Supermarket by Bobby Hall

Supermarket by Bobby Hall

Published: March 26th, 2019, Simon & Schuster
Pages: 272 
Source: Paperback, purchased
Genre: Thriller
Rating: 1.5/5

How I Felt: I love Hall's music so when I heard he had come out with a book I immediately picked it up. I really wanted to love this.

I want to preface this review by saying that the majority of other reviews I've read have said that the plot of this book is very similar to Fight Club but I've never read the book or seen the movie so I can't attest to the accuracy of that claim.

There were so many things I had issues with in this book and I wish that wasn't the case. I really do think Hall has potential as a writer and I'll eagerly pick up any other books he writes in the future.

One thing I loved about this book and thought was well done was the depiction of anxiety and depression. I admire Hall for having the courage to write about something that affects him so much and I related to his sentiments.

(I have a few quotes I want to share throughout this review because some of them were poignant to me and others are just for the sake of explaining why I found problems with his overall writing style.)

"I couldn't understand why my body felt this way because I wasn't freaking out in my mind--it was my body that felt out of control" (pg. 78-79). This quote in particular hit close to home for me because I often feel this way in a panic attack. It was startling to me to read the words of someone who just gets it, you know?

Another quote I thought was interesting was when he was describing the retail industry and how it feels to work in a service-type job. "Your sole purpose is to blindly serve people who don't give two sh*ts about your own happiness or future." (pg. 19) This stood out to me because it was one of the most relatable quotes I've read in a "celebrity" book. It was thought-provoking to me so I thought I'd share it.

Ok, so the writing. It was...messy to say the least. It felt very unpolished and informal. One of my biggest pet peeves is when narrators break the fourth wall and talk directly to the reader and Hall did that a lot in this book. It became annoying after a while. This is just my personal preference, though. I don't see how it added to the story but that could just be me.

Also, the characterization. Mia just felt like a cookie-cutter, perfect modern girl. I've seen in a couple reviews that her description is very similar to Hall's ex-wife but again, I don't know enough information about that to confirm or deny. I just thought she was bland and only there to give Flynn something to strive for. It was a very dated approach at forming the character of the token girlfriend.

What I also noticed was that for the first half of the story, most of the side characters or brief descriptions we get for clothing are all almost the exact same. It seems the standard uniform for a man is black shoes, blue jeans, and a white shirt. I made a note of it on page 34 after I'd already seen it mentioned a couple times and it got under my skin.

Foreshadowing is used A LOT in this book, and it's very obvious. I love a good foreshadow when it's subtle enough you don't realize how all the pieces fit until the end. Then you can go back and scream about how brilliantly plotted the story was. In this book, however, it felt like I was an animal being led directly to the food and I couldn't find it myself. (That's probably a horrible analogy, I apologize.) It's like the author wanted you to KNOW he was foreshadowing, which spoiled all the fun lol.

There's also a moment where Flynn literally describes the entire plot of "Sphere" (a book that was later turned into a movie) complete with a "spoiler alert" and all. I saw that and literally closed the book for a second because it was so unnecessary and strange??? Like,,,, WHY was that included?? I digress.

Hall also often used phrases like "You know the one" etc. to describe things and it just seemed lazy to me. Not to mention hecka informal. Another thing that bothered me (more so in the first half) was the over usage of similes. Literally ANYTHING and EVERYTHING was described using a simile. There were some outlandish ones too but I don't want to make this review longer than it has to be by including them aksjdhakjsd

It was an interesting concept to me, (take that with a grain of salt as I'm unfamiliar with the story of Fight Club) but I just felt like the writing wasn't able to hit the mark. I really wanted this book to be great.

Overall, I was really disappointed by this book. I didn't go into it expecting a masterpiece or anything but I still was hoping it would be better. I can't say I recommend reading this but I'll be keeping an eye out for more Hall books in the future. Maybe pick this up if you're a mega-fan? But this just was not it for me.

Thanks for reading!
~Birdie

An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson
Published: September 26th 2017, Margaret K. McElderry Books

Pages: 297
Source: Library, hardcover
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 3.75/5

How I Felt: This book was so atmospheric and the writing was so beautiful. There were so many parts of this book I liked but I also had a few problems.

