Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Pre-Movie Thoughts and Talk!

Hello lovelies,

        Since they recently released the trailer for Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, I am going to tell you what my thoughts are on it. This is obviously a movie I am planning on going to see!

First of all I know that this is a book to movie adaptation but I have no plan on reading the book first and this is one of the first times I am actually going to do this. And yeah, I’m kind of nervous about that because it will probably ruin the book for me.  I’ll think about it.

Second, I think the actors they picked for the characters are going to be PERFECT!

Lily James was cast as Elizabeth Bennet. She seems like the perfect person to play her. She has been in two sort of period type things. For instance she was just recently in Cinderella. And she is also in Downton Abbey. Not that I watched the latter.  But she was amazing as Cinderella. She just has this on-screen charm and she totally charms the audience. Plus she positively glows in her roll. And she did have great on-screen chemistry with her Prince Charming. I think she will be a great Elizabeth.

Sam Riley just seems perfect in the trailer. He’s got that dark, brooding Mr. Darcy feeling down so far. And I can’t wait to see what he’ll be like in the movie!

I’ve never seen Douglas Booth in a movie so I can’t really say anything against him…

Matt Smith as Mr. Collins will sure prove to be interesting… (I only know him as The Eleventh Doctor and I wanted it to stay that way)

Third, it just seems like a really well done movie. I can’t wait to see all their kick-ass moves.

If I hadn’t read Pride and Prejudice or hadn’t heard of any of the actors I would not see this movie.  Horror movies are not my thing but I think I shall make an exception for this movie.

Who else is excited?

November 2015 TBR!

Hello lovelies,

         So, today I am going to be telling you about my November TBR.

This month I did something different. Instead of just picking out books off of my bookshelf I decided to put the titles of books I wanted to read by the end of this year in a cup and then pick out a certain number. I did pick out way more than I will have time for but hey...a girl can hope.

The first book I have on my TBR is The Chess Queen Enigma by Colleen Gleason. This book is the third book in the Stoker and Holmes series. I read the second book in my last TBR. I will not be giving you a summary because there may be spoilers. Sorry :(

The second book I have on my TBR is Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. This book is the third book in The Hunger Games series. No summary ‘cause spoilers.  But I am reading this book because I will be going to see the movie later this month with some friends and I would actually like to properly read the book this year.  

The third book I have on my TBR is to finish The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron. Yeah, I was supposed to finish this book last month but I just didn’t have time so I will be trying to finish this book this month. This is a sort of steampunk gothic novel and I am really excited to see how it’s going to all turn out!

The fourth book I have on my TBR is The Death Cure by James Dashner. I really didn’t want to read this book because I will probably be a sobbing mess by the end. Yes...supposedly this book hits you right in the feels.  I will be sure to give you a review of this book and it will probably have a lot of sobbing in it.  Note to self: Do NOT read this book at school. Don’t want people to see you crying.

The fifth book I have on my TBR is The Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas.  I have been meaning to read this book for a while now but never actually got around to it. It is supposed to be amazing! And I really don’t doubt it.

The sixth book I have is Defy by Sara B. Larson. This book looks so good and I really want to read it. I really like these types of books that have a female pretending to be a male. I would really like to write a book like this but not going to yet.

The seventh book I have on my TBR is In the Time of Dragon Moon by Janet Lee Carey. I have had this book on my shelf from the library for a while now and I really want to read it so I am doing so.

The eighth book I have on my TBR is Fairest by Marissa Meyer. By the time this gets posted I will probably have already finished the book so yes, the review will be coming.

The ninth book I have on my TBR is Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke. I haven’t really read that many dark books before so I am going to try.

The tenth book I have is Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger. Yes, I have read this book and I loved it but I need to re-read it.  

The eleventh book I have is Lion Heart by A.C. Gaughen.   I am actually reading this currently and it is amazing so far and I can’t wait to read more. This is the third book in a series!

The twelfth and last book I have got is The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson.  I CAN NOT wait to read this book! The Kiss of Deception was amazing so this one has got to be amazing!

Anyways...I had better start on this overambitious TBR soon! See you all when I post some reviews!

October 2015 Warm-Up

October 2015 Wrap-Up

So, the month of October is coming to an end and with it comes another wrap up post.  I don’t really like doing these because sometimes it makes me depressed to see how little I have read that much.

But without further ado, let’s get into the post.

The first book I read this month was The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson.  

This book was an amazing read. I really enjoyed the twists and turns it brought us.  And there was this HUGE plot twist that blew my mind. I didn’t know it was going to happen and I’m sure everyone else didn’t as well.

The second book I read was Cinder by Marissa Meyer.

