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Hello hello! Today I’m reviewing a sequel to a book that I’ve already reviewed on here. Today's review is on A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir. If you haven’t read An Ember in the Ashes, I’d recommend doing that before reading this review.

//Non Spoiler Summary + Review//

(Will have spoilers for the first book in this series) After saving him from execution, Laia and Elias are on the run from the empire. At the mercy of the newly appointed emperor Marcus, Helene is tasked with hunting the two fugitives. With rumors of genocide, plots agaisnt the new regime, fugitives on the run, and an impotant prisoner in need of rescue, this sequel is every bit as compelling as the first book. I usually dislike the second book in a series (for some reason they’re never as good as the first) but this sequel did not disappoint at all. It was just as fast paced and intense as the first, and I was pleasantly surprised.

//SPOILER REVIEW//

Ok first of all, I am SO HAPPY that we got Helene’s POV in this book. I had a feeling we would, but I was still very excited about it because she is my favorite character. I feel terrible for her, she is put in an impossible situation, with literally everyone working against her. Her family are really the only ones trying to help her and even they can't do anything. The one time her father does manage to help her is by getting her out of prison, and for that he makes a sacrifice that ends up becoming very problematic later on. On top of making sense plot wise, I think Helene’s POV also got the reader more invested in the lives of her family (RIP Gens Aquilla). Hannah’s death would not have been as impactful if not for the snippets of love seen between her and her sister, as well as the fact that moments before death, she looked to Helene for salvation. I see similar traits in Livvy, and am very curious to see how her marriage to Marcus plays out. Moving on, the biggest plot twist for me was Avitas’ being related to Elias. There weren't too many clues leading up to that and it just caught me SO off guard. I don't have too much to say about it here, as I don’t have enough info on it. I was also not expecting Keenan to end up being the Nightbringer...Like many of the other characters, I got bad vibes from him but that’s about as far as my intuitions went. His vehement discouragement of Laia’s invisibility was incredibly unnerving, and I started to piece together those familiar phrases as soon as Elias did. (Also, poor Elias was literally being tortured on Laia’s behalf while Laia was fucking the Nightbringer, RIP). I think the takeaway here should be to not trust gingers. I loved the differences between Elais and Kennan. Keenan was always described as warm, bright, the tension between him and Laia described as fire, or sparks. Elias on the contrary, was always described as cold, grey/dark, the tension between him and Laia associated with rain. Very subtle way for Tahir to draw the difference between the two AND subvert our idea that warmth/fire = good. Elias remains one of my favorites, and him becoming the soul catcher just makes sense. I’m excited to see how that plays out, and it was lovely to see him help others move on. Especially Tristas, who only moved on when Elias took the blame off of himself, which I think is very unique, you would think it'd be the other way around. Overall, this book was just as stressful and entertaining as the first one, and it did not disappoint.

Half of this post is solely about Helene, but I will not apologize. If you enjoyed that review, please feel free to like, reblog, ect. Wherever you are, I hope you stay classy, and have a lovely evening! :)

#book review #book reccs #helene aquilla #elias veturius #laia of serra #keris veturia #an ember in the ashes #a torch against the night #avitas harper #sabaa tahir

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Hello hello! It’s been a minute since I’ve posted but I’m back with a review of The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness. So without further ado,

//Non Spoiler Summary + Review//

The Knife of Never Letting Go centers around Todd Hewitt, the only boy left in a town full of men. The settlers of this town were infected with something called the “Noise,” which allows everyones thoughts to be heard at all times. Even in a town where it’s nearly impossible to keep secrets, Todd senses that something is being hidden from him. Pursued by the men of his town, he is forced to flee, and on the way discovers some of the dark secrets surrounding this new world. This book is suspenseful, funny, and tragic. With a sci-fi/western setting and an incredibly unique writing style, this book is one of a kind.

//SPOILER REVIEW//

I’ve actually heard about this book since I was in elementary school (why? I have no idea) without ever knowing what it was about. I don’t completely know how I feel about it, but overall I think it’s a fantastic book, and as I've already said, incredibly unique. The writing style caught me so off guard, but I loved it as it helped me feel like I was a part of this world. That, added with the changing fonts and first person perspective made me feel like I really was hearing Todd’s thoughts out loud. Todd was...simultaneously annoying and loveable, which I think is one of the most accurate portrayals of pre teen boys. Ness did an amazing job of making Todd and Viola feel like real kids. He also did an amazing job displaying the Noise, which sounds like absolute hell to me, an overthinker. Manchee was by far my favorite character, and the best part of this book. I never cry over books or movies (I swear I’m not heartless, I just rarely physically cry when I’m sad) but dog deaths ALWAYS get me hella emotional (hint- the ONLY movie I’ve ever cried at was Marley and Me…) Even though I knew Manchee was going to die from page one (because if you have a dog in any setting like this, they're going to die), his death still forced me to put the book down for a while because I probably would’ve started sobbing otherwise. “Todd?” will forever haunt me. I spent a long time trying to figure out what the title meant in connection to the book, and honestly I’m still a little confused as it could easily apply to a number of things. The whole book was essentially about Todd losing his innocence/becoming a “man.” There’s a lot of emphasis on Todd wanting to be a part of the Prentisstown men, wanting to be a man, wanting his own knife. And he does get that knife...out of necessity and at the cost of Ben and Cillian. He struggles to use it for its intended purpose, killing, throughout the book. And the one time he is 100% willing and able to kill someone, Viola does it for him, because she recognizes what effect that would have on him and what that really means for him. Overall, a very strange and unique book, but one that carries a lot of weight beneath it. I was not expecting it to end the way it did, and I’m definitely going to need the next book.

