Review: Orange: The Complete Collection, Vol. 1

Orange: The Complete Collection, Vol. 1 by Ichigo Takano
My rating: 5 of 5 stars








Regret
Loss
Suffering
First Love
Regret
Death
Happiness
Friendship
Regret

What would you do if you were given a second chance to erase some of the biggest regrets of your life? Would you use the opportunity to right the wrongs that plague your heart today? Would you do everything you could in the Present to help ease your life and the lives of those you care about in the Future, even if you weren't completely sure your actions would lead to a better future?

I think, despite the unknown of the Future, if given the chance, most of us would.

I have been completely blown away by this beautiful, heartbreaking story. To be honest, I'm surprised with how hard I fell for these characters, with how emotionally invested I am in their lives (especially Naho, Kakeru, and Suwa), and I'm absolutely aching to read the second volume (I already have it on order). It's been a terribly long time since a story has moved me so emotionally, moved me to tears, as this one has.

On the first day of school, Sixteen-year-old Naho receives a letter from herself ten years in the future, pleading with her to take heed of her warnings and to watch over a boy, Kakeru, who will be joining her class as a new student that day. According to the letter, Kakeru will become an important part of her and her friend's lives, but his life will be cut short, and it's up to Naho of the past to keep him alive. Despite Naho's belief that the letter is simply a prank, she soon second-guesses herself as the new boy, Kakeru, enters the class and sits down right next to her, just as the letter predicted. From that point onward, Naho has two choices: to believe in the letter's prophetic abilities, and in turn to believe in her future self, or to ignore the letter entirely and leave Kakeru's fate, and her own, up to the universe.

Simple in design, but brilliant in execution, this story and its characters have truly touched my heart. This is my first manga, and oh my word am I happy that I decided to pick it up. Not only is the artwork stunning, but the story truly pulls you in and demands your attention at once. Each character is so alive, so vivid, that yes even though it helps that it's illustrated, they really do leap off the page. I greatly appreciate how well the author, Ichigo Takano, presents such dark and heavier themes as death, depression, suicide, and regret. At no point did I feel that the writing is contrived or forced, in fact it's some of the best writing that I've come across in terms of bringing to light the real issues today with mental health and youth, and the kinds of support systems and open conversations we all need to be having in order to help those who are suffering. Naho and Suwa are incredibly empathetic and sensitive characters who do an amazing job of keeping the conversation open with Kakeru, having real heart-to-hearts with the kind of depth and emotion and sensitivity that he needs. I'm especially impressed with Takano's male characters overall, as Suwa's and Kakeru's friendship is honest and emotional, shedding tears and allowing one another to be vulnerable when they need to be. It's so refreshing to see an author allow her male characters to be vulnerable, to cry, to hug, and not to hide their suffering from the world. The more we normalize the act of having conversations with each other, male and female, young and old, in times of pain, or loss, or depression, the more lives we may save. The better future we may create, for everyone.

I also absolutely love how this story brought me right back to myself, ten years ago (well more, let's be honest), to what it was like to be a teenager again and to all the goofy and silly things I used to do with my friends. First crushes, embarrassing moments being so super awkward, cramming for exams and taking gym class; I wouldn't say that I miss all of it, but it's been a while since I've looked back on high-school as fondly as I have while reading Orange. These six friends, Naho, Kakeru, Suwa, Takako, Azu and Hagita, remind me of all the best parts of being young; the close, intense friendships one forms as a teenager are like nothing you'll ever experience again. It's truly a capsule in time, and as one of the main themes of the story points out repeatedly, it's an absolute shame to look back on any point in one's life with regret.

I couldn't help but see so much of myself in Naho - she being an incredibly shy, indecisive and unself-confident young girl who constantly puts others' happiness before her own. Watching her make mistakes and not speak up, simply because of her fear of rejection or of being made fun of, was particularly painful for me, as I lived out my teenage years in exactly the same way. Her future self advises her, time and again, not to let certain moments slip by because of her fear, begging her not to follow the same path she did and warning not to live a life of regrets. Ultimately, Naho begins to change and grow as she follows the letter's (her own) advice and takes more chances in her life. It is such a sweet process to witness, and one that definitely rings true for me.

As you can see by my lengthy review, I adore this story, and obviously I highly recommend it as well. Having first released a few years ago, Orange already has a large and dedicated following of fans around the world, resulting in an anime series, a live-action movie, and a spin-off story in the works. That's just fine with me because let me tell you, I'm already halfway through watching the anime series! If you've never read manga before, give this one a go. If you have but you haven't read this yet - go out and get it!


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Review: Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass, #2)

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Just under one week has passed since I finished Crown of Midnight and in the mean time I've been frantically listening to the audio book for Heir of Fire in preparation for the release of Queen of Shadows. Although my initial reaction of shock and excitement to COM has slightly subsided, I'm still quite heavily invested in the characters and the story and stand by my rating of 5 stars.

Here's why:

Sarah J. Maas has completely changed my mind not only about her ability as a writer and story-teller, but also of the quality and necessity of the story being told. Now, I say "necessity" because just one book prior, Throne of Glass, I was completely unconvinced and quite annoyed that yet another author was writing a supposed "fantasy" or even "high fantasy" that feels so much like yet another angsty love story merely disguised as fantasy - to me, there was more jealousy and love triangles than actual world-building, magic and lore, not to mention a lack of character development. I had enjoyed it enough to give TOG 3 stars, but had little hope for the following books.

It took months for me to finally pick up Crown of Midnight, I just hadn't cared enough for the characters to find out what happened next. But with the release of the fourth book approaching and everyone's excited banter I decided to give the series another shot.

I was blown away.

It starts off slow, building steadily, as piece after piece of information about the pasts and carefully guarded secrets of the characters are revealed. Motives are discussed and explored, the plot becomes more and more tangled and hard to predict. Throughout I felt a growing dread and tension as we learn just what is at stake for everyone should the King of Adarlan succeed. I grew to love and respect Celaena, to cheer and root for Chaol, and to fear for and worry over Dorian and Nehemia.

All of the missing pieces from TOG--the lack of a developed world and magic and the backstories to many of the main characters--were presented with such detail and care in COM, much to my relief. It's not like I enjoy giving books less-than favorable ratings nor did I want to knock Maas's writing before - I genuinely want to enjoy each book I read and try to find the good in everything. So, not surprisingly with all the hype surrounding TOG I was definitely disappointed. There was potential, for sure, but little else to hold my interest.

I could not be happier to say that Crown of Midnight is an excellent book. It took me on a wild ride through darkened tunnels and dungeons where monsters lurk, through to the highest ecstasies of love and passion, and down again into the depths of utter despair of loss. Magic explodes off the pages, friendships are cemented and then broken. Each chapter is built upon the next and an entire world is opened up before us.

