Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson

Elantris was the capital of Arelon: gigantic, beautiful, literally radiant, filled with benevolent beings who used their powerful magical abilities for the benefit of all. Yet each of these demigods was once an ordinary person until touched by the mysterious transforming power of the Shaod. Ten years ago, without warning, the magic failed. Elantrians became wizened, leper-like, powerless creatures, and Elantris itself dark, filthy, and crumbling.

Arelon's new capital, Kae, crouches in the shadow of Elantris. Princess Sarene of Teod arrives for a marriage of state with Crown Prince Raoden, hoping -- based on their correspondence -- to also find love. She finds instead that Raoden has died and she is considered his widow. Both Teod and Arelon are under threat as the last remaining holdouts against the imperial ambitions of the ruthless religious fanatics of Fjordell. So Sarene decides to use her new status to counter the machinations of Hrathen, a Fjordell high priest who has come to Kae to convert Arelon and claim it for his emperor and his god.

But neither Sarene nor Hrathen suspect the truth about Prince Raoden. Stricken by the same curse that ruined Elantris, Raoden was secretly exiled by his father to the dark city. His struggle to help the wretches trapped there begins a series of events that will bring hope to Arelon, and perhaps reveal the secret of Elantris itself.

A rare epic fantasy that doesn't recycle the classics and that is a complete and satisfying story in one volume, Elantris is fleet and fun, full of surprises and characters to care about. It's also the wonderful debut of a welcome new star in the constellation of fantasy.
@goodreads 


MY REVIEW:

5 STARS 

 Holy shite balls! I loved this book!

Okay, I took a picture of the back of the book because I liked how they had the part about Raoden, Hrathen, and Sarene printed on there but I did cut off a little bit of Sarene. So it's supposed to say she's a princess from Teod, not Teo. Lol Anyway, I wanted to add it because I thought it looked cool!

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I loved the hell out of this book! AND NO, I'm not comparing it to his other books. All of his books that I read are reviewed as their own book. I loved THIS book for THIS book not (it's not as good as this or that) so don't ask. Thank you! =)

And then I look and see there are going to be more books to this series in a million years. <--Okay, not a million but still. I have to wait and read them like all the other ones I'm waiting on. Oh, and I am getting this one in the UK Edition like all the ones I love and am trying to get. So far I have the regular box set of Mistborn and the UK edition of Mistborn. I will get them all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will shut-up now and talk about the book.

I loved Raoden and Galladon. I loved Sarene and her Seon, Ashe. I just loved a lot of people in this book but those are the main ones. I even loved Hrathen and that was before he became good =)

Elantris was a beautiful place with these people/gods that were silver with white hair and all the goodness and wonderfulness. Then one day it hit the fan and Elantris fell. It turned peeps into living corpses so to speak. (I'm not telling you the whole freaking story because you need to read it and plus I don't to put up my spoilers tag)

The people of Arelon left Elantris alone but exiled people in the kingdom to Elantris that would get this disease. I loved these parts. Not what happened to the people but the things that were going on in Elantris, the whole freaking story about it

Raoden is the prince of Arelon and his father who is the king is a big jerk! Anyway, Raoden is to be married to Sarene but when she gets there they tell her that the prince has died. Well, that sucked right?

Sarene stayed in Arelon to try to make things better and stir things up. Oh how I loved her. She was teaching ladies to fence and she she was just a smart, strong woman. And she his this little thing called a seon and this one is named Ashe. They talk to each other and are always together unless she sends Ashe off on an errand.

Hrathen is a high priest who comes to town trying to convert everyone. He's a huge scary looking dude apparently. Or a gyorn as he was called. He was having trouble every step of the way from Sarene and one of his own and even Raoden. But he seemed to always be on the fence about things.

There is so much in this book that I would like to talk about. There is just so much. I must say the parts I did enjoy the most were with Raoden. Where he was at, what he was doing what he became.

And the last paragraph of the book brought a tear to my eye. 


GOODREADS REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1894238532

Saturday, January 28, 2017

Adulthood Is A Myth by Sarah Anderson

Are you a special snowflake?

Do you enjoy networking to advance your career?

Is adulthood an exciting new challenge for which you feel fully prepared?

Ugh. Please go away.


This book is for the rest of us. These comics document the wasting of entire beautiful weekends on the internet, the unbearable agony of holding hands on the street with a gorgeous guy, dreaming all day of getting home and back into pajamas, and wondering when, exactly, this adulthood thing begins. In other words, the horrors and awkwardnesses of young modern life. @goodreads 


MY REVIEW:

4 STARS 




There were so many things I related to in this book but I'm only going to share a few.

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↑ Okay, so I'm going to show y'all pictures of SOME of my stuffed animals that take over my bed (I sleep on the couch anyway) and some of my dog, Lucy's stuffed animals. WE BELIEVE IN THE STUFFED ANIMAL! WE LOVE THE STUFFED ANIMAL!

