Showing posts with label book. Show all posts

Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh | Book Review




The only daughter of a prominent samurai, Mariko has always known she’d been raised for one purpose and one purpose only: to marry. Never mind her cunning, which rivals that of her twin brother, Kenshin, or her skills as an accomplished alchemist. Since Mariko was not born a boy, her fate was sealed the moment she drew her first breath.

So, at just seventeen years old, Mariko is sent to the imperial palace to meet her betrothed, a man she did not choose, for the very first time. But the journey is cut short when Mariko’s convoy is viciously attacked by the Black Clan, a dangerous group of bandits who’ve been hired to kill Mariko before she reaches the palace.

The lone survivor, Mariko narrowly escapes to the woods, where she plots her revenge. Dressed as a peasant boy, she sets out to infiltrate the Black Clan and hunt down those responsible for the target on her back. Once she’s within their ranks, though, Mariko finds for the first time she’s appreciated for her intellect and abilities. She even finds herself falling in love—a love that will force her to question everything she’s ever known about her family, her purpose, and her deepest desires.
---


“Be as swift as the wind. As silent as the forest. As fierce as the fire. As unshakable as the mountain. And you can do anything...” 


The last book that I read that had a feudal Japan setting was a mess. It was clearly written with the research of Japanese anime.

Flame in the Mist was no where near a mess, it was perfection. It is obvious that Adieh did her research based on history and not on anime. 

Flame in the Mist is about Mariko — the daughter of a powerful daimyo — being sent away to marry one of the son’s of the Emperor. On her way the carriage she was in gets destroyed and her entire escort gets murdered by the Black Clan. Soon everyone believes her dead, but Mariko escaped and pulls a Mulan. She infiltrates the Black Clan as she seeks revenge on the people who tried to kill her.

The entire story was set in feudal Japan, the Heain period to be exact. It was filled with mythology, samurai, geiko, sharp weapons, and tea ceremonies. Adieh weaves Japanese vocabulary into the story to give the reader a more Japanese feel. I think that readers that have no prior knowledge of Japan might be very confused with the terminology.

Unlike other YA fantasy novels Flame in the Mist is not all action, and the romance takes a somewhat back seat in the story. It is a subtle romance with no “You are my everything” intensity. The romance in this story was less of a big deal than your typical YA, breaking the story from its stereotypical YA mold. Flame in the Mist focuses more on gender expectations and how society expects each gender to act.

The plot itself was very character driven and amazing. The story was mostly told in Mariko’s POV and it always had me trying to search for answers along side Mariko. We were both in the dark and we both learned together. 

My all time favorite thing about the story was the character development Mariko goes through. I cannot go into too much detail because it is a key part of the story and spoilers. 

Then my least favorite part was the ending. It left too many questions, about character motives and the magic in the world. I understand this is the first book in the series but it is things being left in major climaxes and cliff hangers stress me out…a lot.

“I’ve never been angry to have been born a woman. There have been times I’ve been angry at how the world treats us, but I see being a woman as a challenge I must fight. Like being born under a stormy sky. Some people are lucky enough to be born on a bright summer’s day. Maybe we were born under clouds. No wind. No rain. Just a mountain of clouds we must climb each morning so that we may see the sun.” 


My Rating: 4.5/5
GoodReads
Amazon
book, book review, book talk,
Share:

The Bear and The Nightingale by Katherine Arden | Book Review



“We who live forever can know no courage, nor do we love enough to give our lives.”


At the edge of the Russian wilderness, winter lasts most of the year and the snowdrifts grow taller than houses. But Vasilisa doesn’t mind—she spends the winter nights huddled around the embers of a fire with her beloved siblings, listening to her nurse’s fairy tales. Above all, she loves the chilling story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon, who appears in the frigid night to claim unwary souls. Wise Russians fear him, her nurse says, and honor the spirits of house and yard and forest that protect their homes from evil.

After Vasilisa’s mother dies, her father goes to Moscow and brings home a new wife. Fiercely devout, city-bred, Vasilisa’s new stepmother forbids her family from honoring the household spirits. The family acquiesces, but Vasilisa is frightened, sensing that more hinges upon their rituals than anyone knows.

