September Wrap-Up and October TBR

  It's that time of year again!  Fall is most definitely in the air and that means darker reading material.  I'm hoping to put more of a dent in my reading goals this month, considering it took me almost an entire month to finish Empire of Storms (more on that later).  I've been trying to get my schoolwork under control as well, which also includes some reading, so making time to read has been difficult with everything else going on.  Let's get into the books I managed to finish last month and the books I plan on reading this month.

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    The first book I finished last month was And I Darken by Kiersten White.  This book is a historical fiction gender-bend story about the life of Vlad the Impaler.  I haven't read historical fiction in awhile, so I wanted to try and branch out and away from fantasy literature for a whole two minutes.  This book was better than I had anticipated.  I am not familiar with the author's other works, if there are any, but I found her writing style to be pleasant and easy to read, but still complex in its world-building and description of the characters.  It's a familiar story, but White twists it so that it is also unfamiliar, by making Vlad into Lada, a blood-thirsty warrior princess who's out for revenge against her father and her Ottoman captors.  I also found the portrayal of Islam to be fascinating.  I'm very interested in religion and the history of religion so this was an interesting presence to see in this book, especially with its historic context.  I also really liked Radu and his conflicting emotions about turning on his own religion, his family and his feelings.  It was a really satisfying read and I will be looking out for the sequel whenever it comes out.  I gave this book a 4 out of 5 stars.

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    The second and last book I managed to complete (in the nick of time) was Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas.  This is the 5th book in the Throne of Glass series and IT WAS AMAZING as usual.  There isn't really much I can say about this book without spoilers because it's the second to last book in this series (cue the waterworks) but I can tell you that the continuation of the story was a little more hectic that before.  I wasn't necessarily drawn to the main characters as much as I was the side characters, and that pretty much seems to be the theme with other readers who have reviewed this book.  We spent a lot of time on the coast and barely any of it in Adarlan, where we spent the last few books.  The character development in this book was its strong point, as Sarah has a way with writing fabulous side characters and romance.  A lot of my favorite ships have docked in the harbor or flown away on top of a Wyvern, so we'll wait and see what happens in the finale but I'M STILL NOT READY SARAH.  I gave this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

    Now for my over-reaching reading goals for the month of October:

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    The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski is book one in The Winner's Trilogy and follows our main character Kestrel as she attempts to avoid joining the military in a militarized society.  Kestrel ends up purchasing a slave at auction by accident (?) and immediately regrets her decision.  Arin, the slave in question, is indifferent towards his new master and really doesn't listen to orders.  Because of their unique personalities, Kestrel and Arin begin to bond and form an unlikely friendship, but when it turns into something more, Kestrel and Arin must sacrifice everything for the betterment of their people.  I have already read this book (I finished it in four days) but I'll save my extended thoughts for the wrap-up.

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    Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo is currently in my possession and I CAN'T HANDLE THE EXCITEMENT.  I didn't think I would be this excited about a book, especially since I wasn't expecting to love this first one as much as I did.  This book is the finale in Bardugo's duology about a rag-tag team of thieves and criminals as they attempt to complete the heist they started in book one.  Everyone has debts to settle, revenge to exact, and money to earn.  I hope we get some closure for our characters in this book, but all I'm expecting is heartbreak and death.  Should be a fun ride!

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     The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater is the second book in The Raven Cycle series.  It's been about a year since I finished the first book and it seems like a great series to continue with this month considering its spooky nature.  Our friends are still working out the mystery of Glendower as they also deal with Ronan's revelation about his dream-thieving.  But Ronan isn't the only one who's interested in his abilities.  I have no idea where this story is going, so I'm excited to find out!

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    Lastly, I want to try to get to A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir.  Since I finished the first book a few months ago, I've been dying to read the next installment.  This second book this series follows Elias and Laia as they run from the law, including Elias's best friend Helene, who is now the new Emperor Marcus's Blood Shrike.  It looks like it will be a test of survival and loyalty, which I can't wait to read.

    This is actually a pretty ambitious TBR for me, so we'll see if I can get to everything.  So far I'm on book #2, so if I can keep up the pace, I may make it!  What are you reading this month?  If you've already read some of these books, what did you think?  Let me know in the comments below.  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

September TBR

    Welcome back!  I can't believe it's already September.  This month always signifies the start of fall, which is my favorite month of the year, and not just because of the weather and the cider donuts.  September also has a lot of great releases for books usually, so I'm eager to get my hands on a few of those in the coming weeks.  I officially start classes this week and I'm actually pretty excited about both of my courses, so hoping to incorporate some of what I'm reading for fun into my coursework.  Here's my modest list of books I hope to get to this month.

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    And I Darken by Kiersten White has one of the most beautiful covers I've ever seen.  I MEAN LOOK AT THAT COVER GUYS.  I really hope this is on ongoing theme for the other covers that will grace this series.  Artwork aside, I have had my eye on this book since it was announced.  The premise intrigued me and obviously the cover had me at hello, so I had to pick this up.  A not-exactly-entirely-accurate YA historical fiction focusing on a gender-swapped Vlad the Impaler?  Shut up and take my money.  I started this book on September 1st and I'm about half way through and I can safely say that I'll be reading the sequel.  The characters are really intriguing (and somewhat annoying at times) and I'm really interested in where the story is going, based on historical facts and the author's interpretation.  Definitely enjoying this one so far!

