Queen of Books

Thursday, 11 August 2016

Discussion #1: Family Relationships and Why They Are Important in YA Literature

Families aren't often depicted in YA Literature. Is it because they are for teens who want to be independent? Or is it because the parents are always working? Whatever the reason, families aren't a big part of YA Literature. When you find a family, they are usually disconnected, and uncommunicative. The parents don't usually care about the kid's well-being. Or the parents are manipulative. A good, healthy family relationship is like finding a needle in a haystack.

Family relationships are very important to be shown in YA Literature. They help readers, know what is a healthy relationship and it also helps the story be better. YA Literature needs to start to learn that family relationships are important to showcase.

Let's take Harry Potter for example. The Harry Potter series has tons of family relationships and they are what makes the story a lot better. We are all well aware of the Weasley's. They have been called one of the best families in YA Literature and it's true. The Weasley's maintain a strong relationship which gets them through thick and thin. This is what makes them one of the strongest family relationships and the book is a lot better because of it.

Now, let's take The Hunger Games. The Hunger Games doesn't have the best family relationships. But Katniss' family is a strong one. Her mom and her sister are always there for her, even though her mom does seem a little out of it in the first book. But they all really care for each other and are determined to see the best in each other and have each other see the best in them.

Then we have a book on the opposite end of the spectrum: Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes. The relationship between Magnus and his parents isn't necessarily an abusive relationship but it is not healthy and they don't seem to care for each other at all. Magnus just seems like another way for Gaius to get what he wants. Gaius doesn't think of him as his son. And then you have the mother who is pretty much out of it much of the time. She doesn't seem to care about her children either which shows that it is an unhealthy relationship.

Then we have abusive family relationships; The Young Elites and Lock and Mori. In The Young Elites, Adelina's father treats her like dirt. She isn't treated like a person at all, just because she has scars from an illness that she got. It isn't right to treat someone like that, just because they aren't as pretty as someone else. Her father wanted to marry her off, just so he could get money and then when she got sick and emerged with scars, he knew he would never get to marry her off. This family relationship is just plain wrong. Then there is Lock and Mori. Their father treats them really poorly because he thinks it is their fault that their mother died. This is also a messed up family relationship that isn't right at all.

So, why are family relationships not treated as something that is necessary to YA Literature?

It's a serious issue that needs to be fixed. Family relationships are things that should be depicted in a good light, every time they are showcased. Families are very important. They are something that every kid wants. Every child wants to belong. So, when author's start writing books that don't have healthy relationships, kids will think that abusive families are okay. And they aren't.

Having a strong family relationship is very important and I believe that they should always be showcased as so. Starting in YA Literature!

Tuesday, 9 August 2016

The Mark of Noba Blog Tour + Review

The Mark of Noba

Written by G.L. Tomas

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy/Science Fiction

Publisher: Rebellious Valkyrie Press

Release Date: August 12, 2015

Pages: 334

Source: Provided for Blog Tour

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

Recommended Age: 12 and up!

Summary:

Sterling Wayfairer has one goal for his senior year: make his mark. He’s been slipping into the background his whole high school career—distracted by his mother’s mental health, unsettled by the vivid dreams that haunt him at night, and overshadowed by the athletic accomplishments of his popular best friends. But this year is going to be different. He’s going to break a few rules, have some fun, and maybe even work up the nerve to ask his crush out on a date.

But things don’t go exactly as planned. Students are disappearing, Sterling starts losing time, and it all seems to center around Tetra, a girl no one else seems to notice but him. When he finally tracks her down for answers, they aren’t what he expects: He and Tetra hail from a world called Noba, and they’re being hunted by a Naga, a malevolent shapeshifter that’s marked them for destruction.

Tetra and Sterling have distinct abilities that can help them fight back, but their power depends heavily on the strength of their bond, a connection that transcends friendship, transcends romance. Years apart have left their bond weak. Jumpstarting it will require Sterling to open his heart and his mind and put his full trust in the mysterious Tetra.

If he doesn’t, neither of them will survive.

Review:

I received this book for The Mark of Noba blog tour.

I didn't really know what to expect from this but the cover is pretty cool. I like how they are drawn and not real people. I also like how the girl is in front of the boy and not hidden in the background.

This is also a story that doesn't waste too much time on the backstory and it just pulls you in. The world-building was done well. The young people who populate the world, Geo, are no different than real life people and the world is similar. Sterling is a young adult hero that there aren't many of. He's a regular teenage guy and has regular problems.

