Saturday, December 31, 2016

Review: This Savage Song


Title: This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity #1)
Author: Victoria Schwab
Publisher: Titan Books Ltd
Year published: 2016
How I got this book: I bought it at BookDepository
My rating: 4 stars

Goodreads synopsis:
There's no such ting as safe in a city at war, a city overrun with monsters. In this dark urban fantasy from author Victoria Schwab, a young woman and a young man must choose whether to become heroes or villains - and friends or enemies - with the future of their home at stake. The first of two books.

Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city - a city where violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as goodhearted as his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent - but he's one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul with a simple strain of music. When the chances arises to keep an eye on Kate, who's just been kicked out of her sixth boarding school and returned home, August jumps at it. But Kate discovers August's secret, and after a failed assassination attempt the pair myst flee for their lives.

My thoughts:
I really enjoyed this book. It took me a while to get into everything, but once I did I was really immersed in the story and setting.

We follow two main characters, Kate and August, and get to read from both of their perspectives, which I really enjoyed. They see the world in such different ways, and it was interesting to learn what they thought of the world they lived in, and each other. 

I have never read a book like this before, and the plot is so intriguing. I love the fact that there are three types of monsters, and they are all breed from different kind of evil. August is a sunai, and I found them so interesting. It might have something to do with the fact that August uses his violin, and I have played violin for several years, so I'm not completely subjective. However, the fact that they use music to kill is so amazing, and it really captivated me.

The first third of the book I could not get into it, but it did pick up. I stayed up until 3 in the morning to finish it, because I was not able to put it down. It was just too good. 

I am really excited to see what happens in the next book, and the story will progress. This is definitely a book I will recommend if I think someone will like this.

Buy this book?
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Thursday, December 29, 2016

Review: Mr. Miracle


Title: Mr. Miracle (Angelic Intervention #10)
Author: Debbie Macomber
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Year published: 2014
How I got this book: I listened to it as an audiobook through the app Storytel
My rating: 3 stars

Goodreads synopsis:
Harry Mills is a guardian angel on a mission: help twenty-four year-old Addie Folsom get her life back on track - and, if the right moment strikes, help her find love. Posing as a teacher at a local college in Tacoma, Washington, Harry is up to the task, but not even he can predict the surprises that lay in store.

After trying to make it on her own, Addie has returned home to Tacoma for the holidays, but this time she plans to stay for good, enrolling in the local community college to earn her degree. What she doesn't plan to do is run into Erich Simmons.

Addie and her next-door neighbor, Erich, are like night and day. Growing up, he was popular and outgoing while she was rebellious and headstrong, and he never missed an opportunity to tease her. Now she intends to avoid him entirely, yet when they're suddenly forced to spend Christmas together, Addie braces for trouble.

Perhaps it's the spirit of the season or the magic of mistletoe, but Addie and Erich soon find they have more in common than they thought - and that two people who seem so wrong for each other may actually just be right. With a little prompting from a certain angelic teacher, the two are in for a holiday miracle they'l never forget.


My thoughts:
This book was just okay. I picked it up because it's Christmas, and it was nice enough, but nothing memorable. I have read a few books by Macomber this season, and this was, unfortunately, my least favourite of them. It is, however, quite short, so you fly through it.

The plot was enjoyable, and the characters as well, but it wasn't anything special. I didn't connect with any of the characters, but the setting was easy get into. I listened to it as an audiobook, so you might experience the story in a different way if you read a physical book, but I don't know how much that would have changed my opinion of this.

I will not be recommend this to people, but I won't tell people not to read it either. If it sounds nice, and you just want a short, and enjoyable, book this is something for you. It's a good story to read around Christmas, and might bring a little bit of holiday cheer.

