The Girl Who Came Back To Life - Craig Staufenberg Review and Giveaway! (#20)

Genre: Fantasy / Adventure / Middle-Grade

Edition: ebook

No. of Pages: 150

Published on: April 16th 2014 (Paperback version)

Published by: Createspace (Paperback version)

Source: CBB Book Promotions

Series?: No

Get this book here.




Description: So in this world, when you die, your spirit goes to the City of the Dead. Your soul is only released when a living loved one goes to the City and Sends you to your next life.
                      When Sophie's parents die, the 12-year-old must make the journey to the City of the Dead. But she has no intention of freeing their souls, instead, she wants to bring them back from the land of the dead. Will she succeed? I wonder.

What I think about it: This was such a unique story! The plot wasn't overly sophisticated and the pacing was well suited to the tone of the tale. I liked that the characters went through some major growth and development. I really did enjoy it. It's not one of the best of the best fairy-tales ever, but I can totally see myself reading this to my kid/s one day.

Character Analysis:

Sophie: She's such a brat at times! I really wasn't that attached to her and at some points I really  disliked her.

Sophie's Grandmother: This lady is filled with quiet fortitude. She's not the nicest person in the world, but ,at the same time, she's not unnecessarily cruel either. I didn't really mind that she was this way, every fairytale needs a villain after all.

Conclusion: 3.5 / 5 stars. It's not the best piece of literature out there, but it's definitely worth a read.

About the Author:

Craig Staufenberg is a writer and filmmaker living in NYC.
Website: http://www.craigstaufenberg.com/

Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Review No. 19: A Sudden Light - Garth Stein

Genre: Gothic / Fantasy / YA

Edition: ebook

No. of Pages: 400

Expected publication date:  30th September 2014

Published by: Simon & Schuster UK

Source: Netgalley

Series?: No

Get this book: Amazon




Description: Trevor Riddell is a 14 year old boy (in the summer of 1990) who is trying to bring his parents back together after they decided to 'take a break'. His father dragged him along to 'visit' his sick grandfather at Riddell House, the legendary family mansion. Things are not what they seem at Riddell House, however, and Trevor  strives to uncover the centuries of secrets buried within its walls. Are there really ghosts in this mansion or has Trevor's mind snapped under the stress of his parents' impending divorce? Read it to find out.

What I think about it: From the beginning, this story is surrounded by a melancholic vibe. Equal parts terrifying and entertaining, it entrances the reader with its special magic. There are some points in the story where the main characters do things that are very irritating but for the most part they're alright. The story is well paced, it doesn't move too fast and it's not so slow that it bores the reader either. By the end of it all, the characters and their unique stories have taken a hold of your mind and invaded your heart. I loved it, even though it tore my heart to shreds.

Character Analysis: (I am not going in to every character, that would take ages! And has the potential to spoil the story.)
Trevor- A.K.A. Clever Trevor. Ah, Trevor........such a simple yet stunning character. I liked him for most of it. He went through quite a journey and came out a changed person (in other words, his character development was amazing).

Serena- I disliked her as soon as we met her.  Her character hits my morals the wrong way and I can't like her.

Ben- I admired him a lot. He did scare me for the first half of the novel, then he grew on me. But I think I did adore Harry more than him.

Conclusion: 4.5/5 stars. This is one of those stories, it's gonna be in my mind for months to come.

Review No. 18: A Man Called Ove - Fredrik Backman

Genre: Humor / Contemporary / Swedish Literature

Edition: epub

No. of Pages: 298

Published on: July 15th 2014

Published by: Atria Books

Source: Netgalley

Series?: No.

Get this book: Amazon






Description (taken from Goodreads):
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.


What I think about it: It's been days since I've finished reading this book and I still cannot think of the perfect words to describe it. I went into this book expecting it to be a fast, funny read. It was really easy to get through and it was very humorous at times, but this book was so much more than that. It dealt with some really serious issues (depression, loss, love, family, helplessness, and so much more) but it was executed in such a way that the reader, does not feel the seriousness of the situations. I loved it, and I think, I will be carrying around the lessons I learnt from this story for a long time. This brilliant masterpiece was one of those unforgettable, life-changing moments that stay with us forever.

Character Analysis:
Ove- I adored his grouchy mood and sharp tongue. His quiet strength is admirable. He's an extremely loveable character.

Cat Annoyance- I loved this cat! Such attitude and personality! So unique and wonderfully hilarious.

Conclusion: A solid 5/5 stars. I highly recommend this book to everyone. There's something in it for everyone.

ARC August 2014 TBR

 Hello,
         Yesterday, I was hanging around on twitter and I saw a tweet that mention Arc August. I was curious and did a bit of research. So, what is this Arc August thing?
         Well, as book bloggers we get a lot of Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs) right? How many times has that pile grown to unmanageable heights? Too many, am I right? Here's a possible solution to this problem that has plagued us so much in the past.
         ARC August is essentially a month long read-a-thon of the review books we have in our possession. The Goal is to finish and review as many ARCs as possible in the month of August.
        If you're interested in taking part, you can sign up here.

