Another Birdie's Books Update

I just wanted to take the time to apologize for being such a bad and infrequent blogger this year. These past few months haven't been too good for me in terms of school and my personal life so it's kind of taken a toll on me and I haven't been motivated to post much. I'm trying to make more of an effort and carve out a specific time during the day for me to write some posts so bare with me as I try to figure out a schedule XD. I have a couple posts that I'm currently working on and really excited about so look out for those in the future! If you're interested in seeing what I've been reading lately I leave a link to my Goodreads page here.

Thanks for reading!
~Birdie

Ruined by Amy Tintera

Ruined by Amy Tintera
Published: HarperTeen, May 3rd, 2016
Pages: 368
Source: hardcover, purchased
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 2.5/5

How I Felt: I'm not sure how I feel about this book. This is one of those books where I put down and just felt confused. And not confused about the story or what was going on with the plot, just confused because I felt like I was playing a game of tennis and I was the ball. I honestly don't know how I feel about this book as a whole.

This book was told from 2 P.O.V.s, Em and Cas in alternating chapters told in third person narrative. I honestly felt like each character was completely different when they were being described by the other. For example, when Cas would talk about Em, I just felt like there was a total disconnect because that wasn't the vibe I was getting from reading her perspective at all. I don't know...it just felt a little weird, to be honest. There was also this one scene where the chapter was in Em's P.O.V. but then all of a sudden in the SAME PARAGRAPH, was a single line with a thought from Cas's perspective and that made me so confused I had to go back a few pages and start reading again but yup, he just decided to bust Em's brain bubble, say a line of thought, and then let her continue. Again...weird.

Also, there was little to no world building. It was just like, here are some people with powers, and here are some humans. They don't like each other. Cue the battle sequence. I have no idea how the Ruined developed their powers or how these different cities came to be and I don't know if I missed it but I'm pretty sure it was never mentioned.

There was also just so many mistakes and typos within this book as well. I understand that it happens occasionally with the first printing of a book but there had to have been at least three or four per chapter and it was just getting on my nerves after a while.

A lot of the writing/characters also fell flat to me. I felt like it was trying too hard to be this rich, lush, magical and mysterious fantasy world but the writing and the world-building/plotting just let it all fall flat. Also, many of the characters just felt one-dimensional and were only there to serve a specific purpose and then who cares what happened next. Damian especially. He was just there to provide drama in Em's past and then he was just cast aside. Justice for Damian. Aren as well, his only characteristic is that he's Em's protector friend who will be there for her no matter what. I wish there was more depth to his character; that we got to see more of his emotions and learn more about his past.

And Olivia...another weird thing in this book. We are literally told by the author for like 90% of the book how amazing Olivia is and how Em must save her because their sisterly bond is eternal and they need each other. Then we meet Olivia and the only way I can describe her is deranged. She's just so blood-thirsty and power-hungry and I couldn't understand how the person we've come to know as Em, someone who wants peace and change and acceptance among Ruina and Lera and all other kingdoms, can be so obsessed with the idea of rescuing a person who's just going to go on a killing spree when she's released. Olivia is just so similar to Wenda to me and something is just off about this for me. Even though Em has proved herself to be a butt-kicking female lead, it just didn't seem like it fit her character and something about this whole situation just felt a bit off to me and didn't flow right while I was reading.

Speaking of Wenda, I wish there would've been more flashbacks about her and her husband so we can learn more about Em's upbringing. Usually, I want less flashbacks in books because they tend to be boring, but I felt one was necessary here because again, we're constantly TOLD how scary she is and how bad of a person she is but we really only get one flashback and it isn't even her in action.

Overall, I didn't really like this book too much. It's a good, quick read if you're looking for something to get you out of a slump but I wouldn't go into this expecting an amazing fantasy read. I will be continuing on with the sequel because I'm interested in seeing where this continues. All in all, it was a little disappointing and very weird but I did like this author's previous series so I'll give this one a second chance.

Thanks for reading!
~Birdie

By Your Side by Kasie West

By Your Side by Kasie West
Published: HarperTeen, January 31st, 2017
Pages: 342
Source: paperback, purchased
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: 3.75/5

How I Felt: Kasie West is the contemporary queen. She is just able to write such amazing, cute contemporary romance reads that I can literally fly through and are guaranteed to make me feel better.

