Book reviews, book hauls, a whole lot of books to be honest.
Author: Tasha
Hi, I'm Tasha! I'm 17 and a book enthusiast. Currently a college student so I’m definitely stuck somewhere between trying to read and handing in my essays on time but I love a challenge. Reading is a huge passion, I love love love it, just an escape for a while from the big ball of crazy we call the Earth.
Back again with this month’s Fairylootbox! The theme for this month was: Things are not what they seem. I loved absolutely everything in this box. Unfortunately, I haven’t read a great deal of these boxes which yes, is pretty depressing BUT it just adds to my anticipation to get my hands on these books. I’m really loving the art on the spoiler card for this box, which you can see to the right.
The first item is this “One ring to rule them all” Pocket Mirror, this is a Fairyloot exclusive! Obviously. this item is based on The Lord of The Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. This and The Hobbit are some of my favourite films but while I have read The Hobbit can you believe I haven’t read The Lord of The Rings? This is such a cute little item that I will definitely be making use of.
This was a surprising item and has to be one of my favourites of the box! This Lunar Cutlery set features chopsticks, a fork and a spoon (and comes in a container). It features quotes from The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer, I LOVE a good quote! The logo on the box is designed by @taratjah. Another series that I am DYING to get my hands on. To be honest despite not having read the series I picked it up and knew that it was inspired by The Lunar Chronicles so that has to count for something.
This box is literally filled with fandoms that I am not apart of but so desperately want to be! This is an Ember in the Ashes Pillowcase featuring the characters Elias, Laia and Helene. The pillow case has art from two amazing artists: character illustration by @_saintdri and lettering by @kdpletters. I can’t wait to read this series so I can hopefully make use of this item.
No, I also haven’t read this but that doesn’t stop this bookmark from being the most gorgeous bookmark I have EVER seen. LOOK AT IT. This Metal Bookmark is inspired by the Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson. The art is done by @in.the.reads. I’m inlove with it and I cannot wait to use it.
I haven’t used hair scrunchies since I had a matching one to my summer dress in primary school! Having said that thanks to Fairyloot I am wearing one right now! These were inspired by the covers of the Graceling Realm series by Kristin Cashore and designed by @taratjah.
I get way to excited when Fairyloot include a candle and this was no exception. This Cresswell candle was inspired by the Stalking Jack the Ripper series by Kerri Maniscalco. It is from @flickthewick and the illustration is done by @taratjah. The scent is chocolate and coffee and it is pretty strong. Personally I LOVE it.
We have the next two cards from the Tarot card collection, they are The Star and The Hanged Man. This is Harry and Hermione from (obviously) The Harry Potter series. The gorgeous art was done by @loweana.art.
Now this, what I am taking as a pencil case, was not on the spoiler card so I gathered that it was highly likely to be inspired by the featured book!
This month’s featured book is The Merciful Crow by Margaret Owen! It is set in a world where there are magical castes, and each caste has a different ability. The story follows a girl that draws magic from teeth, who strikes a bargain with a fugitive prince and a wily bodyguard. This sounds right up my street and I am SO excited to read this! This Fairyloot exclusive edition is signed by the author, has exclusive art on the reverse of the dust jacket and comes with an exclusive embossing on the naked cover. The character art card is done by @obsidiayan. All this exclusiveness makes me feel important and I’m completely here for it.
Criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker is offered a chance at a deadly heist: break into the Ice Court – a military stronghold that has never been breached – and retrieve a hostage whose knowledge could change Grisha magic forever. To succeed would mean riches beyond his wildest dreams, but he can’t pull it off alone.
A convict with a thirst for revenge. A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager. A runaway with a privileged past. A spy known as the Wraith. A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums. A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.
Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Together they might just be unstoppable – if they don’t kill each other first.
Genre: Fantasy, Young-adult Fiction
Pages: 491 (Collectors Edition)
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My thoughts…
What an adventure this was! This book was honestly amazing, between the characters and the plot this book had pretty much everything I needed. After reading the Shadow and Bone trilogy and getting on board with that hype I knew I had to dive into this one because the hype was even bigger. This book was worth all the hype and more.
I’m going to have start by going through my love for this diverse bunch of unlikely allies. My favourite being Jesper just for the pure amusement he adds and his enjoyment of getting into trouble. I am also completely here for him flirting with Wylan like YES PLEASE MAKE THIS HAPPEN. Nina is just a whole mood. Matthias definitely started out as slightly too grumpy but quickly grew on me because I can’t help but love a broody male. I mean Inej is just on a whole new level of female and despite Kaz’s questionable “hobbies” you can’t help but love and root for him and the team.
This book definitely gets better as you read on, the first part of it was a lot to do with the planning of the heist and establishing the characters, which I really enjoyed but all the fun towards the end when all the action was happening was by far my favourite. I have always loved a strong love element in my fantasy stories but this didn’t have one and I didn’t hate it. It gave me obvious ships without throwing love scenes at me and although at times I wanted to scream because these ships were so obviously into each other it was enjoyable reading their own turmoil with their feelings. I also LOVED the banter that was threaded through the story it really helped keep things upbeat and not too serious.
Six of Crows was full of shocks and kept me engaged throughout the whole story some of my favourite what the fuck moments included when I thought Matthias had reverted back to his trash ways when Nina was off her head on parem and of course that ending had me feeling all types of ways; mainly hunger for the next book!
Not only were my emotions tampered with but this book left me with some preety great quotes! I’m a sucker for a good quote and felt that these once resonated with me the most:
“Men mock the gods until they need them, Kaz.”
“Facts are for the unimaginative”.
There was no part of him that was not broken, that had not healed wrong, and there was no part of him that was not stronger for having been broken.
This book 100% deserved the five stars and I am HIGHLY anticipating Crooked Kingdom!
I spent my life folded between the pages of books. In the absence of human relationships I formed bonds with paper characters. I lived love and loss through stories threaded in history; I experienced adolescence by association. My world is one interwoven web of words, stringing limb to limb, bone to sinew, thought and images all together. I am a being comprised of letters, a character created by sentences, a figment of imagination formed through fiction.
Synopsis:
A fragile teenage girl is held captive. Locked in a cell by The Reestablishment, a harsh dictatorship in charge of a crunching world. But Juliette is no ordinary teenager – one touch from her can kill.
The Reestablishment wants to use her as a weapon. But Juliette has other plans. After a lifetime without freedom, she’s finally discovered the strength to fight back – and to find a future with the one person she thought she’d lost forever…
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Romance, Distopian
Pages: 329
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My Thoughts…
I picked this book up a little sceptical but being the mood for a lot of romance and I seeing many people mention Shatter Me I though why not? Why was I sceptical? Well, girl with a lethal touch, too afraid to touch people but then discovers her strength? Sound familiar? I was thinking OH GOD X-men has been ripped off here but nevertheless if so many people can adore this series it can’t actually be bad. And it wasn’t bad at all I actually really enjoyed it, as you read on it becomes incredibly addicting. After finishing I actually looked up whether Mafi intended to base Juliette off of Rogue but she never even knew who Rogue was! Pretty crazy.
Also this book is like a gold for an English teacher, I mean it is PACKED with metaphors and imagery. I LOVED it I mean the quote that I have used says it all really.
Anyway, diving into the book the first thing you spot is the strikethroughs, sentences or words that have been crossed out intentionally to visually represent Juliette’s chaotic mind. I really love this idea, I thought it was really unique and interesting although at times I did feel it was a tad disjointed and sometimes took me out of the story.
Onto our female protagonist. Juliette. I have such conflicted feelings about her. I was trying to understand and put myself in her shoes but I just couldn’t justify how much crying and whining she did. Actually, I probably could but one I don’t want to and two half of the book should not be dedicated to Juliette’s tears. It became tiresome after a while like I get you have had it rough but HOW DO YOU HAVE THAT MANY TEARS IN YOU. I swear at one point she said she didn’t have any tears left. LIES. Despite this I am enjoying her story and I’m not against her first-person narrative which is something I also experience turmoil over.
Reasons for my 4 stars instead of 5 stars include Juliette’s neverending crying and the relationship between her and Adam. I found it odd, it felt forced at points and almost like she loves him because she feels she has to. Adam himself I don’t really mind, he’s kind of too much like I love a healthy amount of jokes and banter in my ships and he really isn’t delivering. I am so hoping they aren’t endgame because there is a certain blonde who very much intrigues me.
Warner is the most interesting character for me so far. I’m not usually into blondes but he wears dickhead so very very well. I am betting my life on it that there is more to him and I can’t wait to find out. Any time his name was mentioned I was instantly eager to keep reading.
PRAISE FOR KENJI. He is what I needed. He adds so much enjoyment I can’t wait to see more of him in the series. Any situation he’s involved in he makes it so amusing, definitely the comic relief you need in a book packed with intensity and romance.
Overall, this book was so much fun to read and it definitely gets better with every page-turn. There is a lot of hype around this series and I’m super happy to continue on to determine whether I think the hype is well-deserved. So far it’s looking promising. It has to be a 4 stars because I picked it up completely in the mood for it and it did not disappoint!
Another month another Fairyloot! This month’s theme was Magic In The City and as usual I was very excited. This theme definitely intrigued me because I feel it’s quite unique. On the right you can see the box in all of it’s glory.
Obviously the first item is this big mug sticking out of the box. I like a good mug, I love a good bookish mug. This is an exclusive Shadowhunters ceramic mug that has a variety of characters from the Shadowhunter series! It includes: Jace, Clary, Tessa, Will, Jem, Emma and Julian. The characters were illustrated by @taratjah. I’m in love with this! Not only does it looks good but it feels like good quality too! I still need to pick up The Dark Artifices but Lady Midnight is there and ready to be picked up… soon.
The next item, which nicely accompanies the mug is an exclusive Nine-tailed Fox Mug Rug. Yes, you heard me a nine-tailed fox. It is soo pretty but I was soo confused. I quickly gathered that it was Chinese mythology and it’s inspired by the book of the month! It was designed by @obsidiayan and I am going to feel ever so fancy using it.
I get way too excited when I get a bookish candle! This “Princess of Disi” candle is by @acourtofcandles (the best name really). This candle was inspired by the book included in Fairyloot’s February box, A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer! I have read the gorgeous edition and I highly recommend grabbing yourself a copy it was an enchanting read. My review for it is available on the reviews section! The artwork is by @taratjah and the smell is AMAZING. The scent is cotton, vanilla and cinnamon and it has been my favourite candle smell so far!
Another pin banner! I don’t even have that many pins but I can’t even be mad because to be honest in the nicest way possible this pin banner shits on the previous one. LOOK. AT. IT. This was inspired by The Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan and I can’t help thinking they had me in mind too. This was designed by @inkandwonder.designs.
Anything Harry Potter is an instant yes! This exclusive Diagon Alley Enamel Necklace is inspired (obviously) by J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series and was designed by @bookmarkd.tattoos.
Next is this Bravado Coin Purse which is inspired by The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey. Am I strange for never even hearing of this book? Something I will definitely have to check out. The design is by @nutmegandarlo. It is super cute!
I got way too hyped when I saw an edible item. I thought this fortune cookie was going to have some deep wisdom that may change my life so you can imagine my surprise when I opened it to find “never trust a duck”. Can you guess which beloved trilogy this quote is from?
As usual we have the next two tarots cards in the collectable set. I really look forward to these each month and this months cards were The Sun and The Moon featuring characters from the Harry Potter series! The art is by @loweana.art!
The book of the month is ‘Wicked Fox’ by Kat Cho! It is an urban fantasy set in Korea and inspired by Korean mythology. The main character is a nine-tailed fox that feeds on the souls of bad men to stay alive and if that doesn’t sound enticing then I don’t know what is. This exclusive Fairyloot edition has pink sprayed edges and is signed by the author. The character card was designed by @Kavon_kayleigh.
She was the girl who’d come afraid to the city that could smell your fear. She’d faced the witch. She’d poisoned the wolf. She’d strolled into the land of death with her head held high and left it a lord. She was an impossible player in a fixed game, the only person not playing to win.
Synopsis:
Enne Salta was raised as a proper young lady, and no lady would willingly visit New Reynes, the so-called City of Sin. But when her mother goes missing, Enne must leave her finishing school – and her reputation – behind to follow her mother’s trail.
Frightened and alone, her only lead is a name: Levi Glaisyer. Unfortunately, Levi is not the gentleman she expected – he’s a street lord and con man, but could be the only one who can help her.
As their search for clues leads them into the clutches of a ruthless society, Enne will need to surrender herself to the city to uncover the truth.
My thoughts…
This was the book I didn’t know I needed. A magical Vegas setting with gang bosses and a pretty girl who doesn’t know what she’s about to step into? Yes please.
The first aspect that really grabbed my attention was this whole split talent that individuals possess depending on who their parents were. I found it amusing all the commotion when Enne was found to have the acrobat talent. Holy shit she can do flips she’s one dangerous bitch. I also want to know more about Levi’s orb-making talent. The whole orb-currency-thing is interesting but confusing and this whole notion of people having orbs in their skin, what sorry? And then these little black orbs making an appearance, erm what sorry?
I really fell in love with the whole atmosphere the book created, the City of Sin was incredibly enticing and never boring. There was always something new to be seen or uncovered. The plot, the city and the characters made this book such a page turner. It really did not disappoint.
Enne Salta really went from irritating to bad-ass and I was so here for it. I wasn’t sure how many times someone could cry or be on the verge of tears in a single book but Enne really showed me that it could be 549 times if someone tried enough. I mean her life was going to shit but I haven’t got time for her tears. Other than that I really did enjoy her as our female protagonists like despite crying every five minutes she still took no nonsense. I found her relationship with Lourdes really interesting, hopefully we will learn more about her in the next book. I’m looking forward to more unravelling of who Enne is and what role she will play in New Reynes.
I think the little cocky bastard that is Levi Glaisyer stole my heart from the beginning. He’s has “little shit” plastered on his forehead and he wears it the best way possible. You would never be bored with him. What a king. I never thought two men kissing would do it for me. But. Levi. Did. That. The only turn off was how quickly Levi near got knocked out, I thought he would do better. He’s just a complete babe though.
As far as relationships go I’m so used to the love interests being together by the end of the book but to see Levi and Enne get so close so many times but never actually YOU KNOW ughh I can’t even. Frustrating isn’t the word. The ending of the book made it seem like they won’t even see each other as much which actually kills me off because if they don’t live happily ever after I might just dig a hole, jump in and never come out.
The Shadow game was fun and interesting to read but these bloody card games are confusing as fook. I swear I’m not slow they actually are confusing. To be fair I’m not paying much attention to the rules because HELLO LEVI.
My Rating…
I love love loved this read. It made me happy, sad, frustrated, confused and all the feelings you get when you are so immersed in a whole new world. It didn’t get the full five stars because Levi and Enne aren’t happily married. I also will need a few things clarified in the next book but if it keeps heading in this direction the sequel will be guaranteed to be five stars. I am so excited to read what comes next!
As you can probably tell this is not my usual sort of blog post but I still hope you enjoy it just as much. I was unable to post last week because I was on holiday with my boyfriend in… you guessed it: Croatia. It was absolutely amazing! As far as looks go it was stunning and the atmosphere was really nice. So, I thought id dedicate a post to my hols and share my week with you. Pics included obviously!
We stayed at Hotel Croatia in Cavtat and I’m actually really sad that I didn’t get any pictures because it was so gorgeous! Posh af, felt like I didn’t belong. Just the fookin floor had me feeling like a tramp, I was almost a little scared to walk on it! It was a tad intimidating but the people there were really friendly. There were a couple of private beaches, a few different restaurants, we only ate at one and you will hear all about that experience later on. I would definitely recommend it if your wanting a fancy get-away.
Something else I want to mention before I take you through my week was the ice cream. Being in England you don’t really appreciate the benefits of ice cream because it’s always cold. There was this little ice cream place in Cavtat and it. Was. Amazing. It raised my standards for all ice cream. How could it not it flavours ranging from Green Apple to Kinder Bueno and everything in between. Anyway lets get into my week…
Day 1…
This was the view from our ‘little’ walk around the hotel. This is one of my fave pics.
Our flight was quite early so arriving in Croatia we had the whole day to explore and have a look around. We arrived at the hotel at around 12 but we were only able to check in at 2 so we had a couple of hours to kill. We thought it would be a good idea to have a look around the hotel. How wrong we were, we went to look at the private beaches so in the lift we got and out the doors we went. The beaches themselves were really nice it was like a cliff edge and you had to go down to get into the water. We walked along the side until we came to another beach. I was confronted with an old PENIS. Oh yeah the hotel had a bloody nudist beach. Really made my morning. After that discovery we thought it best to go to Cavtat because it was basically at the bottom of our hotel. Turns out you need a key card to open the doors to get back into the hotel. Stupid didn’t even begin to describe it. Feeling too embarrassed we thought we would take a walk along the edge of the hotel to see where it took us (the hotel was literally on a cliff). I don’t regret it but Jesus Christ I wish I had ten bottles of water to get me through it. The view was incredible and we must have killed like an hour.
This is a pic of Cavtat!
Finally, the path led to Cavtat we were so happy we didn’t have to go an ask staff to let us in the hotel! We just had a look around and bought some alcohol for the room (obviously) before heading back to the hotel. By this point we were nearly drowning in our own sweat so getting into out hotel room was a God send. After that we didn’t do much we had another proper look around, had a chill, settled in then went for food. The restaurant we picked was in Cavtat and I got grilled squid with potatoes and OMG it was fir as fook. We got a relatively early night because lawwwd we were exhausted.
Day 2…
We got up quite early because being the fat pigs we are we wanted to see what this breakfast was all about. We were not disappointed. We were spoiled for choice: hot foods, pastries, pancakes, cheese, cold meat, salmon, bread, fruit, yogurt and more! Being a foodie I definitely took advantage, left my bikini pictures looking rather chunky though.
For the day we decided to rent a boat for four hours and go exploring. It was an unreal experience! The views are so gorgeous. At times I was absolutely shitting a brick though, not being a strong swimmer and having a little shit of a boyfriend that doesn’t pay attention does not mix well. I’m definitely a more ‘sit back with the wind in my hair’ kind of girl. Every time a bigger-than-average wave hit the boat I was certain we were about to die. I’m proud to say I dipped my toes in though! It was a really fun experience and the views were just incredible.
Again we ate in a restaurant in Cavtat and sadly this one was a disappointment. We ordered a starter which was a sharing platter with cheese and meats and like a sald with pieces of squid. That was actually really nice so I was looking forward to my main. I ordered the lasagne and unfortunately it just wasn’t it. It wasn’t even like a tomato sauce, I’m not sure whether they make lasagne differently but it just wasn’t for me. We ended the evening with ice cream and a nice stroll so I can’t really complain.
Day 3…
After quite a productive previous day we decided to just have a chill day at the hotel beach. The weather was really nice in the morning and it wasn’t too wavy so I decided to take advantage and have a go at this thing people call swimming. Turns out I can actually swim I just lack confidence. It doesn’t seem like a big thing but I’m proud of myself, if I hadn’t of pushed myself I wouldn’t have been able to see some really cool fishes. I did manage to cut my foot multiple time on the rocks though so after I decided to invest in some water shoes.
We decided to eat in the hotel restaurant this evening and when I say it was fancy. IT WAS FANCY. We had an unbelievable view of Cavtat and the sea and live music, a man and a woman were playing the guitar and the violin, they were so amazing! The food was a slight shock. I ordered scampi not realising it would have the shell on. I was presented with a wash bowl and 6 huge scampi’s and risotto. I was thought I was going to make a right tit of myself trying to peel these but I actually didn’t do too bad.
Just as we were eating and finishing up the lightening starts to hit from afar and it was such a beautiful scene. A really nice way to end the night. Later on the storm hit us and it was absolutely pissing it down. It’s always confusing when it raining but still roasting. It was good to watch from behind the hotel windows though.
Day 4…
Day 4 was a productive day, we decided to head to Dubrovnik. I swear everywhere looks the same. We must have walked in a circle a good couple of times. It was so pretty though. Obviously one of the big reasons I wanted to come here was because HELLO? KINGS LANDING. Game of Thrones being my favourite tv show and the mother of high fantasy books, I was so giddy. We walked along the city walls to get a good look at the view and it was so worth the tired moaning boyfriend at the end! To be fair it did take nearly an hour to go completely around the walls and the heat was a lot to handle. It’s unbelievably busy as well, filled with tourists and I’m not a huge fan of places packed with people anyway.
After more ice cream and a walk around we decided to go to an abandoned dog shelter which is completely run by volunteers working soley off donations. It was really sad to see the conditions and some of the dogs were sick but obviously having no money all the volunteers can do is try their best. Despite the run down conditions, the dogs were so friendly which I think may have broken my heart even more.
After a taxi ride back to Dubrovnik and a long wait for the boat in the rain we finally got back to Cavtat. We decided for another restaurant in Cavtat, I’m not sure why but for some reason I was sceptical of the food, it may have been the lingering disappointment of the night before or the fact that it was cheaper than the other restaurants we had been to but regardless I was pleasantly surprised. We ordered the fish plate for two and it came with an array of seafood, vegetables and ALOT of chips and I had been craving chips. I was super happy with the food and obviously the ice cream that followed.
Day 5…
There is not a whole lot to say about day 5, we decided to have a day where we didn’t do much. We did have a walk along near our hotel though and we found a little spot where no one seemed to go next to the sea. So, we just chilled there for abit. I knew there would be sea urchins but when I say there was a lot… there was a fuck ton. After that we went for a late lunch/ early tea. We had to try the little takeaway place obviously so we got chips and what had to be the cheesiest pizza I’ve ever had in my life. Cocktails and ice cream then followed.
Day 6…
I had such a good time on day 6. We went on a 3 island tour to 3 beautiful places. The first island we only had 45 minutes on so there wasn’t a whole lot to do except look around. So, that’s what we did. It was so pretty I think the only downside was that there was a lot of stairs but there were a lot of stairs EVERYWHERE so I guess I was used to it.
In between the first and second island lunch was provided. We chose the fish and sure enough we got a whole fish. I actually despise fish bones being in my mouth but it was really good nonetheless. The second island again we only got a short amount of time (an hour) so again we thought we would just have a little explore. This one felt bigger but didn’t kill me off as much, probably because there were less stairs.