And indeed, crops begin to fail, evil creatures of the forest creep nearer, and misfortune stalks the village. All the while, Vasilisa’s stepmother grows ever harsher in her determination to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for either marriage or confinement in a convent.

As danger circles, Vasilisa must defy even the people she loves and call on dangerous gifts she has long concealed—this, in order to protect her family from a threat that seems to have stepped from her nurse’s most frightening tales.

—

“Nothing changes, Vasya. Things are, or they are not. Magic is forgetting that something ever was other than as you willed it.”


This book is magical. Fall into the lands of Russ and experience the stories told between its inhabitants. The Bear and the Nightingale is a Russian folklore re-telling, but to me is was just a whole new adventure I never thought I would embark on.

In this story we follow the story of Vasya, a spirited young girl who lives in a village where they honor the spirits with offerings for protections. Vasya is special because she can see and speak to these spirits. Unfortunately, these spirits begin to suffer along with the villagers when a priests comes to spread the new religion of the new God. A new evil is rising, ready to consume everything in its path…and only Vasya can save them all..

I personally don’t know a single russian folklore, so this retelling filled me with curiosity and want for more. Especially with Katherine Arden’s story telling style. She doesn’t just tell you a story but she poetically paints you a picture.

If that isn’t beautiful then I don’t know what is. Her gorgeous writing weaves the plot and the world building together so flawlessly that you do not realize the difference between plot and world building. The subtleness Arden creates in her writing is award worthy. Although there are moments that it feels like the story is dragging on because it may be confused with her world building.

“In the space between one breath and the next, the wind told him a tale: of life and death together, of a child born with the failing year. After and fainter, like an echo, the stranger heard a roar and crash, as of wave on rock. For the barest instant in the reeking hall, he smelled sun and salt and wet stone.”

I want to gush about all the amazing parts of this book, but I do not want to spoil the experience of reading this book…to anyone.

It is fresh. It is new. It is magical.


My Rating: 5/5
GR Rating: 4.18/5
GoodReads
Amazon
Book Depository

“You will walk a long road,” said Morozko. “If you have not the courage to meet it, better—far better—for you to die quiet in the snow. Perhaps I meant you a kindness.”
book, book review, book talk,
Share:

All for the Game by Nora Sakavic | Book Review



"It’s not the world that’s cruel. It’s the people in it. "



Neil Josten is the newest addition to the Palmetto State University Exy team. He's short, he's fast, he's got a ton of potential—and he's the runaway son of the murderous crime lord known as The Butcher.


Signing a contract with the PSU Foxes is the last thing a guy like Neil should do. The team is high profile and he doesn't need sports crews broadcasting pictures of his face around the nation. His lies will hold up only so long under this kind of scrutiny and the truth will get him killed.


But Neil's not the only one with secrets on the team. One of Neil's new teammates is a friend from his old life, and Neil can't walk away from him a second time. Neil has survived the last eight years by running. Maybe he's finally found someone and something worth fighting for.


Before I start I want to say that this is a heavy book. It has mental and physical abuse, rape, murder, suicide thoughts, and many other heavy topics.

I started this book knowing it was about sports, but part me thought it was gonna have some form of urban fantasy. I was wrong. This is 100% about sports, Exy to exact. (Exy is like an extreme version of lacrosse that has male and females in a single team with a lot more beating each other up with a racket.) 

As well as being about sports, the story also features a bunch of college students struggling because life is not fair. Through the trilogy we follow the story of Neil, a boy who has been on the run from his father. One night he signs up to play alongside a Class I Exy team, the Palmetto State's Foxes. The lowest ranking team in the division. 

Here Neil meets a dysfunctional team of monsters (Andrew, Aaron, Kevin and Nicky) and upperclassmen (Matt, Dan, Allison, Seth and Renee ). Together they all grow as a team as Neil deals with the people he tried to run away from. 

I read the three books back to back in a span of a week. I didn't think I would get hooked, especially on a contemporary about sports. But alas, I was wrong. Neil's story is full of pain and sass, and all I wanted to do was hug him. 

"Remember this feeling. This is the moment you stop being the rabbit."