I have seriously donated garbage bag upon garbage bags of stuffed animals to the children's home though. But, my stuffed animals will always be huge. These are not even the half of them =) PS ~ I'm getting one more garbage bag ready to go to the children's home when I go to the doctor in February. But never fear, at some point they will be replaced!!!! lol

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Oh, and the big ones are kinda hiding the big pile that is on the bed you can't see and there are big ones under that pile too. I love them alllllllllllllllllllll !

My dog Lucy's pile down below =)


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Down below ↓

I don't say my body is a temple but I do repeat over and over, you shouldn't be eating this, STOP!!!!


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↑ This always happened just like the picture shows!

Okay so I don't have kids and I'm not a grandma, but I do have about a million notebooks and journals that I collect and have written in like two. And only in half of the two. I can't help myself!


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The above picture is totally true. I never wanted kids and I don't have them and it's too late for all of that and I'm fine with it =)

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Okay the wifi thing is self explanatory!

and the book thing, we all get that one!


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I thought this book was soooooo cute! There are a good bit of cute funny stuff in the book and it's worth a pick up and read =)

GOODREADS REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1895200087

Agent of Chaos by Kami Garcia

How did Fox Mulder become a believer? How did Dana Scully become a skeptic? The X-Files Origins has the answers.

The X-Files Origins: Agent of Chaos explores the teen years of Fox Mulder, the beloved character depicted in the cult-favorite TV show The X-Files. His story is set in the spring of 1979, when serial murder, the occult, and government conspiracy were highlighted in the news.

The book will follow Mulder as he experiences life-changing events that set him on the path to becoming an FBI agent.

Don’t miss The X-Files Origins: Devil’s Advocate, by Jonathan Maberry, about 15-year-old Dana Scully. @goodreads


MY REVIEW:

5 STARS 

 
5 FULL STARS BABY!

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I loved this book so much. I felt like the author captured a young, Fox Mulder, to a T! I could actually see the older Fox talking in every sentence. =) 





This follows the story of a young Mulder of seventeen. He's living with his father after the disappearance of his sister, Samantha. His parents had issues and they wanted Mulder to go to a different school for his senior year and then off to college.

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Mulder has a goofy friend named Gimble that plays D & D and I just loved him. He also has a best friend named Phoebe who comes down to stay with him for a bit.

Mulder's dad is never around, he's always off working government stuff out of town and what not.

Mulder gets all caught up in some disappearances of children. They seem to have disappeared the same way his sister did several years ago. He's obsessed with helping to find them and he brings his friends along for the ride.

Gimble's dad used to work for the military until things . . . now he won't leave the house and he's obsessed with aliens and a book called "Stormbringer." He seems to be really crazy, BUT, he's not and I really liked him!

Phoebe is super smart so it's easy for her to help Mulder who has the photographic memory (I wish I had one of those) and Gimble is a great help too. They get caught up in some major stuff.

Mulder is on the heels of a killer or killers. He's being stalked by some peeps in a black car, one of which we know from the shows. He is going crazy over trying to find out who took his sister. And he made a decision about what he wants to do with his life.

I'm not saying any more because I don't want to spoil it. <-- I say this a lot in my reviews but I have to because that's what I do. Lol Also, there are a lot more things going on in the book that I didn't even hint at so read it and love it!

Anyway, I think anyone that loves the X-Files will enjoy this book even though it's young adult. It's super awesome and I look forward to reading about Scully. 


GOODREADS REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1870688365

Friday, January 27, 2017

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

Darkness has descended on the Shadowhunter world. Clary, Jace, Simon, and their friends band together to fight the greatest evil they have ever faced...@goodreads 

MY REVIEW:

5 STARS 

 
Omg! Omg! Omg! This freaking book is the best one and my feeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelllllllllsss



This is going to be another one of my crazy reviews! I really need to start reviewing in parts so that I can get all of the feels before they wear off!

Anyway! OmGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!

Well first let me say when that stupid jerk, Sebastian kills someone I loved I wanted to pulverize him into the ground. HULK SMASH! Of course, I wanted to do this anyway but I digress.

I didn't even take any notes for this book I was so caught up in STUFF

And the stuff was awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




Like holy freaking crow! So I read the first three books in this six book series then I waited a few years. And then I got the Clockwork Angel Trilogy and read those three books. Then came back and re-read the first three books and finished off the last three books. LET ME TELL YOU! I had no idea I was going to be reading about some of the people in the freaking Clockwork Angel Trilogy in here! I about fell over about fifty times and the stars were all shining (well they aren't out yet, but still) and everything just made my heart soar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love a book that can make me crazy happy BECAUSE <--- that's why I read. Duh, and I like to get excited and happy about books!



I am so freaking happy right now with the way this series ended! I will have to read The Clockwork Angel trilogy again sometime, but I'm going to go onto Lady Midnight because --> (another duh moment) I had no idea it was about some peeps from this book!



