Review: Quintana of Charyn by Melina Marchetta

Separated from the girl he loves and has sworn to protect, Froi and his companions travel through Charyn searching for Quintana and building an army that will secure her unborn child’s right to rule. While in the valley between two kingdoms, Quintana of Charyn and Isaboe of Lumatere come face-to-face in a showdown that will result in heartbreak for one and power for the other. The complex tangle of bloodlines, politics, and love introduced in Finnikin of the Rock and Froi of the Exiles coalesce into an engrossing climax in this final volume.

The last book of a series, I find, is almost consistently the best. In this case, despite loving the whole trilogy, I do love the third and last installment the most. It truly did bring the complicated storylines of Finnikin of the Rock and Froi of the Exiles to a complete close. The epilogue was outstanding, mysterious, leaving room for further interpretation yet at the same time, a sure closing. All the possible issues that were brought up throughout the trilogy were dealt with and resolved perfectly. But here I am going on about the end already. About the rest of the book...

Though I enjoyed the second book, the multiple point of views got in my way a little and made me slightly annoyed. In this one, the multiple point of views were all very well done. Detailed, descriptive, action-packed. It didn't make me want to hate on any of the characters. Instead, it helped me more thoroughly understand their motives and gain a deeper understanding of how complicated the plot was. Not to mention the dramatic irony that constantly came between Froi and Quintana. Like wow... Just wow.

The series as a whole definitely jumped to one of my favourites, if not my favourite. There was so much action and intrigue involved yet still a whole lot of emphasis on the relationships. There was just enough of everything. The characters were simply amazing. The reactions and actions of the characters, though I didn't like some of them, were all clearly explained and/or motivated. They were so realistic. Stubbornness, racism, uncertainty, anger. All things that I'm generally not too big a fan of in books, yet it fit the situations perfectly.

Lumatere. Wow, I'm gonna miss it. It's an absolutely beautifully crafted world. Of all the worlds in books that I have read, this might just be my favourite. The mountains, the different countries or provinces or whatever their called. The complexity of the different languages, the tension at the borders, the palaces, the great cities, the small towns, the mountains, the plains... Loved it. 

If you're into fantasy and don't mind a complex and fairly long read, READ THE LUMATERE CHRONICLES. I found this book to be a lot easier to follow than the rest of the books in the series and I'm not sure if it's because of the writing style or because everything was closing up. Either way, after reading this series, Melina Marchetta definitely has a new fan in me. 5 stars, of course.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Book Turn-offs

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week has a specific topic to which bloggers make a list of their top ten books in that category.

I'm terrible with deadlines. See, I had last week's Top Ten Tuesday almost ready... And then I forgot to finish and post it. This week, I made it my goal to finish it on time. And here I was, Monday night, desperately trying to finish it. Procrastination ftw. This week's topic is Top Ten Book Turn-offs.


1) Tiny Words, Full Pages - The size of books generally don't daunt me too much. I'm willing to read a 600-paged, 3-inch thick book if it's good enough, but it has to have a decent-sized text with space in between each line. If it's hard to read the text, let alone follow the storyline, I can never seem to concentrate. Though that's just me.

2) Multiple POV's - I don't always hate these. Sometimes they're actually done really well and the characters are deep and realistic enough. However, most books that have multiple POV's do eventually get on my nerves. One character's chapter almost always seems to be more thrilling and action-packed than the other. And the other is generally frustrating with some stubborn person who refuses to change their views. It makes it a bit realistic at times but most of the time it just makes me want to skip certain chapters of a book.

3) Love Triangles - It's not that they're always bad... But there are those times when they're just so cheesy and stupid that they simply don't work. Oftentimes, the third wheel(the person who is basically the main character's competition) is made so ridiculously flawed that it's no wonder that the main character gets the girl/guy.

4) Popular Girls/Cliques - These are already annoying in real life. Do I really need to read about them?

5) Stupid Main Characters - Dramatic irony is one thing. Stupid unjustified decisions that seem to lengthen the plot merely because the author felt like writing a longer book is another. 

6) Unrealistic Characters - Maybe they're almost like superheroes(even if they're not really supposed to be) or maybe they befriend people WAY to quickly to be real. Either way, if odd characters distract from the main plot, it's a big turn off for me.

7) Nothing Happens - You know those books where you're constantly waiting for something mindblowing and exciting to happen? And you keep waiting? And you're struggling through the book and you realize that you're already more than halfway through the book and nothing has happened? Yeah, hate those.

8) Train of Thought - My thoughts are hard enough to follow in my own mind, so when there's a story that jumps all over the place like the author just happened to ramble on about something and then change subjects, I find it hard to follow. It's cool sometimes, but not for a whole book...

9) Incorrect Facts - It's really funny when some author uses some facts of some sort to try to make a point or explanation in the story. It's even funnier when the facts are fake when they're not supposed to be. 

10) Quotations - One or two quotes are okay. Or even a small quote at the beginning of the chapter. But when you quote a big hunk of poetry and then discuss it, it's a little too much. Or even slightly lesser cases. Basically, write your own stuff. Quotes distract from the story.

Those are my turn-offs. What are yours? Link me to your TTT in the comments below. :)

Review: Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta

Three years after the curse on Lumatere was lifted, Froi has found his home ... or so he believes. Fiercely loyal to the Queen and Finnikin, Froi has been taken roughly and lovingly in hand by the Guard sworn to protect the royal family, and has learned to control his quick temper with a warrior's discipline. But when he is sent on a secretive mission to the kingdom of Charyn, nothing could have prepared him for what he finds in its surreal royal court. Soon he must unravel both the dark bonds of kinship and the mysteries of a half-mad princess in this barren and mysterious place. It is in Charyn that he will discover there is a song sleeping in his blood ... and though Froi would rather not, the time has come to listen.

To be honest, this was a hard book to read. It wasn't that it was a terrible bore. Far from it. But there was so much detail that it was difficult to catch everything, let alone make sense of it. Being in school, I've been slightly more tired than usual lately and have had less chance to read for longer periods of time. This is definitely not a good book if you're looking for a light read. I found it so difficult to focus while I was thinking of other things or just simply tired and braindead. The formal language really didn't help either. 

There was a lot of dialogue in this book. Much more so than in Finnikin of the Rock. Which simply means that the text is even more important. When I said that the formal language didn't help with the focusing, I meant it, but I can't imagine it fitting well with informal language; particularly since the majority of the book is centered around royalty and nobles.

Marchetta really weaved this story together well. The details that I did catch were impeccable and the storyline was flawless(probably because of all those little details). There were times that I had little clue as to what was going on but I get the impression that that was deliberate as things were later revealed. A lot of the time something small, like a game about shortening names, would come back later with an extremely large amount of significance. There was also a moment when I laughed out loud merely because it reminded me so much of Star Wars. Or maybe it was just so funny because for once I actually fully understood something in the book. I don't know. 

There were a few things that annoyed me in this book that  kind of turned me off. One was the changing point of view. Unlike many other books, I was not annoyed by the changing point of view as it was done tastefully. It wasn't constantly changing enough to break the flow of the story but only enough to build the suspense. This was great because I did get a sense of how large the story truly was. However, I also tend to find a certain point of view that I dislike and thus always want to skip that part. In this case, there were times when I got extremely annoyed with Lucian. The constant racism and inaction while everyone else was out there doing cool things, discovering new things... His confusion was plain frustrating.

There was a lot of suspense in this book. However, it was unique in that I wasn't trying to figure out what happened next. Instead, I was more looking forward to what kind of information was going to be revealed next. Particularly that evil, evil cliffhanger at the end. Nothing drastic happened at the end that had me going "NO! I NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM!!!"(Like for example the end of The Mark of Athena). But things were revealed that had me so confused about what I just read that I now have to read the next one to figure out what happens. 

If you're looking for an easy read, I definitely do not recommend this book. (Plus, for it to make sense, you would have had to read Finnikin of the Rock before.) However, if you are into fantasy and magical worlds and think you can handle it, READ IT. Despite my ranting about how I was confused at times and some characters annoyed me, it is still a super good book. Truly. 4 out of 5 stars.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books on my Fall 2013 TBR List

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week has a specific topic to which bloggers make a list of their top ten books in that category.

I haven't done this in a couple of weeks. Partly because I was busy, and partly because those ones did seem to take a lot of thought. For me anyhow. So kudos to those who did them. This week's topic is Top Ten Books on my Fall 2013 TBR List. And of course, I've got a whole bunch of those.

Here goes! In no particular order...

1)The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - I've been meaning to read this book for the longest time. And recently I've had someone almost ordering me to read it. *cough*Rachel*cough* So if I can somehow get it from a library. Or maybe just steal it from somewhere, I hope to read it.

2)The Reluctant Heiress by Eva Ibbotson - I own this book... So I should kind of read it at some point. Just have never gotten to it.

3) Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell - I've heard it's a cute book. I've heard a couple people recommend it. It's not normally the type of book I read but I'm willing to give it a shot.

4)Allegiant by Veronica Roth - I know it's not out, but it's supposed to come out in October. That's fall, right? MUST READ!!!!




5)Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter - So I read the Heist Society recently. Loved it. This is the second book. Hopefully it won't let me down like many other sequels I have read.

6) Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi - I've lost track of how many times I've seen Veronica Rossi and Under the Never Sky mentioned across book blogs. I feel an obligation to read it. I mean, it looks pretty good too. That always helps with motivation. ;)

7) City of Glass by Cassandra Clare - I did try to read this a while ago but I accidentally ruined it for myself by reading the synopsis of the City of Fallen Angels. Luckily, I've forgotten what the spoiler was. And hopefully I won't do that this time.

8) Seraphina by Rachel Hartman - I don't quite understand the synopsis but there's dragons and royalty and it has good ratings and the title page looks cool. Seems like it could be pretty good.


9) Quintana of Charyn by Melina Marchetta - The ratings of this book are outstanding. After reading Finnikin of the Rock, I feel this urgent need in me to finish the rest of the series. Once I get a hold of them of course. I have no clue who Quintana is but I want to. I hope to finish the Lumatere trilogy by Christmas.

10) On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta - Basically I want to read a bunch of Melina Marchetta's books as I've been thoroughly impressed by both the book that I've read and her ratings. Even though this isn't the normal type of book I read, the reviews are enough to convince me that it is definitely worth a read.

Can't wait to read these. If I do get to them... Hopefully I do. I'm bound to stumble across them at the library at some point. These are at the top of my reading list. And I truly do desperately want to read them.

Tell me your TBR List in the comments below. Or even better, give me a link to your TTT! I wanna see what other books are out there. And maybe put a couple more on my to-read list.

Have a great Tuesday!

Review: Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.

Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously--and at great risk--documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives.Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart.

Between Shades of Gray is one of those books that shock you through the brutal lack of humanity. The title truly is accurate in that it is in a very grim setting. Truth be told, I almost had trouble going back to the book the day after I started reading because it truly was too gray. I also found that I wasn't particularly emotionally attached. It wasn't that it was because I haven't had the experience of going to a concentration camp. Of course I haven't and I desperately hope that nobody in the future ever is forced to. It was merely that Lina seemed detached. To me, a rather large part of the book almost seemed like an objective history book on concentration camps. Yes, it was horrible, but I didn't particularly feel the horror of it through Lina. 

Well, for the first part anyways. The ending was outstanding. I was hit by the emotion in the end. As people died and hope began to dwindle... It's hard to think of it as if it actually happened and much easier to think of it as a fiction book. I loved the emotion Sepetys weaved. It was so touching and heart-breaking. A really well done ending.

The love story as well! It wasn't at the forefront of the story, which made it even more precious. It was so sweet. I wanted them to get together sooooo much. With all the horror around them, there had to be some hope, right? A beam of light? It just seemed to complete the story. It truly was just what the story needed.

Like many historical war novels, Lina had flashbacks of the good ol' days. Shown in italics to differentiate from the present, she often remembered moments with her art and with her family. It was touching and a bit of a contrast from the grim scenes of the rest of the novel. Unfortunately, I often found it a little choppy. There were times where I thought that the memory really did accent the present event and that it flowed nicely into it. Unfortunately, there were times that I didn't particularly enjoy the flashback. Sometimes it felt like - not that it was forced - but it seemed quite random. I'm sure had I thought about it, I could have figured out a connection, but in the moment reading it, I didn't really get it and it broke my flow of concentration.

Between Shades of Gray certainly did give me knowledge of the lesser known side of World War II. It wasn't in the fact that it followed the perpetrators but that it followed the Lithuanians, deported by the Soviets. Normally, when I think of World War II(and I'm assuming most other people think about this as well), I think Germans, Nazis, Jews. Maybe Pearl Harbor. Sepetys showed the less known story of the Lithuanians and that made this book unique.

I would certainly recommend this book to history lovers. To many readers, I imagine that this book has the potential to be rather boring, but the moving scenes at the end and the grim truth of the past certainly make it worth it. To me, anyhow. 4/5 stars.

Review: Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta

At the age of nine, Finnikin is warned by the gods that he must sacrifice a pound of flesh to save his kingdom. He stands on the rock of the three wonders with his friend Prince Balthazar and Balthazar's cousin, Lucian, and together they mix their blood to safeguard Lumatere. 

But all safety is shattered during the five days of the unspeakable, when the king and queen and their children are brutally murdered in the palace. An impostor seizes the throne, a curse binds all who remain inside Lumatere's walls, and those who escape are left to roam the land as exiles, dying by the thousands in fever camps.

Ten years later, Finnikin is summoned to another rock--to meet Evanjalin, a young novice with a startling claim: Balthazar, heir to the throne of Lumatere, is alive. This arrogant young woman claims she'll lead Finnikin and his mentor, Sir Topher, to the prince. Instead, her leadership points them perilously toward home. Does Finnikin dare believe that Lumatere might one day rise united? Evanjalin is not what she seems, and the startling truth will test Finnikin's faith not only in her but in all he knows to be true about himself and his destiny.

In a bold departure from her acclaimed contemporary novels, Printz Medalist Melina Marchetta has crafted an epic fantasy of ancient magic, feudal intrigue, romance, and bloodshed that will rivet you from the first page.

Wow... This was a long and complicated book. And I loved it. The style really reminded me of Nancy Farmer's in that Marchetta did a really good job creating a complex fantasy land without distracting from the plot of the story. 

It's one of those books that I will really want to reread in the future. There was so much going on; so many little details that I know I missed something! All the characters seemed to have a particular part to play and the romance was simply cute! Confusing, yes. But, in a good way. There were mixed emotions, fights, misunderstandings... And the romance wasn't even the main point of the plot!

I mean, wow! Twists and turns! It certainly wasn't particularly predictable. Yes, we all hope for a happy ending, but the ending really wasn't clear. Some scenarios were hinted at but they weren't really confirmed until they happened. 

The characters were realistic, the plot was amazing, the world was intriguing... I definitely recommend this book to anyone slightly interested in fantasy. Yes, it is a fairly big book and it's a little daunting. It's also a little hard to get into because it's so complicated. But it's amazing once you do. 5 stars. Definitely.

Review: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming,beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend. 

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?

Okay, this book is amazing. If you haven't read it yet, read it. Now. I'd seen it on other blogs but had always just overlooked it on the library shelf until a friend actually told me that I MUST read this book. (or something like that). It's definitely not something I normally read. After all, I tend to prefer books that could absolutely not be real. I'm a sucker for fantasy and dislike reading about reality. But this... This was definitely an eye opener.

Anna really is a typical teenager. I could really relate to her. The way she acted, the nervousness she felt, the relationships with her friends... Like her, I'd be a complete wimp when it first came to exploring Paris, and though I may not share some of her passions, I could completely imagine her emotions throughout the novel. 

Unlike a lot of novels, I didn't find the drama particularly stupid either. It wasn't really much about cliques or popularity, though there were mentions of it. It was about the new girl. Just a regular girl. And it wasn't presented in a cheesy way either, which I was kinda expecting. I mean the new girl with the hot, popular guy? Please. But Perkins showed different sides of the characters. Believable ones and for that she really deserves some credit.

The situations, the characters, all were amazing. Yes it's a happy book so obviously it's going to have a happy ending but really, that bit of predictability doesn't explain how they'll get there, what will happen in between. This definitely wasn't an action-packed book, or a suspenseful one but there's something really charming about it and I'd definitely recommend it. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Most Memorable Secondary Characters

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week has a specific topic to which bloggers make a list of their top ten books in that category. 

This week's topic is Top Ten Most Memorable Secondary Characters. I'm not positive as to what a secondary character is. So basically I'm just considering it as anyone who isn't the main character. As usual, in no particular order...

1) Grover from the Percy Jackson series - He's a protector. He's subconscious, a wimp at times, has history, he's loyal. What's not to love about him. He can be brave and he sticks to what's right. And he eats cans. 

2) Onua from Wild Magic - She's the first character Daine meets which already makes me remember her since the beginning is one of my favourite scenes. She's Daine's boss and has a gift with horses. I'm not really sure what makes her so memorable to me other than the fact that she's the one that introduces Daine to the people of Tortall.

3) Dumbledore from Harry Potter - Isn't this one self-explanatory? It's Dumbledore!!!

4) Mr. Tumnus in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe - He's a faun! And also the first person Lucy meets in Narnia, which makes him pretty memorable. The fact that he almost betrays her and then tries to help them makes him even more so. I like Mr. Tumnus.

5) Arya from Eragon - Eragon went out of his way to find her. She's a princess and she's literally the girl of Eragon's dreams. She's pretty memorable.

6) Aunt Elinor from Inkheart - She's a crabby old lady with an obsession for books. Yet at the same time she's pretty cool. And she's on the good side. That's always a good thing. The fact that nobody could stand her makes her pretty comical.

7) Claire from Starcrossed - I'm not really sure what makes her stick out in this book other than the fact that she's one kick ass friend. She's cool.

8) Rue from The Hunger Games - She's the small innocent one, thrown into chaos and destruction. She's the one Katniss connects with and she's also the one that made everyone sad when she died. Her death is really the beginning of the rebellion.

9) Four from Divergent - He's mysterious. And nice it seems. Brave, strong, a leader, a rebel. What's not to like about that? And he only has 4 fears? Wow.

10) Juliet Sykes from Before I fall - Before I fall is one of the saddest books I have ever read. And I love it for that. It's so enlightening on the effects our actions have on others. If it weren't for Juliet Sykes, Sam never would have understood how mean she was acting. I know it's just a book but since this is one of the few in this genre that I read and the end is so heartwrenching, I have to say, Juliet Sykes is one of the most memorable secondary characters in my mind.

So those are my top ten! Almost wasn't sure that I was going to get it up today because of internet problems. But it's working now! Tell me who your top ten most memorable secondary characters are! Or link me to your TTT in the comments below. :)

Have a nice Tuesday!

Review: Heist Society by Ally Carter

When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre…to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria…to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own—scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving “the life” for a normal life proves harder than she’d expected.

Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring Kat back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has a good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help.

For Kat, there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family's history--and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way.

After a bunch of recommendations and a burst of motivation, I finally took this book out from the library and read it...  And I simply ADORED it. I loved Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls Series and I liked this one even more. There was a lot of awesome in it. The concept was definitely interesting. Criminals against criminals? Sure why not. I've heard of that before. It's a similar  but different concept from the spies in the Gallagher Girls Series. Yet Carter still found a way to keep it interesting. I read it in one sitting(then again, it was in a car on a short road trip so... that might be why). But it was definitely pretty good.

I found the writing simple and to the point, which I liked. It seemed a little more complex than the Gallagher Girls Series(I seem to be comparing it a lot...). But perhaps that's simply because Ally Carter's writing style has developed. But whatever happened, I definitely liked this a lot better than that series. There was just enough action and description to keep it fast-paced and interesting. There wasn't really any unnecessary events or information which kept the story really focused but at the same time, it was suspenseful and unpredictable(for the most part).

The ending was great as well. Not the sloppy cliffhanger that I was half expecting(because they seem to be all over the place in YA books lately). Everything was fully finalized and cleared up. A well done dénouement right there.

I do have to mention, however, that there is a bit of a love triangle, which I know a lot of people, including myself, have gotten just plain sick of. It's only slightly mentioned on the side but it's there. I found it okay this time for once. Maybe because it wasn't the focus of the book and they didn't all act stupid about it. Anyhow, whatever Ally Carter did, I was not at all upset that there was that bit of love triangle. It worked.

Overall, I'd give this a 5/5. For a quick, action-packed yet simple read, I definitely recommend Heist Society.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Things That Make My Life As A Reader/Book Blogger Easier

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week has a specific topic to which bloggers make a list of their top ten books in that category.

This week's category is Top Ten Things That Make Your Life as a Reader/Book Blogger Easier. Oooo, Long name. Let's see if I can do it, eh?

1) The Library - Okay this one's kind of obvious. It is where I get most of my books. Who doesn't get any of their books from the library?

2) Friends - I have this one friend who always has too many books for her room. I'd say she has some decent taste in books. Especially since we tend to like along the same lines of books. Hint? Find her here.

3) Used Bookstores/Thrift Shops - If I see one and I've got the time, I'll go in. More often than not, I'll find this really awesome bargain on a book that seems kind of interesting. At least 50% off the original price, or even less than $1 for a book still in great condition? Why not?

4) Online Bookstores - They tend to be cheaper than in an actual large bookstore. And a lot offer free shipping if you buy enough. Like Amazon. $25 free shipping. Or even better, the book depository. Free shipping everywhere.

5) Goodreads - What kind of insane book blogger doesn't use goodreads? Reviews, ratings, other book bloggers and readers. Best advice you can get there.

6) Audiobooks - Nothing like multitasking while you're reading. A book replaces music during chores easily enough. 

7) Other Book Blogs - Other people's opinions are always awesome(unless they're wrong. ;) ) Never hurts to look at other people's blogs for book suggestions, ideas, and just plain entertainment.

8) A Lack of Procrastination/Time - I have this bad habit of leaving things to the last minute. Or just not doing something I want to because I'm too lazy. (Such as the past two TTT's (I'm sorry.)) When I do manage to escape the spiraling hole of procrastination, I get a lot done. (Or end up procrastinating by using the blog) But hey! More attention to the blog and books!

Well, eight's the best I can get off the top of my head at the moment. Just spouting this off in a rush. (Procrastination ftw) Let's see your suggestions. Link your TTT's in the comments below and I'll get to them. Eventually. ;)

Review: Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen

The year is 1929. New York is ruled by the Bright Young Things: Flappers and socialites seeking thrills and chasing dreams in the anything-goes era of the Roaring Twenties.

Letty Larkspur and Cordelia Grey escaped their small Midwestern town for New York's glittering metropolis. All Letty wants is to see her name in lights, but she quickly discovers Manhattan is filled with pretty girls who will do anything to be a star....

Cordelia is searching for the father she's never known, a man as infamous for his wild parties as he is for his shadowy schemes. Overnight, she enters a world more thrilling and glamorous than she ever could have imagined — and more dangerous. It's a life anyone would kill for...and someone will.

The only person Cordelia can trust is ­Astrid Donal, a flapper who seems to have it all: money, looks, and the love of Cordelia's brother, Charlie. But Astrid's perfect veneer hides a score of family secrets.

Across the vast lawns of Long Island, in the ­illicit speakeasies of Manhattan, and on the blindingly lit stages of Broadway, the three girls' fortunes will rise and fall — together and apart. From the New York Times bestselling author of THE LUXE comes an epic new series set in the dizzying last summer of the Jazz Age.

This is something different than I normally read but I gave it a shot after a friend showed this book to me. It's by Anna Godbersen, the same author who wrote The Luxe, which I remember to be a pretty good book. I had just read the prologue when I came across this quote: "They were all marching toward their own secret fates, and long before the next decade rolled around each would escape in her own way--one would be famous, one would be married, and one would be dead". After that line, I obviously HAD to find out.

And then... I'm sorry. I couldn't finish the book. After about a month of trying to convince myself to read it, it got the point where I was trying to get myself to finish Bright, Young Things by not reading other books until I was done. Needless to say, I stopped reading. (thus my large gap in reviews) 

It's not like it's a thick book, but it's simply because I'm not at all interested. I may be a bit(okay a lot) biased in this simply because I adore fantasy and am not a big fan about reading about reality. Maybe 1920s was just a little relatable? Not really. I don't know. I just know that I was either wanting to choke the characters to death, or just stop reading all together. Why did I want to choke the characters to death? 

They were just all so... superficial. Fame, crime, fortune. It was just too... I don't know, disgusting for me. Tacky almost. This is just my taste, but it simply was not my cup of tea. I've never been to Gossip Girls or that sort of thing and this was just a little too close to that for me. I felt almost like I'd been dumped into a high school drama. Just at a more historical larger level. 

Basically, I didn't like this book. Sorry.

Something Different: The Sea of Monsters

I'm sure most people have heard that the second movie of the Percy Jackson series is out. Whoopdidoo! So I went to watch it with a bunch of friends. I mean, yes, the first movie was absolutely disappointing. Normally they miss out on things but in that case, they completely twisted the plot. It was nothing like the first book. The characters were off, the whole storyline was off. So I didn't have high expectations for this one. And guess what! They did the same thing! Just to a slightly less extent. 

Let me clarify something first. The Percy Jackson series? One of my absolute favourite series. I love the wit, I love the awkwardness, and I'm a sucker for Greek mythology. So when a movie comes out about it, I'm bound to be more critical.

Don't get me wrong, the movie was pretty good. Good action, still Greek mythology. There were a few things that didn't make sense. Such as an extended hug scene when they probably should be doing something else. But overall, a decent movie. 

One thing though is the fact that they once again (not completely this time but quite a bit) disregarded the plot line. They mentioned things from the last book of the series(such as the big prophecy) and some situations were from the other books as well that weren't in the second book. They also left out a bunch, which I suppose is to be expected of a book to movie adaptation. 

So really, if you're looking for a decent movie, watch Percy Jackson: The Sea of Monsters. If you're looking for a good book to movie adaptation. Look elsewhere.

Review: Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black

Dancing with someone is an act of trust. Elegant and intimate; you're close enough to kiss, close enough to feel your partner's heartbeat. But for Vanessa, dance is deadly – and she must be very careful who she trusts...

Vanessa Adler attends an elite ballet school – the same one her older sister, Margaret, attended before she disappeared. Vanessa feels she can never live up to her sister's shining reputation. But Vanessa, with her glorious red hair and fair skin, has a kind of power when she dances – she loses herself in the music, breathes different air, and the world around her turns to flames...    

Soon she attracts the attention of three men: gorgeous Zep, mysterious Justin, and the great, enigmatic choreographer Josef Zhalkovsky. When Josef asks Vanessa to dance the lead in the Firebird, she has little idea of the danger that lies ahead – and the burning forces about to be unleashed...

First thing I have to say is, from the beginning, I did not have high standards for this book. The main thing that got me to grab it off the shelf was the beautiful title page. Look at it! It's GORGEOUS. It's not that the synopsis was shoddy or didn't catch my interest. It's just that the ratings on goodreads didn't seem particularly good. I can see why now. The writing is shoddy, there are unrealistic situations and certain characters *cough*Vanessa*cough* are just plain stupid. Don't get me wrong. I LOVED the plot. There were twists, turns, and I found it quite unpredictable to the end. I found it a really unique idea too. 

 But now on to the bad... Let's talk about the (unrealistic) things I didn't like about the book. 

 THE MALE LEAD - So... Why exactly does nobody question the fact that Zep automatically gets the lead and Justin is the understudy? I mean, there are more guys at the school other than them but they automatically get the parts? What? And nobody's upset by this? 

 INSTA-FRIENDS - Vanessa's first day at a new school. She goes to her dorm room and Woo! 4 new friends! Just like that. Everyone's new but it almost seems like they've known each other for years. Minus actually knowing stuff about each other. 

A STUPID HEROINE - Okay. She's talented. She's pretty. (i think). Good for her. But if you judge someone while completely ignoring all their actions and secrets(which she does a lot), you are most likely going to be wrong. I wanted to kill her myself at some points during the book simply because she couldn't take a clue. 

Basically, there were a lot of things wrong with this book. Despite those, I still found it intriguing and action-packed. I liked it. If it weren't for those unrealities(is that a word?), it could have been a GREAT book. I loved the plot but at the same time, some things just didn't make sense. Overall, I'd rate it 3/5. It wasn't good. But it wasn't terrible either. I read through it in one sitting because of all the suspense and twists. But as fast as I read it, the plot wasn't good enough to account for some of the bad things I listed.

Review: The Calling by Kelley Armstrong

Maya Delaney's paw-print birthmark is the mark of what she truly is -a skin-walker. She can run faster, climb higher, and see better than nearly everyone else. Experiencing intense connections with the animals that roam the woods outside her home, Maya knows it's only a matter of time before she's able to Shift and become one of them. And she believes there may be others in her small town with surprising talents.

Now Maya and her friends have been forced to flee from their homes during a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set. Then they're kidnapped, and after a chilling helicopter crash, they find themselves in the Vancouver Island wilderness with nothing but their extraordinary abilities to help them get back home.

In THE CALLING, the sizzling second book in the Darkness Rising trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong pumps up the romance, danger, and suspense that left readers of THE GATHERING clamoring for more.

Like most second books in a series, I was a bit disappointed by The Calling. These are the things that stood out. For better or for worst.

THE WRITING: Like I said in my review of The Gathering, I enjoy Kelley Armstrong's writing style. Her style in this novel was just as subtle and nice as the first book and I am beginning to see the consistency of her writing. I can't say that it's the most passionate writing style, but it's exactly that. A style. It's not my favourite, but it works.

THE BEGINNING: To put it straight? I hated it. It was just as abrupt as the ending of The Gathering, which annoyed me a lot.There was a lot of mention of different characters and references to events that occurred in the first book which, due to The Gathering not being one of the more memorable books I've read, I did not remember. With a lack of back story I found the chaos annoying, abrupt, and pointless.

THE PLOT: The plot is almost the exact same as The Gathering. Minus the mysterious new boy and in a forest as opposed to a small town. They're still confused and trying to figure out what the St. Clouds are up to as well as discovering a few other "projects" and "companies". Honestly, I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. After all, it is a series but... I dunno. It just felt the same, just with more information.

THE END: Not much to say about the end other than the fact that I found it a LOT more interesting than the one in The Gathering. And it was a bit of a cliffhanger as well.

LACK OF... BASICS?: I don't know what to call them, but if you're stuck in a forest for who knows how long, you're gonna need stuff to survive. Problem is, they were only vaguely referenced in a novel that pretty much wholly takes place in a forest. There was a lot of complaining. that's for sure. But I'm not even sure if they ate anything in the whole novel other than a few granola bars. I get that those things weren't essential for the story progression but I still felt that there was barely any reference to them in a novel in which you'd expect them to be.

THE TITLE PAGE: Basically, I don't understand it. It's almost highlighting the earring, just like the title page of The Gathering(which I didn't understand either) There is still no significance to any earring. I'm confused.

Overall...

It was an okay book. It kept me interested. It got more suspenseful enough and clear throughout. The main issue I found with it was the abrupt beginning and the similarity to the previous novel. I'd even suggest that the first and second books could be lumped together into one. Though if that were the case, they may get boring, come to think of it, due to the lack of complete intensity. I dunno. Just wasn't as good as I expected it to be.

Top Ten Favorite Beginnings/Endings in Books

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week has a specific topic to which bloggers make a list of their top ten books in that category.

This week's category is Top Ten Favorite Beginnings/Endings in Books. This one I found somewhat difficult mainly because I tend to not remember many books. But I did make it to ten! In no particular order...

Favorite Beginnings

1) Bright Young Things by Anna Godberson - The prologue was intriguing. It gave a bit of information of the time period yet it was so mysterious, I HAD to pick the book up. I mean: "They were all marching toward their own secret fates, and long before the next decade rolled around each would escape in her own way--one would be famous, one would be married, and one would be dead" What isn't extremely intriguing about that?

2) Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce - I lo
ve this book and I've reread the beginning many times. I don't know why. It just introduces an absolutely charming character, Daine. I don't know if it's because she's from the country, homeless. Maybe it's the way Pierce presents her and reveals a bit of her lies and backstory but not enough to make a judgment. Anyhow, it definitely works.

