2017 Reads

Hey guys! I thought I would make a complete list of the books I've read in 2017, with links to any reviews I've written. Just, you know, in case you were interested or whatever... You probably aren't, but let's be honest, this isn't about you. ;)

I believe I had originally set my Goodreads Reading Challenge goal this year to 30, because that's how many books I read last year. I quickly reached that goal, so I pushed it up to 52. I had reached that by the end of... October, I think? At that point I decided not to set a higher goal, but just see how many books I would end up reading by the end of the year. As things progressed I unofficially gave myself a goal of 75, and I have managed to achieve that!

Reading went really well for me this year! I didn't go through many reading slumps, and I consistently read a minimum of 4 novels per month, at my normal pace - no stressing or pushing to read faster. At the end, I'll admit I read a few shorter books in order to complete a couple challenges and reach my "unofficial goal," but they're still books, and I did read them! ;) There are probably a few areas of my life that I didn't pay as much attention to in order to read more (other hobbies, mostly), but aside from my penpals, I don't think my reading twice as much this year has had much affect on anybody else. I will admit that my penpals may have suffered a bit of neglect this year... :/

According to my Goodreads Year in Books, the most popular book I read was All the Light We Cannot See, and the longest book I read was Wildwood. As you can see from the list below, I was doing alright with reviewing for a while, but I quickly got sidetracked (by reading more books!). I think one of my goals for 2018 will be to set aside time every 3-4 weeks to review any books I've finished in that time period. Or to try to review as soon as I've finished (that would be ideal). Actually, ideally, I should take notes as I'm reading, but that would just require too much organization and commitment on my part! ;) 

1. Flawed by Cecelia Ahern (****) - review here
2. The Magician's Lie by Greer Macallister (***) - review here
3. Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake (****) - review here
4. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (*****) - review here
5. Da Vinci's Tiger by L.M. Elliott (**) - review here
6. The Woman Next Door by Barbara Delinsky - audio (***)
7. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell (*****) - review here
8. Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth (****) - review here
9. The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George (**) - review here
10. This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab (*****) - review here
11. P. S. I Like You by Kasie West (***) - review here
12. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr - audio (***)
13. The Love That Split the World by Emily Henry (****) - review here
14. Ever the Hunted by Erin Summerill (*****) - review here
15. Caraval by Stephanie Garber (*****) - review here
16. Seven Deadlies: A Cautionary Tale by Gigi Levangie (***) - review here
17. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (audio / reread) (*****)
18. A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley (*****)
19. Grounded by Kate Klise (****)
20. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (****) - review here
21. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (*****) - review here
22. Servants' Hall: A Real Life Upstairs, Downstairs Romance by Margaret Powell (***)
23. Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon (*****) - review here
24. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer - audio (*****)
25. Wildwood by Colin Meloy (*****) - review here
26. Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell (***)
27. Look Into My Eyes by Lauren Child (****)
28. The Girl With the Silver Eyes by Willo Davis Roberts (****)
29. Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch (*****) - review here
30. Sweet Misfortune by Kevin Alan Milne (****)
31. The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli (****) - review here
32. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (*****)
33. Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O'Neill (***)
34. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (*****) - review here
35. Wonder by R.J. Palacia (*****) - review here
36. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell (*****)
37. The Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands (*****)
38. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (****) - review here
39. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab (*****) - review here
40. Future Perfect by Jen Larsen (****)
41. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli (****)
42. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven (*****)
43. Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller (*****) - review here
44. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (***)
45. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell (****)
46. All There Is: Love Stories from StoryCorps by Dave Isay (****)
47. New World: Rising by Jennifer Wilson (****)
48. Peter Pan by E.M. Barrie (****) - review here
49. Everland by Wendy Spinale (****)
50. Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman (*****)
51. What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum (*****)
52. 13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl by Mona Awad (**)
53. The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee (*****)
54. The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling - audio (**)
55. The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater (*****)
56. Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst (***) - review here
57. One Dark Throne by Kendare Blake (*****)
58. Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater (*****)
59. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman (****) - review here
60. The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith - audio (*****)
61. A Good Day to Buy by Sherry Harris (****)
62. The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith - audio (*****)
63. The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater (****)
64. Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco (****)- review here
65. Warcross by Marie Lu (****)
66. Glass Houses by Louise Penny (*****) - review here
67. Miracle on 5th Avenue by Sarah Morgan (***)
68. Dear Santa: Children's Christmas Letters and Wish Lists, 1870-1920 (*****)
69. Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore (***) - review here
70. Before She Ignites by Jodi Meadows (****)
71. A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro (*****)
72. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate (****)
73. The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling (****)
74. Matchless by Gregory Maguire (***)
75. For One More Day by Mitch Albom (****)

And that's it for 2017! I think this is the most books I have ever read in a year, and I'm pretty stoked about that. If it isn't, it certainly has been years since I've been able to achieve that.

So, I've just set my Goodreads Reading Challenge goal for 2018 to 80. Five more than 2017, which I think should be achievable. Providing that the new year goes as smoothly as this past year, with no real obstacles... We'll see! I will definitely try to continue reviewing the books I've read this year (or at least the ones I really liked), and will try to be more on top of the blogging/reviewing situation in 2018.

Happy New Year everyone, and happy reading!

Book Review: Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore

Wild Beauty

by Anna-Marie McLemore

Source: Received in an OwlCrate box (October "Find Me In The Forest")

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Magical Realism

Synopsis:

Love grows such strange things.

For nearly a century, the Nomeolvides women have tended the grounds of La Pradera, the lush estate gardens that enchant guests from around the world. They’ve also hidden a tragic legacy: if they fall in love too deeply, their lovers vanish. But then, after generations of vanishings, a strange boy appears in the gardens.

The boy is a mystery to Estrella, the Nomeolvides girl who finds him, and to her family, but he’s even more a mystery to himself; he knows nothing more about who he is or where he came from than his first name. As Estrella tries to help Fel piece together his unknown past, La Pradera leads them to secrets as dangerous as they are magical in this stunning exploration of love, loss, and family

Review:

I'm not sure if it's the magical realism, or the author's writing style, or what exactly it was that I didn't like about this book, but I was disappointed. We received it in the October OwlCrate box, which I was soooo excited about! I had added this one to my Goodreads To Read list ages ago, because it was so gorgeous. Then when we got it in the box, with the exclusive cover, I was just over the moon. So I read it fairly soon after, and, well... Not what I was expecting or hoping for from this book.

