Book Review: A Million Worlds With You by Claudia Gray

Title: A Million Worlds With You Series: Firebird #3 Written by: Claudia Gray Published: November 1, 2016 by HarperTeen (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: A million universes. A million dangers. One destiny.  The fate of the multiverse rests in Marguerite Caine’s hands. Marguerite has been at the center of a cross-dimensional feud since she first traveled to another universe using her parents’ invention, the Firebird. Only now has she learned the true plans of the evil Triad Corporation—and that those plans could spell doom for dozens or hundreds of universes, each facing total annihilation.  Paul Markov has always been at Marguerite’s side, but Triad’s last attack has left him a changed man—angry and shadowed by tragedy. He struggles to overcome the damage done to him, but despite Marguerite’s efforts to help, Paul may never be the same again.  So it’s up to Marguerite alone to stop the destruction of the multiverse. Billions of lives are at stake. The risks have never been higher. And Triad has unleashed its ultimate weapon: another dimension’s Marguerite—wicked, psychologically twisted, and always one step ahead.  In the epic conclusion to Claudia Gray’s Firebird trilogy, fate and family will be questioned, loves will be won and lost, and the multiverse will be forever changed. It’s a battle of the Marguerites . . . and only one can win.

I was really looking forward to the final book in this series. I was absolutely impressed with the world-building and plot development of this science fiction series. I liked the first book but loved the second and the way it was going. I couldn't wait to find out how it was all going to end especially with the cliffhanger at the end of book two. And while I did enjoy it, it didn't quite satisfy my hopes for the last book in a series.

One thing that I did love in this book was the world. Dimensional travel is something that I have read a fair amount and I definitely think this series does that well. It is the perfect balance between the science elements of the multiverse and the fictional elements of body snatching and traveling across the dimensions. I don't like when books focus more on one element and with this series it does a great job of explaining why and how with the science and not getting bogged down in it. In addition it was really cool exploring all the different worlds. Here we were able to not only go back to some from previous books but also explore even more worlds. They are all so different and yet so similar which makes things very interesting. There was even a really interesting twist with the dimensions that caught me off guard and I really loved. The setting and world of this series is the best part.

The other thing I really liked about this book was the characters. In the three books I have grown attached to each and every one of them. And the interesting thing is while there are really only a handful of characters because they go to different dimensions we get to see them a host of different ways. It was kind of an interesting character study to see how a world and can change a person and not change them at the same time. That element of this series was absolutely fascinating.

I will say, in terms of character development, I wanted a little more. Most of the focus of this book is on Marguerite, one particular version of Marguerite. We spend so much time with her and her struggle to save the people she loves and the universes. But I didn't quite feel the reasoning behind all of it. Some of it made total sense and at other times it just seemed like she was doing it for no particular reasons. This was particularly true towards the end while it was all wrapping up/ Things just changed so quickly I didn't get the sense of why. But I think the character development that most disappointed me was with "Wicked" or who I refer to as "Darkest Timeline Marguerite." I thought she was going to be a much bigger part of this book. And after a few brief chapters in the beginning she just became this indirect force and that made her not as ominous a villain as I was hoping. I think a lot of that comes down to personal preference but I wanted to see more of her villainy. It would have helped ground some of the actions she took.

But I also think some of my criticism of the character development is also reflected in my feelings on the plot development. It was good but in the end it just felt kind of sudden. I thought I had an idea of where this book was going, how it would end but then there came a point where I think all of that ran away from me, from the characters really. When you're dealing with the multiverses and trying to stop someone who is trying to destroy whole dimensions there is naturally going to be a big question of how. At certain points it seemed in impossible, the multiverse is endless after all, And just when I thought they couldn't possible find a solution, they did. And all that was good, it made sense, there were elements from earlier in the book to back it up and then suddenly that plan had to change too. The ending just didn't feel satisfying because it was both sudden and didn't have much resolution. For being the final book in a series I was hoping for more closure and full-circle moments. I didn't get that.

But on the whole, I did enjoy this book it just didn't blow me away like I was hoping. It had a fascinating world, great characters, and an interesting setting but there wasn't enough character development and the conclusion felt a little sudden for me.