Swoon!!!! And it better be good.

And to think, I was going to wait a few more weeks to read this book!!! I'm so glad I didn't ♥


GOODREADS REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1892047741

Thursday, January 26, 2017

The You I've Never Known by Ellen Hopkins

How do you live your life if your past is based on a lie? A new novel in both verse and prose from #1 New York Times bestselling author, Ellen Hopkins.

For as long as she can remember, it’s been just Ariel and Dad. Ariel’s mom disappeared when she was a baby. Dad says home is wherever the two of them are, but Ariel is now seventeen and after years of new apartments, new schools, and new faces, all she wants is to put down some roots. Complicating things are Monica and Gabe, both of whom have stirred a different kind of desire.

Maya’s a teenager who’s run from an abusive mother right into the arms of an older man she thinks she can trust. But now she’s isolated with a baby on the way, and life’s getting more complicated than Maya ever could have imagined.

Ariel and Maya’s lives collide unexpectedly when Ariel’s mother shows up out of the blue with wild accusations: Ariel wasn’t abandoned. Her father kidnapped her fou
rteen years ago.

What is Ariel supposed to believe? Is it possible Dad’s woven her entire history into a tapestry of lies? How can she choose between the mother she’s been taught to mistrust and the father who has taken care of her all these years?

In bestselling author Ellen Hopkins’s deft hands, Ariel’s emotionally charged journey to find out the truth of who she really is balances beautifully with Maya’s story of loss and redemption. This is a memorable portrait of two young women trying to make sense of their lives and coming face to face with themselves—for both the last and the very first time. @goodreads


MY REVIEW:

3 STARS 

I love Ellen Hopkins and her books but this one was just okay to me. It's still written in her beautiful verse that I love but I felt like it was too long. <---Yes, her books are long but there were things I didn't really care to read about and it went on and on before things started to fall into place.

I did love most of the characters and I felt so bad for Ariel, the way her dad treated her. I mean here she is at seventeen still begging him to let her get her driver's license and he doesn't want her getting a job. It's like she has to be stuck to his hip.

Ariel does have some friends and this is the one city they have stayed in the longest as they have moved all of her life. Just on and on. . .

But now Ariel has friends and love interests and she wants to stay and be a teen!

Maya's story isn't as much in the book as Ariel's but it tells about how she ends up getting pregnant and thinks this is the best thing to get away from her mom. She marries a military man and they travel where ever he is stationed. She has a beautiful baby girl but things are never what they seem.


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I love when we are almost at the end of the book and all of the pieces fit together. I already knew what was coming, I figured it out about halfway through. But I also loved that Ariel got to become the person she was hoping for in certain ways. She also made more wonderful friends. 

GOODREADS REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1893104653

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Red Rising by Pierce Brown

The Earth is dying.
Darrow is a Red, a miner in the interior of Mars. His mission is to extract enough precious elements to one day tame the surface of the planet and allow humans to live on it.
The Reds are humanity's last hope.

Or so it appears, until the day Darrow discovers it's all a lie.

That Mars has been habitable - and inhabited - for generations, by a class of people calling themselves the Golds.
A class of people who look down on Darrow and his fellows as slave labour, to be exploited and worked to death without a second thought. Until the day that Darrow, with the help of a mysterious group of rebels, disguises himself as a Gold and infiltrates their command school, intent on taking down his oppressors from the inside.

But the command school is a battlefield - and Darrow isn't the only student with an agenda.

Break the chains.

Live for more. @goodreads


MY REVIEW:

4 STARS 


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For whatever reason I loved the first part of the book better then the last part. I thought it was going to be a cool underground Mars weird thing. I'm the weird thing, I know.


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I loved Darrow and a lot of other characters but I never wrote any down but Darrow. Omg! I don't know what is wrong with me. Why can't I remember them, uh, because most of them I can't even pronounce, much less think of how to spell them!

I loved that Darrow was a Helldiver <--- that so doesn't sound right! He and his colony of Reds dig into Mars inner layers to get what the world needs to survive. Well, guess what? He finds out that the world don't need saving, Mars is totally livable!

There are all kinds of colors on in this world and I'm not going into all of them because they have a lot but the ones that are jerks are the Golds. (I don't like that color anyway)

By the hands of the Golds and Darrow's wife Eo's decision, Darrow's fate has been sealed for him. He is taken into the world. THE WORLD and he is changed to become a Gold and infiltrate their evilness and TAKE THEM DOWN!


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Like I said in one of my updates that Darrow went through some serious Frankenstein stuff. Okay, not seriously LIKE Frankenstein but some pretty messed up stuff to turn from a Red to a Gold. Who knew?

Then he gets put into tests to get into school and hopefully get on a ship or something cool where he can be a big man to do big things. But, the kids are put through some grueling things in order to see who is going to be some of the top contenders. It was pretty messed up but life is generally messed up in one way or another.

