Book Reviews: August 2016

August was a very good month. I managed to read 8 books! Some of them were re-reads, and some were new books. I thoroughly enjoyed reading all of them... well, almost all of them. So, let's get started with the reviews.

SUMMER TRILOGY BY JENNY HAN

This was a trilogy I've read before and decided to read again this month. It's the perfect read for the beach, if you ask me. I don't usually go for this type of books - I love my fantasy books too much. But I needed a break and wanted to read something different. These books were perfect and I finished them in no time!

Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer -- they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one wonderful and terrible summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along.

I really enjoyed reading again about Belly and the boys. Books 2 and 3 show Jeremiah's and Conrad's point of view, and I liked that because it helps to get deeper into the story. I got upset with Belly lots of times through the books, with the way she was reacting! If you're looking for an easy to read series, then this is a nice one to consider.

The 'Summer' Trilogy consists of the books: 'The Summer I Turned Pretty', 'It's not Summer without You' and 'We'll always have Summer'.

YA Contemporary Romance 

**** (4 stars)

THE WINNER'S TRILOGY BY MARIE RUTKOSKI

This series has turned out to be one of my top ones ever! I loved every word! Again I found myself re-reading the first two books in order to conclude the series by reading the final book that came out this March.

Winning what you want may cost you everything you love...

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions. Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

This is an incredible story that is so beautifully written. Through the books it unfolds and brings out some incredible feelings. Kestrel is one of my all time favourite female characters, and I love how the author describes the way her brain works. For Arin there's just no words - he's just perfect.

In books #2 and #3 the story gets deeper, and we get to meet new characters and to witness great sacrifices in the name of love. I just love Roshan's sense of humour!!! The banter between him and Arin is so good!!! The third book is simply amazing and it gives this trilogy the ending it deserves. 

The 'Winner's' Trilogy consists of the books: 'The Winer's Curse', 'The Winner's Crime' and 'The Winner's Kiss'.

Science Fiction & Fantasy

***** (5 stars)

CRACKED BY ELIZA CREWE

This is the first book of the 'Soul Eater' Trilogy that I've heard a lot of good reviews about it, and I decided to give it a try this month. When I read the synopsis I got really excited, but unfortunately, I didn't like it as much as I hoped I would.

Meet Meda. She eats people.

Well, technically, she eats their soul. But she totally promises to only go for people who deserve it. She’s special. It’s not her fault she enjoys it. She can’t help being a bad guy. Besides, what else can she do? Her mother was killed and it’s not like there are any other “soul-eaters” around to show her how to be different. That is, until the three men in suits show up.

Even though I loved Meda and her sarcastic humour was unbelievable for the first third of the book, however half way through I found myself losing interest a bit and finding cracks in the story. You get some socking revelations towards the end but that's it. The most memorable characters are Meda and Armand who appears in only one chapter....

Cracked 

Science Fiction & Fantasy

*** (3 stars)

THE CROWN'S GAME

This is a book that got a lot of hype in Goodreads and YouTube, and I really hoped that I would like it because the synopsis was so good. Well, it did not disappoint me.

Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters—the only two in Russia—and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side.

And so he initiates the Crown’s Game, an ancient duel of magical skill—the greatest test an enchanter will ever know. The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the tsar’s most respected adviser. The defeated is sentenced to death.

I have to say that I really loved the story and the characters. Nicolai was my favourite. He was presented as very elegand and kind, as well as very powerful with his magic. I loved his sensitivity and the way he was thinking. Vika on the other hand was presented as a strong young woman with equally high magical powers. I even loved Pasha - the sweet and kind tsesarevic :)

However, at times I found the writing very superficial and some of the chapters felt as if they were done in a hurry.... That's the reason for the 3.8*.... Nevertheless, I still enjoyed the book and can't wait to read book no. 2!

The Crown's Game
Science Fiction & Fantasy

**** (3.8 stars)

August was a very good month as you can see not only for the number of books that I've read, but also of the quality and how much I liked them. Even though I read 8 books this month, I'm still 7 books behind in my reading challenge that I have set up for myself. Let's hope I'll manage to read as many books in September to catch up ;)

How many books did you read in August? Which one was your favourite?

Book Reviews: July 2016

I am starting a new post category in my blog, where once a month I'll review and talk about the books that I've read the previous month. I love reading books and since reading is such a big part of my life, I wanted to share with you my views and opinions of all the books that I read. :)

During July, I managed to finish 4 books and marathon The Raven Cycle Series. I wanted to read The Raven Boys for a while, but I was a little intimidated by the hype that surrounds this series. However, since the 4th and last book ("The Raven King") came out in April, I decided to start reading it and see why everyone seems to be obsessed about it. I'll talk more about the first book of the series and I'll be a bit more vague about the other 3 books, so that I don't reveal any spoilers :)

On a cold night every spring, sixteen-year-old Blue and her psychic mother wait in a churchyard for the dead to arrive. Her mother is usually the one who sees the spirits of people who will die within the next twelve months, but this year, Blue herself sees the ghost of a boy named Gansey who's going to die within the coming year.

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve, Blue. Either you’re his true love or you killed him.”

With those chilling words, Blue is caught up in a mystery she never expected, involving the privileged Raven Boys from Aglionby Academy. She must be carefull though, because Blue's always been told that she's destined to kill her true love with a kiss.

I have never read a book with an even close storyline. I was highly intrigued by this premise and I couldn't wait to start reading!

I'll start my review by saying that this is quite a unique and captivating series filled with lots of twists. Psychics. Ghosts. Spirits. Sleeping kings. Legends. Enchanted forests. And a cursed romance. What else could you ask for?

The Raven Boys is filled with intriguing characters. We have a lot of very distinguished and very unique personalities.

Blue is the main female character of the story, that lives with a family of psychic women.  She’s a strong and eccentric character that wants to be different. She sounds weird and pixie-like, but I really liked her character and the part she plays in the story and in the boys' lives.

“She wasn’t interested in telling other people’s futures. She was interested in going out and finding her own.” 

Needless to say, Richard Campbell Gansey III was my favorite. He is obsessed in finding the legendary sleeping Welsh King that has played such a big part in his life. I loved his inquisitive mind and commanding leadership. He acts like the leader of the group, but that has nothing to do with his money or his status. His friends follow him in his quest out of love and respect, which is mutual.  

“My words are unerring tools of destruction, and I’ve come unequipped with the ability to disarm them.”

Ronan was by far the most mysterious of the boys, and remains so throughout the whole series. He sounds scary and intimidating, but that just shows even more how broken he really is. Book #2 "The Dream Thieves" shows more about him and his story, and all his scary and out of this world little secrets start to be revealed.

“You're looking for a god. Didn't you suspect that there was also a devil?”

Adam is such a lovable character. You connect with him straight away and can't help but feel for him and everything he's been through. I just wanted to jump in the book and give him a big hug! I also loved to see how he evolved and transformed as a character through the whole series.

Noah is the character that is always a bit in the background. But more about him are revealed as you get through the series, and you get to know his big secret that has affected everyone's lives.

I have to mention here the closeness that all the characters seem to share with one another. I loved the complicated relationship between these boys, from their good-natured jeers to their anxious concern for one another. And I think Blue was the missing piece!

Of course there are even more amazing characters that are introduced throughout the books and play a big part in the story. Each one is intriguing and different and I love how the author helps you to get to know them more and get close to them. The book is told from multiple point of views, which I found to be a quite interesting change to what I'm usually reading, and a necessary one given the many characters we get to know, particularly the raven boys.

The rest of the books feel like to be centered more to one character at a time, without taking anything away from the story or the other characters. That way you get to know them even more. In the "The Dream Thieves" we get to know more about Ronan, in the "Blue Lily, Lily Blue" we connect more with Blue's character, while in the last book Gansey seems to be more the center of attention.

I caught myself lots of times, while reading this series, wanting to actually be part of the story, to join Blue and the Raven Boys in their adventures! The first book definitely leaves you wanting to know more, and the rest of the books surely don't disappoint!

A strange and otherworldly, original and enthralling nonetheless series that you must read!!!