I give A Million Worlds With You by Claudia Gray 8 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow/Buy. If you enjoyed the first two books in the series definitely pick this one up. And despite the fact that the last book in the series is my least favorite, fans of YA science fiction who haven't read this series should pick it up. If you are looking for a story that does a good job with multiverses, check this out.

Have you read A Million Worlds With You? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

Title: A Gathering of Shadows Series: Shades of Magic #2 Written by: V.E. Schwab Published: February 23, 2016 by Tor (Macmillan) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Four months have passed since the shadow stone fell into Kell’s possession. Four months since his path crossed with Delilah Bard. Four months since Rhy was wounded and the Dane twins fell, and the stone was cast with Holland’s dying body through the rift, and into Black London.  In many ways, things have almost returned to normal, though Rhy is more sober, and Kell is now plagued by his guilt. Restless, and having given up smuggling, Kell is visited by dreams of ominous magical events, waking only to think of Lila, who disappeared from the docks like she always meant to do. As Red London finalizes preparations for the Element Games—an extravagant international competition of magic, meant to entertain and keep healthy the ties between neighboring countries—a certain pirate ship draws closer, carrying old friends back into port.  But while Red London is caught up in the pageantry and thrills of the Games, another London is coming back to life, and those who were thought to be forever gone have returned. After all, a shadow that was gone in the night reappears in the morning, and so it seems Black London has risen again—meaning that another London must fall.

GIVE ME A MINUTE! I have still not come to terms with the way this book ended and it's been 72 hours. I mean it was absolutely brilliant and an amazing sequel to a book that I loved but I want more, I need more. I am ravenous in my desire for these characters, this world, and the knowledge about them.

My favorite thing about this book is the characters. I fell for them in A Darker Shade of Magic and in A Gathering of Shadows I fell deeper in love with them and their darkness and complexity. The main characters in this book are dealing with the backlash of what happened in the first book. Kell has always been serious and cautious and after what happened in the first book he is even more so but he also has some reckless moments that lead to some more consequences. It was great seeing Kell at his best and his worse. But it was even better to see Lila in the same capacity. She's such an amazing roguish character which I especially love because she's female. Here we get to see her as a for real pirate which was amazing. She's tough, smart, and snarky. She has some great development in this book and I am so excited to learn more about her history and her relationship with magic. Then there is Rhy. He takes a more prominent role here and it's amazing. He's sweet and funny but being in his head you get this sense that he will never be enough. And the pain of what happened in the last book is still wearing on him and taking away some of his effervescence. It made him all the more sympathetic. But there were also some great new characters like Alucard Emery who is even more of a lovable rogue. He's a charming pirate who's a brilliant element magician who has great relationships with all our characters.

In fact it's these relationships that make the characters even more fantastic. If you were to ask who I shipped in this book I would say that everyone. I ship a polyamorous love fest between all the characters. Their interaction as so brilliant. There is so much going on between all of them. Kell and Rhy have such an great relationship, you could call it a bromance or brotherly love but it doesn't matter as long as you admit it's amazing. Despite some challenging moments it comes out even stronger and you know they will always be there for each other. And despite the fact that Kell and Lila are apart, you get the same sense from those two. They spend a lot of the book pining for one another and when they are together they fought a lot but they make such a good team. Then there is Alucard who has a great friendship with Lila and history with Rhy that makes for a delightful reunion much to Kell's chagrin and my pleasure. Some of the relationships definitely get tested here bur it makes for such a complex book.

Other than the characters, I have always been blown away by Schwab's world building and her ability to create interesting and complex worlds. She once again proved that she is a master at crafting a fantasy world in this book. In AGOS we spend most of our time in Red London but there are some great moments in Grey London and White London that add context and intrigue to the larger plot of the book. But here the exploration wasn't so much about the other worlds, but the magic of the world. Magic has always been kind of a dark force here. And though there was less focus on power and control there were moments about the negative affects of magic on people. It has it's benefits but as Kell often reminds us, it comes at a price and we have to treat it with respect. The best part of the magic though was that we get to see much more elemental magic with the Essen Tasch, or Elemental Games. It had a very Avatar: The Last Airbender (like very Legend of Korra pro-bending) feel to it which was amazing and the fight scenes were fantastic and action packed moments that kept me on the edge of my seat. I continue to be blown away by the world(s) of this series and I cannot wait to explore it more in the next and final book.

