Friday, June 30, 2017

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.

Wednesday, June 28, 2017

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.

Monday, June 26, 2017

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.

Saturday, June 24, 2017

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

Discussions

Can't Wait Wednesday

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!

Friday, June 23, 2017

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.

Wednesday, June 21, 2017

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.

Tuesday, June 20, 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.

Friday, June 16, 2017

5 Star Book Review: A Court of Wings and Ruin

RATING: 5 STARS
Author: Sarah J Maas
Edition: US Hardcover
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.

Saturday, June 3, 2017

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.

Saturday, May 20, 2017

Another Apology

This is gonna be quick. I'm trying not to talk about my mental illness that much on my blog lately (I'd rather just focus on the positive here) but I need to offer everyone an apology if you've recently commented on my blog. I need to get better at responding right away, but I've been dragged down a bit lately, and I just logged on now to finally respond to all of you wonderful, fantastic people, and my brain shut down. I looked at them and tried to respond but I just... can't. I can't explain it beyond that, but I think there will be more harm in me responding now to all of you and I'm trying to get back to blogging regularly and sometimes that means making a little bit of a sacrifice. So I am truly and deeply sorry for not responding to everyone who has commented within the last couple of weeks. I adore you- all of you- and I hope to be able to respond soon, and hopefully to visit all your wonderful blogs as well. Thank you for sticking with me through all this.

Sunday, May 14, 2017

May Wrap Up & Apology

Apology? Yes, apology. I haven't really been around. In fact, I just kinda noped out of social media and blogging since the month began. The only posts that have gone up were prewritten ones and I didn't even bother promoting those anywhere. Part of this lapse has to do with this really important presentation I had for my film class (my part went well!) that took up three whole days of my life. I'm not kidding when I say that- I didn't do any other homework, skipped a class, and worked on the presentation from the time I woke up to the time I went to bed each day. Another reason is ACOWAR (which I loved!) which took up another three days of my life. I read it with every scrap of time I had and was so emotionally wrecked when I finished I went to bed early so I could lay back and think about it. But in the end, the reason I haven't been blogging or on social media, is because I've been stagnant in my life outside of these things. It's not quite mental illness or stress, but that has definitely been a part of it. I think a large part has to do with lack of motivation because I'm waiting for summer.

Hopefully I'll be back to posting by the end of NEXT week. I'm spending the rest of this week and early next week typing out all the posts I want to have up by the end of the month, and most of those are reviews. Within the next two days or so I will definitely be responding to all the comments I have (so sorry it's taken so long!) and visiting as many blogs as I can because I haven't been much a part of the community and I am sorry.

You may not see another wrap up this month, but I'm hoping I won't be as silent on social media as I have been. Thanks again to everyone who has stuck with me so far! With summer two weeks away I'll be able to be reading and blogging regularly again (and hopefully I'll have some super exciting news to share with you all by the next wrap up...).

Finished Since Last Time
My reread of ACOTAR and ACOMAF.
I also devoured ACOWAR and haven't quite recovered.

Currently Reading
I dipped my toe into Magic Study but wasn't quite in the mood and picked up Lady Midnight to reread before Lord of Shadows comes out. It's slow reading, perhaps because I'm in a small slump, but I'm glad to be back in the world of Shadowhunters. Plus, Mark Blackthorn :)

Posts Since Last Time
Like I said, they're all prewritten but, hey, at least something got out.

(Hopefully) Coming Soon
May 25-- (A semi-new type of post? You'll see.)
May 26-- Frogkisser Review
May 29-- ACOTAR & ACOMAF Reread Reactions
June 2-- ACOWAR Spoiler Free Review
June 5-- ACOWAR Spoiler Filled Review

Also, since I didn't mention it earlier, I've been watching American Gods and it's so amazing! Please tell me someone else has been watching it and loving it as much as I have! Let me know if you've seen it in the comments below and feel free to hit me up on twitter if you want to discuss in more depth. Have a great rest of the month.

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Cruel Prince

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.

Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.
And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.
Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.
To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.
In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.
Why I'm Waiting
I've been a fan of Holly Black since my dad read the Spiderwick Chronicles to me as a kid. Recently I've rediscovered my love for her and have been working my way through her Modern Faerie Tales, which are delightful! (TBH: If you're a fan of Maggie Stiefvater you'll love Holly Black's work). When I first head of this one (last year) I put it on my goodreads to-read list and now that there's a cover (which is gorgeous!) and a description I'm even more excited. Plus, that title just sends shivers down my back!