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    Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas is coming out TOMORROW AND HONESTLY I CAN'T WAIT ANOTHER SECOND.  I will be driving to the book store directly after work to buy this immediately and start devouring it with my eyes.  If you aren't already aware, I'm a HUGE Maas fan and I think I can speak for everyone in this fandom when I say that we've been waiting for book #5 for what seems like forever, (when in reality it's probably only been a year which is a totally acceptable deadline for Queen Maas I guess but whatever).  If you're new to this or haven't even read Throne of Glass yet and have been living a lie under a rock somewhere, then I'll very briefly summarize.  Celaena Sardothien, the best assassin in the realm, is given the opportunity to prove her worth in a contest to become the King's Champion, setting in motion a bunch of shit that hits the proverbial fan with both glorious and terrifying repercussions.  At this point I can't say much without spoiling everything, but there's a lot of Fae, hand-to-hand combat, romance, murder, court intrigue, and witty banter, which is basically everything you need in a high-fantasy series.  Plus a kick-ass protagonist with a score to settle and a taste for luxury isn't bad either.  Do yourself a favor if you haven't and start from the beginning; you won't be disappointed.

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    The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkowski came out what feels like a million years ago but everyone has been telling me that I'll love it so I decided why the heck not?  This series follows a girl named Kestrel, who lives in a realm that values war above all other things.  Kestrel is a general's daughter who's fate seems already sealed, until she buys an unusual slave at an auction.  Soon everything she has worked for is being threatened and she must sacrifice everything in the name of love.  Seems like your typical plot structure for a court-centered YA fantasy novel, but I'm willing to give it a shot, even if I can already tell where it'll lead me.  Better late than never!

    Alrighty, those are all the books that I'm committing to this month.  Are you excited for Empire of Storms?  Have you read The Winner's Curse already?  What did you think?  What are you all reading this month?  Let me know in the comments and I'll catch you all later!  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

May Wrap-Up

    Hey everyone.  I know it's like the middle of the month, but I've been way busier with schoolwork than I anticipated (summer courses, amirite?).  Anyway, since I completely missed the beginning of the month, I thought I would grace you guys with at least one blog post this month.  Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be getting to a June TBR, but that just means I'll be doing a mystery wrap-up, hopefully on time this time.  I read four books in May, so let's get started!

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    This book was EVERYTHING I HAD HOPED IT WOULD BE AND SO MUCH MORE.  Honestly, I'm not even kidding when I say this was already the best book I read this year.  A Court of Mist and Fury certainly lived up to all the hype.  This book tackled all the issues that weren't really present (but possibly hinted at) in the first installment of this series.  We see Feyre and other characters struggling with PTSD after the events that took place in ACOTAR.  I was surprised to see so many relevant social issues addressed in this YA fantasy book.  I LOVED the character development and it really propelled the story forward.  All of the new characters and their backgrounds were really fun to read and I loved the dynamic among all of them (Night Court squad goals for sure).  The story line began very similarly to ACOTAR with Feyre being taken against her will as per the bargain she made with Rhysand in the previous book.  Without giving too much away, the characters all learn a lot more about themselves, their abilities and their feelings throughout this book.  I couldn't put it down and I immediately began re-reading it upon finishing.  I laughed, ugly-cried and screamed during this book, so you probably will too.  Sarah J. Maas does not disappoint.  She is my queen.  Rhys is the fae version of Will Herondale (FIGHT ME).  10 out of 5 stars.  Take me to the Night Court forever please.

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    Tell the Wind and Fire was a book I was hesitant about at first, but decided to read anyway.  I have mixed feelings about it.  For one, the beginning is very slow and I wasn't entirely sold on this futuristic version of New York City.  Despite the fact that it was set in a place I've been to, I still had trouble picturing the entire setting.  The characters were also not relatable and sometimes downright frustrating to read about.  Some of the choices the characters make throughout the book made me want to scream.  I really only liked Carwyn because he was the ONLY character with substance and personality.  I ate up the end of this book.  The last five or so chapters went by very quickly and I found myself unable to put the book down.  The ending was sad but expected, based on the original.  I wanted to like it more than I did because it was advertised as a retelling of A Tale of Two Cities and like the sucker I am for The Infernal Devices, I dove into it without thinking.  Maybe if I had actually read the original, I would have liked it more?  Maybe not.  I ended up giving this a 2.5 out of 5 stars.

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    Gathering Darkness and Frozen Tides are the third and fourth books in the Falling Kingdom series.  These books were very different in the aspect of plot and had more character development for certain characters.  Gathering Darkness moved a bit slower for me than Frozen Tides, but they are both middle books in a series, so it's to be expected.  This series is all about the characters and is very similar to Game of Thrones and other books that follow multiple perspectives, which really makes the series interesting.  I really liked the development of Cleo and Magnus (I am so Team Magnus's Happiness).  I've begun to hate Jonas more than I wanted to, but his character has become very annoying and he's definitely not the same rebel he was in the first book.  I think all of the failure he's experiencing is ruining his spirit, but I'm hoping his luck turns around in book five, which will come out this fall.  I love this series because everything can change so quickly and you never know what's going to happen.  We get to visit a different kingdom in Frozen Tides, so it was interesting to see a different side of this world we haven't seen before.  I'm eagerly awaiting the next book!  I gave Gathering Darkness a 4 out of 5 stars and Frozen Tides a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

    Those are all the books I read in May.  Like I said before, I'll be doing a June wrap-up at the end of this month and prepping my July reading list for the summer very soon.  Right now it looks like I'll be reviewing at least two books, so you'll have to wait and see which ones I chose.  I can't wait to have a chance to read more!  I'll also hopefully have time to blog a little more.  I'll be starting to blog for my library on their reader's advisory blog for the books I've been reading, so stay tuned for more information on that.  Have a great Father's Day weekend everyone!  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

April Wrap-Up and May TBR

    Hey everyone!  I feel like it's been awhile, but it's only been a month.  I just finished my classes for the spring semester and it was a HECTIC last week.  I had about three major projects (two group ones) due last week all around the same time and it was crazy.  Luckily I now have a few weeks off before my summer course starts, so I'm looking forward to not having too many responsibilities this month.  That being said, I am excited that I'll have more time to read all the books I have planned for this month!  I decided to combine my wrap-up and TBR because I only read two books last month, so I didn't think it was necessary to make two posts.  I am planning on reading 4 books this month, so we'll see if I can handle that.  Let's get started!