And while I did really enjoy the plot development of AGOS, it was the part of the book that I didn't enjoy as much as the rest. This very much felt like a middle book in a trilogy. It connected events from the first book in what is sure to be an epic conclusion to the series but it didn't have as much of it's own self-contained plot which I usually prefer when it comes to books in a series. And yes, that individual plot point of Essen Tasch was great and interesting, that was only the tip of the iceberg for the plot of this book. But in general I felt like at times this was asking more questions than it was answering. And it definitely dragged out some reveals for questions that were brought up in the first book. Not to mention that cliffhanger that left me staring at the book in desperate need of more words. But that being said, it was full of action and adventure and crazy plot twists that had me shocked and excited, including the ones that I predicted.

On the whole this book was a brilliant sequel to a phenomenal book. This series is absolutely a new favorite for me and I cannot wait to see where it goes. It is full of amazing and complex characters, a interesting world full of dark magic, and a plot full of mystery and adventure.

I give A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab 9.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: BUY! If you loved A Darker Shade of Magic than you absolutely need to read this book for more of Kell, Lila, Rhy, and the magic of Red London. If you haven't read ADSOM and you like fantasy then don't even think twice about picking this book up. It's brilliant and amazing.

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

Book Review: The Love That Split the World by Emily Henry

Title: The Love that Split the World Written by: Emily Henry Published: January 26, 2016 by Razorbill (Penguin Group) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Natalie Cleary must risk her future and leap blindly into a vast unknown for the chance to build a new world with the boy she loves.  Natalie’s last summer in her small Kentucky hometown is off to a magical start... until she starts seeing the “wrong things.” They’re just momentary glimpses at first—her front door is red instead of its usual green, there’s a pre-school where the garden store should be. But then her whole town disappears for hours, fading away into rolling hills and grazing buffalo, and Nat knows something isn’t right.  That’s when she gets a visit from the kind but mysterious apparition she calls “Grandmother,” who tells her: “You have three months to save him.” The next night, under the stadium lights of the high school football field, she meets a beautiful boy named Beau, and it’s as if time just stops and nothing exists. Nothing, except Natalie and Beau.  Emily Henry’s stunning debut novel is Friday Night Lights meets The Time Traveler’s Wife, and perfectly captures those bittersweet months after high school, when we dream not only of the future, but of all the roads and paths we’ve left untaken.

This book was compulsively readable and addicting. I had heard nothing but great reviews so I made sure to get a copy as my debut for time travel month. I honestly was a little nervous about reading it because of all the love but there was no reason to be worried. This book lives up to the hype. It is beautifully written with great characters and so much mystery.

The thing that first struck me about this book is the characterization. Emily Henry does a fantastic job creating complex and realistic characters that you cannot help but relate to. I instantly felt for Natalie. She's curious, inquisitive, and introspective. As curious about herself as she is in the world around here. She struggles with her identity and a lot of that has to do not only with the fact that she is adopted but it's more than that. I was honestly so invested in her exploration throughout the book. I love a good coming-of-age story but it is made all the more interesting because this is a character who I can connect with. But Natalie was not the only great characters. The romantic lead, Beau was pretty great too. He had just as much exploration of identity as Natalie. He is just as uncertain about himself and his future as she is. And while their romance was a little on the insta-lovey side their connection was clear and I liked seeing them explore it. I also loved the relationships between Natalie and her best friend, her parents, and her siblings. They were all so realistic. You could tell that she cared so much for her friends and family and that they all cared for her. It was all these relationships that gave it the Friday Night Lights vibe for me. The book was just so full of complex characters who related to each other in real and honest ways.

But there was so much more to this book than that. I would maybe categorize it as Magical Realism. It sometimes reads like a contemporary but there is also this really amazing fantasy world. Throughout the book there is Native American mythology and stories that help build out that fantasy world. It was absolutely amazing the way that these were incorporated into the plot and mystery of the books. It really made things so interesting. But there is also some really fantastic elements that give this book it's The Time Traveler's Wife vibes. There's this whole time travel and dimensional travel concept that made this book so complex. At times it did get a little bit on the confusing and scientific side of things but it was still really interesting. In general it just added a new dimension to the world and plot of the book. Throughout the story I was definitely engaged to see how it would all be connected and to learn more about the world. It was such a creative and complex world.

