Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Cycle #3) by Maggie Stiefvater: Review

RATING: 5/5 stars!

 

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Source: Library

Release date: October 21, 2014

Find it on Goodreads here!

 

SUMMARY (from Goodreads):

 

HIGHLIGHT TO VIEW

 

There is danger in dreaming. But there is even more danger in waking up.

Blue Sargent has found things. For the first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems have become hers, and her problems have become theirs.

The trick with found things though, is how easily they can be lost.

Friends can betray.
Mothers can disappear.
Visions can mislead.
Certainties can unravel.

REVIEW:

Since this is the third book in a series, I'll do my best to keep it brief.

This is my favorite Maggie Stiefvater book so far. It is complex, and intriguing, and I loved absolutely every minute of it.

If you have not read this series, I highly suggest that you do so immediately.

CONTENT: I read this a while ago, so my memory is a little hazy. No sex, but there is some kissing, and one of the characters is possibly homosexual. Heavy swearing (several uses of the f word) and heavy violence.

Reckless and Fearless by Cornelia Funke: Dual Review

RATING: 9/10 stars!!

 

Author: Cornelia Funke

Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers

 

SUMMARY (Reckless):

 

Ever since Jacob Reckless was a child, he has been escaping to a hidden world through a portal in his father's abandoned study. Over the years, he has made a name for himself as a finder of enchanted items and buried secrets. He's also made many enemies and allies--most important, Fox, a beautiful shape-shifting vixen whom Jacob cares for more than he lets on.

But life in this other world is about to change. Tragedy strikes when Jacob's younger brother, Will, follows him through the portal. Brutally attacked, Will is infected with a curse that is quickly transforming him into a Goyl--a ruthless killing machine, with skin made of stone.

Jacob is prepared to fight to save his brother, but in a land built on trickery and lies, Jacob will need all the wit, courage, and reckless spirit he can summon to reverse the dark spell--before it's too late.

 

REVIEW:

 

Holy moly these books.

 

I love the concept of other worlds besides our own existing, so these books were right up my alley. But why did you take so long to read them, Marie? Because I'm weird and didn't feel like reading them. Don't judge me.

 

But I finally picked them up, and I am sooooooooo glad that  did. Not only are they extremely unique, but they are also some of the most well-written books that I have read. Cornelia Funke knows what she's doing, and it is fabulous.

 

But why the 9/10 stars? The second book got really slow about halfway through. It may have just been me, but I found it really hard to read for a while. But once I finally got passed that, I read the rest in one sitting.

 

In short, these books are a must read for fantasy lovers. I highly recommend them!!

 

CONTENT: No sex, but there is some kissing. Mildswearing, but these books are extremely dark, and I wouldn't recommend them for younger readers. 

The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler: Review

RATING: 4/5

Authors: Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

Publisher: Razorbill

Source: Book exchange

Release date: November 21, 2011

Find it on Goodreads here!

 

SUMMARY (from Goodreads):

 

It's 1996, and Josh and Emma have been neighbors their whole lives. They've been best friends almost as long - at least, up until last November, when Josh did something that changed everything. Things have been weird between them ever since, but when Josh's family gets a free AOL CD in the mail, his mom makes him bring it over so that Emma can install it on her new computer. When they sign on, they're automatically logged onto their Facebook pages. But Facebook hasn't been invented yet. And they're looking at themselves fifteen years in the future.

By refreshing their pages, they learn that making different decisions now will affect the outcome of their lives later. And as they grapple with the ups and downs of what their futures hold, they're forced to confront what they're doing right - and wrong - in the present.

 

REVIEW:

 

I was born in the year 1996, the year that this book took place. I don't really remember anything from that year, because I was a baby, but this book made me feel like I was a whole lot younger than 18-years-old. I can hardly remember a day when everyone didn't have cell phones or easy access to a computer, so this book was kind of a culture shock.

 

Needless to say, this book was extremely unique. I've never read anything quite like it. I really liked the concept of them looking at Facebook in the future, and the interactions between the characters were great. But even though it was unique, there were still many flaws. The writing style for Emma's POV was very choppy, and it didn't have the same flow that Josh's POV did. And Emma, as much as I liked her, really got on my nerves after a while. She made the most stupid decisions, and I wanted to strangle her a few times. Josh wasn't always the brightest either, but he's a sophomore boy, so it's to be expected.

 

All in all, I really liked this book, but it wasn't the best book ever. If you want, I recommend giving it a try!

 

CONTENT: No sex, but there is kissing and lots of talk about sex, condoms, pregnancies, etc. Moderate swearing, and no violence. 

Top Ten Books I Haven't Read in the Fantasy Genre

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

 

This week I'm talking about the top ten books I haven't read in the YA fantasy genre!

 

1. Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

 

This technically may be considered paranormal...I have always meant to read the series, but I never have.

 

2. Eragon by Christopher Paolini

 

Yes, I have still not read Eragon...but I seriously need to!

 

3. Lirael, Abhorsen, and Clariel by Garth Nix

 

I read SABRIEL by Garth Nix a few years ago, and I absolutely loved it! I have no idea why I didn't read the rest of the series...

 

4. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

 

No, I haven't read this series yet. Don't judge me!

 

5. The Wind Singer by William Nicholson

 

This book looks so freaking cool...I just haven't read it yet.

 

6. The Naming by Alison Croggon

 

I bought all of the books a few years back. I seriously need to read them!

 

7. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

 

Some of my friends recommended this to me a while back, but I have yet to read it.

 

8. Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

 

This book looks extremely badass. I can't wait to read it!

 

9. Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta

 

AHHH another series I have but I haven't read!

 

10. The Cry of Icemark by Stuart Hill

 

Yet another series I bought a while back...but I haven't read it yet

 

What's on your top ten?

Snow Like Ashes (Snow Like Ashes #1) by Sara Raasch: Review

RATING: 5/5 stars!

 

Author: Sara Raasch

Publisher: Balzer & Bray

Source: Gifted

Release date: October 14, 2014

Find it on Goodreads here!

 

SUMMARY (from Goodreads):

 

A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making.

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.   

REVIEW:

First off, I need to apologize for my leave of absence from the blog. I have been in the absolute worst reading slump lately, and I only read a grand total of 4 books this month. It's not that the books are bad, it's just that I have had no desire to read. But this book helped to change that.

I received this book as a gift, and oh my goodness did I love it. The uniqueness of the world and the feistiness of the main character both made the book for me. While I found the world slightly confusing at first, the map at the beginning helped me make more sense of it.  As the story went on, more and more was explained and revealed and it was AMAZING! I want to live there so bad!

Meira was an absolutely fantastic protagonist. She was strong, but still flawed enough that she felt real. The love interests (yes, there is a love triangle) were both EXTREMELY attractive, and very swoon-worthy. For the first time, I don't think I'm even on a team. I don't care who she chooses! They're both fantastic!

To sum it all up, SNOW LIKE ASHES was an amazing debut novel. I highly recommend reading it!

CONTENT: Some making out, and I honestly can't remember any swearing. Lots of violence though, with moderate details.

Undivided (Unwind #4) by Neal Shusterman: Review

RATING: 5/5 stars!

 

Author: Neal Shusterman

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Source: Bought

Release date: October 14, 2014

Find it on Goodreads here!

 

SUMMARY (from Goodreads):

 

SPOILERS AHEAD IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE PREVIOUS BOOKS. HIGHLIGHT AT YOUR OWN RISK.

 

Teens control the fate of America in the fourth and final book in the New York Times bestselling Unwind dystology by Neal Shusterman.

Proactive Citizenry, the company that created Cam from the parts of unwound teens, has a plan: to mass produce rewound teens like Cam for military purposes. And below the surface of that horror lies another shocking level of intrigue: Proactive Citizenry has been suppressing technology that could make unwinding completely unnecessary. As Conner, Risa, and Lev uncover these startling secrets, enraged teens begin to march on Washington to demand justice and a better future.

But more trouble is brewing. Starkey’s group of storked teens is growing more powerful and militant with each new recruit. And if they have their way, they’ll burn the harvest camps to the ground and put every adult in them before a firing squad—which could destroy any chance America has for a peaceful future.   

REVIEW:

Because this is a last book in a series, I will keep my review brief.

This book is my absolute favorite book of 2014, and possibly one of my favorite books of all time.

It made me laugh, it made me smile, and it made me cry. It was beautifully written, and handled the subject matter beautifully. It was absolutely fantastic! One of the best series endings I have ever read.

All I can say is, if you have not read this series, I highly suggest you do so immediately.

CONTENT: Kissing, one sex scene, but it is only implied. Hardy any swearing, but there is a lot of dark subject matter dealing with unwinding, and some of it is very disturbing.

2014 End of Year Book Survey

The End of Year Book Survey was created by The Perpetual Page Turner.

 

I did this last year and it was so much fun, that I've decided to do it again! Without further ado...

 

Number of Books I read: 101

Number of rereads: 14

Genre I read the most from: Fantasy

 

1. Best Book You Read In 2014?

Without a doubt, UNDIVIDED by Neal Shusterman absolutely blew my mind.
 

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

 

 The Young Elites by Marie Lu. I thought I would love it way more than I did. (My review)

 

 3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2014? 

 

 The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. I thought I would live it, but I hated this book. 
 

 4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did) In 2014?

 

 Cinder by Marissa Meyer, and the rest of the Lunar Chronicles. Most of my friends read it after I pushed them to, and I feel very accomplished.
 

 5. Best series you started in 2014? Best Sequel of 2014? Best Series Ender of 2014?

 

 The Grisha trilogy. Oh so many feels. But I loved it so much.
 

 6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2014?

 

 Amie Kaufman and Megan Spooner, who wrote These Broken Stars. They're really two authors, but I loved how they wrote together.
 

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

 

 We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. I never usually read contemporary style books, but this one I read and loved.
 

 8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

 

 The Savage Blue by Zoraida Cordova. I could not put this book down.
 

 9. Book You Read In 2014 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

 

 The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski. I have to reread it for The Winner's Crime.
 

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2014?

 

 Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater. This cover is seriously GORGEOUS.
 

 

 

11. Most memorable character of 2014?

 

Jonas Agallon from the Falling Kingdoms series. I LOVE him so much.
 

 12. Most beautifully written book read in 2014?

 

 We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. This book was heartbreakingly beautiful.
 

13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2014?

 

Undivided by Neal Shusterman. EXTREMELY thought provoking, and very pro-life.
 

 14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2014 to finally read? 

 

The Vicious Deep by Zoraida Cordova. LOVED this book.
 

 15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2014?

 

 

 

Baghra feels.

 

 

 

JONAS IS MY FAVE!!!
 

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?

 

 

Shortest: If I Stay by Gayle Forman (201 pages)

Longest: City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare (725 pages)
 

 17. Book That Shocked You The Most

 

 I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga. This book was SO creepy.
 

18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)

 

 Not book related...but Stiles and Lydia from Teen Wolf. I love them so much.

 

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

 

Addie and Laila from Pivot Point and Split Second. They are the coolest characters.



20. Favorite Book You Read in 2014 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

 

Undivided by Neal Shusterman. OH SO GOOD!



21. Best Book You Read In 2014 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:

 

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. My friends peer-pressured me into reading this, and I really didn't like it. At all.


22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2014?

 

Gansey from The Raven Boys. He is so swoon-worthy.


23. Best 2014 debut you read?

 

Alienated by Melissa Landers. SO GOOD! (My review)



24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?

 

Falling Kingdoms series by Morgan Rhodes. The world-building is absolutely SUPERB.


25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?

 

The Distance Between Us by Kasie West. Such a cute book.


26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2014?

 

Undivided by Neal Shusterman. I bawled my eyes out in one part.


27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?

 

Gathering Darkness by Morgan Rhodes. This series totally deserves more hype.


28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?

 

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. SO MANY EMOTIONS.



29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2014?

 

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas. I have never read anything like this series.



30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?

 

If I Stay by Gayle Forman. I really did not like this book, and it made me so frustrated.
 

 

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2014? 

 

Adventures in YA Publishing
 

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2014? 

 

My review for City of Heavenly Fire
 

3. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog?

 

My discussion of book to movie adaptations
 

4. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?

 

 I love participating in Top Ten Tuesday, but I have so little time to be able to do it recently, and it depresses me.
 

5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2014?

 

When I finally read 100 books!


7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?

 

My review of Echoes of Us by Kat Zhang


8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

 

I was pretty proud of my review of Cold Spell by Jackson Pearce
 

9. Best bookish discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?

 

BETTER WORLD BOOKS. It is seriously the greatest store ever!
 

10.  Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?

 

I completed my challenge to read 100 books, and I kind of completed my goal of posting at least once a week (not really), so I want to work on this next year. 

 

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2014 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2015?

 

 The Sorcerer Heir by Cinda Williams Chima. I was hoping to get to it this year, but college applications made sure that didn't happen.
 

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2015 (non-debut)?

 

Oblivion by Kelly Creagh. I have waited so long for this book, AND I NEED IT SO BAD!


3. 2015 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

 

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir...because the cover is gorgeous.


 4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2015?

 

Fairest by Marissa Meyer. Queen Levana prequel? HELL YES!


5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2015?

 

Read 90 books and post at least once a week.


6. A 2015 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone:

 

I actually have not read any books published in 2015. But I have so many that I'm looking forward to!

 

 

 

Happy new year, everyone! Wishing you all many blessings and good books in 2015!