I really hope to enjoy the rest of this trilogy. I'm interested to read what's going to happen now that Darrow is . . . well I can't tell you that, but lets just say he is within reach of the person he wants to end most in the world! 


GOODREADS REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1208043705

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Human Acts by Han Kang

From the internationally bestselling author of The Vegetarian, a rare and astonishing (The Observer) portrait of political unrest and the universal struggle for justice.

In the midst of a violent student uprising in South Korea, a young boy named Dong-ho is shockingly killed.

The story of this tragic episode unfolds in a sequence of interconnected chapters as the victims and the bereaved encounter suppression, denial, and the echoing agony of the massacre. From Dong-ho's best friend who meets his own fateful end; to an editor struggling against censorship; to a prisoner and a factory worker, each suffering from traumatic memories; and to Dong-ho's own grief-stricken mother; and through their collective heartbreak and acts of hope is the tale of a brutalized people in search of a voice.

An award-winning, controversial bestseller, Human Acts is a timeless, pointillist portrait of an historic event with reverberations still being felt today, by turns tracing the harsh reality of oppression and the resounding, extraordinary poetry of humanity. @goodreads 


MY REVIEW:

4 STARS 


This book was pretty horrific in the sense of what happened to these kids and different people in the took. I won't lie, I didn't understand some of the ways the author wrote the story but I grasped it's meaning all the same.

This is about the Gwangju Uprising in South Korea in the 80's . The author tells about really brutal deaths of people and school children. This was no peaceful protest.

There are different stories in the book that intertwine together. They are all really sad in more of a shocking way when you read it then crying your eyes out. I'm not sure if that makes sense, but I was just shocked at reading about these things, the detail of how some were killed. I don't doubt anything and shouldn't be shocked at anything, there are shocking killings and things that go on today.

The story of the people that worked on the dead that were brought to hopefully be claimed by family members was sad. How they were piling up and the volunteers trying their best to clean them and cover then depending on how badly they were beaten and there were some horrific descriptions.



How long do souls linger by the side of their bodies?
Do they really flutter away like some kind of bird? Is that what trembles the edges of the candle flame?


They have a Memorial Garden where there are graves and different memorials set up at least from what I read on the internet. I found this picture to be the most heart-wrenching and it puts across so many feelings.


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I buried you with my own two hands. Removed your PE jacket and your sky-blue tracksuit bottoms, and dressed you in your dark winter uniform, over a white shirt. Tightened your belt just so and put clean gray socks on you. When they put you in a plywood coffin and loaded it up onto the rubbish truck, I said I'd ride at the front to watch over you.


Just the thought of a mother having to do that to her child because of so much stupidity, violence and ignorance makes me so sad.

I think Han Kang did a great job with this book. I really loved "The Vegetarian" but this book is on a whole other level.

Now I need to go read something happy!


*I would like to thank BloggingForBooks for a print copy of this book*


GOODREADS REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1668859125

The Achemists of Loom by Elise Kova

Her vengeance. His vision.

Ari lost everything she once loved when the Five Guilds’ resistance fell to the Dragon King. Now, she uses her unparalleled gift for clockwork machinery in tandem with notoriously unscrupulous morals to contribute to a thriving underground organ market. There isn’t a place on Loom that is secure from the engineer turned thief, and her magical talents are sold to the highest bidder as long as the job defies their Dragon oppressors.

Cvareh would do anything to see his sister usurp the Dragon King and sit on the throne. His family’s house has endured the shame of being the lowest rung in the Dragons’ society for far too long. The Alchemist Guild, down on Loom, may just hold the key to putting his kin in power, if Cvareh can get to them before the Dragon King’s assassins.

When Ari stumbles upon a wounded Cvareh, she sees an opportunity to slaughter an enemy and make a profit off his corpse. But the Dragon sees an opportunity to navigate Loom with the best person to get him where he wants to go.

He offers her the one thing Ari can’t refuse: A wish of her greatest desire, if she brings him to the Alchemists of Loom. @goodreads 


MY REVIEW:

5 STARS 


I got some really cool swag with this book! I covered my address with the signed bookplate. I didn't show the back of the envelope because I didn't feel like putting the front and back on one picture. Let me tell you, that envelope it so freaking cool. You can see the front but the back is really awesome too! ♥ I love bookish stuff!

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I fell in love with this book right out of the gate! Ari is just bad to the bone. It's starts out with a lot of action. Ari is different as are some people in the world of Loom. Ari is the White Wraith and she's a force to be reckoned with! She has certain abilities because of certain reasons. <--Don't you love vagueness =) Well, I'm tired of putting up the spoiler banners so that's all you get!

She has a student/best friend named Flor that you can't help fall in love with. She's sweet and she loves Ari and looks up to her. Ari will do anything to protect her.