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Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Top Ten Tuesday: Favourite Books I Read In 2016


Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish


Me Before You - Jojo Moyes

Wrecked - Maria Padian

A Year and a day - Isabelle Broom


I Am Pilgrim - Terry Hayes

The Leaving - Tara Altebrando

The Passenger - Lisa Lutz


Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #4) - Marissa Meyer

Sleeping Giants - Sylvian Neuvel

A Court of Mist and Fury (ACOTAR #2) - Sarah J. Maas

Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass #5) - Sarah J. Maas


What is the best book you read in 2016?

Thursday, December 22, 2016

Review: The Leaving


Title: The Leaving
Author: Tara Altebrando
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Year published: 2016
How I got this book: Bough it online at BookDepository
My rating: 5 stars

Goodreads synopsis:
Six were taken. Even years later, five come back -- with noe idea of where they've been.

Eleven years ago, six kindergarteners went missing without a trace. After all that time, the people left behind moved on, or tried to.

Until today. Today five of those kids return. They're sixteen, and they are... fine. Scarlett comes home and finds a mom she barely recognizes, and doesn't really recognize the person she's supposed to be, either. But she thinks she remembers Lucas. Lucas remembers Scarlett, too, except they're entirely unable to recall where they've been or what happened to them. Neither of them remember the sixth victim, Max. He doesn't come back. Everyone wants answers. Most of All Max's sister Avery, who needs to find her brother - dead or alive - and isn't buying this whole memory-loss story.

My thoughts:
*this is a spoiler-free review, so I will not be able to say that much abut the book*

This is my first book by Tara Altebrando, and based on this one, I want to read more! 

We follow three characters; Scarlett, Lucas and Avery. Scarlett and Lucas are two of the missing children, and Avery is Max's brother, the one who doesn't return. They were all written differently, and I especially enjoyed reading Scarlett's chapters as they were written with a bit of poetic prose, not just as a novel. I felt that this really captured her thoughts and emotions. 

Without spoiling anything, I have to say that I did not like Avery at all. I could not understand her thought process, and how she reacted to things. She was, to me, extremely unlikable, and she ended up just annoying me. I have read several reviews, and it seems that I am not the only one who feels this way. However, this did not really ruin the book for me, as I still gave it five stars.

This is not extremely fast paced, but it kept my interest nonetheless. I could not put it down, and could not read it before going to bed. I would have stayed up all night. It was never boring, and the characters were interesting enough that it did not really matter.

I will definitely recommend this book to several of my friends, and my mum. Though this is a YA-book, I feel like older people can enjoy it as well, if they like mysteries. If this book sounds interesting, you should give it a try!

Buy this book?
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Tanum (Norway)

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Leaving Under My Tree

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish


Heartless - Marissa Meyer

Girl Online: Going Solo - Zoe Sugg

Stars Above - Marissa Meyer

Fairest - Marissa Meyer


And Then There Were None - Agatha Christie

The Shining - Stephen King

Harry Potter à L'ecole des Sorciers - J. K. Rowling

Eat Smart - Niomi Smart


Le Petit Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupéry

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Illustrated Edition) - J. K. Rowling


What do you hope Santa will leave under your tree this year?


Saturday, December 17, 2016

Review: The Hammer of Thor












*This is the second book in a series, and will contain spoilers for The Sword of Summer. You can find my review for that here*

Title:
 The Hammer of Thor (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard #2)

Author: Rick Riordan
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Year published: 2016
How I got this book: Bought it at BookDepository
My rating: 4 stars

Goodreads synopsis:
Thor's hammer is missing again. The thunder god has a disturbing habit of misplacing his weapon - the mightiest force in the Nine Worlds. But this time the hammer isn't just lost, it has fallen into enemy hands. If Magnus Chase and his friends can't retrieve the hammer quickly, the mortal worlds will be defenseless against an onslaught of giants. Ragnarok will begin. The Nine Worlds will burn. Unfortunately, the only person who can broker a deal for the hammer's return is the gods' worst enemy, Loki - and the price he wants is very high.