Like I said before, this book deals with some pretty heavy themes that caught me off guard. There was an assault scene in the book that left me beyond angered, it made me hate several characters (whom I later forgave a bit but not completely). This book is not for everyone, especially if certain things trigger you. I don't even think the book has any warnings, even though it should because goddamn. These characters go through some pretty heavy stuff. 

Nora Sakavic's writing is pretty straight forward. It is not overly descriptive nor lacking detail. My only complaint is that the sports scenes (the games/matches) were a bit confusing when I read them. I am not a sports fan. Sakavic explains the rules of Exy several times throughout the three books but it just did not click in my mind...so the matches were just a big "What's going on!! Whaaaat!?"

My favorite part of the whole story was watching Neil allow himself to become an important player with his team, rather than an outsider watching this group of misfits from the sidelines. He goes from Neil the outsider to Neil, #10 Fox striker. 


"Hope was a dangerous, disquieting thing, but he thought perhaps he liked it."


My Rating: 4/5
GoodReads: 4.9/5
Amazon: 5/5
all for the game, book, book review,
Share:

Author Guest Post: Carrie Ann DiRisio | SerendipiTEA tour + Giveaway



I partnered up with SerendipiTea Tour in order to help promote upcoming debut authors for 2017! I was partnered up with Ms. Carrie Ann DiRiso who has an really fun book coming up in October! Also there is super awesome giveaway going on. There is a few days left so don't forget to enter to win some free books! 

Check out the other blogs to learn about new upcoming books released by debut authors!




Hello! My name is Carrie Ann, and I’m the author of BROODING YOUNG ADULT HERO’S GUIDE TO ACHIEVING MAIN CHARACTER STATUS

Many of you might have heard of BroodingYAHero before. He’s my adorable, opinionated character, found over on twitter at https://twitter.com/broodingyahero. He’s the combination of every brooding boy in all your favorite books, and his tweets have made him quite popular.
As your favorite, spicy-sweet book boyfriend, the perfect tea for Broody is a CINNAMON SUNSET.
This tea is full of flavor, dramatic, and will warm you right up. Plus, we all know gazing into Broody’s eyes is as dramatic as staring into the setting sun.
I’ve enjoyed tea for years, ever since my roommate in college introduced me to the magic of an electric kettle. I love sipping on tea as I write, starting with high-caf teas in the morning, and mellowing out with a nice herbal tea at night. What’s your favorite?
BROODING YOUNG ADULT HERO’S GUIDE TO ACHIEVING MAIN CHARACTER STATUS was a really exciting book for me to write. It’s both a “How To” book, explaining all the attributes the best main characters have, as well as a chance for Broody to star in his very own exciting story as himself! I hope it will make you all giggle.

You can sign up for Broody’s newsletter
And add the book on Goodreads




SerendipiTea Tour Stops



 April 2nd--Ohana Reads
April 3rd--YA and Wine
April 4th--The YA Book Traveler
April 5th--YA Wednesdays
April 6th--Bibliobibuli YA
April 7th--Rattle the Pages
April 10th--lollipopsbooks
April 11th--SimplyAllyTea (Me!)
April 12--bookishfangirl
April 14th--Redd's Reads

a Rafflecopter giveaway


2017 debut authors, author, author guest post,
Share:

Wayfarer by Alexandra Bracken | Book Review



Wayfarer is the the sequel to Passenger

Passenger 


In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles, but years from home. And she's inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she's never heard of. Until now.

Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods-a powerful family in the Colonies-and the servitude he's known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can't escape and the family that won't let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, his passenger, can find. In order to protect her, Nick must ensure she brings it back to them-whether she wants to or not.

Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods' grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are playing, treacherous forces threaten to separate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home forever.

Spoilers to Passenger start now!

Wayfarer


I had mixed feelings about Wayfarer. Alexandra Bracken is a spectacular writer and she know how to work imagery in such a way that I feel the world and setting being slowly constructed in my mind. Unfortunately, it took way too long to pick up and fill my mind with thoughts of wanting to know what happens next.

Etta and Nicholas got separated in timelines at the end of Passenger, and we were able to see them continue to grow without each other.