One day when Ari is out on a mission to take down a whole group of peeps/things she runs into a Dragon that has been hurt. She planned on killing him and harvesting his organs to get more money. I won't tell you what they do with said organs but it's all a part of THINGS.

But Cvareh pleads with her to help him. He is on a mission to get to the Alchemist's Guild and try to build an alliance with them to take down the Dragon King who is a twat. He asks Ari to get him there in exchange for a Boon <--read the book. (There ends up being a little something going on between them, you can feel the tension and I hope it does lead to something. Even though Ari threatens him with death at every turn!)

On the way to the Guild they run into Dragon Riders that try to take them out. Umm, that's not so easy against the White Wraith and now a Dragon of her own to fight by her side. And Flor helps out too although she has to be protected for the most part as she has no magical abilities. But Ari has trained her in things so she holds her own.

FYI: The dragon's in this book are not the typical dragons you are thinking. They are men but have dragon powers and are descendants of the real dragons. They don't have wings or breathe fire but they have strong magic. They ride gliders to make up for the wings they don't have.

Now I wish the next book was out because there is going to be some stuff going down and I really hope the good guys, er, things win.

Here's a little map of Loom. Nova is the place the dragons are from and they are up there on floating cities and such.


 :

I think I need to delve into Elise Kova's other books while I wait for the sequel to this book.

Overall, I loved it and I tend to try to read books I think I will like/love. No dud here! Woot! ♥


GOODREADS REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1880785329

Sunday, January 22, 2017

ROSEBLOOD by A.G. Howard

In this modern day spin on Leroux’s gothic tale of unrequited love turned to madness, seventeen-year-old Rune Germain has a mysterious affliction linked to her operatic talent, and a horrifying mistake she’s trying to hide. Hoping creative direction will help her, Rune’s mother sends her to a French arts conservatory for her senior year, located in an opera house rumored to have ties to The Phantom of the Opera.

At RoseBlood, Rune secretly befriends the masked Thorn—an elusive violinist who not only guides her musical transformation through dreams that seem more real than reality itself, but somehow knows who she is behind her own masks. As the two discover an otherworldly connection and a soul-deep romance blossoms, Thorn’s dark agenda comes to light and he’s forced to make a deadly choice: lead Rune to her destruction, or face the wrath of the phantom who has haunted the opera house for a century, and is the only father he’s ever known. @goodreads


MY REVIEW:

4 STARS 


My January Owlcrate Box! Don't look if you haven't gotten yours yet. Although, my picture wasn't all that great this time!

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At home, I have a poster on my wall of a rose that's bleeding. It's petals are white, and red liquid oozes from its heart, thick and glistening warm. Only, if you look very close, you can see the droplets are coming from above, where a little girl's wrist--camouflaged by a cluster of leaves--has been pricked by it's thorns as she reached inside to catch a monarch.

 :

This book was so bizarre and so good! I didn't understand all that was going on but I loved it. The reason is that it had a very creepy vibe, everything about it had creepsville all over it.

Rune is sent to Roseblood in France because of issues she has with her beautiful singing. I won't go into all of that because some of it is confusing and it would be a spoiler.

Roseblood is/was . . . the home of The Phantom of he Opera. The place seems creepy enough without all of that added to it.

Rune makes some enemies <--the mean girls of course and she meets some good friends as well. She also meets a mysterious boy named Thorn. Who is he and why is he not in any classes? Is he even real? Why do the animals on the property have different voices. Who is it Rune sees behind the glass in the school, moving through the walls. Is she going crazy?

There are so many things to this book and I loved it. I can't say enough how creepy and weird I thought it was and that's why I like it. There really are some things I wished I understood but maybe it will sink in or I can read it a few times until it does. lol

There is a history with Rune's family, the phantom and other people and things. Read the book and find out, then tell me what you think so I know for sure. =)

AND THE COVER IS AMAZING! I DON'T CARE, IT JUST ROCKS!


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I also felt this was a great stand alone book! But I want more books like this so go and write some more and make sure they have pretty covers! ♥ 


GOODREADS REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1789381811

Thursday, January 19, 2017

♥ January 2017 Owlcrate Box ♥



I'm so excited to get this book in the owlcrate box!!!!!


I will list what's inside with the description straight from the card included in the box. Written in Owlcrate's own words!

Things inside: 

1. Daydream about far away lands with a soothing cup of mint tea, created exclusively by FIRST EDITION TEA CO. This tea was inspired by one of our favorite classic literary characters, The Little Prince. 

2. Rub-a-dub-dub! We hope you enjoy using this exclusive yummy-smellling soap created by TEASOAPBOOKS. This is an exclusive scent inspired by The Secret Garden. 

3. The talented Lexy Olivia has designed an exclusive watercolor BOOKMARK, just for this box! It features one of our all-time favorite quotes, from the brilliant novel, Slaughterhouse Five.

