I know, you're all sick of hearing (or reading) these words-- I'm so sorry for not posting regularly. Junior year was especially busy with a lot of pressure... But here I am! I also didn't actually read that many books due to a negative amount of free time, so I didn't actually have that many books to review, but I did read a few, and I am ashamed to say I am disgustingly behind on reviews. So behind that I don't think it would actually be worthwhile to write full on reviews of these books-- it's been too long since I've read them. Here I'll just give the synopsis, my general feel of the book and if I recommend it or not. Alright, here we go. 

Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake 
Wow. There was so much hype about this book, and I was falling for none of it. The synopsis just didn't interest me enough to actually buy the book and read it, that is, until my friend asked me if I'd read it and said it was on her reading list. That, of course, piqued my interest-- if it was a good book and my friend read it, I couldn't miss out! Plus if we both liked it we could have some great in depth talks about it. So I immediately ordered it and read it as soon as possible. 
Unfortunately, the reading experience was not as I'd hoped it would be. To be blunt, the book was dull for me. There was never a moment whilst reading it when I didn't feel like I could simply put the book down and never think about it again. I'd heard that it was like that, but there was a turning point, so I waited. And waited. There was no turning point. The entire book just felt dull and boring. There wasn't really any good buildup with the relationships, suddenly there was just love in some circumstances. Really, you can't expect me to fall for that. For those of you who know me-- I hate instalove plots. Even if one of the romances was not insta, I still didn't have any emotional connection to it. There was hardly any buildup, there was some, but not enough for me to even care at all. (Y'all probably know which one I'm talking about, if you read the novel.) Any relationship in general in this book ranging from romance to friendships just wasn't anything I connected with therefore anything I cared about. 
I know I'm in the minority and a ton of people are in love with these novels, but I'm sorry. I tried to like this book, I really did, but I just couldn't. The only time I was even slightly interested and not feeling bored to death was in the last few lines of the entire novel. And it most certainly is not enough interest for me to carry into reading the next book. 
The concept of the series is great, but the writing structure and just how the general plot was played out just didn't work for me. The series is about an island divided into three factions: the Naturalists, Elementals and the Poisoners. The Naturalists are good with anything to do with nature, they all have "familiars" which are animals bonded to them. The Elementals can control the elements. The Poisoners can ingest any amount of poison and still be fine. The island is ruled by a queen, and becoming queen is a dirty process. Each reigning queen bears triplets, and each triplet is one of the three types of powers. These girls are separated at youth, and trained to hone their powers. At the age of 16 they have to duke it out, and the surviving sister is crowned queen. 
In this novel, each sister has a bit of an issue. Mirabella, the elemental, is very strong, and it's predicted that she will win the competition, ending the Poisoner faction's reign. Her issue? She doesn't want to kill her sisters. The other two, Arsinoe and Katharine, are having trouble even getting in touch with their powers... If they don't have any powers to fight with, how could either ever become queen? This novel is not the actual competition to becoming queen, only the events leading up to it (which is disappointing, maybe the actual competition would be more interesting? I guess I'll never know.) 
Here's the real synopsis: 

Every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is born: three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to spark hungry flames or vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomachache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of lions.

But becoming the Queen Crowned isn’t solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it’s not just a game of win or lose … it’s life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins. The last queen standing gets the crown.

If only it was that simple. Katharine is unable to tolerate the weakest poison, and Arsinoe, no matter how hard she tries, can’t make even a weed grow. The two queens have been shamefully faking their powers, taking care to keep each other, the island, and their powerful sister Mirabella none the wiser. But with alliances being formed, betrayals taking shape, and ruthless revenge haunting the queens’ every move, one thing is certain: the last queen standing might not be the strongest … but she may be the darkest.

​If you're intrigued, by all means, pick up the novel. I'm pretty sure I'm in the minority of not enjoying the book, hopefully you'll be in the majority. I'd give Three Dark Crowns 3-4/10 stars. I'm sorry, I just didn't enjoy the novel. 

Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman 
After reading Scythe, I was pretty excited about this novel. And I was not at all disappointed, if anything, my expectations were exceeded. I'm not really sure how that was possible, but it happened. This had none of the world building the fist book did, which made it launch straight into the action. AH. I can't express how much I loved this book, and how much it pains me to wait for the next one. 8.5/10 stars. It was the best. 
I don't have much to say other than if you read and enjoyed Scythe, you HAVE to read Thunderhead, it's even better than the first. I really just can't wait for the next book. I think I might've screamed a little when it ended, HOW CAN A NOVEL END LIKE THAT?! It was both beautiful and heartbreaking, that's all I'm going to say other than READ IT. 
Synopsis: 
​
Rowan and Citra take opposite stances on the morality of the Scythedom, putting them at odds, in the second novel of the chilling New York Times bestselling series from Neal Shusterman, author of the Unwind dystology.

Rowan has gone rogue, and has taken it upon himself to put the Scythedom through a trial by fire. Literally. In the year since Winter Conclave, he has gone off-grid, and has been striking out against corrupt scythes—not only in MidMerica, but across the entire continent. He is a dark folk hero now—“Scythe Lucifer”—a vigilante taking down corrupt scythes in flames.

Citra, now a junior scythe under Scythe Curie, sees the corruption and wants to help change it from the inside out, but is thwarted at every turn, and threatened by the “new order” scythes. Realizing she cannot do this alone—or even with the help of Scythe Curie and Faraday, she does the unthinkable, and risks being “deadish” so she can communicate with the Thunderhead—the only being on earth wise enough to solve the dire problems of a perfect world. But will it help solve those problems, or simply watch as perfection goes into decline?

A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas 
I have mixed feelings about this book. Whilst reading it, I, for the most part, was loving it. Getting to  return to my favorite characters was amazing, I loved seeing Rhys and Feyre together again. It restored my faith in Sarah to write these characters perfectly again. Looking back, though, there were some issues with this book, such as some random add ins that were clearly just set ups for more stories. For instance, there's a random chapter from Mor in the book that literally has no relevance to anything other than to just show there's something darker... I did enjoy the tensions set up in the novel, but if you're looking for a book with a carried out plot, this one isn't for you. This book isn't a book, it's just a window into the lives of the leaders of the Night Court. 
6-7/10 stars, I loved the experience of reading it, but it had quite a few flaws. The end view into the next book series has me hype, though. I'm hoping the Nesta x Cassian series will be similar to ACOMAF in the way that Cassian helps Nesta journey through to overcoming her mental battles. I can't wait.

Hope warms the coldest night.

Feyre, Rhys, and their close-knit circle of friends are still busy rebuilding the Night Court and the vastly-changed world beyond. But Winter Solstice is finally near, and with it, a hard-earned reprieve. 

Yet even the festive atmosphere can't keep the shadows of the past from looming. As Feyre navigates her first Winter Solstice as High Lady, she finds that those dearest to her have more wounds than she anticipated--scars that will have far-reaching impact on the future of their Court.

Thanks for reading! 
-Anj 

Sorry, I've been very busy with school. Spring of junior year is a rough time. School ends soon and I'll post as soon as possible! 

Imagine a world where humanity has conquered death. There is no way to naturally die, and you could theoretically live forever. In this world, there is no crime, no racism, no government, no religion, just life. It's a perfect utopia... right? Ruled over by the all-knowing Thunderhead, anything that can go wrong is prevented before it can even be thought of. People are free to live their life, or a million different lives. They have forever to do it. 
The only thing that can end life is a scythe. Scythes are a group of "honorable" people tasked with the burden of killing (or gleaning, as they call it). They are subject to no law but their own, but Scythes are supposed to be fair, unbiased and honorable. The top qualification to become a Scythe is that you can't want to. 
Scythe is a fantastic novel. I went into it feeling a little hesitant, after all, I've been burned by five hundred too many hyped up books before. But trust me, the hype is well worth it for this one. I'll admit, the beginning does feel a bit slow, but as you're forcing yourself to read it, you'll suddenly be sucked into the novel and not realize it until after the even has occurred. That's the only way to describe how the book grew on me. I was just eh and then I was SUPER INTO IT without really realizing the switch until far into the SUPER INTO IT stage. 
It's everything you want in a novel, compelling characters with an even more compelling plot with an even more compelling and intriguing world. 
Not only does Scythe provide an interesting story to read, but it also brings up interesting thoughts and conversations, if you're reading it with others, in regards to life and death. 
The story follows two teenagers, Citra and Rowan, and while the story may fall under "YA" because it follows two young adults, Scythe is anything but your typical YA novel. In fact, it's one of the most unique novels I've read in recent times. These two are individually chosen to apprentice for an honorable Scythe, possibly the most honorable Scythe there is-- Scythe Faraday... And well, let's just say that things get twisted because I don't want to spoil anything! 
I can't say much on this novel other then you're really going to have to trust me. It starts off boring, I know, but please, just trust me. It gets really good. I'd give the book 7-8/10 stars. I loved it. And also the second book is even better so you'll never get to experience that if you don't read this one first! 

