Make Way for 2017!

They say that all good things must come to an end. Well, this year is no different. I've had a lot of ups and downs throughout the year, both bookish and non-bookish related. I'm just glad that I ended this year on a high note, and I can't wait to see what 2017 has in store for me.

Just a quick recap of 2016:

• I read a lot of books that I was meaning to read for years
• I didn't end up reaching my GoodReads goal of 25 books, but I plan on reaching that this year.
• I took a break from my blog for a few months, but I got back into the swing of things towards the end of the year.
• I'm preparing myself for the numerous GoodReads challenges that I plan on completing for 2017.
• I also started a bookstagram account that I'm slowly working on.

All in all, I wasn't disappointed with this year. I know I can do better in my reading challenge for the year, and I plan on getting off to a great start today... right after I finish posting this!

So here's to 2016. You were good sometimes, and you were not so good other times. But now it's time to make 2017 even better, and I can't wait to see my progress.

Happy New Year everyone!

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo - Book Review

Alina Starkov doesn't expect much from life. Orphaned by the Border Wars, she is sure of only one thing: her best friend, Mal--and her inconvenient crush on him. Until the day their army regiment enters the Fold, a swath of unnatural darkness crawling with monsters. When their convoy is attacked and Mal is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power not even she knew existed.

Ripped from everything she knows, Alina is taken to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. With Alina's extraordinary power in his arsenal, he believes they can finally destory the Fold. Now Alina must find a way to master her untamed gift and somehow fit into her new life without Mal by her side. But nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. As the threat to the kingdom mounts and her dangerous attraction to the Darkling grows, Alina will uncover a secret that could tear her heart--and her country--in two.

“I missed you every hour. And you know what the worst part was? It caught me completely by surprise. I'd catch myself just walking around to find you, not for any reason, just out of habit, because I'd seen something that I wanted to tell you about or because I wanted to hear your voice. And then I'd realize that you weren't there anymore, and every time,every single time, it was like having the wind knocked out of me. I've risked my life for you. I've walked half the length of Ravka for you, and I'd do it again and again and again just to be with you, just to starve with you and freeze with you and hear you complain about hard cheese every day. So don't tell me why we don't belong together," he said fiercely.”

This book...

This book has been on my TBR list since it first came out. It was initially published back in 2012, and only now, at the very end of 2016 did I get a chance to finally read it. This is actually the case with a lot of other books that I have been meaning to read for years and just never got the chance to. Whether it was because I could never find a copy of the book to buy or borrow, or too many books that I wanted to read came out around the same time and I ended up forgetting about them until the next time I saw it again. Either way, I'm just glad that I was able to finally get my hands on the entire series and start with the first book.

One of the first things that I noticed when I was reading this book was the Russian influence in it. Granted, when I really felt like I was in some sort of alternate universe Russia, I took some time to read one of the reviews on GoodReads where it basically said that Bardugo didn't do her proper research on Russian culture and messed up on some things throughout her book. If you want to read more about it, just let me know, or a quick search on GoodReads under the review section of this book, and I'm sure you will find it the same way that I did. Either way, since I read any bonus material until after I finished the book, it was at least nice to have it confirmed that I wasn't going crazy, and that the reason why I felt like I was in some sort of Russian world was because Bardugo made it that way. If you haven't read it before, the moment you look at the map, you'll see what I mean.

Anyway.

This was definitely an exciting book for me to end the year with. Honestly, I don't even want to read another book until the new year starts so that I can end 2016 with a really good story. It was one of the books that I just could not put down, and I really wish that I could have started this book sooner. Years sooner.

To start, Alina and Mal are both orphans, who grew up together under the care of a rich Duke that liked to adopt other orphans. I honestly don't know if it was a play to be popular among the people, or if he genuinely didn't want any of these orphans to grow up alone. It wasn't like they didn't have to earn their keep. They were working along with the rest of the house servants, as if he was just adding to his personal work force but didn't have to give them money. I still can't tell, especially when Alina ends up seeing him again sometime later. Well, Alina and Mal end up growing up together and end up serving in the First Army together, with Mal being an excellent tracker and Alina being a somewhat good cartographer. Well, their unit was sent to cross into the Shadow Fold, this extremely dark curse on the land that is filled with man eating creatures named volcra. Mostly anyone who has tried to cross the Fold winds up torn to pieces.

So when Alina and Mal are forced to cross over with members of the First and Second Army, it should come as no surprise when they get attacked and almost die. In fact, they would have died if it wasn't for Alina, and that's where the story really begins.

