Book Haul: May and June

Hey! It's time to start something new and do a book haul!!!! Woah! Crazy! I know. I'm not sure if I'm mentioned this before but up until May I was a college student studying Early Childhood Education and if you're not sure what that means, it means I was training to be a Preschool Teacher. I have finished the program and am now working with an awesome staff and group of 2/3 year olds in my home town. This also means that I recently moved from the city to super small town... without a book store! So I stocked up the last week I was in school and the week I went to go visit some friends on books from so many places and I can't wait to share all the new books I bought with you. I'm not sure how this will be organized, so brace yourself.

  

  

              

Thanks for reading,

Love,

Sidny

Book Review: Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

Title: Inkheart
Author: Cornelia Funke
Series/Novel: Inkworld (Book #1)
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Fiction
Pages: 534
Publisher: The Chicken House
Year Published: 2003
First Line: "Rain fell that night, a fine, whispering rain."

"Twelve year old Meggie learns that her father, who repairs and binds books for a living can 'read' fictional characters to life when one of those characters abducts them and tries to force him into service.
Characters from books literally leap off the pages in this engrossing fantasy. Meggie has had her father to herself since her mother went away when she was young. Mo taught her to read when she was five, and the two share a mutual love of books. When she was three, he read aloud from a book called Inkheart and released characters into the real world. At the same time, Meggie's mother disappeared into the story. This 'story within a story' will delight not just fantasy fans, but all readers who like an exciting plot with larger-than-life characters."

My Rating: 4/5

So to start this off I have read this book before. I know, so does this count as a first opinion. No! In my defence, I read these books when I was 13, so about 8 years ago. I did really enjoy this novel. It was thrilling to get back into a story about a story. It's a fantastic idea that is well portrayed through writing. The characters are deep and easy to love. They are complex characters who show many different sides throughout the book, but all in all there aren't many character twists. Which both makes me happy but also disappoints me a little. For example, I could predict how a character would react to another character without a problem. Cornelia Funke does this without making the plot boring. 
I also enjoyed two separate settings, the one we hear about second hand in the story Inkheart, and the setting throughout the country side with out main characters throughout. 
I would definitely recommend this story for younger teenagers anywhere from 14 and up, as there is no sexual content, just a few joking lines that may go over some heads.
I'm hoping to pick up the second and third book later this month to finish the trilogy.

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Spoiler: Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

So as I mentioned previously, in other reviews as well as the one above, I have read this book before. So I'm coming into the book already know what it's about for the most part, and refreshing my mind. And let me tell you, my 13 year old self missed many jokes and over time I had forgotten many aspects of this first instalment in the Inkworld series.
I loved this book the first time I read it and loved it just as much this time. The characters are well written and make decisions that correlate with their traits. The plot is interesting and unique. Finally the setting is magical and fantastic. 
Let's be honest, if you enjoy reading, you have though out about reading out a character, or what your life would be like if you were either in the book or the character was in your world. And if you haven't, it's just me over here.... being strange.
This story follows Meg, Mo and Dustfinger three unique characters whose stories line up to interact. Throughout the novel we see a bringing together of two stories, one from which Dustfinger rose and the story that Mo and Meg are living. I found it very interesting to see how they align, along with the addition of different characters both villainous and otherwise.

Characters:
Mo: A protective father, who is so brave in the face of Capricorn. That being said, I wonder how long he was lost without his wife, as we see Meggie starts to notice. I do enjoy his character and the way he is so resilient in the face of someone who calls himself the devil. His voice is also described so beautifully.

Meggie: Being a preteen is already so hard, imagine having strange villains and a whole world thrown into that. Also not knowing who to trust with everything going on. Finding out that your mother got sucked into a book isn't scary enough, but the idea that your father can read things right out is just as scary. I do love this idea and the way she handles all the craziness.

Dustfinger: Oh Dustfinger, you give me the feels. You're homesickness is crazy sad. I totally get it though why he needs the book and doesn't want to know how his story's end. I'm so excited to see how his character reacts to being in the world longer. I like him which seems to be an unpopular opinion.

