Month: May 2017

What I Read In April

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April was the most demanding month of my life. Between classes and papers and finals and meetings and work and trips and friends, the month completely flew by. That being said, I’m so happy with past me for reading 5 books! My semester/freshman year ends tomorrow (internal screaming), so here’s to some much needed time off with ALL the books!

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J.Maas (4/5 Stars)- This was my second time reading ACOTAR, as I was anticipating the release of A Court of Wings and Ruin, the final book in the trilogy (I know that there are more books coming out in the ACOTAR world, but I’m considering the first three books about Feyre a trilogy). While I enjoyed my reread, I was not as enchanted with ACOTAR this time around, especially knowing what happens in the second book. However, I was reminded of Feyre’s strength, and I also noticed more of the Beauty and the Beast elements this time around. I posted a reread review of ACOTAR a few weeks ago as well.

Wires and Nerve, Volume #1 by Marissa Meyer (4/5 stars)- As a fan of The Lunar Chronicles, I was so excited to get my hands on the series’ first graphic novel. I loved seeing the characters the way Marissa Meyer envisioned them, and I enjoyed having Iko as the main protagonist. I always wanted her point of view in the original four books (Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter) to begin with. However, I wish Wires and Nerve had taken place after Stars Above, the TLC novella bind-up, instead of taking place before the final novella in the book. I’m also a bit disappointed about the next volume not coming until 2018.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (5/5 stars)- Between Angie Thomas rocking the New York Times Best Sellers List since The Hate U Give’s release in February and all the hype surrounding this book in the YA community, I was so excited to get my hands on this 2017 release. If there’s one thing (there were many things, don’t worry) that stood out to me while reading THUG, it is its contemporary relevance. THUG is based on the Black Lives Matter Movement, as our main protagonist Starr witnesses her childhood best friend die at the hands of a police officer. I haven’t rated a book 5 out of 5 stars in a while, and I have a full review of THUG up on the blog.

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas (4.5/5 Stars)– In addition to rereading ACOTAR, I reread A Court of Mist and Fury this month in anticipation of ACOWAR. I enjoyed my reread of ACOMAF a lot more than ACOTAR, as I loved being reunited with the Court of Dreams and Velaris. My biggest issue with this read was most of the romantic elements set in the novel, which I discuss in my reread review of ACOMAF.

South of Sunshine by Dana Elmendorf (3/5 stars)– South of Sunshine follows Kaycee, a high school senior living in Sunshine, Tennessee. Kaycee does her best to hide that fact that she is a lesbian in her small, Christian town, until Bren shows up and turns Sunshine and Kaycee upside. I really enjoyed the setting of this book, and it made sad that Kaycee felt that she couldn’t be herself around her friends and family. However, I felt a big disconnect with this book , as I did not enjoy the writing style and often grew frustrated with the characters.

Favorite Book: The Hate U Give. THERE ARE HARRY POTTER AND HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL REFERENCES PEOPLE!!!

What books did you read in April? Share in the comments below!

A Court of Mist and Fury Reread Review

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Happy A Court of Wings and Ruin Release Day!!With Sarah J.Maas’s A Court of Wings and Ruin’s finally out, I knew I had to reread A Court of Thorns and Roses and A Court of Mist and Fury before starting the last book in this trilogy. ACOMAF was one of my favorite reads of 2016, again hailing Sarah J.Maas as the queen of fantasy. While I really enjoyed my reread, I wasn’t completely memorized by ACOMAF this time around. Without going into spoilery detail, I was not too enchanted by the romance in this novel, as I was more focused on the characters’ backstories, action, and world-building. Despite my dislike for the romantic elements, I cannot wait to get my hands on ACOWAR once my semester is over! I preordered the book from Barnes & Noble and completed the preorder promotion for a map of the ACOTAR world!

**Warning:This review contains ACOMAF spoilers. **

What I Liked :

  • Learning more about the Court of Dreams– My favorite part of ACOMAF are the members of the Court of Dreams– Rhysand, Cassian, Azriel, Mor, and Amren. While I don’t mind Feyre as the main narrator, I enjoy reading about the members of the Court of Dreams so much more. They all add their own character to the story, and I love the humor and Cassian and Mor often bring. I laughed out when Mor hopes that Feyre isn’t dead when she checks in on her at the cabin.
  • The world-building– I loved going to the Summer Court and meeting Tarquin and his court. I have a feeling Tarquin will definitely make an appearance or two in ACOWAR, as the Summer Court and Spring Court are allies. I also fell in love with the city of Velaris. I love the contrast between the darkness that comes with being labeled as the Night Court and the rainbow and color that is Velaris. I was screaming during the battle over the city.
  • The ending– The court’s trip to Hybern comes shortly after the Rhysand and Feyre are mates/let’s have sex and celebrate scenes, so I was looking for more action as the pages dwindled.  AND SARAH J. MAAS COMPLETELY DELIVERED. Between the appearance of Jurian, the arrival of the Spring Court and Feyre’s sisters, and all the drama and tension in that scene, I was again having all the fangirl feels.
  • Remembering scenes that I had forget about- I think by just focusing on the ending of the novel and thinking about what’s to come in ACOWAR, I forgot a lot of the plot details and scenes in the novel. For example, I forgot about the mortal queens’ involvement with the Book and Lucien’s hunt for Feyre.

What I Disliked:

  • The emphasis on the romance– Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy Feyre and Rhysand as a couple and I understand that their bond is a key element to the novel’s plot. However, I hated how almost every scene had to have some sort of detail about their feelings and how hot one looked with their Illyrian wings. I just felt like it took away from the novel’s action and suspense.
  • The sex scenes– In my opinion, the sex scenes in ACOTAR and ACOMAF place the series into the new adult genre instead of the young adult genre. Personally, I do not enjoy the sex scenes because I find them a bit unnecessary and a bit too detailed. I understand Feyre and Rhysand have these deep feelings for each other, but I don’t need to know about what Rhysand wants to do his mate laying on the kitchen table.

What are you most looking forward to in ACOWAR? Let me know in the comments below!!