Hey there!!
As I said in my last post, May was a CRAZY month for me, so it's been a bit all over the place with reading. I only managed to finished four books, which is a bit less than my usual, however I thoroughly enjoyed all of them so all was not lost!
Without further ado, here are the books that I have read in May:
To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han
I'd been meaning to pick this one up for ages, after having seen so many rave reviews all over booktube about it! And I am so, so glad I did. I was in just the mood for a cute contemporary, and that is exactly what this book delivered. I adored the characters, and really enjoyed how the family dynamic of the main character, Lara Jean, is really focused on. Highly recommend!!
Rating: 4.5/5
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Another one that I've been meaning to read for EVER, I finally downloaded this for free on my Kindle and read it straight through in one sitting. And what an experience. I am absolutely obsessed with this book. Being a French student, I probably should give it a go in French, but for the first time through read the English version. The language is phenomenal, and this is one of those books that makes you completely rethink your life! So many beautiful metaphors, I can't even deal!! This is definitely now on the list of my favourite books of all time.
Rating: 5/5
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
I'm sure you've all been hearing the craze over ACOMAF, and if you haven't yet picked it up let me tell you, it is absolutely justified. If you've read my ACOTAR review, you'll know that while I enjoyed it, I had quite a lot of problems with it. However, ACOMAF was freaking incredible!! I loved it so much more than ACOTAR, and cannot wait to see where this series is going to go. The characters have developed so much more, the world is so beautiful and intriguing, and holy cow the romance is steaming! Love love love!!
Rating: 5/5
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
Yet another book that is praised a lot on booktube and book blogs, I finally picked up The Name of the Wind!! Once again, I adored it! Being a massive fantasy book, it's taken me quite a while to get through, with a couple of little breaks in the middle, but Patrick Rothfuss' writing is so beautiful and easy to read that it doesn't make it tiring at all. He creates such a vivid, beautiful world filled with incredibly rich characters, and I will for sure be needing to continue with this series!!
Rating: 4.5/5
So there you have it, the four books that I read in May!
Let me know in the comments what you've read recently, I'd love to know!
Love always,
Ari
Tuesday, 31 May 2016
Friday, 27 May 2016
I'M BACK
Hey there!!
So not sure if anyone's noticed but I've been on a bit of a blogging hiatus for the past month or so. This was completely unplanned, but uni and college commitments completely took over and before I knew it weeks had past without me posting anything! Most of my extra-curricular things for this semester have now come to an end, so you know what that means... more time for blogging again!! I've missed it so much, and so many exciting bookish things have been happening that I can't wait to talk about!
I've been really utilising my library lately (may or may not have like fifteen books out at the moment) and am so addicted now! I can't stop borrowing and putting books on hold, it is actually an issue! I've been trying to get up to date with a lot of books that are super popular on booktube and book blogs that I've never picked up yet, and am having so much fun with it! I'll go into more detail in my next monthly wrap up on that note.
There's also been SO MANY new YA releases this month (how freaking amazing is ACOMAF!!!!) so I'll for sure be posting about my thoughts on those that I've picked up so far.
This was just a little post to catch up and let you all know where I've been for the past month or so, but I promise that there'll be much more to come!
Let me know in the comments what you're reading at the moment!
Love always,
Ari
So not sure if anyone's noticed but I've been on a bit of a blogging hiatus for the past month or so. This was completely unplanned, but uni and college commitments completely took over and before I knew it weeks had past without me posting anything! Most of my extra-curricular things for this semester have now come to an end, so you know what that means... more time for blogging again!! I've missed it so much, and so many exciting bookish things have been happening that I can't wait to talk about!
I've been really utilising my library lately (may or may not have like fifteen books out at the moment) and am so addicted now! I can't stop borrowing and putting books on hold, it is actually an issue! I've been trying to get up to date with a lot of books that are super popular on booktube and book blogs that I've never picked up yet, and am having so much fun with it! I'll go into more detail in my next monthly wrap up on that note.
There's also been SO MANY new YA releases this month (how freaking amazing is ACOMAF!!!!) so I'll for sure be posting about my thoughts on those that I've picked up so far.
This was just a little post to catch up and let you all know where I've been for the past month or so, but I promise that there'll be much more to come!
Let me know in the comments what you're reading at the moment!
Love always,
Ari
Tuesday, 19 April 2016
The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh - review
Hey there!
Firstly, sorry for being super slack with posts lately, it's hectic at uni and college at the moment but I should have a tad more time from now!
This week I finally picked up The Wrath and the Dawn from my library, after having heard soooo many amazing things about it all over the booktube and book blogging communities. I thought it sounded like something that I would really enjoy, and boy was I right.
The Wrath and the Dawn is a retelling of One Thousand and One Nights, and it takes place in a land where a boy-king rules. Each night he takes a new bride, and each morning he has his bride killed. When Shahrzad's best friend is taken as the king's bride and subsequently killed, she vows to avenge her. She has a plan for how to stay alive and to end the king's terror. However, as she begins to learn more about the young king she discovers that all is not as it seems and there are mysterious powers at play in the kingdom.
This story is just so incredible. I've never read any retelling of One Thousand and One Nights, but I find the story so mysterious and intriguing, and I adored the setting. Renee Ahdieh's writing style is incredibly beautiful and engaging, and I was absolutely mesmerised the entire time I was reading this book. I also found the characters so wonderful and intricate. Shahrzad is such a strong protagonist, who knows what she wants and is determined to do anything it takes to get it. Whilst there is a beautiful romance in here, there is also a lovely friendship between Shahrzad and her maid at the palace which I thought was amazing! All in all, I am totally obsessed with this book and cannot wait to delve further into the series!!
Rating: 5/5
SPOILERY SECTION:
Aaaah I have so many wonderful things to say about this book!! I can't believe it took me so long to pick it up, it for sure deserves all of the hype that surrounds it on booktube and blogs.
I'll start with the characters, always my favourite part of books! I found Shahrzad super interesting. On the outlook she is an incredibly strong young woman filled with anger and the need for revenge, willing to do anything to kill the king. However, as you begin to learn more about her and watch her character develop you also see her softer side, and understand how incredibly intelligent and emotional she is.
Then there's Khalid. I ADORE Khalid. He's so mysterious, and we know barely anything about him for the majority of the book, even though you have a vague idea that he is not who he seems from the Prologue. Even though his personality has been revealed much more by the end of the novel, I know there is still so much to learn about him, and I can't wait to delve further into his character as the series progresses. I thought Shahrzad and Khalid's relationship was done really well, and wasn't too tropey with the whole quiet, angry boy and strong, rebellious girl. There was a real beauty to their relationship, which especially came out towards the end of the book.
In regards to plot, I find it so incredibly intriguing!! I love the magical elements intertwined in the tale, with Khalid's curse, and now the mystery of Shahrzad's father. I need to know what happened there! I find it so upsetting when books end with a couple apart - I need them back together again!! Needless to say, I LOVED this book.
Let me know in the comments if you've read The Wrath and the Dawn what your thoughts are!!
Love always,
Ari
Firstly, sorry for being super slack with posts lately, it's hectic at uni and college at the moment but I should have a tad more time from now!
This week I finally picked up The Wrath and the Dawn from my library, after having heard soooo many amazing things about it all over the booktube and book blogging communities. I thought it sounded like something that I would really enjoy, and boy was I right.
The Wrath and the Dawn is a retelling of One Thousand and One Nights, and it takes place in a land where a boy-king rules. Each night he takes a new bride, and each morning he has his bride killed. When Shahrzad's best friend is taken as the king's bride and subsequently killed, she vows to avenge her. She has a plan for how to stay alive and to end the king's terror. However, as she begins to learn more about the young king she discovers that all is not as it seems and there are mysterious powers at play in the kingdom.
This story is just so incredible. I've never read any retelling of One Thousand and One Nights, but I find the story so mysterious and intriguing, and I adored the setting. Renee Ahdieh's writing style is incredibly beautiful and engaging, and I was absolutely mesmerised the entire time I was reading this book. I also found the characters so wonderful and intricate. Shahrzad is such a strong protagonist, who knows what she wants and is determined to do anything it takes to get it. Whilst there is a beautiful romance in here, there is also a lovely friendship between Shahrzad and her maid at the palace which I thought was amazing! All in all, I am totally obsessed with this book and cannot wait to delve further into the series!!
Rating: 5/5
SPOILERY SECTION:
Aaaah I have so many wonderful things to say about this book!! I can't believe it took me so long to pick it up, it for sure deserves all of the hype that surrounds it on booktube and blogs.
I'll start with the characters, always my favourite part of books! I found Shahrzad super interesting. On the outlook she is an incredibly strong young woman filled with anger and the need for revenge, willing to do anything to kill the king. However, as you begin to learn more about her and watch her character develop you also see her softer side, and understand how incredibly intelligent and emotional she is.
Then there's Khalid. I ADORE Khalid. He's so mysterious, and we know barely anything about him for the majority of the book, even though you have a vague idea that he is not who he seems from the Prologue. Even though his personality has been revealed much more by the end of the novel, I know there is still so much to learn about him, and I can't wait to delve further into his character as the series progresses. I thought Shahrzad and Khalid's relationship was done really well, and wasn't too tropey with the whole quiet, angry boy and strong, rebellious girl. There was a real beauty to their relationship, which especially came out towards the end of the book.
In regards to plot, I find it so incredibly intriguing!! I love the magical elements intertwined in the tale, with Khalid's curse, and now the mystery of Shahrzad's father. I need to know what happened there! I find it so upsetting when books end with a couple apart - I need them back together again!! Needless to say, I LOVED this book.
Let me know in the comments if you've read The Wrath and the Dawn what your thoughts are!!
Love always,
Ari
Monday, 11 April 2016
Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare - review
Hi there!
I FINISHED LADY MIDNIGHT!! My most anticipated book of 2016, and it well and truly lived up to my expectations. It is incredible.
For anyone who is not a part of the Shadowhunters fandom, and doesn't know what Lady Midnight is about,it is the first installment in Cassandra Clare's new Dark Artifices series. It follows Emma Carstairs, who lives in the LA institute with the Blackthorn family. When mysterious murders begin to occur over the city, Emma and her parabatai Julian, along with other members of the institute must uncover the killer. Of course, this is a super broad summary!!
This book is full of friendship, family, love, and so many intricate aspects of the Shadowhunter world that we haven't learnt about before in Cassandra Clare's previous series. The characters are so well fleshed out, and that includes minor characters as well as the protagonists. The relationships are complicated and beautiful. And the storyline interweaves magically; I literally never guessed what was going to come next!! This is definitely my favourite first book in a series by Cassandra Clare, and I am so desperate to find out how the series is going to go from here.
Rating: 5/5
SPOILERY SECTION:
Ahhhhh, I am so ridiculously excited about this book. Cassandra Clare really does just keep getting better and better with her writing, and now I cannot wait to see where this series will go!!
