Showing posts with label Richelle Mead. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Richelle Mead. Show all posts

27 December 2016

Top 10 of 2016 - Best Book Covers

Top 10 of 2016

I've decided to join Two Chicks On Books again this year to count down my favourite books. Throughout the week there will be different list, so without further ado let's get started!

Best Book Covers of 2016 (MUST be a book released in 2016. Would be best if it's a book you've READ in 2016, but it's not required)


10.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30173155-to-love-and-to-cherish
To Love and to Cherish (The Wedding Belles, #3)
by Lauren Layne

9.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27272506-the-glittering-court?ac=1&from_search=true
The Glittering Court (The Glittering Court, #1)
by Richelle Mead

8.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25798815-my-perfect-mistake?ac=1&from_search=true
My Perfect Mistake (Over the Top, #1) by Kelly Siskind

7.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25708672-the-other-side-of-gravity?ac=1&from_search=true
The Other Side of Gravity (Oxygen, #1) by Shelly Crane

6.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11992012-the-prophecy-of-shadows?from_search=true
The Prophecy of Shadows (Elementals, #1) by Michelle Madow

5.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30065028-fantastic-beasts-and-where-to-find-them?ac=1&from_search=true
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling

4.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25494343-lady-midnight?ac=1&from_search=true
Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices, #1) by Cassandra Clare

3.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30815112-balance?from_search=true
Balance (Balance Series, #1) by Janelle Stalder

2.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32618150-frostblood
Frostblood (Frostblood Saga, #1) by Elly Blake

1.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24033058-glitter?ac=1&from_search=true
Glitter (Glitter Duology,  #1)by Aprilynne Pike

All stunning covers in their own right. It was so hard to put them in order of preference but in the end none of the other covers look as good as my number one pick.



What is your book cover of the year?

14 March 2016

Book Review: The Ruby Circle (Bloodlines, #6) by Richelle Mead

(Click image to take you to Goodreads)

Format: Paperback
Publishers: Penguin
Published: 10th February 2015
Pages: 348
Genre: YA, Paranormal Romance,
Main Characters: Sydney, Adrian
Date Read: 1st February - 27th February 2016

Rating Given:
 photo four.jpg

Synopsis:
THEY WILL BE TESTED
Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives.
Their forbidden romance exposed, Sydney and Adrian find themselves facing the wrath of both the Alchemists and the Moroi in this electrifying conclusion to Richelle Mead’s bestselling Bloodlines series.
When the life of someone they both love is put on the line, Sydney risks everything to hunt down a deadly former nemesis. Meanwhile, she and Adrian becomes enmeshed in a puzzle that could hold the key to a shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret that could shake the entire Moroi world and alter their lives forever.
Don't miss their unforgettable final chapter...
LOVE WILL CONQUER ALL

I bought this a little while ago now and I've only just gotten around to reading it which I'm glad I did as sometimes I forget to finish the last book but not this time.

I've said this before about these covers and I will say it again I'm not a fan of these covers there's just something about them that could've put me off reading the book if I hadn't read her Vampire Academy series. I do like that it ties in with the rest of the series which I'm surprised that it did as quite often series change before it comes to the end which Richelle Mead is guilty of.

When I first started reading this book I couldn't quite remember what happened in the previous book as it had been a while since I had read it but there was little reminders of what happened so in the end it wasn't too bad and I was able to understand what was happening which is the main thing. There was a lot of twists and turns that I was not expecting which was good as it kept me guessing throughout and shocked me at times as well. I've always loved the romance story involved in both Bloodlines and Vampire Academy series so it was nice to see a conclusion with Sydney and Adrian as well as more from Rose and Dimitri. I love the chemistry between Sydney and Adrian plus they make sure a cute couple but they do have their disagreements which I also liked as it made it feel more real. There was a bit of action throughout but I felt I was waiting for something more to happen in a more action packed manner. I kind of liked the ending as everything came to a great ending but I don't think everything was cleared up as much as what I wanted so I do hope that there will be another spin off to get the closure that I need.

There's not much more that I can say about the characters that I haven't talked about in my previous reviews from this series. I still love all the characters and I feel like Sydney has grown the most closely followed by Adrian. It was nice to see more from Rose and Dimitri in this book than any of the other books. There was a couple of new characters that where a great addition especially one of those that I can't really say anything about as I don't want to give anything away but put it this way it changes everything for everyone.

Overall, a great ending but I do feel as though it could've been a stronger ending.

2 March 2016

Book of the Month - February 2016

I had a pretty descent month of reading in February which was surprising considering it was a short month.

Here's what I read in February:


  • Flesh (Flesh, #1) by Kylie Scott - 2.5/5
  • Irrisistibly Yours (Oxford, #1) by Lauren Layne - 4.5/5
  • Dirty (Dive Bar, #1) by Kylie Scott - 5/5
  • Accordance (Significance, #2) by Shelly Crane - 4.5/5
  • The Ruby Circle (Bloodlines, #6) by Richelle Mead - 4/5
  • Ruined (The Eternal Balance, #1) by Jus Accardo - 3/5

And the book of the month goes to...

