Bloody, full of actions, lies and deceit, Now I Rise is everything I expected it to be. The second book in Kiersten White's brutal Conquerer's Saga brings the world of Vlad the Impaler to life... That is, if Vlad the Impaler had been born female. An interesting twist on history, the Conquerer's Saga is quite the enthralling series, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in historical fiction, or anyone who just wants a good novel with a lot of action and engrossing storyline and characters. This book is perfect for fans of things like Game of Thrones, the story is dark, (and as stated before) bloody, and full of complex, cunning and fierce characters. The reader is sure to be hooked. 
Now I Rise is book 2 in the Conquerer's Saga, the first book is called And I Darken, if any of this series sounds interesting at all to you, I would recommend you pick up the first book. If you want any more information on it, I did do a book review back in January, so go check that out. 
Anyway, on to Now I Rise. God, I love the titles of this series. And I Darken. Now I Rise. They're just so epic sounding, perfect for the books they describe. 
Now I Rise was quite the fun read. I really enjoyed being reunited with the characters, though the strains on the different relationships ceaselessly irked me. I just want Radu and Lada to be reunited and go rule Wallachia together. Just leave Mehmed behind. 
 I feel basically the same about the characters after finishing this book as I did after finishing the first book. Lada, I love her as a protagonist because of her drive. If she wants something, she will do anything to take it. And she does. She's strong, and always ready for a fight. Yet, she has her flaws. She is not a people person. And when I say that I mean REALLY not a people person. Like I am not a people person, but in comparison to Lada? I am the peopleiest people person in the world. She's really not good at handling interactions. I couldn't help but be a little annoyed at that, like all Lada really knows is violence. The only way she wants to handle things is through force, and to be a good leader you have to have a balance of force and compromise/being good working with others. Lada is not good at working with others, and she won't heed others' advice about it. (*cough* Nicolae.) 
Then there's Radu. Love him, he's a great character. But his biggest flaw is Mehmed. And his love for Mehmed. He'll do anything and everything for the sultan, even going as far as choosing Mehmed over his own sister. Radu's love of Mehmed blinds him to Mehmed's oh so obvious flaws. And that was a CONSTANT source of aggravation for me. Like no, go join your sister and be happy. Screw Mehmed. At the beginning I just could not stand Radu and his constant pining over Mehmed, but as the story continued on I found myself really enjoying Radu's arc. And I'm really looking forward to the direction his character is taking. 
Then the last "main" character of the series. Mehmed. Does he even count as a main character in this book? Maybe a supporting one. He isn't in the story nearly as much as he was in the first book (yay), but he's mentioned a crap ton, because, of course, he's a vital player in the events of the plot. Also unsurprising, most of the time he's mentioned in every paragraph of Radu's. Ugh. I just don't like Mehmed at all now. I didn't like him much after finishing the first book, but reading this one? No. Not a fan. 
The plot was interesting-- I found myself feeling quite invested in the fates of the side characters and the outcome of the big fights and wars. While it told a fun story, I felt the plot was a little rushed. Not in the way of how many trilogy ends with just shoving too much information in your face, this plot was rushed in the way of cutting scenes too short. Like I just felt that we, the readers, needed to be able to delve deeper into the scenes, situations and  characters. Just everything felt short and crisp. The scenes were the bare minimal, getting the information you needed to know and then going ahead to the next scene. While it did get its purpose done, I just was left feeling a little detached from that. Like, I put the book down multiple times and didn't exactly feel the need to pick it back up. Saying that, the story still is enthralling and hard to put down (as proven by how late I stayed up last night), but once you put it down, it just eh. You don't yearn to read it again. Or I should say I didn't yearn to read it again once I put it down. 
All in all, I would give Now I Rise 7/10 stars. It was a very enjoyable read, and I do look forward to reading the next book, but I couldn't help but feel a bit detached from the series just because of how it was written and how almost choppy the book felt because of all the short, information filled scenes. 
Anyway, here's the synopsis: 

Lada Dracul has no allies. No throne. All she has is what she’s always had: herself. After failing to secure the Wallachian throne, Lada is out to punish anyone who dares to cross her blood-strewn path. Filled with a white-hot rage, she storms the countryside with her men, accompanied by her childhood friend Bogdan, terrorizing the land. But brute force isn’t getting Lada what she wants. And thinking of Mehmed brings little comfort to her thorny heart. There’s no time to wonder whether he still thinks about her, even loves her. She left him before he could leave her.

What Lada needs is her younger brother Radu’s subtlety and skill. But Mehmed has sent him to Constantinople—and it’s no diplomatic mission. Mehmed wants control of the city, and Radu has earned an unwanted place as a double-crossing spy behind enemy lines. Radu longs for his sister’s fierce confidence—but for the first time in his life, he rejects her unexpected plea for help. Torn between loyalties to faith, to the Ottomans, and to Mehmed, he knows he owes Lada nothing. If she dies, he could never forgive himself—but if he fails in Constantinople, will Mehmed ever forgive him?

As nations fall around them, the Dracul siblings must decide: what will they sacrifice to fulfill their destinies? Empires will topple, thrones will be won . . . and souls will be lost.

