Monday, September 19, 2016

Sarah J Maas Appreciation Post



Let's Talk About Sarah J Maas Books! 
1. A Court of Thorns and Roses 
I had no idea what to expect from this book, no idea if it would stand up to Throne of Glass, and I was so fantastically surprised for my all-consuming love. I honestly can not pick between the ACOTAR series and ToG. I was immersed into this beautiful book immediately. My full review is here. This book is for fans of fairy tales, fantasy, and immersive worlds.
2. A Court of Mist and Fury
So amazing! For a few days, all I could think about was this book and fantasize when I could get home to read it! I finished the book with an INTENSE need for book three. I need it now! I want more Feyre and Rhys and adventure. I am really craving a reread right now! I was so glad to see
 that ACOMAF was a #1 NYT Bestseller; Sarah J Maas deserves it soo much.

3. Throne of Glass   
I read this book AS SOON AS IT CAME OUT! I pre-ordered my copy on Amazon and was SO excited when it arrived. It had the old cover and all I had heard that it was a Cinderella retelling and I was in. I had no idea it would turn out to be such a phenomenon.


4. Crown of Midnight
Honestly, this was my least favorite Maas book. Yes, it was still amazing, and I rated it 4.5 stars. I think I enjoyed it less because I'm not a giant Chaol fan. Sorry! Still, there were some really emotional parts in this sequel that hit me where it counts. And I know for some, this is their favorite book! 


5. Heir of Fire 
Stuff goes down in this installment! This is one of my absolute favorite Maas books. Rowan! Manon! Sorscha! So many amazing characters are introduced. I could NOT put this gigantic beautiful book down. A+ perfection, 100%. Maas upped her game in this novel that I was initially was worried would disappoint. 


6. Queen of Shadows 
Just when I thought it couldn't get better than Heir of Fire, Queen of Shadows comes along and proves me wrong. I squealed and laughed and gasped an cried so much while reading. The cast, plot, romances, writing, and world are just incredible. After reading I NEEDED Empire of Storms and it wasn't out yet.  It was rough. 

*Post on Empire of Storms coming soon! I'm in the middle of reading it right now!* 


IN CONCLUSION
I'm a major fan of both of Maas's series. I'm obsessed with ToG and ACOTAR fan art. I obsessively check for news on Twitter. Did you know there is a TV show in the works? Anyway, if you haven't, pick up one of these books! 
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Saturday, September 17, 2016

5 Reasons to Read My Lady Jane

Sometimes I just have days where I am not digging writing a real review. So I thought "What else can I write today?" and decided to just sit down with you and discuss one of my favorite books of 2016: My Lady Jane.

Check it out on Goodreads
Why Should You Read this BRILLIANT story? I am SO glad you asked.

1) It is HILARIOUS
Seriously, if you don't believe me go read the chapter sampler on Amazon. This trio of authors is so hilarious. I was in fits of giggles the entire time. In fact, My Lady is compared to The Princess Bride, so OF COURSE it is going to be a comedic gem.

2) It is UNIQUE and SPECIAL
The idea behind this book is so weird but it works wonderfully. An alternate retelling of the short reign of Lady Jane Grey with magic? Count me in!

3) There is HISTORY and other fun stuff
The Tudors! Royalty, Castles, Outlaws, and other HISTORY stuff abounds in My Lady Jane! Also, 16th century girls kicking butt :)

4) THE POVs 
Each author wrote one POV. Somehow all three of our main characters were equally wonderful and amazing. We have, of course, Jane... a bookish girl who never expected to be queen. Gifford, or "G", her husband, who has a slight predicament on his hands. And King Edward, who was hilarious. Also, there were really cute, funny romances for each character!

5) There will be MORE "Jane" books! 
So you better read the first book now so you can prepare for the others. Just saying.

For a more in depth review I recommend reading Emily May's review on Goodreads. Click here.

(My Lady Jane received FIVE shiny, beautiful stars from me btw)


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Monday, September 12, 2016

My Top Ten Favorite Contemporary Novels


More often than not, I am a fantasy reader. However, a few contemporary books are close to my heart, and are just as amazing as my favorite fantasies!



(Oops.. that was twelve not ten... I can't help myself!)

What are some of your favorite contemporary reads? What do you think of my picks?


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Saturday, September 10, 2016

Mini Review: It Ends With Us

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
Buy it on: Amazon/Barnes and Noble 
Release Date: August 2nd, 2016
Rating: 5 Stars
Publisher: Atria Books

*I'm not going to put the book description here... if you haven't read this book yet I recommend reading it WITHOUT knowing anything*

I was nervous going into this book. Why? Normally I'm the Colleen Hoover black sheep. I was meh about Maybe Someday, I wasn't into Confess, and I hated November Nine. 

So I tried this book with relatively low expectations. And I was blown away. 

This book was so raw, real, and important. There were some lines so perfect they made me cry. Colleen Hoover has a masterpiece on her hands. My advice? Go in blind. I read reviews saying to not even read the back... so I didn't. I went into this book with no idea what it was about. And that's part of the beauty of this story. 

You are right with Lily as she begins her journey. You have no idea what life will bring. After reading It Ends With Us, I was enlightened on a subject I thought I would never have to ponder. It was both heartbreaking and eye opening. 

I wasn't able to get this story out of my head for weeks. I only just felt okay enough to right this little "review" or stream of consciousness. 

Bravo, Hoover. Bravo. 





Have you read It Ends With Us yet? Are you planning on reading it?
What are your thoughts? 

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Tuesday, September 6, 2016

My Top 8 Diverse Reads


The world is diverse, and books should be too! 
Here are some my absolute favorites:


Carry On and Simon Vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda
I LOVE both of these LGBT novels so much. Carry On is a fantasy with the cutest enemies-to-lovers story ever. I adore Simon and Baz. I just read Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda this year, and I couldn't believe I waited so long. Both of these books made it to my exclusive all-time favorites list which consists of only 40 books. Also just realized both have characters named Simon... 


On The Edge of Gone and Otherbound 
Both of these delightful books are by Corinne Duyvis! She has so much diversity in her books: autism, bisexuality, different races and ethnicity and sexual orientations... I love it! My favorite is Otherbound because I am a fantasy girl. But On The Edge of Gone is also so amazing!


The Wrath and The Dawn and An Ember In The Ashes 
Amazing fantasy books that aren't about white people! Yay! We need more of those. Both of these books are so wonderfully written and I devoured both so quickly. TWATD is lush and magical. I just finished An Ember In The Ashes and I was so enthralled; Tahir has created such a brutal, vivid world with characters you can root for. 

To All The Boys I've Loved Before and Pointe
Here are some super amazing contemporaries! Lara Jean in To All The Boys I've Loved Before is half Korean and one of my favorite contemporary MCs ever! This book is so adorable. Contrastingly, Pointe is a beautiful, powerful, dark book about a black ballerina. Both were wonderful reads.

Give me some diverse YA recommendations in the comments! Also, have you read/want to read any of the books on my list? 
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Sunday, September 4, 2016

Review: Something In Between



Something In Between by Melissa de la Cruz

From the No.1 New York Times bestselling author of many critically acclaimed and award-winning novels for readers of all ages comes a thought-provoking and timely novel about immigration, family, friendship, and finding out where you belong.
Jasmine de los Santos has always done what’s expected of her. Pretty and popular, she’s studied hard, made her Filipino immigrant parents proud, and is ready to reap the rewards in the form of a full college scholarship.

And then everything shatters. A national scholar award invitation compels her parents to reveal the truth: their visas expired years ago. Her entire family is illegal. That means no scholarships, maybe no college at all, and the very real threat of deportation. But Jasmine won't give up. Because when the rules you lived by no longer apply, the only thing to do is make up your own.
 

Something In Between is such an important read. Melissa de la Cruz brings to light the struggles of undocumented families and informs her readers on the subject; likewise, she still tells a great love story. I can't recommend this enough! 

Our main character, Jasmine, has worked hard her whole life. She hopes to get into a top college. However, her parents tell her that their family is undocumented, and all her hopes seem to shatter. How can she get a scholarship to go Stanford if she isn't documented? There's also the threat of her family being forced out of the US. Jasmine still fights for her dreams though, and the book follows her journey. 


Meanwhile, there is also a cute romance unfolding between Jasmine and a senator's son. The senator, however, takes a big stance against undocumented families. That, and other things, make the relationship a tough one. Along with the main ship, I also enjoyed seeing Jasmine interact with her friends and family. 


I strongly recommend reading the author's bit at the end of Something In Between. She describes what inspired her to write the novel, and tells how her history corresponds with Jasmine's in some ways. 


Overall, I am very glad I read Something In Between. Melissa de la Cruz has opened my eyes to the fears and struggles of undocumented families... who just want to feel safe in their home, the USA. 


4/5 Stars 


*I received a free arc from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*


What are your thoughts on undocumented families? 
Have you read the book? Are you excited to read it? 

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