Books – Portable Magic

Posted on November 4, 2021 by Hermione · 20 Comments

Wrap Up #October2021

A gif to explain this October:

Fail GIF by Parallel_studio_ — Source: Giphy

You can blame school for it…*exhales dramatically* but I did a lot of nice things to. I took probably more than fifty flower pictures. And they actually turned out good. I love going into the garden and taking pictures. Have to do that again sometime…

Total number of books read: 4 (read my ”Life Update”…the second one:)

The Scorpio Illusion by Robert Ludlum (Thriller)

My Ratings: 2.5/5 (kind of regret buying this book to be honest…)

The plot was actually really good. I guess this could have been better if it would have been written by another author. There was a lot of unnecessary details and conversation in there. Like, it went way too fast. And some things fell a little out of place. There are much better books out there…like the Scorpios were some sort of secret organization…is that all?? Like I want to know more. You could have added that to the book instead of the unnecessary paragraphs…? This book would have had so much potential had it been written by another author. Quite disappointed. Expected more.

Other Posts:

My review of Shadow and Bone
My review of Siege and Storm (Shadow and Bone #2)
My September wrap-up
Something I found related to Taylor Swift and Six of Crows

What I Plan To Read Next:

Something light probably. Some contemporary perhaps. I will have exams soon in December (yep…in December because Covid loves messing up things) and I am already a little stressed…

Life Update:

I have been in a bit of a reading slump I guess. My mind was just everywhere and school is just deciding to settle permanently on my back, or rather on my head; because my brain is trying to escape but it cannot.
I actually read 4 books. The Scorpio Illusion and the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy…(shh…I am still twelve…) but…I think it gets a three out of five. It was just that I don’t need that many scenes every ten pages thank you. You better shut up now. I was just curious…
I took many pictures of flowers from our garden. And I think they turned out pretty good. Here are some of them:

(the pictures are NOT to be used without my permission)

It looks much nicer in my blog page you know…I don’t think the collage shows in the WordPress reader…

Music I Listened To:

Reputation by Taylor Swift (full album)
Speak Now by Taylor Swift (full album)
Folklore by Taylor Swift (full album)
Stay by BLACKPINK [when you realize the meaning of this song..]
Hope Not by BLACKPINK [..just find the English version…I’ll cry]
You Never Know by BLACKPINK
On The Ground by Rosé
Gone by Rosé [listen to this…please. It is all in English and it is just so beautiful. The lyrics I can’t-]
Money by Lisa

You have to listen to those songs. I absolutely loved them…especially the BLACKPINK ones…it is a shame they don’t make anymore like these now…they are literally one of their best songs😔. Like the ones where it makes you actually feel the song.

October Goals Review:

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. ✅

November Goals:

Hey you idiot, just breathe okay…I know you have got Bharatanatyam exam and Alliance Française and your second term exams are starting at the beginning of December…just breathe…oh and 2 presentations.
Read more than 3 books.
Catch up on book reviews.
Breathe.
Live.

tim kazurinsky banana GIF by Saturday Night Live — Source: Giphy

…because I don’t…

love and hip hop wow GIF by VH1 — Source: Giphy

Oh well, I guess I’d better go now…because I have 2 presentations to do, practice Bharatanatyam and revise the theory for the exam, study French for Alliance Francaise exam and catch up on the reviews. That is a lot to do.

Did I mention that I have to do a presentation on my favourite book?? I was planning on doing it on Six of Crows. Definitely not Harry Potter. My friends totally put me off that idea. Not Sorcery of Thorns, the subject gets really close to one of my fictional crushes. Not Shadow and Bone; gets too close to the fictional crush thing and I might start crying…Not Fable…I have no idea what to say. Least why I even love this book. Not Game of Thrones; it isn’t for my age and if the teacher has read this book (she read Harry Potter and she might have read Game of Thrones), that would be embarrassing. And I might start rambling why George R.R Martin shouldn’t kill Jon Snow…

So let us just settle with Six of Crows. I just have to pretend I am making a review and just make it interactive. *deep breathing* It isn’t as easy as it seems to be. I dreamt I went to do the Alliance Francaise exam and I hadn’t even revised at all. And you had all this advanced stuff…

Posted on October 12, 2021 by Hermione · 9 Comments

Wrap Up #September2021

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…

Total number of books read: 7

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (Fiction)

My Ratings: 4/5

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.

