Review of Julie Kagawa's Iron King (book one of The Iron Fey series)

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil, no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

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This book has a really good story and the world building and characters are all well done except the main character Meghan, who is so naive and stupid sometimes you kind of wonder if she grew up in a bubble. There were so many times that I just couldn't believe the kind of decisions she was making and why she went to great pains to accomplish what she needed to do in the most painful way. Well according to Goodreads it suppose to get better. Here's hoping for Character development 3.5/5 diamonds

Review of Sandy Meredith's A Death in Custody

Blood on the Streets as a Town Explodes' boomed the front page of the Sydney Morning Herald one winter's morning in 1987. Heavily armed police had been dispatched to quell a 'race riot' in a northern New South Wales town after yet another young Aboriginal man had died in police custody. Intent on learning the real story behind the headlines, Lou Williams, aspiring investigative journalist, goes north. Each character she meets -- country and western singers, community elders, militants and mechanics -- give her a fragment of the truth. In 'a death in custody' these fragments combine into a mosaic stained with entrenched and deadly racism.


This story is a fictional account of events that ignited anger, suspicion and outrage across Australia, and that led to the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody which investigated the deaths of 99 Aboriginals in police custody in the 1980s. Little has changed since then.

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Where do I start, this book has a really important message in it about racism and the unfair treatment of Aboriginals. A problem not unique to Australia. My problem with this book is Lou the main character. I really couldn't relate to this girl, who seemed to be this bipolar, chain smoking alcoholic. Lou's point of view made it really hard to get through this book. I can't tell you how many times I face palmed because this girl was such an idiot. Through the voices of the other characters the author dumps a lot of important facts surrounding Aboriginals in the 80s.  However since I found it not to be focused the message got lost and for me this book read more like an essay than a work of fiction. I would recommend this book for those who are interested in knowing about Aboriginal situation in Australia in the 80s. 3/5 diamonds

Review of Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer's Between the Lines

Delilah is a bit of a loner who prefers spending her time in the school library with her head in a book—one book in particular. Between the Lines may be a fairy tale, but it feels real. Prince Oliver is brave, adventurous, and loving. He really speaks to Delilah.
And then one day Oliver actually speaks to her. Turns out, Oliver is more than a one-dimensional storybook prince. He’s a restless teen who feels trapped by his literary existence and hates that his entire life is predetermined. He’s sure there’s more for him out there in the real world, and Delilah might just be his key to freedom.

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Wow what a great premise and something all us book nerds have always dreamed about. I'm sure that all of you reading this right now have at least one book on your shelves where you wished that you could speak to one of the characters inside. This book is fun, heartwarming and funny and is a must read before picking up Beyond the Page, which has gotten a lot of buzz in the BookTube community. Picking this book before Beyond the Page you get a better understanding of the main characters and I find that it helped me to get through some bits of Beyond the Page, I'll write more on that when I write my review on Beyond the Page. I give this book 4.5/5 diamonds

Review of The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

After the grisly murder of his entire family, a toddler wanders into a graveyard where the ghosts and other supernatural residents agree to raise him as one of their own.

Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead. There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy. But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack—who has already killed Bod's family . . . 

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This is a great coming of age book and a baby whose family is brutally killed. A very fast paced book, quick read. Even though the main character goes through amazing character growth, this growth is not extended to the secondary characters. It leaves you wanting to know more especially about Nobody's guardian and his first family. 

Once you get to the end, you realize the trick that has been played on you. Well I don't know if it's a trick or merely a realization in regards to cause and effect. I know my words a little confusing you'll just have to take my word for it this is a really good book. It's a story that will make you think especially at the end. 

4.5/5 diamonds 

Review of Janni Lee Simner's Faerie After

After a devastating war between humanity and Faerie, Liza’s world was forever changed. Plants and trees became aggressive, seeking to root in living flesh and bone, and newborn children were discovered to have magic powers. Liza was one of these children, and with her abilities she brought her mother back from the ruined Faerie realm and restored the seasons to her own.

Now there are signs of a new sickness in the forest. Piles of ash are found where living creatures once stood. Liza investigates and discovers the Faerie realm has continued to deteriorate, slowly turning to dust, and that its fate is inexorably linked to that of the human realm. To find a solution, Liza must risk crossing over, putting herself and all she cares about at risk. Will Liza be forced to sacrifice her life and the lives of her friends in order to save both worlds?

Here is the exciting conclusion to the Bones of Faerie trilogy, for fans of dark fantasy and dystopian adventure entranced by Janni Lee Simner’s unique vision of a magic-infused postapocalyptic world.

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The last book in the Bones of Faeries Trilogy and what an ending. The events and choices that Liza has to face without spoiling it for those who haven't read it yet are just wonderful. Just like the other two books the characters in this trilogy have to face tough choices and don't know if they're making the right choices. This is an excellent series without the insta love and the love triangles. Liza is a strong female character that makes tough choices and get things done. If you haven't read this book you should definitely go and pick it up   5/5 diamonds  

Review of Janni Lee Simner's Faerie winter

Liza is a summoner. She can draw life to herself, even from beyond the grave. And because magic works both ways, she can drive life away. Months ago, she used her powers to banish her dangerous father and to rescue her mother, lost in dreams, from the ruined land of Faerie.

Born in the wake of the war between humanity and Faerie, Liza lived in a world where green things never slept, where trees sought to root in living flesh and bone. But now the forests have fallen silent. Even the evergreens' branches are bare. Winter crops won't grow, and the threat of starvation looms. And deep in the forest a dark, malevolent will is at work. To face it, Liza will have to find within herself something more powerful than magic alone.

Here at last is the sequel to Bones of Faerie, for all those fans of dark fantasy and dystopian adventure who thrilled to Janni Lee Simner's unique vision of a postapocalyptic world infused with magic.

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In Janni Simner's second book without giving any spoilers this is really fast paced book the character's face a lot of difficult choices and the consequences of those choices are harsh. Just like in the first book there's no real clear good against evil. Just a bunch of people trying to do what they think is the right thing for themselves and their people I gave this book 5/5 diamonds 

Review of Janni Lee Simner's Bones of Faeries

The war between humanity and Faerie devastated both sides. Or so 15-year-old Liza has been told. Nothing has been seen or heard from Faerie since, and Liza's world bears the scars of its encounter with magic. Trees move with sinister intention, and the town Liza calls home is surrounded by a forest that threatens to harm all those who wander into it. Then Liza discovers she has the Faerie ability to see--into the past, into the future--and she has no choice but to flee her town. Liza's quest will take her into Faerie and back again, and what she finds along the way may be the key to healing both worlds. 
Janni Lee Simner's first novel for young adults is a dark fairy-tale twist on apocalyptic fiction--as familiar as a nightmare, yet altogether unique.

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Wow this is a great book this book is a mix of fantasy and dystopian and it mixes it really well. There's no love story between the two main characters even though they are interested in each other. The story doesn't focus on it and neither does the main female character because she has a job to do. The other thing I loved in this story is that all the characters are gray meaning there are no distinct good and bad characters. They all make dicitions based on there on experience and knowledge and there dissionions have consequences. I highly recommend this book  5/5 diamonds

Review on The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan

Though the Greek and Roman crew members of the "Argo II" have made progress in their many quests, they still seem no closer to defeating the earth mother, Gaea. Her giants have risen-all of them, and they're stronger than ever. They must be stopped before the Feast of Spes, when Gaea plans to have two demigods sacrificed in Athens. She needs their blood-the blood of Olympus-in order to wake. The demigods are having more frequent visions of a terrible battle at Camp Half-Blood. The Roman legion from Camp Jupiter, led by Octavian, is almost within striking distance. Though it is tempting to take the Athena Parthenos to Athens to use as a secret weapon, the friends know that the huge statue belongs back on Long Island, where it "might" be able to stop a war between the two camps. The Athena Parthenos will go west; the "Argo II" will go east. The gods, still suffering from multiple personality disorder, are useless. How can a handful of young demigods hope to persevere against Gaea's army of powerful giants? As dangerous as it is to head to Athens, they have no other option. They have sacrificed too much already. And if Gaea wakes, it is game over.

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I've finished reading the Blood of Olympus. In true Riordan style the action just doesn't stop a great adventure that from start to finish. In the final book of the Heros of Olympus series, the story is told by multitude of view points and is character driven. I really enjoyed the story and how it concluded even. You really got to know some of the side characters a lot better since this book really didn't focus on Percy. I really love all the travelling around all the characters had to do to save the world. 5/5 diamonds 

Review on Towering by Alex Flinn

New York Times #1 bestselling author Alex Flinn reimagined the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast in Beastly and gave a twist to the story of Sleeping Beauty in A Kiss in Time. Now with her gothic and darkly romantic YA novel Towering, Alex Flinn retells the tale of Rapunzel. When Rachel was taken to live in a tower by a woman she calls Mama, she was excited. She felt like a princess in a castle. But many years later, Rachel knows her palace is really a prison, and begins to plan her escape. She is encouraged by the speed that her golden hair has been growing. It’s gotten long enough to reach the ground. And she’s begun dreaming of a green-eyed man. Could he be out there in the world? Is he coming to save her? Or will she find a way to save herself?

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Just finished Towering by Alex Flinn what an amazing book. I really love her writing style. This story is really character driven as one of the main characters Wyatt tries to solve a mystery in a small town that he just moved into. Even though I really loved this book and would recommend it to anyone who loves a good fairy tale retelling. It might not be for everyone since by the end of the book there are a lot of questions that are left unanswered. 4 out 5 diamonds

the Bookish Summer Vacation Tag

 Starting a new tag

Or at least I hope it's new

It's called the Bookish Summer Vaca (Vacation) Tag

You can use books that you already have on your TBR or on your bookshelf or a book that you would like to get and you have to pair it with a drink unique to the country you're visiting

-what book would you take to a tropical island?

****I would take a book to French Polynesia and while there I'll be sipping on some fresh coconut water  about mermaids I'm currently trying to decided between Anne Banks' of Poseidon series,  Sarah Porter's  the Lost Voices series and Amanda Hocking's the Watersong series. If anyone has any recommendations let me know (no spoilers please)

    

-what book would you take on a road trip?

****I would take a road trip to New Orleans and I would have a coffee at Cafe du Monde, while rereading Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire

-what book would you take on a camping trip?

****On a camping trip I would read Holly Black's The Darkest Part of the Forest while drinking Vietnamese ice coffee (^.~)

-what book would you take on a trip to Europe? (if you’re not from Europe)

****On a trip to Scotland while drinking a good cup of tea I would read Diana Gabaldon

-what book would you take on a trip to North, Central or South America? (if you’re not from there)

I live here

What book would you take on a trip to Asia? (if you’re not from there)

****While on a trip to Japan drinking some green tea I would bring Keigo Higashino's Malice

What book would you read on a staycation, where you don’t leave your city but are relaxing at home?

****While relaxing at home I would read Paula Hawkins' The Girl on the Train

Now I tag you all whether you have a youtube channel or a blog. #tagBookishSummer

Cheers