Monday, September 12, 2016

Silver in the Blood

22929540Goodreads Synopsis:    A New York Times bestselling author brings dark secrets to life in a lush new YA perfect for fans of Libba Bray or Cassandra Clare.

Society girls from New York City circa 1890, Dacia and Lou never desired to know more about their lineage, instead preferring to gossip about the mysterious Romanian family that they barely knew. But upon turning seventeen, the girls must return to their homeland to meet their relatives, find proper husbands, and—most terrifyingly—learn the deep family secrets of The Claw, The Wing, and The Smoke. The Florescus, after all, are shape-shifters, and it is time for Dacia and Lou to fulfill the prophecy that demands their acceptance of this fate... or fight against this cruel inheritance with all their might.

With a gorgeous Romanian setting, stunning Parisian gowns, and dark brooding young men, readers will be swept up by this epic adventure of two girls in a battle for their lives.

My Thoughts:

-    I had really high hopes for this book, but it turns out that the story was just alright.

-    I'm a big Jessica Day George fan, but this isn't my favorite book of hers. It has so much going for it, but I feel like it just barely missed the mark of being something awesome.

-    The setting was amazing! The book showcases Romania and the time period beautifully. I feel like the book is mostly eye candy.

-    The family secret wasn't super shocking and amazing. I'm sure it was to the characters in the time period, but it wasn't for me as a reader. I felt like there was a lot of build up to the secret, and then it was very anti-climactic and predictable. Also, I wish the secret had been revealed earlier in the story so more of the conflicts could have had more time. 

-    The beginning was slow, but the book picks up about halfway through, and I enjoyed the second half a lot more. I still enjoyed the first half, but it was a lot of setup.

-    Dacia and Lou grew on me, but not a ton. I didn't really love any of the characters. I liked them well enough, but not enough to sympathize very much. 

-    I really liked the homage to Stoker's Dracula. There were mentions of the book in the story. There were also letters and diary entries similar to the ones in Dracula. That was fun.

-    Overall, I enjoyed the book and I think it is worth the read, but it didn't live up to my expectations. 

10 comments:

  1. I wonder if I'll like it more than you did. I know Suey felt the same way about the beginning. She actually gave up on it. So, hopefully, I won't.

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    1. I'm interested in hearing your thoughts on this one. I would suggest reading her other books first though.

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  2. I should probably give it another try, eh?

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    1. If you are a Jessica fan, give it a go. If the book just didn't work for you, don't bother.

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  3. I enjoyed the book a little bit more, but I agree that it felt like it could have been more. It almost felt like a setup for a more interesting story. I’m glad you enjoyed it though, even if it wasn’t a favorite. :)

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    1. I'm glad you liked it more. I wish I had. I love Jessica's books.

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  4. Well, I have ridiculously low expectations for this one so maybe I'll like it a bit more. I hate slow starts with too much set up though. Sorry it let you down.

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    1. Ya, I like when an author can setup a plot or a world and make it interesting or part of the story.

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  5. That is too bad you didn't like this more. I have really enjoyed what I have read by her and planned to get to this one eventually!

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    1. I love all her other books, and I'd still recommend this, but it isn't her best.

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