Hello guys!
A new week is here and I'm highly awaiting my Illumicrate in the mail and hoping The Book Depository will ship my preorder of The Vanishing Throne soon, but it still won't arrive by release date... oh well!!
For this week's Mark This Book Monday entry I have an ARC review from one of my BEA ARCs! So far I only have 3 pending to read, and only two are behind schedule, so not doing too bad!
Passenger by Alexandra Bracken
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
WOAH! Holy revelations at the end Batman!! And I seriously dislike Sophia with a passion, even karma seems to be doing its work!
My BEA ARC is nowhere near the finished book and I really really loved it, so I cannot wait till I can read the finished book!
Reading Passanger as an ARC was a new experience for me, because it underwent revisions and a new beginning was added, with changes that had to span the rest of the book, more minor as they might be. So while I had the new beginning because the author had sent them on her newsletter, I had already read the old beginning too (stopped reading when I heard about the changes) and when I started reading again, I had both beginnings in my head, so to speak.
That made for a different reading experience, because not only I was reading the book but I was also wondering about how some things might be affected by the changes to come in the final book, and how some other things would have been changed. If you're wondering if that somehow affected my reading negatively, nope! It made reading the book even more fascinating!
And I must confess to be absolutely in love with the essence of the story and the characters! No matter what changes have happened to the story, I love Nicholas, I love Etta and I love their world of time travelling families and passages!
The world building was fantastic, with little details here and there that might have not seem all that relevant until they became crucial! I loved how Alexandra Bracken took us to many different places and times in the world and how very real each of them felt! There were so many lil tiny details added here and there that you might not notice too easily but that do create a great atmosphere!
Etta was a great character even if it took me a lil while to relate to her. I could see her love for playing the violin and her drive and ambition but once she was thrown into completely uncharted waters it's when I began to really like her. She was trying her best to adapt and understand but she couldn't stop being herself and that got her in trouble a few times. It's true that she sometimes run without thinking, but being treated as if she ought to know everything and be grateful for her choices being taken from her can make anyone make a few rash (and slightly unwise) choices.
Nicholas is a fantastic character, with a troubled and difficult past, hard choices made for him and others he had to make himself, and despite his justified hate of the family, he's not one to judge others too easily or too fast, even when he is judged and dismissed too easily too often. I don't want to talk too much about him because you simply need to meet him yourselves!
If you're wondering if there's romance, yes there is, and the romancephobe that I am doesn't really complain about it! There was a bit of instantaneous fascination at first, and they're thrown together by fate and family interests but their connection and chemistry felt quite intense and real, so I do ship this ship, very much!!
As far as the plot goes, you are not really sure about where things are going at first, so we're very much like Etta, but as she figures things out, everything seems to be taking shape. But don't get too comfortable because there are some serious plot twists thrown here and there, and the bomb at the end of the book is quite something too! Cliffhanger warning here for all of those like me who need to be prepared for them!
I cannot wait to re-read my finished copy of Passenger once I can finally get my greedy hands on it. This ARC got 4 stars but I get the feeling the finished book might get 5 stars once I read it!
View all my reviews
A new week is here and I'm highly awaiting my Illumicrate in the mail and hoping The Book Depository will ship my preorder of The Vanishing Throne soon, but it still won't arrive by release date... oh well!!
For this week's Mark This Book Monday entry I have an ARC review from one of my BEA ARCs! So far I only have 3 pending to read, and only two are behind schedule, so not doing too bad!
Passenger by Alexandra BrackenMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
WOAH! Holy revelations at the end Batman!! And I seriously dislike Sophia with a passion, even karma seems to be doing its work!
My BEA ARC is nowhere near the finished book and I really really loved it, so I cannot wait till I can read the finished book!
Reading Passanger as an ARC was a new experience for me, because it underwent revisions and a new beginning was added, with changes that had to span the rest of the book, more minor as they might be. So while I had the new beginning because the author had sent them on her newsletter, I had already read the old beginning too (stopped reading when I heard about the changes) and when I started reading again, I had both beginnings in my head, so to speak.
That made for a different reading experience, because not only I was reading the book but I was also wondering about how some things might be affected by the changes to come in the final book, and how some other things would have been changed. If you're wondering if that somehow affected my reading negatively, nope! It made reading the book even more fascinating!
And I must confess to be absolutely in love with the essence of the story and the characters! No matter what changes have happened to the story, I love Nicholas, I love Etta and I love their world of time travelling families and passages!