Then we have the character, Tetra. She also isn't the typical young adult heroine. She is a little patronizing towards Sterling and maddening at times. She's also a girl on a mission and Sterling is her responsibility.

Overall, this was a pretty good book and I recommend it.

4 out of 5 Crowns

Top Ten Tuesday || Top Ten Books I'd Love to see as a Movie or TV Show

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish that other bloggers are welcome to join in, to create Top Ten lists on varying topics. This week it's Rewind Week so I am doing Tip Ten Books I'd Love to See as a Movie or TV Show

I love this topic and I have some very good ideas for this. In fact, it was a problem to narrow it down. But here are ten books that I want to see as a movie or tv show.

1 The Young Elites by Marie Lu

The Young Elites should totally be made into a movie. Some of the scenes even played out like a movie in my head as I was reading the book. I would love to see how they would show Adelina's powers on the screen.

2 The Remnant Chronicles by Mary E. Pearson

The Remnant Chronicles are a fantastic book series. I think that this one would work perfectly as a tv series. I love the banter, the characters and the plot. I would love to see how the whole thing would be done on the screen. They could film it where they filmed movies like The Hobbit. [In wide open spaces].

3 Stitching Snow by R.C. Lewis

Stitching Snow is one of my favorite retelling books and I would love it if it was adapted to be a movie.

4 Throne of Glass

I just started this series and have only finished the first book but it is such a wonderful book. I believe that these could be movies. I even have a small fancast for this. I would like to have Claire Holt as Caelena and Jeremy Irvine as Chaol. I don't know for Dorian yet.

5 The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

The Lunar Chronicles would make a perfect TV show. I only hope that they would be able to cast this perfectly and won't mess anything up. Arden Cho should definitely be Cinder. Just saying.

6 Keeper of the Lost Cities

I love this series. It is a middle grade series that would work perfectly as a TV show. Ugh, I need it.

7 Shatter Me

Shatter Me is something that should be a movie. It is a very popular series and I am surprised it hasn't been optioned for a movie yet.

8 The Falling Kingdoms Series by Morgan Rhodes

When I finished this series, all I could think about was, "This would be an amazing tv show for people who don't want to watch Game of Thrones as it is a little too explicit for them." Well, there you go. I would like this to be a tv series. I would be so happy if it became one.

9 Crossing the Line

This is an action packed book that is kind of like a female James Bond so I think it would be wonderful as a movie.

10 A Drop of Night

This is a horror/thriller type YA book and I think it would be amazing if it was turned into a movie. And it doesn't have romance so that's a plus.

11 Starflight

Starflight is a new favorite of mine. It is set in space and has a wonderful cast of characters and I think it would do well as a movie.

12 The Falconer by Elizabeth May

The Falconer is an amazing book and would do well as either a movie or a tv show. There is a lot of action and sweet romance that would appeal to many.

Monday, 8 August 2016

Movie Review #5: Zootopia

Finally, I am getting another movie review up. I am such a bad person in terms of promising reviews and then never giving them. Today, I am going to do a review of Zootopia. I loved this movie so much so here are my thoughts. This is also mostly spoiler free.

Title: Zootopia
Director: Bryon Howard, Rich Moore, Jared Bush
Rating: PG
My Rating: 5 Crowns
Release Date: March 4, 2016

Zootopia isn't the only movie with talking animals that has come out in the last year, but it is one of the only ones that I went to see and seems to stand out.

PLOT

Zootopia is about a world where all animals, both predator and prey, live together in harmony. In Zootopia, anyone can be anything. Our main protagonist, Judy Hopps believes that because she is the first rabbit police officer on a police force that is made up of much larger animals. She is assigned as the meter maid and is determined to impress so that she can move up to harder jobs. Then when she hears about a missing mammal case, she jumps at the opportunity and takes the case. She must aly with a sly, con-artist fox named Nick Wilde in order to solve it. Along the way, the case becomes bigger than either of them could have ever anticipated.

I love movies with animals in it. Especially animals that talk and do things just like humans do. I naturally adored this movie and thought it was super funny and super cute.

The plot is pretty well paced and doesn't drag. It is sort of a mystery movie which is filled with twists and turns that I could never have anticipated. It consistently stayed one or two steps ahead of me so I couldn't figure it out ahead of time. It was really well written and kept me on the edge of my seat. The writers put in as much effort with the mystery as they did the characters and setting.