The Darkling, such a mysterious character that you don't know whether to trust or run away from, ends up taking Alina under his wing, trying to make her stronger so that she can save her war torn country and bring peace to the lands. But is that really what his end goal is? His beautiful eyes and merciless behavior both draws people in and keeps them at bay. Even Alina can't seem to resist his pull, and a part of her wants to be by his side, almost like the Darkling's queen. With the Darkling as the most powerful Grisha in existence and Alina... well on the verge of becoming something great, there really wouldn't be anything to stop them. But are they good or bad?

Will they save the world, or destroy it?

The different twists in this book had me on the edge of my seat. I couldn't put this book down except to go to sleep and go to work. It was amazing. The world was one that I could really see in my mind, and Alina and Mal are two of my favorite characters in the entire book. I also liked another character, Genya, which if you're someone like me, you'd like her too. I can't wait to continue this series. My review probably didn't sound like much of a review, but trust me when I say that I thoroughly enjoyed this ride.

Rated: 5/5 ★

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany & Jack Thorne - Book Review

The Eighth Story. Nineteen Years Later.

Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, a new play by Jack Thorne, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. The play will receive its world premiere in London’s West End on July 30, 2016. 

It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

"How many people have died for The Boy Who Lived?"

It's been years since we last saw Harry Potter and the Golden Trio, and they had saved the world from the likes of Lord Voldemort. They won the Battle of Hogwarts, even though there were those that didn't survive the attack. And nineteen years after that final battle, after Voldemort was finally defeated, we see the future where Harry and Ginny are taking their kids to Platform 9 3/4, their son Albus Severus Potter's first year of being a student. But what happened afterwards? Was all truly well like Rowling promised it would be? This original play says different, and with it being Harry Potter, we all should have known better.

When I first found out that there was going to be another book about Harry Potter, I was in shock. I swore that Rowling was done writing about him, and that she would be going into other aspects of the Wizarding World (like Fantastic Beasts for example). Then I found out more information and was a little disappointed to find out that it was necessarily a new book, but a play. A play that I would never get to see because I wouldn't have the means to see it. Would it have the same magical effect that the rest of the series had on me all those years ago? I wasn't sure, which was probably why it took me a few months to actually get the book, let alone read it.

The premise is basically what we remember from the epilogue of Deathly Hallows. We start on Platform 9 3/4, with Harry and Ginny taking their oldest son James, and their youngest son Albus to the Hogwarts Express, with daughter Lily in tow. It's Albus' first year and he's afraid that he will be sorted into Slytherin because his big brother James has pretty much put that fear into his head that it would be bad to end up in that house. I guess 20 years hasn't changed kids' perspectives on Slytherin. Harry basically tells him that he was named after a Slytherin (Severus Snape), and he was one of the bravest men he knew. So if he was sorted into Slytherin it wouldn't be so bad.

Of course, Hermione and Ron are there as well, with their daughter Rose and son Hugo (who isn't really mentioned much, not sure why) also going to Hogwarts. We see Hermione in her daughter a lot, even to the point that Rose doesn't think that Albus should make friends with Scorpius Malfoy, all because of who his family is and the rumors about who his real father is. Cruel, I would say, to think that Hermione's daughter would show such prejudice to someone who can't help who he comes from. And with that, Albus and Scorpius becomes the best of friends and Rose and Albus aren't even friends, just cousins that keep up appearances for their parents' sake.

There were a few issues that I had with this book, mostly because it just wasn't the same as what I was expecting. I definitely wasn't expecting the bad guy being... well who the bad guy ended up being. Also, messing with the timeline always makes this worse, and the alternate reality that Scorpius ends up going to just made my heart hurt. Imagine if it was what really happened? I couldn't take it. I'm glad that it was just an alternate universe, let's just say that right here and now. Also, Albus was a jerk. Definitely not worth being named after Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape. Scorpious was an actual sweetheart, and I think we needed to see more of him.

I liked seeing the original gang throughout the book, but it also showed me that Harry and Ron hasn't grown up as much as I thought they would, and why did they make Ron seem so dumb? Or silly? He's not just a comic relief, even if he wasn't the best at spells like Hermione was. He did have some substance to him throughout the series so why not bring that into this book? It just wasn't the same for me, and I usually love Harry Potter.

Rated: 3.5/5 ★

Heartless by Marissa Meyer - Book Review

Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland and a favorite of the unmarried King, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, she wants to open a shop and create delectable pastries. But for her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for a woman who could be a queen.

At a royal ball where Cath is expected to receive the King's marriage proposal, she meets handsome and mysterious Jest. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the King and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into a secret courtship.

Cath is determined to choose her own destiny. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.

“The easiest way to steal something, is for it to be given willingly.”