Synopsis: 
​
Thou shalt kill.

A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery. Humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.

Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.

anyway, thanks for reading! 
​-Anj

I always try to write my reviews close(ish) to the time after I read them, because the longer the time between the review and actually reading the book, the less detail you can give. Here are three books that I read last year (2017) and never got around to actually fleshing out a full review. I know I use this excuse every time but I'm really sorry, it's a really busy year. I know these are all excuses but I'll give them to y'all anyway to ease my guilt. It's my junior year, and I'm taking all the hardest classes accessible to me = lots of work. Aside from that I also for some reason decided to take on a ton of extra work on the side including tutoring several students, being a producer for our school's play and musical plus I also do stats for the wrestling & lacrosse team plus I also do Cappies and I also like to enjoy just hanging out with my friends while also getting around to read occasionally. So yeah, lots of excuses but now you know why I don't write reviews quite as often. I actually haven't been having time to read quite as often, either, so sorry. 
Alright, now that you all are tired of hearing my excuses and about my busy life, here are some mini reviews to give you a feel for these three books. 

Rhapsodic by Laura Thalassa
What attracted me to this book? While scrolling through Tumblr on my occasional need to look for ACOMAF material (my favorite book), I heard this book had a similar set up of characters and story to A Court of Mist and Fury, and it had a good review. Obviously I had to get it immediately. Unfortunately, this book was just that. A rip off of A Court of Mist and Fury. Instead of using the good bits of ACOMAF and twisting them into a new and enterprising book, this just took the tropes and tried to rush into a story that readers will swoon over. Spoiler, I did not swoon. In fact, I spent most of this book rolling my eyes. I really wanted to like it, I did, but I just couldn't. 
Other than the characters' amazing journey and the well thought out plot in A Court Of Mist and Fury, that book worked so well because we were already attached to the characters and story and  knew the world from our experience with the first book. Also the writing in A Court of Mist in Fury was just beautiful. I've never fallen in love with a story and its characters more than my experience with A Court of Mist and Fury. I know, y'all might be thinking I might've enjoyed the book if I quit comparing it to my favorite book. It was impossible not to compare, though. In fact, Rhapsodic basically was A Court of Mist and Fury with just changed names, and instead of beautifully setting up a story to connect with like A Court of Thorns and Roses did, this book just rushed right into the part of the story everyone loved, as if trying to just get to the money//fans. There was no journey to get attached to the characters. They were just there already, as was their relationship. 
All together, I found this book to just be a mess. The characters were just meh, I didn't care for any of them. I was actually more annoyed with the choices they made more than I actually found myself connecting with them. There were scenes where I knew I was supposed to care and that were pivotal moments, but I just didn't because I didn't care enough about the characters (or at all, really). I think that's all due to the lack of set up for the story. Would A Court of Mist and Fury have done as well as it did without its first book? Who knows. 
I just couldn't fall in love, or even in like with this book. Sorry. 4/10 stars. I'm not all that interested in trying the next one. Might as well leave that to fans who actually enjoyed the book and leave out the low rating for it. 

Synopsis: 
​
Callypso Lillis is a siren with a very big problem, one that stretches up her arm and far into her past. For the last seven years she’s been collecting a bracelet of black beads up her wrist, magical IOUs for favors she’s received. Only death or repayment will fulfill the obligations. Only then will the beads disappear.

Everyone knows that if you need a favor, you go to the Bargainer to make it happen. He’s a man who can get you anything you want... at a price. And everyone knows that sooner or later he always collects.

But for one of his clients, he’s never asked for repayment. Not until now. When Callie finds the fae king of the night in her room, a grin on his lips and a twinkle in his eye, she knows things are about to change. At first it’s just a chaste kiss—a single bead’s worth—and a promise for more.

For the Bargainer, it’s more than just a matter of rekindling an old romance. Something is happening in the Otherworld. Fae warriors are going missing one by one. Only the women are returned, each in a glass casket, a child clutched to their breast. And then there are the whispers among the slaves, whispers of an evil that’s been awoken. 

If the Bargainer has any hope to save his people, he’ll need the help of the siren he spurned long ago. Only, his foe has a taste for exotic creatures, and Callie just happens to be one.

A Poison Dark and Drowning by Jessica Cluess
​As you may or might not recall, I was very enraptured with the first book in this series and was quite looking forward to book 2. Unfortunately, the second was not nearly as fun a read as the first. There was just so much about this book that felt rushed. Since I read it a long time ago, I don't recall the exact details of what irked me about this book, but I remember a lot of feeling irked and a lot of eye rolls. A lot of stuff happened in this book that I didn't particularly care about. There's a new character introduced that I could tell from the beginning was going to be a main, but I just didn't care for them. Still don't. 
Also, sorry, but Rook annoyed me even more in this book than he did in the first, so, yeah, I didn't feel all that bad for him and his plight. Yeah, it's been a long time so I don't want to start spouting off too much stuff because I can't accurately remember it all. 
Also the "plot-twists" were not so much as twists as they were just... there. The big reveals? Yeah, they were easily guessable from about five hundred miles away. 
I'm sorry for the rant. This is why I don't like to write reviews long after I read the book, it's easier to remember the negative, especially if there wasn't anything overwhelmingly positive. I'm sure there were good elements of the book, they just weren't great and they are forgotten in comparison to the negatives of the novel. All together, like the first book, I suppose you could call it a fun combination of classic tropes and cliches. (Which is part of what made it so predicable). 
If you enjoyed the first book, read this one. Why not? Don't let my short little rant stop you from reading it, because plenty people did enjoy this one. Don't take my word on this book too seriously since it's been too long for me to give an accurate review. All I can really accurately remember is being annoyed and liking this book less than the first. So if you didn't like the first all that much, maybe this isn't the book for you since the story doesn't actually get better... 
I can't decide what to give this book, I'm caught between 5-6/10 stars, so I'll leave it there. 
Synopsis: 
​
The magicians want her to lead. The sorcerers want her to lie. The demons want her blood. Henrietta wants to save the one she loves. But will his dark magic be her undoing?

Henrietta doesn’t need a prophecy to know that she’s in danger. She came to London to be named the chosen one, the first female sorcerer in centuries, the one who would defeat the bloodthirsty Ancients. Instead, she discovered a city ruled by secrets. And the biggest secret of all: Henrietta is not the chosen one.

Still, she must play the role in order to keep herself and Rook, her best friend and childhood love, safe. But can she truly save him? The poison in Rook’s system is transforming him into something monstrous as he begins to master dark powers of his own.

So when Henrietta finds a clue to the Ancients’ past that could turn the tide of the war, she persuades Blackwood, the mysterious Earl of Sorrow-Fell, to travel up the coast to seek out strange new weapons. And Magnus, the brave, reckless flirt who wants to win back her favor, is assigned to their mission. Together, they will face monsters, meet powerful new allies, and uncover the most devastating weapon of all: the truth.

One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus
I often talk about how hype can completely ruin a book. This book was one that was severely overhyped. Sometime, I think it was over the summer ​everyone was talking about this book, you could barely turn a corner in the book world without hearing about One of Us Is Lying. Eventually, after a lot of resistance, I finally got sucked in and figured: screw it. I might as well try it out, I might be missing out. 
I wasn't. 
One of Us if Lying is advertised as a modern day "mystery" novel. The basic premise is that five students go into detention. The jock, the popular girl, the nerdy/good girl and the "bad boy" are all the classic cliches you need, and then the fifth is a student universally hated by everyone in his school. He runs a gossip blog and basically ruins everyone's lives. If you have a dark secret Simon posts about it. 
So when Simon is murdered in detention and it's discovered that he was about to make a post about everyone who was present in the detention room, they all instantly become suspects in his murder. 
Without spoiling on the mystery of the novel, I'd just like to say it was predictable and also poorly written/thought out. Why do I say that? Well, I predicted the murderer before I even opened the book. It's kind of hard to scrape by on calling the book a mystery if it's that predictable. 
By poorly written I mean the characters weren't written well enough for me to find them and their story compelling. There was not a single character in this book that had my sympathy/that I even remotely cared about. And the relationships? Don't even get me started. I know, I was suppose to majorly ship the bad boy and the good girl because that's a classic, right? I had to love it. I didn't, and it's not because that's a total cliche, because I love cliches. It's because the writing and the story, I just didn't particularly care for their relationship. At all, partially (mostly) due to the fact that I didn't actually care about any of them. They just weren't compelling, or written in a way that I could connect with them. 
And by poorly thought out? I mean this book caused a lot of controversy from a certain group of people, more on that in my spoiler section, but let me say I agree with this group 100%. 
Was it the hype that destroyed the book, or the book itself? I think a combination of both. I went into the book expecting great things, and was met with less than mediocre content, which made the let down even greater. All together, I was left unimpressed. 5/10 stars. 

