On Rereads: The Reckoners and A Darker Shade of Magic

On Rereads is a monthly feature on My Thoughts Lit where I talk about the books I reread during the month. It's an opportunity to share some new thoughts on a book I read before and usually to prepare for a new release. For the foreseeable future I plan to do one reread a month so I want to share my thoughts on these books the second time around.

All the amazing books are coming out in the next couple months, amiright? In particular, there are some great sequels and series enders coming out in February, many of which are on my most anticipated books of the year. So to prepare I am reareading the books in their series. As usually these are my audiobooks for the month. But here is my thoughts on these rereads....

The Reckoners Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson

Steelheart -  (Amazon / Goodreads / Audible / My Review)
Mitosis -  (Amazon / Goodreads / Audible)
Firefight -  (Amazon / Goodreads / Audible / My Review)

I am so freaking obsessed with this series. It will always hold a special place in my heart for being my first Brandon Sanderson book. The rest is history but this is the book that started it all. So with Calamity coming out I knew I needed to reread the first books in the series to refresh my memory.

It was honestly a really great choice because these books are so well-plotted with amazing plot twists and big reveals that I was reeling from even the second time around. I remembered a lot of the big stuff but small details had escaped me. Rereading it allowed me to come up with these super harebrained theories about how it will all end. I started Calamity a few days ago and one of my theories has already been proven wrong but this is Brandon Sanderson so I shouldn't be all that surprised.

But what I really liked about this reread was the audio. MacLeod Andrews, the narrator, is a genius. Steelheart is one of my all-time favorite audiobooks and he is a big part of that. Like all really good narrators he does a fantastic job of creating different characters. I love the way he creates David's awkwardness and humor, Megan's jaded snark, and Prof's turmoil and gruff caring. Plus Cody and Abraham! GAH! I had never listened to Firefight before so I was really excited to here the narration for it and wow, was it amazing! I'm reading Calamity but I like the audio so much that down the line I may listen to it too.

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Scwab
(Amazon / Goodreads / Audible / My Review)

This book, ugh, you guys. It's so good. It was my favorite book of 2015 and quickly became a new favorite when I read it last year. It's so freaking amazing. The world is so complex and compelling, the characters are interesting and likable, and the plot is so freaking engaging. I'm super excited for A Gathering of Shadows coming out in less than a week!

Usually with rereads I am excited to read them because I forget little detail about the book and I need a refresher. And that definitely happened here but I remembered a lot more than I thought I did. But because I knew what was coming I felt like I had less patience for the exposition. Now don't get me wrong, I love the world building here but I spent a lot of the beginning thinking "when are Kell and Lila going to meet? When are they doing to Red London? I HAVE FEELINGS!"

But I think that maybe that was because I didn't totally love the audiobook, which made me kind of sad. I was so excited to listen to it because the plot of this book is so amazing and engaging. But the audio slowed things down a little too much for me. The speed was just too even keeled. This is an action-packed book and the narrator had the same tone during exciting action scenes as it did for easy-going explanations. I like my narrators to set the tone for the book and this didn't really do  that for me. And I didn't love the different voices for the characters. Kell was good, Rhy was fun, the voices for Holland and the Danes was not great, but Lila did not work for me at all. It wasn't bad, I just didn't love it.

But despite the fact that I didn't love the audio, I am really glad that I reread this one. I am now totally ready for A Gathering of Shadow. I need more Kell, Lila, and Rhy in my life. *prepares to have mind blown and feels destroyed.*

Have you read the The Reckoners trilogy or A Darker Shade of Magic? Did you reread in preparation for their series conclussions? Have you done any rereads lately? What books? Do you like doing rereads or not? Tell me why.  Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: Revenge and the Wold by Michelle Modesto

Title: Revenge and the Wild Written by: Michelle Modesto Published: February 2, 2016 by Balzer + Bray (HarperCollins) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: The two-bit town of Rogue City is a lawless place, full of dark magic and saloon brawls, monsters and six-shooters. But it’s perfect for seventeen-year-old Westie, the notorious adopted daughter of local inventor Nigel Butler.  Westie was only a child when she lost her arm and her family to cannibals on the wagon trail. Nine years later, Westie may seem fearsome with her foul-mouthed tough exterior and the powerful mechanical arm built for her by Nigel, but the memory of her past still haunts her. She’s determined to make the killers pay for their crimes—and there’s nothing to stop her except her own reckless ways.  But Westie’s search ceases when a wealthy family comes to town looking to invest in Nigel’s latest invention, a machine that can harvest magic from gold—which Rogue City desperately needs as the magic wards that surround the city start to fail. There’s only one problem: the investors look exactly like the family who murdered Westie’s kin. With the help of Nigel’s handsome but scarred young assistant, Alistair, Westie sets out to prove their guilt. But if she’s not careful, her desire for revenge could cost her the family she has now. This thrilling novel is a remarkable tale of danger and discovery, from debut author Michelle Modesto.

