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 »

Thursday 30 May 2013

Review: Why I Let My Hair Grow Out by Maryrose Wood

Series: Morgan Rawlinson #1
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Published: March 6th 2007
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Source: Borrowed from a friend
Synopsis (from Goodreads)
Being sent to your room is one thing. But being sent to another country? 

Morgan's boyfriend dumped her on the last day of school - it seemed the only thing to do was to hack off her hair and dye the stubble orange. Unfortunately, Morgan's parents freaked and decided a change of scenery would do her good. So they're sending her off on a bike tour of Ireland. 
But Morgan gets more than she bargained for on the Emerald Isle - including a strange journey into some crazy, once upon a time corner of the past. There, she meets fairies, weefolk, and a hunky warrior-dude named Fergus, and figures that she's got some growing to do-and she doesn't just mean her hair.
Why I Let My Hair Grow Out (Morgan Rawlinson, #1)

Why I Let My Hair Grow Out is a great quick read, which was quirky and quite funny. I enjoyed reading this book and I often found myself laughing aloud at times throughout the story.

One thing that I really loved about the story was the main character Morgan. At the start of the story I did find her to be a little whiny and annoying, but that didn’t last too long. I loved how funny Morgan could be. She was blunt, witty and could be quite comical at times. She was also a strong character, who liked to face a challenge head-on, which I admired her for. I adored Colin, who could be just as witty and funny as Morgan, but who was more laid back. I was entertained by the banter between the two. I thought that the minor characters were good too, each one adding their own bit to the story which worked really well.

The story was fast paced. It didn’t take long for the action to happen, and everything that lead up to the action wasn’t lingered on for too long. I really enjoyed how action-packed this story was, it was all packed into such a short story, but yet there was a lot going on. The plot was full of twists and turns and half the time you didn’t know what was going on. There were certainly some amusing surprises. 

I liked the writing style, as well. I felt that it was unique to Morgan, and I hadn’t read anything like it before. It was almost like stream of consciousness from Morgan, but not quite. It worked well by adding more humour to the story.

Lastly my favourite part about this story was all the mythology and Irish legends. I have seemed to have accidently picked up quite a few books about Irish and Celtic legends and mythology recently, and I have been intrigued by it. I thought that it was well handled, with ancient warriors, fae and all the other magical creatures, including a talking horse.

Overall, Why I Let My Hair Grow Out was a fast paced, great read and I would recommend it if you are in a reading slump, because I think it would be a good book for getting out of one. I gave it 5/5 stars!

Mel.

Up next - Seven on Saturday: Books I loved as a child.

Wednesday 29 May 2013

Review: Sworn to Raise by Terah Edun

Series: Courtlight #1
Publisher: Amazon Digital 
Published: April 10th 2013
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy 
Source: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review.

Synopsis (from Goodreads)
Seventeen-year-old Ciardis has grown up in poverty, a cleaner in a small vale on the outskirts of the kingdom. But beneath her kingdom’s seemingly idyllic surface lies a hidden secret. Whispers of an inept crown Prince are growing ever louder—intensified by the five year anniversary of the soulbond initiations. Amidst scandalous whispers, Ciardis finds herself chosen to train for the Companion’s Guild. She leaves her home and sets off on a personal journey to become a Court Companion. A position she’d never thought possible for a lowly servant to obtain, she must prove that she has the skills to attract a Patron.  But she must master those skills quickly. If the legends are true, only Ciardis can harness the power to raise a Prince in an Imperial Court sworn to bring him down.
Sworn to Raise (Courtlight #1)

Sworn to Raise was an interesting book that I enjoyed reading. It was a reasonably well written, quick read that was full of magic and action.

I really liked the main character, Ciardis. I felt that she was a strong female character, who still remained fairly feminine, which to me doesn’t necessarily happen all that often in young adult books. I liked that despite her strength, she still had fears and she still had a vulnerable side. I also liked Sebastian, who was loyal, strong and willing to take a stand. I did find him a little arrogant at times, which annoyed me a little, but overall I still liked him. Damias was another character I liked because of how he mentored Ciardis and was what she needed. I didn’t really like Serena because I found her to be too shallow and vain for my liking.

