These Broken Stars Book Review

These Broken Stars (Starbound, #1)

By: Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Publication Date: December 10, 2013

Disney Hyperion, 374 pages

Source: Bought it from B&N

Luxury spaceliner Icarus suddenly plummets from hyperspace into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive -- alone. Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a cynical war hero. Both journey across the eerie deserted terrain for help. Everything changes when they uncover the truth. 

The Starbound Trilogy: Three worlds. Three love stories. One enemy.

-Description retrieved from Goodreads

The perfect dream setting is sipping on some English Breakfast Tea with tons of honey and milk because I have a major sweet tooth with a book or typing a post for my book blog with a soft, cozy blanket wrapped around me. There has been killer amounts of snow and book blogging is the perfect thing to do when that happens. 

So These Broken Stars, first let's judge the cover because whether we admit it or not, but covers play a major role when it comes to deciding which book to read. I feel like this book does sort of reflect the plot in the story because the models accurately depict how I imagine the characters will look like. But I like this cover, the simplicity of it especially of the font. I like skinny fonts like crazy, that's just who I am. 

Tarver reminds me of Day from the Legend series for some reason and Lilac reminds me a bit like June, but at the same time not really. But the major comparison is Tarver and Day because they're both survivors and fall for the wrong girl type of thing going on. Or is that just me?

I liked this novel, but didn't love it. It was interesting enough, but it wasn't the addicted-to-it type of book. I will admit, this novel took me quite a while to read, perhaps a week or a week and a half. The first part was interesting and then the first part of the middle was a bit drawn and dull to me. But I did like the part near the end that part definitely sucked me in. So the entire book wasn't a let-down, 

So character time! And you guys know that I am picky as heck when it comes to my characters. Other people are a lot more tolerable and compassionate towards book characters, but I am strict and harsh when it comes to favoring them. Maybe because I can be a bit judgy, but who isn't first of all? So again, Lilac was okay, she wasn't my favorite, but come on, I give her major props for climbing hills in high heels and she did become strong-willed later on. I do like a character who transitions and develops throughout a novel. Traver was also okay, he was a bit judgmental towards Lilac, but I didn't really like him near the end. He was getting too emotional for my liking and I couldn't understand him. But he was an interesting character as well.

For some odd reason, when it comes to survivor stories, I am super curious what they eat like that is one of the main parts that interest me which is really odd. I guess, I'm sincerely fascinated about food, what does that say about me? I thought the end was kind of difficult for me to understand, I had to re-read some parts because my mind was going like 'what?' or blank. 

Overall, it was a decent novel, wasn't really anything special. I don't think I will be reading to the second novel because I don't like sequels with a new pair of characters because it takes me a while to get attached to characters and when I do, I don't like to be forced to let them go. 

One Page at a Time

-Skimmy.

The Winner's Curse Book Review

The Winner's Curse (The Winner's Trilogy #1)
By Marie Rutkoski
Publication Date: March 4, 2014
Farrar Straus Giroux, 355 pages
Source: Bought it from B&N

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions. 

One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin. 

But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined. 

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.
-Description retrieved from Goodreads

First off, I really enjoyed this novel, it is definitely a lot different than the usual Young Adult novel. I was hesitant to get this novel, but I'm really happy that I did. It is such a good novel and I really enjoy the main character. I'll admit it, I'm plain picky when it comes to characters. I don't like characters who make dumb choices or are too weak. I like realistic, practical characters. I thought Kestrel fit my category of favorite characters.

This novel takes place in the past which these days, more novels take place in the future so it was interesting to get a book in the past. I loved that Kestrel wasn't perfect, she has awful fighting skills, but great at strategy which I felt made sense and made her seem more three dimensional. I thought Kestrel was a reasonable character, she was clever yet had her weaknesses so she had a balance of things. 

The secondary characters could easily be ignored and much light didn't play onto them. There wasn't much about them for me to grow an attachment to them. But I did enjoy, Roman, one of Kestrel's close friends and I did want more of his character. 

This book did have a serious twist, some may see it happening, but I'm not those type of people who can easily predict what's going to happen. But the ending was a serious shocker and it left you hanging on a cliff, but luckily, the second novel is coming soon and I have high hopes for that novel. Also, I like enjoy the title because it does become a major theme throughout the novel which I think anyone can notice. Also, the author explains the title and reasoning behind it and that helped piece the puzzle.

So I'm super excited for the second novel. Although, second novels tend to worst book in the series in my opinion from past experiences such as the Grisha Trilogy, Harry Potter (It is good, but compare to the other books, I would rank it last), The Mortal Instruments and a lot more. Although, there are novels where the second one is superior than the first one such as Shatter Me and more. I'm even more happy that it's coming out in March so I don't have to wait such a long time and I can be sure to pick it up real soon. 

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who's tired of main characters who are a bit too well-rounded and want someone who has a good balance of traits. And also, someone who wants a novel that doesn't take place in the future or tired of dystopian novels. 

One Page at a Time

-Skimmy.