All of this combined to create a mysterious and well-plotted book. Things really build to a thrilling ending. I spent most of the book curious as to not only what was going to happen but why it was happening. And yes, there were some elements of the book that I predicted but in general I was captivated by the plot development and the twists. It slowly gave the reader clues as to what was happening and where it was all going. When it finally built to the ending I was on the edge of my seat needing to know how it was all going to end. And while I didn't totally love the conclusion and ending for personal reasons and questions relating to time travel paradoxes it still packed a really big emotional punch. The ending definitely hit me right in the feels and left me reeling in the best possible way.

But I honestly think my favorite thing about this book was Emily Henry's writing. I don't often talk about writing style or prose in my reviews because it's not really something I pay much attention to unless it is either not what I enjoy or totally blows me away. With this book it was the latter. I seriously loved the writing. It's subtle yet there is a beauty within these words that just captured me and took me away. Without even realizing it I was devouring these words and feeling the affect of them on me. There is a lot to unpack here with the themes that the author addresses and she handles them with care and seriousness that make them relatable and impactful. Whether it is identity, familial relationships, love, or even gender and race. It makes you think without being preachy. All of this added to make a book that had me captivated and engaged from beginning to end.

On the whole, The Love That Split the World is a fantastic and captivating book with complex characters, an interesting fantasy world, and gorgeous writing. I was surprised by how much I loved this book. You may be seeing a lot of hype around this one at the moment and for me it absolutely lives up to it.

I give The Love That Split the World by Emily Henry 9.5 out of 10

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. For one thing, this cover is absolutely gorgeous. It is a book I want to have on my shelves. But it's also gorgeous on the inside too. Fans of coming-of-age stories will enjoy Natalie's exploration of her identity and fans of fantasy and Magical Realism will love the world building and mystery.

January Wrap Up and February TBR

Read in January: Time/Dimensional Travel

It's a new year and the first month of 2016 is over! Time really does fly! This is quiet and approproate statement considering my theme this month was time travel and dimensional travel. The highlight of my month was definitely being blown away by some highly anticipated reads. It was a pretty good way to start the year. I didn't get to read as many books as I had hoped but you know what I'm not going to already panic about meeting goals. It's too early for that nonsense. I read a total of 12 new books this month including 1 reread. That's pretty good. Plus two 10 star reviews and some honestly amazing books.

As far as challenges go, it's a new year and that means new challenges. YAY! I am a little behind for my Goodreads goal of reading 150 books this year, but like I said... too early to panic. I'm on track for my goal for the Debut Author Challenge of reading 25 debuts by starting the year with 2 debuts this month. I'm also on track for the Netgalley/Edelweiss Challenge having read 3 books for that challenge towards my goal of 36. I'm also on track for the TBR Pile Challenge by reading two books for that this month towards my goal of 25 for the year. And finally, a new challenge for me this year, the Audiobook Challenge. I listened to 3 audiobooks this month which is on track for my goal of 30 or more for the year.

The Books

1.) Worlds of Ink and Shadow by Lena Coakley 
Rating: 9 out of 10 [My Review]

2.) Truthwitch by Susan DennardRating: 10 out of 10 [My Review]

3.) Ten Thousand Skies Above You by Claudia Gray 
Rating: 9. out of 10 [My Review]

4.) The Borden Murders by Sarah Miller Rating: 7.5 out of 10 [My Review]

5.) Passenger by Alexandra Bracken Rating: 9.5 out of 10 [My Review]

6.) Outlander by Diana Gabaldon Rating: 9 out of 10 [My Review]

7.) Written in Red by Anne Bishop Rating: 8 out of 10 [My Review]

8.) The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman Rating: 8.5 out of 10 [My Review]
9.) The Bands of Mourning by Brandon Sanderson
Rating: 10 out of 10 [My Review]
10.) Into the Dim by Janet B. Taylor Rating: 8 out of 10 [Review to Come]
11.) The Love That Split the World by Emily Henry [Review to Come]
12.) A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray [Reread Review]

Other Posts

Crossing Over: Dimensional Travel
Stacking the Shelves: January Haul
Discussion Posts: My Book Buying Ban, I Used to Be Book Prejudiced
Waiting on Wednesday: The Raven King by Maggie Steifvater, The Winner's Kiss by Marie Rutkowski
Please Feed My Bookworm Thoughts Podcasts: Episode 1 - 2016 Releases

To Be Read in February: Pirates!

