Book Review: The Wise Man's Fear

THE KINGKILLER CHRONICLES, #2
AUTHOR: PATRICK ROTHFUSS
RATING: 4.5 STARS
THE NAME OF THE WIND

It's with a heavy heart that I cannot give this book five full stars. I'll cut to the chase and say why before I dive into all the things I loved (which will contain spoilers for book one, so read at your own risk). Basically, there were a few points where I felt the story dragged. It wasn't that there weren't things happening, and that those things didn't have relevance to the plot, it was that those things happened so slowly I found myself starting to drift off and lose focus. I'm guessing on a reread these will be easier to swallow, as these sorts of parts tend to be, but first time through it really took a toll on me as a reader.

Okay, now onto the good stuff: basically all the rest. This book, like the first, is far different than any other fantasy I've ever read. I put it down to the humbleness of the writing (it doesn't try to be something it's not) and also the cleverness of the story telling. While I was reading I began picking up on a lot of small details and freaking out over the things that are starting to connect the greater story of the Chandrian, the Amyr, and the other stories (like the moon) that are so important to this book. Even after reading hours of fan theories I still think there's a lot left in the book to discover.

Book one spends a lot of the story at the University, and while I enjoyed it and the characters that populated it, I was thrilled to see Kvothe leave the (somewhat) safety that the University offered and explore more the world. His adventures were a bunch of fun (though, again, they did drag) and I really liked that they offered the opportunity to meet more female characters. It's not that they're lacking (hell, I love Denna, Devi, Auri, Fela) it was just that I wanted more of them. And Rothfuss does not disappoint. I don't want to give them all away, but they're a pleasure to meet and spend time with on the page. Of all of his adventures, I adore Kvothe's time with Felurian. Sometimes in a good book there are therapeutic moments where things seem at peace and when I'm not feeling at peace I go back and read those parts (for example, in American Gods when Shadow stays in Lakeside) and this is definitely one of those sequences. Also, I just really loved Felurian.

This is such a short review because there's too much to say and not enough words to use. It's an amazing book, go read it (after you finish book one, of course). Thank me later.

Book Review: Truthwitch

THE WITCHLANDS #1
AUTHOR: SUSAN DENNARD
RATING: 4 STARS

I've had people tell me on and off to pick this one up for a while but I've been hesitant because there have been several mixed reviews and after reading Something Strange and Deadly I wasn't sure how Dennard's writing style would translate to epic fantasy. Well, thanks to a twitter poll (and special thanks to Brittany Jackson for being the tie breaker) I finally picked it up and I don't regret it at all.

Truthwitch follows several characters, most notably thread-sisters Safi and Iseult, as they become enmeshed in the center of a political mission that will lead to either war or peace.

First off, what I didn't like: the beginning. I thought it felt rushed, it took me a little to get my footing, and the motivations for the characters made little to no sense. I almost DNFd it because I really didn't like anyone, nor did I think the world was anything special, and it in fact felt messy. It was probably somewhere near the 100 page mark where I realized that I hadn't been able to put it down in sometime and no longer had any of the problems I'd had early on. I will say that even towards the end I had some questions about motivations and what exactly got certain balls rolling, and I'm not too sure if the logic worked out all the time, but it didn't end up being a big deal and I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of things are answered later in the series.

Because I had a hard time with the motivations early on I had a hard time with the characters early on. I also never really wrapped my head around all the anger Safi and Merik held onto; I couldn't see exactly where their tempers were coming from all the time, but in the end it didn't bother me too much because their characters grew throughout the story. Overall I liked all of the characters, and most of the ones who didn't get narration chapters have left me incredibly curious as to what's next. I particularly liked the relationship between Safi and Iseult, because they were seriously best friends and the way their friendship was depicted was not something I have seen between two female characters in a fantasy book before. Normally two men will have that relationship, or a man and a woman, and this was so refreshing and well done. I also adored how badass they were and the fact that they could easily take on other men and women and their gender was never brought up as a problem.

At first both the magic system and the world building was hard to grasp, but as soon as I started getting a grip I really enjoyed them both. The magic is interesting and fun, but I agree with many of the reviews I've seen which have said they wished there was some sort of chart to keep track. There are so many facets of witcheries that I often got lost when it came to non-important characters or passing references. I also want to know a lot more about the Origin Wells, because I'm not too sure how those work (but it also wasn't a distracting problem and I'm something I'm sure will come up later). As for the world, it was complicated but not unduly so. I liked the politics of it and I liked that it was easy to follow the relationships between most of the kingdoms and that those relationships felt real and mature, as if they had been around for a while. The map is a godsend, though, because without it I would have no idea where and how people were traveling across this world.

Overall, it's definitely a fantasy to pick up. It's got badass characters (particularly badass women) and a fighting style that's super cinematic. The fantasy elements are well done, even if it does lead on the wrong foot with some info dumping. If you've been debating this one like I was it's time you pick it up.

Candle Reviews: Meraki Candles & The Melting Library

I love, love, love candles, something I discovered last summer. And with that discovery also came the discovery that there are people making and selling book-themed candles. It was an amazing discovery and for a while instead of buying books I was buying the candles they inspired. At school I don't get as much chance to burn them as I would like but now that I'm home I've been going through about one a week or so. I have many thoughts about these candles so I've decided to do a review post for some of them. Expect to see another set of candle reviews in the future, when I've bought and burned even more.