4. "THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is there inside your mind..." and on your fridge! We hope you love this pretty magnet, which was designed by hand by SWEET SEQUELS. 

5. Start the new year off on the right foot, with this beautiful calendar designed by OBVIOUS STATE. EAch month features a gorgeous new art print inspired by children's classic stories. Prop it on your desk to help inspire your creativity and drive for the rest of 2017!

6. We invite you to an atmospheric and dark romance set in the tunnels of Paris. ROSEBLOOD by A.G. Howard is a modern day retelling of The Phantom of the Opera that will give you goosebumps as you turn each page. When seventeen-year-old Rune is sent to a French arts school-rumored to be the same opera house the original Phantom once haunted- mysterious things begin happening in her life. Plagued with musical afflictions, Rune befriends and elusive violinist named Thorn while trying to keep at bay the creeping suspicion that someone is following her every move. Meanwhile, Thorn has dark secrets of his own, and he'll have to choose where his loyalties lie. Will he cross the only father he's ever known in order to protect Rune? We fell in love with the gorgeous writing, and detailed research that went into this brilliant new take on a classic tale. We also hope you love the letter and signed bookplate from A.G. Howard! 

HAPPY READING, AND THANKS FOR BEING AWESOME! -OWLCRATE 

Wasn't that a lovely card they wrote? The card is pretty too! I just love it!

Frostblood by Elly Blake

Seventeen-year-old Ruby is a fireblood who must hide her powers of heat and flame from the cruel frostblood ruling class that wants to destroy all that are left of her kind. So when her mother is killed for protecting her and rebel frostbloods demand her help to kill their rampaging king, she agrees. But Ruby's powers are unpredictable, and she's not sure she's willing to let the rebels and an infuriating (yet irresistible) young man called Arcus use her as their weapon.

All she wants is revenge, but before they can take action, Ruby is captured and forced to take part in the king's tournaments that pit fireblood prisoners against frostblood champions. Now she has only one chance to destroy the maniacal ruler who has taken everything from her and from the icy young man she has come to love.

Fast-paced and compelling, Frostblood is the first in a page-turning new young adult three-book series about a world where flame and ice are mortal enemies—but together create a power that could change everything. @goodreads 


MY REVIEW:

4 STARS 

Fire Meets Frost!



Ruby is a fireblood that her mother has tried to keep hidden because firebloods are being killed out by the frostbloods, at least the evil ones. She's very powerful but can't control her power as no one has trained her . . . until



Arcus is a frostblood and he's also very powerful. He is also something else that I can't tell you about, you have to read the book. He saves Ruby from a prison she was taken to when they evil ones found her. They killed her mother, she wants King Rasmus to die!



Arcus takes Ruby back to the Abbey where she meets some wonderful people. One being Brother Thistle. They want to train her to use her fire and control it. Brother Thistle and Arcus have their work cut out for them but it mostly works out in the end. They want to help her be able to take down King Rasmus.

Until Ruby is captured by the King's minions and brought back to his castle to fight in his pits. She is set up against people, animals, frostblood's. She hopes to be able to kill the king but will her plan every come into play? Maybe, maybe not, there is something else about the king . . . he's not quite right. Will Ruby with the help of Arcus be able to defeat the darkness. You shall see, when you read it!

I enjoyed the book. I love Arcus, he's my frost king =) There were a few things in the book that made me want to smack Ruby but it was still good. Sometimes it seemed like she could have used her powers before getting caught. Either way, it worked out good enough for me.

I will leave you with a funny little EXCERPT:


"How did you find me?"

He unclenched his jaw to answer. " When Wheatgerm returned to the stables, I followed her tracks until they disappeared. And then I heard someone bellowing nonsense, and I knew it must be you."

"Who the blazes is Wheatgerm?"

"The horse you stole from the abbey," he said as if talking to a simpleton.

"You mean Butter. And I didn't steal her. I borrowed her. I take it she's safe?"

"Cold and tired, but safe in the stables eating like she's half starved. Which she probably is, thanks to you. And her name isn't Butter."

"It is now."

"She's not yours to name."

"She's mine in spirit now that we've had an adventure together. And her name suits her. She's soft and yellow, like butter."

He made a disgusted sound. "If we all had names to suit us, you'd be called Thorn in My Backside. Or Plague of the Gods."

I prickled at his scathing tone. "And you'd be Miserable Blockhead."

"Is that the best you could do?"

"Give me time. I'm half frozen."


I just love Ruby and Arcus! ❤

GOODREADS REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1883988791

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Crystal Storm by Morgan Rhodes

The ruthless Empress Amara of Kraeshia has taken the Mytican throne, and now uncertainty looms over the three kingdoms. Since Lucia unleashed the fire Kindred, wreaking havoc throughout the land, Myticans have been looking for someone—anyone—they can trust. They believe in Amara, not knowing her grand promises are built on lies.

