Tag: Book Review

Top Ten Tuesday: Places Mentioned In Books That I’d Like to Visit

GoodeyReads10 Comments

Helllloooo Top Ten Tuesday!

I had a really tough time with this one! Mostly because a lot of the books I read involve war. And nobody wants to travel there during hard times, ya know?

So, let’s all operate under the assumption that there is peace in the land and I’m going on a summer holiday.

Velaris

A Court of Mist and Fury (ACOTAR #2) by SJM

I am completely predictable and I am okay with this. Velaris is the first place I’d visit. It’s the City of Starlight! I would love to visit all of the different city squares.

Jurassic Park

by Michael Crichton

I am obsessed with dinosaurs. Have been since I was a little. And all I want in life is to go to a park (not be attacked) and look at dinosaurs. Why hasn’t science caught up to this yet!?

Caraval

by Stephanie Garber

Remember, it’s only a game…and it’s a game I want to play! How cool would a travelling magical carnival type mystery game be? SO COOL. I would find a way to get a ticket and I would be happy just being there.

Orynth

Kingdom of Ash (ToG #7) by SJM

I really only want to go here to meet Rowan, but can you blame me?

Red London

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

I loved this series and would love to travel like Kell through all of the London’s! Well, except Black London, of course.

Warcross

by Marie Lu

In such a digital age it would be awesome to have a game like Warcross to play. I feel it would be like the Sims games, but even more realistic. Maybe something along the lines of Second Life from The Office (please someone tell me they know that reference haha).

Italy

Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

While this isn’t a fantasy or exotic location, I have always wanted to travel here. And Love & Gelato gave me all the wanderlust to travel the countrysides of Italy.

Grishaverse

Shadow & Bone Trilogy, SoC Duology and Nikolai Duology
by Leigh Bardugo

Using only this cover for the entire world, but put me anywhere in this land and I will be a happy camper. Though, I’d be an even happier camper if you put me in Nikolai’s palace…

Le Cirque des Rèves

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Circus of Dreams — oh how I would love to go to this circus too! I clearly have an affinity for traveling troops of magic. This is one of my favorite stand-alone fantasies and I highly recommend it!

Weep

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

This duology was so enchanting. And the city of Weep is intriguing. Checking out the libaries, seeing the citadel with the Gods. What a holiday!

Do you want to travel to any of these places too? Let’s go together! Let me know in the comments. Happy Tuesday!

Book Review: The Hero of Ages (Mistborn #3) by Brandon Sanderson

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆ 
Audience: Epic fantasy
Length: 572 pages
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date: October 14th, 2008
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Tricked into releasing the evil spirit Ruin while attempting to close the Well of Ascension, new emperor Elend Venture and his wife, the assassin Vin, are now hard-pressed to save the world.

UPDATE: THIS IS THE LAST BOOK TO MAKE ME CRY.

Note: I listened to this through Audible (not an ad, just a FYI). The narrator was Michael Kramer — as all 3 books have been — and it was fabulous. He’s a great narrator and did the books a lot of justice in this format.

I’m really disappointed in myself for taking so long to get around to reading these. The Mistborn series is everything a fantasy should be.

Emperor Elend becoming a firm ruler was amazing. I loved it. I love how he grew over the books and became the King his people needed. Vin was absolutely stunning herself. Sanderson’s ability to create these flawed, strong, unique souls is utterly captivating. The only thing that would have floored me is a little more romance between them (No, not sex or anything like that! Maybe some deeper acknowledgment of feelings). Though, y’all, that ball scene with them dancing together, YES YES YES!! I had all the heart eyes for that. So presh.

Dark Sazed had his own amazing story-line. To think he went from being a servant, to falling in love, to greater things was mind-blowing! I never thought that is where his story would lead, but I thought it worked out best.

There were so many times that I’d be listening where information would come forth and I’d be like “Oooooh, I see I see,” then shout WHAT!? right after because how did I not see that coming!? Sanderson weaves this tale where all of the little details actually mean something and create a completely thought out ending. I felt like no stone was left unturned.

Hero of Ages is a bleak book. I felt like things were only ever getting worse and since this is the first series I’ve read of this author’s, I wasn’t sure that it was going to end well. While it wasn’t the happy ending I usually go for (tears were definitely in my eyes as I got to the end) it was still the best situation put forth. The epilogue made my heart understand and be at peace with how the world is now.