First up is Meraki Candles. Overview: I really like the company. I haven't had any problems with customer service, they're priced reasonably (when compared to other bookish candles), and there's a large variety to choose from. Their also really pretty in general and the presentation is done well, and they arrive safely and undamaged, which is a huge plus. My biggest problems lie in how long it takes to get the candles and how quickly they burn. The former isn't much of a problem if you live in the UK where they're based, but it takes much longer than I anticipated for one of these candles to arrive and a Christmas scented candle I ordered I didn't get until it was well past the season. I don't really hold this against them, but it's definitely something to remember when you order from them and live in the United States. The other big problem is how quickly these candles burn. In 15 hours or so I had gone through all but the smallest bit at the bottom. That's not a bad thing, necessarily, but I was surprised to find myself eating through these so quickly. Something else I've notice, but isn't a problem for me but might be for you, is that they do leave wax on the sides as they melt down, which just kinda clouds up the inside and leaves them less-pretty. Fairy Loot Exclusive Candles: When I was subscribed to Fairy Loot I got a Divergent themed candle (it came smaller than the regular sizes) which was a good candle but in general isn't my type, and a Caraval themed candle (pictured above) called Come Back Yesterday. I'm so upset that it's an exclusive because it is one of my absolute favorite candles of all time! I burn it sparsely because I adore it so much. Full Sized-Candles: The two that I have burned nearly all the way down (as I type this I'm currently working on finishing one of them) are the Night Court candle and the Cabeswater candle. I like them both because, while they don't exactly smell how I picture either of these places, they smell clean and the scent travels well in my room. If you're into mixing candles and burning more than one at a time these are also good for pairing with other scents. I have yet to burn my Dorian candle but just sniffing it dry I predict good things (it smells like a clean boy, if that makes sense?). The last one is the Christmas themed candle I mentioned earlier, Wizards Chess. I did burn this a little but I'm mostly holding off for the Christmas season and I couldn't be more excited. It took me right back to all those Christmas and Harry Potter feelings as soon as I sniffed it. Of them all, this is the one to buy next time it shows up on their shop, if you're looking to buy from them.

The first candle company I discovered was The Melting Library and for a while I bought from them exclusively. That has since changed for a couple reasons. Number one is that I just wanted to try more companies. Number two is that I have run into some problems with them. Overview: I love, love, love the candles Melting Library puts out. They're all brilliant and they smell divine. The quality is also really great, they ship safely, and the packaging is nice. Also, compared to other bookish candle companies they're pretty reasonable. But the problems have knocked them down from my number one spot for candle buying. Now, before I tell you what my problems were I don't want anyone to have the impression that I dislike this company or that I don't plan to buy from them anymore. I still plan to buy from them, and I still like them, but I just can't do it as frequently anymore. The biggest problem I have is their customer service. I've had questions and I've had issues with delivery (nothing crazy but I needed to change an address a couple of times; don't ask) and I've contacted them several times. None of those times did I get a response back. It left me confused and burned because even if it wasn't possible to change the address or answer my question at the time I do expect some sort of response. Being left hanging as a customer is really annoying and also kind of problematic. My other problems I can understand why they're happening, they're just not something I want to deal with from a company as frequently as I felt like I was. Lately it seems impossible to get candles in the scents I want because, even though I have alerts set up on their twitter where they announce when the store will be opening, and even though I log onto their store when it opens, I find that most of their candles are already sold out. I get why it's happening but it's been getting more and more frustrating when all I want is the Night Court candle (more on that in a minute) and within ten minutes they're all gone. I don't even check that frequently anymore because it hasn't been worth it for a while. All of this has also led to a really long wait for candles to arrive and that's frustrating because when I first started ordering the wait time was reasonable. Now it can take upwards of a month or more to get what I've ordered and by then I've either forgotten or I'm just not excited to receive it anymore. *shrug* Still I do like their product and if you're a bookish candle fan and haven't tried them they're a definite must at some point. Samplers & Sets: I've ordered three samplers, the Beauty and the Beast set, the Villains set, and the ACOTAR set. I'm not going to go through every single thing in these sets but in general I really like them all. I have yet to actually try to ACOTAR set because it shipped to my school address and I couldn't change the address (even though I did contact them...). I'll be able to burn these in September and honestly I'm super excited. The size of their samples is much larger than I thought it would be and I was rather pleasantly surprised by it. They last for a while and, even though I don't burn these as frequently, they smell really good. They also come with extra goodies which I love (especially the soap that came with the Villains set; I wish they sold it so I could buy more). Full Sized-Candles: Here's another Christmas candle I didn't get until after the Holiday (again, because I couldn't change the address....), the Christmas at the Little Palace (pictured above) is absolutely stunning scent and I'm DYING to burn it this Winter. It's gonna be wonderful. My favorite candle from them, and the first one I ever bought, is The Night Court and it's the only candle of theirs that I've completely gone through (though I still have the jar because I can't bear to part with it). I've been trying to get another to fill the place in my heart but have yet to actually find them in stock. I also really like their Legend and Warden candles (both of which are really great if you, like me, love the Night Court candle). The two I like less, but still really like, are Dirtyhands which was a tad underwhelming and Liesl which isn't my type of scent at all, which is my fault for buying it, though it does pair well with other candles.

Lately I've been in love with Muggle Library Candles and In the Wick of Time and I've been spending time burning not just bookish themed candles as well. What's your favorite candle bookish or otherwise? Is there a candle store I should check out? Let me know, please!!

Can't Wait Wednesday: Tower of Dawn

I'm switching over from Waiting on Wednesday's to Can't Wait Wednesday, a meme hosted by Wishful Endings. The idea is basically the same, but it looks like the official hosts of Breaking the Spine have shut down the meme so it's time to move on. Description and cover image taken from Goodreads.

In the next installment of the New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series, follow Chaol on his sweeping journey to a distant empire.
Chaol Westfall has always defined himself by his unwavering loyalty, his strength, and his position as the Captain of the Guard. But all of that has changed since the glass castle shattered, since his men were slaughtered, since the King of Adarlan spared him from a killing blow, but left his body broken.
His only shot at recovery lies with the legendary healers of the Torre Cesme in Antica—the stronghold of the southern continent's mighty empire. And with war looming over Dorian and Aelin back home, their survival might lie with Chaol and Nesryn convincing its rulers to ally with them.
But what they discover in Antica will change them both—and be more vital to saving Erilea than they could have imagined.

