A whole book without the presence of Chaol </3
Nooooo ... Why Miss Maas why? I honestly couldn't enjoy this book that much without him. Even though this book stirred a lot of feelings in me, and I liked all the events, characters, relationships and power of the plot, still not a single page about Chaol or anything related to his recovery made me angry. I know he'll play a great role in the last book in saving the promised queen, in facing Erawan and Maeve, but still. I LOVE HIM <3
Now, let's talk about this book. I loved everything in it. The characters became really awesome. Getting to know them more and more. To know about their characteristics, to feel what they are feeling, to get inside their heads. It was amazing.
I loved how Dorian was paired with someone I couldn't imagine would be suitable for him. Aideon and Lysandra, for a reason I saw it coming but still I loved them together and the relationship between Aelin and Rowan; at first I didn't like them together, but now I'm in awe, they are so beautiful and passionate. The perfect couple. How he loves her and what he's willing to do to save her life, is just amazing.
We get to know more about Elide and Lorcan. Both broke my heart. One can barely sympathise with Lorcan, but after you know what he has been through, you'll understand. Also Elide showed great girl power for all the pain, sorrow she has been through, still she managed to reach her girl.
I can't wait till next year to see how this book will end!
Some quotes I loved:
"I find pleasure in both depending on my mood and the person."
"But Aelin and Manon pressed their joined hands to the speckled glass."
"Death, cruel and cunning, waited in the gold-flecked onyx stare."
This book was good in so many ways. The narrating, the writing style, the words used to describe situations and feeling. But ,,,,, Thirteens Reasons Why weren't that reasonable for someone to commit suicide and decide to kill him/herself.
I tried to get inside the head of Hannah, to feel what she's feeling, to understand what she's going through. But being added on a list in high school, having bad reputation, witnessing rape and not calling the police for a broken sign that caused an accident which lead to someone's dying, Don't actually make you kill themselves. She could have asked to someone's help, she could have talked to someone, anyone. She had Mr. Porter, why hasn't she told him about everything that was going on in her head?! Doesn't make sense.
Maybe I'm not a teenager anymore to understand what young people go through in that specific age, but I was one before and I can relate to few things. Yes, I've thought about suicide so many times when I was 15 years old but I've never been able to do it. We are talking about a soul here.
I wish the writer had chosen better reasons for why Hannah committed suicide.
I received a copy of this book from BethanyHouse in exchange for an honest review.
Shadow of The Storm follows the story of Shira, the Hebrew slave that we have been introduced to as a secondary character in Counted with The Stars (Book 1). She is the one who helped Kiya when she came to be a slave in the household Shira was working in.
After escaping Egypt, Shira goes in a journey to find herself and to gather the pieces of her soul and mind that were broken and shattered in the past. To gain herself esteem back after what she has been through in the past.
In this book, I found Shira's character very vulnerable, weak and very low in self esteem, not like the one we've met in Counted with The Stars. Maybe because in this book she was facing something more personal? But I loved how he character developed at the end and how she became so forgiving no matter what so she can live in peace and let others have peace. Because everyone who is bitter, must have gone through something in his/her life that made them like this.
Ayla's character was somehow frustrating at the beginning but then I came to like him, he's such a sweetheart, and a loving husband and father. I felt betrayed as much as Shira at first, but then I understood his situation.
We meet Dvorah, a very bitter widow who is left with a little boy and seeking revenge. And also trying to run from someone who is evil. Her brother in law who is making her do things she doesn't want but she has to. For the sake of her child. She tries many evil things to escape from him, but she fails. Will we see her in book 3? Maybe. I want to know what will happen to her after that fire incident.
Now, the spiritual part of the whole series has eased a bit in this book, I didn't find that much of Mosheh's mention or Yahweh. They were mentioned but not as much as what we've seen in Book 1. Which I think was a win for this book, because it focused more on the characters and their development and on the story itself.
Can't wait for book 3.
This is my first biblical fiction read and it won't be the last. I never thought I'd love a book based on religion and such things but I loved the story from its angles.
The book is about a spiritual journey for Kiya the Egyptian slave who has been sold by her father to his friend because of the debt he couldn't pay. She goes to live with her master and mistress who treats her very badly, and comes to be friend with the Hebrew slave Shira, who will guide her and help her in their journey. Their spiritual journey starts after they flee Egypt away from Pharaoh's rage and bloodlust and in their journey they come to know more about the Hebrew messenger Mosheh (Moses) and what he can offer from their God, the one and only. In this journey, Kiya will learn how to love and how to forgive, how to grieve and how to enjoy passion. She'll come to know a new God, who is faceless and hard to believe in but will she find her way to him? Through Shira's brother Eben, she'll come to know and learn about many things.