Unfortunately, their separation made Nicholas way too ugh for my case. Whenever I would reach a chapter that was told in his perspective I found my groaning and rolling my eyes. It is great and annoying. Great because it means Bracken knows how to properly express Nicholas’ feelings of desperation and foolishness through written word. It was annoying, because I wanted to slap Nicholas for some of his actions. 

On the other hand, I felt that Etta grew as she followed her own sense of rightness instead of embarking on a adventure based on just saving a mother who didn’t want to be found. Etta’s vision upon and she became selfish, and made actions on her own terms. (*clap clap clap*)

Wayfarer was more fleshed out than Passenger, but the lack of fleshing in Passenger makes sense after Wayfarer. In Wayfarer the reader can finally connect all the mysterious mystery things from book one. LIKE THE SHADOWS and ROSE WHAT IS YOUR MASTER PLAN EXPLAIN WHY YOU DOING THIS.

My other small complaint is that the shadows were mentioned and slightly explain in the passing, but I wish it could have been more dominant in the story. The Shadows were the key force behind all the occurrence in the time traveler’s lives and I felt like it was barely scraped. It kinda felt like: Look the Shadows, they are this and came from that! There they are again, and now they are gone BYE.

Alexandra Bracken also included more diverse characters into the Passenger/Wayfarer crew. Including a Chinese character, soft natured boys, and gay women.

“Because one moment in life does not define a person…Without mistakes and misjudgments we would stagnate. It is no shameful thing to be beaten when outnumbered, not when you are brave enough to try.”


My Ratings
Passenger 4/5
Wayfarer 4.5/5
alexandra bracken, book, book review,
Share:

The Iron Trial by Holly Black & Cassandra Clare | Book Review


“Fire wants to burn
Water wants to flow
Air wants to rise
Earth wants to bind
Chaos wants to devour
Cal wants to live” 


Most kids would do anything to pass the Iron Trial.

Not Callum Hunt. He wants to fail.

All his life, Call has been warned by his father to stay away from magic. If he succeeds at the Iron Trial and is admitted into the Magisterium, he is sure it can only mean bad things for him.

So he tries his best to do his worst - and fails at failing.

Now the Magisterium awaits him. It's a place that's both sensational and sinister, with dark ties to his past and a twisty path to his future. The Iron Trial is just the beginning, for the biggest test is still to come . . .

---

I have been cured from my massive reading slump! Thanks to this book that brought back the joy I felt when I first read Harry Potter!

We follow the story of Callum Hunt, a regular old 12-year-old kid with a messed up leg. He has pretty much been an outcast at his school, because of his overall strangeness and snarky remarks. He is special though, his dad is a mage and so was his mom...but Call's dad wants him to flunk the mage school entrance exam.

Magisterium is a school for mages, where children begin at the age of 12 and continue their studies for a total of five years in order to become a graduated mage.

In an attempt to purposely fail the Magisterium entrance exam, Call ends up being accepted...to study with the most famous Master (professor) in the school. Image the shock Call and his dad got.

Call is forced to attend his first year at the Magisterium and while studying there, Call learns that Magisterium was not the horror filled place his dad use to claim.

This book was amazing, I finished it in about 24 hours and it was magical. There is something about middle-grade reads that make everything so pure and I loved it. I think the main reason I was stuck in a massive slump because I did not want to read a Young Adult novel, because it has its typical inserted romance.

Now, something I was totally aware of was how similar it was to Harry Potter, and while I saw some negative reviews about this on Goodreads....I felt that it's similarity with Harry Potter was what got me hooked and in love.

There is a magic boarding school, mages in training, division of students, mysterious magic magicness, mythical creatures, cool magicfilled professors, and a mysterious Enemy.

While The Iron Trial does share those similarities with Harry Potter, it also had a powerful story that made it unique from HP. I do not want to give too much away, because it might ruin the story but the "chosen one" is not who you think it is, and Call as a dog (which is great).

A simple way to describe The Iron Trial (Magisterium Series) is:

 the magical misadventures of preteen Voldermort, Human Labrador, rule breaking Hermoine and their pet demon puppy.


Did I mention that Call is disable? Because he is, and the world of literature hardly ever had disable characters and I think it is important that we have those characters...especially when they are children stories. While Call's disability defines his way of life it does not define how he lives his life (AND IT IS FANTASTIC)..