As always, if you enjoyed that review, it’d mean the world to me if you’d like, comment, reblog, follow, ect. Wherever you are, I hope you stay classy and have a lovely evening! :)

#book review #book reccs #the knife of never letting go #patrick ness #todd hewitt #viola eade #manchee #scifibooks #western

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Hello hello! Today’s book is one I’ve heard about MANY times, but haven’t really had the chance to pick up until now. This will be a review of Neal Shusterman's Scythe. So without further ado,

//Non Spoiler Summary//

What happens when humans defeat death? In a world where every disease has been cured, every injury healed, and aging reversed, death is no longer guaranteed. As a way of population control, Scythes have been appointed to kill a certain number of people every year. When Citra and Rowan become apprenticed to a Scythe, they must learn the art of killing, and the real cost that comes with having the power of death at your fingertips.

//SPOILER REVIEW//

If I’m going to be completely honest, this book was a little hard to get into at first. Maybe that was just because I had such high expectations or because the last two books I’ve read were so fast paced. Regardless, this one started out slow, but I was hooked after the first conclave. Without getting too philosophical, this book really led me to question human nature and what we would theoretically do if our only real shortcoming (death) was conquered. One thing that I greatly appreciated was the entire idea of Scythe’s choosing a patron historic, because it really tells you a lot about that scythe’s personality. Citra choosing Anastasia is an obvious example because we got an actual explanation behind her choice, but take for example, Scythe Goddard. Robert Hutchings Goddard was the engineer/physicist responsible for inventing the first liquid fueled rocket. Of course Scythe Goddard would choose to name himself after an innovator, literally responsible for the ambitious trips to a place beyond what we already know and are used to. I could spend all day talking about the other Scythe’s name choices but I’m going to move on for now. Citra and Rowan are really interesting parallels because I feel like their personalities kind of swap? That may be a result of them learning from each other, and/or learning from Curie and Goddard respectively. Faraday tests Citra with his ring, and she falls for it due mostly to her own curiosity but a bit of ambition as well. Faraday claims he will run the same test on Rowan, but Rowan never takes the ring. Later, he does take Goddards ring (different circumstances but still). Either way, I love them both and I love that even though they're so different and constantly forced to compete against each other, they never stop looking out for the other. I rarely get too emotional over a character’s death, but for some reason Volta’s death just...hit different. Maybe it's because he had just been forced to kill a classroom full of children, who still held out hope of life until the end. Maybe it was his horror in realizing how much power Scythes really have and how easily it can be corrupted. With their power over death, Scythes are seen as god-like, yet they are somehow the most human, because they are the only ones that have to deal with the consequences of death. And what happens to them if they don’t feel those consequences? In response to that I’ll leave my two favorite quotes from the book: “Immortality has turned us all into cartoons (Curie, 192).” “It [greatest wish for humanity] is that we all still die a little every time we witness the death of another. For only the pain of empathy keeps us human (Faraday, 388).”

I apologize if this review was a bit more serious or “philosophical” than normal, but it is what it is. If you enjoyed that review, it would mean the world to me if you’d like, reblog, comment, follow, ect. Remember to stay classy, and have a lovely evening! :)

#scythe #neal shusterman #citra terranova #rowan damisch #scythe anastasia #scythe lucifer #scythe faraday #scythe curie #scythe goddard #book review #book reccs #philosophy #ya fantasy #lucifer #anastasia #marie curie #michael faraday #alessandro volta #tea and books #books #dystopian fiction #march tbr

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Hello hello! Today I’ll be reviewing This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab. I’d never heard of this book before, but found it at the store and was intrigued by the plot. I’m going to be completely honest, I didn't love this book. It was very entertaining and I enjoyed reading it, but overall, it didn’t blow me away. So without further ado…

//Non Spoiler Review//

In a world where violence literally breeds monsters, safety is never guaranteed. The city of Verity has torn itself in half, living in constant fear of these perverse creations. Though on opposing sides, Kate and August find that by working together, they could potentially prevent a war. This book is dark, fast paced, and uncomfortably close to the real world.