I really enjoyed the magical elements in the story. I loved that there were different types of mages and that they varied so much in skills and strength. I felt that maybe this could have been explored a little bit more in the story, but maybe that is to come in the next book.

The plot was enjoyable and I thought that it was fairly unique. I hadn’t read a book that really covered what this story was about before. The problem that I had with the plot though was that it was a little simple and predictable. Not much really surprised me with the story and I was never really pushed to think about the story line. This did make for a quick and easy read, but I was wishing for a little more complexity.

I also felt that everything was convenient for Ciardis. For example, Ciardis just so happened to come across the only person who could get her out of her situation and have her offer Ciardis the way out. This happened quite regularly throughout the book and I was often sound sitting there rolling my eyes and going “of course she would happen to find that thing there, without really looking,” which did annoy me a little. I also felt that the ending was a little too neatly wrapped up.

Another issue I had with the story was the pacing. I felt that the story was too fast-paced. It was all action, action, action and there wasn’t any time for really processing what was going on. I think that this was one of the reasons that I found the story to be simple. I also think that it was one of the reasons that I didn’t really connect emotionally with the story. There was a point in the plot where I should have felt even a little bit upset but I hardly felt anything. I also would have liked there to be a little more exploration into the character’s past because I didn’t feel like we really learnt much about anyone.


Despite my issues with the book, I did really enjoy it and I can’t wait to read the next book. I give this book 4 stars. 

Mel.

Up next - Review: Why I Let My Hair Grow Out by Maryrose Wood

Sunday 26 May 2013

Wrap-up/Preview

Another week has passed and it was a very busy one for me. I ride horses and there was a competition at one of my local Pony Clubs which I had working bees for and volunteered today. It meant a very early start for me today, but it was good fun and I got to do the vet check so I learnt heaps.

What happened on the blog this week?

I decided to lift my book buying ban this week and I bought five books. I also got one book for review. As always, click the picture to go to the Goodreads page.

Eon: Dragoneye Reborn (Eon, #1)The Queen's Fool (Tudors, #4)Greenwitch (The Dark is Rising, #3)Angels and Demons (Robert Langdon, #1)Seventh Son (Tales of Alvin Maker, #1)
I got two used books from my local op-shop and three new books. The books I bought were:
Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman
The Queen's Fool by Phillipa Gregory
Greenwitch by Susan Cooper
Angels and Demons by Dan Brown
Seventh Son by Orson Scott Card

I also received one book for review from Netgalley, that being:
The Tale of Mally Biddle
The Tale of Mallie Biddle by M.L. LeGette, thanks to Patchwork Press and the author.

What can you expect on the blog next week?
Tuesday - Review: Sworn to Raise by Terah Edun
Thursday - Review: Why I Let My Hair Grow Out by Maryrose Wood
Saturday - Seven on Saturday: Books that I loved as a child

Hope you all had a great week!

Mel.

Up next - Review: Sworn to Raise by Terah Edun

Saturday 25 May 2013

Seven on Saturday

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.

 The topic I choose this week was the seven books that I would want with me if I ever got stranded on a deserted island. I did cheat a little and count series as one book.
So the seven books I would want with me are:

  1. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling series - I tend to reread this series at least once a year, so this would definitely be a must have for me. Plus it would take me a little while to get through it.
  2. Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis - As with the Harry Potter series, Chronicles of Narnia is a reread. I have reread this series a couple of times and each time it captures my imagination. 
  3. Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien  - This is again here for the same reasons as above. I love this story and I always manage to pick up something new each time I read it. Again it is a fairly large read and will take me a little while to get through.
  4. Obernewtyn Chronicles by Isobelle Carmody - See the past three reasons.
  5. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo - I haven't read this yet but I really want to and it is a massive book that would keep me occupied for a while.
  6. Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead - This is a series that I have started but that I haven't finished yet, but I really want to. I really enjoyed the first two books and it would be good to finish the series.
  7. The Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta - This is for the same reason as the Vampire Academy series. I loved the first book and I really want to read Quintana of Charyn to know how everything is resolved!

