Predictions for Sequel to Renegades

SPOILER ALERT:
DO NOT READ FURTHER IF YOU'RE AVOIDING SPOILERS FOR THE BOOK.

After reading Renegades by Marissa Meyer, I have made a few predictions for its sequel on the basis of my reading and understanding of the book:

• Ace Anarchy dies, for real this time. ( I kind of expected Ace to be alive but I did not expect Nova to know about it!)
• Phobia killed Lady Indomitable (Adrian's mother). This has been strongly hinted at but not confirmed in the story. I think it will turn out to be true though.
• Adrian and Nova end up together. This is on the basis of my reading of Renegades, The Lunar Chronicles and almost every young adult novel I've read.

We'll see whether they turn out to be true or not when the sequel comes. While we wait, you can read my review of Renegades by Marissa Meyer here.
Cheers,

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Review - Renegades

Published by Pan Macmilan UK
Genre- Young Adult, Dystopian, Fantasy, Science Fiction
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Secret Identities. Extraordinary Powers. She wants vengeance. He wants justice.The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies—humans with extraordinary abilities—who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone...except the villains they once overthrew.
Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice—and in Nova. But Nova's allegiance is to a villain who has the power to end them both.

Review

When I first read the synopsis of Renegades it seemed like a cross between Avengers and X-Men which are both series I love. And it was, in a sense. The book is written in third person. Having read and loved the Lunar Chronicles (also by Marissa Meyer), I was looking forward to Renegades. Here are my thoughts on the book:

What I Liked:

• The characters which although felt like there were too many of at times, all had varying personalities: Mysterious Nova, The Guy Next Door Adrian, Funny guy Oscar and... you get the gist. And they all had amazingly inventive super powers! Adrien can draw things to life and Nova can put people to sleep with a single touch. HOW COOL IS THAT.
• The romance portion of the book especially towards the end. The romance didn’t overshadow other themes but still was an integral part of the story. And it was harsh when Nova all but rejects Adrian. Adrian was a sweetheart while Nova was well, Nova. Distrusting, vengeful Nova.
• The mystery of Lady Indomitable’s murder. How did a superhero with the ability to fly fall to her death? I found it to be quite intriguing and definitely want to know what will happen next in it’s investigation.

What I Didn't Like:

• I found the word villain to be a tad bit overused, with every criminal gang being referred to as a "Villain Gang".
• Also, there were way too many Alias names which not only made stuff confusing but also made it feel like there were way too many characters. Although, the character list for the principal characters in the beginning was great for reference.
• The premise was a little hard to grasp and I had to read the back cover a bunch of times while reading because of the confusing elements.

After reading the book, I have come to realize that I prefer my Superheroes on the big screen rather than in the pages of the book.
All in all, if you’re going into the book expecting it to be the next Lunar Chronicles then you might find it lacking. But if you’re into superheroes and super villains, I’d say to go for Renegades!

On the basis of my reading and understanding of the book, I have made a few predictions for the sequel. You can find them here. DO NOT read them if you're avoiding all things spoilers.

3 Stars

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Review- Geekerella

Geekerella by Ashley Poston

Published by Quirk Books
Genre- Young Adult, Retelling
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Geek girl Elle Wittimer lives and breathes Starfield, the classic science-fiction series she grew up watching with her late father. So when she sees a cosplay contest for a new Starfield movie, she has to enter. The prize? An invitation to the ExcelsiCon Cosplay Ball and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot. With savings from her gig at the Magic Pumpkin food truck and her dad's old costume, Elle's determined to win - unless her stepsisters get there first.Teen actor Darien Freeman used to live for cons - before he was famous. Now they're nothing but autographs and awkward meet-and-greets. Playing Carmindor is all he has ever wanted, but Starfield fandom has written him off as just another dumb heartthrob. As ExcelsiCon draws near, Darien feels more and more like a fake - until he meets a girl who shows him otherwise. But when she disappears at midnight, will he ever be able to find her again?
Part-romance, part-love letter to nerd culture, and all totally adorbs, Geekerella is a fairy tale for anyone who believes in the magic of fandom.

