understood the things that made me feel a little scattered to the wind. I also really liked that there were so many quotes and lessons learned offered in the form of stories. I am not usually the type to take notes when I am reading a book, but there were so many cases where I ended up reading a quote over and over again, attempting to dedicate it to memory. One of my favorites was this one:

“I also harnessed a faint belief that if you’re on the right path, the world conspires to deliver what you need to get the job done or to get you where you need to go.” (p. 63)

The reason this quote stuck out to me is because I was faced with the two lessons this quote has packed into one. The first lesson is fairly obvious: What is meant to happen for you will. What is meant for you will come to you. Therefore, in your struggles and in your turmoil, know that what is headed your way is coming and little can come between you and what is meant for you. The second lesson is a little more hidden: What is NOT meant for you will not come to you. I have spent so much of my life fighting fate. I have fought jobs, relationships, friendships, etc. and in the end, what happened with them was out of my control. The anxiety associated with us making plans and thinking we are on a path that is meant for us is numbing and overwhelming. I applaud Natasha for speaking to what I have been struggling with for so long with this passage. What is meant for me shall be and what is not, too shall pass.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book a lot. Without giving away any major spoilers, it was incredible to see a female author write a book about loving yourself to the point of viewing your own purpose and passions as the most important (and only) love you need. I learned so much from this book and I can’t wait to review my notes I took while I was reading and maybe even print them out to include them on my inspiration board at work!

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of this book, you can purchase it HERE on Amazon. I would recommend this book for readers who enjoy stories of self discovery, light-hearted but deep memoirs, and anyone who is looking for something they feel is missing in their lives (especially if it is a romantic relationship)!

Be sure to follow me on Instagram at @worldswithinpages and also follow @amazonpublishing to stay up to date on new releases!

Book Reviews, featured

Review: Unbury Carol by Josh Malerman

April 6, 2018May 4, 2018by worldswithinpagesblogLeave a Comment

First and foremost, I want to extend my sincere appreciation to my friends at Penguin Random House for sending me a copy of Unbury Carol in exchange for an honest review. I am so appreciative of their generosity and I always love working with them!

Unbury Carol is a thrilling novel that takes place in the Wild West and encompasses everything you’d hope to find in a Western story. There are outlaws that are chasing each other, sketchy narrators, shootouts, taverns, booze, and everything in between. However, the most compulsive part of the story, and what originally drew me to wanting to read the book ASAP, was the character of Carol Evers and her unique and terrifying “condition”.

Carol, a wealthy, well-known, and largely-loved individual in her small town suffers from a terrifying condition where, to the outside world, she appears to be completely dead. However, on the inside, Carol is very much alive and existing in a state of perpetual wind and falling that she refers to as “Howltown.” Howltown is an absolutely terrifying concept to me personally. Can you imagine being totally aware of everything happening around you and yet you can’t move, speak, or interact with the people around you? Horrifying!

Carol’s husband, Dwight, is the only person who knows about her condition. The danger in this fact? He also has his eye on her money. So on an emotionally stressful day when Carol unexpectedly falls into her death-like coma, Dwight, being the slimeball he is, decides that he will finally fake her death, bury her alive, and steal her fortune. The only problem? He ISN’T truly the only person who knows about her condition. Enter: James Moxie, Carol’s former love and outlaw extraordinaire.

Upon hearing of Carol’s ill fate, James takes off on his horse into the sunset to try and rescue the woman he used to love. But there’s someone else who is hot on his trail, an evil arsonist named Smoke, who would die to get his hands on James Moxie.

Will Carol be lowered into the ground and never return? Will James Moxie make it to her in time to save her or will Smoke catch up to him before he even has a chance?

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I had no idea that it was going to be a Western so that was a bit of a surprise and not normally a genre I would dive into. I loved that I got to experience a new genre for me in a creative way!

The characters were also super rich in this book. I felt that I understood and always wanted to know more about them and I was so excited to see how their story would pan out. I do wish that we got to see more focus on the women in this story, including Carol. After chatting with my friend Audra over at @ouija.doodle.reads, we both realized that our favorite component of the book was actually the amazing cool women that were within it. We both agreed that the book would have been greatly strengthened had we been able to see more of all of their stories.

I ended up rating this book a 3/5 stars. I did enjoy it a lot, but I do feel it could have been improved. After reading Malerman’s Bird Box, I was so hoping for a book that would just grip me, keep me interested, disgust me, and scare me a bit. Maybe it was my own expectations for the book that lead to me giving it a lower star rating?

Either way, I can’t wait to see what Malerman comes up with next.

Again, thank you to Random House for sending this book my way! If you’re interested in reading the book, make sure you keep an eye out for it when it hits shelves on April 10, 2018.

Book Reviews

Review: Scythe by Neal Shusterman

February 27, 2018by worldswithinpagesblogLeave a Comment

Siiiiigh.

I really wanted to like this book a lot. I really did. I have had it on my shelf since the month it was released a few years ago in 2016, silently passing it over with the hopes that I would be holding off for something amazing. Then, when Thunderhead, the second book in the series was released a few months ago, I was finally motivated to read Scythe and figure out what it was that everyone was raving about it.

Unfortunately, even after reading the book, I still do not see what the fuss is all about. Let’s dive into my review about the things that I liked about the book and the things I did not.

Things I Liked About Scythe

There were a few things I did like about this book. The plot itself was a pretty original idea (kind of… see below) and I was really intrigued by the idea of a “perfect society.” I also really liked that there were a lot of themes of compassion and doing what is right by your fellow man even when what you are doing is difficult. I also appreciated the pacing of the book. It seemed like something new was happening with every chapter and there were a few twists that I didn’t see coming!

