Book Review: Wildcard by Marie Lu (Warcross Duology #2)

Book Title: Wildcard

Author: Marie Lu

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction

Date Published: September 20th 2018 by Penguin

Number of Pages: 341 (Paperback)

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Synopsis

(From Goodreads) Emika Chen barely made it out of the Warcross Championships alive. Now that she knows the truth behind Hideo’s new NeuroLink algorithm, she can no longer trust the one person she’s always looked up to, who she once thought was on her side.

Determined to put a stop to Hideo’s grim plans, Emika and the Phoenix Riders band together, only to find a new threat lurking on the neon-lit streets of Tokyo. Someone’s put a bounty on Emika’s head, and her sole chance for survival lies with Zero and the Blackcoats, his ruthless crew. But Emika soon learns that Zero isn’t all that he seems–and his protection comes at a price.

Caught in a web of betrayal, with the future of free will at risk, just how far will Emika go to take down the man she loves?

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Book Review

I came into Wildcard with low expectations as mentioned in my book review of Warcross. After my re-read, I realize that I didn’t love the first installment that much, so I don’t want to get my hopes up for the sequel.

But somehow, Wildcard still disappointed me.

Considering how things ended in Warcross, I know that the sequel will have much higher stakes than simply playing a virtual game. However, I wasn’t a fan of what Marie Lu did in this book. Maybe I just had different “low” expectations for this sequel, and it still didn’t deliver.

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Writing Style

⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

I liked Marie Lu’s easy-to-read writing style in the first book, although I wasn’t a fan of her bluntness and straightforwardness. I feel like she was spoon-feeding me as I read Emika’s story.

And in this sequel, it became worse.

Don’t get me wrong—I like how easy it is to read Wildcard. But most of the story was told to me, instead of shown.

From Zero’s backstory to the “hacking” aspect of this game, it was just written in a very dull way. It’s like Marie Lu merely dropped info bombs left and right. And I wasn’t a fan of it!

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World Building

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

I really love the world-building on the first book! I enjoyed reading about the game and the technology—I can definitely see it happening!

But unfortunately, Wildcard‘s world-building left a bad impression on me.

Most of the story revolves around Emika working with Zero and the Blackcoats. I barely get to see the Warcross game in action (which is what I absolutely love in the first book). Instead, the book focuses more on the Dark Web.

While I did enjoy reading more of the Dark Web, it wasn’t as quite appealing as the game itself.

In addition, Marie Lu introduced some questionable and illogical elements (at least for me) in the world which diminished the awesome world-building in the first book. I can’t say much without mentioning spoilers, so there’s that.

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Plot

⭐⭐

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Before reading this book, I already expected that the plot would be completely different from Warcross. It wouldn’t focus much on the games, instead it would mainly revolve around Emika trying to figure out Zero’s past.

At first, I didn’t mind it. In fact, like many readers, I was curious on what happened to Zero. I was also very intrigued by the Blackcoats and their mission.

However, once the real story behind his disappearance unfolds, the book become progressively worse.

I always love plot twists and turns (and this book absolutely delivered!), but it was also all over the place. I find it too bizarre and weird. There’s also a lot of plot holes…I just can’t!

Furthermore, the pacing of this book didn’t help. The “big reveal” behind Zero’s disappearance was so dragged out. I mean, it started halfway through the book (which I think was pretty early but then again, Marie Lu just dropped bombs left and right) and ended up stretching for at least 50-ish pages or so. Then the ending was rushed. Talk about sloppy.

And to make things worse, the plot was basically TOLD to us—either the characters are casually having long-ass dialogue or Emika is eavesdropping on someone.

Speaking of Emika…

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Characters

⭐⭐

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Emika is just the worse. She is very bland and rarely get things done in this sequel. She “piggybacks” on other characters (especially Tremaine and Jax) and trusts too easily. Plus, in the beginning, she’s still pining for Hideo, even after what he has done. I mean, girl, get your shit together! Do you really think you love the guy? You just practically known him for a few weeks!