Dirty (Dive Bar, #1) by Kylie Scott
It was an easy choice this month as this one was my only five star book as none of them held my interest as much as this one did. 



What is you book of the month?

27 January 2016

Waiting on Wednesday - The Glittering Court by Richelle Mead


"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Here's this week's book that I can't wait for...

The Glittering Court (The Glittering Court, #1) 
by Richelle Mead
Expected Publication: 5th April 2016

Synopsis:
A dazzling new fantasy series set in a mix of Elizabethan and frontier worlds that’s dripping with romance from Richelle Mead, #1 internationally bestselling author of Vampire Academy.
Big and sweeping, spanning the refined palaces of Osfrid to the gold dust and untamed forests of Adoria, The Glittering Court tells the story of Adelaide, an Osfridian countess who poses as her servant to escape an arranged marriage and start a new life in Adoria, the New World. But to do that, she must join the Glittering Court. 
Both a school and a business venture, the Glittering Court is designed to transform impoverished girls into upper-class ladies capable of arranging powerful and wealthy marriages in the New World. Adelaide naturally excels in her training and even makes a few friends: the fiery former laundress Tamsin and the beautiful Sirminican refugee Mira. She manages to keep her true identity hidden from all but one: the intriguing Cedric Thorn, son of the wealthy proprietor of the Glittering Court.
When Adelaide discovers that Cedric is hiding a dangerous secret of his own, together, they hatch a scheme to make the best of Adelaide’s deception. Complications soon arise—first, as they cross the treacherous seas from Osfrid to Adoria, and later, when Adelaide catches the attention of a powerful governor.
But no complication will prove quite as daunting as the potent attraction simmering between Adelaide and Cedric. An attraction that, if acted on, would scandalize the Glittering Court and make them both outcasts in wild, vastly uncharted lands. . . .

I haven't loved every book that I have read by Richelle Mead but this one sounds so good I'm very excited about starting this series.



What are you waiting on this week?

27 August 2015

Book Tag: Disney Book Tag

I saw this Book Tag post over on K-Books and loved it so I thought I would also give it a go.

The Reading Pile has taken inspiration from the vloging Book Tag community over to the blogging world. Like her I'm not actually going to tag anyone but you're more than welcome to give it a try like I have just head over to her page and leave a link in her comments or in mine as I'm nosey and love to know what everyone else has done.

Over at The Reading Pile she has done the posts every Thursday and has already done a few so I thought I would go through the ones she has already done and do the ones I like the look of.

My Book Tag post this week is Disney:


1. The Little Mermaid - A character who is out of their element (A "fish out of water")
Evelyn from Lick by Kylie Scott - Evelyn was your average 21 year old after a night spent celebrating her 21st birthday wakes up the next day married to a rock star. I would definitely say Evelyn was a fish out of water in the world of celebrity.

2. Cinderella - A character who goes through a major transformation.
Sydney Sage - Bloodlines by Richelle Mead: Sydney is like a completely new character from how she was in Vampire Academy to the last in the Bloodlines series.

3. Snow White - A book with an eclectic cast of characters.
Intertwined by Gena Showalter - This character has so many different paranormal creatures thrown into this book that I can't think of mythological being that isn't in it.

4. Sleeping Beauty - A book that put you to sleep.
Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck - I really wanted to love this book as that cover was stunning and the concept sounded intriguing but when I was reading it I was so bored that I found myself nodding off a couple of times.

5. The Lion King - A character that had something traumatic happen to them in childhood.
Kellan Kyle - Thoughtless by S.C. Stephens: Kellan's childhood was definitely traumatic and by the hands of his own parents which for me makes it all the more traumatic.


6. Beauty and the Beast - A beast of a book (a big book) that you were intimidated by, but found the story to be beautiful.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - I'm not a fan of big books as a 400 page book is huge. So when I was first reading the Harry Potter series they seemed to get bigger and bigger and at 870 pages long for this one I was very nervous to read it but I needn't have been as it was a stunning book just like the whole series was.

7. Aladdin - A character who gets their wish granted, for better or worse.
Miranda from The Juliet Spell by Douglas Rees - Miranda want to be Juliet in her school play and to get her wish she does a spell to get her way, but not everything goes to plan...

8. Mulan - A character who pretends to be someone or something they are not.
Scarlet from Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen - I don't think I'm giving anything when I say this (as it's in the blurb) but Scarlet is known as Will Scarlet for most of the book when really he is a she.

9. Toy Story - A book with characters you wish would come to life.
The Mortal Instruments/The Infernal Devices - This one was so hard because every book that I adore I wan the characters to be real. In the end I went for both of these series as technically they are from the same world and I would love for them to all be real especially Jace and Will.

10. Disney Descendants - Your favourite villain or a morally ambiguous character.
Owen from The Accidental Assassin - Owen is an assassin who kills for a living even if he only kills evil people I still can't hate him.