I am thrilled that Maas has changed my mind and stolen my heart for this series. In one book she managed to convince me that her writing is worth 5 stars instead of 3. It is beautifully and lovingly written, the detail thoughtful and the characters so wonderfully real. This is also what I mean when I say above that this story is a "necessity" because that is how this story feels to me, like it is necessary. The story truly leaps off the page and demands to be both written and read. I adore this world and these characters and I will definitely be finishing this series.
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Review: Lady Midnight

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

*2.5 stars* My rating just keeps going down...
There is too much to talk about with this book and everyone has already said it all a million times over and frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn (right now), so I'm leaving it at this:

I thought this was an adequate opener to a new series, and I enjoyed being back in the Shadowhunter world again. I love the Blackthorn children the most, Julian second, and Christina before Emma. Yes she is strong and sassy but she is also compulsively getting herself into bad/stupid/dangerous situations (especially the ending, what is she thinking??!) <-- Mark isn't that much better in that final decision come to think of it, but I digress. I didn't enjoy the overly dramatic writing or the super-sappy, 'sexy' scenes - to me they were overwritten and awkward and too much. How is it that kissing someone is always some version of the earth shattering or splitting open or the stars aligning. I also didn't like the "Perfect Diego" parts AT ALL. We got it, the first 30 times, that he is "Perfect Diego." Even in serious scenes he's known to everyone as "Perfect Diego," oh my goodness please stop. Oh, and what is with all the boys these days having faces that are "all sharp angles and lines"...WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?! They must have very bony faces, all these YA boys. How is that fun to kiss? Wouldn't it hurt, getting jabbed in the eye by a bony, angular cheekbone? What's wrong with a nice round, soft face? Can we get a heck yea for all the round-faced folks out there?! Also, the story itself didn't seem all that compelling to me, I mean, the main plot-line, the whole reason for their struggles, didn't hold much weight in my opinion. It felt like background noise to all the romance-y angst and lust and scheming going on between everyone, sort of like elevator music - it's there, you recognize the tune, but you can't put your finger on it. ALSO I know everyone pees their pants when Clary or Jace or Tessa or Jem show up, even at the mere mention of their names, but I reallllllly felt like it was all forced, again, and just...cheesy!!! Okay I better stop now or I am going to go overboard.

Let's end on a nice comment shall we? Other than all the stuff I have said above, the story moved along at a decent pace (still about 150-200 pages too long, maybe cut out some "Perfect Diego's") and I thought Clare did a great job characterizing everyone, including the secondary characters, so she is getting better at something. There, that was sort of nice at least.

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Review: I Was Here

I Was Here by Gayle Forman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


After having a few days to let this story sink in, I'm sticking with my original rating of 4. I think I was feeling a little emotionally vulnerable when I first finished it which likely clouded my judgement.

The truth is that I usually stay away from books with such a heavy subject matter - it's not that I'm afraid to read a book about depression, suicide and grief, I just have a pretty good hunch that it's a tricky subject to write about and so I'd rather not chance it by reading a book that deals with it poorly...if that makes any sense. These subjects are dear to my heart and I want to know I'm reading from an author whom I can trust. Anyway I had heard so many great things about Gayle Forman's other books that I decided to give her a try, so this is my first time reading her work.

For me, one of the strengths of this book lies in how well Forman portrays the overwhelming, bottomless grief that comes with losing someone so close to you - especially when it is a young life cut short. I could feel Cody's grief coming off the page, feel her frustration and confusion, her desire to understand her best friend Meg's decision to end her life and in turn her obsession to uncover the truth, any truth, to why she chose suicide.

With each new frightening realization about Meg, whom Cody thought she had known like a sister, she goes through some extremely disturbing and terrifying moments herself, visiting places in the darkest parts of her mind that have her question her own existence and sanity. I loved that Forman went there with Cody, that she has her go through these moments of asking oneself 'what is the point to anything, to life?' and that she allowed Cody to explore those questions that we all, at some point, have asked ourselves. It's such an honest, vulnerable process that we witness Cody going through as she grieves not only Meg but also the person who Cody believed she was, and I really, really enjoyed the sensitivity that went into creating these characters.

The romance involving Cody and Ben did not bother me as much as it seems to have bothered some others. I was a little disappointed when Ben was introduced and right away Cody notices his crazy blues eyes and pretty face - of course I knew that a romance was to ensue but honestly I felt that their relationship developed slowly and realistically enough that I wasn't totally turned off. Despite the road trip that they take together and everything else that happens, I felt that their relationship took more of a back-seat to the bigger picture of what was going on in the book. Their romance felt like more of a tool through which to help both Cody and Ben grieve and heal together, as these things do happen in real life, so again, not such an unrealistic aspect of the story for me.

Overall this was exactly the kind of emotional, sensitive contemporary that I was looking for when I picked it up. I am a convert of Gayle Forman and I'll definitely be checking out other books by her in the near future.


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Review: Never Never

Never Never: Part Two by Colleen Hoover
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a bit of a difficult "book" to review as it's really only one part of a whole. If I were to try and review this as a standalone book then I'd say that it has done it's job of keeping me on the edge of my seat throughout! Silas' anxiety leaps off the page as he desperately searches for answers to his and Charlie's recurrent memory loss, not to mention his search for Charlie herself before their memories are erased in 48 hours. Each new clue he uncovers only leads to more questions - questions that continue to mount faster than they can be answered in the short amount of time he has, all adding to an overwhelming atmosphere rife with suspense and dread as time ticks down to that final minute, those final seconds...until I read the line "to be continued."

If I were to compare the two parts separately so far, I'd say that I enjoyed Part One more in terms of the initial build-up of suspense and mystery surrounding their memory loss. I feel that both Silas' and Charlie's desperation and anxiety in this impossible situation that they find themselves in is felt so much more in Part One than Part Two, even despite the fact that Charlie is M.I.A. in Part Two. Obviously the mystery surrounding her whereabouts adds to the overall sense of dread and confusion of the story, especially for Silas as he basically flies solo in trying to find her, yet I still feel that Part Two is weaker in terms of keeping up that same level of suspense that I felt in Part One. Or maybe it's because the two parts are separated that I feel a decided lack of suspense in Part Two, as I had to try to dive back into the same feelings that I had forgotten about previously.

Perhaps if the parts were instead complied together as one I might change my mind about the coherence of their story and how it flows...I'm left simply imagining how I might react if this were the case and so I'm guessing that I would feel a more sustainable thread of fear and emotion towards these characters throughout had it instead been one book. The thing is that it's hard to jump back into their story and into that feeling of "eep, what's happening next!?" when it's been a while in between the parts and I do think that I'll feel the same way once Part Three is released. Also, this time around I found it harder to believe Silas' love for Charlie even though he keeps saying he just sort of "knows" he loves her...I mean all he has to go on this time when he "wakes up" are the letters explaining their unending love without a physical Charlie around and it just doesn't feel as compelling or realistic to me without them actually being face to face.

In the same situation, how would any one of us react?? (And yes I know this is completely a work of fiction!!) But still, IF this happened to you, would you blindly believe these letters and go it alone or would you turn yourself into the police or a crazy hospital? That's one question I kept asking myself and I'm still not quite sure of the answer. Either way, although the story is incredibly interesting and I do want to figure out how it ends, I'm just not sure I can follow or accept how believable the character's reactions are each time. Well, aside from Charlie because I'm pretty sure I'd do exactly what she does in order to find my own answers!

