Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

So, I am pretty certain that I am one of the last people on planet earth that has read this book. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I highly doubt it. It's one of those books like Gone Girl or the Throne of Glass series that everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, has seemed to already have read. Even little old ladies getting their hair blow dried have read this, under the false pretense of staying current on what their grandchildren are raving about when, in all actuality, they enjoy the story line. They covet it and race, literally race, on their electronic scooters into the nearest book store to buy the newest installment. Is it sad that my mother is reading Throne of Glass before me? MY MOTHER!! Who said she could not get into it, but is now devouring it like I devour gum...or M&Ms...or Shadow and Bone!

I picked up a copy of Shadow and Bone in November and why it took me this long to get to it, I shall never know. Maybe if I could go back just a few short months and watch myself picking it up in the bookstore, I could pop over a shelf and scream at my past self "You will read this book NOW!", but alas, I cannot.

Leigh Bardugo has created a masterpiece in this YA fantasy with her magical world of Ravka where war rages and Grisha power threatens to overpower the king. The novel follows Alina, our young protagonist who has only known orphaned life with her best friend Mal since she was a young girl. As she and Mal prepare to enter the Fold, a mysterious darkness that separates Ravka in two, a long suppressed power comes to light (pun intended), forcing her from the only life she has ever known and into the magical world of the Grisha.

Life at a palace, a warm bed, delicious food, glorious silks, and the attention of a mysterious, handsome man; what more could a girl ask for? But life at the Little Palace is far from what Alina has imagined and she must learn to control her powers before a terrible plot to further divide Ravka can be fulfilled.

I loved this book! Leigh Bardugo has crafted excellent, well-rounded characters and a plot that has no slow moments. I was continually turning the page, desperate to read more. If you are anything like me and have the rule of finishing a chapter before you put the book down, YOU CAN THROW THAT OUT THE WINDOW RIGHT NOW! There is no putting this book down. No running to the store, eating, sleeping, or conversation PERIOD! There is, unfortunately, working. Imagine how awkward it would be to call off to finish a book....Along with great characters and a quick pace, I found the world of Ravka completely engrossing. Granted we did not get a complete description of Ravka, it made me want to know more and I am eagerly anticipating starting Siege and Storm.

Genre: YA Fantasy
Positives: I really enjoyed the whole book, but the thing that stood out for me was the quick pace and the romance. *Swoon* It was refreshing to not read an instalove that made me outwardly cringe!
Negatives: My only TINY critique is that I felt the world of Ravka could be expanded on a bit more.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award

I was nominated for the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award from Beverly Bean who is a lifestyle and book blogger and scarf connoisseur, at least judging by the profile picture. Seriously, loving the color combinations! 

Here are the ten questions! (*DRUM ROLLLL*)

How many books do you have on your TBR pile?

*RUNS AWAY AND HIDES IN SHAME* With printed books, it has not completely overwhelmed me quite yet. I have about forty books waiting patiently for the day I will pick them up. My ebooks are another story altogether. The last count I did, I reached 164 and got too discouraged to count any more, but there were two rows left on the iBooks shelves.

Do you have any book buying resolutions for 2015?

I do not as of yet. I keep in mind my TBR pile when I am looking at books to try not to get carried away, but I find if I put limits on what I can get, then I just binge and buy WAY too much. 

What are you currently reading?

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. I did just finish Love, Rosie, which left me emotionally drained so I am not sure if I want to continue reading or just take a break for a few days. 

What was your favorite movie of 2014?

The Imitation Game or Gone Girl (based on the book by Gillian Flynn). I loved them both for very different reasons so I cannot choose. 

What is your most anticipated book of 2015?

I am excited about Sarah J, Maas' Queen of Shadows, the fourth book in the Throne of Glass series, among many, many more!

Do you read one book at a time or do you read more books?

For  the last two books I read, The Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair and Love, Rosie, I read them one at a time because I was so wrapped up in the story and only wanted to focus my attention on the book I was reading, but I will usually read three to four books at once. 

What is your favorite book series (besides Harry Potter)?

This is a toughie, but I really enjoy the Myron Bolitar series by Harlen Coban. By  the way, Harlen has a new book coming out this year called The Stranger and I am SUPER excited!

Which two fictional characters do you ship the most? 

I am prepared for the haters on the first couple, but it would have to be Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. The second couple (what?! It's a tie ok?) would be Rosie Dunne and Alex Stewart from Love, Rosie...can you guys tell I LOVED this book? 

What was your favorite book of 2014?

Breeder by K.B. Hoyle and I am completely not ashamed to admit that I stalk Ms. Hoyle quite frequently to find out when the sequel will be coming out! 