What books would you want with you?

Mel.

Up next: Wrap-up/Preview

Thursday 23 May 2013

Review: Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta

Synopsis (from Goodreads)
Blood sings to blood, Froi . . . 
Those born last will make the first . . . 
For Charyn will be barren no more. 
Three years after the curse on Lumatere was lifted, Froi has found his home... Or so he believes...
Fiercely loyal to the Queen and Finnikin, Froi has been trained roughly and lovingly by the Guard sworn to protect the royal family, and has learned to control his quick temper. But when he is sent on a secretive mission to the kingdom of Charyn, nothing could have prepared him for what he finds. Here he encounters a damaged people who are not who they seem, and must unravel both the dark bonds of kinship and the mysteries of a half-mad Princess.
And in this barren and mysterious place, he will discover that there is a song sleeping in his blood, and though Froi would rather not, the time has come to listen.
Gripping and intense, complex and richly imagined, Froi of the Exiles is a dazzling sequel to Finnikin of the Rock, from the internationally best-selling and multi-award-winning author of Looking for Alibrandi, Saving Francesca, On the Jellicoe Road and The Piper's Son.

Froi of the Exiles (Lumatere Chronicles, #2)
Froi of the Exiles is the second of the Lumatere Chronicles. You can read my review for the first book, Finnikin of the Rock, here. Froi of the Exiles was a good follow up book, but didn’t quite live up to the first book for me.

Finnikin of the Rock was mainly told from Finnikin’s perspective however in Froi of the Exiles, as the title may suggest, the story was mainly told from Froi’s perspective. This made me a little nervous to start this book because Froi certainly wasn’t my favourite character in the first book and I was a little unsure I would connect with him. However all my worries were for nothing, I could connect to Froi and I loved learning a little bit more about how he thinks and feels. In saying that, my favourite chapters were those that weren’t from Froi’s perspective, but that is more because it involved my favourite characters.

Talking of characters, the new characters that were introduced in Froi of the Exiles were great. I loved Quintana’s complexity and duality. I also loved seeing her stubbornness and savagery. I pitied her but I admired how strong she stayed despite everything she had gone through. I absolutely adored Phaedra. I loved her kindness, her loyalty and her stubbornness. I felt like I could relate to her and I was always anxious to know about her story line. I loved how well written Gargarin, Arjuro and Lirah were, even if at times I didn’t like the characters and I can’t wait to know more about their storylines.

I found the plot was suspenseful and unpredictable. There were so many twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. Some of the twists were related to the major plotlines, but even some of the smaller character lines had some surprises that I didn’t see coming. I really enjoyed the depth of the story and the complexity kept it intriguing and kept me guessing.

I have to say that I love the way Melina Marchetta writes! I love the way that she is able to make readers feel the emotions of the characters. I love the way each character she writes has their own unique voice. I love the way she describes scenes and, particularly in this series, I love her world building. In saying that, I did have a little, and I mean teeny tiny, problem with the pacing of this book. I felt at times that it did drag on somewhat, but I still think that Marchetta is a genius.

Overall, Froi of the Exiles was a great book, and a really good follow up to Finnikin of the Rock. I had a few minor issues with the book so I gave it 4.5/5 stars!

I read this book for the Australian Women Writer's Challenge 2013 and the 2013 Sequel Challenge.
awwbadge_2013

Mel.


Tuesday 21 May 2013

Review: Runes by Ednah Walters

Synopsis (from Goodreads)
Seventeen-year-old Raine Cooper has enough on her plate dealing with her father’s disappearance, her mother’s erratic behavior and the possibility of her boyfriend relocating. The last thing she needs is Torin St. James—a mysterious new neighbor with a wicked smile and uncanny way of reading her.
Raine is drawn to Torin’s dark sexiness against her better judgment, until he saves her life with weird marks and she realizes he is different. But by healing her, Torin changes something inside Raine. Now she can’t stop thinking about him. Half the time, she’s not sure whether to fall into his arms or run.