Synopsis: 

The Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars, One of Us Is Lying is the story of what happens when five strangers walk into detention and only four walk out alive. Everyone is a suspect, and everyone has something to hide. 

Pay close attention and you might solve this.

On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.
Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule. 
Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess. 
Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing.
Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher.
And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High's notorious gossip app.

Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention, Simon's dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn't an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he'd planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who's still on the loose? 
Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them."

SPOILERS 

Spoiler: ALL OF THEM WERE LYING, but not in the way that counted.
See, the author tried to make it a huge plot twist that none of them killed Simon. Except that wasn't plot twist, it was actually what I was expecting. What would be more of a plot twist and what I was hoping to occur (but not expecting) was that one of them actually did kill Simon, because that would've actually made the story interesting. Seeing inside the character's head the entire book and being fooled by them? And then seeing why, the motivation and how (they came up with the plan)? Yes. I would have absotlely loved that. In fact, if that had been the case it might have actually redeemed the novel somewhat in my eyes.
Instead, the novel took the predictable route and made Simon the culprit. Which is exactly what I had been expecting the entire time. 
And that group pissed off? It's the group saying that this book is mocking mental illness and using it as a get out of jail free card. I agree with that. As someone who's seen a lot of mental illness and is very close to it, I would say this was not a good way to represent it. At all. I could go on a whole rant on that topic, but I'll just leave it at I don't think this book handled the mental illness aspect well. 

Thanks for reading these rant-ish reviews. Sorry they were ranty. 
Love y'all! 
​Anj

The end is finally near and the stakes have never been higher. Magnus lies ready to rot in a box under the ground. Cleo has an inevitable battle to lose to a god attempting to overtake her body. Lucia has lost nearly all her magic, and nearly all her trust, while Jonas has discovered a well of magic inside him, yet still is unsure of his place in the world. 

This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year. The final book in the Falling Kingdoms Series, a book series that I've had a hate to love relationship with. I've never had such a 360 turn on my stance on a series. Going from disinterest to obsession. Especially with Magnus. I really went from hating to loving that character, and if that doesn't show spectacular character development, I don't know what does. 
Final books are hard to write. You have to wrap up all the lose ends in a satisfying manner. Otherwise the end will taint every reader's experience and memories of the entire series. It's a really difficult task, one that hardly any authors are able to meet. 
Unfortunately, Immortal Reign did not meet all my greatest expectations. To be fair, I did have some great expectations for this book, and at the same time I was a little doubtful. One of this series' biggest flaws is pace/timing. It has a tendency to rush some plot lines while keeping others feeling much too slow. This book was no exception. Maybe the reason I can't quite forgive this rushed/slowed plot is because this is the final book. At the end of the last book I feared there was too much to wrap up in one more book, and I fear that fear was not overly misplaced. 
While some elements of this story were fantastic, others were just not timed right. In fact, the pacing for most of this book just felt wrong. It was either too fast, or too slow. Don't get me wrong, the book was still good, but I just really wished I could've enjoyed the experience a little more. 
Of course, I was always welcome to both Magnus and Cleo's chapters, it would seem they were the only characters I really felt invested in by this book. I didn't care to read about any others, in fact, their chapters just felt long and arduous. Side Note: I'm not just saying Magnus and Cleo chapters were perfect, because they weren't. Some of their pacing was off as well, but I just felt happier when reading their bits. The others? The stakes didn't even seem to matter that much to me, I was just bored with the story and the characters, and I think that was mostly due to the pacing. It didn't allow me to just sink into the story, I kept getting thrown off. 
Other than pacing the other main thing that I just got irked by in the novel is how easy and ​convenient everything felt. That helped with the issue of pacing, how fast it felt sometimes. There was no challenge to the story, and if there was it seemed to be wrapped up in the next page. There was never enough suspense to actually get me on the edge of my seat. I was never really al that worried-- I knew things would turn out fine because before I could even start worrying, it was resolved. I get it, the novel had to finish the story, but... Still. It could've been a million pages long for all I cared, I just wanted the perfect book. (I get it, it's hard to write the perfect book. And I did enjoy parts of this book, I did! But I'm just disappointed this was how it had to end.) 
All in all, I can't give an unbiased rating on this book, so I really don't know how to rate it. My instinct is to rate it higher due to my attachment to the series, but my critic senses call for me to lower that rating, knowing my bias for the series. So I'm going to give this book a 6-7/10 stars, because I just don't know how to rate it. Sorry for all the complaining, it's just easier to point out the flaws than the good things. Plus the flaws tend to stick with you longer, and I actually read this book a bit ago. I don't want you to come out of this review thinking this book was all bad, because there really were good parts, I promise. I was just overall disappointed because it's the end of a series I'm highly invested in. 

Synopsis: 
​
As two lethal elemental gods set out to destroy Mytica, sworn enemies must become allies in the final fight to save the kingdoms.

Jonas continues to willfully defy his destiny, but the consequences of plotting his own course are drastic. As the fight for Mytica rages on, he must decide just how much more he's willing to sacrifice.

Lucia knows there's something special about her daughter and she'll do anything to protect her, even if that means facing Kyan alone.

Amara is called back home to Kraeshia. Grandma Cortas has her own plans for Mytica's future. She promises Amara power, revenge, and dominance if she agrees to be part of her scheme.

Magnus and Cleo's love will be put to the ultimate test. Dark magic is causing widespread destruction throughout the kingdom. Enemies across the sea are advancing. And unrest is stirring throughout the land. Is their love strong enough to withstand the outside forces tearing them apart?


SPOILERS BELOW 

I know, no author can be perfect. If you kill of characters people are upset, but if you don't, your readers are still upset. None of the main characters died in this book, and I was actually never worried about any of them dying because I just got the feeling it wouldn't happen. Yes, I want a happy ending for my beloved characters, but I also didn't feel like there was anything at risk, also there was no real cost of this huge war. The way to get people invested is to make the stakes high, to show the cost, and in this the stakes were not all that high and there wasn't much of a cost. 
The only big(ish) character who actually died was Gaius, and we all knew he was going to die anyway. Sure I didn't want Cleo or Magnus to die, but wouldn't it make the novel have more of an impact? If the people who hosted the elements died? 
Y'all know where I stand on Lucia, and that still hasn't changed. I dislike her. And Jonas? I didn't particularly care for him either. I found myself just wishing for Magnus or Cleo chapters on any chapters that weren't about them, because nothing that happened seemed all that interesting. In fact, things that happened in Magnus and Cleo's weren't all that riveting either, I just like their characters. Don't even get me started on Amara's chapters. Do I care? Nope. No I do not. Nor do I care for her happy ending, because she was never a character I was particularly invested in. I guess Amara could be compared to Manon from Throne of Glass. The difference is, the way Manon was written and the plot she takes part in makes her a far more interesting character who you can get invested in, while Amara was just dull and annoying to me. 
Everything just felt rushed. Like it all happened, then it was over. Such as the big finale? How many pages was that? five? And you think they're dead... never. Because it's all resolved so soon, plus the finale didn't really feel like it had all that much risk, either. Also everything just happened so easily, such as Magnus getting into the castle at the end. Cleo had to like get fire taken out of her path by Lucia, how did Magnus get there for his convenient little interruption? And then there were just the slow bits that I couldn't wait to have over. All in all, it was a strange book that I have very mixed feelings about. I want to love it... but I just can't. 
Thanks for reading, 
​Anj

"And yet none of those things seems valuable anymore. None of those are true power. True power isn't granted. True power can't be taken away." 

Holly Black's novel, The Dark Prince, is a dark story full of intrigue, cruel beauty and twists around every corner. If you're tired of cliched plot lines, The Cruel Prince is the book for you. It's an extremely original story with twisted characters. There's no 'good,' everyone has their faults, and boy, are they big faults. You might even call them evils. 
I loved this novel, it really was a great way to start off the year, entirely different from what I was expecting. There was no way I could've predicted the end of the novel from the first few chapters, the story's motives keep changing and expanding.
Of course, going into the book I wasn't sure what to expect either. I've never read a Holly Black book, but after this one I'm sure I'll be trying another one of her stories soon. Before reading The Cruel Prince, I wasn't sure if it was modern day or if it had a fantasy setting. All I knew was that there were faeries, the protagonist was a human living amongst them, and that there was, well, a cruel prince. All elements that are bound to draw me to the story to begin with-- I love faeries. And I love "mean" characters, because there's usually a reason for their malice, and the meaner the better the backstory. 
Just everything about this novel was a pleasant surprise. It was modern day, but that didn't take away from the aura of the faeries. Where the story begins and ends are drastically different places, despite the book not taking place over a long length of time. Priorities change very quickly over the course of the story, and I loved that. 
This book is a combination of telling the story of a complicated family relationship, harassment, magic, and courtly politics. How do you fit those all together smoothly into a story? I have no idea, but somehow Holly Black was able to make it work. Somehow you get a modern tone in a world feels anything but. The book deals with modern, seemingly un-fantasical issues like bullying at school, while also depicting magic and the intrigue of court. I just can't emphasize how amazed I am at how smoothly and well this book read despite the combination of different topics. It's one of the main factors in making this book seem very original and different from most other stories. 
While I can't promise the story has a fast start, it's not exactly slow either. From almost the first few pages I felt like I was sucked into the story. Not because there were any particularly BIG events and plot twists to draw my attention, no, the story had to set those up first. No, I was drawn in because of the narration. The tone, and... the setting. I don't know, everything just seemed to make me want to stay in the novel, to continue because I knew it was going to get even more interesting soon. Not that I was bored... I don't know how to explain it. I guess I could say that I was ​intrigued from the very beginning, and then my investment in the story only grew from there. 

"The odd thing about ambition is this: You can acquire it like a fever, but it is not so easy to shed." 

The rest of the quote is real interesting but it's spoilery so... 

Jude is The Cruel Prince's protagonist. She's a human living in the faerie world... which makes her life extremely complicated. To her and everyone around her, she looks inferior to their immortal perfection. Yet Jude is determined to prove her worth. She's quite the ideal protagonist. She's a fighter, not one to be pushed over (as you will quickly realize), and her morals are far from perfect. Jude is twisted. She's lived in a twisted world of clever deceit for so long that she's basically become part of it. What I'm trying to say is that Jude isn't exactly good. I wouldn't categorize her as an anti-hero, but she certainly isn't a full on hero, either. Jude falls somewhere in-between, which is part of why she's such a fun protagonist to follow. 

"You're like a story that hasn't happened yet. Because I want to see what you will do. I want to be part of the unfolding of the story." (okay, that might not be quoted correctly, sorry, I have picture and the quote moves onto another page.) 

Then there's Cardan, the cruel prince. And boy, he is pretty cruel. He certainly wasn't what I expected, going into the novel, but then again, nothing in this novel was what I expected. He's... dark, like all the characters in the novel, yet somehow he came out to be one of my favorites. I'm fascinated by his relationship with Jude. (not that they have a relationship, just the way they interact with each other). I don't want to give anything away, I'll just say I had a lot of fun reading their interactions at certain points in the story. Cardan is a mystery, and it was certainly hard to figure him out. You think you got him down in a box, and then he'll do something that completely blows those walls open. 
All and all, I would give The Cruel Prince 8/10 stars. It was a fantastic read, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a bit of fantasy, faeries, court intrigue or just something new, different from the usual type of story. It's a fun book, or, in the words of Leigh Bardugo it's "lush, dangerous, a dark jewel of a book." Couldn't agree more. If you like happy, light books, this isn't for you, but if you enjoy a bit of betrayal and a story that'll keep your mind on its toes, this is the one for you. 

Anyway, here's the synopsis: 

Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.


SPOILERS BELOW FOR THE CRUEL PRINCE, DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE NOVEL YET


Let's just start this part off with some self-satisfaction. I KNEW I COULDN'T TRUST LOCKE. Neve trust the friendly guy in this kind of story. It's the cruel ones that show exactly who they are, like my lovely bae, Cardan. Locke was just hiding behind a friendly mask. He's actually a dick and I KNEW IT. Sorry, just proud of myself for figuring that out. And I also had a good guess that Locke was Taryn's suitor. 
"I have lied. I have betrayed. I have triumphed." 
​Let's just ask what the hell kind of sister is Taryn? Sure she "warned" Jude, but seriously? She's.. Ugh. I really hate disloyalty and that is the prime example of it. 
Now, thinking of Cardan. At first I thought he was a love interest. But then I Was like oh shit nope. He's VERY cruel. No chance of a romance there. And then it turned around when she found that paper with her name all over it. Jude thought that was a sign of hate but like... Nope people don't do that when they hate you. I loved the interaction with Cardan and Jude, and that's the thing I'm really looking forward to seeing more of in the next book. 
Cardan... Ah just wow. All the interactions in the 2nd part of the book just had my mind grinning. I can't describe it, I just loved it. After the party when he's completely under her control and they decide to "work together." Wow. Fantastic. 
Okay, so the last bit of the book moved a little fast. At first it seems like a normal, perhaps slow paced story to start off with. Little odd mix of modern day and faerie, and then the next part of the novel went wholly fantasy on us and moved so quickly! Jeez. like the negotiations just breezed through. Then the end, wow. The throne room scene? I was on the edge of my seat. (I actually was, I like to sit on the edge of my seat to keep good posture.) The betrayal of Cardan (somehow that betrayal was okay, haha.) and then his words to her at the end of the book? AH. Get me the next book this instant. 
And then there's that whole thing with Dain. And all the siblings, really. Like, wow, I was not expecting them to all get wiped out! I was expecting that Dain issue to come into play in books to come, but it's great now that he's dead. Surprising, and missing out on some potential with continuing sibling rivalry, but it was REALLY surprising. Something that doesn't happen in too many books today. I have to respect that creative decision because it really started off the new, different part of the story. 

Anyway, thanks for reading. 
-Anj

Wow, it's already almost 2018. How strange. 2017 was both the slowest and fastest year ever, and what an interesting year it was. Anyway, this post is going to describe 17 of the best "stories" I've read/seen this year. Why "stories" instead of books? I don't think I read enough books in 2017 to pick 17 out (of non-rereads) that I could feel good about naming as the BEST, even if they were the best out of what I read. So here's my list of great stories I read/watched this year. I recommend seeing/watching/reading all of them! These are my favorites from the year. 

One of the best, if not THE BEST, books I read this year has to have been Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare. And really, is that even a surprise? I mean, Clare has yet to disappoint, and is one of my all-time favorite authors. Really, her world, plot, character, and relationship building are perfection, I can't think of a single way for her to improve (other than for her to QUIT KILLING OFF CHARACTERS WHO I LOVE). Anyway, this book surprised me, while I did love the first book, Lady Midnight, and I had high expectations for this one, I wasn't over-the-top excited to read it, just regular excited. The characters in this series have to be the ones I feel the least attached to in the Shadowhunter Chronicles (though I do love them, I just have a special emotional connection to the other series' characters), and I was actually more looking forward to another book coming out on the same day as Lord of Shadows, so... Basically what I'm trying to get at is that Lord of Shadows was a FANTASTIC book. I started it and it was like my eyes were superglued to the pages-- I was not able to look away. The pacing was perfect, as was all the other aspects of the novel as mentioned above. 
If you're interested here's my glowing review, but just warning you it's the second book in the series The Dark Artifices-- the first book is called Lady Midnight. If you're interested in the Shadowhunter Chronicles (WHICH YOU SHOULD BE. IT'S THE BEST), I'd suggest you start with one of the other series-- The Infernal Devices or The Mortal Instruments. This series comes after those time-wise and it spoils them. 
Basically the Shadowhunter Chronicles takes place in modern day, or at least, two of the series (Mortal Instruments and Dark Artifices) do. There's a supernatural world inside our own, and the "police" or people in charge of keeping the order in the supernatural world are Shadowhunters. Half-angel half humans. Each of the series takes place in a different time, The Infernal Devices in the Victorian Era, Mortal Instruments in 2006 and Dark Artifices in 2012. They all follow a group of Shadowhunters and various other supernatural beings as they fight... different enemies. Wow, it's hard to write a synopsis for three series at once while not trying to spoil anything. If you enjoy ROMANCE, FANTASY, and ACTION I'd recommend these series. Trust me-- they're some of my all time favorites and I read a lot. Here's the synopsis for book 1 of the Mortal Instruments, The Infernal Devices and The Dark Artifices. Please, please, check these series out. I can't emphasize how good they are. 
10/10 stars. Trust me, I don't give this score out a lot, but this book DESERVES it. 

I'm going to be honest. I went into this movie with mediocre expectations seeing as all previous DC movies had been a bit of a disappointment (i.e. Suicide Squad, Batman V. Superman & Superman). Then I actually watched this movie, and I was totally blown away. For those of you living under a rock, Wonder Woman follows Diana Prince, an amazonian warrior, as she ventures out of the safety of her home island and into the world of man in order to try and save it. Yeah, that's the big picture idea, at least. If you like action, comic book movies, or just enjoy a good story, Wonder Woman is the movie for you. Don't believe me? This movie also got glowing reviews from basically everyone. It has a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes. 92%! That's really quite good. This has to be one of my favorite movies to come out of 2017, and I really hope you all see it. Another 10/10 stars. 

I know, I know, I'm a little late, but this year I got into Hamilton. My obsession began in late May and has only been growing since. I avoided this musical for so long because I told myself I wouldn't like it-- I don't like rap. Yeah, well, I don't like it. I LOVE it. I'm obsessed with it. Over the summer I think I listened to the entire album TWICE a day. That's how great my obsession is. I know every word by heart and know a ton of real random facts about the musical. Seriously, if you have yet to listen to the soundtrack and get into the musical, you're missing out. The music is insanely catchy, the plot intriguing, and the characters are ones that are easy to grow attached to. Here's a link to the entire soundtrack, if you're interested. Of course, I can't actually link you to the show because that would be illegal ;), but if you're interested in seeing the show-- either do some pretty deep digging into the internet (you'll find it, I promise), or pay your life's worth to go see it on Broadway. (Or you could also pay a cheaper amount to see it in Chicago or London, and also there's a touring cast!) It's kind of harder to get than the other things on this list, but it's so worth it if you can see it. 9/10 stars. (seriously anything above a 7 is impressive in my rating scale). 

Another book I wasn't expecting much out of. Book 5.5 out of the Throne of Glass series (one of my favorite book series),Tower of Dawn follows Chaol Westfall as he ventures into the South looking for a cure for his damaged spine. Seeing as I'm not Chaol's biggest fan, I got the book and would read it because of my devotion to the series and the author, but I wasn't expecting to fall in love with the story and be up until the early hours reading... And yet that's exactly what happened. I really shouldn't have doubted Maas. The Throne of Glass series is another book series I would seriously recommend. Maybe if the first book doesn't hook you, try the next (even though the first book is FANTASTIC). This series is one that just gets better and better by the book and as the world expands. Throne of Glass is the perfect series for anyone who likes any of the following: a badass female protagonist, an exciting novel, action, romance, YA, fantasy, Game of Thrones, etc. 
Here's the synopsis for Throne of Glass, if you are interested. If you haven't read it, I encourage that you try the series because really, it's a fantastic story with compelling characters, intricate world building and an intriguing plot. 
I'm giving Tower of Dawn 10/10 stars. It was that good. If you've read Throne of Glass through Empire of Storms and are hesitant to start Tower of Dawn-- trust me and try it! You won't regret it. Need more convincing? Here's another glowing review. 

It wasn't released in 2017, but I was introduced to it this year. Rent, an iconic musical following several broke artists as they struggle to make a living. Bad description, great musical. Also a great movie containing most of the original Broadway cast. Here's the IMDB description of the movie: This is the film version of the Pulitzer and Tony Award winning musical about Bohemians in the East Village of New York City struggling with life, love and AIDS, and the impacts they have on America. I don't really know how else to sell this musical other than saying it's a very moving story, and also has great actors with strong vocals. This is the show that began Idina Menzel's career, as well as one of the first musicals to introduce more edgy themes like AIDS, drag, gays etc. to the Broadway stage. 10/10 stars for both the musical and the movie. I can't link the movie here, but there is a live recording of a Broadway show, not with the original cast, but still talented. 

I think there's a theme with the stories on this list-- they're all things wasn't expecting to love. And yet here I am, loving all of theme. The Lunar Chronicles, I've been avoiding this series for a LONG LONG LONG time. I knew it was insanely popular and everyone who read it loved it, but... I just couldn't bring myself to read Cinder because Cinder is a cyborg. Then, ironically as I was reading the book, I was getting mad at everyone for disliking Cinder because she was a cyborg. Don't let the sci-fi element throw you off like it did me. The Lunar Chronicles are a sci-fi retelling of different fairytales. For example, Cinder is a loose retelling of Cinderella. But it's not like companion novels in the same world, no all these stories are connected, just introducing new characters in each book that help along the main plot. Seriously, it's a very fun series to read. Sci-fi, romance, action and adventure-- what's not to love? Still need more convincing? Here's my synopsis for book 1. 
Also here's the book synopsis: 

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl.

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.
​
I'd give the series a 8.8/10 overall. (Yes, that is a VERY good score for me). It was a great read, that I reread as soon as I finished it! Please! Try this series out, you [probably] won't regret it. (Then again, I can't see inside you're head, so I can't make an official promise!) 

If you couldn't tell, I really love my comic book stories. And this isn't the last comic book movie on this list. I also love me some Chris Hemsworth so... Thor: Ragnarok had a VERY different tone from all the previous Marvel movies. It was light, not a serious story-telling. Poking fun at itself and everything around it, and I loved it. This movie is the perfect combination of action and comedy. It makes use of its talented-cast and was filmed mostly on improv. Interesting fact-- Matt Damon has a cameo in it. If you have yet to watch this movie, what are you waiting for?! It's a blast, I promise you. 8.5/10 stars. 

Another musical, yeah, I'm a bit of a musical addict. Here's another musical I was introduced to this year, thanks to my friend Rachael. I loved this musical so much that I saw it TWICE within the span of like three months. RIGHT NOW on Broadway the original cast leads are back, Stark Stands and Billy Porter, only through January 7, so yeah, I know it's a short time, but if you can make it to the show GO. Sands and Porter are by far the best performers I have yet to see. Their on-stage presence is so compelling-- I couldn't tear my eyes away from them. They have the best on-stage chemistry I've ever seen, and the voices of angels. Please, please, please, see them if you can. 
You may be wondering, what is Kinky Boots about? Well. Here's the official Broadway synopsis! Based on a true story and the indie film of the same name, Kinky Boots follows young Brit Charlie Price, who abandons his family’s shoe factory to live with his demanding girlfriend in London. After the unexpected death of his father, Charlie returns to the struggling factory and finds it’s up to him to figure out a way to keep the business alive. Enter Lola, a fabulous drag queen, who gives Charlie the idea to create ladies’ shoes for men. Soon, the factory is turning out “kinky boots” under the supervision of Charlie and Lola, but can this harebrained scheme actually work? And can these two extremely different men find a common ground and become real friends?
The show is great in every aspect, which, I suppose, is not surprising for a Broadway show. Kinky Boots is a fun kind of production that will have you in absolute stitches, while also have you tapping your foot along to its infectious tunes. 10/10 stars. Sands and Porter are ​everything. (Still, the show on its own is good, too. Seriously recommend seeing it, even if you can't get in before January 7)

Here's another story I went into thinking I'd feel meh about and ended up loving. Actually, here's a story-telling platform I wasn't expecting to get into, either. Webtoon. Online comics. I think the sale is called Manga? I'm not sure though, so don't quote me. You can quote me on saying this is absolutely one the best stories I've ever had the pleasure of reading. I'm completely obsessed with Tower of God by Siu. Sure, the start of the story is a little slow and the art isn't AMAZING to start out with either, but let me tell you both improve drastically. Soon enough you'll be sucked into the story and not able to quit clicking "next episode" (episodes are chapters). If you're like me, you'll be staying up till 1AM on every day-- even weekdays-- because the story is just that good. The further you get into the world, the harder it is to leave it. The world, character, plot and relationship building in this comic are far better than plenty of published books I've read. If you like stories and are hesitant about reading a comic kind of story, don't be! This is an experience I promise you won't regret. And it's free! You can either download the free app or read it online! 
Now that I'm done ranting about how GOOD Tower of God is, shall I explain what it's about?
Well... This is actually pretty difficult. Tower of God takes place inside a tower where, if you can get to the top, you'll be granted with any of your greatest desires. The only thing is? Barely anyone makes it to the top. There are floors that you have to pass, and on each floor you have to take a "test." It's  kind of like a game, except the games can turn out to be deadly. Tower of God starts off following an innocent character as he accidentally enters the tower while following a friend... and as he ventures up the tower... Well, I want to tell you what happens, but that'd spoil the fun! Just trust me on this and try out this webtoon. Seriously, you don't know what your'e missing out on. This story has a mysterious and compelling plot line with a very lovable ensemble of characters. You won't be able to stop reading. Trust me, I'd know. 10/10 stars. This has to be one of my favorite stories of all time at this point. (Oh, also I should mention it's kind of an action/adventure/fantasy with plenty of humor)

This was the book I was most looking forward to coming out this year. The final book in the A Court of Thorns and Roses trilogy by Sarah J. Maas-- A Court of Wings and Ruin. And while, I'll admit, I was a  little disappointed with the novel, it was still a FANTASTIC book. My biggest issue was that it didn't seem like a finale, it didn't tie up any loose ends, it actually made more things open than anything else. If you're interested in my thoughts on it here's my review. Still, it was a great novel. 9/10 stars. 
If any of you don't know what this series is about... Please, please, please read it! The second book in the series , A curt of Mist and Fury is my favorite book of all time. Seriously, it's the best book in the world. The first book starts off a bit slowly, but as it goes on you get into it. What is it about? The first book is an extremely loose retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Very loose. The "Beasts" in the story are Faeries. And not like ones with cute little wings, but really attractive, immortal beings with extraordinary powers. Here's the synopsis for the first book: 
​
Feyre's survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill – the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator and killing something so precious comes at a price ...

Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jewelled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre's presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why, her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever.

Another superhero movie, surprise surprise. Spiderman: Homecoming is the most recent reboot in the many different Spiderman variations. Finally, Spiderman is able to join his fellow Marvel Avengers, thanks to a new deal between Sony and Disney/Marvel. And they finally got a Spiderman movie to be just right. Toby Maguire was a good Peter Parker, not Spiderman, while Andrew Garfield was a great Spiderman, not Peter Parker. Tom Hollands plays both roles perfectly. He also pulls off being a cute, awkward teenager, unlike both Maguire and Garfield who clearly felt older than their parts. Spiderman: Homecoming is a fun, energetic, action-packed movie that will be sure to hold your attention for the entirety of its run time. 8/10 stars. 

Another Webtoon? Yep. I'm kind of obsessed with these. And they're free! So you can read them anytime on your phone for no cost at all. It's a really good deal. This is another fantasy webtoon. It takes place in a world where it's common to have some sort of superpower. So it's unordinary to have no powers like the protagonist, John... Yeah, it's really hard to explain more, but let me promise you-- it's good. Like Tower of God, it has excellent character, relationship and plot building. The plot is super intriguing, and the characters are very likable (well not all of them, but like, different people will like different characters. My favorite is Arlo.) If you like fantasy, action or young adult stories, try this one out! (Also the art is FLAWLESS) Oh yeah, here's the official synopsis:
The world is not perfect. Learning to deal with its flaws is just a normal part of life. But there comes a point where these imperfections spawn a crushing realization... that something needs to change...
Here's a link to the story. 10/10 stars. (Oh, also the comics aren't actually moving. That would be a show. This is just a trailer.) 

For anyone who's been following my blog for a while, this shouldn't be a surprise. To All The Boys I've Loved Before has to be my favorite contemporary romance series. It's so realistic, to the point where sometimes I have to avert my eyes for a minute from secondhand embarrassment. It's so easy to emphasize with the protagonist and fall in love with the adorably of the story. Honestly, if you enjoy cute romances THIS IS THE SERIES FOR YOU.
Anyway, Always and Forever Lara Jean was the perfect ending to this perfect series. Unlike so many final books, this novel kept the tone and feel of its predecessors. It was good. No, it was great. 10/10 stars. Interested? Check out my review. 
If you're interested in the series as a whole, here's the synopsis for book 1. 
​
What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them… all at once? 

Sixteen-year-old Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren’t love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she’s written. One for every boy she’s ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control.

This was one of those movies that I was expecting to be a flop. And that I did not intend to watch. Story behind that: every Christmas my fam goes to see a movie. My cousin made me promise not to watch Star Wars: The Last Jedi without him, so we had to watch something else. (Yes, I have seen the Last Jedi by now.) I was expecting this to be pretty bad.. And yet I ended up really enjoying the experience. It wasn't the BEST plot, but it was a fun movie. Seriously, I don't remember the last time a movie had me in stitches this many times. 8/10 stars. 
Basically what Jumanji is about is four teens get sucked into a game to play as different characters. They've got to complete the game if they want to get out and survive. 

Another old thing that I just got around to seeing/reading this year. 27 Dresses, quite possibly my favorite rom com now. Yeah, I don't really like Katherine Heigl either, but it's a really good rom com. And I'm a sucker for a good romance story. 
This basically follows a girl who loves weddings. She loves them so much so that she's been in 27 weddings, and basically planned the entire thing for each of her friends. She's also been pining after her boss... Who starts to fall in love with her lying sister, and she may just have to plan their wedding. Throw in a James Marsden writer character and you get a great rom com. 8/10 stars.  

Another Webtoon. Seriously, this app/website is the best. Super Secret is a super adorable story about next door neighbors and best friends Emma and Ryan. It's a perfectly normal story minus the part where Ryan is a werewolf and his entire family are magical beings and Emma doesn't know. This has to be one of the cutest stories I had the pleasure of seeing/reading this year. Not only is the art absolutely adorable, but the story is as well. While being a cute story (sorry, cute and adorable are going to be used a lot here.), it also has an interesting plot. It's not just all about romance, in fact, there are a lot of subplots as well as some intrigue going on with the main romance interests. If you like cute stories, try this one out. 10/10 stars. Link here. 
(Yeah, the trailer sells the story WAY too short. There's so much more going on...) 

And last but not least we have the only TV show on this list, the worldwide phenomenon, Game of Thrones. To be completely honest season 7 was not my favorite season due to numerous plot holes and a sense of feeling rushed due to the short amount of episodes left (ONLY 6), but it was still a GREAT season. While I did have my issues with season 7, I still sat down at 9 every Sunday night and proceeded to have my eyes glued to the screen for the next hour. Visually Game of Thrones is stunning, it has a marvelous cast and about $10 million to spend on each episode, how could it not be? Also the plot is intriguing, which is why so many people love the show. This show might have the most intricate plot on TV, one word said in the first season can come into play in later seasons. It's all very well thought out (well, this last season was a little scattered but...) I highly recommend this show to anyone who hasn't actually seen it (are there people who haven't seen Game of Thrones? At this point it seems like everyone has.) Game of Thrones is not one of those shows that you just play in the background while doing something else, no this show demands attention and it's worth every second of it. It's not too late to jump on the Game of Thrones bandwagon! You have until 2019 when the new and last season comes out! If you like fantasy, action, and intrigue this is the show for you. I promise, once you get into the show, you'll be on the edge of your seat until the very end. 
There's a reason Game of Thrones is (probably, I don't know the actual statistic, it's at least one of) the most popular television shows. 9.5/10 stars for the overall series and 8/10 stars for the last season. 

Anyway, thanks for reading this extremely long post! Hope y'all had a great 2017 and happy new year! 
​-Anj

​Beauty can often hide darkness. Imagine a song, so beautiful and so simple, played on a violin... It may be the last thing you ever hear. Our Dark Duet is the haunting, yet beautiful sequel to Schwab's This Savage Song. 
If you read my review for This Savage Song, you'll know that I have mixed feelings about Schwab's writing style. I find it both riveting and... boring at the exact same time. You may be wondering how is that possible? And my only way to respond to that is I have no freaking clue. Well, I felt the same about this book as I did the last couple Schwab's books I read. I couldn't put my finger on whether I was bored or extremely intrigued with the plot line. That's just how the story works. 
Still, I loved seeing where Kate and August went after the events in This Savage Song. Kate quite literally went somewhere else, to another whole city, while August went somewhere different mentally. Doing the hard things so that other people don't have to. 
Again in this novel, these two characters offer such an interesting contrast to each other, except for this time, the roles seemed to have been flipped. Kate seems to be (slightly) more hopeful, and optimistic, while August has left that part of him behind. 
I really don't know how I felt about this book. I didn't love it, but I thought I did at some points, but I definitely don't hate it, despite the fact that at some points in time, I had no trouble just putting the book down and away. I think that's just what Schwab's writing does for me. 
On that note, I also am not sure how I feel about how the story really played out either. Yeah, it provides an interesting story... But while some parts of the plot felt rushed and hurriedly hashed over, others felt arduous, like they'd never, ever end. 
I think the most interesting part of this story would have to have been the relationship dynamic between Kate and August. I just love how they interact and think of each other. They're what I really had no mixed feelings about for this book. I love these characters, and they'll stick with me for a long time. 
As far as conclusions go, this story is far from the worst, it's just not the best, either. I'd give this book a... 6.9/10 stars. Not quite a 7, but definitely not a 6. If you've already started the books, then why not finish them? I felt basically the same way about this book as I did about the first so... Yeah. If you liked the first then read the second. It you didn't? Then don't read it. 
Sorry if this review was unhelpful 

Synopsis: 

THE WORLD IS BREAKING. AND SO ARE THEY.

KATE HARKER isn't afraid of monsters. She hunts them. And she's good at it.

AUGUST FLYNN once yearned to be human. He has a part to play. And he will play it, no matter the cost.

THE WAR HAS BEGUN.

THE MONSTERS ARE WINNING.

Kate will have to return to Verity. August will have to let her back in. And a new monster is waiting—one that feeds on chaos and brings out its victims' inner demons.

Which will be harder to conquer: the monsters they face, or the monsters within?

SPOILERS BELOW 
When Kate and August finally met... i was so excited. That was what I had been waiting the entire book for! Also can we just comment on how Kate's fake last name was Gallager? Cause AWWW.  Yeah, there's a bit of a controversy over the bit of romance in the book, some people loved it, while others didn't. I didn't actually mind the romance, I thought they'd make a good pair other than the fact you know, August would always kind of want to steal Kate's soul... 
Well... On to the ending. I'm a bit disappointed that Kate died, but I'm very happy that a part of her will always live on in August. I think that's a pretty cute idea. Though, I am disappointed that we never got any closure on her friends in Prosperity, or I should say how they never got any closure on her. They might think her dead, or they might think she just decided to never come back... And that makes me sad. It's realistic, but sad all the same. 

Anyway, thanks for reading. 
​Anj

Alright everyone, this is just a post to explain why I have not been posting this November. I'll start it off by saying I'm sorry! This month has been super busy for me. Not only have I signed up for NaBoWriMo, but I also have had a crap ton of homework and stress piling on because I had exam week as well. And the play... Well, that's a whole ton of excuses as to why I haven't been posting, and while yeah, they're legit, I still feel like they're just excuses. 
In all honesty I haven't actually read that much this month, either. BECAUSE of all that stuff listed above going on in my life, I haven't actually had the time. And I know, I know, that goes against my saying that you have to make time for reading but... I've barely had time for writing, so the time I usually put aside for reading has been dedicated to writing my novel for the month. Don't worry! I have some reviews that I've been trying to scrap together in the slight free time that I actually have so... They should be coming out moderately soon. Ish. Maybe. We'll see. Maybe I'll feel inspired and finish one tonight! Doubtful, but we'll see. :) 
Anyway, to hold y'all over (I know you just can't wait for me to post another review, haha), I'll tell you about a little thing that I've been reading in my boredom. 
Let's make it a story, shall we?
One night, around midnight, I was feeling kind of bored. I knew I should probably go to sleep, but I just wasn't in the mood for sleep. Then my mind recalled an ad I saw on YouTube a couple hours earlier... It was an ad for some sort of anime style thing. I had to download an app for it, too. I'd dismissed the ad at the time, but seeing as it was midnight and I was super bored, I just decided I'd download the app and watch a few of the episodes of the show that the ad had been for. 
Turns out, they weren't actually episodes, but anime-esk comics. The story was called the Siren's Lament, and it turned out, it was really good. In fact, I was probably up until two reading it. I didn't expect to get so into the story, but I did. the artwork was beautiful and the plot and characterization? Amazing. It is actually a very well thought out story. Anyway, even though comics and anime-esk things aren't exactly my thing, I found myself really getting into the story. 
Then I finished all the uploaded chapters of the Siren's Lament. And I didn't exactly feel like reading anything else, (because, like I said earlier, comics and anime? Not my thing.) The only bad thing about the stories? Most of them aren't done. Meaning you have to wait every week for a new "episode." 
Anyway, I didn't intend to read more. It was just going to be the Siren's Lament, and I'd keep reading the updates and that would be it. 
And then I believe I was bored another day, after just reading the update for the Siren's Lament and craving more, I decided to start another story. It was called Super Secret. It was just supposed to be a time -filler, not an addiction. And now here I am. Obsessed with that story as well. 
But the was going to be it. I was done reading new Webtoons. 
Haha, just kidding. 
Later, again, I was bored (wow, I've been bored so often I should've written reviews...) so I started I Love Yoo. Another great story. 
Then, last Friday night, shocker, I was bored again and really in the mood to read a story and didn't have any books on hand so I turned to my phone. And I started a story called unOrdinary. And then I was up till two again, even though I had no intentions previously of staying up late. I just wanted to read a couple chapters. 
And then this weekend I've been reading more, just because I've been extremely bored. Basically what I'm trying to say is I really recommend these stories. They're free (YAY), and even if comics and anime aren't you're thing (like me), I'm pretty sure most of you will enjoy them. The story telling in all of the Webtoons that I've read is spot on. The characterization, relationship building, and plot ate all incredibly done, I find myself very attached to the characters and their relationships and riveted to the stories' plots. Honestly, this is a little mean, but a lot of these comics are better written than a lot of books I've read. If you're looking for a free story that'll be sure to have you hooked and make you fall in love... I recommend these Webtoons! And if you've never used Webtoons, pick one of these to start! It'll be the beginning of an addiction, trust me, I'd know. 

Super Secret by Eon 
Super Secret is about next door neighbors, Ryan and Emma. They've been best friends since forever, and Ryan basically parents Emma. Making her get out of bed on time and making sure everything in her life is in order. Alright that's pretty normal... Right? Except Ryan has a SUPER big SECRET. He's a werewolf, and everyone in his family is some sort of magical being. But it has to be kept a secret from Emma because, well, it's just a rule. Anyway, this story is SUPER cute. The drawing style is adorable, and not only is the story a cute romance, but it is also hilarious. It had me gripping my sides and laughing more often than I'd like to admit. But there are also very realistic parts of the plot that had me almost to tears because... It was just so... It just made me feel so empathetic for the characters. Ryan is a sweetheart, and Emma is just adorable, basically a sum up of the entire story. Well, actually, it's a lot more complex. Basically I recommend this one if you're interested in 
an intriguing plot yet cute story 
adorable characters 
and an adorable romance 

Basically the only way to describe this story is CUTE and ADORABLE. 

I Love Yoo by Quimche
I Love Yoo follows Shinae Yoo, a highly relatable character who is more interested in food than parties. Basically her friends drag her along to a party, and at the party she meets two boys, one mischievous and fun and the other is a bit of a snob and rude. These two boys are somehow connected... And they seem to keep coming into Shinae's life. It's still a little early on in the story, so I can't give much detail in how the romance is going, but I can see connections stating to form! 
This story is more HUMOROUS than romantic... for now. Basically it will have you laughing A LOT as well as making you become very attached to the characters and story. 

If you're looking for a 
funny contemporary story 
with great, well-rounded characters 
emphasis on funny

This one is the Webtoon for you. 

unOrdinary by Uru-chan
This Webtoon is just about as complex as it gets. It follows John, who lives in a world where it's ordinary to have powers. And he's unordinary because he apparently doesn't have any powers. He can never seem to keep out of trouble for long, always sticking his nose where it doesn't belong and standing up for the little guy... Even when he is the littlest guy, being unable to defend himself. John befriends Seraphina, quite possibly the most powerful girl in the school. But not everything is as it seems when it comes to John, and more than a couple of John's more powerful classmates are curious about what is going on. 
Yeah, that was a really bad synopsis and that's the reason I didn't bother to read this story for so long... Yet when I read it I was almost immediately hooked. Seriously, this has to be one of my favorites... Actually basically all of these are my favorites, but... This story will stick with you. You won't be able to get it out of your head. Waiting for the updates is excruciating. The plot is complex, the characters are well-rounded and complex and... Just everything is amazing! Please, everyone read this webtoon because... I can't even put my feelings into words. I just love everything about this story and really don't want y'all to be missing out. 

Read this webtoon if 
you enjoy fantasy (there are superpowers) 
enjoy a good laugh (there's a lot of humor) 
love a complex plot 
love having a big roster of characters, all of whom are very easy to fall in love with 
(YES ARLO IS MY FAVE, BITE ME) 

Siren's Lament by Instantmiso
This was my first Webtoon, and I still love it dearly. Siren's Lament follows Lyra, a girl who's in love with her best friend... Except he's dating someone else. Broken hearted, she feels the sea calling to her... And basically after some complicated stuff goes on she gets stuck in a shared curse with a boy... Let's call him Ian. Both Ian and Lyra are sirens, and they need to get rid of the curse, before it takes them over completely. Throw in best friend Shon, who may or may not be jealous of the new guy spending so much time around Lyra, and you've got a whole lot of drama and humor. 

Read this Webtoon if you enjoy 
Romance. A lot of romance. 
Humor
a complex plot.. (Sorry, I'm going to say complex plot for basically all of them) 


My Dear Cold-Blooded King by Limelight
I actually was just reading this one this morning. This was one of those webtoons, actually all of these were webtoons that I avoided and then gave in to reading them when I was bored. This story is set in ancient China (I think it's China... Might be somewhere else, I don't know). A cruel king reigns, and he has a frightening reputation of being ruthless. One day Kihara makes the mistake of being at the (Right?) wrong place at the wrong (right?) time. She is soon caught up with the whirlwind of court intrigue... The King seems to have shown interest in her, but that interest carries a lot of weight. And also, as the story goes on you have to unravel he mystery of... Who is the King? 
Basically, bad synopsis by yours truly, but I just want to say this story is great. Sorry, I'm saying that about all these Webtoons but it's true! They're all fantastic. That's why I'm recommending them. 

This story is for you if: 
You enjoy humor, especially coming from teasing, hot boys 
an intriguing, suspenseful plot 
a strong, curious protagonist 

And more... Basically just read all these stories. Please?

Let's Play by Mongie
This is the story I can say the lease about because it only has five chapters, so I'm not addicted... yet. I'm interested, though. Let's Play follows Sam, an aspiring game developer. The only issue is some hot shot YouTube reviewer gave her a bad review, ruining her career before it even began. Ah, and who's her new neighbor? That very YouTuber. 

Read this story if: 
You love to laugh 
You enjoy a love-hate relationship (I'm assuming the love will come later) 
You like adorable dogs

Haha, basically try and read all these stories because they're great, k? 
Thanks for reading, 
​Anj

Imagine this. A rich world of magic, action, fantasy and adventure, with a witty protagonist and an intruiging plot. A story following an extraordinarily powered group attempting to defeat a seemingly undefeatable enemy. Want a story chalk full of cleverly done plot twists-- one that will forever be one of the most spectacular series you will ever read? Yeah, this is the series for you... Kind of. Tower of Dawn is a spin-off// companion novel to the Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J. Maas aka the author of my favorite book of all time as well of two of my favorite series, one of them being this one.
Throne of Glass follows cocky assassin Celaena Sardothien as she compeats for her freedom... well, that's the first book. I guarantee the next books in the series get better and better. I promise, if you like fantasy novels, this is the series for you. There's no going back after reading a Maas book, so I'm warning you now, it's going to be hard to find other fantasy novels that compare. If you're interested, I highly encourage you to go check that book out-- it's a great series. That's all I really feel the need to say about it (it's your loss if you don't read it), but if you haven't read this series up to Queen of Shadows (Book 4) or even Empire of Stoms (5), I don't reccomend reading further. This review will contain spoilers for those books, so read them first!
Anyway, on to talking about Tower of Dawn. First off, just a quick comment on the over. It's a pretty good cover, it just doesn't look like it belongs in the Throne of Glass series. It looks more like a... Game of Thrones book. I like it, I just don't like how it doesn't fit in. In with the rest of my books. On to the Tower of Dawn book, I'll start this review (not actually starting it anymore, is it?) by saying how I felt going into this book. Eh. Chaol? No too interested in him, especially after reading Queen of Shadows. Then I really wasn't into him. He was pretty much a dick for the entirety of that book.
Coming out of this book? I felt the complete opposite. I felt reluctant to end the story, and beyond excited to read the last Throne of Glass book (which is shocking, seeing how much I was already eagerly anticipating that release.) 
Tower of Dawn follows Chaol Westfall and Nesryn Faliq as they venture south to Antica in search of someone with the ability to heal Chaol's fractured spine. Antica holds the world's best healers, and among them is Yrene Towers, a young woman who has an intense dislike for men of Erilea. Especially those associated with the monarchy. She also has a special connection to a certain blonde, hot headed assassin we all know and love... Basically if you haven't read The Assassin's Blade before this, I recommend you do, because it gives a little back story between Celeana and Yrene. 
This book is set in a fascinating and rich world, and Maas' world-building are spot on. In every book she improves her technique, and this book may be the best book in terms of world-building yet. As well as character building, there was a whole cast of new characters introduced in this book, and not one of them felt flat. No, instead all of them are well-founded, fascinating characters with different motives driving each of them. I was intrigued to learn more about each character, and still am. I hope to be seeing a lot more of these characters in the future, as well as their mythology and their word in general. 
This book all around surprised me, the writing, world-building, character-building, and all the technical aspects were phenomenal, as was the plot-- which was intriguing. All in all this book was the epitome of good books, it has everything you could ever want... Except maybe Aelin and Rhysand as principal characters, but hey, I can't be that picky, can I? 
Not only was this book a great story, it was also not your typical YA story cutout (then again, are Maas' books ever?), its plot went in a direction that I wasn't expecting going into it, and that somehow made the book even better. The relationships in the book were the thing that surprised me the most, I just loved the way they were built, and just the different way the characters saw each other// the different relationships all the characters had. 
That had to have been my favorite part about reading this book-- it went in a direction I wasn't expecting at the beginning, and not a complete 360 hey I hate this because I never saw it coming direction change. I saw it changing and was kind of like no, is this really happening? It was a change you, as the reader, can really appreciate, because of how it helps further the characters and their journeys. Though, I did also love the world-building. I think I'm now officially in love with Antica. Just everything about it, including the complicated royal family that we didn't see nearly enough of (and trust me, you see a lot of them). Honestly I can see an entire series just set in this world as well. 
I'm giving Tower of Dawn 9/10 stars. Yeah, it was that good. I absolutely loved it. If you love the Throne of Glass Series and have hesitations about reading this book? Chuck those hesitations out the window because trust me when I say this book will blow you away. (Blow us all away *whistling*) This is not a book you want to miss, and not just because you might get confused when the last book comes out, but also because of just how amazing this story is on its own. Seriously, you'll regret not reading this one. Don't miss out on this fantastic journey.

Synopsis: 

In the next installment of the New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series, follow Chaol on his sweeping journey to a distant empire.

Chaol Westfall has always defined himself by his unwavering loyalty, his strength, and his position as the Captain of the Guard. But all of that has changed since the glass castle shattered, since his men were slaughtered, since the King of Adarlan spared him from a killing blow, but left his body broken.

His only shot at recovery lies with the legendary healers of the Torre Cesme in Antica—the stronghold of the southern continent's mighty empire. And with war looming over Dorian and Aelin back home, their survival might lie with Chaol and Nesryn convincing its rulers to ally with them.

But what they discover in Antica will change them both—and be more vital to saving Erilea than they could have imagined.

SPOILERS  

OKAY HOW ON THE EDGE OF YOUR SEAT WERE YOU THE ENTIRE BOOK, WAITING FOR CHAOL TO BE LIKE "YO GUESS WHAT? YOUR SAVIOR? THAT'S AELIN, THE QUEEN I WORK WITH AND AM TRYING TO GET HELP FOR." Like seriously that was me for this whole book. Like WHEN WILL SHE FIND OUT???!!  She finally did, but it wasn't shown in the pages which was SO ANNOYING BECAUSE I WAITED THE WHOLE BOOK FOR THIS!!
(Also, side note: how heart breaking is it gonna be when Yrene thinks she's meeting her savior, but her savior has no idea who she is, because it's actually Lysandra?) (Also, is Maas incapable of writing wedding scenes??? Huhhhhh?1) 
The unpredictable thing I Was talking about above was the whole Nesryn and Chaol thing not working out. I went into the book assuming they were an established couple and came out pleasantly surprised. That's what's so fantastic about Maas-- she doesn't follow the whole established couple thing. It can change at any moment, and when I started to notice a thing between Chaol and Yrene, I couldn't believe it. But then it happened, and I was happy about it. Especially because you know, Sartaq and Nesryn. Can I get a hell yes? 
That entire time they were out with Sartaq's bird people I was getting a whole Illyrian vibe, which I appreciated. I also loved the whole relationship development between Sartaq and Nesryn, because when you look at Nesryn and Chaol's relationship it was really doomed to die-- he never went to see her family, and it was clear from the start of the book they didn't have that BAM love feel between each other. 
Back to being out with the bird people, oh my god, that scene where Sartaq didn't fit through the chasm? I almost died when I thought Sartaq was actually gonna die for good. Like nooooo, luckily we saved my baby. But yay for that cuteness between Nesryn and Sartaq. Going into this book I didn't think I'd get attached to the relationships, but look at me. I did. 
And then that scene where there was a giant wolf I was SO excited because IT'S ONE OF THE CADRE. Nope it was a shoe shifter... bummer, but still, he was a cool guy who's Lysandra's uncle (that was pretty predictable), so I guess it was okay. 
Also how frustrating is it that we spent the whole book healing Chaol's back only to have it permanently broken again? That irked me, like ugh, all that hard work down the drain. 
And that Aelin part at the end? SOMEONE GET ME INTO 2018 RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I NEED THIS NEXT BOOK!!
Thanks for reading, 
​Anj