In Paelsia, Magnus and Cleo reluctantly follow King Gaius to the home of his exiled mother, Selia. Selia is a powerful witch and claims she can help unlock the magic of the Kindred—if the visitors agree to her terms. When Jonas arrives from Kraeshia, he is shocked to find that his rebel army now includes his sworn enemies. Along with Nic, Felix, and the mysteriously resurrected Ashur, the contentious group agrees to cast aside old grudges—for now—and united against their common enemy: Amara.

Meanwhile, bearing the child of a Watcher and feared by all, Princess Lucia travels across Mytica to find her family. But time is running out. The impending storm signals the dark prophecy Timotheus warned her about. Her fate is written, and it includes none other than the rebel Jonas. When their paths collied, Jonas and Lucia must decide between blindly following their destiny or fighting for their own free will.

The battle for power culminates at the Paelsian palace, where Amara resides. Rain pours. Blood spills. And soon all will discover that the darkest magic comes at an even darker price.@goodreads


MY REVIEW:

4 STARS 

 
 :

Okay, let me just say this two times!





I couldn't figure out whether to go with a 4 or a 5 star review so I kept it at 4.

Things that happened in this book! **NO SPOILERS**

Sooooooo, that ending. Yeah, where's the next freaking book now! OMG!

And I want to know what is going to happen to Lucia because she's got some stuff going on peeps, some stuff goin' on! I need to know what's going to come out of her!

Then we have some evil kindred dude causing all kinds of chaos, not to mention stupid Amara, how 'bout we just don't mention Amara.

Anyhoo, this evil kindred dude wants to set loose his other kindred peeps and put them in our friends bodies and who knows what the hell else from there! I mean he's this evil god dude thing and they need to defeat him and try to figure out how to fix something that he started! I'm worried about some of my other favorite characters even more now! <---- I can't say why.

And for the love of all that is holy can we get rid of King Gaius once and for all. (and Amara) He just doesn't seem to die and there are reasons people. Reasons for everything in this book. Although, I will give him a cookie for one good deed he did, he broke a neck, an evil neck. So there you go.

There are people and things that I have been leaving out of the reviews so you can meet those people and things for yourself. There are some crazy times in this series.

We have some people coming back from the dead. Some people being killed, are they going to come back from the dead, people being possessed, can we un-possess them later. I don't know anything, or how to spell so deal with it.

I really am rooting for a few people in this series and I hope they make it and things go well.

Oh and Jonas is still bumbling around being Jonas. I don't know what it is but he gets on my nerves. He's not bad he's just . . . I don't know. And now he's got some stuff going on and I'm like, NO! DO NOT DO ANYTHING COOL LIKE THAT TO HIM. Just leave him be to bumble around and do what he does. Lol. He really is a good guy, I just pick on him because he's not all that bright with the things he says and does.

So now, I have to wait another year or whatever for the next book!!!!!!!!


GOODREADS REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1377655774

Monday, January 16, 2017

Frozen Tides by Morgan Rhodes

Rebels, royals, and monsters wage war over the Mytican throne in the shocking fourth book of the Falling Kingdoms series, from New York Times bestselling author Morgan Rhodes.

CLEO: Reeling after a bloody showdown in Limeros ending with Amara’s abduction of the water crystal, and a vacancy in the Mytican throne, Princess Cleo must cast aside her feelings and look toward her kingdom with the eyes of a Queen.

MAGNUS: With the kingdom in chaos, Princess Lucia still missing and quite possibly in danger, and a shocking realization about Cleo, the steely prince is once again torn between love and duty, leaving him wondering whether he’s strong enough to rule his people.

LUCIA: The young sorcercess has had her vengeance after the cruel death of her first and only love. Heartbroken and unable to trust anyone, she allies with the awoken Fire god, who also seeks revenge.

JONAS: After escaping death by the skin of his teeth, the defeated rebel—along with a mysterious stranger–leader reunites with Princess Cleo, only to find himself a mere pawn in a dangerous hunt for the elusive Kindred.

KING GAIUS: Abandoned by Melenia and betrayed by his own children, Gaius flees Mytica and sails to Kraeshia, where he attempts to ally with the famously brutal emperor across the Silver Sea. @goodreads
 


MY REVIEW:

5 STARS 


They freaking killed one of my favorite characters. And NO, I'm not saying who, but I certainly want to kill them all!



So, Jonas is still bumbling around getting a few things done here and there. But mostly getting saved by Lysandra and a new character named Olivia.

Magnus and Cleo are off in another place where Magnus is sitting the throne since that's what Prince's do and such. Of course his father will probably kill him, but that's neither here nor there. I love Magnus and Cleo. I was on the fence with Magnus for some time but he has redeemed himself in this book! And Cleo is just the best ever!

Some things I wanted to happen did happen, at least it seemed like it happened. I will see in the next book.