APRIL WRAP-UP

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    The first book I read last month was A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab.  This book was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and it definitely did not disappoint.  I enjoyed this book because we got to get a different look at the world we've already been introduced to from A Darker Shade of Magic.  In this second book we follow Kel and the repercussions of his actions from the events of the first book.  He's struggling inwardly with his decisions and what has become of his life in the castle.  We also get to follow Delilah Bard as she embarks on her quest to see the world(s).  The magical competition storyline was a nice contrast to the gritty, action-packed storyline of the first book.  Not to say there wasn't a lot of action in this one, but we see more of the political side to the world.  The alternating perspectives of the characters flowed really nicely and I was entertained throughout.  I can't believe how it ended, but I'll be eagerly waiting for the third (and final?) book in this series, whilst crying in a corner...  I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.

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    The second and last book I read this month was Uprooted by Naomi Novik.  I've had this book on my TBR shelf for awhile and finally got the nerve and time to pick it up.  I had heard great things about the story and that it was very fairytale-esq, which is was.  The book takes you in a completely different direction about half way through, so I was pleasantly surprised by that.  The book starts off with building the story, but not much world-building.  There are descriptions, but nothing concrete where I can actually picture something in my head.  The middle was great and I loved the chemistry between the Dragon and Nieszka.  Most of the time I'm pretty sure the Dragon resented her very existence, but she just went on not caring about a damn thing, so it was hilarious to see him get so frustrated with her all the time.  I did think that he bordered along the jerk line a bit though.  I thought that at some point he would express feelings for her (ANY feelings besides hatred or frustration) but he didn't...even after they shared an intimate connection.  He just reverted back to his usual self.  I was a little disappointed with that and the ending.  After chapter 30, I was done.  I loved the reveal at the end, but it took a long time to get there and too much descriptive narrative.  Overall I gave this book a 3 out of 5 stars.  I enjoyed most of it, but I'm sad that it's only a stand alone.

MAY TBR

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    The first book I'm reading this month is OBVIOUSLY A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas who has my life in her hands.  I actually went to the bookstore when I got out of work yesterday and bought the book so I could read it immediately.  This is easily my most anticipated book of the year, by far.  This book is the second one in Maas's new fantasy series, the first being A Court of Thorns and Roses, (which is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast and RUINED MY LIFE).  ACOMAF takes place after the events of the first book, so if you haven't read ACOTAR yet, GO READ IT, because there may be spoilery territory ahead.  Anyway, this book follows Feyre after the events of the first book, which left her broken.  She has also been bound by oath to the High Lord of the Night Court, whom she doesn't trust at all.  Her loyalties will be tested and tried as she navigates both the light and dark worlds she feels drawn to.  I've been hearing that this one is a retelling of the Persephone myth, which is one of my favorites.  For those of you who don't know, Persephone was married against her will to Hades, the God of the Underworld.  She spends half her time down there with him and the other half on Earth, which is an explanation of the seasons in Greek mythology, (the very abridged version...just Google it).  Anyway, since Feyre has to spend at least some time with Rhysand (SWOON) in his Court, I can only see this affecting Feyre in some major way.  Her love for Tamlin is obvious, but is it enough?  We shall see.  I literally haven't even started the book yet because I'm scared that I won't be able to stop...  SO EXCITED.

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    The next book on my list is Tell the Wind and Fire by Sarah Rees Brennan.  This book was kind of a random pick based on the retelling alone.  Since reading and obsessing over everything Shadowhunters, mainly The Infernal Devices, I've been trying to get back into classics like A Tale of Two Cities.  This book apparently retells this story, which I am very keen on.  I don't know too much about it other than that, so I'm going into this blind outside of the summary.  The main character's name is even Lucie!  This book should have a lot of angst, revolution and romance, which I am all game for.  Bring it on!

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    I will also FINALLY be reading Gathering Darkness by Morgan Rhodes, which is book three in her high-fantasy series Falling Kingdoms.  Think GoT, but with teenagers and lots of magic.  I won't go into too much detail here because this is the middle of the series and I've already read the first two, so a lot has happened, as you can imagine.  There are at least four main perspectives with a few more minor characters' thrown in for good measure.  Rebels, witches, royals and gods erupt in a kingdom-wide conflict to rule.  I also have book four in this series and I'm contemplating finishing it before the next one comes out in December.

    I am torn on the last book I want to read, so it could end up being a toss up between a few I've been eyeing for some time.  Like I said, I may just finish the Falling Kingdoms series to get caught up, or I could choose something else.  I've been thinking about either Six of Crows or The Dream Thieves, since I've only read the first book in The Raven Cycle and they just released the last book (which is BEAUTIFUL btw).  Anyway, I have a huge decision to make, but I think I'll leave my fourth book up to chance, if I can even get that far.  We'll see!

