Despite everything that is going on, it is in fact Spring. For me, that means it is time for some cover love. (If you haven’t taken a look at my beginning of the year cover love, you can do so here.)
More than likely I will be getting a few of these books via Kindle. As much as I would love a physical copy of Ghost Squad or The Hero of Numbani I am taking the social distancing to heart. During this down time, what are you looking forward to reading?
Frey, Ovie, Juniper, and Runa are the Boneless Mercies—girls hired to kill quickly, quietly, and mercifully. But Frey is weary of the death trade and, having been raised on the heroic sagas of her people, dreams of a bigger life.
When she hears of an unstoppable monster ravaging a nearby town, Frey decides this is the Mercies’ one chance out. The fame and fortune of bringing down such a beast would ensure a new future for all the Mercies. In fact, her actions may change the story arc of women everywhere.- Goodreads
Like all of April Genevieve Tucholke books, I get sucked in. Something about her writing style just gets me every time.
But like all of her books, by the halfway point and ending, I wonder why I do I keep doing this to myself. *sigh*
The idea of a all girl mercenary group wanting to create a name for themselves and wanting to live life on their terms is fantastic. What I was expecting was these bad ass girls, kicking ass in the most epic way possible because they are Mercies. They know how to kill and kill clean (if needed). But what I got was a lot of talking, a lot of internal thoughts and generally mixed emotions.
Frey, Ovie, Juniper, and Runa do not want to be Mercies anymore and after the death of their original leader, they make the decision to go for a big kill, get the reward and then go live their life as they please. My issue begins after they make this decision. Almost nothing happens. When they get to the grand mission, the author keeps you invested by dealing a predictable blow that actually didn’t change how I felt about Frey or the entire journey to get to the book.
The author decided to give some of everything as opposed to focusing on their main goal. To be free. Yes, it was mentioned every other paragraph but were they actually doing things to be free? No, they fighting for others for no money. Yes, this could be looked at as bumps on the road to get to the final goal but these bumps didn’t provide a bunch of substance when it boiled down to it. At the end of the book, did things change? Yes, a lot. But did it really matter? No. It did not matter at all and that was the frustrating part.
Throughout the novel there are things added to push it through. Every time, I wanted to put the book down, something comes along that stops Frey and her time and then I get sucked in. Yup. Because the author can build a world. She honestly should do a master class on it.
Overall, it wasn’t a terrible read. It was good but I genuinely have such an up and down relationship with this author that I can’t give this book more than 3. This book, although way better than Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, did not reach the expectation of crazy fights and girls taking what they want.
2.8 Pickles
Poppy is the manipulative bully that used Midnight, the innocent boy, who feel for Poppy. Wink is the neighbor no one in town wants to get to know that is until Midnight sees her up and close.
Something bad happens but who is telling the truth.
I took a risk with this book. I say that because I wasn’t over the heels with the author’s first book Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea. But I was given a sample of this book and I was interested enough to continue reading.
I was sucked into this story and was fascinated by the three characters. I loved the fact the author decided to use three different points of view as opposed to two or one. What made the book for me was the characters and how they interacted with each other.
There was holes in the plot. It was as if the author didn’t want to get too deep into individual stories. I can see why but it would been nice for Midnight to have some more depth and the same with Poppy. Wink had enough back story to hold throughout the entire book. I liked her. I liked Midnight until the end. And Poppy was just a perfect character to push things along. Also the author places a spotlight on family but decides to skim over Poppy’s and Midnight’s family. This was very noticeable.
I didn’t like the ending not because of the twist but Midnight was unexpected in a not so favorable way. I say that because he didn’t change; all he did was avoid and although he didn’t feel entitled to anything, he was selfish and I can’t get over that. Wink, what I didn’t like about her, was she allowed too much to happen with her emotions, I don’t exactly know her end game and that is what is getting to me, hours after reading this book. Poppy despite the horrible decisions she did to those that actually looked at her, for her, she got what she wanted at the end and I didn’t agree with that.
The pace of the novel was great, I was able to read and be engaged throughout the entire book. Some predictability was there but not overall.
This was the better book than her first two. I can see the growth and I can see the details in characters. I was memorized by them and yes, I want more and better decisions with the book but I am a happy camper.
3.5 Pickles
River West Redding has left Violet in her lonely world. With his brother Neely, Violet is left to worry about the boy that shattered her world that is until one early morning, they hear a radio feed about a town experiencing strange events.
Immediately, they go in search for answers and in search of River. But it isn’t long before the find danger or a secret that can destroy Violet and Neely’s relationship.
Here is the review for book one.
Ahhhh…..
I try to give certain books a second chance by reading the second book. This action bit me in the ass with this book.
Violet is a depressing girl with almost zero personality and wouldn’t understand the difference between love and sick torment if it punched her in the face. I have to give her slight slack because she is young but she doesn’t get much. I also didn’t care of Neely. Both characters lack a personality and a spark of life.
The title of the book is wonderful as well as the cover but it does nothing to enhance the writing in this book. It was slow, it was all over the place and it lacked a better purpose. Violet doesn’t understand love. She tries to find River because he gave her attention in a way she never had.
It is rough to read a book like this when you know there isn’t any personal development. Reading this book was hard and it was almost a DNF.
Overall, no.
1 Pickle
I love books that have titles that make you assume what the book is about and its completely different from what you thought.
Violet White lives in a small (and of course) boring town named Echo. She lives in a huge mansion on the edge of the cliff that overlooks her town with her brother. Her grandmother Frankie recently passed away and her parents . . . well they are artist who pretty much took all of the family’s inheritance and went overseas to gain exposure? Discover themselves? Either way the parents left their two teenage kids broke and in a mansion that is falling apart.
Violet gets the great idea to rent the guesthouse to bring in some money. & guess who comes to rent it??? That is right new boy in town named River West. Violet is attracted to him and considering that she has never been attracted to any other boy before this is new for her (of course). However, West isn’t exactly a normal boy with a clean past or future.
Before I tell you the good about this story I need to tell you the bad. THIS BOOK WENT ALL OVER THE PLACE. Tucholke (the author) added big twists to the story when there was really zero need for it. She created a mystery when there was no need for it well actually, that is not completely true; She could have created a BETTER mystery if she started it in the beginning of the book and not towards the end. Violet’s grandmother didn’t become a mysterious woman to the readers until 7 chapters before the book ended. It felt like an after thought in which the questions were answered enough where I really don’t care any further about Frankie. She hid a secret but for what? The only conversations you see between Violet and Frankie is that she became a fairly religious person.
Another thing wrong with the story was River West. There was really no depth to his character. I’m not just saying he was strictly just a pretty boy with problems but why did he have problems! LIKE COME ON! He caused problems for no reason and he wasn’t trying to run away and do right. He wanted to do whatever he wanted.
Okay enough of the bad. . . . here is the good:
I thought the setting was amazing. Tucholke did an amazing job of placing an image of the town in your head and making it stick. Violet and her brother come from a rich and long line of family and I was waiting for some town secrets. Tucholke made you want the town secrets not because the book was bad but the story itself told of secrets that the reader needed to know. Although it was done poorly, I still read the book wanting and wanting.
Overall, the books gets a 6 out of 10. There is some really good potential in this book and in this author. It just lacked execution.
Tania Lasenburg is a communications major that plays video games and cyber stalks Gym Class Heroes. Follow her on twitter @mrztanyapickles
Motif by Tanya 