The Metal Heart by Caroline Lea (Historical Fiction)

The Metal Heart: A Novel of Love and Valor in World War II — Source: Goodreads

My Ratings: 4/5

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.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo Shadow and Bone #1(Fantasy)

Shadow and Bone (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #1) — Source: Goodreads

My Ratings: 5/5

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)

Siege and Storm (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #2) — Source: Goodreads

My Ratings: 5/5

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)

Ruin and Rising (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #3) — Source: Goodreads

My Ratings: 5/5

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)

Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1) — Source: Goodreads

My Ratings: 5/5

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)

Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows, #2) — Source: Goodreads

My Ratings: 5/5

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.

I NEED MORE OF THISSSSS.

Other Posts:

What I Plan To Read Next:.

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!

x Hermione

Posted on October 7, 2021 by Hermione · 20 Comments

Shadow and Bone-A Book Review//I have never been so excited to write a review so far…weird🤔

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

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??😂)

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.

Posted on September 18, 2021September 24, 2021 by Hermione · 15 Comments

A Letter To All The Fictional Characters (thanks so much lil’ dark corners for always being here…I’d better go hide now)

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…🖤

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

Posted on September 7, 2021 by Hermione · 3 Comments

The Scorpio Races-A Book Review

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)

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

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..

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..

Light Up The Sky Love GIF by NETFLIX — 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🖤💜🖤.

hermione

Posted on September 2, 2021September 2, 2021 by Hermione · 22 Comments

Wrap Up #August2021

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.

[All links are the reviews I posted]

The Queen Will Betray You (Kingdoms of Sand and Sky #2) by Sarah Henning (Fantasy)

My Ratings: 4.5/5

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.

You Have A Match by Emma Lord (Contemporary)

My Ratings: 3.5/5

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!

Wilder Girls by Rory Power (Horror)

My Ratings: 4.5/5

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!!!

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson (Fantasy)

My Ratings: 5/5

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.

House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland (Horror)

My Ratings: 4.5/5

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”.

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord (Contemporary)

My Ratings: 4/5

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)

My Ratings: 4.5/5

SEAN KENDRICK!! PUCK CONNOLLY!! I FREAKING SHIP YOU BOTH!! By the way, review coming soon!

🖤🖤🖤Best Book of the Month🖤🖤🖤

Other Posts:

Sunshine Blogger Award #3 (Thanks so much Penjiri for nominating me! It really means a lot!)

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?

Posted on August 3, 2021August 14, 2021 by Hermione · 18 Comments

The Sunshine Blogger Award #2🌻

This is the second time I have been tagged for this award so thank you very much Jessica@The Awkward Book Blogger for tagging me last month😊! I hope I’m not too late (tiny freak out realizing that it has been almost a month…)Let’s jump right in!

What about the Sunshine Blogger Award?

The Sunshine Blogger Award is given to those who are creative, positive and inspiring while spreading sunshine to the blogging community.

The Rules:

Thank the blogger who nominated you and link back to their blog.
Answer the 11 questions the blogger asked you.
Nominate 11 new blogs and write them 11 new questions.
List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award in your post and/or in your blog.

Jessica’s Questions:

What is your favorite book you’ve read so far this year?

That will definitely be Fable and Namesake by Adrienne Young. It gave me those pirate vibes and badass-girl vibes I obviously needed (and lacked). There is also The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E Schwab and my mind hasn’t got over it yet. I think I feel like reading those books again…

What is one of your guilty pleasures?

Eating to much cake or anything sweet! That is the reason why I don’t like it when we have cake at home because I tend to fill my stomach with only cake or sweets or chocolate…(don’t get me started on how much I luuuurve chocolate)

What is your favorite snack/food?

Just mentioned it above…CHOCOLATE and CAKE! I am so happy those foods exist. I think I also like chicken and any other sort of meat as long as it is cooked some way that looks good😂. I mean, VERY GOOD. AND I FORGOT SALAD!! Why do we even HAVE to COOK vegetables….we can very well eat them RAW….there are some exceptions of course…

If you could have any fictional creature as a pet, which one would you choose?

I was thinking about dragons but that would cause too much disaster and I don’t think I am up to that task…as much as I like unicorns, I don’t think they really suit me but I guess we could be friends…I think I’ll go for a baby dragon which stays a baby for its whole life or a baby wolf. OR A BABY SEA DRAGON!! (where did I get this? I don’t think I have read any book with sea dragons before…)

Name a fun fact about yourself.

Well, I am a Scorpio since I am born in November and I don’t really like birthdays because it just reminds me I’m getting older. (I am turning 13 this year🙄). I DON’T THINK I WANT TO BE THIRTEEN YET! I do enjoy birthday parties though because they are really fun and you almost forget you are older!!!

Is that even a fun fact? I am not sure myself…..

Any authors/books you’ll never read?