    So what do you guys think?  Which book should I read for my fourth pick?  Would you choose something completely different?  What are you reading in May?  Leave me a comment down below!  I may even post something extra this month on account of my free time...check back to find out.  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

Most Anticipated Books of 2016

  Happy New Year everyone!  I'm glad that 2015 is coming to a close; it was a very stressful year full of academic woes and health issues.  I know this sounds cliche, but it feels like I'm starting from scratch in 2016.  I should only have about a year of recovery left after this year, (which will probably be more like two, but I'm optimistic for once), I just started my ideal job at the library and I'll be starting my Library and Information Science degree at URI at the end of the month, officially beginning my career as a librarian.  I feel like I can finally relax now and get on with my life instead of waiting around for nothing.  I can finally move forward now that I know exactly what I want for myself.  That being said, I hope that whatever your goals for 2016 may be that you achieve them with gusto.  I have a bad habit of not following through, so I try not to make promises, even to myself.  My only resolution for next year is to stay alive, which I think I can manage.
    This year, as I discussed in my previous post, we had a lot of great books.  This coming year is no exception, which is why I wanted to highlight some of my most anticipated books of 2016.  This is a list solely based on what I am personally excited about, not necessarily a list of ALL the popular books coming out next year, (that would be a very long post and one I don't think many people would get through).  I'll mention each book in the order in which they will be released and then I will note my top three most anticipated books for next year.  I will also link each title to it's Goodreads page for those of you who want to read more about each book and check them out!

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    Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard:  Aveyard saw success last year with her best-selling book Red Queen, which is the first book in this series.  I read her first book and really enjoyed the story and the characters.  Mare Barrow has been revealed to the kingdom as a red-blooded normal girl with the silver ability to control lightning, which is considered an abomination.  After the kingdom suffers a blow and the new King Maven is appointed to the throne, he'll stop at nothing to get to Mare back.  Mare seeks to find more of her own kind in order to build an army to fight back against the vindictive new king.  This book sounds a lot more action-packed than the first, so I'm hoping that's true.  I'm also curious to see what the aftermath of the shocking twist of the end will look like.  Glass Sword comes out February 9th.

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    The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine:  This book intrigued me because it's a retelling of Snow White and sounds very similar to the Snow White story line from Once Upon a Time.  Our main character, Lorelai, is a princess who possesses magic, but has been banished from her kingdom of Ravenspire after the evil Queen took her throne and killed her father.  In a neighboring kingdom, Prince Kol is propositioned by the evil Queen of Ravenspire after a band of magical ogres kill his family and he is left unprotected.  She promises him magical assistance in exchange for his services in hunting down Lorelai and bringing back her heart.  This sounds incredibly juicy and the addition of magic to this story makes it even better.  I love the idea of a courageous and completely independent Snow White-like character, so I'm hoping Lorelai is the champion we deserve from this story.  The Shadow Queen debuts February 16th.

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    A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab:  I have been waiting for this book for a long time!  It feels like I read A Darker Shade of Magic ages ago, but it was only last January, almost a year ago.  LOOK AT THAT COVER THOUGH.  This is the second book in this adult fantasy series and follows Kell, the last of his kind of magicians who can travel between alternate universes.  It has been four months since the events at the end of the first book and all seems well.  Kell has given up smuggling between dimensions and is preparing for the Element Games, a pageant to keep pleasant ties between countries, including Red London, Kell's home.  But Black London is stirring after the unfortunate events from four months ago and Delilah is on her way back from her trials at sea at the least opportune moment.  I have very high expectations for this book, so I hope it lives up to them.  A Gathering of Shadows comes out February 23rd.

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    Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare:  Although I won't have to wait too long between books for this one, (seeing as I finished City of Heavenly Fire in November of this year), I am still planning on going to the closest book store and buying it immediately upon its release.  As you all know by now, I am OBSESSED with the Shadowhunters series and this is Clare's next installment.  This new series takes place at the Los Angeles institute five years after the events in City of Heavenly Fire.  Emma Carstairs has been determined to find out what happened to her murdered parents.  She lives at the institute with the Blackthorn family, including her parabatai and best friend Julian, who lost his father five years ago as well.  Mundanes and Downworlders are being murdered around Los Angeles and they look eerily familiar to Emma's parents' own murder.  In order to find out what's happening and determine the connection between the murders, the Shadowhunters and the Fair Folk will initiate an uneasy alliance in order to stop the bloodshed.  If all goes according to plan, The Fair Folk will release one of the Blackthorns they have held captive for the past five years.  The stakes are high, but will they succeed in time?  Forbidden love, a race against time and a Downworlder feud for the ages make this story sound irresistible.  With the TV show set to start in 12 days and this new book I CAN'T WAIT FOR MORE SHADOWHUNTERS!  Lady Midnight comes out March 8th.

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    A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas:  OH MY GOD THIS BOOK.  I've wanted this book since the minute I finished ACOTAR and the NEED IS STRONG.  As you know, ACOTAR was my favorite book of 2015, so I have just cause to want this book.  This will be the second book in this new trilogy, (?), by Maas, who has become one of my favorite authors.  Feyre is struggling with her guilt after the events that took place at the end of the first book.  She has paid a heavy price for her freedom and the freedom of the High Fae she now calls friends.  Feyre also has to hold up her end of her bargain with the High Fae of the Night Court, the powerful Rhysand.  Feyre will have a chance to use her powers for good and prevent a great evil from striking the Night Court.  I have heard that this book may include elements of the Persephone mythology, much like the first book was a nod to Beauty and the Beast.  I want there to be a love triangle SO BAD.  Does that make me a horrible person?  Personally, I'm all for Rhysand and whatever he wants to do, so bring it on!  I can't see how I could be disappointed in this book and it's still so far away!  A Court of Mist and Fury comes out May 3rd.