For one, this book didn't live up to my expectations at all. With the way everyone was raving about it when it was first released I was expecting it to be a phenomenal, mind-blowing, unique faerie book and while it was unique and interesting, it just felt like it was trying to be like the ACOTAR series and I couldn't stop drawing comparisons. Also, I was expecting Rook's character to be a lot more brooding, dark, and mysterious but after like 10 pages of walking through the forest he opened right up and spilled his heart out to Isobel. There wasn't even any real court intrigue. In fact, WE DIDN'T EVEN GET TO SEE HIS COURT that he was the so-called prince of.

That brings me to another point. The pacing and the overall plot of this book. To me, everything except world building was lacking in this book. For the majority of the story, probably up until the halfway point, we're just trudging along in the forest with Isobel and Rook and we never even get to really see the faerie lands as a whole and learn their politics. We see a lot of the spring lands but they only make up a fraction of the mystical realm that's so built up over the course of the story.

There was so much potential for this story but I just feel like it wasn't utilized to its potential. I think it was the structure of the story as a whole that didn't really vibe with me. There were so many interesting things that could've happened instead, that I won't mention because of spoilers, to send the plot down a darker or more interesting route, in my opinion. I appreciate that this book I a fantasy standalone and I wish there were more of those but I think that if this was to be a strong standalone book it needed to be a little longer to iron out certain parts of the plot but also cut back on scenes I found to be tedious.

On that note, I found the ending to be way to rushed and just easy. There was never any real threat to the characters. I never felt scared for them. And at the one point near the end of the story where there's an interesting conflict brewing between multiple characters that would create danger and uncertainty it's just like nope, not gonna happen onto the next scene. A perfect moment for conflict GONE. It was a little frustrating.

This is a mild spoiler but I'm just going to quickly mention it: The ending was tied up in too neat of a happy little bow for me to fully enjoy it and connect with the characters.

Personally, I really enjoyed the world building, magic system, and dynamics between the fae and humans in Whimsy. I thought it was so unique, interesting, and well-written. But I had a lot of problems with the development of the characters. I just didn't really connect with any of the characters and found a lot of them to be flat and one-dimensional. A lot of them were just there as props to further the plot and they weren't fleshed out or given real dynamic personalities to me. Isobel often also annoyed me at times in her narration and I can't quite put my finger on why but sometimes she just got under my skin. She had her moments of cleverness that made me cheer her on but there were also times I wanted to roll my eyes.

On a superficial level I can say I enjoyed the romance and how it ended just because I'm sappy like that but it was a little insta-lovey at times. They were cute as a couple at the end but their relationship for most of the book was a little unbelievable to me just because they knew so little about each other.

I'm aware I might be a little over critical of this book but it's only because I went into it with the highest of expectations and was let down more than once. It's an enjoyable book, don't get me wrong. It just didn't live up to what I was thinking it was going to be.

One of my favourite parts of the book that I found so funny and unique were the goat sisters March and May. They were just hilarious in their shenanigans and banter and honestly were some of my favourite characters. I wish we could've gotten to know Emma more.

Overall, this book didn't completely live up to my expectations but I still enjoyed my time reading it. I highly recommend it if you're looking for a quick fantasy read with amazing world building and an interesting take on fae. I can't wait to read more from Rogerson in the future and I really did enjoy this book, despite all my criticisms.

Thanks for reading!
~Birdie

Top 12 Books of 2017!

Hello, welcome back! Wow, that was a long break. My life has been crazy this year and I haven't been motivated or had the energy to make posts but I've missed it so much. I had to come back before the end of the year because I love wrapping up my favourite and least favourite books of the year. I decided to start off with my favourites this time around because I've been much more critical with the books I read this year. I've been very hesitant to give out 5 star ratings and the majority of the books I read this year were either 2 or 3 stars so you know I absolutely loved the ones on this list. Without further ado, in no particular order, here are my favourite books of the year! (I'll leave a link to my goodreads review for each book if you want to know more of my thoughts.)

1. Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
This was the first book I read this year and I flew through the whole thing on New Year's Day because I couldn't put it down. I absolutely love these books. The world is so mysterious and cool and the characters are hilarious and kick-butt! Even despite the fact that this is told through a collection of files and not a direct narration from the characters, I've never felt a problem connecting with each of them and following along with their stories. I loved this book so much and can't wait for the next one. It's definitely one of my all time favourite series.

2. The Winner's Curse series by Marie Rutkoski (The Winner's Curse, The Winner's Crime, The Winner's Kiss)
I marathon read this series because it was so interesting and I read the first chapter on a whim and then couldn't stop. I also read these books at the same time I was learning about ancient Rome in school so a lot of the battle techniques were things I was actually learning about so I found that fun and made my reading experience that much more real to me. The writing in these books is phenomenal and I absolutely love the characters; how they think, interact, everything!! I highly recommend these books. I couldn't decide between them because I surprisingly loved each of them equally!

3. The Girl of Fire and Thorns series by Rae Carson (The Girl of Fire and Thorns, The Crown of Embers, The Bitter Kingdom)
I picked up this series because I knew it was a well-loved political fantasy series and after the Winner's series, I was looking for some more books from that genre. This didn't disappoint at all! To this day and for the rest of my life, I will always love Hector. Elisa was just such a realistic character and I loved how she was written. She had some of the best character development I've ever read about and again, the writing in this series was so surprisingly good, I loved every single book in this series and there wasn't one I felt was boring.

4. Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco
After hearing so many good things about this book, I decided to pick it up and give it a chance. Surprise! I loved it. Audrey Rose was such a brilliant and strong female character. I loved reading about her solving mysteries. Her banter with Thomas was also hilarious. The writing was so atmospheric and beautiful and while it was a slow read that takes a bit getting used to, it was worth it and I loved it so much. I can't wait to dive into the sequel; hopefully I love it as much as this one!

5. Heartless by Marissa Meyer
I picked this up on a whim because I told myself I couldn't read any of Meyer's other books until I finished the Lunar Chronicles, but I'm clearly weak and have no self-control. The writing in hear was shocker beautiful. Meyer did a great job of giving Catherine a compelling backstory and the writing was so wild and weird it felt like Wonderland. I could vividly picture everything that happened in this book and I loved every bit of it. I want her to write an infinite amount of fairy-tale retellings and villain origin stories please.

6. Caraval by Stephanie Garber
I read this immediately after coming back from a two week vacation with my family and I hadn't been in the mood to read anything for two weeks so I gobbled this book up. Again, the writing was so atmospheric and beautiful and I absolutely loved the whole mystery behind Caraval. The writing was brilliant and there were so many twists I found really enjoyable. The whole theme of deception and not knowing who to trust was really well done in my opinion and I can't wait to read the next one when it comes out!

7. Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin
This book absolutely blew me away. The writing was beautiful, the characters were amazing, the plotting was next level. Everything was perfect. It made me cry. Very few books made me cry this year but this book, and it's sequel, both made me sob. They were just so well written!!! I don't have too much to say about these books, but they were awesome and please read them to experience the preciousness and awesomeness that is Yael.

8. Worlds of Ink and Shadow by Lena Coakley
Alright, this book was a total wild card. I'd never heard of it before, I just picked it up randomly from my library one day because the synopsis sounded interesting. It ended up blowing me away. It was about something I'd always wanted to read: people who write stories and then can jump into the story as the creator and change things as they go along. I loved movies like this as a kid but I'd never found a book that encompassed it as perfectly as I pictured it. Until this book. It was dark, mysterious, creepy, but so so fun. I highly recommend this. It also made me want to read all the Bronte sibling's works.

9. Allegedly by Tiffany Jackson
I wanted to read this book since before it came out because it sounded super dark and interesting and that was exactly what it was. I don't want to say too much because I'm afraid of spoiling it but if you want to be mislead by a mystery book in the best possible way, please pick this up. I gasped out loud multiple times and lost my chill because of the twists that happened. It was so well written and completely unpredictable to me and I really enjoyed it. I can't wait for this author to write more in the future.