Why I'm Waiting

I'll be honest, I don't love the cover. I don't hate it but I was so underwhelmed with this reveal. I dislike that it doesn't really match with the rest of the series. Of course I'll buy it (truth is I'll probably buy multiple copies) and I'm hoping that the cover really does hide a bunch of secret goodies.

Tower of Dawn releases September 5th, 2017

Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag 2017

I know we're passed the halfway point of the year but I've been seeing this around and have finally had some spare time to write one up. No one tagged me in this and I'm not going to tag anyone, but if you still want to do it, or have one up already, please let me know in the comments because I'd love to read them!

1. Best Books You've Read So Far This Year

Caraval, The Magicians, A Court of Wings and Ruin, Lord of Shadows, The Name of the Wind, and The Wise Man's Fear. If I had to narrow it down to most influential it'd be Name of the Wind and Wise Man's Fear, which have had such an impact on me, more than pretty much any other book ever has, that I've changed how I think about certain things. So, yeah, there's that.

2. Best Sequel of the Year So Far

A Court of Wings and Ruin really takes the cake as the best finale to a series I've read in a long time so I'll go with that.

3. New Releases You Haven't Read Yet, But You Want To

I just picked up The Traitor's Kiss and The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue and I'd say of the two I'm even more excited for the latter.

4. Most Anticipated Release of the Second Half of the Year

Wicked Like Wildfire, All The Crooked Saints, and Iron Gold are probably at the top of my list.

5. Biggest Disappointment

My reread of Lady Midnight didn't go nearly as well as I expected it to. I adored the book last year when it came out but it didn't hold up as well this time around. Thank goodness Lord of Shadows was such a stunner of a book.

6. Biggest Surprise

I liked the Handmaid's Tale far more than I thought I would. It's definitely a book I'll be revisiting frequently.

7. Favorite New Author (Debut or New to You)

Patrick Rothfuss takes the cake. Like I mentioned, the Kingkiller Chronicles (at least the two full books that are out) have literally changed the way I think about certain things and I won't be surprised if this ends up changing me as a person (for the better, of course). Will be reading his works forever as far as I'm concerned.

8. Newest Fictional Crush

Maybe Azriel from ACOTAR series? Like, I really liked him when I read ACOMAF when it first came out, but in ACOWAR he stole my heart along the way. Quite the pleasant surprise.

9. Newest Favorite Character

Just a bunch of them from Kingkiller Chronicles. Namely, Kvothe, Bast, Chronicler, Denna, Devi, Auri, Tempi, Vashet, Elodin, Felurian... okay it's a long list that can go on for a while but I think you're starting to get it. I also really liked all the main characters from Truthwitch.

10. Book That Made You Cry

Lord of Shadows. Even after a few weeks distance from the book, if I think about it for too long I get weepy.

11. A Book That Made You Happy

Frogkisser had me laughing quite frequently.

12. Favorite Book To Movie/TV Adaption You've Seen This Year

AMERICAN GODS

13. Favorite Review You've Written This Year

I haven't written many reviews this year because I just haven't been around, so I'm just pretty proud of all the ones that I've managed to get out there.

14. Most Beautiful Book You've Bought or Received This Year

Caraval- I have the US Arc, US Hardcover, and a UK Hardcover and they're all gorgeous.

15. What Books Do You Need to Read By the End of the Year

I've promised some people that I'd get to Night Circus this year (and I really, really want to) and I'm also hoping to get to Strange the Dreamer and The Song Rising because I was waiting for so long for those to come out.

Music Monday: Summer Jams

Music Monday is a meme hosted by my friend Lauren from Always Me and the rules are simple: share a few songs you've been enjoying lately (they don't have to be a specific genre or follow any theme) and they can be new or old songs. If possible share a music video or lyric video. And, of course, link up with Lauren.

I've wanted to participate in this meme for a while but for whatever reason it either kept slipping my mind, I didn't have time to write it, or there wasn't any music that was inspiring me at the moment. I seem to have found some passion for music again, though, and I'm excited to join in. I know I won't be able to participate each week but I'm going to try and be a frequent flier with this one.

First up is Castle on the Hill by Ed Sheeran which is, without a doubt, the song that defines this summer for me.

I'm not a huge fan of Ed Sheeran, meaning that I won't go out of my way to listen to his music, but if it comes on the radio I will absolutely turn the speakers up a bit. When I heard this for the first time on a car ride to an amusement park I fell instantly in love. It's super nostalgic (if that were a genre it'd be my favorite) and reminds me of a song that defined my summer after senior year of high school- Geronimo (the openings sound similar).

Walking the Wire was one of Imagine Dragons singles released in prep for their most recent album (which I absolutely love).

The first time I listened to it I was so overcome in emotion and energy that I had to dance (badly; I'm not a good dancer). It's such a motivating and beautiful song and I want to play it constantly. I couldn't say whether it was the music or the lyrics I loved more.

Like most Coldplay songs Something Just Like This took me a while to warm up to, but once I really started listening to the lyrics I fell in love. Anything that references Greek/Roman mythology tends to attract me, and not only does this song make reference to Achilles and Hercules but Spiderman and Batman as well. A song after my own heart.

When I was younger my dad told me that he'd listen to a song from his childhood and be taken back to that moment or year. For me this is doubly true with music that defines summers. Listening to a "summer song" in the middle of winter, or even when I'm having a bad day, can bring me back to all those good, warm memories and help ground me. Are there any songs like that for you? Let me know in the comments!

