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:

 

In Case You Missed It

Music Monday: Heathens by Twenty One Pilots
Friday Book Review: The King Slayer by Virginia Boecker

This Week I Read

  

Next Week I'm Reading

Upcoming Reviews

The King Slayer by Virginia Boecker Review

This is a spoiler free review!

The King Slayer

Written by Virginia Boecker

Genre: Young Adult/Historical Fiction/Fantasy

Publisher: Brown Books for Young Readers

Release Date: June 14, 2016

Pages: 368

Source: Library

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

Recommended Age: 12 and up!

Summary:

“I think, in time, you’ll either be my greatest mistake or my greatest victory.”

Former witch hunter Elizabeth Grey is hiding within the magically protected village of Harrow, evading the price put on her head by Lord Blackwell, the usurper king of Anglia. Their last encounter left Blackwell ruined, but his thirst for power grows stronger every day. He’s readying for a war against those who would resist his rule—namely Elizabeth and the witches and wizards she now calls her allies.

Having lost her stigma, a magical source of protection and healing, Elizabeth’s strength is tested both physically and emotionally. War always means sacrifice, and as the lines between good and evil blur once more, Elizabeth must decide just how far she’ll go to save those she loves.

Review:

I originally thought that this series was going to be a trilogy and was a little bit let-down when I discovered that it was not. But I adore this duology nonetheless and it is probably one of the only duologies that I have read so far.

COVER

This cover confused me at first. I was unsure as to what they were showing. Then I figured out that it was a rose and that made a little more sense. But overall it is an okay cover.

WORLD-BUILDING

The world-building was mostly done in the first book so I don't have much to say for this one but the world was still very interesting and unique and I thoroughly enjoyed reading a book set in this "time period".

Then there are the characters.

ELIZABETH

Elizabeth is still my favorite character. She's still a badass and doesn't totally care about what could happen to her. But her relationship with John has definitely changed her which got a bit annoying. She did care a lot more about him than he wanted her too. She was supposed to be this strong, independent character and she kind of lacked in those points at times.

JOHN

I loved John in the first book but he changed in this book and was a little bit more rude at times which annoyed me but I still adore him and always will. It is a roller coaster with him as his mood constantly changes but you still have to love him to death.

SCHUYLER

Schuyler was hilarious and was kind of the comic relief. I really liked how his friendship with Elizabeth developed and how they trusted each other a lot more and counted on each other more than they used too. Schuyler was probably my second favorite character.

PLOT

The plot was addictive and exciting. It had a ton of twists and turns as well as shocking revelations. I can't wait to see more of what Virginia Boecker will have to offer because I am so down for more of her books.

ROMANCE

The romance is beautiful and adorable. John and Elizabeth are so cute together and I really ship them and knew that they were stronger together. Overall, I really enjoyed this romance.

WRITING

The writing is addictive and kept me reading at all times. I love it when the author can keep me reading even at slow parts which is what this book did. 

Final Thoughts:

I enjoyed this book so so much. It's an amazing duology that does so well at keeping you engaged. The characters are wonderfully thought out as well as the plot. I highly recommend this series and may revisit it in the future.

Quotes from the Book:

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Crowns

Music Monday #21

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

Heathens by Twenty One Pilots

I love this song and not because it is going to be part of a movie. I don't really think I will see the movie to be honest. But I really like the song and it is super catchy so I recommend you give it a listen. 

What's in your headphones?

Happy reading everybody! <3

Weekly Update: 7/11 - 7/17

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 am still in LA and I have been doing a lot of shopping, swimming and being generally hot. It is really hot here and though it is good weather for swimming, it is not good weather to go walking.

I also saw Zootopia this week and it was so good. I highly enjoyed it and recommend it to all. I will be doing a full movie review next week. 

New Books

Purchased:

Library:

In Case You Missed It

Top Five Wednesday was: Books I Wish Had Sequels
Friday Movie Review: Ender's Game
Friday Book Review: Lock and Mori by Heather W. Petty
Saturday Book Review: The Beauty of Darkness by Mary E. Pearson
Sunday Book Review: Ash and Bramble by Sarah Prineas

This Week I Read

  

Next Week I'm Reading

Upcoming Reviews

 

Ash and Bramble by Sarah Prineas Review

This is a spoiler free review!

Ash and Bramble

Written by Sarah Prineas

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy/Retelling

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: September 15, 2015

Pages: 464

Source: Library

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

Recommended Age: 13 and up!

Summary:

A prince.

A ball.

A glass slipper left behind at the stroke of midnight.

The tale is told and retold, twisted and tweaked, snipped and stretched, as it leads to happily ever after.

But it is not the true Story.

A dark fortress.

A past forgotten.

A life of servitude.

No one has ever broken free of the Godmother’s terrible stone prison until a girl named Pin attempts a breathless, daring escape. But she discovers that what seems to be freedom is a prison of another kind, one that entangles her in a story that leads to a prince, a kiss, and a clock striking midnight. To unravel herself from this new life, Pin must choose between a prince and another—the one who helped her before and who would give his life for her. Torn, the only thing for her to do is trade in the glass slipper for a sword and find her own destiny.