And don’t get me started on Hideo! I don’t know why everybody likes him, but I refuse to hop on the bandwagon. He’s just as terrible as Emika. And I don’t care about their romantic relationship!

Zero/Sasuke was meh. It was cool reading about his backstory, but I don’t feel a connection to him at all.

Again, like mentioned in my book review of Warcross, I wish this were the Phoenix Riders’ story instead. I badly want to read Roshan and Tremaine’s relationship as well as Asher and Hammie’s. Imagine how interesting that would be!

Well, at least, I did get to learn more about them in this sequel. But I wish I saw more of them, you know?

Also, where the hell was Ren?! It’s like Marie Lu has completely forgotten his character. What a shame.

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Overall Thoughts

I was really disappointed in Wildcard.

The story was sloppy, the plot’s pacing was so weird, and the main characters were just a shell of their former selves. And that’s really saying something, considering that I wasn’t a fan of them in the first book.

⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

So, I rate this sequel 2.5 stars. I’m actually tempted to rate it 2 stars, but the minor characters redeemed it for me, albeit barely.

I wished that I just simply read Warcross and not pick up Wildcard at all. At least, it’s all fun and virtual games and not this mess of a sequel. Oh well.

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Book Rating (Summary)

Writing Style: 2.5 stars

World Building: 3.5 stars

Plot: 2 stars

Characters: 2 stars

Overall Rating: 2.5 stars

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You can also read my book review of Wildcard on Goodreads!

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Let’s Talk!

What are your thoughts on Wildcard? Did you love or hate the ending?

Book Review: Warcross by Marie Lu (Warcross Duology #1)

Book Title: Warcross

Author: Marie Lu

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction

Date Published: September 12th 2017 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books

Number of Pages: 353 (Paperback)

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Synopsis

(From Goodreads) For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life. The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not been easy. Needing to make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships—only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation.

Convinced she’s going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when instead she gets a call from the game’s creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year’s tournament in order to uncover a security problem . . . and he wants Emika for the job. With no time to lose, Emika’s whisked off to Tokyo and thrust into a world of fame and fortune that she’s only dreamed of. But soon her investigation uncovers a sinister plot, with major consequences for the entire Warcross empire.

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Book Review

I originally read Warcross back in 2017—at the beginning of my reading journey—and I remember loving it. Fast forward to 3 years later, I suddenly remembered how much I love this book so I bought a physical copy of the sequel, Wildcard. But it wasn’t until six months later (July 2020) when I thought I’d re-read it again.

Warcross (Paperback Copy) by Marie Lu

And…I was disappointed. It wasn’t a big surprise, though, considering that it literally took me years to read this duology again. I was also a pretty simple and close-minded reader back then.

Now, I kinda understand why I wasn’t motivated enough to pick up the sequel even though I already had a physical copy with me.

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Writing Style

⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Warcross is the first book that I’ve read from Marie Lu. Upon researching her works, I found out that she actually wrote two successful book trilogies before this one. Nevertheless, I wasn’t expecting much from her.

To be honest, I find her writing style just okay. Nothing remarkable about it. I would commend her, though, because her writing is very easy to read and follow.

Unfortunately, I felt like she was spoon-feeding me as I read Emika’s story. Everything was kind of handed to me in a silver platter.

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World Building

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

I think Warcross’ strength relies on its world-building.

I love how Marie Lu introduced this amazing world of gaming through Emika’s eyes. As a gamer myself, I really appreciate the background, mechanics, controls, and almost everything about the game. How I wish I can play Warcross, too! It really reminded me of MOBA games.

Outside of the gaming aspect, I also love how Lu built futuristic New York and Tokyo. I really love how the technology evolved in this world, how the game—through the NeuroLink—affected everyday life. It’s quite eerie in a way! The point system reminded of an episode on Netflix’s Black Mirror. And reading Emika’s “adventure” on the Dark Web? It gave me chills!

