!!!Spoiler Warning!!! If you haven’t read any of these books yet, don’t read my villain ratings. I give away some key spoilers!
The Grace Year by Kim Liggett was my favourite book of the month!
February – 2020
The Sisters Grimm by Menna van Praag
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Thoughts: I don’t think this one was really for me. I didn’t much enjoy the lyrical writing style, or the flitting back and forth between the characters which was too quick to gain any real insight to each of them. I thought the only character with any real depth was Bea. Page Count: 485
Villain Rating: Wilhelm Grimm is a demon/devil responsible for fathering hundreds, possibly thousands of daughters, and then sending stars to try and kill them. If his daughters survive the death battle, they are given a choice to ‘go dark’ and join him in being evil, or he’ll kill them instantly. He’s clearly a bad egg, but aside from raising girls with the intention of being bad, and killing of his daughters in Everwhere, we don’t actually see any impact of his in the real world. We don’t find out what he’s using his evil daughters for, or what his end plan is. It just seems rather pointless in the end. I didn’t think he had a great presence and certainly didn’t manage to endear himself to the reader in any way. Kind of disappointing. 3/10
Best Quotes in the Book: When you stand in the shadows you can see into the light, but when you stand in the light you can’t see what’s hiding in the dark.
Following orders is no excuse.
This’ll teach you that angels can be demons in disguise.
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
I received this book as a Birthday Present! Thanks Diane!
Thoughts: I had a great time reading this beast of a book. There’s so much going on. After reading it, I’m still not sure I could explain it clearly to someone, but it was just so good. I love Aomame and Tengo like old friends now, and the bits with the Little People were seriously creepy. Page Count: 1318
Villain Rating: The Little People are something of an enigma. We never actually find out what it is they’re doing, or what they hope to accomplish. Apparently, they’ve been around for a very, very long and are sometimes believed to be the voice of god. They make these objects called an Air Chrysalis which is sort of like an incubation chamber for a doll. The doll is like an imitation of a person. They enter the world through special gateways, usually through the mouth of a dead or sleeping creature or person. These creatures orchestrate a lot of things from behind the scenes, but they also cause unforgivable amounts of pain and hardships. Make no mistake, these things are evil. I’m just disappointed that we didn’t see more of them and unfurl the true reason for their awful deeds. 6/10
Best Quotes in the Book: Don’t let appearances fool you. There’s always only one reality.
He crossed the threshold separating life from death without being aware of it himself.
Beyond the window, some kind of small, black thing shot across the sky. A bird, possibly. Or it might have been someone’s soul being blown to the far side of the world.
Violence does not always take visible form, and not all wounds gush blood.
Flesh that does not exist will never die.
Let the world move along as it pleased. If it had any business with him, it would be sure to tell him.
If there is a pain I’ve never tasted, I’d like to try it.
…like bees make honey, spiders make webs, and war makes widows.
Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez
Thoughts: I enjoyed this book, but there are some seriously cliched plot points. It’s well written and entertaining, but I wouldn’t say it blew me away. I did love Ximena’s magical power, though. I’ll probably read the sequel when it’s available. Page Count: 384
Villain Rating: King Atoc is a truly villainous bad guy. He became king by using a magical artifact that allowed him to control an army of ghosts. Then he turned all the farmland into a place to grow a drug. Soon enough, nearly everyone in his kingdom is either in great poverty, or addicted to the drug.
He’s also an abusive scumbag. He’s quick to tell Ximena that his first wife, a child compared to him, died because she couldn’t bear him a son. He killed her. He then punches Ximena and smacks her around. He’s a complete tyrant and demands that nobody ever answer him back in any sense. He’s also planning on sacrificing his own sister.
Unfortunately, there’s zero charisma with this guy. He’s just bad, through and through. The best villains have something to make you love them, but this guy is hated all the way. Still, he is a good villain. 7/10
Best Quotes in the Book: Not every fight can be won with fists and swords.
I belong to no one.
Words empowered by justice can never be silenced.
Infinity Son by Adam Silvera
Thoughts: This wasn’t a bad book, but I don’t think I enjoyed it as much as I should have. I’m not the biggest fan of reading about powers, but that in itself isn’t what really put me off. I think I just wasn’t able to form any attachment to the people or the cause. I didn’t really care what happened. I doubt I’ll be continuing the series. Page Count: 368
Villain Rating: Luna is a powerful old woman who controls the Blood Casters. She has some very powerful people working for her, including someone who can poison like a basilisk, a shapechanger and a girl who’s been spliced with ghost blood (because that’s a thing apparently).
Despite all these powerful people surrounding her, Luna is a human. Her nefarious plan is to mix hydra, ghost and phoenix together and create a potion that will turn her immortal. The main problem here is that I just don’t understand why these people with power would work for her in the first place. She’s cruel, murderous and conniving. I don’t get how or why she acquired the power she seems to have.
Luna rarely does her own dirty work, but we know she killed her own parents and then raised their ghosts to slaughter again. Other than that, most of her evil deeds are done by her minions. I guess I’ll never understand their loyalty, though. 5/10
Best Quotes in the Book: Not everyone cares about stiff posture or toned muscles. Some of us camouflage our scrawny bodies in baggy shirts and slouch, just waiting for the day when we can fold into ourselves and vanish completely.
Heroes shouldn’t have body counts.
We don’t have to be chosen ones or whatever to do good.
The strongest power above all is a living heart.
War makes us do things we didn’t know we were capable of.
The odds being unlikely don’t make them impossible.
The Grace Year by Kim Liggett
I received this book as a Christmas Present! Thanks Mum!
Thoughts: I 100% adored this book. It’s beautifully written and I devoured it happily. There are some powerful messages here, but there’s also a wonder story filled with danger, forgiveness, passion and hope. I had an amazing time reading it. Page Count: 416
Villain Rating: There are quite a few villains in this book. The poachers that kill and skin the girls, making it last longer so their magic is more potent. The men from the county who condemn the girls to this challenge in the first place. But I’m going to focus on Kiersten.
This girl is as much a victim in this book as anyone, but she comes with a terrible attitude. She’s initially jealous that Tierney has managed to win the husband she was after, but after Tierney seems to undermine her at every move, the threats become dangerous and more and more personal.
Kiersten, as well as most of the other girls, is drinking well water that’s been poisoned with hemlock. She truly believes in the magical powers the men have indoctrinated her as normal. She’s really just a frightened young girl who wanted better.
She’s the ringleader of punishing the girls, and she can be cruel and unforgiving. She’s happy to maim and dismember her fellow, as well as throw the injured and dead outside the gates for the men to skin. I really liked her character. She’s so very complicated, because she’s not evil. She’s just a kid trying to follow the rules she’s always been taught, and survive. 8/10
Best Quotes in the Book: Everything can change with a seed of kindness.
Your eyes are wide open, but you see nothing.
We are the only Gods here.
From death there is life.
Heaven is a boy in a treehouse, with cold hands and a warm heart.
Page Count Total : 2971
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Let me know if you disagree/agree with any of my reviews, or just share with me what you’re reading! I check my mail every day so I’ll always respond quickly!
As always, Happy Reading!
Claire
Love the Villain 