{Review} Dawn Study by Maria V. Snyder

Dawn Study
by Maria V. Snyder
Series: Study #6
Pages: 480
Release Date: January 31, 2017
by Mira

Goodreads / Purchase

Despite the odds, Yelena and Valek have forged an irrevocable bond and a family that transcends borders. Now, when their two homelands stand on the brink of war, they must fight with magic and cunning to thwart an Ixian plot to invade Sitia.

Yelena seeks to break the hold of the insidious Theobroma that destroys a person's resistance to magical persuasion. But the Cartel is determined to keep influential citizens and Sitian diplomats in thrall and Yelena at bay. With every bounty hunter after her, Yelena is forced to make a dangerous deal.

With might and magic, Valek peels back the layers of betrayal surrounding the Commander. At its rotten core lies a powerful magician and his latest discovery. The fate of all rests upon two unlikely weapons. One may turn the tide. The other could spell the end of everything.

{Review} Night Study by Maria V. Snyder

Night Study
by Maria V. Snyder
Series: Study #5
Pages: 444
Release Date: January 26, 2016
by Mira

Goodreads / Purchase

Ever since being kidnapped from the Illiais Jungle as a child, Yelena Zaltana's life has been fraught with peril. But the recent loss of her Soulfinding abilities has endangered her more than ever before. As she desperately searches for a way to reclaim her magic, her enemies are closing in, and neither Ixia nor Sitia is safe for her anymore. Especially since the growing discord between the two countries and the possibility of a war threatens everything Yelena holds dear.  

Valek is determined to protect Yelena, but he's quickly running out of options. The Commander suspects that his loyalties are divided, and he's been keeping secrets from Valek…secrets that put him, Yelena and all their friends in terrible danger. As they uncover the various layers of the Commander's mysterious plans, they realize it's far more sinister than they could have ever imagined.

{Review} Shadow Study by Maria V. Snyder

Shadow Study
by Maria V. Snyder
Series: Study #4
Pages: 410
Release Date: February 4, 2015
by Mira

Goodreads / Purchase

Once, only her own life hung in the balance…

When Yelena was a poison taster, her life was simpler. But She'd survived to become a vital part of the balance of power between rival countries Ixia and Sitia. Now she uses her magic to keep the peace in both lands—and protect her relationship with Valek.

Suddenly, though, they are beset on all sides by those vying for power through politics and intrigue. Valek’s job and his life are in danger. As Yelena tries to uncover the scope of these plots, she faces a new challenge: her magic is blocked. She must keep that a secret—or her enemies will discover just how vulnerable she really is—while searching for who or what is responsible for neutralizing her powers.

Yes, the days of tasting poisons were much simpler. And certainly not as dangerous…

Study Series: Have You Heard Of It?

Have you guys heard of the Study series by Maria V. Snyder?

No?

Well then, let me enlighten you. It is the best series on the face of the earth.

If I was to summarize it quickly and in a non-spoilery way, I would say something like this:

The story is set in a fantasy world where two countries, Ixia and Sitia, share a border. Yelena, a young woman, is in an Ixian prison because she murdered a man. She is given a choice - either become the Commander's food taster and run the risk of being poisoned, or be hung. I mean, the choice is pretty easy, I think. So she becomes the Commander's official food taster, and is trained by Valek, the Commander's personal assassin who also happens to be the most badass man in the world. Yelena is still in danger because the family of the man she murdered is very powerful and hates her, so she has to learn to defend herself. And then there are a ton of twists and turns and fighting and action and badassery. You need to experience it.

{Review} What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

What Happened to Goodbye
by Sarah Dessen
Pages: 402
Release Date: April 9, 2013 (this edition)
by Speak (an imprint of Penguin)

Goodreads / Purchase

A new day. A new place. A new life. In the past few years, McLean has pretended to be so many different people that she hardly remembers who she really is anymore. The adorable guy next door might be able to help her figure it out. But is she ready for it?

{Review} What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick

What I Thought Was True
by Huntley Fitzpatrick
Pages: 410
Format: Paperback
Release Date: April 7, 2015
by Speak (an imprint of Penguin)

Goodreads / Amazon

Gwen's whole life is about to change. Gwen Castle comes from a long line of fishermen and housecleaners who support Seashell Island's summer visitors, and she expects her life to go the same way. But then she discovers that Cassidy Somers—also known as her Biggest Mistake Ever—is working on the island for the season. And though she tries to avoid him, fate keeps pushing them together. Sparks fly and secrets are revealed as Gwen spends a gorgeous, restless summer struggling to resolve what she thought was true—about her life, herself, and the people she loves—with what really is.

It's been a couple years since I reviewed a book...let's see if I still got it.

This book wasn't particularly bad, it wasn't particularly amazing. It just was somewhere in the middle. Maybe I wasn't in the right mood, maybe I wasn't patient enough, but I found myself skipping some parts to get to the action. It was a well put-together story, there were serious aspects and undertones so it wasn't just a mushy love story like the books Gwen's mom reads, but I didn't really feel like having to think, I just wanted to read about their relationship. It had a message, a purpose, and I respect that. But at times it seemed like the story was moving incredibly slowly, and like there were filler events to just take up space. I also found it hard to accept the whole premise, I guess because I'm a bit older now it's kinda weird to me to think these seventeen year old are constantly getting it on and falling in love. I feel like the story was also kind of drawn out, it got to be repetitive after a certain point and that was when I skipped some sections, because I just wanted to finish the book. I feel like the story could have been told in about fifty pages less. But I loved the humor in this book, there was so much personality jumping off the page. The romance was also very interesting, it was a very unique dynamic. I enjoyed seeing the emotions behind something that just happened, and then how it became more. I liked the idea and the execution, it was just a bit drawn out and prolonged. I really enjoyed Gwen, she was very confident and not afraid to speak her mind, and I really respect that. Cass seemed like a really good guy. I liked how they had both made mistakes and had hurt eachother, so there was no person who could lord something over the other. It was a very stable, even relationship, and I enjoyed seeing that.

All in all, an enjoyable book, but not something to remember forever.

2.5 stars

Other Books by Huntley Fitzpatrick
    
My Life Next Door - Goodreads / Review
The Boy Most Likely To - Goodreads

I LIIIIVVEEE

Sup Bloggers.

I have risen from the dead.

I honestly don't have any idea what I'm doing right now, or why I'm posting, because the last time I posted was July 2014. That was three and a half years ago. I have read maybe ten books total since that time. Until this year, that is. I have a break from school that involves no job since it fell through, and I got back into reading. Will it last long? Probably not. I'm heading into my second to last semester of college and my classes are going to kick my ass, and so is the job I will be working. Have I felt the need to post the reviews I've been writing on Goodreads to the blog I worked my ass off to make successful? Most definitely, yes. There's this thing I do where I read or watch something and I can't help but have thoughts and form opinions about it and I have to share them or else my brain will explode. Plus, I miss blogging, to be honest.

So I'm going to give it a go again, for as long as I can. I don't know how long it will last, but I want to do it. I'm all about doing what feels right and what I want to do, what makes me happy. Blogging was my first job, it was my passion for a long time, and even though I didn't make money, I earned experience and knowledge. So now I want to come back, four years later, and pick up right where I left off.

This should be interesting.

My blog is a mess, for some reason my sidebar is all fucked up and I don't remember how I got the cool-ass dotted box around my book descriptions, but I'm going to relearn it. I can't believe 15 year old me was more competent than present me. I feel like I've gotten dumber the older I get.

ANYWAY.

So yeah, here I go again...I don't even know if my old followers are even around anymore. Let's try it. Yeet.

{Review} All the Truth That's In Me by Julie Berry

All the Truth That's In Me
by Julie Berry
Pages: 274
Release Date: September 26, 2013
by Viking (an imprint of Penguin)

Goodreads / Purchase

Four years ago, Judith and her best friend disappeared from their small town of Roswell Station. Two years ago, only Judith returned, permanently mutilated, reviled and ignored by those who were once her friends and family. Unable to speak, Judith lives like a ghost in her own home, silently pouring out her thoughts to the boy who’s owned her heart as long as she can remember—even if he doesn’t know it—her childhood friend, Lucas. But when Roswell Station is attacked, long-buried secrets come to light, and Judith is forced to choose: continue to live in silence, or recover her voice, even if it means changing her world, and the lives around her, forever. This startlingly original novel will shock and disturb you; it will fill you with Judith’s passion and longing; and its mysteries will keep you feverishly turning the pages until the very last.

*REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*

They are whited out so you can only read them if you highlight the text

 

This book is unlike anything I’ve ever read before.   It had such a unique writing style and story line.  It was dark, haunting, disturbing, gritty, yet beautiful.  You can tell, from the very first page, that this book is different.  The story is told in second person, and the timeline keeps switching, past, present, past, present.  It takes time for the history to unfold itself, but it never got boring.  I wasn’t at all confused about the time changes because past was when Judith could talk, and present was when she couldn’t. It’s very hard to describe this book and the story line.  It was certainly unique, but so much was going on, and there was never a boring part.  The staging was phenomenal and there was always something we didn’t know, always something that kept us reading.  The way the ending wrapped up the whole book was perfect, and it all made sense.  I loved how in the end it kept switching from past to present really fast so we saw things unfolding right before the big revelation. There were no plot holes, no mistakes.  And couldn’t believe that ending!