Zootopia also happens to be a hilarious movie. The humor is so well done that it is sure to get you to laugh, no matter what.

ACTORS/CHARACTERS

The characters are all very interesting and unique and have secret sides to them that you really wouldn't expect to see.

Judy Hopps is intelligent, brave, optimistic and friendly which are all great qualities to have. But she has flaws just like everyone does. Sometimes she doesn't think through what she is saying and just spits it out which ends up doing more harm than good. But she also wants to make the world a better place and she does that by becoming the first bunny officer ever. She has to break the mold of how rabbits are perceived. They aren't perceived to be strong or fearless and she breaks those expectations. She also sees potential in others that others don't. I felt like I related to her, me being a female viewer but she is a good person to try and relate to.

Nick Wilde is sly, intelligent, charming, fast-talking, witty, cynical, laid-back and opinionated. I loved him from the beginning. He is by far my favorite character, but close followed by Judy. He can talk his way out of practically anything. He believes that dreams in Zootopia, never come true. His knowledge of the city help Judy and we soon learn that there is a lot more to Nick than what meets the eye.

FRIENDSHIP

Judy and Nick develop a strong relationship as the movie progresses. They consistently work together and help each other. Their chemistry is undeniable and I loved them so so much. They are able to carry the emotion of the movie as well as be entertaining. They develop a strong bond that is so easy to see.

ANIMATION

The animation was truly beautiful. I loved how they designed the city and all the places as well as the characters.

Zootopia is such a creative place and I really wanted to explore more of it because it was all so well done. Every element was well thought out and planned before putting it on the screen.

I highly enjoyed this movie and believe that it is on it's way to becoming a Disney classic. Zootopia is a great representation of how Disney has evolved into something that everyone should spend time watching. It has wonderful messages that teach children and adults not to be prejudiced and to follow their dreams.

It is one of Disney's best films as well as one of the smartest.

Music Monday #24

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

Wiser by Madilyn Bailey

This is part of Madilyn Bailey's new album. I have been following her for a for a couple years and she has an amazing voice. This is also so far my favorite song written by her. :)

What's in your headphones?

Happy reading everybody! <3

Sunday, 7 August 2016

Weekly Update: 8/1 - 8/7

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.

This week, I came back from California so I had to recover from that. I also had a couple of appointments this week.

I did go to see a movie on Friday, with my mom and sister. I saw Star Trek Beyond which was so good. I will have a review up this coming week.

I also went to the library and got way too many books.

New Books

Purchased:

Library:

Rebel Spring by Morgan Rhodes Review

This is a spoiler free review!

Rebel Spring

Written by Morgan Rhodes

Genre: Young Adult/High Fantasy

Publisher: Razorbill

Release Date: December 3, 2013

Pages: 401

Source: Bought

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

Recommended Age: 13 and up! Or rather the age when you can handle the blood, gore and death.

Summary:

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.

Review:

So much blood, gore and betrayal. It was bloody fantastic! [see what I did there?]. This book was so good that I am having trouble reading another book. The Falling Kingdoms series is recommended for fans of Game of Thrones and from what I've heard about that show, I believe this book would fit right into that world. Apparently it is practically Game of Thrones for Young Adults, minus the explicit sex scenes. Which I am glad of, by the way. But this series is fantastic and a new favorite!

COVER

This is one of the only series where I would like a cover change. Not because the covers don't fit the book. No, because I am confused by the covers. I am being dead serious here. I have no idea who is on each cover. Tell me if you know.

WORLD-BUILDING

The world-building just gets better and better with each book. We get to know tad bits of information in each book and we have to put the puzzle pieces together and try to figure out what each character is going to do with it. Ugh, it's like reading a mystery, but there is no detective in the book and anyone could be doing whatever.

Then there are the characters.

CLEO

"Think of me what you will. But I swear to the goddess I will have my throne back-and King Gaius will pay for his crimes."

That's my girl! I love Cleo so so much. Cleo still happens to be overly confident and doesn't seem to think things through before they happen. She is also naive and doesn't always know what is really at stake. Sometimes, she gets other people into trouble or killed without really realizing it. Despite all this, I expect great things from her in the future. She is slowly coming into her own. She knows that King Gaius has to be stopped but yet, she doesn't know who to align herself with. I have a feeling that when they do stop him, she will be the one to end his life.