SPOILERS BELOW (BOOK DISCUSSION) 
Alright, I've already been very clear on my stance on Mehmed. So it will be no surprise that I was really rooting for the people of Constantinople to win the fight. Especially after meeting the people of Constantinople. I loved seeing how torn Radu felt-- because yes, these were good people. And then I really didn't appreciate how Radu still chose Mehmed in the end, despite his realizations about Mehmed during his time away. Just UGH. I'm really hoping Radu will be able to break away from Mehmed's grasp on him, and of course, I want him to go and join Lada. 
Literally for the majority of the book it was SHOWN how much these two siblings need each other. They fill out the gaps for each other. They were always thinking What would Lada do? Or What would Radu do? And when Radu thought Lada never thinks what he would do I almost screamed. HOW DOES RADU NOT REALIZE HOW MUCH HIS SISTER NEEDS hIM? AND HOW MUCH HE NEEDS HER? SCREW MEHMED. 
Then there's my issue with Lada. She really needs to fucking learn to like get along with people. Instead of just immediately going stabby stabby. Like I get that it's suppose to be all female empowerment with her, but seriously, if she hadn't killed all those boyars and Tomas, she could've had a lot more power. Sure, they wanted to use her, but that's why she needs Radu, so she can use them. And she needs to be merciful, like I see the practicality of killing all of the Danesti children, but Nicolae, my bae, is right when he tells her she shouldn't. Besides, THERE'S AN OBVIOUS STRAIN ON NICOLAE's RELATIONSHIP WITH LADA AND I FEAR THAT's LEADING UP TO HIM LEAVIN HER AND NOOOO. Nicolae was hardly in this book, like he was there, but he wasn't really vital to all the plot things so he only really got a few lines. I need more Nicolae! 
Anyway, thanks for reading. Love you all. 
​-Anj

Victorian Era England with a twist. Seven Ancient beings of death and destruction are plaguing the lands, making everyone live in fear. Cities are being destroyed. Many lives are being lost. And there's hardly a thing that people can do to stop them. Their only hope of salvation? The sorcerers. And even the sorcerers don't seem to be enough. A prophecy foretells that a female sorcerer will save them all. Henrietta Howel is that female sorcerer, or is she? 
A Shadow Bright and Burning is a very fun novel and I really enjoyed reading it. Though I was expecting a kind of Clockwork Angel feel (because of the setting), and that wasn't what I got. It was still a fun read, just the setting didn't play into the story nearly as much as I was expecting. 
Henrietta is a great protagonist, she's strong but not entirely full of herself. I enjoyed reading from her perspective because she was really someone I could root for. 
Her best friend Rook, well, I liked him enough to not want him to die, but apart from that? Not overly attached. 
Henrietta is brought to train as a sorcerer, the first female sorcerer in a long time. So basically she's surrounded by a bunch of sorcerer boys. That element excited me about the book, haha. 
Julian Magnus is one of the many sorcerers. And he is so my type. Flirtatious, cocky and loves to joke. Also, he may joke most of the time, but when it comes down to it he's very protective. He's a regular Will Herondale. Haha. What's not to love about this boy? Okay, he's actually a very confusing character, but I'll get more onto that in the spoilers section. 
Then there's George Blackwood. The jerkish, brooding rich boy. Of course, he's hiding some things too. 
There are other boys, but these are the two that stand out most in my mind. If you don't like one, you'll probably find the other attractive. Or if you're into the pst friend type there's always Rook. 
​Of course, the high light of this story isn't the fun of attractive boys, although that is very appealing. The fun of the story is turning the cliche of the chosen one on its head. 
They all think Henrietta is the chosen one... but she'd not. That's the fun of the story, it's so different from most other stories because the CHOSEN ONE is a very classic cliche because it's one people love to read about. 
The world building is very well done as well. We get introduced to a lot of lore about magicians, wizards and witches. It's actually very interesting lore, and the villains of the story? The Ancients? I have a feeling we have a to more to learn about them and I'm very excited to see more of them. I have a feeling there's a lot more than meets the eye (and there's a lot that meets the eye). I have to say I'm really looking forward to seeing more of these characters and more of this world. 7/10 stars, it was a really strong beginning to hopefully a new favorite series. I would highly recommend this book to those who enjoy fantasy and or historical fiction. It's a fun read. 

Synopsis: 
I am Henrietta Howel. The first female sorcerer. The prophesied one. Or am I?

Henrietta Howel can burst into flames. When she is brought to London to train with Her Majesty's sorcerers, she meets her fellow sorcerer trainees, young men eager to test her powers and her heart. One will challenge her. One will fight for her. One will betray her. As Henrietta discovers the secrets hiding behind the glamour of sorcerer life, she begins to doubt that she's the true prophesied one. With battle looming, how much will she risk to save the city--and the one she loves?

DICUSSION SPOILERS 

Okay Magnus/Julian. WHAT THE HELL?! He really did seem like the perfect boy, very Will Herondale-esk. And then he was all like we could sleep together and all but I can't be with you and I was like Will? Is that you? Except then his character just basically completely changes to showing him in a darker light-- him saying she was a tease and whatnot. Like what the hell? And not just that then it goes back to oh yeah they're friends again and he's actually a good person again. That left me feeling very confused, because despite everything I still am really attached to this character. It was left with maybe a feeling of hope for Julian and Henrietta and despite all the horrible things he said... I still want them together? Sorry, I know that's wrong but I just got so attached to Julian in the first half and am hoping to see more of a better side of him in the later books. 
I don't really understand the relationship between Rook and Henrietta. Like I know Rook has romantic feelings for her, but it's unclear how Henrietta feels about Rook. I like Rook, don't love him. And I certainly don't want him and Henrietta to end up together. 
George? I really feel like it's either him or Julian as end game. Who knows really. 
I'm curious about the Ancients. I had this theory maybe the skinless guy is her dad somehow because her dad isn't dead but haha. Probably not. 
Anyway, just really enjoyed this series and am looking forward to reading more! 
-Anj