    My goal for the month is to read all of the books I have for review. I'm going to be reading:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I'm probably not going to read them in that order, but you can look forward to the reviews of these books in the coming weeks.

 If you're participating in this read-a-thon, please leave a comment telling me which books you plan to read. Or tell me if you've read any of the books on my TBR.

                                                                                                                        Until next time,

                                                                                                                         Silver  

Review No. 17: Keeper - Ingrid Seymour

Tour Page & Schedule



Genre: YA / Urban Fantasy

Edition: ebook

No. of Pages: 400

Published on: March 3rd, 2014

Published by: PenDreams

Source: CBB Book Promotions

Series?: The Morphid Chronicles #1

Get this book here.

I'm really sorry if any of the above information is wrong. I tried my best to be as accurate as possible.


Description: Greg is a Morphid. He's been looking forward to, and at the same time dreading, his transformation for weeks. He wants to belong to a powerful caste but he's afraid that he'll be placed in a common caste like his parents.
                     Sam is an average girl with heartless parents and a dream to be independant.
                    Unfortunately, Fate disagrees with the both of them. Now, Greg is forced to protect Sam while she struggles against her nature.

What I think about it: This was a well written tale. It pulled me onto a rollercoaster of emotions. Honestly, I didn't expect to care so much about the story but at times I was almost brought to tears. This novel is more character based than action driven. Therefore, it felt as if the events were dragging sometimes. However, this is not a bad thing, as the characters drew me into their stories anyway.  The characters aren't perfect by any means, really. The decisions they made had me gritting my teeth most of  the times! But they're teenagers, of course they're going to make silly choices! My point is, this was really, really well done! I didn't enjoy every second of it, but it was entertaining.

Character Analysis:

Sam- The clueless, average girl with distant parents. She was likable for the first half of the book, then she did some stuff and I got really irritated with her. By the end of the book, she was back on my likable page.

Greg- The Morphid who didn't want to be common. I felt for him.....until I met Ashby. I mean, I could see where he was coming from but I really didn't care if Sam ended up being indifferent to him.

Ashby- The other half of Sam's soul. I really, really liked him (even if he does have a strange name). The romantic in me was backing him up all the way. *sigh*

Conclusion: 3.5/5 Stars. If you're looking for a story that makes you feel, this one is for you. 

About the Author:

  

Ingrid Seymour loves, loves, loves to write. She’s a young and new adult author. She writes in a variety of genres including romance, urban fantasy, paranormal and horror. She loves pizza and sushi, Sunkist and gum. She believes in vampires, witches, but not zombies (uh-uh, never!) She writes to loud music, daydreams constantly and spends too much time in twitter!! Find her there? Ingrid has incredible fun doing what she does, but more than anything she enjoys hearing from her readers. It’s a dream come true.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest |

Goodreads | G +

********************************************************

Giveaway:

$25 Amazon Gift Card (INT)

signed paperback of Keeper & Bracelet (US)

Prizing provided by the author

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Review No. 16: Blood Oath - Samantha Coville

Genre: Fantasy / YA

Edition: ebook

No. of Pages: 189

Published on: April 29th 2014

Published by: Smashwords Edition

Source: Goodreads group; Making Connections YA Edition (free in exchange for an honest review)

Series?: The Secret of the Halflings #1

Get this book here.




Description: Raya Sarian has always been different. Her father is a Siren, her mother is a Human. Raya is a Halfling. Her father has been absent for most of her life. Now, she must live with him and clans of blood-thirsty beasts for a year. Will she survive the year in the company of dangerous enemies?

What I think about it: This is a fast-paced, addictive read. Once you've started to read it, I don't think you'll be able to stop until you've read the last word. With only 189 pages, I had no problems getting through this book in a day. The portrayal of Sirens in this novel is something I've never seen before. They are equal parts terrifying and beautiful. They're also nothing like mermaids. Surprising, isn't it?
                                    The only thing I didn't like about this novel was the insta-love. It is kind of explained but I'm generally not a fan of this type of love in books. Oh yeah, and the main character annoyed me at times. *shrugs* What can you do, right?

Conclusion: 4/5 Stars. Go read it, you're in for an interesting journey. 

Review No. 15: School of Deaths - Christopher Mannino

Genre: Fantasy / Paranormal

Edition: ebook

No. of Pages: 270

Published on: May 2nd 2014

Published by: Muse It Up Publishing

Source: Goodreads group- Making Connections YA Edition (free copy in exchange for an honest review)

Series?: No

Get this book here.






Description: Thirteen year old Susan begins to lose weight at an alarming rate. She eats more and more food but she continues to look like a living skeleton. She's starting to worry that she might have some kind of terminal illness, the likes of which has never been seen before. She soon discovers that her soul is being pulled to the land of the dead and she will die if she doesn't live in the land of Deaths for a year. She's forced to attend the College of Deaths (it turns out that Grim Reapers are actually real, but they're known as Deaths). Suzie is in for an interesting year in this all-male world of Deaths. Will she survive in this world where everyone is against her? Why is she the only female Death in a million years? Read it and find out.