Origin stories have always been stories that I am fascinated by. Especially if it's a new take on the specific villain that the story is based on. I believe this is the first book that I have come across that dealt with The Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, and I'm so glad that I was able to have the opportunity to read this, thanks to my Owlcrate subscription. What was it about the Queen of Hearts that made her such a horrid person? And why was she so obsessed with decapitating everyone that got on her bad side? This book did an excellent job delving into that story, as well as incorporating elements of the original Alice in Wonderland into this original piece.

Let's start with Catherine, or as her friends like to call her: Cath. Loving the nickname, although it reminds me of Cather in Fangirl since Cath was her nickname as well. The image that I got of her was that she was probably a little bigger than most of the women in Hearts because she liked to bake so much. But I also feel like the only reason why she was probably bigger in my mind than I anticipated was because of the constant jabs from her mother and how she would have food taken away from her mid-meal or straight up not allowed to eat at all on certain occasions. Cath's mother, the Marchioness of Rock Turtle Cove was a real piece of work, and I definitely did not like her at all. If there was anyone truly mad in this book, it had to have been her.

Then there's the amazing Jest, who I have added to my never-ending list of fictional boyfriends. The first time we meet him, he has a sway over the citizens of Hearts with his riddle and magic tricks. Even Cath can't seem to keep her eyes off him, and is curious to find out who he is and where he's from. With the Kingdom of Hearts being small enough that everyone knows everyone, a stranger that nobody has seen before is always going to be the talk of the town, Jest being no exception. My heart beats for Jest, and apparently so does Cath's.

This isn't just a love story though, definitely not. There is love involved, between Cath and Jest, two strangers that seem to have some sort of attraction between them. But there's also a real danger out there in Hearts, in the form of the Jabberwock. It's been many years since a Jabberwock has been seen in Hearts, and if the entire kingdom hadn't seen one in front of them with their very own eyes, they probably would have been find pretending that it was just a silly rumor and forget it ever happened. But no, the Jabberwock is real, and threatens the lives of everyone in Hearts if someone doesn't do anything to stop it.

You would think that the King of Hearts would do something, but don't expect it to happen. Like we've seen of him in Alice in Wonderland, he's a kind-hearted fool, one who would rather have parties and eat treats than actually defend his kingdom and its citizens. That was a complete turn off for me, although I should have known based on the previous versions of him that we've seen. No wonder he's still not married, but who does he have his eyes on? The one and only Cath, probably because he knows that she's the best baker in all the land. Everyone knows it, and to think if he made her Queen, she could make him treats all the time! That was probably what he was thinking when he wanted to propose to her, because there was nothing that Cath did to make it even remotely a question that she liked him romantically. Either that or he's just an idiot. I still don't know which one is more true.

The world of Hearts is one that we have seen before, with talking animals that have human like qualities, special food and drinks that have the capability to change you into something else, and magic. It's the norm in Hearts, and while some of it is fun, others certainly aren't. Some of it is actually quite painful, and dangerous. It is Wonderland, after all. What did you expect?

While I won't spoil the story, we all know that it was bound to have a terrible ending. Terrible in this case meaning that Cath was going to be the vicious Queen of Hearts that we grew up knowing her as. And to think that she started off as someone with such passion about something other than beheading, well we know that something really really bad had to have happened to make her change. I can say that, if I were in her shoes, I probably would have reacted the same way, probably worse than what she ended up as. I feel for her, my heart breaks for her, and a part of me wonders if it really is better to be heartless or not. By the time you get to the end of the book, maybe you'll have the answer for yourself.

Rated: 5/5 ★

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs - Book Review

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of curious photographs.

A horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.


“I used to dream about escaping my ordinary life, but my life was never ordinary. I had simply failed to notice how extraordinary it was.”


So I went into this book months after I watched the movie, so of course I already had a preconceived notion of what I thought would happen. I will say that there are quite a few differences, but that will be saved for another segment of my Books V. Movie series.  But back to this book

Honestly I thought this book was one of my favorites this year. There were some things that I didn't like, for example some of Jacob's behavior. I can appreciate the fact that he didn't have friends back in Florida, and since he had a falling out with his one and only friend it would make sense that he's a little less social or more sarcastic. Don't get me wrong, the sarcasm is amazing and it actually made me laugh quite often. But there was just something about him that bothered me. He wasn't as brave as I thought he would be, and maybe I just had a lot higher expectations of him from what I wanted to see come out of him. It made it difficult for me to really feel for him, really root for him in every aspect.

Miss Peregrine was an interesting character as well. Seeing her as an old crone, one that has her own sarcasm attached to her with her demeanor and everything else that made me think of her as completely British. For some reason I just imagined her as an older and meaner Professor McGonagall (I doubt I have to say which book series she's from). But unlike the beloved Professor, this first book didn't allow me a chance to really fall in love with her character. it definitely makes me want to know more about her, and I'm hoping that I get that chance in the next two books.

The way that this book read really made me feel like this was meant to be a series. So I think with that in mind, I had to stop and think about the fact that not everything would be answered when I hit the end of the book. If anything, I had so many more questions. Like what is it about the ymbrines that makes them masters of time? How exactly do they reset the loop and do they ever get to sleep? What makes Abe and Jacob able to see the hollowgasts and the other peculiars can't? Did all peculiars come from circuses or at least spend time in one?

Just so many questions.

I hope I get my hands on the rest of the series soon, and be on the lookout for my book and movie comparison where I can write a lot more about my thoughts on the differences. Right now I can't really say much without spoiling it even more than I probably already did.

Rated: 3.5/5 ★

The Dreamer by E.J. Mellow - Book Review

The first in a spellbinding contemporary fantasy trilogy, The Dreamer has been awarded a Silver for Best Fantasy/Sci-Fi from the eLit Book Awards, a Finalist Medal for Best Cover Design from The Next Generation Indie Book Awards and has appeared in globally distributed book subscription boxes such as the Sci-fi & Fantasy Book Box.

It’s night. Always night. Dreams guard against the evil forged by nightmares. Infinite shooting stars illuminate a moonless sky. A city stands alone, surrounded by a darkened field. On its fringes, a man watches one star separate from the masses and fall. What survives the crash will unveil a secret centuries long hidden.

Molly hasn’t slept well since the night of her twenty-fourth birthday. Being struck by lightning might have something to do with it, but then again, her chicken did look a little undercooked at dinner. Whatever the culprit, her life quickly catapults from mundane to insane as, night after night, Molly is transported through her once dreamless sleep to a mysterious land illuminated by shooting stars.

There she meets the captivating but frustrating Dev, and together they discover Molly possesses a power coveted by his people—the ability to conjure almost anything she desires into existence. Seduced by the possibilities of this gift, Molly shifts her attention from waking life toward the man, the magic, and the world found in her dreams.

But Molly must ask herself—does something truly exist if you only see it when you close your eyes?

Faced with the threat of losing everything—her job, best friend, boyfriend, and most importantly, that little thing called her sanity—Molly will learn just how far she’ll go to uncover what is real and what is merely a figment of her imagination.

“And then there are the dreams that feel as authentic as reality itself, that seem to exist just as your own life does. Where the emotions you experience there carry over to when you're awake. They are so real, so genuine, that you begin to question your own sanity. And you know that when the day comes that you finally stop dreaming them, you will never stop remembering.”

Sometimes dreams can seem so real that you aren't even sure whether or not you actually are dreaming. Those are the types of dreams I crave, the ones that feel so real, that are so close to being the kind of reality that I want that I couldn't imagine waking up again. But none of those dreams could ever compare to the kind that Molly has, and I still don't know whether I want to be in her shoes or not.

See, it all started when Molly was going home after celebrating her 24th birthday with her amazing attorney boyfriend Jared. Maybe it would have been better for her to play hooky that night instead of going home to work because that's when it happened. The whole getting struck by lightning and almost dying thing. Kind of puts a damper on birthday celebrations, right?

Fast-forward to her time in the hospital, while she was in her mini coma, and she ends up dreaming for the first time in her life. And for some reason she dreams about this field with a single tree, with a bunch of stars in the sky, and this mysterious guy dressed in all black. Who is this guy, and has she seen him before? Is he someone from her past that is suddenly making an appearance in her subconscious? Whoever he is, he is certainly dreamy (pun-intended).

Molly basically starts to dream about this land, which she finds out is called Terra, basically a land of dreams. She also finds out that there's so much more to her than she thought, and while she may have already been pretty sure of herself from the moment we met her, she learns that she is meant for greatness. It almost reminded me of that movie, Night at the Museum, where Theodore Roosevelt talked about greatness. Yeah, that's pretty much Molly right now.

Not to mention Dev is a book babe, and I'm so obsessed with him that I wish I could dream about him as much as Molly did. Granted, the time that Molly spent with him was 50% rolling her eyes at him and 50% wanting to take his clothes off, but I know there is so much more to this guy. I just want to know his backstory, like who was he before he became this bad ass head of military specialist that is fascinated by Molly and how human she is.

So did I like the book? Loved it. Do I want the physical book as well as the Kindle version? Absolutely.  Do I want Dev to myself?

You bet your ass I do.

5 /5 ★

And I'm Back... Again

Well look at that. Looks like I'm back again. It's been a few months... well maybe more than a few months. It feels like half a year pretty much. March? It's already November? Yeah, definitely been a while. And I haven't been reading as many books this year as I wanted to. I'm not sure if I'm going to make my goal of 25 books by the end of the year, but it's alright. At least I read more than half of that, and that's worth something.

I finally started a Bookstagram account, and I'm excited to make it grow! For anyone who wants to follow me, my account is @miyukinightreader so feel free to check it out. There's only one post for now, which I'll gladly show you here :) I can't wait to see what comes out of it, and hopefully I can improve not only my photography skills but also read a lot more as an incentive to get more books and take more pictures. I also gotta keep up the Tuesday Talks, because that was really fun.

Well my day has officially started, and now it's time for me to get back to reading. I'm almost done with "The Dreamer" by E.J. Mellow (amazing book, by the way. I can't wait to review it.) and I want to finish it soon. Hope to hear from you all soon!

Tuesday Talks - Shop or Browse?

Hey everyone! Sorry I'm posting a little late this week but at least I'm actually writing a post! Once again, if you're interested in past topics from this year or even want to start your own blog/vlog, be sure to check out the GoodReads group Tuesday Talks.

Do you shop for specific books, or are you a browser?

I think it really depends on what my mood is when I walk into the bookstore. Some days, I just want to go in to see what new books are in there, and so I don't have anything particular that I'm looking for. I think that's the worst time for me to go to the bookstore though, because when I'm in browsing mode then I can buy up to 10 books at a time or even more. So not good for my wallet, but way awesome for my bookshelf. Which reminds me, I still need to eventually get another shelf for my growing collection.

Now, if I'm on GoodReads or Instagram and I see potentially amazing books that I should have in my hands like right now, then I will go to the bookstore on a mission to see if it's even there. I think I should actually call them first and make sure that it's in stock before making my way there, so that I don't go there disappointed when they don't have it. Then again, if it's not there then I end up finding other books to buy! I think I have a book addition, guys.

This one was pretty short and to the point, but that's perfect. So either way, I'm buying books guys. What do you guys think? Do you shop for specific books or are you a browser? Or are you like me and does it depend on your mood? Let me know in the comments below.

Book vs. Movie - Divergent

Hello everyone! Welcome back to another segment of Book Vs. Movie! It's been a long time coming since my first post, and I apologize for the delay. As I mentioned in my previous post, this segment will discuss the similarities and differences between books and their movie counterparts. Sometimes I read the book before I watch the movie, like I did with The 5th Wave, or I watch the movie and eventually make my way to reading the book, like I did with Divergent. I can't wait to hear your thoughts.

This week's post will be about Divergent. Based off the amazing novel by Veronica Roth - a synopsis which is posted on my blog - this was an amazing movie experience. I remember when it first came out and I had never read the book. I got to go in to the movie without any expectations except for the trailers that I watched up until the point the movie came out. The movie came out two years ago, with two sequels since then, and only recently have I been able to actually read the book that started it all. It was such a relief to say that I liked the book as well as the movie.

But was there a certain part of the book that I felt should have been shown in the movie? Was there possible more than one? Of course there was.

****If you have not read the book or watched the movie and want to avoid spoilers, I would suggest not reading any further. Consider this your warning :)****

Divergent - Book Review

"I believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another."

The appeal of dystopian novels is the "what if" factor. What if the world ended and there were only a few humans left? What if after a hundred years of living, people began to show signs of supernatural abilities? What if the world started having competitions where children were forced to kill one another in order to have their families have food for the rest of the year? It's those kinds of questions that people crave to have answered, without actually going through it themselves. It is with the power of books and storytelling that these questions can be explored in their own universe.

So what if the remaining humans in the world decided that the best way to keep control over society was by categorizing them into five specific character traits?

This is where Divergent comes in to play, and the world that author Veronica Roth created. Each person has to choose which group they want to belong to: Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless, and Erudite. Each group is known for a specific trait: Abnegation is selfless, Amity is peaceful, Candor is honest, Dauntless is brave, and Erudite is intelligent. These groups are called Factions, and this kind of society has been working for as long as they can remember. "Faction before blood" is their mantra, for even though one can be born to a certain faction, on their sixteenth birthday they can decide whether to stay in their born faction or more on to a different one. But once they choose, they can never change their decision, or they risk being factionless, without a home or family ever again. In a city that used to be Chicago, society is functioning as well as could be expected in the wake of a decaying world.