This was one of my most anticipated debuts of 2016. It sounded like such a "me book." And while there were some really great elements, it fell a little short for me and ended up just being a "meh book."

One of the things I liked most about this book was the world. I've been absolutely loving the YA western settings lately and this book is just one more example. There was so much drama just built into the world that was created here and I loved being immersed in it. But this took all of that a step further with some great steampunk vibe and dark creatures. No, I don't mean vampires and werewolves, or anything supernatural they were there but they seemed a little superfluous or just background for the world. I mean the cannibals. It was such a creative concept and they were dark and pretty gruesome additions to the Western-esque world that fit so well. I've seen some reviews that mention just how much is going on with the world but for me it worked. Yes, it is a lot and I would have liked there to be a little bit more about the actual magic at play here but I think it would have lost something if it didn't have the supernatural aspects.

I also liked the plot of this book despite it having a few moments where it didn't totally work. It was a pretty solid revenge story and there was tons of high stakes adventure including a climax that had me on the edge of my seat. There were also some really great mysteries including at least one that had me totally shocked. Like the world, I think there was just a lot going on and a ton of plot points working together here. There was the larger and overlapping plot that intertwined with a couple smaller plots. When that happens, you really have to bring things full circle in the climax. I'm not sure it actually got there. There were some moments that felt like they were just a means to an end, others where there was a bit of dues ex machina, and still others where I'm not sure there was an actual resolution. I do think however that pacing was a bit disjointed and did drag the plot at times. But on the whole I was so engaged in the plot development.

But what didn't work for me was the character development. The characters in and of themselves were fine. I liked that Westie is not your typical female protagonist. I appreciate that she's vulgar, swears, drinks, and generally doesn't take crap from anyone. It fits with the Western vibe of the book. But I didn't like her development, or lack there of. A lot of it just seemed kind of basic. The reasons she changes her behaviors and gets others to listen to her is both forced and full of quick fixes. None of it seemed to come organically and it wasn't like she learned anything about herself or how she relates to others. Her changing was just the way to succeed. Because of that it pulled me out of the larger story. And because her development felt forced, the way the others treated her got in the way of my enjoyment of them. The relationships, especially the romances, felt just so generic. It was a case where every single male of a certain age being in love with the main character and they gave her a pass when she messed up and wanted to believe the best in her. Even those who didn't take her at face value changed their opinions with little provocation. The characterization on the whole just didn't work for me.

On the whole, Revenge and the Wild is an interesting read despite a disjointed plot and characters I didn't really connect with. It had a really interesting world with a great Western setting and creatures that added to a gory and action packed plot.

I give Revenge and the Wild by Michelle Modesto 7.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. I had high hopes for this book and while it didn't really blow me away, I liked it. It's a short and fast read which was nice. I think I would recommend this one to anyone looking for another YA Western and if you like your books with a lot going on.

Have you read Revenge and the Wild? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Waiting on Wednesday: The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: The Unexpected Everything Author: Morgan Matson Published: May 3, 2016 by Simon & Schuster (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Andie had it all planned out. When you are a politician’s daughter who’s pretty much raised yourself, you learn everything can be planned or spun, or both. Especially your future. Important internship? Check. Amazing friends? Check. Guys? Check (as long as we’re talking no more than three weeks) But that was before the scandal. Before having to be in the same house with her dad. Before walking an insane number of dogs. That was before Clark and those few months that might change her whole life. Because here’s the thing - if everything's planned out, you can never find the unexpected. And where’s the fun in that?

Why I'm Waiting 

I read my first Morgan Matson book, Since You've Been Gone, a little over a year ago and I absolutely loved it. It was the book that inspired me to read more contemporaries and that maybe I don't hate romances in the way that I thought. So when I saw that she was coming out with a new book of course I need to read.

