Finally! A place where I can tell the world about the books that I love. I'm always looking for new books, but it's a challenge finding good clean books. So I'm telling you about what I find in hopes that your search for good books will be easier!
I was so excited to try something new this time around. I had so much to say about the "Throne of Glass" series, by Sarah J. Maas, that I decided to do a video to tell you all about it. So I got my room all set up, I had to set my laptop on a stack of books on a stool so I could get the lighting just right, and then....my video won't load. :( Turns out I had too much to say about this series and my video was longer than Blogger lets you post. SO, after almost a week of trying to get that video on here, I am going to just write my review instead. (Add pregnancy brain to the equation and it's no wonder it has been so long since my last post).
The "Throne of Glass" series is currently comprised of 4 books, with the fifth one being released this fall. The first book, "Throne of Glass", is about a young girl in one of the worst prisons imaginable. One day she gets an irresistible offer to be taken out of the prison and become a competitor in a tournament to become the kings champion. Because she also happens to be the most famous assassin around. Celaena, has to fight some of the most ruthless men in the kingdom to win her freedom. All while trying to figure out what evil is lurking in the castle and claiming lives of unsuspecting victims.
The next three books are as follows: "Crown of Midnight", "Heir of Fire", and "Queen of Shadows". Once Celaena gains her freedom she is thrown into situations that involve way more emotions than she has let herself feel in years. She finds friends in unlikely places and discovers new relationships. An irreversible tragedy occurs that turns Celaena's life upside down and suddenly friends become enemies and she has to travel to a different land. She meets someone (my favorite character) that helps her realize her true potential and guides her on her journey to fulfilling her destiny.
These books are full of rich characters, an interactive storyline, and twists and turns that will keep you guessing. There are assassins, princes, witches, demons, Fae warriors, and so much more. The setting of the story is unique as well. Sarah created an entire world where there is a mixture of old-fashioned, modern, and fairy-tale. You will live, eat, and breath these books. It satisfied my need for action, comedy, thrill, and of course, romance. This is on my top 3 favorite series list, and it will earn it's spot on your list too. High school age and older is who I would recommend reads this. 5 out of 5 stars. Check this out and please take the time to let me know what you think. I'm dying to know!
Disclaimer: I tried to keep this review as "spoiler proof" as possible. Each of the titles of the books will lead you to a more in depth description if you would like. :)
I just want to start off by saying that the author of this book is my uncle, (woot woot!), and I am really hoping that his talent at writing runs in the family and that I got some of it. I would take even being just half as good as he is. His book, "Jacob and Lace", is a story of surviving even when all the odds are against you. The main character, Jacob, has is life completely uprooted when his mom wakes him up one morning and runs out the door. He chases her to the bus stop and they leave everything that he has ever known behind. She takes him to a place where he meets wonderful, strange, and caring people. He also witnesses the uglier side of life and sees the consequences that come from ignoring people for the cause of "minding your own business". There is a brightness though that comes in the form of a girl named Lace. She teaches Jacob adventure, hope, and forgiveness. This story will keep you sucked in from the first page to the last. This is one of those books that you simply cannot put down. Each page is filled with rich story and interesting and relatable characters. I actually snuck this book under the covers after my husband had fallen asleep. There aren't very many books that I will risk waking my husband up for. I just could not wait until morning to find out what happened next.The scenery is vibrant and the characters are full of detail and life. This is definitely an unforgettable story that will stay with you long after you turn the last page. 5 out of 5 stars. This book is appropriate for readers of all ages and I strongly suggest that you get a copy. You won't regret it.
You can check out the author here - Tory Anderson. Click here to get your copy of "Jacob and Lace". Feel free to read other reviews here.
I know that I had the "Throne of Glass" series posted as my 'coming up next' book, but I have so much that I want to say about that series and it's going to take me a while. So I am throwing this book in before those ones. "The String Quartet," by Dan Hupalo, is written for elementary to junior high age kids. The story follows four 8th grade students through their adventures traveling between worlds. A magic cello and the quartet's powerful music is what powers their adventures. The group of 13-year olds has to learn to harness the magic to save a friend, and ultimately a kingdom.
The story itself is pretty good. The author has good imagery and his writing flows, but someone desperately needs to do some editing. There are countless amounts of spelling and grammatical errors throughout the text. Which, in a book meant for children, is a big no-no. They are still learning proper grammar themselves, so throwing in a book that is incorrect would only be confusing. There are also a handful of swear words included, and I don't agree with 13-years olds swearing. That was a deal breaker for me. I give this book 2 out of 5 stars. If you are looking for an appropriate book for your child, don't pick this one.
If you have any books that you are thinking about letting your child read, but you aren't sure if it is really appropriate...let me know! I will check it out for you and tell you how it really is. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reading Deals in return for an honest review.
"Hunters in the Dark," by Lawrence Osborne, was completely unexpected from start to finish. Nothing about it was predictable. What I thought was going to be a tale of someone running for his life turned out to be someone running from his life. Robert, an Englishman, visits Cambodia while on holiday from his job as a teacher and, following a few 'lucky' turn of events, decides he doesn't want to go back. The life of living day-to-day, never knowing what tomorrow will bring or when you will run out of money, calls to Robert in a way that nothing he has encountered ever has. The book was unpredictable because just as I thought I knew how the rest of the story was going to play out - a new character or scenario was added and my thoughts were derailed.
Lawrence Osborne has a way of writing that is so beautiful and descriptive, without being too detailed. He gives the reader only the necessary information for their imaginations to take flight and fill in the rest of the scenery. The story itself though is a little slow and at some points, boring. The first 40 pages of the book could probably be condensed into 10. There wasn't a lot there to hold a readers attention. This happened a few other times throughout the book as well. To the authors credit, I believe he was trying to convey what life would really be like as a drifter and that lifestyle would undoubtedly come with unexciting slow times. However, as a reader, I don't necessarily want to read three pages straight about the different restaurants that Robert ate at and what he had to eat at each place.
Other than that, "Hunters in the Dark" was beautifully written and it has a very unique story. Robert is a character that has the guts (or the stupidity) that we all wished we possessed at times to be able to do something drastic with our lives. I didn't absolutely love this book, but I didn't hate it either. I probably will not be reading it again though, so 3 out of 5 stars. There are references to sex (nothing graphic) and a handful of F-words throughout the text. So if you are looking for something completely clean, then skip over this book. I don't think anyone who hasn't lived on their own, or had to pay their own bills, will be able to relate to Robert, so I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone younger than at least college age. I received my copy of "Hunters in the Dark" from Blogging for Books for this review. You can get your hands on a copy by clicking here. Check it out and let me know what you think!
"In the Valley of the Mountains", by Anita Stansfield, is the last book to the "Shadows of Brierley Series." The first three books are about Ian and Wren and their journey, but this last book is focused on their oldest daughter, Gillian. Gillian's family has a nice home in Salt Lake City and she is trying her hardest to help out her parents in any way that she can, but even in a house full of people she feels lonely. Most of her friends are married and starting their own families and she longs for the day when she will have that. She goes from simply dreaming about it to suddenly being forced to choose between two amiable suitors overnight. Her head is telling her one choice, but her heart is leading her down a different path.
This book is my personal favorite of the series. Gillian's character is so full of life. She can be hard-headed one second, then blown away with her feelings the next. She has to choose between two very good choices and she doesn't come to a decision easily. There is laughter, heartache, and tears to be experienced with her story. You don't have to read the first three books to start this one, but I would recommend it. That way you won't miss out on some of the subtle references to events that occurred in the previous books. 5 out of 5 stars! This book is clean, witty, and a fairly easy read. I would recommend it to readers of all ages. Check it out and let me know what you think!
