Book Review:: The Call – Peadar O’ Guilin

Date started: September 22, 2017

Date ended: September 29, 2017 

Stars: ★★★★★

“She says, ‘I’m going to live. And nobody’s going to stop me.’ She believes every word of it.”

God, this book was fabulous. I wasn’t expecting how great this novel was going to be considering the synopsis I read when it first came out kind of read, “three minutes to save your life. Could you survive the call?” and I was hooked.

The writing style of this novel was great. Peadar had some great analogies, I wish I could remember them all but one I remember is he compares crying to the scattering of Skittles. The writing was fresh and engaging, dark, fascinating, and completely gripping.

This was one of those books I would read until I had to go to work and then would think about until I got home and couldn’t wait until I could start reading again. I haven’t had that feeling about a book in awhile. The funny thing was at the same time I started reading The Call I’m also reading A Torch Against the Night and not to knock Peadar O’ Guilin, but I hadn’t read any of his works before now, but I was expecting to finish Tahir’s book before The Call. But I couldn’t stop thinking about The Call. It was haunting in such a good way. I was invested in every single character. The good, the bad, and the ugly. I could understand their fear, the reason why they lived how they did. Yes, a few characters I was thinking that I wouldn’t miss them if they were taken by the call, but I understood why they were living that way. It takes a great author to create a villain who the reader can sympathizes with.

I really liked the different POVs. It confused me at first, and I have to admit, I was halfway through the novel before I stopped reading one night and started all over again. The reason being, I hadn’t absorbed anything. Yes, I was reading but I wasn’t identifying with characters or really knowing who they were. So I stopped and started again. And I’m so glad I did because I got so much more out of the story by starting again.

I loved, loved, loved our main female character, Nessa. She was so completely against the norm, it was such a nice change of pace. Without ruining the story, Nessa is handicapped, she has to have the aid of two canes while walking. He arms are her main strength but her legs are weak. She is basically doomed from the beginning of her life and only by her parents strength or pity, in the world she lives in, she is cursed with living. No one believes she can get through training, let alone survive in the Grey Lands. But against all odds, she believes in herself and never gives up. These are the types of heroes and heroines we need in books. We may not be dealt the perfect hand in life, but we need to make do with what we are given. Nessa exceeds expectations with this thought in mind.

There’s so much meat to The Call that I fear I will ruin the story with more commentary on my thoughts of the novel but know that I was blown away. I could’ve been content with the ending we were given but I’m thrilled that in March there will be a sequel. I highly recommend this novel to people who love fae stories or even The Maze Runner by James Dashner. It’s thrilling, dark, and completely compelling. You won’t sleep or eat while reading this novel.

Book Review:: Throne of Glass – Sarah J Maas

Date started: September 5, 2017

Date ended: September 16, 2017 

Stars: ★★★★

“My name is Celeana Sardothien. But it makes no difference if my names Celeana or Lillian or Bitch, because I’d still beat you, no matter what you call me.”

This was such a fun and fantastic read!

I have been completely spoiled by Sarah J. Mass, I can’t get enough of her. I need more! I honestly just started this series with the intention of distracting myself from starting A Court of Wings and Ruin because I’m going to have to wait a long, long time for book 4 to come out. So, why not start Maas’s other series that I see everyone raving about (I’ve also had this series on my to-read list since 2012 according to Goodreads). I am not disappointed I did.

Sarah J Maas’s writing is just enticing. There’s so much substance to not only one part of the story but everything that’s included: characters, setting, and plot. Not one of those areas suffers. I truly love that in an author because it makes emerging yourself in the world and story that much easier. Throne of Glass is action packed, magical, witty, and filled with the beginning of an epic romance, I just don’t know with whom yet.

I loved Celeana Sardothien.

She is just a breath of fresh air. A total feminist package. She is humorous, stubborn, intelligent, sassy, and strong. She’s beyond kick ass. She is both ruthless in a battle yet cleans up nicely. With everything she went through, you can’t help but feel sorrow but she doesn’t let the past hold her back. She’s a fighter and a survivor. Celeana will be added to my short list of kick ass heroines whom I love very dearly. She is probably one of the strongest heroines that I’ve read about in awhile. Again, I will rave about Maas’s female leads, they are always so relatable. They don’t start out as Wonder Woman, they have been through tribulation. They have been broken. They have been abuse. But they endured and they have thrived after all. Yes, I love Wonder Woman but I also love a heroine who I can put myself in their shoes and just know that I am strong. I am woman, hear me roar.

What can I say about the plot without giving it away? At times, it was a little slow. That’s one critic I will give this book but also, the pages just seemed to fly when I finally got the chance to sit down and read. I love that about some novels. I really liked the tournament / competition part of the story, I think it may be one of my favorite types to read in YA (e.g. The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire which is my favorite of the series). They’re always full of drama that keeps me on the edge of my seat dying to know who will prevail. The story was also chock-full of  political scandal, murder, romance and betrayal.

I can’t wait to see what Maas brings to the table in Crown of Midnight.

#AprilOwlCrate #Dystopia

As I mentioned before, my birthday is coming, in 7 days to be exact and since I am getting older I have found the joy of buying presents I want and not relying on others to do so. Though my mother is very good at listening to my requests as well as Liz and Mel but they understand my wants and needs for ink and paper. Anyways, I promised you a glimpse of what I received and I am happy to report that I will be purchasing more or OwlCrate’s products.

My first appreciation for OwlCrate came with the fact that all packages were shipped the 20th of April. I received it two days later after great anticipation. Yes, two days and the package was on my doorstep. It was coming from Oregon! So I was highly elated.

The next was that it really felt like a present. Ever since you were a kid the idea of a secret gift has brought you such joy. You feel it throughout your body, from your head all the way down to your toes. The fact that I was receiving a secret gift that included a book was all the more welcome. Likewise, when you’re a kid you beg and beg for a hint, a clue for what this gift will be but also, don’t want to know. I like how OwlCrate gives you the theme of the box but that’s it. This makes the recipient waiting with baited breath to discover what Brad Pitt so plainly as what’s in the box?

So over my morning coffee, I opened my present and was not disappointed. It was more than I ever guessed. The clue was: dystopia. So, of course, my mind conjured all the recent dystopic novels that I had read in the past. The most popular being The Hunger Games and Divergent. I was right about one, but the rest I never would have guessed.

I got a Mockingjay magnet and bracelet (which I wore to work today), a 1984  notebook, a Maze Runner car decal, and a coaster that read I spent my life folded between the pages of a book. The book I got was Flawed by Cecelia Ahern.

You will be punished…

Celestine North lives a perfect life. She’s a model daughter and sister, she’s well-liked by her classmates and teachers, and she’s dating the impossibly charming Art Crevan.

But then Celestine encounters a situation where she makes an instinctive decision. She breaks a rule and now faces life-changing repercussions. She could be imprisoned. She could be branded. She could be found flawed.

In her breathtaking young adult debut, bestselling author Cecelia Ahern depicts a society where perfection is paramount and flaws lead to punishment. And where one young woman decides to take a stand that could cost her everything.

I hadn’t heard of this novel before so I was, again, thrilled. Before I was worried that since my favorite teen genre is dystopia I wondered if I already possessed the book, but all for not. I started the book immediately enjoying the rest of my coffee before work and it’s good thus far. I’ve only read a little over 60 pages but it reminds me of The Giver. Look for my review to come!

Overall, I’m already looking forward to another box in May. The hint for this one is steampunk. I haven’t read many steampunk novels but it has always fascinated me. May 20th can’t come soon enough!!