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   Paper and Fire by Rachel Caine:  I read the first book in The Great Library series, Ink and Bone, this past year and really enjoyed the alternative reality that would be our present if The Great Library of Alexandria still existed.  The Great Library controls the knowledge of the world and Jess Brightwell has gone from a child smuggler of rare books to a soldier in the Library's army.  All is not as it seems and Jess soon finds himself in trouble again, fleeing Alexandria, away from the girl he loves, home to London in order to escape the Library's automata.  He must use his quick thinking skills to survive and decide where his loyalties truly lie.  The first book was a bit slow paced, but I'm hoping this will have a lot more action in it.  Paper and Fire comes out July 5th.

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    Throne of Glass #5 (no title) by Sarah J. Maas:  Maas is so important to me that she made my list twice!  After reading Queen of Shadows in 2015 and I can't wait to see where the story goes from here.  Aelin has succeeded in asserting herself on the throne in her own kingdom, but will she hold her people's adoration for long?  Magic and non-magic people are feuding and the remaining kingdoms of Erilea are beginning to shatter.  In order to save her world from looming dark forces, she must embark on a quest that may endanger those she holds dear.  There are going to be a total of six books in this series, so the synopsis definitely sounds like the beginning of the end for Aelin's adventures.  I'm praying for a happy ending for all of my precious cinnamon rolls, (talking about you Dorian!)  Although there's no title or picture for this book yet, I did find something pretty sweet while I was snooping for some inside info.  There has been talk of the Throne of Glass series being optioned as a TV series!  I'm praying that this becomes a reality, but only if it's similar to Game of Thrones.  There's an article that talks a little about this development from September with recommendations for casting.  Check it out in the link here!  Book five in the Throne of Glass series debuts September 6th.

(goodreads.com)

    The Song Rising by Samantha Shannon:  There's no picture for this book either, plus a really pathetic synopsis, but considering the release date I'm not surprised.  This will be the third, (and final?), installment to the Bone Season series.  This series follows Paige Mahoney as she discovers her incredible clairvoyant powers as well as an alien invasion, a crime lord murder and a secret government plot.  There's a lot going on in this series so it's difficult to summarize, but basically Paige has to save everyone and ignore her feelings.  There's a revolution starting in Scion London and Paige, as the new Mime Lord of her sector, she is in charge of protecting her new subjects.  Someone is out there to prevent Paige from succeeding, an enemy of her past.  Will she finally be strong enough to stop the onslaught of destruction?  This adult series has really surprised me and although it took me a long time to finish the first book, I really enjoyed it.  The story is original, complex and intriguing in the way both sci-fi and fantastical elements collide in a whirlwind of action.  I'm really excited to see where this ends.  The Song Rising comes out November 3rd.

    Overall, my top three books that I'm most anticipating for 2016 are A Court of Mist and Fury, Lady Midnight and the fifth Throne of Glass book, in that order.  Those are the series that I'm most obsessed with at the moment, so those are the books I'm going to focus most of my energy on in the coming year.  Luckily I won't have to wait too long for Lady Midnight!  What books are you eagerly anticipating in the new year?  Are you pumped about any on my list?  Let's discuss in the comments below or you can hit me up on any of my social media platforms.  I hope everybody has fun at the various New Year's celebrations tonight.  See you all in 2016!  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

December Wrap-Up and My Favorite Books of 2015

    I hope everyone had a great holiday break!  Christmas in New England was a bit warmer than I would have liked, (I'm pretty sure it hit 60 degrees), but it was still nice to spend time with family.  Today we finally got some snow, so it actually feels like December.  Not only did I make bank in Barnes and Noble gift cards, but I scored some of my favorite books as well!  Unfortunately, since starting my new job and preparing for Christmas, I barely had time to read this month.  I only read three books you guys, which to me is really disappointing.  I thoroughly misjudged how much time I could spend reading, so I'm going to take that into consideration for next month and be a little more modest with my reading list.  That being said, since I'm only reviewing three books, I thought I would talk about my favorite books I read in 2015 before we close out the year.

Reviews

(goodreads.com)

    Flamecaster by Cinda Williams Chima:  This book was an ARC, (Advanced Reader Copy), given to me by the staff at the bookstore when I worked there a month ago.  I had mentioned that I had read and loved Chima's Seven Realms series, so they thought I would like this new series of hers, which takes place a generation after the events of The Crimson Crown.  They were totally right!  The setting is the same, but the royal family is ravaged by war and assassination threats.  I also thought that Delphi reminded me a lot of District 12 from The Hunger Games series with the poverty and the mines.  Within the first two chapters I was crying...  I decided that I probably shouldn't have read this book directly after reading the last book in the original series.  I liked Adrian, ("Ash), but he's nowhere near as witty and dangerous as his father Han.  There were a lot of nods to original characters, like Amon Byrne and Fire Dancer, which I liked.  Another thing I liked about this book is the introduction of dragons and also potentially dragon half-breeds, which would be very interesting.  The only thing I thought wasn't right about this book was the fact that Ash left home without passing along his father's message to his mother Raisa.  I know from the other books that Raisa would want to know that her son is OK, so it struck me as odd that he would leave without saying anything to her.  I can't wait to read the next book in the series, but since this book isn't even coming out until April next year, I think I'll have to wait a really long time for the second book.  Oh well!  I gave this one a solid 4 out of 5 stars.  Thanks for breaking my heart Cinda...