But in general, this sounds fantastic. I love that her father is a politician and had a recent scandal. I predict some family drama. I also love that things are not going to go as planned for the MC this summer. Probably really great character development. The tone also sounds similar to Since You've Been Gone so I'm sure it will be a fun coming-of-age story as well. This will be a great way to get excited for summer I think and I can't wait to read it.

What about you? What are you waiting for this Wednesday? Are you waiting on The Unexpected Everything along with me? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books and Music? Try These Pandora Stations.

A weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

This week's prompt is about books and music. And seriously, this was really hard for me to answer. If I'm being entirely honest, I don't listen to music very often, especially if I am reading. I'm an auditory learner so if I am listening to music, especially if I know the words, then I will get too distracted. But if I do listen to music then it's Pandora because it balances out songs I know with stuff I don't so it doesn't pull me out of the book for long plus it sets the tone for the read. So here are a few Pandora stations that I recommend for certain books

1.) Taylor Swift Radio for The Love That Split the Word by Emily Henry
In general this is my most listened to Pandora station. It goes with so much. But Taylor is so perfect for this book set in Texas about a girl trying to find her identity. You get some country with old school Taylor but there is also a lot of pop thrown in because of new school Taylor.

2.) Birdy Radio for Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
Lately I have been so obsessed with Birdy and the emotion she gets across with her melodic vocals and music with lots of piano. Plus most of the songs that come up are equally emotional ballads from strong females that fit these characters.

3.) Miranda Lambert Radio for Revenge and the Wild by Michelle Modesto
The western setting of this book perfectly fits with the country music that pops up on this station. But let's be honest, Miranda loves singing about breakups and revenge. She totally fits with the vulgar and unapologetic Westie. And I add The Band Perry for variety which goes really well too.

4.) Florence + The Machine Radio for Ten Thousand Skies Above You by Claudia Gray
I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Florence Welch and her music. What I think fits so well with this book is it has folk elements but there's something upbeat and almost pulse-pounding about it. That totally fits with Marguerite who is a time travelling artist.

5.) Of Monsters and Men for Truthwitch by Susan Dennard
I love Of Monsters and Men. Like their music in general has this really great high fantasy feel to it. In particular it worked well for Truthwitch because there is some great melodic folk music but it's also has really sweeping stuff.

6.) Demi Lovato Radio for See How They Run by Ally Carter
There is a bit of a trend with the Pandora Stations I listen to and I guess Demi fits with that too. There's a lot of upbeat girl power stuff here like her recent stuff but there is a degree of uncertainty and power ballads too. This seems to fit really well with this book and Grace's mental state.

7.) Sara Bareilles Radio for I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios
There is this general dissatisfaction that comes with Sara's music. Like she has great breakup songs and love songs, yes but mostly she sings about how much she hates the music business and people in general. I also add the variety of Kelly Clarkson here wish also goes well with this book.

8.) Ed Sheeren Radio for Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Six of Crows is a book that is full of unlikely ships so I have to give it a book where there is a lot of really sweet love songs but there is also a ton of like exciting more pop stuff. And Ed Sheeren is sort of similar to Sara Bareilles in that he also sings a lot about things and people he hates which fits with this high fantasy heist novel.

9.) Mumford and Sons Radio for Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman
I saw Erin's playlist for Vengeance Road included some of my more obscure favorite Mumford stuff. I'm a purist about them with them and miss the real folk stuff from when they first came out. But the rock stuff works too. Plus I have The Civil Wars as variety for this station so that adds to the vibe.

10.) Adele Radio for Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas
Adele is so perfect for this series. There's so much strong female girl power kind of stuff but there is also a ton of emotional breakup songs and even a few love songs here and there. Plus the tone of Adele just fits Aelin so well.