I'll start with my thoughts on the characters. I absolutely LOVE the characters in this book. Emma is such an intricate character - she's so strong, yet so gentle, and you can really see how her past has developed her into the person that she is. Similarly, it's so evident how Julian has developed as a result of having to be the parent for his siblings. Even throughout the book itself you see how they continue to grow both as individuals, and in relation to one another.
I also loved Cristina and Diego! Cristina is such a wonderful friend, not just to Emma, but to the whole Blackthorn family. And Diego is hilarious, I was so not expecting it when he appeared, and at first I thought he was kind of two dimensional, but he continued to surprise me in his character development.
And, of course, all of the Blackthorn children - each and every one of them are so detailed and interesting. I was so excited when Mark came back, and found every scene with him so intriguing. His faerie quirks mixed with his Shadowhunter history are constantly at war with one another, until finally he realises that his family really is everything. That was such a beautiful moment when he made up his mind to definitely stay with them. The younger children, despite there being so many of them, are all just as detailed. I love how learning difficulties, mental illness, and sexuality are all explored subtly through the characters.
Now for the relationships. There are SO many beautiful relationships in this book, whether they be romantic, friends, or family. I'll tackle the main one first - Julian and Emma. Where to start. I love how, even though you don't directly see it, you can see how their long history together affects the way that they act around one another. And while the romantic feelings sort of appear straight away, it doesn't feel insta-lovey at all, because you know that they've been together since they were young, especially if you've read TMI. I found this relationship so deeply entrenched in their characters, and such a beautiful and gentle thing. They knew each other so well, yet continued to be amazed by one another.
The family relationships are also major, which I adore. Cassandra Clare captures how difficult it is for Julian to act as a parent rather than a brother for the children, which is so heart-breaking. Every one of them has a different relationship with one another, so it was always interesting to read scenes between any of the characters.
I also really enjoyed the relationship between Mark and Kieran, it was another heart-wrenching one. It felt so real and intense, and even though Kieran was pretty awful at times, it was still so upsetting when they had to leave each other.
Now, finally, for the plot!! What an incredible story. I never knew what was going to happen next, and continued to be surprised right to the very last page. Can I just say - Malcolm. I did not suspect him at all! I thought he seemed like such a cool character, and was so sad when he turned out to be the killer. It was amazing how Cassandra made you really connect with his story at the same time as not liking him for being a murderer, particularly when Emma says that she'd probably do the same for Julian.
How awesome was it when Jace, Clary and Magnus appear at the end!! I got so excited; it was so funny seeing how their characters had developed too. Also, I'm not sure if it's in every copy of the book, but the short story at the end about Simon's wedding!! SO GOOD. I actually could not deal with that.
So overall, as you can clearly tell, I am totally obsessed with this book and have no idea how I'm going to wait for the next book in the series.
Let me know in the comments if you've read Lady Midnight, what are your thoughts? How amazing is it!!
Love always,
Ari
I FINISHED LADY MIDNIGHT!! My most anticipated book of 2016, and it well and truly lived up to my expectations. It is incredible.
For anyone who is not a part of the Shadowhunters fandom, and doesn't know what Lady Midnight is about,it is the first installment in Cassandra Clare's new Dark Artifices series. It follows Emma Carstairs, who lives in the LA institute with the Blackthorn family. When mysterious murders begin to occur over the city, Emma and her parabatai Julian, along with other members of the institute must uncover the killer. Of course, this is a super broad summary!!
This book is full of friendship, family, love, and so many intricate aspects of the Shadowhunter world that we haven't learnt about before in Cassandra Clare's previous series. The characters are so well fleshed out, and that includes minor characters as well as the protagonists. The relationships are complicated and beautiful. And the storyline interweaves magically; I literally never guessed what was going to come next!! This is definitely my favourite first book in a series by Cassandra Clare, and I am so desperate to find out how the series is going to go from here.
Rating: 5/5
SPOILERY SECTION:
Ahhhhh, I am so ridiculously excited about this book. Cassandra Clare really does just keep getting better and better with her writing, and now I cannot wait to see where this series will go!!
I'll start with my thoughts on the characters. I absolutely LOVE the characters in this book. Emma is such an intricate character - she's so strong, yet so gentle, and you can really see how her past has developed her into the person that she is. Similarly, it's so evident how Julian has developed as a result of having to be the parent for his siblings. Even throughout the book itself you see how they continue to grow both as individuals, and in relation to one another.
I also loved Cristina and Diego! Cristina is such a wonderful friend, not just to Emma, but to the whole Blackthorn family. And Diego is hilarious, I was so not expecting it when he appeared, and at first I thought he was kind of two dimensional, but he continued to surprise me in his character development.
And, of course, all of the Blackthorn children - each and every one of them are so detailed and interesting. I was so excited when Mark came back, and found every scene with him so intriguing. His faerie quirks mixed with his Shadowhunter history are constantly at war with one another, until finally he realises that his family really is everything. That was such a beautiful moment when he made up his mind to definitely stay with them. The younger children, despite there being so many of them, are all just as detailed. I love how learning difficulties, mental illness, and sexuality are all explored subtly through the characters.
Now for the relationships. There are SO many beautiful relationships in this book, whether they be romantic, friends, or family. I'll tackle the main one first - Julian and Emma. Where to start. I love how, even though you don't directly see it, you can see how their long history together affects the way that they act around one another. And while the romantic feelings sort of appear straight away, it doesn't feel insta-lovey at all, because you know that they've been together since they were young, especially if you've read TMI. I found this relationship so deeply entrenched in their characters, and such a beautiful and gentle thing. They knew each other so well, yet continued to be amazed by one another.
The family relationships are also major, which I adore. Cassandra Clare captures how difficult it is for Julian to act as a parent rather than a brother for the children, which is so heart-breaking. Every one of them has a different relationship with one another, so it was always interesting to read scenes between any of the characters.
I also really enjoyed the relationship between Mark and Kieran, it was another heart-wrenching one. It felt so real and intense, and even though Kieran was pretty awful at times, it was still so upsetting when they had to leave each other.
Now, finally, for the plot!! What an incredible story. I never knew what was going to happen next, and continued to be surprised right to the very last page. Can I just say - Malcolm. I did not suspect him at all! I thought he seemed like such a cool character, and was so sad when he turned out to be the killer. It was amazing how Cassandra made you really connect with his story at the same time as not liking him for being a murderer, particularly when Emma says that she'd probably do the same for Julian.
How awesome was it when Jace, Clary and Magnus appear at the end!! I got so excited; it was so funny seeing how their characters had developed too. Also, I'm not sure if it's in every copy of the book, but the short story at the end about Simon's wedding!! SO GOOD. I actually could not deal with that.
So overall, as you can clearly tell, I am totally obsessed with this book and have no idea how I'm going to wait for the next book in the series.
Let me know in the comments if you've read Lady Midnight, what are your thoughts? How amazing is it!!
Love always,
Ari
Sunday, 3 April 2016
March Wrap Up!
Hey there!
So in March I had a pretty good reading month, despite being super busy getting back into uni and being involved in loads of extracurricular college things. I managed to fit in time to read six books!
Without further ado, here are the books that I read in March, and my thoughts on them:
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas
I finally got to the second Throne of Glass book!! I have a full review here, but I absolutely adored Crown of Midnight! I love Sarah J Maas' writing style, and her characters and world is so well fleshed out and intriguing. I cannot wait to keep going with the series.
Rating: 5/5
Passenger by Alexandra Bracken
If you've read some of my recent posts you will know that I am totally obsessed with this book. It is AMAZING. As a lover of history, I adore time travel novels, and I really enjoy Alexandra Bracken's super descriptive writing style.It was interesting how different it is from her Darkest Minds series, but they both have characters who I am totally in love with. Definitely recommend!! For more in depth thoughts, see my full review here.
Rating: 5/5
Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton
I received an ARC of this novel through NetGally and holy cow I am so glad; it is incredible! The combination of western themes, a desert setting, and dystopia were so so interesting. The characters and relationships are super intriguing, and I can't wait to find out more about this world! Non-spoiler review here.
Rating: 4.75/5
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas
I was super excited to check out Sarah J Maas' other series, and while I really enjoyed it, I did have some mixed feeling in regards to characters and relationships. As usual, I adore the writing style, and the world building is so complex and interesting. I love the political intrigue in the storyline, and can't wait to see how it's built on later on in the series. For some of my more critical thoughts, I did a full review here. But overall, would definitely recommend this!!
Rating: 3.75/5
Sophie by Jennie Sargam
This was another ARC that I received through NetGalley, and while I appreciated the characters, I found it quite hard to get into and didn't end up completing it. I'm not sure if it's just because it's not really a genre that I'm interested in, but I found the writing style a bit difficult to engage in and wasn't invested in the storyline.
Rating: 2.5/5
Deviations by Anma Natsu
I was sent an ARC copy of Deviations from XPressoReads, and found it extremely interesting. It definitely is something that I have never read anything like before, and there were a lot of themes throughout that I don't know much about and so found it quite eye-opening. I wouldn't recommend this for anyone under around 17 due to the adult themes, but if you are interested in a book which considers sexuality, mental illness, and domestic violence, then this is very well done. Full review here!
Rating: 3.75/5
Let me know in the comments what books you read in March, and if you enjoyed them!
Love always,
Ari
So in March I had a pretty good reading month, despite being super busy getting back into uni and being involved in loads of extracurricular college things. I managed to fit in time to read six books!
Without further ado, here are the books that I read in March, and my thoughts on them:
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas
I finally got to the second Throne of Glass book!! I have a full review here, but I absolutely adored Crown of Midnight! I love Sarah J Maas' writing style, and her characters and world is so well fleshed out and intriguing. I cannot wait to keep going with the series.
Rating: 5/5
Passenger by Alexandra Bracken
If you've read some of my recent posts you will know that I am totally obsessed with this book. It is AMAZING. As a lover of history, I adore time travel novels, and I really enjoy Alexandra Bracken's super descriptive writing style.It was interesting how different it is from her Darkest Minds series, but they both have characters who I am totally in love with. Definitely recommend!! For more in depth thoughts, see my full review here.
Rating: 5/5
Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton
I received an ARC of this novel through NetGally and holy cow I am so glad; it is incredible! The combination of western themes, a desert setting, and dystopia were so so interesting. The characters and relationships are super intriguing, and I can't wait to find out more about this world! Non-spoiler review here.
Rating: 4.75/5
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas
I was super excited to check out Sarah J Maas' other series, and while I really enjoyed it, I did have some mixed feeling in regards to characters and relationships. As usual, I adore the writing style, and the world building is so complex and interesting. I love the political intrigue in the storyline, and can't wait to see how it's built on later on in the series. For some of my more critical thoughts, I did a full review here. But overall, would definitely recommend this!!
Rating: 3.75/5
Sophie by Jennie Sargam
This was another ARC that I received through NetGalley, and while I appreciated the characters, I found it quite hard to get into and didn't end up completing it. I'm not sure if it's just because it's not really a genre that I'm interested in, but I found the writing style a bit difficult to engage in and wasn't invested in the storyline.