Scared, she sets out to find out what Torin is. But the closer she gets to the truth the more she uncovers something sinister about Torin. What Torin is goes back to an ancient mythology and Raine is somehow part of it. Not only are she and her friends in danger, she must choose a side, but the wrong choice will cost Raine her life.
 Runes

Runes is a book that takes elements of Norse mythology and places them in a modern day setting. I have always been intrigued by Norse mythology but I don’t know that much about it. I really liked this aspect of the story and it was great to learn a little more. It was a really intriguing storyline and I really enjoyed it.

I thought that the characters were well written. I found Raine was easy to connect to and she was a good main character. She was strong and she certainly wasn’t whiny. I thought that she acted realistically to all the crazy stuff that was going on in her life and I thought that she was a realistic character. I really liked Raine’s friendship with Cora and I loved Cora’s loyalty and also her humour. I am not really sure I like Eirik, he was fairly loyal but I felt that his character lacked a little depth. I loved how evil Maliina was and how twisted Andris was. I absolutely loved Torin St. James. He was badass, loyal and he was always there for Raine when she needed him.

As I said before, the storyline was intriguing. I found the plot to be convoluted and twisted with people who seemed to have their own agenda working for someone and people who seemed to be working for someone else having their own agenda. There were some great surprises in the plot, and it wasn’t predictable for me. It was complex and you could never really guess what was coming and what/who people were. The ending was really well done and a great way to set up for another book, even if it was a mean ending.

I really enjoyed the writing style. I found that the story was fast-paced and it was really well balanced between action scenes and scenes that built up the story. The story flowed really well and the writing style sucked you in. I also found the descriptions to be short, but detailed enough that you could picture everything vividly.

I only had one small problem with this book, and that was the love triangle. I did think that it was really well done, but I still didn’t like it. I really wanted her to end up with the guy she wasn’t with but I didn’t want that guy to get hurt. I felt that the love triangle was a little unnecessary, too. I think that the story would have worked well without it. In saying that, I think that it has been set up so that it can be resolved in a way where no one will get hurt.

Overall, this was an intriguing, quick read and I really enjoyed Runes. I rate 4.5/5 stars!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review.

Mel.

Up next - Review: Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta

Monday 20 May 2013

Bout of Books Wrap-up

I am excited because not only did I finish my first ever read-a-thon but I completed my goal of reading four books! I did alter from my plan slightly, but I am still really happy that I succeeded! 

How did I differ from my plan, you might ask. Well I did plan on finishing Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta and Hood by Stephen R. Lawhead, but both books are quite long, and I am not that quick a reader. I didn't start Hood, but I did get part way through Froi of the exiles, and I am adding the pages I read into my total, I just decided to put it aside because I knew I wouldn't get it finished in time.

Through the DoorRunesSanctuary (Wicked Lovely: Desert Tales, #1)Why I Let My Hair Grow Out (Morgan Rawlinson, #1)

So the first book that I read for Bout of Books was Through the Door by Jodi McIsaac. I have already posted a review for this, which you can find here, and I gave it 3/5 stars.

The second book I read was Runes by Ednah Walters. I really enjoyed this book. It was a fairly easy read and it was an intriguing story line. I will be posting a review soon, but I gave it 4/5 stars!

The third book I read was a graphic novel, which I managed to read in the time it took me to catch a tram from the library to my house. The book was Sanctuary by Melissa Marr with the illustrations being done by Xian Nu Studios. It was my first ever graphic novel and I enjoyed it. The story was interesting, except maybe a bit too much romance and not enough faeries for me, and I thought that the graphics were pretty good. I gave it 3/5 stars!

The last book I read for Bout of Books was Why I Let My Hair Grow Out by Maryrose Wood. I really loved this story. It was funny, a little quirky and very funny! I gave it 5/5 stars and I will have a review for it up soon!

So overall, I reached my goal of four books, which added up to 1077 pages read! I really enjoyed my first ever read-a-thon and I will definitely have to participate in one again!

If you participated I hope you did well and reached your goals!

P.S. Click the picture is you would like to go to the Goodreads page for each book!

Mel.

Up next - Review: Runes by Ednah Walters.

Sunday 19 May 2013

Wrap-up/Preview

My first full week back on blogging and what a week it was!

What happened on the blog this week?

As I am still going strong on my book buying ban, I have not bought any new books. Neither have I received any review books and I am still waiting for a couple of books to come into my library. 

What will happen on the blog next week?
Monday - Bout of Books wrap-up post
Tuesday - Review: Runes by Ednah Walters
Thursday - Review: Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta
Saturday - Seven on Saturday: Books that I would want with me if I was stranded on a deserted island
Sunday - Wrap-up/Preview

Bout of Books update
Currently Reading: Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta and Why I Let My Hair Grow Out by Maryrose Wood
Pages read of Current Read: 186 and 134, respectively.
Total Pages read: 993
Books read: 3
Goal: 4

Hope you all had a great week!

Mel.

Seven on Saturday: Book Worlds that I want to live in!


This weeks topic on Seven on Saturday was the top seven book worlds that I wanted to live, so in no particular order, they are:

1. Hogwarts (Harry Potter series)
Ever since I first read Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, I really wanted to go to Hogwarts and be sorted into a house. I wanted to learn magic and play quidditch.

2. Narnia (Chronicles of Narnia)
I would love to live in Narnia, especially the Narnia when the Pevensies ruled after The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I would love to talk to animals and be friends with Mr. Tumnus and see the stone table.


3. Camp Half Blood (Percy Jackson and the Olympians series)

I would love to live at Camp-Half Blood. I would love to have a cabin to live in and cabin mates that were my brothers and sisters. I would love to play capture the flag and sit by the bonfire.


4. Alagaesia (Inheritance Cycle)

Probably the main reason why I would want to live in Alagaesia would be for the dragons. I would love to be a dragon rider and be connected to a dragon. I would also love to see the dwarves in Farthen Dur and the elves in Ellesmera.


5. Araluen (Ranger's Apprentice series)

The thing I loved the most about Araluen was the medieval feel. I would love to live at Castle Redmont or visit Malcolm in Grimsdell forest.


6. Keltor (Legendsong series)

Despite all the political turmoil happening in Keltor, I really feel like it would be such a magical and vibrant place to live.


7. Lumatere (The Lumatere Chronicles)

I would love to live in the Lumatere that is ruled by Isaboe and Finnikin. I think that it sounds like a beautiful place to live, even if it wouldn't be the easiest life. I would also love to have Isaboe as my Queen!

What book worlds would you like to live in?

Mel.

Bout of Books Update
Current read: Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta
Pages read of current read: 186
Total pages read: 667
Books read: 2
Goal: 4

Up next: Wrap-up/Preview

Friday 17 May 2013

Review: Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Synopsis (from Goodreads)
In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street—and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa’s powers for his own dark ends.
With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister’s war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move—and that one of their own has betrayed them. 
Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will—the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do? 
As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.
Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices, #2)
Clockwork Prince is the second book of The Infernal Devices, here being my review for the first. I really enjoyed going back into the world of shadow hunters and discovering more about Tessa, Will, Jem and the other characters.

Firstly, I have to say that Cassandra Clare really knows how to write endings. The ending of Clockwork Prince was very much a surprise for me and had me yelling, “Wait! What?” which probably surprised my housemates. I am really eager now to get my hands on a copy of Clockwork Princess as soon as I possibly can.

I kind of felt that this book was kind of a fill-in book. I felt like there was no major event in the story just an accumulation of minor ones. I felt that the book is here to tie-up loose plot ends of Clockwork Angel, and to set-up the scene for Clockwork Princess. In saying that though, I still really liked the story and we did learn a lot about the different characters. The plot wasn’t predictable and it didn’t feel slow either, I just felt that a major event was missing.