Time travel to ancient Scotland. Fancy dresses. Duels. Scottish accents. I've heard this book described as the YA Outlander. Seeing as I'm not actually that interested in Outlander, I don't know what drew me to Doon. 
Perhaps the idea of a fated couple? OR maybe I was just convinced by everyone raving about it everywhere. 
Doon follows two best friends, MacKenna and Veronica, as they vacation in Scotland. The two girls stumble into the world of Doon, which is basically medieval Scotland with a few twists on it. Veronica has been seeing visions-- visions of a handsome Scottish lad. Once they reach Doon she's able to meet him, but not in the way they might think. 
This book had a lot of potential. It presented an interesting story, but the way it was executed was just plain out messy. The writing felt like something I would've written in the sixth grade. The writing style was messy, the actual words felt very young and not well thought out and just-- well, everything about the writing was poor. The dialog? Had me wanting to just put the book down and never look towards it again. And the way the relationships were written between the characters? Just no. 
I have to say, I went into this book expecting a heart stopping romance.  I came out with TWO romances that made me roll my eyes two hundred percent of the time. Was I attached to either? No. Just the way the story was set up, the way the characters were written and how they acted around each other just didn't make the relationships something to root for. 
The entire book was actually pretty unimpressive. The plot? Easily predictable. I'm not sure there were any plot twists that I didn't predict one hundred pages beforehand. The characters? All of them seemed very flat and uninteresting to me. Really, there wasn't a single one that I was actually very attached to. Why? The writing was just so off-putting. These teenage girls are supposed to be practically adults, not thinking and speaking like they're in the firth grade. 
Cliches? Yes I love my good old cliches. But really. This does actually feel like something I would've written in middle school. There are so many cliches shoved into EVERY PAGE. 
The amount of angst was off the table and about as far from believable as it comes. And the reasons for angst weren't even good ones. Anyone who's read my past reviews knows if I had to pick one element that I absolutely despise in a book, it would be INSTALOVE. The amount of instalove in this book is OFF THE FREAKING CHARTS. You expect me to believe people are going to be so in love with each other after only knowing each other for two days that everything hurts when they're not with you and seeing them with someone else? Oh dear god. The jealousy and pain it causes. No. That's not how love works. 
I was expecting a well written romance that would have me swooning, as well as some boys that would have me swooning. Instead I got a bipolar blonde (no matter what excuses the story gave, I don't see any of them acceptable excuses for the behavior that was shown) and an over friendly prince who's just all too ready to fall in love. Slash he already fell in love basically before he even met the girl. I guess it only took what-- a split second? 
Not only is it instalove. It's instaeverything, including willingness to believe in things. Seriously, Veronica is willing to believe in Doon as soon as she hears it. Umm... I'm just going to say this, if someone told you a fairytale about a far off kingdom.. would you immediately believe it and go searching for it?
Pacing was also weak. I mean one second literally NOTHING is happening and it's boring as hell, and then the next everything is happening. This cycles through. And then the book is over. Really, just this wasn't really a well thought out book. Good idea, but bad execution. Will I be reading the next book? Eventually. But all together I was unimpressed and mostly irritated with the writing and how well the plot was planned out. 
5.7/10 stars. It was a fun story, but just as I've said like a million times before. The writing. The writing, pacing and execution was this book's downfall. 
Synopsis: 
DOON…

Veronica doesn't think she's going crazy. But why can't anyone else see the mysterious blond boy who keeps popping up wherever she goes? When her best friend, Mackenna, invites her to spend the summer in Scotland, Veronica jumps at the opportunity to leave her complicated life behind for a few months. 

But the Scottish countryside holds other plans. 

Not only has the imaginary kilted boy followed her to Alloway, she and Mackenna uncover a strange set of rings and a very unnerving letter from Mackenna's great aunt—and when the girls test the instructions Aunt Gracie left behind, they find themselves transported to a land that defies explanation. Doon seems like a real-life fairy tale, complete with one prince who has eyes for Mackenna and another who looks suspiciously like the boy from Veronica's daydreams. But Doon has a dark underbelly as well. The two girls could have everything they've longed for...or they could end up breaking an enchantment and find themselves trapped in a world that has become a nightmare.

DOON is loosely based on the premise of the musical Brigadoon, with permission from the ALan Jay Lerner Estate and the Frederick Loewe Foundation. Follow the journey at http://www.DoonSeries.com

~Destiny awaits!

Thanks for reading, 
​-Anj

"Monsters are most dangerous when they're afraid." 
​King's Cage, just as bloodthirsty and full of lies and betrayal as the rest of The Red Queen series. The epic finale-- wait? This isn't the last book? Call me an idiot, but I honestly thought King's Cage was the last book in the Red Queen Trilogy. But then, apparently it's not a trilogy? Yeah. I realized that just about when I was about 100 pages from the end and realized that there was no possible way this series could actually be concluding yet. 
Was I excited that I'd be getting more books in this series? Not particularly. I've felt pretty lukewarm about this series from the beginning. It's not exactly that original, but it uses cliches that make a fun story, which is the only reason I've stuck around with this series. 
The most original and intriguing part of the Red Queen series is Maven. The character I'm most invested in and interested in is... Shocker, Maven. I've been interested in his character from the beginning, and I still am. Especially after reading this book. If you're a Maven fan? You might actually enjoy King's Cage. If you're a Cal fan? Well, I don't really find anything about him appealing but he has plenty of time in this book as well. 
And Cameron? Well crap. I forgot who she even was. She had a ton go time this book-- even like half the chapters were her point of view. I like/ care about her even less than I do about Mare. Like Mare, okay she's fine, but I don't really care about her. Cameron? Sorry I just find her to be plain out annoying and really could care less about her. 
Ha, sorry to everyone who loves this series. I know how much it hurts to hear someone shit talking your favorite characters... but this is just my honest opinion. I don't really care for the characters in this series, and more of them annoy me than the amount of people that I actually care about. 
"I'm not leaving this place unless I leave behind his corpse-- or mine." 
I've also read that the author is somewhat abrasive towards people who are invested in Maven's character, or really any readers who think differently than her about the story. That makes me feel somewhat... I don't know, a little distanced or sad? Maybe because I think we, as readers, should be open to our own opinions. I understand that the characters are very near and dear to the author's heart, but shouldn't we be allowed to have out own opinions without being insulted for it? 
Anyway, I'll try not to let that affect how I review this book. 
Like I said before, I was really only interested in the stuff involving Maven... And Evangeline. She became a very interesting character to follow. I'll admit, there were some seriously interesting parts in this book where I really wouldn't want to put it down, but for the most part I was kind of bored. And detached. Like I could put the book down and just walk away and be fine. No nagging sensations in the back of my mind or anything. 
There seemed to be a lot of filler chapters and things leading up to action, and not in a suspenseful, fun way. In a I'm bored kind of way. Like don't get me wrong, I'm not the type that needs action ALL THE TIME EVERY DAY, actually I find that to be quite boring too. and I do like romance novels without any action at all, but I like when things are actually happening. A lot of this book felt like nothing was happening. Nothing at all. The only bright lights in those dull, dull chapters were finding out more about the real Maven. Yeah, guys, there is actually a real Maven and you get to meet him in this book. 
Basically all I have to say is that I really just didn't feel affected by this book at all. I feel the same as I did before, if not feeling less attached to the characters that I already wasn't particularly attached to before. 
I'd give this book 6/10 stars. It was okay, a lot of boring, filler sequences for most of the book, but there were a few things that redeemed it. Slightly. Maven and Evangeline for the most part. 
Synopsis: 