Rules of the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award:

1. Thank the blogger that nominated you and link back to their site.

2. Post the award’s logo on your blog.

3. Answer the ten questions you’ve been asked.

4. Nominate 10 other bloggers.

5. Set 10 new questions for your nominees.

I will be nominating Jemma from Jemma Monique, Lieke from BookLikeLieke, Amber from BooksofAmber, Heather from Heather_Books, Harriet from Harriet_Rosie_, Lisa from lisahianon, Live Love Read, Naya Perkins from Nayasmilesforu, Sabrina from Sabrina the Teenage Reader, Lydia from thinglikelydia, and any other blogger/booktuber that wants to do this! I will be using the same questions as Beverly did and I hope everyone enjoys!

Esther: Royal Beauty by Angela Hunt Review

In the time of King Xerxes, the Jews living in Persia could speak of nothing except returning to their rightful land of Judea and beginning their lives anew. All except one. Hadassah knows nothing of the promised land. She knows of the beautiful women of Susa who are happier and freer than her Jewish cousin and friends and like many of these free women, she dreams of the palace at the top of the hill. Unlike many, however, Hadassah does not want to be queen for power or wealth. She wants to be queen to be beautiful. 

Curious, carefree Hadassah yearns to explore the Susa bazaar, travel to distant lands, and become educated. Due to unfortunate circumstances, she finds herself being forced to grow up with an unwanted betrothal. On her way to Jerusalem, Hadassah is taken against her will and forced into the king's harem. A jealous former queen, assassins waiting to strike, and a dangerous foe seeking the destruction of the Jews makes the palace and dangerous place for the new queen because Esther, formally known as Hadassah, has a secret. She is Jewish and must hide her identity to protect herself. Yet with the danger to her people growing by the day, Esther must decide if she will reclaim her heritage and protect her people at great personal danger to herself or if she will remain silent. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Esther:Royal Beauty was my first Biblical fiction and to be honest, I wasn't expecting much, but after reading the first chapter, I was drawn in. The story is compelling and the two characters it focuses on, Hadassah and Harbonah, a eunuch slave to the king, are easy to sympathize with and draw you into their own stories. Hadassah's own personal journey was beautiful and extremely touching. There was also a great deal of action and political intrigue which kept the pages turning. I will definitely be looking for more from this author!

Genre: Biblical fiction

Positives: The two main characters are likable and the story itself is well written with a nice balance and smooth transitions.

Negatives: I felt like there was just something missing. The king was not as developed as I had hoped for and the love Hadassah had for him diminished from the beginning. 

Rating: 4 and a half out of 5 stars

The Storied Life of AJ Fikry Review

At the beginning of the month, I frantically searched my TBR shelves for the perfect books for Bout of Books. After careful deliberation, I had my list set. Among this list was The Storied Life of AJ Fikry. How could it possibly be a bad book?! It's about a man who lives in a bookstore. That's all I knew when going into it and I could not have imagined any other way. If you know nothing about this book, READ IT BLIND! Trust me here, the pureness of emotion that reading this book blind elicits is well worth it!

AJ Fikry is a grumpy man who owns, and lives in Island Books on the small town of Alice. After losing his wife, he is perfectly set in his ways. He hates many different types of books and refuses to sell any of these or expand his store in any way. When Harvey, the publicist who sells AJ his books, dies and Amelia Loman tries to take over the Island Books account, AJ finds not only his book selection changing, but his life as well. AJ's rare Tamerlane disappears, making him doubt the worth of anything in his life and thus leaving the door to his bookstore unlocked. When returning from a run one morning, AJ sees something very out of place in the small shop: 2 year old Maya, who has been left at Island Books by her mother. Through Maya, AJ learns to expand not only his shelves, but his life, allowing love, happiness, and friendship fill his once hallow life. 

This book is such a quick read. The characters drew me in immediately and I could not stop myself from discovering where their stories were going next. And then the end happened! The END! When a book brings out such a strong emotion in me (ok, picture me in a sobbing puddle on the bathroom floor), there has been a connection made! A pure connection that cannot easily be broken. It was beautiful and touching and will stay with me for quite some time. In the beginning, I thought this would be a fun, easy book, but it actually made me think further and left me with a sense of both joy and loss. AJ Fikry needs the chance to impact everyone the way he impacted me.

Positives: The book! Well written story with memorable characters!

WELL DESERVED 5 OUT OF 5 STARS!

Reckless Magic by Rachel Higginson Review

I recently judged a book by its cover. Oh, please! You all have done it! Don't lie to yourselves. Reckless Magic by Rachel Higginson has an absolutely gorgeous cover! Seriously, I dare you to not pick it up to at least add a pretty addition to your bookshelves. I thought that I would fall completely in love with this book. It had the stunning cover and it had magic. What could go wrong? Plenty, as it turns out. The story is told from the perspective of Eden, a teenage girl who is entering her newest prep school after strings of accidents get her kicked out from her old ones. After waiting until about page 80 or so, we are finally told it is because she is a witch (or lambia) and an immortal who is part of a dying species. 

Per usual of a YA novel, there is a (forbidden) love interest, who just happens to be the prince, Kiran and a faithful sidekick who can transform into a tigress. Eden doesn't even seem capable of functioning without Kiran or someone else's help. The plot itself was pretty boring for me and in the beginning moved at a snail's pace! I was about to give up on it when it finally picked up slightly, but that is not really saying that much! The writing could have been better and there were grammatical errors or some phrases that just simply did not make sense. The book was not ALL awful, however. I did enjoy the character or Jericho and must know more and I also appreciate a good rebel uprising, but that were the only high points to me. 

Genre: YA Fantasy

Positives: See above. Rebel uprising=good

Negatives: Everything else. Basic characters that could not stand on their own among other things.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Eon by Alison Goodman Review

For the past four years, young Eon has been training diligently to become the next Dragoneye, one of the apprentices to the twelve dragons of good fortune. Yet, life has not always been kind to Eon. A debilitating hip injury and a cruel training instructor stand in Eon's way to becoming the next Dragoneye. If Eon is chosen by the rat dragon, there is the possibility of death because Eon is not twelve year old Eon at all, but actually sixteen year old Eona. Females are forbidden from practicing the dragon magic and with an enemy almost more deadly than she, it is a strong likelihood that she will be discovered. However, with new allies and the possibility of dragon magic, can she survive in this land where some people would do anything to be emperor and new threats arise daily?

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The cover is gorgeous, the characters are well written, and the story is interesting. A few minor things I did not quite like was how, because Eona is actually trying so hard to mask her true identity, it was harder for me to develop a strong bond with her. Also, I was expecting an action-packed fantasy, but the action did not really begin until I was about 94% through the book. These minor things did not ruin the story for me and I really enjoyed it. Looking forward to starting the sequel, Eona in February!

Genre: Fantasy

Positives; I really liked the world this was set in and the addition of dragons! It was fast paced and an easy read!

Negatives: The action took a long time to start and I did not form a strong bond with the main character until the end.

Rating:4 out of 5 stars

Bout of Books 12 Challenge-Bookshelf Scavenger Hunt

Today officially starts the Bout of Books 12 readathon! I know, hold your shocked gasps! I am actually participating in a readathon! And doing a challenge to top it off! This challenge is the bookshelf scavenger hunt as was created by caughtreadhanded. And without further ado, here...we...go!

Find a book with the following criteria on a bookshelf:
1. Find an author with the same initials as you
2. Find a book with the color yellow on it
3. Find an author’s name with the letter “S” in it
4. Find a book with a female protagonist
5. Find the longest book you own
6. Find a book with a map in it or on it
7. Find a book with a face on it (photograph or illustrated)
Bonus: Find something on your shelf that isn’t a book.


1. Sir Arthur Conan (Doyle)-I had no books with the initials AC so we are counting him! 2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 3. Sandi Tan (The Black Isle) 4. Eon 5.The Greatest Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 6.The City of Falling Angels 7. Mystic City 8. My Once Upon a Vine bottle and various other bottles as well as twinkle lights!

Intrepid by J.D. Brewer Review

How often do we think of words? Not just read the words flying by us on the page, but actually think about their meanings? Or how a single sentence can shift a story? It's almost as if we miss something, or just simply skim over a section, the story turns out completely different than it would had it truly captured our interest in the first place. For those that spin their magic and win us over by captivating our precious attention and drawing us into their characters, they are deemed works of art, not necessarily by the literary world, but by the opinion that should matter most to us: our own.

For me, my first read of the new year will most certainly be one of the latter. Intrepid by J.D. Brewer not only captured my attention but catapulted my imagination. Intrepid is a dual perspective following the characters of Texi and Liam. Texi grows up in Geronimo, Texas (I know, so many Doctor Who feels!) and is a perfectly average teenager with perfectly normal problems...or so she thinks. When she begins to experience severe headaches and her best friend tries to kill her, she realizes life is anything but normal. Enter Liam, the boy who has been watching Texi her whole life on board the solitary boat Geeta. He knows of all of Texi's secrets, but he cannot anticipate her greatness. Texi is not who she thinks she is. In reality, she is the last of her kind, someone who was created to explore the Multiverse, looking for the one Universe among the dying Multiverse that can create energy once more. With everyone around her hiding ulterior motives, can Texi discover who she is before beginning her search to save humanity? Can she become Intrepid?

Genre: Sci-fi/Fantasy
Positives: I felt the story was unique and the characters were so well written. I easily got absorbed in this book and was disappointed when it ended.
Negatives: The book took until about 24% into it to get to action, but be patient! The wait was definitely worth it!!!!
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Bout of Books 12

Hey all! Hope everyone had a swell holiday! Mine was super hectic, but great. Love spending time with family and friends. With the new year here, it's back to business. More frequent updates, WAY more reading, and more conversations with people about great books! That being said, I am here to inform you all that I will be participating in Bout of Books 12! Want to know more? Well ok, since you begged here you are! :) Hope to see you there!

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 5th and runs through Sunday, January 11th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 12 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team