Reading Slump + May Book Haul

About a third of the way into my last book (Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas) I ended up going into a reading slump, I kind of had to force myself to finish Throne of Glass, I had hoped it would go away after I finish read Throne of Glass so I could move on to my next book which was going to be Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, but I fell right back into my reading slump afterward, so next month (June) I have decided not to have a predetermined reading list and just read what I feel like reading at the moment of time in June, and see how that goes for me, I'm kind of finally just getting out of the reading slump, and on the last day of May too. Anyway, I only got three books this month, so let's get on to the haul.

The first place I found a book I wanted was at Winco

I had seen a review for this book on PeruseProject on youtube. The Summery sounded interesting so when I found it at Winco I decided to buy it. (also Winco gives a 20% discount on all books and magazines)

The second book I found that I bought was at Fry's Marketplace

The cover caught my attention first, then I read the summery and had to buy it. It sounds very interesting, so hopefully it turns out to be interesting.

The last book I bought was at Walmart

I loved the first movie and the second movie looks like it is going to be good (I have not seen the tv show, although I have heard good things about that too). I didn't know that the movie was based on a book so I am very excited about reading this one, this was actually what brought me out of my reading slump some, so this is probably what I am going to be reading first. When I do do a  review on it I will also do a book to movie review as well. (by the way it came with two new short stories in the series, I have not read the series, it also came with a little poster as well.)

Hope everybody has/had a great day : )

Throne of Glass book review

After reading a third a way into the book I ended up going through a bit of a reading slump (I'm still slightly in it). Only about 15% had to do with the book, I don't know what the other 85% of it was, but hopefully I'll be up to wanting to read the other four books I had planed to read this month. Any way onto the review.

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass book #1 of 6) by Sarah J. Maas

Paperback, 404 pages
Read: May 7 and May 17
Rating: 3/5
Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Fantasy
Summery: In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king's champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien.
The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass--and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.

Review: The story starts with Celaena Sardothien being take to see the Crown Prince so he can make a deal with her. While I enjoyed the book, it sadly didn't meet my expectations for what it seemed like it would be. For a few examples, there weren't really any examples of why Celaena was considered the greatest assassin, or why the land of Adarlan feared her. Along with that, Celaena's personality was not at all what I expected, while it wasn't bad per say, it did throw me off and I ended up having a hard time getting used to it. And there were also quite a few instances where some of the books characters seemed very vain, and only interested in the looks of the people they're attracted to (one instance in the book, where Celaena seemed very sadden by someone not finding her attractive, not having thought that there might be another reason for why this person is trying to put distance between them). The romance seemed like it was more of the main plot of the book than the competition or the murders, seeing as it took up most of the book, the competition didn't have many scenes in the book, the murders had even less, also the foreshadowing was not foreshadowing at all you can tell who the murder is right when it tries to show a hint, I'm really surprised and a little annoyed that Celaena didn't get it right off the bat. Along with the murders not having a lot of scenes in the book the characters didn't seem worried or more scared until the forth or fifth murder happens, which really bothered me. I would have loved to have seen more involving both the competition and Celaena's past, as well as the background plot involving the King, Duke Perrington and Lady Kaltain, that plot seemed very interesting, and it is one of the main reason I might continue with the series. There is another book out, The Assassin's Blade, that is supposed to be about Celaena's past which considering that it's one of the things I would have like to read about, I might enjoy that book. Also while I didn't mind Celaena as a character she was definitely not my favorite. My favorite's seemed to be Nehemia Ytger, the Princess of Eyllwe, as well as Chaol Westfall, The Captain of the Guard, both Celaena and Dorian Havilliard, The Crown Prince, seemed very childish and vain at times and it made it hard for me to like them as much as I feel I could have liked them. While I do plan on continuing the series, more so in hopes of learning more about Celaena's past, as well as more reveal of the plot with the King, Perrington and Kaltain, I am not really excited like I was before reading this book. Also while I love the cover of this book (more so then the book itself) I feel like the other cover fits the book more.

The other cover to this book.

Edit (3/10/2016): I no longer have any inclination to read the rest of the series sadly, the more I thought about this book the more I did not enjoy it. I also got spoiled for what happens to my favorite character, Nehemia. I have gotten rid of the book, I've given it to Goodwill.

Hope everybody had/has a great day : )

Wicked Lovely book review

Wicked Lovely (Wicked Lovely Book #1 of 5) by Melissa Marr

Hardcover, 328 pages
Read: May 2 - May 3
Rating: 2.5/5
Genres: Supernatural, Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Summery: Rule #3: Don't stare at invisible faeries.
Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in the mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty - especially if they learn of her Sight - and wishes she were as blind to their presence as other teens.
Rule #2: Don't speak to invisible faeries.
Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer.
Rule #1: Don't ever attract their attention.
But it's too late. Keenan is the Summer King, who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost — regardless of her plans or desires.
Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; her life; everything.

Review: This story starts with a prologue of a girl hoping to be the Summer Queen. I did not hate this book, there were definitely problems, but the book was not as bad as I thought it would be. This was definitely a guilty pleasure read. The plot was at quite a few points confusing to me, the reasons for quite a few things were also not explained in the book (although there are 4 more books, plus I think 3 or 4 short stories in this series so there might be some explanation in those, although I don't really think there will be), the things I liked most about this story were the characters and the relationships. I liked quite a few of the characters, I think Donia, along with Aislinn might have been my favorite, and the respect at least that seemed to be forming between Keenan and Seth. While I found problems with the book, and I can also see why other people would not like this book/series, I enjoyed it for what it was.


Hope everybody had/has a great day : )

May T.B.R. List

First off, I was contemplating whether to read the rest of Praying for Mercy by Patricia Briggs, but I decided to wait, while I enjoyed the first book of the three it didn't make me want/or excited to read the next two, so I'm probably going to read the next two when I'm getting further down on the number of how many T.B.R. books I have left to read. So I quite possibly won't be read them until later this year, or next year, Although if I'm feeling up to it and I'm done with the rest of the books on my reading list for May, I may read it this month. Now, onto the list.

#1

Wicked Lovely (Wicked Lovely Book #1 of 5) by Melissa Marr

After I started reading Zombies Vs. Unicorns I got excited to read more supernatural/fantasy type of books, so I started looking around online and happened upon this book, I also so heard that there was an interesting love triangle in the series so I decide why not give it a try, also while I've read and skimmed quite a few supernatural books I have yet to read a fairy book.

#2

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass Book #1 of 6) by Sarah J. Maas

I had seen a video on PeruseProject's youtube channel with this book and right away I fell in love with the cover, then I heard the summery and I fell in love with that, so I decide that I needed to have this book in my life. I've heard quite a few good things about this book so I'm excited to read it.

#3

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

I have been wanting to read this for a while, also I'm a little embarrassed that I haven't read this before now, it's been on my bookshelf for a while now.

#4

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

I have had this one my To Buy List for a few years now, I had been searching for this book at goodwill for just as long, I finally found it this year at a goodwill. I am really excited to finally read this. I have never seen, nor do I own any of the movie adaptations so I will not have any comparisons in my review for the book.

#5

A Great and Terrible Beauty (Gemma Doyle Book #1 of 3) by Libba Bray

I had this series on my To Buy List for a little while before I happened upon this book and the second one in the series at goodwill, I was definitely excited to find those two. I have heard really good things about this series so I am definitely looking forward to read to reading this one.

#6

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter Book #3 of 7) by J.K. Rowling

If you've read my March T.B.R. post, or my review for the first Harry Potter book then you know that I have read this book once before the Christmas before the movie came out, you will also know that I have only read this one before out of the series, and had only seen the first three movies all the way through, and I have only seen bits and pieces of the other movies. So going off that I have also made sure not to spoil myself with things that happen not only in the books, but also in the movies. I really enjoyed the first two of these books. While like I said I have read this before, the first time I read it I was sick, and I also had not really remembered much of the first two movies, so I didn't really enjoy it as much as I probably would/could have, so I really excited to read this again having read the first two books now.

I only have six on my list this month, but if I finish these books before the month is through I will probably finish Praying for Mercy or get through some of the books I have high on my T.B.R. list.

