Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

 

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas

Source: Pre-ordered from Books of Wonder

Genre: Fantasy, Dystopian

Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she's at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past . . . She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die just to see her again. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen's triumphant return. Celaena’s epic journey has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions across the globe. This fourth volume will hold readers rapt as Celaena’s story builds to a passionate, agonizing crescendo that might just shatter her world.

Queen of Shadows was everything that I was waiting for. I know some people were disappointed, but not this girl!

Okay so, the plot might have dragged a small teeny tiny bit at the beginning of the novel, but it quickly picked up. It was like every chapter would end in some way that was heart-wrenching and then would either be resolved within the next chapter or continued to be a dagger in your heart for the rest of the book until the climax. The ending was a little strange. I thought the book should’ve ended closer after the big thing (can’t spoil it haha) instead of the happy (sorta) ending that drew out a little to show the aftermath. Other than that, I was completely enthralled by the intense plot.

My goodness, the characters. To me, I was really amazed and in awe at the end when I considered what everyone had been through and how each character had changed throughout the 4 books and who they were now. Some people are complaining about how out of character Chaol was, but I feel as if his “new” character was a result of what happened. It changed him. Thus, the character that acts in different ways than in the first book. I would also like to personally thank Sarah J Maas for creating strong female and male characters, side characters alike. Maas has really fleshed out all of her characters in this book.

The suspense, mystery, and action alone would’ve allowed me to love this book alone. Maas wrote in such a way that we didn’t even know everything that Aelin was doing even though she’s the main character and we experience her POV quite often. I sorta felt like Aedion when all was revealed.

Adarlan is a seriously corrupted place. Even more is hiding under the surface and QoS was a fantastic way to continue the series. I can’t wait another year!

SPOILERS UNDERNEATH

 

 

Here, I basically want to fangirl about the characters because why not?

Chaol- Personally, I feel bad for Chaol in general. In HoF, pretty much his whole life was shown to be a lie and a farce. So, Chaol has to redefine who he is as a person and decide what the purpose of his life will be. Plus, Chaol has to  figure out how to not be prejudice against this magic. Also, his heart has been ripped out of his chest as his lover has turned out to have magic, which he has a major problem with, and also be the enemy to his best friend’s future kingdom, which is basically what his whole life revolves around. Pretty much redoing his outlook on life and trying to fix all of this was really hard for Chaol. I’ve heard a lot of people complain that Chaol is “out of character,” but he isn’t. He’s just grown to be a different character than he was before, which makes sense with all the above. However, these things do not excuse him from being a complete jerk to Aelin. It constantly grated on my nerves to see them ALWAYS argue when they used to be *so* close.

Aelin- Aelin really grew up. No longer can she be Celaena Sardothien. Aelin had to become the queen she rightfully is. Sometimes, I felt that she could be a little too harsh, but overall, seriously loved the girl power that she was exuding. Also, I thought it was super fascinating to see how different she had become since ToG when she had to act like her old self to claim Arobynn’s estate. I never realized how completely different Aelin was from Celaena until then. Plus, it was pretty cool how Maas had Aelin “hide” some of the stuff that she was doing, even though we read Aelin’s POV quite often. I can’t wait to see how she continues to develop in the last two books of the series.

Lysandra- Lysandra was such a badass. She’s amazing, has a fiery spirit, and is determined to make something meaningful out of her life, despite everything that’s happened to her. #friendshipgoals

Manon, Nesryn, and Kaltain- I love love love all the girl power in QoS. All these lovely female side characters weren’t flat and they weren’t boring. Usually when I read books with tons of POVs, I always want to read the main character’s instead of side characters. This was not the case with QoS. I totally love Manon. Her character has grown in likeability soooo much since we were first introduced to her.

Dorian- OMG I felt SOO bad for Dorian. His chapters made me INCREDIBLY sad!! I just wanted to save and protect my baby throughout the whole novel. And also wrap him up in a blanket and tell him that everything is okay. Now he has to live with everything he’s done, which is UNFAIR because he didn’t have any control over what he was doing. #cries

Rowan- yes. that is all.

Aelin + Rowan- I went into this book being a Chaol + Aelin shipper. I came out of it being a Rowan + Aelin shipper. They have so much chemistry and bond so much. It’s perfect. I can’t really express how much I love their relationship. However, it won’t be the end of the world if they don’t end up together at the end.

Misc. Notes- THANK GOD AROBYNN’S DEAD. I WASN’T EXPECTING THE WHOLE KING WAS BEING CONTROLLED BY A DEMON THING. PERRINGTON? THE WITCH + WYVERN PAIRS ARE SO CUTE. MAGIC IS FREE!! KALTAIN AND ELIDE??? THE WYRDKEY??

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Song Spotlight (2)

Black Water by Of Monsters and Men

Adelina from The Young Elites Series by Marie Lu

Rites of Passage by Joy N. Hensley

Rites of Passage by Joy N. Hensley

Genre: Contemporary, Boarding School

Source: Library

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Sam McKenna’s never turned down a dare. And she's not going to start with the last one her brother gave her before he died. So Sam joins the first-ever class of girls at the prestigious Denmark Military Academy. She’s expecting push-ups and long runs, rope climbing and mud-crawling. As a military brat, she can handle an obstacle course just as well as the boys. She's even expecting the hostility she gets from some of the cadets who don’t think girls belong there. What she’s not expecting is her fiery attraction to her drill sergeant. But dating is strictly forbidden and Sam won't risk her future, or the dare, on something so petty... no matter how much she wants him. As Sam struggles to prove herself, she discovers that some of the boys don’t just want her gone—they will stop at nothing to drive her out. When their petty threats turn to brutal hazing, bleeding into every corner of her life, she realizes they are not acting alone. A decades-old secret society is alive and active… and determined to force her out. At any cost. Now time's running short. Sam must decide who she can trust... and choosing the wrong person could have deadly consequences.

