Posted on by Hermione · 6 Comments

Ruin and Rising-A Book Review

*sniffs* *sniffs again*

Well, since the topic of me sniffing shouldn’t be of any of your concern…we will proceed..,*sni-

  • Title: Ruin and Rising
  • Series: Shadow and Bone #3
  • Author: Leigh Bardugo
  • Genre: Fantasy, Magic, Romance
  • Category: YA
  • Publication Date/Publisher: June 17th 2014 by Henry Holt and Company
Ruin and Rising (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #3)
Source: Goodreads

The capital has fallen.

The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.

Now the nation’s fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.

Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.

Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova’s amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling’s secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction—and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for.

[Synopsis from Goodreads]

About the Author:

Leigh Bardugo

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

Rating: 5 out of 5.

My Thoughts:

Just thinking about the ending breaks my heart. I will never forgive Alina but what has to be done has to be done. Good thing she paid for it in some indirect way…I will never ever ever forgive Alina…but any other ending would have been absolutely horrible. And Leigh Bardugo gives bitter sweet ending…what to expect??

Those who haven’t yet read this, I would please ask you not to get any ideas and for the love of heaven and hell, the world and the universe, the moon and the stars, the dark matter and the space between atoms in the air, I would be polite to ask you to sincerely yeet erase that little paragraph above from your memories. I am asking you to do this because I have your best interests at the very bottom of my bottomless heart.

Well, this book was a real journey. The previous characters who weren’t that present in the previous books really shone in this one.

I loved getting to know more about Zoya (that girl’s got some real guts I tell you) Genya (I absolutely love that lady. She has got a fierce and tough heart filled with bravery under her beauty. And Nikolai (again) manages to steal to show with his charm.

There was a thing I didn’t expect at all around the end of the book that I didn’t see coming. I was like:

HOW Meme Generator Net | Meme on ME.ME
Meme Generator

on Earth…what…how on God’s green and blue Earth did that just happen. Never saw this coming…

One aspect of the book that I absolutely loved is that The Darkling’s backstory was revealed in there. I mean, it is nice to know more about hem hem, the villain and his background. And it was all in details and it served a lot in the plot so it didn’t feel like it was just thrown in there.

Zoya Nazyalensky was this girl who totally portrays the badass who makes no effort to be badass. One day, I’ll most probably name my child after her…I totally loved getting to know her more because she and Nikolai were both my second favourite characters in this trilogy. And to be honest, I think Zoya and Nikolai would make a great pair. The way they talk you know…they could make a calm argument for hours haha. I love the fact that she only agrees to help Alina because she is the key to make Ravka safe again not because she actually cares for Alina. *maniacal laugh here*. Oh and of course Alina knows but I love how they warm up a teeny bit after working together.

insert evil laugh here - Evil Plotting Raccoon | Make a Meme
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Mal was a lot better in this book but he is still annoying to be honest. Around the end of the book, I warmed up a lot to him. I think I always knew he loved Alina but in the two previous books, it was almost masked up to his 90% trashy attitude and 10% sweet attitude. But I guess Leigh Bardugo wanted us to ship Alina with the somebody else so that the ending shakes us and causes an earthquake. You know how Miss Leigh is with all her cunning ideas of torturing her readers…

Hem hem…well you’d better know that I never shipped Alina and Mal it was always Alina and The Darkling. The very first time I ever shipped a protagonist and the antagonist but you know Miss Leigh…she has got great ideas when it comes to character love interests…

I seriously liked the plot of the book. I have feeling that much more things happened in this last book…there was a lot more action and buildup in this one than in the others in my opinion. I loved how in this last book, the characters are all looked into deeply and we get to know them better.

The question I have to ask myself is, did Alina actually hate the Darkling or what?

Back to the main things. The ending was…not disappointing but I found it quite bitter (it all depends on you. How you bond with certain characters). For some it might be the perfect ending. The exact way an epic book should end but for me…it was heartbreaking. I was literally so lucky my parents weren’t home that day I finished that book. Spent around half an hour crying on the kitchen floor, had lunch and spent half an hour more crying on the kitchen floor while listening to Back To December by Taylor Swift. I cannot listen to that song now without tearing up. It is one of my favourite Taylor Swift songs. 😭. I hate Leigh Bardugo. I love Leigh Bardugo. She wrote one of the greatest books I have ever experienced. Despite breaking my heart, I’ll read this again. No book has ever made me cry like that.

This book is a great adventure and if you haven’t read this…you better do that soon. It was one hell of a story.

Okay bye bye bye now. Leave me alone. I think I have got to cry.

BTW, I have to tell you that I think I will be posting more often now because schools have closed again here in Mauritius and I am staying home. Like, I guess I’ll be reading more. I got out of my reading slump by reading a 500+ page book and a 750+ page book…figured out the way to get me out of a reading slump 🙂

I just have to pick any book that I have already read before and just get reading. I easily get into the reading flow then. Going to pick up a new book soon. I think I’ll pick up King of Scars next. I haven’t read this and I need to pay a visit to the Grisha world again. I need to go to Ravka or Ketterdam or some place like that.

