Now for the second part of my summer book haul.
I have about three more of these to do. THREE. MORE.
There’s about seven books in each of these posts.
THAT’S LIKE, 21 NEW BOOKS. Is that not awesome or what?
I know what you’re thinking. No, Marie, that’s definitely not awesome. That’s a lot of money! But four of these are paperbacks. That’s cutting back! BE PROUD OF ME. IT NEVER HAPPENS.
Continue reading “Summer Book Haul Part 2 (And it’s Autumn Now So… Points to Me and My Punctuality)”
Everything, Everything was my first contemporary. And it promised so much.
But um…WHAT EVEN WAS THIS BOOK.
The first half was cute and light and adorable and then the second half turned it on its head. Basically it hopped on a train and shot off at 8,596 mph and left me in the dust wondering where in the world my feelings were. But I’m glad I missed the train because it ended up heading in a horrible direction? Seriously, what haaaappened.
While I contemplate if I’d rather buy this book and rip out the second half or just burn the whole thing with malicious glee, feel free to saunter through this mess of a review.
A spoilery review. So. If that’s not your thing…..
GO AWAY.
★ ★ ★
Young Adult / Genre: Contemporary, Romance / Content: 18+ / Not Recommended
My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.
But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.
Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.
Continue reading “Everything, Everything was Disappointing, Disappointing”
Throne of Glass was the second book I read this past August, and HOLY MOLY, did I have fun.
I’m that weird breed of reader that hardly buys books until after I’ve read them* (there’s something called a LIBRARY, ALRIGHT) and I was literally halfway through Throne of Glass and I immediately sauntered over to Book Depository and ordered the next two books beCAUSE THRONE OF GLASS IS JUST THAT GOOD.
Has it been bad for my wallet? Eh, maybe. Is it a problem? Absolutely not.
I’m aware that that this series is very much a love it or hate it kind of thing, so I’m sorry if you hated it and really want me to take an hour to bash it till it’s dead** because YOU’RE NOT GONNA FIND THAT HERE.***
Becuase I loved it. #sorrynotsorry
So let me rant to no end and pretend to be professional talk about it.
*Except classics… I’m not going to count the ones I own and HAVEN’T EVEN TOUCHED. They’re just so addicting and I know they’re going to be good SO LEAVE ME ALONE.
**Who are you, really? That’s cruel!
***Am I screaming too much? SHOULD I TONE IT DOWN???
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Young Adult / Genre: Fantasy, Action/Adventure / Content: 14+ / Recommended
After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.
Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king’s council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she’ll serve the kingdom for four years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she’s bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her … but it’s the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.
Then one of the other contestants turns up dead … quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.
Continue reading “Throne of Glass: Assassins, Princes, and A Very Obsessed Me “
It’s September. It’s September. It’s September. It’s September. It’s September!
Why am I chanting this you ask? Well:
1) I’m crazy. This should be expected.
2) I’M TRYING TO CONVINCE MYSELF IT’S NOT CHRISTMAS. BECAUSE WITH ALL THESE NEW RELEASES IT SURE FEELS LIKE IT.
Okay. I think I can believe it’s not Christmas now. I CAN DO IT, YOU DOUBTER.
Now to the point.
If anticipation is a pit, I’m like 4,658,709,124 miles deep. (Please help me out. I need help.)
Wait what? June?!? JUNE?!?
Wasn’t that like…months ago? Shouldn’t we have had this post before, you whisper?
Well… I ran away from blogging for a month or two and I missed my June wrap-up and I’m sooooo sorryyyyy. HOW DARE I. SERIOUSLY.
I’M MAKING IT UP TO YOU NOW THOUGH, I PROMISE YOU.
Let’s start with Ze August Wrap-Up… And then I’ll pay my penance. *hides*
I only read two books this August, BUT THEY WERE AWESOME. (Just kidding. I read three. But we forget about the third one. Okay? Okay. #NotSoAwesome)
Ruin and Rising? Oh, you must mean The Book of Tears.
Becuase WOW. I was a mess. A sobbing mess. A traumatic sobbing mess.
WHICH IS A GOOD THING. BECAUSE I’M THAT WEIRD BREED THAT LOVES BOOKS THAT MAKE THEM CRY.
Guys. If you haven’t read this series, YOU GOTTA.
(My screaming review is up here.)
I wish I could talk more about them, but…SPOILERS. So go. Go read them. And then come back and rant with me.
Throne of Glass was my favorite read this August. BY FAR.
I adored the characters so much and I cannot wait to explore them more and see how there arcs develop as I continue the series! (Book Depository, please hasten thine delivery unto me.)
The writing and plot didn’t really impress me, but I didn’t even care. The characters and humor totally made up for it AND MORE.
Marie is obsessed.
HELP ME OUT PEOPLE.
My review is written and scheduled. You WILL be hearing more about it soon. *evil laughs and lightning in the distance*
I was honestly pretty disappointed by Everything, Everything. This was my first contemporary novel (I know… The shame is real) and I think I expected more?
The first half was adorable and super cute, but then it just… IT WENT DOWNHILL FOR ME. FAST.
If you absolutely loved Everything, Everything, I beg your mercy. It just wasn’t for me.
But it was still cute? Sort of?
Review to come…when I can actually get my angsty thoughts sorted out.
Now you can get the August wrap-up. You’re welcome.
Seige and Storm, as I’m sure you’re aware (because I WON’T SHUT UP ABOUT IT), is the second installment of the Grisha trilogy and if you couldn’t already tell by my ranting about Ruin and Rising, this series has been rough on me. AND THIS ONE WAS NO EXCEPTION.
Again, I don’t want to talk too much about it because it’s a sequel and those are just spoilery by nature, so if you haven’t read Shadow and Bone (which I reviewed here #shamelessselfpromo) just…JUST GO. Come back later.
So if I’m honest, An Ember in the Ashes was my favorite read this past June (yet again, Leigh Bardugo has been eclipsed WHAT IS THIS) and can I just say: Sabaa Tahir was born to write.
An Ember in the Ashes was fantasy like I’ve never read it. The setting was so unique and had such a Gladiator feel THAT I LOVED.
My review will be up soon, but in the meantime, just know, it was AMAZING.
A Torch in the Night was the sequel to An Ember in the Ashes and it was like 98.725397% as good as Ember.
I didn’t like some of the character interactions in this one and where some of the arcs are leading, but it was still crazy good.
I adored it and my review will be up shortly!
Thank you so much for following along! Here’s a bit of what you can expect this September…
Clever Reader Note: I’m migrating some posts I wanted to publish last month (and the month before… and the month before) to this month, so you have totally seen some items on this list before, but don’t worry, I’ll get to them! I WILL, YOU DOUBTER.
• My reviews for An Ember in the Ashes and A Torch Against the Night.
• A review for Everything, Everything
• A ranty, haphazard review of Throne of Glass.
• My most anticipated books releasing this September!
• My strategy for moving through the classics (and picking which ones are worth my time). Did I really promise this? Why??
• A review for The Rose Society. Haha just kidding. DNF’ed for now.
• The next part of my summer book haul! The book buying. It is not a problem. DEFINITELY NOT.
See you around soon!
It’s been two months since I’ve posted a review on here. What is up with me.
Sorry for the silence. I know you missed me.*
I’m back and filled with more nerd rage than ever. Muhahahahaha. Run while you still can.**
I’m going to try not to scream too much at Leigh Bardugo in this review, but who knows. I’m angry. And she sort of ripped out my heart in this book. *glares* I have one question for you Leigh… WHYYYY.
I’m trying to keep it spoiler-free, but if you’re the type who will hunt down anyone who mentions anything and smother them in stuffed animals (that sounds kind of nice, actually) AVOID ME AND MY REVIEW.
That’s right, I’m giving you leave to run. (The footnote doesn’t apply to you, you special bunch.) Now go away. GO.
*Actually, we both know that’s not true. BUT GO WITH IT.
**Just kidding, please don’t run. If you did, I’d have an emotional meltdown and throw my books at the wall in my rage/sadness…and we don’t want that, because, BOOKS. Please don’t make me hurt them.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Young Adult / Genre: Fantasy, Action/Adventure / Content: 16+ / Recommended
The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.
Now the nation’s fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.
Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.
Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova’s amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling’s secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction—and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for.
Meet the newest additions to my shelfamily!
But first… a few things.
1. I’ve bought/received sixteen books this past May and June (though I returned two to pick up different editions this month, so I’m not sure if they count towards my May/June hauls, exactly!).
2. I’VE BOUGHT ALL THOSE BOOKS AND I STILL HAVEN’T SHARED THEM IN A HAUL POST YET. YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE PROBLEM IS.
3. I NEED TO CATCH UP. (Obviously!)
4. I’ve been promising a post like this since May. MAYYYY. I need to deliver now.
5. I’m sorry.
6. I’m sorry!
Sooo, I’m combining my May and June book hauls into a “summer haul,” but I’m going to separate them into parts because there’s a lot to go through!
Because, SIXTEEN BOOKS MARIE.
SIX. TEEN.
Why are you looking at me like that? I’M A BOOKAHOLIC. I’M DOING FINE.
Okay, you might.
I’m kind of…too crazy to pass.
(It’s okay, Marie. We love you, Marie.)
But at any rate, I’m allowed to freak out right now (YES, I AM) because the lovely Cassie at Today I’ve Read (if you haven’t checked out her blog or Instagram you totally should) tagged me to do the Mid-Year Freakout book tag, so LET THE THE MADNESS BEGIN. Muahahahaha.
AND I’M FREAKING OUT ALREADY. Why is the hardest question first? THIS ISN’T FAIR! Let me scream like a petulant child and get it out of my system.
It’s been five months since I’ve read Shadow and Bone and now I’ve finally read the sequel.
It’s sad, I know.
BUT OH MY WORD, WHAT A SEQUEL.
I finished Siege and Storm a whole day ago and I still can’t speak. (Okay, I might be stretching that a little, BUT I’VE TRIED TO START THIS REVIEW LIKE TEN TIMES SO…)
Excuse me, that was unprofessional.
Siege and Storm was everything I could want in a sequel. It started off intensely fast, and didn’t let up until the last page was turned. It was brilliant, and I can’t wait for more.
NOTE: Due to the nature of this review, as Siege and Storm is a sequel, if you haven’t read Shadow and Bone or if you have but want to make sure you’re not spoiled for the next book, I’d stop here and read up before checking out this review! 🙂 I don’t want to spoil you on accident (and if I do I’m really sorry!) so it might be safer to skip my nerdy ramblings for now and get your hands on the books. 😉 I try to keep my reviews spoiler-free, but sometimes I start ranting and forget! So before you continue on, just make sure you’re okay with that, savvy?
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Young Adult / Genre: Fantasy, Action/Adventure / Content: 16+ / Recommended
Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.
The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her–or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.
Continue reading “Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo – Review”
WOW. It’s been a while since our last quote! #SHAME.
I’ll fix it, I promise.
Anyway, I’m pretty excited because I get to post my favorite Bardugo quote today. It’s crazy long, but it’s probably the deepest quote I’ve read by her, and it really hit me hard.
(Bless you if you can actually read it.)
