Tuesday 28 August 2018

Top Ten Tuesday- Books That Take Place At a Paranormal School

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.  This week's topic is: Back To School Freebie so I chose to do Books That Take Place At A Paranormal School.   


Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead


Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy by Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, Maureen Johnson, Robin Wasserman
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling


What books have you read that take place in a paranormal school?

Monday 27 August 2018

Book Review: A Sky Painted Gold by Laura Wood

Book: A Sky Painted Gold
Author: Laura Wood
Genre: YA Historical, Romance

Growing up in her sleepy Cornish village dreaming of being a writer, sixteen-year-old Lou has always wondered about the grand Cardew house which has stood empty for years. And when the owners arrive for the summer - a handsome, dashing brother and sister - Lou is quite swept off her feet and into a world of moonlit cocktail parties and glamour beyond her wildest dreams. 

But, as she grows closer to the Cardews, is she abandoning her own ambitions... And is there something darker lurking at the heart of the Cardew family?

My Rating: 4/5 STARS

My Review:
A Sky Painted Gold is set in 1929 and centres on Lou who dreams of having a more adventurous life than the one she currently lives in her remote town in Cornwall.  A rich well known family moves into a house on the island across from her town and invites her to their lavish parties and she starts to think her adventurous life has begun.

I hadn't heard much about this book before reading it but when I read the blurb it really drew me in and I knew I definitely wanted to read it.  I thought this book was such an enjoyable read that really took me by surprise.

I loved the writing within A Sky Painted Gold.  It flowed so well that the descriptions throughout the book felt so real.  The writing had such a remarkable quality to it that really made the characters and the story feel more vivid.

I liked Lou and I loved that she was a writer and how much she loved telling her own stories.  I also loved the family dynamic in this book especially the way the book centred on Lou and her sister, Alice, and how the change in their relationship began once Alice left the family home to get married.  I don't think I've read such an emphasis on that part of a sister relationship in a book before which is surprising since I think a lot of people with siblings would be interested in it and find it relatable.

I liked reading about Lou's experiences with the Cardews and her new friendships with them and the other characters and I liked the mystery aspect of their family.

Overall I think A Sky Painted Gold is a beautifully written historical with a great emphasis on family and friends.  I'm glad I read A Sky Painted Gold and I would really recommend reading it.

Friday 24 August 2018

Friday Excerpts: Iron and Magic by Ilona Andrews

Today I'll be sharing some book excerpts with these bookish features:
Book Beginnings is a weekly feature (hosted by Rose City Reader) where you post the first sentence of the book you're currently reading. 
The Friday 56 is a weekly feature (hosted by Freda's Voice) where you get a book and turn to page 56 (or 56% on ereader) then post a interesting sentence from that page with no spoilers. 


Iron and Magic (The Iron Covenant #1) by Ilona Andrews


Blurb:

No day is ordinary in a world where Technology and Magic compete for supremacy…But no matter which force is winning, in the apocalypse, a sword will always work.

Hugh d’Ambray, Preceptor of the Iron Dogs, Warlord of the Builder of Towers, served only one man. Now his immortal, nearly omnipotent master has cast him aside. Hugh is a shadow of the warrior he was, but when he learns that the Iron Dogs, soldiers who would follow him anywhere, are being hunted down and murdered, he must make a choice: to fade away or to be the leader he was born to be. Hugh knows he must carve a new place for himself and his people, but they have no money, no shelter, and no food, and the necromancers are coming. Fast.

Elara Harper is a creature who should not exist. Her enemies call her Abomination; her people call her White Lady. Tasked with their protection, she's trapped between the magical heavyweights about to collide and plunge the state of Kentucky into a war that humans have no power to stop. Desperate to shield her people and their simple way of life, she would accept help from the devil himself—and Hugh d’Ambray might qualify.

Hugh needs a base, Elara needs soldiers. Both are infamous for betraying their allies, so how can they create a believable alliance to meet the challenge of their enemies? 

As the prophet says: “It is better to marry than to burn.”

Hugh and Elara may do both.


Beginning:

PROLOGUE-
"Wake up!"
He sensed the kick coming through his sleep and curled into a ball.  It didn't hurt as much this time. Émile wasn't really trying.


Friday 56 (56% on my ereader):

"Keep to that protocol for them until we know they're not going to regenerate and rise." 


My Thoughts:
Iron and Magic is centred on a side character from the Kate Daniels series.  I don't think you have to read the Kate Daniels series to read this, it stands on its own but I would recommend that you do since I love the Kate Daniels series.  


Have you read Iron and Magic? What are your thoughts on the quotes from it? 