In this breathless third installment to Victoria Aveyard’s bestselling Red Queen series, allegiances are tested on every side. And when the Lightning Girl's spark is gone, who will light the way for the rebellion?

Mare Barrow is a prisoner, powerless without her lightning, tormented by her lethal mistakes. She lives at the mercy of a boy she once loved, a boy made of lies and betrayal. Now a king, Maven Calore continues weaving his dead mother's web in an attempt to maintain control over his country—and his prisoner.

As Mare bears the weight of Silent Stone in the palace, her once-ragtag band of newbloods and Reds continue organizing, training, and expanding. They prepare for war, no longer able to linger in the shadows. And Cal, the exiled prince with his own claim on Mare's heart, will stop at nothing to bring her back.

When blood turns on blood, and ability on ability, there may be no one left to put out the fire—leaving Norta as Mare knows it to burn all the way down.

Sorry for the short reviews, I read all these books while camping and really just don't have that much to say because it was a bit ago and I've read so many other books afterwards. 
Well, thanks for reading, and I'm really sorry if I insulted your fandom. 
-Anj

"You cannot harden your heart to the future just because of your past. You cannot use cruelty against yourself to justify cruelty to others." 
The Midnight Star, the finale to Marie Lu's dark and gripping Young Elites Trilogy. I wanted to like this book, I really did. I went into it with an open mind and well, unfortunately it just wasn't the book for me. 
I've kind of struggled with this series. I've always really wanted to like it, but there's just such a big gap between me and the characters that I find it hard to actually become invested in the story. If I were to order my liking of the books, I'd say The Rose Society (book 2), The Young Elites (Book 1) and then the Midnight Star. 
This book had so much potential. I guess I went into it hoping for too much. I saw an open potential with Enzo, and how he had been brought back to life-- and his tie to Adelina. The way they both fight for command through the bond and how he's all powerful and whatnot. I was expecting a lot, a big plot line from that. Instead? Instead all that came from that was a wasted plot line, thrown to the side for other stories that I personally thought to be far less interesting. 
"You are a light. And when you shine, you shine bright." 
A lot of the story was all ADELINA and then some side characters. My issue with this is that for me, the side characters were all so much more interesting. Teren, for instance. I thought we had a lot more to see from his character, a lot more development. And while his character did develop in a bit of an interesting way, we barely got to see him at all in this book, much less anything going on his mind. I would've liked to see a lot more of Teren and Enzo in this book, especially considering they were some of the big characters from the beginning. I believe if this book concentrated a little less on Adelina, I would've found it far more interesting. Or maybe it just needed to be longer. The Midnight Star was so short. Especially considering that it's the finale in a grand series. It needed much more time, falling into the trilogy category of being all too rushed at the end. 
"Someday, when I am nothing but dust and wind, what tale will they tell about me?" 
Anyway, I just leave this series feeling rather disappointed, especially with the last book. There was so much potential, and I just feel like that potential was thrown away in the rushed ending. 
All in all, I would give the midnight star 5/10 stars. I'll give the book this, the ending was great. Poetic. Marie Lu has a way with her endings that leave you thinking about them for a while. But that's really all I have to say that's good for this book. The rest of it was just meh for me, I codling' bring myself to care less. 
Well, sorry for the negative review. Here's the synopsis: 

There was once a time when darkness shrouded the world, and the darkness had a queen.

Adelina Amouteru is done suffering. She’s turned her back on those who have betrayed her and achieved the ultimate revenge: victory. Her reign as the White Wolf has been a triumphant one, but with each conquest her cruelty only grows. The darkness within her has begun to spiral out of control, threatening to destroy all she’s gained.

When a new danger appears, Adelina’s forced to revisit old wounds, putting not only herself at risk, but every Elite. In order to preserve her empire, Adelina and her Roses must join the Daggers on a perilous quest—though this uneasy alliance may prove to be the real danger.

One final thought (SPOILERS): 

UGH! I just hate how the Enzo storyline was so wasted. Like what was the point of bringing him back to life? He really felt like he had no significance in the plot at all, except to really hinder everything. sorry, that's all I really have to say. 
Thanks for reading, 
-Anj

