Book Review: The Sea Of Tranquility; Katja Millay.

I was pretty apprehensive about reading this book because it doesn't fall into a genre that I normally like to read. However, I was quite surprised to find that it surpassed my expectations and actually made me question my own view on those genres? Have I been missing out on gems like this the whole time? I will be entering it into the 'Jumble Your Genres' Challenge.

SOURCE: Bought
TYPE: E-Read

TITLE: The Sea Of Tranquility
AUTHOR: Katja Millay
SERIES: --
PUBLISHER: Atria Books
PAGES: 426
GENRE: Romance, New Adult, Contemporary, Young Adult

RATING: 4/5 Stars

Blurb:
Former piano prodigy Nastya Kashnikov wants two things: to get through high school without anyone learning about her past and to make the boy who took everything from her—her identity, her spirit, her will to live—pay.

Josh Bennett’s story is no secret: every person he loves has been taken from his life until, at seventeen years old, there is no one left. Now all he wants is be left alone and people allow it because when your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you your space.


Everyone except Nastya, the mysterious new girl at school who starts showing up and won’t go away until she’s insinuated herself into every aspect of his life. But the more he gets to know her, the more of an enigma she becomes. As their relationship intensifies and the unanswered questions begin to pile up, he starts to wonder if he will ever learn the secrets she’s been hiding—or if he even wants to.

What I Liked:

• The lead couple, from whom we hear the story, were probably my favourite thing about the book. Why? Because for the first time in a while I have found a book that doesn't contain insta-love. Their relationship actually builds into a believable relationship. Not to mention that as characters they are very interesting. I loved reading from Josh's POV more than Nastya's but I'll explain why later.
• The characters around the two leads were interesting, and took on more than just a side character role. I felt like they actually contributed to the story. For example: Drew. When I first met him I thought he would just be the arrogant joker of the story, who didn't really do an awful lot. Boy, was I wrong!
• The plot was actually pretty gripping, especially towards the end of the book! In the later stages, things really start to pick up and I didn't want to put the book down. I wanted to find out what happened next! There were a few plot twists too which made things even more interesting.

What I Disliked:

• To be perfectly honest, the book was a little bit of a slow starter. In the first quarter or so I found things a bit repetitive, and though I wasn't bored, I wasn't riveted either. As I mentioned above, this did change as the book continued, and this is why I always make sure I finish books before reviewing them rather than not finishing them the moment the pace drops. This beginning wasn't helped by the slightly confusing Chapter/POV layouts either.
• Although I did like Nastya's character, some of her logic didn't quite work for me. She spends the whole time wishing people would leave her alone, and then dresses like that? Her reasons for making the decisions that she does weren't really clear either and I only really connected with her towards the end. I also felt like her mysterious past had a little too much build-up to it. We know that something terrible happened to her and spend the whole book thinking of the most twisted, awful things only to find that it wasn't that twisted after all (though don't get me wrong, still terrible).

Overall Conclusion:

There were so many good things about this book. Millay writes really well and I was impressed by how quotable her book was and how much I actually enjoyed it! The romance was spot-on, especially with the timing and the characters were well-written. I wish that Nastya had been a little clearer as a character and that it hadn't taken me so long to get into the book. Also, why the Author chose to give the boy that did those terrible things to Nastya an excuse (and it was a pretty terrible one) I will never understand. A great read which I can happily say made me rethink my bias towards New Adult and Romance, providing that it has a bit of extra depth in it like this one does!

Book Review: The Miniaturist; Jessie Burton.

So I know I have been a little neglectful of this blog, but I come bearing a book review! And it's a good one too! Before I start, I'm entering this into the 2014 'Monthly Motif' challenge as it is set pre-2000. I'm also entering it into this month's 'Jumble Your Genres' challenge, being Historical Fiction.

SOURCE: Bought
TYPE: Hardback

TITLE: The Miniaturist
AUTHOR: Jessie Burton
SERIES: --
PUBLISHER: Picador
PAGES: 435
GENRE: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Adult

RATING: 5/5 Stars

Blurb:
On a brisk autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman arrives in Amsterdam to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt. But her new home, while splendorous, is not welcoming. Johannes is kind yet distant, always locked in his study or at his warehouse office-leaving Nella alone with his sister, the sharp-tongued and forbidding Marin.

But Nella's world changes when Johannes presents her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. To furnish her gift, Nella engages the services of a miniaturist-an elusive and enigmatic artist whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in eerie and unexpected ways...


Johannes' gift helps Nella to pierce the closed world of the Brandt household. But as she uncovers its unusual secrets, she begins to understand-and fear-the escalating dangers that await them all. In this repressively pious society where gold is worshipped second only to God, to be different is a threat to the moral fabric of society, and not even a man as rich as Johannes is safe. Only one person seems to see the fate that awaits them. Is the miniaturist the key to their salvation...or the architect of their destruction?

What I Liked:

• Okay there are so many things I can put here for this bit, but I'll start with my favourite. Jessie Burton's writing. I completely fell in love with it the moment that I started reading. Many of you will know that feeling you get when you read good writing and it was the best I've read in a while. Whether the moment that she wrote about was a twist that left me gaping, or a quieter moment for reflection, Burton's writing was on point and I want so badly for her to write more books for me to read.
• The plot twists in this were really good. They weren't predictable or unbelievable, and they certainly weren't boring. I actually didn't expect many of the directions that this book took me down and I'm so glad that I finally got to read a Mystery book that mystified me!
• The characters were interesting. They had distinct personalities and I always managed to keep track of who was who and my thoughts on them. There was a fairly small cast in this book, but a fascinating one! Burton kept me distant though, and didn't allow me to get too attached to anyone. In any other book I could mark this as a bad thing, but for this one it felt right. It made me empathise with Nella's situation even more than I would have done in other cases, not knowing who to trust and being out of control.