I have never read anything by Holly Black and I read the first three books of Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instrument series abut seven years ago. So I cannot compare how their writing has changed from this middle-grade book to their popular stuff. As a description heavy lover, I was pleased with the detail in the story. Detail about the school, the people and the scenery was nice, I would have liked a bit more (but that is just me).

I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to relive the magic and giddiness gave on the first read. It is a series of five books and I have already started book two!

My Rating: 5/5


Goodreads
Amazon
Book Depository
book, book review, book talk,
Share:

Favorite Books of 2016




This year I was unable to complete my reading challenge. I read a total of 49/60 books. I feel a bit bummed out, because I read 61/40 books. Life sometimes gets in the way, and we just have to accept that.

Some of the books I had the pleasure of reading and truly enjoying include:
2016 books, 2016 favorite reads, book,
Share:

Warm Fuzzy Middle Grade Books

I am considered a super 100% legal adult, and I still read middle grade books. Even though I am expected to be moving from Young Adult to full fledge adult books I still find myself falling into the stories dedicated to middle grade readers. At first I felt a bit self-conscious, but now I have embraced it, because there amazing middle grade stories out there (better than some YA and adult books)



Take Harry Potter for example. The first half of the series is considered middle-grade and as Harry grows up (along side the reader) the books start containing more mature themes that the older audience will grasp quicker than a child.

Some of my favorite books are actually considered middle-grade books…what does that say about me? That I am a child..? You see, the reason I love middle grade stories is because most of the lead characters are selfless. Most of the time their goal is to help someone else out rather than accomplishing a personal goal. Sure you can argue “Percy Jackson went on an adventure to restore Zeus’ lighting bolt because he did not want to die!” And while I do agree with that statement, he also did it to save his mom. Then he realized he was not only saving his mom, but in part his dad, and saving his new friends.



It has to do with the concept of innocence and growth. As a child our worries were minuscule and we felt unbeatable, because the concept of death was still something that only happens in films. Middle grade stories are filled with characters who have a clean slates and do not carry so much baggage. You watch these characters obtain their baggage as you step into their world, and you see the beginning of their development.

Whenever we start a new book that is above the middle grade genre, you have to learn about the character’s baggage. You have to learn why a character behaves a certain way and makes decisions the way they do. While the mystery behind it may be exciting, the whole experience of it is different.



I am currently reading, The School of Good and Evil by Soman Chainani. It is the first middle grade I have read in a long while where the characters are below the age of sixteen. As I read the book it made me realize how clean the character’s slates are. Our two main characters’ current goals are so simple ( I know it will become more complex), but their starting goals are as easy as 2+2 = 4. Sophie want to go to magical school to learn how to become a princess, while Agatha (her best friend) does not want Sophie to be taken away because it means losing her only friend. 

How simple and clean is that. Of course, you will see that there is a lot more to the story as you read, but from the start you see how innocent their goals are. It takes me back to a time where my only goals were figuring out how to please my parents so they give me extra internet hours.

As a reader, I feel it is important to read children stories and remind ourselves that some things can be simple and clean. It is important because it reminds ourselves how to have fun on simple matters. It is important because it reminds ourselves to be a kid again. 

And as a parent, it reminds us that children are actually quite simple…until hormones kick in.

If you want to feel like a baggage free child that does not have a million and one things on their plate try checking out some of these middle grade stories.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Harry Potter
Boundless
A School for Good and Evil
A Bridge to Terebithia 
blook, book, book talk,
Share:

Raven Song (Inoki's Games) by I.A.Ashcroft | Book Review


I was given this book for an honest review.

A century ago, the world burned. Even now, though rebuilt and defiant, civilization is still choking on the ashes.


Jackson, a smuggler, lives in the shadows, once a boy with no memory, no name, and no future. Ravens followed him, long-extinct birds only he could see, and nightmares flew in their wake. Once, Jackson thought himself to be one of the lucky few touched by magic, a candidate for the Order of Mages. He is a man now, and that dream has died. But, the ravens still follow. The nightmares still whisper in his ear.