//SPOILER REVIEW//

I really enjoyed this book while I was reading it, but looking back, it just… didn't leave a big impact on me. I enjoyed the pacing, and though I liked the characters, I didn’t feel any connection to them. August was by far my favorite, as I felt like he was the most complex. A “monster” trying to be human, his sensory overload and struggle to fit in made him all too relatable. Maybe it's my few years playing a stringed instrument, but I loved that August used a violin as his method of music. It somehow just makes sense to me. I really liked Kate as well, but I don't usually connect with characters like her as well. At times she really gave me Sadie Kane vibes. But by far my favorite thing about this book was the monsters themselves. I found the different types (specifically how they were born) FASCINATING. Corsai are born from violence induced injury, making them the most primitive, least “human-like” of the monsters. Birthed from murders, Malachai are somewhat more human, yet still...off; still monstrous. Sunai, being born from massive acts of death, are somehow the least mostorus in appearance. What does that say about human nature, that the monsters created from the worst type of violence are the most human? Violence induced injury can occur from anger, passion. It's sudden and unplanned, thus creating the most primitive monster. But there's something so fascinating about the worst, clearly premeditated act of violence being the root of the most humane of the monsters. Overall, this book was entertaining. I loved the monsters, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. In the end, it just didn’t leave me blown away. I’m not completely sure that I’ll read the second book, but only time will tell.

That’s it for today, so if you enjoyed this review, it’d mean the world to me if you’d like, reblog, comment, follow, etc! (Next week's review may or may not focus on a popular book revolving around grim reapers in a dystopian society…) Wherever you are, stay classy, and have a lovely evening :)

#this savage song #kate harker #august flynn #victoria schwab #book review #book reccs #monsters #violin #verity #monsters of verity #scythe

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I don’t know where I’m going with this but at least it isn’t Kansas (no offense to people from Kansas, of course).

Do you ever just look at someone and remember that they’re living a life completely their own? Notice some stranger driving to work in the morning and realize that they exist completely independent of you? Or consider the fact that there are billions of people that you’ve never even seen before? That are all living their own intricate lives without ever once interacting with you? 

And then… realize that it’s likely you’re that person on their way to work to someone else?

I find this indescribably beautiful in some ways, and positively terrifying in others. This simultaneous self-importance you gain from the insight along with the sudden awareness of your own insignificance. 

I’ve also realized that I get a similar feeling when stargazing. When I consider just how unimaginably far away those tiny points of light are. How long it took just for their light to reach us. Sometimes it makes me curious. Wondering what (or who) else is out there. Sometimes it gives me a sense of security. Out of everywhere in that vast expanse I could be, I’m right here. On a habitable planet with people who choose to include me in their own intricate lives. And who let me include them in mine. Sometimes stargazing can make me upset, though. So much knowledge that we’ll likely never have access to. Definitely not have access to in my lifetime, at least. It makes me a little sad, honestly.  

On occasion, watching the stars can make me downright anxious. To the point that, when I’m dealing with more stress than usual, I can’t so much as look up at the night sky without a certain sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.

“Now why in the world would that be?”, you might ask.

To which I would answer: For the same reason I find imagining others’ lives both beautiful and terrifying: it reminds me of my own insignificance. Makes me hyper-aware that I’m less than a speck in this vast universe.

But I think that I have found a solution to this issue. Why not flip it around? Just as we flipped things around on ourselves earlier when we were talking about other people’s lives. Only this time, we flip things around on the universe.

A bold move, perhaps, but hear me out. If you do this, and start comparing the universe with itself, I think you’ll find something worth holding on to: nothing and no one is more important than any other thing or person in existence. 

You’re just as significant as that star you’ve been staring absently at for two hours while you contemplate your existence.

You’re just as significant as the Black Hole sitting at the center of our galaxy.

I think that we can all agree that the Black Hole sitting at the center of our galaxy is pretty important, right? But… Compared to everything in the entire universe, it’s nothing. Not important in the slightest. The same goes for our sun. Compared to that black hole, it’s nothing. Not even comparable. The black hole eats stars like that in its cereal every morning.

You know what would happen if we didn’t have that tiny, insignificant star in the center of our solar system?

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

We would never exist. There would be no life on Earth. Never would have been and never would be in the future. In fact, it’s doubtful that Earth would even exist in the first place!

The sun, that tiny, insignificant speck, is quite literally the most important thing ensuring that life on Earth continues to grow and thrive and even just exist in the first place.

Which makes me wonder…

What’s saying that it doesn’t work the same way for us? In a world full of people who don’t know you exist and couldn’t care less, you’re still there and that’s honestly all that really matters. For all you know, you might be someone’s sun. Or several people’s. Or maybe your pet goldfish’s. Or the bug that you chose to let outside instead of squishing when you found it on the wall.

