This is probably crazy of me but this thing has been bugging me since a few days…
If you are a Swiftie, then you definitely know that song called No Body No Crime.
If you are a Swiftie and don’t know this song…a real shame…IT IS RIGHT THERE IN YOUTUBE.😑
Let us continue…
If you have read Six of Crows, then you definitely know the famous line…No Mourners No Funerals (I have it as my Whatsapp profile picture🙂🔪 don’t you dare tell anyone…)
Well, coming to the point…doesn’t No Body No Crime sound like something the Crows would say???
…or it could probably just be my imagination…
Wow. All this valuable rubbish at the beginning just to write the above paragraph.
Ooh…valuable rubbish…found a new nickname for my two best-friends…😏
I’d better be off now, I have to go and think if posting this was a good idea or not.
…and does Six of Crows have a fandom name?? It should have one…
So, one of my classmates poked my cheek and I literally screamed ”DON’T TOUCH ME!” and hit that person. I don’t know what is wrong with me…but I am a fully norma-*hemhem* person…
And I just realized how life is amazing but the feeling is gone now…
Here is the link to my review of the first book of this series.
Title: Siege and Storm
Series: Shadow and Bone #2
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Magic
Category: YA
Publishing Date/Publisher: June 4th 2013 by Henry Holt and Company
Source: Goodreads
I love this font!!!!!
Darkness never dies.
Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land, all while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. But she can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.
The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her—or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.
[Synopsis from Goodreads]
About the Author:
Leigh Bardugo is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of fantasy novels and the creator of the Grishaverse (now a Netflix original series) which spans the Shadow and Bone Trilogy, the Six of Crows Duology, the King of Scars Duology, and The Language of Thorns—with more to come. Her short stories can be found in multiple anthologies, including the Best American Science Fiction & Fantasy. Her other works include Wonder Woman: Warbringer and Ninth House (Goodreads Choice Winner for Best Fantasy 2019) which is being developed for television by Amazon Studios. She lives in Los Angeles. For information on new releases and appearances, sign up for her newsletter.
She would be delighted if you visited her at LeighBardugo.com and fairly giddy if you liked her selfies on Instagram.
[Picture and text taken directly from Goodreads]
My Ratings: 5/5 (okay, fine. This series is officially one of my all time faves 😉
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
My Thoughts:
Dude…this trilogy deserves all the stars in the universe. (Just my opinion of course.)
Well, this book is all about finding the mythical sea dragon….well, anything that involves dragons is my treat. A lot happens in the middle of the sea, in boats. It gives a little pirate vibe to the book which I absolutely loved.
I really enjoyed reading about Alina. In this book, she grows so much, changes so much and learns so much about how to unleash her magic. She becomes a person who is more sure of herself unlike the girl who didn’t even know how to summon her magic before. And you know the best thing about the book, so many new characters were introduced and Miss Leigh managed to make me fall in love with all of them.
Now we come to the person who stole the show…Prince Nikolai Lantsov. The wittiest and most charming person I have ever met. (I haven’t actually met him). No, actually The Darkling is the most charming person but Prince Nikolai has a different sort of charm around him. And he is goddamn smart. He is this sort of person who is always making plans in his head. And he just charms everybody. He stole the whole book to be honest. He is just amazing. I think he is quite similar to Kaz Brekker in terms of mind of intelligence and their knack for making the plans. He one of my favourite characters in this trilogy. Well, The Darkling and Prince Nikolai. *blushing* Actually, I don’t blush but my cheeks tingle.
And to be honest…Mal is a great character but sometimes, he is just really annoying. But sometimes, my heart melts with him. I understand he is a bit of a jealous freak but…sometimes you need to calm down. Seriously?! In the last book of this trilogy, Mal changes a lot so don’t start hating him right now please.🙂 (who finds this emoji creepy? Like the eyes don’t smile…it is the sort of smile you would wear before killing someone…🙂🔪. This looks a million times better. The perfect expression for stabbing someone.)🙂🔪
Is Zoya present a lot in this book?? No I think she is most present in the last one. Because after the ”disaster” at the palace is she present most of the book right? I cannot even freaking separate the events from all the books. I know them but I can’t separate them into their appropriate books…this ANNOYS me!!!
Maybe, we will talk about her when I review the last book.
Well, overall, this book is perfect. The new characters were gradually introduced in the book so you will not lose track unless you find the book boring. It was easy to follow and if I am not mistaken, it picks off right where it left off in the first book. Well, I don’t think everything was very easy in the book…we have got one hell of an amazing and extremely well-written antagonist…Lord Voldemort could never- and one hell of a smart-ass (Prince Nikolai…sure as hell I won’t forget you).
And a very well-written love triangle except there were 3 love-interests…would that be called a quadrangle?? But I think adding the third love interest wasn’t really necessary but let’s be honest over here…the chemistry between The Darkling and Alina was so thick I could cut it out of the book and still not be able to chew it…Mal and Alina didn’t have much chemistry like *cringes a little*…
I DON’T CARE BUT ALINA AND THE DARKING SHOULD BE TOGETHER…I WILL SACRIFICE ICE-CREAM FOR THIS!!!! OKAY…I’LL SACRIFICE CHOCOLATE FOR THIS. Chocolate is my favourite food so…
Why do authors like making their readers suffer?? What did we ever do to them?? Well, never mind…
Again, I know this sounds a lot like rambling but I always find it a little difficult to write reviews of books I really love. Like, I cannot fully explain why I like this and that…
This is all a bunch of rambling and disorganized thoughts…*sighs*
But you get the idea. It was the perfect sequel to Shadow and Bone. The characters develop a lot and the setting and atmosphere were top-notch. The new characters were gradually introduced and Leigh Bardugo actually kept a lot of secrets and mystery in this book and if by chance you didn’t like this book, you will have to read the last one because of the curiosity and the way this books ends. The romance was well-written and the chemistry between The Darkling and Alina could have exploded out of the book. I think she also did a great job in the relationship between the protagonist and the antagonist without making Alina a villain in the process. And if I am not mistaken, a lot of things are kept in the dark, to be revealed in the third and final book. Now, this is a heavy-fantasy and ONLY READ THIS IF YOU ARE IN THE MOOOOD!! We don’t need people saying that they didn’t like this book because they read it at the wrong time or whatever utter nonsense you can come up with. Don’t ruin your first experience….
So there…that was a better one right??
Well, if you reached here…thanks for tolerating those blocks of paragraphs. It means a lot.
NOW BYE! I HAVE MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO THAT WASTING MY TIME OVER HERE!
Welcome, welcome October! *cameras click as October walks on the red carpet*
We are so happy you came! We call September to step down and hand the crown to October!
*September does so quite happily (and grudgingly) as she steps down the throne and gives her crown and place to October* (who ever said September is a girl? IDK but the name itself gives feminine vibes. SePTemBeR!)
*October starts speaking*
”Well, to all the months of the year, thank you for all being here today! I am greatly honored to be part of you eleven and for having my own 31 days in a year to rule….”
Instead of writing October’s speech (which is very long), we will just proceed with the wrap up!😁. No offense October but your speech and my wrap up together will be a very long post indeed…
BTW, all links are the reviews I posted.
BTW, DON’T YOU DARE SHOUT AT ME FOR POSTING THIS THAT LATE!! I WAS EXTREMELY BUSY THIS MONTH…
We will keep things short over here…well, I am jealous of Nora. She literally visited a magical library and I want to go there. But I really recommend this, it is really a book that gets you thinking. In a good way.
This book is full of emotions and love and bravery and courage and the beautiful things we do for the people we love…recommend this if you like historical fiction.
What do I have to say about this? Leigh Bardugo and her writing amazes me. I cannot believe that this book is a work created by her. Like the worldbuilding, the plot, the way she wrote the book, the way she explains the Grisha so well and the way she created the very first villain I (don’t insert fell in love here) ever took a liking for. This series is a masterpiece.
Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo Shadow and Bone #2 (Fantasy)
Source: Goodreads
My Ratings: 5/5
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Can we say that I TOTALLY SHIP ALINA AND THE DARKLING TOGETHER!! THEY WERE DESTINED FOR EACH OTHER BEFORE THEY WERE EVEN BORN!!!!!
Miss Leigh…you CANNOT GIVE ME A PROTAGONIST WITH THE POWER OF LIGHT AND AN ANTAGONIST WITH THE POWER OF THE DARKNESS AND NOT EXPECT ME TO SHIP THEM!!!!!
The problem, I have a crush on The Darkling now and I totally ship him with Alina…cannot believe I just wrote that.
With btw, brings my total number of crushes to 3 (all of them fictional). We have one demon, another demon and a villain. I probably have good taste…😎😏😂
Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo Shadow and Bone #3(Fantasy)
Source: Goodreads
My Ratings: 5/5
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Oh…Okay, I should probably hold on to my tears now. The ending killed me in such a way that I am still alive and suffering on earth because of those last pages…
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (Fantasy)
Source: Goodreads
My Ratings: 5/5
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Cannot believe the cover is like SiX DANgerouS OutCasTS ONe dEADly HeiST and the book is like…my ghost won’t associate with your ghost…Matthias wondered whether the sea air was rotting his brain…
Pretty sure it isn’t word for word but you get the idea…and Matthias I was wondering about that too…
Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo (Fantasy)
Source: Goodreads
My Ratings: 5/5
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Fine…the ending left me wanting more? Miss Leigh, for everyone’s sake, you could have written AT LEAST a page more. Like, I want to know what Kaz told them, how Inej acted, their reactions….I WANT TO KNOW but I guess it is part of you make-all-your-readers-suffer plan.
Probably something spooky or some fantasy. I am feeling in that mood…
Life Update: Well, nothing interesting happened to be honest.
It was my sister’s birthday this month. So yeah, that’s basically it.
I read 5 books that became my favourite. So Miss Leigh ACTUALLY knows how to work magic on books. I suspect she is actually a Grisha herself. That wouldn’t be surprising if it was true.
My best friend and my other best friend (we are three) had a fight and AS USUAL I have to find myself between them. All of it is solved now.
Cried a lot because of Ruin and Rising but again, I think this is part of Miss Leigh’s, make-all-your-readers-suffer plan…*sighs* Of course, it isn’t like you can just turn a character into a bat and make it live in a cursed cave forever…
I fell because stupid me decided to try to ride my bike with my damned eyes closed. *shakes her head at herself for this insane stupidity* What the heck was I trying to do?
September Goals Review:
Read at least 8-10 books.❌
Complete that Design and Technology project (AND MAKE SURE YOU GET GOOD MARKS GURL. UNDER 90 ISN’T ACCEPTABLE) ✅
Don’t waste your time Spend less time doing silly things (like secretly watching YouTube because you are bored) ❌
And do what makes you happy (even if this includes staring at the dark ceiling at night thinking of useless things or sending stupid texts to your best-friends like arguing whether the moon landing is fake or if Area 51 has aliens or if we are just aliens from another planet that have conquered the Earth and living on it for like 100 000 years. 🧐Not sure about that..
October Goals:
Read more than 5 books.
Find a miraculous way to balance life, school and blogging. THAT MEANS I HAVE TO POST AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK!
Don’t close my eyes while riding a bike the next time.
So, that is all!
Well, September was a lovely month.
Does anyone of you know how time-turners are made? That question just popped in my head and I really want to know?
BTW, how was your month? What did you read? Did you fall off your bike? No, of course not. I must be crazy.
Well, it is October now. *snorts* You already know that.
Finally I am posting this. I hate being late. See ya next time with another post!
And don’t forget to comment, I love talking to you guys!
I think I have a big tiny obsession with Mr. Grey Eyes and Black Kefta.
But just forget about that…
Okay, well, yesterday something wierd happened. I found a piece of paper under the bed and I found it so funny my heart almost fell off my chest into my hands…
Well, the review shouldn’t be ignored.
Title: Shadow and Bone
Series: Shadow and Bone #1
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Magic
Category: YA
Publishing Date/Publisher: June 5th 2012 by Henry Holt & Company
Source: Goodreads
BTW!!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE FONT IN THE TITLE!! *resolves to go and find that font one day*
Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.
Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.
Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.
[This synopsis is from Goodreads…usually I used to write my own but…I can barely even separate the main events from the three books]
About the Author:
Leigh Bardugo is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of fantasy novels and the creator of the Grishaverse (now a Netflix original series) which spans the Shadow and Bone Trilogy, the Six of Crows Duology, the King of Scars Duology, and The Language of Thorns—with more to come. Her short stories can be found in multiple anthologies, including the Best American Science Fiction & Fantasy. Her other works include Wonder Woman: Warbringer and Ninth House (Goodreads Choice Winner for Best Fantasy 2019) which is being developed for television by Amazon Studios. Leigh grew up in Southern California and graduated from Yale University. These days she lives and writes in Los Angeles. For information on new releases and appearances, sign up for her newsletter.
She would be delighted if you visited her at LeighBardugo.com and fairly giddy if you liked her selfies on Instagram.
[Picture and text taken directly from Goodreads]
My Ratings: 5/5 (what were you expecting??😂)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
My Thoughts:
To make this all easier…I am going to simply break down everything otherwise I myself will be all muddled up.
Let me start with the characters:
Alina Starkov (our protagonist): I love the way Leigh Bardugo wrote her. She managed to create a good relationship between our antagonist (The Darkling…aka the lov-no need to know the rest) and Alina…without making her turn into the villain in the process. And she was a little different from the other protagonists as well and the only other protagonist I could faintly compare her to is Harry Potter. They were both almost driven by power wanting the objects (Alina: The Morozova amplifiers and Harry: the Hallows). Her flaws were as beautiful as her good side and she was a person who could develop strong relationships with others.
Okay, can we move to The Darkling now. I am dying to tell you all about him.
The Darkling (the antagonist): I have to say this….HE IS THE BEST VILLAIN EVER TO HAVE BEEN WRITTEN [in my opinion but it is probably a fact too]. He is my favourite character and I absolutely love him🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤. I have never known a villain written this way. Can somebody explain to me, how on earth can an author have the superpower to write one of the most powerful Grisha to be alive, living human amplifier with the power of the darkness but still be the most human of all people. A human with the ability to love, to feel, to grieve and who still manages to love his mother, after all this time. I will cry…Okay, I am already crying because of Ruin and Rising…and I don’t intend on drowning myself in a mini ocean in our house…continuing about the Darkling, I think he was the most interesting character in the whole book. I wish all authors could create masterpieces out of villains the way Leigh Bardugo does. He was everything a proper villain should be, someone who is cruel but human and someone who has a heart but doesn’t have a heart; both at the same time.
Mal Oretsev (Alina’s childhood bestfriend): A sulky attitude that boy has but I love him all the same. I love the way he loved and cared for Alina even though he was often cold with her at times. He was this type of person who would always stand by the people he loves even if it means giving himself up. It is a trait I greatly admire in him not to mention he is a really sweet guy.
Well…we have got to keep some of the characters for the next two reviews right…remember…I have partly failed at separating the events from the trilogy…And I am pretending that I am reviewing the whole trilogy…
Well, we have to talk about the worldbuilding. *thanks the author for inserting maps in the book…the best. I love maps* I don’t know if everyone might relate but I found it really easy to immerse myself in the book and the setting as well. If there was any infodumping then I seriously don’t know about that since I could easily understand the world without getting lost. I love Ravka and especially the atmosphere. I am an absolute sucker when authors make the atmosphere of their books grey with a dash of forest and dark places. I absolutely loved the plot of the story and the way everything is explained in the book. I have never read a book like that before. Leihg Bardugo had a great imagination…I wish I could know HOW ON EARTH did Leigh Bardugo get the idea to write this book. When creating her world, she didn’t miss anything out. For example, the culture of the Ravkans, the Suli and the Shu and the Kerch were there. If I am not mistaken, I think Ravka is inspired from Russia and its culture but I may be mistaken of course. I also loved the way the charcters changed and progressed all throughout the book and it great watching them grow. They hold a special place in my heart. Why am I being sentimental?🧐
Like the Grisha who’s magic is also known as the Small Science and it was great getting to learn about those. Let’s say that Leigh Bardugo left nothing unexplained (except one thing…but that was quite small). It isn’t a very fast paced book and I found it easy to breathe between the lines. The scenes were neither too fast nor too slow for me. Bruh, Leigh Bardugo REALLY knows what she was doing when writing this book but I think she also enjoys making her readers suffer and smile at the same time. Complicated…
Okay, there we are and frankly speaking, there is a lot more to talk about…but I have to keep some of the characters for the other books.
Well, I think I have got to say thanks to Leigh Bardugo for writing this book..in fact the whole trilogy because it was such a great and heartbreaking adventure for sure but thanks.
Thanks for reading…AND SORRY NOT SORRY IF IT IS TOO LONG…couldn’t help myself👻
P.S. Oh, and I guess ghosts are cute. Especially the emoji.
Oh. Well, I don’t know…no, actually I have no idea how to start this first paragraph but I am going to tell you something. I just finished the Shadow and Bone trilogy by Leigh Bardugo in a while ago because I was just craving books for absolutely no reason…
And…and the last book broke my heart. Those who read the books, how did you even survive the ending? Because as much as I hate to admit that, I found myself randomly breaking into sobs all day and having to control my sudden breakdowns. I mean, whatever, I’ll be posting my review soon.
WHY THE HECK DO AUTHORS CREATE CHARACTER MASTERPIECES AND DESTROY THEM AT THE END?
I NEED AN ANSWER!
AND I RATE ALL OF THE BOOKS IN THE TRILOGY FIVE STARS?? AND HOW COME THEY BECAME A FAVOURITE OF MINE WHEN-
I need to calm down before my brain explodes…
*takes a deep breath in*
Title: The Metal Heart: A Novel of Love and Valor in World War II
Author: Caroline Lea
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, World War II, Fiction
Category: A
Publishing Date/Publisher: June 8th 2021 by Harper Perennial
Source: Goodreads
All happens during World War II, in a small Scottish island. Dot and her twin sister, Con are orphans, living alone in an old bothy (sort of hut) in Selkie Holm, the small island only occupied by these two sisters.
All changes when it is decided that Italian prisoners will be brought in order to help with the war and the preparations and they will be lodged in Selkie Holm. Most people on the main island see prisoners, probably criminals or murderers but Dot and Con see humans with a heart, a life, a family who have come here to work. The are the ones who volunteer to help in nursing and caring for them when they are hurt.
Ever since, those prisoners came, Dot’s attention has been drawn to one. Cesare, a man whom she saved from drowning when he and the other prisoners came by boat to Selkie Holm. But her growing attraction to Cesare doesn’t make her life any brighter. Her bond with her sister, Con starts fraying like a cord and it looks inevitable. Her sister only wanting her to be safe and Dot trying to reassure Con that she will make sure old mistakes do not resurface again. But maybe it is just too late or old mistakes and the past just always find a way to come to the surface.
About the Author:
Caroline Lea grew up on the island of Jersey and gained a First from Warwick University. Her fiction and poetry have been shortlisted for the Bridport Prize and the BBC Short Story Prize. Her debut novel, The Glass Woman, a gothic thriller set during the Icelandic witch trials, was shortlisted for the HWA Debut Crown Award. Her next novel, The Metal Heart, was a powerful Second World War love story set on the island of Orkney.
[Picture and text taken directly from Goodreads]
My Ratings: 4/5
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
My Thoughts:
This book…was definitely what I hadn’t expected it to be. It didn’t actually happen where the war took place but a little corner of Scotland.
I read this book like two weeks ago I think so I have forgotten a little…but I’ll manage haha.
I found Dot and Con to be two interesting characters. They were so different from each other despite being twins and looking like two peas in the same pod…
WAIT! A pea from a pod and a pea from another pod still look very same. Just like red kidney beans and lentils right? What am I even doing right now discussing peas and lentils when this is a review?
Dot was the quiet one while Con was the one who was a little restless. I loved their backstories as well which were each so different especially Con’s backstory which is also the main reason why she is just so protective of her other sister and would do anything to stop Dot from making the same mistake as she did.
The thing I loved the most about those two sister is their sisterly bond. They look after each other backs and always so supportive of each other. The sacrifices they make for each other especially in the last few moments in the book.
My sister and I could never-
But my sister and I are great at is being partners when it comes to stealing or any other crime.😂 Or things like smuggling insects and beetles (insects are FASCINATING creatures…except cockroaches) or pretty stones stolen from I-don’t-know-where into the house. If there is also one other thing is that the sentence I say the most to my sister is, “Don’t touch me!”, because she has an annoying habit of hugging people. And I am not the person who likes hugs or any form of touchy things. Well not all the time haha.😂 Am I the one who makes a face when people hug me? Sometimes I like hugs but otherwise…*runs away*
The plot of the book was okay but I think it could have been much more interesting or more things could have been added. Like I think the book could have benefited with Cesare’s backstory and maybe chapters written in his point of view. Cesare was a prisoner and I would have really liked to know about what were his crimes and a lot more about his life back in Italy.
But otherwise I really enjoyed reading this book. The writing style was really beautiful and it had me tearing up at the end but it is a book with love and courage shining through! One that I greatly recommend for fans of historical fiction!
Now, I have to catch up with crying over Ruin and Rising, the whole series to be honest and plan my other reviews!
To all of those people who live inside books this letter is dedicated to you:
To,
Those fictional characters who have ruined changed my whole life.
First of all, you don’t know so many things.
And you are a nuisance but I hate to admit that I also love you all as well.
I would also like to thank all of you for changing me that I am not sure what is my pure self like anymore. Why? One day I just realized that I am just a collection of bits and pieces thrown here and there into my personality. Like I am all of my favourite characters blended into one person. Like I picked little parts of your personality traits that I loved best and took them to be my own.
It is actually very scary when I think how my mind would have worked/thought and how different my personality would have been if hadn’t done the above. I cannot imagine my own self before I started reading books. Like I never even existed at all. I cannot think of what I did during the day if I wasn’t making up funny scenes in my head of book characters; thinking about books; suddenly remembering a random quote or detail that I had never thought about…
Was I even alive? I should have been.
But I guess this is the pain of being a reader. But being a reader is much better than not being a reader.
Do you know how boring real life is? We don’t get the chance to go on interesting adventures, save the world from a Dark Lord, or steal back the lost treasure from a feared dragon, or go on a quest to destroy one of the most powerful rings, or even have to chance to go to magic school…
AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE WHINING BECAUSE THEY DON’T WANT TO FINISH SNAPE’S ESSAY!
Are you serious Harry and Ron? Just try to ‘muggle homework’ and you’ll see how boring it is (except math). I would do ANYTHING to go to Hogwarts and I can’t believe how you take magic school for granted.
IF I WAS IN YOUR PLACE, I WOULD HAVE DONE ALL THE HOMEWORK, WOKE UP EARLY IN THE MORNING, NEVER FEEL BORED IN CLASS (even history of magic). Can you believe how lucky you are? We people have never got a chance to even go to Hogwarts. What you learn over there is a million times better than muggle school.
In some ways, I actually envy all of you and I don’t want all of you fictional characters to be real, I want to be fictional and join you in some mysterious adventure. Like, can you imagine what fun it will be? And weird? A twelve year old girl from the real world into your worlds? And in your worlds, there will be books and when we enter those books, we will be transported into another world, in that other world, there will be other books and we will enter other fictional worlds and it just continues…
…until we lose ourselves totally in books and when we reach the last chapter, we come back to the real world and it is like time hasn’t passed at all. Just imagine if this was possible.
If it was, then I could bring all of you into the real world and life would be interesting and then you could go back to your world when the book reaches the last sentence. (in the fictional worlds, there are books about our real world where we are the fictional characters inside and I guess the story of our lives is actually interesting to them…)
Just imagine how life would be not boring at all?
Thanks for all you did you me (includes suffering and breakdowns),
Hermione
What did I just write above? I mean, obviously, it is a very embarrassing letter to all those fictional characters.
Well, mom, if you are reading this, then let all be erased from your mind, this is definitely very embarrassing. LIKE REALLY EMBARASSING. Just don’t tell me you have read this, I will die from embarrassment. I am already dying from embarrassment right now.
And it feels like I just exposed my bare soul to all of you…I deeply regret this. I regret this very much. Now all of you know…what? Well, all of the above. I hate myself for writing this.
LIKE I JUST PULLED OUT MY BEATING HEART AND PUT IT UNDER THE SWORD FOR YOU TO CUT IT INTO TWO…
*dies from oversaturation and choking on thick embarrassment*
*Hermione’s ghost tries to put her soul back to her body and succeeds. Miracle really!*
Why did I even do this?
Well, so there is my letter to the characters who have much more interesting lives than my existence and if you have reached here…then thanks I guess *deeply embarrassed* for reading until here. At least you know now that I am an unhealthy overthinker and obsessed over books and fictional characters with a very high level of unusual weirdness.
*chokes again*
I have never felt so embarrassed in my whole life before. Not since the day I accidentally fell asleep in class dreaming and when I woke up, everybody was staring at me and the teacher…well…let us skip this part shall we. I was still very little at that time.
Since, I am filled with regrets, I should probably go and hide and come out an eternity later…I love you, darkness, my best friend. I won’t be able to live without you. You are my best-friend…🖤
Giphy
BTW, GEORGE.R.R. MARTIN IF YOU EVER DARE KILL JON SNOW IN YOUR BOOKS…I WILL NEVER EVER EVER…FORGIVE YOU.😑
DON’T YOU DARE…😡🤬👿💀👾
Now, puh-lease, all of you who have reached here, forget everything. I mean, that is probably unnecessary
I CANNOT BELEIVE IT! Lisa just released her solo! That was a little less than two hours ago…AND IT IS SO GOOD! The rap part! OMG…I am going to die. And it has got like 10.3 million views already!!!
For all those Blinks who have probably already listened to it, LISTEN TO IT AGAIN and by the way, here is the link to her M/V on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awkkyBH2zEo
EEEEEEEEEE! Her rap parts are literally so perfect I can’t imagine…And the beat! Oh my goodness.
I am wondering myself why I even like BlackPink. It is definitely not even my type of music??? Why do I even like their music?🥴 I don’t know… Well, anyways, tell me what are your favourite BlackPink songs down below in the comments!
AND THAT SELF-CONFIDENCE! OH MY GOSH!
BTW, her rap at 1.20-1.40. OMFG!
2.27-2.53-That rap OHMYGAWD!
That badass queen…I TELL YOU! Because, for real, how much badass vibes does this song have to give? I’ll faint…
I swear that one day, she could hit 100 million views in a day.
Category: YA (it says Adult on Goodreads but I think it will also be suitable for YA readers [anyone above 13 years] *looks at myself* depending how sensitive and mature you are about certain topics; suicide, depression, etc.They ARE NOT discussed lightly in this book and do check out trigger warnings before reading.)
Publishing Date/Publisher: September 29th 2020 by Viking (first published August 13th 2020)
Source: Goodreads
I really like this blue on the cover…I LOVE DARK BLUE!!!
Nora Seed is just a young woman who is having the worst day of her entire life. She is full of regrets; of what she had done, what she hadn’t done, the misunderstandings with her brother and people around her all mixed with the sadness of the sudden death of her cat, Voltaire.
At midnight, she makes a dreadful decision…she doesn’t want to live anymore. She is saturated with regrets and thoughts about how her life could have been different if she she had made other choices.
Instead of dying, she ends up in a place between life and death. A place where time has stopped…a place called the Midnight Library.
In the Midnight Library, the shelves go on forever and are filled with an infinite number of books, each giving a chance to Nora to experience a different life had she made a different choice in her existence. The library also has one book which is different from the others, The Book of Regrets.
As Nora enters and lives the different lives from the different books, will she ever be able to find a book worth to keep? Worth living?
About the Author:
Matt Haig was born in Sheffield, England in1975. He writes books for both adults and children, often blending the worlds of domestic reality and outright fantasy, with a quirky twist. His bestselling novels are translated into 28 languages. The Guardian has described his writing as ‘delightfully weird’ and the New York Times has called him ‘a novelist of great talent’ whose writing is ‘funny, riveting and heartbreaking’.
His novels for adults are The Last Family in England, narrated by a labrador and optioned for film by Brad Pitt; The Dead Fathers Club (2006), an update of Hamlet featuring an 11-year-old boy; The Possession of Mr Cave (2008), about a man obsessed with his daughter’s safety, and The Radleys (2010) which won Channel 4’s TV Book Club public vote and was shortlisted for a Galaxy National Book Award (UK). The film rights to all his adult novels have been sold. His next adult novel is The Humans (2013).
His multi-award winning popular first novel for children, Shadow Forest, was published in 2007 and its sequel, The Runaway Troll, in 2009. His most recent children’s novel is To Be A Cat (2012).
[Picture and text taken directly from Goodreads]
My Ratings: 4/5
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
My Thoughts:
WAIT…Mr. Haig has a DOG! His dog looks almost EXACTLY like our neighbour’s dog! The only difference is that the neighbour’s dog is named Princess and her nose is pink😂.
Well, that is supposed to be my thoughts about the BOOK so instead of blabbering about the way dogs look so much like dogs (…what…) we should better proceed.
I will list my thoughts in bullet points because I am feeling bullet-pointy today (pretty sure this word doesn’t exist).
What I liked:
The Midnight Library (the LIBRARY not the title🤦♀️) Even though I have read a book about a world between life and death, I have never read a book about a library between life and death. The way it was described made the library alive, magical and surreal. (Who wouldn’t like a place with infinite shelves and books that are only made up of the different variations, tints and shades of green? I LOVE GREEN). In my brain, it was like this library which had no ceiling and whenever you looked up, it was foggy. All around, it was foggy, you could only see the books if you went to them. You could never see all of the library at once, I was mysterious and magical plants, vines and old wood lurked around never in view. (that last sentence in bold is just my imagination😂)
The morals of the book. The book had just so many meanings and morals behind everything; Nora’s actions, choices and there were so many quotes in the book that were just so deep. For example, through this book, I realized that it isn’t only the choices we make that affect us but people’s choices as well. That in some way or another, billions of choices and decisions all balance out each person in the world and how one choice can change everything.
How Nora’s frequent trips to the Midnight Library weren’t repetitive and monotonous and didn’t feel boring.
What I didn’t like:
Most of the characters fell a little vague. Not the main characters but the others who weren’t present a lot. I think the author should have included them more into the book because many of the ‘side’ characters were a little flat. I think the more the characters were present in the book, the more they felt like people but those who were only present in meagre parts were like paper.
There were so many quotes about philosophy and other things the book could have substituted as a very useful self-help book. It isn’t that I had a problem with the quotes in itself but it was just a little too much for a teenager to take in (hemhem, I am not yet a teenager but…). I didn’t mind them but there was just way too much of them. For me to take in and right now, I don’t remember any of them.
Well, I think that is all. Otherwise, Lisa’s solo is just-
OMG. THIS IS SUPOSED TO BE A BOOK REVIEW WHAT AM I EVEN DOING??
Overall, I really liked the book and it is one that I really recommend. It isn’t an intense book but not a light read either. It shifts from light to intense at points. Just please go check trigger warnings before reading this and keep in mind, it isn’t an adult book but a young adult one and is suitable for teenagers depending on your level of maturity because suicide and depression is discussed a lot in that book.
You know what I was thinking…Lisa’s solo isn’t yet out but I am giddy already. I can’t wait to listen to her solo. I mean…just imagine how the whole internet will break and go ABSOLUTE NUTS when her solo will be released…just try to think about that…
And there is me thinking that Jisoo’s ‘Hey Boy’ is the most iconic line in Whistle. Like…the song has one of the greatest beats!
Instead of talking about BlackPink or any other singers when this is supposed to be a review, let us just get straight to what this post is SUPPOSED to be about.
Title: The Scorpio Races
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Mythology, Romance
Category: YA
Publishing Date/Publisher: October 18th 2011 by Scholastic Press (originally published in September 18th 2011)
Source: Goodreads
I think rust red is actually a beautiful colour you know.
Every November, the Scorpio Races begin. One of the most dangerous races where you either live, make it to the finish line or die. Riders ride the water horses, horses that come out of the sea every November and if captured by humans, made to race, if the humans are able to hold the water horses long enough before they start tearing people into pieces and leave you dead.
Sean Kendrick is just a 19-year-old boy who takes part of the races every year, won four times and has still managed to stay alive. He rides on Corr, believed to be one of the fastest water horses. He rarely shows his feelings but he has an ambition. Win the race, get the prize money and buy Corr for himself, who currently belongs to the owner he works for.
Puck Connolly is just a girl with loads of freckles, ginger hair and who is an orphan who looks after her little brother, Finn and sometimes her older brother, Gabe. When Gabe wants to leave, she has no choice but to participate in the races with her normal mare, Dove and hopes to win the race…when she has almost no chance against the insanely powerful water horses. And she is the very first woman…to participate…and people don’t like a women in a race where the blood of men rule.
About the Author:
New York Times bestselling author of The Shiver Trilogy, The Raven Cycle, and The Scorpio Races. Artist. Driver of things with wheels. Avid reader.
All of Maggie Stiefvater’s life decisions have been formed by a desire to leave a mark, resulting in spray-painted cars, sharpie-covered computer printers, ink-splattered walls, and stories told in books, in magazines, and on stages. Maggie Stiefvater lives in the middle of nowhere, Virginia with her husband, kids, and a bunch of fainting goats.
[Picture and text taken directly from Goodreads]
My Ratings: 4.5/5
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
My Thoughts:
There are a few reasons why I picked up this book…here they are:
It has mythical horses and I ADORE horses (mythical or not)
The word SCORPIO caught my attention (ignore the fact that I am a Scorpio over here)
The word RACES also caught my attention (I haven’t read many books about horse racing)
I had a feeling about this book that it wouldn’t disappoint me..
It had a cowboy vibe to it, that I couldn’t ignore.
Well, this is a slow-paced book but…damn…was it beautiful? Yes. It started slow at first and slowly picked up pace. The thing that I love about this book is the way the characters aren’t randomly thrown into the book but introduced, slowly and in such a way that you get to know them.
Let us just TALK about our two main characters, Sean Kendrick and Kate Connolly (Puck). At first none of them knew each other but as soon as they are introduced in the book…well…quite predictable right?
The whole concept of the book was great. At the start of November, the Scorpio Races start. The horse-riders of Thisby try to catch the water-horses (capaill uisce [plural]) when they emerge from the depths of the sea. These horses are extremely fast, bloodthirsty and are constantly pulled to the sea. They are very dangerous creatures and the simple act of trying to handle/ride them can cost your life. This is why the aspect of dying in Thisby is almost natural.
SEAN KENDRICK (Oh, it ended up in caps lock…I definitely didn’t mean this but nevermind) horse-lover, expert in horses, and seems a bit like a very cool cowboy-guy. He as a way with horses and can manage the capaill uisce unlike any other.
Puck Connolly…you are probably the stupidest and the bravest person I know. I CANNOT believe you wanted to participate in the races but I admire your indifference to what other people think. I don’t think I would have ever been able to do what you have done though…
Now…the CHEMISTRY between those two..
Giphy
It was just so asdfghjkl but I wish it was longer. Like…you know…and there was a moment where it was just so abrupt and one moment where I had to go hide under the table and stop myself from jumping so high I’ll crack my head on the ceiling or my parents think I am just the human-definition of weird-craziness. THIS SHOULD DEFINITELY NOT HAPPEN!!
There is so much to say but I will just end of messing everything up and spoil the whole book but I really ship both of those silly people together. (Wait…did I just call them silly, I just cannot believe myself).
Just go and read this if you like freckly people, golden grass in the afternoon, major cowboy vibes, slow-paced fantasy, horses and side-characters who are just the sweetest (do all characters that are named Finn are supposed to be cute or what??)
Well, I should better go now and prepare my other post which will be my review of The Midnight Library by Matt Haig but now don’t go and tell everyone now…
BTW, I wanted to ask all of you something…do you think that it will be a good idea if I made a monthly post of memes related to all things bookish?? I mean, it was an idea that occurred to me during the night and I was wondering if I should do that??
I mean, I should probably just scoot out of here before the whole story of screen-time just decides to pop up..
Giphy
Why am I feeling a little mildly obsessed with gifs today? Sorry… had to include BlackPink in this post for no reason😂 They look really cute together🖤💜🖤.
Okay, can somebody EXPLAIN how we are already starting a new month because my head is seriously very muddled up…and time seems to make no sense anymore. I HATE IT when time decides to just start sprinting or start a marathon against another time in another parallel universe to see which one reaches some specific date in the future…like WHAT??
I admit I am a crazy person but parallel universes do exist…
Total number of books read: 7 *rapid blinking* *extremely proud of herself for managing seven books and more-than-10-tests* (I am very lucky they were small tests otherwise I would have had a mental breakdown…)
By the way, I actually changed my blog theme because I didn’t like the old one😂. Now, it is much more of something that I like. I was always scared of changing my blog theme because one I accidentally did that and it was a total fiasco but don’t worry, the problem has been resolved.
Okay, well, I did wait a lot to read this book since I finished The Princess Will Save You like two months ago and this book DID NOT DISAPPOINT. So for fans of bestfriend-to-lovers trope, go read this. But start with The Princess Will Save You though, haha!
BTW, it is also action-packed and a has a strong and fierce female main character. Greatly recommend.
Again…bestfriends-to-lovers trope and I tell you…this book is so sweet and definitely makes people smile. It has a great friendship which was portrayed so perfectly in the book. I mean, I really liked this book so if you have read Tweet Cute by the same author, then this is definitely for you!
Rory Power is one of those authors with totally weird and unique ideas. This is the second book I have read by Rory and well…it was so different from Burn Our Bodies Down. It is a horror book with gruesome parts, blood, weird body deformities so proceed with caution. Or just go read it. It made me think a lot of the Covid since there is a contagious disease in this book but it is nothing like it. I mean, the whole plot of the book was original and the cover is just so BEAUTIFUL!!!
First of all….WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THIS COVER! The author is literally SO LUCKY to have written a book which deserved such a cover! And I love the dark turquoise on the cover. I have never seen such a cover in my life…it is too beautiful for my eyes really😂…
This book is just fantastic. Why? Because we have characters who 1. Are pure SLYTHERIN (Nathaniel…I SEE YA) 2. Who have another level of sarcasticness (this isn’t a word) (haHA! Silas, you are just purrfect…I…) 3. Main character who loves books and practically LIVED IN A LIBRARY! (Okay Scrivener, I am jealous of you right now😑)…
Let us just say this book has major Slytherin vibes, sarcastic vibes and lovable demons (Silas, you aren’t invisible and I can very well see you) and totally relatable main characters.
This book surprised me in so many ways but mainly for its uniqueness and originality. I really recommend this book but again, proceed with caution since there is a lot mentioned about blood and just check a few trigger warnings before reading. But again, for fans of horror, this book is DEFINITELY FOR YOU. It has a natural way of blending horror an magical realism together and has the aspect of ‘Otherworlds”.
AAAAAAWWWW! Cheesy. Cute. Adorkable. Funny. Witty. Just go read this if you badly need to smile right now. It sets people smiling in the great need of grilled cheese…
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (Fantasy)
Source: Goodreads
My Ratings: 4.5/5
SEAN KENDRICK!! PUCK CONNOLLY!! I FREAKING SHIP YOU BOTH!! By the way, review coming soon!
BTW, you can check out my first two Sunshine posts down below:
Sunshine Blogger Award #1 (Thanks a ton Kat for nominating me for my very first award!💛 And extremely sorry for the very long answers😂)
Sunshine Blogger Award #2 (Thanks again Jessica for nominating me and I absolutely loved your questions!)
What I Plan to Read Next:
ISDK(I Seriously Don’t Know)
Life Update: (In bullet points)
My best-friend celebrated her thirteenth birthday on the 22nd of August and Happy Birthday you annoying girl!😂 (I mean…SHE IS)
I realized that my two best-friends are already thirteen but I am not yet.
Spent the whole month trying to convince myself I DO NOT have a crush on Silas (Sorcery of Thorns) but ended up giving up and now I hate myself for this. (I mean I hate myself for actually admitting that).
Then, I was wondering whether or not I have a crush on Luc from The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. Currently, the right and left side of my brain are currently debating but soon, all of my organs will join in😂🤦♀️
I think I have a thing for characters who are demons…
Disappointed with myself for losing 3 marks in French (22 out of 25) because of two repeated mistakes and one stupid mistake and going into a full blown panic attack because 22 out of 25 is 88 out of 100. 😱 #horrified
Actually realizing that stupid me didn’t know what a light pen was and because of that, lost one mark in my ICT test.
Since discussing grades must be a boring topic and soil particles is even duller let us just move on…
Convinced my best-friend (the one who turned 13 this August) to read Sorcery of Thorns and SHE ACTUALLY LISTENED!! I love you bestie🖤
Started my Bharatanatyam course this month (it was disrupted because of Covid and we just resumed) and actually enjoying them but despising the teacher. Ooop-
Painted a pear for my Art Class and it ACTUALLY TURNED OUT GOOD!! I think I am actually good at painting with watercolor but when it comes to shading with pencil…let us just say I have to practice that.
Actually realized that anytime, an APOCALYPSE CAN OCCUR! The problem…my friends agree but don’t take it seriously enough.
September Goals:
Read at least 8-10 books.
Complete that Design and Technology project (AND MAKE SURE YOU GET GOOD MARKS GURL. UNDER 90 ISN’T ACCEPTABLE)
Don’t waste your time Spend less time doing silly things (like secretly watching YouTube because you are bored)
And do what makes you happy (even if this includes staring at the dark ceiling at night thinking of useless things or sending stupid texts to your best-friends like arguing whether the moon landing is fake or if Area 51 has aliens or if we are just aliens from another planet that have conquered the Earth and living on it for like 100 000 years.
Yes…now I am finally done! *reads the September goals…and wondering if I have actually lost my mind in the process*
And I also have to say that all those bloggers who did the Top Ten Tuesday post on Fictional Crushes, I really enjoyed all of them😂. I mean, it is very weird, fictional crushes are like one of the most interesting topics when it comes to talking about books. I am laughing like right now😂
See you all with another post! Do drop a comment down below! How was your month btw?? What did you read?
Well, this book is…*tries to find a word other than cute in my mental dictionary*…ADORKABLY CUUUTE! I mean, this book had me smiling like an idiot all along but let us just pretend I didn’t write that…because this book is the overall definition of adorable and witty. Anyone heard of Twitter war? Because I have never read a book where teenagers fight over Twitter. Well I have…this one.
Gahahaha! This book contains a lot of grilled cheese so make sure to eat it will reading this book. It sets the atmosphere…unfortunately, I wasn’t eating grilled cheese but I tell you…half of the book is GRILLED CHEESE…GRILLED CHEESE…GRILLED CHEEEESE!
Title: Tweet Cute
Author: Emma Lord
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Fiction
Category: YA
Publishing Date/Publisher: January 21st 2020 by Wednesday Books
Source: Goodreads
There is Pepper. High flyer and captain of the swim team. Practical, fierce and determined with unwavering focus on her goals. She also anonymously controls Big League Burger’s Twitter account, a massive fast-food outlet run by her parents.
Now, there is Jack. Sits next to Pepper in class, member of the dive club and totally the opposite of Pepper. He is always trying his best to be better, since he is overshadowed by his twin brother, Ethan who is extremely popular in school. In some ways he and Pepper are similar; he anonymously manages Girl’s Cheesing’s Twitter account, a smaller fast-food chain. He is also the unknown creator of the popular chat app called Weazel.
When Big League Burger steals the name of Girl’s Cheesing’s grilled cheese, Pepper and Jack are instantly thrown into a heated Twitter war…while staying friends a school (and falling for each other on Weazel [obviously…anonymous]. Things get spiced up when people on Twitter start SHIPPING JACK AND PEPPER!!
After all, all is fair when it comes to fighting over grilled cheese…and when it comes to love.
About the Author:
Emma Lord is the NYT bestselling author of YOU HAVE A MATCH and TWEET CUTE, a BuzzFeed market editor, and dessert gremlin living in New York City, where she spends whatever time she isn’t writing either running or belting show tunes in community theater. She graduated from the University of Virginia with a major in psychology and a minor in how to tilt your computer screen so nobody will notice you updating your fan fiction from the back row. She was raised on glitter, a whole lot of love, and copious amounts of grilled cheese.
[Picture and text taken directly from Goodreads]
My Ratings: 3.9/5
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
My Thoughts:
Sweeeeet! I definitely enjoyed this book much more than You Have A Match because I was CONSTANTLY SHIPPING JACK AND PEPPER [and smiling like an absolute idiot but just ignore this part]
I mean, this book is cheesy, cute, funny and has the weirdest pair of friendship in it. And a main character who doesn’t know how to take a bus…by herself.
This book had me wondering though…WHO ON EARTH would put their kids in charge of a fast-food Twitter account…like who…would do that? I cannot imagine a parent doing this but okay…
Pepper was this girl who could open her own bakery on the spot if she wanted. She literally BAKES ALL SORTS OF CAKES AND GIVE THEM FUNNY NAMES?? Like there was So-Sorry-Blondies, Monster-cakes and…well…certainly she definitely knows how to cook. She says she would never be caught dead on Weazel but she actually uses it!! That was funny to be honest. She is an all-round high achiever who cares A LOT ABOUT HER GRADES and takes her responsibilities very seriously. Like being the swim team captain for example. I really liked her but right now, I guess Jack is my favourite character.
Jack…looks like a cinnamon roll, acts like a cinnamon roll and most of the time, IS a cinnamon roll. He is really cute (why am I even saying that?) and really likes Pepper (because he gets really jealous when Pepper talks to another guy) and all the time when he and Pepper were spending time together, I was like…AAWWWW!!! I totally ship those two people! At least, he had some humour and the story is told in his and Pepper’s point of view.
Apart from that the plot was okay…mainly because I am still wondering why people would let teenagers manage a Twitter account for a fast-food chain but the cuteness in the book made up for it. I wish the book wasn’t so self-centered around Pepper and Jack only because now that I realize it, very little is mentioned about Pepper’s friends or Jack’s best-friends. Like only 10% but overall I really recommend this if you need your day/night brightened up a little bit!
I guess that is all for today and next post will definitely be my August Wrap Up for this month. I really like August…why do you have to go already?? 😦
Nevermind, I like September as well and my little sister’s birthday is coming soon!
Portable Magic 