July Wrap Up #1

Good evening! This wrap up is coming a week earlier than I expected it to, but I thought it was time to catch you all up to speed sooner than later. Something I've been considering on and off for a while is switching my blog to wordpress and recently I've made the decision more or less official. There are a bunch of reasons I want to switch to wordpress, and I'm not going into them now, but in the new year that's likely what's going to happen. I'm not completely giving up on Blogger, I'll keep looking around and seeing if there are things I didn't realize I could do with it and maybe that will change my mind, but as of right now I'm going to proceed with the plan to switch. The biggest difference that will be noticeable is that I'm going to be implementing some ads here. Ugh, I know. I hate advertisements, but I like the idea of this blog paying for, at least in part, something going into the new version of it. I'm going to try and keep the ads at a minimum but they will be there and it would be a huge favor if, if the chance arises, you click the ads for things that interest you. If any big decisions are made I'll keep you guys up to date on them. On to the wrap up!

Finished

Truthwitch (review coming Friday)

The Wise Man's Fear (review coming later this month)

Currently Reading

I'm in the midst of Magic Study but I should be done by the end of the night. After that I'll be picking up Assassin's Blade as my reread of the Throne of Glass series is about to begin again.

Reviews

5 Star Book Review: Lord of Shadows

Book Review: East

Game Review: The Dresden Files Cooperative Card Game

Mini Book Review: Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy

Discussions

Spoiler Discussion: Lord of Shadows

Can't Wait Wednesday

CWW: Unearthed

Can't Wait Wednesday: An Enchantment of Ravens

Upcoming Posts

Music Monday: Summer Playlist

Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag

CWW: Tower of Dawn

Candle Reviews

Truthwitch Review

The Wise Man's Fear Review

Bookish Interviews (inspired by Truthwitch)

CWW: Dread Nation

Do you prefer Blogger of Wordpress? Let me know in the comments!

Mini Book Review: Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy

SHADOWHUNTERS #11
AUTHOR: CASSANDRA CLARE
SARAH REES BRENNAN
MAUREEN JOHNSON
ROBIN WASSERMAN
RATING: 4 STARS
THE BANE CHRONICLES

This was, by far, the most nostalgic Shadowhunter book to date. Not only does it call back to TMI, which is a series I haven't revisited since the last book came out, but also TID, and some of the character from TDA (whose fates I know now having just finished Lord of Shadows). It was almost liking going home, reading this book, and that was the perfect experience for the place I was in at the time of reading it.

Just like with The Bane Chronicles, it was James Herondale who took the cake with this one. I adored his story, I adored everything about him- his relationship with his parents, his relationship with his friends (particularly Matthew!), and his character in general. I already know he's going to be one of my favorite characters in all of the series and I really, really can't wait for TLH to come out.

I also liked how level headed Simon was, and how he was the voice of reason among the heightened political tension within the Shadowhunter Academy. Pairing this with everything in Lord of Shadows, this is definitely tamer, but it's also important. I'd recommend reading this first because it really sets up the relationships each group has with the other.

My one complaint was that, even after everything that I loved in this book, I walked away feeling a little empty, as if there was something missing at the end. I think that has to do with the fact that it's not a novel, it's an anthology, but I still felt like something key was missing. However, I don't think that should stop anyone from reading this collection, because it really is, overall, wonderful.

Game Review: The Dresden Files Cooperative Card Game

This is a different sort of review, but I've been eagerly awaiting this game for some time now, and it is based off of a book series I adore, so I think it has a place here. The Dresden Files Cooperative Card Game was a kickstarter but I didn't get the chance to back it, much to my disappointment since afterwards I realized how many exclusives I missed out on the chance for. I decided I would buy this at the earliest opportunity and a preorder arose that I jumped on because I could also grab the extra packs and expansions. In fact, I got all but one expansion pack, which was a tie in to another series I had never read.

The way the game is complicated, but easy to learn, though it did take me about half an hour to figure out. It would certainly be easier if there were multiple people learning together, and I know they have a video explanation, but I went purely by the guide book. The best way to learn is to play a round or two. Mostly everything is color coordinated, so it's not hard to match what cards deal with other cards, but there are also several numbers to keep an eye on and manage and that doesn't become easy until the second or third time you play. Regardless of how complicated it is it's fun when the ball starts rolling and it really does play as quickly as it says.

I've never played a cooperative card game before so this was completely new to me. Instead of playing against the other players you play against the game itself and you need to have solved more cases than there are monsters left on the board, which is way harder than it sounds. Of the three games I've played so far I've lost all of them. In order to play you need a character deck (for the players) and a book deck (for the game). There are several character decks so you get quite the range to choose from and more than half of the book decks (though many come in expansion packs) and almost three times as many side job cards so that you can create a game that isn't based off of any book in particular. You can also combine the different book decks however you like for an even more unique playing experience, but you cannot combine character decks for obvious reasons.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that you can play this game alone and it actually isn't that much harder, nor that much easier. It plays a really balanced game, and beyond making the decisions for three instead of one, it's just like playing with multiple people. This was the first round I played and it took me a little longer because I was still learning but I really enjoyed it nonetheless. I played the first book deck and a lot of my memories of that book are hazy, but I did recall some of the details that went into this game and enjoyed how it tried to connect to the book. My only problem with playing alone was that there wasn't anyone to talk to and scheme with to try and defeat the game.

I also managed to play two rounds with my parents. We played the first book deck and the second. Neither of my parents have ever read the books (though my dad watched the TV show way back when it was on; not that he remembers it at all) and they had a hard time learning how to play. Half of that I blame on myself for being bad at explaining but I do think it was harder for them to learn because they don't play games like this very often. Even throughout the game I could tell they thought it was overly complicated and while they still enjoyed it to a degree I think it could have been enhanced for them if it was easier. The best way to play would probably be with others who knew the books well (so they could enjoy the finer points of the cards) and had some experience with more complicated board and card games because this one doesn't work as a good primer.

Over even the game itself I love the cards themselves. Some of them are hilarious (looking at you "I don't wear hats!") and all of them are wonderful callbacks to the books. The art, too, is gorgeous and I love seeing all of my favorite characters come alive in this medium. My goal is to play with each character deck at some point so that I can really enjoy them all. If you're a fan and willing to pay and want to play it's definitely worth it.