3 June 2015

Waiting on Wednesday - Soundless by Richelle Mead


"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Here's this week's book I can't wait for...

Soundless by Richelle Mead
Expected Publication: 10th November 2015

Synopsis:From Richelle Mead, the #1 internationally bestselling author of Vampire Academy and Bloodlines, comes a breathtaking new fantasy steeped in Chinese folklore. 
For as long as Fei can remember, there has been no sound in her village, where rocky terrain and frequent avalanches prevent residents from self-sustaining. Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiguo, a mysterious faraway kingdom. 
When villagers begin to lose their sight, deliveries from the zipline shrink and many go hungry. Fei’s home, the people she loves, and her entire existence is plunged into crisis, under threat of darkness and starvation.
But soon Fei is awoken in the night by a searing noise, and sound becomes her weapon.
Richelle Mead takes readers on a triumphant journey from the peak of Fei’s jagged mountain village to the valley of Beiugo, where a startling truth and an unlikely romance will change her life forever...

I've read a couple of Richelle Mead's series and I have enjoyed them both so I'm excited to see what else she has to offer.



What are you waiting on? 

2 April 2015

Book of the Month - March

Overall my reading throughout March was better than what I originally thought.

Here's what I read in March:


  • I Wish (I Wish, #1) by Elizabeth Langston - 4/5
  • Silver Shadows (Bloodlines, #5) by Richelle Mead - 4.5/5
  • Exiled (Immortal Essence, #1) by RaShelle Workman - 2/5
  • Red by Alyxandra Harvey - 3/5
  • Play (Stage Dive, #2) by Kylie Scott - 5/5
  • My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick - 3/5
  • On the Surface (In the Zone, #1) by Kate Willoughby - 3.5/5
  • Wicked (A Wicked Saga, #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout - 4.5/5
  • Get Lucky by Robin Corvington - 2/5
  • Down London Road (On Dublin Street, #2) by Samantha Young - 5/5

And the book of the month goes to...

I only had a couple of five star rating books but this one for me outshone every book I read in March even the other five star book so naturally Play had to be my BOTM.



What was your BOTM in March?

17 March 2015

Book Review: Silver Shadows (Bloodlines, #5) by Richelle Mead

(Click image to take you to Goodreads)

Format: Paperback
Publishers: Puffin 
Published: 29th July 2014
Pages: 380
Genre: YA, Paranormal Romance, 
Main Characters: Sydney, Adrian   
Date Read: 3rd March - 10th March 2015

Rating Given:
 photo fourfive.jpg

Synopsis:
Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.
In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists.
Now in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive. 
For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him. . . .
Their worst fears now a chilling reality, Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour in this heart-pounding fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where all bets are off.

 I received this a little while ago from Puffin publishers in exchange for a honest review.

I love that all of the covers in this series match but I would say that this one is one of my least favourites as I'm not a huge fan of the silver. I have never been a huge fan of the covers in this series as they have never really drawn me into the book.

For the first time in this series I wasn't liking this book and I thought I was thinking that I wasn't going to get into it at all. For me the being was so slow and Adrian did disappoint me a bit as well. During the beginning it was Sydney's parts that kept me going as it was what captivated me. It was about just before half way through when the book completely took off and in a good way and I didn't want to put it down there was so much happening that kept me on the edge of my seat. There was a scene in this book that I absolutely adored which I'm not going to say what it was as I don't want to give it away but it was so heart warming and not what I was expecting. The ending I just wasn't expecting a complete cliff hanger I'm just glad that I have the last book on my shelf so that I don't have to wait as long as others did.

Some of the characters had some setbacks in this particular book. There was a few new characters in this book which some of them I liked but some of them not so much. I feel that Sydney outshone every character in Silver Shadows as she showed just how strong of a person she was, without letting anything or anyone get to her. Like I said above Adrian did disappoint me in the beginning as he had seemed to give up but then just before halfway through he was back to the Adrian we all know and love.

Overall once I got over the beginning I was able to thoroughly enjoy this book and I'm very excited to see how this series is going to end.

1 March 2015

Showcase Sunday #112

Showcase Sunday is a weekly Meme that I am taking part of. This weekly meme is hosted by Vicky over at Book, Biscuits and Tea.
Click images to take you to Goodreads.

This may look like a lot of books for just one week but this is from the last few weeks.

Physical Books
  

The first two where surprise review books as I hadn't even requested them but I'm so happy that I have them as I have wanted to read them for awhile now so I'm very excited to read them. The las two books my mum brought them for me which I am so pleased about as I have loved both of these series and I can't wait to see how it ends especially The Ruby Circle.

Bought Kindle Books
I loved Lost & Found so when Finders Keepers was only 99p I had to get it. Although Near & Far wasn't as cheap I had to get it as I can't have book 3 without book 2.

Free Kindle Books
  
  
Free Samantha Young and Sawyer Bennett you can't go wrong!

Kindle Review Books
  
  
  




What did you receive this week?