What I think about it: The concept behind this novel grabbed my interest from the very beginning. An entire world of Deaths, a school where Deaths must learn how to reap souls! It was fascinating! There was surprisingly little action, but things were certainly mysterious enough to keep me distracted at every turn. I did have a problem with the romance that was introduced later in the book but it was bound to happen from the very beginning (a world filled with males and only one female, at least one of them was going to have feelings for her). Aside from that, this was a well-written fantasy/mystery and I quite enjoyed it.

Character Analysis: (I'm only going to talk about a few characters, so please don't be mad if I leave out some important characters)

Susan (Suzie) - She's a curious person by nature. Once she had her eyes on the puzzle there was no stopping her from solving it! I wasn't attached to her but it was interesting to see her story.

Billy - Maybe he's her friend but maybe he isn't. He has some kind of 'mood swings' that leave us wondering.

Frank - I think I can honestly say that he was my favorite character from this book. He is really sweet but there's more to him than meets the eyes.

Conclusion: 3.5/5 stars. Go check it out, it's a fun, easy fantasy read that will have you in suspense throughout the entire thing.

The Fault in Our TBR

 So, I'm going to assume that you guys don't know what this is. The Fault in Our TBR is a 24 hr reading marathon that is being held on 28th, June 2014. That's tomorrow!
 This read-a-thon is being hosted by two lovely booktubers:
 mandersonxoxo
and
Kiara Soleil

You can sign up to participate here.

So, the read-a-thon starts at midnight wherever you are on the 28th (and it lasts for 24hrs). I think that's really all you need to know.

This is my TBR for tomorrow:

I think this is about a school for grim reapers and the protagonist is the only female grim reaper in existence. This causes her to be in a lot of trouble, I suppose. I'll have to read it to find out.














I can't remember what this one is about and I'm too lazy to explain it right now. Go check it out here. If you're interested, of course.















Okay, so those are the books I'll attempt to read tomorrow. We'll see how it goes. My TBR is subject to change but I'll try to stick to these two books.
Tell  me in the comments if you're participating and what you plan to read tomorrow. Until next time, happy reading!

Review No. 14: Intangible - C.A. Gray

Genre: Fantasy / YA

Edition: E-book

No. of Pages: 307

Published on: December 1st, 2013

Published by: Wunderlust Publishing

Source: Netgalley

Series?: Piercing the Veil #1

Get this book here .






Description: Peter Stewart is the son of a quantum physicist. His father has told him strange versions of the Arthurian Legends all his life. Peter doesn't believe any of it. Until, a new girl starts attending his school and her arrival sets off a chain of events that could not possibly happen outside of the imagination. Peter finally discovers the truth of his father's stories and uncovers Arthur's ancient enemy, The Shadow Lord. There's also a prophecy that can change the fate of the entire world. Peter and his friends are in for a very rude awakening and a crazy adventure full of danger.

What I think about it: I loved it! It took a while for me to get attached to the story and the characters but when I did, I couldn't stop reading! I just had to know what was going to happen! The plot was gripping and the characters crept into my heart and made it their home. The worlding-building was totally unique and it was really enjoyable to watch it unfold. I liked this story so much that I have no more words to describe it! Go read it yourself, it's awesomely beyond words!

Character Analysis: I'm only including a few characters. It would take you a long time to read if I went into each character.

Peter - He's really intelligent but he refuses to believe anything that doesn't have a scientific explanation. I liked him from the very beginning. His stubborn nature is quite amusing at times :)

Lily -  She's the new kid at the school and she has a secret........she sees things that no one else can see. Everyone thinks she's crazy and she's starting to think so too. Then she meets Peter. She wasn't my favorite person in the world but she wasn't so annoying either.

Kane - Oh Kane.....I loved him! Even though he was a jerk for almost all the time that we knew him, he still made a special place for himself in my heart. I was really very sad to see the last of him when I finished reading the book :(

Conclusion: An easy 5/5 stars! If you love fantasy, I highly recommend this book. I'm sure you'll love it!

Review No.13: Here, There Be Dragons - James A. Owen

Genre: Fantasy - Dragons / YA

Edition: Hardcover

No. of Pages: 326

Published on: September 26th, 2006

Published by: Simon & Schuster

Source: Library

Series?: The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica #1

Get this book on Amazon



Description: The murder of John's mentor brings together three stranger; John, Charles and Jack. On a rainy night in London, during the first World War, a strange little man called Bert tells them that they are the Caretakers of the Imaginarium Geographica. Hunted by terrifying creatures, the companions flee, in a ship known as The Indigo Dragon, to the Archipelago of Dreams. They must learn to trust each other and their imaginations as they fight the dark forces that threaten the fate of both worlds.

What I think about it: I loved this book! It was so easy to read and so light but heavy with content at the same time. From the first page, I was hooked. It was absolutely wonderful. The world-building was stunning and enchanting. The story was fast paced and captivating. The characters were relatable and I actually cared about them as if I'd known them all my life. The ending, omg, THE ENDING!!!!! I think you should read this book just because of that ending, it was totally unexpected and oh, there are no words to describe it! This novel was truly amazing and I really want to continue with this series.

Character Analysis:
John- He is the helpless hero who eventually finds his way. Surprisingly, that didn't annoy me as much as it normally would have. In fact, it didn't irritate me at all. I rather liked seeing him this way.

Charles- He is the logical person who has a hard time believing anything that is not proven to him. In other words, he has to see it to believe it. I liked him a lot.

Jack- He is the rash, headstrong person who dives into things before he thinks about them properly. I didn't like him as much as I liked the others but  I didn't hate him either.

Bert- He is basically their guide throughout their adventure. I don't think he ever lead them astray.

Conclusion: 5/5 stars. I highly recommend this book to all fantasy lovers. If you haven't read this book, why haven't you?

The Dragon's Egg Blog Tour - Reviews and Giveaway!

Hello! Welcome to the series review of The Relics of Mysticus Series (or at least, the first 3 books in the series).

So, let's not waste any time and jump straight into the first book: The Serpent's Ring....



Genre: Fantasy / Middle Grade

Edition: E-book

Published on: July 24th, 2012

Published by: Amazon Digital Services

No. of Pages: 233

Source: CBB Book Promotions (Free in exchange for an honest review)

Series?: Book 1 in  the Relics of Mysticus Series

Get this book on Amazon.





Description:  Evan and his sister, Claire, are spending a day with their family at a museum. Evan is bored out of his mind! So bored, in fact, that he thinks he's hallucinating when he sees a strange creature hanging around the site of a closed exhibition. His curiosity gets the better of him and he goes to investigate this mysterious thing. His sister follows him and they discover a relic called The Serpent's Ring. They accidentally activate its powers and create a portal into Sagaas (the Realm of Ancient Gods). Minutes after their arrival into this different world, the Serpent's Ring is stolen from them and taken Aegir, the harsh and powerful God of the Seas.
                     Now, Evan and Claire most steal the ring from Aegir before he unleashes a flood that will kill all the humans on Earth.

What I think about it: This was a really short, simple read. There were only a few instances where I was a bit confused but then the story cleared everything up right away. Some people might think that information was just being dumped onto the reader but I felt it worked out in this instant. If I hadn't had that information spoon fed to me I would have gotten confused really quickly! I'm no expert when it comes to Norse Mythology, unfortunately. Granted, some of the spoon feeding was a bit unnecessary but it didn't really take much out of the story.
                                     On the other hand, the world-building wasn't anything too spectacular. I didn't expect it to be, you know.....with only 233 pages in it. There's only so many things you can pack into that limited space. The world-building that was present, however, was really cool to imagine. I had a great time reading about some of the creatures in this world. Really.

Conclusion: 3/5 Stars. This was a light, quick fantasy read. It was a really good introduction to Norse mythology as well, I haven't seen this used in a lot of books before. The experience was definitely worth the read.

Moving On to the second book: The Trickster's Totem....

Genre: Fantasy / Middle Grade

Edition: Ebook

Published on: April 4th 2013

Published by: Amazon Digital Services

No. of pages: 226

Source: CBB Book Promotions

Series?: 2nd book in the Relics of Mysticus Series

Get this book on Amazon






Description: Things have returned to normal for Evan and Claire after their adventures in Sagaas. That is, until Dunkle pops up unexpectedly and tells them the worst news ever. Something is wrong in Sagaas. Another Relic has been stolen and now Evan and Claire must go on a quest to retrieve the relic and capture the god who has been released by it. Along the way, they find friends and allies in unexpected places. Can they prevent disaster from falling on all of Sagaas? You'll have to read it to find out!

What I think about it: This was amazing! I absolutely adored it from the opening sentence to the last line. The world-building was not too heavy and I understood the new section of Sagaas with ease. The story was fast-moving and attention grabbing. I could not stop reading, I just had to know how everything turned out! The ending was a massive cliffhanger (luckily, I have the third book and I can marathon read it). The only thing that I didn't like was that the characters annoyed me at times. Hey, you can't like all the characters at all time!

Conclusion: 4.5/5 Stars. I will be rereading this series soon! It's awesome!


Finally, we arrive at the main focus of this tour: The Dragon's Egg......

Genre: Fantasy / Middle Grade

Edition: E Book

Published on: April 29th 2014

Published by: Amazon Digital Services

No. of Pages: 203

Source: CBB Book Promotions

Series?: 3rd book in the Relics of Mysticus Series

Get this book on Amazon






Description: Things are really bad in Sagaas and Evan and Claire most rescue the Wizard, who is their only hope of defeating Alamaz. This Band of Unlikely Heroes face all sorts of terrifying adventures along the way. Secrets that have been long kept will be revealed. Will Evan and Claire be able to face the truth? Will they defeat Alamaz once and for all? I'm not going to tell you that. Read the books yourself.

What I think About It: This series just keeps getting better and better. The Characters have developed and grown on me. I simply love the different Realms of Sagaas; they are all so unique and wonderful in their own right. The ending was epic! It was also a cliffhanger.....when is the fourth book being released?  *Sigh* The wait is going to be torturous, I just know it.

Character Analysis: (As always, I'm only including a few of the characters in this section in order to save my readers from possible spoilers)

Evan- He gets distracted quite easily and he's almost always hungry. He loves to embarrass his sister and he enjoys a good prank. I was entertained by him, it was kind of fun to walk around in his head.

Claire- She is Evan's older sister. I didn't like her at first because I thought she was too bossy. As the pages flew by, I came to realize that I was wrong. She is a really nice character. She's brave and intelligent. I did get annoyed by her at some points but is that news to you? Female character seem to irritate me a lot recently. I ended up liking her in the end anyway.

Dunkle- He was supposed to be guarding the serpent's ring but he lost it to the two humans. He goes on the quest with Evan and Claire to retrieve the ring. He is loveable but mysterious. He's always talking in riddles! Did I mention that he's an imp?

Conclusion: 5/5 Stars. This series is one of my new favourite series ever! I have to know what happens next, I just have to!!

About the Author:

A magical part of H.B. Bolton's childhood was being swept into worlds of enchanting characters, fantastical creatures and extraordinary powers - simply by picking up a book. As a mother and a teacher, she was compelled to create imaginary worlds of her own in order to share them, not just with her children, but with all children. H.B. Bolton lives in Florida with her supportive husband and two highly spirited children. Shh, can you keep a secret? Not only does she write books for the young-at-heart, adventurous sort who yearn to dive into a good young-adult fantasy story, she also writes spellbinding, heart pounding women's fiction. These particular books are written under the name Barbara Brooke, but that another story,                                                                                altogether.

Giveaway:

$25 gift card (Int), paperback set of all 3 books (US), ebook set of all books (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review No. 11: The Terrorist's Daughters - Brian Arthur Levene

 Genre: Adventure/Action

Edition: E-book

No. of Pages: 252

Source: I received a free copy from the author and the lovely Lisa in exchange for an honest review. Thank you guys so much for your patience and understanding.

Series?: This is the 1st book in the T.O.G.G.L.E. series.

Get this book on Amazon






Description: The lives of three girls changed dramatically after they were forced to leave Chicago and move to Pakistan. Their father became a completely different person in this new habitat and the girls were compelled to endure the terrible acts he committed. Their mother turned into a drug addict and didn't lift a finger to help her daughters. At the end of their tolerance level and with one of their sisters missing, two of the girls run away from the tyrant they once called 'father'. Along the way, they meet up with some interesting characters who all seem to want the same thing they are after; A chance to begin a new life.

What I think about it: Well, firstly, I think you should know that this book deals with abuse. If you're uncomfortable with this topic then please, find another book. Okay, with my warning out of the way, let's go on to what I actually think about the book.
                                     It was so intense from the first page that I couldn't stop reading. I had to get to the last page, I just had to know what was going to happen as soon as possible! This story brought out its claws and dug into my mind, it gripped on so tightly that I don't think I'll be able to dislodge it any time soon. Ah, it was wonderfully thought provoking and entertaining. There was never a dull moment in this novel and I loved that. I must admit, however, that at the beginning I was a little worried that we'd only see one side of the picture (the girls' thoughts on religion) but I'm happy to say that the balance was perfect. We saw different characters with separate views on religion and that evened out the canvas. Thank goodness!
                                     On the flip side of the coin, there were a few moments in the book where I had to stop and gape in disbelief. 'What?.....No, that didn't just happen!.......I'm sure I didn't read that right.........*rereads what I just read*........Huh......'  That was my reaction to some of the things that occurred, particularly around the last few chapters.

Character Analysis:
Ambriel-  She's the character who's missing. We only know her from the memories of her sisters. She was eccentric and everyone believed that she was crazy but she was brilliant! She was really rebellious. She was the one who came up with the escape plans before she went missing. I think she was my favorite character even though she wasn't actually there.

Aalia- She's the one who most lead now that their sister is missing. She is very good at 'reading' people. She's also good at manipulating them.

Zahra- She's the youngest and she has a really special mind. She know things that she shouldn't know and things she doesn't even remember learning. Keep in mind that this is not a fantasy book. She doesn't have special powers but something about her is strange. To find out more about that you'll have to read the book.

Omar- His daughters call him Lucifer and ,in truth, he's not far from that description. He's one of those characters everyone wishes would die from the force of their killing intent towards him. There's not a single likeable bone in his body!

Conclusion: 4.5/5 Stars. I highly recommend this to anyone who's looking for a short, action filled story with a generous helping of suspense.

Review No.10: The Golden Apple - Michelle Diener

      Genre: Fantasy
      Edition: E-book
      No. of Pages: 298
      Source: Netgalley
      Series?: I don't know if this will be a series but there is going to be a second book; The Silver Pear.


 Buy on Amazon









Description: Kayla's father, the King, makes her the prize in a deadly tournament to win her hand in marriage and a Golden Apple that can heal any injury. The Golden Apple is the ransom Rane must pay in order to save his brother from Jasper, the man who holds his brother captive. It's a trap. Kayla must go on a dangerous quest with her betrothed through a forest filled with wild magic. Will they stay alive long enough to have their happily ever after?

