My Reviews

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Review; The Uninvited by Cat Winters

Summary: Twenty-five year old Ivy Rowan rises from her bed after being struck by the flu, only to discover the world has been torn apart in just a few short days.

But Ivy’s life-long gift—or curse—remains. For she sees the uninvited ones—ghosts of loved ones who appear to her, unasked, unwelcomed, for they always herald impending death. On that October evening in 1918 she sees the spirit of her grandmother, rocking in her mother’s chair. An hour later, she learns her younger brother and father have killed a young German out of retaliation for the death of Ivy’s older brother Billy in the Great War.

Horrified, she leaves home, to discover the flu has caused utter panic and the rules governing society have broken down. Ivy is drawn into this new world of jazz, passion, and freedom, where people live for the day, because they could be stricken by nightfall. But as her ‘uninvited guests’ begin to appear to her more often, she knows her life will be torn apart once more, but Ivy has no inkling of the other-worldly revelations about to unfold.



My Thoughts:

Every time I read a book by Cat Winters, I go into it thinking 'yes, I'm sooo ready for a nice historical during World War I!' and I always come out with an emotional kick to my feels. She writes historical so realistic and she holds nothing back, she doesn't glorify what the world was like in 1918 and I so love that. 

This book had an amazing setting; America, 1918-racism, illness, jazz music. It's a time when young men are being sent to their deaths in war and everyone is also fighting against the epidemic of the Spanish Influenza. Death was everywhere.  

"The world's about to end. I can feel it in the marrow of my bones."

When Ivy's father and brother murder a German man, Ivy flees and tries to rid herself of the guilt she feels by approaching his brother, Daniel. From there, a relationship develops between them, where they both connect through their own pain and through the jazz music that plays across the street. 

The only thing is this book didn't have as much of a supernatural aspect as I was expecting. The synopsis leads you to believe the story is mostly about how Ivy can see dead spirits but that's really more in the background. The story is definitely more fixated on the war and the Spanish Influenza and how it impacted people but for me that wasn't a problem, although I wish her seeing spirits had been touched on a bit more!

This book was full of so many things. Cat Winter's writing is beautiful and I love the way she can describe the setting. It had me completely sucked in. This book was painfully eye opening and honest, but beautiful all at the same time. I will definitely be eagerly awaiting Cat Winters next books!

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Top Ten Books On My Fall TBR!

I've recently discovered Top Ten Tuesday which is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish! I probably won't do Top Ten Tuesday every week, but I will definitely be posting more in the future! This weeks Top Ten Tuesday is Top Ten Books on my Fall TBR! Here's the 10 books I'm most looking forward to reading this fall, in no particular order;

1. The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson which is the sequel to The Kiss of Deception! This isn't  fall release, but I've been putting it off because I love reading fantasy novels in the colder months.

2. Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray, sequel to The Diviners! This also isn't a fall release, it was released last month in August but I haven't had time to get to it yet so Fall is when I'll be reading this beauty!

3. Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch. I'll be reading this in the Fall in preparation for Ice Like Fire which is released this October!

4. The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan. This is the final book to The Heroes of Olympus series that I still haven't read! I don't want to see Percy go! This book was also on my Summer TBR but I'm hoping with Rick's new series coming out this October it'll push me to finally finish this series up! Speaking of his new series...

5. The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan! This one comes out in October and it's Rick's new Norse Mythology series about Annabeth's cousin, Magnus Chase! I'm super excited to read a new series by Rick.

6. Winter by Marissa Meyer. This is the last book in The Lunar Chronicles and one of my top 3 most anticipated releases of 2015! It's released in November, which I consider to be winter but is still technically Fall so it's on my Fall TBR!

7. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. This book is on the BBC Top 100 Books to read which I'm using as a challenge to read more books I wouldn't usually go for and it seems like the perfect book for the colder weather!

8. You by Caroline Kepnes. This is on my Fall/October TBR to read since it's a thriller/mystery novel! I've heard a lot about it lately, I'm really looking forward to picking this up for Halloween!

9. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Another book on my October TBR I'm hoping to read for Halloween! Obviously Frankenstein is the perfect read for Halloween!

10. Walk on Earth A Stranger by Rae Carson. This one is actually released on the first day of Fall, today! I loved Rae Carson's The Girl of Fire & Thorns trilogy so I'm really excited for her new series! Especially because it's historical and I've been loving historical this past year!


Share with me some of your top TBR books for this Fall below! :)

Sunday, September 20, 2015

Review; Wild by Alex Mallory

Synopsis; In this action-packed and timely "Tarzan for the digital age," Cade, a teen raised in the wilderness, is brought into modern civilization.

The forest is full of secrets, and no one understands that better than Cade. Foraging, hunting, surviving-that's all he knows. Alone for years, Cade believes he's the sole survivor. At least, until he catches a glimpse of a beautiful stranger...

Dara expected to find natural wonders when she set off for a spring break camping trip. Instead, she discovers a primitive boy-he's stealthy and handsome and he might be following her. Intrigued, Dara seeks him out and sets a catastrophe in motion.

Thrust into society, Cade struggles with the realization that the life he knew was a lie. But he's not the only one. Trying to explain life in a normal town leaves Dara questioning it.

As the media swarm and the police close in, Dara and Cade risk everything to get closer. But will the truth about Cade's past tear them apart?
 



My Thoughts;  


Wild is a retelling of Tarzan which of course immediately intrigued me as soon as I heard about it! I absolutely adore retellings and since I've never read a Tarzan one, I knew I had to get my hands on this one. 

I really loved the focus on Cade's life and seeing his reaction to so many new things. I loved that it was realistic, that when he was being introduced to the world he thought it was scary and unknown, he didn't like it. It was very realistic that being introduced to something so new and so vastly different to everything he knows that he'd be scared of it, especially the way people treated him in this town and the media. I really felt for him! His story really tore at my heart. 

The pacing in this book is pretty slow, it's not super action packed but pretty character driven. I really loved learning about Cade's past and seeing Dara introduce him to civilization. The plot does have a little romance, but it's very much in the background! I loved that the romance didn't overpower the main plot and that the romance felt really natural, Cade and Dara had great chemistry! 

Overall, Wild was a great modern retelling of Tarzan! If you love retellings and a good contemporary, I'd recommend you give this a try! 

Friday, September 18, 2015

Review; Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy

SynopsisWhat if you'd been living your life as if you were dying—only to find out that you had your whole future ahead of you?

When sixteen-year-old Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, her prognosis is grim. To maximize the time she does have, she vows to spend her final months righting wrongs—however she sees fit. She convinces her friend Harvey, who she knows has always had feelings for her, to help her with a crazy bucket list that's as much about revenge (humiliating her ex-boyfriend and getting back at her archnemesis) as it is about hope (doing something unexpectedly kind for a stranger). But just when Alice's scores are settled, she goes into remission.

Now Alice is forced to face the consequences of all that she's said and done, as well as her true feelings for Harvey. But has she caused irreparable damage to the people around her—and to the one person who matters most?




My Thoughts;  


First things first, I want to say that this book was very honest and real. It's very raw and very real, it doesn't gloss over anything or romanticize cancer or it's side effects. That being said, while I can appreciate that about the book, I did not like this book. 

My main problem with this book was the main character Alice. I did not like her at all. She's so mean, such a bully and so manipulative. She was just cold and heartless, not to mention so freakin' moody. With Harvey, she'd be clinging on to him one minute and then completely ignoring him and being a complete asshole to him the next.

Overall, this book had a lot of potential, it had a great plot but poor execution and I didn't like or connect with any of the characters, which made it very hard for me to enjoy the story. I would say if you're a fan of John Green or these kinds of stories, to still give it a shot! Hopefully you'll like it more than me! 

Rating; 2/5 stars.

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Review; Miss Mayhem (Rebel Belle #2) by Rachel Hawkins

SynopsisLife is almost back to normal for Harper Price. The Ephors have been silent after their deadly attack at Cotillion months ago, and her best friend, Bee, has returned after a mysterious disappearance. Now Harper can focus on the important things in life: school, canoodling with David (her nemesis-turned-ward-slash-boyfie), and even competing in the Miss Pine Grove pageant.

Unfortunately, supernatural chores are never done. The Ephors have decided they’d rather train David than kill him. The catch: Harper has to come along for the ride, but she can’t stay David’s Paladin unless she undergoes an ancient trial that will either kill her . . . or make her more powerful than ever.
 









My Thoughts:


Miss Mayhem is the sequel to Rebel Belle and what I loved most about the first book was that it was fast paced and fun! I'm happy to say this one maintained that same fast pace and fun quality to it! 