I love the complexity of the world that Cassandra Clare has created. It is so vivid and convincing and half the time I feel like it could exist. It is very easy to picture the world that Tessa is walking through and I feel that there is so much detail about it, yet none of it takes away from the pacing of the story.

I love how complex the characters are. There were many times throughout the book when I thought that I knew a character and then something would happen and I would have to change how I thought about them. I love that Tessa is not a whinny character and the she is strong and fairly independent, and quite a bit stubborn as well. I love Jem’s steadiness and loyalty, Charlotte’s kindness and Henry’s eccentricity. I think most of all I love Will’s complexity, he is broken in so many ways yet yeah manages to stay strong and loyal.

I have to say that I really like the romance. I am not a fan of love triangles, but this one is really well written. I don’t necessary like that there is a love triangle, because someone will get hurt and I don’t want that to happen, but I like that Tessa really does love both of them and how the choice is going to be very hard for her. It is one of the few love triangles that I think is well done. I also love Charlotte and Henry’s relationship. There was one scene in the book between the two that I cried reading because of the gorgeous fluff between them. I really hope that they end up happy together.

Overall, I really enjoyed the story, and I think that I have to say that I like The Infernal Devices more than The Mortal Instruments, because I feel I can connect to the characters better. I give Clockwork Prince 4/5 stars!

I read this book for the 2013 Sequel Reading Challenge.

Bout of Books read-a-thon update.
Currently Reading: Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta
Pages read of current read: 90/593
Books read so far: 2
Goal: 4 books

Mel.

Up next - Seven on Saturday - Book Worlds that I want to live in

Wednesday 15 May 2013

Review: Through the Door by Jodi McIsaac

Synopsis (from Goodreads)
It’s been seven years since the love of Cedar McLeod’s life left with no forwarding address. All she has left of him are heart-wrenching memories of happier times and a beautiful six-year-old daughter, Eden. Then, one day, Eden opens her bedroom door and unwittingly creates a portal that leads to anywhere she imagines.

But they’re not the only ones who know of Eden’s gift, and soon the child mysteriously vanishes.
Desperate for answers, Cedar digs into the past and finds herself thrust into a magical world of Celtic myths, fantastical creatures, and bloody rivalries. Teaming up with the unlikeliest of allies, Cedar must bridge the gap between two worlds and hold tight to the love in her heart…or lose everything to an ancient evil.
The first in the Thin Veil series, Through the Door is a pulse-pounding adventure that takes readers across the globe and deep into the hidden realms of Celtic lore.
Through the Door



I am still not really sure how I feel like this book. I found it to be a quick and easy read, and I liked it, but I felt that it was missing something. I really enjoyed the mixture of our modern day world with Celtic and Irish mythology.

When I read the synopsis, I was immediately intrigued by the idea. I felt that it could be a really interesting story if it was executed correctly. In terms of the plot, I did feel that it was well done, but there was a certain predictability that didn’t make the read as enjoyable as it could have been. I found that I was guessing what was going to happen before it did happen and not once was I surprised by the storyline. In saying that, I still enjoyed the story, it just wasn’t as captivating as I would have liked.

As I said earlier, I really liked the Celtic and Irish Mythology that was incorporated into the story. The addition of magic and mythical beings really added to the story. I felt that the mixture of mermaids, leprechauns, druids and old gods/fairies was really well balanced.

The writing style was reasonably good. I felt that sentence structure was good and made it easy to read. I did feel that maybe things were described in too much detail, or unnecessary things were mentioned. I felt that this took away from the pacing of the story, and I often found myself skimming through the descriptions because I wanted to know what was happening in the story.

Another thing that I didn’t really like was the changing in perspectives. I was never confused by which character’s point of view I was currently reading but it made the story feel a little choppy and I felt at times that the story was jumping around different time points of the story when we changed perspective.

I also felt that I couldn’t connect the characters that well. There were times in the story when I should have felt emotion and I didn’t really feel anything and I think it was because I couldn’t relate to the characters. It may be because I have never been in the character’s shoes, but that hasn’t really stopped me from connecting before. In saying that, I did like the characters. I felt that each character was an individual and there were no unnecessary characters. I liked that despite everything she had been through, Cedar was a strong character and I also liked how twisted Nuala was.