Yes, I have read this book twice before but reading this again made me realize some things and see some things I didn’t before. I love this book so much and there will be a book review coming in the next few weeks.

The third book I read was The Spiritglass Charade by Colleen Gleason

I really liked this book because it was the sequel to The Clockwork Scarab which is one of my all-time favorite books. This series is about the niece of Sherlock Holmes and the sister of Bram Stoker. They are basically mysteries and I love them so much! And don’t worry for all you romance freaks, yes there is romance.

The fourth book I read was The Young Elites by Marie Lu.

I LOVED this book and you can read my review here.   

The fifth book I read (well I didn’t actually read this book. I read half) was The Perilous Sea by Sherry Thomas.

The reason I didn’t finish this book was because I had to return it.  Seriously, libraries…

The sixth book I also only read half of but I am working on it. This was The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron.

I love this book so far. I am starting to enjoy darker books probably due to the darker TV shows I have begun to watch!  (Teen Wolf….)

Unfortunately, I did not read any of the other books on my list because I had so much work during the month of October. It was crazy!

So, that’s all for this blogpost.  I will see you soon for my November TBR!  Bye!

Book News and Nanowrimo!

Hello lovelies,

So, today I have a different type of blogpost for you all. I have been checking up on books and things that were coming up.

The first announcement that I have is something I am currently very very upset about!

It is that they CHANGED THE RELEASE DATE FOR THE VANISHING THRONE BY ELIZABETH MAY!  This has positively infuriated me. I need the book really badly as the last book was so awesome and I need to know what happens next.

And this cover is so beautiful:

The new release date is June 7th 2016.

How do they expect me to wait that long???

And the second announcement is that this month is Nanowrimo month!

And yes, I am participating. Like I do every year now.

I am going to be writing a story about Camelot and a girl who is going back in time to that time period.  I will be giving you updates and possible chapters or lines from my story.

That’s it for now. See you all soon!

~Annette

The Young Elites by Marie Lu Book Review

Yay! Finished a book on my TBR!

This review is not going to contain many spoilers. But if there are then I will warn you beforehand.

The Young Elites by Marie Lu

Genre: Fantasy/Dystopian/Young Adult

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

Pages: 355

Recommended Age: 13 and up

Summary:

Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.

Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all.

Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen.

Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.

It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.

Review:

Wow. Marie Lu really gets darker and sexier with this book!

This isn’t as much of a Dystopian novel as I had believed before I read the book. It is more of a dark fantasy world with magic, complex villains and characters, and a prince looking to reclaim his throne.  Plus people trying to get over a blood fever that has long since swept through their land. And this is unbelievably good.  

I loved Adelina. Well, now I do.

When I first started reading this book, I was a little wary of Adelina. I thought she was going to be one of those whiny, heroines who was a little dark but a little bit helpless.  Boy, was I wrong!  

“I am Adelina Amouteru. I belong to no one. On this night, I swear to you that I will rise above everything you’ve ever taught me. I will become a force that this world has never known. I will come into such power that none will dare hurt me again.”

If this quote doesn’t prove it then I’m not sure what will.  Adelina has spent most of her life being abused and wronged by her father.  And she also has a complex relationship with her younger sister.  Don’t get me wrong, she loves her but is constantly jealous of her father’s love towards her. When she unleashes her magic, all hell breaks loose.

The Young Elites Enter the Picture

The Young Elites are a group of people who have powers and are trying to get control of the throne.  

I love most of the characters in this book. Even the crazy, evil, manipulative ones.

This book has many elements that I have grown to love.  A light romance  Not too much though not too little. (well, there is this one scene… SPOILER AHEAD)

“He places a gloved hand against the small of my back and stops me. I stand still for a moment, trembling in his grasp. Rain shines on his lashes. His other hand tilts my chin up. I only have time to glance once at his face before he brings his lips down to mine. Then he’s kissing me, really kissing, reaching deep down for more...He pins me to the damp wall, so that his body is pressed solidly against mine. In this moment, I can’t seem to remember anything. I push myself up on my toes and wrap my arms around his neck...My hand slides from the back of his neck to the part of his throat exposed by his shirt...He takes my hand, pulls it away from his skin and pins it firmly to the wall over my head. His kisses wander down to my neck…”

And yeah...I did skip some but oh gosh.  I could take lessons from Marie Lu on how to write kissing scenes.

There’s also a dark, physically scarring main character, beautiful friendships (well….), a couple complex ‘villains’ and a plot to take over the kingdom.

Back to The Young Elites.  They are lead by this handsome stranger named Enzo.

