Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Rowaelin (Throne of Glass): A Ship in My Fleet

A Ship in My Fleet
Rowaelin (Rowan x Aelin)
From: Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
***I am not sure what I will be spoiling and/or from which books they could be from. Assume this whole post has spoilers***

I may or ay not have shared my excitement for this ship and the new release of Empire of Storms (book 5) that is coming out next week. But I have loved this ship since before they even tolerated each other in Heir of Fire. Damn, Sarah, such great ships..... great ships..... Rowan and Aelin are one of the most perfect relationships that I think I have ever read and will ever read. I don't know if this helps put it in perspective, but my Throne of Glass Pinterest board mostly revolves around these two characters. In book 3, they hate each other and then grow to be a completely badass duo in fighting. And in book 4, that badassness grows by about a gagillion levels and then they both start to realize, gasp, they have feelings for each other!!! But then Rowan is a butt for a while about it, and then s*** goes down and they don't get to have their moment until the end of the huge book that is Queen of Shadows. I can't wait to see what happens in Empire of Storms!!! ONE WEEK!!!!!!!!

When I Started Shipping:
Like I said already, I really started shipping these two way before I probably should have (who am I kidding- I am so proud that I called this a thing so soon).  Way back in Heir of Fire, when these two first meet, they pretty much hate each other's guts. Aelin is depressed and not herself + Rowan still closed off to all things since Lyria died + almost zero proper communication between the two + two really short tempers = the first half of Heir of Fire. I still shipped it. There was something about them, that I can't really put name to. And even before this book, I didn't really ship Aelin/Celaena with anyone. It just didn't seem right. But this does. :)

Favorite Canon Moment:
Oh there are so many at this point I don't even know where to choose. For example, there's the moment when at the end of Heir of Fire Rowan throws Aelin into water and then jumps in after her. So cute. I think... I'm going to say... that ONE of my favorite moments was when Rowan first comes to Rifthold in Queen of Shadows and shows up out of nowhere. They just embrace each other and take in the smell and feel of the other and it is such a great adorable moment. There are so many moments....

Rowan:
Damn. Rowan is one of those characters that, damn. Damn he is great. I love the moodiness and the darker history. And he is an ass to Aelin at first. Really, actually, an ass. But then he finds out about her past and he just feels horrible and ever since really sees her and now that they are like an actual thing he still balances her out. He is the (mostly) even-tempered one that makes Aelin think things through. Plus I found the whole, "I can't be with her she deserves better", thing a little endearing. Plus he's fae. Automatically great.

Aelin:
Like above, Aelin is there to balance out Rowan and is the one who helps convince him that he is worthy and that he is not an awful person/fae. I think the biggest thing with Aelin, is that with Rowan she has found an equal as Aelin. Not as Celaena (Sam), or Lilian (Dorian), or Elentiya (Chaol), but AELIN!!! The best of her and her character is brought out because Rowan shows her that he deserves happiness and can be who she is destined to be. He makes sure she accepts herself- all of herself- and believe that she isn't essentially an evil bitch.

Rowaelin:
THEYARE AMAZING TOGETHER!!!! They are the balance to each other that they had both so desperately needed for the longest time. Not only do they grow and come out to accept themselves because of each other, but they are both so much more motivated now to be the best that they can be, which is, I think, one of the best things that can happen in a successful relationship.

These guys have come so far in two books and there are TWO MORE COMING!!!!! AND ONE OF THOSE TWO COMES OUT NEXT WEEK!!!!!! Holy shit holy shit holy shit it is finally upon us: the release of Empire of Storms. Let's hope for lost of great Rowaelin moments. Shippers of Aelin with someone else, we are going to have to agree to disagree, but I'm almost 94% positive that this is endgame. We're done bouncing around from ship to ship at this point. Rowaelin or bust.

Thanks for reading!!

Monday, August 29, 2016

Dragonfly in Amber Book Review WITH SPOILERS



Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon
Review WITH SPOILERS
5 out of 5 Stars
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This book destroyed me. It chewed up my time, has put me WAY behind on my reading challenge, and I couldn't read anything else while I was reading it. And I loved every minute that I was reading it. I would not change it for the world. Just like Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber is completely amazing. The plot, setting, characters, writing, themes, and twists were all perfect, or near perfection. It took forever. My copy is over 900 pages long. But it was SOOO good. If you haven't started the series yet, I don't know why you're reading this review; go look at Outlander and read it- you won't regret it. If you have read the first book and are considering the second, PICK IT UP PICK IT UP PICK IT UP!!!! This is one of those books that destroys your life in the best way possible. It's completely an emotional rollercoaster, but you will gladly get on to ride. :)

SPOILERS AHEAD
So many things... so I'm probably going to work backwards.

THE ENDING!!! Holy **** we think that Jamie goes off to die because he sent Claire away and even when the story is taking place in the twentieth century Roger doesn't say anything about Jamie and then in the beginning Claire had seen the grave and NOTHING IS DENIED and then suddenly within the last two pages Roger comes up to Claire and is like "btw Jamie may be alive" because there is one vague reference in some book or something and JAMIE MIGHT BE ALIVE!!!!! WHAT!?!?!?!?!?!?!? CLAIRE GO BACK!!! GO BACK NOW GO BACK NOW GO BACK NOW!!!!!!! THIS IS NOT OK BECAUSE SHE JUST SPENT ALL THOSE YEARS WITH FRANK WHEN SHE COULD HAVE GONE BACK WITH JAMIE AND BEEN HAPPY IN THE HIGHLANDS OR WHEREVER JAMIE WAS BECAUSE THEY ARE SO IN LOVE AND ARE ABSOLUTELY PERFECT FOR EACH OTHER BUT INSTEAD SHE THOUGHT HE WAS DEAD!!!!!!!!! NOT. OK.

Alright- so hopefully this paragraph will be less spazzy. One of the things that I really loved about this book was that we got to go to France!! It was so cool to be hanging out with all of the French royalty and nobility, and then to see Diana Gabaldon tie in the actual history. Obviously, to keep the story going, she couldn't really rewrite history. She must have had to do so much research to make sure she got all the details correct and find a way to tie in two fictional characters. Props to her.... everyone should give her a round of applause at the end of each book. On principle, because Diana Gabaldon deserves it.

The only minor thing that I was not a huge fan of at first was starting out the book without Jamie. We start with Claire, Brianna, and Roger, and for the longest time I couldn't get past that because all I could think was, "But where's Jamie?" Now though, looking back on the book in it's entirety, that was really a smart way to present the story. It ties in really well at the end with how Brianna needed to react to all of this information that was being thrown at her. And then put in Geillis Duncan why not. So while I did not particularly enjoy being back in the 1900's at first, I can now appreciate why it was there and why we needed to start the story there.
 
To be completely honest, I'm slightly terrified to start reading the third book Voyager. My copy of that is over 1000 pages!!! I don't know how I'm going to navigate that, because I really do not want to fail my reading challenge. And I don't want to lower my goal of 100 books either. So, I guess I'll wait until 2017.....? That's such a painful thought though. Who knows. I'll figure it out later. :)

Thanks for reading!

Review: Dragonfly in Amber NO SPOILERS

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
SPOILER FREE     

Dragonfly in AmberThis book destroyed me. It chewed up my time, has put me WAY behind on my reading challenge, and I couldn't read anything else while I was reading it. And I loved every minute that I was reading it. I would not change it for the world. Just like Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber is completely amazing. The plot, setting, characters, writing, themes, and twists were all perfect, or near perfection. It took forever. My copy is over 900 pages long. But it was SOOO good. If you haven't started the series yet, I don't know why you're reading this review; go look at Outlander and read it- you won't regret it. If you have read the first book and are considering the second, PICK IT UP PICK IT UP PICK IT UP!!!! This is one of those books that destroys your life in the best way possible. It's completely an emotional rollercoaster, but you will gladly get on to ride. :)

To be completely honest, I'm slightly terrified to start reading the third book Voyager. My copy of that is over 1000 pages!!! I don't know how I'm going to navigate that, because I really do not want to fail my reading challenge. And I don't want to lower my goal of 100 books either. So, I guess I'll wait until 2017.....? That's such a painful thought though. Who knows. I'll figure it out later. :)

Thanks for reading!

View all my reviews

Monday, August 22, 2016

Review: The Rent Collector

The Rent Collector
The Rent Collector by Camron Wright
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Rend Collector by Camron Wright was an incredible story that had so many small lessons thrown into the larger lesson that is revealed by the end of the book. While one of the easier books that I have read, I would not consider it a light book either. Or one that you can really get through all at once and be done with it. The language that the author used is very profound and there were more than several moments when his words resonated with me and remained there days later. It was a little rough to get into at first, but then you start to understand his writing and how you yourself need to read and interpret the plot and morals and it turns into this gem that you had no idea that you were holding in your hands. Moving, thought-provoking, and beyond interesting, I would recommend this book to many people. Especially those who need a change of pace, or love modern nonfiction.

Thanks for reading!