So despite some reservations I do think it is well written and I will be reading the last one just to find out how it ends. There is enough of a cliffhanger (again) that it's kind of hard not to be curious. Though it might have been wiser to wait for all three to be released and read them all at once!

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Review: Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass, #3)

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I'm lowering my initial rating of 4.5-4.75 down to a solid 4. This means that I still loved Heir of Fire but not in a blew-me-away-amazing-new-favourite kind of way.

Like many, Crown of Midnight had me on the edge of my seat from page one. I dove straight into Heir of Fire after finishing COM with the expectation that this fast-paced, action-packed fantasy would only get better. And in some ways it does. In others, I found it lacking.

Sarah J. Maas truly outdoes herself with the quality of her writing in this third book. Compared to Throne of Glass and even COM, she has certainly come into her own style and has definitely honed her craft to feature her strongest abilities, ie. a beautiful descriptive prose throughout coupled with authentic, strong voices for her most fleshed-out characters. That being said, with the addition of multiple POV's and the introduction of a number of new characters, at times it feels that some previous characters suffer at the hands of the newer ones.

For example Dorian, with whom I've never really connected (sorry ladies), could have benefited from a better story-line considering he has his own POV. Sure he gets to run around with Sorscha and we see him struggle a little here and there with his power (both literally and figuratively), yet there is a decided lack of a character-arc or growth. He's still the same Dorian, kind of lazy, kind of wishy-washy, cannot stand up for himself or to his father, refuses to accept who he is, seeks comfort in others and ignores taking action--you get the picture. Yes he's always been flawed and that's okay if it adds to the story or if he eventually has some kind of character growth, but I feel that Dorian's POV almost feels non-essential to the plot - as if Chaol or someone else could have shown us what was happening with Dorian through their eyes and it would have had the same effect on the story overall. I expected more from Dorian and so I am left disappointed.
[[I felt the same with Sorscha, whose character and POV does not add to or aid the plot except to play as an anchor or crutch for more of Dorian's suffering]].

Another character who suffers in my mind is Chaol. I've liked him from book one and have always felt that his loyalty and objective way of viewing the world has played well against Celaena's own wild and blood-rimmed, often brash, way of viewing the same. As a team, they're great--he helps her keep her head on straight and her feet solidly on the ground, while she in turn instills a sense of urgency and stirs the much-needed rebellious spirit in him to take action. Yet when they are apart, these two sort of fall...apart. I'm not sure if it was Maas' intention to have so fundamentally changed Chaol from who he is in the previous two books to now. I feel that Chaol really loses his balance in this book and becomes totally flat as character...perhaps because of Celaena's absence or perhaps not. When he is finally the most helpful it takes up all of a few pages throughout the whole book and always comes too late and when the stakes are already too high. His POV bothers me to no end and again, maybe that is intentional, but if it is I want to know for what purpose.

Where Maas' writing does shine is with Celaena. She goes through an amazing transformation that leaves me feeling so proud and so hopeful for the future of Erilea. Without giving too much away, Celaena falls and falls into the depths of despair, self-hate and guilt only to build herself back up again as the woman she truly is meant to be, with all of the power and bad-ass reputation that has always been a part of her. She is an inspirational character, to say the least, and with the help of new character Rowan (a fierce and unrelentingly stoic warrior fae-prince), she goes through the much needed and much appreciated character-arc to end all character-arcs. I loved, loved, loved her chapters the most of any in this book. Maas has done an incredible job of creating this beautiful, strong, deeply sympathetic character who is so redeemable and full of life. I'm happy to say that I have completely changed my mind from book one as far as Celaena is concerned.

Watching Celaena and Rowan's unlikely friendship grow from rocky to rock-solid filled my heart. He is exactly the kind of man Celaena needs in her life when she can no longer rely on Chaol, Dorian, or even herself. He's a jerk, for sure, but then again so is she at times, and the two play off of each other like fire and ice, forcing one another to come to terms with their disturbing, dark pasts before then encouraging each other to look to their futures straight on. He is by far the best 'love-interest' for her to date and I look forward to getting to know him better. He doesn't try to stifle Celaena, to change her or cage her, and he isn't afraid of her. He is the only one capable and willing to force her into the darkest corners of herself and push her enough so that she is faced with every terrible deed she has ever done, and in turn he is the only one who teaches her to forgive herself. He helps her grow immensely and I seriously love these two.

I will quickly add that Manon's POV was interesting and I actually did enjoy having another completely unrelated view of the game plan - especially the POV of one of the 'baddies' so to speak. Despite her evil witchiness I still like her and I'm pretty sure I'll continue to like her into the next books.

For some people the length of Heir of Fire is bothersome and I have to say that I agree. In general I never shy away from thick books, but considering what I've said above about the non-essential POV's and the fact that there is a lot of descriptive prose and it is much, much slower paced overall...I do think that this book could have been shaved down by at least a hundred pages or more. Like I've said before, if there is a real point to all the writing and it's not just for show or filler or for the author's desire to exercise their own creative license to the detriment of the plot etc. than there's probably no real need for such length. It does feel like a 'middle' book, a stepping stone to the next and the next, and that isn't necessarily a good thing.

Just looking at the size of book four I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that from here on out we should probably expect fairly dense books to finish off the series.

Overall though, a wonderful story and I do plan on reading the next!


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Review: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow. This book is an incredible mixture of both heartbreaking and heartwarming. I'm blown away by how much this story has moved me. I am in awe of the difficulty, the pain, the struggle, and the paralyzing fear that Christopher went through in order to solve not only the mystery of "Who Killed Wellington?," the neighbour's dog, but also that of his recently deceased mother.

Mark Haddon has seized my brain and shaken it all up, leaving me feeling grateful for the normal life that I lead and yet also terrible for not having realized, to this detailed extent, the difficulty in living life with Asperger's. I've never met anyone with Asperger's, although my grandmother, being a High school art teacher, has had many kids with special needs over the years, so I could at least recognize some of Christopher's unique traits. But honestly, none of that prepared me to feel as emotionally attached as I did with his journey, to the point where I found myself anxiously turning page after page in order to find out as fast as I could whether he finally made it out of his incredible adventure safely!

I will say that I wasn't completely sold on the book when I first began reading it. I found the narrative style a bit hard to get into as it's told completely in Christopher's POV, which is unique in that he speaks either in very short, curt sentences or in long winded paragraphs, both highly logical and 'matter-of-fact' and at times almost robot-like, often repeating himself. Obviously this is on purpose and it lends a believable voice to how a person with Asperger's actually speaks, thinks and rationalizes. After I got used to his way of thinking I found the story to hum along quite easily and smoothly. He is incredibly intelligent and treats us to many mathematical and scientific facts throughout that sure interested me! His view of the world, including life and death, the human brain, the universe and the eventual extinction of humankind was eerie and yet so true and practical that I was fascinated right through to the end with his examples and unique perspective.