I don't know how I'd compare this to her other contemporaries, though, because this one was a little different for me. This one had a much more serious vibe and I was definitely able to relate to the main character more. I definitely connected with her about her struggles with anxiety and I just constantly felt so happy in a way while reading this because I just felt so understood. Most of the things Autumn experienced were things I've experienced in the past and it was just so nice to read a character who's going through the same thing. I'm so glad she was able to sort things out for herself by the end and is really starting to work on improving her mental health. So if I were to rank all of Kasie West's books I've read so far in terms of enjoyment I don't think I'd include this one just because it holds a special place in my heart and I think differently of it. I will say that I think this, relationship-wise, is the most realistic and relatable of all her contemporaries published so far.

3.75 Kasie West is the contemporary queen. She is just able to write such amazing, cute contemporary romance reads that I can literally fly through and are guaranteed to make me feel better. I don't know how I'd compare this to her other contemporaries, though, because this one was a little different for me. This one had a much more serious vibe and I was definitely able to relate to the main character more. I definitely connected with her about her struggles with anxiety and I just cons I will have to say that I'm a little disappointed that this book didn't include more of being trapped in the library. If you're going into this expecting it to just be about a girl and a guy stuck in a library together, it isn't. They're stuck in there for maybe a third of the book and then the rest is both of the main characters dealing with the consequences after their release. It's a much more serious book than the synopsis led me to believe and definitely deals with a lot of tough topics, which I can appreciate. I really liked how things worked out with Autumn and Jeff. I thought it was going to be a big dramatic mess but he was a stand-up guy and that was pretty refreshing to see in a contemporary YA love triangle. I thought West did a great job of really developing his character and there were parts where I felt undecided, like Autumn, because he really was a good guy and didn't deserve to be crushed. Can I just say that the romance in this book is spot. On. I love Autumn and Dax together and I ship them like nobody's business. They just have the absolute best chemistry and I just want an infinite amount of books about them. They're just so CUTE together, especially at the end when they're getting ready for that party and then are at the party. I just love them together because I feel like they do such a good job at balancing each other out and calming each other down and it was just so sweet to see. I definitely loved the scene where she was teaching him how to drive. Gah! The cuteness. One thing I would've liked to see more of in this book would be more involvement of Autumn's family in the overall story. They were present, but I'm just used to Kasie West books having a big emphasis on the importance of family and getting to see the family actually play a major part in the story so I was a little disappointed that we only got to see them a couple of times, especially because she writes that dynamic so well and it's rarely seen in YA. I also just want to say that I love Autumn's friend Lisa so much. I love how loyal she is to Autumn. There's this one scene in particular where she says that no matter what happens, she'll always be team Autumn and I just couldn't help but tear up. Their friendship is so beautiful to see and I'm so happy nothing came between them and they are just as strong as ever. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I definitely connected with it so much personally, but I also enjoyed the story and the writing. I only gave it 3.75 stars but that in no way means it wasn't a bad book. There were just a few things missing for me but I still really enjoyed it. I finished it in just over a day because I couldn't put it down. I definitely recommend this, or any of Kasie West's other contemporaries if you're looking for a cute, realistic romance to either get you out of a slump, or to just make you happy. I will read her books for as long as she writes them and I can't wait for her next contemporary to come out! Thanks for reading! ~Birdie

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco
Published: Jimmy Paterson, September 20th, 2016
Pages: 326
Source: Hardcover, borrowed from library
Genre: Historical Fiction/Sci-FI
Rating: 4/5

How I Felt: I absolutely loved this book! I picked it up because I'd heard nothing but good things and the synopsis was so interesting I couldn't resist. I was definitely not disappointed!

The writing is absolutely amazing. This is a debut book but it was just so well written you couldn't tell. I can't wait to read more from Maniscalco in the future. The writing did such an excellent job of transporting the reader to 19th century London and it was just amazing. I felt like I was a part of the story. I didn't feel the descriptions dragged on for too long as I feel about some books but there was just enough for you to completely visualize the story in your head. Everything from the setting to the wardrobe was just beautifully written.

Also, the mystery aspect was just so good. I don't know about others but personally I never saw the ending coming. I was so shocked. Maniscalco is so good at creating complex and mysterious characters I had no idea who to believe, who to trust, or who was Jack. It was brilliant. I loved it.

The only reason this isn't a five star read for me is because the beginning took me a little while to get into but once I was able to get invested it just hit the ground running and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.

I love Thomas Creswell. He is such a well written character I can't even. So complex, yet such a cinnamon roll I love him and Audrey Rose. Their banter back and forth is hilarious and adorable I loved every second of that.

I also thought her uncle was quite the interesting character. As well as her father. They're all just so complex half the time I thought they were all in on it. It was just so good, how many times am I going to say that.