What I Disliked:

• I suppose my only real niggle was that the main, over-riding plot arc of the book was not properly resolved. This was a purposeful move for a good reason, but that doesn't mean I have to like it! It left me with unanswered questions that I know will never be answered and that's just upsetting!

Overall Conclusion:

There were so many amazing things about this book and it's the best I have read in a while! I loved the quirky characters, interesting setting (and may I say, much research went into this book) and fantastic plot. Burton's writing was nothing short of incredible and I am anxious to read more of her work. I don't even care that the ending didn't answer all my questions (at least, that's what I'm telling myself) because this book was too good to be ignored.

Book Review: Red Rising; Pierce Brown.

So I've been pretty busy and it took me a while to get through this one but oh my goodness, I am so glad I did and can't wait to share my thoughts! First though, I'm entering it into the Jumble Your Genres Challenge this month as a Sci-Fi book.

SOURCE: Netgalley
TYPE: E-Read

TITLE: Red Rising
AUTHOR: Pierce Brown
SERIES: Red Rising (#1)
PUBLISHER: Del Rey
PAGES: 400
GENRE: Sci-Fi, Dystopia, Young Adult, Adventure

RATING: 3.5/5 Stars

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

Or so it appears, until the day Darrow discovers it's all a lie. That Mars has been habitable - and inhabited - for generations, by a class of people calling themselves the Golds. A class of people who look down on Darrow and his fellows as slave labour, to be exploited and worked to death without a second thought.


Until the day that Darrow, with the help of a mysterious group of rebels, disguises himself as a Gold and infiltrates their command school, intent on taking down his oppressors from the inside. But the command school is a battlefield - and Darrow isn't the only student with an agenda.

What I Liked:

• The characters in this story were just written so well! They were complex, likeable and each with their own story. Brown had clearly put a lot of thought into each and every one. Darrow in particular amazed me because he had so much character development. As I read, I saw him turn from a spontaneous, loving man willing to accept his lot in life to an intelligent and deep thinking leader wanting more. The characters that surrounded him were just as good and by the end of the book I wasn't sure who was the enemy and who was a friend.
• The world-building was just spectacular in this one. Brown had obviously put a whole heap of research and imagination into this one because I felt like what I was reading was real. It wasn't just the physical descriptions of the scenery. It went far deeper, into the political, social and historical context of the people of Mars, and how they came to be there. It was well worth the read for that alone!
• The plot just kept me gripped! It was full of dramatic twists that happened so frequently that I never left the edge of my seat. The story has a pretty huge change in direction about halfway through, but I found it interesting and loved every second. 

What I Disliked:

• I have one small issue with this book. Pierce Brown is very fond of using short sentences. One after the other. Over and over again. This happened especially in the latter half of the book, and because of it, I missed a few key moments. It just felt like some elements to the plot were a little brushed over. 

Overall Conclusion:

For anyone looking to read a masterpiece in the making, look no further than here. I haven't read too much Sci-Fi before, but this is one of those books that definitely makes me want to get into this genre! It was masterfully crafted and had only one minor niggle that I think will definitely be ironed out by the next book. I can't wait to see what young Darrow gets up to next!

Book Review: Aristotle & Dante Discover The Secrets Of The Universe; Benjamin Alire Sáenz.

I have finally got round to reviewing this book! I actually have an excuse as to why it's taking me so long to get posts up and why I'm not being as attentive to this blog. I have not had Wifi until yesterday. We have had all manner of problems trying to get it set up but I won't rant too much, as much as I want to. I'll just rejoice that I have it now and get back to actually posting on this blog. This book absolutely blew me away and I can't wait to get into this review! I'm entering this into the Jumble Your Genres challenge this month too.

SOURCE: Bought
TYPE: E-Read

TITLE: Aristotle & Dante Discover The Secrets Of The Universe.
AUTHOR: Benjamin Alire Sáenz
SERIES: --
PUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster
PAGES: 359
GENRE: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, LGBT

RATING: 5/5 Stars

Blurb:
Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.

What I Liked:

• Firstly, this book is written beautifully. Rarely have I picked up a book and been so taken with every word on the page in front of me. I was hooked from start to finish, and when I wasn't reading it, I was looking forward to the next moment that I would so that I could immerse myself in Sáenz's writing again!
• Dante and Ari were fantastic characters to get behind them. I loved them both immediately and it was such a great joy to read their friendship as it developed! his book is a wonderful coming-of-age tale and Ari was a great narrator to see the story from. The side characters were great too, especially the Parents on both sides.

What I Disliked:

• Wait, do I have to write something here? I didn't have any disliked about this book, other than the fact it ended. I suppose I did find the ending to be a little bit abrupt actually, I wish there had been a little bit more to it.

Overall Conclusion:

This book was just beautiful. While reading it, I spent the whole time smiling, but finding myself wanting to cry at the same time. To anyone who is on the fence, I would definitely say that you are missing out and need to read this book, it is cleverly written, witty, and beautiful to read. It will certainly touch your heart and I myself want to read more of this man's work.

Book Review: Doll Bones; Holly Black.

My apologies for a fairly late reviewing of this book, I'm currently very ill and it's completely knocked the energy and enthusiasm to do anything out of me. I'm feeling slightly perkier right now so am making the most of this short reprieve and reviewing my latest read, 'Doll Bones' by Holly Black. It was short, less than 300 pages, so it's going in the Quick Fix Challenge entries. I am also going to enter it as a Paranormal book for the Jumble Your Genres challenge.