Anna’s life was under the sun, her future bright, her scientific work promising. She knew nothing of The Bombings, the poisoned world, or the occult. One day, she went to work, and the next, she awoke in a box over a hundred years in the future, screaming, fighting to breathe, and looking up into the eyes of a smuggler. Anna fears she’s gone crazy, unable to fill the massive hole in her memories, and terrified of the strange abilities she now possesses.


The Coalition government has turned its watchful eyes towards them. The secret factions of the city move to collect them first. And, old gods stir in the darkness, shifting their pawns on the playing field. If Anna and Jackson wish to stay free, they must learn what they are and why they exist. Unfortunately, even if they do, it may be too late.


Raven Song is the first of a four book adult-oriented dystopian fantasy series, a story of intrigue, love, violence, and the old spirits in the shadows who wait for us to notice them again. Readers of Neil Gaiman, Holly Black, and Charlie Human will enjoy this dark magic-laced tale rooted on the bones of what our world could become.


--

A short way to describe this book is x-men with magic in a future dystopian world where nuclear bombs damaged America.

It has been 100 years since a massive bombing, and New York (and other major cities) now have a dome that protects them from radiation. In this world lives Jackson a businessman who isn't entirely normal. Jackson is trying to keep his father's business running while dealing with nightmares that plague his mind. Then on a job he runs into (finds) a girl by the name of Anna, who seems to have been displaced from her timeline. Together they find out about the mysteries of themselves, their government and the monster who lives underground.

Raven Song is a well-written book, with amazing characters who go through amazing character development from the first moment we meet them to the very last page. Raven Song is an urban fantasy dystopian book, filled with concepts you wouldn't think work well...but they do! It is so unusual.

The plot has you engaged and hooked from the beginning, keeping you guessing and full of questions. The whole time I read the book, questions where fluttering through my mind and I connected the dots as we slowly received more information about the world. Why it happened, how it happened, and who these characters are. This book was driven both by its characters and its plot which lets you know that the author knows how to flesh out characters and bring a world to life.

I am just so blown away how so many genres fit so nicely together. (A lot like This Savage Song by V.E Schwab), but this book had more magical magic unexplainable stuff.

Science. Magic. Broken world. Crazy lizard people.

Aschcroft starts the story nice and steady until it picks up and you are sucked in unto the world. He gives you small details that you think is unimportant and then later in the book it is like BAM MASSIVE PLOT DEVICE SUCKER.

You guys really need to read this book! And it is only 290 pages long! (Super short)

It is a super refreshing books for those who have fallen into a book slump, and it will end with you wanting to read more and itching for the next book.


Rating: 4.5/5
book, book review, book talk,
Share:

All Signs Lead Back To You | Book Review



I was given All Signs Lead Back to You by Aniesha Brahma as an Advance Review Copy for an honest book review through Book Tours.

2013.
As the final bell for the day rang on their last day in school, Diya Rai, had a chill run down her spine. The chill of not knowing what the future holds for her and her high school sweetheart, Ashwin Chowdhury.
So she does a preemptive strike.
She dumps him before he can hurt her.

2015.
Two years later, Ashwin and Diya, cross paths. Each holds grudges, feelings and only one half of the story that completes them.
Told from alternating points of view, through a non-linear timeline, this is the story about first love, second chances and ALL the SIGNS THAT LEAD BACK TO YOU

All Signs Lead Back to You is a short love story, but not about the usually lovely dovey romance, but the love in friendship. A friendship that grew apart to later find one another and reconnect.

Aniesha Brahma uses a non-linear format in order to tell the story of Diya Rei and Ashwin Chowdhury. It goes from the present time of 2015 to 2012 or 2013. Using these time shifts the reader can understand the characters personality and the relationship they had with one another.

The writing is quite simple and very straightforward. It is not very description heavy and at some points I wish it was, because I had a difficult time picturing the characters clearly. 

It was an overall enjoyable book, but I wished the characters were fleshed out more. We were given glimpses to several characters like Nina, Trina and Rishabh but we weren’t really explained their purpose. Nina was fleshed out more than the other two. Trina and Rishabh are the significant others of Ashwin and Diya Rei. But other than that readers are to given much, especially when Trina and Rishabh are described as the complete opposite of our leading characters. There was brief mentions of Diya’s and I feel like that could have been milked more.


