Hello, I've been away for a while now. School work has been really intense and I haven't really done much reading, and my space button on my laptop broke so I couldn't really update anything. I really wanted to do January Wrap -Up but I didn't have a space button, so that didn't work out.
I'm also 6 books behind on my GoodReads, hopefully I can go and fix that during summer. Until summer is not an option, unless of course I want to fail my GCSE'S.
In addition I have been considering changing the way I rate my books, so from now on they will be rated out of 10. And I'll only post reviews of the books I liked or if there is a book that everyone likes and I din't, I'll also post that.
I'm currently reading 'Can You Keep A Secret?' By Sophie Kinsella. I'm nearly finished so I will post a review on that this weekend, seeing as I'm going Italy next week I wont be able to post anything else.
This months I'm also hoping to read 'Lovely Bones' and another romance book. But I don't think that will happen.
Alright so I don't have anymore time, have to go revise science... see you later blog
What was that???
Akward Face.
Thursday, 9 February 2012
Thursday, 12 January 2012
Review: Daughter Of Smoke And Bone By Laini Taylor
Read GoodReads Synopsis
Rating: 3.5
Author: Laini Taylor
First Published: 26th of August 2011
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Hardcover Pages: 418
Let me just start of by saying that I own a SIGNED copy!!!! FuckYeah!!!
And I prefer the other cover, but this cover makes a little bit more sense and it's still gorgeous nonetheless.
Today I will start of with the things that I loved about this book.
The world building is AMAZING. No words can describe how stunning it is. I felt like I was there, I could imagine the portals. Sometimes I honestly wondered if they exist. Honestly. It left such an impression on me. One of the best world building fantasy novels I have read.
And the heroine kicked ass. She is just the best. Couldn't have asked for more. Her name is also pretty kickass- Karou. I mean come on who wouldnt want their name to mean hope and sound so awesome???
Plus Akiva is Beautiful <3
And the writing is just captivating.
Now on with the things that I think could've been done better:
I think like most people I had the most problem with the whole love at first sight thing. I feel like the whole awesomeness just stopped for the whole love at first sight thing. Mind you she didn't actually started describing his jawline... that would have been just creepy.
In addition when Akiva and Karou met I already had an idea of who Karou was and I wasn't exactly a fan of that because I love when the author makes me guess everything.
Moreover I felt that the couple of last chapters were a tad disorganized. As if Laini just wasn't bothered to put them neatly so she just threw everything in at the last minute to run out the door somewhere.
I can't wait for the next book. Especially the world building.
You must read it!
Like Now!!!
What You Still Doing Here?????
On with the quotes:
“Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love. It did not end well.”
“Hope can be a powerful force. Maybe there's no actual magic in it, but when you know what you hope for most and hold it like a light within you, you can make things happen, almost like magic.”
“I don't know many rules to live by,' he'd said. 'But here's one. It's simple. Don't put anything unnecessary into yourself. No poisons or chemicals, no fumes or smoke or alcohol, no sharp objects, no inessential needles--drug or tattoo--and...no inessential penises either.'
'Inessential penises?' Karou had repeated, delighted with the phrase in spite of her grief. 'Is there any such thing as an essential one?'
'When an essential one comes along, you'll know,' he'd replied.”
'Inessential penises?' Karou had repeated, delighted with the phrase in spite of her grief. 'Is there any such thing as an essential one?'
'When an essential one comes along, you'll know,' he'd replied.”
“Wishes are false. Hope is true. Hope makes its own magic.”
“I know it's not easy for you, living this life, but try to remember, always try to remember, you're not the only one with troubles.”
“Happiness. It was the place where passion, with all its dazzle and drumbeat, met something softer: homecoming and safety and pure sunbeam comfort. It was all those things, intertwined with the heat and the thrill, and it was as bright within her as a swallowed star.”
“Hey! My body may be small, but my soul is large. It’s why I wear platforms. So I can reach the top of my soul.”
“Peace is more than the absence of war. Peace is accord. Harmony.”
“For the way loneliness is worse when you return to it after a reprieve—like the soul’s version of putting on a wet bathing suit, clammy and miserable.”
“It's not like there's a law against flying."
"Yes there is. The law of gravity.”
"Yes there is. The law of gravity.”
“How much does your life have to suck to want the Apocalypse?”
“Love is a luxury."
"No. Love in an element."
