August TBR Roundup and ACOTAR Review!

Hi
Okay please don't hit me, I only read one book for the whole of August! So I failed miserably on my target of 5 books, but next month I will hopefully read 5, just it took me forever to read the one book I did read. So here today is my review of ......

A Court Of Thorns And Roses By Sarah J Maas (pronounced Mass not Mars, I learnt yesterday)

So I have never read a full on fantasy novel, have yet to read Game Of Thrones although I am on season 4 of the TV show. I also have to read the Throne of Glass series also by Sarah J Maas. So I went in with unknown expectations but from reviews had quite high expectations at the same time. Now I'm not saying it was amazing but it wasn't disastrous either. Here's my review..... ( please don't hate me if you don't agree or  blacklist my blog!) 



Okay this is your one and only warning. This is literally filled with spoilers or things you may not know about unless you have read the book or already have been spoiled on what happens so if you have yet to read the book don't scroll further down. Don't spoil the book for your selves. And please don't hate if I don't agree with your opinions on this book.

Here's a little synopsis from Goodreads :

A thrilling, seductive new series from New York 
Timesbestselling author Sarah J. Maas, 
blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.
When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.
As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it... or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.
Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

I loved the map in the beginning  of the book, it was a source if information for me quite a few times. I also noticed that Pyrthian, the mortal realms and Hybern looked like the UK. Which I found kinda cool, as most books that are not written by British authors are not set in the UK . I need to read more books obviously! 

Okay so I was really quite conflicted about this book, and I have never felt so conflicted by a book before. It wasn't really until half way that I could connect or like Feyre, the main character. I have never been so annoyed by a character and their decisions before. To the point where I didn't really care whether she lived or died. Yeah she just seemed to make the worst decisions, very impulsive, even after everyone else warned her. For example: 

The illusion of her father - If she had given a moment to think about it she would have known it was not her father. She herself said the unlikely hood that her father would come to rescue her. Even after everyone warned her about the mind tricks the land could play, to keep her wits about her.

The Suriel- Even though she was warned of the creatures lurking on the borders of the spring court and all the different ways they could kill her, she still went and amazingly trapped one. Only for the Bogge to come and attack, although Tamlin hears her scream and comes to rescue her. 

The Fire Night (The Rite) - Feyre was warned by first Tamlin to not leave the manor, she proceeded to go, only to be attacked by 3 faeries before being spotted by Lucien who takes her back to the manor. Lucien then explains in more detail about The Rite and why she needs to go to her room and lock the door until the morning. Because Tamlin will not be the 'normal' Tamlin once The Rite begins until the morning. What does Feyre do? 
She comes out of her room and bumps in Tamlin, who bites her neck. Out of lust/want/romance, not because he wants to kill her I should add!

But the thing that annoyed me the most is, even when Tamlin said that she was to live there even though she killed one of his people, Andras, she still proceeded to try and escape. