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.

Top Ten Words/Topics that make you NOT pick up a book

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(or something like that) in that category.

This week's topic is... Top Ten Words/Topics that make you NOT pick up a book

1)Love Triangles - If they're mentioned in the synopsis, and that is the key problem to the book, I will likely not read it. There are way too many. Some good. Some absolutely horrible. It's done too much and I and simply sick of them. A book based on a love triangle? No... Just no.

2)Zombies - I guess this is a fad now? In Hollywood anyhow. And I guess there aren't THAT many books on zombies. But I find them absolutely disgusting. I mean, okay. Undead. Gross already. Not to mention they eat brains? Yeah, no.

3)A bunch of predictable questions in the synopsis - What will happen when main character does this? Will she overcome her problem? Will everything turn out okay? These just annoy me. There's nothing like a badly written synopsis to turn you away from a book. Yes, I know in most cases the synopsis isn't actually written by the author him or herself, but I find it similar to eating something disgusting before a meal and losing your appetite. Unpleasant.

4)The meaning of life or other deep stuff - If it's a book that makes me think, I'm already slightly reluctant. I've never been a big fan of books that can actually occur in real life(thus my obsession with fantasy) and something deep about why we live kind of makes me want to avoid that book at all costs.

5)High school clique drama - Deep is one thing, but superficial is even worse. Like I said, I already don't really like books that could occur in real life. Sarah Dessen is one of the few I read that isn't fantasy. But I hate it when a book is about some gang of girls wreaking havoc on another's life. Or some stupid problem like boyfriends(not to say boyfriends are stupid by I dislike books where that's all the book is about) or gossip. I just... I don't like them.

6)Horror - I'm a wimp. I admit it. I have no clue how I used to like horror when I was little. Now I can't stop thinking about it if I've read it. Nothing against horror authors. But since I'm a wimp, if it's well-written and good, I'll probably hate it.

7)(not sure if this counts)Something that sounds interesting but the next book doesn't come out for the next thousand years or something - Not really a topic in a book, but I refuse to read the first book  of a series unless at least the second book is released. Preferable the whole series. I HATE waiting(doesn't everyone?) and I avoid it at all costs. (I hate those books I think are standalone and then finding out that there's a continuation that hasn't been released yet)

Could only think up 7(6 if you don't count 7). Maybe I'm brain-dead or something today, but really, if anything magical happens in it, I'll be tempted. So long as it's a well-written synopsis. No magic/fantasy/historical stuff/dystopia, there's rare interest for me. So just cross everything that doesn't fit into those categories out.

Review: Spellcaster by Claudia Gray

When Nadia’s family moves to Captive’s Sound, she instantly realizes there’s more to it than meets the eye. Descended from witches, Nadia senses a dark and powerful magic at work in her new town. Mateo has lived in Captive’s Sound his entire life, trying to dodge the local legend that his family is cursed - and that curse will cause him to believe he’s seeing the future … until it drives him mad. When the strange dreams Mateo has been having of rescuing a beautiful girl—Nadia—from a car accident come true, he knows he’s doomed. 

Despite the forces pulling them apart, Nadia and Mateo must work together to break the chains of his family’s terrible curse, and to prevent a disaster that threatens the lives of everyone around them. Shimmering with magic and mystery, New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray’s new novel is sure to draw fans of the Hex Hall and Caster Chronicles series, and fans of the hit CW TV show The Secret Circle.

I don't know what it is about me and libraries, but they seem to force me to read the author's worst book. Now, I don't actually know if it's her worst book from personal experience as this is the first time I've read any of Claudia Gray's novels but I've heard from friends that Evernight is a lot better. I don't know. Maybe not. Don't get me wrong, I didn't particularly HATE this novel, but I wasn't a big fan of it. 

Let's start with the good...

THE BEGINNING - I liked the beginning. Lots was happening, information was given. There was action, mystery, suspense; the works. It had a lot of potential.

THE IDEA - The concept of the story was interesting. That an untrained witch defies some laws of magic and there is an evil sorceress in town with big destruction in the future. Seems magical. And I love magic.

The bad?

THE PRESENTATION - Like I said, the idea and the beginning were interesting... but to put it short, it became boring really fast. One reason? THE CHARACTERS WERE WIMPS. Most of the time Nadia simply complained that she wasn't strong enough because she was untrained. Or the sorceress was "too strong". There was really only one big confrontation between Nadia and the sorceress and it was gone in the blink of an eye. Probably because the sorceress didn't see Nadia as a "threat" so she did pretty much nothing to her. Since there was very little action, it was mostly dialogue which is, frankly, boring(unless it's a quick romance novel. Which in this case isn't one).

THE THREATS - I don't know what it is with the antagonist in this novel but she's seems almost stupid. (Despite being a really powerful sorceress) She makes threats early on in the novel about Mateo and Nadia herself, yet she never really does much to them. Other than trying to boil Nadia and electrocuting her friend(which is still nothing close to her threats). After all, if she started to see Nadia's power, crush it before she learns to control it. Or do something. The sorceress likened Nadia to an annoyance(I think it was a fly or something like that) but if it's small, typically you do something to get rid of it right? Nope. Not her. She lets her be!

THE END - 2 spells. Not even directed in combat. And it's over. Nothing is really resolved either. In fact, it seems to HELP the sorceress. Or maybe I'm just confused since I was very confused by a lot in this novel. Particularly how the magic is affecting the town. Basically, it seemed unfinished. Not quite a cliffhanger or a big final ending you expect in any book.

Overall?

Let's just say, this book was... okay. I liked the magic. And how it started out. I loved the beginning. But then it just got boring, the characters acted wimpy, and the enemy never went through with her threats. I still managed to read it fast enough. It wasn't THAT boring but the lack of action and the amount of confusing description was not particularly enjoyed. It still was a decent book though and I'd still recommend it to some people who enjoy reading fantasy; witches and magic in particular. Just don't expect too much.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Authors who deserve more recognition

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(or I guess in this case authors) in that category.

AAHHH! Completely forgot it's Tuesday. Luckily, the topic is the Top Ten Authors who deserve more Recognition. Easy!

1)Tamora Pierce - One of my friends always goes on and on about how Tamora Pierce is a GREAT author. I definitely agree. All the books I've read of hers are riveting.

2)Lauren Oliver - I find her flexible and able to write magical books not necessarily focused on one genre. Before I fall and her Delirium series were good examples of that.

3)Alexandra Bracken - I've only read one of her books. (Brightly Woven) But I liked it, and I've heard her writing in her next books were a lot better. To improve upon that would make her a marvelously talented author.

4)Gail Carson Levine - I'm a sucker for fairy tale retellings and she's written some of the best I've read.

5)Kate Constable - I've only read her Chanters of Tremaris Trilogy but I loved all 3 books within it. Rare since I have this odd habit of really disliking the second book of a series.

6)Maggie Stiefvater - She's not my favourite author. I'll admit that. I'm not the biggest fan of her writing style, but I do have to admit, she writes great plots. The Scorpio Races? Unique much.

7)Josephine Angelini - I've read a few of her books. They're pretty good. Mystical, magic, the works.

8)Heather Brewer - LOVE her books. Vampires and demons, with a touch of romance. And she's definitely not cheesy like some vampire novels I can mention(*cough*twilight*cough*). Plus, she makes killer cliffhangers that have almost put me to the point of crying because they're so good.

9)Darren Shan - For horror, he's definitely your go-to guy. In my horror-reading phase, I read some of  his Cirque du Freak and loved them. And I hear the Demonata series is even better. I haven't read it. Can't stand reading horror anymore. I scare too easily xD

10)Veronica Roth - I dunno. Her book's already famous so does she really need more recognition? Oh well, she's a great writer. Divergent and Insurgent were wonderful. Can't wait for Allegiant!(Or whatever the next book is going to be called)

Those weren't in any particular order, but those are definitely authors that I think need a lot of recognition. They're great.

Review: Confessions of a Murder Suspect by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

James Patterson returns to the genre that made him famous with a thrilling teen detective series about the mysterious and magnificently wealthy Angel family . . . and the dark secrets they're keeping from one another.

On the night Malcolm and Maud Angel are murdered, Tandy Angel knows just three things: 1) She was the last person to see her parents alive. 2) The police have no suspects besides Tandy and her three siblings. 3) She can't trust anyone—maybe not even herself. Having grown up under Malcolm and Maud's intense perfectionist demands, no child comes away undamaged. Tandy decides that she will have to clear the family name, but digging deeper into her powerful parents' affairs is a dangerous-and revealing-game. Who knows what the Angels are truly capable of?


I've wanted to read this since it came out. It's a mystery! I haven't read one of those in ages. My favourite genre used to be mystery. As a kid, I would often frequent the shelf with all the Nancy Drew and sometimes the Hardy Boy books. To find that this was written by James Patterson, the author who wrote the great Maximum Ride series made it more compelling to read.

The Good:

MYSTERY - If you're into mystery, that's definitely what this book is. Not much romancy type stuff except for a broken memory of Tandy's that... well you don't learn much about it.

THE CHAPTERS - Patterson and Paetro chose a good way to format this book. Nice short chapters. Some cliffhanger endings, and then occasional "Confession" in between where Tandy mentions a flashback of a particular relating event in the past.

Meh?:

THE CHARACTERS - These are in the middle for me. Not really good or bad. They all have really odd quirks that don't really seem to work yet at the same time, the story would not progress had they not had them. Honestly, not sure what to think of them.

THE PLOT - I liked the concept. The first half of the book, I was hooked. Absolutely. But then, after a while, it simply got confusing and boring. Normally a book would get more and more intense and intriguing as it approached the climax. This one, not so much.

The Bad:

UNPREDICTABILITY - Normally this would be good. In this case, not really. There are few clues throughout the novel and while reading this I got all twisted and confused asking "Whodunnit?". And then the end comes in with no relation to half the clues! So kudos for the unpredictability but there has to be SOME logical reason for the other stuff...


THE EPILOGUE - Normally, if there's gonna be a sequel, there's a big cliffhanger. A big event or something leading into the next novel. There is one event that occurs, however it occurs even before the climax and is kind of booted to the side. The epilogue is basically a bunch of questions that are supposed to make you wonder about the next book. Thing is, they're just questions. It really doesn't make me desperately want to read the next book.

Overall

I admit, I had high expectations for this book, having read many of James Patterson's other teen books. Unfortunately, I was sorely disappointed. The concept was interesting but the plot simply did not move, the climax came out of nowhere and the epilogue seemed sloppy, like they just wanted to get it done. The main thing I liked about the book? The short chapters with a little something different in between. Had the chapters been longer, the plot would likely have dragged further. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a horrible book. I was intrigued enough to read it in only a few sittings. But it's definitely not one of the best out there.

Review: Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken

The day the rains came was like any other, blistering air coating the canyon in a heavy stillness....

Just as the rains come after ten long, dry years, a young wizard, Wayland North, appears, to whisk Sydelle Mirabil away from her desert village. North needs an assistant, and Sydelle is eager to see the country - and to join him on his quest to stop the war that surely will destroy her home. But North has secrets - about himself, about why he chose Sydelle, about his real reasons for the journey. What does he want from her? And why does North's sworn enemy seem fascinated by Sydelle himself?

Through a journey that spans a country, magic and hard-won romance are woven together with precision and brilliant design by a first-time novelist.

As a first impression, I was entranced by this book. The title is simple and elegant with a beautiful, beautiful title page. (And unlike some title pages, this picture actually matches the description of the main character *GASP!*). This book from beginning to end was absolutely entrancing. Romance, magic. The works.

THE PLOT - ADORED IT. An evil wizard, a cruel mother, and a "naïve" young queen along with Sydelle's and North's own secrets. What's not to love. Pure fantasy.

THE CHARACTERS - I really liked the characters' names. They just all seemed to...fit. Henry, Sydelle, Wayland, Owain... There were a few times I was a bit confused about the characters' actions that were never fully explained, but this was mild. North and Sydelle's interactions were perfect. The right amount of tension and care as they warmed to each other.

THE WRITING - I'll admit, I was a little uncertain about the style. Everything was perfectly laid out except the odd tiny bit of confusion. The only thing is, perhaps it was a bit TOO laid out. It was really simple. Nothing really hidden and then later revealed. Wasn't very complicated which I guess has its pros and cons.

THE END - I'll try not to spoil this but, what kind of a fight was that? Not necessarily predictable how it ended but... still. Not quite the epic battle you'd expect. But I really liked how everything unraveled at the end. There was still a small... issue left, but things were looking up and it was something to really ponder after the book was over.

I liked this book. Loved the topic, the names, the end(despite the disappointing fight). Writing style seemed a little simple but that really just makes it more accessible. 4 out of 5 stars.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Best/Worst Movie Adaptations

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and Bookish. I found this on a friend's blog and have been fascinated by it. 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(as shown in the title) Top Ten Best/Worst Movie Adaptations.

This topic I found extremely difficult. Mainly because, for most movie adaptations, I've often either only watched the movie or only read the book. These are the few that I could think up.

The Worst - best get them over with first, eh?

1) Eragon by Cristopher Paolini - Honestly, I'm already not a big fan of this book. I don't know if it was the writing or the world or what, but I had a lot of trouble following it and staying focused on the storyline. The action and the enemies were okay, I suppose. In the movie, however, a lot was removed like most movies but it just made the characters seem confusing and the action disjointed

2) The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan - I LOVE Greek mythology and because of this, The Lightning Thief became one of my favourite books. And then they just had to go butcher it in a movie. They CHANGED THE PLOT. The focus isn't finding the lightning and saving Percy's mom. It's finding those freaking pearls.
AND they killed the main bad guy of the series! How are they expecting to make the sequel? Not to mention the fact that half the characters don't even look similar as to what is described in the book. Wasn't Annabeth supposed to have grey eyes and blonde hair?

3) Twilight by Stephenie Meyer - Unlike a lot of people, I don't hate this book, but I'm not really a big fan either. It was still an interesting storyline though, despite the cheesiness. But the movie? What was it, low budget or something(I don't know
. Maybe it was) The acting was shabby, the graphics were... meh. and the special effects were laughable. Sparkling? Climbing trees? Hilarious.

The Best

1) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - It was absolutely wonderful. Acting was great, action was high, storyline was similar to the book, if not the same. Really well done.

2) The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling - I'm a fan of this series. Both the books AND the movies. I really like how they stuck to the book for the most part but there's still lots of magic and action and wonderfulness.


That's... about it. Five. I can think of a few more... but I haven't both watched the movie AND read the book. So.. this is my tiny list.

On a side note, I'm super excited for the City of Bones movie to come out. Loved the book. Can't wait!

Review: The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

Sixteen-year-old Maya is just an ordinary teen in an ordinary town. Sure, she doesn't know much about her background - the only thing she really has to cling to is an odd paw-print birthmark on her hip - but she never really put much thought into who her parents were or how she ended up with her adopted parents in this tiny medical-research community on Vancouver Island.

Until now.

Strange things have been happening in this claustrophobic town - from the mountain lions that have been approaching Maya to her best friend's hidden talent for "feeling" out people and situations, to the sexy new bad boy who makes Maya feel . . . . different. Combine that with a few unexplained deaths and a mystery involving Maya's biological parents and it's easy to suspect that this town might have more than its share of skeletons in its closet.

Okay, so first thing I have to say about this book is... WHAT?! What kind of ending is that? No resolution seriously? See, I bought this book at a used bookstore today and thought it sounded really interesting. I've never read any of Kelley Armstrong's books before  but I thought I'd give it a shot. Especially since I've been to Vancouver Island before and kinda got an understanding of the area. I could kind of imagine it. Plus, mysterious happenings? In a tiny town? What isn't interesting about that?

The Good

THE PLOT - Oh my goodness. I loved it. I managed to read it on a busy day while in the middle of reading another book. It's definitely absorbing. There are so many little mysteries and clues that are never fully revealed. They're presented in such a way that their not overly obvious a if they're shouting "LOOK AT ME! I'M IMPORTANT!"  and it's difficult to see how they all relate. Definitely a great suspenseful, mostly unpredictable read.