Overall it was a good read, but not a story that I felt was memorable. I give it 3/5 stars, because I did like the story, I just feel it could have been executed better.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review.


Bout of Books read-a-thon update.
Currently Reading: Runes by Ednah Walters
Books read so far: 1
Goal: 4 books

Mel.

Up next – Review: Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Monday 13 May 2013

May's New Releases that I am looking forward to!

There are some great books set to come out this month. Here are some that I am looking forward to! The usual applies, click the picture to go to the Goodreads page.

The 5th Wave (The Fifth Wave, #1)Chantress (Chantress, #1)GoldenIcons (Icons, #1)Loki's Wolves (The Blackwell Pages, #1)SilenceMaid of Secrets (Maids of Honor, #1)The Summer I Became a NerdSchool Spirits (School Spirits, #1)The Beautiful and the CursedThe Perfume CollectorToweringNight School (Night School, #1)The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer BlackThe Fall of Arthur

The Fifth Wave (The Fifth Wave #1) by Rick Yancey - Putnam Juvenille - 1st May 2013

Chantress (Chantress Trilogy #1) by Amy Butler Greenfield - Margaret K. McElderry Books - 7th May 2013

Icons (Icons #1) by Margaret Stohl - Little Brown Books for Young Readers - 7th May 2013

Loki's Wolves by K. L. Armstrong & M. A Marr - Atom - 7th May 2013

Maid of Secrets (Maid of Honor #1) by Jennifer McGowan - Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers - 7th May 2013

Silence (Queen of the Dead #1) by Michelle Sagara - DAW - 7th May 2013

The Summer I became a Nerd by Leah Rae Miller - Entangled Teen - 7th May 2013

Golden by Jessi Kirby - Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers - 14th May 2013

School Spirits (School Spirits #1) by Rachel Hawkins - Disney-Hyperion - 14th May 2013

The Beautiful and the Cursed (The Dispossed #1) by Page Morgan - Delacorte Books for Young Readers - 14th May 2013

The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro - Harper - 14th May 2013

Towering by Alex Finn - HarperTeen - 14th May 2013

Night School (Night School #1) by C.J. Daugherty - Katherine Tegen Books - 21st May 2013

The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black by E.B. Hudspeth - Quirk Books - 21st May 2013

The Fall of Arthur by J.R.R. Tolkien - Harper Collins - 23rd May 2013

What books are looking forward to the release of?

Mel.

Up next  - Review: Through the Door by Jodi McIsaac

Sunday 12 May 2013

Bout of Books 7.0

So I have been looking for a read-a-thon to participate in for a little while. I have seen quite a few different bloggers sign-up to Bout of Books 7.0 so I checked it out and decided that I would participate.

Bout of Books

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, May 13th and runs through Sunday, May 19th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 7.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

My goal for this is to read three-four books. I am not really sure what books I will read yet, I tend to read according to my mood.

Check it out if you want to join in!

Mel.

I'm back!

Hey guys so I am now back from my two week holiday! I didn't actually get as much reading done as I would have liked doing because things went a little crazy there. However, I am back and really looking forward to getting back into it! Today's post is just a quick preview on what to expect in the coming week!

Monday - May's New Releases that I am looking forward to!
Tuesday - Review: Through the Door by Jodi McIsaac
Thursday - Review: Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
Saturday - Seven on Saturday: Book worlds that I want to live in

I am still on my book buying ban, which I am amazed I haven't yet broken, and I have yet to get anymore library books. I did receive one book from Net Galley though, that being Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead, thanks to Penguin Books Australia which is to be released on 6th of June. As always click the picture to go to the Goodreads page.

Gameboard of the Gods (Age of X, #1)

Hope you have all had a good time while I have been away and you are looking forward to the week as much as I am!

Mel.

Up next: May's New Releases that I am looking forward to!