Darkness. While some chose to walk in the light, Adelina is done trying. After all, why try to be good when the darkness is so much more appealing? 
The Rose Society is the second book in Marie Lu's Young Elites Trilogy. I was initially attracted to this series because the author, Marie Lu, wrote one of my favorite series-- Legend. I read the Young Elites as soon as it came out, unfortunately I found myself to be very disappointed and not very invested in the series. So when the Rose Society came out, I bought it... but I never bothered to read it until two years later. 
I'll admit, the Rose Society is far better than The Young Elites. Once the world has been set up, The Rose Society is just able to dive into the action. I'm writing this review after finishing the series, and I have to say, the Rose Society is by far the best book. It is set up very well, and I was pleasantly surprised to find myself enjoying it. 
The characters are pretty interesting, and while I found I still wasn't particularly fond of Adelina, I found that I actually liked two new characters introduced in this book-- Magiano and Sergio. I also remained to be interested in Teren. Still, I wasn't really invested in the main characters. I was on Adelina's side, as proven with my annoyance with those against her, but I still didn't particularly like her. I think the most interesting thing about this series is the conflict. There were three forces all working against each other in this book, and that's the part I found most enjoyable. 
I'd probably give the Rose Society 6.9/10 stars. Not quite a 7, because it didn't really leave a lasting impact on me. I know a lot of people were left speechless after finishing the book, perhaps I was not because of how disconnected I felt with the characters? I did have fun reading the action scenes and I can't emphasize how much I enjoyed all the conflict between the central characters. That was the fun of the story, but otherwise I wasn't really left with anything. 
Sorry the review is so short, I just can't think of much of anything to say about this book other than it was good. Better than its predecessor. If you're on the fence about reading this one, go for it. I promise it's more enjoyable than the first book. 

Synopsis: 
​
Once upon a time, a girl had a father, a prince, a society of friends. Then they betrayed her, and she destroyed them all.

Adelina Amouteru’s heart has suffered at the hands of both family and friends, turning her down the bitter path of revenge. Now known and feared as the White Wolf, she flees Kenettra with her sister to find other Young Elites in the hopes of building her own army of allies. Her goal: to strike down the Inquisition Axis, the white-cloaked soldiers who nearly killed her.

But Adelina is no heroine. Her powers, fed only by fear and hate, have started to grow beyond her control. She does not trust her newfound Elite friends. Teren Santoro, leader of the Inquisition, wants her dead. And her former friends, Raffaele and the Dagger Society, want to stop her thirst for vengeance. Adelina struggles to cling to the good within her. But how can someone be good when her very existence depends on darkness?

Bestselling author Marie Lu delivers another heart-pounding adventure in this exhilarating sequel to The Young Elites.

Oooh! I do I do I do I doooo! Hey! Ooh, I do I do I do I doo! Boy you got me helpless! Look into your eyes and the sky's the limit. I'm helpless! Down for the count and I'm drownin' in 'em
Despite the way I started off this review, I'm going to give anyone interested in reading the book a warning. You must not think of Hamilton (the musical) while reading this book. It is a lot more enjoyable when you're able to disconnect the musical and the book, because this book is not the musical and the author took her own route in how she saw the characters, all of whom are very different from the way the characters are portrayed in Hamilton. 
Of course, that didn't stop me from listening to Hamilton on repeat while reading this book. Then again, I'm not sure anything can prevent me from listening to Hamilton on repeat. 
I think I was mostly able to disconnect Hamilton and Alex and Eliza in my head. My main issue with this book isn't the way Alex and Eliza are portrayed, I didn't really mind that they were different from their characters in the musical. Mostly the biggest spot where my influence from the musical prevented me from enjoying the book was the portrayal of Angelica Schuyler. I guess I was just expecting more from her and just, I don't know. I didn't like how shows shown in this book. 
I'm going to be honest here, for the most part I didn't really enjoy this book. It was all too cheesy. As some of you may know, I love cheesy cliche romances, which is exactly why I bought this book (plus my love for Hamilton), I didn't think I had a limit for cheesiness or clicheness in a book, but this book soared over that limit. I found myself rolling my eyes a lot while reading this book, and unfortunately, I also realized I was really only continuing reading it just so I could be done and go on to reading other books. Anyway, my point it I didn't really like Alex and Eliza very much. 
The biggest thing that irked me a ton was there was nothing new about this story. It's like the author shoved the the historical characters into the TYPICAL YA formula and then published the book. Eliza, the middle sister, is better than both her other sisters, Peggy and Angelica, because she's not nearly as materialistic and she's a true woman of the revolution. She doesn't like to wear dresses because that fabric could be used for something else and blah blah blah. Honestly, it all just made me roll my eyes. A good character can still be a good character if they let themselves enjoy themselves a little. Also the book really did give the aura of oh yeah, the Schuyler sisters (WORK) are great, but Eliza is better than Peggy and Angelica. Peggy's beautiful, and Angelica is smart, but Eliza is the most beautiful and the most smart. 
Then there's the whole romance with Alex, which I'll argue is instalove. And I hate instalove. Literally Alex sees Eliza and is suddenly obsessed with her. Sorry, I think love takes a little more time than that. 
Also the "competition" for Eliza's hand of course has to be some sort of evil brute. He can't actually a decent guy because he's a villain! Ugh. Just no. 
I'd give this book 5.5/10 stars. Its writing was fine, but I just didn't like the story. It didn't engage me, I wasn't invested in the relationship or the plot at all. We all know Hamilton and Eliza get married, like that's a very well known historical fact at this point. So the fun of the book was supposed to be the journey, but instead I was just ready to be done with the journey. 
Basically what I'm saying in many words is this book just wasn't for me. I suppose if you are interested in reading a historical fiction romance, you could try this one out. Just remember to detach your thoughts about Hamilton from the book. 
Synopsis: 

Their romance shaped a nation. The rest was history.

1777. Albany, New York. 

As battle cries of the American Revolution echo in the distance, servants flutter about preparing for one of New York society’s biggest events: the Schuylers’ grand ball. Descended from two of the oldest and most distinguished bloodlines in New York, the Schuylers are proud to be one of their fledgling country’s founding families, and even prouder still of their three daughters—Angelica, with her razor-sharp wit; Peggy, with her dazzling looks; and Eliza, whose beauty and charm rival that of both her sisters, though she’d rather be aiding the colonists’ cause than dressing up for some silly ball. 