Rating: 2.5/5
Deviations by Anma Natsu
I was sent an ARC copy of Deviations from XPressoReads, and found it extremely interesting. It definitely is something that I have never read anything like before, and there were a lot of themes throughout that I don't know much about and so found it quite eye-opening. I wouldn't recommend this for anyone under around 17 due to the adult themes, but if you are interested in a book which considers sexuality, mental illness, and domestic violence, then this is very well done. Full review here!
Rating: 3.75/5
Let me know in the comments what books you read in March, and if you enjoyed them!
Love always,
Ari
Saturday, 2 April 2016
Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken - review
Hey!!
I finally picked up Never Fade, the sequel to The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken the other day and I am so glad!! If you saw my Darkest Minds review you will know that I absolutely adored it, and Alexandra Bracken is now one of my favourite authors. If you haven't read The Darkest Minds yet, please please please go and do so, and then read Never Fade, and then come back to this post, as I don't want to spoil anything for you! Bye bye spoilery people!!
SPOILERY SECTION:
Ahhh so many feels in this book!! At the end of The Darkest Minds I cried possibly the most I have ever cried whilst reading a book, my heart was broken into a million tiny pieces. I was desperately hoping that Liam would remember Ruby eventually in Never Fade and thank goodness he did, although I am still heart broken at their relationship state at the moment. But before I go off on tangents, I'll start with the character development in this novel.
I loved how we've continued to see Ruby develop since The Darkest Minds. Her time with the Children's League really highlights how strong she is, and how focused she is on achieving her goal of freeing the children in the camps. Even to the extent that wen Liam remembers her she still refuses to go with him, rather staying with Cole and the others to work towards freeing the camps. That was simultaneously painful and exciting to read, as I really wished she'd be with Liam but it showed such strength in her character that she stayed.
It was super interesting seeing how Liam was affected by Ruby taking his memories of her. When he was acting super strange around her I started to suspect that he vaguely remember her, and I thought it was amazing how she had accidentally put into his mind that story of them meeting at the beach! So beautiful and heart-breaking. In The Darkest Minds Liam was one of my favourite characters EVER, and he has maintained this in Never Fade. He's such a loving person and is primarily focused on those that he cares about. Of course, he also wants to free the camps but will go about it in a way that he wants to, making sure that it isn't compromising his beliefs and ideals.
In regards to the new characters we are introduced to in Never Fade, I absolutely loved them!! Jude and Vida are wonderful, so different from one another! I love how Jude is such a fragile character, but at the same time is desperate to impress Ruby, Veda, and especially Cate. Vida is so kick-butt and intense, and I truly never knew what she was going to come out with next. Her relationship with Chubs was just hilarious!!
And then there is Clancy. I thought we were rid of him, but oh no, he just keeps coming back!! So infuriating, but it was dealt with so well. The whole idea of the fake Slip Kid with Knox was also super interesting, and I was so freaked out when Ruby and Vida had to fight the Red!
I really enjoyed all of the plot twists and turns, and never saw them coming! Jude's death absolutely broke my heart, as Alexandra Bracken always seems to do...
Overall, I LOVED Never Fade, and although The Darkest Minds probably beats it a tiny bit, I will continue to recommend this series to every single one of my friends.
Rating: 4.75/5
Let me know in the comments what your thoughts are on Never Fade, and who is your favourite character in this series?
Love always.
Ari
I finally picked up Never Fade, the sequel to The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken the other day and I am so glad!! If you saw my Darkest Minds review you will know that I absolutely adored it, and Alexandra Bracken is now one of my favourite authors. If you haven't read The Darkest Minds yet, please please please go and do so, and then read Never Fade, and then come back to this post, as I don't want to spoil anything for you! Bye bye spoilery people!!
SPOILERY SECTION:
Ahhh so many feels in this book!! At the end of The Darkest Minds I cried possibly the most I have ever cried whilst reading a book, my heart was broken into a million tiny pieces. I was desperately hoping that Liam would remember Ruby eventually in Never Fade and thank goodness he did, although I am still heart broken at their relationship state at the moment. But before I go off on tangents, I'll start with the character development in this novel.
I loved how we've continued to see Ruby develop since The Darkest Minds. Her time with the Children's League really highlights how strong she is, and how focused she is on achieving her goal of freeing the children in the camps. Even to the extent that wen Liam remembers her she still refuses to go with him, rather staying with Cole and the others to work towards freeing the camps. That was simultaneously painful and exciting to read, as I really wished she'd be with Liam but it showed such strength in her character that she stayed.
It was super interesting seeing how Liam was affected by Ruby taking his memories of her. When he was acting super strange around her I started to suspect that he vaguely remember her, and I thought it was amazing how she had accidentally put into his mind that story of them meeting at the beach! So beautiful and heart-breaking. In The Darkest Minds Liam was one of my favourite characters EVER, and he has maintained this in Never Fade. He's such a loving person and is primarily focused on those that he cares about. Of course, he also wants to free the camps but will go about it in a way that he wants to, making sure that it isn't compromising his beliefs and ideals.
In regards to the new characters we are introduced to in Never Fade, I absolutely loved them!! Jude and Vida are wonderful, so different from one another! I love how Jude is such a fragile character, but at the same time is desperate to impress Ruby, Veda, and especially Cate. Vida is so kick-butt and intense, and I truly never knew what she was going to come out with next. Her relationship with Chubs was just hilarious!!
And then there is Clancy. I thought we were rid of him, but oh no, he just keeps coming back!! So infuriating, but it was dealt with so well. The whole idea of the fake Slip Kid with Knox was also super interesting, and I was so freaked out when Ruby and Vida had to fight the Red!
I really enjoyed all of the plot twists and turns, and never saw them coming! Jude's death absolutely broke my heart, as Alexandra Bracken always seems to do...
Overall, I LOVED Never Fade, and although The Darkest Minds probably beats it a tiny bit, I will continue to recommend this series to every single one of my friends.
Rating: 4.75/5
Let me know in the comments what your thoughts are on Never Fade, and who is your favourite character in this series?
Love always.
Ari
Wednesday, 30 March 2016
The Fifty Bookish Questions Tag!
Hey there!
Hope you're all having a fabulous day. I came across this tag on My Little Book Blog and thought it sounded lovely and a great way to get some conversations going.
So, without further ado, here is the Fifty Bookish Questions Tag!
1. What was the last book you read?
A Court of Thorns and Roses, by Sarah J. Maas!
2. Was it a good one?
I did really enjoy it, and I adore Sarah's writing style! I did have a few issues though, which you can read about if you're interested in my review.
3. What made it good?
Like I said, I really enjoy Sarah J. Maas' writing style, it flows so well and her descriptions are so vivid. I loved the storyline and the world-building was so interesting, I can't wait to find out more about it as the series progresses.
4. Would you recommend it to other people?
For sure! Especially if you loved Throne of Glass, and if you enjoy young adult fantasy.
5. How often do you read?
Every single day, without fail! I always read before going to sleep, and often while I'm eating breakfast, or waiting for lectures to start at uni.
6. Do you like to read?
Need I even answer this one!
7. What was the last bad book you read?
I don't like to say that a book is bad, as it's all dependent on personal preference. And, to be honest, I haven't really read many books that I've been disappointed in recently! Woo!!
8. What made you dislike it?
Refer to above.
9. Do you wish to be a writer?
Yes yes yes!! It's been my dream since I was little to be an author, and I'm currently writing a novel. I've started loads of novels before but was never really set on the ideas I was having. I think I was forcing myself to come up with ideas too much, but this one came to me as I was falling asleep one night and I'm super duper excited about it! It's a young adult historical fiction/fantasy (a mouthful, I know!) and I'm in the process of planning and writing a first draft.
10. Has any book ever influenced you greatly?
Of course! There are many books that have influenced me, but the most significant for sure is Harry Potter. I feel like my personality definitely reflects a mixture between Ron and Hermione, and whenever I had to make a decision growing up I would always think what would Harry, Ron and Hermione do? As with loads of people, Hermione made me feel like it was okay to love books at school, and not worry if other people thought it was weird!
11. Do you read fan fiction?
I used to read it a bit, but I've never really gotten super into it. I think it's incredible the wonderful work that fans create based on what they love though!
12. Do you write fan fiction?
Nope, it seems loads of fun though!
13. What is your favourite book?
Aaaah this is such a difficult question, as I have loads! Of course the entire Harry Potter series is an automatic number one, but after that at the moment I think I'd have to say Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys. It absolutely amazed me, and I have not stopped thinking about it since I read an ARC copy a couple of months ago. You know that feeling when you just connect with a book and it absolutely speaks to your soul? That was Salt to the Sea.
14. What is your least favourite book?
I don't think I really have one, but one that I don't necessarily dislike but am extremely disturbed by is Animal Farm by George Orwell. Of course, I appreciate it so so much in regards to the social message it encompasses and I think it's an absolute piece of art. It's also funny, as Nineteen Eighty-Four is one of my favourite books EVER, but for some reason I find Animal Farm very difficult to read.
15. Do you prefer physical books or reading on a device?
Without a doubt, physical books!! I am getting a kindle soon for when I study abroad next year, and understand that they are super handy.
16. When did you learn to read?
I'm honestly not sure. I do know that I started reading very young, compared to my classmates. Before I could even read I would sit with novels pretending, turning the pages for hours apparently and just looking at the words! Books are for sure a part of me.
17. What is your favourite book you had to read in school?
Nineteen Eighty-Four! I'd already read it twice before we had to study it in English, and was soooo excited!!
18. What is your favourite book series?
Harry Potter, duh! A lot of my favourite books are series, though. Some others include The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices, Throne of Glass, His Dark Materials, Rondo, and the Stravaganza series.
19. Who is your favourite author?
Again, I have loads! A few of the top one are J. K Rowling, Ruta Sepetys, Alexandra Bracken, Cassandra Clare, John Green and Diana Gabaldon.
20. What is your favourite genre?
Definitely YA, and in that genre mainly fantasy and historical fiction. I used to mainly read contemporary but have been branching out from that much more lately.
21. Who is your favourite character in a book series?
Ron is my favourite character in Harry Potter! I also love Alec from The Mortal Instruments, and Liam from The Darkest Minds trilogy.
22. Has a book ever transported you somewhere else?
Every book I've ever read!
23. Which book do you wish had a sequel?
I feel like most stand alones are written so that they don't require sequels, and are wrapped up really well. However, just out of interest, I would love to know what happens to the characters in The Fault in Our Stars!
24. Which book do you wish didn't have a sequel?
Twilight. I adored the first book but really didn't enjoy the rest.
25. How long does it take you to read a book?
It really depends on if I'm really busy with uni and life at the time, and how much I'm enjoying the book. A lot of the time it can only take me two or three days, but of course really big books also take me longer, so around a week for those.