View all my reviews

Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Ten Bad*** Gals from YA Literature

Bad*** Girls in YA
We all love them. There are so many times that the main protagonist of a story is great and strong, and then completely does a 180 and becomes this dependent little person. However, we do get some seriously badass characters every now and then. And they are fabulous. Listed below are ten of these girls who I think definitely qualify as some of the most badass in young adult literature.

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1. Celaena Sardothian
2. Feyre Archeon
3. Hermione Granger
4. Claire Randall-Fraser
101941575. Izzy Lightwood
6. Tessa Gray
7. Annabeth Chase
8. Tris Prior
9. Alina Starkov
10. Lysandra
These are only ten of them. Certainly, there are many many more, BUT I will revisit this at a later date. The books that these characters are from are (in order): Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas, A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas, Harry Potter by JK Rowling, Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare, The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare, Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan, Divergent by Veronica Roth, Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo, and Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas.
Related to this post, I will be making a list of ten badass men from YA literature as well at some point in the near(ish) future. I also hope to be putting more reviews up soon, but I am in the middle of a gigantic book right now, so that is why those posts have been scarce as of late.
Who are your favorites? If you have any others let me know!!
Thanks for reading!


Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Diana Gabaldon Books

Diana Gabaldon Books
My Plan of Action

Alright- so I'm in the middle of Diana Gabaldon's second book of the Outlander series, Dragonfly in Amber, and I'm looking at her books, like, there's another series that's a spinoff?? How in the world am I going to read these???!!! So, here is my plan of action to reading all of her books in these two series (Outlander and Lord John Grey), because her books are life-sustaining and beautifully written. Long, but totally worth it and completely addictive.

I think I will be reading these in publication order. So here is the list of the two series as they were published. JUST KIDDING! I went to her website and she very kindly has is all laid out in chronological order, so I think I'm going to read them that way. SO, the list below are the books as they are set in chronological order.

Outlander
Dragonfly in Amber
Voyager
Lord John and the Private Matter
Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade
The Scottish Prisoner
Drums of Autumn
The Fiery Cross
A Breath of Snow and Ashes
An Echo in the Bone
Written in My Own Heart's Blood
Go Tell the Bees that I am Gone (not published yet)

The green books are in the Outlander series and the blue books are in the Lord John Grey series. There are also a TON of short stories and novellas in between these, and OF COURSE I will be reading those. But I think I'm just going to try to finish Dragonfly in Amber first. :)

Her books are amazing- I don't think I will ever stop singing praises of her books, so jump on board with the fandom, it is never too late, and you will love the ride. Especially if you love history.

Thanks for reading!

Saturday, August 6, 2016

Review: The Siren WITH SPOILERS

The Siren by Kiera Cass
Review WITH SPOILERS
4.1 Stars out of 5

 25817407
The Siren was, in true Kiera Cass fashion, a completely adorable and captivating story. You move through it quickly and without noticing, the end is suddenly upon you. 4.1 stars out of 5, because it was really good- almost like it's own fairy tale- but I wish that there had been some more depth to a few of the characters. 


SPOILERS AHEAD

One of the things I really actually loved about this story was that there was no physical "bad guy". The main antagonistic mover of the story line was fate and circumstance. I don't blame the Ocean for anything. In fact, I think her character was incredibly interesting and was an insight to a mother-daughter relationship. But the circumstances that Kahlen was in and had to deal with were rare and that was what they were trying to get around, not another physical outside force.

I also really loved how the story showed the relationships between the sisters. I absolutely adored the way they acted with each other, because it is so real. There are fights, hanging out, backing each other up, and so much more; and Kiera Cass was able to throw all of that into the story.

Like I previously mentioned, I just wish there had been a little more characterization. We do get a lot- especially about Kahlen and Akinli. Those two characters were fine. But we only get snippets about Miaka and Elizabeth and the other sirens. I wish there had been just a smidge more thrown in about them and how they're lives are. That being said, it really is only a very minor thing that I didn't like, the rest of the book was amazing.


While there is romance, there isn't too much; while there is despair, there is also incredible hope; while there is finding of yourself, there is also how you find yourself in others. Kiera Cass has been able to balance so many things and tie in so many lessons of life into this one beautiful story.

Thanks for reading!

The Siren Review NO SPOILERS



The Siren by Kiera Cass
Review NO SPOILERS
4.1 Stars out of 5
25817407The Siren was, in true Kiera Cass fashion, a completely adorable and captivating story. You move through it quickly and without noticing, the end is suddenly upon you. 4.1 stars out of 5, because it was really good- almost like it's own fairy tale- but I wish that there had been some more depth to a few of the characters. 