It's not the best game I've ever played but once I got the hang of it I had such a good time. It's definitely not for newcomers to gaming like this because of all the complications and different pieces you need to keep track of at once, but if you're looking for something that will make you think hard to win it's probably up your alley. You also don't really need to have read the books to understand the game itself but it's more fun (obviously) if you're already a fan. If I was going to rate this, I'd give it about 3.5 stars out of 5.

Can't Wait Wednesday: An Enchantment of Ravens

I'm switching over from Waiting on Wednesday's to Can't Wait Wednesday, a meme hosted by Wishful Endings. The idea is basically the same, but it looks like the official hosts of Breaking the Spine have shut down the meme so it's time to move on.

Isobel is a prodigy portrait artist with a dangerous set of clients: the sinister fair folk, immortal creatures who cannot bake bread, weave cloth, or put a pen to paper without crumbling to dust. They crave human Craft with a terrible thirst, and Isobel’s paintings are highly prized among them. But when she receives her first royal patron—Rook, the autumn prince—she makes a terrible mistake. She paints mortal sorrow in his eyes – a weakness that could cost him his life.
Furious and devastated, Rook spirits her away to the autumnlands to stand trial for her crime. Waylaid by the Wild Hunt’s ghostly hounds, the tainted influence of the Alder King, and hideous monsters risen from barrow mounds, Isobel and Rook depend on one another for survival. Their alliance blossoms into trust, then love, violating the fair folks’ ruthless Good Law. There's only one way to save both their lives, Isobel must drink from the Green Well, whose water will transform her into a fair one—at the cost of her Craft, for immortality is as stagnant as it is timeless.
Isobel has a choice: she can sacrifice her art for a future, or arm herself with paint and canvas against the ancient power of the fairy courts. Because secretly, her Craft represents a threat the fair folk have never faced in all the millennia of their unchanging lives: for the first time, her portraits have the power to make them feel.

Why I'm Waiting

Faeries are in right now- not just in general but for me. I adore that the stories from my childhood are being given dangerous flesh (I grew up on Spiderwick Chronicles and I've waited a long time for Fey to make this comeback). Beyond that, this story sounds really good, and not quite like an epic fantasy and not quite like a faerie story. The cover, though, is what initially caught my attention, and while at first it reminded me of the covers of the Air Awakens series, I soon discovered that it was actually done by the magnificent Charlie Bowater, which completed selling me on this book.

An Enchantment of Ravens releases on September 26th, 2017.

Book Review: East

AUTHOR: EDITH PATTOU
RATING: 3 STARS

Growing up this book was always on the end caps at my library but I never wanted to pick it up because it didn't sound like a proper fantasy novel. Looking back I'm glad I didn't read it when I was younger because I don't think I would have been able to get through it, as it really is more of a historical fairy tale of sorts.

East is a retelling of the story East of the Sun, West of the Moon (which is one of stories that inspired ACOTAR) and that's the reason I picked it up this time around. This version is steeped in a world that once was and, as far as I can tell, is historically accurate (besides the fairy tale elements). It follows Rose, a young girl who agrees to go with a White Bear in order to save her family.

While this is a beautifully told story, and I really liked a lot of the latter parts of the book, it had too many issues for me to really enjoy it all the way. First, there were far too many perspectives and I often didn't care what some of them had to say. Near the end they do all start to have something interesting to say, but it took too long for them to all pay off as many early chapters just feel like padding. And each chapter was very quick, with the momentum stopping before anything really happened, especially within the first arc of the book. Again, this straightens up closer to the end, but it was aggravating and made it hard to connect with the characters. The other big thing that frustrated me was that there was a lot of telling and not very much showing. That was a convention of the book, which was staged to be somewhat of a found manuscript, but I feel like as a reader I missed out a lot of what could have been very beautiful imagery.

What I did like was that by the end Rose had completely grown on me and grown up herself. I also liked the White Bear once he regained a lot of his agency. Their relationship was also a high point. They're meant to be in love, sort of, but I like that it's not depicted as exactly love. In the end they do get their happy ending, and we miss a bit of this build up, but they do seem to reach that rather naturally. I also liked the characters Rose met as she traveled. They were all short appearances but I enjoyed these unique characters who didn't need much to connect with at all.

It is a fairytale, and the writing was accordingly beautiful. I've heard that the author is considering a sequel and I think I would pick it up. I didn't love this book as many people have, but I did enjoy it enough to recommend it if it sounds interesting to you.

Spoiler Discussion: Lord of Shadows

SHADOWHUNTERS #13
THE DARK ARTIFICES #2
AUTHOR: CASSANDRA CLARE
RATING: 5 STARS
LADY MIDNIGHT (SPOILERS)
LORD OF SHADOWS

This is going to be full of spoilers so heads up. Don't read if you don't want to know how this book ends (trust me you don't want to be spoiled on this). If you want to see my non-spoiler review you can find it here. You've been warned.

CWW: Unearthed

I'm switching over from Waiting on Wednesday's to Can't Wait Wednesday, a meme hosted by Wishful Endings. The idea is basically the same, but it looks like the official hosts of Breaking the Spine have shut down the meme so it's time to move on.

When Earth intercepts a message from a long-extinct alien race, it seems like the solution the planet has been waiting for. The Undying's advanced technology has the potential to undo environmental damage and turn lives around, and Gaia, their former home planet, is a treasure trove waiting to be uncovered.
For Jules Addison and his fellow scholars, the discovery of an alien culture offers unprecedented opportunity for study... as long as scavengers like Amelia Radcliffe don't loot everything first. Mia and Jules' different reasons for smuggling themselves onto Gaia put them immediately at odds, but after escaping a dangerous confrontation with other scavvers, they form a fragile alliance.
In order to penetrate the Undying temple and reach the tech and information hidden within, the two must decode the ancient race's secrets and survive their traps. But the more they learn about the Undying, the more their presence in the temple seems to be part of a grand design that could spell the end of the human race...