Unfortunately that's about all I can say when I think of this book. It was fun and fast paced, but the world development isn't the greatest, neither is the character development. I was hoping in the second book I'd be able to connect more to Harper, the main character, but unfortunately I still don't connect with her. 

This sequel was kind of centred around just one thing, but I feel like it was so dragged out and so anticlimactic in the end, and it could have been made to be so much more action packed instead of the pointless drama that kept being thrown in throughout the book. 

Overall, this sequel was fast paced and fun just like the first, but it was way too short for anything really interesting or exciting to happen. It was just one of those disappointing second novels in a series, but I'm hoping in the third will make up for this one!

Rating: 3/5 Stars.

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Review: The Cage by Megan Shepherd

Synopsis;  The Maze Runner meets Scott Westerfeld in this gripping new series about teens held captive in a human zoo by an otherworldly race. From Megan Shepherd, the acclaimed author of The Madman's Daughter trilogy.

When Cora Mason wakes in a desert, she doesn't know where she is or who put her there. As she explores, she finds an impossible mix of environments—tundra next to desert, farm next to jungle, and a strangely empty town cobbled together from different cultures—all watched over by eerie black windows. And she isn't alone.

Four other teenagers have also been taken: a beautiful model, a tattooed smuggler, a secretive genius, and an army brat who seems to know too much about Cora's past. None of them have a clue as to what happened, and all of them have secrets. As the unlikely group struggles for leadership, they slowly start to trust each other. But when their mysterious jailer—a handsome young guard called Cassian—appears, they realize that their captivity is more terrifying than they could ever imagine: Their captors aren't from Earth. And they have taken the five teenagers for an otherworldly zoo—where the exhibits are humans.

As a forbidden attraction develops between Cora and Cassian, she realizes that her best chance of escape might be in the arms of her own jailer—though that would mean leaving the others behind. Can Cora manage to save herself and her companions? And if so . . . what world lies beyond the walls of their cage?


My Thoughts;

I had really high hopes for this book since I loved The Madman's Daughter by Megan but unfortunately it was pretty disappointing for me. The premise sounded really promising but the execution and the characters I wasn't a huge fan of. 

This book could have been suspenseful and mysterious but instead it was kinda irritating and annoying. All the teenagers in this novel did was sit around doing basically nothing. The only character who didn't irritate me was Cora, I actually read her POV and kinda just skimmed everyone else's because I found the others to be very flat and boring. I also didn't mind Mali either, she was actually an interesting character but unfortunately she doesn't get many chapters. 

The Cage had so much potential-the world building wasn't so bad, a little confusing and a few things unanswered but I'm pretty sure this a series so that's not a huge issue but for me the characters in this just made it so boring for me. They were trapped in a cage on a planet that's not earth, and they didn't care? All they did was sit around, fighting and arguing with each other. 

The last 50 pages or so did capture my attention, I must admit. There was a plot twist I didn't really see coming and the book left off in a cliffhanger that does make me intrigued to read the sequel, just to see how it's resolved! 

Overall, this isn't a bad book. The series has promise and potential, and I'm intrigued to read the sequel just because of the way this one ended! 

Rating; 2.5/5 Stars

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Review; Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott

Synopsis: Time is slipping away.... 

Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong, her parents decide to move to Montana for the fresh air. She's lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying—and she's helpless to change anything.

Until she receives mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It's an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother's illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there's no guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race.

The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can't trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place?

My Thoughts; 


I enjoyed this book a hell of a lot more than I thought I would! It definitely took me by surprise! I'm still not entirely sure what this book is classified as in genre... it's kind of sci-fi I would say. Regardless, it was fast-paced and had my attention hooked the entire the time!

Talla Holloway was an awesome main character. She was very headstrong and also witty and I loved the humour she and some of the other side characters added to the book! When she was given the opportunity to enter the Brimstone Bleed and possibly win a Cure of any illness for her sick brother, she immediately jumps at the chance to save him. I loved how even when Talla got to the Brimstone Bleed and realizes she has no idea what exactly she signed up for, she stills is determined to win the Cure for her brother. 

I don't want to say too much more about Fire & Flood because I feel like you shouldn't go into this knowing too much. You definitely want to be surprised at some of the things that happen and I don't want to give too much away!

Overall, I really really enjoyed this book, it took me completely by surprise! It was fast-paced, had my attention hooked the entire time, seriously I stayed up until 3am reading this and still woke up wanting to read more. I would definitely recommend to fans of The Hunger Games, but keep in mind while it's the same basic idea as THG, it is pretty different! It's got great characters, an intriguing plotline and tons of surprises with a hint of swoony romance! I loved!

Rating; 4.5/5

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Review; Broken Skies by Theresa Kay

Summary; Thirty years ago, civilization collapsed. Few survived.
Ten years ago, the aliens arrived…and stayed.
One year ago, I killed two men and went a little crazy.
Today, the aliens took my brother and I will do anything to get him back.


In seventeen-year-old Jax Mitchell's world, humans are nearly extinct and alien settlers have arrived.

Until recently, the E’rikon have remained segregated in their city and ignored the few humans who have tried to engage them… but now they have taken Jax’s brother. To rescue him, she forms an uneasy alliance with a teenage E’rikon left stranded in the woods. She agrees to guide him to the city if he sneaks her past the human-proof barrier. Too bad it’s not that simple.

Jax, who cannot stand to be touched, finds that she’s drawn to the alien boy with bright green hair and jewel-like scales on his back. And he’s equally affected by her, the courageous redhead with haunted eyes. But she doesn’t know the alien’s true motives and he has no idea that she is much more than she seems.

With the aliens and the humans at odds, the connection forming between the two teens has consequences. What started off as a rescue mission sets a chain of events in motion which threatens not only the remaining humans and the growing alien society, but Earth itself.


My Thoughts; 

Broken Skies is about a girl named Jax, a fiery red-head who lives with her twin brother Jace at a camp after an event that killed 90% of the worlds population. Girls are shipped off to breeding camps since after this event it's been hard for women to conceive, and aliens have dropped down to visit. And try to take over the world. And also steal Jax's twin, Jace.  

Jax, our main character, I really enjoyed reading from her point of view. She was sarcastic, fiery but also vulnerable and caring. I loved the relationship she had with her twin, and I loved that Theresa would add in special moments of Jax and Jace, so even though Jace wasn't physically there, you still felt that connection to their relationship. Lir, the love interest and also alien who helps Jax get into his city where they're holding her twin, I also loved. I had my moments with him, where I thought he was being a total idiot, but overall I loved him and he was sometimes just so sweet. The relationship between Lir and Jax was so entertaining and fun, I really enjoyed it! 

The plot was very fast paced, which I enjoyed! The book in general was fast paced, and so entertaining I read it in no time! I just kept wanting to know more, read more about Lir and Jax! I love alien books and this one is no different!

I would recommend this to fans of Twilight and The Lux series! It was entertaining, funny, fast paced and had a great romance! I absolutely can't wait to get my hands on the sequel, Fractured Suns!

Review: The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows

Summary; Wilhelmina has a hundred identities.

She is a princess. When the Indigo Kingdom conquered her homeland, Wilhelmina and other orphaned children of nobility were taken to Skyvale, the Indigo Kingdom’s capital. Ten years later, they are the Ospreys, experts at stealth and theft. With them, Wilhelmina means to take back her throne.

She is a spy. Wil and her best friend, Melanie, infiltrate Skyvale Palace to study their foes. They assume the identities of nobles from a wraith-fallen kingdom, but enemies fill the palace, and Melanie’s behavior grows suspicious. With Osprey missions becoming increasingly dangerous and their leader more unstable, Wil can’t trust anyone.

She is a threat. Wraith is the toxic by-product of magic, and for a century using magic has been forbidden. Still the wraith pours across the continent, reshaping the land and animals into fresh horrors. Soon it will reach the Indigo Kingdom. Wilhelmina’s magic might be the key to stopping the wraith, but if the vigilante Black Knife discovers Wil’s magic, she will vanish like all the others.

Jodi Meadows introduces a vivid new fantasy full of intrigue, romance, dangerous magic, and one girl’s battle to reclaim her place in the world.


My Thoughts; 

I'm still not completely sure how I feel about this book. At times, I felt like I was really enjoying it and really getting into it but then other times I would feel like I'm not liking at all where the story is going. 

This is a fantasy, set in the world of the Indigo Kingdom. It felt like a fantasy world with a twist of superhero/vigilante type vibe going on. It was very interesting and very different, definitely a surprise! In the Indigo Kingdom magic is banned and illegal because it creates a wraith and is quickly destroying all the kingdoms. 

Black Knife was a very interesting character, very mysterious and I loved the vigilante part from him. Unfortunately I figured out the plot twist of who he was pretty early on. I liked Wilhelmina's character as well, although I didn't connect to her very much. I liked that she was brave and determined to do whatever she could to get her kingdom and people back. I wasn't a huge fan of many of the secondary characters; Patrick had seemed sketchy and pushy from the beginning and Melanie, Wil's best friend, also seemed sketchy and very suspicious. 

Overall, I'd say if you're a fan of fantasy and strong female characters, I think you'd enjoy this! The pacing isn't fast but it's got a very compelling plot and a mysterious superhero/vigilante! 

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Review; An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

Summary; Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.
 
Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.
 
It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.
 
But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.
 
There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself. 


My Thoughts;

This book was pretty badass. Also, that cover? Totally gorgeous! So in love with it! There was a ton of hype surrounding this book before it had even been released, just from people who had received ARC copies so I was so stoked when I won a giveaway for an ARC copy, thank you Chapters Indigo for the giveaway!

Like I said, this book was pretty badass! It's told in a world inspired by ancient Rome called the Empire. The world is pretty brutal and harsh. Laia as a slave, she was subjected to so many harsh and cruel things, I really felt for her but I loved that it didn't break her, it only made her stronger and more determined to find her brother and get him out of wherever the hell he is. 

This book is told in dual perspectives, so we get to see the story told through both Laia and Elias! I really loved that we got to see this world from two sides, Elias as a solider to the Empire and Laia, a slave to the Empire, but both against it. I can't even say whose POV I enjoyed more because I really liked reading both! 

I absolutely loved Sabaa Tahir's writing. It was very beautiful and captivating. I wouldn't say this book was very fast paced, but the writing is just so beautiful it makes you want to read slower so you can fully immerse yourself into it and take it all in. The world she created was so fascinating and her writing just made it all the more real to me. 

One of the issues I had with this book was the complicated romance. I wasn't a huge fan of this love-square. I really don't like how many YA novels have love-triangles and the fact that this book had a love-square was slightly disappointing. I probably would have even been able to get past it if the romance hadn't been so overpowering. Plus, the kind of love-triangle in here is one of my absolute least favourites and it was the most overpowering so I really couldn't get past it and be fine with it. 

Overall Rating; 4.5/5







Monday, April 27, 2015

Review: The Murder Complex by Lindsay Cummings

Summary; Meadow Woodson, a fifteen-year-old girl who has been trained by her father to fight, to kill, and to survive in any situation, lives with her family on a houseboat in Florida. The state is controlled by The Murder Complex, an organization that tracks the population with precision.

The plot starts to thicken when Meadow meets Zephyr James, who is—although he doesn’t know it—one of the MC’s programmed assassins. Is their meeting a coincidence? Destiny? Or part of a terrifying strategy? And will Zephyr keep Meadow from discovering the haunting truth about her family?










My Thoughts;

So, The Murder Complex is Lindsay Cummings debut novel and it's had a lot of talk surrounding it, both bad and good. I went into this only having a very very vague idea of what it was about and it was completely different from what I expected, though not in a bad way! The Murder Complex is a pretty dark read, which you can probably gather just from the title. This book is pretty bloody and gory, so be aware of that. It's a pretty dark dystopian but personally I enjoy those best!

This book is told in dual POV's, between Meadow, who's the daughter of a fisherman with two siblings to care and watch out for, and Zephyr who's a Ward, which is what they call orphans. Meadow was very tough and kickass, I liked that she was a fierce female main character! I liked that we got to see both these characters backgrounds through the dual perspectives but at the same time I feel like the POV changes and short chapters hindered me from fully connecting to the characters. I ended up connecting with Zephyr sort of towards the end, but I didn't really connect with Meadow which was one of my main issues with the book, along with the romance. I felt the romance was too rushed and happened way too fast for me to even connect with their relationship.

I really loved how action-packed this book is and how many surprises there were! Also so many plot twists and heart racing moments! There was always something going on and it kept me intrigued and kept me wanting to keep turning the page!


Overall Rating; 4/5

Saturday, February 28, 2015

Review: Dark Triumph (His Fair Assassin #2) by Robin LaFevers

Goodreads Synopsis; When Sybella arrived at the doorstep of St Mortain half mad with grief and despair the convent were only too happy to offer her refuge - but at a price. The sisters of this convent serve Death, and with Sybella naturally skilled in both the arts of death and seduction, she could become one of their most dangerous weapons.

But her assassin's skills are little comfort when the convent returns her to the life that nearly drove her mad. Her father's rage and brutality are terrifying, and her brother's love is equally monstrous. But when Sybella discovers an unexpected ally she discovers that a daughter of Death may find something other than vengeance to live for...







My Review

Loved it even more than the first! Another fantastic historical fantasy read! Sybella's story was just as awesome as Ismae's!

Sybella was definitely a much more complex main character than Isame. She's also had a very hard life and things have definitely not gone easy for her. Understandably, she doesn't trust people easily, but she does start to trust Beast once he's entered the picture. I absolutely loved Beast. I loved him in Grave Mercy and loved him even more in Dark Triumph. He's just as loveable. The romance between them was so sweet and I was rooting for them to have a happy end so bad! 

Again, like Grave Mercy the plot was a bit slow in this one because it's a very political time period, there's not a whole lot of action (but there is some!). There's a lot going on in the book, so if you try to read it took quickly, you could miss something important to the plot. My only disappointment of this book was the ending was pretty abrupt. It ended too soon in my opinion but it just makes me even more eager to read the 3rd book! 

Overall, Dark Triumph was a great companion sequel! I totally loved the characters, the romance, the setting, the plot! If you liked Grave Mercy, definitely give this one a shot!

Rating: 4.5/5

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Review: Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Goodreads Synopsis; Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?



My Review

So, I used to really dislike historical novels, I found them to be boring but I think I just wasn't giving them a fair chance because I've been loving historical novels lately, including this one! This takes place in 1400 France, I loved the setting. Castles, cloaks, assassins, hot dukes! 

Grave Mercy is a fairly big novel, about 550 pages and it's not exactly action packed. There is some action in it, but it's not what I would call a fast paced novel at all. It has quite a bit to do with politics, but while there are a few slow points, it's never dull! It kept me intrigued and interested as to what was going to happen next. More betrayls and deceits were revealed in every chapter, it made you want to keep reading and find out what's what!

Ismae was a great main character. She was kind and brave, it was easy to connect with her! I liked that she had her own mind and was willing to do whatever it took to discover the truth and to follow her heart. Her and Duval were perfect for each other, they complimented each other so well and I loved their interactions. 

Overall, this was a beautiful historical fantasy! I fell in love with the writing, the story, the characters. I definitely look forward to continuing on with this series.

Rating: 4/5

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Review: The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

Goodreads Synopsis; The year is 2059. Nineteen-year-old Paige Mahoney is working in the criminal underworld of Scion London, based at Seven Dials, employed by a man named Jaxon Hall. Her job: to scout for information by breaking into people's minds. For Paige is a dreamwalker, a clairvoyant and, in the world of Scion, she commits treason simply by breathing.

It is raining the day her life changes for ever. Attacked, drugged and kidnapped, Paige is transported to Oxford – a city kept secret for two hundred years, controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. Paige is assigned to Warden, a Rephaite with mysterious motives. He is her master. Her trainer. Her natural enemy. But if Paige wants to regain her freedom she must allow herself to be nurtured in this prison where she is meant to die.






My Review

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I was a bit skeptical because it's an adult SciFi/Fantasy and I've never really read any adult Science Fiction or Fantasy, but I really loved it! The world was so complex but so fresh, I was totally enthralled by it.

I had planned to take my time with this book, read it slowly so I could fully immerse into the story and the world, because I'd heard the beginning was quite slow but I ended up finishing this book in just 2 days... It was so good and I was so hooked, I just couldn't stop reading it! 

I absolutely loved the world building in this book. I agree with everyone else that the beginning was quite slow, but it does pick up around 70-100 pages in. There's a lot of world building in this book, I feel like it was definitely a first book for setting up the world, but even though it had it's slow points it kept me intrigued and kept me turning the pages quickly, needing to know what was going to happen next! Although I thought the focus of clairvoyance was extremely cool, it was a bit confusing at times and I found myself a bit lost at points, but I'm hoping more will be explained about it in the sequel!

I loved the main character Paige. She was a badass, but also such a honest and real character. I really connected to her and loved her. I found Warden to be mysterious and I'm very interested to learn more about him in the books to come, because we didn't learn too much about him. 

This world is so unique and complex, and I absolutely loved it! It was very refreshing to me, I'm totally hooked on it and I can't wait to read the sequel and continue with this series!