My thoughts:
I really enjoyed this book. I have always enjoyed Riordan's writing, and this is no exception. Although he writes middle-grade books, I always enjoy them. You just have to be aware of what they are, and not expect  anything else. 

There is something about Riordan's writing that I just love. His writing is funny, but not over-the-top. The main character, Magnus Chase, isn't perfect, and he knows it. He is sarcastic and jokes about himself a lot, and a way I can really relate to. 

The gods are portrayed over-the-top in this series, but I love it. Riordan has taken their personalities and made them bigger, and more fitting to the modern world. I have grown up with Norse mythology, so I am quite familier with everything, but this book is still really entertaining. In this book, Riordan has also included Scandinavian - and especially Norwegian -  folklore, with the presence of nøkk (neck) and hulder. Being familiar with those as well, I was thrilled when they showed up in this book. Though they weren't exactly as they are in folklore, it was still nice seing them in the story.

I can't wait for the next book to come out, I am really curious about what's going to happen, and how things will develop with the people Magnus met at the end. If you enjoy Riordan's writing, this is definitely a book you should pick up. It's funny, entertaining and action-packed. It's diverse and relatable. 

Buy this book?
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Thursday, December 15, 2016

Review: Starry Night


Title: Starry Night
Author: Debbie Macomber
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Year published: 2013
How I got this book: Listened to it as an audiobook through the app Storytel
My rating: 4 stars

Goodreads synopsis:
'Tis the season for romance, second chances, and Christmas cheer with this new novel from Debbie Macomber.

Carrie Slayton, a big-city society-page columnist, longs to write more serious news stories. So her editor hands her a challenge: She can cover any topic she wants, but only if she firt scores the paper an interview with Finn Dalton, the notoriously reclusive author.

Living in the remote Alaska wilderness, Finn has written a mega-bestselling memoir about surviving in the wild. But he stubbornly declines to speak to anyone in the press, and no one even knows exactly where he lives.

Digging deep into Finn's past, Carrie develops a theory on his whereabouts. It is the holidays, but her career is at stake, so she forsakes her family celebrations and flies out to snowy Alaska. When she finally finds Finn, she discovers a man both more charismatic and more stubborn than she even expected. And soon she is torn between pursuing the story of a lifetime and following her heart.

My thoughts:
This is my first Debbie Macomber book, and I am definitely picking up others as well. She has written plenty of Christmas novels, and I am planning on reading a few of them before Christmas this year. If they are as good as Starry Night, I am in for a treat.

Though this is a great holiday read, I expected it to revolve more around Christmas. It takes place in November and December, with Thanksgiving being the holiday that gets the most attention. There are a few "christmasy" scenes here and there, which I really enjoyed, but I would have liked more. However, it has a great wintery feel, and is great this time of year.

I really enjoyed the characters in this book, especially Carrie, the main character. She is so determined to get what she wants, and she is willing to work really hard for it. The other characters were also enjoyable, and I could relate to Finn in many ways.

One thing that confused me at times were the different POVs. Throughout most of the book we see everything from Carrie's perspective, and I enjoyed that. Suddenly, though, we would be reading from Finn's perspective, and it didn't really make sense to me. It wasn't a lot, it felt like a bit random. I listened to this as an audiobook with the same reader throughout, and didn't help my confusion. It might be easier if you are reading the actual book.

I did generally enjoy this book, as you can tell by my 4 stars. It is more of an adult book, and I don't normally read that, but I did enjoy this one. It was cheesy and sweet, exactly what you would expect from a book like this.

Buy this book?
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Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Top Ten Tuesday: books I'm looking forward to in the first half of 2017

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

A Court of Wings and Fury (ACOTAR #3) - Sarah J. Maas
May 2nd

Norse Mythology - Neil Gaiman
February 17th 

The Dark Prophecy (The Trials of Apollo #2) - Rick Riordan
May 2nd

The Book of Mirrors - E.O. Chirovici
January 26th


Caraval - Stephanie Garber
January 31st

Our Dark Duet (Monsters of Verity #2) - Victoria Schwab
June 13th

Wintersong - S. Jae-Jones
February 17th

The One Memory of Flora Banks - Emily Barr
May 16th

The River at Night - Erica Ferencik
January 10th


My Husband the Stranger - Rebecca Done
April 6th


What is your most anticipated book for the first half of 2017?