SOURCE: Netgalley
TYPE: E-Read

TITLE: Doll Bones
AUTHOR: Holly Black
SERIES: --
PUBLISHER: Random House Children's Publishers
PAGES: 256
GENRE: Paranormal, Adventure, Middle Grade

RATING: 4/5 Stars

Blurb:
Twelve-year-old Zach is too old to play with toys. Or at least, that's what his father thinks.

But even though he stops hanging out with Poppy and Alice, stops playing with his action figures, it's no good. There's one toy that still wants to play with him. A doll that's made from the bones of a dead girl.


The only way to end the game is to lay the doll to rest forever. It's time for a journey to Spring Grove cemetery. It's time to grow up.

What I Liked:

• I got more than I bargained for in terms of character development with this one. Before reading, I honestly thought the main focus here would be the Doll itself, and the adventure/mystery surrounding it. Instead I gained a huge insight into the lives of the three children this book centres on (particularly Zach) and this book served more as a coming-of-age tale. I really liked how much it surprised me on that level. I loved the large focus on friendship and family, it made it surprisingly deep.
• The quest they go on felt realistic, and I loved it's simplicity. It made for an enjoyable plot-line that I could follow easily and read smiling the whole way through. Black wrote really well too, it was easy to understand what was going on and the plot flowed nicely.

What I Disliked:

• The fact that there wasn't much of a ghost story (which I was expecting) did have it's downfalls. I never really found myself scared, or even a little creeped out. We do get some back-story, but we don't ever get a large amount of spooky moments, nor did I ever feel like the ghost was very dangerous. It was hinted at throughout the book that the doll was supposed to be evil in some way, but she came off as nothing more than an impatient nuisance to me. 

Overall Conclusion:

There is a lot more to this book than you would expect. Or rather, I found it was a different kind of story to what I thought I would read. Instead of a chilling ghost story involving evil dolls performing terrible deeds and frightening children, I found a slightly haunted doll being pretty bothersome and rather ungrateful at times in my opinion. Nonetheless, the story of the children themselves took it to a whole new level and I really enjoyed this read!

Book Review: Rivers Of London; Ben Aaronovitch.

My reading speed is definitely increasing since I decided to take part in that Readathon! I've already finished this book! This was probably helped by the fact that I took a trip to London on the slow train, meaning I had approaching 3 hours of reading time while travelling, but I've absolutely devoured this book and can't wait to share my thoughts. I am entering it for the 'Jumble Your Genres' challenge (this month is Paranormal).

SOURCE: Gift
TYPE: Paperback

TITLE: Rivers Of London
AUTHOR: Ben Aaronovitch
SERIES: Peter Grant (#1)
PUBLISHER: Gollancz
PAGES: 392
GENRE: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Mystery

RATING: 3.5/5 Stars

Blurb:
My name is Peter Grant. Until January I was just another probationary constable in that mighty army for justice known to all right-thinking people as the Metropolitan Police Service, and to everyone else as the Filth. My only concerns in life were how to avoid a transfer to the Case Progression Unit - We do paperwork so real coppers don't have to - and finding a way to climb into the panties of the outrageously perky WPC Leslie May. Then one night, in pursuance of a murder inquiry, I tried to take a witness statement from a man who was dead, but disturbingly voluble, and that brought me to the attention of Chief Inspector Nightingale, the last wizard in England. And that, as they say, is where the story begins.

Now I'm a Detective Constable and a trainee wizard, the first apprentice in fifty years, and my world has become somewhat more complicated. I'm dealing with nests of vampires in Purley, negotiating a truce between the warring god and goddess of the Thames, and digging up graves in Covent Garden - and that's just routine. There's something festering at the heart of the city I love, a malicious, vengeful spirit that takes ordinary Londoners and twists them into grotesque mannequins to act out its drama of violence and despair.


The spirit of riot and rebellion has awakened in the city, and it's falling to me to bring order out of chaos - or die trying. Which, I don't mind telling you, would involve a hell of a lot of paperwork.

What I Liked:

• You all know I love it when an Author knows his stuff, and this Aaronovitch seems to know London like the back of his hand! Having been there quite a lot myself, it was fantastic to read about it in such great detail and actually recognise the places that are described. In fact, I read a good portion of this book on the train to and from London yesterday, and it certainly made the trip more interesting! There's a lot of research, world-building and hard work gone into this novel and I am one grateful reader.There's huge potential in this Paranormal world! I loved being introduced to all the ghosts, vampires and spirits that only inhabit a small portion of London and am eager to read more! 
• Peter Grant is a fantastic main character. He has such a sense of humour and I loved reading from his point of view and listening to his humorous opinions on the world around him. He takes the mick out of Britain and it's policing system a lot too, and being a British Citizen I think it made me appreciate the humour a lot more. If you like a funny main character, try this book out! A lot of the side characters he surrounds himself with are great too! I loved Beverley Brook and the whole River Spirit clan, Nightingale was cool too and Molly was definitely intriguing.

What I Disliked:

• The organisation of the plot, at times, felt a bit chaotic. A crime of a supernatural kind has been committed and Grant spends a fair bit of the book trying to sort it out. At the same time, he's settling disputes, heading off on seemingly unimportant side missions, learning magic, trying to seduce a woman or two and also trying to research the exact properties and effects of his new-found powers. Most of the time, this was fine but at times I got a bit confused and felt like I'd been thrown in at the deep end.