Review

Geekerella had been on my tbr for so long and I finally picked it up recently. It’s written in first person with the point of view shifting between Elle and Darien in alternate chapters.

What I liked:

•  Sage, Elle’s friend was the absolute best with her Pumpkin vegan food truck. And I think she was the Fairy Godmother which I didn't realize until after I finished the book.
• I liked that Calliope, one of the twin sisters wasn't really evil and just a victim of peer and family pressure.
• The step mother wasn't just a two dimensional character who hated Elle without a reason but actually believed that she was helping her by suppressing her love for star field. That does not mean though, that she was Miss Goody Two Shoes. She still did pretty evil things.
• All the geekiness about Star Field was super cute and made me wish I could meet a fellow fanboy too!

- Ashley Poston, Geekerella

What I didn't like:

• The starting of the book was difficult to get through. Elle kept on going about how miserable her family and life is to her, which I guess was to allude to the original Cinderella but still annoyed me somewhat.
• Not a strong lead. Which again, I get is in accordance with the original one but still made me angry at Elle. She didn’t do anything about her situation at all.
• The step-mother didn't get what she deserved but then again she is not as evil as the original so that's okay I guess.
• The sort-of insta romance between Elle and Darien. How did they fall for each other over texts and that too when they didn’t even talk about any of the deep stuff?

It wasn't the best Cinderella retelling I've read but certainly a good one. So if you’re in the mood for some geek love and feels, pick up Geekerella!

2.5 Stars

How did you like this Cinderella retelling? Do share in the comments!
Cheers,

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Review- P.S. I Like You

P.S. I Like You by Kasie West

Published by Point

Genre - Young Adult, Contemporary

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Signed, sealed, delivered…

While spacing out in chemistry class, Lily scribbles some of her favorite song lyrics onto her desk. The next day, she finds that someone has continued the lyrics on the desk and added a message to her. Intrigue!

Soon, Lily and her anonymous pen pal are exchanging full-on letters—sharing secrets, recommending bands, and opening up to each other. Lily realizes she’s kind of falling for this letter writer. Only, who is he? As Lily attempts to unravel the mystery and juggle school, friends, crushes, and her crazy family, she discovers that matters

of the heart can’t always be spelled out…

Review

I have read most of Kasie West's previous standalone books and hence picked up P.S. I Like You without hesitation. I expected it to be a breezy and light-hearted read, which it was in every sense.

The book is written in first person narration from Lilly's point of view. Lilly was a super relatable main character, from her school to home life and especially her social ineptitude. Her non-flawlessness made her a realistic and relatable narrator for me.

My favorite character though, was Lilly's younger brother who was just too cute for words.

One of the things that I liked most in the story was how Lilly's family played a big part in the story which is somewhat rare to see in ya books.

The story was without many plot twists except for the anonymous pen pal. But his identity wasn't much of a mystery at all for the readers and was more than fairly predictable. But the predictability of the book did not dampen or ruin the fun and feels of the story at all.

The ending was as expected but I still looked forward to it. Kasie West's contemporaries are always full of adorable feels and P.S. I Like You did not disappoint. I would recommend it to all her fans and those craving some cutesy feels! This is definitely one of the better novels by the author that I've read so far.

My Final Rating:- 3.5 Stars

How did you like P.S. I Like You? Share in the comments!

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Review- The Night Circus

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Published by Vintage Books, Random House
Genre - Young Adult, Fantasy
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The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway: a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them both, this is a game in which only one can be left standing. Despite the high stakes, Celia and Marco soon tumble headfirst into love, setting off a domino effect of dangerous consequences, and leaving the lives of everyone, from the performers to the patrons, hanging in the balance.

Review

Written in third person, The Night Circus is set in a world where magic exists, not the kind taught at Hogwarts though.