In the end, it isn’t a matter of comparing how significant you are to the strangers around you. Or how much of an impact you’ll have on the world. It’s about having a positive impact on those you directly interact with. It’s about knowing yourself to be and appreciating that you are that sun in other people’s lives and allowing yourself some sunlight of your own.

You may be one of countless creatures made up of flesh and blood and stardust, living on one of countless planets in one of countless solar systems in one of countless galaxies in one of countless galaxy groups in one of countless superclusters.

But, in the end, you are the most important thing in your own life. You’re positively impacting people and plants and animals every day just by being alive.

And I think that’s pretty powerful.

#ramble #rambling #rant #philosophy #overthinking #thinking #thoughts #random #i apologize if this makes no sense but it almost does in my head so hopefully it almost does in yours too #i have no idea where i was going with that

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Hello hello! Today I’ll be reviewing Sabaa Tahir’s An Ember in the Ashes.

//Non Spoiler Summary//

Set in a world ruled by a roman inspired empire, An Ember in the Ashes follows two different main characters. When Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, she makes a deal with a group of rebels. In exchange for breaking her brother out of prison, she promises to go undercover as a spy at the empire’s most prestigious (and dangerous) military academy. There she crosses paths with Elias, the academy’s best soldier. Natural born enemies, the two soon realize that their interests may not be that different.

//SPOILER REVIEW//

Wow. I don't really know what I expected from this book, but I had such a hard time putting this down. The first person POV was a shock, but I feel that Tahir did a good job with that and it made Laia and Elias’ stories so much more personal. On top of that, I usually find multiple POV books a little hard to read, but I was equally as invested in both Laia and Elias’ stories. I am IN LOVE with the roman inspired school that is Blackcliff. It’s so incredibly ruthless and separate from the rest of this fantasy world. It genuinely sounds like hell to attend but part of me wishes I was a student there. Laia herself is a really interesting character, as I expected her to kind of be a stereotypical YA protagonist (basically, her mother). But honestly… she was a coward. Her family’s death and brother's arrest weren’t at all uncommon or special. As the book goes on you get to see her grow as a character, culminating in her putting aside any doubts in order to free Izzi and Elias. Until then, she was terrified the entire time. And she wanted to give up so many times. But she didn't. Her cowardice is what makes her such a great character, because it's so realistic. Alternatively, Elias is fearless. He’s got everything going for him, and he’s envied by so many. And yet, he doesn't want any of it because he sees through all the glamor (or maybe a better word is honor?) that comes from being a mask. Laia chose to do good due to her own guilt whereas Elias chose to do good because unlike everyone else, he couldn’t ignore the wrongness of the empire. It makes me wonder if he would've had Helene’s unquestioning loyalty had he been raised by his mother or grandfather. He was definitely my favorite character. this of course has nothing to do with the fact that I think he's hot Sabaa Tahir could’ve written the story from either one of their perspectives and still had a complete and compelling story, but I'm so glad she decided to write about two completely different and separate characters. They honestly didn't have nearly as much interaction as I expected them to, and it's insane how intertwined their lives are without either of them realizing. As for Helene, despite some of her beliefs and choices, I really liked her. In the same way Laia’s cowardice was a positive trait, Helene’s loyalty was a negative one. I loved her friendship with Elias and any scene between the two of them after their fight HURT to read. And just as I saw many parallels between Laia and Elias, I saw a few between Helene and Keenan (but I don’t really have the time to talk about them :/ ). Overall, this was a highly addictive book and I’m incredibly excited to follow these characters in the next few books. PS: 1) How is Laia’s name pronounced? Because I’ve been pronouncing it as lie-uh. 2) Zak deserved better. 3) All my homies hate Marcus ✌️

If you enjoyed this review I’d greatly appreciate it if you liked, reblogged, followed, ect. And feel free to leave me book recommendations! Wherever you are, stay classy, and have a lovely evening :)

#an ember in the ashes #sabaa tahir #laia of serra #elias veturius #helene aquilla #book review #ya fantasy #roman military #books #book reccs #reading #february

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Hello hello! Today I’m reviewing a classic as opposed to my usual YA fantasy (AND I added a picture to this review for a little bit of ✨spice✨). I really love Jane Austen but I’ve only read Pride and Prejudice don’t @ me and I‘d really love to read more of her books. I FINALLY read Persuasion, so without further ado...

//Non Spoiler Review//

Jane Austen’s Persuasion is centered around the respectable Elliot family, specifically the middle child, Anne. Unmarried and with her family amidst some big changes, she crosses paths with the man she was previously engaged to. Drama ensues as the pair maintains civility after not coming in contact with each other for 8 years.

//SPOILER REVIEW//

Similar to Pride and Prejudice, this book was just adorable. Anne is a fascinating protagonist as she is constantly overlooked and ignored (AND YET she’s easily the most level headed character). I honestly found it hard to like any of the characters aside from her, as they all treated her pretty poorly. At first I thought Anne was just a mild mannered person but upon further deliberation I believe she’s just open to advice from anyone, especially those she trusts and values. Lady Russel obviously played a huge role in persuading her to reject Captain Wentworth due to her own preconceived notions. After Anne’s rejection, I believe Wentworth tried and failed to persuade himself that he didn’t have any romantic interest in Anne anymore. He’s determined to fall in love with someone else, due to the fact that he has also persuaded himself that Anne doesn’t have any romantic interest in him (aaaand I think the exact same thing can be said for Anne). Side note, Mrs. Smith gets a shout out for being the only person to treat Anne like a friend. I don’t have too much to say about this one, so I think the main takeaways should be to 1) stan Anne Elliot, and 2) get you a man that says you pierce his soul.

If you enjoyed that review it’d mean the world to me if you liked, reblogged, followed etc. And if you have any classic book recommendations (or just any book recommendations), PLEASE let me know. And wherever you are, I hope you have a lovely evening :)

#persuasion #jane austen #anne elliot #captain wentworth #book review #tea and books #books #classic literature

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The Raven Cycle Review

Hello Hello! Doing something a little different today by doing a review of an entire series as opposed to a single book. The main reason for this just being that I was already more than halfway through the series when I started this blog and didnt feel like writing a review for the books I had already read. As with my CK review, I’m going to forgo the spoiler free review. If you haven’t read ALL of the books in this series, I recommend you do so before reading the rest of this review as this will contain spoilers for the ENTIRE series.

//SPOILER REVIEW (for entire series)//

Maggie Stiefvater’s writing is so...weird. In the best way possible. This series revolves around psychics, ley lines, and anything supernatural and her writing just perfectly fits that “vibe.” I often found myself caught off guard with just the strange way she would word things or include foreshadowing that felt significant but unusual at the time.I LOVED how everything in this series came full circle, along with the repeating theme that there is no one main character. The characters themselves were my favorite things about this series (aside from Stiefvater’s writing), and I want to talk about them individually. Blue is abosulutely iconic and I loved reading about an unapologetic feminist/environmentalist who’s stubborn, tempermental, and weird. Plus I believe she and I are the same height, so that made me irrationally happy. Gansey is by far my favorite. Interestingly, he’s the character I related to the most. I'm sure it has to do with the fact that he’s a major dork, certified Mom Friend™, and because he’s constantly putting up a facade. Regardless, he’s a king in every humble sense of the word and I love him. I did not like Ronan at first. Which is brilliant on the authors part, because nobody likes Ronan at first. After book two, he quickly became my second favorite and I don't think I really need to explain why. I fell in love with him the same way Gansey and Adam did. I would’ve k i l l e d to see more bromance between him and Blue, because I’m obsessed with their friendship. Adam immediately and initially was my favorite, and my love for him didn't diminish, it's just that my love for the others grew. Aside from Gansey, he was the most relatable to me. He’s an incredibly unique character, and it would be VERY easy to see him as a villain, so the fact that he’s a hero who chooses to do good makes him so much more interesting. I love him and I love his relationship with Ronan. In fact, they are probably my favorite fictional gay couple. I’m so sorry Wesper Henry was another character that I didn't initially like, but he grew on me pretty quickly. The toga party? The Madonna t shirt? ICONIC. The idea of him, Gansey and Blue taking a gap year together just feels so right and makes me incredibly happy. And finally, Noah. Noah just makes my heart happy. He is one of the most adorable and pure characters I’ve ever read, and he deserved so much better. To say that I was shocked by the revelation that it was him that whispered to young Ganesey is an understatement. He truly is the one that causes everything in this story to connect, and I would honestly die for him.

That’s it for today, I’m now realizing that the entirety of this review was just me being unable to shut up about my love for literally all of the characters and I regret nothing so whoops. If you enjoyed please like, comment, reblog, follow, etc. Until next week, stay classy and have a great day! :)

#the raven cycle #raven boys #maggie stiefvater #gansxythethird #blue sargent #ronan lynch #adam parrish #noah czerny #henry cheng #the raven king #blue lily lily blue #dream thieves #book review

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The Missing of Clairdelune Review

Hello hello! Welcome back or welcome to my semi coherent book review blog. Today I’m reviewing The Missing of Clairdelune by Christelle Dabos. If you want to read my review on the first book in the series (A Winter’s Promise), I posted it around two weeks ago. If you're a fan of Six of Crows, I posted my Crooked Kingdom review last week, so enjoy. Without further ado, let’s get into my review of the second book in The Mirror Visitor series.

//Spoiler Free Review//

If you haven’t read A Winter’s Promise before reading this, I recommend that you do. This book picks up right where the first one leaves off. Ophelia is thrust into the spotlight after being formally introduced as the fiance of the universally hated treasurer. She is placed under even more scrutiny when Farouk entrusts her with an important position at court. Ophelia’s circle of trust narrows as the new attention simultaneously protects and endangers her in this whimsical sequel.

//SPOILER REVIEW//

I have conflicting feelings about this book. I think my biggest issue was just that the pacing felt…*off* somehow, and I’m not really sure how to explain it. Other than that, I enjoyed this book. I’m not the biggest fan of mysteries, but the entire plot with the missing nobles of Clairdelune was fascinating and managed to catch me off guard. I think the added pressure for Ophelia to solve the case within 24 hours made the whole thing so much more entertaining to read. I was especially impressed with how the mystery played out with Baron Melchior. I was kicking myself for not realizing it was him. Dabos was smart to use his sister Cunegond as a distraction. Obviously it would be too easy for Cunegond to be behind everything, but in making her a suspicious, dislikeable character, she took the reader's attention away from Cunegond’s seemingly kinder brother. The use of the doll story was brilliant, as it could apply to a number of characters, Ophelia included. My love for Ophelia has not changed, and this book forced her to take charge in order to fulfill everyone's expectations via her own unorthodox methods. In my last review I mentioned that I wanted to see more of Thorn and my prayers were definitely answered, although I’d still love to see even more of him. As the least mathematical minded person possible, I find his factual thought process insanely fascinating, and he is quickly becoming one of my favorites. “Oh, and by the way, I love you” caught me SO off guard, but makes complete sense for his taciturn character (and made my hopeless romantic heart very happy). I was also kicking myself for not realizing that those strange chapters reliving Farouk’s memories were from Thorn’s perspective, because OBVIOUSLY with Farouk’s memory problems he wouldn’t be able to remember those childhood moments at all (cue me sitting there looking like an absolute CLOWN for thinking so). On top of that, I just really enjoyed reliving Farouk’s memories as it humanized him and made him more sympathetic. Overall, this book was just as whimsical and chaotic as the first one, along with adding more information on certain characters and the arks (which is exactly what I wanted so yay). I’m excited to expand on the world Dabos created, as well as to see Thorn and Ophelia learn to deal with each other's powers in the coming books.

That’s it for this review, so if you enjoyed, please like, reblog, follow, etc, etc; and stick around for next week's review (which may or may not center around private school boys and dead welsh kings…) Wherever you are, stay classy, and have a lovely evening :)

#christelle dabos #the mirror visitor #a winters promise #the missing of clairdelune #book review #ophelia #farouk

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Crooked Kingdom Review

Hello hello! Since I’m desperately waiting on more news about the Shadow and Bone tv series I figured now would be a good time to write my Crooked Kingdom review. In the interest of saving time, I have decided to forego the non spoiler review, (sorry) so if you haven’t read this book, I’d recommend skipping this post entirely.

//SPOILER REVIEW//

Oh boy, where do I start...This book stressed me tf out (in a good way). In an interview Leigh mentioned that she wanted the reader to feel claustrophobic as the entirety of Ketterdam turns on the gang, and to say she succeeded is an understatement. The stakes felt higher in this book, and I felt like I was trying to keep track of 5 different games of chess simultaneously. What struck me even more than the plot was the characters. Kaz is still my favorite and every bit as iconic (take a drink every time I say “iCoNiC”) as in the first book. We definitely got to see different sides of him this time around as he’s lost without Inej, and was thrown for a loop quite a few times by Rollins and Van Eck. His fight with Jesper stressed me out upon first reading but now I just find the whole situation comical. They really are just teenage boys who don’t know how to handle their emotions properly. Not only that, but it exhibited that Kaz views both Jordie and Jesper as people who he trusted (and still wants to trust irrevocably) but has let him down in some way. Kaz accidentally calling Jesper “Jordie” is such a raw moment; “Dirtyhands” would never make that mistake, but Kaz would, and I loved it. Also, Kaz fighting off the Dregs in order to seize power from Per Haskell? Iconic. It’s entertaining to see how quickly everything falls apart with Inej gone, and seeing literally everyone feeling her absence in one way or another. “He’ll never trade if you break me!” hurt my soul on a spiritual level, and I’m glad Kaz proved her wrong. I felt like a proud mother reading her fight with Dunyasha. Her line about surviving when you’re not “the chosen one” was so powerful and really encapsulates why people love/relate to these characters so much. It makes me so incredibly happy to know she got her freedom, her ship, and her family back. There were so many great moments between her and Kaz, ranging from the ending scene (aka me LOSING IT over my otp just HOLDING HANDS) and the ever iconic bathroom scene don't even get me STARTED I could talk about it for HOURS but now is not the time and I so desperately wish we could see more. Speaking of iconic (take a drink) couples, Wylan and Jesper have my entire heart and I am SO incredibly happy that we got to see Wylan’s perspective. He quickly became a new favorite of mine (as I expected) and seeing him have to confront his own insecurities AND his father was not only incredibly satisfying, but fueled the plot in a massive way. As for Jesper, I was ecstatic that we got a bit more of his backstory and a solid reason as to why he ignores his power as a fabrikator. His love for his father made me love him even more and the relationship between Jesper and Colm is such a stark contrast from that of Wylan and Jan. I saw the Kuwei/Wylan mix up from a mile away but it still hurt to read. I don’t blame Kuwei though, I would’ve kissed Jesper too. On a completely different note; Nina and Matthias. Matthias’ death was incredibly unexpected and in my opinion, unnecessary. That doesn’t make it any less tragic, but still. I’m so incredibly proud of Matthias’ growth, and using his last moments before getting shot to attempt to change the prejudiced views of a young drüskelle (like Nina did for him) was outstanding. The last chapter from his perspective was heartbreaking, but at least he finally found some peace from his nightmares. Nina trying to bring him back was equally as heartbreaking, and her strength throughout the entire book as she struggled with her jurda parem addiction was incredible to read. I’m in love with the idea of her being one of the only known survivors of the drug AND her previous powers being inverted, not a perversion as she originally thought, but a unique new skill set used to her advantage. OH topic change, but the ending chapter with Inej instilling the fear of God (or I guess the saints??) into Pekka Rollins? Absolutely ICONIC fantastic and I couldn’t have thought of a better way to end the book. That’s a lot, so I’ll leave my review at that.

Alright, thanks for sticking around if you’ve made it this far! I would absolutely love it if you would like, reblog, and follow! If you enjoyed that chaotic review, there’s more to come,(“Missing of Clairdelune” next…) and I hope wherever y’all are, you are having a lovely day! See you next time! :)

#six of crows #crooked kingdom #leigh bardugo #no mourners no funerals #kaz brekker #inej ghafa #jesper fahey #wylan van eck #nina zenik #book review

[puckslibrary]

A Winter’s Promise Review

Hello hello, welcome to my second official book review! This next book is one that I’ve never heard anyone talk about or recommend. Today I’m talking about “A Winter’s Promise” by Christelle Dabos. I’m going to be completely honest, I bought this for the cover. Usually the covers of books don’t have any effect on whether I buy it or not but let me tell you THIS cover is So. Freaking. Beautiful. Honestly I’m so glad I did, because I feel that this book is severely underrated. So without further ado, let's jump into the non spoiler review (he he that rhymes).

//Spoiler Free Review//

A Winter’s promise focuses on Ophelia, a young woman with the ability to see into an object's past, and the ability to travel through mirrors. Ophelia is suddenly betrothed to a member of a powerful and mysterious clan, forcing her to leave her peaceful job as a museum curator and the comfort of her own family. She is thrust into a world of unknown powers, and dangerous court politics. Ophelia is forced to adapt to a hostile new environment if she is to survive.

Honestly one of my favorite things about this book was just… the aesthetic. I don’t really have any other way to put it, but this book just makes me think of antique shops, rainy days, museums, and vintage libraries. It’s just beautiful throughout. I’m also just a sucker for court politics and drama, the scandal of it all fascinates me to no end. If either of those interest you, I highly recommend this book. I can’t say too much more without giving away spoilers, so I’ll leave it at that. If you haven’t read the book, you can skip to the very end of this review because I’m about to get into some spoilers.

//SPOILER REVIEW//

I just want to talk about Ophelia for a second. I don’t think I've ever seen a truly introverted main character like her before. Everytime I read about a “quiet” main character they're always introverted in a “I’m SO quirky” way and I’m honestly kind of tired of it. It was just extremely gratifying to read about a truly quiet, introverted character who didn’t really feel the need to speak up, lose her temper, or be “normal” no matter how much the world yelled at her to do so. I also wasn’t expecting her to have to endure so much. But reading about her brushing off her fatigue and injuries for the sake of her and her aunt’s safety was honestly heartbreaking. I am intrigued by Thorn solely because you really don’t learn anything about him throughout the course of the book. I’m hoping we get to see more of the “real” Thorn in the following books. I’m also incredibly interested in the magic system of this world. I genuinely want to know why different clans have different powers, and what the extent of those powers are. The Knight was a terrifying character solely in the fact that he was just so...young. He’s a literal child with no regard to the mental state of those he affects for his own personal gain. This review has sort of been all over the place, but I think I’ve touched on everything I wanted to.

So to wrap this up, the best word I can think to describe this book is “whimsical.” But I mean that in a slightly more dark/twisted way than the normal connotation. It saddens me that I’ve never really heard anything about this book, I hope this helps spread some awareness and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series! Thanks for reading my ramblings, I hope you stick around for more reviews to come! (If you're a SOC fan, my next review will probably be on Crooked Kingdom, so stay tuned).

#a winters promise #ophelia #christelle dabos #the mirror visitor #book review

[puckslibrary]

Six of Crows Review

Hello hello! So I feel like I’m pretty late to the party when it comes to the book that I’m about to review. I have heard about this book for YEARS and honestly I don’t think I’ve ever heard a negative review on it. The staggering amount of good reviews was enough to get me to pick it up, and I can now say that I have FINALLY read Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. Suffice to say it was not what I was expecting… and I didn’t really know what I was expecting.

I honestly want to separate these reviews into spoiler vs non spoiler so let’s just start with that.

//Spoiler Free Review//

For those of you who are even more behind than I am (if you are, I’m impressed); Six Of Crows is the first book in a duology by Leigh Bardugo (as previously stated, nO dIp ShErLoCk). Set in the bustling and dangerous city of Ketterdam, this book follows the adventures (I’m so sorry I couldn’t find a better word) of six different characters as they undertake an impossible heist whilst trying to withstand each other’s vastly different personalities in the process. As a dark, gloomy, steampunk-esque city, Ketterdam itself is extremely compelling in and of itself. But even more compelling than the city are the unorthodox characters it produces. Normally I’m not one to love books written from multiple characters point of view, but Six of Crows managed to get me to fall in love with all of the characters (yes even the ones I initially didn't love) and hold my attention throughout the POV switches. With wildly different characters, a fast paced plot that will keep your head spinning, and a dark and incredibly creative world, this book definitely lived up to its legacy.

Now onto the spoiler part of the review. If you haven't read the book, skip to the very end of this review.

//SPOILER REVIEW//

As I said, I don’t know what I was really expecting. I definitely was not expecting the fantasy element, or at least not to this degree. Going into it I had no clue what the Grisha were, (yes I will eventually be reading the Shadow and Bone trilogy), and I was pleasantly surprised at the logic behind their powers. I could write a long essay about that, but maybe that's for another day, as I’d like to keep this short and I'm still unsure as to...well a lot of things pertaining to the Grisha. If I had no fear of boring you, I’d love to talk in depth about each of the characters, but for now I’ll just start with my favorites. Kaz is easily at the top of that list. His backstory is just so...unexpected and twisted but makes perfect sense as to why he ended up the way he is. I’m obsessed with the idea of everyone else seeing Kaz as this terrifying, unreadable, unshakeable, and unpredictable force of nature when in reality he’s a vengeful boy who hasn't fully processed his brother's death and has had to grow up too fast. Also I'm in love with him I really hope he eventually gets to see a therapist. Inej is also another favorite of mine. One of my favorite scenes is when she’s climbing through the incinerator and is forced to answer the question of why she's doing any of this. She's gone through so much and pushes herself so hard, it's extremely gratifying to see her come to the realization that neither the dregs, the money, or even Kaz are her motivation. SHE is her own motivation and honestly I just love everything about her. The last character I’ll talk about today (even though I so badly wish I could talk about all of them) is Jesper. I feel that we didn't get enough of him and yet he ended up being one of my favorites...just because?? It's fascinating to watch him wrestle with his insecurity as a member of the dregs and Kaz’s personal team. I loved seeing him be reassured in his shooting skills and the new relationships he makes (*cough cough* Wylan) along the way. I don’t think I need to say anything about the plot, I’m a sucker for a good heist and am always thoroughly impressed by good plot twists.

Alright, this is already too long, and that’s about all I have to say. I hope you enjoyed my relatively coherent thoughts about this wonderful book, and if you haven't read it already I sincerely hope this was enough to convince you. Thanks for tuning in (can you “tune in” to a piece of writing??) and I hope you stick around for more reviews to come!

#six of crows #kaz brekker #inej ghafa #jesper fahey #leigh bardugo #book review #no mourners no funerals

[puckslibrary]

Hello there! Welcome to my corner of tumblr. This page is going to mostly be dedicated to book reviews and other bookish related things. So if you’re not interested in that... then bye I guess. Some background info for those of you interested, I'm an 18 year old taking a gap year before heading off to waste all of my money on ”higher education.” As a kid, I was an avid reader. You would never catch me without a book in my hand, and I’d never spend more than a few days with the same one. But life (and by that I mean the horrifying ordeal that is high school) happens, and I lost my love of reading. So this is me trying to regain my love of literature and share my opinions with others in the process. Plus I have nothing better to do with my life at the moment. If you’re still reading by now, that means I haven’t bored you yet, so stay awhile, and enjoy some ramblings from a former “gifted” kid and rehabilitated book enthusiast.

#books #reading #book review