I’m so angry at myself for not getting a picture of the final island but I put that down to having 2 hours on this last one so we actually did something. This island had the only sandy beach in the area so we parked up in a quieter area and went for a swim. By the time we had finished we didn’t have long left so we headed back to the boat. The journey back I think we both struggled to keep our eyes open. We got MORE ice cream and went back to the hotel room. For dinner we decided to get room service, I’d been eyeing up the seafood pasta for a while now. I got that, the other half got a boring cheese pizza, we got chips to split and a fruit platter. Ughh it was so so so good. Day 6 definitely finished me off.
Day 7…
We spent a good portion of our last day swimming, I say swimming I WAS TRYING. Out of all the times I ‘swam’ this time was probably my favourite. There was quite a lot of fishes and the water wasn’t absolutely freezing! The rest of the day was probably spent eating ice cream, eating proper food, drinking and then eating more ice cream. We decided to go to the restaurant where we ate the first night. This time we got a fish plate for two and oh my god it was amazing! Definitely my favourite meal of the holiday. I’m going to miss the ice cream so much. We ended the night sitting watching the lightening and thunder outside our hotel and I loved every minute of it…
“Suffering is cheap as clay and twice as common. What matters is what each man makes of it.”
Synopsis:
For Alina Starkov, time is running out. The Darkling rules from his shadow throne while she, broken by their previous battle, is under the dubious protection of the zealots who worship her as a saint. And as Alina convalesces she must also battle her conflicted feelings for the Darkling and her beloved Mal.
Her last hopes lie with the magic of a long-vanished ancient creature and the chance that an outlaw prince still survives.
As her allies and enemies race toward war, only Alina stands between her country and a rising tide of darkness that could destroy the world.
My thoughts…
The conclusion to this series was so bittersweet! I picked this up straight after the second book because I became so invested in these characters, some more than others.
Nikolai definitely stole the show in this one, he is just so likeable and his chapters were never boring. My stomach literally fell out of my arse when he turned into a nichevo’ya , that was shortly before I remembered there is a whole book based on him out so my panic was short-lived thank God. I wish there was more of him to be honest like I just want to know his life story because he’s definitely had a wild one. I can’t wait to see a lot more of him when I pick up King of Scars.
Someone I haven’t enjoyed throughout the whole series is the apparat. I have never seen the point of him, he could not be there and the story would virtually be the same. I guess he was just someone to dislike, such a slimy odd character. I can’t even remember what happened to him in the end but does it really matter?
As for Alina and Mal I was slightly surprised that they ended up together but at the same time I wasn’t. I didn’t particularly mind their relationship but I wasn’t a die hard shipper, I didn’t really feel the chemistry between them (clearly bitter about the Darkling). However, I am a sucker for a love story so I wasn’t opposed to them ending up together. Cute or whatever. Mal as the third amplifier though! I had a sneaky feeling it wasn’t the bird but I was shocked. You know what didn’t shock me though? Mal being killed. THEN BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE. Such a staple in YA fantasy I guess.
Obviously I couldn’t not mention my absolute favourite. The Darkling actually broke my heart. I knew he was going to die, he’s the bad guy so it’s what you expect really but I clutched onto a tiny strand of hope that MAYBE a miracle would happen. That clearly didn’t occur but his last words had me sobbing. He may have been a nut-job but he was misunderstood and in his own twisted way wanted a better world for his people and NO ONE can tell me different.
As far as the plot goes I enjoyed the ride. It is that trashy YA fantasy that I feel like everyone needs, the classic fight between darkness and light with it’s own twists. These characters, right down to the side characters, are characters that have and will stay with me. Having read Six of Crows I feel like I can say Bardugo 100% creates some amazing characters and I am excited to read more of her work.
My Rating…
Could it be anything else? I read these books soooo quickly and they were so hard to put down. They were definitely a mini-obsession I experienced and I loved every minute of it. The only negative I really have to say is the chemistry between Mal and Alina and perhaps the ending. I’m not sure what it was, it’s not that I didn’t like it but I wasn’t left completely satisfied (definitely bitter about the Darkling).
Onto the next Fairyloot! This box was surprisingly early, I’ve had it for about a week now. This month’s theme was Broody Banter and it definitely did not disappoint. On the right you can see a full view of the box as usual. Why is the picture smaller than usual? Who can say but we are rolling with it.
The first item included in this month’s box was an exclusive Raven Boys iron on patch by @bookmarkd.tattoos. Would it surprise you if I said I haven’t read the Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater? I mean at this point probably not. This is cute though!
Next is the Reading Journal which covers from June to December. I actually used the previous one so I am excited to continue with this one. It features layouts designed by @fictionteadesigns and gorgeous art by @monolimeart. Characters in this one include Mia (Nevernight), Rook (An Enchantment of Ravens), Manon (Thone of Glass), Holland (A Darker Shade of Magic), Aeduan (Bloodwitch) and Cardan (The Cruel Prince).
These socks are sooo cute! They are designed by Fairyloot and the quote is from the Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout. I have wore them and I can confirm: they are good socks (am I meant to say something else?).
I think I actually am starting to climb up the nerd ladder because I’m really enjoying getting pins. Not over the top or anything but they are nice to see in a box. This pin is inspired by Aeduan from The Witchlands by Susan Dennard. This Bloodwitch enamel pin is designed by @ironandinkdesigns. Right I haven’t read this series but I really want to, I hear about it quite abit so hopefully I will get my hands on it at some point.
You can never get tired of a good bookmark. This exclusive Woodmark features a design by @stellabookishart. The quote is from Fire Falling by Elise Kova. I’m not going to lie I haven’t heard of the Air Awakens series, is that bad? I can appericate this bookmark though, it’s really pretty.
I can’t wait to try this item! This strawberry and kiwi mermaid tea is inspired by Lira from To Kill a Kingdom by Alex Christo. Another book that I’m dying to get my hands on! The tea was made by @thetealeafco.
This item was really cool to see be included as it’s never been done before. It’s the first time Fairyloot has ever included a box! It was designed by @noverantale and includes a bunch of different amusing quotes from different books.
I’m not going to lie to you I am not a fan of Avatar the Last Airbender but I can appreciate work of the artist. This print and comic was drawn by @tarajah.
ANYTHING with Rowan’s face on is an instant win with me. These enamel paper clips were designed by @taratjah and include Jace from The Mortal Instruments, Jacks from the Caraval series by Stephanie Garber and Rowan from Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Mass. The only thing is why is Jace ginger? I’m confused.
Obviously we have the continuation of the tarot cards with these ones being inspired by J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series.
This month’s featured book is Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson. It is a Fairyloot exclusive edition with shimmery sprayed edges and is signed by the author. This book may be the most stunning book I’ve ever owned. I had to start reading it just for the looks and so far so good!
“To be all right implies an impossible phase. We hope for mostly right on the best of our days.”
Synopsis: (as seen on Goodreads)
This is the Macmillan edition with 45o pages.
Long before she was the terror of Wonderland – the infamous Queen of Hearts – was just a girl who wanted to fall in love. Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favourite of the unmarried King of hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere.
A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next queen.
Then Cath meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. 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 an intense, secret courtship. Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms.
But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.
My thoughts…
I started reading this book while in a bit of a slump so it took me longer than usual to get into but once the story started to unravel I really fell in love with this book. It made me feel all sorts of feelings, it filled my heart with bliss then proceeded to shred me apart.
I loved the stories of Wonderland since I was a really small child so going into this I was excited but apprehensive because the world is so creative and crazy I didn’t want it ruined in all honesty. Safe to say it wasn’t. Meyer added her own twists and flavour to the world without overdoing it and changing a great deal. It was a very believable heart wrenching love story.
The descriptive writing was something that really stood out for me. There were times when Meyer was describing Cath’s desserts and my mouth was actually watering.
Sometimes I get irritated by the female protagonist but Cath – except for one action which I suppose was inevitable – I actually enjoyed all about her. It just made it all the harder to get to the end because it was never going to be a happily ever after. Cath’s relationship with Mary Anne was really enjoyable to see and it did actually shock me that Mary Anne basically betrayed her. I get to an extent she was worried but I don’t know it was a shock for me. I knew Cath was going to walk through that door to save her but it didn’t make it any less frustrating, the split second of oh my god they are going to make it was brutally ripped away from me and I was suddenly reminded of where this plot was heading. Another relationship I found really interesting was between Cath and Chesire, I love Chesire in general and I was really happy he was included in the story.
Onto the other half of the relationship. This always seem to happen but when a pretty boy with a cheeky attitude appears in a book I instantly think we have a connection. Forget Catherine I AM RIGHT HERE. Jest was a very likeable character even when he revealed his true intentions you could tell he just wanted to do what he thought was right. I really wished I had got to read more about his friendship with Hatter and their own adventures. The ending for Jest was quite abrupt I didn’t even clock on to what was happening at first and when I realised I was just in disbelief for a good while. Literally broke me into pieces. Being so used to books ending all love and happy smiles it was sad but almost a little refreshing for something to have a bitter ending.
