Hey there! So lately I've been trying not to buy so many books, as I have soooo many that I haven't read yet. But of course, we all know the struggles of being a book addict, so here I have the books I picked up over the February-March period.
Passenger by Alexandra Bracken
Of course this book has been absolutely everywhere since it was announced, and every review I have read or watched of it has raved about it!! I recently read Alexandra Bracken's The Darkest Minds and adored it, so am super super excited to delve into Passenger.
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
After being crazy late to the bandwagon with Throne of Glass, I am trying to catch up with Sarah J. Maas' novels and be ready for the release of the second in this series, A Court of Mist and Fury.
Voyager by Diana Gabaldon
Continuing by obsession with Outlander and Scotland, I am now up to the third novel in the series!! I found this in an amazing second hand book show in Brisbane and cannot wait to pick it up!
L'Analphabete by Agota Kristof
This is one for uni, wooo. I am in my second year studying French, and part of our compulsory course is to read this French autobiography.
Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta
This is an oldy that I saw in an op shop when I was home for the holidays and remembered hearing about it when I was still at school. I adore Melina Marchetta, and am very intrigued by the description.
Forever More by Cindy Miles
I heard Sasha from abookutopia talk about this in a video ages ago, and saw it in an op shop too. It is set in Scotland and has a hot ghost in it, what is not to love??
Tatiana and Alexander/The Bridge to Holy Cross by Paullina Simons
The second novel in the stunning Bronze Horseman series, I am so excited to continue following the story of Tatiana and Alexander. If you haven't read The Bronze Horseman yet, please please do yourself a favour and pick it up!!
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
I already had a copy of Wuthering Heights but saw a super pretty one when op shopping for $2 and couldn't resist!!
Let me know in the comments what books you've picked up recently, and which of these you think I should read first!!
Love always,
Ari
Showing posts with label diana gabaldon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label diana gabaldon. Show all posts
Saturday, 5 March 2016
Monday, 29 February 2016
February Wrap Up!
Hi there!
It hasn't been the biggest reading month for me in February, due to being super busy with college leadership things. So only four books read! Nonetheless, I have thoroughly enjoyed most of the novels I read this month so I thought I'd share them with you anyway.
Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon
I'm hoping to read one of the Outlander series at least every two months until I get through the series, and it is going fantastically so far! See my (spoiler) review here for my detailed thoughts on the second in the series.
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
I'd heard all about this novel on booktube, and thought it was finally time to pick it up. I know a lot of people don't really like Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver series but I actually loved it when I was in high school and read it so many times! And likewise, I adored The Raven Boys! I literally cannot deal with how much I enjoyed this novel. I need to own it and read it again and again and read the rest of the series and I can't even. Really.
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
I also have a review for this one, here, if you'd like to check it out. This is another one that absolutely blew me away. I'd never read anything of Ruta Sepetys before and now I am so keen to pick up Between Shades of Grey. So so good!
Counting Stars by Jordan Deen
This novel was a bit of a disappointment for me, however I did find the plot quite interesting. A good contemporary to open your eyes to the lives of extremely wealthy teens. Review here!
Let me know in the comments what you read in February, or if you've read and loved any of the book I read this month!
Love always,
Ari
It hasn't been the biggest reading month for me in February, due to being super busy with college leadership things. So only four books read! Nonetheless, I have thoroughly enjoyed most of the novels I read this month so I thought I'd share them with you anyway.
Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon
I'm hoping to read one of the Outlander series at least every two months until I get through the series, and it is going fantastically so far! See my (spoiler) review here for my detailed thoughts on the second in the series.
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
I'd heard all about this novel on booktube, and thought it was finally time to pick it up. I know a lot of people don't really like Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver series but I actually loved it when I was in high school and read it so many times! And likewise, I adored The Raven Boys! I literally cannot deal with how much I enjoyed this novel. I need to own it and read it again and again and read the rest of the series and I can't even. Really.
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
I also have a review for this one, here, if you'd like to check it out. This is another one that absolutely blew me away. I'd never read anything of Ruta Sepetys before and now I am so keen to pick up Between Shades of Grey. So so good!
Counting Stars by Jordan Deen
This novel was a bit of a disappointment for me, however I did find the plot quite interesting. A good contemporary to open your eyes to the lives of extremely wealthy teens. Review here!
Let me know in the comments what you read in February, or if you've read and loved any of the book I read this month!
Love always,
Ari
Saturday, 27 February 2016
Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon - review (SPOILERS)
Hi there!
So my obsession with Outlander is well known, and I have now completed book two in the series! It was in no way a disappointment, still furthering my love for Scotland and Diana Gabaldon's magical writing style.
This review will be a spoiler review, obviously as Dragonfly in Amber is the second novel in the Outlander series.
