A Reaper of Stone by Mark Gelineau and Joe King Review

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

A Reaper of Stone

Written by Mark Gelineau and Joe King

Genre: Young Adult/High Fantasy/Fantasy

Publisher: Gelineau and King

Release Date: September 18, 2015

Pages: 90

Source: NetGalley

Recommended Age: 12 and up!

Summary:

A Lady is dead. Her noble line ended. And the King’s Reaper has come to reclaim her land and her home. In the marches of Aedaron, only one thing is for certain. All keeps of the old world must fall.

Elinor struggles to find her place in the new world. She once dreamed of great things. Of becoming a hero in the ways of the old world. But now she is a Reaper. And her duty is clear. Destroy the old. Herald the new.

Review:

I had heard a lot of good things about this novella and NetGalley had it so I decided to request it from them.

This book was really well written and I feel like a lot of work went into creating the world which was really well developed. And for a really short book, there was a lot of information that was given to us.

This book begins when Elinor and Conbert first meet. Their meeting is done perfectly. Elinor is determined to make her way in the world which is run by snobby royals. Conbert is a little older and he is a kind royal who learns to never underestimate her.

Elinor is a strong, likeable female character. She quickly became my favorite character because of her strength. She had a firm relationship with some of the other characters.

I wished that they had had more insight into the old beliefs and more about how they influenced some of the characters but since it was a Novella it was hard. Despite that, I was impressed with how the authors managed to create a vivid depiction of the world within the constraints of a short novella. I am so excited about this series but I wish they could have been full length novels. There’s not much to say about this novella as it was really short and I really enjoyed it.

There was no romance in this book which actually made me pretty happy. It’s good to get a break once in awhile and this book seriously gave me that short break that I really needed. I can’t wait for the next one!

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Crowns

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare Book Review

This is a spoiler free review!

City of Bones

Written by Cassandra Clare

Genre: Young Adult/Paranormal/Fantasy

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Release Date: March 27, 2015

Pages: 485

Source: Bought

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

Recommended Age: 13 and up!

Summary:

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder― much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know...

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

Review:

I loved this book as you will be able to tell from my rating! I put off reading this book for at least four years because I thought it would be stupid. And now I realize how wrong I was.

This is a mix of fantasy, paranormal and supernatural.

COVER

Well, I really dislike the first cover which is why I put the new version of the cover here because it is so much better.

WORLD-BUILDING

The world-building was done fantastically well. Except for the fact that at one point I felt like it was an information overload but besides that, the information was wonderful.

Then there are the characters.

CLARY

We first meet Clary Fray when she is going to the Pandemonium club with her best friend Simon. Clary wasn’t the best female protagonist but I loved her all the same. She was strong on the inside but took a while to get used to the shadowhunters world and life.

JACE

Jace is so rude and cold-hearted. He seems to have family issues and he takes it out on others like Clary who clearly don’t deserve it.  At the beginning I really disliked him but he starts to grow on you.  He’s sarcastic and apparently really attractive which is a plus.

ALEC

I’m really annoyed at the fact that he didn’t get a better role in this as apparently he gets a bigger role in the TV show. But I really liked him anyways.

SIMON

Okay. So Simon was clearly the best friend who was in love with his best friend but was obviously still in the friend-zone. Phew! That was a mouthful but it was so true and no it really isn’t a spoiler. Simon got a pretty large role in this book due to several things happening to him and Clary and Jace having to um ‘save’ him. He was often ignored and I felt bad for him a lot but he might get a better role in the next book so I’m happy.

ISABELLE

Isabelle was a wonderful character despite the fact that she was also not on as much as I liked. Despite being gorgeous, she has a much deeper personality and isn’t as rude as she seems.

MAGNUS

Seriously, this guy should have been in the book much more. He’s hilarious and has such a personality.

ROMANCE

The romance between the two main characters wasn’t insta-lovey but it also didn’t take up the whole plot of the story which made me really happy. That’s one of things that really irritates me. I don’t like romance that takes up the whole plot of a book or tv show or movie.

WRITING

The dialogue is hilarious and the whole book is just really funny which made me really like it. I loved some of Jace’s lines as he was super sarcastic and hilarious.

Final Thoughts:

This book was really good. I loved the action, dialogue and banter between characters. The romance was cute and didn’t take up the whole book which impressed me. The characters were also wonderful. I recommend this book to everyone.

Quotes from the Book:

“Have you fallen in love with the wrong person yet?'

Jace said, "Unfortunately, Lady of the Haven, my one true love remains myself."

..."At least," she said, "you don't have to worry about rejection, Jace Wayland."

