Wednesday, 3 August 2016

AUGUST BOOKS ON MY SHELF '16

August Books on my Shelf!

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

Today I am going to be doing my August To Be Read! This is a very tentative TBR list as I am participating in ARC August as well. But, I will try my best to get through as many of these as I can. School also starts at the end of this month which is sad but true. Now, without further ado, let's get on with this blogpost.





The first book I have on this list is Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ranson Riggs which I already finished. I loved this book and I will say more in my review. 

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of curious photographs.

A horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.




The second book I have on this list is Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge. I started this book back in June but never finished it so I aim to finish it this month.

When Rachelle was fifteen she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless— straying from the forest path in search of a way to free her world from the threat of eternal darkness. After an illicit meeting goes dreadfully wrong, Rachelle is forced to make a terrible choice that binds her to the very evil she had hoped to defeat.

Three years later, Rachelle has given her life to serving the realm, fighting deadly creatures in an effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her find the legendary sword that might save their world. As the two become unexpected allies, they uncover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic, and a love that may be their undoing. In a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night?




The third book I have on this list is Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. I have been meaning to read this for at least two years and I never get around to it which is annoying.


After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for four years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her ... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead ... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.




The fourth book I have on this list is Assassin's Heart by Sarah Ahiers. My sister has already read this book and said it was really good so now I am giving it a try. I am already about a fourth into it and it is great so far. 

In the kingdom of Lovero, nine rival Families of assassins lawfully kill people for a price. As a highly skilled member of one of these powerful clans, seventeen-year-old Lea Saldana has always trusted in the strength of her Family. Until she awakens to find them murdered and her home in flames. The Da Vias, the Saldanas’ biggest enemy, must be responsible—and Lea should have seen it coming. But her secret relationship with the Da Vias’ son, Val, has clouded her otherwise killer instinct—and given the Da Vias more reason than ever to take her Family down.

Racked with guilt and shattered over Val’s probable betrayal, Lea sets out to even the score, with her heart set on retaliation and only one thought clear in her mind: make the Da Vias pay.





The fifth book I have on this list is Rebel Spring by Morgan Rhodes. I have been wanting to read this since I read Falling Kingdoms and now I am going to force myself to.   

The road to power... is paved with blood and magic.

Cleo
 is now a prisoner in her own palace, forced to be an ambassador for Mytica as the evil King Gaius lies to her people.
Magnus stands to eventually inherit the new kingdom but is still obsessed with his feelings for his adopted sister, Lucia.
Lucia is haunted by the outcome of the breathtaking display of magic that allowed her father to capture the kingdoms.
Jonas watched at the palace gates a troop of rebels behind him, waiting for him to tell them how he plans to overtake King Gaius.

After a bloody siege, Auranos has been defeated, its young queen orphaned and dethroned. The three kingdoms—Auranos, Limeros, and Paelsia—are now unwillingly united as one country called Mytica. But the allure of ancient, dangerous magic beckons still, and with it the chance to rule not just Mytica, but the whole world over...

At the heart of the fray are four brave young people grappling for that magic and the power it promises. For Cleo, the magic would enable her to reclaim her royal seat. In Jonas's hands, it frees his nation, and in Lucia's, it fulfills the ancient prophecy of her destiny. And if the magic were Magnus's, he would finally prove his worth in the eyes of his cruel and scheming father, King Gaius, who rules Mytica with a punishing hand.

When Gaius begins to build a road into the Forbidden Mountains to physically link all of Mytica, he sparks a long-smoking fire in the hearts of the people that will forever change the face of this land. For Gaius's road is paved with blood, and its construction will have cosmic consequences.




The last book that I have on this list is An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir. People have been talking so much about this book and I haven't read it yet so I seriously need to. 

Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.
 
Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.
 
It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.
 
But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.
 
There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.



The other books that I am going to read this month are on my ARC August TBR and books for blog tours. 

My ARC August TBR



Top 5 Wednesday | Books I Feel Differently About [Aug 3]

  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 “Books I Feel Differently About ” Turns out, I had a lot of trouble with this topic. I normally either hate a book or love a book from the beginning, and that doesn't change. But I found five that did change.



5. pride and prejudice by jane austen

This was a book that I was forced to read by my parents. I did not like it because I was being forced to read it. But as time passed, I begun to really like the story and characters.


 4. Divergent by Veronica roth
This is a book that I read because it was popular. I didn't read it because I wanted to. And I said I enjoyed it. But now, I probably would have only rated it 2 Crowns because I feel like it isn't as good as it could be. 


3. mockingjay by suzanne collins

I really hated this book. I was not happy with the way things played out and I thought that I would forever dislike this book. That is not the case. Now, I like it better and will probably give it a reread.



2. The chronicles of prydain by lloyd alexander

  I did not really like this series when I first read it back in fifth grade. Now, I really like the series and even dressed up as Eilonwy one Halloween. 


1. the lion, the witch, and the wardrobe by c.S. Lewis

This is a book that I feel like I didn't understand the first time that I read it. Now, I understand it and I really really like it.


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

Monday, 1 August 2016

Music Monday #23

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












Starving by Hailee Steinfeld & Grey ft. Zedd

I found this song about a week ago and I found out that I really enjoyed it. 

What's in your headphones?

Happy reading everybody! <3

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:





In Case You Missed It

Music Monday: Rise by Katy Perry
Top Five Wednesday was most unlikable characters
Thursday: ARC August TBR
Friday Book Review: A Drop of Night by Stefan Bachmann
Saturday Book Review: Everland by Wendy Spinale
Sunday: July Wrap-Up


This Week I Read

  
  








Next Week I'm Reading









Upcoming Reviews


 




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












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