Tuesday 21 August 2018

Top Ten Tuesday- Books To Pull You Out Of A Reading Slump

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.  This week's topic is: Books To Pull You Out of a Reading Slump.  Reading slumps are always different for each person so I thought I'd do a fun recommendations post today, I've split it into different categories.

Books With a Great Writing Style That Will Just Suck You In:

The Spellbook of the Lost and Found by Moïra Fowley-Doyle
I Was Born For This by Alice Oseman

Books With an Interesting Concept That Will Make You Want To Know More About the Book:

They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera
Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire

Books With an Action-Packed Plot That Will Make You Want To Keep Turning The Pages:

A Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
Illuminae (The Illuminae Files book 1) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Re-Reading Old Favourites To Make You Get All Those Feels Back Again:

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
The Host by Stephenie Meyer


I didn't even realise I had an orange theme going on until I was adding the book covers. What books would you recommend to get out of a reading slump?

Sunday 19 August 2018

Quote Sunday #1

I love book quotes so I thought I'd start doing a feature where I post one of my favourite quotes from a book each week, I love finding quotes that really resonate with me.   This week's quote is from:

A Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1) by Cassandra Clare



'One must always be careful of books, and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us.'
 

What are some of your favourite quotes? 

Friday 17 August 2018

Friday Excerpts: A Sky Painted Gold by Laura Wood

Today I'll be sharing some book excerpts with these bookish features:
Book Beginnings is a weekly feature (hosted by Rose City Reader) where you post the first sentence of the book you're currently reading. 
The Friday 56 is a weekly feature (hosted by Freda's Voice) where you get a book and turn to page 56 (or 56% on ereader) then post a interesting sentence from that page with no spoilers. 


A Sky Painted Gold by Laura Wood

Blurb:

Growing up in her sleepy Cornish village dreaming of being a writer, sixteen-year-old Lou has always wondered about the grand Cardew house which has stood empty for years. And when the owners arrive for the summer - a handsome, dashing brother and sister - Lou is quite swept off her feet and into a world of moonlit cocktail parties and glamour beyond her wildest dreams.

But, as she grows closer to the Cardews, is she abandoning her own ambitions... And is there something darker lurking at the heart of the Cardew family?



Beginning:
PROLOGUE - 
It all started with an apple.  Trouble often does, I suppose, and this particular apple was a real troublemaker - a Pendragon, red-fleshed and sweet, that I stole from someone else's orchard.


Friday 56 (56% on my ereader):
I know where I am happiest, and it is somewhere between watching from a tree branch and being the star.


My Thoughts:
I really like the beginning of this book, it definitely held my attention and I really like the writing of this book so far.


Have you read A Sky Painted Gold? What are your thoughts on the quotes from it? 

Wednesday 8 August 2018

Book Review: Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children #1) Seanan McGuire

Book: Every Heart a Doorway
Series: Wayward Children book 1
Author: Seanan McGuire
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy/Paranormal, Mystery

Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children

No Solicitations
No Visitors
No Quests 
Children have always disappeared under the right conditions; slipping through the shadows under a bed or at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes and into old wells, and emerging somewhere... else. 
But magical lands have little need for used-up miracle children. 
Nancy tumbled once, but now she’s back. The things she’s experienced... they change a person. The children under Miss West’s care understand all too well. And each of them is seeking a way back to their own fantasy world. 
But Nancy’s arrival marks a change at the Home. There’s a darkness just around each corner, and when tragedy strikes, it’s up to Nancy and her new-found schoolmates to get to the heart of the matter. 
No matter the cost.

My Rating: 4/5 STARS

My Review:

Every Heart a Doorway is such a fascinating story that I think would resonate with so many readers.  The basis of the world in Every Heart a Doorway is about what happens to the children who were once lost in other worlds (e.g. someone like Alice from Alice in Wonderland) but are now back in the normal world.  I think it's so easy for myself and other readers to understand the world within Every Heart a Doorway because we've all felt something similar when we've finished some of our favourite stories.  We wonder where the characters went after and how it effects their life and this is the main thing Every Heart a Doorway explores.

I really liked the characters and I thought it was very interesting how their own experiences in the world they went to shaped their personalities and had such an impact on what they said or did.  Each of the characters had such unique experiences in their different worlds that made them really individual and stand out from one another and I really liked that.

It's hard to believe how short this book is.  I wanted there to be more but I'm also glad the story was so short.  I like how it wasn't unnecessarily prolonged and I found it refreshing to read a YA urban fantasy that told such an interesting and compelling story in less than 200 pages.  The story also had a creepy thriller vibe to it which I was surprised at but really enjoyed.