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Plot

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Warcross has a really interesting synopsis. However, I personally felt like the stakes weren’t enough until I read the ending.

The first half of the book was kinda dragged out. The only thing that made it redeemable for me is reading about the Warcross tournament and how the actual games were played. I didn’t care much about Emika’s goal and why it’s important for her to work for Hideo (other than the fact that she’s a big fan of him). I also felt like the romance sub-plot was forced, especially on Hideo’s side.

However, when I read the ending of this book, I was pleasantly surprised. I didn’t see that plot twist coming, although a majority of people did. I don’t want to spoil things but I just love how it ended with moral ambiguity and an open-ended question about technology.

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Characters

⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

As previously mentioned on my post about how I rate my books, characters make or break a story for me.

I find Emika Chen to be a boring character. She’s not a one-dimensional character per se, but I don’t connect to her story at all. I don’t care about her goals and her relationship with Hideo. Emika falls short as a character for me.

On the other hand, I remember loving Hideo on my first read. However, after my re-read, I find him to be an okay character. I don’t hate him but I don’t love him either.

How I wish I read more about the Phoenix Riders and the other gamers instead of struggling with Emika and Hideo’s “relationship.” In particular, I would like to know more about Ren, Hammie, and TREMAINE! I’m very curious about the sexual tension between him and Roshan.

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Overall Thoughts

Warcross is set in an interesting world but the characters disappointed me. I really feel like if Marie Lu built more on the stakes of the plot and the character development, I would have loved this book. Alas, that was not the case.

⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 3 out of 5.

So, I rate this book 3 stars. It was a nice and quick read. But there was nothing spectacular about it. It’s pretty forgettable.

I still want to read the sequel, Wildcard, but I’m keeping my expectations low.

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Book Rating (Summary)

Writing Style: 3 stars

World Building: 5 stars

Plot: 3.5 stars

Characters: 2.5 stars

Overall Rating: 3 stars

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Check out my Goodreads review of this book!

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Let’s Talk!

Are you a fan of books about gaming? Any particular recommendations?

Book Review: King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo (Nikolai Duology #1)

Book Title: King of Scars

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Date Published: January 29th 2019 by Imprint

Number of Pages: 514 (Hardcover)

Date I Read: June 17-27, 2020

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Synopsis

(From Goodreads) Nikolai Lantsov has always had a gift for the impossible. No one knows what he endured in his country’s bloody civil war—and he intends to keep it that way. Now, as enemies gather at his weakened borders, the young king must find a way to refill Ravka’s coffers, forge new alliances, and stop a rising threat to the once-great Grisha Army.

Yet with every day a dark magic within him grows stronger, threatening to destroy all he has built. With the help of a young monk and a legendary Grisha Squaller, Nikolai will journey to the places in Ravka where the deepest magic survives to vanquish the terrible legacy inside him. He will risk everything to save his country and himself. But some secrets aren’t meant to stay buried—and some wounds aren’t meant to heal.

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Book Review

Nikolai is my favorite character from the Shadow and Bone trilogy! He brings life to an otherwise typical and boring YA Fantasy series. That’s why when I learned about his duology, I was beyond excited and I can’t wait to pick up King of Scars!

Plus, you really can’t ignore the beautiful golden cover! I mean, just look at this:

King of Scars (Hardcover Copy) by Leigh Bardugo

Basically, I came into King of Scars with high expectations because I know that Bardugo will go nowhere but up after writing the Six of Crows duology.

Well, I wasn’t a fan of the first 150 pages or so. I simply forced myself to finish it because I already bought a gorgeous physical copy.

However, when the plot finally picked up halfway through the book, I completely changed my opinion! I’m at loss for words. I still can’t believe how Bardugo comes up with these surprising twists and turns, each one grander than the last. And don’t even get me started with that ending!