Reasons to Read:

1. Sam!! Sam’s characterization is very realistic! She has flaws and insecurities, and I commend Hensley for creating such a vivid, life-like character.
2. Mystery, Intrigue, Secrets galore! This one pretty much explains itself. Rites of Passage was very action-packed and I loved the mystery element to the book. Everything wasn’t as it seemed (with the exception of a few obvious twists, but I can forgive :) )
3. Writing Style Hensley’s writing is a really nice blend of character and plot focus. I know that I’m more character based, but this combo was perfect for Rites of Passage
4. Setting Oh my gosh! I couldn’t even begin to imagine going to the Academy. It had a small (I repeat, small) feel of boarding school (which always reminds me of Harry Potter, so good memories!), but also a much more intense feeling than the standard boarding school setting.
5. SHIP!!! I’m just going to put out there that I’m a sucker for romances. I love them. So, the slightly disturbing aspect of their relationship was that I frequently forgot that they were the same age because he was her drill sergeant. Besides that, the tension and chemistry was absolutely irresistible!

Song Spotlight

Control by Halsey

 

Aelin- Throne of Glass Series

The Walled City by Ryan Graudin

The Walled City by Ryan Graudin

Genre: Dystopian

Source: Library

Rating: 5/5 Stars

 

730. That's how many days I've been trapped. 18. That's how many days I have left to find a way out. DAI, trying to escape a haunting past, traffics drugs for the most ruthless kingpin in the Walled City. But in order to find the key to his freedom, he needs help from someone with the power to be invisible.... JIN hides under the radar, afraid the wild street gangs will discover her biggest secret: Jin passes as a boy to stay safe. Still, every chance she gets, she searches for her lost sister.... MEI YEE has been trapped in a brothel for the past two years, dreaming of getting out while watching the girls who try fail one by one. She's about to give up, when one day she sees an unexpected face at her window.....

Before:

Often opinion on more than two POVs:

Walled Cities:

Pulling a Mulan:

After:

Opinion on more than two POVs:

Walled Cites:

Pulling a Mulan:

Dai + Mei Yee:

Mini Reviews!

 

So, I’ve been super busy this July (1 camp + 2 vacations) and have some books that I’ve read during this month that I want to do some sort of review type thing and I figured this would be a great way to do that!

So, without further ado…I present the July Mini Reviews---posted in August!

The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord

5/5 Stars

The Start of Me and You was a perfect long car ride read. Chock full of well fleshed out characters and a stimulating plot, it was a sweet and delightful read. Paige is such a relatable character-not exactly the tragedy she’s experienced, but more like the personality itself. It reminds me of some of my friends. Her character growth is phenomenal and beautiful. Much like the teenage experience. The plot was exciting and continuously moving. Plus, the romance was adorable. I absolutely loved it. Basically, The Start of Me and You was the exact cutesy, contemporary read I was waiting for.

 

 

 

The Wrong Side of Right by Jenn Marie Thorne

4/5 Stars

Like, The Start of Me and You, The Wrong Side of Right was a great contemporary read. I loved the political drama that was intertwined with Kate’s personal journey to finding herself. Kate also had a compelling transformation throughout the book; She began out being a whiny, weak, self-absorbed teen girl, but by the end she stands up for herself and is less whiny. One of the stand-outs of this book was the politics. I haven’t read (that I recall at this moment haha) any YA novel that addresses politics in this way. I liked how it portrayed her father and how that constantly changed as Kate grew and acknowledged the truth. The one thing I could do without was the end, particularly concerning the romance. Without giving anything away, I will say that the resolution felt unrealistic and the author’s way of appeasing the readers (if that makes any sense?). The final thing (I can’t say in fear of spoilers) felt so out of character and cheesy. Overall, an enticing and adorable read.

 

Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

3.5/5 Stars

Unfortunately, I was underwhelmed by this Dessen novel. I really liked the plot and eventual character development, but I *really* hated how Sydney was soo whiny. The dynamic between Mac and Sydney and the friendships she has with the rest of the Chathams are compelling and interesting. The relationships were definitely a major plus in the book. The undertone of hope in the face of overwhelming despair is beautiful and inspiring. Overall, I enjoyed Saint Anything, but was really irked by Sydney.

Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley

Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley

Genre: Sci-Fy, Fantasy

Source: Library

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Aza Ray is drowning in thin air. Since she was a baby, Aza has suffered from a mysterious lung disease that makes it ever harder for her to breathe, to speak—to live. So when Aza catches a glimpse of a ship in the sky, her family chalks it up to a cruel side effect of her medication. But Aza doesn't think this is a hallucination. She can hear someone on the ship calling her name. Only her best friend, Jason, listens. Jason, who’s always been there. Jason, for whom she might have more-than-friendly feelings. But before Aza can consider that thrilling idea, something goes terribly wrong. Aza is lost to our world—and found, by another. Magonia. Above the clouds, in a land of trading ships, Aza is not the weak and dying thing she was. In Magonia, she can breathe for the first time. Better, she has immense power—and as she navigates her new life, she discovers that war is coming. Magonia and Earth are on the cusp of a reckoning. And in Aza’s hands lies the fate of the whole of humanity—including the boy who loves her. Where do her loyalties lie?

Gripping. Powerful

Magonia was a thrilling read. It’s unique to a majority of what I’ve ever seen come out of the sci-fy and fantasy genres.

Aza is a stunning character. She struggles a lot with her identity and who she is once she enters Magonia. This is incredibly accurate to what real people experience and go through as they grow up. The sheer character development earns Magonia at least 3.5 Stars by itself.

"I don't think of the sky as any kind of heaven item. I think of it as a bunch of gases and faraway echoes of things that used to be on fire"-Maria Dahvana Headley

The idea of Magonia, the fantastical and magical element to the story, is, to simply put it, stellar. Headley weaves and intertwines magic in such a way that it entraps you. I’m blown away by the simplistic and artful way that Headley introduces and explains the legend of Magonia and the true identity of Aza.

Headley’s writing style was what elevated this book to one of my favorites.

It was amazing! There are no words that I could use that would convey a fraction of the *beauty* of her writing and how much I LOVED it. This writing style is one of my favorites of all.time.

"I can't imagine a universe in which I try to unlove her"-Maria Dahvana Headley

However, I found the romance to be lackluster and also the relationship between Aza and a certain person (spoiler-free!). The relationships felt like they lacked background and concrete evidence to support the relationships. The romance was meh. I really just didn’t sense a chemistry between the two. I was yearning for a solid friendship, but received a subpar romance instead.