Why I'm Waiting

Even though These Broken Stars has been sitting on my bookshelf for a while I have yet to actually pick it up. Hopefully very soon. Regardless, I've been in a Sci-fi mood and, while this doesn't sound exactly like the type of science fiction I'm looking for I trust Amie Kaufman to deliver and I'm always interested in trying something new.

Unearthed will release January 9th, 2018.

5 Star Book Review: Lord of Shadows

SHADOWHUNTERS #13
THE DARK ARTIFICES #2
AUTHOR: CASSANDRA CLARE
RATING: 5 STARS
LADY MIDNIGHT (SPOILERS)

There are so many feelings I have for this book! I'd definitely say it's one of my favorite Shadowhunter books to date because of the complex relationships, both romantic and platonic, and the fact that it seriously parallels a lot of what's going on, socially, in our world today.

This review won't have any spoilers (there will be a spoiler discussion later on this week, so keep a look out for that if you want to hear what I thought about THAT ending) but it's best you don't read this if you haven't read book one.

While I liked the ships in Lady Midnight I wasn't as madly in love with them as I was with this one. First of all, while I liked Julian and Emma before I hadn't really seen the attraction between them, but this one it absolutely came across and my heart was completely torn for them. They're so great together, and while they're still not my favorite couple, I do get it now. However, it was the other ships (okay, this is a spoiler so I'll talk more about it in the other review) were really what made me want to keeping turning the pages. The other two I was majorly invested in were really well set up and the strings tying them all together had me aching. Also, Diana's relationship with a certain someone was both hilarious and adorable.

The nostalgia! There was so much of it and I loved it. Old characters making reappearances (sometimes big ones!) or just small easter eggs (Will H. :) ) left me feeling extremely happy and jittery inside and also made me want to go back and reread every single Shadowhunter book (but goodness that would take a long long time). It's also made me even more excited to read TLH (if that were possible). What struck me the most was seeing such well-loved and well-worn characters like Clary and Magnus from other perspectives. It was like revealing another facet of these characters that I know intimately from the page in a way that Emma or Julian or Mark don't. It was incredibly interesting and really showed the talent of Clare that she was able to maintain the integrity of her characters while still continuing to round them out as they age and grow.

I won't say much about the Cohort (because spoilers) but they made me so angry and I was glad about it. Their "evil" is such a real evil that has to be faced today and I feel the same way about IRL evil like this as I did with the Cohort. It was like ants under my skin- I wanted to beat them up, teach them what's right, but knew that wouldn't do anything (beyond them being fictional, duh) and that even trying to reason with them probably wouldn't work. I read to escape, but at the same time, I loved seeing echoes of real life in this fantasy.

After Lady Midnight ended I wasn't quite sure where the story was going to go because it felt like such a solid ending. It went in a direction I could never have guessed but I was absolutely along for the ride (especially the parts in Faerie!) and can't wait for the next book (two years away *sigh*). After my reread of Lady Midnight didn't go so stellar I was worried that this series had lost its magic for me, but no worries because everything holds strong and I adore every second of these books.

June Wrap Up #2

I've been blogging again! It took me quite a bit to get back on my feet this time, but I have put aside time each day, and it's helped me remember why I love doing this so much. I know this month was kinda slow, but next month I should have a regular stream of posts, and I'm rather excited about it.

In my personal life there have been some bad days, mostly brought on by loneliness, but they've always come with a warning, like I could feel the depression trying to set in, so I've been able to take precautions. I've also been working a lot, and at first I was kinda put down by it, but now I'm rather pleased because I've 1) gotten better at my job by being there every day, or nearly every day (I work retail) and 2) it gives me something to do with my time.

Not much has happened lately that's been exciting, unfortunately. I also still haven't heard anything from the school I want to study abroad at... so that's nerve-wracking but I'm going to get in contact with my advisor next month if I still haven't heard anything. Something pretty positive is I haven't bought many books this summer! I've been doing a good job saving my money, and I feel really happy about it.

Okay, enough about me, what's been up with the blog:

Finished This Month

The Name of the Wind (review)

Lord of Shadows (review coming Monday)

East (review coming next month)

Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy (review coming next month)

Currently Reading

I'm nearly done with Truthwitch, so technically I'll have finished this by the end of the month, which brings my total read up to 5, which is more than I thought I'd get done this month! I'm really liking it so far. After I finish I plan to pick up The Wise Man's Fear, and while I like to think I could finish it this month, I doubt that will actually happen.

Reviews

5 Star Book Review: A Court of Wings and Ruin

5 Star Book Review: The Name of the Wind

Discussions

Spoiler Discussion: A Court of Wings and Ruin

Can't Wait Wednesday

CWW: The Becoming of Noah Shaw

Upcoming Posts

Lord of Shadows Review

CWW: Unearthed

Lord of Shadows Spoiler Discussion

East Review

CWW: An Enchantment of Ravens

Tales From the Shadowhunter Academy Review

Music Monday: Summer Playlist

What was your favorite read this month? Let me know in the comments!

5 Star Book Review: The Name of the Wind

THE KINGKILLER CHRONICLES, #1
AUTHOR: PATRICK ROTHFUSS
RATING: 5 STARS

I have been hearing about this book for a very long time. It has gotten countless praise, not just from critics and other people online, but from people I know IRL who aren't even big readers yet still managed to pick this one up. It's one of the most name-dropped books of recent epic fantasy and has been toted as a game changer for the genre. It was because of all of this praise that I waited so long to pick it up because I couldn't imagine it living up to the hype.