Plot

King of Scars mainly follows three POVs: Nikolai, Zoya, and Nina.

Nikolai and Zoya’s storyline focuses on what’s happening in Ravka. On top of ruling a broken country, they are also facing a rising dark magic inside Nikolai that’s trying to control him. They both realize that this is a threat to the kingdom which must be stopped once and for all. Soon, Nikolai sought the help of a monk (much to Zoya’s dismay) in hopes of finding an answer and a cure.

On the other hand, Nina’s story revolves around her undercover mission in Fjerda. Working alongside Adrik (a Squaller who first made his appearance in S&B) and Leoni (a Materialki), she tries to help Grisha escape the country for a safer and better life without fear. However, she still mourns for the death of her lover and tries to make sense of her new power.

“Everyone mourns the first blossom.

Who will grieve the rest who fall?”

While I love reading how these two stories unfold every chapter, I wasn’t a fan of Bardugo’s decision to mix these vastly different tales. We go from one country’s situation to another in an instant. And I find it disappointing, not because I wasn’t keeping up, but because I was so hooked into another storyline then Bardugo abruptly cut that excitement.

As a result, the plot’s pacing suffered. Bardugo really took her time building the inner conflicts her characters are facing…which is good and makes up for great character development by the end. Still, I wasn’t thrilled about the first 150 pages of this book.

And again, I was expecting more. Since this was Nikolai’s story, I wanted to read political intrigue, a royalty scheming of some sort but what I mainly got was Saint’s talk and religion theories. (Sounds familiar? Well, it is. After all, the S&B trilogy primarily tackles the story of power, the making of the world, and so forth.) And I wasn’t happy with it.

I guess, it’s just a personal preference since I love trashy drama, scheming and conniving, royalty and their first-world problems, and sappy romances. Plus, I should’ve seen it coming as it was told in the blurb that the story involved a monk.

Finally, though, Bardugo pulled out her tricks by the second half of the book. The plot went from slow to exhilarating fast real quick. And I was struggling to keep up with the bombs she dropped left and right, my eyes reading from a sentence to another as fast as they can, desperate to know what’s about to happen. This continued until the end as I screamed “what,” “no,” and “you gotta be kidding me” several times while reading the last few chapters.

Characters

Like most books in the Grishaverse, I fell in love with the characters in this novel. Despite already knowing most of them, I was still pleasantly surprised and pleased at how Bardugo can add another layer to these perfectly-rounded characters.

They were all written so well—they all have complex backgrounds, motivations, desires, struggles, and demons. And I love unfolding their character development chapter by chapter!

However, I was kind of disappointed in how little Nikolai’s participation in this book. Don’t get me wrong, I love reading about the transformation and growth of both Zoya and Nina. But I still wish I saw more from Nikolai, considering that this is supposedly his story. I mean, the title obviously refers to him.

Overall Thoughts

I really enjoyed reading King of Scars!

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

While I find the beginning slow and the separate storylines quite unappealing, I love how the story takes in a new direction halfway through the book. I love seeing the two women “eclipsed” Nikolai in his own book, although, of course, I was hoping for more of him.

I look forward to reading the sequel! However, this didn’t impact me the same way the Six of Crows duology did, so I’m only rating it 4 stars at most.

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Read my book review on Goodreads where I talked more about the plot and character development (spoilers included!).

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Let’s Talk!

Have you read King of Scars yet? Let me know what you think about that INSANE ending!

Book Review: Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo (Six of Crows Series #2)

Book Title: Crooked Kingdom

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Date Published: September 20th 2016 by Henry Holt and Company

Number of Pages: 549 (Paperback)

Date I Read: April 30-May 3, 2020

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Synopsis

(From Goodreads) Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off the most daring heist imaginable.

But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they’re fighting for their lives.

Double-crossed and badly weakened, they’re low on resources, allies and hope.

While a war rages on the city’s streets, the team’s fragile loyalties are stretched to breaking point.