Like I said, it was an enjoyable book. And as someone who does not read contemporary I did not find myself bored or annoyed with the characters which is a massive plus. With only having 140 pages it was a very quick read, I personally read it in one sitting.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
all signs lead back to you, aniesha brahma, book,
Share:

YA in the Miami Book Fair


I will be attending the annual Miami Book Fair November 19 & 20th! Super excited because there will be a bunch of Young Adult authors attending and a few with books I have already read*. There are also some authors whose books are on my current To Be Read list and I do not know if I should purchase the books in order to get them signed or not. Especially when I do not own them...it is quite a predicament...

If you are attending as well, let me know and maybe we can meet up and chat for a bit!


YA Authors Attending


Sara Shepard:  The Amateurs: Book1
Ryan Graudin: Blood for Blood
*Leigh Bardugo: Crooked Kingdom: A Sequel to Six of Crows
*William Ritter: Ghostly Echoes: A Jackaby Novel
*Alexandra Bracken: Passenger
Nicola Yoon: The Sun is Also a Star
Box Brown: Tetris
E.K. Johnston: Spindle
E.K. Johnston: Star Wars Ashoka
Margaret Stohl: Black Widow Red Vengeance (A Black Widow Novel)
Liz Braswell: As Old As Time: A Twisted Tale
Maggie Thrash: We Know It Was You (Strange Truth)
Conor McCreery: Assassin’s Creed Vol 2: Setting Sun
*Renee Ahdieh: The Rose and the Dagger (The Wrath and the Dawn)
Mindy McGinnis: The Female of the Species
Katherine Mcgee: The Thousandth Floor
Maria Dhavana Headley: Aerie (Magonia)
Kimberly McCreight: The Outliers
*Victoria Aveyard: Glass Sword (Red Queen)
Lauren Gibaldi: Autofocus
Carolyn Cohagan: Time Zero
Rachel Cohn: Twelve Days of Dash and Lily
M-E Girard: Girl Mans Up
Kara Thomas: The Darkest Corners
Molly Booth: Saving HamletGeoffrey Philp: Garvey’s Ghost
book, miami book fair, simply journal,
Share:

My Fall Reads: Releases and TBR


Red and yellow leaves. Cool weather. Pumpkin spice everything. More importantly: new books.
Fall is upon us and so is a wave of books that being queued up on my bookshelf and my amazon cart.

September


On the 6th of September two books were released. Tales of the Peculiar by Ransom Riggs and Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Mass.

Tales of the Peculiar is supplemental material about the world of Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children. This book expands on who the peculiar ares and we are given background of famous peculiars that were mentioned in the trilogy. While I have not actually read the book yet, it’s currently one my favorite books, aesthetically. It does look like a true victorian book hold mysteries and dark beings. Very fairy tales like…also there are annotations by Milliard Nullings! Millard is my favorite character in Riggs’ peculiar world.

Empire of Storms is book five of the Throne of Glass series. The Throne of Glass series follows the story of a female assassin…and that is all I can say without given too much away. Anyways, book 5 continues the story of the assassin’s life, struggle, and adventure. 

On the 27th of September Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo shall be released. This is the second book of the Six of Crows duoelogy. Six of Crows follows the story of six different misfits has they attempt the most impossible heist of their lives. Crooked Kingdoms is obviously it’s sequel.

October


On the 4th of October Magnus Chase and the Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordian is released. Magnus Chase is the cousin of Annabeth Chase from Riordian’s Percy Jackson series and Magnus has a norse godly parent. I am s***t from anything written by Rick Riordian and when announced his new norse series I pre-ordered the first book without a second thought. And now in book two Magnus has to find Thor’s hammer before something goes bad…like most Riordian books go.

On the 6th of October Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets ( Illustrated Edition ) by J.K Rowling is released. I do not need to tell you what this book is about and if you have not read it you are missing a lot of magic from your life.

On the 18th of October Gemina ( The Illuminae Files ) by Jay Kristof and Amie Kaufman is released. This book two of The Illuminae Files aka the most amazing book I read on 2015. It is sorta the sequel to the previous book, but it has different main character. It still has to do with the BeiTech Assault the happened in the first book. The best part of this book is the way the story will be told. 