The Name of the Wind is one of those books that just can't be easily summarized. There's a lot that happens, and while there's definitely a plot, it's not meant to be wrapped up in this volume at all, and a lot is left open for the next two volumes. Basically: it is the story of Kvothe, now a bartender in a small town, as he tells it to the scribe, Chronicler. Once, Kvothe was a man out of legends, and still people talk about him and the rumors that surround him. This is the first, and the last, time he will tell his whole life's story, and it will take three full days. This is the first of those three.

Kvothe is easily one of the most interesting character's in modern literature. His life was stuffed full (and it hasn't even been a very long life, yet) with the happy, the sad, the miserable, the euphoric, and everything in between. I can't recall the last time I had so much pleasure reading about a character, especially one as unique as Kvothe. Besides being incredibly interesting, he was relatable, which wasn't something I was expecting. His particular skill sets put him far above the regular crowd, yet I found myself pointing (in my mind) at him and saying "Me too, bro". He also goes through some incredible character growth (and I can only imagine there's so much more of that to come in the next installments) and left me feeling like I was actually reading about a real person. A quick word on all the other characters- I adored them all (or hated them, depending on whether they're despicable or not) but they all paled in comparison to Kvothe.

One of the reasons I picked this up was because for the upcoming Television Show/Movies/Video Games/etc. that is lined up for this series, Lin-Manuel Miranda has been tapped to be a producer. If you don't know of the man (or of Hamilton) go change your lives and figure it out because he's literally one of the most amazing people on the planet and anything he touches is something I'd be interested in. And now I can absolutely see why he's involved- there was music EVERYWHERE in this book. As much as I could enjoy it while reading it, music can't translate through writing, not really, and I was dying to actually hear Kvothe play. I can't wait to see what magic is worked to make it possible for the live action productions of this.

The story itself, which is Kvothe's life from young childhood, had me gripped from the very start. I don't want to give anything away because it's something best experienced as it unfolds, without knowing anything about what's going to happen next, but it really is a wonderful adventure to go on. Outside of the story proper, there's the "current" timeline, where Kvothe is a bartender, and even though we really only get a few snippets of that time frame, I'm completely interested and invested with what's going on there, as well. Also, just Bast as a character was utterly amazing and I'm dying to see more of him because I think I'm in love (wouldn't be the first time... XD).

Most of all what gets me about this highly, highly acclaimed masterpiece is how humble it is. It doesn't set out to be game changing, and while the writing is beautiful, it doesn't feel forced, or extra special, or like high brow prose. It feels normal and easy to read, especially for something this dense. It doesn't frustrate or try to be pretty because the story speaks for itself and I absolutely loved that when I found the occasional typo I didn't get mad, or feel like I was one-upping the author/publisher, but I smiled to myself and thought "yes, this is writing at it's most human. I love this".

If you only read one book this year, make it this one.

CWW: The Becoming of Noah Shaw

I'm switching over from Waiting on Wednesday's to Can't Wait Wednesday, a meme hosted by Wishful Endings. The idea is basically the same, but it looks like the official hosts of Breaking the Spine have shut down the meme so it's time to move on.

In the first book of the Shaw Confessions, the companion series to the New York Times bestselling Mara Dyer novels, old skeletons are laid bare and new promises prove deadly. This is what happens after happily ever after.
Everyone thinks seventeen-year-old Noah Shaw has the world on a string.
They’re wrong.
Mara Dyer is the only one he trusts with his secrets and his future.
He shouldn’t.
And both are scared that uncovering the truth about themselves will force them apart.
They’re right.

Why I'm Waiting

I've only read the first two in the Mara Dyer trilogy (but I need to reread them and finally move onto book three soon) yet I was totally in love with them when I first read them. And Noah was definitely one of my first #bookboyfriends so I can't resist picking this one up when it comes out. Also, the cover for this series matches the cover for the Mara Dyer series and I love that so much!

The Becoming of Noah Shaw releases November 7th, 2017.

Spoiler Discussion: A Court of Wings and Ruin

A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES #3
AUTHOR: SARAH J MAAS
RATING: 5 STARS
A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES
A COURT OF MIST AND FURY (SPOILERS)
A COURT OF WINGS AND RUIN

This is my spoiler-filled discussion/review of this book. If you're interested in the non-spoiler version you can find it here. I'm serious about the spoilers- I'm going to be going into a lot of things that happen after the first 200 pages. You've been warned.

5 Star Book Review: A Court of Wings and Ruin

RATING: 5 STARS

Author: Sarah J Maas

Website - Twitter

Edition: US Hardcover

Buy Links: Amazon - Barnes and Noble - Book Depository

Goodreads

Related Reviews: ACOTAR - ACOMAF - ACOMAF Spoiler Discussion

I'm super late in writing this review but I'm just as passionate about this book now as I was last month when I read it. By now the whole community has probably devoured this one, and I've seen a lot of people who were disappointed by it, which surprised me because it honestly surpassed my expectations. Just in case- I'm not going to go too far into the book because I don't want to spoil anyone who hasn't had the chance to finish it up yet. There will be a spoiler discussion up next week, so keep an eye out for that if you want to here my thoughts on the ending and such.

I fell in love with the Inner Circle in ACOMAF and loved every single second of these characters in this book. While I wouldn't say it was a huge character growth for any of them, barring Feyre and her sisters, and Lucien (who I loved already and now love even more), but I do feel like even more was peeled away at who they are and what really motivates them. Particularly Azriel, who I felt fondly of in ACOMAF but seriously fell in love with with this one (TBH completely honest I actually had a couple dreams with him in it). The relationships between them all was the most interesting thing to watch grow and change, and I don't just mean the romantic ones. I wasn't too sure how I was going to feel about Feyre, Nesta, and Elain, and it certainly started off rocky for the first 200 pages or so, but once I got acclimated I started to really appreciate all three sisters and how they worked off of each other. I also appreciated how realistic the relationship between Mor and Feyre was. They had their ups and downs, but actually talked things out, and weren't always perfect with or around each other, and that just echoes a lot of friendship relationships I have.