Beatrice Prior, born into the Abnegation faction, doesn't feel quite so selfless as the rest of her family. She feels like maybe something is wrong with her for feeling this way. Why should she not be as selfless as her family when they are all Abnegation? She spends her spare moments watching the Dauntless kids, the ones who her father believes are wild animals because they frequently do daring acts that no other faction would do. Like jump on and off moving trains for example. But that's just who they are, and Dauntless are the brave after all. Beatrice turns 16 and it's finally time for her to take her aptitude test, the one that will tell her which faction she belongs to. But when the time comes and the test is finally over, she hears that her results were inconclusive, that she has an equal chance of being Abnegation, Dauntless, and Erudite. How can that be? Is she the only one that has been like this before?

And what exactly does being Divergent mean?

After finding out what she did about her, and knowing that she's not allowed to discuss her results to anyone else, she has to make a choice on where she wants to be for the rest of her life. Will she stay in Abnegation, where she already feels out of place? Or will she take a chance and become a Dauntless, following her dream of getting out there and doing something with her life? Will her family be okay with her decision? Will she be okay with it? Will this decision change her life forever?

By changing the course of her life forever, by choosing to jump on a train and become a Dauntless initiate, Beatrice transforms herself into Tris, and her new life is born. She goes through many trials, both physical and mental, in order to prove herself to be worthy of being in this faction. She goes from being the girl that was born to stay out of people's way, to being a target to those who see her as a threat. And while part of that reason may be because she's been labeled as "Divergent", it's also because Tris herself is an enigma that the rest of the world doesn't know how to handle. She is more than just brave, more than just selfless. She is everything that the society has based their world on, not just one or the other; those that want power just don't know how to keep her in check, and that's what makes her so dangerous to them.

I really enjoyed this book, and I'm glad I finally got to read it after seeing the movie when it first came out. It gave me a different perspective going into the book, and it actually made me appreciate the movie even more. I feel like Book-Tris and Movie-Tris had their differences, but I won't discuss that on this post. Look for my Book vs. Movie post for Divergent, hopefully coming out soon.

Rated: 5/5 Stars

Tuesday Talks - First Book in a Series

Hey everyone! Welcome to another segment of Tuesday Talks. If you want to get involved in the discussions and check out the past topics, feel free to check out the group on Goodreads.

If you did not enjoy the first book in a series, do you continue on?

This one is actually a pretty big deal breaker for me. There are a lot of series that I find interest in, and I always take a big chance in reading the first book. Once I don't like it, I won't go on to the rest of the series, no matter how many books there are. I can talk about one series in particular. I didn't realize it was a series until I checked it out on GoodReads, and unfortunately this was after I read the book. I could barely get through it, and it is not part of my character to leave a book unfinished, no matter how horrid it is. I won't name the book here, in case there are those who actually liked it contrary to my opinion (there are quite a few positive reviews on GoodReads), and I don't want those who haven't read it to have expectations.

As much as the book left me with a cliffhanger, the fact that I had no desire to even finish the book made me not want to find out what happens to Channie and the rest of the characters in the series. It was that terrible.

I've actually been really lucky at finding series that I actually like based off the first book alone. I think if there were more like my previous example, then i would feel really upset. Of course, as you can probably tell from my reading history from last year and this year, I've mostly been reading only the first book of multiple series for some reason. Maybe I just don't want any of these series to end like all the rest of them do, but they will eventually have to one day.

What do you think? Does your approval of the first book determine whether or not you continue a series? Let me know in the comments below.

Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Caroll

Source of legend and lyric, reference and conjecture, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is for most children pure pleasure in prose. While adults try to decipher Lewis Carroll's putative use of complex mathematical codes in the text, or debate his alleged use of opium, young readers simply dive with Alice through the rabbit hole, pursuing "The dream-child moving through a land / Of wonders wild and new." There they encounter the White Rabbit, the Queen of Hearts, the Mock Turtle, and the Mad Hatter, among a multitude of other characters--extinct, fantastical, and commonplace creatures. Alice journeys through this Wonderland, trying to fathom the meaning of her strange experiences. But they turn out to be "curiouser and curiouser," seemingly without moral or sense.

For more than 130 years, children have reveled in the delightfully non-moralistic, non-educational virtues of this classic. In fact, at every turn, Alice's new companions scoff at her traditional education. The Mock Turtle, for example, remarks that he took the "regular course" in school: Reeling, Writhing, and branches of Arithmetic-Ambition, Distraction, Uglification, and Derision. Carroll believed John Tenniel's illustrations were as important as his text. Naturally, Carroll's instincts were good; the masterful drawings are inextricably tied to the well-loved story.

Divergent - Veronica Roth

Paperback features over fifty pages of bonus materials, including a sneak peek of Insurgent, an author Q&A, a discussion guide, a Divergent playlist, faction manifestos, and more!