(goodreads.com)

    Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo:  Honestly, I was expecting more from this book.  I had heard mixed reviews and people either loved it or hated it, but I'm really in neither camp at this point.  I had trouble pronouncing almost every word in this book, which made it a bit harder to get into.  I understood the story line, but wasn't very interested or invested in any of the characters.  The Darkling was the only character I was really drawn to because he stood out the most to me.  There wasn't as much world building as other books I've read either.  There was also almost no action outside of The Fold, mostly just court drama, which I enjoy to a point, but there really wasn't much going on inside the castle either.  I really like Genya as well because she had a bit of spunk to her.  Overall, I don't know if I'll continue with this series or not, but I have heard better things about Bardugo's Six of Crows, so I may pick that up and give it a try instead.  I gave this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.

(goodreads.com)

    Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta:  I thoroughly enjoyed this book and in comparison to the first one, Finnikin of the Rock, I'd say it's better.  The story was a lot more intense and there was much more character development on Froi's end.  I didn't understand Froi's purpose as a character in the first book, but now he seems more important than Finnikin or Isaboe are.  I loved hearing his story from that perspective and dropping by Lumatere every once in awhile to see how everyone else is doing.  Charyn was an interesting setting, although I had trouble picturing it at times.  Quintana was also a very interesting character, although I had trouble understanding her until the middle of the book.  The entire book was action-packed and full of inner turmoil, but the ending is where everything went to hell in a hand basket...  All of it just fell apart and people died and got shot and kidnapped and everything.  Poor Froi!  I will most likely be reading the next and final book in this series, Quintana of Charyn, to see where this all ends.  I gave this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Favorites

    Now it's time to recap my favorite books from this year.  A lot of these are probably going to be repeats that I talk about all the damn time, so I won't go into too much detail.  I read a lot of great books this year, so I narrowed it down to 8 books/series.  These are in the order of when I read them, from January to December.

(goodreads.com)

    The Bone Season series:  This was the first great book I read this year, way back in January.  I loved the world and I loved the story, which involved a criminal underworld of supernatural beings in a Dystopian London as well as alien invasion.  There was even a love story, so how could you go wrong?  The Mime Order was a great follow up to the first novel, which I also read this year.  Focusing more on the criminal underworld of Scion London, this book dove more into government conspiracies and gang-lord hierarchy.  Looking forward to finishing this trilogy next year!

(goodreads.com)

    A Darker Shade of Magic:  Another adult fantasy book that I really enjoyed this year.  Look at that cover!  I love alternative dimensions, so this book, coupled with magic, is right up my alley.  A mysterious magician, one of only two of his kind left in the world, travels between alternative Londons in parallel universes delivering messages and smuggling goods for his employer, the king.  When he meets a girl looking for a way out of her mundane life, all hell breaks loose.  I am very excited to continue with this series next year!

(goodreads.com)

    A Court of Thorns and Roses:  What can I say about this book that I haven't already said?  Easily my favorite book of the year, hands down, just narrowly edging out Clockwork Princess for that spot.  Faeries, Beauty and the Beast trope, witty, confident, huntress leading lady, evil queens, action, romance, etc.  EVERYTHING is well done.  I'm so glad I got this one for Christmas so I can read it again before the sequel comes out next year in May.  THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD.  Read it if you haven't already.  Sarah J. Maas is the best.

(goodreads.com)

    Throne of Glass series:  I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I decided to pick up Throne of Glass this year.  I blew through this series and now it's one of my favorites.  A young female assassin is promised her freedom for participating in a pageant to become the King's Champion.  That competition is the catalyst for all the events in this series so far.  It's grown leaps and bounds from where they started and all the characters have had some serious development, but it's all for the better.  I'm eagerly waiting for the fifth book to come out next year.

(goodreads.com)

    The Infernal Devices series:  Again, what can I say about this series that I haven't already said?  I'm currently rereading it because I got all three of them for Christmas and I CAN'T GET ENOUGH WILL HERONDALE.  Out of all the series I read this year, this one is by far my favorite.  It was hilarious, terrible, heartbreaking, and romantic as hell.  Add some angels and demons and angry robot overlords and you have yourself a fantastic story.  I can honestly say that this series changed my life and how I feel about reading.  I know that's really profound to say, but I haven't felt this way about books since Harry Potter, so I'd say it's a big deal.  Shout out and thank you to my friend Heather for insisting I read these books before reading The Mortal Instruments because it made me love those books that much more.  I wish I could be a Shadowhunter...  Or if I could just have Will that would be great.  Follow me on Instagram for posts of some of the funniest passages from the books!

(goodreads.com)

    The Mortal Instruments series:  I loved this world so much that I decided to immerse myself in it.  This was the fastest I've ever read a series, nine books, (both The Infernal Devices and The Mortal Instruments), in two weeks.  I loved that this series mentioned and paid homage to the prequel series, even though it took place in present day New York.  I am eagerly awaiting January 12th for the Shadowhunters television premiere.

(goodreads.com)

    The Night Circus:  This book was magical and enchanting in all the right ways.  I loved everything about it, from the story to the time period to the characters.  It was beautifully written and heartbreakingly tragic, but in a good way.

(goodreads.com)

    The Seven Realms series:  The last book(s) on my favorites list are by Cinda Williams Chima, who writes a very epic and gripping fantasy story.  Another recommendation by my friend Heather put to good use.  I was invested in the characters from the beginning and I loved watching them grow into themselves throughout the books.  I've already been spoiled with an ARC of the sequel series, so I'll have to wait longer for more of this world, but it'll be worth it.

