Queen of Books: July 2016

Sunday, 31 July 2016

Weekly Update: 7/25 - 7/31

I have decided to start doing a weekly post called weekly recap where I update you on my life, reading and watching. Plus any posts I have done or will do.

I had a pretty boring week. I did a lot of shopping and I got a lot of reading done.

New Books

Purchased:

Library:

July Wrap-Up

So, it's the end of the month and that means another wrap-up! I read a total of fifteen books this month and I am on my way to finishing two more which will sadly not be featured in this wrap-up. I have been in Los Angeles, California, most of this month so I have been doing a ton of reading and quite a good amount of blogging as well. I have also been doing well at my challenges and am well on my way to completing them.

Now, without further ado, lets get to the books I read this month.

PHYSICAL BOOKS

The first physical book I read was Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout. I read this book in one sitting which was a good thing for me as that rarely happens. I adored this book. This is the third book in one of my favorite series. I love the characters and the plots so so much. And the cliffhanger, absolutely killed me. I rated this book 5 out of 5 Crowns

The second book I read was Love, Lies and Spies by Cindy Anstey. This was a great YA Historical Fiction/Romance and I adored it as well. I ended up rating it 5 Crowns as well.

The third physical book I read was Lock and Mori by Heather W. Petty. I adore Sherlock and I expected to enjoy this as well which I did. It was such a fantastic retelling and I loved the characters so much. I rated it 5 Crowns

The fourth physical book I read was A Drop of Night by Stefan Bachmann. I have never really read a thriller or horror book before so this was my first experience and I have to say that I really enjoyed it. I ended up rating it 5 Crowns.

The fifth physical book I read was The King Slayer by Virginia Boecker. I love this duology so much and this book was a wonderful sequel. I loved the romance and the characters and the plot. I did not want it to end. I rated it 5 Crowns.

The sixth book I read was Ash and Bramble by Sarah Prineas. I found myself a little bit bored with this book but I ended up liking it more as it went on and I rated it 4 Crowns.

The seventh book I read was The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine. I love retellings so so much and this proved to be such a good Snow White retelling. The Queen was horrible and everything was so vivid. I loved it and rated it 5 Crowns.

The eighth book I read was Valkyrie Rising by Ingrid Paulson. I had this book in my book depository wishlist and then I saw it at the library so I decided to just pick it up. I ended up really enjoying it and wanting more but sadly there isn't another book. I rated it 4 Crowns.

The ninth book I read this month was The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins. I have never been so anxious to get the next book. I need Paxon to come back and fix everything. Please. I rated this 4 Crowns.

The tenth book I read this month was The Morganville Vampires Volume 1 by Rachel Caine. I can't believe that I read a vampire book. Like this is crazy stuff. I am not one to submit to the crowds in terms of reading books and this time I did. I read a vampire book and I actually enjoyed it. I rated it 4 Crowns.

The eleventh book I read was Starflight by Melissa Landers. I loved this book. It is like a cross between The Lunar Chronicles, Stitching Snow and Star Wars and it is amazing. I rated it 5 Crowns and I found a new favorite.

The twelfth book I read was Everland by Wendy Spinale. Ugh, this book was so so good. I love Peter Pan and Peter Pan retellings. They are always so good and Pete was so amazing. New fictional boyfriend guys. I rated it 5 Crowns.

The thirteenth book I read was The Vanishing Throne by Elizabeth May. I need to own this book!!! I loved it so so much and now I want the next one. I need the next one. I love the romance and the characters and the plot. And Kiaran is like my favorite 'bad boy'. I rated it 5 Crowns.

The fourteenth book I read was Burning Glass by Kathryn Purdie. I just finished this and it was so good that I should have a massive book hangover but I really don't. I rated it 5 Crowns.

ARC READ

The last book I read was The Beauty of Darkness by Mary E. Pearson. I loved this book so much. It was a wonderful ender and even though I was slightly disappointed that my ship did not quite happen, I still loved it. I rated it 5 Crowns.