Review:

I have wanted to read this book since I first saw it on the shelf at Barnes and Noble. Then when it came into the library, I was ecstatic and I quickly placed a hold on it. The book ended up to be a lot different than I had originally thought. What if the villain wasn't a Witch or Stepmother but instead was the Godmother who "made all her dreams come true" This book is a lot more twisted than the original Cinderella story that you all know and love. So prepare yourself before you pick up this one.

COVER

This has got to be one of my favorite covers of the year. The cover is so beautiful. It shows a princess running away with her slippers both on. It also shows the thorns coming which is a perfect fit for this one.

WORLD-BUILDING

The world building was fantastic. We got to see exactly what the world was like and how the characters acted within it. We also got to see the terror and brutality of the world which was a unique and interesting aspect. 

Then there are the characters.

PIN

Pin was an interesting character. At first, I thought she was going to be weak but she turned out to be smart and strong, quickly outsmarting others and getting away from trouble. She is unwilling to depend on anyone else to save herself or get herself out of the troubles she gets into. She creates her own ending where she is not tied down to anyone and she is the ultimate hero.

SHOE

Shoe was sweet and we also got chapters in his point of view which was kind of nice. He was a strong character as well but was so bent on wanting to save Pin that he seemed flat when he wasn't with her which was a disappointment.

CORNELIUS

Cornelius didn't seem that smart but he was. He was the prince and was in the typical prince role from wanting the princess to wanting to protect her.

PLOT

The plot was the best part. It was full of twists that you could never see coming no matter how much you tried. Everything surprised me. So many unique things and revelations.

ROMANCE

The romance was where I had another little problem. I felt like the romance between Pin and Shoe developed rather suddenly. But then it changed into something more three dimensional and intense that made it seem sweet and more real than it had in the beginning. The love triangle part of it also didn't seem to really exist. Sure, there was a third person but he never really seemed to capture Pin's undivided attention.

WRITING

The writing was great. I love Sarah Prineas' writing and I have already read another series by her which I adored.

Final Thoughts:

I had a few problems with this book but otherwise it was a twisted retelling of Cinderella that was really amazing and I recommend to fairytale lovers everywhere.

Quotes from the Book:

“Silver, dimpled, as a thimble should be, with tiny roses amid brambles engraved along the base.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Crowns

The Beauty of Darkness by Mary E. Pearson Review

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This is a spoiler free review!

The Beauty of Darkness

Written by Mary E. Pearson

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co

Release Date: August 2, 2016

Pages: 688

Source: NetGalley

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

Recommended Age: 13 and up!

Summary:

Lia and Rafe have escaped Venda and the path before them is winding and dangerous - what will happen now? This third and final book in The Remnant Chronicles is not to be missed.

Bestselling author Mary E. Pearson's combination of intrigue, suspense, romance and action make this a riveting page turner for teens.

Review:

This is one of my favorite YA Fantasy series and I was so excited when NetGalley granted me my wish and let me read a copy of the last book. But I was also scared to read the last book. I do not like endings and I was scared to see what would happen. What if someone I adored, died? What if Lia ended up with no one? Ugh, I was so worried. But I have to say that I am now happy and not a bit disappointed.

COVER

The cover is gorgeous and it shows Lia as a strong young woman. I adore it, dark as it is.

WORLD-BUILDING

We got more world-building and history in this book. In the last book we got tons of Venda history and in this one we got some more information about Dalbrek and Morrighan. I found all this really interesting and helpful which was a huge plus.

Then there are the characters.

LIA

Lia was as strong and badass as ever. She has a total mind of her own and let's everyone know it. She doesn't fall prey to others and does her own thing, no matter what others say. She is also really kind and shows kindness even to people who don't totally deserve it but in the end she can be brutal and cunning. I adore her character and she will always be one of my favorite female heroines of all time.

RAFE

Rafe was still kind but at some points, he annoyed me to no end. Sometimes he said things that he just shouldn't have said which made everything fall to pieces. I still love Rafe and adore him but at times he was just not the perfect person, you think he is.

KADEN

Kaden is so sweet. Like you don't always see it but he is so sweet and innocent and ugh, I love him to death. I didn't find myself shipping him as much with Lia as I did before because of certain happenings but he still deserves to be loved to death. Kaden has had a hard past which is a little confusing to all of us readers but he managed to pull through and become a better man than his father.

PAULINE

Pauline sheds her shyness and is totally badass and strong in this one. She doesn't let anyone knock her down and stands her own despite being pregnant and having her own problems. I also loved how she started to be nice to Kaden despite what he put Lia and herself through.

PLOT

The plot was amazing and wonderful for a last book in a series. I feel like they tied everything together nicely, even though I will always want more. I adored what happened in this book and found myself biting my nails in fear and anticipation.

ROMANCE

The romance is still a prominent part in this book. Rafe and Lia have their cute, fluffy moments and then their arguments. And you can still tell Kaden likes Lia but it is more of a friendship thing. I found myself liking Rafe and Lia together more than I did before which was a change.

WRITING

I love the writing in this series so I obviously liked it in this one. I felt like there was just the right amount of description as dialogue.

Final Thoughts:

A must read for fans of this series. It does not disappoint. The characters continue to amaze and the plot thrill you. Highly recommended.

Quotes from the Book:

"Now it was her face that loomed, an image I couldn't bear."

"You define a sword by terms and a world that is familiar to you, in all the ways you can see, feel, and touch, but what if there was a world that spoke in other ways?"

"What is magic but what we don't yet understand?" 

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Crowns