Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2) by Sarah J. Maas - A GIF filled review

EVERYONE STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND GO BUY THIS BOOK

NOW.

Why?! WHY?! HOW DARE YOU EVEN ASK!

Because this is the book. THE BOOK that puts all other sequels, NAY, all other books to shame. 

It's glorious! Heartbreaking! FILLED TO THE BRIM WITH ACTION AND TWISTS WITH EVERY TURN OF THE PAGE!!!

This book guys...this book just blew my mind. The emotions - the FEELS!!

Me trying to write this review....and failing miserably.
I literally can't find the words for this review. I've been trying....for months. Guys, I read this like 5 months ago and I'm still reeling!

This is what the book did to me. A swift kick to the guts is what it did. Curse you Maas.

So, since my emotions make it impossible for me to write a coherant review, here is a time-line of my emotions ---

Me waiting for the book:

Me finally getting the book.

Me, staring lovingly at the book.

I wasn't being creepy...well not that creepy. My love for this book was completely NORMAL! NORMAL I SAY!

So, I started reading. ...then came the feels. 

There was lots of screaming.

In my head of course..

And quite a few "Oh no she didn't...."

 moments

Did she...did she really just do that?! 

And then romance!!!!

So preciously adorable!

*Sighhh*

Ughhh....can't. handle. the CUTENESS!

So.....swoony.

I'm talking about you Chaol *waggles eyebrows*

Look what you do to me Chaol!!

And then.....it happened. 

At first I was like this:

.....

Then I went into denial....

Then some yelling may or may not have happened....

*Me yelling on the inside*

*Me on the outside trying to stay sane and not yell at anyone within sight, therefore resulting in an unattractive twitch-like facial expression*

Then back to denial, a stage in which I will more than happily reside:

Please....it can't be true. It just CAN'T! It's got to be a trick!!! I absolutely refuse to believe otherwise.

This was me the rest of the book. 

Because, let's face it, if she was willing to do that, then you can't put anything past this woman!

I...I just don't know if I can handle anything else. 

And REPEAT! These are the emotions that bombarded me consistently throughout in a never-ending, gut wrenching cycle of awesomeness! 

After the book:

Seriously. All kinds of win. This book was phenomenal.

Ultimately...

Waiting for the third book?

To sum it all up, this is my feels -

Maas is totally Flynn, casually there all sassy knowing what she did and what it's doing to us readers and NOT GIVING A CRAP ABOUT IT!

Overall?
Amazing. Awesome. Phenomenal. Heartbreaking. Heartening. Gut-wretching. Beautiful. Action-packed. Twisty. SWOONY!  I could go on and on. But I leave you with this:
Read this series.

And, because this is such a gif filled review, I simply had to add another -

This gif is just because I thought it was absolutely hilarious and has nothing to do with the book...but Celaena probably does have gorgeous hair. Obviously uses Loreal. So it's fitting.

All the best ♥︎
Mackenzie 

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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter Year 1) by J. K. Rowling

    Alright, alright. Before y’all start freaking out and going “YOU HAVEN’T READ HARRY POTTER YET?!? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!?!” let me tell you that yes, I have read Harry Potter. So take a deep breath…in…and…out. I am actually re-reading the Harry Potter series as part of the Reading Fever’s 2012 Harry Potter Reading Challenge. But guess what? The reaction that I wrote previously is the same reaction I had when I realized she had never read it!! But, since I love this series so darn much I decided to join her on her quest to read HP (or re-read in my case). So without further ado, I present Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter Year 1)
by J. K. Rowling
Release Date: September 1, 1998
Pages: 310
Source: Bought
Format: Hardback
★★★★★



Goodreads Synopsis: 
Harry Potter has never been the star of a Quidditch team, scoring points while riding a broom far above the ground. He knows no spells, has never helped to hatch a dragon, and has never worn a cloak of invisibility.

All he knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley—a great big swollen spoiled bully. Harry's room is a tiny closet at the foot of the stairs, and he hasn't had a birthday party in eleven years.

But all that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to an incredible place that Harry—and anyone who reads about him—will find unforgettable. For it's there that he finds not only friends, aerial sports, and magic in everything from classes to meals, but a great destiny that's been waiting for him... if Harry can survive the encounter.  


My Review: 


   I forgot just how magical this story was. Between the amazing characters, the world that you can’t help but become immersed in, the fun adventures, and the amazingly delicious sounding food, this book is fantastic.

 Welcome Harry, the boy who lived. Also the boy who doesn’t know what he is. After the tragic death of his parents Harry is sent to live with his only living relatives. However, this isn’t exactly a happy life considering his Aunt, Uncle and cousin don’t treat him like family but more like a servant. However, at the age of eleven, Harry is accepted to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and embarks on a magical adventure where he learns about friendship, love, and himself.

  Harry is a great MC. He’s treated like crap, yet keeps his head high. He knows what its like to be the underdog so he doesn’t judge people but gets to know them instead. He’s kind, funny, courageous and has no shortage of nosiness. He may get into trouble a lot, but thats only because he's trying to help out. I admire that he stands up for what he believes in and isn't afraid to get his hands dirty because of it. 

  I love Ron and Hermione. They may be just the friends of “The Boy Who Lived” but they take center stage just as much as Harry. Ron is the youngest of 4 brothers and is just trying to prove himself and he doesn’t fail. He’s funny and adventuresome and knows how to play a wicked game of wizard’s chess. Hermione, the brains of the bunch, may be a bit high and mighty, but when it comes to Ron and Harry, she’s willing to do anything to keep them safe.

  The Weasly twins? Oh goodness, I loved them from the beginning! The funny pranksters are definitely a great addition to this story. Neville may get picked on often, but when its time to be brave, he definitely lives up to it. Dumbledore may be a bit “off his rocker” but he’s wise and witty and makes an awesome Headmaster. A lot of thought went into these characters to make them unique and I can definitely say that Ms. Rowling did a fantastic job.

  The writing is simple, yet beautiful. I really enjoy that the story sounded almost like someone telling a story. I could easily imagine sitting in a circle listening to someone tell this story.

  The world building was fantastic and so well thought out. Honestly, J. K. Rowling though of everything. But don’t think that you’ll be bogged down by details. She gives just enough to really let you see what its like without going overboard. She obviously put so much thought into this world and was able to create something so incredible. Also, I actually liked that I had seen the movie because as I was reading it, I was picturing the movie in my mind. I love to compare the books and movies to see what was kept in the movie and what was left out. Let me say that they did a fantastic job to bringing the book to life.

   The plot will not let you down! There is so much adventure and action and fun that is in these books. Also, since I’ve read all the books before, I’ve now realized how much thought had to go into these books. This story arc stretches across 7 books, which takes a lot of thought to keep things organized and flowing. There are references in this book that you recognize in later books and things that they talk about in this book that happen in others. Although the plot may seem simple in this book, once you read them all you’ll realize how complicated and intricate it all is.

  If you can’t tell from my long (sorry bout that btw) review, I absolutely adore this book. I want to go to Hogwarts and visit Diagon Alley thanks the wondrous descriptions given by Rowling. I want to meet Ron, Hermione, Harry, Neville and all of the other characters that I’ve fallen in love with because of reading this book. I want to eat the delicious sounding food. Harry Potter is such a great story about love and the power of friendship and I encourage all who have yet to read it get their rears in gear and head to the bookstore to buy it asap.  


Part of my 2012 Harry Potter Reading Challenge

All the Best,

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Matched (Matched #1) by Ally Condie

Matched (Matched #1)
by Ally Condie 
Release Date: November 30, 2010
Pages: 366
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library
★★★★★





Goodreads Synopsis:
Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate... until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.


My Review:


Absolutely amazing. Heartbreaking, wonderful...I'm honestly having a hard time trying to find words for this. 

First off, the romance? simply amazing! I can’t even do it justice with words. its so wonderful and beautiful and true. They don’t instantly fall in love, it takes time and it is a beautiful love. And don’t worry, there is no love triangle, for the love she feels for the different boys is different types of love. One the love of a friend and the other something more. Yet both are true and amazing. 

The Society think uncertainties and mistakes are what is wrong with the world and they fix that by making routines and taking away choice. This was a book about learning who you are and learning to make choices for yourself. So, in a society where are “choices” are already predicted, this is hard and something Cassia has to take the time to learn. 

All of the characters were amazing! Cassia who is learning to be true to herself and make her own choices in life. Xander, the loyal friend who would do anything for her. And Ky, who is amazingly sweet and loyal and kind. I absolutely fell in love with him. 

And the writing! So beautiful! Those words just broke my heart and made me feel these emotions right along with the characters. The only word to describe it would bebeautiful 

However, I’ll admit, Matched is slow….but deliberately slow. And honestly, it works. I think because its more realistic than most dystopias. As with most dystopias, all it takes is one action, one mistake and then all of the sudden the character goes into rebellious mode. And there’s nothing wrong with that, I actually like those books too. However, this was more realistic in the sense that her rebellion didn’t start immediately. Face it, when your raised one way, it will take a while for your ideals and thoughts to change. So, although the pacing was slow, it was because she was learningabout the wrong things in her society instead of instantly knowing. For this reason, the pace was perfect and kept me interested for I was learning right along with her. 

Matched is an amazingly sweet and true love story that will have your heart-pounding. You’ll feel the emotions and learn right alongside the characters. It is a heartbreakingly true romance that makes me want both the 2nd and 3rd books right away. I truly hope that anyone that picks up this book enjoys it just as much as I did. 

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Blood Song (Lharmell #1) by Rhiannon Hart

Blood Song (Lharmell #1)
by Rhiannon Hart
Available in Aus and NZ-US resident can order from www.fishpond.com (free world-wide shipping)
Pages: 290
Format: Paperback
Source: www.fishpond.com


★★★★★ 5/5 


Goodreads Synopsis:
I wanted to turn but I was held captive by the song on the wind. I’m coming, I told the voices. Please, wait for me.

When her sister becomes betrothed to a prince in a northern nation, Zeraphina’s only consolations are that her loyal animal companions are by her side – and that her burning hunger to travel north is finally being sated.

Already her black hair and pale eyes mark her out as different, but now Zeraphina must be even more careful to keep her secret safe. Craving blood is not considered normal behaviour for anyone, let alone a princess. So when the king’s advisor, Rodden, seems to know more about her condition than she does, Zeraphina is determined to find out more.

Zeraphina must be willing to sacrifice everything if she’s to uncover the truth – but what if the truth is beyond her worst nightmares?


My Review:

What an amazingly unique twist to vampire lore!

Zeraphina has always been a bit different ever since she was sick as a child and has always felt the urge to go north. After her sister becomes engaged to a Northern prince, Zeraphina thinks she’ll finally get the answers she wants, especially when she meets Rodden, a man who seems to know more about her than she does.

  All of the characters were great but I especially fell in love with the main characters Zeraphina and Rodden. Zeraphina is curious, idependent, strong-willed determined, snarky, and sometimes down-right ill tempered…Love her! Not to mention she’s got an eagle…an eagle! And can shoot with a bow and arrow! How cool is that?!?! And Rodden, Oh Rodden ;). Rodden is the sexy, aloof, mysterious man with all the answers. HOT! But I didn’t just love their personalities, I loved the relationship between them. No insta-love here! Its definitely my favorite form of love: hate turned love! Always more interesting than insta-love. There’s plenty of witty banter and snarkiness to go around. It actually reminded me a lot of Yelena and Valek from Poison Study. I absolutely loved their dialogue together.

The world building was excellent! While I think a map would have come in handy, I like the author didn’t weigh us down with unnecessary details, but gave us just the right amount to enjoy the world. *One thing to note though is that the south is cold and the north is hot…yeah it confused me too for a minute. Then I remembered that the author is Australian which is below the equator and, therefore, the south is colder than the north.

The vampire lore of this book is incredibly unique. I can’t really say much more because that is part of the journey you go on in the book but I must say that it was extremely interesting.

So, between great characters, witty banter, great world-building, and a unique story, this book is a must read! 

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