The unique pov, you would think, wouldn’t allow for much character growth.  But Judith is such an amazing character!  I really admire her because if I was in her situation, ridiculed by the whole town and shunned constantly, I wouldn’t be nearly as nice as she was.  The way Judith handled her situation and was always kind to those who were mean to her made me respect her.  I liked how, while she loved Lucas, she didn’t let it consume her and make her into a puppy with starcrossed eyes following her crush.  She was able to separate her love and her life.

Lucas, I must say, is a very appealing character.  Theirs is something so attractive about him and mysterious.  He seems like such a nice guy, very caring and gentle. [SPOILER:  I smiled so much at the end when (FINALLY) they got together! ]

The writing in this book was absolutely phenomenal and so impressive.  I have never seen an author pull off a novel like this, and I can’t recommend it enough!

5 stars

 



{Movie Review} The Fault In Our Stars

The Fault In Our Stars
Release Date: June 6, 2014
Director: Josh Boone
Starring: Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort
Rating: PG-13
Run Time: 125 mins

Book / Trailer / IMDb

Hazel and Gus are two teenagers who share an acerbic wit, a disdain for the conventional, and a love that sweeps them on a journey. Their relationship is all the more miraculous given that Hazel's other constant companion is an oxygen tank, Gus jokes about his prosthetic leg, and they met and fell in love at a cancer support group.

 

I wrote this review 2 hours after seeing the movie

 

 

Non-Spoiler Review

My thoughts are like stars I can’t fathom into constellations.  I don’t know how to put into words what this movie made me feel and how amazing it is.  This is one of the best book-to-movie adaptations I have ever seen, maybe even the best (with Catching Fire a close second).  There were so many quotes from the book, which makes sense because the book is so full of beautiful and unique dialogue, and if you didn’t put that beautiful writing into the movie it wouldn’t feel right.  The dialogue was what made us love the characters so much in the book.  This movie made me cry tears of joy and tears of pain.  But pain demands to be felt.  I knew what to expect because I’ve read the book about 5 times now, but I was in no way prepared for the emotion of seeing my favorite characters come to life.  It was so painful.  The movie followed the book story line so closely and the few things they changed were so funny or amazing that it didn't even matter.  A fabulous movie!

 

Hands down, the best performance goes to Ansel Elgort.  His role in Divergent really doesn’t allow him to showcase his amazing acting skills.  He brought to life one of my favorite characters so well.  It was perfect casting, first off, but he acted the part perfectly.  It also doesn’t hurt that he is EXTREMELY attractive.  God damn, not only do I have a crush on his character, but I also have a crush on him!  He was so sweet and adorable and loving and sexy in this movie.  He did an outstanding job.

I’m not sure how I feel about Shailene Woodley as an actress and while I don’t think she did as well as Ansel with her character, I still think she did very well.  Shailene is the perfect Hazel, I just felt like Shailene’s performance wasn’t up to par with Ansel’s.  But that in no way takes away from the fact that Shailene did an awesome job with Hazel.

I have to talk a bit about the relationship between Hazel and Augustus and the chemistry between Shailene and Ansel.  Reading and seeing are two very, very different things.  I saw this romance.  It is even more beautiful on-screen then it is in the pages of the book (not that the book romance isn’t beautiful too.  The on-screen is a different kind of beautiful, if that makes sense).  The chemistry between Ansel and Shailene was perfect, and the love between the two characters they played was so heartfelt and beautiful.  I really have to applaud both actors on their performances.

I really want to mention Nat Wolf as Isaac.  Even though he wasn’t in the movie much, when he was, he was freaking hilarious.  First off, Nat Wolf is the PERFECT Isaac.  He has the look, the personality, everything.  I just really wish there had been more blind jokes from Augustus.  I loved the trophy smashing scene and the egging scene, and I think it’s so funny how Isaac is going crazy in the background and Hazel and Augustus are being all adorable together.  I love Isaac.

 

Spoiler Section (I'm not going to hide the words, just don't read this part if you don't want to)

 

 

I cried pretty early in the movie.  When there’s a flashback of Hazel as a 13 year old and she’s in pain and her mom leans over her and says “its okay to let go” I teared up…and after that there was no going back.

I love the scene where Hazel runs into Augustus at support group and then Augustus runs into that door – perfect touch.

Augustus’s driving!  It was a little different in than in the book (in the book he couldn’t feel pressure in his leg so he would stop/start really sharply) because his steering was bad, not his acceleration/deceleration.

The whole airplane ride was perfection.  Augustus was so adorable and nervous and scared and he takes out his cigarette but he can’t use it and Hazel just wants to be friends but Augustus doesn’t!  The feels!  And then Hazel jumps in and says “this is what it feels like to drive with you” and Augustus does this sarcastic laugh.  I loved that scene so much!!!

I cried happy tears when Augustus and Hazel were eating dinner in Amsterdam and Augustus was making his speech about how much he loves Hazel.  It was such a beautiful scene and I wish it had lasted longer so we could appreciate how beautiful their love was, but sadly it was rather short.

The egging scene, which was one of my favorite scenes in the book, was so hilarious.  I liked how Augustus’s speech to Monica’s mom was changed up. Also this quote:

Hazel: “Maybe we should come back when it’s dark.”

Augustus: “It’s always dark for Isaac.”

Isaac: “I MAY BE BLIND BUT I CAN STILL HEAR YOU!!”

The whole last 45 minutes of the movie, from the moment Augustus told Hazel he lit up like a Christmas tree, it was tears.  So many tears.

The gas station scene was so hard to watch.  He’s just sitting in his car crying and he’s hurting so bad and it sucks to see him like that.  He’s our beautiful Augustus.

The thing that really got me in the feels was the montage that was put in of Augustus when he was happy and smiling and at the same time he was talking in a voiceover at the end of the movie when Hazel is reading his note and it just makes losing him that much more painful.

There was also a song that played for about 10 seconds in the movie.  I don’t know what it’s called but I’ve heard it before.  The lyrics are: “if you love me, why’d you leave me?”  It’s been stuck in my head this whole time and I find myself singing it outloud and I feel like crying each time.  The lyrics hit so deep.

 

It took me about an hour before I stopped crying fully.  There were some sporadic tears, but I finally got it under control.  In the theater I went to there were only about 10-15 other people.  There were so many sniffles haha.  I’m thinking it is the best book-to-movie adaptation I’ve ever seen.  Ansel’s acting was superb and the story line followed the book perfectly – and Ansel’s hot!  What more could you ask for? (Well, maybe for Augustus not to die)

 

 

5 stars

 

 



{Review} Taste of Darkness by Maria V. Snyder

Taste of Darkness
by Maria V. Snyder
Series: Healer #3
Pages: 458
Release Date: December 31, 2014
by Mira (an imprint of Harlequin)

Goodreads / Purchase

She's fought death and won. But how can she fight her fears?

Avry knows hardship and trouble. She fought the plague and survived. She took on King Tohon and defeated him. But now her heart-mate, Kerrick, is missing, and Avry fears he's gone forever.

But there's a more immediate threat: The Skeleton King plots to claim the Fifteen Realms for his own. With armies in disarray and the dead not staying down, Avry's healing powers are needed now more than ever.

Torn between love and loyalty, Avry must choose her path carefully. For the future of her world depends on her decision.

*REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*

They are whited out so you can only read them if you highlight the text

 

 

What am I supposed to do with my life now that this beautiful series has ended?!

After the ending of the second book so much was set up to happen in this book and the first thing I wanted to happen [SPOILER: was getting Kerrick back.  ] It certainly didn’t happen as fast as or how I wanted it to.  I had to wait 50 agonizing pages before I knew [[SPOILER: he was okay.  And then he’s trapped in the forest. ] It killed me.

First off, this book was originally titled Taste of Death and I much prefer that title to this one, Taste of Darkness.  The latter sounds cheesier, while the first sounds intense and scary.  But I digress.

It took me a bit to get into this book.  To me the writing seemed kind of choppy and disconnected in the first 50 pages. Maybe Snyder just got into a groove later on or I got used to her writing style because the book, after that, was beautifully written.  In her books a lot of time passes so she changes a lot from present to weeks later.  Maybe that’s what threw me off a bit.  I’ve said it so many times but I’ll say it again – Maria V. Snyder is a genius when it comes to storytelling.  The story line is so fast-paced and thrilling and the staging is phenomenal.  Every single detail and every single escape makes perfect sense and isn’t too easy.  There is a lot of complicated theories in this series, like the Death and Peace Lily’s and what each one does to you.  [SPOILER: The cure for the plague ] was a great idea and I loved how we, as the reader, figured it out along with Avry. It was impressive to see Synder manipulate all the things she has developed over the course of this series to make solutions to all the problems.

There is never a dull moment, one mission after another.  The two POVs worked great in this book.  Usually I don’t like dual POVs but for this it worked perfectly because Avry and Kerrick were separated so often and we learned much more information.  I loved how funny the book was.  There were so many twists (not like in Scent of Magic though.  Those killed me) that had me gasping [SPOILER: (BELEN!).  ] And the cliffhanger at the end of every single chapters makes it impossible to put the book down.  One part of your mind is screaming “You have a ton of homework and a history midterm this week, stop reading” but the other part is yelling “OMG I must know what happens next this book is killing me” and the second always part wins out.

If I had one complaint, it’s that the ending seemed a bit rushed. I was kind of expecting something a bit more dramatic and encompassing. The last fight scene was over a bit too quickly, in my opinion.  I guess since there had been so many other drawn-out, difficult battles in the rest of the book Snyder just wanted to make this an easy one, but for the ending I was expecting something a bit more climactic.  Don’t get me wrong, it closed the book perfectly and covered any plot holes, but I was just kind of hoping for a more epic battle.  What I thought wasn’t done as well as it could have been was when [SPOILER: Avry woke back up after Kerrick killed Tohon and broke the bond between him and Avry.  I was kind of confused when she woke up where they were and what was going on ] and I kind of wished that was portrayed a bit better.  But other than that, this book was phenomenal!

Can we just take a second to appreciate how amazing this cast is?  You have Avry who is so freaking strong and selfless and brave.  She will sacrifice herself in a heartbeat for anyone, and I loved seeing her break the rules.  Kerrick – my beautiful weed boy – I felt for him in this book.  He wasn’t my sexy, confident, active Kerrick.  He was a trapped, tired, and gaunt Kerrick, and I miss the old Kerrick so much.  Then you have Belen who *bear hug* I love and [SPOILER: I’m so glad he’s back. ]  And the monkeys make everything so entertaining.  Loren and Quain are seriously like little kids only they can kill you and it’s so funny to see them banter.  I felt like Flea grew a lot in this book because he [SPOILER: has his magic and doesn’t want it but eventually learns to use it. ] I really liked him.  On the other hand, Ryne really annoyed me. [SPOILER: I hated how he would lie to Avry and use her as bait.  ] How about no?

Also, that whole Skeleton King thing is one of the creepiest, most disturbing things I’ve ever read.  I was cringing the whole time I read [SPOILER: that cannibal part and when he was biting Avry. ] That. Is. Sick.

I’m so sad to see this beautiful series with all its wonderful characters go.  But I can assure you I will be re-reading these books again and again.

 

 

5 stars

 

 

Other Books by Maria V. Snyder

Study                                    Healer                                             Glass                     Insiders

Poison Study                 Touch of Power - Review           Storm Glass              Inside Out - Review

Magic Study - Review     Scent of Magic - Review             Sea Glass                  Outside In

 

Fire Study - Review                                                            Spy Glass



Top Ten Books I've Read So Far This Year

Top 10 Tuesday is a meme by Broke and Bookish, hosted each Tuesday, where bloggers list their top 10 in the chosen topic of the week.

Today's Topic:

Top Ten (Four) Books I've Read So Far This Year
 

Hahahahaa.  Funny story.  I've only read 15 books this year.  So ten books ain't gonna happen.  And if you're wondering, no, I'm not proud of that pathetic number.  I am thoroughly ashamed.  But the fact that I'm relaxing at the beach right now (most likely reading a book but more likely on my phone) makes me feel better.

 

The books I've picked aren't really my favorite books (well a few are) but I didn't have much to pick from so when I compare some books I've read this year to others I picked the better, even if it isn't necessarily an AMAZING book.

 

 

 

#1: City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare Yeah this book was pretty awesome.  Not the best I've ever read, and not as good as City of Glass (the other last book to this series before it was extended.  Bet you 5 bucks three more books are added haha) but a damn good final book.  Plus that ending made me cry so hard!

 

 

 

#2: Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead This series was seriously so painful to read after a certain event at the end of Shadow Kiss and I spent the rest of the series as an emotional wreck waiting for it to be fixed.  This book was pretty freaking awesome (but I can't remember if everything was resolved in this book or the next.)

 

 

 



#3: Taste of Darkness by Maria V. Snyder Seriously. You can't go wrong with Maria V. Snyder.  This series was really amazing, and even though this book was REALLY PAINFUL it was still freaking good

 

 

 

#4: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot By far my favorite book this year.  I had to read it for school and usually I just skim the books to find the answers to the book questions we have to turn in (if my history teacher reads this I'm busted) but I actually LOVED this book and had to read the whole thing.  It's weird I loved it because I don't like non-fiction, but this book read like a novel, and the subject was so interesting.  I freaking loved it.

 

 

So, that's my pathetic Top Ten (four).  I want to see what your Top Ten is!

Link it below!!