Christopher's relationship with his parents broke my heart and yet this aspect is what really drove the whole story home for me. I love that even though we are seeing his parent's through his eyes, we as the audience are able to discern through what they say to him and their gestures that he observes that they truly love him and care so deeply for his safety and his well-being. The subtext of what they say or do may usually be lost on Christopher but it is certainly not lost on us. I cannot even imagine the true struggle and frustration that his parents, or any parents of a child with special needs, have to go through. Of course as a reader we may not agree with everything that his parents do - both his father and mother lose it a bit and make some rash, irreversible decisions that have quite damaging consequences - but having never been in their situation I can't say that I would be any better at coping. This story and these characters will stay with me for quite some time.

If you at all enjoy mystery, humour, true-to-life struggles and a realistic look into the lives of those living with or caring for someone with unique abilities, then this will likely do the trick.


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Review: Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1)

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I would give this a 2.5 stars out of 5 but I'm giving it a 3 based on the hopes that after reading the next two in the series my opinions may change...

SO Throne of Glass already has a million opposing reviews and I definitely stayed away from it for this long because likewise it came with a mountain of expectations that I feared it would not live up to (I've had this happen to me before...re. Daughter of Smoke and Bone ). I finally caved when I saw that these books are on almost every YA fan's 'best of 2014' lists and that Maas' next novel is on everyone's radar as well.

Call me easily persuaded, call me a good old fashioned bandwagoner, but I thought I'd give it a chance.

The Awesome:

The map. Upon seeing the Tolkien-esque map of Erilea in the front of the book I immediately felt a twinge of excitement. Nothing gets me going quite like a clearly mapped out world that I can use to follow the characters along their journey. So that was cool.

Celaena's bad-assery, which I thought was set up quite well within the first line actually: "After a year of slavery in the Salt Mines of Endovier, Celaena Sardothien was accustomed to being escorted everywhere in shackles and at sword-point." Ooooo yes, the world's most deadly assassin, so dangerous that the mere whisper of her name sends shivers down people's spines. I'm hooked! Keep it coming.

Captain Chaol Westfall. Quiet, moral, complex (if only because we never really get a fleshed out sense of who he is other than the captain of the guard with a mysterious past he won't talk much about). Of course the minute he was introduced I knew he'd be a love interest. So that was pretty obvious. Despite the fact that we don't get a lot out of Chaol other than how Celaena views him, I like his character. He just seems like a good, upstanding young man who is rightfully scared shitless of the world's most deadliest assassin . Also it seems like he gives good hugs. Go Chaol!

Nehemia. She is kick-ass. I won't go into too many details because you know, spoilers, but I will say that she surprised me and I would have liked a view into what was going on in HER mind some of the time. She's a sneaky one.

The magic / Wyrdmarks / otherworldiness. The build-up of the different worlds was interesting, and kept me intrigued enough to keep reading on. However I must add that it was not as fleshed out or clearly explained as I would have liked...it seemed magical things happened out of convenience's sake or to help move the story along instead of helping to make the story better.

Fleetfoot.

The Not So Awesome:

Like I said, the magical aspect of the story could have been so much more. Some parts genuinely freaked me out, dismembered bodies included, but it lacked the depth that I was looking for. In the story, magic and the Fae have been almost entirely eradicated from the land years before, and people are quick to avoid even speaking of magic, let alone use it if they can. But that's pretty much where we're left on the whole 'magic is forbidden' topic. I assume (and hope) that magic becomes more of a main aspect of the story in the following books.

Celaena. Notice above how I wrote that Celaena's 'bad-assery' is awesome, but not her as a character. Now yes, I have read other's reviews on this same topic, I have read how we have to take it easy on her because she is 'only 18' and 'can't an assassin also like pretty clothes and make-up and admire herself in a mirror?' etc etc. Yes this is all true, but that's not exactly the problem. The fact is, the first two or three chapters lead us to believe that she is so deadly, so dangerous, and so unpredictable that she needs to be constantly watched and escorted around by a group of guards, including the captain of the guard himself, in order to keep an eye on her. Yet she does nothing, the entire book, to prove that she is any more of a threat than any other 18 year old girl who is at all physically fit or agile! Other than plotting how she would stab this guard or slash that guard's throat or slice this other guard's legs off, slip through the gates and escape...she doesn't do any of it. She remains captive in the castle, bemoaning her situation, floating around in her flowing dresses and curled hair, hating Dorian and Chaol one minute but swooning over them the next, and despite the fact that she doesn't really have anything super important keeping her in the castle (other than the aforementioned boys and Nehemia), she stays. Am I wrong in suggesting that if she were so super smart and deadly and a world-renowned assassin who actually hated the King so much she couldn't just go after him and finish the job? Am I ruthless? Should I stop now? Okay I will.
But then again, when looking back over what I've written above about her, Celaena's character likely frustrates so many and leaves all of us divided because we come into this story with the expectation that she will be this great, confident, ruthless woman who kills for a living and doesn't have the emotional ability to feel butterflies in her stomach when a cute boy appears, or to pine over her lack of a close female friend to confide in, or to care for an unwanted puppy who will be killed would she not take it in...so in this sense I was surprised in what I found in Celaena's character. Whether this was intentional on Maas' behalf or not in her creation of Celaena, we learn early on that Celaeana is just a typical 18 year old girl with all the same teenage angst who happens to kill people for a living.

Last but not least, the Crown Prince, Dorian. He is achingly beautiful and a known womaniser, but we are to love him anyway because he likes books (not war), is surprisingly sweet, and he connects with Celaena over their shared love of reading, eventually only having eyes for her. You get the picture. A predictable sequence of events between them ensue. Yet there is a twist in the end that surprised even me! So that counts for something.

Just a quick mention about the love triangle that is so recurrent and abundant in YA novels - yes there is one, but no it's not quite as satisfying or frustrating as you'd expect. (Good? Bad?)

Overall, this was not such a bad read, regardless of how it appears in what I've written above. However the story is almost entirely predictable; early on, in fact very early on, I had figured out what was going on with whom and why...(not bragging or anything, I just knew!) but I still enjoyed the story enough to keep reading it and even found myself stealing quick moments here and there to read a few more pages when I could because despite all of the let-downs in the assassin department I wanted to know how everyone ended up.

I will probably get the next two books...if only so I can see if Celaena finally lives up her to her Voldemort-like status (because, you know, people can't even say her name without shaking...so she must be scary...). But I definitely won't be rushing to the store.

I would recommend this to any fan of YA fantasy / romance. Be warned, like I said it's a tad predictable and the synopsis is deceiving as this story reads much more as a YA romance / love triangle that is merely sprinkled here and there with magic and spiced up with fantasy for good measure.


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Review: Fangirl

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

First of all, I have to get out all of my own 'fangirling' by saying that I loved, loved, loved, this book. The characters are as real to me as my own fingers typing this sentence. Rowell has done a wonderful job of bringing these unique characters to life, delicately weaving their sorrows and triumphs with humour and love.