In February I'm so excited for my next themed month. I mean it's pirates you guys, who wouldn't be excited? I have review copies of some books I'm really excited to read and there are some new releasescoming out that I have been desperately waiting for. I'm predicting another great month.

1.) The Abyss Surrounds Us by Eily Skrutsie - Add to Goodreads
I got an ARC of this from Netgalley and I;m really excited. It's about space pirates and I heard the romance is f/f which is always exciting for SciFi/Fantasy.

2.) Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys - Add to Goodreads
I'm excited for this historical fiction book by an author that has been on my list for awhile. It kind of feels insensitive to include it during my pirate month but it comes out now and Britt and I are reviewing it together for our podcast.

3.) Revenge and the Wild by Michelle Modesto - Add to Goodreads
This is one of my most anticipated debuts of the year and I'm so excited to read it. It's a dark fantasy Westerm which is totally up my alley.

4.) Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman - Add to Goodreads
This is another exciting debuts. It's going to be a month of debuts. It's historical fiction about Blackbeard and Anne Bonny as teenagers. How cool is that! I'm so excited to read my ARC from Simon Teen.

5.) Calamity by Brandon Sanderson - Add to Goodreads
This is the final book in The Reckoners trilogy and I am anxiously awaiting it despite knowing that it will absolutely destroy me I'm sure.

6.) Rebel Bully Geek Pariah by Erin Jade Lange - Add to Goodreads
Throwing in a random contemporary as a palette cleanser is always a good idea. Plus this one sounds really interesting, it's like the Breakfast Club which I usually enjoy.

7.) The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig - Add to Goodreads
This fit last month's theme of time travel but also this month's pirate theme. I got the UK edition from Netgalley just this week so I'm excited to read it soon!

8.) A Gathering of Shadows by V.E Schwab - Add to Goodreads
So excited! This is the sequel to my favorite book of 2015 and I'm sure this one will be just as wonderful because obviously

So those are the books that I have planned. Like I said I'm trying not to plan out too many reads and keep some backup books in case I have holes in the schedule. I have a few potential or backup books that I may end up reading as well.

Rereads

The Reckoners Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson: Steelheart, Mitosis, and Firefight 
A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab - Original Review

Potential Reads

The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan - Add to Goodreads
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch - Add to Goodreads
A Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop - Add to Goodreads
Black Rabbit Hall by Eve Chase - Add to Goodreads


There you have it. All the books I plan to read in February and a few potential reads. What are you reading this month? Are there any of the same books on your list? Have you read any of these? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Crossing Over: Dimensional Travel

It's time for this month's edition of Crossing Over. If you're not familiar with Crossing Over it's a feature where I recommend an adult book with crossover appeal based on a YA or sometimes Middle Grade book that is similar. It's basically an if you liked, then try but for crossover books. It runs once a month here and I pick the books based on the theme of what I'm reading. So because this is Time Travel/Dimensional Travel month I decided to go with two books that are pretty fantastic and fit the theme. I was considering doing some of the books I actually reviewed this month (specifically A Thousand Pieces of You) but it felt like overkill so I picked a few that I talk about a lot but whatever.

His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman
Read My Review / Add to Goodreads

His Dark Materials is a series about a multiverse and dimensional travel. While the first book is a lot of set up, the second book takes us to multiple Oxfords and different worlds where it analyzes how and why things may have evolved based on subtle changes in the world's composition. There is a lot of analysis over power and spiritual ideas about the soul and it's relationship with humanity. On top of that it has some really amazing characters that you will instantly fall in love with including a plucky heroine who speaks her mind, a strong hero that balances her out really well, and a devious villain that you love to hate. This is one of my all-time favorite series because how well-plotted and complex it is as individual books as well as a series. And don't let the fact that it's middle grade fool you, it's super dark and complex. If you haven't read it, you must.