Despite a few blips, Magonia is truly a gem in the fantasy and magical realism genres. Headley is a master at writing beautifully and artfully.

The Lucy Variations by Sara Zarr

The Lucy Variations by Sara Zarr

Genre: Contemporary

Source: NTTBF

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Lucy Beck-Moreau once had a promising future as a concert pianist. Now, at sixteen, it's over. A death, and a betrayal, led her to walk away. But without music in her life, Lucy's not sure who she is, or who she wants to be. Then she meets Will, her brother's new piano teacher, who is young, kind, and interested in helping Lucy find her way back to piano-not for an audience, but on her own terms.

The Lucy Variations was a sweet read. After reading the blurb on the back, I was instantly enamored. After reading, I was slightly let down, but it was still a good contemporary novel.

Originally, I found it a little hard to get into the story because all of the things Lucy is complaining about are so trivial and minute. Then, I realized that I do this. After coming to that somewhat unsurprising conclusion, it was easier to relate to Lucy. However, I simply cannot get over her fascination with older men. I just thought that was weird. The other characters were good too, but the character development wasn’t as outstanding as Lucy’s was (I guess this makes sense haha).

The plot was enticing, yet boring at points. I felt like the same events were happening over and over again. But, the magical thing was that at each event, Lucy would grow. That being said, the character growth for Lucy was exponential. I especially liked how at the end she finally decided to do what she wanted.

My goodness, the romance though. I could not stand the weird romance thing happening between Will and Lucy. He’s married for goodness sake! That was one part of the book that I just couldn’t understand or find a way to relate to at all. If you asked my sister how I felt about this book towards the end where a certain something happens, she would say that I was yelling at the main character. I was so frustrated with this romance. From an authorial perspective, I can see why Zarr put this in the book, but from a reader perspective, I’m just confused.

Overall, The Lucy Variations was endearing and a nice break from all the fantasy reading that I’ve been doing.

I Was Here by Gayle Forman

I Was Here by Gayle Forman

Genre: Contemporary

Source: Library

Rating: 3/5 Stars

 

When her best friend Meg drinks a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner alone in a motel room, Cody is understandably shocked and devastated. She and Meg shared everything—so how was there no warning? But when Cody travels to Meg’s college town to pack up the belongings left behind, she discovers that there’s a lot that Meg never told her. About her old roommates, the sort of people Cody never would have met in her dead-end small town in Washington. About Ben McAllister, the boy with a guitar and a sneer, who broke Meg’s heart. And about an encrypted computer file that Cody can’t open—until she does, and suddenly everything Cody thought she knew about her best friend’s death gets thrown into question.

It’s so difficult when an author that you really enjoy comes out with a new book. It’s always the question of will it be as good as their others? Unfortunately, I was Here was not as good as I was expecting. I lacked emotional connection with the characters. I’m not saying that the characters weren’t well developed, because they were. I’m saying that for some reason, I couldn’t find the thing that linked me to the characters’ emotions. It can’t be that it wasn’t relatable, because I’ve experienced similar situations with people I know.

Perhaps it was Cody’s actions themselves. I mean, Cody was obsessed with Meg’s death for a while. I can understand being upset, but man she got really really into it. She did some questionable things throughout the book, which I can’t disclose for fear of spoiling, but just know that many times I wanted to scream in frustration. While Cody makes some realistic decisions, others I felt would never happen in real life.

The plot was stimulating however. I did want to know what really happened. I wanted to find out who Meg really was. I wanted to discover what Meg tried really hard to hide. Some points I felt were redundant, like a continual return to clubs multiple times in the book.

Okay. What even was the romance. I felt SO violated by it. I felt like it was inappropriate of them, not just because of Meg’s death, which certainly had a factor. To me, they didn’t really have a connection besides both having been friends with Meg. I don’t know, I had a little niggling in my brain that was whispering that it felt like Cody was trying to be Meg. It just felt so wrong. The romance was a main reason for me giving I was Here 3 Stars.

The way Forman writes and forays into these types of topics is beautiful. She isn’t afraid to show the gritty side of life. She goes where other authors are scared of. I really appreciate Forman for doing this. However, I was Here was merely adequate in comparison to her other novels.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Genre: Fantasy

Source: Barnes and Noble

Rating: 3/5 Stars

There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,’ Neeve said. ‘Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.’ It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive. Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her. His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble. But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little. For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

I wish that I had a more positive and raving review since this is now my second time reading it, but I don’t. After the reread, I’ve just been met with disappointment again. It just wasn’t as entrancing as Siefvater’s other books.

I found the plot to be exciting, if a little predictable. I think the myth and search for the ley line was cool, but about half way, I just wanted them to find the dang thing so the book would be over. Then, the ending was pretty awesome,  so I somewhat forgave the boring middle. At the same time, I’m still unsure about what actually happened at the end and I’ve read it twice. I did however enjoy the small town setting! I like how strange and odd their town was! Plus, that forest was weird oh my goodness!

The characters were a thorn in my side. Blue and Adam are entertaining enough, but I don’t really like anyone else. I guess they have a bunch of mystery and questions surrounding them to create suspense, but they don’t have enough substance for me to relate or even grasp onto them at all. Also, I don’t get the romance between Adam and Blue when she’s clearly meant to fall in love with Gansey. I guess I was supposed to see a sort of tension between Blue and Gansey, but I didn’t.

Stiefvater’s writing style was glamorous enough, but not enough to completely captivate me.

Also for full disclosure, I hated the chapters from the Latin teacher’s perspective. They were unnecessary and actually killed suspense.

I will most likely read the other books in the series and I have hope that they’ll be better, but this book was a drag the first and the second time.

Teen Talks (1)

Teen Talks is a sporadic little feature, created by the wonderful Aneeqah from My Not So Real Life where I/whoever blogs about things relevant to teens

Summer

Summer. One word that has the power to elicit a multitude of emotions, ranging from elation to dread. I’m certainly excited for summer. I mean, who doesn’t need a break from school? But, I’m also struggling with my parents (and others) who believe that I need to do *something* amazing during the summer. Something like hang out with friends every day, but not because I must see my family sometime; something like work a lot, while somehow hanging out with friends a lot and also not going to sleep right when I get home; something like enjoy every single second that I’m out of school, but also prepare for the next school year and finish all my summer assignments. Sometimes (like the majority of the time), I just want to relax, curl up with a good book, and read. Or watch Netflix. I feel like there’s this stigma surrounding summer where teens have to be doing magical things in order to “make the most of it.” Trust me, lazing around and relax is *my* idea of fun.