MAGNUS

"Father and I-we're very much the same. We'll do whatever it takes to get what we want, and we'll hurt whoever gets in our way, no mater who they are. Without conscience or remorse."

Okay, Magnus sweetie, we both know that isn't quite true. Magnus has come a long way from the beginning of Falling Kingdoms to the end of Rebel Spring. He still has to do many things to earn atonement and forgiveness from Cleo and from me but I feel like he is already on his way. At first, he seems to be Gaius' little puppet but he is coming into his own and struggling to figure out if Gaius is really doing the right thing. He has some moments of humanity that show that his heart isn't really all covered in ice like we thought. I have a feeling that he will become one of my favorite characters.

LUCIA

"They tell me it's not evil. It doesn't feel evil, really. But there is a darkness taking hold, as if the night itself wraps me in an embrace that grows tighter every moment."

Ah, Lucia. I think she is really becoming a crazy, young woman. I adored Lucia in the first book but now, I distrust her and really am beginning to dislike her. Lucia seems like she doesn't really care for her brother anymore. She also doesn't show much compassion anymore. There is a scene that truly scared me and scarred me which shows how I distrust her now. She has become so heartless and distant, so much like her father. And the worst thing is that she sometimes accepts that darkness that is trying to take hold of her. She welcomes it with open arms.

JONAS

"Believe me, if I were here to end your life, you'd already be dead."

I love Jonas so so much! He is a strong male character. He knows that what King Gaius is doing is wrong and he is determined to end him. Jonas acts like he doesn't like Cleo at all but he has a soft spot for her which could mean his undoing. Jonas is kind of the opposite of Magnus. He knows what he wants and knows how to make it happen. I feel like there is a lot more of him to come and I welcome it because Jonas is my new bae.

GAIUS

"Then many will die....my queen. As many as it takes."

This guy is crazy, let's just put it out there. I'm not sure what his point is. He is a total villain that we all hate because he is so bad. There isn't a sliver in him that makes me seem like he is worthy of redemption which is interesting because for many villains, there is goodness in them. Gaius just really needs to be over throned and gotten rid of because the more that he is in power, the more the people will start to believe him.

FRIENDSHIP/FAMILY

Family is a concept often questioned in this book. For example, King Gaius seems to want his family to be happy and yet he does things that get them hurt. Family doesn't seem to be important in this book. However, friendship and being allies is different.

PLOT

Rebel Spring took us a step deeper into the world that Morgan Rhodes created in Falling Kingdoms. We are also one step further to unraveling the secrets and figuring out the prophecies. The King of Blood is now ruling in Mytica. He is a ruthless ruler who keeps his people loyal to him by lying and kills anyone who steps one toe out of line.

Morgan Rhodes has yet again, not failed to surprise me. I am still shocked by the plot twists. This book is plot twist after plot twist. It is chilling and the number of unexpected deaths kept piling up that I soon lost track of who had died and who was still in the land of the living. Sometimes, I had to flip back a few chapters and read someone's death scene in order to confirm that it truly did happen. When everything seemed peaceful and calm, I was slapped by another plot twist. Yep, this book was a roller coaster of emotions.

ROMANCE

This book feels like it has a freaking love octagon. I'm not going to give anything away because of spoilers but it seriously seems like everyone is secretly hiding feelings for someone else.

As far as Cleo is concerned, I am Team Magnus all the way. I mean Nic is cute but I feel like he is kind of hiding in the closet. Jonas is bae but to be honest, I think he would redeem Lucia.

But two things happened in this book that made me squeal with excitement and joy and I can't wait for more.

WRITING

The writing was gorgeous and so flowy. I love how there are multiple point of views because it helps you see what each character really thinks and how they feel.

Final Thoughts:

Go read this book! It is so amazing. The characters are three dimensional and fantastic. The writing is beautiful and the romance is existent but not over done. This is one of my new favorite series and I will continue to make my way through the books.

This gif sums up my thoughts about Magnus and Jonas:

Quotes from the Book:

“Sometimes, to regain sanity, one had to acknowledge and embrace the madness.”

“Evil is a choice one makes, not a natural state of being.”

“I believe we make our own destinies, every last one of us.”

“But she didn't fall. Someone was there, reaching an arm around her waist to steady her. She looked up expecting to see Nic, but it was Magnus.

His dark brows were drawn tightly together. "Problem, princess?”

“There was no hope in death, only an end.”

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Crowns

THIS BOOK IN THREE GIFS