An element. Like air to breathe, earth to stand on.”
"No. Love in an element."
An element. Like air to breathe, earth to stand on.”
“Have you ever asked yourself,do monsters make war, or does war make monsters?
“The truth, she found, felt smooth, like a skipping stone in the palm of your hand.”
Review: Clockwork Prince By Cassandra Clare
Read GoodReads Synopsis
Rating: 3.7
Author: Cassandra ClareFirst Published: December 6th 2011
Publisher: Walker Books
Paperback Pages:496Alright so, I have been sitting here staring at my screen pondering on what to write for the past 10 minutes. I have no clue how to put my opinions into words let alone actual readable sentences.
I guess I will start by saying I am Team Will. It's just he has left such an impression on me from Clockwork Angel that I still sometimes catch myself thinking of him. He left me heartbroken. He wasted five years of his life, when he could have been happy a long time ago. Without Tessa. And now she has broken his heart and will probably break Jem's heart aswell. I don't think she truly loves any of them. I think she is in love with an idea of being in love after reading all her novels. But as I said that's my opinion.
Alright so Clockwork Prince took me a while to get into and a while to finish. Sometimes the story just dragged a bit. And most of the time my mind was on who she actually was going to end up with.... which meant resisting skipping a few chapters.
The story had less action and was focusing more on the characters. Which I did like but that also made it feel like an extended prologue to Clockwork Princess.
I was overjoyed when they included Henry and Charlotte. I would have been really disappointed if Cassie just let them hang there.
Some parts of the story really took me by surprise. And Clockwork Prince did make me laugh, not as much as Clockwork Angel but enough. And I shed a few tears too.
I know it sounds like I really didn't like the book. I did. I honestly did. It's just really hard to say the parts that I absolutely love without spoiling the book. So I am going to let you discover them.
Some parts of the story really took me by surprise. And Clockwork Prince did make me laugh, not as much as Clockwork Angel but enough. And I shed a few tears too.
I know it sounds like I really didn't like the book. I did. I honestly did. It's just really hard to say the parts that I absolutely love without spoiling the book. So I am going to let you discover them.
As usual I am going to end this post with quotes.... There were a lot of quotes that I really liked so I am going to try and reduce the list to as little as possible:
“Ah,” said a voice from the doorway, “having your annual ‘everyone thinks Will is a lunatic’ meeting, are you?
“It’s biannual,” said Jem. “And no, this is not that meeting.”
“We live and breathe words. .... It was books that made me feel that perhaps I was not completely alone. They could be honest with me, and I with them. Reading your words, what you wrote, how you were lonely sometimes and afraid, but always brave; the way you saw the world, its colors and textures and sounds, I felt--I felt the way you thought, hoped, felt, dreamt. I felt I was dreaming and thinking and feeling with you. I dreamed what you dreamed, wanted what you wanted--and then I realized that truly I just wanted you.”
“Demon pox, oh demon pox
Just how is it acquired?
One must go down to the bad part of town
Until one is very tired.
Demon pox, oh demon pox, I had it all along—
Not the pox, you foolish blocks,
I mean this very song—
For I was right, and you were wrong!"
“I shall charm him with such force that when I am done, he will be left lying limply on the ground, trying to remember his own name.”
"I am not the one of us who has no heart.”
Dear me,” said Will, and he took another bite of his apple. “Is it because I’m better-looking than you?”
endless hope, endless disappointment.”
“Yes, she doesn't really look like either of us, does she? Perhaps she's a girl who's fallen madly in love with me and persists in following me wherever I go."
"My talent is shape-shifting, Will, not acting," said Tessa, and at that Jem laughed out loud.”
“I've never minded it," he went on. "Being lost, that is. I had always thought one could not truly be lost if one knew one's own heart. But I fear I may be lost without knowing yours.”
“One finds nobility in the oddest places.”
“Did you just kiss me?" Will inquired.
Magnus made a slip-second decision. "No."
"I thought-"
"On occasion the aftereffects of the painkilling spells can result in hallucinations of the most bizarre sort."
"Oh," Will said. "How peculiar.”
“Women do not think with logic and discretion but with emotions of the heart”
“Lies and secrets, Tessa, they are like a cancer in the soul. They eat away what is good and leave only destruction behind.”
“They say time heals all wounds, but that presumes the source of the grief is ifinite”
“It's always better to live the truth than to live a lie.”
“God knows we’re all drawn to what’s beautiful and broken.”
“But am I clever and right or clever and wrong?”
“Ah,” said a voice from the doorway, “having your annual ‘everyone thinks Will is a lunatic’ meeting, are you?
“It’s biannual,” said Jem. “And no, this is not that meeting.”
“We live and breathe words. .... It was books that made me feel that perhaps I was not completely alone. They could be honest with me, and I with them. Reading your words, what you wrote, how you were lonely sometimes and afraid, but always brave; the way you saw the world, its colors and textures and sounds, I felt--I felt the way you thought, hoped, felt, dreamt. I felt I was dreaming and thinking and feeling with you. I dreamed what you dreamed, wanted what you wanted--and then I realized that truly I just wanted you.”
“Demon pox, oh demon pox
Just how is it acquired?
One must go down to the bad part of town
Until one is very tired.
Demon pox, oh demon pox, I had it all along—
Not the pox, you foolish blocks,
I mean this very song—
For I was right, and you were wrong!"
“I shall charm him with such force that when I am done, he will be left lying limply on the ground, trying to remember his own name.”
"I am not the one of us who has no heart.”
Dear me,” said Will, and he took another bite of his apple. “Is it because I’m better-looking than you?”
endless hope, endless disappointment.”
“Yes, she doesn't really look like either of us, does she? Perhaps she's a girl who's fallen madly in love with me and persists in following me wherever I go."
"My talent is shape-shifting, Will, not acting," said Tessa, and at that Jem laughed out loud.”
“I've never minded it," he went on. "Being lost, that is. I had always thought one could not truly be lost if one knew one's own heart. But I fear I may be lost without knowing yours.”
“One finds nobility in the oddest places.”
“Did you just kiss me?" Will inquired.
Magnus made a slip-second decision. "No."
"I thought-"
"On occasion the aftereffects of the painkilling spells can result in hallucinations of the most bizarre sort."
"Oh," Will said. "How peculiar.”
“Women do not think with logic and discretion but with emotions of the heart”
“Lies and secrets, Tessa, they are like a cancer in the soul. They eat away what is good and leave only destruction behind.”
“They say time heals all wounds, but that presumes the source of the grief is ifinite”
“It's always better to live the truth than to live a lie.”
“God knows we’re all drawn to what’s beautiful and broken.”
“But am I clever and right or clever and wrong?”
Tuesday, 10 January 2012
Review: Divergent By Veronica Roth
Read GoodReads Synopsis.
Rating: 3.1
Author: Veronica Roth
First Published: 3rd May 2011
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Paperback Pages: 487
Was kind of a disappointment for me. Maybe because I expected too much? I don't know. There was just something about this book that just really pissed me off. I honestly I can't point out what that is. But you know when you just see someone and you immediately feel irritated, even though they haven't done anything to you. Yeah, that's kind of what its like with this.
Okay so prepare for some bashing. I am kind start off on a bad note today. I have a good reason though, my parrot died couple of hours ago. Not kidding. Alright let's GO....
This was a disappointment to me as I already stated. I didn't feel as if I connected with any of the characters, they just all annoyed me. Except Uriah. I liked him, he was fun. I felt like the main character 'Tris' was just meh... Can't really find words to describe how I feel about her. Or that could be the fact that I don't really remember shit about her. Four was just well Four. To me he felt quite cliche. I detest cliche. Eric was the typical 'other' villain. Nothing surprising there.
Peter was one of the two characters that I actually read the story for( The other being Uriah, I don't even know why I like him to be honest but you know). I kept wanting to see what other crazy ass shit he's gonna do.
To me personally the most disappointing thing was the fact that the story was soooo predictable. It's unreal. Yes of course there were some things that were not as predictable. But the predicable overrode it.
Now you must be wondering why on earth I gave it such a high rating, after bashing it.
Well, I did like the concept. I liked the fact that they could choose their future, because I don't think alot of dystopians do that. In addition I also liked the world building. I honestly felt that I was there and I could imagine being there.
The action was also satisfactory, it wasn't great. But it wasn't THAT bad.
But honestly I think that the reason I am giving this a quite a high mark is because I still want to know what happens despite the fact that ending is quite shitty.
I am sure I have more good things to say about this,but they don't seem to be coming into my head. Trust me the book is probably better than I am painting it now.
Now if you haven't Divergent. I recommend reading it because an awful lot of people enjoyed this book. So don't be put off.
Now some of the quote's I liked:
“A brave man acknowledges the strength of others.”
“Sometimes, the best way to help someone is just to be near them.”
“We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another.”
“Why do people want to pretend that death is sleep? It isn't. It isn't.”
“Human beings as a whole cannot be good for long before the bad creeps back in and poisons us again.”
“It must require bravery to be honest all the time.”
“Human reason can excuse any evil; that is why it's so important that we don't rely on it."
That is death-shifting from "is" to "was".
but we just have to let the guilt remind us to do better next time.
I have a theory that selflessness and bravery aren't all that different.
One bad thing goes away, and another bad thing replaces it.
But sometimes it isn't fighting that's brave, it's facing the death you know is coming.
choosing death is like exploring an unknown, uncertain place.
Monday, 9 January 2012
Sunday, 8 January 2012
In My Mailbox (1)
IMM is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.
This week I bought a large amount of books, don't judge me. 8 of them came from a charity shop.
Books I bought from Whsmith:
Before I Go To Sleep By SJ Watson
City Of Bones By Cassandra Clare
City Of Ashes By Cassandra Clare
The High Lord By Trudi Canavan
Sweetly By Jackson Pearce
Sisters Red By Jackson Pearce
Books I Got From A Charity Shop:
Our Man In Havana By Graham Greene
The Art Thief By Noah Charney
Angels And Demons By Dan Brown
The Da Vinci Code By Dan Brown
And Then There Were None By Agatha Christie
The Interpretation Of Murder By Jed Rubenfeld
The Lady Of The Rivers By Philippa Gregory
What Did You Get Recently???
The Art Thief By Noah Charney
Angels And Demons By Dan Brown
The Da Vinci Code By Dan Brown
And Then There Were None By Agatha Christie
The Interpretation Of Murder By Jed Rubenfeld
The Lady Of The Rivers By Philippa Gregory
What Did You Get Recently???
A
Thursday, 5 January 2012
Review: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
Read GoodReads Synopsis
Rating: 4.5
Author: Cassandra Clare
First Published: August 31st 2010
Publisher: Walker Books
Paperback Pages: 476
I know I wont be able to do it. I won't be able to express how much I am in LOVE with this book. I know that this will be a failed attempt to describe how this book made me feel. Because there are NO words to describe near perfection and feeling of satisfaction and utter delight that I got after reading this book. But I will attempt nonetheless.Maybe I will be able to convince you, you who like me had skepticism about this book, to drop everything, cuddle up with a nice hot drink and start an adventure that you'd hope never has to end.
I was quite skeptical to read this book at first as it mentioned vampires and warlocks and other supernatural creatures which are over used and overrated. And the last sentence of the synopsis really made me quite afraid : "and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all." The Ultimate Cliche....Right?
WRONG!!!!
Clare is a genius, a literary genius.
The fact that she could bring in the whole supernatural aspect and make it original is well quite phenomenal.
She had me laughing throughout the whole book. My parents would walk past me sometimes and look at me as if I am crazy. And I am not, I'm really not(!)
At first I wasn't so fond of Tessa and her naive nature and I had to keep reminding myself that it was 1800's and that's how majority of the women acted. However over time I actually started taking a liking on her. Of course there were parts that completely infuriated me but those parts are what made her a realistic character even in this day and age.
The story itself is full of mystery and suspense. I was actually pleasantly surprised that it took me so long to figure out who the 'Magister' is. Which is quite extraordinary as I am a mystery junkie.
However there were small parts that dragged on and got a little bit iffy and cliche. No one's perfect right?
And I did finish it in about 5 hours in one sitting. So I think that shows you how small the parts really where.
Now if you have read the book, you know that there is a high chance that I will mention William Herondale. See I just did!
William Herondale had me Swooning and got me some weird looks thrown at me with his sarcasm wittiness and charm. He was a quite a cliche character; a bad boy with a tormented soul. But we all love those types don't we? But what made him stand out from the crowd of cliche's was his passion for books. Which frankly is one of the main reasons I love him. Come on a HOT charming, sarcastic guy with blue eyes and dark hair who loves books; no you haven't died going to heaven. Dude he can make Holy Water sexy, if that's not a skill I don't know what is.
And another reason while I love him is the relationship he has with his parabatai Jem.
Now Jem is also an amazing character, he's different to other 'good' stereotypical characters out there and well he's also gorgeous with his silver hair and silver eyes and his story is just heartbreaking. But for whatever reason I didn't seem to connect with him I am not completely sure why, I love him but I am just not in love with him. However I love his speeches
So overall I am glad I picked up this book and as it is a first CC book I have read I will definitively be picking up more of her literary wonders. Clockwork Angel made a big impression on me as it has been a few days since I read the book and I am still constantly thinking about it.
Clockwork Angel is an amazing book which isn't flawless but was an amazing start to the year.
These are the quotes that I have re-read numerous times and trust me this is as small as the list can go:
“One must always be careful of books," said Tessa, "and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us.”
“Will looked horrified. "What kind of monster could possibly hate chocolate?”
“Only the very weak-minded refuse to be influenced by literature and poetry."
"Remember when you tried to convince me to feed a poultry pie to the mallards in the park to see if you could breed a race of cannibal ducks?"
"They ate it too," Will reminisced. "Bloodthirsty little beasts. Never trust a duck.”
“Well, she's not responding to my advances," he observed more brightly than he felt, "so she must be dead."
"Or she's a woman of good taste and sense.”
“It's all right to love someone who doesn't love you back, as long as they're worth you loving them. As long as they deserve it.”
“If no one in the entire world cared about you, did you really exist at all?”
“Jessamine recoiled from the paper as if it were a snake. "A lady does not read the newspaper. The society pages, perhaps, of the theater news. Not this filth."
"But you are not a lady, Jessamine---," Charlotte began.
"Dear me," said Will. "Such harsh truths so early in the morning cannot be good for the digestion.”
“Do reasons matter when there's nothing that can be done to change things.”
“Whatever you are physically...male or female, strong or weak, ill or healthy--all those things matter less than what your heart contains. If you have the soul of a warrior, you are a warrior. All those other things, they are the glass that contains the lamp, but you are the light inside.”
"Pulvis et umbra sumus," said Will, not looking at her as he spoke. "I believe we are dust and shadows. What else is there?”
"Was her face nothing but a mask of flesh, irrelevant to her true self?"
“So you don't ever get angry at him?"
Jem laughed out loud. "I would hardly say that. Sometimes I want to strangle him."
"How on earth do you prevent yourself?"
"I go to my favorite place in London," said Jem, "and I stand and look at the water, and I think about the continuity of life, and how the river rolls on, oblivious of the petty upsets in our lives."
Tessa was fascinated. "Does that work?"
"Not really, but after that I think about how I could kill him while he slept if I really wanted to, and then I feel better.".
“You know," Gabriel said, "there was once a time I thought we could be friends, Will."
"There was a time I thought I was a ferret," Will said, "but that turned out to be the opium haze.”
“And I think that you do not understand that sometimes the only choice is between acceptance and madness.”
“How rude. Many who have gazed upon me have compared the experience to gazing
at the radiance of the sun."
Jem still had his eyes closed. "If they mean it gives you a headache, they aren't wrong.”
Sunday, 1 January 2012
Happy New Year!!!! And The Journey Has Begun!
Now as you have probably noticed I like to ramble, and about the most random things. That's how I am so if you're not ready to listen to ( well more like read) to ramblings of a teenager I suggest you exit out of here.Just click the x and you'll be free of me!
Okay so I had the intention of talking about reading from the 1st paragraph but as that didn't happen here it is. In 2011 I read maybe 25 books...maybe. That is disgraceful. I can't believe that happened, so this year I am giving myself a kick up my backside and aiming to read at least 105 books. The reading challenges are a godsend.I am the type of person that likes to prove to myself that I can do it. So this year I will continue with my obsession of Historical Fiction, Mysteries and Sci-Fi. And find other worlds with the help of Classics and Young Adult Books.
I might not update this as frequently as I can and I might not read as much as I would like to. But school comes before anything and when I come back from Christmas Holidays the pressure will be on. As this is my last year of secondary school and those who live in the UK know how important this year is. So I apologize in advance.
Ultimately my goal for 2012 is to find a gem or gems in the world of literature.
Thank You for taking your time to listen to a ramblings of a hormonal teenager and have a Happy New Year and I Hope Your Wishes Will Come True!!!
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