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Veronica Roth is the New York Times bestselling author of Divergent, the first in a trilogy of dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

A Dance of Cloaks - Book Review

In a world where thieves rule the underworld, it's important to be part of the right guild. Not all thieves are the same, and by getting involved in the wrong one, that could warrant an early death sentence. The most powerful guild in the underworld is under the leadership of Thren Fellhorn, a ruthless man who has no problem exerting his control. Even if it means ending a life or more. So of course, he would mold his sons to be the exact same way. Right off the bat, it is believed that his eldest would be the one to rule. But he is seen as a disappointment, and he orders his youngest son to kill him.

So he does.

No mercy. No tears. No hesitation. Just like that, his first born is no more, and his youngest son at only 8 years old has just killed his first person. His brother, no less. That is how ruthless Thren is, and that's exactly how he molds Aaron to be if he is supposed to take his father's place in the future.

Fast forward a few years, and Aaron is well on his way to being the most dangerous weapon his father has ever created. He is barely a person anymore, and those in his father's guild are scared of this creature before them. Aaron is okay with this, and he does whatever he can to make sure that he is perfect in his father's eyes. He had no issue killing his brother, his own flesh and blood at such a young age. He shouldn't have any issue killing anyone else in order to get what he wants, or to make sure that his father's guild stays in power in this land. So why is it that now, all of a sudden, he can't kill the daughter of a priest?

With that decision, he is forced to question everything that he was ever taught. Will his father agree with his decision, that is, if he ever decides to tell the truth about what happened? Will those around him continue to die at the hands of the Trifect, a group of the richest men in their city, who have been on the losing side of this war with the guilds? Everything begins to break down in front of his eyes, and even those that he trusted with his life will not make it to the end.

This was an interesting book to read. There were a lot of characters that I ended up liking but weren't there by the time the book ended. It made me feel like it wasn't the first book of an entire series, with getting rid of a lot of characters so soon. I was a little heartbroken by who does end up dying, but I won't spoil it. I think Aaron made a big decision on his own, and this ends up being his way of rebelling against his father, basically having an alter ego that will fight against those who stand with Thren. Will he be able to survive the rest of the series, when so many of those who were there before him have not? I have no way of telling from this point. I do believe that I would rather have a different protagonist to follow than Aaron though. I just can't relate to him as much as I would like.

Rated: 4/5 Stars

The Lost Hero - Book Review

"Even before he got electrocuted, Jason was having a rotten day."

It hasn't even been a year since the second Titan war. Percy Jackson and the rest of Camp Half-Blood did everything they could to defeat Kronos and stop the Titans from taking over the world. Despite the Gods winning this war again, not everything has been peaceful, and the demigods suffered quite a few casualties. It shook the balance of everyone at Camp Half-Blood, and things got serious even more than they were before. Their friends were dead, or badly injured, and the looming thought of another Great Prophecy over their heads meant that this wasn't over. And it definitely wasn't.

Fast forward a few weeks, and we come across three new teens that will begin their journey just like any other kid with a godly parent: being attacked by monsters.

Meet Jason, a guy with a serious case of amnesia. He doesn't even remember who he really is, only that his name is Jason and that something is terribly wrong. For some reason, everyone around him in the bus that he magically wakes up has it in their head that he's been one of their classmates for three months or so, even though Jason has no idea what they are talking about. He apparently has a girlfriend named Piper too, who may or may not have been a little heartbroken when he didn't recognize her.

Speaking of Piper, she turns out to be a pretty important character to the story too. And not just because she thought she was Jason's girlfriend either. Jason, Piper, and their comedic friend Leo all have their lives turned on their heads and are forced to find solace and refuge in a camp for demigods. What are demigods? Well, they are the children of Greek gods that decided to come down to Earth and have a little fun with the mortals. A little gross when one could have many siblings in close age, like the children of Aphrodite and Hermes for example, but still pretty cool. Piper finds out that she's the daughter of Aphrodite, and Leo is claimed by Hephaestus. But what about Jason? He has the powers of a child of Zeus, and yet for some reason that doesn't seem right to him. Even Chiron saw him and said he was supposed to be dead.

In this book, a story separated from the first epic adventure of Percy Jackson still has those drama-filled gods trying to get their children to do their dirty work for them. It wasn't enough that they had to kick ass against the Titans just a few months ago. No, now there are more dangerous and evil creatures stirring beneath the Earth, and it doesn't look like the gods will be able to win this time. What makes it even worse, is that for some reason the gods seem to possess multiple personalities, their Greek personas and their more warlike Roman counterparts. We end up finding out what happened to the other Titans while Percy and the Greek demigods were busy fighting Kronos. The others didn't just decide to retreat after that. Oh no. It was so much more complicated than that.

