The Wrath and the Dawn Review

I'm going to try doing this review a little different so let's see how this goes.

The Wrath and the Dawn is apart of a duology by Renée Adieh (I'm not sure if I spelled that right). This book has romance, a touch of magic, and murder

Summary: This story follows a young girl named Shahrzad who tries to avenge her best friend's death. She plans to kill the caliph but her plan will go haywire when she develops feelings for him. This is based on A Thousand and One Nights.

What a rollercoaster this story was. I originally tried to read it twice before this but put it down due to lack of interest. I finally gave it another shot and am so glad I did. The writing is fantastic and lyrical and beautiful. The character development was out of this world. You saw Shazi mature even though she was already a pretty mature character. Khalid grew into his own and I started rooting for him over Tyriq. The world building and descriptions put you straight into the story. I will admit some of the middle eastern words confused me, but I didn't realize there was a glossary in the back (I read on my kindle). I have absolutely nothing bad to say about this book and can't wait to get my hands on The Rose and the Dagger.

5 Stars.

Update

Hey guys! I'm sorry I haven't posted anything. I probably won't for the rest of the month of May and the beginning of June. My library closed :( and I just have been in a reading slump every time I try to read on my kindle. I'm also moving so I'll be busy doing that and getting settled. Redda may have a review up for City of Glass when she finishes that so look out for that! I hope you all have a great day and hopefully I'll be back sooner than I thought.

Queen of Shadows Review

Queen of Shadows is the fourth book in the Throne of Glass series. This book is explosive and fast paced and another brilliant installment in the series. This is going to be a rather short review as I will not spoil anything within this book. I highly recommend these books to everyone. It's so exciting and refreshing and fun.

This book I know has some mixed reviews. Some people love this book and others feel like it was a filler book. I personally loved the book. It started bringing the series in a different direction and I can only imagine what this author has in store. I will say that for awhile it put me into a reading slump so I had to back away, but once I came to this story I was fully immersed in the world and the characters again. There did seem to be a lot of waiting and anticipation going on in the book which had me a little uninterested in parts of the book. The ending was explosive like any book in this series and I'm highly anticipating the next book.

Flawed Review

Flawed by Cecelia Ahern is a book about a perfect society and if you fail or step out of line in anyway you are branded with an F and are officially flawed. The main character, Celestine, witnesses something that she is not supposed to react to and will ultimately pay the price for the decision that she makes. She will become the poster child on not what to do. Her family and her relationships will never be the same.

This book is your average dystopian. A "utopia" that a character lives in until they see the flaws (see what I did there?) in their society and try to stand up for what they believe is right. Well, in this society it's a lot harder because ethics plays such a major role in how the society functions and the rules. I absolutely hated the beginning of the book; I'm not going to pretend and sugar coat it. I liked the idea of the book premise outside of the book. I didn't like the book premise going into the book. Seeing it played out only made me angry at the character and all the other "perfect" people in this society. But I know, it's a book. Chill. So I did. It was only a matter of time before the main character effed up like we knew she would and when she did it wasn't even that bad. Morally, she responded the correct way, but the town got all hysterical. (I actually don't think this paragraph had a true point at all.)

I didn't enjoy these characters. They were extremely boring and I think they were boring because of the society that they lived in and they couldn't really express themselves. The most interesting part for me was the court room and the judging day for her. That was probably the most that happens in this book. The rest is her dealing with the repercussions of being flawed and having to adjust to a new style of life. I just didn't like the idea of people frowning down on someone because they made a mistake that was most likely a morally and ethically correct decision.

I think the dystopian genre is dying; it had its run with The Hunger Games and Divergent series but now its losing steam. This story idea is not new. There are other stories very similar to this. I thought  of Matched  for some reason when I read this series. Syfy and fantasy are really becoming dominant forces in young-adult fiction. I hope a good dystopian book comes out that knocks everyone out and revives this genre because I did love it. I loved the picture perfect societies they did only to have someone knock it down and slowly rebuild it into someone better. Until then....I shall be waiting.....

3 stars.

Carry On Review

Carry On is a novel by Rainbow Rowell and it's the fanfiction from her other novel Fangirl. While you could read Fangirl before diving into the other novel, it's not necessary and wouldn't stop you from understanding the novel.

I know a lot of people feel as if this is a Harry Potter rip of but since I've never read Harry Potter I'm not spoiled or upset in this way. In fact, I loved the novel; the second half was much more entertaining than the first half. It just got so excited and I was captivated with the writing and the relationship that was starting to grow but wasn't one hundred percent there yet. Rainbow Rowell did amazing on this novel, and other than Eleanor and Parks this is one of my favorite novels not just by her but in general.

I'm going to split this review into first half and second half because of my differing opinions on the two sections of the book. The first half was slow and was more explaining Simon's back story and how he got to Watford and it had nothing going on. I actually almost DNFed this book at page 150 because I thought this whole book was going to be like that, but then I saw Baz was about to be introduced in 10 pages and I continued on with the story. As I said before, I'm certainly glad I did. Towards the end of the first half of the book, it does start to pick up pace as two mysteries emerge and a love triangle (sort of) comes to light. Most of the characters actually bothered me in the first half and Agatha and Penelope continued to bother me in the second half. Agatha didn't care enough and Penelope was too bossy.

The second half was so much better than the first half. You were thrown into the mystery with the characters and trying to figure out along with them who killed Baz's mother while also seeing Baz and Simon's relationship start to play out beautifully. The killer was quite predictable and I guessed it since the beginning of the book that it was who it was but overall this ended up being an amazing book. I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars.

(A/N: I haven't finished Crown of Midnight yet so that's why there's no review up. I had to take a break.)

The Raven King -Review *Major Spoilers*

This review will have spoilers from the book series The Raven Cycle. If you have not read it, I encourage you to pick up the first book The Raven Boys. Do not read this review if you have any interest in this series.

This is the last book in the wonderful Raven Cycle quartet. There was a lot going on in this book. Now we all knew in the beginning of the first book that a). Gansey was meant to die and b). Blue would probably be the one to kill him. This whole book series is about their adventure through the magical Cabeswater and them trying to figure it out I guess. In this last book, Cabeswater is dying and so is Ronan's dreamscape. Anything affecting him will affect the forest since he is the one who gave it life in a physical form. Gansey, while trying to help Ronan, is also searching for his own magical item per say: Owen Glendower. He does find him but it ultimately disappointed with the results and then basically everything goes to crap in the book. Everyone almost dies and it's a complete disaster. But I do have one word for you guys: Pynch. 'Nuff said.

I was both overwhelmed and underwhelmed with this book. I had been anticipating this book since I read Blue Lilly, Lilly Blue because I was hoping everything was going to tie together and we were going to get this explosive ending. We did. Sort of. I don't think everything made sense in the book and I'm confused why some of the characters were ever put into the series in the first place (Piper, Henry, and Artemus). I didn't see a real reason for them and I felt the series could've done just fine without them. I will tell you what disappointed me to no end: Gansey did not end up finding Glendower. He was long dead by the time Gansey found him and tried to ask for a favor. A huge part of this series was Gansey trying to find Glendower and I was really upset when they found him and he'd just been dead the whole time. I didn't see that coming and not in a good way. Blue is also part of the tree people which confused the living crap out of me and truly made no sense in the book. Gansey does die like the author promises and no he does not stay dead. He'll come back because Ronan will beg for Cabeswater to do something to give them back Gansey. So he lives on.

I think for a book itself it is an amazing book. I love how Maggie Stievater writes because it's beautifully written and lyrical. As the end of a book series, I think it could've been a little different. I wish it had answered more questions or just be a little more cohesive because as I said, huge chunks of this book was lost on me only making it more complicated with more questions that were never fully answered. I would still invest your time in these books because the characters are extremely loveable and I loved all of them as if they were real. It was a bittersweet end to an incredible and weird book series. 5 stars.

If you for some reason still read this review without reading the other books but still want to read the series, here are the other three book titles:
The Raven Boys
The Dream Thieves
Blue Lilly, Lilly Blue

Unpopular Opinions Book Tag

I am back with another book tag! This time with unpopular opinions because everyone knows I have a lot of them. I also love book tags. Here we go.

1. A book or book series that you did not like
For this question I'm going to have two answers and I might get hit for both of them: A Court of Thorns and Roses and Fangirl. I couldn't stand the first book at all. I thought the writing was trying to hard to be lyrical and instead it was just boring and fell flat in so many ways for me, but I am planning on trying to reread that book so many I will change my opinion. As for Fangirl, I felt nothing for any of the characters. I thought Cath was too whiny and her sister way too rude and I wanted it to be over so badly. I have a review for Fangirl on the site somewhere so if you want my full opinions you can check it out down below.

2. A popular book or series that everyone else seems to hate but you love
I loved the book Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver. I love her writing style and adored the book Before I Fall and this book did not disappoint me either. She captivated me through the book with the perils of the two sisters and the ending was explosive. I was extremely shocked and blown out of my mind. I don't know if this is a super popular book now but I know it was at some point.

3. A love triangle where the main character did not end up with the character you wanted
This question is a little harder for me because normally I just root for whichever love interest the main character leans towards most. I did come up with an answer. I chose The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo because I absolutely hate who Alina ended up with and I hate the ending of the third book. I have a lot of pent up anger about that last book and the little things that decided to go on.

4. A popular book genre that you hardly reach for
SYFY AND HISTORICAL FICTION. There is something about those two genres that put me into a deep, dark reading slump so I avoid them unless the book really captivates my attention.

5. A popular or beloved book character that you do not like
I do not like Mare from Red Queen. I did like her character in the first book but the second book rolled around and I was very turned off by her character and how she was starting to act towards other.

6. A popular author that you can't seem to get into
I don't like Jesse Andrew's writing style. I find it rude and over the line of just being sarcastic. I have read Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl and was completely turned off from the story and the characters. And there was also a certain word dropped in the book that sealed this books fate and this author as an author to avoid.

7. A popular book trope that you are tired of seeing
I'm sick of the character not existing in the end even though it was involved in the whole story. Like the end of We Were Liars and technically Vanishing Girls. There's just something about becoming attached to a book character to find out they never existed and it was figments of the main character's imagination.

8. A popular book series you have no desire to pick up
I have no real desire to pick up The Winner's trilogy. I know it has a lot to do politically and I'm not really into politics and how the world works. I like action or magic and other things like that. I will also probably never pick up the 5th Wave series either. That book series has never interested me. Aliens and floods and stuff like that. No thanks.

9. As the saying goes "The book is always better than the movie," but it what cases is this not true?
 This is not true for the Hunger Games movies. I hated the second book of the series but loved the movie. I honestly loved all the movies of the Hunger Games a little bit more than the books.

Let me know if you agree with these or disagree or what your own unpopular opinions might be!

Intimidating TBR Tag

I have seen this tag around YouTube everywhere and I thought it would be extremely fun to talk about my TBR and do my first ever tag. At first I thought it would be weird to do one on a book blog but I looked around and others have done it too so I don't feel so bad. Here we go!


A Book You Were Unable to Finish

I for whatever cannot finish The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh. I've tried 3 or 4 times but there is something about the writing style and the voices that only get me 50 pages in before I get bored and move on. The whole idea of the book intrigues me, but once I actually sit down and read the book, I lose whatever was getting me excited to even read it.

A Book You've Yet to Read Because You Just Haven't Had the Time

I haven't had time to read The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand. I know it's a book that has to deal with suicide and depression and I haven't had the time to fully immense myself in a book with that magnitude of feeling. I just finished Heir of Fire and am going to take a break before I start Queen of Shadows so I might try to read this book soon.

A Book You Haven't Read Yet Because It's Brand New

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson came out today and I haven't read it, but I am extremely excited to read it because she is one of my favorite contemporary authors.

A Book You Haven't Read Because of a Different Book By The Same Author
That would have to be Throne of Glass. Obviously. now I have read  Throne of Glass series but I was really apprehensive to read this series due to me thoroughly disliking her other series, A Court of Thorns and Roses. I hated this book and I figured that if her other series was written like that then I probably would end up disliking her and being the odd one out. Thank goodness they are not written in the same style and I love Throne of Glass.

A Book You Haven't Read Yet Because You Just Haven't Been in the Mood

I think in general I haven't been in the mood for fantasy. I am all fantasied out with the series that I have marathoned. I just need some good light-hearted contemporary and take a break from hi-fantasy.

A Book You Haven't Read Yet Because It's Humongous

The Diviners will probably be the answer to that. It's not huge but it is also historical fiction so now I feel like I'm going to be forcing myself to read that book which will make it feel that much bigger.

The Most Intimidating Book on Your TBR

My most intimidating book is Winter by Marissa Meyer because it's over 800 pages and I have extremely high hopes for this book.

Heir of Fire Review *Spoiler*

If you have not read Throne of Glass or Crown of Midnight do not read this review.

This story only seems to get better with every book. Heir of Fire is no disappointment at all. In fact, it might be my favorite one so far. I did like Crown of Midnight for the Chaol and Celaena moments. (Told you not to read this.)

As we've kind of figured out in the last book, Celaena is Queen Aelin of Terrasen. And as we also all know, she doesn't want to be queen; she only wants to do what she promised Nehemia she would do. Queen isn't really involved in all that. Well it should be. Can we all just agree that Celaena would make an epic queen. She's strong and assertive and she would rule over the land fairly but without being a pushover. I'm kind of sad she doesn't want to be one but I think that was changing with the end of the book. Also, my ship is gone. :(. Again. :(. BUT ROWAN IS AMAZING AND JUST AS MOODY AS SHE IS. THEY SHOULD DATE. Do they? I don't know.

I didn't really like Manon's point of view. I would be getting into really good parts with Celaena and Rowan or Chaol and Aedion and then be plopped with Manon trying to work with her beast (their relationship is cute though). They're vicious though and I don't care for any of them in the witches clan. Not my favorite character. I also felt Dorian and Sorcha's relationship was oddly forced. They went from nothing to them kissing and being in a secret relationship while he's still trying to forget about Celaena. Will he ever? No, I highly doubt it. (Just saying.)

I feel like this was less of a review and more of be fangirling about the book. I have no shame guys. No shame.
5 stars