    That's it for me today.  Did any of your favorite books from this year make my list?  What are your favorite reads from 2015?  Let me know in the comments below.  Thursday I'll be talking about my most anticipated books of 2016!  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

September Wrap-Up

    Hey y'all, it's that time of the month again!  September was a great month of reading for me and I'm honestly surprised by how much I've grown as a reader just in the last few months.  I used to read all the time for hours like this when I was younger and stopped sometime during middle school, so this experience is sort of like reliving my lost childhood, but not really.  Anyway, I read a total of 8 books this month, which is pretty impressive if I do say so myself.  I'm hoping to get my reading goals up to about 10 books a month, but with school looming over my head, I think 8 is the highest I'll see for awhile.  That being said, let's get the reviewing under way.

    The Darkest Minds: As I was trying to break up my fantasy book haul with other genres, I looked for a dystopian book that would catch my interests and this one did not disappoint.  Taking place in a society where most children die before the age of 9 and those who survive are cursed with weird powers, Darkest Minds follows a teenager named Ruby as she's cast aside by her family and sent to a prison camp for children with special abilities.  She escapes only to run into other teens like herself, graced with powerful abilities, and attempts to learn how to control hers.  I thought the most interesting part of this book was the character development throughout the story.  I didn't sense a lot of world building going on, seeing as they are technically located within the United States, West Virginia and the surrounding states to be exact.  The book also started off a little slow for me and I was initially confused with the point of view before she came to Thurmond, (the prison camp).  I enjoyed the book much more after she joins her friends.  There were some dark moments in this book that I wasn't expecting, but should have expected due to the apocalyptic, dystopian nature of this book.  I enjoyed this book, so I think I will continue with the series and see where it takes me.  I gave it 4 out f 5 stars.

    Red Queen:  This book also started off slow for me, but I enjoyed the second half much more than I had originally anticipated.  Red Queen is about a poor peasant girl living in the slums of a world ruled by silver-blooded elite who possess powers beyond those of mortal comprehension.  She is thrust into their world by chance and discovers she is a red-blooded girl with powers stronger than her silver-blooded counterparts.  This book picked up quickly after she is found out by the higher powers.  I enjoyed the pace of this book as well as the characters interacting with each other and the mischief they manage throughout the court atmosphere.  There's a lot of emotion in this book, so I'm hoping that they are making a second because I'd like to see what happens next.  I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars as well.

    The Queen of the Tearling:  I honestly expected to hate this book.  All the reviews I've read about it portray it as more of a political intrigue sort of book and not an action-packed adventure book.  They were partially correct.  I didn't love or hate this book, but I'm intrigued enough to attempt to read the second book, which just came out.  The Queen of the Tearling follows a young princess named Kelsea as she's escorted from the foster home she's known her whole life and into the bowels of her kingdom, inherited from her dead mother.  There's not a whole lot going on in this book.  The writing was decent, but there's not even a lot of political nonsense, let alone action.  We basically read about how she gets to her kingdom, how she begins her reign and how she deals with rebellion.  Mainly she talks to her Queen's Guard a lot.  There were some portions of the story with action involved and I loved the parts of the story that involved The Fetch, who is by far my favorite character so far.  Kelsea seemed pretty boring to me until the middle of the book.  The scenery and description I thought was great as well.  This book is very reminiscent of the Arya Stark/Hound story of Game of Thrones.  It didn't wow me, but I'm willing to try the sequel and see if it's better.  I gave it a 3 out of 5 stars.

(goodreads.com)

    Cruel Beauty:  I read this book hoping to quell my thirst for Beauty and the Beast stories and ACOTAR.  I ended up getting ACOTAR again anyway and re-reading it in 24 hours, but this story was decent as a retelling.  This book revolves around a girl named Nyx who has been betrothed to the Gentle Lord of her land since she was born because of a bargain her father made.  I didn't particularly care for the first part of the book, but it picked up after she gets to the castle.  Her main goal, because she can't escape her fate, is to seduce and kill this lord and save her people from a curse he inflicted on their lands.  However, once inside his castle, she is intrigued by him enough that her guard falls and she ends up loving him.  There is a lot more going on in this book than the surface tells you.  A lot of mystery, but also a lot of confusion.  There's a heavy influence of Greek mythology, which I didn't really understand.  There were also mentions of a "time before," which usually indicates a regressed society, but I'm not sure with this book.  There's no real action to speak of, but the two male characters are great.  I could have cared less about Nyx actually; she bored me at times and was way too loose with her mouth.  Ignifex is the best character, having a complex relationship with Nyx as well as himself.  Lots of bi-polar tendencies going on around here.  I gave this one a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

(goodreads.com)

    Crown of Midnight, Heir of Fire, and Queen of Shadows:  Yes, I read all of these PLUS The Assassin's Blade in the month of September.  I am OBSESSED with this series, to put it lightly.  I started with Crown of Midnight, which had lots of mystery, romance, suspense and action to propel the story.  I loved the chemistry between Chaol and Celaena, until it SHATTERED INTO A MILLION PIECES.  Poor Chaol...  I honestly felt bad for him, but I also felt bad for Celaena.  So much death!  There was a lot going on here and we finally know about Celaena's heritage.  I'm glad Chaol sent her away though, because she meets the immaculate Rowan in Heir of Fire, which was a great read!  It felt more like a middle novel than a third book, because of the change of scenery, which was still flawlessly rendered by Maas.  I felt bad for Celaena more in this book than any other and I did want to kill Rowan in the beginning for treating her so badly.  I also found Celaena to be really annoying for the first half of this book.  I thought the character development in this book exceeded any before it and we get to see sides of both characters that we haven't seen yet.  This was a very GOT style book.  By the end, I was in love with Rowan, (and so was Celaena), but DORIAN!!!!:(  That ending literally broke my heart.  When Aelin returns to Riftfold in Queen of Shadows, everything has changed, including her name.  This book was by far my favorite so far in this series.  I purchased it outright and read it twice!  ROWAN IS EVERYTHING.  I'm totally shipping that for real.  I also loved the revenge aspect of this book and the new characters introduced.  The only thing I didn't like was that Chaol was a raging douche almost the entire time.  I didn't like that he just got angry and refused to be nice at all.  I liked the progression of the Dorian and new Manon story lines intertwined with the actual story line.  The sexual tension in this book had me like whoa.  Hopefully that's resolved by the next book, in like a year, (oh God, I have to wait so long...).  I obviously gave all three of these books 5 stars because they are my life force.

