You’re allowed to be ignorant and naive the first book...I'll give you a pass the second installment...but now, it's getting bothersome, annoying and tiresome and when my ERS starts to kick in so bad my eye sockets start to hurt, I just have to put the book down and walk away...

I'm kinda hovering between four stars and five stars here.I dunno. I feel like James Patterson's writing is quite juvenile-- not saying that I can write better, just saying that even I can write like him and that's just saying that his writing isn't that great. Well, when I first found out that this wasn't going to be a trilogy, I was like, wth? I wasn't about to read a book called The Kiss in public. Really? The Kiss? I know James Patterson has this consistency with making his titles of this series two words, The Gift, The Fire, but The Kiss? Really? I can't even. No, I did not read this in public. In fact, I read it in bed. Ehl oh ehl.Honestly, this book isn't needed at all. I feel like JP just added this book because he wanted to. The end of The Fire was AN ENDING, and he just HAD to continue it. Nonetheless, you see that I've enjoyed it..There were twists and turns and the main characters were annoying as usual but different, now. However, I don't really think they've been through much character development. Alright, that's all I have to say. I won't really pick up another JP book anytime soon..

That was awesome.I'm just so glad I decided to read this book at all and ignore all the negative reviews it got. Book 1 was okay. Book 2 was better. And now this. KLJFKLDJSDLKSFJDSFJKLSDJL:SDFJDSKSJDF:SDKLFJDSKL:FJSD It was fabulous. The first page is action-packed already. Well that apparently is because The Gift just ended in the middle of nowhere. Anyways, this sort of reminds me of City of Glass by Cassandra Clare in a way because it has a happy ending where the antagonist is truly defeated. And I have a feeling book 4 isn't entirely necessary. This series would do great as a trilogy. Honestly I can't bear to be seen holding a book in public called "The Kiss." Ou no. But we'll just see, won't we? (; Okay I'm just sort of frustrated at the covergirl because Wisty is supposed to be a redhead. Sheesh. Now that I read the book I completely understand the significance of the title. When I first saw it I was like, "That is so general I can't even.." and it turns out that it's really important.Good job, JP. But I still can't get over his writing style. Ohmygoodness. But I ranted enough about that in previous reviews for this series.And really that's all. This review and others can be found on my blog at bookaholicness.com.

The reason I actually bothered to read this book was because of the ending of Witch and Wizard that left all the readers hanging.Actually, the only reason I read this series at all was because it was highly recommended by my friend. Anyways, I have to say that I am guilty for underestimating James Patterson without even reading his books. Because I've been judging his writing from all the negative reviews his books get and, plus, my own sister, who shares almost the same opinions with me on book-related stuff, said this book was merely OKAY. A 7/10. And when I rate a book 7 out of 10 that's just a no.But then I read Witch and Wizard and thoroughly enjoyed it. Judging from most of the negative reviews I've read for that book, I picked up that the book trailer or something said this story was the next Harry Potter. And that's what got people's hopes up, I guess. And then after they read this they got brutally disappointed? That's the reason behind all the 1-star ratings, I guess. Because this story is NOTHING like Harry Potter, and the protagonists are NOTHING like Harry Potter, and just because they're witch and wizard does not make their story the next Harry Potter!Do I sound indignant? It's because I am. But thank God that I didn't see that book trailer that said it was the next Harry Potter because instead of that 4 stars up there, it would be a 1 star. This is what people get when they try to compare something with Harry Potter.. Okay well. The point is, I actually saw this story as its own thing and enjoyed it. Although the only things that kept it from being a 5 stars rating are that:-James Patterson's writing style. Oh, just no. I liked the plot he created. The plot was good enough to get this a 4-stars rating. But his writing. Oh my God, I think even a 10 year old could write like that.-The antagonist. Please. He's just so 'evil' isn't he? But why, why why why does he remind me of that doctor from Phineas and Ferb? Because he's just the little-kid-cartoon-character-antagonist that elementary school kids expect to meet.And really, that's it. This book is meant for middle-school kids but apparently a bunch of high school kids like me read it. Maybe adults won't enjoy this. Idk. It's definitely meant for teens.Other than that, the plot was just so akfjdakl;sjdklajl

Plot: 5 out of 5

Character: 5 out of 5

Setting: 4 out of 5

Cover: 2 out of 5

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

 

MY THOUGHTS:**Contains SPOILERS **

 

Let me just start by saying that I had no expectations going into this book and I barely knew anything about the plot.

 

First, let us talk about the plot. I love the fact that’s there is not that much romance at all going on except for Whit’s love for his girlfriend. This leaves more room for action and suspense in the plot. I normally tend to stay away from books involving magic due to the fact my favorite books of all time have magic in them, and I tend to compare right away. However, I do have to say that I really enjoyed the magic in this book just for the fact that they did not know that they had any nor know how to use it. Now, in this society there’s this overlord called “The One Who is the One,” who is trying to make the perfect society. Throughout the book, you realized that these kids are not thrown in jail and put to death just because they might be “witches and wizards,” it is, at least in my eyes, because they are kids. This element throws the reader into a “what would you do” kind of feeling, and really gets you thinking of what will happen next.

 

The two main characters of this story are Whit and Wisty Allgood. The sister/brother aspect of the main characters is what turned me on to the book. I don’t think I have ever read a book where the two main characters are related. I have found that I really like when a story is told in different, alternating perspectives, this gives you more of an insight of what running through their minds as the events are occurring. I really like the voices of our main characters. Wisty was the spunky sarcastic little sister who had perfect timing with her remarks and was funny as all hell. She made this gloomy, dark book full of lightheartedness and laughter. On the other hand, you have Whit, the mature, strong older brother. He was the voice of reason and strength, when faced with danger, but when it came to the love of his life, he showed his venerable side. Now you don’t see or hear much from our main villain until about the end, but from what you hear about him, he can be somewhat scary, at least from a kid’s perspective. He’s not my favorite villain, that goes to Lord Ido in Eon, not for the fact that he’s not evil enough it’s just I thought he should have been around more.

 

There are a few different settings goin on in this book. The worlds that you experience through the siblings are unique and add a completely new level to this book. The descriptions of these would let your mind wonder what it would look like to be there. I think I still would have liked to learn more about some of these places, like the shadow lands.

 

Now let’s get to the cover, which you can see by my rating, is not my favorite. I do like that the W is on fire, like what happens to one of the siblings, and that there are two faces, one at each end of the W. I really like his Maximum Ride covers and I was hoping that this cover would be as good, but I guess not.

 

This book overall was good. I liked how the ending was not really a big cliffhanger but it did make think and want to see what happens next to the brother/sister duo. Despite the few things I have against it, I cannot wait until I pick up the next one in the series.

 

***= what i think

Wouldn’t pick up again

Library only

Worth the splurge***