When I began the novel, I was super super confused when Jamie and Claire's daughter Brianna appeared straight away! I had a total freak out that we weren't going to see what happened to Claire and Jamie in between that time, but of course Diana would never do that to us! While I am obsessed with the Scottish highlands thanks to Outlander, I adored the change of scenery we got for a while in this novel. The characters in Paris were just as rich and fascinating as those back in Scotland. I was slightly concerned when it seemed that Claire was going to have problems with being called a witch again, but that was luckily avoided. Also, how agonising was it when Claire wasn't speaking to Jamie after the incident with Black Jack? I wasn't sure how everything was going to go down with them, but I was fairly certain that Black Jack could not be killed, as then Frank would never exist. My theory is that they cannot change anything in history as what has happened has happened, right?
I also adore the characters introduced in the future setting, including Brianna. She's just as incredibly stubborn and beautiful as you'd expect of Jamie and Claire's daughter, along with her own little quirks and flaws. Her relationship with Roger is heartwarming and I found it a lovely addition to that aspect of the story. Their relationship is so different to Jamie and Claire's, so it is, in a way, a refreshing change for a little while.
Some people have said that the ending was an unexpected turn, but I did see it coming from the very beginning. I mean, Jamie couldn't just disappear from the series, could he?! That didn't bother me though, the story was still full of Diana's classic twists and turns. Her storylines are so intricate yet easy to follow, and I am so so excited to continue with the series soon.
Rating: 5/5
Let me know your thoughts on the Outlander sequel. Did you like it as much as it's predecessor? I'd probably still say Outlander was my favourite, but Dragonfly in Amber comes super close!
Love always,
Ari
So my obsession with Outlander is well known, and I have now completed book two in the series! It was in no way a disappointment, still furthering my love for Scotland and Diana Gabaldon's magical writing style.
This review will be a spoiler review, obviously as Dragonfly in Amber is the second novel in the Outlander series.
When I began the novel, I was super super confused when Jamie and Claire's daughter Brianna appeared straight away! I had a total freak out that we weren't going to see what happened to Claire and Jamie in between that time, but of course Diana would never do that to us! While I am obsessed with the Scottish highlands thanks to Outlander, I adored the change of scenery we got for a while in this novel. The characters in Paris were just as rich and fascinating as those back in Scotland. I was slightly concerned when it seemed that Claire was going to have problems with being called a witch again, but that was luckily avoided. Also, how agonising was it when Claire wasn't speaking to Jamie after the incident with Black Jack? I wasn't sure how everything was going to go down with them, but I was fairly certain that Black Jack could not be killed, as then Frank would never exist. My theory is that they cannot change anything in history as what has happened has happened, right?
I also adore the characters introduced in the future setting, including Brianna. She's just as incredibly stubborn and beautiful as you'd expect of Jamie and Claire's daughter, along with her own little quirks and flaws. Her relationship with Roger is heartwarming and I found it a lovely addition to that aspect of the story. Their relationship is so different to Jamie and Claire's, so it is, in a way, a refreshing change for a little while.
Some people have said that the ending was an unexpected turn, but I did see it coming from the very beginning. I mean, Jamie couldn't just disappear from the series, could he?! That didn't bother me though, the story was still full of Diana's classic twists and turns. Her storylines are so intricate yet easy to follow, and I am so so excited to continue with the series soon.
Rating: 5/5
Let me know your thoughts on the Outlander sequel. Did you like it as much as it's predecessor? I'd probably still say Outlander was my favourite, but Dragonfly in Amber comes super close!
Love always,
Ari
Monday, 25 January 2016
Outlander Book/TV Show Review!
Hey all,
Today I want to talk about a recent obsession of mine, inspired by the wonderful Sasha from abookutopia. OUTLANDER!!
NON-SPOILER REVIEW:
Words cannot express how much I loved this book, and the first season of the tv show came pretty close. For those of you who are yet to experience the wonders that is Outlander, this novel (previously called Cross Stitch) by Diana Gabaldon, follows the adventures of Claire Randall. Claire is a nurse during WWII, during which time she was unable to see her husband Frank very often. After the war, Frank and Claire take a trip to the Scottish Highlands to reconnect. Whilst exploring some ancient standing stones near Inverness, Claire is transported back in time to 1743. This is where the real excitement starts, and she comes across Jamie Fraser (sigh!). Diana Gabaldon's writing truly fleshes out both the characters and their surroundings, creating such a vivid story.
In short, if you have not read Outlander yet, READ IT!
Similarly, season one of Outlander was incredible. It stuck extremely close to the book for the most part, and further enhanced my new-found love of the Scottish Highlands. I would recommend reading the book first, of course, as I found this really enriched my viewing experience. However, if you find that massive novel a tad daunting, the show is a great way to start!
Book rating: 5/5
TV series rating: 4.75/5
Now for the SPOILERY SECTION:
Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ, what a read! Despite the amount of action bundled up in this book, due to it's size, Gabaldon managed to ensure that it never felt rushed, or as though too much was happening at once. I absolutely adored every single character in this book. And, I mean, Jamie. What more can I say. The only time I was concerned about the nature of Jamie's character was when he whipped Claire in punishment. At first I was like nooooo Jamie what are you doing you terrible man. However, as I considered it, I reminded myself that we were in 1743, and despite Jamie's actions still being awful, he was extremely kind for that time period.
The story really ended in an unexpected way. I cannot even comprehend what happened to Jamie, and was in absolute agony reading the ordeal of their arrival in France. But now I am super duper excited for a little baby Jamie-Claire in the next book!!!
In regards to the book-tv show comparison, I was extremely impressed. I found it very accurate in the significant aspects of the plot, and nearly every character was as I imagined them when reading (especially Jamie ;)).
The only minor criticism I would give the show was some of the portrayal of Claire. I was watching the series with my parents, neither of whom had read the book before. Whilst I didn't have the need to explain much to them as the story went, they did say that they found Claire a very annoying character. Initially I didn't understand this, mostly due to my bias for the book. But as I considered their points I did begin to notice that Claire was more annoying in the show that in the book. At no point whilst reading Outlander did I find myself frustrated at Claire, however in the show she seemed slightly over-dramatised. This is evidently due to the nature of tv series - they need drama for people to engage entirely. So this small fault I can easily forgive.
Let me know in the comments your thoughts on the Outlander book and tv series! Also feel free to suggest any reviews you'd like me to write, or any book recommendations you may have.
Love always,
Ari
Today I want to talk about a recent obsession of mine, inspired by the wonderful Sasha from abookutopia. OUTLANDER!!
NON-SPOILER REVIEW:
Words cannot express how much I loved this book, and the first season of the tv show came pretty close. For those of you who are yet to experience the wonders that is Outlander, this novel (previously called Cross Stitch) by Diana Gabaldon, follows the adventures of Claire Randall. Claire is a nurse during WWII, during which time she was unable to see her husband Frank very often. After the war, Frank and Claire take a trip to the Scottish Highlands to reconnect. Whilst exploring some ancient standing stones near Inverness, Claire is transported back in time to 1743. This is where the real excitement starts, and she comes across Jamie Fraser (sigh!). Diana Gabaldon's writing truly fleshes out both the characters and their surroundings, creating such a vivid story.
In short, if you have not read Outlander yet, READ IT!
Similarly, season one of Outlander was incredible. It stuck extremely close to the book for the most part, and further enhanced my new-found love of the Scottish Highlands. I would recommend reading the book first, of course, as I found this really enriched my viewing experience. However, if you find that massive novel a tad daunting, the show is a great way to start!
Book rating: 5/5
TV series rating: 4.75/5
Now for the SPOILERY SECTION:
Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ, what a read! Despite the amount of action bundled up in this book, due to it's size, Gabaldon managed to ensure that it never felt rushed, or as though too much was happening at once. I absolutely adored every single character in this book. And, I mean, Jamie. What more can I say. The only time I was concerned about the nature of Jamie's character was when he whipped Claire in punishment. At first I was like nooooo Jamie what are you doing you terrible man. However, as I considered it, I reminded myself that we were in 1743, and despite Jamie's actions still being awful, he was extremely kind for that time period.
The story really ended in an unexpected way. I cannot even comprehend what happened to Jamie, and was in absolute agony reading the ordeal of their arrival in France. But now I am super duper excited for a little baby Jamie-Claire in the next book!!!
In regards to the book-tv show comparison, I was extremely impressed. I found it very accurate in the significant aspects of the plot, and nearly every character was as I imagined them when reading (especially Jamie ;)).
The only minor criticism I would give the show was some of the portrayal of Claire. I was watching the series with my parents, neither of whom had read the book before. Whilst I didn't have the need to explain much to them as the story went, they did say that they found Claire a very annoying character. Initially I didn't understand this, mostly due to my bias for the book. But as I considered their points I did begin to notice that Claire was more annoying in the show that in the book. At no point whilst reading Outlander did I find myself frustrated at Claire, however in the show she seemed slightly over-dramatised. This is evidently due to the nature of tv series - they need drama for people to engage entirely. So this small fault I can easily forgive.
Let me know in the comments your thoughts on the Outlander book and tv series! Also feel free to suggest any reviews you'd like me to write, or any book recommendations you may have.
Love always,
Ari
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