"Not necessarily. I turn myself down occasionally, just to keep it interesting.”

“Sarcasm is the last refuge of the imaginatively bankrupt.”

“The meek may inherit the earth, but at the moment it belongs to the conceited. Like me.”

“I figured all your classes were stuff like Slaughter 101 and Beheading for Beginners."

Jace flipped a page. "Very funny, Fray.” 

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Crowns

Music Monday #10

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

No Broken Hearts by Bebe Rexha ft. Nicki Minaj

I am freaking obsessed with this song. It is so catchy and I have almost all the lyrics memorized already.  It is amazing. Listen to it!!

Happy reading everybody! <3

Spring Break Books on my Shelf

Spring Break Books on my Shelf!

I got this idea to call it Books on my Shelf from http://cornucopiaofreviews.blogspot.com/

Today I will be doing a different kind of TBR. Instead of having the normal monthly TBR, I am doing a Spring Break one. Spring Break starts on Wednesday for me and I have loads of books I want to read and review so here they are. Some of them come from my March Books on my Shelf and some don’t.

The first book I have is The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa. This is the second book in The Iron Fey series. I loved the first book (and no I did not write a review on it which was dumb of me and I plan to write one soon) so I will hopefully love this book. *Fingers crossed*

The second book I have is The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa. This is the third book in The Iron Fey series. I am planning on reading two in this series because I checked out the third book without reading the second one. I really liked the first book so I am sure I will like this one as well. :)

The third book I have is Open Road Summer by Emery Lord. This is a Black Eyed Susan book and it looks so good. I’m dying to read it which is weird because it is a Contemporary book but I have been reading a ton of these this month.

The fourth book I have is Shatter Me by Taheri Mafi. People have said great things about this book and I am dying to get into it. It is about a girl whose touch is fatal. I think it is dystopian because in the description it says that the world is crumbling to pieces. I don’t really know much about this book but I really want to read it.

The fifth book I have is Fallen by Lauren Kate. This book is going to be a movie this year. It has already been casted and it is finished and I am excited. I love YA book to movie adaptations even if some of them don’t turn out all too great.

The sixth book I have is Da Vinci’s tiger by L.M. Elliot. Ugh this book sounds so good and I haven’t heard anything about it and I kind of want to go in blind.

The seventh book I have is The Heir by Kiera Cass. I’ve heard mixed things about this book. Some people hated it and some people loved it. I’ve decided to see for myself. I love the other books in this series so we’ll see.

The eighth book I have is Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes. Most people love this book and I really don’t know much about it but I’m down.

The ninth book I have is Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anne Blankman. I have heard great things about this book and I really want to read it. Plus it was on my Top Books to Read in 2016.

The tenth book I have is Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. I have heard nothing but good things about this book. Yes, it is another Contemporary so I don’t know if I will like it but I hope so.

The eleventh book I have is To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han. I have a book club on Goodreads and we are reading this book this month.

The twelfth book I have is Between the Spark and the Burn by April Genevieve Tucholke. This is the second book in a series and I really want to read it.

That is all I have on this list. I will probably not get through all of these but I’d like to get through at least five.

A Daring Sacrifice by Jody Hedlund Book Review

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

A Daring Sacrifice

Written by Jody Hedlund

Genre: Young Adult/Historical Fiction/Romance

Publisher: Zondervan

Release Date: March 1, 2016

Pages: 224

Source: NetGalley

Places to Get this Book:

http://www.amazon.com/Daring-Sacrifice-Jody-Hedlund/dp/0310749379/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458506094&sr=8-1&keywords=A+Daring+Sacrifice

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-daring-sacrifice-jody-hedlund/1122293352?ean=9780310749370

http://www.bookdepository.com/A-Daring-Sacrifice/9780310749370

Recommended Age: 12 and up!

Summary:

In a reverse twist on the Robin Hood story, a young medieval maiden stands up for the rights of the mistreated, stealing from the rich to give to the poor. All the while, she fights against her cruel uncle who has taken over the land that is rightfully hers. Forced to live in the woods and hide with the poor people she's grown to love, she works to save and protect them, but she never anticipates falling in love with the wealthy knight who represents all she's come to despise.

Review:

So many people enjoyed this book so I requested the book from NetGalley. Plus, the description just pulled me in. A girl Robin Hood? I’m down. Unfortunately, I was a little disappointed with this book. I expected a strong, brave heroine who wouldn’t need a man’s help at any situation. I did get most of that but it seemed to me that she relied on Lord Collin way too much.