“An instant later, I realize I recognize his eyes-dark as midnight, with thick lashes. This is my mysterious stranger. Now, instead of wearing that silver mask and his hooded robes, he’s clad in finely spun linen and a black velvet doublet trimmed with gold, clothing exquisite enough to belong to the wealthiest aristocrats. he’s tall. He has the warm brown skin of northern Kenettrans, and his cheekbones are high, his face narrow and beautiful. But his hair holds my attention the most. It looks dark red in the light, so dark it’s almost black, a rich shade of blood…”

Ugh, why so many handsome people in this book….

The setting is also done really amazingly. You can really believe it exists and you can be utterly immersed in this book.

I love the characters so much as I have said before.

Adelina is a total heroine. Well, she is supposed to be a heroine but I have a feeling that’s not going to work so well in the next book considering all she’s been through in this book.  

She doesn’t wait for someone else to do her dirty work. Instead she carries it out herself. No matter how terrible.

Enzo

(SPOILER AHEAD)

“I will take back my throne soon,” Enzo whispers. “And malfettos will no longer live in fear.”

He’s ready to get what he wants but he doesn’t want to hurt innocents no matter how much torture they have put him through. But he will do a lot of things to get it back. Including hurting Adelina. And their romance (Is it one?) is so darkly seductive and beautiful.  Even though he does things like this: (SPOILER AHEAD)

“She is nothing to me,” he snaps with a careless gesture of one hand. “Nothing more than a Dagger recruit. Just part of our plans.” The ice in his voice hits me hard.

Don’t you dare mess with him or his friends though. You’ll get it.

Then there’s Torin.

Oh god. Yes, I know he’s supposed to be the bad guy but he’s hella hot. And I think he could be good if someone gives him a chance.

He kneels on the floor. Lifts the whip. Holds his breath. Then he snaps the whip over his head. The blades rake deep into the flesh of his back, ripping jagged lines across his skin. He lets out a strangled gasp as pain floods him, robbing him of his breath.

I am a deformed creature, he mouths silently, repeating the words he once said as a twelve-year-old boy, an Inquisitor in-training, kneeling before the sixteen-year-old Princess Giulietta

And he’s very misunderstood. You don’t really understand that he has problems of his own until later on.

And the fights are awesome. They are described very well and you can seriously feel the pain of the people who are in it.  

Overall I loved this book and you should NOT be surprised when I have it on a later TBR next year.

October 2015 Book Haul

Hello lovelies,

        Sorry for the long absence. I've been dealing with school, and grades and all that jazz... So, I was supposed to write a thoughts on Teen Wolf post and a couple reviews but I decided, hey why don’t I do a book haul because I have gotten a couple books in October.

Anyways...let’s get started.  And no, these don’t have to do with Halloween. I’m sorry!

The first book I bought was The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason.  I bought this book online at Thrift Books and it is has many books though often the newer ones are out of stock. Sadly.  But I did get this book from there.

Evaline Stoker and Mina Holmes never meant to get into the family business. But when you’re the sister of Bram and the niece of Sherlock, vampire hunting and mystery solving are in your blood. And when two society girls go missing, there’s no one more qualified to investigate.

Now fierce Evaline and logical Mina must resolve their rivalry, navigate the advances of not just one but three mysterious gentlemen, and solve murder with only one clue: a strange Egyptian scarab. The stakes are high. If Stoker and Holmes don’t unravel why the belles of London society are in such danger, they’ll become the next victims.

The second book I bought was Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard.  I also got this book online at Thrift Books.  I have been seeing and hearing good things about this book so I decided to pick it up and see what all the buzz was about. I have yet to read this book but it will go into one of my upcoming TBRs.

This is a world divided by blood - red or silver.

The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change.

That is, until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.

Fearful of Mare's potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime.

But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance - Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart...

The third book I bought was Legend by Marie Lu.  I got this book online at Thrift Books.  I have read this book and I loved it so naturally I wanted to own it. I will be re-reading this sometime.  

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

The fourth book I bought was The Chess Queen Enigma by Colleen Gleason. I got this book from Barnes and Noble. This is the third book in the Stoker and Holmes series and I love this series so much.  I will be doing a review on the second book soon.  This series is amazing and you should check it out.  This was also one of my most anticipated books for this year and I actually got it a week after it came out!!! Yay!!

No summary for this one. Sorry!

The fifth book I bought was Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch. I got this from Barnes and Noble last week and I have been wanting to get this book for a while.  This seems like a really great read and I can’t wait to get into it.

A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making.

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.

The sixth and last book I bought was Prodigy by Marie Lu. This is the second book in the Legend Trilogy and I had to get this book.  

And sorry no summary for this one! :(

That’s it for this blogpost.  Sorry it was so short!

See y’all next time. (Don’t know where I’m going with that y’all thing…)