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
Read My Review / Add to Goodreads

I've been thinking a lot about this book with A Gathering of Shadows coming in about a month. It is a brilliant series about a multiverse and dimensional travel. It takes us to multiple Londons and different worlds where it analyzes how and why things may have evolved based on subtle changes in the world's composition specifically their relationship with magic. There is a lot of analysis over power, magic, and it's relationship with humanity. On top of that it has some really amazing characters that you will instantly fall in love with including a badass heroine who speaks her mind, a strong hero that balances her out really well, and devious villains that you love to hate. This quickly became a favorite series because of how well-plotted and complex it is as individual books as well as a series. It's a dark and complex fantasy. If you haven't read it, you must.

These are both amazing examples of how dimensional travel can go so well. You don't always have to make huge changes to the worlds. Sometimes the smaller more subtle differences make things more dramatic and interesting. But what really makes these series so good is the characters. They're likable and complex with strengths and weaknesses. The two protagonists make an amazing team and balance one another out really well. Plus, let's be real... Lyra Belacqua and Lila Bard are some of my all-time favorite strong female characters. Plus the plot development is top notch with specific plots for each book and larger plot points for the series. I cannot wait to see where things go in A Gathering of Shadows but I know I will love it because Victoria Schwab is a fantastic writer. These are some of my favorite characters and I would definitely recommend them to fantasy or even science fiction fans.

Have you read His Dark Materials and/or A Darker Shade of Magic? What did you think? What fantasy and dimensional travel crossovers do you like? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: Ten Thousand Skies Above You by Claudia Gray

*** This is the second book in a trilogy and there may be spoilers within the synopsis and review. If you have not read A Thousand Pieces of You proceed with caution. Here's my review if you need encouragement. ***

Title: Ten Thousand Skies Above You Series: Firebird Trilogy #2 Written by: Claudia Gray Published: January 5, 2016 by Tor Teen (Macmillan) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Ever since she used the Firebird, her parents' invention, to cross into alternate dimensions, Marguerite has caught the attention of enemies who will do anything to force her into helping them dominate the multiverse—even hurting the people she loves. She resists until her boyfriend, Paul, is attacked and his consciousness scattered across multiple dimensions.  Marguerite has no choice but to search for each splinter of Paul’s soul. The hunt sends her racing through a war-torn San Francisco, the criminal underworld of New York City, and a glittering Paris where another Marguerite hides a shocking secret. Each world brings Marguerite one step closer to rescuing Paul. But with each trial she faces, she begins to question the destiny she thought they shared.  The second book in the Firebird trilogy, Ten Thousand Skies Above You features Claudia Gray’s lush, romantic language and smart, exciting action, and will have readers clamoring for the next book.

I read the first book in this series, A Thousand Pieces of You, last December and liked it even though it didn't blow me away. But I liked it enough to give the second book a try and I'm glad that I did. This book was just as good, if not better. It took the likable characters and allowed me to further connect with them and at the same time it expanded on plot points making this a much more intricate story.

The best part of this book, and the series, is the world building. Dimensional travel is sometimes hard to pull off but Claudia Gray does it brilliantly. I'm a fan of science fiction but I don't often enjoy when books get bogged down with the science. In this series, complicated scientific concepts of theoretical physics are dealt with so well that not only do I understand them, but they seem possible. The idea of multiple universes (or multiverse) and consciousness traveling between those universes seems outrageous but possible. That's what makes this book so interesting. What I particularly like about these universes is that they are not all that different from our own. I mean even when you're going to a war torn dystopia or a Europe where the monarchies never fell, it's all rooted in logic and/or history. But it's also just different enough to keep my interest. That is the mark of a good multiverse for me. It walks the line between seeming familiar and different. Each of these worlds were just that.