The characters were amazing, the depth, the agony, the dear, the love and everything they've felt, would get inside your head. Loved Kiya, Eben and Shira's characters, so beautifully written and developed, also her mother's, it was so beautifully written. The story was so easy to read and enjoy. The flow of words were like music, easy for the eyes and mind.
I loved this book a lot, and can't wait to start reading book 2.
"A tremor ran down the muscular through as he swallowed, but still he didn't say anything"
Claire goes back to Jaime and meets him after 20 years of separation. Is he still the same Jaime she loved or has he changed? Is he still her husband or someone else's? Does he have other children? How did he manage to live his life without Claire?
So many questions and more are answered in the third book Voyager which I enjoyed a lot but I guess at the end it became a bit boring. It has been stretched a lot but still, you can never get bore of Claire and Jaime. Their adventures, the way they love and fight is so amazing.
A great series indeed and I can't wait to read book 4 next month.
"Let's rattle the stars"
I honestly can't think that this series can get any better. OMG!!! This book broke my heart and shattered it to pieces ... I'm so overwhelmed with so many feelings that are still flowing inside me.
This book started with powerful action and events. I loved how it started, it got me hooked from the beginning. And how Celaena now is being called Aelin meets Chaol for the first time after their heartbreaking farewell, but now each one of them is holding a grudge towards the other. I hated how their relations ship came out to be so hateful and always arguing or fighting. I hated that she's no longer with Chaol, and that she has found love with another man.
As the story moves, I find myself finding peace with the reality of their relationship. I came to understand that they are not good/fit together, that they are better as friends and not lovers. You become satisfied with that fact. But Chaol is still my favourite. I don't hate Rowan but Chaol wins.
I loved how Chaol is faithful till the end to Dorian. How he'd do anything to save his soul, to free him from the darkness, and to get him away from his evil father. I loved how he'd risk his own life just to save what's left of Dorian, always believing that there's still something worth saving.
I loved how the story had developed its plot and characters. Developing the new characters that we've met in the previous book and letting them become involved in the storyline.
This book was perfect in so many ways. Loved it <3
I didn't like how this book turned out to be.
Many characters have been introduced but with no certain reason or purpose. Rowan, Manon, Maeve, and more. The only one that I felt was useful for the story was Aedion, who has a great role to play in the story along with Chaol and Dorian. Chao also have done a lot in this book which I liked somehow, Dorian was somehow shadowed by his own powers, not knowing what or how deal with it but at the end he becomes aware of how he can use his magic to his own good, to save his kingdom.
Now, let's talk of Celaena & Rowan. First, am I the only one who didn't like Rowan? I really didn't like his existence in the story or in Celaena's life. And his character didn't intrigue me at all, not like Chaol who didn't have an encounter or meeting with Celaena or Aelin, whyyyy? Also there was more training for Celaena but now it's about how to shift and how to embrace herself as Fae. It was boring.
I really hope the 4th book will be much better than this one.
"He was a destiny it was possible to run from, but one I would never escape"
I was given a copy of this book from Penguin Random House (Crown Publishing) in exchange for a honest review.
I loved this book a lot, it was shocking in so many ways and mind opening to many things surrounding us that we can't see or we let ourselves not to see or acknowledge. This book will make great sales I'm sure, and it may be a movie oneway, that I really hope to see and probably one the actors will get to win an Oscar. Yup, that's how good this book is and how much I loved it.
Can you really run away from your past? The above quote interprets many definitions and realities of the main character Lane Roanoke. After you finish reading the book, you'll come to that quote and have a deep thinking about it. How cannot she escape her destiny with him yet the ending is the opposite. I don't want to talk about this in details for I don't want to have any spoilers in my review.
Let's talk about the story. The Roanoke Girls share the same destiny, either they run away or they end up dead.
Lane Roanoke, comes back to live with her grandparents and cousin Allegra in Kensas City at the age of 16 after the death of her mother. Living with her cousin made her see things, horrible things she didn't believe that she'll be able to see oneway, but it will give her a closure to her mother's horrible life and treatment with her. She'll finally come to understand why her mother was so miserable.
Lane finds love with Cooper Sullivan who is 2 years older than her. A boy so messed up like her and comes from a horrible family just like her too. They relate and they became lovers, but will she be able to let him in her life?
Lane escapes from her Roanoke ... She leaves ... Hoping she'll never come back!
But she comes back after leaving that horrible place 10 years ago. She comes back after one call from her Grandad. She comes back after Allegra is gone missing. Something she never expected to happen, for Allegra loved the place, loved her life, loved her destiny with him, or that's what she made her believe.