Kaz and his crew will have to make sure they’re on the winning side… no matter what the cost.

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Book Review

Where do I even begin with my review for Crooked Kingdom? Where?!

I was literally speechless when I finished this book.

Rarely does a sequel get everything so perfectly well, but this book managed to exceed all my expectations. I love this book so much! It’s safe to say that it’s one of my favorite books!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Crooked Kingdom begins immediately after the events in Six of Crows—with Wylan wearing Kuwei Yul Bo’s face, Inej captured by Wylan Van Eck, Nina battling the after-effects of taking jurda parem, and the Dregs fighting to bring justice and survive yet another day.

Reading Crooked Kingdom is like riding a roller coaster. Get ready for the highs and lows of emotions, and unbelievable twists and turns of the stakes!

Plot

The plot of this book was just INSANE. In my book review of Six of Crows, I actually critiqued Leigh Bardugo’s long-drawn pacing at the beginning. But she surely redeemed herself in Crooked Kingdom! By the time I finished reading page 100, A LOT has already happened. And I’m not complaining!

Crooked Kingdom is all kinds of action-packed. It might not have the same exciting premise of a heist presented in Six of Crows but the stakes in this book are far higher. Just imagine dealing with one of the richest/powerful men in Ketterdam, making a deal with a shady Barrel boss, and facing 5 WHOLE NATIONS. This crew is really out of their minds but I still love them to bits!

Speaking of the crew…

Characters

I LOVE THEM ALL!

I didn’t think it was possible to love this gang even more, considering how much I swooned over them on the first book. I didn’t even think there’s room for character development, but Bardugo delivered! She added another layer to these characters, and I’m such a sucker for it!

I love the way that each character faced a battle within themselves. I love the way they bonded together, especially the pairings! And I love the way things ended…for the most part.

You see, I can never ever accept what Bardugo did to one of the characters! WHY?! If you’ve read the book, you know who I’m talking about.

“I have been made to protect you. Even in death, I will find a way.”

But then again, I appreciate that character’s arc coming to a full circle. I’m just hurt, okay? And my ship just sunk!

Overall Thoughts

To conclude, Crooked Kingdom is the perfect ending to the SoC duology. It took me to a roller coaster ride with lots of highs and lows, developed the characters even more, and wrapped things up nicely (except for that one character, I’m still heartbroken!). Although it would be very nice to read about the crew again in the supposedly third installment announced by Leigh Barduo.

I definitely recommend this series to anyone looking for a gripping fantasy read.

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Visit my book review on Goodreads to read all my thoughts about the characters!

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Let’s Talk!

Did you like Crooked Kingdom more than Six of Crows? Who’s your OTP (one true pairing)? I ship them all, but Nina and Matthias are my life!

Book Review: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (Six of Crows Series #1)

Book Title: Six of Crows

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Date Published: September 29th 2015 by Henry Holt and Company

Number of Pages: 495 (Paperback)

Date I Read: January 2017 (Re-read: April 24-28, 2020)

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Synopsis

(From Goodreads) Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price–and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone…

A convict with a thirst for revenge.

A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager.

A runaway with a privileged past.

A spy known as the Wraith.

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don’t kill each other first.

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Book Review

First of all, I first read Six of Crows back in 2017. All I remember back then is being in love with this book because it was so good. Unfortunately, academics and life happened as mentioned in my first post, so I kind of forgot this book until recently.

You see, I found out last April that there would be an upcoming Netflix adaptation of the Shadow and Bone trilogy and Six of Crows duology. So, I was beyond excited and decided to re-read the book all over again! And, oh boy, the magic I first felt was still there!

This book was just amazing!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

I love Leigh Bardugo’s writing style. I love the plot twists and turns. And, of course, I freaking love the characters!

“Six people, but a thousand ways this insane plan could go wrong.”

Unfortunately, as much as I love the plot twists and characters to death, I can’t ignore what I disliked about this book.