Saturday, December 10, 2016

Review: Carrie


Title: Carrie
Author: Stephen King
Publisher: Doubleday
Year published: 1974
How I got this book: Bought it at Waterstones in Colchester
My rating: 4 stars

Goodreads synopsis:
Carrie knew she should not use the terrifying power she possessed... But one night at her senior prom, Carrie was scorned and humiliated just one time too many, and in a fit of uncontrollable fury she turned her clandestine game into a weapon of horror and destruction...

My thoughts:
I am so glad that I finally got around to picking this up. I've wanted to read it for a long time, as I haven't read a lot of King novels, just his short-stories. 

This is a story I was already familiar with before picking up the book, as I saw the 2013 movie with Chloe Grace Moretz, and absolutely loved it. The great thing about this book, is that it's not as scary as many of his other books, which meant that I could actually read this at night before going to bed.

It took a while to get into, but I was expecting that, so it didn't bother me. There are no chapters in this book, which I've never experienced before. Instead of chapters, the book is divided by the story and articles from after the ending of the story. I didn't really mind, the articles weren't my favourite, but it gave an interesting perspective to everything. 

I would definitely recommend this book to my friends, especially those who, like me, likes horror, but get scared easily. 

Buy this book?
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Thursday, December 8, 2016

Review: A Year and a Day


Title: A Year and a Day
Author: Isabelle Broom
Publisher: Penguin
Year published: 2016
How I got this book: I got it as an arc through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review
My rating: 5 stars

Goodreads synopsis:
A heartwarming and heartbreaking story about love and life in one of Europe's most romantic cities, Prague.

Welcome to a city where wishes are everywhere.

For Megan, a winter escape to Prague with her friend Ollie is a chance to find some inspiration for her upcoming photography exhibition. But she's determined to keep their friendship from becoming anything more. Because if Megan lets Ollie find out about her past, she risks losing everything - and she won't let that happen again...

For Hope, the trip is a surprise treat from Charlie, her new partner. But she's struggling to enjoy the beauty of the city when she nows how angry her daughter is back home. And that it's all her fault...

For Sophie, the city has always been a magical place. This time she can't stop counting down the moments until her boyfriend Robin joins her. But in historic Prague you can never escape the past...

Three different women.


Three intertwining love stories.

My thoughts:
This book is amazing. I am seriously considering visiting Prague because of this. I fell in love with the story, the characters and Prague.

We follow three main characters; Megan, Hope and Sophie, who happen to be visiting Prague for different reasons, but at the same time. The POV's are in rotation, and we never have the same POV for two chapters at the time. 

The descriptions and imagery in this book was amazing. It really felt like I was there, in Prague, with the characters. I could visualize everything, and I felt calm reading this book. And it definitely made me excited for Christmas, though that is not the main point of the story.

I am not going to spoil anything, but this story is so intriguing. There was something that made me relate to all of the characters in different ways, and it was easy to understand their actions. 

I don't really have much more to say about this book, because I don't want to spoil anything. It is definitely a book I would recommend picking up, it is an amazing read, and the author is incredibly talented.

Buy this book?
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Amazon (UK)
BookDepository (worldwide, affiliate link)
Tanum (Norway)

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Top Ten Tuesday: 2016 New-To-Me-Authors

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish


Debbie Macomber

Carrie Hope Fletcher

Jojo Moyes

Zoe Sugg

Marissa Meyer

                Erica James                                                                                                 Giovanna Fletcher

     Brandon Sanderson                                                                                                    Eliza Freed
Paula Hawkins


Who is your favourite author that you read for the first time this year?