Tomorrow, Saturday March 3rd Zoë from the youtube channel ReadbyZoe is hosting a 24-hour readathon. There are no rules or challenges, but like Zoë, I'll be trying to catch up on a series. I'm so excited, it's my first time really participating in a 24-hour readathon. The official hashtag on twitter is #readathonbyzoe, I'll be trying to post regularly throughout the readathon on there. I'm only planning on reading one book, and I'm almost absolutely certain I won't be able to finish it. It's one I've wanted to read ever since it came out last year, but never got around to because I didn't want to deal with the inevitable pain I'll suffer reading it before the next book comes out in … [Read more...]
Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller
Mask of Shadows is the story about a genderfluid main character, Sal, who enters an audition to become part of the Queen's Left Hand. The Left Hand is a team of assassins whose identities are secret. Going in, I was excited to read a new fantasy with a diverse main character. But it just did not live up to my expectations. ⭐️⭐️/5 stars. Comes out August 29th. I wanted it to blow my mind, but it's nothing new or groundbreaking. To me, it is a very average young adult fantasy. The fact that it follows a genderfluid thief is what drew me in, but Sal is boring and unlikeable. Sometimes unlikeable characters are great, but in this case because of the utter lack of character development … [Read more...]
The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue follows Henry "Monty" Montague on his Grand Tour around Europe accompanied by his sister and his best friend. But what he thought was going to be one big party, turns into something much more exciting and complicated. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars. Initially, I wasn't overly interested in reading The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue. But after finishing the last book in the To All The Boys I've Loved Before trilogy by Jenny Han, I wanted to read something that was both fun and romantic. I picked up the audiobook on a whim, and I absolutely freaking loved it. The audiobook version is a little shy of 11 hours long, and a tad bit less when listening to it … [Read more...]
The Alchemists of Loom by Elise Kova
Today is just going to be a short review, because I'm currently on vacation. But mainly because I don't have much to say about this book, yet I still wanted to share my thoughts. ⭐️⭐️/5 stars. The Alchemists of Loom is a steampunk fantasy novel following the infamous White Wraith, Ariana, her initiate, Florence, and a Dragon called Cvareh. Thrown together by accident, they start to form an unlikely bond that lead them into a world of trouble. The world is super interesting because of all the steampunk elements. Somehow, when I first heard about it, I didn't catch the fact that it was steampunk. And I usually don't enjoy the aesthetics of that genre, but somehow this particular book … [Read more...]
Every Heart A Doorway by Seanan McGuire
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars. We often see books and movies about going to another world, but what happens when the adventure ends? What happens to the characters when they come home? That's what Every Heart a Doorway is about. Spanning only 173 pages, this is a very short book. Yet it manages to say much more than just the words on the pages. It presents a different side of portal fantasy, one that deals with the cruel pain of experiencing a true sense of belonging just to have it ripped away. Stripped of one's significance. Banished to a life of conformity, not knowing when, or even if there is a way back home. Hope hurts. That's what you need to learn, and fast, if you don't want … [Read more...]
Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars. Ink and Bone is an alternate history novel, where The Library of Alexandria has expanded to all corners of the world. The Library controls the flow of knowledge with an iron fist. It's illegal to possess original books and the only way to access literary knowledge is through the Library-issued 'blanks'. These blank books can display books from the Library's vast collection of originals. But it's not the same as handling a real book. The story follows Jess, who comes from a family of book smugglers. He loves books just as much as us readers, but to his family, books are the source of income. There is no sentimentality involved, unlike Jess' relationship with books. … [Read more...]
Currently Reading & What to read next?
Currently Reading I'm almost done with the audiobook book of The Rose Society by Marie Lu and oh my gods I'm so invested in all of the characters. The first book was enjoyable, but I didn't feel the need to continue the series right away. Then I saw the audiobook was available on Overdrive and went for it. I'm so glad I did, it's so much darker than the first one. Adelina really embraces her dark side and I love it. The second book I'm currently reading is And I Darken by Kiersten White. I only just started it and am about 50 pages into it at the moment. I'm already intrigued by the characters. I'm pretty sure I'll love it. Want to read next I've been really lucky the past month. I've … [Read more...]
Top Five: Bookish Buzzwords
When looking for my next read, there are certain buzzwords that makes me instantly intrigued and excited. Here are my top five: FIVE Stories with a historical setting and occult or supernatural elements. The first book that comes to mind is The Diviners by Libba Bray. It's equal parts fun and scary. While solving a supernatural problem it also includes fashion and trends from 1920's New York, which I absolutely loved reading about. Another interesting book that fits is the second book in the All Souls Trilogy, Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness. It takes place in London in the year 1590, where we meet several historical figures while searching for a mysterious book. Dark Days … [Read more...]