Overall I love the world in Every Heart a Doorway and I found the character back stories to be captivating.  This book is also quick to read and it leaves you wanting more of the story.
  

Monday 6 August 2018

BookTubeAThon Wrap Up 2018

Booktubeathon 2018 is over which is sad but I ended up reading four books during it which I'm really happy with and I ended up doing almost all the Instagram challenges which were a lot of fun.  I already talked about some of the books I read in my July wrap up but I'll just list them again.


Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward children book 1) by Seanan McGuire - 4/5 STARS
This book was a quick read, it's only around 170 pages but I was surprised at how vivid the world and story were for that many pages.  I'm really excited to read more from this series.


A Quiet Kind of Thunder by Sara Barnard - 3.5/5 STARS
Usually I don't do half ratings but I was very torn on rating this book.  I loved how much this book talked about anxiety but the romance of the book made me really dislike it.  


The Darkest Minds (The Darkest Minds book 1) by Alexandra Bracken - 4/5 STARS
I had already read this book a few years ago but I reread it to remind myself on the details of it.  I enjoyed the reread of it but a lot of things stood out to me which hadn't the first time when reading it, one of the things that stood out was I didn't really like Ruby's character at all during this reread.  I still thought the book was good which was why I went onto reading Never Fade. 


Never Fade (The Darkest Minds book 2) by Alexandra Bracken - 3/5 STARS 
I didn't like this book as much as the first book and reading it made me realise that I wasn't as excited to read this series as I would've been had I read it years ago.  It became very predictable and Ruby annoyed me even more in this book.  I do think this series is good but I'm just not excited to read it anymore so I don't think I'll read the next book.


Here are some of the pictures I took for the Instagram challenges.  You can find me at: xo_reader_kyla



Did you participate in this year's Booktubeathon? What did you read?

Friday 3 August 2018

Friday Book Excerpts: The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Today I'll be sharing some book excerpts with these bookish features:
Book Beginnings is a weekly feature (hosted by Rose City Reader) where you post the first sentence of the book you're currently reading. 
The Friday 56 is a weekly feature (hosted by Freda's Voice) where you get a book and turn to page 56 (or 56% on ereader) then post a interesting sentence from that page with no spoilers. 


The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Blurb:

When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something frightening enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that got her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that had killed most of America’s children, but she and the others emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they could not control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones. When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. She is on the run, desperate to find the only safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who have escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents. When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at having a life worth living.



Beginning:
PROLOGUE - When the white noise went off, we were in the garden, pulling weeds.


Friday 56:
We had to find a way to amuse ourselves because we had no stories-no dreams, no future- other than the ones we created for ourselves.


My Thoughts:
I've already read The Darkest Minds before but that was a few years ago so I'm rereading it now because I want to continue on with the series.  The first line is intriguing but I really liked the page 56 quote, I feel like it really suits the book.   

Have you read The Darkest Minds? What are your thoughts on the quotes from it?

Thursday 2 August 2018

July 2018 Wrap Up

What I Read in July:


Dearest Ivie (Black Dagger Brotherhood novella) by J.R. Ward - 2/5 STARS
I didn't really like this novella.  I didn't like the characters or feel any connection to them and the characters are the main thing I like about the world of the Black Dagger Brotherhood so I was surprised at how much I disliked the characters in this novella.

Thunderhead (Arc of a Scythe book 2) by Neal Shusterman - 4/5 STARS
I enjoyed Thunderhead even though I found parts of it to be predictable.  The ending was very action packed and exciting.

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee - 4/5 STARS
I was surprised at how fun and exciting I found this book to be, it's such a great adventure story.  I liked the characters and even though I loved reading about the adventurous situations the characters found themselves in I also liked how much more depth the story had to it.  


Vicious (The Villains book 1) by V.E Schwab - 4/5 STARS
I really liked Vicious, I loved how morally complex the characters were and I loved the way the story was written where we see how the characters are in the present then we get flashbacks of how they were before years ago.  I'm excited to read more about these characters. 

Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children book 1) by Seanan McGuire - 4/5 STARS
I liked this book and thought it was very well written.  I loved the general idea of it and I think the author created a great world that is going to be interesting to read and explore more about in future books.

A Quiet Kind of Thunder by Sara Barnard - 3.5/5 STARS
I debated on whether or not to rate this 3 or 4 stars.  I liked the focus on anxiety in the story but I was put off by the romance.  I felt it really wasn't needed and I would've much preferred to read about the main characters dealing with their own issues rather than reading about their romance. 


Here are some of my Bookstagram pictures for July.  You can find me at: xo_reader_kyla


I had a good reading month in July and liked a lot of the books I read.  What books did you read in July?