REVIEWS IN JULY

Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout: 5 Crown Rating

The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye: 4 Crown Rating

Love, Lies and Spies by Cindy Anstey: 5 Crown Rating

The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Choka: 5 Crown Rating

Lock and Mori by Heather W. Petty: 5 Crown Rating

The Beauty of Darkness by Mary E. Pearson: 5 Crown Rating

Ash and Bramble by Sarah Prineas: 4 Crown Rating

The King Slayer by Virginia Boecker: 5 Crown Rating

A Drop of Night by Stefan Bachmann: 5 Crown Rating

Everland by Wendy Spinale: 5 Crown Rating

FAVORITE COVER OF THE MONTH:

WHAT BOOKS I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH:

Saturday, 30 July 2016

Everland by Wendy Spinale Review

This is a spoiler free review!

Everland

Written by Wendy Spinale

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy/Retelling

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Release Date: May 10, 2016

Pages: 312

Source: Library

Places to Get this Book: Amazon Barnes and Noble Book Depository

Recommended Age: 13 and up!

Summary:

London has been destroyed in a blitz of bombs and disease. The only ones who have survived are children, among them Gwen Darling and her siblings, Joanna and Mikey. They spend their nights scavenging and their days avoiding the ruthless Marauders -- the German army led by Captain Hanz Otto Oswald Kretschmer.

Unsure if the virus has spread past England's borders but desperate to leave, Captain Hook hunts for a cure, which he thinks can be found in one of the survivors. He and his Marauders stalk the streets snatching children for experimentation. None ever return. Until the day they grab Joanna. As Gwen sets out to save her, she meets a daredevil boy named Pete. Pete offers the assistance of his gang of Lost Boys and the fierce sharpshooter Bella, who have all been living in a city hidden underground. But in a place where help has a steep price and every promise is bound by blood, it will cost Gwen. And are she, Pete, the Lost Boys, and Bella enough to outsmart Captain Hook?

Review:

I have an obsession with all things Peter Pan so it isn't really a surprise that I picked this book up and loved it. It is a steampunk retelling of Peter Pan and it is so so good. My heart was soaring after I read this book and I was so so happy that I am now wanting to buy the book just so I can reread it whenever I wish. Plus, now I have a massive crush on Pete.

COVER

The cover fits the book beautifully. I love the pixie dust at the top and the girl with wings. It fits the book so wonderfully, I couldn't ask for a better cover.

WORLD-BUILDING

I was so impressed with the world-building. I was not confused at all by the world and it intrigued me so much.

Then there are the characters.

GWEN

Gwen is the perfect picture of a kind and brave heroine. She cares so much about her family and she goes to great lengths for them. She is also stubborn and skeptical of things, and not quick to trust others. In this type of a setting, trusting others could mean your abduction or death. I really enjoyed seeing Gwen change throughout the book.

PETE

Pete was such a good representation of Peter Pan. He had that trademark smirk/smile and was sarcastic and funny. He was however, older which changed him a bit but he still had that charm. He quickly became my favorite character.

BELLA

I believe Bella was meant to be Tinkerbell and she was totally like her. She had that same stubbornness and seemed rather possessive of Pete. She was also really kind and smart. I grew to love her as much as I love the original Tink.

HOOK

Hook is different in this. He has a tragic backstory which shows why he does what he does but it didn't really make me feel sorry for him. He is still a complete villain and what happened in his past doesn't show why he has to do the things that he does.

FRIENDSHIP/FAMILY

Spinale really showcases family and friendship in this story. She shows the importance of family and to stick together. She also shows that you don't have to be related by blood to be a family and to love each other like one which I really liked.

PLOT

The plot was wonderfully, well done. I loved seeing the story of Peter Pan reborn. I liked how the Lost Boys 'den' was underground instead of in a treetrunk and how they each had jobs and acted more like a community. Gwen was also not really like a mother to them but more of an older sister and friend.