While there is romance, there isn't too much; while there is despair, there is also incredible hope; while there is finding of yourself, there is also how you find yourself in others. Kiera Cass has been able to balance so many things and tie in so many lessons of life into this one beautiful story.

Thanks for reading!

Thursday, August 4, 2016

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Review WITH SPOILERS

29056083 Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by John Tiffany, J.K. Rowling, and Jack Thorne
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
 WITH SPOILERS
 
Reading Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is not like returning back to Hogwarts; however, you do get to return to this beautifully crafted world that JK Rowling had created so many years ago with Sorcerer's Stone, and that is something that can truly be cherished so long as you are open to the story and the ability to accept things that you may not like. There are so many old characters and friends we get to revisit; new characters that we get to explore; and another twist that can send you into a mild tailspin. I would not say it is as great as the others, but it definitely worth the read. Be open to new ideas, keep in mind that this is a play and therefore, there is a time restriction on it. The actual review of this is 4.25 stars. Could they have done better? Possibly. Did they do a really amazing job as it is now? Yes. Do I still want more? Of course.



SPOILERS AHEAD

 One of the things that I really enjoyed about this book is that we get to see more of Slytherin. Right off the bat, Albus gets sorted into Slytherin and we immediately see the effects of that, along with his friendship with Scorpius. Not only was this incredibly interesting to me, but it also meant that we got to see a story through a Slytherin's eyes and more of their house characteristics by actually experiencing a story first hand with them. It was pretty cool.

Another thing that I thought was really interesting was that we got to see more of the time travel magic and how the time-turners worked. There are different kinds of them and are now "gone", or at least were supposed to be because they can be so dangerous. I did think it was super stupid of Albus and Scorpius to use it and go back in time to save Cedric, but at least they had good intentions, unlike some...

Delphini: B****. I wasn't totally blindsided by her- she made me cautious especially because she seemed to come out of no where and was really enthusiastic about the whole thing. I did not guess that she was Voldy's demon-spawn. Kind of expected now that I think about it, considering Bellatrix's infatuation with the creep. But that didn't really make sense to me how she could have been pregnant somewhere along the lines and nobody noticed it. Draco especially. I mean, now that the world isn't completely sideways, wouldn't he have said something to the Ministry if he had known that his aunt had been pregnant? At least to save his son's reputation and make it easier for him at school? I must say though, her hair sounded like it looked really cool.

Speaking of other things fans have been waiting to see... ScoRose!!!!! I love Dramione, and it still kinda sucks that they aren't a thing, but I was THRILLED when I found out that Scorp had a crush on Rose. Throughout the entire story, we see him pining after her and her just not having any of it. And then when the screw up the future the first time and she isn't there, he goes into full freak out mode. It is A D O R A B L E. I mean, it sucks that she isn't there, but his concern for her is the best. And then at the end of the book, he asks her out!! Go Scorpius! She said no, but it will happen... I can feel it. Dramione is like the Titanic, but there is hope for their children.

Scorpius was one of the most adorable characters in general though. He honestly was not at all what I was expecting, and it was a pleasant surprise. I think he'd be really good for Rose and he is such a good friend to Albus. He is the perfect example of how a Slytherin can be a good man and a good wizard. I love this child. He made my heart break. He made my heart smile. And he made my heart laugh. I think he's going to go down as one of my favorites.

There were some major plot holes in this story. 1. The polyjuice potion. Ummmmm..... doesn't that take like a month to brew? 2. The last scene with the time-turner. From what I had gathered, they had to go back to their original time after the five minutes. But, I guess they could just move back further.... 3. Harry's scar hurting. Maybe this is just something that could have been explained better, but I had absolutely no idea how that worked with the information that we have based on the other books.

Snape. I died when we got to see Snape again. And we get to know more of his story and how he originally worked for the Order in Lily's memory but then started to believe in that side's values. When he told Scorpius to tell Albus that he is proud that he carries his name, I started to tear up a bit. And then he died. Again. And I was a goner- so many tears... so many tears.
 

I could go on and on about this book for quite a while, but I'm gonna stop myself now because this post already seems so much more longer than usual. Bottom line, I can see where fans are upset. BUT, I am really just beyond grateful that we got to see more story and more of the world that we have all fallen in love with. And it was good. It was quick, there were flaws, but that happens sometimes when it needs to be cut short. Like book to movie adaptations. That being said, I would not object to another epilogue. I would actually really love to see more of Scorpius and Rose and I would also want to see Albus find somebody as well. Also, more of James and Lily, and TEDDY. Go ahead and let yourself fall in love with another Harry Potter book. Unlike the others, there are more faults with this love, but that doesn't mean that there isn't love.