THE CHARACTERS - The characters are likable and realistic. They aren't complete jerks yet they do have a sense of who's popular and who isn't. Take Maya for example, pretty much the main popular girl of the school they go to, but she's not as stuck-up as how some popular girls are portrayed in stories such as Before I fall. She still isn't the nicest person either though. The characters act just like I'd imagine they would in their situations, though some motives are unclear. It seems deliberate though and that their motives will later be revealed in the following books in the series. 

THE ROMANCE - The focus of this book is definitely not the love or that they(you know, Maya and the "bad boy") get together. There's not a lot of it either. There's just enough. A taste. They're together or they're not. A lot of the time it's uncertain, and that makes it great. 

THE WRITING - I don't usually comment on this. After all, I'm not a really good writer myself, but I really loved Kelley Armstrong's style. There was enough description to set the tone and get an understanding of the characters' emotions and personalities. Yet it wasn't overbearing, extremely detailed description. And also, the endings of the chapters. They weren't all cliffhangers. Cliffhangers are good and all but too many can ruin a book. So there were a few at chapter endings but not all.

The Bad (That seems mean, but I don't know what to call it. What I didn't like?)

THE END - Okay after all that suspense and all those questions, it just gonna ends? (I'm not sure if this is considered a spoiler) I mean, nothing was answered! It wasn't really a cliffhanger either! (Yes, we all hate cliffhangers but they make books so good!) It just kinda... ended. All the mysteries and suspense build up, and then there's no relief. There isn't really much of a climax where everything is solved. They escape one more close call and then... nothing. If there's a sequel, I'm expecting either some sort of ending or at least a cliffhanger. Not an ending that abrupt.Was just expecting a bit more finality or a cliffhanger. 

Overall

 I really did like this book. I was intrigued the whole way through. Not too much of everything, just the perfect amount. Realistic characters, a mystical plot. I was really going for it. Just... the ending. So abrupt, not really a cliffhanger. I don't really understand how it was much of an ending though I guess it did have some sense of finality to it. I'd still recommend this book though. Definitely. After all, despite the mild ending, there is a following book meaning the story truly is not finished. I liked it.

Review: Terrier by Tamora Pierce

"I knew well the rules to follow with our training Dogs: Speak when you're spoken to. Keep out of the way. Obey all orders. Get killed on your own time."

In 246 H.E., the Provost's Dogs guard Tortall's capital city. Beka Cooper is one of their newest trainees - a Puppy wet behind the ears but eager to learn. But Beka will have to learn faster than she bargained for because she's assigned to the Lower City, Corus's toughest district. It's filled with pickpockets who are fast as lightening, rouges who will knock your teeth out with a smile, and murderers with hidden plans. In the constant battle for the Lower City's streets, Beka will have to use her smarts and her own eerie brand of magic if she hopes to survive.

This is the beginning of Beka's story, her legend, and her legacy....

Tamora Pierce has been one of my favourite authors for a long while and so I had high expectations for this book. They were definitely fulfilled.

The plot is extremely interesting and full of criminals and fast-paced action. Pretty much all the dialogue has a purpose. I know how some books just have people talking and talking and talking until you pretty much want to throw the book on the ground? (maybe not necessarily that dramatically but you know what I mean?) Terrier is almost a mystery. It follows Beka and her Dogs(or I guess they could be called cops if they were in our time period) as they try to figure out who is behind some terrible crimes. It's more unique than any odd mystery book mainly because it's set in the past. There are different customs. And (the best thing ever), magic.

And the characters... Wow. Beka is brave. Something you always want in a heroine. She's loyal, determined, and has a type of magic to boot(who doesn't love magic?). Despite all this, she's shy and modest. It gives her a more human and relatable feel. She has flaws like any other person. She can be rash and get in trouble. She's young, she makes mistakes, but that just makes her a more lovable heroine. 

The rogues also aren't the kind of absolute evil people you find in some stories. They have their flaws and they have feelings. They're portrayed almost charming yet cruel at the same time. They do have a sense of humanity to them and I loved that.

This was one of my favourite Tamora Pierce books despite being pretty long compared to some of the others. (This one's over 500 pages). There's action throughout the novel with no unnecessary(or that I noticed) fights or dialogue. In a good novel, everything happens for a reason and is well backed up, and this is definitely a good example of that. Only small clues are found until everything is revealed in the end. It's suspenseful, action-packed with just a hint of magic. I definitely recommend it.