Things I Didn’t Like About Scythe

Alright, where do I begin here? I think it might be easier if I make a bulleted list.

This story is a bit tired. Two talented teens (one boy, one girl, because obviously we need to stick to that heteronormativity), they train under the direction of a powerful figure, they discover the government system they are fighting for is flawed, they work hard to stick it to the man, they fall in love, but oh man it’s forbidden love uh ohhh, and THEN of course something occurs that tears a seam in the world as we know it. Sound familiar (Hunger Games, Divergent, The Host, Shadow & Bone, etc. etc. etc. etc.)
The characters are so so shallow. While the plot is progressing and we are learning more about the characters themselves, I never truly felt like I knew or connected to either of the main characters. I realized this was the case when something happened where one of them could potentially die and I just really did not care. I was not invested in their lives at all. I have a really hard time reading books whose characters I can’t connect with, no matter how fast the plot was moving. I will say that Rowan (the main male character) does experience some emotional changes that we get to see, but it still didn’t make me like him more or less.
SPOILER ALERT: The two main characters, Citra and Rowan, fall in love. But we never find out why or how. You can see throughout the novel that there may be some hints of affection, but it goes from 0-100 REAL quick. There is almost NO reason for me to want to invest in their relationship or even care that they are “in love.” It’s almost creepy?
The violence in this book is incredibly graphic. Normally I can handle a little gore, but when it comes to this book, I had a really hard time being okay with and processing the fact that there were innocent people being killed for the sake of “world balance.” There was even a scene where a family with a father, mother, and children were eating at the dinner table and the Scythes showed up, took him away from his family at the table and lead him into the bedroom down the hall to “glean” him. This was incredibly discomforting to me and made me really anxious to think about. Not only that, but if the person who is being “gleaned” resists in any way whatsoever, their entire family will be hunted down and disposed of. It’s horribly violent and deeply disturbing. Some of the methods of gleaning were also incredibly immoral and I really just didn’t see the point of how grotesque some of the methods were. I was really disappointed in that element.

That’s about all I have to say about this book. I think I will read the second book just to see if it makes the first book seem any better but I have my doubts.

Overall, I feel like my reading tastes have evolved when it comes to YA fantasy and I have almost impossible standards for YA fantasy to achieve 4 & 5-star ratings. For having read SO much of it in my lifetime, it’s hard for me to excuse the things that I find are lacking in certain books that I have found in others.

I give this book 3/5 stars.

Have you read this book yet? What did you think?

Thanks for reading!

-Alisa

Book Reviews

Review: Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones

February 19, 2018May 4, 2018by worldswithinpagesblogLeave a Comment

I am going to be honest in this review, as I try to be with all of my reviews. This book is either one that people hate or people love. Luckily for me, I LOVED it.

Wintersong follows the story of a girl named Elisabeth (Liesl) who has grown up her entire life hearing fairytale-like stories about “The Goblin King” from her superstitious grandmother. However, her grandmother’s stories turn out to be more than just stories, as a grown-up Liesl starts to remember flashbacks of her childhood and dancing and laughing with this handsome and frightening “Goblin King.” When Liesl’s sister Kathe is lured into the Underground, the Earthy domain of The Goblin King and his minions, Liesl must find a way to save her, but it may cost Liesl something more than she could have ever prepared for.

Look, I understand why so many people have a hard time liking this book. It contains everything that you would think a YA fantasy would contain: A “bland and boring” female main character who has the hots for the mysterious fantasy bad boy, a steamy encounter (or two… or three), and an eventual proclamation of love that changes everything (look, you saw this coming, don’t tell me it’s a spoiler). HOWEVER, there is a special charm in this book that I rarely find in other “typical” fantasy YA novels. The connection that the two main characters have is so much more than just romantic and physical tension and I loved that there was almost a sense of vulnerability between the two of them. They wanted each other, badly, but they were respectful of one another, they understood one another, and Liesl made her boundaries well known to him. It’s also hard to NOT be attracted to someone as flawed and tormented as The Goblin King. While so many male protagonists are “flawed bad boys”, you can’t help but feel empathy for the role that The Goblin King has to play and the weight he has on his shoulders to keep the world from absolute ruin (literally).

This book was absolutely magical for me. The descriptions of the music that Liesl holds dear, the whole world that was created by the author, and the love and connection that was shared between the main characters was enchanting. If you read it like a fairytale and go into the story thinking of it as a fairytale, I feel that it would be much more enjoyable. This book is meant to be read as a story, not as a fantastical reality if that makes sense!

There are some flaws in this book that I would like to address, but they are minimal. Liesl REALLY had some self-esteem issues in the beginning of the novel that made me feel like it was a bit overdone. The whole “plain girl trope” is not something I like to see as much as it is portrayed and written into fantasy novels and I often find myself becoming irritated by it. However, I will say that her character arc does create an opportunity for her to become a bit more confident, but it’s at the hands of The Goblin King. I would have liked to see Liesl come into her confidence on her own without needing a man to give it to her (lol pun intended) to make it happen. I also wish that her sister Kathe was not viewed as an object as much as she was in the book. She was known for being beautiful and the author put her in so many situations where she was objectified and I felt really bad for her. We get it, she is desired, but couldn’t she have been so much more than that?

Overall, I REALLY enjoyed this book and I am excited to read the second book in this series that was just released about a month or so ago. I ended up giving this book 4/5 stars and I would definitely recommend it to people who are fans of fantasy.

Thanks for reading!

-Alisa