What really stole the show with this book, though, was the world building, and finally, FINALLY, meeting all the High Lords. I didn't know what to expect but MY GOSH do I love the dynamics that went on! And I adored seeing more of all the courts. This is one of those worlds that I wish I could actually visit in real life just to look at everything. Without spoiling much, the courts and the High Lords not only had everything I love about a good fantasy, but also created a world that feels completely fleshed out while still leaving so many options for things to happen and be explained.

While a lot of people seem to have been disappointed with the war and battle scenes I thought they were incredibly well done. I could picture everything and I thought things moved smoothly and nothing felt easy. I will admit that at times the plot did seem directionless, but it all pulled together in the end, tying things into a nice bow but also leaving room for more to happen. I really appreciate that Feyre's time with Tamlin in the Spring Court didn't last nearly as long as I thought it would (I thought it would be a good chunk of the book) because so many more interesting things were happening outside of the Spring Court.

The future of the series makes me so excited. While I adore reading about Feysand I can't wait to see what other stories there are. I have SO many theories (don't we all?) as to what the next books might be about and I'm dying to hear an announcement from the Queen herself (come on Sarah, you're going to tell us soon, right? And where's that Tower of Dawn cover...) but I can be patient for a little longer.

June Wrap Up #1 (Mental Health)

This is going to be a different sort of wrap up because I need to lay out what has been happening to me for a few reasons. 1) I think all of you wonderful people out there reading this- friends and strangers- deserve to know why this year, especially these last few months, I've more or less disappeared, 2) Sharing online is cathartic for me and helps me put my thoughts into words and deal with those thoughts, 3) If anyone reading this feels similar to how I do they know they're not alone, which is something I've needed in the past and found on blogs, and has helped me get through parts of my life I wouldn't have been able to get through otherwise.

I think I mentioned that I'm trying to talk less about my mental illness on the blog because I want this to be a place that helps me remember that there are times when I don't feel as low as I sometimes feel, but I need to bring it up again here. I had an anxiety attack- I talked about this on my other blog a bit, I call it a "quiet" attack because it was crippling in a way that a stranger wouldn't even notice- that stretched across about four days. Not the first four days of summer, but I got home late Sunday and then was hit early Wednesday with this anxiety. It knocked me out and I didn't leave the house until Friday afternoon when I was obligated to, to spend some time with my mom and grandmother. It was a nice little trip and an opportunity for me to escape the anxiety and that worked for most of Friday, until that evening when I was winding down and taking a bath, and it hit me so hard I was crying and completely lost inside myself. In those moments I knew I needed to calm down and go to bed because I knew it would help but I just couldn't. 

Another note: I've been having, and I hate to call it a crisis but it kinda is?, a crisis of faith lately where I just don't know what to believe in and what's true and those thoughts have been cumulating for about a year and a half now, and having come from a part of my life where I thought I had set beliefs this has been hard to really deal with. When these beliefs, which anchored my world and gave me an outlet, came up short against many questions I had about life and many things I was realizing, having now experienced more of life, I lost a major cornerstone of both who I was and how I dealt with many of my mental health problems. I do believe losing my faith- not that it ever completely has gone away, but I've questioned it so much I can't use it as the anchor it was- has led to many of the more recent bouts with depression and anxiety getting as bad as they do sometimes.

Friday night, in that bathtub in the Best Western, this crisis of faith came to a head. I wanted to pray or call out to someone or something and beg them to make everything okay on Saturday but I didn't think I deserved to ask for help from a faith that I'm not sure I believe in. 

I'm in the middle of reading The Name of the Wind, which besides being a good book, deals with the idea that if you believe something will happen it can happen and that having this steadfast belief, such as a rock floating upwards instead of falling, has power. I've also been watching American Gods, which is, beyond being an amazing series so far, my favorite novel of all time and has had a profound effect on me. This also deals with the idea that a steadfast belief can give something life.

Somewhat unconsciously, but also somewhat consciously, these ideas came together with my crisis of faith and my anxiety attack and I realized- I can just believe. If I believe- and I mean actually believe, not pretend, not hope, not think, but believe completely and utterly convincingly believe- that things will work out, then things will work out. I sat in that tub and I believed it. I let not one doubt creep in and I just sat there and believed it. I reached out and touched the water and felt that and believed it was wet and also believed that things would work out.

My anxiety didn't vanish like a magic trick but it wasn't there anymore. It couldn't be if I believed it was real. I know I'll have more anxiety attacks, because they happen, but if I believe that things will work out, things will work out. It may sound crazy, but this morning I got a call and that call worked every single thing I was anxious about out. Every caveat I was worried about made an appearance and straightened out and it was okay. I think I almost cried again, not out of disbelief- because I had believed- but out of sheer happiness. I wouldn't say I've found my faith or spirituality or anything, but I've found something to believe in.

That's a long story and not what I intended to pore out when I started this wrap up, but I'm glad I shared. Now, that's the most recent line of things happening. Prior to that I've had other mental health struggles that have kept me battling for the last two months or so. It's not quite depression, at least not in the refined sense that I've often had, but some offshoot of it that makes everything, even the little things, overwhelming. It's prevented me from logging on and blogging about anything and that breaks my heart.

But now expect to see me every day. Either here on the blog or on social media. I WANT to be a part of this and if I make it my routine I will be. It will help me get back on track and returning to this really does help with my mental health because it gives me both structure and something to be proud of, to look at and say "Look what I did today. I did something today." and that's such a great thing to be able to say when getting out of bed can be difficult.

Now, I must be getting to sleep because I have to work early tomorrow. Good night everyone, and thanks for reading. There will be blog posts, book reviews, regularly very soon, and I look forward to returning, full (well, not full, but you get the idea) force to this community.