3) The Angel Experiment by James Patterson - I don't actually remember the beginning exactly... (time for a reread) but I definitely remember loving the beginning. And the whole book for that matter.

4) Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater - The beginning starts right away with something that almost seems like a flashback. It's both confusing and intriguing at the same time but it's certainly eventful and a great start to a novel.

Favourite Endings

5) Soulbound by Heather Brewer - I don't know what it is, but Heather Brewer makes KILLER cliffhangers. I love them(but at the same time hate them). It definitely keeps me reading whatever series she writes.

6) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - Unique? I dunno. I liked it. As the Capitol tries desperately to kill one of them, there's a plot twist. That's interesting

7) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling - Once again, unique. Except even more so. What kind of hero dies and comes back to life and lectures about love to the bad guy. I mean, you never see that anywhere. That's probably what makes it so great.

8) Illusions by Aprilynne Pike - Like soulbound, a cliffhanger, though maybe not as intense. But there are moments of panic as new powers are revealed. Makes it a great ending.

Books with Great Beginnings AND Endings
(Do these count as two each? Shhh)

9) Divergent by Veronica Roth - Loved this book through and through. The beginning already outlines how unique she is. Not in an obnoxious way of course. AND the ending! Action-packed, suspenseful, betrayal... AWESOME.

10) The Treachery of Beautiful Things by Ruth Frances Long - This book is beautiful through and through. The beginning is a flashback. Dramatic and mysterious, setting up the whole novel. And the end. A close escape, loss and gain. Loved it.

So... yeah. That's my list. What are your favorite beginnings and endings? Link me to your TTT's in the comments! Happy Tuesday!

Review: Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

I've read this book before and kind of forgot about it, though I felt that it did merit a review. I did enjoy this book both times I read it and can honestly say that it is definitely a good book to reread. And read, I suppose. I guess I'll just get into it.

Things I liked...

GREEK MYTHOLOGY - I am such a sucker for Greek mythology. I adore it. It's possibly one of the reasons I adore the Percy Jackson series so much and Greek mythology was all over this book. The way Angelini used it... ugh, I loved it!

STARCROSSED LOVERS - I guess it says it in the title. Starcrossed. And I know it's cliched. A lot. So you'd think I'd be sick of it by now and I am sometimes, but in this book, I really liked it. It worked. It wasn't just the typical new hot guy gets together with the nerdy not in the popular crowd girl. It's almost like there was a perfect explanation in the Fates. The Greek mythology really made this book work.

EVERYTHING HAPPENED FOR A REASON - You know when something big happens in a book and it never comes back? I hate that. But there was no really noticeable events that didn't have consequences in the future. Which also really unified the book with moments at the end mentioning things that happened near the beginning. It always gives me satisfaction when I can actually see how the whole book works together.

TITLE PAGE - Loved it! It doesn't really give too much away but at the same time is really pretty. And mentions the water which is a factor in the book considering it takes pace on the island of Nantucket.

THE DESCRIPTION - I liked it. Angelina provided just enough to get a sense of what they looked like but at the same time left enough to the imagination. Kind of like the title page, really.

THE END - I've said I don't like the ending for a lot of books lately but this one, I definitely enjoyed. There was an actual significant closing with a sense of finality at the same time leaving a lot of questions unanswered and setting up the reader for the next novel. I'm definitely kicking myself into action to read the next book. Dreamless, I believe it's called.

Things that I both liked and disliked...

THE PLOT - It was unique enough but I can see how some people describe it as a combination of Percy Jackson and Twilight. Really, the only similarity it has to Percy Jackson is the Greek mythology demigod stuff. As for Twilight, I do understand some peoples' points but I find this better written and more interesting than Twilight, personally. The plot overall didn't really do much for me however, and I was not riveted to every word on the page. It wasn't particularly too hard to stop and just ignore the book for a bit. Basically, it wasn't as suspenseful as I'd like it to be. Angelini spent a lot of time building the plot and describing the families and revealing the back story. As a result, there really wasn't that much action until the end. The bad guy doesn't really fully act until the end as well. Though the building up and back story, I definitely agree that they were essential to the story.

Overall...

I mostly liked this book. Well, actually, I didn't particularly dislike anything specific about the book. I liked the characters, I ADORED the mythology aspect of it. The writing or the plot, I'm not sure what it was, didn't really fully do it for me though. It simply wasn't suspenseful or action-packed as a lot of the books I've read. The back story was essential so I do understand why but still... I don't know. As a result, I'd rate this book 4 out of 5 stars mainly because I liked it, but something about it didn't really click with me. I simply wasn't as interested while reading as I could have been.