What do you like to listen to while you're reading? Have you ever tried Pandora? What are your favorite stations? Leave me any recommendations. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: Rebel Bully Geek Pariah by Erin Jade Lange

Title: Rebel Bully Geek Pariah Written by: Erin Jade Lange Published: February 16, 2016 by Bloomsbury (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: "The Breakfast Club" gets a modern, high-stakes reboot in this story of four very different teens and a night that changes them forever.  The Rebel: Once popular, Andi is now a dreadlocked, tattooed wild child.  The Bully: York torments everyone who crosses his path, especially his younger brother.  The Geek: Tired of being bullied, Boston is obsessed with getting into an Ivy League college.  The Pariah: Choosing to be invisible has always worked for Sam . . . until tonight.  When Andi, York, Boston, and Sam find themselves hiding in the woods after a party gets busted by the cops, they hop into the nearest car they see and take off—the first decision of many in a night that will change their lives forever. By the light of day, these four would never be caught dead together, but when their getaway takes a dangerously unpredictable turn, sticking together could be the only way to survive.  With cinematic storytelling and compelling emotional depth, critically acclaimed author Erin Jade Lange takes readers on literary thrill ride.

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

You know those expectations vs. reality posts that you see around the internet? Every once and while you read a book that exemplifies that. It's always nice when a book is nothing like what you expect it to be and then it turns out to be much more of your kind of read. That is what happened with Rebel Bully Geek Pariah.

Lately I have been wanting to try more contemporary reads, and this seemed like one that I would like so I decided to give it a try. I went into it thinking it was going to be about unlikely friendships and relationships created through a shared struggle but it wasn't really that at all. Yes, there were elements of that with the characters (more on them later) having to work together but that wasn't the focus of the plot. I'm not really sure if this is a case of the synopsis being misleading or the book being much more unique than I thought. But I know one thing for sure, the comparison to The Breakfast Club was a loose comparison at best. It gave me a very particular impression and that's not the book I found. And yes, that was a part of this story but really only a very minor part.

The actual plot of this book was more of a mystery or thriller. Imagine my surprise when the book took that turn of events. After things go from bad to worse for the main character she goes on the lam and had to escape from people who are up to no good with those unlikely companions in tow. It had much more of a I Know What You Did Last Summer, Pretty Little Liars vibe to it which I really liked. Now I can see some readers being very annoyed at that but I loved it. There was tons of action, a solvable mystery, and a climax that had me on the edge of my seat. I love a good YA mystery so I was pleasantly surprised by this unexpected turn of events. And there were many turns in this book. It absolutely made for an interesting and complex book that was incredibly readable.

The characters too were interesting and complex. This is actually probably another example of how the reality of this book broke with my expectations. It's really easy with these kinds of books to make the characters into caricatures. They weren't total cliches which was nice. Yes, the rebel was rebellious with her tattoos and petty theft, but she was also surprisingly kind and supportive. The bully was a bit of bully, treating others especially his brother with no respect, but he was actually caring and funny. Even the geek was more than meets the eyes as nerdy and awkward guy who corrects people's grammar but is actually kind of a jerk. As for the pariah, I totally sympathized with Sam and her past struggles which made her a great main character for this book. She was trying to make a better life for herself and I wanted that for her. Throughout the book we slowly learn about the characters and what led them to be the way they are. There was a lot of before and after flashbacks as well as story time reveals where the characters would bare their soul and confess their secrets. It was a little schmaltzy at times and didn't always work for me but I did like the relationships and how they developed throughout the book. In general I did find the characters to be complex and likeable. They could been cliche tropes but they weren't. It wasn't what I expected and that was nice.

On the whole, I really liked Rebel Bully Geek Pariah. I was very different from what I expected, it was much better. It had a great plot full of action, and complex characters that I liked getting to know throughout the book. When I was done reading I was left so satisfied with what I had just read.

I give Rebel Bully Geek Pariah by Erin Jade Lange 8.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. This is definitely a book I would recommend to fans of mysteries or anyone looking for something a little different. If you are going into this book expecting a Breakfast Club type story you will probably be disappointed. But don't let the slightly misleading synopsis keep you from reading it. It really is an excellent YA mystery with complex characters and an engaging plot.

