REVIEW: Rebel Spring By Morgan Rhodes

REBEL SPRING

By: Morgan Rhodes

Published: December 2013

Publisher: Razorbill

Pages: 401 (Hardcover)

Genre: Fantasy

Hello!

It's great to be back in the world of book blogging. 

I have no excuse for being absent for quite a while other than of being lazy. The idea of getting out of bed and powering up the computer and putting my bookish thoughts into coherent sentences and trying to be as unbiased as I can regarding my opinions feel like such a chore. 

But I'll try my best from now on.

After all, this is why I said I want to do with my life. 

Read books. Write about books. And maybe even write a book.

Anyway....

Before you read this full review, know that this is the 2nd book of the Falling Kingdoms series. 

If you have not read the 1st book, I suggest that you do not continue reading this post because even the book synopsis has spoilers in it. 

But if you're interested about this book, here's what you need to know about this series:

1. If you like Game of Thrones (TV show or books), then you may be interested in this Young Adult version of it.

2. There are 3 kingdoms named Limeros, Paelsia, and Auranos ruled by 3 different kings, have very different weathers, and have very distinct differences between the people and their ways of living.

3. There are princes and princesses.

4. There are magical creatures that roam around in the form of a bird (a hawk, specifically).

5. There is a search for magical crystals called the Kindred.

6. There are lots and lots of fights and deaths.

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Book Synopsis

The road to power... is paved with blood and magic.

Cleo is now a prisoner in her own palace, forced to be an ambassador for Mytica as the evil King Gaius lies to her people.
Magnus stands to eventually inherit the new kingdom but is still obsessed with his feelings for his adopted sister, Lucia.
Lucia is haunted by the outcome of the breathtaking display of magic that allowed her father to capture the kingdoms.
Jonas watched at the palace gates a troop of rebels behind him, waiting for him to tell them how he plans to overtake King Gaius.

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Bookish Thoughts

Writing Style

It's a huge deal for me to have even had the motivation to read this sequel because, honestly, I was not a fan of the first book.

It had nothing to do with the writing style of Morgan Rhodes, though! 

I actually enjoy reading her books because of how simple and direct it is. 

Most of the time, in fantasy novels like this, authors make it quite difficult to understand what the characters really want to say and makes the entire world very complicated. It's hard to keep up. But Morgan Rhodes made it as simple as can be and yet still make it sound beautiful and worth reading.

I especially love how she makes the characters' way of talking reflect their upbringing and lifestyle. 

Story

It's very much a continuation of Falling Kingdoms (Book 1). We pick up right where that ended. 

There were deaths that I did not see coming! I can't believe it. In the first book there were deaths, yes. But the deaths here made a little more impact because some of those characters. we've known from book 1. 

The reason why I was hesitant to pick this book up was because the first book was filled with character introductions and I felt the plot lacking. It focused so much on the characters and for a fantasy series, I felt like that's a big no no. Fantasy should revolve around the plot line and the world building. Leave the character-focused stories in the contemporary books.

For the first half of this book, it was the same. It focused so much on the character drama and characters were still being introduced left and right. 

Thankfully, by the 2nd half of the book, the plot and story actually took a turn and became the focus. 

It's quite ridiculous how it took us 1 and a half books to get to the story line. 

That's when I started to really read the book. It hooked me. I wanted to know what will happen to the kingdoms, to its people, and to our main characters.

We still don't know who the protagonists and antagonists are, though. 

Betrayals everywhere!

You can definitely see how divided Mytica is. 

Characters

Let me be frank and say that I find ALL the characters of this book (in particular) very stupid.

It seemed to me like they were all hell-bent on choosing the worst and stupidest choices thrughout the book. 

Here are my thoughts specifically for each character:

MAGNUS - I absolutely love him! He makes me think of Nico di Angelo of Rick Riordan's Heroes of Olympus series. He's all dark and mysterious. I know people hate the trope of bad-boy-with-good-heart but I don't think he belongs there because he really is just bad. I especially love how sassy and sarcastic he can be. I live for the chapters where we read from his point of view! 

I laughed when he told Cleo "So many boys seem to be enamored of you, I'd need a ledger to keep track of them." 

Also, during their wedding (I can't believe it actually pushed through! Everything was so fast but I'm so glad that Morgan Rhodes decided not to keep making us wait for it to happen because it was thrown right at our faces that Cleo and Magnus are actually husband and wife now -- despite still hating one another) when the priest told them to hold hands and Cleo won't even reach for Magnus' hand and he said: "Come on, you're breaking my heart," in his sarcastic and very Magnus way. 

CLEO - I hate her so much. People keep telling me that her character will eventually improve the more you get into the series. But as for now, I still hate the living daylights out of her. I just find her whiny and very princess-y. She acts all innocent and yet actually plans the most devious of things. It's disconterting. She's also very fickle minded! I also hate it when somebody grasps her wrist or something and she'll whine "You're hurting me," even when they're not. Also, I don't care for what happens to her. So long as she doesn't break Magnus' heart. 

JONAS - I laughed so hard at how pathetic his character has turned out to be. In the first book I felt so bad for him because of how his brother died. But since then, he's been sold to us readers as someone strong and smart and heroic. However, all he does is sacrifice his rebels for the sake of rescuing Cleo from the hands of the tyrant king that he himself has helped be seated in that stolen throne! 

LUCIA - I have only two things to say about this girl: (1) I hate her for hurting Magnus, and (2) someone please stab me with a fork because she is turning out to be like Adelina of "The Young Elites" by Marie Lu (and I hate that girl with a passion). 

We also get to meet new characters like Lysandra. 

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Goodreads Rating

I would've rated it higher but the characters really annoyed me. Also, because it took too long for the story to focus on the plot rather than the characters. 

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Do I still want to read the next book? Yes.

Do I recommend the series? Yes.

Happy reading!

If you've reached this part of this post, thank you. 

For hearing out my bookish thoughts!

A.