The main plot of the story is fairly straightforward. Two magicians Celia and Marco have been groomed in the art of magic since they were children. Groomed by opposing parties to fight each other to death but they fall in love instead (no surprise there). The venue of this fight is the circus, providing the ultimate battleground.

But I think it's the elements other than the main plot that make the book special. The subplot of the twins born at the circus along Bailey (my favourite character), who was just a circus visitor and how all their fates were intertwined with the circus.

My favorite quote from The Night Circus.

Erin Morgenstern brought Le Cirque des Rêves to life with brilliant use of visual imagery. The whole glamourous and extravagant feel of the circus described was really captivating. However, I do feel that the magic element of the story could have been more prominent and I'd have loved to know more about the details of the circus.

It was sometimes difficult to understand what exactly was going on but for me, that added to the mystery element of the book. I also loved the concept of rêveurs, which is essentially the fandom name of the circus and what the fans of the circus called themselves. There is also some murder involved during the course of the story, although it's no mystery so as to who did it.

The book reminded me slightly of Romeo and Juliet except… well, spoilers. The ending was great in terms that it gave me closure and wasn't entirely what I’d expected.

I can't tell you how many times while reading it, the book had me wishing that the circus was real.

All in all, Night Circus is an enigmatic experience I would recommend every fantasy lover to have.

My Final Rating :- 4.5

Did you like The Night Circus? Share in the comments!

Cheers,

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Review - Red Queen

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Published by Harper Teen

Genre - Young Adult, Fantasy, Dystopia

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SYNOPSIS

This is a world divided by blood – red or silver.The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change.

That is, until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.

Fearful of Mare’s potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime.

But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance – Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart.

REVIEW

Red Queen is the debut novel of Victoria Aveyard and the first in the Red Queen series.

I added this to my amazon wish list based solely on the cover (Just look at it, isn’t it gorgeous?). It was only later that I came to know of all the hype around it. The hype escalated its place on my TBR and also increased my expectations from the book.

Written in first person from Mare’s point of view, the story is set in world where (quite literally) powerful silvers rule over weak reds. I really liked the world building and the concept of various silver families (or houses) having different super powers.

The start was incredibly slow which made the story hard to get into. I just kept waiting for things to happen almost until the climax of the book.

It was no surprise that Mare develops feelings for Cal, the silver prince but her feelings for Maven (Cal's half-brother) who she gets actually engaged to, did not seem as genuine. I just didn't feel the chemistry between either of the two pairings which made the love triangle weird. There was also Mare's friend from stilts, Kilorn with unrequited feelings for Mare. I guess that makes it an even weirder love square. My favorite quote from Red Queen is-

I personally was indifferent towards Cal, and liked Maven more for the larger part of the story until… well, the plot twist. Speaking of the plot twist, I did not see that coming! It was unexpected and gave way to a great climax that made me want to read the next book (Glass Sword) immediately. The climax was probably the best thing about the book besides the cover.

My favourite character was probably Julian Jacos, Mare’s teacher/librarian. He reminded me of Cinna from The Hunger Games. For that matter, he wasn’t the only thing that reminded me of it and Hunger Games wasn’t the only book I was reminded of while reading Red Queen. A nobody forced into limelight with the royalty and forced to do someone else’s bidding but instead becomes the face of a revolution. Rings a bell anyone?

Although Red Queen is a concoction of previous ideas, I think anyone who likes to read dystopian or fantasy books will enjoy it. 

My Final Rating :- 3.5

What did you think of Red Queen? Let me know in the comments!

Cheers,

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Introduction

Greetings fellow humans! I hope any non human entity reading this right now does not get offended.  

My name is Nancy and I love books. It's as simple as that.

I am a self proclaimed Slytherclaw traveling the world, one book at a time. 

When I don't have my head in a book I can be found painting or watching Doctor Who.

Knitted Pages is a platform for me to talk about what I love: books and book related things. I also hope to meet and connect with other bibliophiles around the world (wide web) . Feel free to come say hi to me in the comments or on any social media! 

Cheers,