Scookie Reviews

AND I DARKEN by Kiersten White 3 Stars Verdict: Not for me, thanks. The imagery, the language, the feels… The writing in this book is fantastic, laced with beautiful lines and natural dialogue that hold a weighty punch. Unfortunately, the heavy politics means this series is not for me, but I would definitely read more from this author. Lada is a fascinating main character based on a gender twist of Vlad the Impaler (if you’re wondering who that is, google it – the context is kind of necessary to read this book). I wouldn’t call her psychotic just yet, but she’s definitely strong-willed and ferocious. On the other hand, her younger brother is beautiful, likable and smart – the complete opposite of Lada. I thought the reversed gender roles works really well. Without giving too much away, the romance in this book felt intense from every angle. Radu’s love is pure and beautiful whereas Lada is much more complicated. Both intrigued me, and I found the idea of love in this book bo...

THE GIVER by Lois Lowery 5 Stars Verdict : Why didn’t I read this sooner? I almost can’t put my finger on what I enjoyed about THE GIVER. I didn’t necessarily connect with twelve-year-old Jonas, but I felt oddly proud of him as he took his first steps towards adulthood and chose to learn about the world in a different light. The plot seemed so simple and almost slow paced at times, yet I just couldn’t put it down and the pages flew by. Something kept drawing me in… It must have been the mystery. I wanted to know what the community meant, and what the memories would do to someone like Jonas. At the end of book one, his world still doesn’t add up to me, but I’m excited to continue the series. I wish I read this years ago when I was closer to Jonas’ age. I can still appreciate it now, but I’ve gorged on dystopian novels and already experienced a lot of what this book had to offer in a more modern way. I guess that’s what makes this a classic! I also felt united with the book...