Happily Ever After by Kiera Cass, a book review

Happily Ever After by Kiera Cass is not what I was expecting. I thought I'd checked out the story about the daughter of the couple who got together in The One, but it is not.  If you'd like to read my book reviews of that series, you can find them here, HERE, and here.

This is a compilation of stories from the perspective of others who were not really a focal point in the main series. Once I realized what it was (and wasn't), I really enjoyed it for what it was. Definitely interesting to see some of the same things from different characters' perspectives!

I particularly enjoyed knowing more about the thoughts, feelings, and interactions of those lesser characters represented in these short stories.

I do recommend this book, but really only for older teens and adults... and probably ladies.  I mean, if a guy likes romance, then he'll love this too!

Have you read Happily Ever After by Kiera Cass? What did you think of it?

The Winner's Kiss by Marie Rutkoski, a book review

The final book in the trilogy, The Winner's Kiss by Marie Rutkoski, is an easy and good read. Kestrel has played well in the previous books, yet finds herself in the fight of her life for her life, her identity, and what she believes is important. Will she win?

Again, there are a couple steamy scenes and I will allow my twelve year old to read the conclusion after the other two when she's sixteen at the earliest. More because of the mature subjects broached than the intimate scenes.

Kestrel faces new challenges.  Will she lose her mind?  Will she ever see Arin or her father again?  And what about her fiance?

I like this book and the story as a whole.

What do you think of this story? What about the whole trilogy?

The Winner's Curse, a book review

Kestrel a bird of prey and also our main character in The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski, is the daughter of the Valorian emperor's favorite general. She is wealthy and beautiful and has everything she could want. Yet still she has pain and difficulty.

Kestrel struggles within herself and with her father over the strictures of her culture. She purchases a slave, against her own moral compass.

Eventually, she struggles for her life in a storm.

Kestrel loves to play games. The question: will she always win in the most important plays?

I enjoyed this book maybe more than I would if I'd read it before the second and third parts of the trilogy. I enjoyed knowing how things brought up (loose ends, if you will) in this part reappear and/or tie up and conclude in the second and third parts. I didn't mean to do it that way. However, I think it's a testament to the good storytelling of Rutkoski that the story of this book is enjoyable even when the rest of the trilogy has already been enjoyed.

This is youth to young adult fiction. It is enjoyable to read and has only a few steamy scenes, though not graphic at all. I will wait to allow my now twelve year old to read this until she's at least sixteen more because the inter-relations of characters and the internal goings-on is of a mature nature and tone.

What do you think of The Winner's Curse? What did you like about it?