Lane comes back to know what happened to Allegra. She comes back to the man she loved and ran away from before saying her goodies. Laney girls comes back to set everything straight, to have a closure and set herself free from everything and everyone that were keeping her locked in Roanoke.
I loved all of the characters, all of them had depth. Some were able to move on, some were stuck in where they were 10 years ago, and some believed in what they've done was right, as if it was their destiny to live like that. I loved Cooper Sullivan, he moved on to be a good man even though he was raised by a horrible father. Tommy tried to move on but couldn't, he loved Allegra knowing that she'll never be his, he couldn't admit it but he felt it. The grandparents were a piece of art. I will not talk about them for I want you to discover their characters. And Lane Roanoke's character was beautifully written, developed and sculptured. How she was so cruel to those she loved, how she couldn't express her love and couldn't let those feelings out, but can anyone blame her?
This book has a great story in its pages that everyone must read.
Now, seriously. Can this series get any better? I'm in the second book and I'm sobbing, damn.
Sarah J Maas is the Queen of Fantasy, Queen of Magic, and Queen of Romance. All of these and more are in this series. I mean, you will not get bored at all, whether you like fantasy, romance, suspense, crime or whatever you are into, you'll find it this book/series.
The story follows the life of Celaena Serdothian after becoming The king's Champion and killing anyone who is believed to harm the throne or is a traitor. She has to kill every person she is asked to or else The Captain of Guard will be killed and then she'll follow, or maybe the opposite?! Anyways, it was a risk she wasn't willing to have! Was she? Read the story to find out what happens.
The love triangle was written in a very beautiful way, my heart ached for Chaol, aaaahhhh his character has changed drastically and he became more relaxed, easy and happy. You can feel it when he's with Celaena.
"I will always care. Gods help me, I know I shouldn't, but I do" Chaol.
But after what happened, the climax of the story where it broke my heart and shattered it to pieces. Celaena becomes really cruel to Chaol and treats him as if he is the enemy. She irritated me a lot, and I really hated her in this sequel for tormenting Chaol when he didn't deserve it. Damn you Celaena.
"He barely made it into an empty broom closet before the sobs hit"
The loss of a major character in this book was really sad, it made very upset but I guess it was needed because it changed so many things in the story that made it more interesting.
The reading pace for this book was really fast, I finished it in less than 24hrs. I wanted to slow down, to enjoy the story line but I just couldn't help myself.
The final page of the book ....... wwoooooooowww just wow! I was like "No Waaaaaaay". I don't want to ruin this book or the series to those who haven't read it yet but please please please, if you're into fantasy, magic and portals, then this book is definitely for you and you MUST read it!
This book was perfect in all aspects and elements of a great story. I don't know where was I from this series before. Why haven't I heard of it or known about it? Reading Throne of Glass was a great experience, loved the adventure it made me live with all the characters.
The story is about an assassin who has to fight for her freedom. To become The King's Champion she must join the games and and fight great thief, soldiers and assassin to win the title. But later, the other assassins start dying mysteriously. Scared for her life, Captain of The Guard will do anything to protect her and The Crown Prince will become her friend who will enjoy teasing her.
I loved how the story started and how it ended. The mystery behind Celeana's pain from the past and the marks on her back. Even though she became a great assassin, I felt there is more to her story, to why she became an assassin or how, which I suppose will know in the other books
"When one doesn't have access to a bath and perfume, I suppose one cannot smell as finely as you, your highness"
The way she talks makes you feel the strength and confidence in her character, even after what she has been through which we get to know a little bit about, not the whole thing but still. She is one of the great heroines out there and you cannot help but fall in love with her,
And I also loved her wittiness and how she always tried to provoke Chaol who was timid and tough. The conversation they had made me laugh. It's very easy for a book to make me cry or feel upset, but it's very difficult for a book to make me laugh, and when I laugh while reading a book, I know that this is a great book.
"Celaena didn't quite understand the softness in the look he gave her as he nodded".
The silent feelings that have been described through Chaol's looks towards Celaena made me ache for more, like a hug or something, maybe a kiss?! But I liked how the writer kept a distance between them. To me that is a clever-writing style, where the author keeps her reader wanting for more and not spilling everything in one page.
I can't wait to start reading the next book to know more and see what will happen after that shocking end.
And I thought this series would take me forever to finish but guess what? I've read two books so far in one month and hoping to do the same in October but when I think about it, I want to slow down a bit because I don't want this book to finish.
In this book, we meet 2 new major characters: Roger and Brianna. I loved the role of Roger in this book and how he somehow knew what Claire went through or sensed something was off with her regarding the Jacobites soldiers. He also knew that Brianna was conceived in the past and somehow knew who her father was.
"Damn you. Jamie Fraser!" I said, furious. "What are you doing there anyway; it's miles from Culloden"
I don't know why Claire couldn't sense/feel/see that Jamie might have survived Culloden when she saw his grave that far away from the battle field. She should have had some doubts but she didn't.
And then we go back in time, Claire remembering what happened in France and the ghost of Black Jack following Jamie everywhere even in his dreams.
"You'll go to your death with your arse burning from my pleasure, and when you lose your bowels, it will be my spunk running down your legs and dripping on the ground below the gallows".
Damn that quote. My god, how awful is Jack RANDALL. I've never seen such a horrific villain in any book i've read in my whole life. The description of that scene when Jamie was having nightmares of Black Jack is just awful. Can't imagine someone going through that psychological pain.
Even Claire couldn't escape his horrific words and threats. When he wanted her help to fix his brother Alexander, he didn't request politely, Oh no. He came with harsh words and unbelievable description of what happened to Jamie in that prison cell.
"I have held the soul of his manhood, have taken from him what he has taken from me."
"We are linked, you and I, through the body of one him. Through him".
The characters of this series is beyond amazing. How Diana Gabaldon portrayed each one of them and developed them is beyond magnificent especially the character of Black Jack. Even when he's desperate, he's still evil and became more evil and harsh.
Can't wait to read book 3 "woohoo"
Where was I from this book or this series?
I love creative books with a unique storytelling an plot. It's very rare to see a book that is well written, with a tidy plot and complex characters. Not that all the characters in this book are complex but some of them are. Even though the characters lacked depth and description which I think we might read about more in the next books but I hoped to see more of the characters in this book. They lacked description, passion, depth and warmth. That's why I gave this book 4 stars, I would have given it 5 stars if I felt the characters deserved it but maybe in book 2 or 3?
Knowing the snapshots/pictures that are in the book are real and they belong to the author's collection of weird photos gave me the creeps. There was one photo that really scared me and I felt I wouldn't be able to sleep if I kept on reading the book, so I shut it and went to sleep thinking about all of those photos and that's why it took me 2 days to finish it. If i was able to handle such photos at night, i'd have finished it in one sitting.
As I said earlier, the idea of this book is unique. Writing a story based on photos or somehow related to them. It makes you understand the story in a better way. Having peculiar children/people in a story might be difficult to comprehend or imagine but with the story, it becomes easier.
Jacob goes to an Island after the death of his grandfather that makes him puzzled and lost somehow for he saw something that others couldn't/didn't see or believe. He felt obliged to go out and seek the truth behind his grandfather's story and death. His journey leads him to loop where his grandfather used to live, where he meets the house of Miss Peregrine and her children who has been living in this loop for ....? Staying out of sight, safe, and away from those who want to harm them, but will they stay safe forever? With the help of Jacob, the peculiar children will fight for their lives and those they care about.
If you haven't read the story then go and buy the book before watching the movie. It's amazing <3
When you think that Emma Donoghue would never write something as good as Room. Well guess what? You were wrong. Wile reading this story I was thinking "This is good but not as good as Room" and when I reached the last few pages of this book .... She has done it again!
What would you do to save a child's life?
Elizabeth Wright, an English nurse is sent to Ireland to observe and investigate Anna O'Donnel, an 11 year child, who has been living on nothing but few sips of water for four months. She has been assigned by the Committee to observe and witness if this Child is a fraud or a miracle. But what she discovers is far from fraud or miracle.
I will not spoil the story for your for it's unique in its own way and I want you to read it and discover the hidden meaning in each sentence and word written in this book. but one can ask himself; "Are we fooled by religion or by people of religion or by people who think that religion will save their loved one by losing another?" The plot of this book is kind of complicated if you want to dig deep in each word written.
For example:
"Wiping away the stains. The sins she's committed with each part of her body." What could an 11 year old do or sin with her body? One can only imagine. And if she has done something then I'm sure it's not her fault. It could be another one's fault who is older, and mature, who knows right from wrong. But an 11 year old child is still young for sinning with her own body!
The shocking events of this book will leave you speechless and angry. I remember myself being very furious and angry at the mother Rosalyn for something she has said in the book. It frustrated me that I cursed Lib (The Nurse) for not slapping her on the face.
The writing style of this book is beyond amazing, Emma has the gift to make you live inside the story as if you're the main character. I can't imagine what Lib was going through seeing Anna wither infant of her and not being able to do anything. I hated the parents for they didn't care much for their child or maybe they thought she's in God hands and that he knows better. I can't believe that there are people out there who still think like that. I mean I know this is a fictional story but hey, such people do exist.
Such an amazing book. Well done Emma <3