Cath is eerily reminiscent of myself fresh out of high school. Without sounding incredibly cliché, she is so relateable to me that at times I found myself wondering if Rowell somehow followed me around 8 years ago during my awkward transition years from teenager to adult and then wrote a story about it. Now obviously she didn't (or did she?) but that's just how real her story felt to me. From Cath's nervousness around boys, to her outright fear and social anxieties surrounding meeting new people, entering college, and becoming an adult, Cath gets 19 year-old me, and despite my years I still get her.

I couldn't help feeling for Cath as she struggles to navigate her new independence and separation from everything familiar and comfortable: her father, her twin sister, their shared love of Simon Snow and the fan fiction that they wrote together that acted as an aid, healing them from their mother's abandonment years before. Despite the humour and light-heartedness that characters like Reagan and Levi offer, it is the raw, emotional dialogue between Cath and her dad, Wren, and eventually her mother, that truly tugged at my heart and brought this story home.

Another aspect that I really appreciate is how Rowell handles mental illness. Without explicitly naming any disorders, we come to assume that Cath's dad has some form of bipolar or depression, that Wren suffers from an early form of alcoholism, and that Cath herself has some form of social anxiety. I'm not a doctor or a psychologist, but like most people I can say that I've dealt with these illnesses in one shape or another - either personally or by association. Fangirl doesn't shy away from the harsh realities that come in living with a family member who suffers from a mental illness. The pressure that Cath feels to 'keep it together' so that she can help her dad and sister remain stable is heartbreaking and I can relate to the internal struggle that she goes through as she learns how to 'let go' and finally take care of herself. These issues are so sensitive and a lot of the time we see stories attempting to grapple with them but falling short - Fangirl is not one of them. The balance between heavily weighted issues and light works well, adding to the overall roundness of the story.

I am aware that there is a certain lack in plot, the story does not rise to any sort of climax nor is there a real conclusion; however I don't believe that this takes away from enjoyment. The dialogue reads conversationally, smooth and quick. Not to mention hilarious, as in laugh out loud hilarious, especially the dialogue between Levi, Regan, and Cath. I would love to have a friend like Reagan in real life - she is a spunky, holds-nothing-back kind of girl and just what Cath needs to help break her out of her shell. Levi is all smiles, genuine and kind, a believable love interest whom I enjoyed. His open mind and easy outlook on life is contagious and his ability to take Cath, high on anxiety and nerves, and bring her back down to reality is sweet and captures their bond so well.

Memorable quote -- Levi asking Cath to read him some of her Simon Snow fan fiction:

"Come on, Cath, don't you write these stories so that some people can enjoy them?"
"I write them so that people will read them. I'll send you a link."
"Don't send me a link. I'm not much of an Internet person."
Cath felt her eyes get big. She was about to take a sip of her coffee, but stopped. "How do you not like the Internet? That's like saying, 'I don't like things that are convenient. And easy. I don't like having access to all of mankind's recorded discoveries at my fingertips. I don't like light. And knowledge.'"

I highly recommend this witty, heartfelt book to anyone who enjoys YA, Contemporary, New Adult, and quirky 'first love' romances. I know I'll be reading more by Rainbow Rowell in the future!

Happy Reading!
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Review: Open Road Summer

Open Road Summer by Emery Lord
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

First of all, can I just say that when they're done right, female friendships are amazing!

I'd heard so much buzz surrounding this book and Emery Lord as a contemporary author that although I don't normally read a lot of contemporary, I had to check it out - and yes, I'm glad I did! This story touched my heart and is such a beautiful reminder of all the good, deep, and meaningful female friendships I've had in my own life. The road trip aspect was so much fun and definitely got me excited for summer to arrive!

"Her wings stretch wide, but she's not soaring; her clawed feet are not tucked up against her stomach. She seems...ready. Like she's getting there."

Reagan is such a great character. She has been through hell and back and despite a few major setbacks throughout her difficult life, Reagan has thus far managed to keep it together just enough to persevere, due in large part to the thick, defensive walls she has carefully constructed around her. When we first meet Reagan she is hardened, still recovering from the physical and emotional scars that have finally prompted her to turn her life around. Although she wouldn't readily admit it to herself, Reagan is strong, self-aware, and possesses just enough self-love to actually want to change her life for the better. Her character arc throughout the book is wonderful to witness and I enjoyed watching her navigate through some pretty tricky situations with gusto and an enduring desire to 'do the right thing.'

"It's part of Dee's charm, that every spark is love to her, every first kiss, every tingle of anticipation. Each moment has big possibilities for Dee."

Lilah, or "Dee," is delightful. She is a refreshing mix of sweet, Southern belle and gutsy power-house. I want to be her friend in real life, so so badly. Dee is frighteningly mature for her 17 years (far more than I ever was at her age) and deals with her new-found fame with courage, confidence and an unwavering loyalty not only to her family, friends and fans but most importantly to herself. Dee has lead a charmed life in comparison to Reagan but still has her fare share of growing to do, learning to take the reins on her own life without holding back for all of the 'what-ifs'.

Reagan and Dee have an amazing bond and support each other exactly how best friends should - without back-stabbing, jealousy, gossip or scheming. They are honest-to-goodness true friends and I can't tell you enough how wonderful it was to be a part of their world for a little while.

"I could sink into the Nashville night like a plush lounge chair."

One last note - I think I highlighted every delicious line about the scenery, the big open sky, the cities they visited and especially about Nashville. I am a sucker for descriptive text and Emery Lord delivered. I felt like I could smell and feel the hot, Southern air and wanted to be wrapped up in the same summer warmth like no other!

Overall, this is a great contemporary read with so much to offer. Although I focused my review on Dee and Reagan, there is a lovely romance or two involving swoon-worthy guys as well. There is laughter, love, tears, and enough big open skies to satisfy everyone.

Happy Reading!
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Review: Black Iris

Black Iris by Leah Raeder
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am still reeling from the emotional roller coaster that is this story. Let me repeat, SERIOUS emotional roller coaster. This story has left me feeling raw, used, abused, incredibly sad, and only slightly optimistic as even the ending felt bittersweet to me.

This isn't to say that all these dark feelings have led me to dislike the story - yes at times I just wanted to shut the damn book and be done with it - but something kept pulling me back. Laney's twisted mind began to swirl and mix around in my own and regardless of how the story disturbed me on an emotional level I had to keep reading so I could at least find out whether or not she finally followed through with her plan.

I have great respect for Leah Raeder as an author. She made me think and feel SO MUCH more than I had anticipated. I've never been so moved, physically or mentally, by a story. Her writing is something otherworldly and feral, poetic and lyrical. There are hundreds of lines worth highlighting and quoting and remembering for later. She is a goddess with words.

That said I can't quite give this book 5 stars because although I loved the writing and was moved so thoroughly by the story, I felt almost overwhelmed by the...well by all the sex. Haha. Don't get me wrong, it was highly enjoyable for me the first few times and I really loved the contrasts between when Laney was with Blythe versus with Armin. Both couples are beautiful in their own way and MAN can Leah ever write a sex scene! But nearing the end of the book I just wanted to figure out what the hell was going on with eveyone and all the sex just seemed to get in the way of my finding out!!

Overall a fantastic read though, will be recommending for sure.
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Review: A Step Toward Falling

A Step Toward Falling by Cammie McGovern
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"Choose carefully the people whose approval you seek."

*4.5 stars*
*Trigger Warning-story deals with an attempted rape* (though my review doesn't go into details).

I enjoyed this story so much more than I expected I would and I'm actually quite sad that it's over. I fell for these characters and each time I had to set the book down I felt myself wondering what was going to happen to them and wishing I could keep reading!

I was definitely apprehensive going into this book as it centers around people with developmental disabilities and how they are not only perceived but also judged for their differences and unique traits by those without disabilities. Having never read anything by Cammie McGovern, my apprehension came from not being sure if she would pull this off sensitively enough and without coming off sounding too preachy, or worse, ignorant. Not only that, but it's set in high school, a notoriously awful place for anyone regardless of who they are thanks to the ever-present social hierarchy between differing groups of students - stories of which I mostly stay away from.

That being said, I read the first few pages and I found that I was easily hooked. The main story-line centers around the aftermath of the attempted rape of Belinda, who has developmental disabilities, at a football game. Amazingly, she saves herself from her attacker by screaming out for help even though just moments before Emily, a 'nerd,' and Lucas, a 'jock,' had both separately seen Belinda struggling with her attacker but had panicked and run from the scene instead of trying to help her. As a punishment for not saying or doing anything, both Lucas and Emily are enrolled into community service to volunteer with a class called Boundaries and Relationships which teaches adults with developmental disabilities how to be in healthy, romantic relationships. Belinda, Lucas, and Emily become intertwined because of that horrific night, and an ugly and unforgivable thing turns into something much more.

What I enjoyed most about this story, aside from the amazing, realistic characters, is how McGovern allows the details of the events of that terrible night to remain in mystery, only to reveal themselves bit by bit. The story unfolds itself slowly and organically, piece by piece, alternating POV's between Emily and Belinda. We start off not knowing exactly what happened that night at the football game, nor do we know why Lucas and Emily panicked and said nothing at all when there was a crowd of people and teachers nearby who they could have gone to for help, but as the story progresses and we start to get to know the characters and what motivates them, we begin to see the bigger picture and just what was on the line for each of them that night.

Because you see, this story isn't only about an attempted rape, nor is it only about people with developmental disabilities; it is also about relationships in general, friendships included, and the complications that arise from following the "social laws" in high school, as Emily calls them. Believing in the stratification of football players and cheerleaders against the book nerds and band geeks, believing that people who are different and slower to learn cannot possibly mingle with those who are not. It's about how dangerous it is to assume that because someone looks and acts a certain way, or differently from you, they are that way and nothing else. It is about a person's depth, rather than their surface (in the case of Lucas and Emily), and their A-bilities rather than their DIS-abilities (for Belinda and Anthony).

"I want everything Debbie has and doesn't appreciate. I want things I can't have because the laws of social stratification in high school might allow us to be friends for a while, but would never permit any more than that...He couldn't sit comfortably at my lunch table any more than I could sit comfortably at his."

I didn't immediately love Emily's character in the beginning because I couldn't get past her immature thought-pattern, until I reminded myself that she's only in high school, 18 at most, and at her age I was completely socially-inept myself. She's self-centered, insecure, and more of a follower than a leader. This isn't to say that all 18-year old girls are this way, but truth be told a lot are least one of these things, if not more. Honestly I learned a lot about myself in reading this story, whether I would have done more than Emily, how I would have reacted in similar situations - thinking back to my teenage self, it's hard to imagine what I'd have done, since I was certainly not my best self back then either. I was always, always aware of and concerned with how others saw me and thought of me, much like Emily. She obsesses over other people's opinions of her, to which my teenage self can totally relate. So it's no wonder that I was annoyed with her at first - I'm still annoyed at myself all these years later for caring so much! Thankfully she has a satisfying character arc and both her and Lucas, who is so sweet and swoony, grow into two very likable people. It just goes to show how well McGovern is able to get into the heads of teenagers and articulate their thoughts realistically if I'm sitting here simultaneously rolling my eyes and yet relating to them as a former teenager myself.

Belinda and Anthony! They are amazing. I truly adore their spirit and bravery. I love how McGovern has written these two characters, as well as Harrison and Sheila and Simon, and all the others! McGovern is a founding member of an after-school program for children with special needs, so she obviously has extensive experience working with people with developmental disabilities. I am happy to say that her knowledge, experience, and careful sensitivity towards writing these characters definitely shows. I never felt like she was somehow making it a gimmick nor did I find her writing of these characters to be unrealistic. Anthony and Belinda's relationship is innocent and honest, and at least to me, completely believable. I loved that I was able witness their own growth and the beauty and simplicity in how they communicate with each other.

"There is a sign saying No Cell Phones in the Hospital. Please Have Your Conversation Outside, which apparently I can read but other people can't."

I truly loved being inside Belinda's head, she is sweet and passionate and super matter-of-fact about things which made me laugh out loud numerous times. It was incredibly and unbelievably sad to witness Belinda's spiral into depression after her attack, especially when the people closest to her felt that the best way to 'deal' with it was to ignore it completely and never let her have a chance to talk about it if she needed to - which, clearly, she did. Suffering from PTSD in general is terrible and scary, let alone when you have a disability like Belinda's, and it was heart wrenching to know why she was feeling and acting the way that she was when she herself couldn't understand it or articulate it.

Belinda's obsessive love for Colin Firth and the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice is endearing, and not surprisingly-I'd say intentionally-many elements of Pride and Prejudice come into play within this story as a whole. Between Belinda and Emily, Lucas and Anthony, and everyone else, no one is exactly how they are perceived to be by others, and being in high school this is especially prevalent as no one says quite what they mean for fear of standing out and looking weird. There are a lot of learning curves along the way, and much like Jane Austen's classic, it is only when the characters allow themselves to be vulnerable and reveal themselves fully that they are able to make true connections with each other.

This review is so long! And I could go on and on - I'm not sure I could quite articulate why exactly this story has left such an impression on me that I need to write so much other than that I was moved emotionally, it made me think outside of my comfort zone, and I would love to know some of these characters in real life.

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Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

It's taken me way too long to actually sit down and write this review, either for lack of motivation or lack of interest in the book itself, so I apologize in advance if it reads a bit disjointed as I work through the few things that I still remember from finishing it last month!

Growing up, Beauty and the Beast was one of my all-time favorite Disney movies and since ACOTAR is definitely written as a pro-Disney version of the classic tale (albeit with steamy sexy times throughout) I figured that this fact coupled with the dazzling Sarah J. Maas would make for a potentially great combination.

Not so much.

I was not at all 'dazzled' by Maas' writing this time around like I have been while reading her Throne of Glass series. Granted if history repeats itself, which certainly it does, this may just turn out to be me eating my words once again because I greatly disliked Throne of Glass but absolutely adored the following books in the series! That being said, the next book really would have to blow my mind to make me want to continue reading on about Feyre, Tamlin, and Rhysand because at this point I'm not into it (I WOULD read on about sassy Lucien however, he's the only good thing going!).

Actually, as I write this I'm remembering a thought I had while reading ACOTAR that overall the story, specifically certain incidents and scenes that shall remain in mystery to avoid spoilers all feels SO much like the Twilight series to me that once I made the connection in my head I couldn't let it go. I'm sorry, but I have to go there people! For those of you who have read ACOTAR...you know what I'm talking about, come on, you do! The whole ending with Feyre and her constant whining and crying throughout and always putting herself down for being 'ignorant' and 'only a dumb human'...not to mention that it is...kind of boring. Nothing really happens for the entire first half of the book! Save for an excellently written first chapter (I was instantly hooked, so ominous!), the rest of the story falls flat for me. I couldn't grow to care for any of the characters, and the baddies are nothing special or unique. Both of Feyre's 'punishments' or bargains aren't as absolutely, life-endingly dreadful as she makes them out to be, and without a good cliff-hanger to make me even the slightest bit curious for the next book it's unlikely that I'll pick it up.

Sorry, I just couldn't drink the Kool-Aid this time, Maas.


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Review: Uprooted

Uprooted by Naomi Novik
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"Will you come into the Wood with me?"

If I could go back in time and read this book again like it was the first time, I would, simply because it is that good. Uprooted will be the book that I recommend to everyone who loves fantasy, hell to everyone in general, for the rest of the year. Hands down favourite book I've read in a long, long time.

"There should have been endless birds singing in those branches, and small animals gathering fruits. Instead there was a deep strange stillness. The river sang on quietly, but nothing else moved here; nothing else lived."

Oh me, oh my. The Dragon. Agnieszka. Kasia. Marek. The Wood. Magic. Folklore. Blood. Beasts. Love. Loss. The Summoning.

I'm not sure what I could say to really do this beautifully written story justice and entice you to read it, certainly not without sounding quite incoherent and over the top...but this story makes me feel over the top! It has swept me up into a tizzy and hasn't let me go. You could say that the Wood has left me a little corrupted and enchanted (ha ha! bad joke).

Ahh but in all seriousness, Uprooted is a truly special story. Even as I look back through the pages while I write this, re-reading my favourite passages, I am once again enchanted by Novik's way with words and her power as a weaver of tales that feel at once familiar and comfortable, like I've always known these characters as my own kin and the Wood as something to fear.

"I wanted to rub handprints through his dust."

Everything within this story unfolds slowly and organically, a running theme throughout that ties our own emerging understanding of the dangerous Wood and magic and the mysterious Dragon to that of Agnieszka's. There was not one moment where I thought something could have been any better - well, maybe a tad more romance - which surprised even me as I am usually not the one to say "more romance please!" That said, I thought that the relationship between the Dragon and Agnieszka was perfection - a slow building up, like an ember in a fire, long-burning underneath the story while we're carried away to far lands and castles and creatures that do much more than bump in the night.

This is not your average fantasy. Nor is it your average love story. It's a bit of both, but it's also a journey of self-discovery, a collection of folktales and songs, of murmurings and spells, pain and death, and ultimately of sacrifice.

I adored every minute of it.

Originally posted at A Bookish Occasion

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Review: Ruin and Rising (The Grisha, #3)

Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So I didn't expect that I would be writing a review 2 WEEKS after finishing this book. I have been seriously avoiding writing this because I honestly couldn't get my thoughts together and I also felt overwhelmed by how much I loved the trilogy as a whole! It's been a while, a long sad while, since I read a YA Fantasy as well-written and thoroughly enjoyable as The Grisha Trilogy. I needed time to process!

I fell in love with this world immediately. Just as I wrote in my review of the first book, Shadow and Bone, the intricacies and details of the Grisha world took me by surprise and pulled me in from the first page. The third book is no different, and I found that I was able to jump right back into the world without any confusion even after having read a couple of different books in between. The world is that solid, what with all of the culture, folklore, songs, maps (love those maps!), historical wars and even recipes, I really felt like I could fully immerse myself into the story.

The writing is, again, amazing. What a roller-coaster. Bardugo stole my heart so many times with these characters and their struggles which are truly life-altering and complicated, right to the last chapter! Having already fell for each character through the previous two books, I really appreciate the fact that Bardugo continues to cultivate the relationships - friendships and romances - between the core group. We see all of these main characters developing and growing into their own, creating a wonderful, family-like dynamic with each other, solidified by the knowledge that any of them would die for the other. We still see the same undying loyalty in characters like Mal and the same free-spirited joie de vivre in characters like Nikolai, yet they become entangled with and scorned by the Darkling and they are never quite the same again.

Although I felt for all of the characters, I especially felt for Alina. We see some pretty amazing character development in her which is wonderful to witness. She is fighting for her life when we leave her in Siege and Storm - but boy does that woman ever have some fight in her! Alina is such a fierce, courageous character and I loved, loved, loved seeing her come into her own! She seriously takes charge and grows not only into her powers as a Grisha but also in her confidence in herself as a leader. Although she falters here and there as far as the Darkling goes (who wouldn't, me oh my), she is so much stronger as a person and as a fighter and makes some pretty interesting decisions that she wouldn't have otherwise made before!

One of the things I love about this trilogy as a whole is how skilled Bardugo is at keeping us on our toes. The suspense is real and I really struggled to get through some parts of this book because, damn, I couldn't handle the damage if things went wrong! I'd be reading along, happily compliant and on board with their plans to take down the Darkling or find that dang Firebird, and yet just when I thought I had it all figured out things changed, characters died, things blew up - what a mess they got themselves into! The fact that Bardugo doesn't keep certain characters alive just because the reader has come to love them is something I actually appreciate in an author. The deaths (and there are deaths!!) are realistic and although they hurt to read, it really gives the story that much more depth and validity.

The final few chapters broke my heart, but I won't say whether this was in a good or bad way. Let's just say that the trilogy ends as it should and leave it for you to see for yourself. I reread the final pages a few times, relishing in the beauty of the words, the scene, the finality of it all. I will truly miss these characters.

I guess you could say that I love this trilogy to death and of course I highly recommend it! I am still experiencing a book hangover from it and I know that this trilogy will stay with me for quite a while.

Happy Reading!
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Review: Shadow and Bone (The Grisha, #1)

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow. Just wow. I read this book within one sitting. ONE SITTING. I honestly cannot remember the last time I sat down and read an entire book in one night. Probably not since I finished The Infernal Devices over a year ago.

I was drawn into this world from the beginning with the chapter entitled Before, which is written fittingly 'before' chapter 1. Written in the third person, Before immediately draws in the reader with its mysterious ghosts, monsters and powerful people in flowing keftas. We meet two orphan children, Mal and Alina, (who in the following chapters we read about through Alina's adult eyes), and they are described in all of their childhood innocence and wonderment, their friendship solidified through a kindred bond of loneliness and a lack of family. This first look into the childhood of Alina and Mal is important for us as a reader - their bond runs deep and I'm glad that Bardugo chose to add these passages because when it finally comes for Alina and Mal to make difficult, life-altering decisions (and there are difficult decisions a-plenty throughout this series!!) we really understand how hard it is for either one to leave the other behind.