Hope everybody had/has a great day : )

April Book Haul

Both my review for the second Harry Potter and this one are late, while I finished Harry Potter on the last day of April (Yesterday), I wasn't able to get on my computer until now.
Now onto the book haul.

First up, what I bought at Winco.

I have heard quite a few good reviews about this book so I decided to pick it up. I also like the fact that you can tell who's P.O.V. you're reading in each chapter because one character has black text and the other has gold.

Second up is what I bought from Amazon.com

First is Howl's Moving Castle, I had seen Studio Ghibli's movie before I had known it was based on a book, so since I loved the movie I put this on my To But List, and it stayed there for at least three years before I finally bought it. Next up is Throne Of Glass, I had seen a video on PeruseProject's channel with this book I fell in love with the cover, and then when i heard the summery, it sounded like a really great action packed book to read. And again, I have to say how in love I am with this amazing cover (the back of the paperback looks pretty awesome too), I kind of upset that they changed the cover to one that is not only generic in the YA world, but also doesn't seem to fit the summery, the cover makes it seem like the book would be your typical historical YA romance novel, which it doesn't sound like it will be.

Third and last up is what I bought from Thriftbooks.com

First is Alanna: The First Adventurer, I had, again seen a video on LittleBookOwl's Youtube channel about the book and it sounded like a good, and interesting book so I decide to buy it. Next is Wicked Lovely, I had heard interesting things about the love triangle that peaked my interest in reading this book, then I read the summery, and it sound like a good fairy story. Third is I m Not A Serial Killer, I had seen a review of this book on The Readables channel and it sound like a good, and possibly gory story, for some reason lately I've been really into gorier stories. Last is The Monstrumologist, another book that I had seen a review on The Readables channel, and again it sounded like it would be a good and possibly gory story.

Later tonight I will have a May T.B.R. list up.

Hope everybody had/has a great day : )

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets book review

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter Book #1 of 7) by J.K. Rowling

Hardcover, 342 pages
Read: Apr. 29 - Apr. 30
Rating: 5/5
Genres: Fantasy, Adventure, Magic
Summery: The Dursleys were so mean and hideous that summer that all Harry Potter wanted was to get back to the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. But just as he's packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a strange, impish creature named Dobby who says that if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike.
And strike it does. For in Harry's second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and horrors arise, including an outrageously stuck-up new professor, Gilderoy Lockheart, a spirit named Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girl's bathroom, and the unwanted attentions of Ron Weasley's younger sister, Ginny.
But each of these seem minor annoyances when the real trouble beings, and someone--or something--starts turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally told? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects...Harry Potter himself.

Review: This story starts a few months after the ending of the first book, and it's Harry Potter's birthday again. I loved this book, it was a great sequel to the first one. The first one is still my favorite though. Dobby has his first appearance in this book, i enjoyed his moments in the book. I liked learning the tiny bit about Hagrid's past that I did. Gilderoy Lockheart was hilariously dim-witted at quite a few moments in this book. I think one of the most interesting parts of the book for me was the confrontation in the last part of the book. I also still really love Fred and George, they are probably some of my favorite characters, I also really liked Mr. Weasley's fascinations with muggle things, those moments were also some of my favorite's, especially with Hermione's parents. This one was a bit slower paced, more so in the first half, but there was still so much to enjoy and learn about the world in the book.


Book to Movie Rating: 4/5
Thoughts on the Book to Movie: I enjoyed the movie for the most part. There were some scenes that felt kind of over-acted as well as some that felt very cheesy. There were also some scenes that I wish had been done like the book, like the reaction to Draco calling Harmione a mud-blood, the quidditch game, and the final scene between Harry and Riddle, I also wish the dueling scene was the same as in the book. I also would have loved the valentine's scene in the Great Hall, I found that scene in the book very funny. I really enjoyed the friendship between Harry, Harmione, and Ron. It was a pretty good adaptation from the book, I did happen to enjoy the first movie as a book to movie adaptation a bit better then this one, but I still really enjoyed this one.


Next up a book haul.
Hope Everybody had/has a great day : )