What I think about it: So this story is loosely based on the fairy tale The Princess on the Glass Hill. I've never heard of this story before and ,therefore, I am unfamiliar with the basics of the tale. I don't intend to read it any time soon as it might trouble my view on this novel. The story was wonderful, it was beautifully written and the plot was well executed. I enjoyed it while it lasted, it was after all a short book and I flew through it quite quickly. The magic system in this book was interesting and I was fairly creeped out for the first few chapters. Basically, when magicians use magic in this world they leave behind a residue in the aftermath of their spell work. This residue is called Wild Magic and it is true to it's name, it's an unpredictable almost sentient being that changes the way of nature. Absolutely fascinating.

Character Analysis:

Kayla- She's not your average spoilt princess. This girl has some fire in her soul, she's passionate and stubborn and also kind. She's the superwoman in this book but she feels her share of fear.

Rane- He's the typical male hero with honor issues but he's also so much more than that. He's a worry wart. He cares for Kayla but he seems to be a heartless person. The mystery of his personality is something that needs to be untangled while you read the book.

Eric the Bold- An evil sorcerer who is using Kayla and Rane for his own purposes. He is one of those villains you just hate with a passion. I really can't stand him and I'd bet you wouldn't be able to either.

Conclusion: 4.5/5 Stars. It was captivating. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel when it's published.

Dewey's 24 Hour Read-A-Thon

I've just learnt about the 24 hr read-a-thon that's happening on Sat 26th of April 2014. So grab a stack of books and let's read! If you're interested in doing this read-a-thon you can sign up here.

I will be reading:
The Golden Apple- Michelle Diener

I'll probably add on a book or two but this is my TBR for now.

Please tell me, are you participating in this read-a-long? What books do you plan to read?

Review No. 9: Inkheart - Cornelia Funke

  Genre: Middle-Grade/YA Fantasy
  Edition: Paperback
  No. of Pages: 548
  Source: My Personal Library
  Series:  The Inkworld Trilogy  














Description: Inkheart is the first book in The Inkworld Trilogy by Cornelia Funke. The story centres around Meggie and her father, Mo. One night Mo reads aloud from a book and a few of the characters slip out of the pages. Nine years later, Meggie must face things she never believed existed outside of stories.

What I think about it: I've re-read this book about half of a dozen times already and each time I read it I feel as if I'm coming home again. The pages welcome me like a long lost friend. The story goes at a pace that suits it best, it's not fast but it's not slow either. The setting was also fabulously written, I felt as if I could really see the mountains surrounding Capricorn's village. The writing is entrancing, I loved every minute of it. Even the parts filled with fear and worry!

Character Analysis:

Meggie- She's the 12 year-old daughter of Mo. She loves her father to pieces. She loves him even more than her books and that's saying something since she likes to read so much. She was a really easy character to relate to and I really adored her bravery.

Mo- As I mentioned before, he's Meggie's father. He's a single parent who is absolutely besotted with his daughter. She's his world. Mo has the ability to 'read' characters out of books. He lures them out of their stories with his voice alone. He's known as Silvertongue to the characters he pulled out of their book.

Elinor- She's Meggie's Great Aunt. Elinor owns a huge library that goes throughout her entire house. I would love to have a library that big. Wouldn't we all? I don't think she's read all of them, she's more of a book collector than a regular bookworm (or book lion).

Dustfinger- That's a strange name, isn't it? Well, Dustfinger is one of the characters that Mo accidently read out of a book. He's shrouded in mystery and he puts on a brave face but he's a coward at heart. I think I loved him more than any of the other characters in this book.

Basta- He's one of the villains that came out of the book. He's short tempered and quick to draw his knife. But he has one weakness, he's the most superstitious character I've ever met.

Capricorn- The evil, evil dude of this book. He's also one of the villains who came out of his own story.  I don't think you'd ever want to meet him in the dark of night, that's for sure. He has no sympathy, in fact, I don't think he can feel emotions at all. He's absolutely heartless.

Conclusion: 5/5 stars. This story had magic touch its core. A kind of magic that pulls the reader in completely. I must continue with this trilogy as soon as possible.

Check out my video review of Inkheart.

Review No. 8: The Red Pyramid - Rick Riordan

Description: The Red Pyramid is the first book in a trilogy called The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan. The novel begins with an introduction to Carter, one of the main characters. He goes with his dad to visit his sister, Sadie, and they take a 'field trip' to the museum. While they are there, their father blows up The Rosetta Stone and released a bunch of Egyptian gods and goddesses. Their dad is imprisoned by Set , one of the gods, and now Carter and Sadie must rescue their dad and save the world along the way. Of course, it's not as easy as it seems.

What I think about it: I could probably spend days trying to accurately describe this book; words do not do it justice. It was absolutely fantastic! The characters were amazing, the world building was perfect and the plot was action filled and brilliant. I enjoyed every minute of it! Although, the switches in points of view were sometimes confusing.