The Cruel Prince releases January 2nd, 2018. 

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Can't Wait Wednesday: Jane, Unlimited

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.

Jane has lived an ordinary life, raised by her aunt Magnolia—an adjunct professor and deep sea photographer. Jane counted on Magnolia to make the world feel expansive and to turn life into an adventure. But Aunt Magnolia was lost a few months ago in Antarctica on one of her expeditions.
Now, with no direction, a year out of high school, and obsessed with making umbrellas that look like her own dreams (but mostly just mourning her aunt), she is easily swept away by Kiran Thrash—a glamorous, capricious acquaintance who shows up and asks Jane to accompany her to a gala at her family's island mansion called Tu Reviens.
Jane remembers her aunt telling her: "If anyone ever invites to you to Tu Reviens, promise me that you'll go." With nothing but a trunkful of umbrella parts to her name, Jane ventures out to the Thrash estate. Then her story takes a turn, or rather, five turns. What Jane doesn't know is that Tu Reviens will offer her choices that can ultimately determine the course of her untethered life. But at Tu Reviens, every choice comes with a reward, or a price.
Why I'm Waiting
It's been YEARS since I've read a Kristin Cashore book and as soon as this was announced I jumped in excitement because Heck Yeah I need another of her works. Graceling is one of my favorite books, and that whole series is a definitive part of my fantasy collection. Also, this book sounds so interesting, and so not like what I've been reading lately, that it's grabbed my interest completely.

Jane, Unlimited releases September 19th, 2017

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Can't Wait Wednesday: Obsidio

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.

Kady, Ezra, Hanna, and Nik narrowly escaped with their lives from the attacks on Heimdall station and now find themselves crammed with 2,000 refugees on the container ship, Mao. With the jump station destroyed and their resources scarce, the only option is to return to Kerenza—but who knows what they'll find seven months after the invasion? Meanwhile, Kady's cousin, Asha, survived the initial BeiTech assault and has joined Kerenza's ragtag underground resistance. When Rhys—an old flame from Asha's past—reappears on Kerenza, the two find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict. With time running out, a final battle will be waged on land and in space, heros will fall, and hearts will be broken.
Why I'm Waiting
I may not have finished the second book in this series yet, but the first book blew me completely away, and the format of these are just so cool, that I absolutely can't wait for this one. Also, not quite sure if this is the final cover or not, but I'd be cool with it if it were.

Obsidio releases March 13th, 2018.

Saturday, April 22, 2017

April Wrap Up #2

Hello, hello, hello! I feel like it's been ages since my last wrap up, but it really hasn't. The school year has been moving really quickly but life has been moving really slowly. Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing right now. Really, things aren't too exciting as I've been a bit of a homebody recently and staying inside to read. I suppose that is exciting, though. In related news: I'm finally out of my book slump! What did it? I think the promise of ACOWAR right around the cover has gotten me so excited that I had to pick up and reread the first two books, which I'm in the middle of now.

Also, I know I've been really sporadic with posting and just existing online as a presence lately, but I want to thank you all for sticking with me. I've been staying away from checking the stats of the blog lately, if only because I knew it would be sad to see that no one was really visiting since I've been taking so many breaks, but I finally looked yesterday, and HOLY COW guys! This month has had the biggest turnout of visitors ever! Seriously, thank you so much for just reaffirming that I'm not screaming into the void and for sticking with me even if I'm not always around.

Finished Since Last Time
Frogkisser

Currently Reading
I'm in the midst of rereading ACOTAR (and telling everyone I know to read it) and will bounce immediately into ACOMAF when that's done. At this speed, I may even have time between finishing ACOMAF and ACOWAR to pick up Magic Study!

Post Since Last Time

Coming Soon
April 26 -- Can't Wait Wednesday
April 28 -- Review of Frogkisser
May 3 -- Can't Wait Wednesday
May 6 -- Wrap Up
*If I finish ACOTAR and ACOMAF sooner than later I may also squeeze in some reread reactions to share with you guys.

Thanks so much for reading this and following the blog- you guys really are the best! Now, have a great rest of the month!

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Language of Thorns

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.