Still, she can barely contain her excitement when she hears of the arrival of one Alexander Hamilton, a mysterious, rakish young colonel and General George Washington’s right-hand man. Though Alex has arrived as the bearer of bad news for the Schuylers, he can’t believe his luck—as an orphan, and a bastard one at that—to be in such esteemed company. And when Alex and Eliza meet that fateful night, so begins an epic love story that would forever change the course of American history.
​
Well, anyway thanks for reading, 
Anj

Remember, it's just a game. Nothing is real. Caraval is a game that feels all too real to its players, making it impossible to distinguish reality from the game. Each and every page of the game is bewitching and magical, sure to enthrall its readers as much as the game does its players.
This book really takes you on a fun journey. It has a different feel from most other novels, something about the writing style is beguiling. A little haunting maybe, too. For those of you who read the Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern it has that kind of feel. Of course, I didn't particularly enjoy the Night Circus. I really enjoyed Caraval.
The best element of the book is that your mind gets to play the game along with Scarlett, Caraval's protagonist. You're told not to trust anyone or anything-- even your senses can betray you in the Game. And it's a great deal of fun to try and unravel the Game, truly figuring out what might happen. Of course, some of the plot twists were horribly obvious and I guessed them from the beginning... but then somehow those plot twists twisted in the opposite direction. Hmm. Even for the reader it's hard to distinguish what is really happening in the book and what is make believe.
The writing is spectacular, finding the perfect words to make the world (or game) of Caraval enchanting. Then the plot is also extremely well put together, using classical elements that make a story interesting (quest with a high stakes deadline + mystery) and adding new twists on it. The pacing also feels right, not too fast or too slow. Just right. Thinking about it, I don't think I'd change a single element about this book-- other than making it longer. I want more of this magical world! Sure, I might not have absolutely loved some things, but I didn't dislike them. I think the book fits together too perfectly, any change might mess that perfect balance up. 
The book, Caraval, follows Scarlett Dragna, a governor's daughter who suffers from an abusive father. She'll do anything to protect her sister, and it seems like she's finally found their escape-- in her betrothed, who has promised to sweep both Scarlett and her sister, Donatella, away from their father forever. But Scarlett's never even met her betrothed-- she doesn't even know his name, and Donatella is a little more than doubtful about this husband. When Scarlett gets an invitation to play in Caraval, a magical game she's dreamed of attending ever since she was a child, Donatella is convinced that Caraval is the escape her and Scarlett despitely need, for the winner of the Game gets one wish. And that wish could be used to allow Scarlett and Donatella to finally escape from their father's reach. However, an unforeseen issue arises in the Game. Donatella is stolen away, and the goal of the game is to find her... and if Scarlett doesn't, she'll never see her beloved sister again. With the stakes suddenly raised, Scarlett is despite to find Donatella, but the problem is she doesn't know who to trust. For in the game, you can't trust anyone. The other players are only in it for themselves... And then of course, you can never tell who's a player in the Game, or who's an actor, perpetuating the game.
Sound interesting? Well, if it does, I highly reccomend this book. I went through it in less than a day, it's just so good. Nearly impossible to put down. I would give Caraval 7/10 stars, or 4.5 stars on Goodreads. It really was a fun read. I wasn't the biggest fan of some characters, like I didn't really connect with Scarlett on everything, but I didn't dislike her. I just wasn't as enthusiastic about her and her sister as I am about some other protagonists. She's still a good protagonist, just not my favorite. Though, I can't help but say I really did enjoy the male protagonist of the story. You'll just have to wait and read the book to meet him.
Anyway, here's the synopsis:

Remember, it’s only a game…

Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show—are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic. And whether Caraval is real or not, Scarlett must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over or a dangerous domino effect of consequences will be set off, and her beloved sister will disappear forever.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval…beware of getting swept too far away.

I seriously hope you all give this book a chance, because boy, it's a fun ride to get on. I wish I could go back and read it over for the first time again. Maybe y'all can do that for me. :) 
​
Thanks for reading, 
-Anj

"We fear things because we value them. We fear losing people because we love them. We fear dying because we value being alive. Don't wish you didn't fear anything. All that would mean is that you didn't feel anything." 
In this series, Julian Blackthorn writes I-A-M-R-U-I-N-E-D. That pretty much sums up how you'll feel (and how I already feel) when you finish this book. It just completely destroys everything in your soul, but in a good way. And by good way I don't mean good things happened, I mean it's a good book and because of the good quality of the book, you fall in love with the characters and the story. And when things go wrong, it just hits you. If I would have to decide being hit by a truck and the end of this book, I'd say this book provided more pain to my soul. But I still wouldn't want to be hit by a truck anytime soon. 
"When people die, our dreams of what they could be die with them. Even if ours is the hand that ends that ends them." 
So as I've established, I am in emotional pain and suffering after finishing this book. AND THIS PAIN IS GOING TO LAST FOR TWO FUDGING YEARS BECAUSE THAT LAST BOOK ISN'T COMING OUT UNTIL 2019. Yeah. You heard me. 2019. We gotta wait two years for the next book. Anyone got a time machine? If so, please hit me up. I don't know how I'm going to be able to endure life through these next two years. Actually, yes I do. I'm gonna read other fantastic books, but still, I'm going to have an extremely large hole in my heart until I get my hands on and read Queen of Air and Darkness. 
"People often run even when they have nowhere to go. It is all about what you can bear in the place where you are." 
Anyway, for those of you living under a rock, Lord of Shadows is the second book in the Dark Artifices Trilogy by Cassandra Clare. For those of you who are living under a gargantuan rock, Cassandra Clare is the author of the Shadowhunter Chronicles, which consists of several series, yes that's write SERIES as in book SERIES, set in the same world, but in different time frames about different characters. The Shadowhunter Chronicles has a very special place in my heart. I've always loved reading, but it was City of Bones (Mortal Instruments Book #1) that really brought me into the reading world and got me OBSESSED. So far, the Shadowhunter Chronicles has three series and two novella bindings. The three series are The Infernal Devices (Clockwork Angel, Clockwork Prince, Clockwork Princess), which is set in 1878, The Mortal Instruments (City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass, City of Fallen Angels, City of Lost Souls, City of Heavenly Fire), set in 2006, and The Dark Artifices (Lady Midnight, Lord of Shadows, Queen of Air in Darkness), set in 2012. The two novella bindings are the Bane Chronicles and Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy. BUT GET INTO THIS SERIES, because there's more! If you get into it, there's so much material to fall in love with and it's all spectacular. There's the Last Hours series, that starts coming out next year that follows the next generation after the Infernal Devices, there's a new series on Magnus Bane and there's rumor of another series called the Wicked Powers, following the younger characters of The Dark Artifices. Basically, I'm in for the long haul, and you'd be smart to get in on the Shadowhunter Chronicles because they are GOLD. (I've done reviews on the Infernal Devices (I think), City of Heavenly Fire and Lady Midnight, if you're interest in getting into this series, check the reviews out.) 
Now on to actually talking about Lord of Shadows. As usual, this book flew over my already high expectations and just... It was absolutely spectacular. It was everything I'd hoped it would be and more. It had all the things we've come to expect from Cassie's books-- great action scenes, characters that it's impossible not to fall in love with, a riveting plot and last but not least, amazing humor. It's still early in the year, but I have to say that so far this book has won the title of my favorite book of the year. I'm having trouble imagining a book that could trump this one, but I guess we'll have to wait and see. 
I really don't now what I can say that will convince you to read this book if you're on the fence about it. It's fantastic. Please, just go read it. You'll love yourself for it later. 
Here's the synopsis: 