ROMANCE

If you were like me and knew that Peter and Wendy were a total item and had so much chemistry, then you need this book. Gwen and Pete are so cute and the chemistry between them was undeniable. Pete cares about her more than a friend halfway through the book and that sort of changes everything. They also bring out the best in each other and are such a great team. I love them so much. New OTP!

WRITING

I didn't pay too much attention to the actual writing but it was such a good read so the writing was beautiful, obviously.

Final Thoughts:

If you like anything Peter Pan, then I highly recommend this book. It is such a good retelling and has all the aspects of the original story that you need. I adore this book. It is a new favorite of mine.

Quotes from the Book:

"Pete?" I say, my voice crackling. "Please don't die."

Pete gives me a dazzling smile and bows. "To die will be an awfully big adventure." He blows me a kiss and pulls the heavy door shut with a metallic clank, leaving me alone in the dark.

"I knew you'd come for me," she whispers.

With the back of my hand, I brush a tear from my own cheek. "I'm your sister. I'll always come for you."

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Crowns

A Drop of Night by Stefan Bachmann Review

This is a spoiler free review!

A Drop of Night

Written by Stefan Bachmann

Genre: Young Adult/Thriller/Horror

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Release Date: March 15, 2016

Pages: 439

Source: Library

Places to Get this Book: Amazon Barnes and Noble Book Depository

Recommended Age: 13 and up!

Summary:

Seventeen-year-old Anouk has finally caught the break she’s been looking for—she's been selected out of hundreds of other candidates to fly to France and help with the excavation of a vast, underground palace buried a hundred feet below the suburbs of Paris. Built in the 1780's to hide an aristocratic family and a mad duke during the French Revolution, the palace has lain hidden and forgotten ever since. Anouk, along with several other gifted teenagers, will be the first to set foot in it in over two centuries.

Or so she thought.

But nothing is as it seems, and the teens soon find themselves embroiled in a game far more sinister, and dangerous, than they could possibly have imagined. An evil spanning centuries is waiting for them in the depths. . .

A genre-bending thriller from Stefan Bachmann for fans of The Maze Runner and Joss Whedon’s The Cabin in the Woods.

You cannot escape the palace.

You cannot guess its secrets.

Review:

I'm not sure if any of you know but I am not really a fan of horror. Like at all. I have never seen a horror movie in my life and the trailers just freak me out. But this book was different. I really enjoyed the thrills and horrors that were in it. I was sucked into this book and read it in one sitting which surprised even me.

COVER

The cover is kind of freaky but at the same time, really represents the book well which is what you want in a cover. I really like how the house is at the top and then at the bottom, it is a ballroom or hallway of sorts which has someone running which perfectly shows what happens in this book. It also gives sort of an eerie atmosphere which is perfect for this book.

WORLD-BUILDING

The world-building is done amazingly well. We get to see two point of views. One point of view from the modern day, and the other from a long time ago. I liked learning about the world from each point of view.

Then there are the characters.

ANOUK

Anouk isn't your usual very likable main character or heroine. In fact, I didn't really like her at the beginning. She sort of annoyed me and seemed to be rather rude to the point of having me wanting to tear my hair out. She is so secluded and seems to know that something is wrong from the beginning which causes her to be the smart one but they are all still in the same boat. She is also really gifted which helps her a lot.

AURELIE

Aurelie is in the historical time part of this story which really added to this story a lot. Sometimes, I didn't understand what was going on with her part of the story but she was still a strong character. She knew what she had to do but she was also helpless in some situations.

PLOT

The plot was so unique. I don't think that I have read any book that is like this at all which surprised me. It was so amazing and unique. It has so much potential that I hope others will hear about this book and read it.

The book really is creepy and horrific which gives you chills but makes you want to keep reading. The plot is also very fastpaced which makes the almost 500 page book go by really quickly.

ROMANCE

There isn't really any.

WRITING

The writing was done really well and I highly enjoyed it. While it wasn't flowy and beautiful, it was still good for a fast-paced, action book.