    The Assassin's Blade:  This book was a tad different than the others.  I guess you're supposed to read this one before Heir of Fire, but I read it after Queen of Shadows, which I still found beneficial, especially since I read Queen of Shadows twice.  This book includes 5 novellas taking place during Celaena's life before she is broken out of Endovier by Prince Dorian.  I loved reading about the different adventures she went on and SAM CORTLAND OMG.  I have never felt more reluctant to read something, knowing what was going to happen to poor Sam.  It didn't make it easier, but I was envisioning something more grotesque and in-your-face.  I'm glad it wasn't detailed, but it still seemed pretty abrupt, especially since you knew what was going to happen anyway.  You understand so much more about her life after reading this book.  It's definitely worth the time and effort.  I gave it a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

    Those were all the books I managed to cram into the month of September.  Thursday I'll be going over my October tentative TBR list, (because I may read more than I anticipate, judging by this month).  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

Author Spotlight

    Hey everybody!  I had a really great idea to highlight a different author I love every so often, so I hope I can keep going throughout this blogging experience.  The idea came to me after finishing Queen of Shadows literally mere hours ago and I just can't wait to talk about how great this book is, so I'm highlighting Sarah J. Maas as my author this month.

(goodreads.com)

    It shouldn't come as much of a surprise to any of you, but I've grown to love Maas's writing over the last few months.  I started my love affair with her after reading the first book in her new series A Court of Thorns and Roses, (my review of that book should be in my Book Reviews section above).  I loved everything about that book, from the plot intermingling with the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale to the strong female lead character to the hot, steamy romance everywhere.  I didn't think I would be into all that stuff, but Maas proved me very wrong.  Although I started reading her books this July, I have almost caught up with everything she's written so far, save for The Assassin's Blade, (which I will desperately try to save for next month's TBR list, but I honestly don't know if I can stand it).  These books have made me love reading again in a way that I can only explain as being similar to my love for Harry Potter.  I was eager to get my hands on the next book in the series, painstakingly waiting each time they were released, read them in record time and craved more each time I finished one.  I was enthralled by the story line, the characters, the descriptions of the scenery, the world building around me, etc.  I didn't think I would ever feel this way about reading ever again, so these books mean a lot to me in that regard.

    Sarah J. Maas's characters are strong and complex, but still relatable.  At this point, after reading all of her books, her characters are also kind of predictable, but in a good way.  She enjoys the strong, independent female lead with a strong man on her arm or by her side to make the fighting easier.  Both female protagonists in the Throne of Glass and ACOTAR series are fighters, warriors in their own right as well as hunters, survivors.  They are also complex, with dark pasts that still haunt them, which is a conflict they must address in each of their stories.  I love how both protagonists have similar traits, but are still their own character.  I feel like Celaena/Aelin in the Throne of Glass series is a completely different person from Feyre in ACOTAR.  Maas usually has a lot of side characters to help or hinder her protagonists as well.  Although there are a lot of characters to watch out for, I've always felt that their side stories enhanced the experience of the main plot and contributed something to the story.  Everyone has a place and she knows exactly what to do with them.

    Maas's writing is terribly good.  I don't remember reading anything quite like it before.  She builds her worlds so thoroughly, you feel like you're actually there in the books, experiencing it first hand.  Again, something I remember from my days of reading Harry Potter.  Sometimes her writing can get a little over-dramatic, but the words she uses and the way she weaves them together 99% of the time have me screaming, "WHY CAN'T I WRITE LIKE THIS?!"  It's so fluid and natural for her, it's staggering how beautiful she paints a picture in your mind.  The descriptions within each book are incredible and well-thought out.  Character descriptions are solid and paint a decent picture of who you're looking at or talking to without giving everything away, so you can create a little bit of your own character too.  It's just stunning, how she writes and what she makes you feel while you're reading it.  I can't even...

(pulse2.com)

    I never thought I would be this into the fantasy genre either.  I knew that I liked things like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, but I spent a long time not reading, and when I did read, it would be contemporary or historical fiction.  I never thought that I would crave high fantasy literature like I once did.  Sometimes I wish I could take back the years I spent not reading for leisure and doing a disservice to myself in the process.  I held myself back from discovering books like these awhile ago, so I want to embrace anything and everything I can.  Sarah J. Maas has made it possible for me to crave reading again, to read day and night until I finish the damn book, so stay up until all hours of the night just to see what happens next.  It's a fantastic feeling, one that I missed, and one that Maas has given back to me in the best way.

    Have you read any of Sarah J. Maas's books?  What was a book you read growing up that made you love to read?  If you've read Queen of Shadows, or any of Maas's other books, let me know in the comments below so we can discuss.  Also, let me know who your favorite author is and maybe I'll give them a try.  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.