Love speaks in flowers. Truth requires thorns.
Travel to a world of dark bargains struck by moonlight, of haunted towns and hungry woods, of talking beasts and gingerbread golems, where a young mermaid's voice can summon deadly storms and where a river might do a lovestruck boy's bidding but only for a terrible price.
Inspired by myth, fairy tale, and folklore, #1 New York Times–bestselling author Leigh Bardugo has crafted a deliciously atmospheric collection of short stories filled with betrayals, revenge, sacrifice, and love.
Perfect for new readers and dedicated fans, these tales will transport you to lands both familiar and strange—to a fully realized world of dangerous magic that millions have visited through the novels of the Grishaverse.
This collection of six stories includes three brand-new tales, all of them lavishly illustrated with art that changes with each turn of the page, culminating in six stunning full-spread illustrations as rich in detail as the stories themselves.
Why I'm Waiting
I haven't finished Crooked Kingdom yet, but I loved Six of Crows and the Grisha Trilogy. Basically, I love anything Leigh Bardugo touches! And this one is going to just look absolutely stunning on my shelf, on top of being an amazing read.

The Language of Thorns releases September 27th, 2017. 

Friday, April 14, 2017

Book Review: Poison Study (Study, #1)

Author: Maria V Snyder
Edition: UK Paperback
Rating: 4 Stars
I remember seeing Poison Study on the shelf of Borders and wanting to read it then, but picking up a different book instead. That's how long this book has been haunting me. As any good book snob knows, though, the COVERS NEED TO MATCH and finding matching covers for these in America has been a headache so I settled on the UK covers, which I didn't like at first but are fast growing on me. It's sad it took me so long to read this book, though, because it's the first book in a while to catch my interest and suck me completely in.

Poison Study is about Yelena, who is in prison for murdering the son of a general, and given another chance to live when she is chosen to be the Commander's poison tester. That means she tries all the food he eats and drinks in order to make sure he doesn't get killed off. Besides working in a job that pretty much assures her untimely death, Yelena must deal with her own ghosts, which include literal ones, many people that want to kill her, and something else- something dangerous stirring inside her that may connect to her family she never knew.

While this was definitely a perfect book for the moment- right up my alley and attention grabbing fantasy- there were some weak spots. Moments here and there that I wish had been done differently, or lasted longer, or just existed in a different way. Some of the decisions that characters made, too, seemed immature, and occasionally their motives, particularly Valek's, would feel a little blurry to me. I'm guessing this is a combination of my editor instinct (which is in hyper mode at the moment) and the fact that a lot of the things done in this book I've already seen done, better, in other books. In the end, though, everything worked itself out and I was rather happy with where it all went- any qualms I had about motive or immaturity flew out the door when the really important stuff started happening.

By far the strongest part of the read, for me, was the relationship between Yelena and Valek. I liked that it strayed away from insta-love and actually took time to develop. I also liked that the characters didn't spend a bunch of chapters messing around and denying the clear affection, which is a trope that's been getting on my nerves a bit lately. When they realized they were developing feelings for each other they were wary, but when the feelings came to a peak they let them happen and enjoyed the pleasure their relationship brought them. Beyond just their relationship, the characters themselves were pretty stellar, and even the side characters were rather interesting. Not everyone had to save the world- some characters were just there because it was their job to be there- but they still got characterization and I enjoyed reading about them all.

The plot was pretty standard for fantasy, but that's not to say I didn't enjoy it immensely. Sometimes going back to the basics is the best thing you can do. However, I am looking forward to the next two books, which I'm hoping will explore much more of the world and get a deeper look into who the villains of this series really are.

TL:DR?
A rather good, if traditional, fantasy, featuring a great romance and characters to hold dear.

Monday, April 3, 2017

Review: Alanna The First Adventure (Song of the Lioness, #1)

Author: Tamora Pierce
Edition: Paperback
Rating: 4 Stars
This is one of those books I missed out on as a kid but still get recommended quite a bit. I caved and bought the whole quartet so that I don't have to wait long between books and I'm rather pleased with my decision.

Alanna The First Adventure follows our titular character as she swaps places with her twin brother and pretends to be a boy in order to retrieve training to be a Knight. She keeps her secret close and through her extra hard work and friendships she starts her journey into being one of the best Knight's at the castle.

