Melinda's favourites book montage

The Mark of Athena
The Son of Neptune
The Lost Hero
The Last Olympian
The Battle of the Labyrinth
The Titan's Curse
The Sea of Monsters
The Lightning Thief
Throne of Glass
City of Glass
The Red Pyramid
City of Ashes
City of Bones
The Golden Door
The Farseekers
Obernewtyn
The Poison Diaries
Mockingjay
Catching Fire
The Hunger Games


Melinda's favorite books »

Sunday 31 March 2013

Wrap-up/Preview

Firstly, I want to wish everyone I Happy Easter! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! 

What happened on the blog:

This week also saw me complete my goal of reading five books for the Take Control March 2013 reading challenge!

I bought two books this week, Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes and Frostbite by Richelle Mead. I also won an ebook of Chosen Ones by Tiffany Truit! 
Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms, #1)Frostbite (Vampire Academy, #2)Chosen Ones (The Lost Souls, #1)
This week on the blog:
Tuesday: Review - Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Magaret Stohl
Thursday: Review - Frosbite by Richelle Mead
Saturday - Seven on Saturday - Books that I recommend
Sunday: Wrap-up/Preview

Saturday 30 March 2013

Seven on Saturday - Series that I have yet to finish

Seven on Sunday is where I will put a list of seven bookish things (e.g. My seven favourite book couples), with a new topic each week.

This weeks topic is Series that I have yet to finished, either because I didn't like them, I got sidetracked or for some other reason. I am slightly ashamed at how long this list is, so here are seven of the series I haven't finished. (The pictures are of the books that I have read of each series and clicking them will take you to their Goodreads page.)
City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments, #1)City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments, #2)City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments, #3)
1. The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare
I started reading The Mortal Instruments this year and quickly got through City of Bones, City of Ashes and City of Glass. I then took a little break from the series before trying to read City of Fallen Angels. From the beginning of the book Clary was annoying me but as Simon was also narrating parts of it I was managing to get through it okay. Then Simon started annoying me and to prevent myself from throwing my friends book away out of frustration, I stopped reading it. I am planning on trying it again, maybe in audiobook form, because I do want to know what happens.
Obernewtyn (The Obernewtyn Chronicles, #1)The Farseekers (The Obernewtyn Chronicles, #2)Ashling (The Obernewtyn Chronicles, #3)The Keeping Place (The Obernewtyn Chronicles, #4)The Stone Key (The Obernewtyn Chronicles, #5)
2. Obernewtyn Chronicles by Isobelle Carmody
This is one of my favourite series yet the reason I haven't finished the series isn't because I am waiting for the last book to come out. The reason why I haven't finished the series is because I didn't finish book number six, The Sending. This is because it had been a little while since I had read the first five books so I was spending my time trying to remember what happened to connect the dots. I will finish The Sending, but I will probably wait for the last book to come out and then reread them all before I do. 
Fallen (Fallen, #1)
3. Fallen Series by Lauren Kate
I didn't even finish the first book in this series. For me it dragged on a bit and I didn't really get into it. With this series I also plan on at least trying the first book again, because my friends loved it.
Hush, Hush (Hush, Hush, #1)Crescendo (Hush, Hush, #2)
4. Hush, Hush series by Becca Fitzpatrick
I really liked the first book of this series, but the second book didn't really excite me much so I didn't read the third and paid no attention to when it was coming out. Then for Christmas I got either the third or the fourth book so now I plan on finishing the series because, although it does seem like it, I prefer to finish every series I start.
A Great and Terrible Beauty (Gemma Doyle, #1)
5. Gemma Doyle Series by Libba Bray
I had two attempts at trying to read A Great and Terrible Beauty, and both times I haven't finished it. It isn't that I don't like it, I just have some trouble getting fully immersed into the story and so I get easily distracted by other books. I do plan on at least finishing A Great and Terrible Beauty at some stage.
The Angel Experiment (Maximum Ride, #1)School's Out Forever (Maximum Ride, #2)
6. Maximum Ride series by James Patterson
Wow, I just looked this series up on Goodreads and I didn't realise how many books have been released! I have read the first two books and I really liked them. The only reason I haven't read the others is because I have yet to get my hands on a copy of them. 
Evernight (Evernight, #1)Stargazer (Evernight, #2)Hourglass (Evernight, #3)
7. Evernight series by Claudia Gray
I finished the first three of this series, and I own the fourth, so I do plan on finishing them. The reason I stopped reading was because I was waiting for the fourth book to come out but I haven't got around to reading it yet. I also plan to read the spin-off book, Balthazar, as well.

This is just a slight taste of the many series that I have yet to finish. I do plan on finishing all the series that I have on going at some point, because I am the sort of person who needs to know how everything ended, even if I liked the book or not.

