Today I’m reviewing Unfortunate Events by Kaytlin, Marisa, and Jaiden Phillips! 😀 Stay tuned till the end of the post for the sneak peek with one of my favorite quotes from the book!! (Actually, I think it IS my favorite quote. I don’t know if Sisters Three even knew that, but they chose it for me to share anyway. *moment of silence for that*)

My Review

Wow, what an adventurous ride this story is!!! The kind that draws you in and leaves you needing more! The prologue just grabs your attention, setting the stage for loads of suspense, and then the book ends with equal epicness. *shudders* But no spoilers, so I’ll jump right into my thoughts about the characters!

CHARACTERS

And I love how the first time we meet Kahtan, we see his normal established – flawed and needing something. We see his weakness and get a strong sense of his personality and relationship with his family. He tends to be self-deprecating, feels weak and inferior to his brothers. He desperately needs to learn the lesson his father teaches him in the beginning (the one the sneak peek below talks about), and though I’m realizing that I wanted to see his character arc come to a full “aha” moment and resolution, since this IS the first book in a series, it begins to crack his long-held misbelief so that the next book can go deeper into that and not have to rush the pacing. And after all, Kahtan is a different person than who he was at the beginning. 😉

Gaven and Sage brought a whole level of spice to the story that it really needed! They are my favorite duo!!! Seriously, their dynamics are awesome, banter, arguments, and all. And Sage is my baby of the two, as kids these days say. Like, just look at this (page 248 of Unfortunate Events):

“I look like me grammy got a hold of me if I had a grammy, which I donnae.” Sage shook his head again.

See what I mean? HOW CAN’T YOU LOVE HIM!?!!! And Wixley… oh my. I hated him in the beginning. I’m not gonna give anything away, but take note that your opinion on him may change. For the better. 😀 You will learn to crack up at his grumpiness and blunt comments. And might I even say… you will eventually find him lovable and endearing.

And I must shout-out Kahtan’s father, an underrated character I wanted more of. I loved how his anger at those bad things happening to Kahtan showed how much he loved him, you know what I mean? I cannot wait to see more of him in Book 2 (I hope!!!). 😉 Also, Kahtan’s brothers!!! *weeps* They’re awesome. Gimme more.

RANDOM

I found the accents put the perfect touch of uniqueness on the dialogue, to the point where I could hear their voices in my head! (Plus, it make it fun to read aloud to “meself” lol.) Accents can be tricksy to pull off because they can overpower the words and be super hard to read. There were a few parts where it took a minute to understand, but overall? I think these authors nailed it! *applause*

PLOT

SO much mystery and suspense. The prologue, of course, gets the ball rolling for all that, but a certain mysterious friendship coughs surprised me with a plot twist I never saw coming! (Then everything fell into place and made sense!) I will say, I’m not the best for guessing plot twists; sometimes I see it coming, but usually, I’m like, *gasp* “WHY DIDN’T I SEE THAT COMING?” 😂 But many of the story’s twists took me by surprise!

WRITING STYLE

Unfortunate Events has a balanced and colorful writing style that fit the story well! It’s perfect for its YA audience, far from the too-simple “beige prose,” as they call it. Here’s a delicious bit for thine enjoyment:

“A crescent moon hung on the horizon, peeking through the leaf-covered trees of Kinvin Forest. Stars glittered above, jewels of the heavens smiling upon him in the silent dusk. The eerie calls of the barred owls filled the still air. Kahtan took a deep breath, relishing the beauty all around as he continued on his way.”

(Unfortunate Events, page 8.)

Oh, I also must mention how I LOVED how so many of the metaphors/descriptions were blacksmith-themed! So appropriate for Kahtan since that’s what he’s grown up knowing and being acquainted with. It’s a lovely thing to behold when authors do that – really describing things through the character’s lenses, coloring the world through their personal experiences.

THEMES

The message of this story is rather subtle, yet you can see it reflected in the whole plot. Basically, it’s how people need people. Trying to do life alone, isolated from everyone else, however tempting, is never the right choice. So overall, the main theme I got from it is the importance of friendship, how together, and not by our lonesome selves, we’re braver, bolder, stronger. (Did you get that song reference, by any chance? *grins*) The debilitating feeling of being weaker than everyone else can be conquered when you realize that you’re not alone.

OVERALL

Full of intrigue and action, Unfortunate Events makes for a swift and adventurous read with a colorful set of characters I just can’t get enough of! If you like YA fiction, mystery, edge-of-your-seat action, explosive character dynamics, and some fantastical adventure, give this book a read!

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Lies are worn as masks, darkness threatens, and fear spreads like fire.

Mazleah has lost its Crowned Prince and the kingdom stands on the edge of ruin. When Kahtan Faber is forced into the King’s army life as he knew it collapses. Thrust onto a team with a brogue-speaking street boy, a secretive lordling, and his hometown bully, Kahtan quickly learns what it means to be alone. As a Blacksmith’s son who has never wielded a blade, he’s nothing more than a failure to those around him.

But when secrets about his teammates are revealed, secrets that could shake Mazleah to its core, Kahtan must decide whether to stand with his team or with his country. Although nothing in Mazleah is ever that simple.

About the Authors

She enjoys hiking, writing, reading a good fast-paced book, baking, daydreaming, teasing her sisters, and playing with her dog, Ruger.

She enjoys praising her Lord, reading, drawing, writing, hanging out with her sisters and bestie, hiking if there is a destination, and wearing vibrant rainbow-colored things.

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Connect with the authors!

Kayti:

Linktree (Including all Kayti’s links): https://linktr.ee/kaytlinphillips

Rissy:

Pinterest: Pinterest

Goodreads Author Profile: Marisa Phillips (Author of Unfortunate Events) | Goodreads

Jaidie:

Pinterest: Pinterest

Goodreads Author Profile: Jaiden Phillips (Author of Unfortunate Events) | Goodreads

Group Links

Tour Schedule

Monday, Sept. 12th

Sisters Three – Blog Tour Launch Announcement 

Joy Woodbury – Review and Spotlight

Abbigail Befus – Review and Spotlight

Tuesday, Sept. 13th

Madisyn Carlin – Author Interview and Spotlight

Rose Q Addams – Review and Author Interview

Wednesday, Sept. 14th

The Introspective Introvert -Author Interview, Sneak Peek, and Spotlight

Saraina Whitney – Review and Sneak Peek (You’re here! 😉 )

Vanessa Hall – Spotlight and Sneak Peek

Thursday, Sept. 15th

Old Fashioned Book Love – Review and Spotlight

Lorelei Angelino – Review and Spotlight

Jasmine – Review, Spotlight, Author Interview, and Character Interview

Victoria Marinette – Sneak Peek

Issabelle Perry – Goodreads Review

Friday, Sept 16th

Kristina Hall – Review and Sneak Peek

Vanessa Hall – Review

Saraina Whitney – Character Interview

Grace A. Johnson – Author Interview and Spotlight

Natalie Nordby – Review and Author Interview

Hailey Marshall – Author Interview

Sisters Three – End of Tour Post

Now for the sneak peek!!!

What was your favorite part of the interview? Did you laugh at any of Sage’s answers? Anyone want to volunteer to give Kahtan a hug? How do you like Sage’s accent? What do you think about the sneak peek?