And because the worlds were only slightly different, they also had this subtle character development which was cool. Here the characters arcs are not so much about what the characters we know did to change, to make themselves different. No, here it is more about how one choice, or a different surroundings can lead to different behaviors and attitudes. It's kind of a cool nature versus nurture argument. Are people always the same or is their surroundings that make up their personality? Then there is this whole theme about fate. Are people meant to find each other and to be together or is it just circumstance. It was all very different and interesting.

I was also able to connect much more with the characters which was nice. In the first book I liked them enough but I wasn't really invested in their struggle. By the end of this one I was totally invested. Maybe it's the fact that we were able to spend more time with them. Each of these characters has strengths and weaknesses which is nice, so being able to spend more time with them allowed me to get to know them better. That was particularly true for Marguerite. She's our main character here and the one who stayed with the same consciousness as she jumped between universes. I also felt much more connected to Theo in this book. "Real" Theo is such a fantastic guy. He's smart, funny, and caring. I'm not saying I'm Team Theo for Marguerite but I'm definitely Team Theo for me. No, for Marguerite I am much more invested in her relationship with Paul. They had some trials in this book and I like that they came out of it stronger. In the first book I didn't totally love the romance because it felt strange at times and the love triangle was forced. Here that triangle rears it's ugly head again and I did find myself rolling my eyes at some parts, it worked better here. It actually worked more as part of the plot development instead of against it so it made more sense.

A visual representation of my feels at the end of the book.

And that plot too was much more intricate. On top of that, the stakes were incredibly high here and there was a lot of action scenes that had me on the edge of my seat. On the whole it just felt more fast-paced and thrilling than the previous book which I liked. I like when a series has a really tight plot that has a clear resolution with each specific book but then builds up a larger story as part of the series. That's what Ten Thousand Skies Above You did. It had a very specific plot, getting back the splinters of Paul's soul, but it also takes moments from the previous books and expands on them to make a different and larger plot point. And that larger plot is the one that was all the more interesting to me. It had huge and shocking twists that caught me off guard, and a crazy cliffhanger that has me desperately needing book three and so very excited for what will happen in the final book in the trilogy.

On the whole, Ten Thousand Skies Above You was a great sequel to an interesting book about dimensional travel with likable characters and truly fascinating world. The plot was engaging and intricate and left me so shocked and invested that I need book 3 so badly.

I give Ten Thousand Skies Above You by Claudia Gray 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. If you liked A Thousand Pieces of You then definitely read this one. It expands on things that were only a small part of the first book and the stakes are really high here. If you are looking for an interesting series about dimensional travel and multiverses then I would absolutely suggest this one.

Have you read Ten Thousand Skies Above You? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

On Rereads: A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray

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. I'm planning to reread 25 different books during this year so for the foreseeable future I plan to do one - three reread a month so I want to share my thoughts on these books the second time around.

This month I'm starting off slow because I also have a monthly audiobook that I am trying to read so I only have one reread planned for the month and I already read it. It was actually one of my first books I read this year because I listened to it while I drove home after New Years.

A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray
 (Amazon / Goodreads / Audible / My Review)

You all probably know that I do themed months here on My Thoughts Literally. This month's theme is time/dimensional travel. I had a library hold on Ten Thousand Skies Above You, the second book in this series and it worked out perfectly because it fit this month's theme. So to prepare for that book, I reread this one.

As usual, I listened to the audio this time around and I'm really glad that I did. The audio for this one was really fantastic. This series is about the main character travelling to different universes within their own consciousness. This takes her to different places as well. The cool thing the narrator did was use different accents for the different worlds so it helped keep things clear and was totally immersive. And yes, some of the accents, like the Russian one, was a little over the top and did get old it was really entertaining.

Plus it was a great refresher for the series. I remembered the basics of the plot but little details escaped me. Details that did in fact come into play in the second book. Plus this was just as good the second time around. It's definitely hard Sci-Fi with a lot of science but it's interesting and addresses a lot of different themes that have to do with time travel or taking over a different person's consciousness. It was a really great read and I'm glad I listened to it again.

That's my one reread for this month. It feels weird to already be posting this. It's usually one of my last posts of the month, not the first. But oh well. Have you reread any books lately? Have you read A Thousand Pieces of You? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

(P.S. If you have read A Thousand Pieces of You then definitely check back tomorrow for my review of Ten Thousand Skies Above You)