Thanks for reading fellow muggles! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did

Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child NO SPOILERS

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by John Tiffany, J.K. Rowling, and Jack Thorne
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Harry Potter and the Cursed ChildReading Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is not like returning back to Hogwarts; however, you do get to return to this beautifully crafted world that JK Rowling had created so many years ago with Sorcerer's Stone, and that is something that can truly be cherished so long as you are open to the story and the ability to accept things that you may not like. There are so many old characters and friends we get to revisit; new characters that we get to explore; and another twist that can send you into a mild tailspin. I would not say it is as great as the others, but it definitely worth the read. Be open to new ideas, keep in mind that this is a play and therefore, there is a time restriction on it. The actual review of this is 4.25 stars. Could they have done better? Possibly. Did they do a really amazing job as it is now? Yes. Do I still want more? Of course.





I could go on and on about this book for quite a while, but I'm gonna stop myself now because this post already seems so much more longer than usual. Bottom line, I can see where fans are upset. BUT, I am really just beyond grateful that we got to see more story and more of the world that we have all fallen in love with. And it was good. It was quick, there were flaws, but that happens sometimes when it needs to be cut short. Like book to movie adaptations. That being said, I would not object to another epilogue. I would actually really love to see more of Scorpius and Rose and I would also want to see Albus find somebody as well. Also, more of James and Lily, and TEDDY. Go ahead and let yourself fall in love with another Harry Potter book. Unlike the others, there are more faults with this love, but that doesn't mean that there isn't love.

Thanks for reading fellow muggles! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

View all my reviews

Goodreads Updated

Goodreads Updated!!

So I was going onto Goodreads today- like I always do, cause it's an amazing website- and the homepage was totally different!!! The book pictures are bigger, it loaded a TON faster, and there are more recommendations, the feed is in the middle... it's great. And it still shows things like what you're currently reading and your Goodreads challenge. Holy potatoes, I am loving this update. As far as I can tell, only the homepage was updated, but I may also be missing things because I am human. Go check it out!! Here is a link to what Goodreads said about the update: https://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/670-new-goodreads-homepage-now-rolling-out-to-everyone

I'm going to go explore the site a bit more- have fun!
Thanks for reading!

Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Paul x Sarah (Saul?) from Orphan Black: A Ship in My Fleet

A Ship in My Fleet
Saul (Paul x Sarah)
From: Orphan Black
***Season 1 spoilers are very possible. Read at your own risk***


I don't actually have much evidence to support this ship. I just do.... 

I started watching Orphan Black from BBC America recently and I totally get why there is so much hype about it. Oh. My. Goodness. Freaking amazingness- that's what this show is made of. I've only seen season one so far, but even now, I am totally shipping Paul and Sarah. Luckily, I have absolutely no idea what is going to happen in later seasons, so I can just watch through them and fully experience the episodes provided I don't get spoiled by anyone. 

When I started shipping:
To be completely honest, I think I  started shipping them when Paul came to the precinct to pick up "Beth"/"Sarah" but it was really Helena that made the call. I'm just realizing now that this post may get difficult to follow. Anyway, I loved how he balanced being supportive and concerned in that moment. 

Favorite Cannon Moment:
Of all the moments that these two shared in this season, I think my favorite would be when Paul is tied up in the basement of the Neolution club and Sarah goes to rescue him. He just leans his head on her arm because he can't do anything else and it was just a really awesome moment. It was like they were drawing support from each other and it was also a really defining moment in their relationship in that Paul proves his loyalty to Sarah and places his trust in her.

Sarah:
Sarah may be one of my favorite fictional characters of all time, across all books, movies, and TV shows, I think she is one of the most impressive. Since the first episode, she has had to make impossible decisions, think on her feet, and act a thousand different parts and roles. She is incredibly smart and strong. 

Paul:
He's a bit of a mystery for a while. But then, learning of his past by the end of the season and seeing throughout the season how he proves himself to Sarah through his actions makes him super interesting and I can't wait to see more of him in the next season. What I find super interesting is that he didn't love Beth. But I feel like he's falling for Sarah.

Saul:
I actually have no clue if they have a ship name... because Saul is an actual name in itself. Parah? Either way, I think they should end up together. I feel like they're already drifting in that direction, but mostly just on Paul's part. Sarah is sort of busy at the moment and has bigger priorities that she needs to straighten out. But she can trust Paul! I want her to trust Paul more and let him in!!!!

Again, this is all based on season 1, but I cannot wait to watch the other seasons and see how this progresses. 

Thanks for reading!