A character I hated throughout this whole story was Catherine’s mother. I may actually despise her. She was trying to live through Catherine and the whole fat shaming made me want to punch her. LET HER EAT THE FUCKING SWEETS. When she didn’t let her eat her dessert I was like no way. No. Way. Let my mum try and do that to me I’ll take her hand off. Her Dad was spineless.
I feel like the Jabberwocky plot line was thrown in there and at first I didn’t know how I felt about it. I still don’t to be very honest. I think maybe there could have been more development just because it was overshadowed a lot by the love story and courtship with the king, that was definitely the main focus regardless of whether it was meant to be. I would have appreciated knowing more about the pumpkin seeds that Hatter had tried to give to Peter.
The ending was really depressing in the best way possible. Obviously, you know getting into this book where it was going to end but seeing Cath at the beginning to how sour she is at the end really does break a girls heart.
My Rating…
So, this got a 4/5 star rating, which is pretty high! Even though going into this book my mind wasn’t fully in it due to my temporary slump I was so pleasantly surprised with how this turned out. I think what stopped this story reaching the full five was the fact that I was in a slump and felt like I couldn’t be pulled out of it and the development of the whole Jabberwocky and Peter was a bit off for me, I just needed slightly more explanation. This was my first Marissa Meyer book and it’s made me want to read The Lunar Chronicles so bad! I don’t think I will ever look at the Queen of Hearts in the same way again and “off with their head” will never mean the same.
Also I am aware and sorry that this post has been so late in the week college got the best of me for a quick minute and when it came to Wednesday I had completely forgotten but better late than never!
I finally received the May Fairyloot box and I am soooo happy with everything inside! This month’s (May so last month) theme was Unlikely Romances and I think this has been one of my favourite themes so far. To the right you can see the box and the GORGEOUS spoiler card, I’m really loving this art.
First, we have a Bamboo Travel, which is inspired by Tahereh Mafi’s Ignite me series. Another series that I am yet to read, it’s not something I am desperate to get my hands on but definitely something I wouldn’t mind to pick up in the future. I really like this mug though, it’s an item that I will be using and it’s so cute. It was designed by @kdplettrers.
Next, we have an exclusive pencil case designed by Literary Lifestyle Company. It features a quote from Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone. This is a series I really loved, Taylor’s writing is amazing. This is a really cute pencil case but it may get used for a mini makeup bag.
I’ve been in need of a new keychain and obviously I needed a crown keychain! This was designed by Fairyloot and inspired by The Cruel Prince by Holly Black. Now this is a series I am so desperate to read, hopefully I will be purchasing it soon. This item is one of my favourites out of this whole box and another thing I will get use out of.
Next, is this magnetic Bookmark set designed by @lexaarts_ and inspired by The Wrath and The Dawn and Flame in the Mist, both by Renee Ahdieh. I feel like I’ve heard of these titles but I’m quite unfamiliar with these books so I can’t necessarily say I want to read them. If you have let me know if they are worth a read!
This was an item I was not expecting. An exclusive Tea Towel, the characters drawn by @taratjah and the lettering done by @catarinabookdesigns. It is inspired by The Selection series by Kiera Cass. This series I have definitely heard of and I am wanting to read, I have heard mixed opinions on it but I’m itching to decide what I think.
Now for my other favourite item in this month’s box: a Starfall Candle inspired by A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. You must know by now I LOVE all things Sarah J. Maas and I am all for a candle. The candle is by Little Heart Gifts and the label was designed by @taratjah.
Then we have this little exclusive notepad featuring a quote from Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan Again, this is a book I would like to read at some point I’ve heard soooo many good things about it.
This item actually made me so giddy it was a little bit sad. An exclusive sticker of MAGNUS AND ALEC designed by @obsidiayan. I love thisss. It’s quite clear that this is inspired by Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunter books.
Who doesn’t love mints? Always helpful. Plus the little quote on the tin I think we can all relate to.
This months tarot cards are designed by @artbyemmilinne and feature Kaz and Inej from Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows dulogy! I can’t wait to read Crooked Kingdom, Six of Crows was sooo good.
This month’s book is The Beholder by Anna Bright. It follows a story about a girl that is sent to other kingdoms with the objective of finding a suitor and each of the potential suitors is inspired by a mythical figure. This book is signed and has sprayed edges! I am completely unfamiliar with this book but reading the synopsis it definitely sounds like a story that I would enjoy so there is potential.
I really loved this month’s box and I’m super excited for next (this) month.
Read In The Clouds 