I have a huge tendency to not really read too much about a book before I pick it up. Very generally speaking, if somebody posts a picture of a book cover on Instagram with a little blurb (ex: it's about this family of women who live in a beautiful garden and grow flowers from their hands), that's usually enough for me. Sometimes I will read the full synopsis on Goodreads, or if I'm holding the physical book I might read the flyleaf, but I really truly unapologetically judge books by their covers and the recommendations of my peers. Not reviews - I never read reviews before I read a book - but if someone I know says "I loved this book!" and it's a genre I enjoy, and it has a pretty cover, to boot... good enough!

All that to say that I honestly hadn't read what the book was about before it came in the OwlCrate box. The synopsis is intriguing, so I was anxious to read it, but, I had a really hard time enjoying it.

The imagery is absolutely beautiful, there is no denying that. The author's description of flowers and colours is exceptional. The story itself, I felt a bit lost in. I see how everything tied together in the end, but getting there... there were many things that just felt like distractions from the main story, or unnecessary embellishments, or I don't know... I really wasn't sure where things were going or what the purpose of all these characters was, or anything until probably 2/3 into the book. The characters also weren't all that special to me. I liked them, but didn't feel there was much to connect to, and there were so many!

I may give the author's other books a chance, should I ever come across them, but I wouldn't go out of my way to find her books, based on how I felt about Wild Beauty. They all have great synopses, but so did this one, so...

In the end, it was an ok read for me. It only has a 3.73 star rating on Goodreads so I obviously am not the only one who feels it may have missed the mark. Not sure I would recommend it, but I know that a lot of people on the Life & Lit and OwlCrate Society groups loved it, so... Read at your own risk, I guess! :)

My Goodreads rating:

It's Monday! What Are YOU Reading? #7

So I will be writing a Year in Review type post next week, most likely, but I just felt like I haven't been super active in the last couple weeks, so I thought I would write a quick Monday post!

One of the Facebook groups I'm in, called Life & Lit, has been doing different challenges and activities all month long, under the theme of Yule Ball (from the Harry Potter books/movies). One of the biggest challenges is the Yule Bingo. The bingo card is divided into 16 squares, with one column for each of the four houses (Griffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff), and each square is a character or major element from the Harry Potter stories, which represents a theme of a possible book (ex: Butterbeer is a for a sweet book, and Harry is for a book with the "chosen one" trope). You get one point for your house per square you block off, and if you block off the whole column for your house, you get a bingo, which means 5 points! It's a lot of fun!

So, I've been working away at the Yule Bingo. I have read five books so far this month for that. I need to read two more from the Ravenclaw column to get bingo, and then if I read just one more book after that, I will have reached my unofficial goal of 75 books! I think it's totally achievable! At the end of November I wasn't so sure I'd be able to make it, but I've been doing really well. Admittedly, a couple of the books I've read this month were shorter/kids' stories, but still!

I got into a bit of a slump over the weekend, but my current read is The Glass Spare by Lauren Destefano, which came in the November OwlCrate box. It sounds good, and what I've read so far has been good, but I just haven't felt like reading that much lately, and I had other stuff going on this weekend.

After I finish The Glass Spare, I intend to read Matchless: A Christmas Story by Gregory Maguire. It's a shorter one, so I should be able to finish it in a day, depending on what else is going on. And then I think I'd like to try to read Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, before I give it to my nephew for his birthday on January first!

What are you guys reading this week? How have you done with your reading goals this year?

Book Review: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

A Man Called Ove

by Fredrik Backman

Source: Found a used copy in a book sale

Genre: Contemporary, Fiction, Humour

Synopsis:

A grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door.

Meet Ove. He's a curmudgeon, the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him the bitter neighbor from hell, but must Ove be bitter just because he doesn't walk around with a smile plastered to his face all the time?

Behind the cranky exterior there is a story and a sadness. So when one November morning a chatty young couple with two chatty young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove's mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul. All of which will change one cranky old man and a local residents' association to their very foundations.

Review:

This book had a slow start for me. It didn't quite grab my attention at the start. That was partially due to the fact that I was (once again) attempting to read several books at once. However, I had heard some really wonderful things about this book, so I definitely wanted to stick with it and give it a solid shot. I decided that I would need to set aside any other books I was reading and force myself to read A Man Called Ove, otherwise I would be too tempted to read faster paced Young Adult novels.

 

Once I was focused on this book alone, it was still kind of slow for me. There were some funny parts (poor old Ove just can't catch a break!), but it still didn't really mean much to me, and I was finding the flashbacks a bit annoying.

After about the 3/4 mark, however, I was completely invested. It wasn't that anything significant happened, or anything like that; something in my mind just clicked, I guess, and I suddenly really needed to know what was going to happen to Ove and his neighbours. I suppose I was also starting to see the picture the flashbacks were tying to show us.

And then the ending... Well, once I got there, I finally knew what everyone had been talking about! This certainly is a very moving story, with a tear-jerking ending. As curmudgeonly an old grouch as Ove is, he's a really loveable character. I enjoyed how we see Ove's crusty old frozen heart slowly melt and soften to encompass those around him - both new and old.

It was especially funny entertaining for me to read this story, as I work with the elderly on a daily basis. Trust me, I've met a few Ove's. Of course, Ove isn't really as old as he acts, which I suppose is part of his charm.

Overall, a touching story, and I do recommend it!





























My Goodreads rating:

Book Review: Glass Houses by Louise Penny

Glass Houses

by Louise Penny

Genre: Mystery, Contemporary, Fiction

Synopsis:

When a mysterious figure appears on the village green on a cold November day in Three Pines, Armand Gamache, now Chief Superintendent of the Sûreté du Québec, knows something is seriously wrong. Yet he does nothing. Legally, what can he do? Only watch and wait. And hope his mounting fears are not realized.

From the moment its shadow falls over Three Pines, Gamache suspects the creature has deep roots and a dark purpose. When it suddenly vanishes and a body is discovered, it falls to Gamache to discover if a debt has been paid or levied.

In the early days of the investigation into the murder, and months later, as the trial for the accused begins in a Montreal courtroom on a steamy day in July, the Chief Superintendent continues to struggle with actions he’s set in motion, from which there is no going back. “This case began in a higher court,” he tells the judge, “and it’s going to end there.”

And regardless of the trial’s outcome, he must face his own conscience.

In her latest utterly gripping book, number-one New York Times bestselling author Louise Penny shatters the conventions of the crime novel to explore what Gandhi called the court of conscience. A court that supersedes all others.

Review:

As always, I must warn you that this post may contain spoilers. I don't find that I have much of a filter when it comes to these things.


Honestly, I don't think I will ever not like a Louise Penny book. I'm only sorry I didn't read this one sooner, and that when I did start reading it, I didn't give it the attention it deserved. I adore the world that Louise Penny has created in these books. Not just Three Pines, and not just because it's set in the region where I live... I love the people as if they were my own friends and neighbours, and I love the atmosphere, and I love the attention she gives to food.

So before I read it, I saw a ton of reviews that toted this novel as her "best one yet" and everyone saying it was their favourite... I won't say that, but I will say that it took on a slightly different feel, and I liked it. It made me cry, and that's usually a sign of a very good book. (Or maybe I was just an emotional wreck when I was reading it... Who knows?)

The story goes back and forth between the events leading up to a murder that took place in Three Pines in November, and the Montreal courtroom in July, where the case is being tried and Armand is giving his testimony.

Of course there is more to the story than the murder itself. In previous books, Louise dealt with corruption in the government; in this one she addresses drug cartels. In order to stop this one significant source of crime and death in Quebec, Gamache and his team must launch a huge top secret undercover operation which results in many more deaths, and crimes that they themselves must commit, for the greater good. The line between right and wrong is not always clear.

I mentioned it in my Goodreads review, but I'll say it again here, the last three chapters were really what got me. The major action scenes happen then (which were what made me cry), we finally discover who the murderer was, as well as the identity of the head of the drug cartel, and we are left in suspense to find out whether or not Armand Gamache will maintain his title as Chief Superintendent of the Sûreté du Québec!

My Goodreads rating:

Progress Report: October - November 2017

*Phew*

 

Let me tell you, I thought that the summer went fast, but the last two months were like a flash! Ok, so maybe October dragged a bit for me due to personal reasons, but November... Where did it go?!

 

Alright, so I just thought I should do another brief overview of my reading for tthe last two months. In October I read the following 5 books and 1 audiobook:

 

My fave October read

 

 

One Dark Throne by Kendare Blake *****

Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater *****

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman ****

The Cuckoo's Calling (audio) by Robert Galbraith *****

A Good Day to Buy by Sherry Harris ****

The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater ****

 

And in November I read the following 4 books and 1 audiobook:
 

Even though I rated a
couple others higher,
this was my fave
November read!

The Silkworm (audio) by Robert Galbraith *****

Stalking Jack the Ripper (ebook) by Kerri Maniscalco ****

Warcross by Marie Lu ****

Glass Houses by Louise Penny *****

Miracle on 5th Avenue by Sarah Morgan ***

 

I had reached my Goodreads goal of 52 in September, and decided not to increase it, just to see how many books I would read without feeling the pressure of a deadline. As of today, I have read 67 books in 2017! I was sort of unofficially aiming for 75, but that might be a bit of a stretch at this point. I'm not sure exactly how much reading time I'll be putting in between now and Christmas, what with work and Christmas parties, and gifts to finish crafting/buying... But we'll see! Maybe I will surprise myself! ;)

Just to finish the update, I am currently reading Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore. It is mystical and magical and intriguing, but I'm not feeling a real connection to the story or characters yet. I don't think I like the way it is written, but I'm going to stick it out and see if my opinion changes. Last week I picked up, but haven't dug too deep yet into, Adulting: How to Become a Grown-up in 468 Easy(ish) Steps by Kelly Williams Brown. And last night (technically December 1st, but we are the first, so... I'll mention it...) I started Dear Santa: Children's Christmas Letters and Wish Lists, 1870-1920. It should be a very sweet Christmas-y read to kick off the season.

I'll be back at the end of the month for a complete 2017 Year in Review post!

Book Review: Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

Stalking Jack the Ripper

by Kerri Maniscalco

Source: I bought a e-version fairly cheap on Google Books

Genre: Young Adult, Historical fiction, Mystery, Horror

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord's daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life. 

Against her stern father's wishes and society's expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle's laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world. 

Review:

It took me two weeks to finish this book, for a few reasons. One being that I was trying to read three books at once, which rarely goes well for me. Another being that it was an e-book, which I generally find more difficult to read. They're handy because I can read them on my phone, which I always have with me. However, if I have my phone screen in front of me, the temptation to do any- and everything other than read is strong.

That said, I did find that the beginning was a little uninteresting. It wasn't exactly slow, the murders start happening almost immediately, but it didn't quite grab me until a few chapters in.

I really enjoyed the characters. I loved how independent, spunky, and feminine Audrey Rose was, and I fancied how odd, brilliant, and flirtatious Thomas was. I just really liked their chemistry and dialogue.

I appreciated the inclusion of period photos, they helped to really put you in the setting. The photos were creepy, but not gruesome; ranging from medical diagrams to a leper to evidence from the Jack the Ripper case.

I was quite intrigued by this teenage female MC in Victorian England, being so interested in the inner workings of bodies, forensic science, mystery solving, etc. She knows where her interests lie, and nobody's going to stop her - I love that! I loved that her uncle recognized her brilliance and drive and was willing to apprentice her, despite her father's wishes. And, of course, I loved that Thomas was attracted to her brains.

For Audrey Rose's character alone I would give the book five stars, but on top of that, there was a really interesting interpretation of the Jack the Ripper case. I was relatively surprised by the identity of Jack (by that point it was really only down to two possible suspects, in my opinion), and the resolution of the case and how the final evidence was presented to confirm  this character's guilt was delightfully creepy and weird.