For those who have read the Percy Jackson series, I feel like this is a very exciting follow up. It's not really a sequel, especially if you're counting on hearing the story from Percy's perspective. Don't expect that in the first book, because you will be disappointed. But don't knock it until you try it, because from what Jason, Piper and Leo have to go through in this book alone, you can already guess that this new prophecy is going to be so much darker and so much more challenging than the first one. If you thought the Titans were bad, think again. This was the perfect first book to another exciting series, bringing Roman mythology into the mix perfectly balancing out the Greek mythology we came to love with the first series. I'm already on the edge of my seat in anticipation.

Rated: 5/5 Stars

Tuesday Talks - Soundtrack for Favorite Books

Hey everyone! Another week, another Tuesday Talks! I love that I've been able to actively participate in the discussions this year. I hope to keep it up. If you're curious about what exactly Tuesday Talks is or want to start joining in yourself, be sure to check out the GoodReads group.

If you could put together a soundtrack for your favorite book(s), what songs would you choose?

Oh I'm really excited about this topic! I loved making playlists at one time, when I didn't have an mp3 player and would have to listen to songs on a CD player. I would make my own CD mixes to listen to, and a lot of them had to do with love and heartbreak funnily enough. I still love those CDs though, don't get me wrong. I just don't think I've ever made a soundtrack for my favorite books. I'm going to choose two of my favorite books from this year to do this exercise, and hopefully you guys will see why I chose these songs. Here we go!

Red Queen - Victoria Aveyard (playlist here)

1. Castle - Halsey

"I'm headed straight for the castle. They got the kingdom locked up. And there's an old man sitting on the throne that's saying I should probably keep my pretty mouth shut."

2. The Mighty Fall - Fall Out Boy feat. Big Sean

"Your crooked love is just a pyramid scheme, and I'm dizzy on dreams. But if you ask me two's a whole lot lonelier than one."

3. You Should Know Where I'm Coming From - Banks

"What if I said I could break your heart? What if I said I have problems that made me mean?

4. Dead To Me - Melanie Martinez

"My condolences. I'll shed a tear with your family."

5. HFH (Heart F*cking Hurts) - Mia Martina

"It's too late for a fix. I'm a wreck over this."

6. Bed of Lies - Nicki Minaj feat. Skylar Grey

"You could never make eye contact. Everything you got was based off of my contacts."

7. Bad Love - Caitlyn Scarlett

"You can't separate, what you need and what you want. Bad love isn't better than none."

8. Centuries - Fall Out Boy

"And just one mistake is all it will take. We'll go down in history. Remember me for centuries."

9. Battle Cry - Imagine Dragons

"Nobody can save me now. The king is crowned. It's do or die."

10. Better Off - Emily Vaughn

"So hard to say that we might be better off moving on without each other."

The Siren - Kiera Cass (playlist here)

1. Be Okay - Oh Honey

"I'm wide awake, so what's the point of dreaming when your life is great?"

2. Bad Intentions - Niykee Heaton

"This is the face I wear treading the riptide. Abysmal oceans where good girls go to die."

3. Sea Song - Lisa Hannigan

"There's one man, he's like the wishful thinking in my life."

4. Only Love Can Hurt Like This - Paloma Faith

"Only love can hurt like this. Must have been a deadly kiss."

5. All Of You - Betty Who

"But I wanna go and get lost with you, my love. I want you to give me all of you."

6. Tenerife Sea - Ed Sheeran

"You got the kind of look in your eyes as if no one knows anything but us."

7. Like The Sea - Alicia Keys

"Love is like the sea, leaves you on your knees."

8. Thank You for the Broken Heart - J. Rice

"Cause if it wasn't for you, I might forget, how it feels to let go."

9. I Was Made for Loving You - Tori Kelly feat. Ed Sheeran

"I'll take this chance, so call me blind. I've been waiting all my life."

10. The Girl - City and Colour

"I wish I could do better by you, 'cause that's what you deserve."

A Dance of Cloaks - David Dalglish

Thren Felhorn is the greatest assassin of his time. Marshalling the thieves’ guilds under his control, he declares war against the Trifect, an allegiance of wealthy and powerful nobles.

Aaron Felhorn has been groomed since birth to be Thren’s heir. Sent to kill the daughter of a priest, Aaron instead risks his own life to protect her from the wrath of his guild. In doing so, he glimpses a world beyond poison, daggers, and the iron control of his father.

Guilds twist and turn, trading allegiances for survival. The Trifect weakens, its reputation broken, its money dwindling. The players take sides as the war nears its end, and Thren puts in motion a plan to execute hundreds.

Only Aaron can stop the massacre and protect those he loves…

Assassin or protector; every choice has its consequences.