Overall Conclusion:

I really did enjoy this book. There was so much to it! Great characters, intriguing plot concept and phenomenal world-building put me in a good mood. The sense of humour put me in an even better mood. At times it felt like a little too much had been crammed into this one and things go in the way of each other every so often. As well, despite the mostly awesome side characters, I really hope I wasn't supposed to like Lesley because I didn't. She was so irritating! Still, I look forward to the next in the series, this was a very promising start.

Book Review: The Queen Of The Tearling; Erika Johansen.

Alright, I didn't get my post about my holiday up today, but I did manage to finish this book and get a review prepared, so that's something, right? I was eager to get this one finished and share my very mixed thoughts so here goes. I'm entering it into challenges too, namely the Key Words challenge, and the Monthly Motif challenge, as well as the Jumble Your Genres challenge too.

SOURCE: Netgalley
TYPE: E-Read

TITLE: The Queen Of The Tearling
AUTHOR: Erika Johansen
SERIES: The Queen Of The Tearling (#1)
PUBLISHER: Transworld Digital
PAGES: 380
GENRE: Fantasy, Adult, Adventure, Dystopian

RATING: 3/5 Stars

Blurb:
On her nineteenth birthday, Princess Kelsea Raleigh Glynn, raised in exile, sets out on a perilous journey back to the castle of her birth to ascend her rightful throne. Plain and serious, a girl who loves books and learning, Kelsea bears little resemblance to her mother, the vain and frivolous Queen Elyssa. But though she may be inexperienced and sheltered, Kelsea is not defenseless: Around her neck hangs the Tearling sapphire, a jewel of immense magical power; and accompanying her is the Queen’s Guard, a cadre of brave knights led by the enigmatic and dedicated Lazarus. Kelsea will need them all to survive a cabal of enemies who will use every weapon—from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic—to prevent her from wearing the crown.

Despite her royal blood, Kelsea feels like nothing so much as an insecure girl, a child called upon to lead a people and a kingdom about which she knows almost nothing. But what she discovers in the capital will change everything, confronting her with horrors she never imagined. An act of singular daring will throw Kelsea’s kingdom into tumult, unleashing the vengeance of the tyrannical ruler of neighboring Mortmesne: the Red Queen, a sorceress possessed of the darkest magic. Now Kelsea will begin to discover whom among the servants, aristocracy, and her own guard she can trust.


But the quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun—a wondrous journey of self-discovery and a trial by fire that will make her a legend…if she can survive.

What I Liked:

• The story-line I actually really enjoyed. It reads like a High Fantasy, and I was totally sucked into the world of The Tearling and Mortmesne, and enjoyed the multiple viewpoints from various characters. It was broken up into fairly lengthy chapters which I felt could have been shorter, but the pacing of the book was really good and I was hooked from start to finish, which can only be a good thing.
• The characters were really well-written. They were unique and distinguishable, and I did get attached to them as the story went on. The lead character, Kelsea, grew on me the more I read of her and I thought she was a pretty nice heroine for the story. The Fetch was probably my favourite character, he was mysterious and balanced carefully on the line between good and bad. I was never completely sure of his intentions or back-story, yet found myself really liking him all the same! I can't wait to read more of him and delve deeper.

What I Disliked:

• The constant references to beauty in this novel grated on me a little. I've read many novels where the heroine is considered plain, or even ugly, and it disadvantages them sometimes. But this book seemed to thrust Kelsea considering herself to be ugly and wallowing in self-pity a fair amount. I wished after a while it would focus on other things.
• The setting was a little confusing and totally threw me off. As I said, it was written as if set in a Medieval word with swords and horses and castles, mixed with an element of fantasy and magic. So you can imagine my surprise when suddenly, Kelsea knew all about Genes and the way they worked, and reference was made to the Harry Potter series. What on earth? It seems that our story is set in an era after our own, but society seems to have regressed instead of advancing. This would all be fine, except there is no context or history given to speak of so it felt very strange and I didn't understand the necessity.
• At times the writing felt inconsistent. It would be interesting and really nicely written at some points, then would feel wrong or not quite finished at others. I wish the level of detail had remained high at all points, perhaps I would have appreciated the references to our present, or the book world's past, a little more.

Overall Conclusion:

Having seen so many mixed reviews, I was a little unsure about picking this one up. It has many good points, including a promising story-line that hooked me from page one, and memorable characters that I actually liked! There were a few bad things however. The setting felt off and confusing, the slightly unoriginal 'female heroine who isn't gorgeous but doesn't care though actually, she does a bit' got a little irritating after a while. As well as that I felt the writing style could have been more consistent at times. The fact that this book had me turning each page with glee says something though, and I am looking forward to reading the next one!

Book Review: A Game Of Thrones; George R.R. Martin.

So I've finally tackled this book, and it was worth the wait and the huge amount of reading time. 'A Game Of Thrones' has received so much hype and been recommended to me so much that I couldn't wait to get into it! I'm a few episodes into Season 2 of the TV Series so had a pretty good idea of what this book would hold in terms of plot. Still, it continued to surprise me and my worries that watching the show would ruin my reading experience were unfounded. I'm going to use this book as an extra entry for the 'Jumble Your Genres' challenge as it counts, in my eyes, as a High Fantasy read.

SOURCE: Gift
TYPE: Paperback

TITLE: A Game Of Thrones
AUTHOR: George, R.R. Martin
SERIES: A Song Of Ice & Fire (#1)
PUBLISHER: Harper Voyager
PAGES: 780
GENRE: High Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Adult

RATING: 4.5/5 Stars

Blurb:
Summers span decades. Winter can last a lifetime. And the struggle for the Iron Throne has begun.

As warden of the North, Lord Eddard Stark counts it a curse when King Robert bestows on him the office of the Hand. His honour weighs him down at court where a true man does what he will, not what he must...and a dead enemy is a thing of beauty.

The old gods have no power in the south, Stark's family is split and there is treachery at court. Worse, the vengeance-mad heir of the deposed Dragon King has grown to maturity in exile in the Free Cities. He claims the Iron Throne.

What I Liked:

• The best part of this fantastic start to the 'A Song Of Ice & Fire' saga was by far the plot. It was full of twists and turns that kept me hooked to every word that I read. I had been worried that having an insight into the plot by watching some of the TV series would ruin it for me, but I found that actually Martin's words kept me on my toes. His writing was fantastic and there were some great moments in this story. It was good to see as well how closely the TV Series actually follows the book. I really liked the structure and mixture of viewpoints that Martin wrote from too, it added to the story and broke it up nicely.
• The characters were very well-written. I found myself growing very attached to a lot of them. Tyrion was hilarious, Daenerys likeable and strong, and I found myself really liking Renly Baratheon too! The book definitely gave that vibe of 'trust no-one' and yet I found myself characters such as Varys all the same. The characters that I was meant to hate I despised and recoiled in horror as their actions grew increasingly terrible and devious. Each character had personality, and it made for much easier reading.
• The settings were well-described, but not so much so that it became boring. Martin had put a lot of thought into this world before writing it and I really appreciated the history, the alliances and oaths and the wars that had happened before the book. In other words, back-story was key to the understanding of this book and Martin provided lots, without overloading me with information.

What I Disliked:

• As often found in Epic books such as this one, there were a lot of characters. And while I found many stuck out like a sore thumb, many also faded into the background, and with that, came confusion. At many points I found myself asking 'Who was that again?' and I often referred to the character list in the back of the book to remind myself. I feel as well that if I hadn't watched the TV Series prior to reading this book, I would have been even more confused and lost at some points.

Overall Conclusion:

This was an amazing start to the series. The characters were well-written and full of life, or at least, the ones that I needed to remember were. The rest did seem to mingle together as one and I did sometimes get muddled up when they became more important later. I found that the story was easy enough to follow however, with a gripping plot-line and a beautifully built word rich with history. Martin has done a great job here and I can't wait to read more!

Book Review: Stolen Songbird; Danielle L. Jensen.

Oh my goodness. I knew I would get this book finished because frankly, I could not put it down! I have been itching to turn the last page and get to write down some of these excited thoughts I've had spinning through my head on this book, because it really was that good. As well as that, it was in fact one of my challenge entries. I'll be using it for the 'Jumble Your Genres' challenge, as this month's Genre is High Fantasy. The button for that is at the bottom of this review.

SOURCE: Bought
TYPE: E-Read

TITLE: Stolen Songbird
AUTHOR: Danielle L. Jensen
SERIES: The Malediction Trilogy (#1)
PUBLISHER: Strange Chemistry
PAGES: 321
GENRE: Young Adult, High Fantasy, Paranormal Romance

RATING: 5/5 Stars

Blurb:

For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined. 

Cécile has only one thing on her mind after she is brought to Trollus: escape. Only the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time, wait for the perfect opportunity. 

But something unexpected happens while she’s waiting – she begins to fall for the enigmatic troll prince to whom she has been bonded and married. She begins to make friends. And she begins to see that she may be the only hope for the half-bloods – part troll, part human creatures who are slaves to the full-blooded trolls. There is a rebellion brewing. And her prince, Tristan, the future king, is its secret leader. 


As Cécile becomes involved in the intricate political games of Trollus, she becomes more than a farmer’s daughter. She becomes a princess, the hope of a people, and a witch with magic powerful enough to change Trollus forever.

What I Liked:

• Now where on Earth do I begin with this book? I liked so much! Let's go with Jensen's take on Trolls. I have only seen two common interpretations of Trolls in the past: the huge great, stupid beasts you find in 'The Lord Of The Rings' or 'Harry Potter', or the cuddly ones found in the newest Disney film, 'Frozen'. Jensen's thoughts on trolls are very different. They're clever, powerful and some of them are even handsome. I liked that they were very other-worldly in their thoughts, and yet retained some recognisable human-like qualities that made them complex and well-written creatures. In fact, the entire Political System that Jensen built within her book was both original and relateable in all the ways that I liked.
• Next, the characters! I came onto this book thinking that I might not like Cécile, but I found that I really did! She was a strong Main Character, independent and not to be told what to do. On the other side of the coin, she was caring, fiercely loyal, and not heartless as can be found when Authors try to hard to create strong women, and end up making them heartless. She acted believably, I don't think I found any signs of reckless character decisions from this lady! The characters that supported her were memorable and I grew a great affection for them all. I'm the kind of reader that gets attached to characters, and here I really did. I can't believe I'm going to have to wait so long to see them all again!
• The romance was fantastic. It is so hard to find books with a well-written love story. I've often found that the two romantic leads will either fall in love as soon as they clap eyes on each other and become ridiculous, or the romance will be so slow-burning that I'll get easily bored of them. Here though, I found the pacing of the relationship to be hilarious. Their utter loathing of each other and their situation to begin with is hilarious. Seriously, these two have some great moments, particularly Tristan, whose sarcastic sense of humour is a riot to read. But I loved watching their romance develop as well as it did, and the changes they both undergo as a result.

What I Disliked:

• What I disliked? That's pretty tough to answer. However, I suppose I would have to say the ending! I can't believe Jensen has left me on such a cruel and heart-wrenching cliffhanger. I had such a tantrum! I have to wait so long for the next one to come out. In all seriousness though, my one tiny nit-pick is the ending felt the teeniest bit rushed in comparison to the rest of the book, which was paced perfectly. That is me clutching at straws to find something though.

Overall Conclusion:

I think I've made it pretty clear what I'm going to write here. This book is so amazing. I love the cover, love the world-building, the characters, the romance, everything! I eagerly await the next one so I can find out what happens because I am absolutely desperate to know and I think I'm going to be waiting a very long time. If you haven't already, read it.

Book Review: Shadow And Bone; Leigh Bardugo.

I did it! I finished Shadow and Bone in one day! I can't believe I actually managed it, I really thought I was going to have to let two of this month's challenges slide by without completing them. The two challenges I'll be entering this one into are the 'Jumble Your Genres' Challenge (as a Dystopian) and the 'Monthly Key Words' Challenge (for the word 'And'). Buttons for those can be found below this review!

SOURCE: Bought
TYPE: E-Read

TITLE: Shadow And Bone
AUTHOR: Leigh Bardugo
SERIES: The Grisha (#1)
PUBLISHER: Henry Holt & Co.
PAGES: 416
GENRE: High Fantasy, Romance, Dystopian, Young Adult

RATING: 4.5/5 Stars

Blurb:
The Shadow Fold, a swathe of impenetrable darkness, crawling with monsters that feast on human flesh, is slowly destroying the once-great nation of Ravka.

Alina, a pale, lonely orphan, discovers a unique power that thrusts her into the lavish world of the kingdom’s magical elite—the Grisha. Could she be the key to unravelling the dark fabric of the Shadow Fold and setting Ravka free?

The Darkling, a creature of seductive charm and terrifying power, leader of the Grisha. If Alina is to fulfil her destiny, she must discover how to unlock her gift and face up to her dangerous attraction to him.


But what of Mal, Alina’s childhood best friend? As Alina contemplates her dazzling new future, why can’t she ever quite forget him?

What I Liked:

• Wow so where do I begin with this one? Firstly, I loved the setting to it. The references to Russian culture and I felt like a lot of hard work and research had gone into the world building in this one! And as we all know, world building holds a pretty special place in my heart. It made a nice change from usual settings found within Fantasy books, and managed to both spark faint recognition of certain elements within the book, and still feel like an entirely new place! I could see everything written clearly in my mind's eye and it had me hooked from beginning to end!
• The characterisation was just fantastic. They were all so well-written, and I really saw development in each and every one of them (for better or for worse). I really liked the relationship between Mal and Alina too, it isn't often that an author gets the pacing of a relationship spot on. It wasn't so quick that it felt unbelievable and yet the romance didn't develop so frustratingly slowly that I was tearing my hair out either. Hats off to Bardugo for keeping them interesting!
• It really reaffirmed my love for this genre. I have always been a pretty big fan of High Fantasy, and I haven't read a book from the genre for a very long time. Reading this book took me straight back to other books I have read within the genre and loved, such as Tamora Pierce's work or Trudi Canavan's 'The Black Magician' series. It just really made me realise how much I've missed out on within Fantasy and I really commend it for that. I smiled the whole way through reading this book!

What I Disliked:

• There was a bit of a twist that saw most of the characters I'd become quite attached to suddenly turn into almost unrecognisable characters. Now this wasn't done badly, nor do I think it was a horrible decision. It actually really added something to the plot. But that doesn't mean I have to like finding out that my trust in previous favourite characters was misplaced.

Overall Conclusion:

Wow this book was such a refreshing read and a wonderful final choice for May. The romance was written well, the characters fantastically developed, and the world-building was just gorgeous. It's a relatively short book in comparison to some of the High Fantasy epics that can be found. To be honest though, it felt really nicely paced and this didn't detract from it at all. I can't believe it took me so long to read this one and if anyone else is still taking a while to read it, then I highly recommend they do ASAP!

Book Review: The Hunger Games; Suzanne Collins.

I'm really managing to catch up with the rest of the world right now, I've finished The Hunger Games! Phew! I came into reading this book with a lot of expectations and I can't wait to share my thoughts a little more closely. Obviously I've watched the films and my impressions of those will probably impact upon this review. Hopefully not too much though! I will be entering this book into the 'Jumble Your Genres' challenge, as this month's chosen genre is Middle Grade books and I think this one just about fits into that category! The button for that can be found below this review!

SOURCE: Bought
TYPE: Paperback

TITLE: The Hunger Games
AUTHOR: Suzanne Collins
SERIES: The Hunger Games (#1)
PUBLISHER: Scholastic
PAGES: 454
GENRE: Romance, Dystopian, Middle Grade

RATING: 4/5 Stars

Blurb:
In a dark vision of the near future, twelve boys and twelve girls are forced to appear on a live TV show called the Hunger Games. There is only one rule: kill or be killed.

When sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen steps forward to take her sister's place in the games, she sees it as a death sentence. But Katniss has been close to death before. For her, survival is second nature.



What I Liked:

• The atmosphere that Collins writes into this book is incredible. The idea of the Hunger Games seems loosely based on the Greek Myth, Theseus and the Minotaur. The idea that watching twenty four children aim to kill each other could be a form of entertainment to anyone is horrific and sent shudders down my spine. Collins' writing just really brings to light exactly how terrible this idea is. The Hunger Games aren't just a form of entertainment. They are a political message, serving to remind everyone that the Capitol are not to be rebelled against, and such a twisted idea is enough to make anyone feel sick.
• There was so much personality in the characters, which was vital for this book. In order for it's story to be hard-hitting, the reader needed to connect with and adore the characters involved because by the end of the book they would most likely be dead. Of course I was rooting for Katniss, the heroine of the story, but I liked Peeta, Rue, Thresh, even Foxface! I was constantly reminded of their (potentially) inevitable deaths and it was quite upsetting. Collins certainly did a fantastic job of making sure that the impossible situation was emotionally hard-hitting.
• Let's talk about Katniss for a bit. I loved her! I think she's a great heroine, a good role model as well! She's tough enough that she's independent and relies on no one else to baby her which I liked. At the same time, she was human. She made mistakes and she suffered for them. When an author writes their lead as too perfect this can get annoying but I didn't find myself irritated by Katniss once.

What I Disliked:

• The writing was a little simplistic at times. Now this is not an overly bad thing, it is aimed at a younger audience than myself and so I went into this book expecting as such. But I was so into the story I wished at times that it was aimed at my age group so that I could get a more detailed version! It wasn't so much the content, Collins certainly didn't shy away from writing about death (some rather gruesome) and adult subjects. It was more the writing style itself. Maybe I'm being greedy. I still loved it!

Overall Conclusion:

I spent the whole book trying very hard to separate it from the films and for the most part succeeded! I was so worried I would be disappointed, but I wasn't! It was such a good story, plenty of suspense that kept me on my toes and my eyes glued to the page, and the characters were written so well! If only it had been aimed at a slightly more mature audience I would have been so happy!

Book Review: Finding Sky; Joss Stirling

I knew that if I put my mind to it, I could get this book finished. And look, I did! I seem to really be racing through these books over the past few days, I hope I can keep this pace up! Okay, so Finding Sky is going to be an entry for a couple of challenges. Firstly, one of my 2014 Key Words was 'Sky' so I'll be entering for that! Secondly, it also qualifies as an Urban Fantasy, and so this will mark my second entry into the 'Jumble Your Genres' challenge this month. Buttons below the review!

SOURCE: Bought
TYPE: Paperback

TITLE: Finding Sky
AUTHOR: Joss Stirling
SERIES: Benedicts (#1)
PUBLISHER: Oxford University Press
PAGES: 320
GENRE: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Middle Grade

RATING: 3/5 Stars

Blurb:
When English girl, Sky, catches a glimpse of bad boy Zed in her new American high school, she can't get him out of her head. He talks to her with his thoughts. He reads her mind. He is the boy she will love forever. Shadows stalk her past but a new evil threatens her future. Sky must face the dark even if it means losing her heart.



What I Liked:

• I really liked the heroine, Sky. That says a lot actually because the trend for me tends to be that I either find the heroine way too sappy or the author tries so hard for them not to be that way that they end up heartless. I found that Stirling struck a pretty good balance with Sky and it made me happy reading about her knowing that she was strong and independent, but did actually have a heart too.
• The supporting characters were great too! I loved reading about them, and they actually did bash down a lot of the stereotypes you find when reading books set in American high schools. It was nice to see the lead actually fit into the school pretty successfully, without spending the first half of the book being a total loner with no friends to talk to. It meant that the book could focus on other important issues.
• I was really gripped by most of this book. Literally, as it built, I really didn't want to put it down. There's a lot of action to keep you on the edge of your seat, and a few twists and turns that keep you wanting more when you think you've reached a safe zone. In fact, now it's finished I'm pretty disappointed that there's no more to read and I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series!

What I Disliked:

• Okay, so I've been singing this book's praises but there were some niggles. When I started reading it, it was on a lower rating for a fair few chapters. The beginning of the book just didn't grip me very much. I couldn't help but feel a little bored to start with, though I can't quite pinpoint why. The subsequent action afterwards was just too good not to rate a bit higher however. I was so gripped after the slow start that I wish that it had been like that all the way through.
• Zed and Sky's relationship seemed a little off to me at points. Now don't get me wrong, I thought the pairing was great actually! Especially Sky's part in it. I did find however that Zed's transformation from the local bad boy to the ever-adoring boyfriend happened a bit fast. Literally, blink and you'd miss it! I understand that he'd realised that Sky was his Destiny but still, the anger that he had built up inside him went far too quickly for me. Sky's 'falling in love' pace was spot on though and as a character, I did really like Zed!
• The dialogue between characters. This is very minor but at times I would read and think: 'Would anyone actually say that?'. It only happened rarely, but it was just enough for me to notice it. It felt a little forced at times, and didn't follow the natural way I expected the conversation would go. Like I said though, it only happened a couple of times and didn't ruin the book in any way.

Overall Conclusion:

So I've mentioned a few things that would make you think I hadn't enjoyed this story. But I really did like it a lot! Despite the slow start, Stirling really picked up the pace and I think it has an edge over similar books of it's genre in a number of ways! The heroine is believable, the romance is lovely to read (despite a bit of rush on our male lead's part) and the plot-line is well thought out and totally gripping. I've read books in the past with a similar concept to this one, so the idea isn't totally original. But I liked the way that Stirling handled it a lot better than other books I've read of the same genre. I can't wait to read the second book in the series, and hopefully those loose ends will be ironed out nicely.

Book Review: Daughter Of Smoke And Bone; Laini Taylor

Wow, I am on fire with getting through these books now that I have time on my hands! This book has been a joy to read and I am sharing my thoughts now, while they're still fresh in my mind. I will be using this book as an entry for the 'Jumble Your Genres' challenge, as the genre this month is 'Urban Fantasy' and this book definitely fits into that category. The button, as always, is at the bottom of this review.

SOURCE: Bought
TYPE: Paperback

TITLE: Daughter Of Smoke & Bone
AUTHOR: Laini Taylor
SERIES: Daughter Of Smoke & Bone (#1)
PUBLISHER: Hodder & Stoughton
PAGES: 418
GENRE: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

RATING: 4.5/5 Stars

Blurb

In general, Karou has managed to keep her two lives in balance. On the one hand, she's a seventeen-year-old art student in Prague; on the other, errand-girl to a monstrous creature who is the closest thing she has to family. Raised half in our world, half in 'Elsewhere', she has never understood Brimstone's dark work - buying teeth from hunters and murderers - nor how she came into his keeping. She is a secret even to herself, plagued by the sensation that she isn't whole.

Now the doors to Elsewhere are closing, and Karou must choose between the safety of her human life and the dangers of a war-ravaged world that may hold the answers she has always sought.

What I Liked:

• Laini Taylor has injected a lot of personality into every character that is in this book. I think I pretty much fell in love with them all, and they all had such a great dynamic with each other. I mean the conversations between Karou and Zuzana were just hilarious and they didn't even make up the main premise of the story. Really, there was some awesome characterisation stuff in this one!
• The concept of 'Elsewhere'. Karou's other life, her 'family' are just fantastic. The amount of thought that went into their creation was clear and I loved the world-building images we get, in particular, of Brimstone's shop and how his line of business works. Taylor has obviously really thought about exactly how she wants her other world to look, sound and feel and it was just wonderful to read.
• The romance was very heated. I like it when romantic leads have chemistry, and in particular, Karou and Avika seemed on equal terms, rather than one giving chase while the other plays hard to get. It was nice to read about them both being a bit unsure but both feeling an undeniable attraction.

What I Disliked:

• Towards the end of the book, Taylor jumps about a bit. This is entirely necessary, as it is the 'big reveal' that I had been waiting for, and yet because it jumped around time so much, I found my interest waning ever so slightly and the desire to just finish the book increasing. I don't think the ending was bad, it just felt a bit disorganised and confusing for me.
• Despite liking the chemistry between Karou and Akiva, I wanted a bit more of the romance stuff. I felt like they fell for each other just a bit too easily, I mean one minute they're fighting, the next they're having tea together! The big reveal at the end does go someway towards explaining this however. I think the next book will be better as it can focus a lot more on the present day story-line, and there might be a bit more development between the growing relationship between them. Fingers crossed!

Overall Conclusion:

I really enjoyed this book and it is easy to see why it has become so popular! The ideas behind the fantasy world are very original and I really embraced the whole concept, the characters and enjoyed the plot too. I was a little thrown at the end with the jumping about, and I felt that the relationship between Karou and Akiva may have been ever so slightly under-developed at this point (though definitely enjoyable to read). This series has a lot of good stuff and the potential to be awesome. I thoroughly look forward to the next book!

Book Review: The Perks Of Being A Wallflower; Stephen Chbosky

I am feeling so smug that I managed to finish this book before the end of February, and can get the review up for you guys this soon! I'm using this one as an entry for a couple of challenges. Firstly, the 'Jumble Your Genres' challenge asked for participants to read a book from the Contemporary genre, and this one fits perfectly into that category. Secondly, it was 232 pages in all and that means it can be entered into the 'Quick Fix Challenge' as a short story. Buttons for those, as usual, at the bottom of this post!

SOURCE: Bought
TYPE: Paperback

TITLE: The Perks Of Being A Wallflower
AUTHOR: Stephen Chbosky
SERIES: --
PUBLISHER: Pocket Books
PAGES: 232
GENRE: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

RATING: 4/5 Stars


Blurb:

Charlie is a freshman. And while he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it. Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all he requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. But Charlie can't stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.

What I Liked:

• There are a lot of uncomfortable and often rarely talked about issues covered in this book. Mental health, sexual abuse, domestic violence, sexuality. Chbosky deals with all of these in a very sensitive way that touches the heart.
• The story-line itself, the build-up towards the end, is great. Often times, a book can lose itself. This book has so many sub-plots because it is being told from the perspective of a boy that likes to watch rather than take part. Yet Chbosky doesn't lose any in the process, he manages to keep each thread of the story going and ties them off wonderfully at the end. Once the plot-line got going, it really took off and I couldn't put the book down.
• The characters were fantastic! I loved Charlie, Patrick, Sam, even Mary-Elizabeth despite her irritating behaviour. They were all unique, memorable and so fun to read. Patrick especially, his humour is great! The portrayal of Charlie's family too was very well done. Often, parents are written as unlikeable, naggy, strict or embarrassing. I thought that Charlie's parents, despite having very obvious flaws, were still written in such a way that you couldn't help but like them. They felt like actual human beings rather than just side characters.

What I Disliked:

• The pace at the beginning. I was so excited for this book, but I found the first part so hard to get into. It was slow, and took a while to find it's pace. I struggled with it at first. This is to do with the sub-plotting involved. Every time Charlie would start us on one plot-line, he would move onto another, then another. I felt like I was reading lots of different beginnings which didn't seem to be going anywhere. This effect, I might add, was short-lived but still something that I didn't like about it.

Overall Conclusion:

Yes, I did have problems with this book. At first I thought I wasn't going to enjoy it and would have to rate it low. But as time went on, I grew to like it more and more. The story-line was captivating, and the characters so well written. I really did enjoy it and I would definitely recommend it, there are so many good points to it!