THE RAVEN CYCLE DISCUSSION | BOOKS I & II

The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle #1)

The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle #2)

Maggie Stiefvater 

Almost everyone I know loves The Raven Cycle. I tried so hard to get into the series - the first two books. On both occasions, I complained incessantly about the slow plot. When will the action start?! Because I pushed myself to continue, I became bored and unmotivated. Fortunately, the endings redeemed the pain "I suffered" - such a drama queen. By the end of both novels, I found myself liking the characters more. I was very intrigued by their parts in the story and their personality. I know this may be somewhat controversial, but I enjoyed Joseph Kavinsky in The Dream Thieves. He's a terrible individual, but he's so exciting and thrilling to read about. Side note: if you search up his name, there are a lot of Tumblr aesthetics of him portrayed by Ash Stymest, which I find amusing, I don't know why. By the end of the novels, I also wanted more of the overarching plot. The cliffhangers enthused me and drove me to the library, in search of the next book. 

MORE RAPID FIRE REVIEWS

Without Merit by Colleen Hoover is quirky, but not in a good way, and a departure from her past novels-it's "darker." The Voss family is weird. They live in a repurposed church with their stepmother, stepbrother, biological mother, and secrets. I hated their quirks ever since I read a sample of this novel; they don't make sense, and they don't add complexity. They were mish-mosh, random, and half-baked. I commend Hoover for writing about depression, how subtle it sometimes is, but I don't know if it was accurately portrayed. However, I do know that the LGBTQ representation was written in a harmful manner. It left such a bad taste in my mouth. I know that it's not the author's opinion, but the character's ignorance and irrationality were infuriating. The protagonist is unlikable, the love interest is unnecessary, and the plot is mediocre. Pseudo-meta novel that you should pass. 

ATHEISTS WHO KNEEL AND PRAY

Atheists Who Kneel and Pray
by Tarryn Fisher
Self-published | July 13, 2017

     Yara Phillips is a wandering muse.
     She dates men who need her, but always moves on to something new, never staying in one place for very long.
     David Lisey is in need of a muse.
     A talented musician lacking lyrical inspiration. When he first sees her, he knows he's found what he's been looking for.
     Yara believes she can give David exactly what he needs to reach his full potential: A broken heart.
     David’s religion is love.
     Yara’s religion is heartache.
     Neither is willing to surrender, but religion always requires sacrifice.

Possible minor spoilers?