Review: A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

Genre: Fantasy
Publication: 02/23/2016 by Tor Books
Series: Shades of Magic #2
Pages: 512 Pages
Format: Audiobook
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Goodreads Summary:
It has been four months since a mysterious obsidian stone fell into Kell's possession. Four months since his path crossed with Delilah Bard. Four months since Prince Rhy was wounded, and since the nefarious Dane twins of White London fell, and four months since the stone was cast with Holland's dying body through the rift – back into Black London.

Now, restless after having given up his smuggling habit, Kell is visited by dreams of ominous magical events, waking only to think of Lila, who disappeared from the docks as she always meant to do. As Red London finalizes preparations for the Element Games – an extravagant international competition of magic meant to entertain and keep healthy the ties between neighboring countries – a certain pirate ship draws closer, carrying old friends back into port.

And while Red London is caught up in the pageantry and thrills of the Games, another London is coming back to life. After all, a shadow that was gone in the night will reappear in the morning. But the balance of magic is ever perilous, and for one city to flourish, another London must fall.

My Thoughts:
This might be my new favourite series. I still don't know exactly where I want to put the rating but I am in love with this series. I love all of the characters, especially some of the new ones we were introduced too. I am also in love with the Element Games which are essentially the magic olympics. I loved getting to see some of the other kingdoms and I absolutely cannot wait until the next book comes out. 

Delilah is one of my new favourite characters ever. She doesn't fit any stereotype or cliche. She is unapologetically herself and doesn't let anyone tell her what to do. She wears men's clothes and I can just relate to her so much. I also love the addition of LGBT+ characters, it was added so seamlessly into the plot and it wasn't made into be a big coming out. I am also in love with Kel, he's adorable.

I think the one thing that kind of threw me off with this book was that there wasn't a lot of series plot. We mainly focused on word development through the Element Games and character development. I did love both these elements but I would have also wanted some more movement with the overall series plot. Don't get me wrong, the character development was extremely important, especially after the life changing events in the first book. 

I can't wait till the next book! It's going to be incredibly intense. That ending though! I think V.E. Schwab is one of my new favourite writers and I need to check out some of her other books. If you love fantasy, this is an amazing series!





Top 10 Tuesday: 10 Books on My Fall TBR

TTT is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
Fall is shaping up is be a very busy month for me. I am taking fairly difficult classes this semester and my class times have been limiting my reading time. However, I still have a lot of books that I really want to read this season or before the end of the year.

   
Frost Like Night by Sara Raasch - The series finale of one of my favourite series. I am super pumped.
Wrecked by Maria Padian - I recieved an ARC of this one, and I am really excited to read it. It's release date is early October.
The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson - I pledged to finish this series this year. I doubt that will happen but I can at least read the second book.

  
Secondhand Soulds by Christopher Moore - This book came out a year ago, AND it's the sequel to one of my favourites, plus looks like a good Halloween read.
Lost Stars by Claudia Gray - I want to read this book before Rouge One comes out. I'll get me in the Star Wars mood.
The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan - Another series I wanted to finish, but didn't even put a dent in. Time to pick up the next one to at least get something done.

   
Paper Princess by Erin Watt - This one looks interesting and it will be a good break from all the heavy fantasy that I have been reading.
And I Darken by Kiersten White - This one is just screaming to me to read, so I will.
A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir - Another sequel, I am in line for it at the library so it will be along soon.
The Heir by Kiera Cass - Another one that has been sitting on my shelf for awhile. It's my guilty pleasure series.


Stacking the Shelves #16

STS is a weekly meme hosted by Tyngas Reviews.
This time of the year is so painful for me. There are a so many books I want to read right now and I just don't have a lot of time to read. School started like 2 weeks ago, and I am overwhelmed. I'm still trying to figure out my balance. But on to the books!

Purchased
Frost like Night by Sara Raasch
This is one of my favourite series right now and I found a copy of it the day before release day! I am pumped to finish this series and as soon as I finish the book I am currently reading this is up next.

Library Books
 
The Beauty of Darkness by Mary E. Pearson
And I Darken by Kiersten White
I am currently reading The Beauty of Darkness, another series to finish. It's a huge book and I am worried about finishing it before it's due back. I hope I can. I also have And I Darken, I may or may not actually get to this book before it's due but I will get to it some day.

What did you guys get this week? Let me know :)  



DNF Explanation: The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge

I receieved a copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review.

Genre: Fantasy, Mystery
Publication: 04/19/2016 by Amulet Books
Pages: 384 Pages
Format: eArc
Rating: -------
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Deposiotry

Goodreads Summary:
It was not enough. All knowledge- any knowledge - called to Faith, and there was a delicious, poisonous pleasure in stealing it unseen.

Faith has a thirst for science and secrets that the rigid confines of her class cannot supress. And so it is that she discovers her disgraced father's journals, filled with the scribbled notes and theories of a man driven close to madness. Tales of a strange tree which, when told a lie, will uncover a truth: the greater the lie, the greater the truth revealed to the liar. Faith's search for the tree leads her into great danger - for where lies seduce, truths shatter . . .
 

My Thoughts:
I just wasn't in the mood for this book when I picked it up. I DNF'd it at 25% and I just was a very slow start. When I found out this book was about naturalists in the time of Darwin, I was super excited because I am a biologist nerd. However, knowing a lot about these scientists I started to find some conflicts with what I think I know about them. I think that maybe another day or time I might be able to get into this, that day just wasn't today. 


Review: Good As Gone by Amy Gentry

I received a copy of this novel from Netgalley for an honest review.

Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Publication: July. 26, 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Pages: 288 Pages
Format: eArc
Rating: 2 out of 5 Stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Goodreads Summary
Thirteen-year-old Julie Whitaker was kidnapped from her bedroom in the middle of the night, witnessed only by her younger sister. Her family was shattered, but managed to stick together, hoping against hope that Julie is still alive. And then one night: the doorbell rings. A young woman who appears to be Julie is finally, miraculously, home safe. The family is ecstatic—but Anna, Julie’s mother, has whispers of doubts.  She hates to face them. She cannot avoid them. When she is contacted by a former detective turned private eye, she begins a torturous search for the truth about the woman she desperately hopes is her daughter.

My Thoughts
I don't know with this one. It was very hot and cold for me. Sometimes I was really into it, and then I would just get lost. For me, the mystery thriller aspect of this book wasn't very strong and the twist was pretty much revealed early on because of the way the story was told.

However, I was very intrigued by the story and wanted to know how it ended even if I saw it's end point. The story line jumped back in time which is what confused me the most. It brought me out of the narrative and I ended up losing interest in these sections.

I also found the psychology aspect in this book quite interesting. It had interesting commentary, however at the same time I am kind of skeptical. I do have a lot of experience in psychology, so I know it could be a possibility but I also find it far fetched.

In the end, I think if you absolutely adore thrillers then this one would be interesting to you. I was just looking for more out of it but I can see why others would very much enjoy it.


What Am I Listening To? #1 | Favourite Songs


I have said it before, and I will say it again I love all forms of storm telling. Music can definitely be a form of storytelling. I wanted to share with you guys today some of my favourite songs. I think that a persons favourite music can really show you a new side of a person. These songs have been long time favourites and ones that I now can't live without.

Hey Jude - The Beatles
This is a classic and I have so many amazing memories associated with this song. It reminds me of growing up and it never fails to put a smile on my face. It's lyrics just speak to me. 

Stubborn Love - The Lumineers
I love The Lumineers in general but this song just has the most amazing sound. I also absolutely adore the lyric "It's better to feel pain, than nothing at all". I'll never get tired of this.

Home - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
This song reminds me of driving around with my boyfriend in the summer. We have a long distance relationship so this song always reminds me of travelling to see him and finally feeling like I am at Home.

Your Ex Lover Is Dead - Stars
I love the accompaniment in this song. The instruments just are my jam. I also connect with the lyrics. It reminds me of any previous relationship and it's describes how I feel about them. 

Coffee - Arkells
This is the newest addition to my list. The Arkells are one of my new favourite bands, and when I saw them in concert they did an amazing performance of this song. I have been hooked ever since, and I have been binge listening to it all summer.


Let me know what are some of your favourite songs? I have been trying to listen to more music so I really pushing myself to listen to new things, I would love recommendations :) 






Sunday Post #13: Back to School

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Caffeinated Book Reader. This is a place where you can talk about news from your week, what you've been reading and what you expect to come up on your blog. To join in, check out the rules here.

It's been awhile since I did a Sunday Post, my busy summer weekends have come to an end. I started school again this week, hopefully for the last time. It's my 6th year of university, and I am fully ready to be graduated now. I have had a hard time getting into the books I have been reading this last week, which is hard.



What I Am Listening To? - Favourite Songs
Review: Good As Gone by Amy Gentry

 

I am still very much stuck in the Fantasy genre, it's really the only thing I have been reaching for. I have also been slowly listening to The Princess Diaries series on audio, I just picked up the next one. These are fun and nostalgic. 

 
This is kind of cheating because I actually DNF'd, The Lie Tree. I just wasn't in the mood for it when I tried to read it. Maybe another day I will try again, there are lots of good reviews for it out there. I also finished listening to A Gathering of Shadows, which is awesome! I love this series.

That's all from me this week. I have been stuck in a blogging and reading rut lately. Hoping that it will pass soon. Let me know how your week went.









Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by John Tiffany, Jack Thorne & J.K Rowling

Genre: Fantasy, Play
Series: Harry Potter #8
Publication: July 31, 2016 by Authur A. Levine Books
Pages: 328 Pages
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Goodreads Summary
The Eighth Story. Nineteen Years Later.

Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, a new play by Jack Thorne, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. The play will receive its world premiere in London’s West End on July 30, 2016.

It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places. 

My Thoughts
It's finally time for me to talk about how I feel about this book. I have waited a few days to gather my thoughts and figure out how I actually feel about this new Harry Potter story. This book has for sure been polarizing but I am going to start by saying I did enjoy reading this book. However, it does has some issues that did bother me during the reading experience.

The biggest problem I had was with the plot of this book. It's a storyline I have seen many times before, and it's just not a plot that I wanted in the Harry Potter world. I already have all kinds of movies and books that I love that do this plot so I didn't need it done this way again. I don't feel like it fit into the wizarding world storyline. However, I really enjoyed being back in that world and experiencing the characters that I love again. I liked how the characters have aged and their interpersonal conflicts would be something that I could imagine happening. The only character that seemed weird was Ron, who just seemed out of character at points.

In the end, I can see where both parties sit on this. I can see how it's easy to love and to also hate. I am sitting right in the middle on this one. The plot just threw me off too much for me to absolutely love. I do think I would have had a different opinion actually seeing this as a play, I feel like it would be an incredible experience. I think it's a fun addition to the world, it's just not the greatest thing to happen to this universe.


Top 10 Tuesday: 10 TV Shows I Want To Watch This Fall

Top 10 Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and The Bookish.
This week instead of talking about books, we're going to talk about TV. When I am not reading books I am definitely watching lots of TV or a movie. I love all forms of story telling and I almost have as long of a to be watched pile, as a TBR pile. I currently don't have cable, so this fall I will be watching Netflix or other shows I can access online so these may not be currently airing on TV.

Need to Finish:
  
These are the shows that I am currently watching on Netflix. Brooklyn Nine-Nine is funny and I am getting close to finishing up the 3rd season. Breaking Bad, I took a break from it for the summer between Season 3 and 4. I am going to finish up the last 2 seasons soon. I am also just casually watching House. I have already seen the whole series but I am just watching it when I need an easy distraction.

Up Next:
  
Stranger Things: I've seen the first episode of this and I am really excited to watch this. It's such a different show and I can't wait to watch.
Scream: I have seen the movie, and I am interested in seeing what this show is about. I have heard lots of good things.
Star Wars Rebels: With Rouge One coming out, I need to watch this series first. I have seen the first episode but I really need to sit down and just do it.


  
Gotham: I am intrigued, it's on my maybe someday list.
The Goldbergs: This is one of the shows that I watch as it's aired. This is hilarious, and I absolutely love that it's set in the 80's. One of my current faves.
Modern Family: Another one that I watch regularly. I have been watching it since the beginning and I can't stop now. Phil is my favourite :) 

What are you planning on watching this fall? Do you love TV? Let me know! 


August in Review

My last summer vacation is coming to an end and I am already dreading school. It's (maybe) my last year of school, after 6 years of university I am very ready for a LONG break. Anyway, I think this was a successful reading summer for me. I am only 2 books away from my Goodreads Goal which is amazing!

 
 

Finding Me by Michelle Knight {4 out of 5 Stars}
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas {4 out of 5 Stars}
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by John Tiffany & Jack Thorne {3 out of 5 Stars}
Good As Gone by Amy Gentry {2 out of 5 Stars}

Favourite of the Month: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
Least Favourite of the Month: Good As Gone by Amy Gentry
General Thoughts: This was a good reading month and I did generally like all the books that I read. I read my goal of 4 books a month, which is stellar. I wish I had read a graphic novel but I was far away from my library so I didn't pick any up. I am pleased with this month and I am excited to for next month. 

   

I have been saying I am going to read The Well of Ascension for ages not but I am going to pick it up next and get it read before school gets too crazy. I got Wrecked for review so I need to read it before it's publication date. War Child is written by the husband of a friend of mine so I need to read it and lastly Frost Like Night comes out this month. I will want to pick it up right away so I plan on reading it.

How was your August? Let me know.