Anyways…

The historical fiction aspect of this book was amazing. I loved how there was a lot about the time period and the people in this book because naturally she’s ‘Robin Hood’ stealing from the rich to give to the poor.

JULIANA

We first meet Juliana when she is disguised as an old man and is about to have ‘his’ fingers cut off because of crimes ‘he’ committed. Juliana is a strong character: both strong-minded and actual strength. Juliana is determined to help the poor and the peasants who suffer. I feel like she was a pretty well developed character. The only thing I didn’t like about her was how she was so strong in the beginning and that strength slowly began to dwindle and disappear as she spent more time with Lord Collin.

COLLIN

You first meet Collin when it is his point of view and he is being robbed by Juliana. Perfect first meeting am I right? Collin falls in love way too fast which bothered me but I liked how he was willing to do anything for her.

Those are the two main characters but there are also a lot of other characters who appear in this book like Bulldog and Thatch who travel with Juliana.

PLOT

I really liked the plot especially how the book starts. It pulled me right in. I liked Juliana having to live with Collin for a week and be in the one place she hates because of how they treat the people. The plot was wonderful.

ACTION

There was plenty of action in this book to satisfy my needs. Juliana was wonderful with a bow and arrow and she could hold her own. There were times when I was frightened for her life but I figured it would all turn out fine.

WRITING

Ms. Hedlund’s writing lacks nothing. It’s beautiful and flows perfectly. This is quite short which doesn’t allow for too many descriptions but she still managed to tell a wonderful story.

ROMANCE

The romance was not insta-lovey but it was on Collin’s side. He seemed to fall for her the minute he found out who she was and it almost seemed as if he liked her because of her looks which drove me insane. But their romance was adorable and especially in the epilogue. The feels.

Final Thoughts:

The reason why I didn’t give this book 5 Crowns is simple. I loved it but I feel as if Juliana became weaker throughout and that bothered me. I like the main character to be strong in all meanings of the word and that wasn’t quite the case. Beside from that fact, it was a good short read and I recommend it.

Quotes from the Book:

Coming Soon!

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Crowns

Mid Month Check In

Hello all.

I decided to do a mid-month check in as I finished a lot of books this month and would like to show them all to you along with their ratings. Some of these books have reviews and some don't.

The first book I read so far was Lions in the Garden by Chelsea Luna. I rated this book 4.5 out of 5 Crowns. I have a full review of this book which you can find here.

I also read Stars Above by Marissa Meyer. This was amazing and I obviously rated it 5 out of 5 Crowns because it is a bunch of novellas in my favorite series. I did not do a review but I may. 

I also read Dangerous Deceptions by Sarah Zettel. This was the second book in The Palace of Spies series and I enjoyed it though it could have been better. I rated it 4 out of 5 Crowns. I have to write a review. 

I also read One Paris Summer by Denise Grover Swank. This was a book I received from NetGalley and I enjoyed it but not as much as I had hoped. I rated it 4 out of 5 Crowns and you can find the review here. 

I also read A Tale of Two Centuries by Rachel Harris and I rated this book 5 out of 5 Crowns because I absolutely loved it. I have been reading a lot of Contemporary books this month and I have started to really enjoy them! 

I also read A Daring Sacrifice by Jody Hedlund and I rated it 4 out of 5 Crowns. I unfortunately didn't enjoy this book as much as I had hoped and I will go into more detail in my review and spoiler review which will be coming soon. 

I also read A Reaper of Stone by Mark Gelineau and I rated it 5 out of 5 Crowns. A review will be coming soon. 

The last book I have read so far this month was City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. I rated this 5 out of 5 Crowns because it was amazing. I loved the characters, the world and the dialogue. Plus there was a twist that I never saw coming. More coming in my review! :) 

That is all for this month's mid-month check in and I will be doing some more reviews ASAP!

Soundtrack Saturday|| A Daring Sacrifice

Soundtrack Saturday is a weekly meme hosted by Erin at The Hardcover Lover It features bookish playlists. Basically you post a playlist based on a book you just read.

A Daring Sacrifice by Jody Hedlund

1. "Dying for You" by Otto Knows ft. Lindsey Stirling
2. "Empire" by Shakira
3. "Keeping your head up" by Birdy
4. "Game of Thrones Theme Cover" By Peter Hollins and Lindsey Stirling
5. "Love Story" by Taylor Swift
6. "Across the Stars Love Theme" by John Williams
7. "Scream my Name" Tove Lo
8. "Hanging Tree" by Jennifer Lawrence
9. "Kingdom Come" by Demi Lovato ft. Iggy Azalea
10. "Sacrifice" by Zella Day