When Renegades came out last year, I liked it but didn’t love it. At the same time though, I thought this new series had potential and was excited to continue reading. Now I’m happy to report that Archenemies lived up to those expectations. It’s everything I hoped for and more!
I BELIEVE IN A THING CALLED LOVE by Maurene Goo
For the most part, I actually enjoyed I Believe in a Thing Called Love. Though, I must admit, I’m not into K-dramas, I still loved the cultural aspects. There are a lot of similarities between East and Southeast Asian cultures, so many aspects of Desi’s way of life felt familiar to me. However, her levels of being a control freak far exceeded that of anyone I know or have met. That’s exactly where hilarity ensued because things went way over the top with her.
A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES by Sarah J. Maas
Thinking about A Court of Thorns and Roses evokes a whole range of emotions in me — all negative. Of the books I’ve read this year, only The Miniaturist received a lower rating from me. After accounting for all my variables (prose, characterisation, plot, depth, originality, impact & voice), my final rating is a measly 0.857 out of 5. Rounded up that means 1 star.
A MAD, WICKED FOLLY by Sharon Biggs Waller
I absolutely adored A Mad, Wicked Folly. It is hands down the favourite book of mine thus far this year. The Victorian setting of Trouville, France, followed predominantly by London was glorious. There was such a great mix between history and fiction, I felt like I could see myself as an observer right there by Vicky’s side; at the same time, immersing myself in stunning storytelling. Victoria Darling could be such an impossible main character — rather naïve, really — and yet I found myself caring a great deal for her plight.
GRAFFITI MOON by Cath Crowley
My favourite undergrad project was graffiti. I spent an entire semester studying the subculture of graffiti, which was a more than colourful endeavour. What I noticed then was the lack of representation of graffiti in YA literature. Perhaps it’s the deviant nature of it that precludes it from being written about so freely? Or maybe it’s also the difficulty of access, which could be limiting authors’ understanding of graffiti.