Review: Before I fall by Lauren Oliver

What if you only had one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?  

Samantha Kingston has it all: looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it turns out to be her last.

The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. Living the last day of her life seven times during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

I've read Lauren Oliver's delirium series and absolutely loved it. I saw that this was a stand-alone book with no series behind it and immediately, my interest was peaked. The plot seemed kind of like, what was that movie, Groundhog Day? Except really sad. This was one of the few books that I've ever read that had the ability to move me to tears.

Lauren Oliver brought the harsh reality of teenage bullying to life through Samantha Kingston. An actual mean girl and revealed the emotional consequences in her victims. The characters are believable and really relatable. They go through common situations that many highschoolers go through. I found the bullying and high emotions as well as the popularity contests and the friendship to be very easy to relate to. I for one have been lucky not to be bullied too badly and as far as I know, have never been the mean clichéd popular girl, but I know it happens. And to see this in such a book was amazing and heart wrenching. 

As time goes on, Samantha experiences more and more. Any change in morals or opinions is well developed and backed up. Each day is different enough to not be considered repetitive as well.

If you haven't figured it out already, I found this book absolutely amazing. It was one of those books where you get to the end and say, "wow". I'm generally not one for sad books and I tend to avoid them at all costs. But this was definitely one I do not regret reading. 

I find it funny that some people rated this one or two stars on goodreads because it was "too realistic" or "a depressing read". Silly, really. It's an amazing book. 

It's really something refreshing. It's not really a love story. It's not a great adventure. It's about a girl, a normal girl who learns the consequences of her cruel actions in others' lives. It's truly a moving story.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top ten most intimidating books

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and Bookish. I found this on a friend's blog and have been fascinated by it. 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(as shown in the title) Top Ten Most Intimidating Books. These listed aren't in any particular order.


1) Inheritance by Christopher Paolini - That's one ginormous book, you know? What was it, 880 pages? Okay, I'll admit I read it, but I definitely have to reread it. After all, I don't remember a thing that happened(nor do I remember anything in Brisingr... Oh dear... Now that's two super long books to read...

2) The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo - It's a classic and I've been meaning to read it for ages. I mean, I own a copy so there's really no excuse... Except that it's in French. I read French fine and all but it really hard to get the motivation to read a classic. In French. (It's already hard enough to convince myself to read any French at all) And then I'm never able to justify going to the library for it when I own a copy! Issues... I really need to read this...

3) Gossip Girl by Cecily von Ziegezar - What can I say? It's gossip girl and I'm not that type of girl. Like the Hunchback of Notre Dame, I own a copy but like I said, it's Gossip Girl!

4) Defiance by C.J. Redwine - Looks interesting. I've had it on my to-read list for months. I've pretty much just been scared to read it. I've run into too many cliffhangers with the next book not being out for another year or so. I looked it up. There's a second book that hasn't been released yet. So basically I'm scared of waiting after a cliffhanger.

5) The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis - I have wanted to read this book since I heard of it but I've always been scared. Kinda worried this book is the type to make you feel terrible about all your bad deeds. Still intrigued though.

6) The Princess Bride by William Goldman - Best. Movie. Ever. And that's what I'm scared of. I don't want to spoil it. But I'm becoming more and more convinced to read it despite my hesitations. So many raving reviews on goodreads.

7) Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens - Another classic... with some terrible reviews. I want to read it simply because it's a classic. And intriguing. And we went over it in socials at one point. But those reviews... Ugh, I'm too scared of bad books...

8) Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins - I've read the first half/quarter/thirdish and the last page if that counts for anything. I couldn't stand this one. Maybe it's just me. I'm weird sometimes. I loved the first two books of the series and maybe it was because I was expecting more action than dialogue. Either way, I wasn't able to actually read to the end. I've got to fix that at some point.

9) The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams - I want to read this one. I hear it's good. But I honestly have no idea what to expect. The synopsis totally confuses me as to what the book is actually about. I'm mostly intimidated because I have to depend on recommendations and reviews alone to make my decision to read it. Which is likely the main reason I have not read it as of yet.

10) Lord of the Flies by William Golding - I was never forced to read this in school which I find is both good and bad. I still honestly don't know if I actually want to read it. I've read a few parts before and they were gruesome and sick. But I still do slightly want to read it just to say that I have. And I guess it's a somewhat interesting concept as well.

Well, those are my top ten intimidating books. I do hope to read them eventually. *crosses fingers* (I am SUCH a wimp when it comes to books!) Looking forward to reading others' top ten! 

Enjoy and keep reading. :)

Review: Glitch by Heather Anastasiu

     In the Community, there is no more pain or war. Implanted computer chips have wiped humanity clean of destructive emotions, and thoughts are replaced by a feed from the Link network.

     When Zoe starts to malfunction (or “glitch”), she suddenly begins having her own thoughts, feelings, and identity. Any anomalies must be immediately reported and repaired, but Zoe has a secret so dark it will mean certain deactivation if she is caught: her glitches have given her uncontrollable telekinetic powers.
     As Zoe struggles to control her abilities and stay hidden, she meets other glitchers including Max, who can disguise his appearance, and Adrien, who has visions of the future. Both boys introduce Zoe to feelings that are entirely new. Together, this growing band of glitchers must find a way to free themselves from the controlling hands of the Community before they’re caught and deactivated, or worse. 

At first glance
When I first saw this book on the shelf at the library, I was intrigued. Glitch. Simple, interesting title. Pretty enough title page too. It didn't take much for me to grab it off the shelf. When I read the back however, I actually started to feel a bit of reluctance to read it. It sounds almost like a bad combination of Delirium by Lauren Oliver and Divergent by Veronica Roth(both of which I definitely recommend. If you haven't read them yet, do so). Not feeling love? Not feeling at all? Being in danger for being the odd one out? Turns out I was right. It was pretty much a combination of the two. 

What did I think?
The plot is okay, if not a generic dystopian plotline. She glitches, she panics, falls in love but isn't sure of the boy's intentions. Blah blah blah. And then there's that close friend, who coincidentally glitches as well AND complicates their romance. There's good action I found. And I did manage to read it one sitting(that ought to count for something right?). And there were good twists that made it interesting. 

But honestly, I didn't love it. Like I said, it's been done before. Of course there's some large company in control, some big conspiracy(which I guess is true of a dystopian world. Perhaps I'm reading too much into this). And obviously, there must be some person high up in power who pretends to be nice and gains control of the main character's boyfriend. Then there's the oh so common love triangle: the friend that she only loves as a brother, and her "true love" who she is absolutely attracted to. Normally at this point we'd start going Team Max! or Team Adrien! but no. Of course not. One is such an idiot that I don't even know how Zoe stood him! I wanted to wring his neck after he showed a few of his true colours! And his motivations were not very clear? I'm not sure how he developed that unhealthy obsession with Zoe. Really creepy, actually.

The things Zoe felt were a little unclear as well. There seems to be a fine line in what she can and cannot feel yet she still remains conscious when she's not feeling? I'm not sure. I just don't get it, but maybe that's just me.

Overall?
I definitely can't say this is the best book I have ever read. Not really in the top ones either. But perhaps I'm being a bit too harsh(especially for my first review on this blog, haha). After all, I do read quite a bit of dystopia. It's still a good read; action-packed, suspenseful, not too predictable either. It's pretty good, cliches aside and ignoring the mild confusion.

If you want a decent read and don't mind love triangles and overused dystopian situations(or even if you mind them a little) try it out. It's not bad.

Hi there!

Welcome to my blog! You would not believe how hard it was to get this blog up. I swear I went through at least ten potential names for this blog. There are only so many word combinations you can make with "read" or "books" or even "library"!

I finally got a name through though, and it might confuse you. I apologize. It's something someone called me once and I took a liking to it. Note that all the books I review, I am likely not to own a copy(though I do own many books).

I hope to do a lot of reviews in the future, or the next few months anyhow since it is FINALLY SUMMER! I mainly started this blog because it's something semi-productive to do, but I really do help my reviews can be helpful in deciding if you want to read a book. :)

Enjoy!