Have you read Rebel Bully Geek Pariah? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman

Title: Blackhearts Written by: Nicole Castroman Published: February 9, 2016 by  (Simon & Schuster) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Blackbeard the pirate was known for striking fear in the hearts of the bravest of sailors. But once he was just a young man who dreamed of leaving his rigid life behind to chase adventure in faraway lands. Nothing could stop him—until he met the one girl who would change everything.  Edward "Teach" Drummond, son of one of Bristol's richest merchants, has just returned from a year-long journey on the high seas to find his life in shambles. Betrothed to a girl he doesn’t love and sick of the high society he was born into, Teach dreams only of returning to the vast ocean he’d begun to call home. There's just one problem: convincing his father to let him leave and never come back.  Following her parents' deaths, Anne Barrett is left penniless and soon to be homeless. Though she’s barely worked a day in her life, Anne is forced to take a job as a maid in the home of Master Drummond. Lonely days stretch into weeks, and Anne longs for escape. How will she ever realize her dream of sailing to Curaçao—where her mother was born—when she's stuck in England?  From the moment Teach and Anne meet, they set the world ablaze. Drawn to each other, they’re trapped by society and their own circumstances. Faced with an impossible choice, they must decide to chase their dreams and go, or follow their hearts and stay.

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

You may know that it is pirate month here on My Thoughts Literally and this book was a big part of why that theme exists. And if you listened to Britt and my most recent podcast you know that this is among my most anticipated debuts of the first half of this year. So needless to say, I was really excited to pick this book up. And while it wasn't what I was expecting, it was a fantastic read full of great characters and an interesting historical setting.

What I liked about Blackhearts is that it's not your average story of swashbuckling pirates on epic high seas adventures. It's much more nuanced. I felt like it was a much more character driven story. At its heart this is an origin story about Blackbeard, but if you go deeper you realize that it is kind of also about what could have driven people to piracy. The book has multiple perspectives. We have Anna, the maid who feels trapped in her position and torn between two worlds, and Teach, the son of a wealthy merchant who spent a year at sea and desperately wants to go back. Throughout the book, each character has really interesting development as they navigate the waters (pun intended) of these worlds that they no longer belong in or just started belonging in. Their circumstances and the actions of lots of devious and odious secondary characters, place them in situations where they have to use their intelligence and resourcefulness to get out of whatever pickle they may have been in which added a lot of drama and character development. I was definitely invested in each of their story and I could see what motivated them to make the choices that they did make.

One of the things that I was nervous about going into this book was the romance. You probably know I'm not much of a fan of books that are just about romance and I had heard from some reviews that this was a focus for Blackhearts. And I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked the romance. Maybe because it was more of a slowburn. Anna and Teach did not get together for awhile and even their attraction for one another was slow. So when it did happen, it felt deeper and easier to get behind. I really appreciated their connection to one another. They understand each other on a deeper level and I felt their mutual connection and I liked watching it develop throughout the book.

I think for me, this book reads more like historical fiction, which is one of my favorite genres and I find the 18th Century to be a really compelling time period. Castroman did a great job of setting up the period and what life was like for both the wealthy as well as those who worked for them. It had a bit of an upstairs/downstairs Downton Abbey vibe to it in that respect. But it also was a really good look at what society was like as a whole. The themes it addresses and the plot development is much more focused on the historical time period and the desire to step out of that role. Both Anna and Teach were trying to figure out where they belong and they have this great desire to be themselves while still satisfying others. I love that aspect of historical fiction and it was added some interesting drama. You also had the pirates angle. It wasn't a really big part of the book but the idea of privateers and pirates was there under the surface. I think in the next book there will be more about actual piracy.

And while it was an interesting read, the plot did feel a little basic at times. Now don't get me wrong, it did have some moments of action that were great and exciting, but in general it was much more character driven. However, there were also some interesting twists that I didn't see coming which was good. but on the whole I was left wanting more and not in the "I desperately need book 2 way," although I do want book two. I think for me I went into this book expecting it to be more of a traditional story about pirates and their high seas adventures. But here the plot was more of a coming-of age story set in a historical time period. That's not a bad thing. It was really entertaining, just not what I was expecting.

On the whole, Blackhearts was a good read. It loved spending time getting to know Anna and Teach and I am excited to see where their stories lead. The historical setting of the book was also a real highlight. It was a much different pirate story and that in and of itself makes it a great addition to this month.

I give Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman 8.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. This is definitely a book geared more towards fans of historical fiction and romance. If you are looking for an action-packed read this may not work for you but it was a thoroughly entertaining book.