Final Thoughts:

This book has quickly become one that I will recommend to anyone and everyone. It has elements of different books but it is totally unique and it's own.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Crowns

Thursday, 28 July 2016

ARC AUGUST TBR!

I am horrible with read-a-thons but I always try to get done with a good amount of books. I am also horrible at reading ARCs so this is a perfect time for me to catch up on my NetGalley ARCs.

This read-a-thon is hosted by Read.Sleep.Repeat and it is where you can get a head start on reading your ARCS. Past or present ARCs. It doesn't matter. Just get them read. Sign ups will open July 1st and close July 31st. Each week in August a linky will go up where you can share your progress. At the end submitted books will be confirmed so you must review them somewhere. If submissions can't be verified you may be disqualified so you have to leave leave something, even if it’s just a sentence or two!

Here is my small and tentative TBR list:

Top Five Wednesday | Most Unlikable Characters [July 27]

TOP FIVE WEDNESDAY

TOP 5 WEDNESDAY IS A WEEKLY MEME HOSTED BY SAM. YOU BASICALLY GET A NEW TOPIC EVERY WEDNESDAY, AND YOU LIST YOUR TOP 5 BOOKS RELATED TO THAT TOPIC. HEAD OVER TO THE GOODREADS GROUP, AND ADD YOUR NAME TO THE LIST OF WEDNESDAY-ERS IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING!

Today’s topic is “Most Unlikable Characters ” Turns out, I really had trouble with this topic because characters that I dislike, tend to be the villains. But I managed to find some.

5. Aspen from The selection series

This could be a very controversy person. I happen to not like Aspen because he didn't seem to really genuinely like America and he just constantly got on my nerves. He also seemed to be rather clingy for someone who I had my doubts about. This is something that is very controversial so don't hate me.

4. Octavian from The Heroes of Olympus Series

This is someone who should be on everyone's lists. I really did not like Octavian. He isn't necessarily a villain but he is someone who constantly bothered me and who I wouldn't have hesitated to punch, had I been in the book series.

3. Lavender Brown from The Harry Potter Series

I just don't like Lavender. She messed up my ship and was just extremely annoying. She also didn't act like her age. She acted like a whiny child, who didn't get the toy that she wanted. I'm sorry but she really annoyed me and still does.

2. cal from the red queen

As you all know, I adore The Red Queen book. I love the characters and the plot. I just did not like Cal. Maybe it was because he was part of yet another love triangle or maybe it was because he just seemed fake to me. Whatever the reason, I didn't like him but I hope to change my mind with the next book because he seems to have a lot of potential.

1. Gale Hawthorn from The Hunger Games Trilogy

This is someone whom I complain about often. I just don't understand how people can like him more than Peeta. I tolerated him until [SPOILER ALERT!] he killed Prim. Like, come on. That is Katniss' sister. And I loved it in the movie when she just rejects him. Totally rejects him. Kicks him out of her life.

I hope you enjoyed this short little post and I'll see you all soon!

Monday, 25 July 2016

Music Monday #22

I got this idea from the blog Trust in the Words.

Rise by Katy Perry

This song is one of my recent favorites. Katy Perry is one of my favorite singers. I love her music and I especially love the songs that are inspirational and aren't all about breakups or such.

What's in your headphones?

Happy reading everybody! <3

Weekly Update: 7/18 - 7/24

I have decided to start doing a weekly post called weekly recap where I update you on my life, reading and watching. Plus any posts I have done or will do.

I had a very exciting week.

On Tuesday, I saw the movie, The Jungle Book which was scary but awesome and a movie review will come as soon as possible.

Then on Wednesday I headed off to Disneyland with my family and I stayed there until Friday evening and it was so so much fun. I love going to Disneyland and this time was as good as ever. I even got to go into California Adventure Park for the first time and it was so fun there. I love Soarin' and Twilight Zone Tower of Terror!!

Unfortunately, this meant that I only got to post like twice this week.

New Books

Purchased:

Library: