Book Review: Loyalty by Carol Deeley

Title: Loyalty (Britannica Book 1)
Author: Carol Deeley
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I would like to thank the author for providing a copy of this book for an honest review.

Loyalty is a historical fiction novel that is the beginning of a trilogy. There are druids, kings, queens, fearsome warriors, Romans, and some bad ass women. There are secrets, mystics, forbidden love, and loyalties. I am not going to go into a lot of the plot, because there is an extensive summary on Goodreads or Amazon, and I don't want to take away from your reading experience.

Overall, this is a great first book, I'm happy to say this book didn't have a lot of the first book problems many series have. I am also astounded that the author can seamlessly write multiple genres of work. If you have read any of Carol Deeley's other work, note that this is very different. I am amazed at her ability to write the story that she has regardless of the genre it might be set in. I am not a writer, but I have read other author's attempts to veer out of their genre and it did not go well. That is not the case for this author.

Here's what I like:

1. The amount of background work and historical facts integrated into the novel is very well done. It is clear that the author did a lot of research before and while writing the book.

2. The characters in this book develop well and there is a lot of growth.

3. It was a pretty fast paced read. I moved through the book quickly and there wasn't a lot of drag that I had to go through.

4. I am in love with Boudicca. She is fierce.

5. There are castles and mystical stuff...how can you not love that.

6. I love the diversity in the relationships that Deeley writes. They are amazing. Love is love is love.

7. The first half of the book spans many years, so we were able to see glimpses of the 'past' to put the second half of the book into context.

Here's what could have been better:

1. The editing. This was mostly in tenses and pluralities. I was able to move past it and became immune to it at some point in the novel.

2. As a personal preference there are times when the descriptions seem a little long winded, but I have this problem as a reader in many books by many different authors. So take that as you will, if you enjoy Koontz's writing style then this writing style is perfect for you.

If you enjoy historical fiction or have any interest in Briton, I would definitely recommend this book. I will be reading the next two at some point.

Book Review: Wild by Cheryl Strayed

Title: Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail
By: Cheryl Strayed
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

My short and sweet review of this book. The  title is pretty self explanatory of the contents of this book. One, this is the author's experience of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. Two, it is a memoir so she is basing many of the details off journal entries, memories, and other data points from the time she was doing this hike. Three, she is BAD ASS.

My first experience with Cheryl Strayed's story telling was with her collection of responses from her Dear Sugar column. It was such a great experience. Nonfiction writing is typically one of those things I struggle with as a reader, I know it's good for me and all that, but man, it can be SO boring. Not with Cheryl at the pen. Cheryl has a great way of transcending the pages. I felt like I was hearing her tell me the story. I am inspired by her strength at the young age of 26 and her brutal honesty about her life and how broken she felt. Wild is so incredibly written. I am in love. The journey she takes and shares with all of us is one of HOPE.

No, I do not want to go hike the Pacific Crest Trail, because that does not sound fun AT ALL. However, the lessons Cheryl learned and what she did for her life, was so incredibly inspirational. I enjoyed this book to the last sentence.

People who enjoy stories about people who are on a journey to 'find themselves' or 'heal themselves' will love this book. This is definitely an adult read, but so well worth it.

Mid-September Update

September has slowed down a bit, but it has been so nice in Colorado, that I have been finding myself having adventures with my family instead of inside my books. All the same, I have been able to complete 4 books so far this month.

Here is a recap of my books:

You Only Love Twice (London Steampunk: Blue Blood Conspiracy #3): ⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
If I had to sum this book in one word it that word would be:
DELICIOUS!
I devoured this book in 3 days (6 hours of reading). It is an amazing continuation to the books previous. This is my favorite so far. I love the love story, but I also love the adventure and the mystery and the cliffhanger at the end. DANG IT. Such a good cliffhanger.

The Girl Who Knew DaVinci: ⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This book was pretty good. It is classified as a mystery/thriller novel and there was some of that, but there was also a lot more romance than I expected to see in this book. For someone who enjoys a good romance, this wasn't a problem, but it wasn't what I was expecting to read. If I pick up a mystery/thriller novel, I expect to be on the edge of my seat, not swooning over a love story. Also, this book is the first in a series, but I think it would have made an amazing stand alone book.

Turtles all the Way Down: ⭐⭐⭐.5/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
As my first John Green novel, I wasn't expecting a whole lot. I know his books have been super hyped so I went in with lower expectations than I would have if I had read any of his previous books. The way John Green depicts mental health is intense and really well written. It just seemed like there was a lot of existential thinking for angst-y sixteen year old kids.

Wild: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Wild by Cheryl Strayed was great. It was just what I was looking for. My longer review will be posted in a couple days, but I left uplifted by Cheryl's words and story. I enjoy her writing style and I feel like I know her better now than when I read Dear Sugar. It was just fantastic.


I am currently reading Loyalty by Carol Deeley and it is an intense historical fiction that is definitely a slow burn. I am about a quarter of the way through the book and it continues to be intriguing at every turn. I'm looking forward to what comes next. My goal is to finish two more books in September. Hopefully Loyalty is one of them, and I have been DYING to read The Kiss Quotient

Book Review: Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

Title: Turtles all the Way Dowwn
By: John Green
Edition: Audiobook
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


Recap:
Aza is the main character of this book. Along with her best friend Daisy, they are looking to solve a mystery. Daisy drags Aza along to have a 'chance encounter' with Davis. Aza has had a crush on Davis since they were kids. This book is mostly the inner monologue of Aza as she struggles to maintain a grasp on reality. She goes to psychologist visits, she kind of does what she is prescribed. All of this struggle builds up until it breaks, and Aza seeks help in earnest. All while trying to be a normal teenager and have relationships with Daisy as her friend, her mom as her daughter, and Davis as her...something.

My thoughts:
John Green did an amazing job depicting Aza's mental illness and how it doesn't just go away. It doesn't just get better. Aza is a very complex individual, she is clearly struggling with the grief of her father's death that was sudden, but happened years before the setting of this book. She gets so lost in her own mind, that she doesn't understand why she has friends. A lot of the typical teenage stuff happens, your best friend gets a boyfriend and stops hanging out with you. Your mom is hovering and you don't want to talk to her about it. There is all of that 'normal' stuff coupled with the obsessive tendencies Aza has and her struggle to "not be crazy."

It is hard for me to believe that Aza and Davis had such deep thoughts that seemed so far beyond their teenage years. So I struggled with that aspect of the book. I also thought the underlying Picket mystery just seemed so extra. It took a way from Aza's story. I can see how it is necessary to bring certain characters into the story, but it just didn't feel right to me.

I loved the way the story ended. I loved the way it read and the Audiobook was well narrated throughout the book, but especially the ending.

So this is my second completed book for September. My goal is six books, but we will see how it goes.

August Wrap Up: Let's see what I read this month!

August has been quite the month of activity. Every weekend was something different. I am amazed I managed to still squeeze in 5 books this month. All of them, with the exception of one, were AMAZING!

Here's the list:

30th Century: Escape ⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is about a woman who travels to present day to escape the mission plaguing her from the 30th Century. There is time travel, adventure, and romance. All the workings of a good sci-fi, but it fell hard.

Sandalwood ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sandalwood was a great book about a girl trying to unravel the mystery of the package she received from her estranged grandmother. I could have kept reading about Josie forever. She is a great character with amazing growth.

They Both Die at the End ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Such a sad book by Adam Silvera. This is the journey of two young boys finding adventure, love, and forgiveness on the last day they are alive. Brilliant read.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
So much amazingness in this book. WOW! I loved it. It struck a cord for me. Loneliness is a real thing, depression is a real thing. Regardless of her feelings of loneliness and depression, Eleanor is still completely fine. This is the right answer, if you answer anything other than fine, people will run away or abandon you. READ THIS BOOK




You only Love Twice 🔥🔥🔥🔥/🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
A stunning addition the the London Steampunk series. This one tells the story of Gemma Townsend, the spy, the assassin, the brokenhearted. Will she be able to find love again? She falls in love with the one she wasn't supposed to fall in love with. Will they have a future? This story is quite fun, it is funny, it is action packed, and STEAMY as hell-O.


Overall, it was a good month. I am excited to see what September will bring.

Who has any recommendations for September reads? I am such mood reader, lists are hard.

Book Review: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Title: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
By: Gail Honeyman
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


Summary:

Eleanor Oliphant is the main character of this story. She is 29 years old, she has had the same job for 9 years, and she is completely alone, but she is fine with that. Eleanor spends a lot of time going through life not really living. When she suddenly realizes that something needs to change. This story is broken into three sections and tells her story of trying to change in order to live. Eleanor starts with her outer appearance and much to her annoyance, the new guy in IT won't leave her alone. Raymond becomes a constant in her life. Eleanor eventually realizes that Raymond is also part of the new life she is missing out on.

My thoughts:

Eleanor has a dry sense of humor that I found myself relating to on so many different levels. She is funny, but no one else sees it. Eleanor finds common social settings difficult to navigate, not knowing what is the right thing to say and when. All of that changes over the course of the book. The character development is remarkable.

The best part of the development is that Eleanor is so bent on changing her life and changing her circumstances that she doesn't realize that her life is already changing and growing and moving forward.

Eleanor is so broken, but she knows that she is supposed to be completely fine. Nothing is supposed to be wrong with a 20-something woman who as a good job and lives well. So, she tells everyone she is fine. No young person is ever supposed to admit that anything is less than fine, is less than happy. This is such a truth that is so hard for so many 20-somethings.

I love the contrast of Raymond and Eleanor's characters. I think they are a great dichotomy. Raymond just won't let up and I find that so heartwarming. Raymond, for all of his disgusting habits, becomes Eleanor's one true friend.

The book was very well paced, although the beginning seemed to move a little more slowly than I was expecting. Once I got through the first 45 pages or so though, I could not put it down. I wanted to know what was next. I wanted to move forward with Eleanor.

Most importantly, the way Gail Honeyman broached the topic of mental illness and the stigmas around all of that was beautiful and meaningful. It wasn't a fleeting topic that some one threw in the story to stir up conversation. Honeyman thought the story out and worked through all the details, it is such a powerful story that is so easy to relate to. Honeyman brought depression into the light and how it can beat you down if you don't feel like you have the support and resources to step up and say you need help. How true is this?

How often do you as a single 20-something, 30-something, 40-something, or working parent, or stay-at-home parent, or single parent struggle and are too ashamed to raise your hand and ask for help? This is a scenario that happens to so many people all over the world and no one wants to talk about it. Well, Honeyman talked about it. Honeyman brought it to life in a way that is real and funny and sad and inspiring and heartbreaking all at the same time. My hat is off to you, Gail.

Book Review: They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

Title: They Both Die at the End
Author: Adam Silvera
Kindle Edition
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


Summary:

Rufus and Mateo both know it is their last day to be alive. They are complete strangers. They are both lonely on their last day for very different reasons. Is it fate that they come together on their last day through an app? They are too young to die, yet it is their day. They make the best out of the day doing everything they can before they die.

My thoughts:

Wow! What?!?! I don't know!! What would I do? There has to be a happy ending! Do they really both die in the end as the title suggests?!?!?!

These are all the things that were zinging through my mind as I read this book. It was a very moving story about two strangers who connect with the world and each other in the most unexpected of ways.

The writing style was good and the conversational texts and parts were very realistic to the way I would assume teenagers would talk. An example of this is the way Rufus uses the word "mad" to describe all of his going ons. Its like the valley girl 'like' that is so excessive it is annoying, yet endearing and accurate.

The changes in POV was also a great way to tell this story. You can infer the connections that are happening, but there isn't a way to know 100% that those connections are what you think they are.

It is hard for me to identify what I didn't like about this book. The concept is basic, yet profound. I wish there had been a character that wasn't completely broken, but that is a stretch. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to have their soul ripped out and repaired. You will cry, you will fall in love, you will think. This book becomes a very introspective book. Would it be better to know you are going to die that day so you can live without regrets, or would you rather not know and hope you die without any regrets? It is a self fulfilling prophecy? I don't know the answers to these questions, I wish I did.

How I rate books

Let's talk about rating. There are so many methods out there and it is really subjective. I have struggled determining what the number of stars mean and how I use them to promote my favorite authors. I have been using a five star format for years through good reads. I have also been a very stingy reviewer. I have not given out a lot of five stars in the past. However, as I get older, the more I realize how much weight people take the five star reads into account. There are people out there who will not even consider reading anything under a 4 star reviewed book. This is interesting to me because I don't put a lot of weight into the number of stars the reviewer gave the book and I put more weight in what they said about the book.

Due to the subjectivity of the stars, I will read books as low as 3 stars automatically, if I think the plot looks good and the premise seems to have potential. This has definitely burned me in the past, but not as much as it has rewarded me.

In the past I have set my ratings compared to other books I have read, so I have been even more subjective than I should have been. So I am going to clear up the muddy waters as it relates to my ratings anyways.

One star: HORRID, didn't finish, or it was a challenge to finish for the following reasons: writing style, lack of character development, editing mistakes, plot pace and direction. No recommendations from me.

two stars: BAD, there is potential, but it was still a challenge to finish, editing mistakes are still obvious and I wouldn't recommend this book to my enemies.

Three stars: GOOD, I enjoyed this book. There were still some problems, specifically lack of character development or depth. I probably won't re-read this book, but it was worth the read. I would recommend this book to people I know well, and know that they will enjoy this book.

Four stars: VERY GOOD, I really enjoyed this book. There was good characters and decent development. This is a book I would recommend for most fans of the genre to read.

Five starts: AMAZING. I died and went to heaven. It was incredibly entertaining. There wasn't a single editing mistake that I found. EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW!


So there you go...How do you rate the books you read? What system do you use? Please Share!

Book Review: Sandalwood by Carol Deeley

Title: Sandalwood

Author: Carol Deeley

Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I would like to thank the author for a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

Sandalwood is about a 20-something girl named Josie. She is living her life after college, scraping by. All of that changes when she gets a mysterious package at her door. It is from her estranged grandmother. And that is where this story begins. Josie never knew her grandmother. As far as she knows, her grandmother abandoned her mom and grandfather just after her mom was born. How on Earth did this woman even know she existed? What could her grandmother say that was of any importance to Josie? She never knew Josie, she wasn't important to her grandmother. So the mystery begins. She takes a road trip with her best friend in an attempt to uncover the answers to this mystery.

Here is what I liked:

The writing style was great, first person narrative, and in a diary kind of format. It was beautifully fast-paced and easy, entertaining read. The mystery, the intrigue, the overall plot was unique yet easy to relate to. I can still relate to being a fresh out of college, working a crappy job, scraping by on the few dollars I have left over, having a crappy boyfriend and knowing I can do better. I love the characters. There were a lot of characters in this book, some for a few pages, some for much longer. The growth of Josie and her relationships were well paced and appropriate. The range of emotions this book made me feel was extensive. I wanted to cry in parts, and laughed out loud in others.  I loved the ending. It was amazing. It was perfect, it simply ended with "the end." I was engrossed in this story. When the end of the book came, I kept trying to move to the next page. I wanted to know more, I wanted to continue to be an observer in Josie's life. I wanted to know about her life after all the revelations and mysteries were solved. 

Here is what I think could be better:

My version had a few editing errors. Such as lack of capitalization of proper nouns and plurality instead of singularities. However, this did not cause enough of a distraction to deter from the story line at all. The only thing I could have wanted was more of Josie's story.

Overall, this book was fantastic and earns a respectable 4.5 ⭐'s. The only reason it didn't get the full 5 stars was because of the editing errors I found. Regardless, I would definitely read it again. I would recommend it to anyone and everyone who enjoys contemporary fiction shaken, not stirred with mystery, humor and a twist of romance.

August Update: Mid-month progress

August has been a busy month.

Between house stuff, work, family fun, and sunny weekends, I have had hardly any time to enjoy my books.

In fact, I attempted the @25infive readathon on instagram this past weekend, and I didn't even get 5 hours of reading in! WHAT?!?! not cool👎👎

But, it wasn't all bad, we got to do a bunch of fun stuff with my kiddos and husband, we saw Incredibles 2, which was probably funnier for me than for my 3 year old. We got to go swimming and bike riding, we got to go to a couple birthday parties of some of our favorite people. We are finally closing on our old house this Friday. (yay for only one mortgage!) The amount of stress that will evaporate on Friday is going to be so palpable in our household.

So where does that put my TBR books for August?

I have only completed one book in August so far. 😳😳😳

That book was:

30th Century: Escape by Mark Kingston Levin

This book was a book I read for Onlinebookclub.org, and it was a disappointment. I had high hopes from the synopsis, the premise has a lot of potential, but it was just lost in the writing style and the direction of the plot got lost throughout the book.

You can check out my complete review here: Online Book Club review

I am currently reading Sandalwood by: Carol Deeley. It is good so far, and an interesting mystery.

I would like to read at least 2 more books in August.

I have Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine by: Gail Honeyman on my list for my Reading Between the Wines book club. Bookclub is scheduled for August 25th. I have been seeing great reviews about this book and I can't wait to dive in.
What is it about summer and contemporary lit? It is just the perfect time for these delicious books.
Oddly enough, I haven't read a whole lot of contemporary lit this summer, I have been diving into a lot of fantasy and young adult books. What contemporary lit have you read this summer?



I am not sure what other book I want to read by the end of the month...one of my favorite authors Bec McMaster came out with her next book in one of her series today and I am debating throwing out my TBR list and reading this next delicious paranormal romance. I seriously love the world Bec McMaster has created throughout her London Steampunk series (both of them).

Until next time...happy reading everyone

July Wrap Up-What did I read?

Wrapping up July! Here we go, I didn't have the best month of reading, but I did read some REALLY GOOD books!

I read 4 books this month.

Hexbound (Dark Arts, #2) by Bec McMaster ⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I truly enjoy McMaster's books. They are a guilty pleasure, and easy reads. I usually finish them in a couple days because they go so fast.

Soulbound (Dark Arts, #3) by Bec McMaster ⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is the conclusion to the Dark Arts trilogy and it was a great read. She brought all the characters together so fluidly. It was wonderful!

Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass, #2) by Sarah J. Maas ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
OMG, drop the mic. This book was so good, I had to know what was going to happen next so I completely threw my TBR list for July out the window so I could continue in this series. IT WAS EPIC

Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass, #3) by Sarah J. Maas ⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I have to say, this book was not my favorite in the series. IT WAS STILL AMAZING, but not 5 stars worth of amazing. I thought Maas did a lot of good growth and writing for this book, but it wasn't as awesome as the first two. It started slow and worried me, it picked up and finished well, so 4 stars it is! She will rattle the stars!

That's all she read for July. I wish I had time to read more, but alas, July was a busy month with birthdays and work and summer fun in general.

Look for my August plan coming soon!

Book Review: Crown of Midnight Book 2 in A Throne of Glass Series

Title: Crown of Midnight
Series: Book Two Throne of Glass
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


Synopsis:

Continuing where the first installment left off, Celaena is serving as the King's Champion. With enemies everywhere she needs to uncover the truth about the King's power and how to destroy it.
Celaena doesn't know who to trust, and she must still serve as the King's Champion while figuring out how to keep him unaware of her betrayal.

My Thoughts:
💙💚💛💜💓
Maas seriously outdid herself. She has a great writing style that keeps you riveted to the page. Her character growth continues in this novel. Crown of Midnight broke me half way through and just kept breaking me with the way the plot moved. Chaol and Dorian continue to be in Celaena's life throughout the book and their roles and feelings continue to change throughout the novel. Deceptions and truths come to light throughout the book and there are hints dropped all over the place, if you are paying attention. I am excited to work through the third book and my July reading list got thrown out the window.

I have become a huge fan of Sarah J. Maas. I will read all her books in the future.
💙💚💛💜💓

Book Review: Soulbound by Bec McMaster book 3 of Dark Arts Series

Title: Soulbound
Author: Bec McMaster
Edition: Kindle Edition, published 2017
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Soulbound was a great end to the trilogy of the Dark Arts. 📚

An arranged marriage, one out of convenience for the groom's greedy and dark mother, and the bride's vengeful father. But what happens when the bride and groom are suddenly free from the control of their parents and have the opportunity to make their own decisions? Will love have the opportunity to grow in the unlikely of places? 

This is the story of Sebastian and Cleo. In the midst of a battle for the future of London, Cleo and Sebastian are suddenly able to make their own choices, they also need to work with the family they never realized they had to get back the world they love. Cleo can see the future, but she just doesn't understand how her and her new husband fit. Sebastian is either the bringer of all the destruction she see in her vision, or he is the savior of the destruction. Which will it be? Through many trials and tribulations Cleo and Sebastian overcome their individual fears of commitment, darkness, and love.

This is a story of the lightness and darkness within all of us. Whether lightness or darkness consumes you is entirely in the choices these two young people make. 

Will Sebastian kill his mother for revenge and go down the path of darkness, or will he choose the light?

Will Cleo give in to the darkness that is within her and contribute to London's Doom, or will she fight for what she loves?

You will just have to read it to find out.

McMaster did a wonderful job bringing the story lines from the first two books into this final book. Three brothers. Three relics. Three sacrifices. 

This is where one of those times where the sum equals more than the parts. Each book individually is tantalizing, sexy, adventurous, and action-packed, but when you put them all together, it is truly magical.

I am eager to read her upcoming trilogy that is on the back end of this one Dark Curse. I can't wait to see which characters are highlighted.

I give this book a 4/5 stars. It is great entertainment, toe curling romance, and a great plot. There was much less repetition in this book than the last, which earned it the extra star. This trilogy is great for anyone who enjoys steampunk, paranormal romance, magic, romance, and did I mention romance. 

Book Review: Hexbound by Bec McMaster

Title: Hexbound Dark Arts Series Book 2
Author: Bec McMaster
Edition: Kindle Edition
Published: October, 2016
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Bec McMaster is the master at paranormal romance. She has a talent and I love it. These are my guilty pleasure reads and I try to stretch out the time it takes me to read them, but they are just so dang good, I end up reading them in 2 days. #bookwormproblems.

Hexbound focuses on Bishop (an assassin) and newly introduced to the series, Verity (a thief). The battle from the first book continues against the plot to cause mass chaos in London for magical people. Although Verify and Bishop start out as enemies, they soon discover that they have more in common than they originally seem to have. Their relationship blossoms while trying to defeat the evil around them and get back what Verity originally stole.

This is a great story of second chances, adventure, magic, sacrifice and delicious romance.

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

There was a lot of steamy, toe curling romance in this book, but not as much as I was expecting after the other books I have read by McMaster.

There was also a lot of repeating the same themes of how magic works in this world. Those words could have been better used on other topics. Great read for a quick romance fix.

I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars because of the redundancy in some of the explanations and the few typos I found in this edition. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes the paranormal and romance. I cannot emphasize the romance part enough.

Book Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

 Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
Book #1 of Throne of Glass Series
My Rating: 5/5 stars

A badass female assassin, magic, political intrigue, war, competition. What more could you ask for in a fantasy novel?

"She forgot about time as she drifted between pieces, voicing the unspeakable, opening old wounds, playing and playing as the sound forgave and saved her." -Celaena playing the pianoforte

Summary: We first meet Celaena in a death camp being escorted through the building by a mysterious guard in black. This leads her to an opportunity to gain her freedom. Freedom not just from the camp, but from her previous life and title as Adarlan's Assassin. Celaena is a deadly assassin competing with other criminals to become the King's Champion. All the while she is making bonds she never expected and has to uncover the plot that is killing contestants right and left. Will she survive?

Review: This book knocked my socks off (if I were wearing any). The story line is one thing, and it is complex and detailed and mysterious. There is a budding romance or two occurring and definitely some treachery. I can't wait to see where Maas takes the plot.

THE CHARACTERS ARE THE BOMB! 💣💣💣

Celaena is so much more than she seems and she is a bookworm (what not to love?). You there is more and more revealed throughout the book about who she was, how she became Adarlan's Assassin, and that deep down she is just a girl trying to survive. There is more development to be done and I'm sure Maas has a plan.

Dorian is the a lady's man on the surface, but he is more than he seems as well.

I'm not even going to mention Nehemia and Chaol. Wholly Cow!

The character development and time Maas invested into them is truly impressive.

There were a couple loose ends that I would have loved more insight into, but I have a feeling the answer is coming in the next book.

Overall, I have to give this book a 5/5 stars because the entertainment value is so huge, the character development is incredibly detailed and expertly done. Finally, the writing style was perfection. Maas changed POV without changing the narrative which is great.

So Many Books, So Little Time

For the past 5 years, I have had a reading goal on my Goodreads account. I have actually done a pretty good job the last couple years in meeting those goals.

*Having a 2 hour train commute to work every day definitely helps meet my reading goals*

Since it is the middle of the year I am getting a little worried about meeting my 2018 goal. I am currently 10 books behind schedule (YIKES).

I am a total mood reader, so this list might change, but I definitely want to have something to lean on if I get stuck in a non-reading mood. I feel like I have a lot of books about Dragons and Magic (sorrynotsorry).

So here is my list:

1. Becoming the Dragon
2. The Assassin's Blade (all 5 novellas) Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
3. Throne of Glass Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
4. Crown of Midnight Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
5. Heir of Fire Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
6. Queen of Shadows Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
7. Empire of Storms Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
8. Tower of Dawn Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
9. Kingdom of Ash Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
10. Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis
11. In the Woods by Tana French
12. Far From the Tree by Robin Benway
13. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
14. The Radium Girls by Kate Moore
15. The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
16. Eragon by Christopher Paolini
17. You are a Badass by Jen Sincero
18. Summer Knight Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
19. Death Masks Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
20. Blood Rites Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
21. P.S. from Paris by Marc Levy
22. A Beautiful Work in Progress by Mirna Valerio
23. Mrs. Saint and the Defectives by Julie Timmer Lawson
24. The Man of Legends by Kenneth C. Johnson
25. Dead Certain by Adam Mitzner
26. Crimes Against a Book Club by Kathy Cooperman
27. The Marvelous Misadventures of Ingrid Winder by J.S. Drangsholt
28. The Mark of Fire by Hannah LeBlond
29. Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
30. Only the Rain by Randall Silvis
31. The Original Dream by Nukila Amal
32. Red Queen Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
33. Glass Sword Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
34. King's Cage Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
35. War Storm Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
36. LifeL1k3 by Jay Kristoff
37. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
38. Soulbound by Bec McMaster

What books have you already read from this list and what did you think?

What books do you think I should add?

Books. Books. Books. and me.

Hi! My name is Danielle. I am a book loving mom and wife.

I have always been an avid reader. I am so excited to start down this journey.

I started with just writing a sentence or two about the books I have read so I could remind myself how I felt about a book. Then, I joined a book club and had to think harder about the books I was reading and why and how they made me feel. My reviews got more detailed on Goodreads and I became very engaged in my Goodreads list.

This past month, I have really wanted to explore my options in writing reviews, photography, and just in general sharing my love of books, reading, and opinions on the books I'm reading. So I created a bookstagram account and in just the short few weeks, I have connected with some awesome people.

I feel like I am being very repetitive. I am re-purposing this blog that I started almost 10 years ago. For my bookstagram/book review/photography journey. I will post reviews, lists, pictures, and we will just see where this journey goes.

I am currently a reviewer for Onlinebookclub.org and am just now working on my second book for them.

My bookstagram account is @bookishmommy15, come check it out and follow me.

My Goodreads.com account is www.goodreads.com/bookishmom15.

Please follow wherever you feel like following. I love all the love I can get! <3