¬Hermione

Posted on by Hermione · 6 Comments

Siege and Storm-A Book Review

YOU KNOW WHAT!

You don’t know so I’ll tell you anyways…

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
Siege and Storm (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #2)
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

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!

This isn’t true you know…just joking…🎃

Posted on 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
Shadow and Bone (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #1)
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

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.

Posted on by Hermione · 15 Comments

Sorcery of Thorns-A Book Review

Hi all people! Hope you are all doing very fine….and all the usual stuff. Well, this is a review of Sorcery of Thorns (it is uncommon to find a standalone fantasy novel because most of them are usually part of a series…). Well, I just realized that everyday it is someone’s birthday. (Don’t ask me how, but I am that sort of person who realizes obvious things out of the blue…).

Since, I have nothing else to say unless if you want me discussing soil particles with you right now but let’s just go to the review.

  • Title: Sorcery of Thorns
  • Author: Margaret Rogerson
  • Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Magic
  • Category: YA
  • Publication Date/Publisher: June 4th 2019 by Margaret K. McElderry Books
Sorcery of Thorns
Source: Goodreads

This cover is one of the MOST BEAUTIFUL COVERS I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE…and you know who drew this cover? Charlie Bowater! Her art is simply amazing. The green in the background is one of my FAVOURITE colours!! I think it is dark turquoise. Isn’t this colour gorgeous??

Note: I have an obsession with greens especially dark greens, bottle greens, emerald greens, dark turquoise, dark teal….as long as the green is dark…

Also Note: I have an obsession with blues like midnight blues, royal blues, dark navy blues, dark grey blues…ya know, all dark blues…

Elizabeth Scrivener has lived in one of the Great Libraries for almost all her life. She has known the way the magic grimoires whisper endlessly on the shelves…the way they turn into wild monsters known as ‘Maleficts’ if they are damaged. She dreams of becoming a warden, somebody who protects the kingdom from the magic books can unleash.

All turns wrong when one of the most treasured book of the library turns into a Malefict and the Director of the library is found dead. When Elizabeth chases the Malefict and destroys it saving the whole town from wreckage by a savage book, she is accused for crime and is sent to face justice at the capital…with the sorcerers.

The sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn and his mysterious servant, Silas escort her to Ashcroft, one of the greatest sorcerers to face justice but Elizabeth senses that all things seem wrong.

Ashcroft doesn’t seem to want to accuse her for anything but rather he wants her for information. Other libraries are being attacked, with dangerous books turning into Maleficts one by one. Can Elizabeth stop those attacks before things get much worse? Before the world tumbles down, unable to repair? With the help of Nathaniel and is demonic servant Silas, Elizabeth will have to find out all she can to find out what is causing all those attacks and if it isn’t for something much greater than what the Earth can handle and cause a damage beyond miraculous repair…

About the Author:

Margaret Rogerson

Margaret writes fantasy for young adult readers. She lives near Cincinnati, Ohio, and when she’s not reading or writing she enjoys drawing, watching documentaries, making pudding, gaming, and exploring the outdoors in search of toads and mushrooms.

[Picture and text taken directly from Goodreads]

My Ratings: For the first time in a very long time, I am not sure what to give this book…just keep in mind that I have MANAGED TO CONVINCE MY BEST-FRIEND TO READ THIS BOOK! I am so happy!!! But I have to admit that she has started it a few days ago and SHE HASN’T EVEN YET FINISHED IT!

Like…excuse me…this book…I finished it in HALF A DAY and YOU tell me that…But maybe I have to understand…

I told her I am giving her ONE WEEK to finish this book. Come oooon!! It isn’t very long! Like 450 pages…that isn’t very much.

My Thoughts:

First thing: This book gives off major Slytherin vibes…and Hogwarts library vibes as well. This book SCREAMS Slytherin. AND MAGIC!

Elizabeth Scrivener was a character with a fierce passion for books (like all of us out there) and who is also an orphan who has been rescued by the Director and who lives in one of the Great Libraries since she was quite little. I think she is that sort of girl who would definitely choose books over friends. I wish I lived in a library…*sighs*

AND she is TALL! I mean, it is nice to relate to a character who chooses books over pretty much everything and who is tall.

I mean, I am 12 years (almost 13) and I am 168 cm…(that is around 5 feet 5 inches). WHY am I so tall?? It scares me to think how much will I grow…:(

Nathaniel Thorn…Thorn Nathaniel…*tries on the Sorting Hat* SLYTHERIN *almost immediately*. This sorcerer is pure Slytherin I tell you. Black hair with a streak of white, emerald robes (how much Slytherin do you seriously have to give off Nathaniel?), a lot of sass, dark past, deep friendship with his servant Silas. Pretends he doesn’t care about Elizabeth…and he calls her SCRIVENER?? Like, why?? Here is an example but I guess it is kinda cute though haha.

I like girls too, Scrivener. Amusement danced in Nathaniel’s eyes. I like both. If you’re going to fantasize about my love life, I insist you do so accurately.

Sorcery Of Thorns-Margaret Rogerson

Oh my god Nathaniel…I can’t believe it.

Silas…..white hair, yellow eyes, clawed hands, very short, extreme amount of sass when it comes to Nathaniel. He is a highborn demon who comes from the Otherworld (not telling more about this:) and who serves Nathaniel. He is my favourite character and without him in the book, well, it wouldn’t even have existed then. Here is a a paragraph from the book:

I will see Master Thorn settled. Silas paused to sniff the air beside Elizabeth. Then, Miss Scrivener, I shall draw you a bath. I believe supper is also in order. And-has no one lit the lamps? He looked aggrieved. I have hardly been absent for twenty-four hours and already, the world has descended into ruin.

Sorcery Of Thorns-Margaret Rogerson

I love you Silas😂. Did I mention he always wears gloves and can turn into a fluffy cat with yellow eyes and who calls Elizabeth ‘Miss’ almost all the time.

The story was way much more original that I thought. It combines magic, grimoires, demons, Otherworlds, sassy people almost perfectly. It has libraries, Slytherin vibes, magic, Silas (I cannot imagine the book without him).

It touched my heart, especially the ending; it caught me so hard I was turned into an emotional tangle of emotions. I never imagined the ending to be this way and it really did catch me off guard. I think this has goes to my favourite books of all time. It is a book I definitely recommend so go read it. It isn’t a part of a series so…why am I feeling weird right now? I want to buy the book and hug it.

Just go read this book. You don’t know how happy I was when I told my best-friend to read the book and she listened. I forgive her though for no finishing (she started it last week??) it but at least she started it.

I think that is all for today. So see you all bookworms with another post!

Love, hermione.

P.S. I haven’t yet started any book yet because I still haven’t gotten over this book because we had a lot of tests this week and last week and I am so happy I only have Physics test next week! Duh, too many ‘weeks’ I guess haha.

Posted on by Hermione · 1 Comment

The Enchanted Castle-A Book Review

Name: The Enchanted Casle

Author: Edith Nesbit

Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Magic

Kathleen, Gerald, and Jimmy were spending their holidays at Kathleen’s school with Mademoiselle (the French governess) and Eliza, the only caretaker present for the holidays.

Gerald, having been able to convince Mademoiselle, tells the good news to his siblings. They pack a picnic basket and three horns, hoping to see the enchanted castle.

On reaching the picnic spot, they discover a cave which leads them to the garden of the enchanted castle. They find themselves in the middle of a maze looking at a princess, who they think to be Sleeping Beauty. Kathleen convinces Jimmy to kiss the Princess to wake her up.

The Princess shows them to her treasure chambers and when she tries on a ring, she becomes invisible! Thinking that her friends were just pretending, she shakes them and asks them to stop. When she looks around the silver mirror, she cannot see herself.

Amidst all of that, the Princess reveals herself to be the housekeeper’s niece, Mabel. Thus, she stays invisible for 21 hours before the ring could finally get off. Gerald takes over and becomes invisible for 14 hours when Eliza discovers him. Eliza then becomes invisible for 7 hours and Gerald realises that the ring is decreasing by seven all the time.

For their Beauty and The Beast play, Gerald paints people to be their audience called Ugly-Wuglies. Mabel being Beauty and wearing the ring, wishes for the Ugly-Wuglies to be alive… Gerald and Mabel go out in the dark and trap the Ugly-Wuglies in a cave with the help of the bailiff whom they tell their whole story.

The next day, they find the bailiff green in the face sprawled on the floor and the Ugly-Wuglies broken with their painted faces and clothes every where and to their horror they find an Ugly-Wugly like a real person!

Jimmy wishes to be rich and he becomes older not even recognising his siblings and Mabel. Fortunately, Gerald fixes the mistake, but Kathleen turns into a statue and Mabel 4 yards long. Kathleen invites Mabel and her brothers, and they become statues too being able to move around like the other statues.

Lord Yalding, of Yalding Towers, the Enchanted Castle is expected to come to the castle to rent it to a rich American. Mabel gets invited to a picnic with the bailiff and when Jimmy and Kathleen come too, Jimmy asks the bailiff to make a wish and Mademoiselle and Gerald appear. Soon it is learnt that the bailiff was actually Lord Yalding and Mademoiselle was Lord Yalding’s lover.

All of them return to the castle where they scare away the American thinking that this was what Lord Yalding wanted and they show him the treasures in Mabel’s treasure chambers when pretended to be a Princess.

Lord Yalding did not believe in the magic of the ring and refuses to marry Mademoiselle. On the day predicted by the statues, the light fell directly at the centre of the Temple and Mademoiselle makes a wish. ’’I wish that the magic ring and all of its causes disappear.’’ And so, it was. Mademoiselle married Lord Yalding and Mabel, Kathleen, Jimmy, and Gerald become friends with Lord Yalding.

And every holiday is spent at Yalding Towers…

The End

My ratings:

Rating: 5 out of 5.

It was a very interesting book. The sort of Famous Five type. I loved it. It was the sort of book that gets you into it and I finished the whole book in one day!