I found the story to be very tastefully executed, despite a horrific topic. The conclusion was satisfying and could pretty easily be left at that, but it leads so tidily into the next book that I am quite looking forward to reading Hunting Prince Dracula. I believe I would recommend this book, but only if the person appreciates horror and murder mysteries. I wouldn't exactly describe this as a horror, myself, but it does describe some of the horrific facts of the historical case, so... it's kinda creepy and gross in that way.

My Goodreads rating:

Top Ten Tuesday: Books On My Winter TBR

Hey guys! I'm hoping that by starting early I will actually get this Top Ten Tuesday posted on time, and not forget about it... This week's Top Ten Tuesday theme (hosted by The Broke and the Bookish) is books that are on our winter TBR piles!

If you've visited my blog before when I've talked about TBR piles, you'll know that I don't really plan my reading. I mean, I'll pick out a bunch of books at the beginning of the month that I'd like to get to, but I most likely won't. I am very much a mood-reader, so when it comes around time to pick up the next book, that little pile for the month is often not very attractive anymore. So, all that to say that it is kind of difficult for me to do TBR posts like this, and actually read the books. But, if I were the type of person to plan my reading (and stick with it), these are the books I'd like to read this winter:

8. Winter by Marissa Meyer - I started reading this a few winters ago and simply could not get into it. It's been so long now since I've read the others that I'll probably have the same problem again, but I really would like to finally finish this series.

7. Heartless by Marissa Meyer - I am ashamed to admit that I still have not read many of the books that came in OwlCrate boxes in the past year, this being one of them. I love Alice in Wonderland, and I adored the box this book came in, so I'm really not sure why I've put this one off for so long...

6. Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore - Another OwlCrate book, this one was actually on my Goodreads TBR long before we got the box, so I am pretty excited about it!

5. The Last Star by Rick Yancey - Again, just really need to finish the series. It's been a while now since I read the others, but I feel like it will come back to me quickly enough.

4. Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman - I read A Man Called Over earlier this year and came across this other work of his at a used book sale, so I'm looking forward to seeing if all his books have the same feeling.

3. The Little Old Lady Strikes Again by Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg - (alternate title, The Little Old Lady Who Struck Lucky Again) I enjoyed the first book, The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules, which was entertaining, so I'm looking forward to seeing what antics the League of Pensioners get into in this book.

2. The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden by Jonas Jonasson - Again, I read his other book, The 100-Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared, which was a bit different and darker than I was expecting, so I'm curious to see what this one will be like. Also, it has been sitting on my shelf for a very long time.

1. Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly - I watched the movie when it came out in theatres and simply adored it, so I am very much looking forward to reading the book to find out how many liberties they took with it (aka, how much better the book is)!


Well... I could only come up with eight... I'm sorry! Haha, I left this on the weekend and didn't come back to it, and didn't feel like wracking my brains for more! :P

Book Review: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Everything, Everything

by Nicola Yoon

Source: I bought a paperback copy from BookOutlet

Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Fiction, Contemporary

Synopsis:

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

Review:

I'm gonna go ahead and say right now that this review contains SPOILERS. I just don't really know how to talk about books at any length without giving away pertinent information! I can't do it! I'm sorry! And like, I absolutely hate it when people spoil stuff for me (in fact, this book spoiled the ending of Le Petit Prince, which made me mad!), but I honestly don't know how not to! So, I'm just not going to try.

Alright, so, that said... I adored this story! I tend to shy away from very cutesy high school romances, but this one was different. Maybe because it wasn't actually set in a high school, or maybe it was just the writing. We're obviously still talking about a couple of teenagers, one being very sheltered, but the story managed to be youthful without being juvenile.

Here come the spoilers.


Maddy only really interacts with three people: her doctor/mother, her nurse Carla, and Carla's daughter Rosa (she does her classes online, so she is in touch with other people, but not in person). Maddy never leaves her house, because she is allergic. To everything. Or so she thinks...

Olly moves in next door, and Maddy is immediately interested. But can you blame her? An attractive, moody teenage boy dressed in black who does parkour? I was into him, too...

Anyway, so they start communicating through the window, and then exchange e-mail addresses, and then start IM-ing at all hours of the night... And then Maddy convinces her nurse to make arrangements for Olly to come over while Maddy's mom is away. And they, of course, fall in love, as is to be expected.

Olly's dad is abusive, and things get pretty interesting when Maddy witnesses him beating Olly and she runs outside to help him. If she really is as sick as she's supposed to be, stepping outside for even a moment should result in an immediate and grave reaction.

But nothing happens.

Needless to say, Maddy's mom is beside herself that Maddy would go outside, and when she realizes just how well Maddy and Olly know each other, and what's been going on behind her back, she fires Carla and forbids Maddy from talking to Olly anymore.

Maddy's not having any of that. She plans a trip to Hawaii (because it's on her bucket list), buys the tickets online with her mom's credit card, and convinces Olly to go with her, despite the potential risk to her health, because love makes you crazy like that, right? Olly begrudgingly takes her, and they spend a magical weekend together, but then she starts to get sick. Knowing all about her apparent illness, and already being concerned for her health and his responsibility for her, Olly rushes her to hospital, her mom comes to take her home, and while she is recovering (and not talking to Olly, because, how embarrassing to almost die in front of the boy you love?!) Olly's family moves away.

After one of the doctors from the hospital in Hawaii contacts Maddy to tell her she doesn't have what she thinks she has, Maddy begins to question her health. She starts snooping through her mom's files and realizes that it has all been a fabrication, all this time. It turns out that her mom had a sort of psychotic break after the accident that took Maddy's father and brother, and fear made her believe that Maddy was ill, and therefore do everything in her power to protect her and keep her safe.

Maddy, understandably, leaves her crazy mother behind and goes to find Olly to start a new life with him.

I thought Maddy was awesome - cool and smart and well-read and knows what she wants. Olly was obviously super cool, too - did I mention the parkour? And their love story was super cute. Like, so sweet.

I loved Carla, too. She so obviously cares for Maddy as if she were her own daughter, and struggles with suspecting the truth about Maddy and her mom.

Maddy's mom... It's obvious that she meant well - she only wanted to protect this surviving piece of her family... but she's straight up crazy. Though you suspect the truth from the beginning, reading that part of the story is heartbreaking. Maddy's mom was so delusional that she absolutely believed all of it. She had gone so far off the deep end as to have written articles in medical journals about her daughter's super rare disease, and dealing with it... So sad!

My Goodreads rating:

Book Review: The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

The Upside of Unrequited

by Becky Albertalli

Source: Came in the April "Head Over Heels" OwlCrate box

Genre: Young adult, Romance, Contemporary, LGBTQ+

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Molly Peskin-Suso knows all about unrequited love—she’s lived through it twenty-six times. She crushes hard and crushes often, but always in secret. Because no matter how many times her twin sister, Cassie, tells her to woman up, Molly can’t stomach the idea of rejection. So she’s careful. Fat girls always have to be careful.

Then a cute new girl enters Cassie’s orbit, and for the first time ever, Molly’s cynical twin is a lovesick mess. Meanwhile, Molly’s totally not dying of loneliness—except for the part where she is. Luckily, Cassie’s new girlfriend comes with a cute hipster-boy sidekick. Will is funny and flirtatious and just might be perfect crush material. Maybe more than crush material. And if Molly can win him over, she’ll get her first kiss and she’ll get her twin back.

There’s only one problem: Molly’s coworker Reid. He’s an awkward Tolkien superfan with a season pass to the Ren Faire, and there’s absolutely no way Molly could fall for him. Right?

Review:

I was on the fence about reading this book. But, I am a sucker for anything to do with twins - I've always had a real fascination for multiples and especially identicals - so it didn't take much convincing. The fact that others said it was a really fast read made it more interesting too, and I did end up reading it in one day, which is quite rare for me.

As you can see from the synopsis, the story is about Molly and her twin Cassie. Cassie suddenly falls head-over-heels for her new girlfriend, and Molly feels totally left behind because she's never had a boyfriend and she feels like her twin isn't hers anymore, and the only way to fix it will be for her to find herself a boyfriend. But how can she find a boyfriend when she's so insecure, feeling fat and ugly and like nobody could ever love her more than as a friend...?!

It was super cute, as most YA romances tend to be. I loved the twin element, of course, and I just really felt like I could relate to Molly, so much. From her self-image to her feelings about Cassie's new relationship, I often feel the same way, even now (maybe even more now) about my friends and peers: that they are succeeding and achieving and drifting away, but I'm still here, not moving... not achieving or changing or succeeding... I can only imagine what it must be like with a twin. Especially when they went from being best friends who told each other everything, to keeping secrets and developing new interests.

The writing style wasn't necessarily something I enjoyed in this book. It is definitely written for its audience (teens and young adults), and so I can see how the witty banter and blatant sex talk would appeal to rebellious teenagers, but I just didn't enjoy that aspect so much. I was raised very conservatively, so I would even venture to say that I found it a bit scandalous for a YA book. I understand how it can be perceived as "realistic" to have teenagers and their parents talking about these topics so openly, I'm just saying that I myself would probably not have enjoyed this book as a teenager. I don't know. But as an adult, it was an ok read. It entertained, it was cute, and it was fast, so it's a 3.5 stars for me.

My Goodreads rating:

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Want My Future Children to Read

Hello again! Imagine, two posts back-to-back, in the same week?! This is insanity! ;)

Well, I'm back again with another Top Ten Tuesday (a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish). This week's theme is Books I Want My Future Children to Read. Let's dive right in.

1. Canadian classic. Everyone should read this one!



2. Literally anything by Roald Dahl - love him! But Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a must! Also, James and the Giant Peach! :D

3. I was "not allowed" to read Harry Potter growing up, but I wasn't that interested anyway. Reading the books as an adult, I loved them. I've got my younger nephew reading them, and I certainly wouldn't force them on a child, but if my kids wanted to read them, I wouldn't discourage them!

4. The Little House series is another must, for sure!

5. Anything by Robert Munsch. In all honesty, Love You Forever is more for the moms, but it's a good one for the little kids, as well, I think! (P.S. Do not read the reviews on Goodreads, they will ruin it for you...)

6. I read Wonder this year, and I'm pretty sure this will be a forced read for my kids. This should be required reading in every middle school.

7. I loved Amelia Bedelia and her antics :)

8. My brother and I both enjoyed these as kids. For some reason, we were allowed to read these... I'm thinking my dad didn't  know what they were about... lol

9. Who doesn't love that silly little monkey?

10. Absolutely, definitely, without a doubt, the Magic School Bus series. If not the books, they will have to watch the shows, because these stories were entertaining, educational, and got our minds working and asking questions!

It's Monday! What Are YOU Reading? #6

Good evening Bookish Friends!

Welcome back for another It's Monday! What Are YOU Reading? post, as hosted by The Book Date! Here's what I was reading last week:

• the audiobook of The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith
• the ebook of Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco
• Glass Houses by Louise Penny

I started and finished the first two around the same time, so it took me approximately two weeks to read both of them. The audiobook would've taken that long anyway, because I only listen to them in the car to/from work, so a total of about an hour a day. Stalking Jack the Ripper I would have normally finished faster, but I was trying to read Glass Houses at the same time, which wasn't working very well, so it was a slow beginning for me. Also, I find that I am distracted much easier from ebooks than physical. With a physical book, once I crack it open and start reading, I am pretty well absorbed in it. With the ebook, especially on my phone, I find it so much easier to do anything else except open the book, plus I would be getting notifications and messenger messages, so just very distracting for me. But handier than carrying around a physical book.

I eventually set aside Glass Houses last week, because Stalking Jack the Ripper was for a book club discussion so I wanted to be sure I finished it and the other book club book, which is Warcross by Marie Lu. So, this week I am reading Warcross. I also started the eversion of Where'd You Go, Bernadette? last night, but I most likely won't get much more into that until I have finished both Warcross and Glass Houses. I don't even know why I started it? I guess I was just flipping through my tablet (which I haven't touched in months, and which has a bunch of books in a different program that I can't access from my phone), found it and thought, "Oh that looks good!" so I read a couple chapters. *shrug*

Everyone says Warcross is a really quick read, and the discussion for it is this Saturday, so I'm hoping I'll be able to finish it by then, and then I'd like to finish Glass Houses. After that, I don't really have much of a plan for November. I had added a couple Harlequin's to my month's TBR pile initially, just because they were at the top of a pile that keeps judging me staring at me, and I just want to say I've read them so I can pass them along or whatever. They were gifted to me by a friend, so I do want to actually read them before getting rid of them, if possible. However, if I don't read them by the end of January, I might just have to let them go. The book piles around here are out of hand, and the rest of my family is getting fed up with me.

Anyway! That's what's up this Monday!

Unboxing: LootCrate vs. GeekGear | September 2017

Hey guys, what's up? I've been thinking about unboxing posts lately...

I've been wanting to do some for a while, with my various subscription boxes, but I never seem to get around to it. More specifically, I have been wanting to do an unboxing post comparing two of the most popular Harry Potter themed subscription boxes out there, namely, Wizarding World by LootCrate and World of Wizardry by GeekGear. So that is what I'm about to do...

First, a little more information about these boxes: LootCrate is an American-based company. Their Harry Potter box, called J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World, is issued bi-monthly (every other month). They have several different themes of boxes, the Harry Potter one started last November (2016), and I have been subscribing since the beginning. They have a general theme for each issue, and each box contains 5-7 items, which usually includes a t-shirt. Items are licensed and exclusive. They do slip in some Fantastic Beast items as well. When you sign up, you choose which House you would like to be in, and any house-specific items will be for that House. LootCrate's box comes out to around $65 CAD ($51 USD), with shipping.

GeekGear is based out of the U.K. and they currently have two boxes: a generally geeky one. and Harry Potter/Fantastic Beasts. Their HP box is called World of Wizardry and it is issued monthly. I'm not sure how long they've been doing this box, but I first subscribed in August 2017. This box doesn't really have a monthly theme, but also contains 5-7 licensed & exclusive items, usually including a t-shirt. When you sign up, you can choose a House, or not - if you choose "Any," they will send you random House items when things are house-specific. GeekGear's box comes out to around $43 CAD ($33 USD), with shipping.

 

LootCrate's September Wizarding World Magical Must-Haves contents:

• House scarf with leather crest
• Harry Potter wand pen
• Salazar Slytherin's Locket pin
• Honeydukes eraser set (chocolate frog, sugar skull, jelly slug, cauldron cake)
• MACUSA office stationery set (folder, sticky notes, paperclips, list pad)

GeekGear's September World of Wizardry contents:

• House themed socks (HP's glasses & scar print in house colour)
• Keychain (4 designs: Death Mark, Golden Snitch, Hogwarts Crest, Deathly Hallows)
• Harry Potter figurine
• Newt Scamander's wand
• Hogwarts Express print
• Niffler tee "Every day I'm nifflin'" designed by Risa Rodil

I like the items in the LootCrate boxes: this month's stationery set is right up my alley! And I love the scarf, I almost can't wait for cooler weather so I can wear it! ;) But the wand pens aren't really interesting to me, I find the pins over-sized and gaudy, and while I love the idea and the packaging of these erasers, they are pretty useless aren't they? If they had been actual candies I would have been much more excited. :P My favourite part of the box, actually, was the box itself: it is reversible and when you flip it inside-out it becomes a blue Hogwarts trunk - I just love that! :)

I find that the items in the GeekGear box are just a little bit nicer. I absolutely adore the t-shirt (and have worn it on several occasions, to be asked, "What's nifflin'?" haha!) and will definitely wear the socks. The figurine is admittedly pretty useless, but it is so detailed and lovely that I really can't say anything bad about it. The Hogwarts Express print, while I have no space to display it, is simply gorgeous. And Newt's wand, well... it's wonderful and I only wish it had a little stand or box for displaying (when I eventually get my room made over, I will have my wands displayed on my bookshelves :) ). The only item I really didn't like was the keychain. I don't love PVC keychains that much anyway (they get so grubby so easily), and I got the Death Mark one, which I kind of hate. I would have literally preferred any of the other designs.

So in general, I like both boxes, but I have to say my preference leans more toward GeekGear. It is less expensive, seems to contain more and better quality items, and I love the Fantastic Beasts franchise just as much as Harry Potter, so I appreciate that they include more items from that fandom (as I said, LootCrate does contain Fantastic Beasts items, but they haven't been all that memorable). Also, GeekGear's tees are way more comfortable and more fun, and you have way more sizes/styles to choose from!

Please let me know in the comments below if you would like to see more unboxing posts. I will try to do it more faithfully, if there is any amount of interest... I get OwlCrate just about every month, and will be getting both GeekGear and LootCrate again in November (maybe another comparison post?). I'd also like to try out some other boxes in the future, particularly FairyLoot and Unicorn Crate, which are both book boxes. I also saw an unboxing video last week for a Pusheen Cat box (not a book box), which sounds pretty awesome because I definitely love Pusheen Cat! I really enjoy the book boxes because, of course, I love books! But they always include other fun bookish items that I can usually use, and as much as I love new books, sometimes the bookish goodies are what I get more excited about. :)

It's Monday! What are YOU reading? #5

Good morning, Internet Land!

 

I felt like it was time for another Monday reading update post. I haven't been reviewing books, or being particularly faithful at blogging lately, so this is my (mediocre) attempt at keeping the blog alive for another week.

 

 

It's Monday! What Are YOU Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by The Book Date, and is meant to be a place and time to share what you've been reading, what you are currently reading, what you are planning on reading next... Just a good time to gather your wits and organize yourself for the week ahead!

So, this Monday, I am still reading the books I was reading last week, which I started two weeks ago. I didn't read at all over the weekend, which I am terribly ashamed of. I meant to read both Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon, but darn it, YouTube sucked me in! Anyway...

 

 

The first book I started was an audiobook, which I borrowed from the library, that being The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith, which is book #2 of the Cormoran Strike series. If you were not aware, Robert Galbraith is a penname of our beloved J.K. Rowling. This is a contemporary murder mystery series following Private Detective Cormoran Strike. I also listened to the first book, The Cuckoo's Calling, and really enjoyed it! So far, I am loving the series. J.K. is a masterful writer. I wasn't too sure after reading The Casual Vacancy earlier this year - barf - if she was meant to write contemporary adult books, but I really do love this series so far. Funny side note, I picked up a paperback copy of this very book at a used book sale the same day that I borrowed the audiobook from the library. It just jumped out at me, and I thought, Why not? Because it's audio CD's, I really only listen to it in the car on my way to and from work, which means I am only listening for about an hour a day, so it is somewhat slow going. But it's a great way to make use of that otherwise "wasted" driving time!

 

Next, I started reading Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco. I had bought an eversion on sale a couple months back, because I had heard some pretty good reviews and the cover is gorgeous and had me lusting. :) But I tend to give a much higher priority to physical books over ebooks, so it kind of got pushed aside. But this month, it was the November book of the month pick for the Facebook "book club" group I'm in, Life and Lit (you should come join us!), so of course, I jumped on the opportunity to read it. It's very interesting, but I haven't made much progress over the last couple weeks. It's on my phone, and I thought that that would make it a lot easier to read at work, and it is, but... that's basically the only time I'm reading it, is 30 minutes at lunch... So I'm hoping to get a really significant amount read this week, just to sort of get caught up. The protagonist is Audrey Rose Wadsworth, a young woman who is "secretly" learning her uncle's trade of medical examiner, in Victorian England: a time when such acts are considered evil, and well-bred women are meant to attend dinner parties and discuss trivial things and find husbands, not touch dead bodies or skulk around the city after dark. It is obviously set during the time of the Jack the Ripper murders, and Audry Rose, her uncle, and a "damnably handsome" colleague work to solve the mystery of who is committing these savage murders. I particularly appreciate the inclusion of related photos and drawings from the time period.

Lastly, I started reading my physical copy of Glass Houses, Louise Penny's newest work. I received it at the end of August (when it was published) as a late birthday gift, and haven't taken the chance to read it yet, so it was just time. It has been so lovely to get reacquainted with these old friends from Three Pines, from whom I haven't heard for a year. But, again, it has been a slow process. I haven't made much progress with this one over the last two weeks, either. Because it is a hardcover, and I'm also reading an ebook that is on my phone which I can read anywhere, I decided I wouldn't take this one out with me. So that leaves evenings and weekends to read it, and I just haven't been doing much of that. I've been spending a lot of time on YouTube lately, mostly looking up DIY Christmas gift ideas, if I'm being completely honest. *shrug*

So, that is my current reading situation!

Currently Reading Tag

Hello! I just read this fun Currently Reading Tag post on a blog I follow (Howling Libraries) and thought to myself, "Why not?" :) I wasn't tagged, and I won't be tagging anybody else to do this, but if you'd like to, feel free! :)

 

How many books do you usually read at once?

I usually have one audiobook on the go (in the car), and one physical book, or two physicals.  I sometimes read two physical books as well as the audiobook, but that is, admittedly, a bit much for me. I try to make sure that, when I'm doing that, the books are different enough, but I still tend to get the story lines tangled up. So two is my max.

If you're reading more than one book at a time, how do you decide when to switch books?

Well, with the audiobooks, I listen to them whenever I am driving, so 40-60 minutes/day during the week naught on weekends, and then read the physical book on breaks at work and in free time at home (and usually quite a bit on the weekend). When I'm reading more than one physical, I usually read 1-2 chapters of each in a sitting, at least when I'm starting them. After I get into them, I might give a little more attention to the less-interesting one to ensure that I actually finish it.

Do you ever switch bookmarks while you're partway through a book?

I'm gonna say no? Although... sometimes, with hardcovers, I will start out using the dust jacket as a bookmark, and then switch to a real bookmark after a while - does that count? Also, I'm going to stop using fun bookmarks with library books because I accidentally left a cute magnetic book in a book I returned, that was an interlibrary exchange, so no real chance of a return. *sigh* Random (Unanticipated) Act of Kindness?

Where do you keep the book(s) you're currently reading?

With me? Haha. When I'm at work: on the side of my desk. When I'm at home: on my bedside table, I guess? Wherever I am, really.

What time of day do you spend the most time reading?

In the evening. Often an hour before supper, and an hour or two right before bed.

How long do you typically read in one sitting?

I don't really count, or aim for a certain number of minutes, I mostly just think, "I'm going to read now," and read until I'm interrupted. *shrug*

Do you read hardbacks with the dust jacket on or off?

Usually on. I only really take them off if they move around a lot or are getting damaged.

What position do you mainly use to read?

Sitting with my legs curled up is my preferred position, but I probably read most in a normal sitting position. I find it pretty uncomfortable to read lying down, and my bed is really not a comfy reading spot, but I do it anyway.

Do you take the book you're currently reading with you everywhere you go?

Well, not everywhere. I'll often take it to work with me to read on breaks. I will sometimes take it when going on family outings, to read in the car, but I get carsick pretty easy, so that doesn't happen much.

How often do you update your Goodreads progress on the book you're currently reading?

I try to update Goodreads with my page number every day, when I put the book down for the night. And definitely as soon as I've finished a book, I'll update Goodreads. I don't update my progress with audiobooks because I'm not really sure how to?


So, that's all. If you want to do the tag, feel free! Maybe let me know in the comments so I can check it out!

Book Review: Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller

Daughter of the Pirate King

by Tricia Levenseller

Source: OwlCrate (March 2017 "Sailors, Ships & Seas")

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Adventure, Romance, Pirates, Mermaids

Synopsis:

"There will be plenty of time for me to beat him soundly once I’ve gotten what I came for."

Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map—the key to a legendary treasure trove—seventeen-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship.

More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate, Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King.

Review:

This was such a fun adventure, and I'm really glad I finally got around to reading it! I only wish that I had read it sooner, and that I already had my hands on Book 2! By the way, this review contains spoilers. #fairwarning

The books that come in the OwlCrate box are not typically books that I would pick up on my own. But I was actually anticipating this one for a long time. I'm not exactly crazy about pirates, or mermaids, but generally speaking I do like stories about them. The cover is pretty, and the synopsis intriguing, so I was thrilled to received it in the box.

Alosa is probably my new favourite heroine. She seems a lot like Merida from Disney's Brave - a sassy, strong, independent woman who does her own thing. She's a badass pirate chick like Elizabeth Swann (Pirates of the Caribbean), and also just so happens to be part mermaid! One couldn't ask for a more interesting leading lady!

The story plot revolves around Princess Alosa, pirate in her own right, daughter of the Pirate King and an unknown siren, who is on a mission for her father to find a hidden treasure map on another pirate ship. She lets herself be captured and taken prisoner on said ship. The captain's brother and first mate, Riden, nominates himself as her keeper.

Alosa proceeds to baffle and frustrate her captors as she escapes her cell at night to search the ship. At one point Riden decides that in order to keep a closer eye on her, she'll just have to stay in his own quarters. Alosa determines that she might have some less-than-murderous feelings for the handsome first mate after all...

Overall Alosa's mission does not go as anticipated: she gets captured several times (sometimes on purpose, sometimes not) is forced to use her siren powers, and may or may not have fallen in love.

I cannot wait for the sequel of this book!

My Goodreads Rating:

Book Review: Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst

 

 

Of Fire and Stars

by Audrey Coulthurst

Source:  Subscription box (OwlCrate's "Epic" box, December 2016)

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, LGBT

Synopsis:

Betrothed since childhood to the prince of Mynaria, Princess Dennaleia has always known what her future holds. Her marriage will seal the alliance between Mynaria and her homeland, protecting her people from other hostile lands. But Denna has a secret. She possesses an Affinity for fire—a dangerous gift for the future queen of a kingdom where magic is forbidden.

Now, Denna must learn the ways of her new home while trying to hide her growing magic. To make matters worse, she must learn to ride Mynaria’s formidable warhorses—and her teacher is the person who intimidates her most, the prickly and unconventional Princess Amaranthine—called Mare—the sister of her betrothed.

When a shocking assassination leaves the kingdom reeling, Mare and Denna reluctantly join forces to search for the culprit. As the two become closer, Mare is surprised by Denna’s intelligence and bravery, while Denna is drawn to Mare’s independent streak. And soon their friendship is threatening to blossom into something more.

But with dangerous conflict brewing that makes the alliance more important than ever, acting on their feelings could be deadly. Forced to choose between their duty and their hearts, Mare and Denna must find a way to save their kingdoms—and each other.

Review:

Sadly, I did not enjoy this book as much as I thought I would. My copy came in last December's OwlCrate box, and I had *almost* bought it for myself days before the box arrived, so this was definitely one I was excited about and interested in. It intrigued me, because princesses and magic, duh. But it wasn't as well executed as I had hoped it would be, so I was a bit disappointed. I liked the premise of the story: a princess with an Affinity, betrothed to the prince of a kingdom totally against ma Sadly, I did not enjoy this book as much as I thought I would. My best friend, Paige, and I decided to read this one together. I ended up finishing it a few weeks before her, but we did have a discussion to compare notes once she had finished it. So, we got this book in last December's OwlCrate box. I had almost bought it for myself days before the box arrived, so this was one of the few OwlCrate picks that I actually knew about beforehand, that I was excited about/interested in. It intrigued me, of course, because of the princesses and magic, but it wasn't as well executed as I had hoped it would be, so I was a bit disappointed. I liked the premise of the story: a princess with an Affinity, betrothed to the prince of a kingdom totally against magic, who ends up falling for the prince's sister. I mean... that's a pretty good plot! That has some real potential! But I just didn't like how that played out, and I didn't particularly care for the characters.   I probably shouldn't have (I like to try to formulate my own opinions before reading others), but I just read a bunch of Goodreads reviews on this book. The more I read, the more I agree, and the more I think I've been really generous with my 3 stars...   Please allow me to just paraphrase a few things other reviewers/bloggers have said that I completely agree with: The world-building sucked. There was information given, but I still didn't feel like I knew where I was. Granted, I have a hard time imagining well-developed worlds, so you can take that with a grain of salt. What's going on? We were kind of thrown into the middle of a conflict, without much history to understand why there was such animosity between Mynaria and their neighbours, why they hate magic so much, and by the way, do we know what happened to the Queen...? The story was flat and uninteresting. There's not much more to add to this. Enough with the horses! I am by no means a horsey girl, but I can appreciate a good horse story. Horses paid a strangely large role in this book, but it didn't feel right. By the end, I was just annoyed with all the horse talk. The names. I just... can't. If you must give your fantasy characters weird names, at least provide a pronunciation guide at the front of the book to help your readers out. The worst ones, for me, were Dennaleia (which I was just calling Daniella in my head) and Thandilimon/Thandi (which just sounds like a stupid lisping version of Sandy). I didn't have such a hard time with Amaranthine, except that the way I was pronouncing it in my head made her nickname of Mare seem awkward (although, it does make sense with the author & character's apparent obsession with horses).  The "adults." A lot of reviewers mentioned the "adults" of this world being clueless and obtuse, and it's true. There were several scenes with conversations revolving around politics which I really couldn't care less about. And, as one other reviewer pointed out, why is it that all of these Council members automatically assume that attacks are from this specific country, without investigating at all? Conveniently stupid.

I really couldn't tell if homosexuality was supposed to be  acceptable in this world, or not. I think that prevalence shouldn't be confused with acceptance. It was brought up a lot, mostly by Mare (who we understand to be bisexual), in the context of the liegemen's activities and her own trysts, yet it didn't seem to be acceptable, at least not for royals and noblemen. Denna's noblewoman friend's lover was not accepted by her family (I can't remember her name, but she was from a different country). Mare was the proverbial "black sheep," which I can't help but connect to her sexual orientation. Politics aside, the relationship between Denna and Mare felt forbidden. If homosexuality is so acceptable in this world, why would that be? While many other reviewers felt that this lesbian romance was the one redeeming element of this book, I would have to disagree. It's still the most interesting part, but I couldn't love their relationship. If you look at the overview of how things happened, it would appear to be a natural progression from dislike to friendship to more, but in the actual text and dialogue... It just felt kind of forced.

 

I didn't hate the story, and I wasn't exactly bored, but it definitely wasn't the most interesting book I have ever read. I wanted to like it. I had heard good reviews from other OwlCrate subscribers at the time we got the book. That, along with the fact that it had such potential and sounded so interesting makes it a real disappointment that it fell so flat. I think I will still hold firm to my 3 stars... for now.

My Goodreads Rating: