Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter #3) by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter #3)
by J.K. Rowling
Pages: 435
Source: Own
Format: Hardback

Rating: It's Harry Potter. Of course I loved it! 

Goodreads Synopsis:

Harry Potter is lucky to reach the age of thirteen, since he has already survived the murderous attacks of the feared Dark Lord on more than one occasion. But his hopes for a quiet term concentrating on Quidditch are dashed when a maniacal mass-murderer escapes from Azkaban, pursued by the soul-sucking Dementors who guard the prison. It's assumed that Hogwarts is the safest place for Harry to be. But is it a coincidence that he can feel eyes watching him in the dark, and should he be taking Professor Trelawney's ghoulish predictions seriously?

My Review:
(This is a Re-read)

Can I tell y'all something? This is actually the first book I ever read of Harry Potter. Yup, I actually started with book #3. For a long time my sister had tried to get me to start reading, and when she found out that I loved the first two movies (the only ones out at the time), she thought I would like the books. Finally I consented and let her read it to me. It's been my favorite ever since. 

I absolutely love The Prisoner of Azkaban. I really love the later books in the series, but there is just something about this one that makes me keep re-reading it. This is probably the 3rd or 4th time I've re-read this one. I think it's because it's the book that's on the precipice of change. The series really gets darker and deeper as it goes on, and this is the book that, while still light in nature, starts the detour into depth and darkness. It's the perfect mix of lightheartedness that we came to love, but with a darkness that binds you. 

This series has the best trio in book history. You get loyal Harry, humorous Ron, and intelligent Hermione. Their adventures and love for each other never cease to amaze me. And this is one series where I think I love every single secondary character and that's a big feat. And two of my favorites come in during this book: Lupin and Sirius! 

I don't really want to give too much away, but I always loved the plot of this book. I thought it was brilliantly done and I love that we really start to learn more about Harry's past and what happened to his parents. 

Overall:

This was kind of a nonsense review but honestly, just read the Harry Potter books. They are amazing. I've never fallen in love with a series this much. And this book? My favorite. If you don't read the others (but have seen the movies) then at least give this one a try. 

All the best ♥

Mackenzie

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Scent of Magic (Healer #2) by Maria V. Snyder

Scent of Magic (Healer #2)
By Maria V. Snyder
Pages: 400
Format: ebook
Source: Netgalley

Rating: Really liked it

Goodreads Summary:

Hunted, Killed—Survived?

As the last Healer in the Fifteen Realms, Avry of Kazan is in a unique position: in the minds of her friends and foes alike, she no longer exists. Despite her need to prevent the megalomanical King Tohon from winning control of the Realms, Avry is also determined to find her sister and repair their estrangement. And she must do it alone, as Kerrick, her partner and sole confident, returns to Alga to summon his country into battle.

Though she should be in hiding, Avry will do whatever she can to support Tohon’s opponents. Including infiltrating a holy army, evading magic sniffers, teaching forest skills to soldiers and figuring out how to stop Tohon’s most horrible creations yet; an army of the walking dead—human and animal alike and nearly impossible to defeat.

War is coming and Avry is alone. Unless she figures out how to do the impossible ... again.

Cover Review:

I'm sorry, but....I hate that cover with a burning passion. It's hideous! After the first book's cover being so gorgeous, this one just fell completely flat. It's fake looking and just doesn't seem well put together. Bleh. But don't let the cover turn you off the story!

My real review:

First things first: I love Maria V. Snyder's books. Yes, I am a self-proclaimed Synder book junkie. You should be too. But that's part of the reason I have such mixed feelings on this book.

I absolutely fell in love with her first book Touch of Power. I even made a list of what I loved about the book:
1. Awesome Heroine
2. Hate turned love relationship
3. Kerrick
4. Fantastic secondary characters
5. Ridiculously crazy awesome villain
6. Intriguing and engaging plot
7. No shortage of action
8. Zombies

Sounds like 1 awesome mixture right? And it certainly was! But, unfortunately, Scent of Magic only had about half:

1. Awesome heroine:
I always adored Avery. She's just as likely to kick your butt as she is to help you stand again. She is fierce, intelligent and kick-butt, but also has such a great heart. She's a caring person and I love her determination where he sister is concerned. She's just as awesome in this book as she is in the previous. 

2. Intriguing and Engaging plot:
We learn so much in this book which I absolutely love! The plot is complex and intriguing and Snyder never fails to throw in a curve ball. 

3. No shortage of action:
 Action-packed and fast-paced = awesome! I'm an action junkie so I'm bound to enjoy a book with lots of butt-kickery. And Tohon's army? Plays a much bigger role in this book! Which leads me to...

4. Zombies:
'Nuff said. 

So, sounds pretty good right? And it was! I pretty much devoured the book! But after it ended, it left me...wanting:

1. No fantastic secondary characters:
 Boo. Remember all those guys I loved in the first book? Hardly even in this book. And, to be honest, they are what really made me love the first book. They're hilarious, quirky and are like one big family! I miss their humor and all around awesomeness. I actually did end up liking some of the new secondary characters, but they just can't live up to Papa Bear!

2. No hate turned love romance:
Yeah, I know, they fell in love at the end of the first book, but since they are apart for most of this book, it's more of annoying longing for each other. I miss their snarky interactions.

3. No Crazy Awesome Villain:
Well, at least not till the very end. Look, I like my villains crazy. I don't want to be told, I want to see it. I want reasoning. Tohon = psychopath. And honestly, I love it. His scenes in Touch of Power were definitely...intriguing ;) Sadly, he hardly plays a physical role in this book. Understandable, but I wish it weren't the case. 


Middle road:


1. Kerrick:
Intelligent, loyal, fierce, stoic Kerrick. How come I just couldn't fall for you in this book? Don't worry, I'm already in love with you but I just wasn't swooning over him as I did in the first book. I think this is because I didn't get to see his interactions with Avery and his crew (which I loved!). This was more about his lone journey, and it mainly consisted of him missing Avery. Sweet, but got on my nerves. However, I did love his POV in this book. Very interesting. 

Overall:

So, although this book lacked some aspects I absolutely loved from the first book, it still had plenty to keep me interested. If you loved the first book, you'll still really enjoy this book. Avery is still her awesome self, the plot is crazy (in a good way), plenty of curve balls and zombies. So what are you waiting for?

All the best ♥

Mackenzie 

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Books I'm Looking forward to: 2013 edition

With each new year comes some awesome new books. There are tons of books I'm looking forward to and this is in no way a complete list, but here are some books that I'm incredibly excited for (especially the sequels!!). 

Books I'm Looking Forward To: 2013

Prophecy by Ellen Oh

The greatest warrior in all of the Seven Kingdoms... is a girl with yellow eyes.

I love a girl who can kick some butt. Plus there are Demons, prophecies, and a Demon Lord? Yeah, I'm down for that. She's the country's last hope. Should be fun! 

Mind Games by Kiersten White 

Kiersten White. 'Nuff said.

City of A Thousand Dolls by Miriam Forester

First off, love the cover. Second off, she lives in an isolated community where orphaned girls can become healers, musicians, courtesans, and maybe even assassins. Honestly, any book that even hints at assassins is the book for me. This sounds like an amazing fantasy world that I can't wait to delve into.  

Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2) by Marissa Meyer

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

*Happy Dance*

I'm so freakin excited for this book that it's not even funny! Ughhhhh I want this so bad that I'm willing to give up my future child for it! Okay, just joking....maybe. Cinder was fantastic and I can't wait to see how Meyers connects Cinder and Scarlet's stories. And Wolf definitely sounds intriguing ;)

Prodigy (Legend #2) by Marie Lu

My review of Legend 

Another sequel I can't wait to get my greedy little hands on. *laughs greedily* 

June, the child prodigy, coupled with the bold and brash Day made this book great. Add in non-stop action in this dystopian world and you've got a winner! 

The Archived by Victoria Schwab

A library of dead bodies that tell history? 

Sounds creepily fantastic! Also, the MC shares my name and we "Mackenzies" gotta stay together! 

Dark Triumph (His Fair Assassin #2) by Robin LaFevers

While this is more of a companion novel rather than a sequel, I'm jumping for joy. Grave Mercy was absolutely fantastic (Oh, Duval!) so I have very high hopes for this one. And the cover is absolutely amazing. I'm a little nervous as to who I think the love interest is, but I think that will actually make it interesting. And....she's an assassin that is considered one of the convents most dangerous weapons. Heck yeah! 

Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices #3) by Cassandra Clare

This series is so much better than the original. And I'm literally dying since I haven't gotten my hands on this yet. Well, more metaphorically, but "literally" got my point across better :P Let's just say that I'm incredibly psyched to read this. I'm Team Jem....I think. Ugh....yes, I'm totally Team Jem. But in a weird, weird way I kind of feel sorry for Will and surprisingly kind of like him. Ugh....my emotions are so mixed, so you know it's a good book! 

(TEAM JEM!)

Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson

The Bluebeard fairytale never came to my attention until I read Kill Me Softly, but ever since then I've been incredibly intrigued. It sounds deliciously deceptive. March can't come quick enough!

The Runaway King (The Ascendance Trilogy #2) by Jennifer A. Nielsen

The False Prince was amazing and there is no doubt in my mind I'll love this sequel. As long as Seth remains the snarky, sarcastic, clever son-of-a-gun he is, I'll love it. 

Siege and Storm (The Grisha #2) by Leigh Bardugo

The most epic of high fantasies! I absolutely fell in love with Shadow and Bone (my review has lots of gifs so you know its good!) with it's fantastic characters, breathtaking world and mysterious Darkling. This one is bound to be just as good! June is waaaay to far away. I would give anything an ARC (*hint hint*) 

The Pirate's Wish (The Assassins Curse) by Cassandra Rose Clarke 

Pirates, Assassins and Questing, OH MY!!

Inhunman (Fetch #1) by Kat Falls

First of, the cover is awesome. Lane has to travel to the ravaged East Coast where people show animalistic traits in order to find an artifact to save her dad? Sounds like a kick-butt, action packed adventure to me! But what really sold me was "Lane strikes a deal with handsome, roguish Rafe." I have a feeling I'm gonna love Rafe. Sounds like it might even be a hate-turned-love relationship. I'm all game for that!

So what books are y'all looking forward to this coming year? Be sure to let me know in the comments below!

All the best ♥

Mackenzie 

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Best Books of 2012

It's the last day of 2012!!

Yup, that's right y'all. We made it through the end of the world. Go ahead and pat yourselves on the back. 

Well, in honor of this momentous last day, I've created a list of some of my top favorite books read in 2012. These are books I can't recommend enough! So head to the bookstore with all that money you got for Christmas and buy them ASAP!

So, Without further ado,

BEST BOOKS I READ IN 2012:

The Assassins Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke 

Assassins and pirates? What more could a girl ask for? Oh yeah, feisty characters, action and questing! WINNING!

(Sadly, I've yet to review it. But I hope to remedy that soon!)

The Gray Wolf Throne by Cinda Williams Chima

This is the third book in an absolutely fantastic high fantasy series. If you haven't yet started this series, do so ASAP. It's got great characters, a complex world and an intriguing and complicated plot. Go forth and enjoy!

My Review 

Shadow And Bone by Leigh Bardugo 

This book is just so awesome that the review is full of GIFs! With its addicting, fantastical plot, imperfect yet amazing characters and beautifully vivid and terrifying world, what's not to love?

Go forth my lovelies and buy this book! You won't be disappointed! 

My Review

Cinder by Marissa Meyer 

Two words: Cyborg Cinderella.

Go buy it. Now. 

My Review

The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen 

Oh, Seth, you snarky, sarcastic, clever son-of-a-gun, you. 

If you read this book for no other reason, read it for Seth's voice.

Even if the synopsis doesn't intrigue you, Seth's personality will more than make up for it. 

My Review

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa 

She's a katana-wielding vampire. Yeah, you read that right. Now go to the bookstore and sate your curiosity.

My Review

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Mass 

What book has a kick-ass assassin for a heroine, a flirty, playboy prince, and a stoic, ever loyal Captain of the Guard? Throne of Glass! Throw in some magic, competition, Nehemia, sarcasm, wit and intrigue and you've got yourself a winner! 

My Review

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers 

Assassin nuns....freakin assassin nuns! And Duval. You can't forget him! Insta-love? What is this insta-love you speak of? Cause it sure isn't in this book. With this snarky hate-turned-love relationship, what's not to love? Court intrigue and a beautiful atmosphere are just icing on the cake. 

My Review

My final words:

GO BUY THESE BOOKS!!

That is all. 

All the best ♥

Mackenzie 

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Best covers of 2012

Well, it's the end of the year, so guess what that means? It's time for some "Best Of" lists. Some of these books I've been able to get my greedy little hands on, but some I've only been able to admire from afar (*sigh*). Well, without further ado, I give you...

The Best Covers Of 2012

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Love, love LOVE! She's the perfect mix of girly and bad-assery. Cause, ya know, every dress needs a cross-bow to add a little extra flair. And the book? AMAZING! Definitely one of my favorites for 2012 (but that's a list for another day!). 

My Review

Ironskin by Tina Connolly

Alright, this one is just all around cool. The swirly, smokey tendrils, the "yeah, I'm a model with an iron-mask. So what?" stance and beautiful dress instantly drew me in. This book was...interesting, to say the least. Not at all what I was expecting, yet eerily fascinating. I hope to put up a review soon!

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman 

I absolutely love the old-school pencil drawing. The cover really captures the atmosphere of the book and portrays the story well. The intricacy of the drawing portrays the intricacy and detail of the book incredibly well. It's just so beautiful to see this type of cover after so many with models doing something that has little to nothing to do with the content of the book (how dare they lure us in with pretty covers that fail to deliver the true essence of the pages!). 

My Review 

Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

This cover is hauntingly beautiful. I love the colors used and the victorian feel that it gives off. Sadly, the book wasn't a big hit with me. Initially I was smitten, but after really thinking about it, it left a lot to be desired. Heck, even going back and reading my review, I think I could've changed some of it (Eh..the guys weren't so great). But at least it's a pretty cover, right? 

My Review 

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa 

Look! She's crying tears of blood! Am I the only one that thinks that is cool? Oh well, it's totally awesome. And she's got that whole "Bring it on/I can kick your butt any day of the week" look going on. I don't know about y'all, but I definitely wouldn't be making this chick mad. And guess what? I get a pretty cover and an awesome book! That's right. I loved this book. She's a freakin katana wielding vampire. 'Nuff said. 

My Review

Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

The cover alone will make me read this book. Don't get me wrong, the summary really sealed the deal, but this cover is just so full of kick-butt awesomeness that even if the summary sucked I'd buy this thing to look at the cover. It's just that awesome. I actually have this book and can't believe I haven't read it yet! Believe me, I plan to remedy that soon.  

Rift by Adrea Cremer

What a bad-ass! Look at that weapon! This chick just oozes awesomeness. I can totally tell that the MC is gonna be just as fierce! I'm actually currently reading this and loving it! I wasn't in love with her first book Nightshade, but this book is historical fiction, doesn't deal with werewolves, and has a feisty heroine. I haven't finished it yet, but so far, so good! 

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

Alright, this cover is about as legit as it gets. This guy/girl is fierce and looks like he's about to kick some serious booty. Me wants. Now. 

Alright, this list is in no way finished. There are so many covers out there that are gorgeous and cool and fantastic, I just don't have the time to put all of them on here. These are just a small few of the massive list I could concoct. But, I'd love to know what covers y'all fell in love with this past year! 

Be sure to let me know in the comments below!

(P.S. I've also realized that I love covers that scream "fierce bad-ass"!)

All the best ♥
Mackenzie 

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The Crown of Embers (Fire and Thorns #2) by Rae Carson

The Crown of Ember (Fire and Thorns #2)
by Rae Carson
Pages: 410
Source: Bought/B&N
Format: Hardback

Rating: Loved it!!!

Goodreads Synopsis: 

Elisa is the hero of her country. She led her people to victory against a terrifying enemy, and now she is their queen. But she is only seventeen years old. Her rivals may have simply retreated, choosing stealth over battle. And no one within her court trusts her-except Hector, the commander of the royal guard, and her companions. As the country begins to crumble beneath her and her enemies emerge from the shadows, Elisa will take another journey. With a one-eyed warrior, a loyal friend, an enemy defector, and the man she is falling in love with, Elisa crosses the ocean in search of the perilous, uncharted, and mythical source of the Godstone's power. That is not all she finds. A breathtaking, romantic, and dangerous second volume in the Fire and Thorns trilogy.

My Review: 

........

I'm at a loss of words. This book was amazing. I really enjoyed the first one, but now I've fallen completely and irreversibly in love. Mrs. Carson, you sure know what you're doing.

Perhaps one of the things I love most about this series is how raw the characters are, especially Elisa. There is no holding back. There are weaknesses and flaws, but also incredible characteristics for each character. I love Elisa's lack of perfection because this makes her so much more realistic and relatable.  Elisa is such a passionate, loyal, caring, intelligent, and courageous young woman, but she is also vulnerable and has to try to find balance between being a strong, ruthless ruler and a caring, compassionate one. She was thrown into this life as queen and now has to adjust. Sure she makes mistakes along the way, but she's still young and trying to find her way in a sea of uncertainty. I loved every moment of it. 

And the romance! *sigh* I'll admit, I was shocked at Humberto's death in the previous book, but even though he was her love, I always had my eye on someone else. Wish granted! And boy is it delicious! Oh, Hector, you make my heart fluter! Stoic, incredibly loyal, stubborn, buff, courageous! I could go on and on! I loved how it was a slow-burn romance and how they really get to learn about each other. I absolutely loved getting to delve deeper into the mystery that is the Lord-Commander. But don't worry, there are definitely some steamy scenes in there (why does the third book have to be so far away?!?!). 

The story arc is definitely worthy of interest. I couldn't turn away! The political intrigue, the questing, the new information?! So much fantasticness in so few pages! Well, 410 pages aren't too few, but I definitely wanted more (especially after an ending like that!!). Carson isn't afraid of risks and I love her for that! Nothing is perfect, but realistic. 

And on a side note: I really enjoyed the new characters. The Captain seems like a great, humorous, jolly guy! And I personally look forward to learning more about Storm. I'm intrigued by his mysteriousness and believe he's got potential! 

Overall:

Quite simply, I loved it. While I really enjoyed the first one, I fell head over heels for this one. It's so much more powerful and intriguing. Elisa is just an incredible young woman and the romance between her and Hector is to die for! I am eagerly awaiting the 3rd book. Here's to hoping for an ARC! 

All the best ♥

Mackenzie 

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Thinking Through Thursday (10)

Welcome to another "Thinking Through Thursday"! This is a post I write (or try to) every Thursday in which I discuss various bookish goodness. 

This week's discussion is:

Religion in Books:

There have always been books with religion and there always will be. However, sometimes, it's well done while other times....not so much. 

If the book is labeled "religious fiction" then it's a different story. You know what you're getting yourself into and often get the book based on what you believe (Ex. Christian fiction, Hindu fiction, ect.). However, there are many YA books out there that may not be "religious fiction" but deal with it in some form or another. Books such as Glow actually have religion as a important plot point. The thing is though, I really don't enjoy the "religious" plot line unless I'm specifically reading religious fiction. More often than not because most author's show them as religious nuts. It's very "in your face" and quite frankly crazy. 

I personally think Glow could've been an interesting book if it didn't deal with all that religious stuff. For one, it demonized it. Two, although it did show both sides, it really only showed both extremes, nothing in the middle. Three, I just don't feel like it was necessary. I feel like there could've been a different route (and better one) that it could've taken. 

Here's two reasons off the top of my head why it's a hit or miss with religion in books:

1. If it's not labeled as religious fiction, don't throw it in your face. Make it subtle and make sure it's necessary. Make sure it moves the plot forward. Again, if I know the genre is religious fiction, then I know what to expect. But if its not, I think religion can still play a vital role, especially if it actually moves the plot forward (ex. The Girl of Fire and Thorns). 

2. Don't demonize religion. Please, I don't care if its made up or not. I don't care if you have faith or not. If there is one way to turn off readers, it's this. It's grouping every religion or all people of a specific religion into a cult. Just don't. Don't try and shove your opinions down our throats. 

For me, these are the two major turn offs. If authors would listen to these two suggestions, it would be so much better! 

I really wish I had more time to go in depth with this. I don't feel like I covered nearly as much as I could. I'll admit, this was a quick post! Sorry! But if y'all want to discuss something, perhaps something I left out, let me know in the comments below!

All the best ♥
Mackenzie 

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