Gates of Thread and Stone
by Lori M. Lee
Series: Gates of Thread and Stone #1
Genre: YA, fantasy, paranormal
Published August 5th 2014 by Skyscape
Source: Publisher via Netgalley
Purchase: Amazon
* Barnes and Noble * Book Depository
Local purchase/order: Fullybooked * National Bookstore
I really wanted to read Gates of Thread and Stone because I feel it has something I'd love. The blurb lured me and I had a feeling that this book would be delicious. Kai, the main character, can manipulate the threads of time. But the only people who knows about this is her and her adoptive brother, Reev. She'd been living with Reev since she was eight, when Reev found her on the riverbank without the knowledge of her past. In other words, Reev had been her life. When Reev went missing, Kai promised to find him no matter what.
The first thing that bothered me was Kai's plans or lack thereof. Sure, she wants to find her brother so she went searching for him even if it means facing and throwing herself in front of Black Rider, the infamous kidnapper of Ninurtans. But what's been flashing in and out of my mind is her non-existent plan. What would she do to survive her journey and fight her way off the gargoyles? Once she arrived on the Void? Beg Black Rider? If it weren't for the help of her only friend Avan, she wouldn't have a ride. If it weren't for the prostitute's map and knife, she wouldn't know the way and have a weapon to defend herself. Yes there were help, but she, in the first place, should have her own plans with or without help, right?
Kai and Avan's friendship is something I do not understand and not believe in. Being her only friend, Kai must know a lot of things--if not all--about Avan. All she ever said was she didn't knew about this from him, she didn't want to ask more, etc. And Avan isn't someone I've grown to like or really know because of this. He always shut Kai out. All I was fed into was her physical attraction to Avan. Which kind of irritated me in the long run. So when the romance eventually happened, I didn't felt a spark or even believed that there was something between them.
Genre: YA, fantasy, paranormal
Published August 5th 2014 by Skyscape
Source: Publisher via Netgalley
Purchase: Amazon
* Barnes and Noble * Book DepositoryLocal purchase/order: Fullybooked * National Bookstore
Blur (Goodreads):
In the Labyrinth, we had a saying: keep silent, keep still, keep safe.
In a city of walls and secrets, where only one man is supposed to possess magic, seventeen-year-old Kai struggles to keep hidden her own secret—she can manipulate the threads of time. When Kai was eight, she was found by Reev on the riverbank, and her “brother” has taken care of her ever since. Kai doesn’t know where her ability comes from—or where she came from. All that matters is that she and Reev stay together, and maybe one day move out of the freight container they call home, away from the metal walls of the Labyrinth. Kai’s only friend is Avan, the shopkeeper’s son with the scandalous reputation that both frightens and intrigues her.
Then Reev disappears. When keeping silent and safe means losing him forever, Kai vows to do whatever it takes to find him. She will leave the only home she’s ever known and risk getting caught up in a revolution centuries in the making. But to save Reev, Kai must unravel the threads of her past and face shocking truths about her brother, her friendship with Avan, and her unique power.
My Thoughts:
I really wanted to read Gates of Thread and Stone because I feel it has something I'd love. The blurb lured me and I had a feeling that this book would be delicious. Kai, the main character, can manipulate the threads of time. But the only people who knows about this is her and her adoptive brother, Reev. She'd been living with Reev since she was eight, when Reev found her on the riverbank without the knowledge of her past. In other words, Reev had been her life. When Reev went missing, Kai promised to find him no matter what.
The first thing that bothered me was Kai's plans or lack thereof. Sure, she wants to find her brother so she went searching for him even if it means facing and throwing herself in front of Black Rider, the infamous kidnapper of Ninurtans. But what's been flashing in and out of my mind is her non-existent plan. What would she do to survive her journey and fight her way off the gargoyles? Once she arrived on the Void? Beg Black Rider? If it weren't for the help of her only friend Avan, she wouldn't have a ride. If it weren't for the prostitute's map and knife, she wouldn't know the way and have a weapon to defend herself. Yes there were help, but she, in the first place, should have her own plans with or without help, right?
Kai and Avan's friendship is something I do not understand and not believe in. Being her only friend, Kai must know a lot of things--if not all--about Avan. All she ever said was she didn't knew about this from him, she didn't want to ask more, etc. And Avan isn't someone I've grown to like or really know because of this. He always shut Kai out. All I was fed into was her physical attraction to Avan. Which kind of irritated me in the long run. So when the romance eventually happened, I didn't felt a spark or even believed that there was something between them.
Kai's powers weren't used/emphasized that much, as I assumed. 3/4 of the story did not concern her or her powers, but when it did on the last 1/4 of the book, it fell on the one-of-those-books category and it became predictable. The first part had an okay pace and I had seen the potential but last part confused me and jumbled everything I've known from the start. The twists felt like forced and just wrong, especially the ending.
What I liked about this book is the world building. I like the uniqueness of Ninurta and the Infinite. This book had a really nice concept, it has a potential, and the author had a wide imagination when it comes to their world. But I thought the overall was lacking. I need more. I need something that will make this book stand out. More push for me to say that this book was extra-ordinary and that I really liked it. If you wanted to try this book, read it. After all, not all times we have the same taste or interest. While there are weak points on this book, it also had a potential that you might take notice and like. As for me, I'm still hoping to see it lived on the sequel.
What I liked about this book is the world building. I like the uniqueness of Ninurta and the Infinite. This book had a really nice concept, it has a potential, and the author had a wide imagination when it comes to their world. But I thought the overall was lacking. I need more. I need something that will make this book stand out. More push for me to say that this book was extra-ordinary and that I really liked it. If you wanted to try this book, read it. After all, not all times we have the same taste or interest. While there are weak points on this book, it also had a potential that you might take notice and like. As for me, I'm still hoping to see it lived on the sequel.
*Thank you so much Skyscape and Netgalley for the review copy in exchange of an honest review!
Rating:
No comments:
Post a Comment
Don't leave with your thoughts unshared!