Things I Disliked About Six of Crows

1. Misleading Blurb

You see, the blurb of Six of Crows talked about a heist. In fact, it’s what made me pick up this book in the first place—I want to read fast-paced action with high stakes. While there’s definitely a heist going on in this book, I felt like it focused more on the characters.

The story is more of character-driven, so if you’re in it for the action scenes, you may be a little bit disappointed.

I am too, at first, but I’m a complete sucker for hidden character motivations and drama. So I absolutely enjoyed this book, especially on the second read!

Do keep this fact in mind, so you won’t have high expectations.

2. World Building

Aside from the kind of misleading blurb, I wasn’t a big fan of the world-building.

Don’t get me wrong—I love the world Leigh Bardugo built! But I remember, as a new reader, when I picked up this book, I don’t understand a thing of what I’m reading. How does the world work? What kind of fantasy is in it?

And the fact that Bardugo just threw a lot of words (Grisha, Squallers, Corporalki, etc.) without any explanation didn’t help at all. It’s like she expected the reader to immediately know all of these weird terms from the start. But then again, maybe she expected to since Six of Crows is basically the 4th installment of the whole Grishaverse series.

Also, I have read in some of the 2 and 3-star reviews on Goodreads that Bardugo seemed to blatantly rip off (Dutch or Russian?) languages and even countries. I can see why, though, as the countries in the Grishaverse are obviously inspired by real-world places (Ketterdam as Amsterdam/Shu Han as China or Mongolia). Personally, I don’t have problems with it (being Asian myself) but I can understand why people can get riled up.

3. Slow Pacing

Lastly, I was extremely let-down by the slow-pacing of this novel.

The first 100 or so pages were excruciatingly slow. Even on my second read, when I already know what’s gonna happen, I still struggled with the pacing.

I mean, when you think about recruiting people for heists with such magnitude, you think about bantering and exciting meet-ups of the characters (think of Ocean’s Eleven or heck, Money Heist). But I didn’t get any of that! Instead, most of the characters already knew each other from the get-go which is kind of a bummer.

Also, just when I think the plot is finally picking up and I get to enjoy the action, well, Bardugo decided to switch from present to past.

I love a good flashback scene but the middle of the book is simply not the time for it! There are simply too many flashbacks which kept the plot from achieving what it’s supposed to achieve—bad-ass thievery.

With all of these problems stated, it would be easy to give this novel 3 stars at best. However, I simply love the characters too much!

Things I Liked About Six of Crows

1. Characters

Six of Crows presented my DREAM CAST!!!

I mean, just look at them! I love the diversity!

Normally, in this cast so big, I am bound to hate one character or so but to my surprise, I didn’t. I also enjoyed reading different POVs and the switch was so natural. Major props to Bardugo for that!

I love the banter between the characters! I also love the platonic friendships! And I ship all the pairings!

My favorite characters, so far, are Inej and Nina. Girl power for the win!

2. Plot Twists

Aside from the characters, I absolutely enjoyed reading the plot twists and turns.

Do remember that I have read this book for the 2nd time already. I should have expected the plot twists coming. But guess what? I was still surprised by some of the revelations in the end!

I won’t go into detail but if Bardugo achieved that, even though I’m merely just re-reading, then I’ll give mad credits to her!

I also love how she told the action scenes! I can clearly see the characters and the chaos ensuing in the Ice Court in my mind’s eye.

Overall Thoughts

I really enjoyed reading Six of Crows! Be warned, though, the pacing and the unclear world-building might keep you from finishing this novel.

You might be confused about all these unexplained terms at the beginning. But trust me, the characters would just sweep you off your feet! Plus, you’ll truly appreciate this novel on the 2nd or 3rd read!

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Check out my Goodreads review of this book to read how I practically gush over the characters!

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Let’s Talk!

Have you read Six of Crows? Who’s your favorite character? I won’t judge you if you can’t pick a single one because all of them are so awesome! 😉