Overall audience notes:

  • High/epic fantasy
  • No language
  • Romance: a cute ball scene
  • Violence: a lot (it was a war); physical, swords, allomancy (magic system), fire, blood & gore
  • Trigger warnings: contemplation of suicide, depression

Bookish Discussion: GoodReads is Hindering My Reading Experience

GoodeyReads13 Comments

I know guys, I’m almost being sacrilegious, but here me out.

Instead of a book tag this week I wanted to bring up a discussion I have often: did the review cause me to be swayed before I even read the book myself?

I absolutely adore Goodreads.

I use this app daily. It provides so much content for me. I love keeping up with my reviews, what books I’m reading, what I want to read, what others are reading, and everything else bookish under the sun.

It’s great for people new to reading to help figure out what they enjoy and to start getting into this book community. It’s a platform for all in my opinion.

Where my issues lie, are the reviews.

I look crazy saying this, because I love reviews and love reading reviews, but occasionally I let myself be overtaken by them. I’ll pull up a book I’ve heard about and see that it has a 3.5+ rating. To me, that’s pretty solid (especially if its over 4!), but then I’m wondering, why did some people rate it so low?

I start casually scrolling through reviews, picking out the low-star rating ones and having to know what was said. Thus, the cycle beings. I spin into a vortex of not being able to back out of review after review. So much so, that I convince myself there’s no way I would enjoy it. When I honestly probably would.

What I’m really saying is, don’t let reviews control you.

Book friendships, are forever friendships.

Writing reviews has become a joy in my life. And I love hearing from y’all. I ride on Cloud 9 all day whenever someone adds a book to their TBR because of my review, or they chose to read a book I suggest and loved it. It’s what keeps me reading and reminds me that someone is reading my reviews and getting something out of them.

But also, when you find a book, make sure the reviews don’t overwhelm you! I’ve been trying to stay away until after (doesn’t always work) I have read the book to comment and talk about reviews because I can understand where others are coming from, but can also form my own opinions independently from someone else’s.

Now are reviews worth it? TOTALLY. I have been saved from some iffy books because of reviews, but I never want to miss out on a book because I was overwhelmed with the Negative Nancy’s.

What do you think? Do you enjoy reading reviews? Do you ever get bogged down in the cycle of reading them? Let’s talk in the comments!

Book Review: Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Young adult contemporary romance
Length: 421 pages
Author: Jenn Bennett
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: April 3rd, 2018
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Ever since last year’s homecoming dance, best friends-turned-best enemies Zorie and Lennon have made an art of avoiding each other. It doesn’t hurt that their families are the modern-day Californian version of the Montagues and Capulets.

But when a group camping trip goes south, Zorie and Lennon find themselves stranded in the wilderness. Alone. Together.

What could go wrong?

With no one but each other for company, Zorie and Lennon have no choice but to hash out their issues via witty jabs and insults as they try to make their way to safety. But fighting each other while also fighting off the forces of nature makes getting out of the woods in one piece less and less likely.

And as the two travel deeper into Northern California’s rugged backcountry, secrets and hidden feelings surface. But can Zorie and Lennon’s rekindled connection survive out in the real world? Or was it just a result of the fresh forest air and the magic of the twinkling stars? 

CUTE & PREDICTABLE.

I am a total mood reader. I’ll look at the books I have in hand and choose purely based off of what I’m looking for. In this case, it was a fluffy, predictable, romance that called my name. And this is one of those cases where, predictable is good and welcome.

This group of high school kids absolutely annoyed me to no end. Luckily, the only two I liked happened to be the main characters, Zorie and Lennon. I was actually excited when they ended up on their own because I was completely invested in their story of friends/lovers to enemies and back again.

I also appreciated that this book had positive anxiety rep. I personally struggle with anxiety and really felt for Zorie and how she coped with it. One of the best parts was how Lennon never faulted her for this. He continually checked on her, helped her plan to smooth her fears, and ohemgee Lennon became my favorite immediately.

While I was rooting for them to get together, I think it went a tad overboard. I was amazed that somehow within 18 hours (give or take) they went through a whole sleeve of condoms and called the time sexlation. Cool, cool, cool, cool, and all, but mmm, a bit of a nope for me. If I take out that piece though, the witty banter/flirting and coming to terms with what separated them initially was solid. Nothing felt rushed and everything was laid out as it should be.

Overall audience notes:

  • Young adult contemporary romance
  • Romance: discussion of kisses and the fact so-and-so had sex and that they want to have sex || descriptive make-outs and a somewhat detailed love scene(s)
  • Language: quite a bit, including a homophobic slur
  • Violence: physical and verbal
  • Trigger warnings: suicide, loss of a parent, cheating spouse, homophobia, anxiety and depression