Do you have many series you have yet to finish?

Mel.

Next up: Wrap-up/Preview

Friday 29 March 2013

Review: [Audiobook] Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

For this week I planned to be review Beautiful Darkness today, but I ended up changing that and doing Clockwork Angel instead. This may happen occasionally because I only read a book that I feel like reading at a time instead of forcing myself to read another one. This means that I may not read what I had planned for the week.
Synopsis (from Goodreads)
Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still.
When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos. 
Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own. 
Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length... everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world.... and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.
Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices, #1)


This is the first time that I have ever actually listened to an audiobook. I decided that it was time for me to try it because it would allow me to get through some more books and also because my library started allowing online audiobook borrowing. I really enjoyed being able to listen to a book whilst I was doing other things. In some ways I found it to be a little more graphic, because I couldn’t skim read or miss anything, which I tend to do when I am caught up in the plot. Clockwork Angel was voiced by Jennifer Ehle and I thought that she did a good job.

I really loved the story. It was interesting and kept me guessing most of the way through. I loved the mixture of the shadow world and steampunk. In some ways though I found the story similar to City of Bones. I found that Tessa’s introduction to the shadow world was somewhat similar to that of Clary’s. I also found the relationship between Will and Tessa similar to that of Clary and Jace’s relationship. The plot was different to City of Bones though, and I really enjoyed the twists and turns throughout. I also loved the additional involvement of Mortals.

Tessa really intrigues me and I really liked her character. I didn’t find her a whiny character and I felt that she was a fairly sensible character. I loved her dedication to her brother. It was interesting to see her open up to the shadow hunters and to see her character develop. I am very interested in finding out more about her, like what she is and where she came from.

I really liked most of the other characters too. I loved the determination of Charlotte and how she managed to stay compassionate and kind. I loved the quirkiness of Henry and I hope he makes a successful invention that saves the day. I loved incorrigible Will, who at times I wanted to strangle or slap, and I adored Jem, the perfect gentleman. The only character I didn’t really like was Jessamine, and that was because she annoyed me. I did feel sorry for her though.

I really enjoyed this story, and I am definitely going to listen to more audiobooks in the future! I give Clockwork Angel 4/5 stars.

Mel.

Up next: Seven on Saturday – Series I have yet to finish

Thursday 28 March 2013

April Releases

Here are some of the April Releases that I am looking forward to! (Click the picture to add to goodreads)

April 1st
Spellbinding
April 2nd
Walking Disaster (Beautiful, #2)The Sweetest Dark (The Sweetest Dark, #1)Rising Darkness (Game of Shadows, #1)
April 4th
Nameless (Tales of Beauty & Madness, #1)
April 9th
Roses Have Thorns: A Novel of Elizabeth IJane Austen Goes to Hollywood
April 16th
Promise of Blood (The Powder Mage, #1)
April 23rd
A Murder at Rosamund's Gate
April 30th
The Eternity Cure (Blood of Eden, #2)The Boyfriend App

What books are you looking forward to?

Mel.

Up next: [Audiobook] Review - Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Tuesday 26 March 2013

Review: Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Synopsis (from Goodreads)
St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger...



Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.
Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy, #1)
I am a little late on reading this series, and that is because I was hesitant. I thought that it would be like quite a few other YA vampire books I had read and focus mainly on the romance with the supernatural part being on the side. Let’s face it, I thought that it would be like Twilight, which I did enjoy but not something I want to read much of now. However, Vampire Academy was not what I expected it to be and I devoured it.

I liked that the main relationship that the story focused on was the friendship between Rose and Lissa. I loved how much they cared about each other and the focused so much on protecting each other. In a way, with these two, opposites attract. At the start of the book Lissa was the sensible one and Rose was the one who was reckless one and it was interesting to see the contrast. However, as the book went on you felt that each of their personalities rubbed off on each other. Lissa became more reckless, particularly when she wasn’t in control of her emotions and Rose became a little more responsible because of her need to protect Lissa. I will admit that I also enjoyed the romantic relationships. I loved the tension between Rose and Dimitri and I really loved the relationship between Lissa and Christian.

I really liked the different characters. I liked that Rose was so kick-ass and protective of Lissa and I liked Lissa’s kindness. I found that I could relate to both characters. I liked the mystery that surrounded Dimitri and also his dedication and sense of honour and duty and I loved Christian’s frankness and observation. I felt that Mia was a great character even if I wanted to strangle her. I also thought that Victor was a great character and that he and Natalie didn’t fit the moulds that people had given them

I loved the plot. The story just sucked me in and kept me engrossed the whole way through. At times I was able to predict what was happening but some events completely surprised me. I liked how things were revealed bit by bit, offering you clues here and there as to what might happened. I also liked that the story covered some darker themes like torture, self-harming and abduction. It certainly added some meat to the story and also had you questioning things.