Character Analysis: (As always, I'll keep this very brief because if I say too much I could spoil things for some readers......so I'm sticking to the 2 main characters)

Carter - He's really the one who likes to follow the rules and he yearns for his dad's approval. I felt an immediate connection with him and I looked forward to the chapters that were from his point of view.

Sadie - She's the rebellious sibling. That really sums it up. She also really enjoys teasing Carter about anything and everything. I couldn't really connect with her the first time I read this book but now I think she's grown on me.

Conclusion: 5/5 stars. This is one of my favorite books and I can't wait to read the sequel.

Review No. 7: John Dreamer by Elise Celine

  

Description: Our main character, Andy, awakens in a great white room. In this strange place there are seven chairs. Each chair is different in style and size and has a name-plate at the back. Soon, people start popping into the room with the personalities to match the chairs. These seven characters are stuck in this room with nothing to do but enjoy the clashing of their personalities. The only way of escape is by fulfilling their dreams. What will happen in this Great White Room? I have no intention of telling you, read it to find out.

What I think about it: Firstly, this cover is gorgeous! I would seriously consider picking this up just because of the cover. Secondly, this book is a contemporary hidden in a fantasy's clothing. What more could I want? It was a quick, light read (with only 203 pages it had to be!) and I enjoyed most of it. Towards the end, however, it turned a bit cheesy and......wait for it.......unrealistic! Now, going into it, I knew it would be unrealistic because the thing is fantasy! If it's not a little 'out there', it's probably not in the right category....so I expected it to be unreal but come on! My dear novel, if you claim to be unrealistic, at least be unpredictable. Too much cheese makes things unhealthy and I do not want you to become ill.

  There were many gems of wisdom hidden in this novel, I'd recommend it to anyone in need of motivation. It was very inspirational.

                                 

Character Analysis:

Andy- We're seeing from her point of view. Therefore, we are her. I had no problems aligning my thoughts with hers. She was very likable, in my opinion.

John- He's such a sweet character that at times I thought he was an angel. Or something. He's the kind of guy that most girls dream about marrying. 

Roy- He's a bully. He picks on some of the characters and he never has anything good to say. He's instantly unlikeable.

Linda- She's shy and really quiet. She stands to the side and observes most of the time. I liked her silence.

Matt- In a few words; he's the target of the bully. He's innocent and somewhat sensitive.

Marcus- 'The Geek' of the group. He's really smart but a little too lost in space.

Olivia- She's the rich, spoilt, self-absorbed brat. Or at least, on the outside she appears this way.

The Guardian- He's very theatrical and kind of crazy. He reminded me a lot of Dumbledore from Harry Potter. He was also always speaking in riddles.

Conclusion: 3/5 stars. I liked it but I didn't love it. If you're looking for a quick read that dips into fantasy then please, do not hesitate to pick this one up. Give it a chance, maybe you'll like it.

Before I forget, I'd like to mention that I got this free copy in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley. Thank you guys so much :)

Buy this book:

Amazon

My Video Review of John Dreamer:

Thank you for your time and patience.

Review No.6: Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

  Description:
                        Finn has never known anywhere but Incarceron. He's been imprisoned ever since he can remember........Claudia is the daughter of The Warden of Incarceron. She's about to be imprisoned in an arranged marriage........Finn and Claudia's worlds collide! Finn will need Claudia's help to escape from the Prison and Claudia needs his help to escape from her arranged marriage. This will not be an easy task because Incarceron is alive!

What I think about it: 
                                   Okay, let's get one thing straight: I don't love this book to pieces. I thought I would fall madly in love with it.....I was wrong. Now, don't get the wrong impression, there are some aspects that I enjoyed while reading this novel. For instance, the world building was absolutely amazing. That is, I didn't get a bunch of information dumped on me, at any given time, that I didn't understand. It was a suspenseful ride around every corner, and that made it all the more enjoyable. There was , however, one instance where I saw the outcome way before it was even properly hinted at.......that was satisfaction and disappointment in the same breath.
                                  The story was interesting and I was enjoying it. Until a certain point in the story where the characters started to annoy me! I'm not someone to back down from a challenging read so I stuck to it, in the vain hope that I'd start liking it again. Alas! It was not meant to be. Once the characters started to irritate me, that was the point of no return, I couldn't like the novel any more. I must point out, however, that most of the male characters were in my good graces. It was the female characters that got on my nerves.

Character Analysis: 

Finn- The hero of this tale. He's a typical hero; kind, brave, sometimes foolish with neverending loyalty. I thought I was going to hate him from the beginning. Turns out, I actually like him.

Keiro- He is Finn's oath brother. He's arrogant and self-centered at first glance. Please look deeper into him, if you're going to read this book. Everyone loves to hate him! Everyone but Finn, that is. I adored Keiro, I must admit that my determination to like this novel had everything to do with him. Doesn't everyone love a bad boy?

Claudia- Selfish, spoilt BRAT. Can you tell how much I dislike her? It wasn't always like that. At the beginning , I liked her spirit but as the story drew on I hated her.