As I mentioned, the rest of the story is told through Alina's eyes, which I enjoyed because I love getting into the deep, internal struggles of main characters. It just adds a certain oomph to my own internal struggle as I watch them, inevitably, crash and burn and (hopefully) rise back up!

The world that Bardugo has created is amazing, stunning, enchanting, frightening, mysterious...need I go on? In the past I have read so many books that all share similar worlds and types of magic with each other, so much so that I have become a bit bored with the conventional 'girl discovers her power, has to learn her power, now has too much power, becomes changed by her power' cliché that unless it's done well ... I'm not going to stick around. Shadow and Bone is unlike all these other stories in that you really and truly become invested in and conflicted over who to root for and trust! The magic and the world-building is so intricate, so detailed. You can feel the history of this world through the folk-tales, imagery, mythology, and real-world parallels that tie the country of Ravka to what I believe is supposed to be imperial Russia. Bardugo incorporates aspects of Russia's history, specifically early 18th-19th century, into her own story, including the use of the Russian language. It all adds for a richly beautiful story that treads the line of believability.

The characters are as mysterious as the Grisha power that flows through them, especially the Darkling, our 'villain', and time and again I was catching myself thinking "maybe the Darkling is good, maybe he's bad, nope he's okay, nope wait, he's bad...or?....". Without giving away any spoilers, lets just say that by the time you get to Siege and Storm you should probably have the Darkling all figured out. I mean, he is called the Darkling. Not that he isn't totally swoon-worthy in all of his bad-assery....mmmm yes. He's typically complex, but don't let that fool you because he definitely has an agenda.

Other noteworthy characters include Genya, who is a beautiful ray of sunshine. I love her outlook on life - she may be a servant and she may have had to deal with a lot of disgusting favours for the royal court, but she doesn't let any of that break her spirit and becomes a true friend to Alina. Well, I say friend but again, because of spoilers, I can't really say what I want to say.... so yes she's a friend for all intents and purposes! She's definitely what Alina needs during her time of transition from a nobody to a somebody with immense power.

Now Mal. Mal is wonderful. Wonderful. I have to say that at first I really couldn't understand what Alina saw in him romantically and I guess that's partly because we don't really get to know Mal very well until the latter half of the book. He's just this great guy, handsome, witty, and apparently everyone loves him and he can light up a room with his smile. All great qualities in a man, yes. Yet as I said I found that he didn't really shine for me until the story took a turn and we are suddenly up close and personal with just him and Alina. (Again, spoilers..it's so hard to write about what I want to say without saying it!). Anyway just trust me when I say that he's a good guy, through and through.

I truly, whole-heartedly recommend this book to everyone and anyone who loves fantasy, intricate world-building, mystery and yes, swoony boys. This is an action-packed beginning to an awesome series!

Happy Reading!

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Review: Six of Crows

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ooooooooh my I should not have waited so long to put my thoughts down about this book! But I HAVE had more than enough time to go back through it, think it over, and really let both the story and the characters sink in...because that's how I feel this story demands to be read.

For me, the story started off slowly, with layer upon layer of mystery right from the very first chapter. I kept asking myself, "Who are these people? Where do they come from? What's their backstory?" - and although this bothered me at first (I like to know everything about everything, especially in terms of character motives), I grew to understand that, obviously, Leigh Bardugo was merely exercising her masterful story-telling skills, weaving truth and lie and motive with plot as veiled and smooth as Ketterdam's fog:

"...the Ketterdam weather was not cooperating. There'd been no breeze off the harbor that day, and a gray milk fog had wreathed the city's canals and crooked alleys in damp. Even here among the mansions of the Geldstraat, the air hung thick with the smell of fish and bilge water, and smoke from the refineries on the city's outer islands had smeared the night sky in a briny haze. The full moon looked less like a jewel than a yellowy blister in need of lancing."

Having myself just spent a year living and working in Amsterdam, I absolutely love the setting of this story! (Yes, I'm biased!). Although all of the places in the story are obviously fictional, just like in her previous works Bardugo has obviously done her research and knows her way around this famous city - the spelling of names and street names, The Barrel and West Stave (real life: Red Light District), the Harbour, the Exchange, the canals and the tall, crooked houses, even the way she describes the people and what they eat and the smells of the city, it all hit close to home for me and I enjoyed it immensely.

Obviously in saying all of that I cannot help but gush over Bardugo's absolutely beautiful descriptive prose. She nails it, every damn time, which I adored about her writing in The Grisha Trilogy and was thankful to see again here. I have to admit that I was definitely skeptical going into Six of Crows because I love, love, love her previous works, but lo and behold she knocks it right out of the park yet again.

The multiple POV's are the one thing that could have really messed up all these positive vibes but they honestly didn't even phase me. I felt that Bardugo kept an excellent hold on all of her character's motives and inner-thoughts, never jarring us from one mind to the next and always leaving off one character's chapter with some sort of mini-cliff-hanger to keep me reading onward.

"Brick by brick," he muttered to himself. They were the only words that kept his rage in check, that prevented him from striding through the Emerald's garish gold-and-green doors, demanding a private audience with Rollins, and slitting his throat."

I LOVE KAZ. He is a despicable, blood-thirsty thief with an incredibly tragic backstory, and yet despite his nastiness you bet your buns I love that guy. He's perfectly flawed, hopelessly in love, and probably a little coo coo for cocoa puffs, but he has an inner strength that is admirable and no one can deny this from him. There are multiple layers to Kaz, each one more complicated than the next to keep you on your toes.

"You're about to be rich, Kaz. What will you do when there's no more blood to shed or vengeance to take?"
"There's always more."
"More money, more mayhem, more scores to settle. Was there never another dream?"

My love for Inej grew steadily throughout the book and was solidified by the end. She is such a strong, amazing female character, from her Suli proverbs and 'spidery' ways of moving about the city, to her fierce love for her family and country from which she was taken. Inej and Kaz's relationship is complicated, and more often than not we see her act as almost a 'spider' within his ear, a whispering voice of reason and rationality, ever-questioning his motives and morale (to which he laughs and brushes off).

I could go on and on, trust me. Not only Kaz and Inej but the whole cast of main characters are as richly developed and complex in personality as one could ever hope. Nina is another incredibly fierce female character and I admire her resourcefulness and steady heart.

I haven't even mentioned the plot! Well all you need to know is that it is a slow-burning kind of plot. There is a lot of planning, and talking about said plans, as we're dealing with the most dangerous heist attempted into a famously impenetrable prison. Though once the action gets going, you better hold on. The heist is fascinating, the details are mind-boggling; how Bardugo could keep it all straight is beyond me, but my oh my it turned out brilliant and I loved it to the end!

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