Would you trade your soul mate for your soul?

A Shadowhunter’s life is bound by duty. Constrained by honor. The word of a Shadowhunter is a solemn pledge, and no vow is more sacred than the vow that binds parabatai, warrior partners—sworn to fight together, die together, but never to fall in love.

Emma Carstairs has learned that the love she shares with her parabatai, Julian Blackthorn, isn’t just forbidden—it could destroy them both. She knows she should run from Julian. But how can she when the Blackthorns are threatened by enemies on all sides?

Their only hope is the Black Volume of the Dead, a spell book of terrible power. Everyone wants it. Only the Blackthorns can find it. Spurred on by a dark bargain with the Seelie Queen, Emma; her best friend, Cristina; and Mark and Julian Blackthorn journey into the Courts of Faerie, where glittering revels hide bloody danger and no promise can be trusted. Meanwhile, rising tension between Shadowhunters and Downworlders has produced the Cohort, an extremist group of Shadowhunters dedicated to registering Downworlders and “unsuitable” Nephilim. They’ll do anything in their power to expose Julian’s secrets and take the Los Angeles Institute for their own.

When Downworlders turn against the Clave, a new threat rises in the form of the Lord of Shadows—the Unseelie King, who sends his greatest warriors to slaughter those with Blackthorn blood and seize the Black Volume. As dangers close in, Julian devises a risky scheme that depends on the cooperation of an unpredictable enemy. But success may come with a price he and Emma cannot even imagine, one that will bring with it a reckoning of blood that could have repercussions for everyone and everything they hold dear.

"Break my heart. Break it into pieces. I give you permission." 

See, I didn't expect this book to shove its way to my favorite book of the year because there was a lot of competition for the title (mainly A Court of Wings and Ruin), but also because I wasn't all that invested in the main love story of the series-- which is between Emma Carsairs and Julian Blackthorn. Well, I'm still not that invested in their romance, I'm not against it, but I just don't particularly care for them together, either. They're no Jessa or Clace. But really, the romance is a small part of the larger and much more emotionally investing story. 
Why don't I love Julian and Emma? I love Emma, she's a great character. It's Julian I really don't like much. I love my dark, tormented characters, but Julian? It's not that he's too dark. Or too evil, because I love characters that are so much more evil than Julian. But Julian... It's like he's got tunnel vision, he only cares for his family and Emma. He'll do anything for them. That's not that bad, right? Hahaha well. He doesn't care what happens to anyone outside his family and Emma, as long as they're okay. Literally, he'll do ANYTHING for his family and ANYTHING against everyone else. I just... I really don't like that about him. He's also a pathological liar and ugh. No. Julian, not a big fan. 
You get to meet some new characters in this book, like Zara Dearborn (why isn't there a universal letter, or a key spot for a middle finger?), and you get to go deeper into the workings of the Shadow World and Faerie. And then you also get to know characters in or mentioned in previous books better, such as Kieran, Jaime and... Well I guess you'll just have to wait and see, right? 
Not the best part, but one of the best parts of this book is getting to see some well loved characters from the previous books, like Clary and Jace. (There are more, but you're going to have to read it to find out who.) I have to say, I was a whole lot more happy when the previous characters were in the story, because it's like seeing your best friend after a really long time. There's no other way to describe the feeling. Like I read the book because it was really good, but I'm also very emotionally invested in seeing what happens to the older characters, as well as the new ones. 
Haha, I was so excited about getting back into the book that from the very first line I was squealing in delight. And also, just so excited and happy at action scenes, humor scenes, awkward scenes and Jace scenes that I was literally squealing in delight and FANNING myself. Yeah. I'm weird, I'll be the first to admit that. 
10/10 stars, but really, are you even surprised? There is nothing about this book that wasn't absolutely perfect. Even the ending, it was... horrifying and I would do anything to change it, it was still well written and good for the plot. But still, haha I was so bitter about the ending I refused to write 10/10 on my notebook when I'd finished because just... no. 

