House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas Sarah J. Maas has appeared again in this challenge... shocking. This is one of my more recent reads and the ache and pain from reading it still feels quite fresh. The whole premise that inspired Sarah to write this novel is a friendship strong enough that not even death can sever it... And let me tell you, the friendship she crafted in this novel is beautiful. And because of that, it's so utterly heartbreaking. After finishing the read, I just remember sitting there, and feeling this pressing ache in my chest as I thought about all of it. There are plenty of other things in this novel to applaud other than the one friendship at its core-- other relationships, the characters, the plot, the depiction of grief... everything about this novel is magnificent. I would highly recommend. Synopsis: Bound by blood. Tempted by desire. Unleashed by destiny. Bryce Quinlan had the perfect life—working hard all day and partying all night—until a demon murdered her closest friends, leaving her bereft, wounded, and alone. When the accused is behind bars but the crimes start up again, Bryce finds herself at the heart of the investigation. She’ll do whatever it takes to avenge their deaths. Hunt Athalar is a notorious Fallen angel, now enslaved to the Archangels he once attempted to overthrow. His brutal skills and incredible strength have been set to one purpose—to assassinate his boss’s enemies, no questions asked. But with a demon wreaking havoc in the city, he’s offered an irresistible deal: help Bryce find the murderer, and his freedom will be within reach. As Bryce and Hunt dig deep into Crescent City’s underbelly, they discover a dark power that threatens everything and everyone they hold dear, and they find, in each other, a blazing passion—one that could set them both free, if they’d only let it. With unforgettable characters, sizzling romance, and page-turning suspense, this richly inventive new fantasy series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas delves into the heartache of loss, the price of freedom—and the power of love. | Blood for Blood by Ryan Graudin This is another novel that left quite a gaping hole in my chest once I completed it. Unlike House of Earth and Blood, Blood for Blood is not the beginning of a series, but rather the conclusion of one. Blood for Blood is the second book in Ryan Graudin's Wolf by Wolf duology. I fell utterly in love with the series a couple summers back, and trust me when I say that finishing this book absolutely broke me. If you've read it, you know why. If you haven't, well, the only way to find out is to check out the series. Trust me, it's not something you'll regret. Though the premise of the series may sound a little ridiculous, you'll just have to trust me again when I say, it's not. It'll all make sense when you read it. The world, the characters, the characters, oh, did I mention the characters? I love this series. Synopsis for Wolf by Wolf (Book 1): Her story begins on a train. The year is 1956, and the Axis powers of the Third Reich and Imperial Japan rule. To commemorate their Great Victory, Hitler and Emperor Hirohito host the Axis Tour: an annual motorcycle race across their conjoined continents. The victor is awarded an audience with the highly reclusive Adolf Hitler at the Victor’s Ball in Tokyo. Yael, a former death camp prisoner, has witnessed too much suffering, and the five wolves tattooed on her arm are a constant reminder of the loved ones she lost. The resistance has given Yael one goal: Win the race and kill Hitler. A survivor of painful human experimentation, Yael has the power to skinshift and must complete her mission by impersonating last year’s only female racer, Adele Wolfe. This deception becomes more difficult when Felix, Adele twin’s brother, and Luka, her former love interest, enter the race and watch Yael’s every move. But as Yael grows closer to the other competitors, can she bring herself to be as ruthless as she needs to be to avoid discovery and complete her mission? From the author of The Walled City comes a fast-paced and innovative novel that will leave you breathless. |
There are a lot of directions I could've taken this prompt. What kind of sad is it talking about? The kind where you were excited and then disappointed? Or the kind that leaves an ache in your chest long after you've closed the back cover? I've decided to go with the latter, as the former doesn't exactly seem like something I would really necessarily want to talk in excess detail about! Again, there are a lot of books that do that-- all well-written stories should sit with you longer than just the duration of the read. Here are two that have stuck with me.
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If you saw my post yesterday, or you just know me in general, you'd know that my favorite book series is Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. I'm a huge fan. I just love everything about it and am completely obsessed. While every single book in this series is magnificent in its own way, by far my favorite would have to be Queen of Shadows. There's just something about this book that is so magnificent, making it stand a head above its peers. This is like the pay off book. We just spent Heir of Fire training, and we were left with some pretty big cliffhangers, and then Queen of Shadows comes into the game and just-- it's everything anyone could have asked for. There are reunions, characters finally meeting, and epic, and I mean EPIC fights. Everything about this book is just unbelievably perfect. I adore it. This should come as no surprise to anyone. I've always been very vocal about my adoration of the Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J. Maas. I've always been very vocal of my adoration of Sarah J. Maas as an author in general, as you'll all see in the next 30 days. While my favorite book of all time is another Sarah special, my favorite series would have to be Throne of Glass. Everything about the series is excellent. The characters, the character growth, the plot, the world, the writing-- everything. I can't emphasize just how much I truly love this series. If you love high fantasy, this is definitely a series you'll want to check out. Each book expands on the world. Once you finish the series, looking back on where it starts seems to tiny and inconsequential, whereas it feels direly important during the first book. The series just keeps getting better and better as it continues on. I just... I love it. Here's the synopsis for Book 1 Throne of Glass: After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for four years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her ... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best. Then one of the other contestants turns up dead ... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined. If you missed my first post, basically I decided I'd recommend some of my favorite reads to help ease the boredom of being trapped at home. To make it a little easier to find what you might be looking for, I'm splitting up the books into LOOSE categories. The first post covered Romance and Fantasy, and this one is Urban Fantasy, Dystopian and Childhood/Nostalgic Books. If you're more interested in fantasy or romance (my loose definitions are below) then check out my last post! If not, here are the Urban Fantasy, Dystopian and Childhood/Nostalgic Books! Fantasy Urban Fantasy (using this term very loosely. By using urban fantasy I mean something with magic that is set in our own contemporary world.) Romance (Like, contemporary romance) Dystopian (I know everyone is sick of dystopians like the Hunger Games, but trust me, you can get a lot deeper and have more interesting set ups than the chosen one trope and such. Dystopian is just a setting, it doesn't necessarily follow the Hunger Games type set up that so many other movies tried to follow up after the massive success those movies had.) Childhood/Nostalgic Books (Yes, books I associate with my childhood that I still praise as fantastic reads. Anyone can read them, doesn't matter what age you are.) Again I would like to say: THESE BOOKS DO NOT FIT PERFECTLY INTO THESE CATEGORIES. I was just looking for something broader to fit the different novels into. There is almost definitely romance in every single one of these, or at least connections and friendships being built and developed-- what good book doesn't have that? I would highly recommend all of these books, obviously, they're all some of my favorite books. That means that they all have good plots, characters etc. Even if I highlight good character development in one overview, that doesn't mean the rest of the books don't have it. It just means that the one book's character development particularly stood out to me. Anyway, let's get into the recommendations, shall we? Urban FantasyHouse of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas (Crescent City #1) Rating: 9.8/10 stars Action, Intrigue, Romance and Amazing Relationships in general (friendship is a big one), as usual, Sarah J. Maas books have it all This is a more mature book, with some heavier themes. Definitely not just a quick, light read if that's what you're looking for. (It's not heavy and dark, though, and there are definitely some light, fun scenes). Why break the habit of starting this post duology with Sarah J .Maas books? This woman is after all, my favorite author and from what I've seen thus far, everything she writes is pure gold. Unlike her other two series, this newest series (only the first book is out so far) takes place in a more modern world. While it is still set in a fantasy city, it has all the modern essentials and technology so I'm counting this story under more urban fantasy than just regularly high fantasy. It's an odd blending of high fantasy with the urban setting and somehow Sarah managed to blend the two together seamlessly. I will admit that the beginning of this book is a little slow. There has to be a lot fo set up for the world, the characters and the relationships-- you most likely will not be sucked in from the very first page. Being sucked in sneaks up on you slowly. One minute you think you can put it down, the next you're turning the final page of the book and the sun is rising... Wait that's just me? Whoops. Honestly though, after a while I was utterly enchanted with this book and couldn't put it down for the life of me, despite the awareness of the late hour (or should I say early?). As I mentioned earlier, this book has everything you could want: romance, action, intrigue, mystery. The most important and standout characteristic of this novel, though, would have to be the friendships and the bonds between characters. Wow, even just thinking back on them now leaves a poignant sense inside my chest. The friendships between characters in this book are just so strong and beautiful, there really isn't any way to describe just how, well, beautiful they are. It really left an impression on me, that's to be sure. Sure, there's a good slow burn romance, badass protagonists, an intriguing plot and some hilarious and touching moments, but just the biggest shining star comes in the form of friendships. I read a lot of books, and I haven't come across many whose friendships depict anything near as deep as the friendships depicted here. It sticks with you, I can say that. I know I'm just going in circles here, but I can't emphasize enough how utterly amazing and beautiful the friendships-- specifically one that is the whole center of the plot-- are in this book. I can't get over it. The characters are all flawed, but that's what makes them so much more real and relatable. What makes their stories even more moving is how they have to learn from their mistakes, and how they change. Watching that is... it's amazing. I loved it. This one is long, and if you have the patience for a longer book, this is definitely one to add to your list! Synopsis: Bound by blood. Tempted by desire. Unleashed by destiny. Bryce Quinlan had the perfect life—working hard all day and partying all night—until a demon murdered her closest friends, leaving her bereft, wounded, and alone. When the accused is behind bars but the crimes start up again, Bryce finds herself at the heart of the investigation. She’ll do whatever it takes to avenge their deaths. Hunt Athalar is a notorious Fallen angel, now enslaved to the Archangels he once attempted to overthrow. His brutal skills and incredible strength have been set to one purpose—to assassinate his boss’s enemies, no questions asked. But with a demon wreaking havoc in the city, he’s offered an irresistible deal: help Bryce find the murderer, and his freedom will be within reach. As Bryce and Hunt dig deep into Crescent City’s underbelly, they discover a dark power that threatens everything and everyone they hold dear, and they find, in each other, a blazing passion—one that could set them both free, if they’d only let it. With unforgettable characters, sizzling romance, and page-turning suspense, this richly inventive new fantasy series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas delves into the heartache of loss, the price of freedom—and the power of love. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (Alex Stern #1) Rating: 9/10 stars Mystery, Action, AMAZING CHARACTERS This is also a mature book. It's very dark with a lot of heavy topics and themes, but if you're able and willing to read it, I would say it's definitely worth it I don't even know where to start with this book. The synopsis doesn't do it justice because I will admit that I wasn't all that enthusiastic when starting it-- not to say I was bored starting it, just that it wasn't the most exciting thing. Yet, I'd heard a lot of good stuff about this one so I wanted to see what all the hype was about... And yes, for once, this book actually deserves all of the hype that it gets. I love this book, it's intriguing and mysterious-- once you actually get the feel of it, it's very hard to put down. The protagonist along with most other characters in this book (except for Daniel) is incredibly flawed, with a very dark and twisted past... Yet, that only shapes her to be a better protagonist. I absolutely love this book. Though, like I mentioned above it is very dark and heavy-- not by any means a light read. It shows the worst in people, and there are a lot of topics in there that are no light matter including that of rape, abuse and drugs. It's an intense read from start to finish. So if you feel like that's not something that you can read, then don't read it. I don't want anyone to feel pressured to read it just because I think this is a masterpiece of a book-- if you're triggered by its contents, no matter how good I think it is, it definitely won't be a good read for you. Still, that being said, if it is something that even piques your interest, I would encourage you to read it-- it's an extremely well-written, well thought out book, and I can't wait to see what the rest of the series has in store. Synopsis: Galaxy “Alex” Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale’s freshman class. Raised in the Los Angeles hinterlands by a hippie mom, Alex dropped out of school early and into a world of shady drug dealer boyfriends, dead-end jobs, and much, much worse. By age twenty, in fact, she is the sole survivor of a horrific, unsolved multiple homicide. Some might say she’s thrown her life away. But at her hospital bed, Alex is offered a second chance: to attend one of the world’s most elite universities on a full ride. What’s the catch, and why her? Still searching for answers to this herself, Alex arrives in New Haven tasked by her mysterious benefactors with monitoring the activities of Yale’s secret societies. These eight windowless “tombs” are well-known to be haunts of the future rich and powerful, from high-ranking politicos to Wall Street and Hollywood’s biggest players. But their occult activities are revealed to be more sinister and more extraordinary than any paranoid imagination might conceive. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (The Infernal Devices #1) Series Rating: 10/10 Stars Action, romance, intrigue-- these books are a colossal amount of fun to read. Not too heavy either! Not in the mood for a heavy read, but also don't just want to read fun fluff? This is a good book series to fulfill that need. For those of you who know me, you'll probably be quite aware that I am a big fan of Cassandra Clare's books. I would definitely recommend this series to anyone who enjoys fantasy, romance and action. Unlike the two novels above, this is not a more adult book and its main protagonists are more young adults around 17-18. This book series doesn't necessarily take place in the parameters that I set for urban fantasy, see, they take place in Victorian London, so not present day... But I figured they fit better into the Urban Fantasy setting than that of high fantasy/just normal fantasy so here we are. While these books are a lot of fun to read, they also are filled with touching moments with more depth than just surface level fun. The characters are very easy to grow attached to, and the plot is perfectly paced-- not too fast or too slow. If you enjoy a lot of sarcasm and sass, these books have plenty of that as well. Synopsis: In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series. The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them... City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (The Mortal Instruments #1) Series Rating: 9/10 stars Action, Humor, Romance, Intrigue-- same as above I just thought I'd mention that yes, these books have a TV show as well as a movie based off them, and no we are not going to talk deeper on that because I hate both renditions as they are basically nothing like their source material. So if you happen to know and like/dislike the TV show or movie, well, don't let that sway your opinion on this series, because it is completely different either way. Unlike the Infernal Devices series, this series takes place in basically modern day New York. (If we want to get real specific, it's 2007 New York). It's set in the same world as the Infernal Devices, though, so if you take a liking to either series you'll be glad to know that there are companion series in the same world! It's actually a lot of fun. There are three more series set in this world not on this list along with a ton of companion novels, so if you dive into the Shadowhunter world and fall in love with it like many before you, there's plenty of content to devour. It's fun because even though each series is about different characters in different times, they're connected to each other, so there are similar things, characters and families throughout. If I'm being honest and ignoring the nostalgia of this particular series, I would have to admit that the Infernal Devices is the superior series in terms of pacing, writing and general plot than the Mortal Instruments. Still, Cassandra Clare is a writing genius and all of her works are fantastic, so while I would say that starting with the Infernal Devices may be the more guaranteed option for you to be sucked into the series, I would also say that I started with City of Bones and love it just as much as anyone else. Honestly, when deciding between the two I feel like it would just come down to which synopsis interests you more-- but again, I would say Clockwork Angel is a better written first novel than City of Bones, just because Clare had more practice writing by then and City of Bones was her debut. They're both amazing though, so you pick! (Side note: if you do decide you want to read all of the books, I would recommend finishing The Infernal Devices before finishing the final book in the Mortal Instruments (City of Heavenly Fire) just because the final book has spoilers from The Infernal Devices in it. Also, I would reccomend finishing these two first series before diving into the other series in the world (The Dark Artifices, The Last Hours and the Scrolls of Magic) because they all have spoilers to these first two series. To enhance your reading experience there are also accompanying novellas, such as the Bane Chronicles, the Shadowhunter Academy and Ghosts of the Shadow Market. These novella bindups are by no means necessary to enjoy the books themselves, but they are just enjoyable and add more depth to the characters and the world). Synopsis: When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder― much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy? This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know... Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Lux #1) Series Rating: 8.5/10 Stars Very light, fun reads, humor, action, romance Character age: teenagers Now here is a very light, quick, easy and fun read. Everyone I've recommended this series to has loved it. It's definitely the opposite of the first two books on this list, because it's not heavy at all. These books are light and cute, and they read very quick. You'll be on the back cover before you know it. There are five books in total in this series, and something that I think is particularly fun is that the main antagonist of each novel is different, so it adds a fun new dynamic to each book. Also I should mention: this is not really fantasy. It's more sci-fi than fantasy, but it's set in modern day and I didn't have any other really good sci-fi books to add to my list so I just stuck it in with urban fantasy. Also! If you enjoy the easy writing style and general feel of these books, Jennifer L. Armentrout has a few other series set in the same genre of YA that are also quite fun reads! Synopsis: Starting over sucks. When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring… until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up. And then he opened his mouth. Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something… unexpected happens. The hot alien living next door marks me. You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. If I don’t kill him first, that is. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (Vampire Academy #1) Series Rating: 8.8/10 Stars Lots of sass, sarcasm and humor, action, romance, mystery Characters in their late teens, some twenties Okay, okay hear me out. Yeah, the series name and first book title is completely terrible and cliche sounding, especially when combined with the early 2000s trend of sexy vampires-- but this series is not nearly as dumb as it sounds! I promise. It is a really unfortunate series name, and the covers are also unfortunate, and the movie was not great either, so you'll just trust me when I say that the book content is really good and a lot of fun to read. This is another light series that you'll feel like you're just flying through. It's really fun because the main character is very sarcastic and witty, but she's also a badass so that's always a plus. Like Obsidian, the Vampire Academy series is unique and fun also because the main antagonist in each book is different, so you're never quite sure what to expect. These are really fun reads that I really enjoyed, I would definitely recommend. The mythology around vampires is different from anything I've heard before too, so if you're sick of vampires, well, this is a little different from the stereotypically vampire idea of bloodsuckers who are undead and bite others to turn them etc. Synopsis: ONLY A TRUE BEST FRIEND CAN PROTECT YOU FROM YOUR IMMORTAL ENEMIES... Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi princess: a mortal vampire with a rare gift for harnessing the earth's magic. She must be protected at all times from Strigoi; the fiercest vampires - the ones who never die. The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa's best friend, makes her a dhampir. Rose is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from the Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making Lissa one of them. After two years of freedom, Rose and Lissa are caught and dragged back to St. Vladimir's Academy, a school for vampire royalty and their guardians-to-be, hidden in the deep forests of Montana. But inside the iron gates, life is even more fraught with danger... and the Strigoi are always close by. Rose and Lissa must navigate their dangerous world, confront the temptations of forbidden love, and never once let their guard down, lest the evil undead make Lissa one of them forever... DystopianScythe by Neal Shusterman (Arc of a Scythe #1) Series Rating: 7.8/10 stars Action, lots of character building, some really interesting themes & ideas Scythe is a weird series, because I love it, I really do, but I honestly have no idea how to describe it to someone. While it's not a light, fluffy read, it's also not all that dense or heavy either. This series is particularly fun because the characters are interesting as is the plot, but it also gets you thinking. See, Scythe is set in a world where humanity has "escaped" death. Our technology has gone so far that we no longer die. To avoid overpopulation, there is one way for people to meet their final end: the Scythes, an order tasked with permanently ending lives. It's really interesting to think about the meaning of life if there was no end, and also the idea death. Each Scythe treats it differently, some give their targets warning in advance, while others spontaneously end a life to simulate the unpredictability of death as it once was-- like if you had the ability to determine who lives and who dies and how, how would you determine it? Anyway, just some weird thoughts of mine, haha. While the first book starts off slow, it eventually catches up and then you'll not want to put it down until the series is over. There are so many interesting characters and plot points. I was honestly so sad when I finished the last book because I would've loved to spend more time with these characters. 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. Renegades by Marissa Meyer (Renegades #1) Series Rating: 8/10 stars action, romance, humor, deception, superheroes This series is a lot of fun to read, if I were to just give it one word I'd say fun pretty much encapsulates the whole thing, the characters are fun, the plot is fun-- the book is just a fun time. Something I really enjoyed about this series, especially with the first couple of books, is that even though there are heroes and villains, there isn't necessarily a definable line between good and evil. The "heroes" are real, and they are flawed. They make mistakes and aren't wholeheartedly good, even if they're trying to be, and the villains aren't all necessarily evil. They fight for what they believe in. A point made by one of the main characters is that people are so reliant on the heroes to save them and help them that they never do anything for themselves-- which is an interesting thought, I honestly felt pulled between both sides while reading these, which is precisely the point. See, the novel is told from two perspectives: the villain's and the superheroes. To clarify, Nova, the "villain" is the niece to the biggest supervillain of all, a man who was defeated approximately 10 years prior to the events of the novel. Then there's Adrian, the superhero side of things. He's the son of the two biggest superheroes and therefore solidly believes in everything the Renegades stand for. Their paths meet when Nova infiltrates the Renegades' ranks as part of he anarchists' (villains) plan. Obviously things get a little twisted, especially with feelings thrown in the mix. Like I said, this book is a lot of fun, the deception of it is entertaining, as is watching their alter egos being archenemies while their normal personas grow closer. Another cool thing to mention about this series is that the powers are pretty unique.While there are the typical powers of super-strength and invisibility, but there are also superpowers of being able to bring their art to life, or turning into a swarm of butterflies or bleeding gems that can be weaponized or not needing to sleep/being able to knock others out. It's just fun seeing the unique powers throughout. Synopsis: Secret Identities. Extraordinary Powers. She wants vengeance. He wants justice. The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies — humans with extraordinary abilities — who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone... except the villains they once overthrew. Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice — and in Nova. But Nova's allegiance is to a villain who has the power to end them both. Angelfall by Susan Ee (Penryn & the End of Days #1) Series Rating: 8/10 Stars Action, lots of banter & sass, humor, romance This is another very fun read. Also, these books are very short, so if you're not looking for a long commitment, these are the books for you. While the setting for these books is incredibly dark, it's hardly noticeable above all the humor and banter. If you enjoy banter and sarcasm, these are definitely something that you want to check out. I love the main character, she's strong, brave, sassy-- basically anything you could want out of a YA heroine. Anyway, nothing else to say but read these! Synopsis: It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back. Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel. Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl. Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again. The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken (The Darkest Minds #1) Series Rating: 8.5/10 Stars Action, Romance, Road Trip trope Last, but certainly not least in my list of dystopians is a book series that has a special series in my heart. This trilogy is one of the first few that I was reading just when I was starting my real big book obsession, and they really helped to fuel it. I'm going to say this upfront-- this book does have a bit of a slow start. The first 50 or so pages are a little eh, but once the pace picks up there's no going back. Just thinking about this series is making me smile and get the warm fuzzies. The characters are just so lovable. I adore the relationship building in this book-- both romantic and platonic. (P.S. If you watched the movie, do yourself a favor and ERASE IT FROM YOUR MEMORY. We don't talk about that poser). Synopsis: When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control. Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones. When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents. When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living. Childhood/Nostalgic BooksHarry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter #1) Rating: 10/10 Stars Magic The most obvious of obvious books that basically is the epitome of this category. What is more nostalgic than Harry Potter? I'm assuming most of you have already read this, but why not read it again? Might bring you back to those happy younger days... (Even if they weren't actively a part of your childhood specifically, you were still younger when they came out!) And to those of you who haven't read it yet... WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?! There's a reason why this series was and is such a worldwide phenomenon and don't just give me the "oh I watched the movies" bull. Yes, the movies are very good, unlike many of the book-to-movie adaptations mentioned on this list, but guess what? The books are better! They expand so much more on the world and are more detailed in ways you never even realized you were missing out on. Synopsis: (Do y'all really even need this?) Harry Potter's life is miserable. His parents are dead and he's stuck with his heartless relatives, who force him to live in a tiny closet under the stairs. But his fortune changes when he receives a letter that tells him the truth about himself: he's a wizard. A mysterious visitor rescues him from his relatives and takes him to his new home, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. After a lifetime of bottling up his magical powers, Harry finally feels like a normal kid. But even within the Wizarding community, he is special. He is the boy who lived: the only person to have ever survived a killing curse inflicted by the evil Lord Voldemort, who launched a brutal takeover of the Wizarding world, only to vanish after failing to kill Harry. Though Harry's first year at Hogwarts is the best of his life, not everything is perfect. There is a dangerous secret object hidden within the castle walls, and Harry believes it's his responsibility to prevent it from falling into evil hands. But doing so will bring him into contact with forces more terrifying than he ever could have imagined. Full of sympathetic characters, wildly imaginative situations, and countless exciting details, the first installment in the series assembles an unforgettable magical world and sets the stage for many high-stakes adventures to come. Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (Person Jackson and the Olympians #1) Rating: 9.8/10 Stars Mythology Yeah, here's the source of where most people my age learned our greek mythology from ahah. Here's another series where we get to watch the character grow up-- starting out as a 12-year-old and going up to 17. A bit like Harry Potter in terms of the sort of "chosen-one" trope but trust me when I say Percy Jackson is very much its own thing. This series is hilarious-- the characters, the scenes, everything is stuffed full of humor, and there's so much sass and sarcasm... Honestly, these are some of the most fun reads you'll ever come across. And guess what? If you like the writing style there are plenty of other series by Rick Riordan like this! There's a sequel series that follows up this one called the Heroes of Olympus which is just as fun and encapsulates the magic perfectly. Then there's a couple loosely connected sequels to that (Magnus Chase, the Trials of Apollo). Riordan's series span past using Greek mythology for inspiration as well, with Heroes of Olympus taking inspiration from Roman mythology, and Magnus Chase being Norse mythology. Also! There's the Kane Chronicles which is based on Egyptian Mythology! If I'm being honest, I've only actually read Percy Jackson, Heroes of Olympus, and Kane Chronicles-- all of which I have adored, so I'm just saying, if you enjoy the writing and story style, there's plenty more material. Synopsis: Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse - Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy's mom finds out, she knows it's time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he'll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends—one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena - Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods Eragon by Christopher Paolini (The Inheritance Cycle #1) Series Rating: 8/10 Stars High fantasy, dragons! This is another favorite that I've read over and over and over again. These books are all the very roots of my adoration for the fantasy genre, though I suspect that Eragon had a lot of influence over me seeing as high fantasy is probably my favorite genre. This is another series that's pretty famous, and if you haven't read it, odds are you've probably seen it around. The core idea around these books is dragon riders, which is very fun. The books are well-written, with intriguing plots and characters as well as spectacular character growth and evolving relationships. I will admit they are rather lengthy, with parts that can feel long so if you're not a patient reader, perhaps these are not the books for you. Synopsis: One boy... One dragon... A world of adventure. When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself. Overnight his simple life is shattered, and he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic, and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds. Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands. Thanks for reading & I hope you fall in love with these books the same way I did :)
-Anj Hi all! How's the quarantining going? The basic consensus that I've gathered from my communications is that most people are lonely and bored out of their minds. Well guess what? I've got the solution for you. Now's the perfect time to try out a new book! Why would I be a good person to trust on this? Well, not only do I read a lot more than the average human being, but as my sister says, "quarantining isn't an issue for Anji. She just does this every day." Well, you know, that's a little embarrassing to be putting online how much of a life that I apparently lack, but I can't exactly totally deny the statement either. The truth of the matter is, I do spend a lot of time at home, often hanging out with the one and only me. How do I endure such isolation? I could answer that in a lot of ways because yes, I do more than just read, but you know what? This is a book blog, so I'm going to pitch some good books for you to try out with all the newfound freetime we all seem to have. Even if you don't like reading, why not try picking up a book? If you're so bored, you might as well, right? It's my personal belief that everyone is a reader/book lover, some people just haven't found the right book yet, so maybe this is your chance to find that book. There are a lot of advantages to reading, but right now I'll just point out that if you find the right book, it will take up some time (depending on how fast of a reader you are) and also decrease that boredom and lack of usefulness most people seem to be complaining about. While I do read a lot across many different genres, I will admit there are some genres that I tend to orbit around. My all time favorites are fantasy and romance-- which are made even better when mixed together, but I have read plenty outside those genres and I will mention some of my favorites below. However, I will admit that the books I enjoy the most are fiction, so if you're a nonfiction lover, I'm sorry, this is not the book recommendations post for you. I'm going to split the recommendations into these different groups, though not all of the books that are going to be listed today exactly fit perfectly with said groups, so even if you don't necessarily enjoy one of the groups feel free to still read over the synopsis of the books under the category. I'm trying my best to divy them up, but they're not all going to fit perfectly with the big category name that they are given, and I don't want you to miss anything you could potentially really enjoy! Fantasy Urban Fantasy (using this term very loosely. By using urban fantasy I mean something with magic that is set in our own contemporary world.) Romance (Like, contemporary romance) Dystopian (I know everyone is sick of dystopians like the Hunger Games, but trust me, you can get a lot deeper and have more interesting set ups than the chosen one trope and such. Dystopian is just a setting, it doesn't necessarily follow the Hunger Games type set up that so many other movies tried to follow up after the massive success those movies had.) Childhood/Nostalgic Books (Yes, books I associate with my childhood that I still praise as fantastic reads. Anyone can read them, doesn't matter what age you are.) Again I would like to say: THESE BOOKS DO NOT FIT PERFECTLY INTO THESE CATEGORIES. I was just looking for something broader to fit the different novels into. There is almost definitely romance in every single one of these, or at least connections and friendships being built and developed-- what good book doesn't have that? I would highly recommend all of these books, obviously, they're all some of my favorite books. That means that they all have good plots, characters etc. Even if I highlight good character development in one overview, that doesn't mean the rest of the books don't have it. It just means that the one book's character development particularly stood out to me. I'm going to split this post into a couple different ones seeing as I have a lot of recommendations and it could get quite long! Honestly it's hard just giving short thoughts because I could talk about books for ages :) The first post (this one) will be Fantasy and Romance genre books, and then the next one will be the Urban Fantasy, Dystopian and Childhood book recommendations. Anyway, let's get into the recommendations, shall we? FantasyA Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1) Series rating: 10/10 Definitely plenty of action, romance and humor as well as a stellar plot line and intriguing characters This recommendation probably comes as a shock to no one who knows me. I never stop talking about how much I adore Maas and all of her books. Seriously, I've read every single one of them and they've all found places on my favorites shelf. Maas does a particularly good job in creating characters and making their struggles seem very realistic and relatable. For instance, in this series one of the characters seriously struggles with PTSD and Maas does a very good job portraying that as well as the character's healing process. This series is one of my all-time favorites, and the second book (A Court of Mist and Fury) happens to be my favorite book of all time (and that's saying something, because I've read a lot and I've read a lot of great books). As seems to be currently popular, A Court of Thorns and Roses is a loose, loose, loose and did I mention loose? retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It starts out with that idea, and then the rest of the books continue to expand the world and just... Wow. I cannot recommend this series or this author more. Her writing, her characters, her world, her plots, everything she does is absolutely fantastic. I will admit I felt that it took a little bit to really get into the first book in this series, but once you're in it, you're never going to want to go back. Again, READ THE SECOND BOOK. IT'S THE BEST THING TO HAVE EVER GRACED HUMANKIND. Synopsis: 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. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (Throne of Glass #1) Series Rating: 10/10 Definitely plenty of action, romance and humor as well as a stellar plot line and intriguing characters Yes, Sarah J. Maas shows up a lot. Like I said before, she's my favorite author. While the series above has my favorite book of all time, this has to be my favorite series as a whole. Like many good fantasy series, the first book is the the worst book and they only continue to get better and better as the series goes on. That is to say, the first book is not bad. In fact, I really enjoyed reading it. It's only when you look back after reading more of the series when you realize how much better it gets. The series starts out good, but it only gets better from there until it's just utterly phenomenal. Maas expands the world in each book, so when you look back at the first book it feels so small and trivial compared to its successors-- which is exactly what you probably would want from a good fantasy series. Throne of Glass is full of magic and action, with high stakes and great characters. This is one of the series that I would recommend to anyone and everyone. I can't praise it enough. I don't want to say anything that would spoil it, but if you like the epic-stakes fantasy story with a lot of intertwining plot lines, this is the series for you. It starts small, but you'll be amazed as you watch the world grow before your eyes. Synopsis: After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for four years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her ... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best. Then one of the other contestants turns up dead ... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined. Cruel Prince by Holly Black (The Folk of the Air #1) Series Rating: 7.5/10 Lots of court intrigue, plotting & betrayal with a dash of romance sprinkled in with ever increasing stakes Cruel Prince is an enigma. It's a combination of so many things that you'd think it could never possibly work... but somehow it manages to not only work, but mingle all the tropes brilliantly. The highlight and biggest draw of this series is court intrigue, so if you're into that sort of thing, this is definitely going to be right down your alley. Trust me when I say there is still action and a smidgen of romance for sure, in fact the "ship" of this series is one for the books, but it's just not necessarily the main focus of it. I cannot put into words how truly intriguing this series is. You never really know what's going to come next, and when you do? Guess what? You're wrong. There are so many twists and turns-- this series truly is a delight. 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 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. As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal 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. Stain by AG Howard Book Rating: 8.5/10 stars A fairytale retelling that maintains the magical tone of a fairytale while adding in lovable characters and a riveting storyline This is actually one of the more new additions to my big recommendations list, as I only actually read this book last summer. It was the first book I'd read from AG Howard so I went in with no expectations-- yet here I am, still utterly in love with the entire thing. Fairytale retellings have become quite common lately, but Stain uses an uncommon tale: Princess and the Pea. Have you ever read a retelling of Princess and the Pea? This one is set in an epic fantasy world where day and night have been separated for longer than anyone can remember. There are definitely some fun and exciting twists thrown in that you'll not come across in the original fairytale. Honestly, this book is just such a fun and refreshing take. I love it. If you like retellings, this is one of the best. Synopsis: "Once upon a nightmare, her fairy tale begins... This high-fantasy gothic fairytale, inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Princess and the Pea, is set in an alternative medieval world split apart by magic. To win back her kingdom of perpetual day, save her night prince, and reunite the sun with the moon, a princess incapable of speech or sound must prove herself everything a traditional princess is not: tough enough to sleep on a bed of nails, and loud enough to be heard without a voice." To Kill A Kingdom by Alexandra Christo Book Rating: 7/10 stars Another fairytale retelling, this one is also a lot of fun with lots of banter, entertaining characters and an interesting plot Like Stain, To Kill A Kingdom is a standalone novel, which, at times, can be a refreshing breath of air in the midst of reading so many series and having to impatiently wait for the next release. Yes, I love series, but sometimes it's nice to just have a full story arc in one book. This novel is one the surprised me the first time I read it. It was an impulse buy, and boy, am I so glad I got it, because I reread this one from time to time, it's so good. To Kill A Kingdom is a retelling of the Little Mermaid-- with a lot more sass and banter. The main characters-- the Little Mermaid and her Prince-- are actually trying to kill each other, so that's always fun. Synopsis: Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most—a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian’s heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever. The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavory hobby—it’s his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she’s more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good—But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind’s greatest enemy? Caraval by Stephanie Garber (Caraval #1) Series Rating: 8/10 Full of magic and illusions, Caraval will be playing with your mind all the way until the end. What is real and what is an act? You'll just have to read it to find out. Strong characters, a plethora of banter, and an intriguing plot, what more could you possibly want? Like all books on this list, this series is a fun ride. And it'll definitely mess with your mind, because as the main characters are trying to figure out what is real and what is not, so are you as the reader. See, Caraval is a game that takes place every year, where a certain number of people are invited to play and whoever wins is granted any wish that they could ask for. But the thing is with this game is that no one can ever really discern what is real and what is fake. There are a lot of tricks and illusions over the days that the game is being played, and there are also actors implanted. So in book one, as our main character, Scarlett, plays Caraval in an attempt to save her sister, we get to play along with her. But the mysteries don't stop in the first book... Honestly the second book in this series absolutely blew me away and it's one of my favorites to this day. Synopsis: 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 Cinder by Marissa Meyer (The Lunar Chronicles #1) Series Rating: 7.5/10 Stars Action, cute romances, fun plot-- especially seeing all the characters come together As seems to be wildly popular as of late, here's another loose retelling of popular fairytales... and you guessed it! The first book is a loose retelling of the one and only Cinderella. This series is a lot of fun. Each book is a fast and easy read-- you'll be on the back cover before you even realize it. The writing just flows well. The Lunar Chronicles are different fairytale retellings all combined into one world and one overarching plot line set in s sci-fi world. Now I know a lot of people might get a little freaked out by the sci-fi aspect-- trust me, I did too. See, the main character of the first book-- Cinder-- is a cyborg. That word freaks me out, but the thing is, she's more like a human with some robotic parts because she was badly hurt when she was younger. Don't avoid this series if the cyborg idea freaks you out-- it freaked me out and I didn't read it for years YEARS. Then once I finally did pick it up, I couldn't put it down until I was done the whole series in a few days. The series is absolutely riveting, and I couldn't praise it more. It's a lot of fun. Just give it a chance, you won't regret it. Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Cinder is considered a technological mistake by most of society and a burden by her stepmother. Being cyborg does have its benefits, though: Cinder's brain interference has given her an uncanny ability to fix things (robots, hovers, her own malfunctioning parts), making her the best mechanic in New Beijing. This reputation brings Prince Kai himself to her weekly market booth, needing her to repair a broken android before the annual ball. He jokingly calls it "a matter of national security," but Cinder suspects it's more serious than he's letting on. Although eager to impress the prince, Cinder's intentions are derailed when her younger stepsister, and only human friend, is infected with the fatal plague that's been devastating Earth for a decade. Blaming Cinder for her daughter's illness, Cinder's stepmother volunteers her body for plague research, an "honor" that no one has survived. But it doesn't take long for the scientists to discover something unusual about their new guinea pig. Something others would kill for. Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin (Wolf by Wolf #1) Series Rating: 9/10 Stars Lots of action and thrilling moments, fun romance & character relationships, there's a race involved, which is always a good time Yeah, so this book is more historical fiction than fantasy, but it does have an element of fantasy in it so I'm going to shoehorn it into this group anyway. Before I really get into talking about what exactly this story is about, let me just start this with a little anecdote of my own. I read this book while on a vacation that had a lot of travel time. Before leaving, I downloaded three books and this was the last of those three that I decided to break into. I only even downloaded it in the first place because it had a 4.26/5 stars on goodreads which means it's really good since even a 3.8 signifies a pretty stellar novel. Why was I so reluctant to read this novel you may be wondering... Well, the synopsis sounded really, really dumb to me. Plus the tagline was absolutely ridiculous. Yet here I am, so utterly glad that I read this book and recommending it out to all of you. Why am I telling this anecdote? Incase you're like me. You think the synopsis is dumb, and you dismiss this one as being dumb. DON'T. Honestly, you don't know what you're missing out on. Let me try and warm you into the whole premise of the novel better than I ever was. This is set in a world where the Axis Powers won World War II. So, the Axis Powers, especially the Nazi Germans put a lot of pride into the strength of their youth. Thus, in this world, every year they show off the strength and promise of their youth by hosting a giant motorcycle race across their conquered countries. It's a 20,000 km race, and the victors are said show all the promise and values of the reigning Axis Powers. Last year, a girl entered the race under the name of her brother and won. She was the first female to have done this, and because of that she opened the race up for other girls to enter as well. Not only that, but at the Victors' Ball, Hitler himself danced with her on live television. A feat, since he had not appeared on live television in a number of years due to an assassination attempt last time. The rebellion sees this as an opportunity-- if the leader of the Nazi regime were shot on live television it would be a sign to all of the rebels spread out across the countries, igniting the rebellion. Enter Yael, a rebel who was once imprisoned in the concentration camps. Here's where the fantasy element comes in. Due to the testing done on her, she is able to change her appearance. She is to enter the race as the last year's victor and win. Then, when at the Victor's Ball she will ignite the rebellion through Hitler's death. Okay, so that was my attempt to warm you into the whole premise of this novel. See, what I saw is the synopsis I will post below along with the dumbest tagline in the world: One girl's mission to win the race and kill Hitler. Seriously, that sounds utterly ridiculous, but let me tell you, this book is anything but that. It's riveting, with compelling characters and a thrilling plot. See, a wrench or two is thrown into Yael's plans when two other boys enter into the race with her. One, another victor hoping to be the first to win twice, seems to have a complicated past with the girl that Yael knows nothing about, while the second is the girl's own brother. There are things that cannot be gathered from information in a file. Watching Yael try and unravel the relationship she's supposed to have with these boys is fascinating add in the race and you get a whole lot of fun. Not only that, but if you enjoy books with some deeper meanings, this book has plenty. It will definitely resonate deeper than surface level. I don't know what else to say other than this one is a must read! Synopsis: Her story begins on a train. The year is 1956, and the Axis powers of the Third Reich and Imperial Japan rule. To commemorate their Great Victory, Hitler and Emperor Hirohito host the Axis Tour: an annual motorcycle race across their conjoined continents. The victor is awarded an audience with the highly reclusive Adolf Hitler at the Victor’s Ball in Tokyo. Yael, a former death camp prisoner, has witnessed too much suffering, and the five wolves tattooed on her arm are a constant reminder of the loved ones she lost. The resistance has given Yael one goal: Win the race and kill Hitler. A survivor of painful human experimentation, Yael has the power to skinshift and must complete her mission by impersonating last year’s only female racer, Adele Wolfe. This deception becomes more difficult when Felix, Adele twin’s brother, and Luka, her former love interest, enter the race and watch Yael’s every move. But as Yael grows closer to the other competitors, can she bring herself to be as ruthless as she needs to be to avoid discovery and complete her mission? From the author of The Walled City comes a fast-paced and innovative novel that will leave you breathless. RomanceThe Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren 8/10 stars Age of characters: adults You know those really fun rom-com movies with the completely absurd inciting incident that ensures with hilarity along with that heart melting romance? That's exactly what the Unhoneymooners is-- a rom-com in book form. It's fun, it'll have you laughing out loud, and you'll also be ooooh-ing and aww-ing with heart eyes because it's also quite cute. If you want a fun romance, this is definitely one to try out. Synopsis: Olive is always unlucky: in her career, in love, in…well, everything. Her identical twin sister Ami, on the other hand, is probably the luckiest person in the world. Her meet-cute with her fiancé is something out of a romantic comedy (gag) and she’s managed to finance her entire wedding by winning a series of Internet contests (double gag). Worst of all, she’s forcing Olive to spend the day with her sworn enemy, Ethan, who just happens to be the best man. Olive braces herself to get through 24 hours of wedding hell before she can return to her comfortable, unlucky life. But when the entire wedding party gets food poisoning from eating bad shellfish, the only people who aren’t affected are Olive and Ethan. And now there’s an all-expenses-paid honeymoon in Hawaii up for grabs. Putting their mutual hatred aside for the sake of a free vacation, Olive and Ethan head for paradise, determined to avoid each other at all costs. But when Olive runs into her future boss, the little white lie she tells him is suddenly at risk to become a whole lot bigger. She and Ethan now have to pretend to be loving newlyweds, and her luck seems worse than ever. But the weird thing is that she doesn’t mind playing pretend. In fact, she feels kind of... lucky. Love & Other Words by Christina Lauren 10/10 stars Character age: adults Another Christina Lauren book makes it onto this list because these women are goddesses when it comes to writing good romances. While this book is just as enjoyable as the Unhoneymooners, it hits on a deeper level. Like there's no better way to describe it, but when reading this book, it just hits, like you feel it in such a different way from most books. It's just that good. The story takes place in two time periods: the present, and the past, leading up to the big blow up. So you literally get to watch the two main characters meet, and you get to see their relationship build from innocent friendship to something more. I think that really helps in making the book hit on a deeper level because you fully understand and see their relationship, and not only that, but you get to see and feel them falling in love with each other. It's beautiful. The writing is beautiful, the characters are beautiful, the story is beautiful. I cannot give higher praise to this book. I couldn't tell you the amount of times I've reread it, I love it just that much. Synopsis: The story of the heart can never be unwritten. Macy Sorensen is settling into an ambitious if emotionally tepid routine: work hard as a new pediatrics resident, plan her wedding to an older, financially secure man, keep her head down and heart tucked away. But when she runs into Elliot Petropoulos—the first and only love of her life—the careful bubble she’s constructed begins to dissolve. Once upon a time, Elliot was Macy’s entire world—growing from her gangly bookish friend into the man who coaxed her heart open again after the loss of her mother...only to break it on the very night he declared his love for her. Told in alternating timelines between Then and Now, teenage Elliot and Macy grow from friends to much more—spending weekends and lazy summers together in a house outside of San Francisco devouring books, sharing favorite words, and talking through their growing pains and triumphs. As adults, they have become strangers to one another until their chance reunion. Although their memories are obscured by the agony of what happened that night so many years ago, Elliot will come to understand the truth behind Macy’s decade-long silence, and will have to overcome the past and himself to revive her faith in the possibility of an all-consuming love. Love, loss, friendship, and the betrayals of the past all collide in this first fiction novel from New York Times and #1 international bestselling author Christina Lauren (Autoboyography, Dating You / Hating You). The Hating Game by Sally Thorne 8/10 stars Character Age: Adults From my understanding, for those who enjoy contemporary romance books, this one is a bit of a cult classic, and I can't say I blame anyone for that because The Hating Game is magnificent. It's so much fun from start to finish. I don't think I could love the characters or the story more. It's one of those classic hate-to-love tropes, but hey, I'm a sucker for the classics. Synopsis: Nemesis (n.) 1) An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome. 