Elinor: Girl, you so sassy. Also your library scene was the so horrible. I hope that we get to continue reading more about her.

Farid: You and Meggie. It's only a matter of time. Also tell me about your past.

Capricorn: He was a great villain. He had minimum fear and a huge following. I was pretty afraid of him. I won't lie. The description of him as well was horrifying. I'm excited to see how his death continues to impact the story.

Basta: What is going to happen to you? Where did you go? Superstition will always follow this guy.

Resa: Excited to have her back in the story, but wondering to see how it affects the story. Also will she get her voice back.


Moments to Remember:
Pg. 243
"'He might tell me how my story ends,' he murmured.
Meggie looked at him in astonishment. 'You mean you don't know?'
Dustfinger smiled. Meggie still didn't particularly like his smile. It seemed to appear only to hide something else.
'What's so unusual about that, princess?' he asked quietly. 'Do you know how your story ends?'"

Pg. 428
"She wasn't sure which she wanted to do most, fling her arms around his neck or hit him hard enough to hurt."

Final Line: "As Mo had said: writing stories is a kind of magic, too."

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

New TBR

So after moving home from the city I've made some organizational changes. I've decided to have a TBR pile that is organized by authors last name. And since I've boughten so many books from newer years I'm trying to read newer books first. Many of the books I buy are the first in a series which means I will continue the series after I read the first book if I like it. 

My immediate TBR is:

The rest of THE SELECTION SERIES which I have on order from the nearest bookstore (3 hours away). 

   

The New Hunger by Isaac Marion

Inkspell and Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke (which I will be borrowing from the library)

 

I Was Here by Gayle Forman

Half Bad by Sally Green (the rest of the series to come if I enjoy it)

Last Summer by Holly Chamberlin

The Alphabetical TBR (sort of):

Omens by Kelley Armstrong

Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

Deep Blue by Jennifer Donnely

The Sometimes Daughter by Sherri Wood Emmons

Lost by Joy Fielding

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

What We Saw by Aaron Hartzler

The Rapture by Liz Jensen

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Proxy by Alex London

I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Samantha Van Leer: Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult

The Bodies We Wear by Jeyn Roberts

The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

An Ember In The Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

The Haven by Carol Lynch Williams

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

Thanks for reading,

Love,

Sidny

Where are the posts?!?

Hi ladies and gents,
I know its been a long time since I have posted a review and/or spoiler. This may seem alarming to some, but likely not to much.
So the real question is, what have I been up to and do I have an excuse?
I've come up with an idea to get more reviews and spoilers posted regularly I just need some time to perfect the idea. My new goal is to read 4 books a month and hope to be posting once a week. So I have read 2/4 books and will be prewriting spoilers and reviews about a month in advance of posting. This is how I hope to get more books read and posts more regular on this blog. 
We all know that life is busy so I don't want to waste anyone's time, but still really want to share my passion. I have also thought about doing book hauls and this summer I've bought many of books so I hope to be posting that soon for everyone to read!

If anyone has any suggestions, comments or questions, please email me or leave a comment below and I will get to you asap.

Till then, happy reading!

Love,
Sidny

Update: Construction?

So if you're a regular on this blog,  then you've noticed some changes. I'm changing some of the layout and deciding what suits me now as an adult, as I haven't changed a lot of the design until now. I've changed so much in the past 5 or so years and this design just didn't match who I was anyone. If anyone has any ideas of what might look better or work better for readers, please let me know.
I wish you all the best,
Sidny

Book Review: The Rose and The Dagger by Renee Ahdieh

Title: The Rose and The Dagger
Author: Renee Ahdieh
Series/Novel: The Wrath and The Dawn Series (#2)
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance
Pages: 406
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Year Published: 2016
First Line: "The girl was eleven and three quarters."

"In a land on the brink of war, Shahrzad has been torn from the love of her husband Khalid, the Caliph of Khorasan. She once believed him a monster, but his secrets revealed a man tormented by guilt and a powerful curse- one that might keep them apart forever. Reunited with her family, who have taken refuge with enemies of Khalid, and Tariq, her childhood sweetheart, she should be happy. But Tariq now commands forces set on destroying Khalid's empire. Shahrzad is almost a prisoner caught between loyalties to people she loves. But she refused to be a pawn and decides a plan.
While her father, Jahndar, continues to play with magical forces he doesn't yet understand, Shahrzad tries to uncover powers that may lie dormant within her. With the help of a tattered old carpet and tempestuous but sage young man, Shahrzad will attempt to break the curse and reunite with her one true love."

My Rating: 4/5

This second and final instalment in The Wrath and The Dawn duology follows many characters from the previous novel. Some we grew to know quite well in the first book and others at first a bit of a mystery. This second book wraps up the love of a boy-king, a calipha and a childhood love with a bow on top. Not to mention the diversity, use of fantasy aspects and approach to the story that were all in all incredible.  I think that this book did pale a bit when compared to the first one, but this could be because of the busy time schedule I read it in as well. I found that it was hard to want to keep up with the book in the beginning as it started at a slow pace, but by the mid way point I was once again wrapped up in the different setting, interesting characters and fantastic use of plot. The twists and turns are surprising but exciting to endure and not over the top.
Overall this was a good way to end a series and I look forward to see what other books Renee Ahdieh brings to the table over time and where she'll take her career next. 

Thanks for reading,
Love,
Sidny

Spoiler: The Rose and The Dagger by Renee Ahdieh

As mentioned in the review, this book was read during a pretty busy period of life, please excuse the scatter brain thoughts below.

So this is one of the only books I think I've read that is a part of duology. Now if you're like me, you're sitting there wondering who came up with this fantastic system to help describe a series, and I have no answers for you. But what I can say, is that it definitely worked for the story of The Wrath and The Dawn series. The two books fit together perfectly and although I am a fan of the first book, and believe the second to have taken a slight slump, I see them completed as a whole. They are told beautifully from many perspectives and in a unique setting. The descriptions were complex and beautiful, introducing uncommon aspects and describing them to readers who are willing to imagine.
These books had a great set of characters, although I found the second book to be hard to follow with the bouncing between characters. This being said, it was exactly what held the book together.

The story all in all wraps up with a great epilogue about the future and give the readers the perfect amount of answers, in my opinion.

The Characters:
Shazi: So Shazi became quite the powerhouse. Although her quick wit and stubbornness are what helped me enjoy her character. She would give all for those she loves and her character proves this time and time again. This being said, I found that Shazi in this book was a little less of a kick ass person in the first half. Having to live in a camp with your husbands enemies can do that to a girl. I do enjoy the ending of this story and how smart she is about her time in the dungeon. She is a wise character and while her temper is something else, I think that she was written perfectly. And the use of power with all this. Lovely!

Tariq: I'm the worst for saying this but Tariq needed to let Shazi go so badly. He was clearly hurting himself and Shazi, by acting as though he could change how she felt. Although he is stubborn he is not stubborn enough to change the feelings of another. But at the end it sounds like he was able to find someone to occupy his time, so that's good.

Khalid: He changed the first time we saw him. Back to the weary character he was in the first half of the story, but as time progresses we see his love for Shazi grow. We also know that he would do anything for his people, and those close to him. I enjoyed seeing him go to work to rebuild the city. That was a side of him I had never seen and I was intrigued by how people reacted to him. Also that army strategy though. Way to kick so a**.

Despina: I may have closed my book when we are reintroduced to Despina as a different person.  I was shocked and yet not so much that I was surprised. Although her acting skills are something else. She was able to find a way to save Shazi which I was excited to hear, but I'm curious about how she came to live in the castle with her not so husband husband.

Rahim: Hitting me right in the heart. What a great man, filled with honour and love for those around him. The loyalty though.

Irsa: I was glad that she was more of a part of this novel, because anyone with a sister knows that they are never far when you need them, but also when you don't. It was only a matter of time for her to appear. I enjoyed the description of how quiet and easy going she was and seeing the growth of her character being able to speak what she wanted. 

Moments to Remember:
Final Line: "'Then we begin with the first tale... 'Haroun and the Magic Carpet.'"

Thanks for reading,
Love,
Sidny