Now let's get into the book discussion, shall we? 
SPOILERS BELOW FOR LORD OF SHADOWS 
I love the Jace-Kit relationship, I feel like we have a lot more to see from that. And just. Aw. I love everything about Jace, but we already knew that, didn't we? My question is-- why don't we see any Clary-Kit scenes before Jace and Clary are leaving for Faerie? He's basically in the EXACT SAME situation as she was, except he knew about the Shadowworld and she didn't. She could've really helped him adjust. 
I wasn't exactly sure how I'd felt about Kit at first, but by the end of the book I loved him. I loved seeing him come to accept his Shadowhunter heritage and realize that he wanted to be a Shadowhunter, I loved seeing his relationship with Livvy (still crying) and Ty.
Something that was simply not acceptable about this book was Clary saying she thinks she'll die soon. Yeah. I literally wrote in my notes "WHAT THE FUCKING CLARY WILL NOT FUCKING DIE. CASSIE YOU LIAR." Haha, yeah that hurt me emotionally. Though I'm not actually going to hate Cassie for killing Clary, if she does, which I doubt she will, because Clary is her character and I'm sure it would be good for the plot if Cassie did it. 
It was nice to flashback to Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy with Jon and Marisol, but then Jon was beheaded so... okay then. 
The part that said some like "Most of them had been scribbled in by some idiot named Will H." I absolutely died, especially since Will is Kit's (amazing) ancestor. I just loved all the references in the London Institute to the Infernal Devices characters and to the Last Hours characters (anyone want to tell me what's up with Lucie and Jessie? If you're confused *laughs* me too, but I'm a bit intrigued and super excited as well.) 
BUT HOW THE FUCK IS BRIDGET STILL ALIVE? TID TAKES PLACE IN 1878. SHE'S MORTAL. HOW IS SHE STILL ALIVE? Like, yeah that's definitely Bridget because she remembered the scones thing (Oh, Gideon, I'll never stop loving you), but HOW IS SHE STILL ALIVE?!! It's 2012!!!! (In the book). 
Also guys, the Warlock that helps them is named "Shade" everyone is freaking out about how that's Ragnor because the green skin... But guys, really? His name is Shade.  I feel like that has to be a reference to Mortmain's father, whose name was Shade. 
Then Magnus shows up and gets them out of there safely. I was so excited to see Magnus again, because it's Magnus and BECAUSE IT MEANS ALEC. My lovely Alec.
Lol also Magnus of course is the one who pops in when Julian and Emma are in bed together. He's been very good at popping in at inopportune moments. 
I actually really started liking Kieran in this book. I'm going to plant my feet firmly when I say I SHIP Mark and Cristina, but really I really really started to like Kieran. When Emma mentioned that Cristina was on a ship to a three way with the boys, I think she voiced all of our thoughts. 
Also Mark thinks at one point he really has a thing for dark haired people. Lol, Mark. Me too, buddy, me too. 
Reading Ty's letter to Annabel was adorable. It was just so cute. I loved it. But now that we've brought the subject up, I guess it's time to rant. 
ANNABEL HOW FUCKING DARE YOU. YOU KILLED YOUR OWN KIN (okay, your own kin killed you, but let's ignore that for a moment). YOU KILLED YOU OWN KIN. YOU KILLED LIVVY HOW COULD YOU. THAT WAS NOT RIGHT. I WAS WILLING TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE. YOU SEEMED LIKE A FAIRLY DECENT CHARACTER WHO I FELT SYMPATHY FOR AND THEN YOU HAD TO GO AND RUIN EVERYTHING BY BEING A SPAZ AND A BITCH ANDKILLING ROBERT (IZZY WONT HAVE HER FATHER TO WALK HER DOWN THE ISLE) AND KILLING LIVVY. NO. NO. I LOVED LIVVY. I LOVE LIVVY. SHE CANNOT BE DEAD. THIS IS A MAGICAL WORLD. SOMEONE FUCKING BRING LIVVY BACK RIGHT NOW. (Actually, I feel like Julian might actually use the Black Volume to bring Livvy back, but still...) CASSANDRA I KNOW YOU HAVE A THING FOR KILLING A CHILD MIDWAY THROUGH THE SERIES AND MAX WAS BAD, BUT IT WAS OKAY. NOT LIVVY THOUGH. HOW THE HELL COULD LIVVY BE KILLED? EVERYTHING WAS GOING TO BE OKAY, WHICH IS WHY WE ALL KNEW IT WOULDN'T BE BECAUSE NO MIDDLE BOOK ENDS OKAY, BUT STILL. OMG HOW COULD THAT HAPPEN. I CAN'T EVEN. THIS BOOK JUST KILLED MY SOUL. HOW COULD WHYYYYY. 
Alright. If you couldn't tell, I'm real hurt and salty about Livvy dying, and Robert too. Annabel, you crazy bitch. And also, WHY COULDN'T THEY JUST FUCKING USE THE MORTAL SWORD ON ZARA DUCKING DEARBORN. Why? Now it's BROKEN so we can't actual know the real FUCKING TRUTH. Yeah. This subject makes me a little emotional. If you couldn't tell. 
Well, I'm getting a little tired of typing. If any other vital things pop into my head, I'll be sure to make another book discussion post. :) That was a fake smile. My soul has been shattered by that book ending. 
"'We are but dust and shadows," said Ty, not looking up from his book. 
"Some of use are very handsome dust," Jace added, as the door flew open and stuck her head in.
"Come to the library," she announced. "The tentacle is starting to dissolve." 
"You drive me wild with your sexy talk," said Jace, pulling on his gear jacket.'" *squeals* Clace is everything good about life. 
__
"'We'll have to get our energy the old-fashioned way." 
Mark looked puzzled. "Drugs?'" 
__
"'The first time we watched Titanic, you cried." 
"I have seasonal allergies.'" 
___
"'The Herondales have always been famous for their good looks," said Bridget, "but if you ask me, the Lightwoods are the more sexually charismatic of the bunch." 
Alec spit out his tea. Magnus seemed to be keeping a straight face, but with an effort.'" 
___
"Really? You all have to sleep with Magnus Bane? How exciting for you." 

Thanks for reading!
​-Anj