Have you read Blackhearts? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

Title: Salt to the Sea Written by: Ruta Sepetys Published: February 2, 2016 by Philomel Books (Penguin Group) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Winter, 1945. Four teenagers. Four secrets.  Each one born of a different homeland; each one hunted, and haunted, by tragedy, lies…and war.  As thousands of desperate refugees flock to the coast in the midst of a Soviet advance, four paths converge, vying for passage aboard the Wilhelm Gustloff, a ship that promises safety and freedom.  Yet not all promises can be kept.   Inspired by the single greatest tragedy in maritime history, bestselling and award-winning author Ruta Sepetys (Between Shades of Gray) lifts the veil on a shockingly little-known casualty of World War II. An illuminating and life-affirming tale of heart and hope.

I was so thankful to Britt from Please Feed the Bookworm who shared an advance copy of Salt to the Sea with me. We both have been wanting to read some of Ruta Sepetys' books and this one sounded like a good one to start with. I am so glad I read it because I loved it and am definitely planning to read more of her books. It was a fast and engaging historical fiction novel with brave and likable characters who are struggling to survive in a difficult time.

I'm a huge fan of historical fiction but as I mentioned in my discussion post last week, I used to avoid books set during World War II but I have been reading them more lately and really liking them. What I liked about Salt to the Sea was that it is set in 1945 but it is about a little known event of the time. I love learning about events that maybe I don't know a lot about through historical fiction. That's exactly what happened here. It was so interesting learning about Operation Hannibal and the Wilhelm Gustloff. It was horrible, but interesting. I usually find books set during this time to be about the same old thing but this one was creative and different. It had the same kind of tone as those other books though.  It showed the atrocities of war and the effect it has on the people (more of that later). I liked how it showed both sides of the war and how they all did things that were violent and harmful to the citizens on both sides.

That's why I really appreciated that this book had four main characters, that as the synopsis tells you came from four different countries. None of them had it easy and it was really easy to empathize with them and their situations. I think the character I first connected with was Joana. She's a plucky nurse from Lithuana who is able to leave her country because of her skills. She uses her medical experience to help anyone and everyone she meets. She was so kind and spunky. I also really felt for Emilia who is from Poland and has had a really rough time trying to escape from those horrors. My heart definitely went out to her and I really liked that she still had a positive attitude. I also enjoyed Florian who was full of secrets and had a great sense of humor. The only real hold out was Alfred. He's not very sympathetic and while that doesn't normally bother me, in contrast to the other three it made things even more difficult to connect with him.

Sepetys did a great job with developing these characters and slowly unveiling their backstories. Most of the book didn't involve the ship at all. The first 300 pages or so were all about the characters, their pasts, and what they had to go through to get to the Gustloff. And like I said earlier, it really showed the horrors of war. Each character had to endure a lot and it really made for a dramatic book and allowed you to connect with them. So much so that when you reached the climax of the story you were incredibly invested in them and their happiness. It's heartbreaking the way it all unfolds but that's what makes it so brilliant and amazing. I don't usually enjoy books that are sad on purpose but here it worked. You felt the characters pain. You knew it wasn't going to end well and you still were crushed by the twists throughout the book and the final revelations. The ending completely wrecked me but I wasn't mad at it at all.

The only thing about this book that didn't completely work for me was the format. This is a book that has multiple perspectives, four to be exact. Now I'm not usually a fan of changing perspectives. I often prefer to just spend most of the book with one person that I can get to know really well. I did get to know each of these characters really well but from a storytelling perspective it was sometimes confusing and jarring to switch back and forth so often. And it was often. These are really short chapters. Some as short as one page before it switches and I think the longest was only six pages. I think for me, I would have liked it a little bit more if the chapters were a little longer before it switched. But it wasn't bad, it actually kind of worked once I got used to it. It also made it really easy to just devour this book. I read it in a little over a day because not only was I invested but I could easily talk my self into reading the next chapter because it was only a few pages. Before I knew it, I had read 80 pages and forgotten to eat lunch.

On the whole, Salt to the Sea is a beautiful and engrossing book that will break your heart in the best possible way. It teaches you something about the atrocities of war while connecting you deeply with characters who you want to see succeed despite their pasts. It's a great piece of writing that you will undoubtedly fly through reading and remember long after you are done.

I give Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. This is a really wonderful read. I would absolutely recommend this to fans of historical fiction, especially those who enjoy books set during World War II. But even if you don't particularly like the genre I would still recommend this book. You will enjoy the characters and the human struggle in the face of adversity.

Have you read Salt to the Sea? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!