Jared- He is Claudia's Tutor. I loved him! He's gentle, wise and kind. He also has some kind of sickness that's slowly killing him. Why must it always be the ones who are nice?

The Warden- This guy seems evil and cold to the core. Does he have a heart?


Conclusion: 2.5/5 stars. I did not enjoy this as much as I thought I would. Unfortunately, I will not be continuing with the sequel and it is unlikely that I will ever pick this one up again.

My Video Review of Incarceron:

Thank you for your patience and time.

I write like.........

 Paige from enchantology introduced me to a website called I Write Like. This website takes a sample of something you've written, analyzes it and tells you which famous author you write like. I found this concept really cool and decided to try it out. I was really flattered with this result. Here's my result:

Your Badge

I write like
J. K. Rowling

Review No. 5: Matched by Ally Condie

Description:   The Society controls everything; the school you attend, the food you eat, the exercises you do, the person you marry, the age you must have children even when you die. They control everything.
                       Cassia has just been to her Match Banquet, she is matched to her best friend. Xander, and she believes that the society is absolutely right in the choice of her life partner. Until she catches a glimpse of another boy on the Microcard that was supposed to hold the information about her match. She sees the possibility of another match and it sets her heart on fire. She begins to doubt the Society and their Methods of keeping everyone safe.

What I think about it: This novel was breathtaking! The book was glued to my hands from beginning to end. I went into it looking for a good dystopian romance story and that's exactly what I got! The synopsis on the back of it was somewhat misleading but, instead of feeling let down, I was anxious to see where the story would go. It was slow at times but I prefer this to the insta-love that's running rampant in YA. It made the story a little more believable.
                                      I could not help but compare Matched with Delirium by Lauren Oliver. For those of you who have read Delirium and Matched, you know how the worlds seem similar at some points. There is one major difference; the writing styles were completely different. Delirium was beautifully written, there is no doubt about that, but I craved more for Matched. They are both very different and ,as a result, are both amazing stories in their own right. We're not here to talk about Delirium, if you want to know more of my thoughts on that you can scroll down to my review of Delirium.

Character Analysis: As always, some of the characters will not appear on this list. They are all important but if I were to talk about every character we'd be here until night fall. I'm only going to describe the main characters.

Cassia- A law-abiding citizen who is satisfied with the life that the Society gives her. There is no reason to fight the Society, they give her family everything they need to survive. This is the kind of person Cassia is; she doesn't question the society. After meeting and getting to know Ky, she starts to change.

Xander- He's Cassia's best friend; the perfect person ever. Complete with blue eyes and blonde hair. He's in love with Cassia and wants her to be happy. He's kind and loving and he knows her better than everyone else. Or so he thought.

Ky- The guy who's surrounded by mystery. He likes to hide in the shadows (figuratively). Is he a good guy? Is he a bad guy? Does he like Cassia? Does he hate Cassia? No one knows, you'll have to read it to find out more about this wildcard character.

Conclusion: 5/5 stars. Absolutely stunning and addictive. I need to read the sequel as soon as possible!

Contact info:
silverbookworm@outlook.com

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Review No. 4: Lock and Key - Sarah Dessen

   Description: Ruby has been taking care of herself for most of her life. When she is forced to live with her sister and her brother-in-law, the only thing she can think of is escaping. It's going to be a long and difficult road for Ruby to adjust to depending on her new family.


What I think about it: I wouldn't say I have a lot of experience in the contemporary field, I've only read 3 books from this genre (including this one). So, you can take my opinion with a grain of salt. It was different from anything I've ever read (I love fantasy). The difference shocked me at first and I wasn't sure what to think of if. I had to power through the last 150 pages because I was starting to get bored of reading this actionless thing. That is, things happen in this book but to a fantasy reader they got mundane after a while. By the last 10 pages, however, I was hooked. The ending left me with a melancholy ache that begs for more of Sarah Dessen's work. She is an amazing writer and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.


 Character Analysis: So, I'm only including the main characters here that do not give anything away for the story. The ones I'm not going to talk about are just as important as the ones below. I just don't want to give any spoilers, so yeah.

Ruby:  Headstrong, independent, stubborn, cynical and sometimes very foolish. Ruby is someone who undergoes great development in this story. By the end of the book she's almost a different person, she still has the same personality but her views of the world, in general, have changed. In some parts of the book she annoyed me with her foolishness but she's a flawed person. As we all are.

Cora: Ruby thinks her sister is snobby and she dislikes her from the beginning. I liked her. That's really all I can say without giving any spoilers away.

Jamie: He is, perhaps, my favorite character of this book. Ruby's brother-in-law is a truly free person. He follows his heart in everything and his bubbly personality only makes him more likable.

Nate: The helpful neighbor who is always kind to everyone. Nate has a really positive attitude but he hides a part of himself from the world. He is not what he seems. That's all you need to know.


Conclusion: 4/5 Stars. I really liked it despite my initial hesitation. I'll probably revisit it one day.

Here's my video review of Lock and Key (you're probably better off with the written one because I can't talk properly sometimes and I forget half of the things I want to say):

  

Thank you for being patient with me.