Alanna herself was a great character. She's young and bold, yet she also learns fast and is good at pretending to be a boy. She can take what's thrown at her- not because she's strong enough, necessarily, but because she has a net of people who will help catch her and because she's willing to change to meet a challenge. In fact, her elasticity and work ethic are two of her strongest characterization points, which were a fresh change from a lot of what I've been reading. As for the other characters, I hate to lump them all into one place, but they were all lacking that third dimension that she has. They're all still growing, as she is, but since they have less page time (it is a very short book) they don't get to be as fully developed. It's not frustrating, though, because with three other books to get through I'm pretty sure everyone will be fleshed out by the end. The plot itself was interesting, but not my main interest, as Alanna herself was so captivating. It's a very basic "set-up" story, where we get an idea of what's to come and who the villain might be. While it mostly follows Alanna in her lessons, the ending was a nice surprise and something I really enjoyed.

More importantly than all that, however, may be how feminist this book is. It deals with a girl living in a man's world and succeeding. It deals with issues for a young audience that other books at this age don't tackle- like getting your period for the first time. And it's dealt with well! Her reaction is honest- she's frightened for a number of reasons- and the way she reaches out to friends is also honest. This is a book that teaches innumerable lessons to young girls and I heartily recommend everyone give it a try, especially children.

TL;DR
While it's a book for younger readers, the main character and feminist themes made it an incredibly good read for me and I would recommend it to everyone, especially since it only takes a day or so to get through.

Saturday, April 1, 2017

April Wrap Up #1

So sorry it's been so long since the last wrap up! I didn't plan for this much time to pass, but school and life have been keeping me very busy. In fact, I haven't had much time (or, to be honest, much of a drive) to read lately. I'm hoping that changes soon because I do miss going to books every time I'm stressed out about life.

Finished Since Last Time
Just Poison Study, which wasn't even something I planned to read right away. It just kinda popped onto my radar and I really enjoyed it!

Currently Reading
Well, this is jumping around a lot because nothing has kept and held my attention recently, but I think I'm going to stick with Frogkisser by Garth Nix. I'm a fan of his and this book, so far at least, does a good job of playing with fairy tale tropes.

Posts Since Last Time
March 21 -- ARC Review: Bull

Coming Soon
So, a lot of these were originally scheduled to be published last month, but things got a little out of hand. I can't promise anything this month, but I do have a feeling that I can get these out on time.
April 3 -- Review of Alanna The First Adventure
April 7 -- Review of Poison Study

Here's to hoping I get more reading done and can have more reviews to post!

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Book Review: But Then I Came Back

Author: Estelle Laure
Edition: eGalley courtesy of Netgalley
Release Date: April 4th, 2017
Rating: 5 Stars

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

When I requested this book I had no idea it was actually the sequel/companion to the author's previous book, This Raging Light, which came out two years ago. I skimmed through the reviews of that one after I figured it out and found that it didn't sound like my kind of book. Good thing this one doesn't require you to know about the previous one, and I'd argue that it's a stronger book if you read it as a standalone without a previous book.

For one, the characters come off as strong immediately. As a reader I was swept up into an already fully formed world with a character full of complex relationships with other characters. I was surprised, but in a good way, and even though I didn't get to see all the history that these characters had between each other I still felt like it was all important and that the character's themselves had had this history in the first place.

As for the plot itself, I requested it on a whim. It sounded good, even though it wasn't my traditional genre, since I like reading about near-death experiences in fiction. I had no idea what sort of emotional ride I was in for, though. The story itself is good, but the underlying emotion is amazing. I was brought to tears multiple times and felt as if I was actually there experiencing things within the pages. I've never known anyone in a coma in real life but now I feel as if I actually do. I also want to point out that the author handled the details very well. It wasn't an over the top dramatizing of the coma as a plot device, like a soap opera might do, nor did it ignore all the unfortunate side effects. It handled them gracefully and painted a bittersweet journey of a person recovering from such an event in a respectful manner.

All of this was made the better by the beautiful and heady writing of the author. Estelle Laure has a talent for words that I am jealous of on a personal level. From the first page I knew I was in for a treat and I was never let down. As the last page closed I was mourning the end of her words as much as I was crying for the events in the story. It's a beautiful prose that I'd love to have printed on my wall.

A last note, I like this story quite a bit because I felt myself connecting with the main character, Eden, a good chunk of the time. Part of it does have to do with the mental health aspect, but part of it transcends that I think. It was something about the way she thought and the way I think that made it quite the connection. This rarely happens for me, and I don't often see so much of myself in a character, but it's a pleasant surprise.

TL;DR? A beautiful book, both for the plot and the prose, that I personally connected with on a number of levels.