Well…that. I don’t think I’ll ever be reading Twilight by Stephanie Meyer or perhaps I’ll read it when I am older and when I have run out of books to read (is that ever happening?)

What is the best movie/TV show that you’ve watched this year?

There is this movie called Venom which is a 2018 movie and it was a little scary but you get used to it after some time. I hate scary movies but I think that’s an exception. Wait…I think I watched this in December or in January? Never mind.

Another movie I watched is Kung-Fu Panda! I loved it actually. I don’t know which Kung-Fu Panda I actually watched but it was the one with the secret scroll.

If you could switch spots with any character in a book/movie/TV show, who would it be and why?

I would like to switch places with Belle from Beauty and the Beast. No, not for the romance but the library. Just imagine a library THAT BIG! I probably have to find the ”machine” that will make me enter Belle’s world though. The problem is I don’t know where to find it…and if it is in another planet….I’m doomed…then I’ll have to find a super rocket and hoard up a lot of food so I don’t run of food during the journey because I don’t think alien food from another planet will be suited for an earth-dweller like me.

What kind of music do you like listening to?

I guess I like pop songs and classical (a lot). My favourite music artists are Taylor Swift (how many of you love her), Selena Gomez (I love her voice) and BlackPink (K-pop isn’t really my thing but…). BTW, how many of you are waiting for Lisa’s solo to come out? I seriously cannot wait!

Name your last 1 star read.

I don’t have a 1 star read…before I read a book, I make sure I will enjoy it and even though I have read a few books without reading their synopsis, I have never disliked a book THAT MUCH!

Would you rather have the ending of every book you read spoiled or be able to read a book without being spoiled but never know the ending?

I’d rather have a book spoiled…I don’t think I would really mind but it would take 50% of the fun. You know that moment in books when the main character or whoever is on the verge of death and you already know they won’t die…given the options I have I’d rather have all the endings spoiled. Never knowing the ending is MUCH MUCH WORSE than spoiling the book I THINK I’LL DIE OUT OF SHEER CURIOUSITY!

I was just wondering when you reread a book, you actually know what has happened but it still doesn’t lose its fun…especially if it is your favourite book! How many of you wished you could read your favourite books again for the first time?

Here are the people I tag:

Aarushi@aarushireads
Sarah@The Book’s Whiskers
Kat@The Lily Cafe
Ashley@Red Haired Ash Reads
Lucy@Bookworm Blogger
April@Booked Till Midnight
Ashmita@The Fictional Journal
J@The Midnight Book Blog
Nehal@Quirky Pages
Penjiri
Any person who wants to do it…You just have to notify me(or simply comment on one of my posts) so that I can read your answers!!

I really believe that every single blogger out there deserves this award because we all put a lot of effort in our blogs.💛💛

Here are my questions:

If the world had to be of only ONE colour (and its tints and shades) what colour would you choose?
Tell us of a character you hated much more than the antagonist itself.
If you had to be a virus for a day and destroy the whole world, which virus would you be? You can also invent one if you like.😎 Or steal one.
If you had to be in a movie what character would you like to be (hero, villain, sidekick…)?
When do you usually get your best ideas?
Name your favourite quote(s) from your favourite book by your favourite character?
What is the weirdest question you asked yourself?
What is your worst personality trait?
Are you a sunlight person or a moonlight person? (you can be both):P
What is the wisest thing you’ve done in your entire life?
Would you rather have the main character die in the end victorious or still be alive, defeated? (and never be able to win ever again)

*extreme evil laughter after that last question*

That is all for today! Is that post way too long? I seriously don’t know because I have been writing it since last month AND I HAVE TO GET GOING BECAUSE I HAVE A TON OF TESTS FOR NEXT WEEK AND TOMORROW AND I HAVE TO REVISE!!! I AM KINDA FREAKING OUT ACTUALLY…I HAVE ALREADY PREPARED MY REVISION SHEETS AND ALL BUT….AAAARRRRRHHHH.

Don’t mind me. Just tests and unnecessary stress…

Lots of love, Hermione🤍

Posted on July 31, 2021August 1, 2021 by Hermione · 5 Comments

Wrap Up #July2021

Hey all people! Hope all you had a lovely reading month and a very smooth running TBR Train Station! (DoEs A tBr TraIn StaTiOn EveN ExIsT??)

Number of Books I have read: 8

(Congratulations Hermione for reading 8 books! Very proud of you!)That is because I have been going to school this month (only 2 days per week because of Covid and all these things…)! Weeeeeee….

The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R Tolkien

A book I am recommending. The whole series actually. It is a book filled with elves, dwarves, hobbits, mountains, magical woods, Dark Lords, magic rings, wizards, WHAT COULD ANYBODY WANT MORE THAN THAT??….I have to read the whole series again someday. I am missing all the characters very much 😦 Go read it but it is a very long book I tell you…

The Two Towers by J.R.R.Tolkien (haven’t reviewed)

The Return of the King by J.R.R Tolkien (haven’t reviewed)

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E Schwab

To stop from rambling on about this mysterious, dark, old, emotional, magical, beautiful and gets-me-thinking-way-too-much-about-my-own-life book, I have written it all down at the bottom of this post….you’ll see why…

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

SILVIA MORENO-GARCIA!! YOUR BOOKS ARE BREATHTAKING AND PLEASE PLEASE WRITE ANOTHER GOTHIC HORROR FICTION NOVEL NEXT TIME! Yah, she’s extremely talented in writing these types of books…she definitely knows how to set up the right atmosphere and feels. A book I greatly recommend for horror fans!

WAIT! I just remembered something….how many of you know Taylor Swift’s music videos of Willow and Cardigan? If you have watched it, you definitely know about the magical golden dust…in Mexican Gothic, you also have a sort of golden dust mentioned (sorry, spoil kingdom is coming if I mention more.) HOW DID I REALISE THAT RIGHT NOW AND NOT BEFORE??

When You Were Everything by Ashley Woodfolk

A book about a slowly shattering friendship. Like a mirror splintered into a million pieces and carried away by the wind…Just thinking about this book makes me feel… I am not sure anymore but this book is a sea of deep emotions. Go read this if you don’t mind emotions overwhelming you. OMG, my throat is constricting, don’t tell me I am getting teary-eyed…

The Hollow Places by T.Kingfisher

Emmmm….it was an okay (meh) book.

Made in Korea by Sarah Suk

If you are sad right now (or pretending to be sad) this book is definitely for YOU!! It isn’t a sad book at all. It has the power of cheering people up!!!

♡♡♡ Best Book of the Month: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue ♡♡♡

If you haven’t yet read this book and it is on your TBR…THEN WHAT ON GOD’S GREEN EARTH ARE YOU WAITING FOR????

This book, can’t stop amazing me. It is unique, and has a pure magic of its own. The writing and the way V.E. Schwab wrote that book…I swear she gave the book half of her heart. It doesn’t have to be read only for the story but for the words, the sentences, the paragraphs. Definitely recommending this to anyone. GO READ THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW if it is on your TBR of course. It surely deserves all the hype it gets. If I don’t stop talking right now, I’ll be ranting on and on about the book…but do check out my ~~rambles~~ review here.

Other Posts:

I Just Realized…

What I Plan To Read Next:

[Source of picture: Goodreads]

I am FINALLY reading this book! Sequel to The Princess Will Save You by Sarah Henning!!

Posts Coming Up:

Book reviews of course!
I have a Sunshine Blogger Award post coming up soon!
(and probably if I get some weird idea and decide to post it!)

I think that is finally all! Hope you’ve enjoyed this post and do stick around for more!

~Hermione💜

P.S….What are you guys planning to read??

Posted on May 31, 2021 by Hermione

Wrap Up #May2021

Hi guys! I hope all of you have had a very nice weekend. Well, this month I read 5 books in which 4 of them were in English and one of them were in French. (Actually, I have read 6 books but I haven’t had time to post it just yet…).

Let’s get started right away!

English Books

May, 3rd 2021

The Talisman by Stephen King

The Talisman: Amazon.co.uk: King, Stephen, Straub, Peter, Bettison, Edward: 9781409103868: Books — Source: Amazon.co.uk

My ratings: 4.7/5

I really liked this book. I think my dad bought this book very long ago and I found it stored in a box upstairs with other books. If there is one thing I don’t understand is HOW ON EARTH do people manage to buy books and not read them right away.🤷‍♀️

Would I recommend this? Well, yes if you are in the mood to read books of around 700+ pages and if you like fantasy of course!

Read the full review over here

May, 19th, 2021

Before I Die by Jackie Morrissey

Before I Die: A psychological thriller full of twists and turns by Jackie Morrissey — Source: Goodreads

My ratings: 4.3/5

It was an enjoyable book which will keep you wanting for more but the characters were a little problematic. Maureen and Alva were a little annoying and the only person who wasn’t annoying at all was Micheal and for this reason, he was my favourite character.

Would I recommend this? Perhaps… but it is more of a yes than a no. But I woud tell you to go for it because it had a very good mystery and a great atmosphere.

Read the full review over here

May, 25th 2021

The Whispering House by Elizabeth Brooks

My ratings: 3.7/5

It was a nice book but again I think the character’s where a little too vague. I didn’t understand Freya very well and sometimes it feels like you don’t really feel certain emotions towards the characters and I didn’t really understand the ending but of course, this is just my opinion. The setting and the atmosphere was breathtaking. I just wish I could have visited Bryne Hall…

Would I recommend this? Well, I am not very sure about this one but maybe..

Read the full review over here

May, 28th 2021

The House Guest by Mark Edwards

My ratings: 4.6/5

I am still at awe at how much I enjoyed this book! It is really about ordinary people who come across terryfing events! The characters where just so interesting and the plot was so marvelous I actually finished the book in one day!

Would I recommend this? Well, YES! To everyone wh likes stories about ordinary people who have to find their way into secret cults to save their loved ones no matter what and having to overcome people who they barely even know about and much more powerful than them.

Read the full review over here

French Books

May, 9th, 2021

L’ennemi Sans Visage

Mes notes: 4.5/5

J’ai lu ce livre deux fois. Ce livre appartient à ma mère et elle ne l’a jamais lu. Vraiment! Comment peux t-il que qulqu’un achète un livre et ne le lit jamais??

Est-ce que je recommenderais ceci? Bon, pour les gens qui aime le suspense et le mystère bien sur!

Read the full review over here

What I am actually reading

(or rather just finished reading but not admitting it)

The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw

What I think I will read next

Fable by Adrienne Young and Namesake by Adrienne Young

Fable (Fable, #1) by Adrienne Young — Source: Goodreads

Namesake (Fable, #2) by Adrienne Young — Source: Goodreads

It took me FOREVER to write this post. Haha!

~Hermione

Posted on June 15, 2020 by Hermione

Books I really want to read

Alright, there are thousands and millions and billions of books out there on Earth and I wouldn’t be able to read all of them even if I sit on an armchair all day long without going anywhere, not even for eating and read at a very fast pace. Maybe even if I could read only those I really love I wouldn’t be able to… it is near to impossible.

Besides, I even wonder sometimes if that person who says nothing is impossible really thinks that everything is possible.

For example…lets say um…magic wands were possible and you get the letter to attend Hogwarts. It seems so true to me because I tend to believe everything I want to be true in books. Let us say you could be invisible…it is clearly impossible!

Besides, I think it only means for those sort of things… you understand…not magic and invisibility🤔.

Alright, maybe I must stop rambling and talking nonsense because what I wrote above doesn’t correspond to what I am supposed to be writing about…

Books I really want to read:

Number #1

The Lord Of The Rings by J.R.R Tolkien

I don’t know what it really is about. I only know that is has something to do with powerful rings and something like that.

I really love epic fantasy. It is one of my favourite genres. I think, well, I can only guess, but maybe, Lord Of The Rings is a bit like A Song Of Ice And Fire since they are both epic fantasies. I have to dig out more to find epic fantasies. I only know these two.

You can check out my book review on A Song Of Ice And Fire here: https://readingforfun5home.wordpress.com/2020/05/24/a-song-of-ice-and-fire-short-book-review/

BTW, it was one of favourite books. I never knew I had a taste for epic fantasy until I read those.😄

Number #2

Catherine House by Elizabeth Thomas

This book seems very mysterious and spooky. All books on boarding schools or schools have some quite fun adventure! Again, I love horror. But I don’t think that this book is horror maybe only a bit chilly, if you ask me. Besides, I have not even yet read the book. It seems eerie and quite the sort of book that makes you feel cold, well, I think it is.

Number #3

The Hidden Hours by Sara Foster

It is of a thriller genre. I love thrillers. I have read so many thriller books long ago, before I had this blog and they are simply thrilling! This book seems to be mysterious. I read a small review on it and even googled it and I definitely want to read this book. I don’t know when I would read it but if I do, I will definitely post a review and recommend it if I enjoyed it. I only recommend books that I personally rate 5 stars¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

Let’s move on.

Number #4

The Whispering House by Elizabeth Brooke

This book also seems spooky and mysterious. That is why I want to read it. I read a review about it long ago but I forgot so I do not have clue why this book is on my reading list(in my notebook). But the title cannot be ignored. It is like the title is so catching and you want to read it.

Number #5

Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan

Well, well, it is all about the gods and the supernatural right. I have crossed the book quite a few times and when…it is like, I am the only one who seems not to have read the series. But it is not why I want to read it…it is because, I am very curious by nature, and I love mythology or anything that has got with history. Whenever I go somewhere, or read about a place, I like to search about its history and its mythology. Ha Ha

So, maybe that is all. I don’t like writing long posts but sometimes, I end up writing so much!!

Hermione

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