November


On the 8th of November Heartless by Marissa Meyer is released. Heartless is the untold story of the well-known Queen of Hearts before she was the Queen of Hearts. Marissa Meyer does an A-mazing job re-telling classing fairy tale stories and giving each story an unforgettable twist.

On the 18th of November Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: Original Screenplay by J.K Rowling is released. This is the screenplay of the movie that will be released on the same day. And as a devoted Harry Potter fan…I need this book.


These are the books the will be calling my bookshelves home in the next few months. I am pretty excited for all these books, and all the worlds to re-enter and explore.
book, book talk, books,
Share:

More Potter? | Book Talk

I am, like a good chunk of the reading community, a Harry Potter fan. While I personally did not get truly 100% into the Harry Potter fandom until after the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in 2007. I never really experienced a midnight release in my local bookstore Harry Potter style, but I have attended Harry Potter based conferences like Leakycon, Geekycon and Universal Studios Harry Potter Celebrations.

I consider myself a Harry Potter fan. A Potterhead. A Ravenclaw. 

I've devote myself a lot of time into this universe (along with a lot of money). I remember staying up till 4am, when Pottermore was a giant mystery, to solve the secret riddle to obtain the secret code in order to become one of the first BETA testers. I remember watching the live broadcast of the final Harry Potter red-carpet premiere in London. I remember going to the midnight release with my best friend at the time and crying my eyes out when the final credits rolled across the black screen. I remember begging my dad to take me to Universal Studios to visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. 

When I read the last words, “All was well”. I was pretty upset because:
1) DEATHLY HALLOWS WAS PAINFUL 
2) No more Harry Potter. 
3) So many unanswered questions!

When Pottermore was announced I am pretty sure the whole fandom broke. Excited. Crying. All the feels. Legit Sorting Hat Test by the Queen herself! Wizards! Hogwarts! Duels!…and then we experienced a major disappointment. From not choosing our own user names, to lack of music, to house identity crisis, to a boring time. 

Thankfully all the new information the Queen uploaded satisfied this girl, and majority of the fandom. New canon information to give all of us, and allow us to expand our knowledge of the Wizarding World Universe. And brewing potions and earning house points was fun.

I sound like I am complaining, but I am not. I am happy, but I am also scared. Worried even. As more information is added there is more, aggravation? in the fandom…whether they don’t agree with a canon or if their headcanon was destroyed.

This brings me to the topic of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.



When it was first announced, the fandom rose and freaked out. WE WERE BACK IN BUSINESS!

8th story? YES!
Sequel to DH? YES!
Older Characters? YES!
Second Generation? YES!
Black Hermoine? YES!
Two parts? YES!
Only in West End London? wait…what.. NO!! That’s not fair.

Soon after the binding of the rehearsal scripts were announced and we were all screaming for joy! Midnight Harry Potter release once more….but most of us came to the realization that while The Queen, Ms. J.K Rowling, had her name in big bold letters on the book, she herself did not write the story.

Panic.

Is it canon? PANIC!

But even in this slight fear the Harry Potter fandom, along with myself, had our robes and wands ready for another adventure.

Fast forward to July 31st

Book is out.

I see the fandom split to: THIS WAS AMAZING to WTF IS THIS BS!

I personally was out of the country when it got released and seeing these two sides induced massive fear in me. Watching the fandom split into these two sides…even though they were both (well most of them) very nice about their opinions.

It got me thinking. When will it be too much Wizarding World? Maybe it is best to have unanswered questions in order to have thousands of fan theories and headcanons. Will it get to the point that I will start disliking HP because the way the world gets built? 

Now with the announcement of the three new e-books:


I am even more on edge. For I no longer know what to expect and I am scared to read them, along with Cursed Child. (Although knowing me I will purchase them release date.)

AAAAAH.

As much as I want to learn about the world, and other wizard schools. I want to keep the sense of what-ifs and mysteries of what is might be. I feel like it adds to our very own magic. It is what makes Harry Potter so unique I believe. BUT, at the same time I want to learn more about this world and I want J.K. Rowling to keep writing.

Also, I can't wait this Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them OMG!
blook, book, book talk,
Share:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)