The world building was fantastic, with little details here and there that might have not seem all that relevant until they became crucial! I loved how Alexandra Bracken took us to many different places and times in the world and how very real each of them felt! There were so many lil tiny details added here and there that you might not notice too easily but that do create a great atmosphere!
Etta was a great character even if it took me a lil while to relate to her. I could see her love for playing the violin and her drive and ambition but once she was thrown into completely uncharted waters it's when I began to really like her. She was trying her best to adapt and understand but she couldn't stop being herself and that got her in trouble a few times. It's true that she sometimes run without thinking, but being treated as if she ought to know everything and be grateful for her choices being taken from her can make anyone make a few rash (and slightly unwise) choices.
Nicholas is a fantastic character, with a troubled and difficult past, hard choices made for him and others he had to make himself, and despite his justified hate of the family, he's not one to judge others too easily or too fast, even when he is judged and dismissed too easily too often. I don't want to talk too much about him because you simply need to meet him yourselves!
If you're wondering if there's romance, yes there is, and the romancephobe that I am doesn't really complain about it! There was a bit of instantaneous fascination at first, and they're thrown together by fate and family interests but their connection and chemistry felt quite intense and real, so I do ship this ship, very much!!
As far as the plot goes, you are not really sure about where things are going at first, so we're very much like Etta, but as she figures things out, everything seems to be taking shape. But don't get too comfortable because there are some serious plot twists thrown here and there, and the bomb at the end of the book is quite something too! Cliffhanger warning here for all of those like me who need to be prepared for them!
I cannot wait to re-read my finished copy of Passenger once I can finally get my greedy hands on it. This ARC got 4 stars but I get the feeling the finished book might get 5 stars once I read it!
View all my reviews
Cliffhanger?! Noooooooooo! WHY?!!! *takes deep breaths* That aside, I'm really excited for this one Pili! I'm thinking I might wait until the finished copy comes out since the BEA ARC has undergone significant revisions, plus if I wait now the wait for the next book will be a tiny bit shorter ;-)
ReplyDeleteYeah, the wait for book 2 will be agonizing, Jenny, you have been warned!! But Passenger is a MUST read book!!
DeleteI finished too. I still need to write my review though so I skimmed yours. I think knowing there are changes and such does make it a tad awkward. I read the newer version but couldn't help wondering why had been changed and why. I think people that won't know and just read the finished copy might have a better experience? I enjoyed the book for the most part but it wasn't my absolute favorite. I enjoyed the last half more than the first.
ReplyDeleteI think I understand why she changed the beginning and made the changes she did, but of course I cannot speak for Alex... I feel with the new beginning things get a lil less muddled. But I cannot wait to read the finished copy myself! Glad to hear you enjoyed the last half even if the first wasn't exactly your cuppa tea...
DeleteThe ARC copy is even more precious now since it's so 'raw'. I'm so curious how much change was made! You must let us know once you've read the finished copy!
ReplyDeleteYep, this ARC is a super extra special thing now, and of course it's signed, so it's something to hoard! ;)
DeleteCan't wait to dig in to this one!
ReplyDeleteKate @ Ex Libris
I cannot wait to hear what you think, Kate!
DeleteSo, so glad you loved this, Pili!!! I can't wait to get my hands on it. :D I love the sound of Etta's character development, and I definitely need to meet Nicholas for myself! <3
ReplyDeleteAimee @ Deadly Darlings
Oh yeah, you do need to meet Nicholas, Aimee! Cannot wait to hear what you think of this one!
DeleteI don't think your rating will changed based on the finished copy. My ARC was the more finalized ARC, and given why you gave this one four stars, that rating will likely stick. The cliffhanger definitely did not change. LOL.
ReplyDeleteLovely review, Pili!
Alyssa @ The Eater of Books!
Yeah, that damned ending!! *shakes fist*
DeleteAnother book I should have requested on Netgally! I will add it to my "look for an ebook sale" list. Thanks for the review, Pili. ☺
ReplyDeleteAlways happy to help La La! If I see a deal for it announced on Twitter I'll let you know!
DeleteYay :D Awesome review Pili. <3 Thank you for sharing your thoughts about this book sweetie :) I'm so glad you liked it a lot. I cannot wait to read it too. <3 I hope I will like it as well :)
ReplyDeleteI hope you can read this one very soon, hopefully the finished books will ship early or something!! And I hope that you'll love it as much as I did when you read it! Thank you for all your lovely comments always!
Delete