It was a great start to the series and I look forward to reading the rest. I give it 5/5 stars!

I read Vampire Academy for the Take Control March 2013 and the 2013 TBR pile reading challenges.
Take Control of Your TBR pile

Mel.

Up next: April Releases I am looking forward to!

Monday 25 March 2013

Wrap-up/Preview

This week was a fairly big week for me personally, but a fairly quiet one on the blog.

What happened on the blog this week?
Thursday: Review - The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke
Saturday: Seven on Saturday - Books on top of my TBR pile

What will happen on the blog in the coming week?
Tuesday: Review - Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Wednesday: April releases that I am looking forward to
Thursday: Review - Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Saturday: Seven on Saturday - Series I haven't finished yet

Hope you had a great week!

Mel.

Up next: Review - Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Saturday 23 March 2013

Seven on Saturday - Books on top of my TBR pile

So Saturday has yet again come around, which means another addition of Seven on Saturday. (Where does all the time go?) In honour of doing the Take Control March challenge I decided that the topic for this weeks Seven on Saturday would be books that are on top of TBR pile at the moment!

So what books are on the top of my TBR pile?
Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy, #1)
1. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead.
I am currently reading this book, but I thought I would put it on any way. I am a little late to this series, I just kept putting off reading them, but I have decided now to start.
Beautiful Darkness (Caster Chronicles, #2)
2. Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Spellcaster (Spellcaster, #1)
3. Spellcaster by Claudia Gray
Bloodlines (Bloodlines, #1)
4. Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
The Night Circus
5. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Beautiful Chaos (Caster Chronicles, # 3)
6. Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Beautiful Redemption (Caster Chronicles, #4)
7. Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Of course, this may not be the order that I read these in, or the next seven books that I might read, but they are currently the top on my TBR pile at the moment.

Mel.

Up next: Wrap-up/Preview

Friday 22 March 2013

Review: The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke

I am sorry that this review is late. If you saw my post on facebook and twitter you will know that the reason why this wasn't posted on Tuesday was because I graduated on Tuesday and I was a little busier than I expected I would be. This review was meant to go up last night but the power went out so I had no internet to put it up.  
Synopsis (from Goodreads)
Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to an allying pirate clan: she wants to captain her own boat, not serve as second-in-command to her handsome yet clueless fiance. But her escape has dire consequences when she learns the scorned clan has sent an assassin after her. 
And when the assassin, Naji, finally catches up with her, things get even worse. Ananna inadvertently triggers a nasty curse — with a life-altering result. Now Ananna and Naji are forced to become uneasy allies as they work together to break the curse and return their lives back to normal. Or at least as normal as the lives of a pirate and an assassin can be.
The Assassin's Curse (The Assassin's Curse, #1)

 This was such an enjoyable read. It was fast paced and action-filled, with really interesting settings and characters. I loved the combination of pirates and assassins for a great story with plenty of twists and turns.


I really enjoyed the characters that Cassandra Rose Clarke created, particularly Ananna and Naji. Ananna was such a feisty, fierce character. She knew how to handle herself in a fight and she certainly wasn’t a whiny character. She was very stubborn, which annoyed some other characters (I am looking at you, Naji), but added to the plot. Naji started of just how I imagined an assassin being, but as you got to know him better he softened a little and let us see his humanity. It was interesting to watch his character develop. I loved that the two main characters weren’t the most moral heroes/heroines. Ananna was a thief and Naji was a murderer and it made for some interesting reading.

I also particularly liked the relationships of the different characters. I loved Ananna and Naji’s reluctant friendship. It was a friendship that started out of necessity, and grew from there. The development of the friendship was slow and realistic. I also liked the different relationships that Ananna had with her parents, which we saw through flashbacks. Even though she had the right to hate them, she didn’t and it was nice to see the reasons why.

The plot was great. Each time you thought that something was going to happen, everything changed and it didn’t. The times when I was sure that Ananna and Naji were going to find an answer to their problem they would hit a roadblock. I particularly liked the little twist that occurred on the ocean and in the desert.

The writing style was certainly interesting. It was first person through Ananna, and as Ananna had a pirate’s education more often than not the English wasn’t correct. It did take a little bit to get used to at the start and it stopped me from getting immersed into the story but once I had gotten used to it I felt that it worked really well.

This was a really good book and I am looking forward to reading the second book! I give The Assassin’s Curse 4.5/5 stars!

I read this book for the Take Control March and the 2013 TBR pile reading challenges.

Take Control of Your TBR pile

Mel.

Up next: Seven on Saturday - Books on top of my TBR pile.