Lucia has gone over to the dark side when she lost her love in the 3rd book. She's kicking around with some jerk named Kyan. He's a . . . <--- you thought I was going to tell you. Heh! He's an arse as well that needs to be hulk-smashed!

Some rather strange but good turn of events happened. Geez, this review is starting to sound like some rambling mystery that isn't making sense. But, I can't write a normal review when I can't spoil anything so deal with it.

And I can't believe that Lucia is . . . what's going to happen with that! Omg!

Oh and freaking Amara is worse than she was before. I can't stand her!!!!!!!!!!!! To the nth people! I mean she did have a sucky childhood because her people believe if royalty has a baby girl they should be killed. <--- Seriously! Good thing she has a wicked smart grandma. But even still, she's beyond hating on peeps and life and wanting it all. She might just get it all if people don't look out!

On to the next book on tiptoes. I think there are two more coming out after it so what all is going to freaking happen with all of those books! I think everyone and everything will be killed and then it will say THE END! I hope not!


Ooops, I was going to leave a couple of funny little excerpts to lighten the mood!

Even though Magnus believed this boy was well overdue for a painful death, he had to admit that Nic did occasionally amuse him. "You might do well to consider the possibility that I don't care what my father says," he said, taking another swig. "Just how long have you been drinking here tonight, Cassian?"

Nic waved his hand flippantly. "Long enough not to care what happens next. I should kill you now, really. Just stab you with this dinner knife. Until you're good and dead."

"Yes, well, the feeling is mutual. Now, shall we pick something worthy to drink tonight?"


••••••••••••••

"No wonder it's such a repulsive mess." Olivia shook her head. "Fine. Yes, I will make some fresh healing mud since it is a perfect substance to hold earth magic. First, I'll have to find a cow."

Jonas was too weak to fully express his impatience for her to start, but this was truly unexpected. "Why do you need a cow?"

"What do you think the mud is made from?" she asked, a glimmer of amusement in her emerald eyes. "Cow dung is a common ingredient in many earth magic concoctions."

She left the building without waiting for a response.

Jonas stared after her, stunned. "She means to heal me with cow dung."

Lysandra patted his good arm. "And you're going to let her."


GOODREADS REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1366592330

Sunday, January 15, 2017

Gathering Darkness by Morgan Rhodes

Love, vengeance, and greed spark a deadly quest for magic in the third book of the Falling Kingdoms series

Prince Magnus has just witnessed torture, death, and miracles during the bloody confrontation that decimated the rebel forces. Now he must choose between family and justice as his father, the cruel King Gaius, sets out to conquer all of Mytica. All Gaius needs now are the Kindred—the four elemental crystals that give godlike powers to their owner. But the King of Blood is not the only one hunting for this ancient, storied magic. . . .

THE KRAESHIANS join the hunt. Ashur and Amara, the royal siblings from the wealthy kingdom across the Silver Sea, charm and manipulate their way to the Kindred, proving to be more ruthless than perhaps even the King of Blood himself.

THE REBELS forge ahead. Princess Cleo and vengeful Jonas lead them, slaying with sweetness, skill, and a secret that can control Lucia’s overpowering magic—all so they can use the Kindred to win back their fallen kingdoms.

THE WATCHERS follow Melenia out of the Sanctuary. They ally in the flesh with King Gaius, who vows to use Lucia’s powers to unveil the Kindred.

The only certainty in these dark times is that whoever finds the magic first will control the fate of Mytica. . . . but the four element gods of the Kindred have other plans. @goodreads



MY REVIEW:

4 STARS 


There are a few people in this book that made me rage!



You have King Gaius who is beyond! And what he did to Gregor in front of Lysandra. I CAN'T EVEN!

Another one I didn't like was Melenia. She was just evil and did stupid stuff over what she thought was love.

AMARA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Her and King Gaius can be thrown on the same fire pit!

I'm on the fence with Prince Magnus, I mean he did one good thing for Cleo. I love Cleo by the way she's so strong and her character is easy to like. And I love Lysandra and Nic.

Jonas, he's a nerd but he tries. lol

Felix . . . hmmm




I want to know more about the Kindred and what's going to happen when they all get the crystals.

Sounds all crazy doesn't it? There's kingdoms that hate one another, naturally. Magic, betrayal, love, and some other crazy going on.



Alexius and Lucia *sob*

All I know is that I hope some evil people get theirs in the next book, or the next one, or the next one. You get what I mean. 



Her magic burned withing her, her ring blazed on her finger, but despite the pain and suffering of this night, she'd never felt more powerful in her entire life.

"Will you help me?" he asked again when silence fell between them.

He was dangerous--she felt it down in her very soul. The price of this young man's freedom would be forged from pain, death, and fire.

"Yes," she said.

The single word sealed her fate.

Standing there on the steep Limerian cliffs, she was ready to watch the world burn
.




and thus it begins 

GOODREADS REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1430563836