I guess what I’m saying, is that summer has begun to feel like it is a competition between my peers and I to see who can do the most fun things during the summer. I don’t know, maybe its just me, but that kind of takes away from the relaxation part of summer.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Genre: Contemporary

Source: Library

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend. But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?

Anna and the French Kiss was a light-hearted, cutesy read that was perfect to begin my binge-read of contemporary books. The characters were relatable-especially Anna and her awkwardness. Perkins is a master at encapsulating the thoughts and feelings of teenage girls. Plot-wise however, Anna and the French Kiss was almost a little too buddy-buddy with some other realistic/romance YA novels that I’ve read in the past.

Anna embodied the teenage spirit and emotions.

She felt and she felt it deeply and sometimes overdramatically. Often, I can catch myself overreacting in a situation and while reading this book, I was able to identify with Anna. I am truly in awe of Perkins’s ability to capture these feelings in their whole entirety. No, I’m not saying she or other authors aren’t/couldn’t be able to accurately portray teenagers; I’m making the observation that sometimes, authors can overlook the complexity and genuine emotions of us. We teenagers are complex beings that simply continue to grow even more complex as we continue to grow and develop. Anna and the French Kiss portrays teenagers in a way that doesn’t devalue changes in emotions or mistakes.

Perkins’s writing style is girly, flowery, and flowy. While some may find this style to be shallow, I found it to be a perfect fit for this genre and type of book. It coordinates well with the characters and allows the book to be a pleasant and relaxing experience-in contrast with other genres, like Game of Thrones for instance. For me, contemporaries almost solely centered on a romance aspect require a similar writing style because without a more flowery-ish writing style, I might feel like the romance is forced or doesn’t fit.

“Why is it that the right people never wind up together? Why are people so afraid to leave a relationship, even if they know it's a bad one?”

Although I did enjoy Anna and the French Kiss, some of the plot was too cliché. It’s difficult for an author to make their book stand out because there’s already so many books that attempt to capture the emotions and feelings behind teenage romance and first loves. I definitely saw some common plot points of the contemporary romance YA genre within Anna and the French Kiss, which made it a tad bit less special and stand out-ish.

Anna and the French Kiss was just what I needed to get back into contemporary YA fiction. It had stellar characters and genuine emotion, yet the plot felt slightly similar and overdone.

The Wrath and the Dawn

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

Genre: Historical Retelling, Romance, Fantasy

Source: Library

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Every dawn brings horror to a different family in a land ruled by a killer. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, takes a new bride each night only to have her executed at sunrise. So it is a suspicious surprise when sixteen-year-old Shahrzad volunteers to marry Khalid. But she does so with a clever plan to stay alive and exact revenge on the Caliph for the murder of her best friend and countless other girls. Shazi's wit and will, indeed, get her through to the dawn that no others have seen, but with a catch . . . she’s falling in love with the very boy who killed her dearest friend. She discovers that the murderous boy-king is not all that he seems and neither are the deaths of so many girls. Shazi is determined to uncover the reason for the murders and to break the cycle once and for all.

The Wrath and the Dawn was slightly underwhelming. I’ve been to panels and heard sooo many fantastic things about this book and then I read it and I was left wondering what all the hype was about. Yes, the Shazi was powerful and sassy. Yes, Khalid was mysterious and enigmatic. Yes, its part of the beginning of a bubbling of diverse books. Yet, the magical element was off-putting and the plot dragged. 

The characters are what made this novel stand out. Shazi is a firecracker. Her wit and her secret skills are so fascinating to discover and each time she revealed that she was awesome at yet another thing, I giggled. She’s similar to many other YA characters, but yet different. The voice behind the character seems genuine and life-like. It was refreshing in a YA world overrun by sassy, strong female leads. Khalid was another strong point. His past defines his present and his future, and at first he lets that happen. Then, he lets someone in finally and things actually happen (I’m tryin’ to keep this spoiler-free people). It sounds a little cliche, and maybe it is, but in this book, it felt right. The handmaiden was kickass and veritable in her own way. She was similar to Shazi with her quickfire comebacks and loud opinions,  but Ahdieh managed to make them different. Their inner voices are different. And its amazing.

“Some things exist in our lives for but a brief moment. And we must let them go on to light another sky.” ~ Renee Ahdieh

The romance was the typical YA romance. Boy meets Girl. Girl irrevocably changes Boy. Boy becomes a better person. And I’m usually not bothered by this or even annoyed by its prevalence. Remaining true in The Wrath and the Dawn, this trope didn’t necessarily annoy me, but it slightly ruffled my feathers. But, it fit the characters so stinkin’ well that it complemented the book quite nicely.

However, I was not a fan of the magic. I know, I know. This is a retelling. But the magical element just didn’t sit well with me. I did not like the way it was introduced into the story. I understand that it was a mystery and Khalid’s deepest secret, but the delivery was lacking. It wasn’t the magic itself; the magic was fine and dandy. My main problem with the magic was its existence in this story, as the introduction did not allow it to fit.

Also, the plot could get a little draggy at points. This is understandable as we have to experience what Shazi does everyday to continue to win her spot in the palace. Yet, I found this to be boring at times and wished it would’ve been spiced up a little.

The Wrath and the Dawn was a character-based novel that was pleasantly enjoyable, with a few dings along the way.

 

Dirt Daughter by Michele Shaw

Dirt Daughter by Michele Shaw

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Source: NetGalley

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Synopsis: “In Dirt Daughter, seventeen-year-old Elena Black has concealed the secret to her childhood friend’s murder for eight years. With the possibility of a college scholarship looming, she plans to keep that secret and flee her dysfunctional home; one with a drug-addicted mother, a stepsister she just met, and a bitter, abusive uncle. But, when a detective reopens the cold case and a friend sets her up on a date with the new boy at school, the past and present collide, threatening Elena’s future plans…and her life.”

Review: I haven’t read a true mystery novel for a while. I don’t know if this is because I’m not into the genre anymore or they don’t appeal to me as much as I always seem to think that they will. I’m not sure. However, Dirt Daughter was a pleasant surprise and a sort of gentle re-entering into the mystery genre.

Shaw’s writing style was a tad too straight-forward and at points felt like she used words that the main character wouldn’t. Yet, it was overall good for the suspense and confusion of the main character.

One of the defining characteristics of this book was the extreme unreliability of the main character. I love this aspect. Shaw pulls it off marvelously. Elena herself is keeping everything confusing and secretive for the reader and its one of my favorite parts of this book. It creates so much more suspense. I think that this book would be a completely different, flat book if Elena wasn’t written the way she was.

From the beginning, I was very intrigued about what happened. The mystery part was meh. I was ticked that the secret was revealed before the end. It made the part that was supposed to be wow omg can’t believe it was that person! moment not as big as I would’ve liked. Basically, the mystery itself was interesting, but the actual reality wasn’t as exciting.

The relationships in Dirt Daughter were also a good point. I enjoyed the continual effort on Chayton’s part. It didn’t feel like he made her better; it felt like his presence was encouraging her to be better. That’s definitely more picturesque than it is in reality, but that’s the goal for real life relationships (in my opinion anyways).

Dirt Daughter was a suspenseful and satisfying book, but it wasn’t a Wow! caliber book. The plot, characters, and relationships were enjoyable aspects of the book, while the style and the reveal itself were lacking.

Top Tuesday (4) : Books I’d Love to See as Movies

TTT is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where you share your top ten books on a certain topic.

Top Ten Books I’d Love to See as Movies/ TV Shows:

 

1. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell: This would totally be a fantastic movie! I can just imagine the cuteness, fluffiness, and awesomeness that would ensue if this book was made into a movie!

2. The Infernal Devices Series by Cassandra Clare: This fantastic series should be made into a TV show. I adore the characters, story, and ships. Honestly, I would love but also be very nervous if this was made into a show because they haven’t had a good track record with The Moral Instruments Series (hopefully the show will be better!), but I would probably still be excited!

3. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins: I would be happy if any of Stephanie Perkins’s books were turned into movies, but since this one is my favorite of the three, I would most love it if it was adapted into a movie. I mean, the cast would have to be absolute perfection (as with all the others), but I think I would suffer from cuteness overload if Isla was made into a movie.

4. Tiger’s Curse Series by Colleen Houck: I really like where the series is heading and I feel like the plot is stimulating enough to be a show. Each book can be a season and everything would be grand!

5. Maximum Ride Series by James Patterson: These books are a part of my childhood and seeing them being made into either a movie or a TV show would probably bring me great joy! As far as I know, there isn’t a TV show about a semi- d0ystopian world with mutant teens who can fly, so that alone would be highly fascinating!

6. Looking For Alaska by John Green: Okay, sorry to be cliche, but this is my favorite John Green novel. I was very moved by the end and I seriously believe it would make a perfect movie.

7. The Selection Series by Kiera Cass: This series would make the PERFECT TV show! Seriously. Think about it. There’s plenty of intrigue and mystery and suspense. The characters are good enough. It would be reminiscent of the Bachelorette and Bachelor, but would have its own quirks and nuances that would make it completely original and gorgeous.

8. Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J. Maas: OKAY SORRY I LOVE THIS SERIES IT HAD TO BE INCLUDED. Obviously, I would have to cast the movies, but ya know it would be perfect. Perfect.

9. Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini: This novel would make a beautiful movie. In a perfect world, where book adaptation movies are absolutely perfect, a movie version of this book would be poignant and moving. I would love it.

10. The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson: This book has great characters, is imbibed with history and yet is original, and has a intense plot. Fantastic movie right there.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black 

Genre: Dystopian Fantasy

Source: Library

Rating: 4/ 5 Stars

Synopsis: “Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown's gates, you can never leave.
One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.”

Review: So I read this book for Battle of the Books since I’m on my school’s team. I previously had wanted to read it, but it wasn’t at the top of my TBR list (honestly, I have no order to it really). Also, I went into this book thinking that it had zombies in it, which I’m not really into. Obviously, I discovered that there wasn’t zombies, but there was vampires.

I have a love-hate relationship with vampires. On one hand, I love fantasy and those sorts of creatures. On the other hand, the whole vampire thing has been so overdone that I kind of don’t want to read anymore of it at this point. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown was similar to other vampire reads, but also very refreshing.

“We all wind up drawn to what we're afraid of, drawn to try to find a way to make ourselves safe from a thing by crawling inside of it, by loving it, by becoming it.”

I really enjoyed the characters. I think Tana is extremely life-like. She has conflicting emotions and makes a lot of dumb mistakes (but not too many that I want to slap her) that makes me feel like Tana reflects a real person. That’s an incredible feat. I know a lot of people dislike Tana because she makes mistakes and is stupid, but I think that her emotions and conflicts were life-like.

Dudes, don’t get me started on Gavriel. Yeah I know, he’s the typical YA love interest. But I can’t resist. I really can’t. Also, its made perfectly clear that he has bad intentions and isn’t a good guy. Obviously, I can’t stay away. Their romance is not a focal point in the book and only exists occasionally, but the slow-burning tension. I felt it building throughout the book.

The relationships were great. The love and dedication within Tana and her sister’s relationship was so sweet and so awesome. Also, I loved Tana and her ex-boyfriend’s interactions.

Plot-wise, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown was good. Plot twists happened, but I felt little to no suspense. Action happened. Some dull parts happened. Overall, plot was average.

The world building was incredible. It was well-crafted and went hand-in-hand with Black’s marvelous descriptive style. I would say that I would want to live in that world, but that would be really frightening. The concept, although not new, is revamped (<- pun intended) to have a fantasy element.

Overall, I enjoyed The Coldest Girl in Coldtown. The characters really made the book for me and I liked the dark and gritty undertones. I’m extremely sad and disappointed that this is a stand alone. I thought the ending perfectly set up the book for a sequel or even a full-fledged series, but ITS NOT. :(

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

Genre: Fantasy

Source:Library

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Synopsis: “Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien’s only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan’s Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King’s Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan’s biggest threat – and his own toughest enemy.
While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she has grown to love?”

Review: Gosh. This. Book. Was. So. Amazing.

Heir of Fire has solidified Maas as one of my favorite authors. Honestly, I loved it from start to finish.

***BEWARE SPOILERS AHEAD***

I know that a lot of people had the complaint that the middle was boring, but to me the relationship building between Rowan and Celaena made up for it. Plus, the whole middle built suspense for the FANTASTIC ending. I was in tears. I screeched. I furiously texted Aneeqah and begged her to hurry up and read the second one and this one so I could talk to her about my feels. The end was one giant plot twist. Every time I thought I had recovered (who am I kidding, I will never recover) from one twist, I was hit with another! My feelings were all over the place. Thank goodness I was home alone when I read this because I’m sure my family would’ve been really concerned about my mental state. The plot alone guaranteed at least a 4 Star rating.

You know what got the 5th and final star? The bad*** characters. I LOVED Celaena’s development. I LOVED Rowan. I LOVED Chaol (okay… more on Chaol later). I LOVED Dorian. I absolutely adore Celaena and she and Tris Prior are tied as my favorite characters of all time. Her development was phenomenal. She finally stepped up to the plate and I might have shed a tear (or ten). Rowan was hilarious. He tried to act like he didn’t care, but I saw through his little facade and enjoyed every second of Celaena’s and his dialogue. It was pure gold. I want to applaud Dorian for moving on. He deserved better than the Celaena in book two. I can’t wait to see the truly magnificent things that Dorian accomplishes (although I don’t know how he’s going to deal with the ending because man).

Chaol. Oh Chaol. I feel such pity for you. I don’t feel like you aren’t good enough for Celaena, but you have such an imaginary image of Celaena. Do you love her or do you love the image of her that you’ve created in your mind?

The relationships in this book were so profound and so good. Also, I felt EXACTLY what the characters were feeling. There are no words except to say that while I was reading Heir of Fire, I was fully immersed in the book. I was there.

Now that I’ve fangirled about the marvelous characters, let’s talk business. I know I’ve said this in the first two books’ reviews, but I need to reiterate it. Maas is a fantastic story teller and world builder. I LOVE the fantasy and how it developed in this book now that we’ve met actual faeries.

The love I have for this book is astronomical. The ending blew me away and I cannot wait for the rest of the series.

How many times did I type the word ‘love’? 9

All the Truth That’s in Me by Julie Berry

All the Truth That’s in Me by Julie Berry

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Source: Library

Rating: 2/5 Stars

Synopsis: “Four years ago, Judith and her best friend disappeared from their small town of Roswell Station. Two years ago, only Judith returned, permanently mutilated, reviled and ignored by those who were once her friends and family. Unable to speak, Judith lives like a ghost in her own home, silently pouring out her thoughts to the boy who’s owned her heart as long as she can remember—even if he doesn’t know it—her childhood friend, Lucas. But when Roswell Station is attacked, long-buried secrets come to light, and Judith is forced to choose: continue to live in silence, or recover her voice, even if it means changing her world, and the lives around her, forever.”

Review: I’m so incensed by this book. For me, All the Truth That’s in Me was a victim of over-hype. I expected an experience extremely different than the one that I experienced.

For starters, I didn’t understand the time period. Was it historical, like Puritan society? Was it some other universe? I could not figure it out the ENTIRE book. I ended up settling with a Puritan-like time period because that society was so crazy.

Also, I really really disliked most of the characters. Judith has this weirdly stalkerish crush on Lucas. Before reading, I thought that this would be cute, but when I read it I was highly disturbed. I found her obsessive infatuation with Lucas to be really creepy. Also, I felt like Lucas had no personality, like he was the good guy trope. At points I would think Oh there’s a real human emotion! But the majority of the time I thought Could this character be any more dull? The only character I tolerated was Maria because she was just really nice and cheery in that awful oppressive society.

The plot was highly confusing for me. The experiment in telling the story in Judith’s voice when she couldn’t talk to others to find out what was really going on failed. A lot. I was confused a lot during the book. I didn’t even particularly like Judith’s voice.

The only good thing I experienced in All the Truth That’s in Me was the mystery. The mystery of what really happened intrigued me. I wanted to learn the real truth.

Honestly, I probably wouldn’t have finished All the Truth That’s in Me if I didn’t have to read it for Battle of the Books. The plot was utterly confusing, the characters were dreary and the town and setting were truly terrible.

North Texas Teen Book Festival!!

This past Saturday, I  was so lucky to be able to go to the First Annual North Texas Teen Book Festival. I had an AMAZING time!! I went with my friend Jackie and we got so lost on the way that there that we ended up in DFW Airport at one point! Once we got there, we met up with our friends Emma and Shannon and rushed to get armbands for speed dating.

Speed dating rocked! I got The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston for…FREE! Getting a free book was just the beginning of the awesomeness that soon commenced.

After Speed Dating, we went to the bookshop and while everyone else bought two books, I bought four.

The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle,

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han,

The Lucy Variations by Sara Zarr,

and Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins.

 

 

 

Then, we headed over to some panels. Honestly, these panels were the BEST part of NTTBF. The ones I saw were so funny!!!

Then, we got in line for author signings and I somehow managed to get ALL of my books signed! The authors were really awesome. Overall, I had a GRAND and FANTASTIC time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

p.s. I’ve already read two of the books I got and I’m PUMPED to read the rest!

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Genre: Fantasy

Source: Barnes and Noble

Rating 5/5 Stars

Synopsis: "From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.
Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.
Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie...and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.”

Review: Goodness gracious, I loved loved loved the end of this book. I love the fantasy. I love the characters. I love the complexity. I love everything.

Maas’s writing style is so great. I’m so absorbed into the world she creates. Celaena’s voice shines through and it’s just so clear and so Celaena.

Maas’s world is fantastic. I love the deception, the courts, the danger. I especially am enamored with the fantasy. It’s so well-written and beautiful. It’s weird saying that fantasy is beautiful, but Maas’s is. There is a back story that actually makes sense (Hallelujah!). Plus, the magic has evolved to fit the terms of the modern world, in comparison to the way that the old magic was used. A lot of what made this book for me was the amazing fantasy.

Another thing that was absolutely enthralling was the plot and characters. They were so great. I cried when Calaena cried. I laughed when she laughed. I felt the confusion and angst. I was totally able to empathizes with the characters and it was fantastic. The plot was a whole other beast. I kept getting shocked and surprised with the twists and turns it took! Poor Aneeqah got many texts from me saying that I wish I could tell her a thing about the book, but I couldn’t because she hadn’t read it yet.

The romance was better than the first book and detracted a little bit in some of its suddenness.

Overall, I loved almost everything about Crown of Midnight.

How many times did I type the word ‘love’? 9

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

Genre: Historical Contemporary Fiction

Source: Library

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Synopsis: "Two misfits. One extraordinary love.
Eleanor... Red hair, wrong clothes. Standing behind him until he turns his head. Lying beside him until he wakes up. Making everyone else seem drabber and flatter and never good enough...Eleanor.
Park... He knows she'll love a song before he plays it for her. He laughs at her jokes before she ever gets to the punch line. There's a place on his chest, just below his throat, that makes her want to keep promises...Park.
Set over the course of one school year, this is the story of two star-crossed sixteen-year-olds—smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try."

Review: Eleanor and Park was such a bittersweet book. Eleanor’s situation was so terrible and very sad. Rowell’s writing is so descriptive that I felt as if I was Eleanor and then that I was Park. I felt so much sympathy for each of the characters. I read this book a week ago and now that I’m sitting here writing this, I’m getting a nostalgic feeling like I would get if I think back to some of my old friends and old memories.

The characters, particularly Eleanor and Park, resound so much to me. Eleanor’s family home is so so sad and poignant. I just wanted to steal her, take her to my house, and give her a massive bear hug. The amount of sympathy I feel for Eleanor is very much like the sympathy I would feel for a friend; that’s how real Rowell is able to make her characters. For Park, I feel like although his family life is the stereotypical family, he has to live up to a lot of expectations which is something I can relate to. Rowell creates really real characters and I loved that about Eleanor and Park.

As for the plot, not so much. A lot of the book was just the same struggles, time just passed. Once Park and Eleanor fell in love, the book kind of fell into a rut and stayed there until around 30 pages until the end. After a major event, the book just stayed in the same aftereffects of the event for such a long time that it got quite redundant and boring.

Even though I disliked the plot, the romance was so sweet and similar to love in real life ( in some cases). Both were keeping secrets, but both were content in each other’s presence and the other person made them happy. Eleanor and Park didn’t have much in common, but I thought that this so realistic (at least in a multitude of high school relationships). They’re defining traits were contradictory, but in the end they just balanced each other out.

I’m very satisfied with Eleanor and Park and loved everything except for the somewhat repetitive plot.

The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski

The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski

Genre: Dystopian

Source: Library

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Synopsis: “Winning what you want may cost you everything you love
As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions.
One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.
But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.
Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.”

Review: I have a lot of conflicted feelings about this book. I really liked multiple aspects of it, but I vehemently HATE the romance between Kestrel and Arin. I feel like it absolutely ruined a lot of the good things I felt about this book right after reading it.

To start off with the good things before I get into a rant about the romance, I really enjoyed Rutkoski’s writing style. It was expressive and quite beautiful at times. Rutkoski had the perfect balance of show and tell.

To say that the plot was great is simply not enough. The plot was utterly exhilarating. I read The Winner’s Curse in one sitting because I was constantly on the edge of my chair (well bed) waiting to see how everything would work out. I was surprised with a couple of twists and absolutely loved  it! One down side I had with the plot was that a big portion of the back half was pure action and for some reason I found myself either bored with redundancy or trying to rush back to what was happening with Kestrel with some parts of the near-constant action towards the end. That being said, I’m a person who likes action, but not really an in depth view of the fighting for long lengths of time.

I am completely in awe of how well-developed Kestrel was by the end. Rutkoski really blew me away by the fantastic character development. Kestrel was almost completely different by the end, in a good way. She possessed all of her previous positive qualities, but times 10. She also gained other great traits and will probably have more flaws develop as the series continues because it would be boring if she was perfect. I can’t express how much I want to meet Rutkoski, shake her hand, and tell her what a fantastic job she did with Kestrel.

I liked the friendships in the book, despite HOW TERRIBLE A FRIEND KESTREL WAS. I thought they were an accurate representation of some of the close friendships that I have.

*****SPOILERS ARE BELOW***** YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

I know y’all are all wondering how I could possibly have given 3 Stars to this book when I can’t stop raving about it. Here’s what really ruined this book for me: the romance. I can’t stand it. At all. It was horrid. Not that the romance was written terrible or anything. It was just that I can not possibly be persuaded to understand how in the heck Kestrel would still love Arin when he literally CAUSES the deaths of almost everyone she knows and the destruction of her country. It is unfathomable to me how she can even look him in the eye when he almost killed her best friend. I don’t get how she gets over her hate for him so fast and actually makes a deal to SAVE the bastard’s life. Basically, I just hate Arin and Kestrel’s love for him that I will NEVER understand.

Overall, I really loved The Winner’s Curse, but was so put off by the romance that I couldn’t like it as much as I wanted.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Genre: Contemporary

Source: Library

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Synopsis: “A beautiful and distinguished family. A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy. A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive. A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies. True love. The truth.”

Review: There’s so many things I want to say about this book, but I can’t because it would completely ruin the ending and the magic of the book, so know that I am very limited on what I can talk about.

Man, this book was great. While, I was reading it, I didn’t think that it was  that great because the plot dragged on and on (despite the book not even being that long). That was until the end. The end changes everything. It changed how I viewed the book and how I saw the plot progression.

Yes, the plot was utterly slow at points (hence the 4 Stars, not 5). I got rather bored with the plot because it felt like same similar things, some of which weren’t even exciting, kept happening. For most of the book ( I read it in one sitting), I was highly annoyed by the slow plot. Not annoyed enough to stop reading, though. I wanted to see what was with the suspense. I wanted to see why so many people were praising this book to no end. I wanted to see what the “accident” was. The plot, although slow, actually did drop hints to what happened, it just took finally knowing what happened to realize this. That is some serious writing skills you have there, Ms. Lockhart. I too want to praise this book to the heavens and back.