2) A person’s undoing 3) Joshua Templeman Lucy Hutton has always been certain that the nice girl can get the corner office. She’s charming and accommodating and prides herself on being loved by everyone at Bexley & Gamin. Everyone except for coldly efficient, impeccably attired, physically intimidating Joshua Templeman. And the feeling is mutual. Trapped in a shared office together 40 (OK, 50 or 60) hours a week, they’ve become entrenched in an addictive, ridiculous never-ending game of one-upmanship. There’s the Staring Game. The Mirror Game. The HR Game. Lucy can’t let Joshua beat her at anything—especially when a huge new promotion goes up for the taking. If Lucy wins this game, she’ll be Joshua’s boss. If she loses, she’ll resign. So why is she suddenly having steamy dreams about Joshua, and dressing for work like she’s got a hot date? After a perfectly innocent elevator ride ends with an earth-shattering kiss, Lucy starts to wonder whether she’s got Joshua Templeman all wrong. Maybe Lucy Hutton doesn’t hate Joshua Templeman. And maybe, he doesn’t hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game. From Lukov with Love by Marianna Zapata Rating: 8/10 stars Character Age: Adults Another ridiculously fun novel that will melt your heart. Another hate-to-love romance, like I said, it may be a classic trope but it's one of my favorites. So much fun with all the banter, and it's also fun to get to watch these characters warm up and start to open up to each other. It's great watching this relationship blossom, because it's so much more than just romance-- the friendship has to build first, and both are fun to watch grow. (Also, also I just want to mention about how much fun the BANTER is). Also the story is about professional athletes, so it's also a lot of fun to read about their love and passion for the sport, as well as seeing them practice and work at it. Synopsis: If someone were to ask Jasmine Santos to describe the last few years of her life with a single word, it would definitely be a four-letter one. After seventeen years—and countless broken bones and broken promises—she knows her window to compete in figure skating is coming to a close. But when the offer of a lifetime comes in from an arrogant idiot she’s spent the last decade dreaming about pushing in the way of a moving bus, Jasmine might have to reconsider everything. Including Ivan Lukov. You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle Rating: 9.5/10 Stars Character Age: Adults Here's a trope that isn't very popular but I think definitely should be: falling back in love. Not only is it equally as enchanting and fun as a first time falling in love romance, but there's just something so beautiful and tender about the refalling back in love with each other trope. You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle is everything you could want form a romance novel. It's fun, funny, cute and the romance really hits you in the feels. It starts off like a rom-com-- with a silly sounding premise and fun antics. Naomi and Nicholas are kind of tired of each other and not even close to head-over-heels in love as fiancees should be. Yet, neither of them will call off the marriage because whoever calls it off has to pay for it. The solution? Pranking and pushing the other to call it off. Yeah, it sounds ridiculous, and it does actually lead the story to being a lot of fun. But what makes this novel stand out from so many others is in fact the romance. It's sad, as you read the book and grow more attached to the relationship to see how it slowly started to fall apart in the first place, yet watching them grow back together and remember why exactly they loved each other in the first place is so beautiful and heartwarming. Like I said, this is the perfect combination for a romance book. There are plenty of moments that will have you laughing out loud, but also plenty that will just hit you in the heart. I can't emphasize just how much I love this one. I read it very recently, and then reread it again 3 times in the next week just because of how much I loved it and wanted to revisit the characters and scenes. Synopsis: Naomi Westfield has the perfect fiancé: Nicholas Rose holds doors open for her, remembers her restaurant orders, and comes from the kind of upstanding society family any bride would love to be a part of. They never fight. They're preparing for their lavish wedding that's three months away. And she is miserably and utterly sick of him. Naomi wants out, but there's a catch: whoever ends the engagement will have to foot the nonrefundable wedding bill. When Naomi discovers that Nicholas, too, has been feigning contentment, the two of them go head-to-head in a battle of pranks, sabotage, and all-out emotional warfare. But with the countdown looming to the wedding that may or may not come to pass, Naomi finds her resolve slipping. Because now that they have nothing to lose, they're finally being themselves--and having fun with the last person they expect: each other. When your nemesis also happens to be your fiancé, happily ever after becomes a lot more complicated in this wickedly funny, lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy debut. Better off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg Rating: 7/10 stars Character Age: teenagers This is another rom-com in a book. Here we get to see the two main characters from when they meet and become friends in 7th Grade all the way up through Senior Year. It's a lot of fun. I don't know what else to say without spoiling the story! But let me tell you its one to fall in love with. :) (Side note: yes, I know the girl's name is weird. I didn't read this book for AGES because of that. Ignore the name, the content is so much better than a strange name!) Synopsis: For Macallan and Levi, it was friends at first sight. Everyone says guys and girls can’t be just friends, but these two are. They hang out after school, share tons of inside jokes, their families are super close, and Levi even starts dating one of Macallan’s friends. They are platonic and happy that way. Eventually they realize they’re best friends — which wouldn’t be so bad if they didn’t keep getting in each other’s way. Guys won’t ask Macallan out because they think she’s with Levi, and Levi spends too much time joking around with Macallan, and maybe not enough time with his date. They can’t help but wonder . . . are they more than friends or are they better off without making it even more complicated? Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins Rating: 7/10 stars Character age: teenagers This book is absolutely adorable. If you're looking for just a cutesy romance that'll give you those warm fuzzies this is the one for you. I mean look at that gorgeous cover! How could it not be a completely adorable and happy read? And guess what? If you like this book, there are two more equally adorable companion novels in the series where you can see the characters from this book reappear :) Synopsis: Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend. But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss? Books by Emma Mills: Foolish Hearts, First & Then, This Adventure Ends Rating 7.5/10 stars Character Age: Teenagers These books are so adorable. I know I say that a lot in this section, but hey, these are some of the best of the best romances that I've read so OF COURSE they're adorable. All of Emma Mills' books are absolutely adorable, sweet romances that feel all too real. What's more, they always have some other important theme/relationship building other than romance, whether it be friendship or family, so not only do these books give the warm fuzzies from a cute romance, but they also make you feel happy and fulfilled from the other relationships depicted as well. I guess what I'm trying to say is that each story goes a bit deeper than just a cute romance. (Also, side note, but can we appreciate how gorgeous these covers are?!) There's not a lot to say about romance books that won't spoil the fun of them. I always look forward to Emma Mills' releasing and read them almost as soon as they come out-- she has more books too, so if you like these go check out her other works. These are just my favorites of what she has done, but I've enjoyed them all. Let me just say this, for every single one of these books I wasn't exactly pulled in by the synopsis, but then once I actually started the book I was up into the early hours finishing them. These are just so cute, but they also feel so feel and sweet... I don't know what else to say other than definitely check them out! First & Then Synopsis: Devon Tennyson wouldn't change a thing. She's happy watching Friday night games from the bleachers, silently crushing on best friend Cas, and blissfully ignoring the future after high school. But the universe has other plans. It delivers Devon's cousin Foster, an unrepentant social outlier with a surprising talent for football, and the obnoxiously superior and maddeningly attractive star running back, Ezra, right where she doesn't want them: first into her P.E. class and then into every other aspect of her life. Pride and Prejudice meets Friday Night Lights in this contemporary novel about falling in love with the unexpected boy, with a new brother, and with yourself. This Adventure Ends Synopsis: Sloane isn't expecting to fall in with a group of friends when she moves from New York to Florida—especially not a group of friends so intense, so in love, so all-consuming. Yet that's exactly what happens. Sloane becomes closest to Vera, a social-media star who lights up any room, and Gabe, Vera's twin brother and the most serious person Sloane's ever met. When a beloved painting by the twins' late mother goes missing, Sloane takes on the responsibility of tracking it down, a journey that takes her across state lines—and ever deeper into the twins' lives. Filled with intense and important friendships, a wonderful warts-and-all family, shiveringly good romantic developments, and sharp, witty dialogue, this story is about finding the people you never knew you needed. Foolish Hearts Synopsis: When Claudia accidentally eavesdrops on the epic breakup of Paige and Iris, the it-couple at her school, she finds herself in hot water with prickly, difficult Iris. Thrown together against their will in the class production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, along with the goofiest, cutest boy Claudia has ever known, Iris and Claudia are in for an eye-opening senior year. Smart, funny, and thoroughly, wonderfully flawed, Claudia navigates a world of intense friendships and tentative romance in Foolish Hearts, a YA novel about expanding your horizons, allowing yourself to be vulnerable, and accepting--and loving--people for who they really are. A contemporary young adult novel by Emma Mills about a girl whose high school production of A Midsummer Night's Dream leads her to new friends--and maybe even new love. To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han Rating: 10/10 stars Ages: Teenagers Okay, okay, I know what you must be thinking. You're either on the lines of OH MY GOD I LOVE THESE MOVIES or ugh overrated. Yeah, well let me just say this first: the books are always vastly superior to the movie. Also, yeah, I'm just gonna say it: the second movie sucked. The first one wasn't great, but at least it was cute, the second one just lost all its magic if it had any to begin with. I will also say this: I read To All The Boys I've Loved Before wayyyy before there was even a movie in the works I read the first book before the author was even considering a second one. So yes, I've been a fan of this series for a long time and I'm not just recommending it because it is a semi-popular romcom on Netflix these days. Even the first movie didn't have half and magic of the first book. Here's the thing about movies: they always have to cut corners. It's just about the time constraint. The book though? That can show as many little things as it wants. Part of what made the first book so much better than the first movie (other than the fact that the book is always better, after all, it's what the movie is based on) is that the book is able to show all these cute little scenes and tidbits that build towards the relationship, whereas the movie just doesn't have enough time to show everything. The book you really get to fall in love with the relationships right along with Lara Jean. The books are so real, so cute, so touching--- so everything. They're absolutely adorable. I find Lara Jean to be an adorably relatable main character, if not a little naive at times. I also adore the family dynamic depicted in these books, especially watching as it evolves throughout the series. Then there's also the romance, which, not to beat a dead horse but IS SO MUCH BETTER IN THE BOOKS. The romances are depicted much better in the books, they're so much sweeter, you get those little scenes that build the relationships, but also somehow the movie sorta twisted the romantic interests into being boring and sometimes annoying dicks. That is not the case in books, I can promise you that. If you want a cutesy romance that will have you squealing in delight, this book is the one for you. Plus, if you love it even half as much as I do, then guess what?! There are two more books that are just as real and adorable as the first. A lot of times with romance books if they continue on in the series they only get worse, but these books remain steadily amazing throughout. I can't express more love for this series, and the movies have nothing on them.So don't let your feelings about the movies scare you away from these books. Synopsis: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister's ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all. P.S. I Like You by Kasie West Rating: 8/10 Stars Character Ages: Teenagers This is one of my happy reads. It's what can only be described as cute and fuzzy. The kind of read that will put a smile on your face. Sure, it's not deep and moving, but that's not the purpose of this novel. It's light, fun and cute. And I absolutely love it. This is one of the few books I took along with me to college despite the lack of space. I reread this one all the time, it's not a long read, and it's just so cute and warm. I love it. Anyway, there's not much more I can say about it without giving away spoilers, so take my word on the cuteness factor and here's the synopsis. Synopsis: Signed, sealed, delivered… While spacing out in chemistry class, Lily scribbles some of her favorite song lyrics onto her desk. The next day, she finds that someone has continued the lyrics on the desk and added a message to her. Intrigue! Soon, Lily and her anonymous pen pal are exchanging full-on letters—sharing secrets, recommending bands, and opening up to each other. Lily realizes she’s kind of falling for this letter writer. Only, who is he? As Lily attempts to unravel the mystery and juggle school, friends, crushes, and her crazy family, she discovers that matters of the heart can’t always be spelled out… Anyway, thanks for reading! I hope you found something, or a couple somethings that piqued your interest! If you didn't, first off, sad, but second stay tuned for the part II post with the other genres!
-Anj The epic conclusion to Sarah J. Maas' 7 book high fantasy series, the book we've all been waiting for for years upon years upon YEARS. Anticipation often leads to high expectations, and especially since it's SARAH J. MAAS, my expectations were pretty freaking high... And Miss Maas managed to not only reach that bar, but jump over it with Kingdom of Ash. Overall, unsurprisingly, this was an amazing novel, the only issues I have with it are small and nitpicky, which I will mention quickly in the spoiler section, but otherwise this was a stellar novel. 10/10 stars, each and every one is 100% deserved. The pace, the plot and the characters are all perfect. My biggest complaint about this book is that it's the end... I never wanted my time with the Court of Terrasen to end, and yet here we are. :( Honestly this series has meant so much to me and I'm SO sad to say goodbye and see it end... Still, this is one spectacular way for these characters to say adieu. (Obviously) they're all so badass in this novel, dealing with every ordeal and tribulation thrown their way. There's really nothing else to say, the book is perfect. Read it. Synopsis: Aelin Galathynius has vowed to save her people―but at a tremendous cost. Locked within an iron coffin by the Queen of the Fae, Aelin must draw upon her fiery will as she endures months of torture. The knowledge that yielding to Maeve will doom those she loves keeps her from breaking, but her resolve is unraveling with each passing day… With Aelin captured, friends and allies are scattered to different fates. Some bonds will grow even deeper, while others will be severed forever. As destinies weave together at last, all must fight if Erilea is to have any hope of salvation. Years in the making, Sarah J. Maas's New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series draws to an explosive conclusion as Aelin fights to save herself―and the promise of a better world. SPOULERS: here are my few nitpicky things: I really wanted to see Aelin just absolutely DESTROY everything with her fire, but of course, it makes total sense why she didn't. It was never about her powers. I'd been really excitedly waiting for Nox to be a huge plot point for several books, but lol nope he's there for about half and page and then buh bye. Where is Vaughn? Lol. That barely even matters, see? I told y'all, this book was absolute perfection. Also weird little flex but I got to meet Sarah for like half a second and it honestly made my life lol. 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 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 "It is not such a hard thing, is it-- to die for your friends."
Empire of Storms was one of the most highly anticipated reads of the year. With the cliff hangers left at the end of Queen of Shadows, and a plethora much beloved characters that the reader just can't get enough of, it's needless to say that many fans of the Throne of Glass series were sitting on the edge of their seats for a year, impatiently waiting for the release date of the fifth book in the New York Times Best Selling Series. By the time the book was actually released, the hype surrounding it was gargantuan to say the least-- as were its reader's expectations. And, unlike many other books before it and many books still to come, Empire of Storms did not disappoint. Not only did this book live up to its hype, it surpassed it. "A court that wouldn't just change the world. It would start the world over." Where to start? There are just so many things to talk about, so many feelings and emotions that are nearly impossible to put into words. Like all of Sarah J. Maas' books, the ending of Empire of Storms had a profound effect on me. There are book mourning periods, book hangovers and then there is finishing a Sarah J. Maas book and realizing you must wait another whole year to get your hands on the next one. The latter may be the worst feeling of all. Let's just start this review off by saying that I applaud Sarah for another book well done. And by well done I mean another book that absolutely tore my heart out and had me wondering what the purpose of my life was if I couldn't have the next book immediately. (I am saying all of this in a good way.) "Aelin was no savior to rally behind, but a cataclysm to be weathered." You don't or are tired of the like the damsel in distress trope? Stop looking! You've found the right place. The females in this story are anything but a damsel in distress, the ones that don't have the physical capabilities to defend themselves are master manipulators-- capable of getting their way with a few well placed words and pretty smiles. "Dumb Blonde" are not two words that would describe any character in this story. "You know, you ladies could let us males do a thing every now and then." As mentioned before, I am very attached to each and every one of the protagonist-ic characters. If any of you have read any of my previous reviews, I might've mentioned not exactly having a great connection to Elide or Manon at some point. SCREW ALL OF THAT. I absolutely love both Elide and Manon and was excited whenever I saw that I was back in one of their chapters. Each and every chapter in this book was intriguing. One might find themselves shocked by how much time/many pages had passed since last visiting one of the characters, not because that character's storyline was boring, but because all the other storylines matched that one's in captivation. Sorry, that was really bad wording I actually just finished the book and my mind is literally just blank. I'm also switching between third, second and first person a lot. I'M SO SORRY. I should probably wait to write the review, but I hardly have the time (thanks, high school), and I should probably try and at least get my emotions out on it now. 10/10 stars, while reading, I wasn't sure if Empire of Storms would really be considered equal to Queen of Shadows in my mind, but now I have not a doubt about it. Empire of Storms, dare I say it? Might be the best book in the series. It's not even the shock factor of the ending, but also just the way everything pieced together. There were big pay off moments, especially if you paid close attention while reading previous books and if you read the novellas. I actually would recommend the novellas if you have yet to read them previous to this book. You can still understand the book, but you will have a better understanding (and more of a pay-off-y feel) if you read the novellas first. Speaking of, I think that's the first place I'm going to hit on my reread of the entire series. I wanted to spend some more time with Sam (my bae) anyway. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS TO DISCUSS. It's so hard to organize any thought in my head right now, so my apologies for this review being all over the place. Aelin. We spent a lot less time in the Queen of Terrasen's head than I was expecting. And that was not necessarily a bad thing. It was interesting, seeing Aelin from others' perspective, and even more fun to attempt to unravel Aelin's plots and schemes while not in her own head. Aelin is literally the dream protagonist. She's witty, smart, cunning and far beyond able to take care of herself. I'm not sure if I'll ever truly read another book where the protagonist reaches Aelin level glory in my head. (Well, maybe Feyre, but that's another story.) Every little thing that Aelin does is somehow part of her scheme. It may be something small that you hardly notice, until the scheme unravels and you wonder how the heck you didn't catch it before. That's one of the many wonderful things about Sarah's books, they still keep you on edge. Not just cliche stories where you know exactly what's going to happen. Manon. Oh, Manon. I loved her story in this book, just as much as I loved any other character's. She might have had the biggest character arc. It was something that Sarah had been working up to since introducing her in Heir of Fire, but Manon did not truly complete that arc until now. And I loved it. Manon and Abraxos, just one of the many pairings of these stories that I love and would be hurt to see separated. If I had to chose a favorite storyline, though, it might have to be Elide's. Yeah, surprising since I wasn't all that interested in her last book (what? I really just wanted to get back to Aelin's storyline.) It's funny, with most multi-POV books, there is at least one POV the majority dislikes for some reason or another. (e. LUCIA (I HATE HER) from Falling Kingdoms) There was no POV that I disliked or found to be pointless. I loved it all and would (will) gladly read it over again and again. Back to Elide. She, too, had a massive character arc in this book. Going from being a scared, shadow of a girl to an impressively cunning warrior in her own right. And I'm not going to say with who, but someone else in Elide's storyline made it possibly one of the best storylines in the book, with possibly my favorite ship of the entire series floating along with it. Something I missed dearly in this book was the Aedion/Aelin interaction. There wasn't much, they were together, but didn't really talk much (I felt) aside from war plans and strategies. I know, a mushy scene between the two wouldn't exactly fit with either of their characters nor the tone of the book, but I still would've liked to see them together a bit more in the duration of the novel. Though, the Aedion/Lysandra vibes I was getting almost made up for it. (yet another ship) I won't go into detail about how I felt about all the characters in this story that I love and blah, because I could literally write the equivalent of a novel with that idea, and I'm sure no one really cares enough (or has the time) to read that. So I'll just repeat, I loved all the characters in this story-- well, not the antagonists, but I think you get what I mean. I'm just going to mention a few more characters that I have some larger opinions on that I feel I need to state. Lorcan? Remember him? Kind of an arse that was there to annoy? I freaking love him now. I didn't really heed him much during my read of Heir of Fire, and he was more of a nuisance in Queen of Shadows. Now? Now he's my baby that I would want to protect no matter what. This book does a good job of... well, not humanizing him, but humanizing him. It shows his thoughts and perspectives on things that make it almost impossible not to fall in love with the dark Fae. Like many of my favorite (male) characters, his actions speak louder than his words and AH. I just couldn't help it. I fell for another (there are many) one of Sarah J. Maas' irresistible male characters. Let's just leave it at, I was rooting for him, and hoping, and praying that he would not perish in this book. Then there's Fenrys and Gavriel (Uncle Kitty-Cat). I won't say when, how, or why we see them, just that we do. AND AH. I just loved getting to know more of the Cadre-- especially Fenrys. Gavriel, yeah, he's your typical honor-bound guy, I liked him and didn't want him to die. Fenrys? Yeah, he's your average Anji will most definitely fall in love with him after she really gets to know him and his backstory kind of guy. Yeah. Some of his life is mixed into that formula that I just can't seem to resist cocky+cute undertone+ action speak louder than words+ tends to piss people off with his remarks+ attractive+ sad backstory + more = Anji is guaranteed to fall (almost) instantly in love. Sarah, if you're reading this, sorry for the scattered, crap review, and please, please, please, write more Fenrys in as well as possibly an entire novel on him. I love him. LOVE HIM. I want to get to know more about his relationship with his twin brother, Connall. From what I got from this book, I kinda got the vibe that Fenrys would do anything for him, but Connall is happy being Maeve's lapdog, and didn't really seem to care overly much about his brother. But then again, I was just reading into things and don't actually know much of anything about the relationship between the two brothers-- just that Fenrys would go to the ends of the earth, to hell, for his brother. At the moment, I'm not Connall's biggest fan. And I'm most definitely not Maeve's biggest fan, but more on that in the spoilers. Anyway, I don't really know what else to say that won't spoil y'all, so just READ THIS BOOK and here's the synopsis: The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those don't. As the kingdoms of Erilea fracture around her, enemies must become allies if Aelin is to keep those she loves from falling to the dark forces poised to claim her world. With war looming on all horizons, the only chance for salvation lies in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear. Aelin's journey from assassin to queen has entranced millions across the globe, and this fifth installment will leave fans breathless. Will Aelin succeed in keeping her world from splintering, or will it all come crashing down? SOO SO GOOD. Definitely will go down in history as one of my all time favorites. Anyway, without further ado. SPOILERS I was in love with this book before it was even written, and I still remain to be seriously in love with the entire book after finishing it. LORCAN AND ELIDE. I SHIP IT SO FUDGING HARD THAT I CAN COMPARE IT TO NOTHING THAT WOULD DO IT JUSTICE. I knew just from the beginning that they would become some kind of pair-- and very quickly figured it would be romantic after they actually met. Oh my god. Just everything about them I love. Literally to get me through some classes I would just think of them and look forward to reading their next chapter-- and then I'd have a goofy grin on my face that probably had a lot of my teachers worried. I don't really smile a lot in class. AH. I LOVE THEM. Just everything about them. How they met, how their relationship grew and just ah. I love it. I can't express it probably in words. Their tumultuous relationship had me laughing, riveted and my heart threatening to explode from the sheer cuteness of it. At different times, of course. AND THEY'LL ALWAYS FIND EACH OTHER (and Lorcan will always protect her.) Couple goals, anyone? Yeah, yeah, Lorcan betrayed Aelin for her, but guys! He did it for love! I'm not gonna fault him for that. And now he's free of Maeve. Hehe. Now if only we can get Fenrys free from her. (I have a bad suspicion that he will only be freed through death :() Elide just brought out this side in Lorcan that was more tender and gentle. It's partially what made me really come to love him. The other bit is because he's just too irresistible. I'm just a sucker for irresistible boys (or should I say males?) Also, just random nit picking here. Sorry. There was a spelling error (not really spelling) on page 268 when Lorcan calls Elide Elide in his mind before he finds out that she is in fact, Elide. (Also, just like to comment on the fact that I'm glad Elide lose hope in Aelin after Lorcan's outburst about her) I really was not expecting the sex scenes-- I guess Sarah liked writing them so much in ACOMF that she wanted to add it in to her other series as well. I didn't really mind it, I mean, I didn't get all excited like oh! Rowan and Aelin are having sex! How fantastic is this? (Actually, does anyone think like that?) I didn't mind it, but it did surprise me. I always kind of thought of this series as Sarah's young adult series, and while, yes, its protagonists are young adults, it still seemed like a bit much for some younger readers that might be reading the series who were, so far, pretty much following the young adult guidelines. It's funny actually, it seems like they just all got really horny. I guess that can happen when you can die at any moment but haha, after Aelin and Rowan's fun times on the beach, it just seemed to spark the hormones in the rest of the book's cast. And Aedion caught it all, which had me cracking up. Aedion is still bae, he's just bae next to a few more BAES. Lysandra and Aedion honestly had the cutest relationship. It wasn't really a physical one (the only none physical one of the book), but it was cute none the less. I loved how much they respected and helped each other throughout the book. And when Aedion helped Lysandra by threatening to marry her. Ah. Threats that make up my ship dreams these days. (I seriously thought Lysandra was dead during that battle meaning I thought she would most definitely die, I'm glad she didn't.) I didn't mind RowanxAelin in this book nearly as much, I almost liked them. It's not like I disliked them, I just don't really place their relationship high on my SHIP list for this series. (Lorcan and Elide bopped to the top on that one (high school musical, anyone?)) I am really looked forward to Rowan & team wreak havoc on Maeve for what she's done in the next (and last?) book. Actually, I'd look forward to seeing anyone wreak havoc on Maeve. Seriously. She's such a freaking ********************* . Let's leave that to your imagination, shall we? I did predict the ending as soon as Aelin started fighting Maeve-- it parallels pretty well with the end of ACOMF. I really have been enjoying these parallels (dreamers, mates one knowing etc.) But what made her sacrifice even more poignant is when all her allies showed up a second too late. That really hit me hard, as well as Aedion's reaction (and Rowan's.) This book just really shows how much Aelin has matured and grown into a woman worthy of being a queen. Though, I kind of have the vague feeling that she will probably end up giving her life to safe the land. It would be extremely poignant, but somehow I wouldn't hate that choice on Sarah's part. Unlike the Di-- never mind. I don't know, it seems a lot less fitting if Dorian dies. It started and ended with Aelin. That seems pretty fitting, though, don't get me wrong, I would like Aelin to live happily ever after. (and if it makes her happy, make a lot of ice fire babies with Rowan.) I just can see how ending the series with Aelin dying for the land seems fitting. Um. Well, it's late and I'm tired from an all around disappointing field hockey game. If I ever want to, (which I most likely will want to but won't actually do) I'll come around and edit this crappy review, but until then, thanks for reading my scattered feels. Love y'all. Anj A Court of Mist and Fury will take you on a whirlwind ride filled with suspense, action, mystery, love, romance, heartbreak and so much more. Though the book is rather long, you'll soon find yourself so immersed in the thickening plot, you'll be done it before you know it. Of course, that's assuming things. Maybe you won't enjoy this book as much as I did, but let me tell you, I really quite enjoyed this book.
"I'm thinking that I look at you and feel like I'm dying. Like I can't breathe." I'm thinking of this book and feeling like I'm dying because I have to wait another whole year for the next one. Sarah J. Maas, as many of you may know, is one of my all time favorite authors. I've been in love with her other book series, Throne of Glass, for a while now. Last year, I read A Court of Thorns and Roses (Book 1) and found that I quite enjoyed it. Long story short, I gave it eight stars. The beginning was a bit slow, but otherwise the story was fantastic. (Seriously, it's a fantasy novel.) After reading A Court of Thorns and Roses, I would not say that it had made it into my all time favorite book series, but I did really enjoy it and was highly anticipating the release of the next book. This book blew me away, jumping immediately into the action and not coming out of it until the very last page of the book. I may have really liked this series before, but now I love it. Emphasis on love. Sarah J. Maas seems to have a pattern emerging in her books. The second book seems to always (from experiencing two of her series) be better than the first. From looking at Throne of Glass, I'm expecting the third book in this series to be better than this one. It's a difficult task, writing a book I'll love more than this book, but I have no doubt that Miss Maas will accomplish it. For those of you who don't know, A Court of Thorns and Roses is a loose retelling of the tale Beauty and the Beast. It's a great novel and I highly recommend it, especially because you can't read this spectacular book without having read the first. (Well, you could, but I'm not sure you'd really understand what was going on.) Anyway, I can't promise I won't say any spoilers for the first book, so if you have yet to read A Court of Thorns and Roses go pick it up now and then come back to this review once you've finished it! (I promise, you won't regret it.) Let's just start this review out by saying I loved this novel. While I may be critiquing a few things, that doesn't mean I loved the book any less. This book is tied for my best book of 2016. What is it tied with? Lady Midnight. I can't decide which book I enjoyed more-- I don't think I enjoyed either book more. I love them each the same. While both books are fantasy, both authors have such different writing styles I find it impossible to decide which one I like better. (I am very excited for Empire of Storms, Book 5 in the Throne of Glass Series-- it's sure to be up here with my 2016 favorites as well.) The character development in this book is amazing. It picks up very soon after book one left off, and Feyre is racked with guilt over the horrible things she'd had to do Under the Mountain. This book is really a healing journey for her. She's broken and lost at the beginning of the story, and in the duration of the book, she's able to find herself again and while doing so become stronger. For anyone who read my review of the first book, you may remember that I said I liked Celaena (Throne of Glass) better and that Celaena would totally kick Feyre's ass in a fight. Now I cannot completely say that I like Celaena better. Feyre's development as a character and her journey in this book really made me fall in love with her character even more than I already had. She had a really great story arc that I'm sure you will all enjoy (well, I know a few of you who will be very annoyed with the events in this book, but let's save that for the spoilery section, shall we?) And about the ass kicking, not so much anymore. Like I said, Feyre learns to become stronger and more powerful in this book. I doubt anyone close this book thinking that Feyre is weak. While yes, Feyre does go through a lot of development, that doesn't mean she still isn't the witty, sassy and passionate protagonist from the first book. While a lot of things about her change, she still is able to hold on to her sass and sarcasm. It compliments another character well. One of my big compliments about the first book was about how well crafted the characters were. That compliment remains. There were plenty of new characters introduced in this book, and I fell in love with them all. (As well as fell even further in love with characters we already knew. Or should I say character?) While we're on the subject of characters, let's talk about Rhysand. Now, for all you Tamlin lovers out there, I'm sorry to say that I am now officially team Rhys. Sorry, this may be a minor spoiler but if you really love Tamlin, I doubt you'll love this book as much as I do. At the end of the last book, I felt pretty neutral towards both High Fae. Maybe leaning towards Rhys a bit because of how charming and sassy his character is. I also was intrigued by the mystery of him, and that was the same reason I couldn't fully back Rhys-- I didn't really know him. In this book, a lot more of Rhysand's character is revealed and I just have to say, Sarah really knows how to make the perfect boy. Because Rhysand literally is the perfect male protagonist. He's witty (we already knew that) and he really- you know what? I'm just going to let you read the story and find out. I'm willing to bet there will soon be a lot more Team Rhys. Rhysand is the epitome of what a girl wants from a boy, and by a girl, I mean me. I don't know about all y'all, but I'd take a Rhysand any day. It almost hurts me to say this... but Rhysand may have made it to the top of my book boyfriend list... maybe even surpassing Jace (Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare) and Will (Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare). Shocker, I know, right? All the characters remained in character. What do I mean by that? I mean they all stayed true to the characteristics that were introduced in A Court of Thorns and Roses. Some people may argue with me on that point, but my argument to that is that we actually didn't get to see everyone's full character. Everyone was hiding things in A Court of Thorns and Roses, and I have no doubt that people are hiding things now as well, but this book does pull back the curtain a little more, revealing some more of these ever so intriguing characters. I know the problem most people are going to have with this book Tamlin. (Minor Spoiler) All the Tamlin lovers out there are probably going to outraged and immensely disappointed with how Sarah chose to take his character. Personally, I was never a super Tamlin lover, so I didn't mind the route that this story went. I don't actually think he acted out of character. Tamlin's main instinct is to protect. That's his role, in his eyes. Protecter. And after his time Under the Mountain, like every other character, he's broken. All the actions Tamlin takes in this story are things that he sees as right, and that's why I still don't dislike him. I can see where he is coming from, I may not agree with him, but I can see what things might look like from his perspective. That's one of the reasons I enjoy this book so much, it's so well written that while some characters may aggravate you, you can still see their perspective and not hate them for it. (Well, except for the King, but we can get to that later) Lucien. If you read my review of the first book, you probably remember that I loved Lucien in the first book-- he was my favorite character! Was? No, he still is one of my favorite characters in the series. Actually, I basically like everyone in these books. I know I'm repeating myself, but SARAH J MAAS WRITES THE BEST CHARACTERS it's hard not to love them all. I honestly really missed Lucien's presence in this book. There was a lot more Night Court and a lot less Spring Court, and while it was fantastic seeing more of Prythian, I couldn't help but sorely miss the quippy, clever Lucien. I'm excited that we;ll being seeing more of him in the third book, but I'm nervous about the change in dynamics in his and Feyre's friendship (more on that in the spoiler-y section.) If one were to look at my notes, they'd see a lot of 'Miss Lucien' s in them. I really missed his and Feyre's friendship as well, and I have a feeling it's never going to be the same. After all, both (mainly Feyre) have changed a lot since the first book. Though there was some very interesting revealing information about Lucien that I'm very excited to see play out in book three. I also have a feeling that Lucien may be getting a lot of hate for his role in this book, but I would just like to stand up and defend him by saying that he was staying loyal to his friend. I don't think that's a good reason to hate someone. Well, I could go and write a whole paper on Lucien, but now I feel I must move on. As I've mentioned a lot, we get to see a lot more into the Night Court-- and understand why no one else knows about it. During that, we also get so see some of Rhys' inner circle. That inner circle includes Cassian, Azriel, Mor and Amren. Cassian was literally bae number two. He's right up there next to Rhys. Seriously, he's my type 100%. Out of the inner circle he'd be described as the warrior. He's the strongest, physically, and he's a confidant, swaggering, powerful Fae who has a rather (and I quote Sarah here) mocking, arrogant warrior personality. That's already pretty attractive, but he also has (another quote) a lot of scars underneath that. I'm sorry, what was that? All I'm hearing about Cassian is B-A-E. If there was ever a spin off on this series, could it please, please, please, be about Cassian? Every scene with him made me feel extremely happy because I seriously just love his character and am really excited to see more about him. For me, I saw Cassian as Sarah's apology for Lucien not being in the book as much. While the two characters are very different, they both have a similar relationship with Feyre (well, Cassian is a little more... I guess you'd say vulgar than Lucien with his wording) and I love watching both boys interact with Feyre. (More Lucien in the first book, but whatever) They both would protect Feyre and the ones they love with their lives and I love them for that. Azriel is the dark and brooding type who quite literally lives in the shadows. I guess with both Cassian and Azriel, Sarah was able to cover both ends of the spectrum. Personally, the dark and brooding type has never been quite as alluring to me as the cocky warrior kind, but I still liked Azriel, just not nearly as much as Cassian. Mor was a fantastic addition to this series. I loved her and her friendliness and chatter. I don't want to give too much away about her, but let's just say I really appreciate how Sarah wrote complicated back stories for everyone in the Night Court and then wove them in perfectly into the plot of A Court of Mist and Fury. Then there's Amren, I wasn't particularly found of this character at first, but as we got to know her more, I couldn't help but become fond of her. Amren has to be the member of the Inner Circle that we still don't know much about, but I'm sure we will find out in the next book. Anyway, if I haven't made this abundantly clear, this book was fantastic. It opens one's eyes to see a lot more than the tiny bit of Prythian that we were introduced into in the first book. It's similar to Throne of Glass in the sense that both first books have a tiny problem that seems humungous, until the next books introduce more pressing issues that make the first book's conflict seem minuscule. Anyone who's read these books knows what I mean. If you have yet to pick up A Court of Mist and Fury, I highly recommend that you do so. This has to be one of the best books I've ever read, and that's saying something. I've read a lot of books. The writing style is beautiful and the plot, characters and relationships weaves together seamlessly. I honestly cannot wait until the third (and final?) book comes out next year. I'm giving A Court of Mist and Fury 10/10 stars. Yeah. It was that good. I loved the characters, relationships and just everything about it. While there were things that slightly irritated me about the plot, I wouldn't change them even if I could. This book was quite literally perfect in my eyes. If you have yet to read any of these books, I strongly urge you to start them. They are worth the time and effort it takes to read them. (And carry them around, seriously, A Court of Mist and Fury is like 600 something pages.) "He said softly, "I am... very glad I met you, Feyre.'" I am very glad to have read this book. Anyway, thanks for reading my review, I don't recommend you read farther unless you want to see spoilers! SPOILERS BELOW FOR A COURT OF MIST AND FURY What to talk about first... Well, let's talk about how Rhysand was brutally murdered at the end. Haha, just kidding. I was writing that for anyone who didn't read the book and is still reading on. Seriously, you do not want to be spoiled on this. Go read the book, and then come back to the spoilery part. During the entire beginning portion of the story, I was just waiting for Rhys to show up. And I knew he was going to do it in some spectacular and dramatic way. I was not disappointed. Ah, when he showed up and interrupted the wedding I was laughing so hard. By the end of this book, I'm sure a lot of people are still split into two groups. Tamlin and Rhysand. Tamlin people are not overly happy with the direction Sarah took in this book, and Rhysand people are overjoyed. Like I said before, I don't hate Tam. He was only doing what he thought was right, and while from my perspective I can see that it was NOT under any circumstance right, I can see that from his, it did seem right. He was only trying to protect Feyre, and things really did get out of hand with that, but more on that later. The were some moments that really made me think YES RHYS and NO TAM. One of those was where Tamlin explained to Feyre that no, she could never be a high lady, not even if she wanted to. And then Rhysand said that there could be a high lady. I'm sorry, but Tam, Rhys has to win that one. (And Feyre does become High Lady *squeals with excitement* honesty, I squealed so much while reading this book my sister probably thought I was going insane) "You are no one's subject." Seriously, I love Rhysand. He's boy goals. And his sentences for Feyre killed me "Rhysand is interesting" "Rhysand is gorgeous" "Rhysand is flawless" (I have to agree, he is.) While (as I've been saying over and over) I don't hate Tam, there were some things that annoyed me about him (and were supposed to annoy me.) Like how he wanted to just make Feyre a pretty little lady, I know, I know, it's because he wanted to protect her and all that, I can see why he'd want that, but I definitely do not agree with him on that. He refused to train her while Rhys was urging her to train herself. It was kind of hard not to lean towards Rhys in this book. I also didn't appreciate how Tam interrogated Feyre about the Night Court when she returned, Rhys didn't do that. Arguably he didn't need to, but really, Tam? Using your own 'love' as a spy? Of course, now Rhys is doing that as well, but it's different this time. She's now doing it under her own free will. "Or one of my timeless favorites, go to hell." This book had me cracking up a lot. One of those moments was the talk between Tam and Rhys in the hall that one morning. And then when Tam and Feyre were having that serious conversation and Rhys just coughed out in the hallway, hearing everything that was going on between the two. Just to get it over with let's talk Ianthe. I never really liked her, there was just something off about her and I could tell that she was part of the reason that Tam was being so protective of Feyre. I also hate that Ianthe came between Lucien and Tam. That just annoyed the hell out of me. I really cannot wait to see what spectacular way she dies. I hope it's a good death. The things Tamlin was doing to Feyre felt slightly like domestic abuse. While they all probably do not know or care about domestic abuse in the world of A Court of Thorns and Roses, I do. And I knew from that moment that I thought of that that Tam was definitely not end goals. I was already leaning towards Rhys as the end goal, anyway. [When Feyre was thinking about it being better if she died] "Don't you ever think that," Rhysand hissed, his eyes livid. "Not for one damned moment." Doesn't that line just make your heart swoon? AH. Rhys is true love in one man. Shall we talk about the Court of Dreams now? It literally does sound like a beautiful dream. I honestly wish I could visit that place in real life, not just my (very vivid) imagination. While reading the book I started to become very attached to that city. It was a combination of seeing it and hearing about all the thing Rhys gave up for it to survive that made me become very, very fond of it. Which is why it hurt so much when the FUDGING QUEENS betrayed Rhys and told Hybern about it. I literally felt absolutely livid at that point. That's the sign of a good book, when you feel as affected as I did when the city was attacked. UGH. I'm still mad over those mother fudging queens. Nice job, Sarah, it's been a while since I've felt this many emotions over a good book. The whole Cassian- Azriel- Rhys meeting story is spectacular. I already loved Cassian, and just reading more into his back story made me adore him even more. Of course, by now nothing could put me off from Rhys, all I feel about him is adulation. A whole lot of adulation. Shall we just briefly go over the weaver scene in the book? While it was not one of my favorite scenes, I did really love it (it and the rest of the book). I was reading this part when I was supposed to be sleeping on like a Tuesday night or something and I simply could not put the book down. Yeah. I was drinking a lot of caffeine the next morning. My heart was beating so fast I thought it might just explode from my chest. This scene was especially spectacular for two more reasons which are a. this was when Feyre really realized she was not weak and she did not want to be was and b. THIS SIGNIFIED THAT FAYE REALLY DESERVED TO BE RHYS' MATE! YES. LIFE. LOVE. I CAN't even... Something that irked me was that Nesta and Feyre had finally gotten a good relationship (kinda) in the last book, but Feyre being turned into High Fae makes them at odds, which hurt me to read. Though, I shipped Cassian and Nesta basically as soon as the two laid eyes on each other. Which is odd, because I kind of ship Cassian and Mor as well... And then Cassian made that declaration that he would gladly give his life to guard her household. FEELS. FEELS right in the heart. Seriously, though, Cass scolding Nesta about how she was treating Feyre just completed my life. I really loved seeing Cassius in anything, really, and seeing his friendship with Feyre was amazing. I hope to see more of that in the next book. There are so many things about Rhys and Feyre's relationship that I loved. The writing back and forth was an especially cute part. It was ahh, I can't put the emotions in words! I was kind of glad it took them so long to get together, because you just know if people get together early in a book, there's going to be a lot of trouble. An especially cute moment (all of them were cute, but here's one I wrote down on my notes) was when Rhys was jus like "You just stopped looking at me as if I disgusted you." And then my heart totally broke for Rhys when (on page 422) he was saying, "I know how this story will be written..." and talked about how he would be the monster who stole away the beautiful bride. It broke my heart and just made me love Rhys even more, which is something I thought was impossible. Tarquin. I thought he was cute and the whole time I was hoping (even though I know they wouldn't) they'd just ask him for the book, I didn't want them to become enemies next time they met! Ugh. Hopefully Feyre will be able to fixed that very burned bridge. "Of course I'll dance with you," Rhys said, his voice still raw. "All night, if you wish." "Even if I step on your toes?" "Even then." THE FEELS. THE FEELS. I'm dead now. "The smile the world would likely never see, the smile he'd given up for the sake of his people, his lands." If you read this book and do not love Rhys, all I have to say to you is how do you resist it? I've fallen into the gigantic pit of Rhys loving and there's no way I'm going to ever climb out of it, not that I'd want to anyway. Ugh. I was disappointed when we finally saw Lucien again. I mean, I was expecting their friendship to be different, but it was still disappointing to not see the clever, funny Lucien from the last book that I fell in love with. And as I said before, I am very nervous about Lucien and Feyre's relationship in the next book, especially because he's already suspicious of her and she's working to bring down his court. Also, she's hiding her sister, Elaine, his mate, from him. Ah. That was an interesting plot twist, but I saw it coming. After all, it was very hinted at when Lucien was being so kind to specifically Elaine. "There was nothing but an uncompromising will in his eyes. "Then I would have torn apart the world to get you back.'" I'm making swoony eyes at the screen right now. "I was looking for you too." LOVE. IT'S TRUE LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. Oh my god. I just read my first reaction from my notes on the fact that they're mates. My first reaction was aw yes they're mates.... but that means Rhys is probably going to die. Haha, please, Sarah. No. Anything but Rhys (and Casssian and Lucien). Chapter 54 has to be my favorite chapter in the entire book, though 55 was rather satisfying as well. While I've reread the book several times by now, I've reread chapter 54 more. Rhysand's story of how he came to realize Feyre was his mate literally makes my heart clench just thinking about it. I can't say this enough-- I am in love with Rhysand. Gosh darn, Sarah. You're making my standards for the boys in my life way too high. Let's be real here, I'm going to end up being an old lady with cats and a pantheon fictional boyfriends. "If you don't marry her, you stupid prick, I will." Ah. I can imagine Cassian (my bae) saying that as well, Rhys. Just to prove Cassian is bae-- "They [Cassian and Azriel] will protect you on instinct. If you kick their asses out of the house, they'll just sit on the roof." that quote literally brings joy into my life. I love the amount of loyalty these guys feels towards their friends. Loyalty is one of those important things that is surprisingly uncommon, when it's found it's not something you want to betray. *Sidenote I do like Azriel, I have nothing against him. Sorry that I'm not talking about him that much, but if you haven't noticed I love Cassian. While I like Az, I love Cass so I'm probably going to rave about Cass more in future reviews as well. I just want y'all to know that I have nothing against Az, he's just not my type. Cassian is. Anyway, I have literally 4 pages of notes, but I don't feel like putting them all into words. Here's a basic summery of the entire book-- I LOVED IT. Thanks for reading, Anj Update: I forgot that I have some stuff I wanted to mention on my phone. Here it is. (First a quote) "The issue isn't whether he loved you, it's how much. Too much. Love can be poison." And the proof that Sarah J. Maas really planned this whole storyline out. This literally all fits together perfectly now. After finishing ACOMAF for the second time, I reread ACOTAR, to see if Rhys' story really matched up (which I didn't doubt, but wanted to see anyway. It all did, if you reread it, you'll see that too. Here's just one quote that you didn't think much about at the time, but now, knowing the back story, it has a whole new meaning. "Rhysand now faced the High Lord, and his perfect face was void of emotion, before his brows rose. A flicker of excitement-- perhaps even disbelief-- flashed across his features, but he whipped his head at Lucien." A flicker of excitement and disbelief after sensing HIS MATE. AH. FEELS. Also just wanted to point out, he does say, "I've been looking for you" (which was not a ploy to make the Fae go away) and she does actually think he's the most beautiful man she's ever seen. LOVE. IT'S TRUE LOVE. |
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