Crown of Coral and Pearl By: Mara Rutherford

Firstly, the cover is lovely as is the title. I was intrigued right away and then even more so when I read the description. And I am truly glad I read this one! I was hooked immediately by the characters and the setting. The dynamic between the sisters was wonderfully done and you could really feel their love for each other. The setting was beautifully described, the sun, the heat, the saltiness of the ocean. It was all perfect. It doesn’t take long for the story to really pick up, either, and once it did it was impossible to put down. The story takes a darker turn, but it is well worth the read. Nor is an amazing and strong main character and I liked her a lot. The only thing about this book was that I found the ending to be rather abrupt and felt it could have been fleshed out a bit more, but otherwise this was just a great read! Highly recommend.

A Sorcery of Thorns by: Margaret Rogerson

I loved this. I loved this so much. I had previously read An Enchantment of Ravens and enjoyed that greatly, but this book was so much more. A book about sorcery, libraries and magical books. Did I mention magical books? This book is a fantasy and book-lover’s dream. It at once had mystery, fantasy, a lovely romance and just the right amount of suspense. Also Silas. He was amazing. Such a well done character. All the characters were well done, but he truly stood out and was extremely well written I enjoyed this book so much. I am definitely going to buy myself a copy when it is released. I would also buy this for friends as a gift ’cause I feel like anyone that loves books and magic would adore this book as much as I did.

This book was given to me by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Jane Eyre – Manga Classics

Jane Eyre is one of my favorite stories. I also love manga, so this was exciting for me. I absolutely loved it. Everything was completely true to the story and it was so well done. The artwork was beautiful and expressive and made the story flow perfectly. This was a great new way to enjoy a favorite classic. Every important part of the story was there, perfectly encapsulated in the manga format. It was easy to get used to reading it right to left and I was swept along in the story and drawings. I will definitely be reading more manga classics, this was a fun, fresh take on a classic.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

 

The Iron Flower by: Laurie Forest

I loved this book. I enjoyed it more than the first. The characters developed magnificently along with the plot. The author did an amazing job of making everything seem hopeless, but the characters are resilient and strong, doing their best to overcome even the most difficult obstacles. The romance was beautiful and the descriptions perfect. The world was intriguing and what I enjoyed and found a little bit worrying was how relevant this book is. The author shows how terrible the world is when racism is dominant. How everything gets torn apart through prejudice, judgment and assumptions. This book shows the importance of acceptance, friendship and love. It was a thrilling, beautifully written novel and I cant wait for the third installment!

This book was provided to me by Netgalley for an honest review.

Seraphina By: Rachel Hartman

 

When I picked up this book, I really had no idea what to expect. Part of me thought it would be just another lame dragon book, but luckily I was proven wrong. There was very extensive world building, which I noticed right off the bat. It really added to the overall story line and I quite enjoyed it. The characters were very well developed and I loved Seraphina. She is a strong, brave female character, but she isn’t perfect or whiny. The romance was subtle but sweet and developed nicely with the rest of the story. I really like what Rachel Hartman did with dragons in this story, I found it to be quite unique and thoroughly planned out. Overall, this book was a nice relaxing read without being boring and I look forward to the next one!

Winter By: Marissa Meyer

To say that I was excited about this book would be an understatement. And then to find out how long it was? So happy! And of course, it didn’t let me down. I jumped headfirst into this book and it didn’t let me go. I absolutely love the characters Marissa Meyer created in this series. They are flawed and they are full of life. The story was so well plotted with all of the fairy tales coming together perfectly. It was all so wonderfully done and I enjoyed every minute of it. So if you haven’t read the series at all. It begins with Cinder, Scarlet, Cress and then Winter. So go read them. If you haven’t, you’re really going to miss out. Who doesn’t love fairy tale recreations? Especially with a sci-fi twist? Hop to it! You won’t regret it!

Queen of Shadows By: Sarah J. Maas

All I can say about this is wow. Definitely the best book in the series thus far. This book drew me in immediately and didn’t let me go. Still hasn’t really. Everything developed so wonderfully, characters, plot, everything. Despite its length, this book felt too short. I really want to know what happens next. I really enjoy the different POVs in this series as well. It makes it much easier to get to know each character and see their development. I love Aelin because she seems like a character that could be real. I feel like I spent half of the time loving her and her decisions and the other half being frustrated with her. Anyway, loveloveloved this book and can’t wait for the next. Plus, awesome cover.

The Paris Winter By: Imogen Robertson

I’m not going to lie, the title and cover of this book drew my initial interest. The story involves a poor young artist in the city of Paris in the 1800’s. There is mystery, tragedy, art, romance and did I mention it takes place in Paris in the 1800’s? ‘Cause it does. And it was good. The writing was elegant, detailed and lovely. The protagonist is a young lady by the name of Maude Heighton and she is wonderful. She is tough, but kindhearted and I love that she is a fighter.  The twist, while expected was still surprising, if that makes any sense. Basically, you know something horrible is coming, but you don’t know when, what, or how. The story was brilliantly constructed and I loved every minute of it. If you are looking for a darker novel full of intrigue, mystery and very great characters, read this. Loved it!

 

Description from Amazon:

There is but one Paris.
Vincent Van Gogh Maud Heighton came to Lafond’s famous Academie to paint, and to flee the constraints of her small English town. It took all her courage to escape, but Paris, she quickly realizes, is no place for a light purse. While her fellow students enjoy the dazzling decadence of the Belle Epoque, Maud slips into poverty. Quietly starving, and dreading another cold Paris winter, she stumbles upon an opportunity when Christian Morel engages her as a live-in companion to his beautiful young sister, Sylvie. Maud is overjoyed by her good fortune. With a clean room, hot meals, and an umbrella to keep her dry, she is able to hold her head high as she strolls the streets of Montmartre. No longer hostage to poverty and hunger, Maud can at last devote herself to her art. But all is not as it seems. Christian and Sylvie, Maud soon discovers, are not quite the darlings they pretend to be. Sylvie has a secret addiction to opium and Christian has an ominous air of intrigue. As this dark and powerful tale progresses, Maud is drawn further into the Morels’ world of elegant deception. Their secrets become hers, and soon she is caught in a scheme of betrayal and revenge that will plunge her into the darkness that waits beneath this glittering city of light.

Bad Me

So I have been a terrible blogger this year. For many reasons (excuses): Surgery, work, art, and I became shamelessly addicted to Final Fantasy XXIV online. I’m a nerd. I love nerdy things. All the things. I have been reading, but not as much as I would like. Over this next year I really need to get my **** together. I hope I still have some readers left! I love you all! Things to come:

Reviews:

Winter By: Marissa Meyer

Queen of Shadows By: Sarah J. Maas

The Paris Winter By: Imogen Robertson

 

Death in theFloating City By: Tasha Alexander

Oh man, I’ve been so neglectful lately. I’m so sorry! I’ve been stuck playing Final Fantasy 14. Super addictive. Anyway, on to the review! This book is number seven in the Lady Emily mystery series. As the title suggests, it takes place in Venice, the floating city. This was a very interesting mystery. This author does not skimp on the details of the historical city and it is magical to experience. Venice has always been one of the places I want to visit. This book of course, is also a mystery and one Lady Emily has to solve for an old friend. This book has plenty of suspense, romance, and just a general cozy mystery feeling. I would definitely recommend this one and I also recommend continuing the series. I’m currently on number eight, Behind the Shattered Glass.