I have to talk about Audrey Rose. Her character was just phenomenal. I loved getting to read from her perspective. She's just such a realistic character and she's so strong and intelligent she's just amazing to read about. An infinite amount of books with her please.

The ending bit with Audrey Rose and her father. Gah, that was so cute I loved it, it made me so so happy.

This was such a dark and atmospheric read. It was so interesting, and I loved how it incorporated real historical events because usually the historical fiction I've read in the past is loosely based on past events or is only historical in the sense that it takes place in the past but doesn't include actual events.

Overall, I loved this book so much. I definitely suggest you pick this up if you can stomach a little bit of gore. But if you can get past that and are looking for a good YA mystery or are just interested in Jack the Ripper this one is for you. Soooo good. I can't wait for the next book, I can't wait to see where this goes! Eek! <3 I really wish I bought this so I could have my own copy to reread whenever I want. Ah! I need the second book now!!

(Also, the fanart for this book is absolutely stunning!)

Thanks for reading!

~Birdie

My Favourite Books of 2016!

Happy New Year booknerds! Another year gone by and bringing with it, a list of some phenomenal books I've read this year. These aren't necessarily books that were published in 2016, just books I read last year and adored. Also, for the first time ever on this blog, they are in order of least favourite of the favourites to ultimate #1 favourite of the year. Here they are!


10. Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas
I read this book earlier in the year and wow did I enjoy it. I just love this world and Maas' writing, it's just such a fun fantasy series and I can't wait to see where the next books take the story. I know there are some problematic elements to this series but I just enjoy it for what it is, it isn't the best but I find it so much fun.

9. The Wrath and the Dawn and The Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh
Okay, this one is cheating a bit but I just love this duology so much. My friend and I read it together and we both couldn't stop fangirling together. I love Shazi's strength and I thought she was just such a beautiful character, I loved getting to see from her perspective. I also love Khalid. Oh, Khalid. Precious cinnamon roll. These books are just so good I highly recommend them.

8. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
I think it's safe to say this is on a whole lot of lists this year and at the risk of sounding redundant, I'm going to keep this short. I read both ACOTAR and this book last year but I definitely enjoyed ACOMAF more. I loved all the new characters we met in this and I'm so interested to see where the story will go from here.

7. How to Love by Katie Cotugno
I got this as a birthday present from my friend so I picked it up right away and fell in love. I loved the story. It's about a single teen mom trying to make a better life for herself and her kid when the father of her daughter comes back into town and things get complicated. It was so good. I was an emotional, sobbing mess after I read this. It's written from two points in time and the story intertwines and it's just so beautiful everyone needs to read it.

6. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Another book many people have on their list this year. I picked it up because of all the hype so I was a little hesitant but boy did it live up to my expectations. The writing was so amazing I was left constantly sitting there in awe of the plot twists and the overall genius of the characters and the author. This is definitely a book you should read, and you don't really need to read the Grisha trilogy to understand it but I did, and there are a few small references but it's more for nostalgia rather than aiding in development of the plot.

5. Scarlet, Lady Theif, and Lion Heart by A.C. Gaughen
Okay, I'm cheating again but I can't pick I love all these books so much they're fantastic! I picked them up from the library on a whim because I've never read a Robin Hood retelling and I love that tale so I decided to give this a chance since I never heard anyone talking about it before. BEST DECISION I EVER MADE. These books were absolutely phenomenal. I flew through them as quick as I can. I want the author to write more books because these were just so good. I love the characters, the action, the plot, the romance it was all just magical and perfect!! I highly highly recommend this series because I've never heard anyone talk about it and it's just SO GOOD.

4. Quiet: the Power of Introverts in a World that can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain
Surprise, surprise, a non-fiction book has made the list. *pat on the back to me* I was browsing around introvert videos on YouTube when I came across Susan Cain's TED talk and I just felt so understood by her and her words (as cheesy as it sounds) that I had to pick up her book. This book analyzes what constitutes an introvert, the different types of introverts, and the role of an introvert in the modern world. I just found this to be so intriguing and I finally felt like I had a place and that finally someone came out and said that being an introvert is not a bad thing. Being an introvert all my life, I've constantly been told that it's a bad trait to have and that I should get rid of it and become more outgoing and talkative. This book really moved me and even if you're not an introvert, I definitely suggest picking this one up.

3. The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis
Over the last couple years, Mindy McGinnis has become one of my favourite authors. She does such a good job of writing realistic, gritty yet truthful books that are full of emotion and don't always have a happy ending. This book is about rape culture and is so important. We follow a girl named Alex and a few years ago her sister was raped and killed. We follow her and two others as they try to grow and live with themselves after various tragedies in their lives. There is a trigger warning for rape in this so if you can stomach reading something about that topic I highly suggest giving this a go. So moving.

2. Daughter of Deep Silence by Carrie Ryan
I did not expect to love this book, let alone have it be in my top two favourites of the year. This book came out of nowhere for me. I just picked it up on a whim at the library after hearing mediocre things about it online. Then when I started reading, I became completely engrossed in the story. The characters were just so multifaceted and I never knew who to trust. The mystery aspect definitely kept me at the edge of my seat and I loved getting to see the main character's internal struggle between good and evil. Definitely give this a go.

1. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
Alas, my favourite book of the year hands down is this. This is the first Sepetys book I read this year (I've now read them all) and while the other were just as phenomenal, this is the one that stuck with me the most. My friend recommended this to me because she loved it and I'm so glad she urged me to pick it up. It was just so beautiful. If you ever get the chance, please, pick this one up. It's the untold story of the fate of the Lithuanians and other Baltic countries during and after WW2 and is so emotional, moving and heart warming. There's also a movie coming out about this soon called Ashes in the Snow and I can't wait for that. Honestly, everything Ruta writes is amazing and just take your pick, you'll love whatever of hers you read. I hope she writes a million more books in the future because she is such a talented writer and I want an infinite amount of her books.



Well, that's all for now. I hope you had a great reading year in 2016 and I hope 2017 will be even better!

Thanks for reading!
~Birdie

My Least Favourite Books of 2016!

Welcome back to Birdie's Books! After a long hiatus I'm back with a new post! I've been seeing a lot of people talk about their favourite and least favourite books of the year and I've enjoyed doing this in the past so I'm bringing it back to this blog for this year. I wanted to start off with my least favourites to rip off the Band-Aid, if you will. I want to put it out there that if you enjoyed these books I've listed I'm in no way trying to belittle you or insult you. I'm just sharing my personal opinion and am in no way trying to be mean. I also want to let it be known that these are in no particular order. Here we go!

1. The Scorpion Rules by Erin Bow
I read this in the very beginning of 2016 and was my first 1 star book of the year. I think I might just name this my least favourite book of the year. I just didn't like the writing at all and I was so confused as to the origins of this world and how anything made sense. I was constantly confused and I thought a lot of what happened was so dumb. Ok, rant over. If you want to see more of my thoughts, I'll leave my review here.

2. That Boy by Jillian Dodd
Another book I didn't like because of the writing. I think that's going to be a theme here. The writing was just so frustrating and pointless. I was looking for a cheesy romance to read when I was feeling sad and couldn't even have that! The back and forth between the love triangle just got so tiring and again...THE WRITING. My gosh, I remember this one part so vividly because it was the biggest wtf moment I've ever had while reading a book: there was literally a good page of her talking about the history of beanpoles and what a beanpole is. I digress. Here's my review.

3. Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay
I was so excited to read this book because I've seen so many positive reviews and I was so ready to read a Sleeping Beauty retelling but boyyy was I disappointed. Another book where, guess what, the writing was so slow and boring. I honestly skim read so much of this book, which is something I rarely do, because I literally could not keep my eyes open while reading this. The characters are on a long journey for the majority of this book and I just couldn't take the constant descriptions of landscapes. Sure, it adds to the world, but after 20+ pages of description I think I get the picture. There was also little to no world building which I found made the story extremely confusing. I have a Goodreads review that I'll leave here if you're interested.

4. Lady Renegades by Rachel Hawkins
This is a least favourite for me of this year because I just found it so disappointing. It felt more like the author was trying to get the series over with and get a conclusion out there rather than completely wrap up the story. Everything was a little bit rushed and didn't have the same feel as the first few books. I loved the first one so much; it definitely started the series out with a bang. But sadly, the sequels weren't able to meet the high standard. The humor and action that I loved in the first book just felt muted in this one. Another Goodreads review of mine.

5. Run by Kody Keplinger
I was highly anticipating this book because I loved the DUFF by the same author. I enjoyed getting to see from the perspective of someone who was legally blind and that the two P.O.Vs took place at different times but again, the writing. I just didn't find myself getting attached to the characters much and never found myself really getting into the story. I found both the main protagonists to be so immature and rude to both their parents, and to each other. The ending had me fuming. The only character I liked was Colt. Sweet cinnamon roll I wish we got more of him. I have a more in-depth review if you're interested in reading more of my thoughts.

6. 99 Days by Katie Cotugno
Welllll are you in for an angry rant? I picked this book up because my friend was reading it and I wanted to give it a try too. Let me tell you, after reading this book, I am so done with the girl-has-to-decide-between-two-brothers trope. This book had me frustrated to no end. Patrick was so snotty and just plain mean to Molly for the whole book I couldn't take it. And Molly kept going back and forth between Gabe and him for the whole book. The whole situation was just toxic and I couldn't stand any of it. Molly should've just moved on from that family completely and lived her own life. I couldn't stand that she was so impulsive and didn't think through any of her actions. The only thing I really liked about this book (and was what made me give it an extra star) was Molly's relationship with Pen and her kids. These scenes were my favourite scenes in the whole book. You can find my review on my blog here.

Alright, so that's about it. Out of 83 books there were only 6 I didn't like, not too shabby. Like I said before, if you liked these books I have absolutely nothing against you, every one has their own opinion. I hope you guys had an amazing Christmas and I'll hopefully have another post up soon.

Thanks for reading!
~Birdie

99 Days by Katie Cotugno

99 Days by Katie Cotugno
Published: Balzer + Bray, April 21st, 2015
Pages: 384
Source: Hardcover, borrowed (library)
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: 2/5

How I Felt: This was just one big disappointment. I've heard nothing but good things about this book and I really loved Katie Cotugno's first book so I was so looking forward to this, but to me, it was just one big flop.

I didn't like the characters, I didn't like the plot, everything that happened just seemed so stupid and immature to me, and everything that came out of the character's mouths just had me rolling my eyes so hard.

Molly was just so dumb. Everything she did was based on impulse and just had me screaming No! at the top of my lungs. If there was one song that would literally describe this book perfectly it would be Say No to This from Hamilton. I literally just had that song stuck in my head the entire time I was reading this. Just no.

I think the reason this just didn't sit well with me because there was so much cheating. The main character just kept cheating on and with the same two guys (and they're brothers!) over and over again with no remorse whatsoever. The biggest regret she had about this whole situation was what it did to her reputation and I couldn't stomach that. It was just too messy for me and I absolutely hated this aspect of this book. It just felt like one huge cycle and nobody learned anything from it.

To me, this book was so immature and filled with too much angst and emotions all squished together to create an interesting romance plot. But, like...no. I just couldn't get passed all the stupidity coming from Gabe, Patrick and Molly. Gosh. Even Julia, Tess and Imogen started really getting on my nerves.

The only part of the story I actually liked (an is the main reason for the generous rating of two stars) was Molly's relationship with Pen and her kids. I really wish that storyline was more fleshed out and present more because it was literally the only redeeming quality of this book. I also wish we could've seen more of the relationship between Molly and the boys' mother, Connie. The one flash we got of it at the end of the story was so heartwarming and I would've liked to see more flashbacks into their relationship instead of all these stupid flashbacks with Patrick.

Another part that annoyed me was when Molly went off on a little rant about how she doesn't like to read and thinks it a boring pass time, blah blah blah. I mean, everyone's entitled to their own opinion but I'M LITERALLY READING A WHOLE FREAKING BOOK ABOUT YOUR LIFE whatever.

I'm glad I borrowed this from the library instead of spending my own money on it. I had so much hope for this. I will consider reading more of Katie Cotugno's books in the future if the synopsis intrigues me but after this one I'm going to be a bit more cautious.

Now let's talk about the brothers. Oh, those dreamy Donnelly brothers. I could tell from the beginning what was going on but of course, Molly has to be so naïve and unobservant that she has no clue what's going on until the very end. Please. Patrick especially was getting under my skin. He was so quick to throw around words and call Molly a whole lot of nasty things. He deserved those punches. Gabe I did like and I'm sad he got hurt. Of course, he had his moments of total aggravation but I was rooting for him.

All this being said, I do know a whole lot of people who loved this book so if this sounds like a cute, cheesy contemporary you'd like, by all means pick it up. I think I'm just the one with the unpopular opinion here.

Overall, this just wasn't my type of book. The fact that it took me a while to get into it should've been a clue. Sadly, this didn't live up to my expectations I set based off of reading and loving her previous book, How to Love. Although, if you love cheesy, cutesy contemporaries I suggest you give this a go.

Thanks for reading!

~Birdie

*Info on book taken from Goodreads.com*
*Images taken from Google.ca