Title: Ashes to Ashes
Author: Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian
Pub Date: September 16th, 2014
Publisher: Simon and Schuster's BFYR
Page Count: 387
Didn't get worse, but [barely] got better. The conclusion of a trilogy that makes me question if I've been robbed of my time. - Nova @ Out of Time
After the disaster that was Fire with Fire, I read Ashes to Ashes with an optimistic vibe. I so wanted it to get better. I was already 2/3 into the series so I had to finish. Unfortunately, I finished feeling like the two hours I spent reading it were completely gone to waste.
This book was terrible. It wasn't quite as bad as Fire with Fire, but it wasn't much better. While it had so much potential, it ended up falling flat on its face. In this last installment, Mary is out for revenge. The premise was so good because the other girls wouldn't expect one of their own, right?
Too right.
They didn't suspect Mary until the very end while the reader knew it was her all along. That's boring. And it was the very end. Like, there wasn't a clue-finding build up to the shocking reveal. If anything, it was rushed. The reveal had me going "No way. Really?" when they exclaimed, "Oh look! It's Mary!
My love/hatred for the characters also didn't change. I didn't feel any development in all except Mary and hers was something else completely. I kept my love for Kat because she remained pretty genuine, even though she was meant to be the one with the most exterior shell. Lillia can honestly go board a plane to Mexico because I have never and will never like her. She's a Mary Sue, questioning why everyone loves her. Yes, there's a love triangle. Yes, both boys are pretty decent. And of course, she doesn't deserve either of them.
However, what heavily disturbed me was a spoiler, so I'll do two versions.
Mary does something that I found psychopathic. She was so intent on getting revenge on Reeve that it caused her to go to drastic lengths. I felt her enjoyment as I was reading it. In her sick mind, it was all in the name of justice. However, what really messed me up was how everyone knew what Mary did by the end and yet, no one brought it up.
Mary tried to get Reeve to commit suicide. She would taunt him, torture him, sabotage his life and just make it a hell. Basically, she was a bully and she was out for him. It was terrible and so hard to read as Mary took pride in her actions towards boy who made her commit suicide. But even worse, by the end, the rest of the characters were like "I hope Mary's okay, wherever she is." I know that she's a ghost and all, but she tried to get a guy to commit suicide. Did that not matter at all?
In the end, this series goes down in history as one of the biggest disappointments I've ever read. The first one was good and it was all downward from there, which is such a shame because the writing is skilled and put together. But let's just say that this series will not be getting a re-read anytime soon.
Author: Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian
Pub Date: September 16th, 2014
Publisher: Simon and Schuster's BFYR
Page Count: 387
New Year's Eve ended with a bang and Mary, Kat and Lillia may not be prepared for what is to come.
After Rennie's death, Kat and Lillia try to put the pieces together of what happened to her. They both blame themselves. If Lillia hadn't left with Reeve... If Kat had only stayed with Rennie... Things could have been different. Now they will never be the same.
Only Mary knows the truth about that night. About what she is. She also knows the truth about Lillia and Reeve falling in love, about Reeve being happy when all he deserves is misery, just like the misery he caused her. Now their childish attempts at revenge are a thing of the past and Mary is out for blood. Will she leave anything in her wake or will all that remain be ashes?
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Didn't get worse, but [barely] got better. The conclusion of a trilogy that makes me question if I've been robbed of my time. - Nova @ Out of Time
After the disaster that was Fire with Fire, I read Ashes to Ashes with an optimistic vibe. I so wanted it to get better. I was already 2/3 into the series so I had to finish. Unfortunately, I finished feeling like the two hours I spent reading it were completely gone to waste.
This book was terrible. It wasn't quite as bad as Fire with Fire, but it wasn't much better. While it had so much potential, it ended up falling flat on its face. In this last installment, Mary is out for revenge. The premise was so good because the other girls wouldn't expect one of their own, right?
Too right.
They didn't suspect Mary until the very end while the reader knew it was her all along. That's boring. And it was the very end. Like, there wasn't a clue-finding build up to the shocking reveal. If anything, it was rushed. The reveal had me going "No way. Really?" when they exclaimed, "Oh look! It's Mary!
My love/hatred for the characters also didn't change. I didn't feel any development in all except Mary and hers was something else completely. I kept my love for Kat because she remained pretty genuine, even though she was meant to be the one with the most exterior shell. Lillia can honestly go board a plane to Mexico because I have never and will never like her. She's a Mary Sue, questioning why everyone loves her. Yes, there's a love triangle. Yes, both boys are pretty decent. And of course, she doesn't deserve either of them.
However, what heavily disturbed me was a spoiler, so I'll do two versions.
Mary does something that I found psychopathic. She was so intent on getting revenge on Reeve that it caused her to go to drastic lengths. I felt her enjoyment as I was reading it. In her sick mind, it was all in the name of justice. However, what really messed me up was how everyone knew what Mary did by the end and yet, no one brought it up.
Mary tried to get Reeve to commit suicide. She would taunt him, torture him, sabotage his life and just make it a hell. Basically, she was a bully and she was out for him. It was terrible and so hard to read as Mary took pride in her actions towards boy who made her commit suicide. But even worse, by the end, the rest of the characters were like "I hope Mary's okay, wherever she is." I know that she's a ghost and all, but she tried to get a guy to commit suicide. Did that not matter at all?
In the end, this series goes down in history as one of the biggest disappointments I've ever read. The first one was good and it was all downward from there, which is such a shame because the writing is skilled and put together. But let's just say that this series will not be getting a re-read anytime soon.
Jenny Han (Han like Han Solo, not Han like hand)
was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. She went to college at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Go Heels!) and she went on to graduate school at the New School in New York City, where she received her MFA in Writing for Children. She lives in Brooklyn.
I absolutely need this series. After reading and finishing To All the Boys I've Loved Before, I've decided that Jenny Han is like one of the best authors ever!!! OMG Great review and I just am obsessed with your blog! hehe new follower around here and can't wait for more reviews to read!
ReplyDeleteAlex @ The Book's Buzz