10. And I Darken by Kiersten White
I'd been hearing things about this book when it first came out but I never really had an interest in it. Then I found it in the bargain section one day at Chapters and decided to give it a shot. It completely blew me away. The writing was very mature for YA and it dealt with a lot of dark things and because of that, it was a bit of a slower read. However, I liked that it was slow because it developed a lot of important things and really built up the world for me. It was super rich in history and again, I could vividly picture everything. I absolutely loved this book. The sequel, I found to be a little boring and disappointing so that's why it didn't make the list, but this first one was absolute gold and I highly recommend it.

11. Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
My babies were back and this book broke my heart I will never be the same. There was one point in this book where I legitimately went through the five stages of grief because someone died and I couldn't accept it. Even though I was spoiled, I still went through this book thinking it was wrong and couldn't be true but it was and it destroyed my heart. This duology was incredibly well written and I can't wait to read more of Bardugo's other books.

12. Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare
What a coincidence. My very first and very last reads of the year made this list. This book completely surprised me. I didn't like the last couple of Clare books I read too much so I went into this with pretty low expectations and they were completely blown out of the water this book was so good!! I loved the writing, the characters, the plot, the twists, everything!!! Honestly, the characters are seriously competing with the characters from the Infernal Devices for my heart, I loved them that much. I'm currently reading Lord of Shadows and I can't contain my excitement. I'm so happy I read this.

Honourable Mentions: Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh, Turtles all the Way Down by John Green, A Court of Wings and Ruin (I'm just as shocked as you are that this didn't make my Top list) by Sarah J. Maas, Geekerella by Ashley Poston.

Thank you so much for reading! Hopefully I'll be able to post more often this year because I really have missed it. I had a great reading year in 2017 and hopefully 2018 will be just as good. Look out for my most disappointing reads coming soon!

Happy New Year!

Thanks for reading!
~Birdie

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Caraval by Stephanie Garber
Published: Flatiron Books, January 31, 2017
Pages: 407
Source: Hardcover, purchased
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4/5

How I Felt:  I really enjoyed this book! At first, it was a little hard for me to get used to the writing style but once I did I felt it really worked for the whimsy and mystery of the book. I didn't expect to love this because I'd heard a lot of negative reviews but I was pleasantly surprised! I probably wouldn't have enjoyed this as much if I went into it with higher expectations so I suppose it's a good thing I'd seen those reviews.

This book was full of some awesome plot twists. While reading, I thought I'd already figured everything out and that the book was so predictable but I WAS SO FREAKING WRONG. Some twists I didn't see coming and came out of nowhere and I absolutely loved them. This was so beautifully plotted and I loved every second of this book. There was never a dull moment and I always wanted to continue reading to figure out what happened next. I actually stayed off the internet for most of the day yesterday because all I wanted to do was read this and I didn't care about what was happening online. A CONCEPT, I know. But that's how good this book was to me.

I couldn't give it five stars because the beginning was a bit hard for me to get into and it had a bit of a rocky start but once I got past that and got into the story there was no stopping me!!!

I need to discuss the writing a lil bit. At first (and you can tell by my status update) I found the writing to be a little weird and unnecessarily fluffy. But. I was so wrong because I think it really worked for the story. Caravel is such a whimsical, mysterious place and the writing perfectly complimented that in my opinion. It honestly reminded me a little of Wonderland and reminiscent of how Marissa Meyer built Heartless' Wonderland and I loved that. It was like that but with a much darker twist that made it its own world. The writing really flowed and the world building was really intriguing as well. I'm so glad there's going to be a second book because I thought it was a standalone and Garber can't leave us hanging like this!!! That ending. It crushed my heart, put it back together, and then gave it a punch for good measure. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT THERE'S SO MUCH MYSTERY I MUST KNOW MORE. So, what I'm trying to say is that the cliff hanger at the end was masterfully written and literally made me scream because this book can't end like this these dirty tricksters I must know more.

I really enjoyed Tella's character as well as Scarlett's and I was so emotional getting to see them be free of their wicked father and make their own choices and grow into their own people. Another thing I thought was well done was the crafting of their father's character. He was so complex and well written I feared him just as much as Tella and Scarlett. He was truly wicked and not just a superficial villain. I thought his character was extremely well written. Also, can I just say that I ship Julian and Scarlett so freaking much like they're just so cute and I love them together and want them to be together forever, ok?

For this whole book I kept thinking about how the mystery surrounding Tella and Scarlett's mother was never really addressed and I wondered if that thread was just going to be left hanging but then I read the epilogue and HONEY NO THAT THREAD IS ABOUT TO BE SEWED IN MY BODY IS READY FOR MORE PLOT TWISTS KEEP EM COMING. I'm just really excited for that plotline to be expanded in the second one.

I love a good scavenger hunt so I really enjoyed the game of Caraval and watching Scarlett figure out all the clues. It was so enjoyable and I really liked how it was full of mystery and nothing was as it seemed. SO well written!

Overall, I think you might be able to say I loved this book. I thought the writing, plot, and characters were all done excellently and I can't wait to read more of Garber's work in the future! I can not wait for the second book. I must know everything!!! This book completely surprised me and I think it's going to be one of my favourites of the year. I highly recommend this if you're a fan of dark, mysterious, whimsical fantasies. Amazing!

Thanks for reading!
~Birdie

Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan

Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan
Published: V&R Editoras, April 2016
Pages: 328
Source: Paperback, library
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 3/5

How I Felt:  This book took me by surprise and I enjoyed it more than I expected to! For starters, I read this in less than a day because the writing was really easy to fly through and there was a lot going on and I wanted to know what'd happen next.

I'm not sure if this is marketed as a Rapunzel retelling but that's exactly what I thought of when reading this. It actually reminded me a lot of Tangled (the Disney movie) which I loved. For starters, Luna is the princess who was kept in the safety of a tower in the woods since she was a baby and then Fowler (the Flynn Rider type) helps her on her quest to save her kingdom/learn more about herself. There's even a scene where Fowler cuts her hair because it's getting too long and she needs to be disguised as a boy for a bit. Basically Rapunzel and I loved it!!!

This book is very mysterious with a dark (no pun intended) mood to it that drew me in and made me extremely interested in the world. It's an incredibly unique topic to me; an eclipse began 17 years ago and the world has been in darkness ever since. I thought that was so interesting and I really enjoyed how it was described.

Sivo was such a great character and I really liked getting to see how much he cared for and wanted to protect Luna. Perla was also great but something about her character got on my nerves a bit. I hope Luna gets to reunite with them in the future even though I know it's unlikely.

I really enjoyed getting to read from both Luna and Fowler's points of view. Luna's blind but she doesn't let that stop her from being incredibly smart, strong, independent, and an overall butt-kicker. I enjoyed her perspective because it focused a lot on sounds and smells and it was so cool to see her navigate new surroundings to her in that way. But I found that she was incredibly immature and naïve for a lot of this book. I get that it's expected considering she's been locked in a tower all night, but that scene at the beginning of the book where the soldiers were at the tower and Fowler was trying to hide her but she kept fighting and making noise really frustrated me because she almost put everyone in danger and didn't care/realize it. I also enjoyed Fowler's P.O.V. because getting to see him go from a heartless "tough guy" to this soft smol precious bean who'd do anything for Luna was so sweet. They're so cute together and I ship it so hard.

Now for the few issues I had. I wish there was more world building. I get the story about the eclipse but I wanted to learn more about the history of this world since it seemed so intricate and interesting. I was expecting maybe insight into the religion (if there is or isn't one since the Oracle's mentioned a bunch but I have no idea what she does besides "prophesize") or what the heck those dwellers actually are. I couldn't picture them at all and I wish they were described more or explained where they came from and how they live because at first I pictured zombie type things but then I started thinking they looked more like aliens. Honestly, I have no clue what those things are and I wish they were explained a little better. There was just so much potential where world building's concerned and I wish it was explained in depth a little more. There's definitely room for it seeing as this book's fairly short (just under 300 pages).

Another teeny tiny problem I had with this was that it was very predictable. I say teeny tiny problem because while I knew what would happen for almost every plot twist, it was still an enjoyable read. For example, I saw the whole reveal about who Fowler really was coming from the very beginning of the book but I still enjoyed seeing it all play out and watching Luna realize who he was. Other that those two things I didn't really have any other issues with this.

Ortley was such a cool city. It was really interesting to see how they lived in the trees and kept safe from the dwellers. That Glagos guy was mega creepy though. The whole lake sequence had me on the edge of my seat and I was a little disappointed when the outcome of Fowler's little swim was glossed over. I wish we could've seen what was lurking under the water because there was such a big build up of suspense for it. On the other hand, I really liked Mirelya's character. Her sass gave me life and I love how she always interrupted Luna and Fowler at exactly the wrong times XD.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and it exceeded my expectations. There's definitely potential for this to become a great fantasy series and I can't wait to see where the story goes. I don't really have the urge to rush out and find the sequel but eventually I'd like to get to it to see what happens. I highly recommend this if you're looking for a book to get you into fantasy because it's really fast-paced and filled to the brim with mystery.

Thanks for reading!
~Birdie

Heartless by Marissa Meyer

Heartless by Marissa Meyer
Published: Feiwel and Friends, November 8th, 2016
Pages: 453
Source: Hardcover, library
Genre: Fairy-tale retelling
Rating: 4.5/5

How I Felt: This book was phenomenal. It surpassed all my expectations and blew me out of the water. I didn't expect to love this book as much as I do; I was just looking for a fairy-tale retelling standalone that I could read quickly and enjoy. Marissa Meyer is the queen of fairy-tale retellings in my opinion and I want her to write one for every fairy-tale ever please and thank you.

Can I just say how much I love the writing. It's been a few years since I read Cress (the third installment in her other series, The Lunar Chronicles) and haven't read any of her other books since. I don't remember loving her writing this much. Obviously, I enjoyed those books too but the writing in this was so whimsical, dark, not overly descriptive, and atmospheric. I found it extremely easy to read and kept a great pace that left me wanting more after every chapter. I carried this book with me everywhere I went because I wanted to use any free time I had to find out what happened next.

Another thing that was great about the writing is that going into this, I already knew how things would end up for the Queen of Hearts and yet this book was written in such a way that I still had hope for a twist at the end that would end in happiness. I was still rooting for and shipping Catherine and Jest so hard yet I already knew how it'd end up for them. That is some freaking awesome writing.

I must admit that I have never read the original Alice in Wonderland by Carroll but after reading this I have the strong desire to pick it up and read it immediately. I've been told this book is supposed to be a direct prequel so the original story picks up where this left off and I will say that while reading this, I noticed many things being set up to come into play in the original that takes place after this.

All the descriptions and mentions of talking animals and objects was so fun and magical and made reading this all the better. It was hard to grasp at first because I kept picturing people but after a while I got used to it.

It needs to be said. I. Love. Jest. New book-boyfriend alert. My heart cannot contain all the feels. Can I just say that Marissa Meyer is a MASTER at romance because not once did it feel like insta-love and she was able to build up so much tension, chemistry and romance between Jest and Catherine even though they didn't kiss until like 300 pages into the book. I didn't even feel the need to complain once because it was written in a way that felt so natural and just worked perfectly.

The three sisters were such an interesting addition to the story and I quite enjoyed getting to see their prophecies and how they'd play into the plot. It added to the darkness and mystery that was already building toward the end. Also, Peter Peter and his wife were also a great creepy addition to the story. Although, I did find the reveal about Mrs. Peter to be a bit predictable.

The one complaint I have about this book is that Catherine's wicked turn seemed a bit abrupt to me and I thought the change was a little sudden. I think I would've enjoyed it more if it was slowly worked into the story and then fully came out at the end. But otherwise, I liked everything about it. It was a phenomenal villain origin story in my opinion, although I have heard a lot of negative reviews for this book.

Honestly, I have the biggest sweet tooth and reading this book didn't help at all because Catherine was always baking and everything sounded so good and it just made me so hungry while reading XD

I enjoyed that there was a lot of talk about the history of Rock Turtle Cove. I found that very interesting and enjoyed those scenes where Cath's father recounted the history. It never dragged for me or felt boring; I was intrigued and yearning for more information.

Overall, I completely adored this book! This is my favourite book of Marissa Meyer's so far (although I haven't read Winter yet so that might change). I love this book with every fiber of my being and it's definitely one of my favourite books of the year. I highly recommend this if you're a fan of the Lunar Chronicles or if you're looking for a great standalone fairy-tale retelling. This definitely didn't disappoint.

Thanks for reading!
(Sorry for the long absence, I'm horrible I know!)
~Birdie

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
Published: Greenwillow, September 20th, 2011
Pages: 423
Source: Paperback, library
Genre: High Fantasy
Rating: 4/5

How I Felt: I loved this book! I heard nothing but good things about it and wanted to give it a try because it sounded so unique and interesting.

This is one of those books where the writing is very slow-burn and takes a while to build up and usually I don't have the patience for that and don't enjoy it very much but for this book it really worked! Instead of losing patience, I was caught in suspense and couldn't wait to find out what happened next for the majority of the book. Of course, there were a few sections that were slow and hard to get through but I'll discuss that more later on in the review.

I really loved Elisa as a character. She was such a strong woman and I enjoyed getting to see her grow into her own and learn to love and accept herself for who she is. Her journey from the beginning of this book to the end was long and she went through some major changes and I'm so proud of her as a character. She was just so realistic and I really enjoyed getting to see from her perspective.

I found the role religion played in this book to be quite interesting since it isn't something found much in YA. Getting to see Elisa learn more about her religion and grow in faith was an interesting journey I haven't read about a character before and I definitely appreciated getting to read that. I can't wait to learn more about the mysteries behind this religion and the Godstones in the next books.

Rosario is such a precious lil boy and must be protected at all costs I love him so much pls spare my child in the rest of the books.

Okay, I gotta talk about ships here. It needs to be done. I can't not talk about my thoughts here. From the second Hector was introduced I was like SIGN ME UP SOMEONE GIVE ME A PEN DING DING DING WE HAVE A WINNER AND HE HAS A FUNKY MUSTACHE. I ship him with Elisa so hard and I don't know if this is going to be a thing but I don't care I immediately supported this the minute he and Elisa interacted with each other. Alejandro and Humberto were pretty cool too, and they each helped Elisa grow in their own way but THERE AIN'T NO MAN LIKE HECTOR. And I was beginning to slightly ship her with Alejandro but then his reaction when Elisa came back to court just annoyed me so much and that ship sank.

I really liked all the side characters in this. They were just so well developed and I cared about them all so much. Especially Cosme. She was such a complex character and I really enjoyed getting to know her more.

I couldn't give this book a full 5 stars because I found the middle of the book to really drag on. There was just too much wandering throughout the desert with nothing really going on and it was just boring me and I put the book down for a few days to take a break. But other than that I really enjoyed the writing.

Overall, I really loved this book. I'm so happy I picked it up and I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel. I can't wait to see what Elisa discovers next because that ending was amazing! Although, there wasn't much of a huge cliff-hanger, I'd say it wrapped up pretty nicely but I still NEED to know what happens next. I definitely recommend this if you're a fan of high fantasy!

Thanks for reading!
~Birdie

Worlds of Ink and Shadow by Lena Coakley

Worlds of Ink and Shadow by Lena Coakley
Published: Harper Collins, January 5th, 2016
Pages: 352
Source: Hardcover, library
Genre: Historical Fiction/Paranormal
Rating: 4/5

How I Felt: This book completely took me by surprise! Going into this, I didn't expect to love it as much as I now do. The writing was just fantastic, the concept was so unique and interesting. It was just an excellent combination and I really really enjoyed this.

Before going into this, I haven't read any of the Bronte's works (I know, I know! I'm the worst!), but now that I've read this, I have such an urge to pick them up to see how Coakley's connections to sisters' books play out. Therefore, since I'm not familiar with the original books, I don't know how this measure up in terms up authenticity but she mentions in the afterword and in the acknowledgments how much research she did for this novel. Personally, I thought it was so interesting and well done how she connected the fantastical elements of her own creation with the works and lives of the family's books.

The writing in this book was just phenomenal to me. It was so atmospheric; I could completely picture everything that was happening in my mind which rarely happens when I read because there's usually a scene or two I just can't envision. I loved how this book just flowed. The writing was very descriptive and the dialogue was authentic to the time but it in no way slowed down my reading or lessened my enjoyment of the book which is another amazing thing. I flew through this book in a day and I never expected that. But I just couldn't put it down and when I had to, I was constantly thinking about what might happen next.

I thought the concept of jumping back and forth between the real world and a made up fictional world was so interesting and this book did not disappoint! I thought the chapters of getting to live in these fictional worlds and seeing the Bronte's control, write, and re-write the stories was so cool and interesting to read about. Eek! It was all just so good, I loved it!

The reason why I couldn't give this a full 5 star rating was because I thought the part when the master villain was revealed was really predictable and was foreshadowed heavily. I could tell who the mastermind was from the beginning but I was hoping to be surprised but sadly I was not.

I loved getting to read and see the relationships between the siblings and all the other characters. I thought the multiple POV structure of the story really worked. Each sibling had a distinct voice and I enjoyed being in each of their heads. On this note, I also thought Coakley did a fantastic job of developing all the characters. None of them felt one-dimensional or flat. They all had a distinct personality that made watching them all interact incredibly amusing. Rogue and Zomorna were definitely my favourites of the side characters. Especially Rogue's wit, I was smiling into my hand a lot whenever he gave a sarcastic speech. I especially loved seeing him and Emily together and I will admit I began to ship them in the end even though he's such a morally grey character. I just love their chemistry.

Overall, I'm really surprised by how much I love this book. I picked it up from the library on a whim because it looked interesting and now it's a contestant to be one of my favourite books of the year! I loved the writing so much and I'm definitely interested in reading more of Lena Coakley's books in the future. The characters and the plot were just amazing! I loved jumping back and forth between reality and fiction; it was definitely a fun adventure. I highly recommend you pick up this book if you haven't already. Even if you aren't familiar with the Bronte's work this is still a very enjoyable read filled with historically accurate facts, magic portals, imagination, and fictional worlds. Loved it!

Thanks for reading!
~Birdie

7 Signs You're Addicted to Reading

Welcome! Today, I thought I'd do a more fun, creative post. I'm a little rusty but I'm going to give it a shot! Here are seven signs that show you mighhtttt be addicted to reading.

1. You prefer reading over human interaction.

Sometimes those pesky humans just get on your every nerve and you have no choice but to retreat into a book. The small talk and personal questions just don't live up to your capabilities. Your standards include slaying dragons, saving the world, etc. Therefore, you must read to nurture your active imagination. It's self preservation, really.

2. You take a book with you everywhere you go.

There is no way you're gonna miss the perfect opportunity to catch up on your reading. Also, if you're sporting a hardcover, it doubles as a great method of self-defence.

3. You treat your books more like children and less like inanimate objects.

Kids are much more whiny then books anyway. And books don't complain. I mean, you practically raised your book. Who is the one who adopted it from the big, loud, unpredictable bookstore? You that's who. It's now your responsibility to read it and nurture it so it can grow into a glorious tome. Also, books love it when you dress them up all pretty for Instagram pictures.

4. Everywhere you go, all you can think about is the book you're reading.

Thoughts of the world you're reading about constantly consume every waking minute of your life from the time you pick it up, to way long after you put it down. Plotting theories for what can happen next is your new hobby, real people don't even matter anymore. What even is Earth? How can you live a normal life without knowing what happens after Chapter 55???

5. You confuse memories with what happened to a character in a book.

Okay, this one might just be me because I might be a tad crazy when it comes to books. That great trip you went on with your friends the summer after your senior year? Didn't happen. You just read about it. Talk about Freaky Friday. That favourite childhood memory you have? Nope. Not yours. You were so invested in your book when you read it, you became the character and are now completely immersed in their life. Being a booknerd is dangerous business.

6. No one understands your references to your favourite book and characters.

After spending hours coming up with amazing jokes and references that relate to your favourite book series, the perfect opportunity arises in a conversation your having with someone so you decide to use it only to be faced with... (gasp!) blank stares. No one understands that awesome reference. You're left having to explain what you meant and how it's funny and them bam! Opportunity missed; the joke has flat lined.

7. You are severely sleep deprived.

Just one more chapter! Just let me get to the end of this page! One more paragraph! Please, we've all been there.

Well, I hope you found this post some-what funny and enjoyable. It was definitely fun to make and I definitely want to make more comedic posts in the future if I have any more inspiration. How many of these did you relate to?

Thanks for reading!
~Birdie

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