26. Do you like when books become movies?
Yes!! I get attached to books and characters super easily, and when I love them it doesn't bother me too much if the movie based on them isn't great. I just love seeing what is done with it in that different creative form. Like with Shadowhunters, it isn't a great TV shows, but I adore the series and characters so much that I'll be watching and loving every episode!
27. Which book was ruined by it's movie adaptation?
None! Books and movies are completely different so should be considered as separate entities and not affect one another.
28. Which movie has done a book justice?
I adore The Fault in Our Stars film, I think it was done exquisitely!
29. Do you read newspapers?
Not really, I tend to watch the news more or read it online.
30. Do you read magazine?
Yep! I love Frankie magazine, my mum got me a subscription for it for Christmas, wooo!!
31. Do you prefer newspapers or magazines?
Magazines! More pretty photography and creativity involved.
32. Do you read while in bed?
YES.
33. Do you read while on the toilet?
Hahaha I love this question, but no I don't!
34. Do you read while in the car?
It makes me feel super sick reading in cars on or trains but I still try! It's weird, some days it doesn't make me feel as sick. I do a lot of travelling backwards and forwards from home to college so I always try to read then.
35. Do you read while in the bath?
Yep! I'm perpetually scared of dropping my book in the bath, but I find it so relaxing.
36. Are you a fast reader?
Yep, especially when I'm loving the book.
37. Are you a slow reader?
See above haha!
38. Where is your favourite place to read?
I made a whole post about this not longer ago, here!
39. Is it hard for you to concentrate while you read?
Nope! With everything else I'm a pretty distracted person, always daydreaming. But when I'm reading I'm completely disconnected from everything around me, so could be in a room full of talking people and not have a problem immersing myself in my book.
40. Do you need a room to be silent while you read?
Like I said above, nope. I don't play my own music or anything while I read, so if I'm alone in my room it'll be silent when I'm reading. But if I'm waiting for a lecture to start or something and the room's loud, it doesn't bother me.
41. Who gave you your love for reading?
I think it's pretty intrinsic, as I've just always been a reader. However, my mum used to be quite a big reader, and my step dad still loves to read, so that definitely rubbed off on me!
42. What book is next on your list to read?
Cinder by Marissa Meyer! I need to pick up a copy from my library, but cannot wait to finally read it.
43. When did you start to read chapter books?
I reckon I must've been in about Grade 2, so I would have been 7ish.
44. Who is your favourite children's book author?
The classic, Roald Dahl! An absolute genius, I also adore Enid Blyton.
45. Which author would you most want to interview?
My number one dream is to meet J K Rowling!!
46. Which author do you think you'd be friends with?
Definitely John Green, he's amazing! Also Alexandra Bracken!!
47. What book have you reread the most?
I reread books a lot, so there's quite a list. The Harry Potter series is at the top of course (I've read them about 13 times!). Also The Fault in Our Start, Nineteen Eighty-Four, North Child, City of Masks, Magyk, Series of Unfortunate Events, Reckless, Shiver, to name a few!!
48. Which books do you consider "classics"?
I guess the first things I think of when I hear classics are Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, F Scott Fitzgerald, the Brontes, all the well known ones! It's hard to define though, I guess books that can speak to people despite their age or time.
49. Which books do you think should be taught in every school?
I know a lot of people don't enjoy studying them, but I love The Great Gatsby and Nineteen Eighty-Four. I also think Salt to the Sea would be an incredible book to be studied at school. Oh, and The Book Thief!
50. Which books should be banned from all schools?
None!! Students should be exposed to all perspectives so as to learn to be critical readers! Of course it depends on the student's ages, like Fifty Shades of Grey shouldn't be at a primary school, but you get what I mean!!
I hope you enjoyed this tag, it was so much fun, and if you haven't done it I tag YOU. Let me know in the comments what book you think should be taught at every school, and who is your favourite author?
Love always,
Ari
Hope you're all having a fabulous day. I came across this tag on My Little Book Blog and thought it sounded lovely and a great way to get some conversations going.
So, without further ado, here is the Fifty Bookish Questions Tag!
1. What was the last book you read?
A Court of Thorns and Roses, by Sarah J. Maas!
2. Was it a good one?
I did really enjoy it, and I adore Sarah's writing style! I did have a few issues though, which you can read about if you're interested in my review.
3. What made it good?
Like I said, I really enjoy Sarah J. Maas' writing style, it flows so well and her descriptions are so vivid. I loved the storyline and the world-building was so interesting, I can't wait to find out more about it as the series progresses.
4. Would you recommend it to other people?
For sure! Especially if you loved Throne of Glass, and if you enjoy young adult fantasy.
5. How often do you read?
Every single day, without fail! I always read before going to sleep, and often while I'm eating breakfast, or waiting for lectures to start at uni.
6. Do you like to read?
Need I even answer this one!
7. What was the last bad book you read?
I don't like to say that a book is bad, as it's all dependent on personal preference. And, to be honest, I haven't really read many books that I've been disappointed in recently! Woo!!
8. What made you dislike it?
Refer to above.
9. Do you wish to be a writer?
Yes yes yes!! It's been my dream since I was little to be an author, and I'm currently writing a novel. I've started loads of novels before but was never really set on the ideas I was having. I think I was forcing myself to come up with ideas too much, but this one came to me as I was falling asleep one night and I'm super duper excited about it! It's a young adult historical fiction/fantasy (a mouthful, I know!) and I'm in the process of planning and writing a first draft.
10. Has any book ever influenced you greatly?
Of course! There are many books that have influenced me, but the most significant for sure is Harry Potter. I feel like my personality definitely reflects a mixture between Ron and Hermione, and whenever I had to make a decision growing up I would always think what would Harry, Ron and Hermione do? As with loads of people, Hermione made me feel like it was okay to love books at school, and not worry if other people thought it was weird!
11. Do you read fan fiction?
I used to read it a bit, but I've never really gotten super into it. I think it's incredible the wonderful work that fans create based on what they love though!
12. Do you write fan fiction?
Nope, it seems loads of fun though!
13. What is your favourite book?
Aaaah this is such a difficult question, as I have loads! Of course the entire Harry Potter series is an automatic number one, but after that at the moment I think I'd have to say Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys. It absolutely amazed me, and I have not stopped thinking about it since I read an ARC copy a couple of months ago. You know that feeling when you just connect with a book and it absolutely speaks to your soul? That was Salt to the Sea.
14. What is your least favourite book?
I don't think I really have one, but one that I don't necessarily dislike but am extremely disturbed by is Animal Farm by George Orwell. Of course, I appreciate it so so much in regards to the social message it encompasses and I think it's an absolute piece of art. It's also funny, as Nineteen Eighty-Four is one of my favourite books EVER, but for some reason I find Animal Farm very difficult to read.
15. Do you prefer physical books or reading on a device?
Without a doubt, physical books!! I am getting a kindle soon for when I study abroad next year, and understand that they are super handy.
16. When did you learn to read?
I'm honestly not sure. I do know that I started reading very young, compared to my classmates. Before I could even read I would sit with novels pretending, turning the pages for hours apparently and just looking at the words! Books are for sure a part of me.
17. What is your favourite book you had to read in school?
Nineteen Eighty-Four! I'd already read it twice before we had to study it in English, and was soooo excited!!
18. What is your favourite book series?
Harry Potter, duh! A lot of my favourite books are series, though. Some others include The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices, Throne of Glass, His Dark Materials, Rondo, and the Stravaganza series.
19. Who is your favourite author?
Again, I have loads! A few of the top one are J. K Rowling, Ruta Sepetys, Alexandra Bracken, Cassandra Clare, John Green and Diana Gabaldon.
20. What is your favourite genre?
Definitely YA, and in that genre mainly fantasy and historical fiction. I used to mainly read contemporary but have been branching out from that much more lately.
21. Who is your favourite character in a book series?
Ron is my favourite character in Harry Potter! I also love Alec from The Mortal Instruments, and Liam from The Darkest Minds trilogy.
22. Has a book ever transported you somewhere else?
Every book I've ever read!
23. Which book do you wish had a sequel?
I feel like most stand alones are written so that they don't require sequels, and are wrapped up really well. However, just out of interest, I would love to know what happens to the characters in The Fault in Our Stars!
24. Which book do you wish didn't have a sequel?
Twilight. I adored the first book but really didn't enjoy the rest.
25. How long does it take you to read a book?
It really depends on if I'm really busy with uni and life at the time, and how much I'm enjoying the book. A lot of the time it can only take me two or three days, but of course really big books also take me longer, so around a week for those.
26. Do you like when books become movies?
Yes!! I get attached to books and characters super easily, and when I love them it doesn't bother me too much if the movie based on them isn't great. I just love seeing what is done with it in that different creative form. Like with Shadowhunters, it isn't a great TV shows, but I adore the series and characters so much that I'll be watching and loving every episode!
27. Which book was ruined by it's movie adaptation?
None! Books and movies are completely different so should be considered as separate entities and not affect one another.
28. Which movie has done a book justice?
I adore The Fault in Our Stars film, I think it was done exquisitely!
29. Do you read newspapers?
Not really, I tend to watch the news more or read it online.
30. Do you read magazine?
Yep! I love Frankie magazine, my mum got me a subscription for it for Christmas, wooo!!
31. Do you prefer newspapers or magazines?
Magazines! More pretty photography and creativity involved.
32. Do you read while in bed?
YES.
33. Do you read while on the toilet?
Hahaha I love this question, but no I don't!
34. Do you read while in the car?
It makes me feel super sick reading in cars on or trains but I still try! It's weird, some days it doesn't make me feel as sick. I do a lot of travelling backwards and forwards from home to college so I always try to read then.
35. Do you read while in the bath?
Yep! I'm perpetually scared of dropping my book in the bath, but I find it so relaxing.
36. Are you a fast reader?
Yep, especially when I'm loving the book.
37. Are you a slow reader?
See above haha!
38. Where is your favourite place to read?
I made a whole post about this not longer ago, here!
39. Is it hard for you to concentrate while you read?
Nope! With everything else I'm a pretty distracted person, always daydreaming. But when I'm reading I'm completely disconnected from everything around me, so could be in a room full of talking people and not have a problem immersing myself in my book.
40. Do you need a room to be silent while you read?
Like I said above, nope. I don't play my own music or anything while I read, so if I'm alone in my room it'll be silent when I'm reading. But if I'm waiting for a lecture to start or something and the room's loud, it doesn't bother me.
41. Who gave you your love for reading?
I think it's pretty intrinsic, as I've just always been a reader. However, my mum used to be quite a big reader, and my step dad still loves to read, so that definitely rubbed off on me!
42. What book is next on your list to read?
Cinder by Marissa Meyer! I need to pick up a copy from my library, but cannot wait to finally read it.
43. When did you start to read chapter books?
I reckon I must've been in about Grade 2, so I would have been 7ish.
44. Who is your favourite children's book author?
The classic, Roald Dahl! An absolute genius, I also adore Enid Blyton.
45. Which author would you most want to interview?
My number one dream is to meet J K Rowling!!
46. Which author do you think you'd be friends with?
Definitely John Green, he's amazing! Also Alexandra Bracken!!
47. What book have you reread the most?
I reread books a lot, so there's quite a list. The Harry Potter series is at the top of course (I've read them about 13 times!). Also The Fault in Our Start, Nineteen Eighty-Four, North Child, City of Masks, Magyk, Series of Unfortunate Events, Reckless, Shiver, to name a few!!
48. Which books do you consider "classics"?
I guess the first things I think of when I hear classics are Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, F Scott Fitzgerald, the Brontes, all the well known ones! It's hard to define though, I guess books that can speak to people despite their age or time.
49. Which books do you think should be taught in every school?
I know a lot of people don't enjoy studying them, but I love The Great Gatsby and Nineteen Eighty-Four. I also think Salt to the Sea would be an incredible book to be studied at school. Oh, and The Book Thief!
50. Which books should be banned from all schools?
None!! Students should be exposed to all perspectives so as to learn to be critical readers! Of course it depends on the student's ages, like Fifty Shades of Grey shouldn't be at a primary school, but you get what I mean!!
I hope you enjoyed this tag, it was so much fun, and if you haven't done it I tag YOU. Let me know in the comments what book you think should be taught at every school, and who is your favourite author?
Love always,
Ari
Monday, 28 March 2016
Happy Easter, And Some Of My Favourite TV Shows!
Hi all!
Whether you celebrate it or not, I hope you've had a wonderful Easter weekend!
I've come home from college for my midsemester break, which is one week long, and it's so nice and relaxing to be home! I'm so excited to be able to just cuddle up with my dogs (I have two adorable toy poodles!) and read my book or watch TV shows with my mum.
I know this is primarily a book blog, but being in the holiday mood I've been thinking about some of my favourite TV shows, and thought I'd share them with you!!
So, in no particular order, here they are:
Reign
As most of my favourite shows are, Reign is a perfect one for historical fiction lovers! It's based loosely on the story of Mary, Queen of Scots while she is in France, engaged to and eventually married to King Francis II. It's super dramatic, with a sort of Gossip Girl like vibe, which I actually adore! Who doesn't love a bit of historical fiction mixed with drama, right!! The acting in this is great, and while it's totally historically inaccurate, the storyline is super fun and exciting and I absolutely adore it.
Shadowhunters
I've written a full discussion on my thoughts on Shadowhunters, and while I do have quite a few issues with it, I'm still really enjoying it. Because I am such a loyal fan of the books, I will be watching however many seasons they release. Sure, the acting and script writing isn't great but it's still super fun!! Also, Matthew Daddario. Need I say more.
Outlander
I'm sure I don't need to explain this one, if you've read my blog before you'll know that I'm absolutely obsessed with Outlander. I also have a discussion of the show and book if you're interested on more detailed thoughts. Outlander is based on a woman named Clare, who is on a second honeymoon with her husband in the Scottish highlands after WWII, when she is transported back in time to the 1700s! So incredible, if you haven't read the book, please please do and check out the show, they are both absolutely amazing!!
Downton Abbey
I've adore Downton Abbey since it first came out. Again, being a history nerd and lover of anything UK, I find it so relaxing and heartwarming sitting down to watch Downton Abbey. If you haven't seen it before, it follows an upper class family in England from around WWI as the country begins to become modernized, and the whole idea of aristocracy is dying out. Again, super dramatic, with amazing characters and acting and I just love it.
Escape to the Country/Continent
Finally, Escape to the Country is mine and my mum's favourite thing to watch together when I come home for holidays. There is nothing better than lying on my couch with mum and the dogs, a cup of tea in hand and checking out all the houses!
Let me know in the comments if you did anything exciting on the long weekend. Also, tell me if you like any of these shows, or what your all-time favourite shows are!
Love always,
Ari
Whether you celebrate it or not, I hope you've had a wonderful Easter weekend!
I've come home from college for my midsemester break, which is one week long, and it's so nice and relaxing to be home! I'm so excited to be able to just cuddle up with my dogs (I have two adorable toy poodles!) and read my book or watch TV shows with my mum.
I know this is primarily a book blog, but being in the holiday mood I've been thinking about some of my favourite TV shows, and thought I'd share them with you!!
So, in no particular order, here they are:
Reign
As most of my favourite shows are, Reign is a perfect one for historical fiction lovers! It's based loosely on the story of Mary, Queen of Scots while she is in France, engaged to and eventually married to King Francis II. It's super dramatic, with a sort of Gossip Girl like vibe, which I actually adore! Who doesn't love a bit of historical fiction mixed with drama, right!! The acting in this is great, and while it's totally historically inaccurate, the storyline is super fun and exciting and I absolutely adore it.
Shadowhunters
I've written a full discussion on my thoughts on Shadowhunters, and while I do have quite a few issues with it, I'm still really enjoying it. Because I am such a loyal fan of the books, I will be watching however many seasons they release. Sure, the acting and script writing isn't great but it's still super fun!! Also, Matthew Daddario. Need I say more.
Outlander
I'm sure I don't need to explain this one, if you've read my blog before you'll know that I'm absolutely obsessed with Outlander. I also have a discussion of the show and book if you're interested on more detailed thoughts. Outlander is based on a woman named Clare, who is on a second honeymoon with her husband in the Scottish highlands after WWII, when she is transported back in time to the 1700s! So incredible, if you haven't read the book, please please do and check out the show, they are both absolutely amazing!!
Downton Abbey
I've adore Downton Abbey since it first came out. Again, being a history nerd and lover of anything UK, I find it so relaxing and heartwarming sitting down to watch Downton Abbey. If you haven't seen it before, it follows an upper class family in England from around WWI as the country begins to become modernized, and the whole idea of aristocracy is dying out. Again, super dramatic, with amazing characters and acting and I just love it.
Escape to the Country/Continent
Finally, Escape to the Country is mine and my mum's favourite thing to watch together when I come home for holidays. There is nothing better than lying on my couch with mum and the dogs, a cup of tea in hand and checking out all the houses!
Let me know in the comments if you did anything exciting on the long weekend. Also, tell me if you like any of these shows, or what your all-time favourite shows are!
Love always,
Ari
Friday, 25 March 2016
Prince of Fire by Megan Linski Cover Reveal!
Hi!!
Today I have a super exciting cover reveal for Prince of Fire by Megan Linski, the fourth novel in her Kingdom Saga!
Here is a bit of an overview of the book:
Today I have a super exciting cover reveal for Prince of Fire by Megan Linski, the fourth novel in her Kingdom Saga!
Here is a bit of an overview of the book:
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: April 1st 2016
Summary from Goodreads:
Thief lord. Wanted criminal. College student.
Zayde Amirmoez is in his last year of college at Ashana University, and he couldn’t be more eager to leave. A talented thief, Zayde makes a living by robbing jewelry stores in order to care for his ailing mother, who grows sicker each passing day.
Then the dreams begin. Zayde’s nightmares echo memories of a land from another time, visions of a mysterious princess who lived two thousand years ago. At the insistence of his annoying history professor, Zayde becomes friends with the beautiful freshman who loves to dance…the girl who looks exactly like the princess in his dreams.
As a dangerous new Dean and his spiteful son take the helm at Ashana University, Zayde learns of the legends of Queen Bennua, which are eerily similar to his nightmares. Could Zayde’s dreams be a coincidence? Or is it possible that Bennua and Zahid have returned, to save Sahrahn once more?
Zayde Amirmoez is in his last year of college at Ashana University, and he couldn’t be more eager to leave. A talented thief, Zayde makes a living by robbing jewelry stores in order to care for his ailing mother, who grows sicker each passing day.
Then the dreams begin. Zayde’s nightmares echo memories of a land from another time, visions of a mysterious princess who lived two thousand years ago. At the insistence of his annoying history professor, Zayde becomes friends with the beautiful freshman who loves to dance…the girl who looks exactly like the princess in his dreams.
As a dangerous new Dean and his spiteful son take the helm at Ashana University, Zayde learns of the legends of Queen Bennua, which are eerily similar to his nightmares. Could Zayde’s dreams be a coincidence? Or is it possible that Bennua and Zahid have returned, to save Sahrahn once more?
Aaaand, the beautiful cover:
Previous novels in The Kingdom Saga:
About the Author
Megan Linski is the owner of Gryfyn Publishing
and has had a passion for writing ever since she completed her first (short)
novel at the age of 6. Her specializations are romance, fantasy, and
contemporary fiction for people aged 14-24. When not writing she enjoys ice
skating, horse riding, theatre, archery, fishing, and being outdoors. She is a
passionate advocate for mental health awareness and suicide prevention, and is
an active fighter against common variable immune deficiency disorder. She lives
in Michigan.
Author Links:
Cover Reveal Organized
by:
Let me know in the comments if you've read this series, or are interested in checking it out!!
Love always,
Ari
Deviations by Anma Natsu - non-spoiler review
Hey there!!
I was recently sent a review copy of Deviations by Anma Natsu from XPressonReads. It was a super interesting read.
Firstly, a brief outline of the novel:
Deviations
by Anma Natsu Publication date: February 14th 2016Genres: Romance, Young AdultBlurb:“We’re just deviants, that’s all. You, me, Taka. We’re deliciously, wonderfully deviant.”
ScarredSeventeen-year-old Miho has spent years struggling to deal with the aftermath of a tragic accident. Between the nightmares, PTSD, depression, and her parents’ abandonment, the burden of being the sole survivor has her near her breaking point. The darkness whispers to her, promises of release from the pain, from being a burden, if she is willing to give up.
BatteredWhile the girls love classmate Shinji’s blond hair and blue eyes, to his father it’s all the proof he needs that his wife was unfaithful. Unwanted and unloved, Shinji is used to his mother’s hatred, his brother’s indifference, and his father’s violence. Male or female, he doesn’t care; his regular string of sexual partners helps him temporarily forget that he will soon have to leave the only person he loves, if he can survive that long.
ControlledAs the first-born son, Shinji’s best friend Taka has known from birth that his future was not his own. He’ll go to the right schools, get the right grades, take over the family business, and produce a perfect heir with a perfect wife, just as his father dictates. Taka’s wants and desires are irrelevant; he can’t change his fate nor escape it, any more than he can protect the only person who keeps him sane.
AttractedDrawn to one another like moths to a flame, the three find themselves torn between what society deems acceptable and a happiness they never dreamed existed.
My thoughts:
I went into this novel with no idea whatsoever of what to expect, and was extremely surprised! The cover gives very little away, but there are so many intriguing themes present throughout this book. In regards to the characters, they were extremely well fleshed out, each with their own flaws and issues at home.
The setting was also very interesting; I haven't read many books set in Japan, so I enjoyed reading through that different cultural lens.
In regards to the romance, I believe it was extremely well done, and seriously challenged me! Without giving anything away, it was not at all what I expected.
Anma Natsu's writing is both poetic and relatable, and she is able to articulate some extremely serious issues and tragic situations quite eloquently.
For a trigger warning: there is depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other mental issues throughout this novel. There is also domestic violence present.
I would recommend not reading this novel unless you are 18+, as it has a lot of explicit sexual content and covers serious domestic issues.
Overall, I found this a challenging read in regards to the content, however I believe it was dealt with extremely well. Not something I normally pick up, but was definitely an eye opener and would recommend if you would like to read something from a different cultural perspective that deals with mental issues, domestic issues, and sexuality.
Rating: 3.75/5
Love always,
Ari
My Thoughts On The Shadowhunters TV Series
Hey!!
So I just watched episode 11 of the Shadowhunters TV show on Netflix, and thought it would be fun to discuss what I'm thinking of the show so far, and see if you guys agree or have other opinions!
For non-spoilery people, as a broad overview I'll say that I am finding the show very entertaining and am enjoying watching it (Matthew Daddario in particular!). However, don't go into it expecting accuracy to the book series because it is COMPLETELY different. This bothered me initially, but as the show's gone on I've decided to just look at it as a complete different entity to the book series, and enjoy it for what it is on it's own. The show definitely had a rough start in regards to acting and script writing, and has since had it's ups and downs but for sure has improved. That's about all I can say that isn't spoiler, so for sure go check the show out, then come back and read the rest of this post and comment what you think!!
SPOILERY SECTION:
Okay, so since there's quite a lot for me to discuss in regards to what has occurred in the show so far, I'm going to split it up into rough categories.
Characters:
I'm pretty divided with my opinion on how the characters are being represented in the show, as I adore some of them, and am really disappointed by others. Initially I wasn't sure about Clary, however as the show's gone on I feel like she's settled into her role much more, and the problem is now more to do with the script writing than the acting.
Jace, on the other hand, I am super disappointed in! I know I shouldn't judge the show too much in relation to the book, as they're so different, but this Jace is unrecognisable!! He is literally nothing like the book Jace that we know and love. Of course, this is pretty much entirely due to the awful script that Dom has been given - it is missing Jace's snarkiness and confidence, and at the moment he is feeling pretty two-dimensional.
Some of the characters I'm loving, however, are Simon, Alec, Izzy and Magnus. Starting with Simon, I'm pretty confident in saying he is my favourite character in the show. He is exactly as I imagine Simon in the books, although his personality did seem to shift super fast after he was changed to a vampire.
Alec I also adore, of course partly because I'm in love with Matthew Daddario, but mostly because of the wonderful acting, and semi-wonderful script. Alec is just so sarcastic and funny, and has been extremely well fleshed out I feel, particularly surrounding his sexuality, and his issues with always being second best to Jace.
Certain aspects of Izzy I'm loving - her acting and most of the script, however I do have a major problem with how sexualised she's been. Yes, in the books Izzy in very confident in her sexuality, but in the show she is transformed into a sexual object, sleeping with Meliorn to get information... not cool.
Valentine I feel is absolutely fantastic. He is super scary, but complex at the some time when we see his almost obsessive love for Jocelyn. I'm really excited to start seeing him appear more in the episodes!
And finally, Magnus! I love Magnus so much!! He's hilarious, and has that air about him that reminds you that he's actually hundreds of years old. Great representation of his character.
Relationships:
As you can probably guess from my discussion about the characters of Clary and Jace, I am not enjoying their romance. They seem to have zero chemistry, and I'm finding it makes no sense in the show why they are in love all of a sudden. Hopefully it will improve as their relationship develops, but at the moment I'm not enjoying it.
The relationship between Jace and Alec I also have massive issues with. They are PARABATAI for goodness sake!! They would not be treating each other like this. Alec legit said in the show that Jace is dead to him....WHAT. NO. That is so not okay. This relationship had better fix itself soon or I'm going to be super upset.
On a more positive note, I love the sibling relationship between Alec and Izzy. They seem extremely close and open with one another, so great!
Similarly, Clary and Simon truly feel like best friends, their chemistry is great. It's been obvious from the beginning that Simon is in love with Clary and she doesn't realise it, so will be interesting to see if anything else is done with this...
And finally, my favourite relationship from the books...Malec!! I'm loving all of the Malec action going on in the show, the writers obviously know that the fans love Malec so they're giving us a load of it!! I feel like it's being done very well, their chemistry is obvious and super adorable, I literally get so excited whenever Alec and Magnus are in a scene together!
Plot:
I don't even know where to start with the plot. So many random things seem to be going on that have serious plot holes and make zero sense, I have no idea how they are going to be resolved. I'll refer to episode 11 as it is the most fresh in my brain - random things like going to get blood from the vampires when Jace gets bitten by a demon... when they have runes for things like that. There are so many little plot holes that prevent the story from having any continuity.
Also, in episode 11, I feel like the whole Jace and Clary brother-sister drama wasn't really played out to it's full potential. It seemed very forced and rushed, and Clary did not seem surprised or upset when she found out. Anyways, we'll see where it goes from here, I'm always hoping for improvement!
Overall, I am for sure enjoying the show entertainment-wise, however am not overly impressed with the quality of writing or acting, and definitely not accuracy to the books!
Let me know in the comments what your opinion is on the Shadowhunters TV show, I'd love to know!!
Love always,
Ari
So I just watched episode 11 of the Shadowhunters TV show on Netflix, and thought it would be fun to discuss what I'm thinking of the show so far, and see if you guys agree or have other opinions!
For non-spoilery people, as a broad overview I'll say that I am finding the show very entertaining and am enjoying watching it (Matthew Daddario in particular!). However, don't go into it expecting accuracy to the book series because it is COMPLETELY different. This bothered me initially, but as the show's gone on I've decided to just look at it as a complete different entity to the book series, and enjoy it for what it is on it's own. The show definitely had a rough start in regards to acting and script writing, and has since had it's ups and downs but for sure has improved. That's about all I can say that isn't spoiler, so for sure go check the show out, then come back and read the rest of this post and comment what you think!!
SPOILERY SECTION:
Okay, so since there's quite a lot for me to discuss in regards to what has occurred in the show so far, I'm going to split it up into rough categories.
Characters:
I'm pretty divided with my opinion on how the characters are being represented in the show, as I adore some of them, and am really disappointed by others. Initially I wasn't sure about Clary, however as the show's gone on I feel like she's settled into her role much more, and the problem is now more to do with the script writing than the acting.
Jace, on the other hand, I am super disappointed in! I know I shouldn't judge the show too much in relation to the book, as they're so different, but this Jace is unrecognisable!! He is literally nothing like the book Jace that we know and love. Of course, this is pretty much entirely due to the awful script that Dom has been given - it is missing Jace's snarkiness and confidence, and at the moment he is feeling pretty two-dimensional.
Some of the characters I'm loving, however, are Simon, Alec, Izzy and Magnus. Starting with Simon, I'm pretty confident in saying he is my favourite character in the show. He is exactly as I imagine Simon in the books, although his personality did seem to shift super fast after he was changed to a vampire.
Alec I also adore, of course partly because I'm in love with Matthew Daddario, but mostly because of the wonderful acting, and semi-wonderful script. Alec is just so sarcastic and funny, and has been extremely well fleshed out I feel, particularly surrounding his sexuality, and his issues with always being second best to Jace.
Certain aspects of Izzy I'm loving - her acting and most of the script, however I do have a major problem with how sexualised she's been. Yes, in the books Izzy in very confident in her sexuality, but in the show she is transformed into a sexual object, sleeping with Meliorn to get information... not cool.
Valentine I feel is absolutely fantastic. He is super scary, but complex at the some time when we see his almost obsessive love for Jocelyn. I'm really excited to start seeing him appear more in the episodes!
And finally, Magnus! I love Magnus so much!! He's hilarious, and has that air about him that reminds you that he's actually hundreds of years old. Great representation of his character.
Relationships:
As you can probably guess from my discussion about the characters of Clary and Jace, I am not enjoying their romance. They seem to have zero chemistry, and I'm finding it makes no sense in the show why they are in love all of a sudden. Hopefully it will improve as their relationship develops, but at the moment I'm not enjoying it.
The relationship between Jace and Alec I also have massive issues with. They are PARABATAI for goodness sake!! They would not be treating each other like this. Alec legit said in the show that Jace is dead to him....WHAT. NO. That is so not okay. This relationship had better fix itself soon or I'm going to be super upset.
On a more positive note, I love the sibling relationship between Alec and Izzy. They seem extremely close and open with one another, so great!
Similarly, Clary and Simon truly feel like best friends, their chemistry is great. It's been obvious from the beginning that Simon is in love with Clary and she doesn't realise it, so will be interesting to see if anything else is done with this...
And finally, my favourite relationship from the books...Malec!! I'm loving all of the Malec action going on in the show, the writers obviously know that the fans love Malec so they're giving us a load of it!! I feel like it's being done very well, their chemistry is obvious and super adorable, I literally get so excited whenever Alec and Magnus are in a scene together!
Plot:
I don't even know where to start with the plot. So many random things seem to be going on that have serious plot holes and make zero sense, I have no idea how they are going to be resolved. I'll refer to episode 11 as it is the most fresh in my brain - random things like going to get blood from the vampires when Jace gets bitten by a demon... when they have runes for things like that. There are so many little plot holes that prevent the story from having any continuity.
Also, in episode 11, I feel like the whole Jace and Clary brother-sister drama wasn't really played out to it's full potential. It seemed very forced and rushed, and Clary did not seem surprised or upset when she found out. Anyways, we'll see where it goes from here, I'm always hoping for improvement!
Overall, I am for sure enjoying the show entertainment-wise, however am not overly impressed with the quality of writing or acting, and definitely not accuracy to the books!
Let me know in the comments what your opinion is on the Shadowhunters TV show, I'd love to know!!
Love always,
Ari
Wednesday, 23 March 2016
Endangered by Dani Hoots Cover Reveal!
Hey there!!
I'm super excited to be taking part in the cover reveal of Endangered by Dani Hoots! This is the first book in Dani's Daughter of Hades series, and it sounds absolutely INCREDIBLE. And take a look at this cover:
I'm super excited to be taking part in the cover reveal of Endangered by Dani Hoots! This is the first book in Dani's Daughter of Hades series, and it sounds absolutely INCREDIBLE. And take a look at this cover:
Looks pretty damn cool, hey! Here's some more info about the book:
Endangered (Daughter of Hades #1)
by Dani Hoots
by Dani Hoots
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Release Date: May 13th 2016
Summary from Goodreads:
Chrys has been in the Underworld for thousands
of years, hidden away by her father, Hades, from all of the other gods. He's
afraid that if someone finds out about her, they will destroy her because of
the dichotomous power that she holds, the power of life and death. So she has
remained in the Palace of Hades all her life, making very few friends and
always bored out of her mind.
Huntley would have never guessed that after he died he would wake up with a beautiful girl standing over him. And that she would be the Dark Lord of the Underworld's daughter. Yet, for some reason, she keeps him around as her tutor, as if he knows anything about the world. But Huntley knows that all she really wants is a friend; being trapped in the Underworld can get pretty lonely.
That is, until Chrys decides she wants to run away to the human world after a big fight with her mother Persephone. Chrys claims her father is just over reacting and that nothing bad will come of it. There's no way that the gods will notice she's there for only a couple of days...right?
Huntley would have never guessed that after he died he would wake up with a beautiful girl standing over him. And that she would be the Dark Lord of the Underworld's daughter. Yet, for some reason, she keeps him around as her tutor, as if he knows anything about the world. But Huntley knows that all she really wants is a friend; being trapped in the Underworld can get pretty lonely.
That is, until Chrys decides she wants to run away to the human world after a big fight with her mother Persephone. Chrys claims her father is just over reacting and that nothing bad will come of it. There's no way that the gods will notice she's there for only a couple of days...right?
About the Author:
Dani Hoots is a
science fiction, fantasy, romance, and young adult author who loves anything
with a story. She has a B.S. in Anthropology, a Masters of Urban and
Environmental Planning, and is currently in the Your Novel Year Program through
Arizona State University.
Currently she is
working on a YA urban fantasy series called Daughter
of Hades,
a historic fantasy vampire series called A
World of Vampires, and a YA sci-fi series called Sanshlian Series.
Her hobbies include
reading, watching anime, cooking, studying different languages, wire walking,
tinkering with her violin and concertina, and volunteering at the library. She
lives in Seattle with her husband and two cats.
Author Links:
Cover Reveal Organized
by:
Let me know in the comments if you think you'd check out this book, and for sure go visit YA Bound Books Tours, such a wonderful blog!!
Love always,
Ari
Monday, 21 March 2016
My Favourite Places To Read
Hi!!
Along with my How to read more often post, I thought it would be interesting to discuss my favourite PLACES to read, and hear if we have any in common!! Some of them are pretty random, but nonetheless I adore them all!
So here is a list of my top places for settling down with a good book:
IN BED
The obvious one! Who doesn't love curling up in bed under your quilt with a steaming mug of tea or hot chocolate (I'm not a coffee fan!) and a snack, with your pet on your lap and a wonderful novel in your hands!! My absolute favourite place to be.
IN THE BATH
Another pretty classic one, having a bath and reading are my two favourite ways of relaxing and winding down after a long, stressful day so there's nothing better than combining the two! Unfortunately I don't have a bath at college though, so I have to wait for my holidays at home to enjoy this luxury now.
ON A PICNIC RUG OUTSIDE
On the more random side, I absolutely love reading outside, lying on a picnic rug in the sunshine! As I live on a bit of acreage, I can do this in my backyard next to my dam, underneath the eucalyptus trees (classic Australia!). It's just super relaxing, especially in Winter when you can rug up in a jumper and get warm from the sun.
AT UNI
Another slightly odd one, I actually really enjoy reading while I wait for lecturers to arrive at uni. It gives my mind a break from work, and I often completely forget I'm even at uni!!
UP A TREE
This is something I don't do so much now, but did all the time when I was at high school. In my backyard there are these trees that are perfect for climbing, and I would always go there after school with my book and climb right to the top to read for a good hour or so. It felt like I was in a completely different world up there, away from all the school work and drama! Super weird I know, haha!!
Let me know in the comments where your favourite places to read are, I'd love to know! Especially if you have some super random ones like me!!
Love always,
Ari
Along with my How to read more often post, I thought it would be interesting to discuss my favourite PLACES to read, and hear if we have any in common!! Some of them are pretty random, but nonetheless I adore them all!
So here is a list of my top places for settling down with a good book:
IN BED
The obvious one! Who doesn't love curling up in bed under your quilt with a steaming mug of tea or hot chocolate (I'm not a coffee fan!) and a snack, with your pet on your lap and a wonderful novel in your hands!! My absolute favourite place to be.
IN THE BATH
Another pretty classic one, having a bath and reading are my two favourite ways of relaxing and winding down after a long, stressful day so there's nothing better than combining the two! Unfortunately I don't have a bath at college though, so I have to wait for my holidays at home to enjoy this luxury now.
ON A PICNIC RUG OUTSIDE
On the more random side, I absolutely love reading outside, lying on a picnic rug in the sunshine! As I live on a bit of acreage, I can do this in my backyard next to my dam, underneath the eucalyptus trees (classic Australia!). It's just super relaxing, especially in Winter when you can rug up in a jumper and get warm from the sun.
AT UNI
Another slightly odd one, I actually really enjoy reading while I wait for lecturers to arrive at uni. It gives my mind a break from work, and I often completely forget I'm even at uni!!
UP A TREE
This is something I don't do so much now, but did all the time when I was at high school. In my backyard there are these trees that are perfect for climbing, and I would always go there after school with my book and climb right to the top to read for a good hour or so. It felt like I was in a completely different world up there, away from all the school work and drama! Super weird I know, haha!!
Let me know in the comments where your favourite places to read are, I'd love to know! Especially if you have some super random ones like me!!
Love always,
Ari
Saturday, 19 March 2016
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas - review
Hey guys!
I've just finished A Court of Thorns of Roses by Sarah J. Maas and had to share my thoughts with you immediately.
ACOTAR is a loose retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and is set in a land where humans are separated from faeries by an inpenetrable wall. The faeries in this tale are beautiful, but extremely dangerous creatures that humans live in constant fear of. Feyre is a human, hunting in order to protect her family. One day, however, she hits a target that will change the course of her life, and the lives of the entire faerie kingdom forever.
This is a dark tale, filled with romance, fantasy, and bloodlust, and I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys a good retelling!
I have some mixed feeling about this one, however overall I did thoroughly enjoy the story. I found the characters slightly difficult to connect with for various reasons that I'll discuss in the spoilery section, and I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about the romance present in the novel. However, the characters were very interesting and their dynamic was extremely engaging. I loved the politics behind the relationships between faeries and humans, and how this complicated some of the relationships in the novel.
In regards to the plot, I really, really enjoyed it! I'm finding that I love retellings of fairy tales, and while ACOTAR is only a loose retelling, I could definitely feel the Beauty and the Beast vibes which I adored. It did get quite violent and bloody in parts which I found quite difficult to read, so I wouldn't recommend this for anyone probably under around 15, or if you're sensitive to that kind of material. This is a very dark book!
Whilst I definitely prefer the Throne of Glass series over ACOTAR, I am very excited to see where this series goes, and overall found it an enjoyable read!
Rating: 3.75/5
SPOILERY SECTION:
Characters and relationships:
I found the characters and relationships in this novel the most difficult aspect for me to engage with. Feyre was definitely a strong protagonist, who was quite well fleshed out with a variety of layers. However, I did find her slightly difficult to relate to due to the constant walls that she put up to hide her emotions and appear stoic. Tamlyn I really enjoyed, and found easier to connect to in regards to his expression of emotions (but how frustrating was it when he wasn't saying anything at all when they were Under the Mountain!!). My favourite characters, though, would have to be Lucien and Rhysand. I found Lucien super funny and complex, initially appearing as an antagonist, who you later find out is such a wonderful and damaged man. Rhysand obviously appears and awful person, but he has reasons for every single thing he does, and ultimately is the one who saves Feyre's life, and therefore the lives of all in the faerie realm. Let's wait and see for the rest of the series though to find out what his true motives were...
In terms of the relationship between Feyre and Tamlyn, I found it pretty disappointing. My problem wasn't that it was insta-lovey, as I didn't really find it that way, but rather that I didn't entirely feel the chemistry (apart from physical) between them. There were a couple of conversations that they had that made up for this slightly, but they seemed to barely talk to one another and yet fall deeply in love. Sarah J. Maas' incredible romance writing does lead me to partly forgive this however, as how gorgeous are her love scenes??
Whilst this is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and so it was inevitable that it would be Tamlyn that Feyre would fall for, I found it extremely obvious, and think maybe it could have taken a bit longer for the romance to develop, with more talking scenes between the two of them.
Plot and world:
The plot and world-building was for sure my favourite part of this novel, I adored it!! This world, as Sarah J. Maas' always are, is incredibly intricate and so, so interesting. I love how she incorporates politics into her worlds, and this was done fantastically in ACOTAR.
I loved the plot twists all throughout this novel, as we slowly begin to understand what this terrible 'blight' is - I was absolutely not expecting what was to come, it was done so well!! I never even considered that Tamlyn was unable to tell Feyre what was really going on, and him needing a human girl who killed on of his own to fall in love with him!! I guess I should have seen it coming, being a Beauty and the Beast retelling, but I was so blown away!
The only issue that I had with the plot was the very ending, when Feyre ultimately is turned into High Fae. From the moment her and Tamlyn met I guessed this was going to happen, and found it pretty disappointing and a cop-out. I hate comparing books, but it happens a lot in YA when a love interest is immortal and the other is not, they always end up becoming immortal one way or another. I feel that it would have been more interesting if this hadn't been the case, and they'd had to deal with Feyre growing old while Tamlyn did not.
I know I've been pretty critical with this one, but don't get me wrong, I did really enjoy it!! I found it an interesting one to deconstruct and consider flaws in the plot and characters, but I definitely recommend it for lovers of retellings and Sarah J. Maas' writing.
Let me know in the comments what you thought of ACOTAR!!
Love always,
Ari
I've just finished A Court of Thorns of Roses by Sarah J. Maas and had to share my thoughts with you immediately.
ACOTAR is a loose retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and is set in a land where humans are separated from faeries by an inpenetrable wall. The faeries in this tale are beautiful, but extremely dangerous creatures that humans live in constant fear of. Feyre is a human, hunting in order to protect her family. One day, however, she hits a target that will change the course of her life, and the lives of the entire faerie kingdom forever.
This is a dark tale, filled with romance, fantasy, and bloodlust, and I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys a good retelling!
I have some mixed feeling about this one, however overall I did thoroughly enjoy the story. I found the characters slightly difficult to connect with for various reasons that I'll discuss in the spoilery section, and I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about the romance present in the novel. However, the characters were very interesting and their dynamic was extremely engaging. I loved the politics behind the relationships between faeries and humans, and how this complicated some of the relationships in the novel.
In regards to the plot, I really, really enjoyed it! I'm finding that I love retellings of fairy tales, and while ACOTAR is only a loose retelling, I could definitely feel the Beauty and the Beast vibes which I adored. It did get quite violent and bloody in parts which I found quite difficult to read, so I wouldn't recommend this for anyone probably under around 15, or if you're sensitive to that kind of material. This is a very dark book!
Whilst I definitely prefer the Throne of Glass series over ACOTAR, I am very excited to see where this series goes, and overall found it an enjoyable read!
Rating: 3.75/5
SPOILERY SECTION:
Characters and relationships:
I found the characters and relationships in this novel the most difficult aspect for me to engage with. Feyre was definitely a strong protagonist, who was quite well fleshed out with a variety of layers. However, I did find her slightly difficult to relate to due to the constant walls that she put up to hide her emotions and appear stoic. Tamlyn I really enjoyed, and found easier to connect to in regards to his expression of emotions (but how frustrating was it when he wasn't saying anything at all when they were Under the Mountain!!). My favourite characters, though, would have to be Lucien and Rhysand. I found Lucien super funny and complex, initially appearing as an antagonist, who you later find out is such a wonderful and damaged man. Rhysand obviously appears and awful person, but he has reasons for every single thing he does, and ultimately is the one who saves Feyre's life, and therefore the lives of all in the faerie realm. Let's wait and see for the rest of the series though to find out what his true motives were...
In terms of the relationship between Feyre and Tamlyn, I found it pretty disappointing. My problem wasn't that it was insta-lovey, as I didn't really find it that way, but rather that I didn't entirely feel the chemistry (apart from physical) between them. There were a couple of conversations that they had that made up for this slightly, but they seemed to barely talk to one another and yet fall deeply in love. Sarah J. Maas' incredible romance writing does lead me to partly forgive this however, as how gorgeous are her love scenes??
Whilst this is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and so it was inevitable that it would be Tamlyn that Feyre would fall for, I found it extremely obvious, and think maybe it could have taken a bit longer for the romance to develop, with more talking scenes between the two of them.
Plot and world:
The plot and world-building was for sure my favourite part of this novel, I adored it!! This world, as Sarah J. Maas' always are, is incredibly intricate and so, so interesting. I love how she incorporates politics into her worlds, and this was done fantastically in ACOTAR.
I loved the plot twists all throughout this novel, as we slowly begin to understand what this terrible 'blight' is - I was absolutely not expecting what was to come, it was done so well!! I never even considered that Tamlyn was unable to tell Feyre what was really going on, and him needing a human girl who killed on of his own to fall in love with him!! I guess I should have seen it coming, being a Beauty and the Beast retelling, but I was so blown away!
The only issue that I had with the plot was the very ending, when Feyre ultimately is turned into High Fae. From the moment her and Tamlyn met I guessed this was going to happen, and found it pretty disappointing and a cop-out. I hate comparing books, but it happens a lot in YA when a love interest is immortal and the other is not, they always end up becoming immortal one way or another. I feel that it would have been more interesting if this hadn't been the case, and they'd had to deal with Feyre growing old while Tamlyn did not.
I know I've been pretty critical with this one, but don't get me wrong, I did really enjoy it!! I found it an interesting one to deconstruct and consider flaws in the plot and characters, but I definitely recommend it for lovers of retellings and Sarah J. Maas' writing.
Let me know in the comments what you thought of ACOTAR!!
Love always,
Ari
Wednesday, 16 March 2016
The Chocolate Book Tag!
Hi!
As a lover of both chocolate and books, I thought what better way to celebrate this than to do a tag combining the two! I saw this tag over at Jack Croxall's blog, enjoy!!
Dark chocolate: a book that covers a dark topic.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. World War II and the Holocaust are such horrific times in our history, and this is reflected in the beautiful literature that has been based on them. The Book Thief is one of my favourite examples of this. Zusak's incredibly poetic writing style captures the mindset, pain, and endless hope present in such an awful time.
White chocolate: your favourite light-hearted/humorous read.
The Tallulah Casey series by Louise Rennison. This is the series that I turn to when I'm feeling super down, or home-sick when I'm at college as I absolutely cannot read it without laughing like crazy. It is such a light-hearted, heart-warming series, probably aimed more at a middle grade audience, but I believe could be appreciated by readers of any age! Such a cute series.
Milk chocolate: a book with a lot of hype that you're dying to read.
Cinder by Marissa Meyer. Of course this series is absolutely adored by everyone in the book blogging and booktube community and I've heard so many wonderful things about it! I cannot wait to read it!!
Chocolate with caramel centre: a book that makes you feel all gooey in the middle when you read it.
City of Masks by Mary Hoffman. I loooove this book. Filled with romance, pain, and adventure, all the perfect ingredients for a novel, I read this book dozens of times during my schooling and it never fails to make me feel at home and all gooey inside.
Wafer-free Kit Kat: a book that has surprised you lately.
Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton. I was lucky enough to receive a review copy of this through NetGalley (see my review here!) and I absolutely adored it! I wasn't sure if the desert setting and western elements would really be for me, but I found them a fantastic combination and really hope it continues in a series as the world Hamilton has built is so so wonderful!!
Snickers: a book that you're going nuts about.
Passenger by Alexandra Bracken. I've been raving about this non-stop lately, so why not continue! I cannot even comprehend how much I adore Alexandra Bracken's new series, and am ridiculously excited for the second book to be released (even though it's barely been a month since the first one came out!).
Hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows: a book that you would turn to for a comfort read.
The Harry Potter series, obviously, but also the Mortal Instruments series. As the characters in both of these series are so close to my heart, and I have read about them so so many times, it is always comforting to pick them up and return to the worlds that I adore. I feel so at home at Hogwarts, and at the Institute; there is nothing better than snuggling up with a cup of tea and cuddling my dogs while I read them again and again.
I hope you enjoyed this super fun tag! Let me know in the comments if you've done it yourself, and if not, I tag YOU.
Love always,
Ari
As a lover of both chocolate and books, I thought what better way to celebrate this than to do a tag combining the two! I saw this tag over at Jack Croxall's blog, enjoy!!
Dark chocolate: a book that covers a dark topic.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. World War II and the Holocaust are such horrific times in our history, and this is reflected in the beautiful literature that has been based on them. The Book Thief is one of my favourite examples of this. Zusak's incredibly poetic writing style captures the mindset, pain, and endless hope present in such an awful time.
White chocolate: your favourite light-hearted/humorous read.
The Tallulah Casey series by Louise Rennison. This is the series that I turn to when I'm feeling super down, or home-sick when I'm at college as I absolutely cannot read it without laughing like crazy. It is such a light-hearted, heart-warming series, probably aimed more at a middle grade audience, but I believe could be appreciated by readers of any age! Such a cute series.
Milk chocolate: a book with a lot of hype that you're dying to read.
Cinder by Marissa Meyer. Of course this series is absolutely adored by everyone in the book blogging and booktube community and I've heard so many wonderful things about it! I cannot wait to read it!!
Chocolate with caramel centre: a book that makes you feel all gooey in the middle when you read it.
City of Masks by Mary Hoffman. I loooove this book. Filled with romance, pain, and adventure, all the perfect ingredients for a novel, I read this book dozens of times during my schooling and it never fails to make me feel at home and all gooey inside.
Wafer-free Kit Kat: a book that has surprised you lately.
Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton. I was lucky enough to receive a review copy of this through NetGalley (see my review here!) and I absolutely adored it! I wasn't sure if the desert setting and western elements would really be for me, but I found them a fantastic combination and really hope it continues in a series as the world Hamilton has built is so so wonderful!!
Snickers: a book that you're going nuts about.
Passenger by Alexandra Bracken. I've been raving about this non-stop lately, so why not continue! I cannot even comprehend how much I adore Alexandra Bracken's new series, and am ridiculously excited for the second book to be released (even though it's barely been a month since the first one came out!).
Hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows: a book that you would turn to for a comfort read.
The Harry Potter series, obviously, but also the Mortal Instruments series. As the characters in both of these series are so close to my heart, and I have read about them so so many times, it is always comforting to pick them up and return to the worlds that I adore. I feel so at home at Hogwarts, and at the Institute; there is nothing better than snuggling up with a cup of tea and cuddling my dogs while I read them again and again.
I hope you enjoyed this super fun tag! Let me know in the comments if you've done it yourself, and if not, I tag YOU.
Love always,
Ari
Monday, 14 March 2016
How I Organise My Bookshelves
Hey!
So as booklovers, something that is obviously very important to us is our beloved bookshelves.
I've met some people who sort their bookshelves by colour, some by genre, some by favourite authors, the list goes on!! I thought it my be interesting for me to share how I personally like to organise my bookshelves.
With over 400 books, it can be super difficult and time-consuming trying to organise them in a particular way, especially when I'm always coming home with new books to add to the shelves! Also, during the year while I'm at uni I live at a college, so will always take a bunch of books from my shelves at home with me for the year. Because of this, lately my shelves have been pretty all over the place!
I have three bookshelves at home, which are semi-organised by genre and favourite authors. So the majority of my fantasy series, which are generally my favourite books, are all together on one shelf, among a few stand-alone contemporary favourites. On another shelf I've tried to collect all of my classics together, although there is also a small section taken up by childhood books that I've kept for the memories!And on the final shelf is all of the left-overs! This by no means is for the books I don't like as much, some of them happen to be my favourites too, but as there is a little extra room on this shelf it is usually where my newly bought books go.
Like many other book bloggers and booktubers, I also like to have a little section for my TBR books. I don't tend to stick to a very rigid TBR pile, but I do always have a small collection of books I'm super excited for and in the mood to read, so these sit on top of one of my shorter bookshelves.
And finally, at college I have a bunch of my favourite books to make it feel like home, plus the new books I've bought recently and am super excited to read! There is also a few classics I've had at home for a while that I brought with me, as I'm trying to get through more of my abundance of classics!! I may do a blog post later on of all of the books that I've brought with me to college.
Please let me know in the comments how you organise your bookshelves, or if they're a bit higgeldy piggedly like mine!!
Love always,
Ari
So as booklovers, something that is obviously very important to us is our beloved bookshelves.
I've met some people who sort their bookshelves by colour, some by genre, some by favourite authors, the list goes on!! I thought it my be interesting for me to share how I personally like to organise my bookshelves.
With over 400 books, it can be super difficult and time-consuming trying to organise them in a particular way, especially when I'm always coming home with new books to add to the shelves! Also, during the year while I'm at uni I live at a college, so will always take a bunch of books from my shelves at home with me for the year. Because of this, lately my shelves have been pretty all over the place!
I have three bookshelves at home, which are semi-organised by genre and favourite authors. So the majority of my fantasy series, which are generally my favourite books, are all together on one shelf, among a few stand-alone contemporary favourites. On another shelf I've tried to collect all of my classics together, although there is also a small section taken up by childhood books that I've kept for the memories!And on the final shelf is all of the left-overs! This by no means is for the books I don't like as much, some of them happen to be my favourites too, but as there is a little extra room on this shelf it is usually where my newly bought books go.
Like many other book bloggers and booktubers, I also like to have a little section for my TBR books. I don't tend to stick to a very rigid TBR pile, but I do always have a small collection of books I'm super excited for and in the mood to read, so these sit on top of one of my shorter bookshelves.
And finally, at college I have a bunch of my favourite books to make it feel like home, plus the new books I've bought recently and am super excited to read! There is also a few classics I've had at home for a while that I brought with me, as I'm trying to get through more of my abundance of classics!! I may do a blog post later on of all of the books that I've brought with me to college.
Please let me know in the comments how you organise your bookshelves, or if they're a bit higgeldy piggedly like mine!!
Love always,
Ari
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