I absolutely ADORE the writing style. It’s romantic, flowy, descriptive, suspenseful, and enchanting. Basically, its magic.

The characters in We Were Liars are UTTERLY despicable. I HATED them with a fierce passion. And then the ending happened. I can’t say much else, but bravo Lockhart. Bravo.

To be 100% honest, by the end (because the shock is revealed about 10 or so pages from the end), I was crying so hard that it was very difficult to read. The event made me seriously reconsider the WHOLE book and EVERY LITTLE THING that ever happened in the book. I felt many emotions (I had three very distinct ones, which I cannot disclose). This book is so magical and great and fantastic. Please go read it right now so I can talk to someone about it (side-eyeing you Aneeqah)

I’m very sorry I can’t say much else in fear of spoiling the ending. I’M SORRY FOR THIS VERY BRIEF REVIEW. JUST GO READ THE BOOK AND BE AMAZED.

Waiting on Wednesday (3)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme where you share what books you're excited about. It's hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This Week I am waiting on: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Synopsis: “The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers. To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change.
Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control.
But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win?”

First of all, the cover looks so good! Also, I’ve read AMAZING things about this book. It has dystopian and it looks like a little bit of fantasy with the “god-like powers” line. I’m just really pumped to read it!!

Expected Publication Date: February 10th, 2015

What are you waiting on?

Top Ten Tuesday (3): Favorite Quotes

TTT is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and Bookish where you share your top ten books on a certain topic.

 

Top Ten Favorite Quotes

1. “There are so many ways to be brave in this world. Sometimes bravery involves laying down your life for something bigger than yourself, or for someone else. Sometimes it involves giving up everything you have ever known, or everyone you have ever loved, for the sake of something greater. But sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it is nothing more than gritting your teeth through pain, and the work of every day, the slow walk toward a better life.
   That is the sort of bravery I must have now.” –Veronica Roth, Allegiant
2. “Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.” – John Green, The Fault in Our Stars
3. “So, this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I'm still trying to figure out how that could be.” – Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower
4. “You can't live your life for other people. You've got to do what's right for you, even if it hurts some people you love.” – Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook
5. “I can never read all the books I want; I can never be all the people I want and live all the lives I want. I can never train myself in all the skills I want. And why do I want? I want to live and feel all the shades, tones and variations of mental and physical experience possible in life. And I am horribly limited.” – Sylvia Plath, The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath
6. “It takes ten times as long to put yourself back together as it does to fall apart.” – Suzanne Collins, Mockingjay
7. “In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.” – Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
8. “What a treacherous thing to believe that a person is more than a person.” – John Green, Paper Towns
9. “I am not pretty. I am not beautiful. I am as radiant as the sun.” – Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games
10. “Atque in pepetuum, frater, ave atque vale,” he whispered. The words of the poem had never seemed so fitting: Forever and ever, my brother, hail and farewell.” – Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Princess

Bonus!!

“You cannot pick and choose what parts of her to love.” – Sarah J. Maas, Heir Of Fire

To be painfully honest, compiling this list was close to impossible! I LOVE so many quotes. I kept wanting to add more and more at the end and to include authors that I didn’t think of at first!

What is your top ten favorite quotes?

Waiting on Wednesday (2)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme where you share what books you're excited about. It's hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm waiting on: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

  

Synopsis: 

"When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.
As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever."

I think it's safe to say that I'm obsessed with Sarah J. Maas and her amazing stories. I'm so so so freaking excited to read this. It has more of the lovely magic that Sarah J. Maas can describe so well and forbidden romance(really looking forward to this)! I think I'll LOVE it.

Expected Publication Date: May 5th, 2015

What are you waiting on?

Top Ten Tuesday (2): 2014 Releases I Meant to Read, but didn't get to

TTT is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and Bookish where you share your top ten books on a certain topic.

My Top Ten 2014 Releases I Meant to Read, but didn't get to

• Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey: So, I read The Fifth Wave like ages ago and I had been so pumped to read this when it first came out...and then I probably got busy and didn't have time to read it. Anyways, it looks awesome so I hope I get a chance to read it sometime soon.
• Falling into Place by Amy Zhang: I've only heard good things about this. Also, the Goodreads blurb says that it's told in nonlinear pieces and I always love that when it's done right.
• Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo: I'm so sad that I didn't read this when it first came out. Now I have to find the time to go back and read the first two before I can read this one because I've forgotten a lot of what happens. I love the Grisha world and I really really love Leigh Bardugo's writing style. I can't wait to read it this year.

 

   

• All the Light we Cannot See by Anthony Doerr: This just sounds so good! Also, its a Goodreads winner and on the front shelves at Barnes and Noble, so people must be liking it. I love novels about this time period and I think I'll really enjoy it once I get around to it.
• Landline by Rainbow Rowell: This book, also a Goodreads winner, looks lovely. Of course, it'll be typical Rainbow Rowell style, which is marvelous. Plus, it has a little sy-fy twist with the whole time-travel concept thrown into the mix. I can't wait to finally read it.
• Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi: I feel so bad that I didn't get the chance to read this one or the second one last year. I loved the first one, so I will get around to them one day!

 

• The Young Elites by Marie Lu: I'll read anything by Marie Lu. Also, there's now three main characters instead of the two that were in her other series, so I'm interested in seeing what she did to distinguish the characters this time around. Plus, the cover looks amazing. I will definitely read it this year. (hopefully)
• Anatomy of a Misfit by Andrea Portes: Anatomy of a Misfit seems like it would be a great contemporary/ romance-y book, but with a little grittiness thrown in there! I've heard a bunch of good things about it and am excited to hopefully read it this year!
• Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor: This is another one of those cases where I'm going to have to go back and reread the first two (berating myself right now). Gosh, it just looks so good...why didn't I find the time to read this last year?
• I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson: I can't even express how pumped I am to read this book now. I was excited before it came out, but now I'm beyond excited; I'm so dang enthusiastic. Also the cover's very pretty.

What are some of your 2014 books that you planned to read, but didn't?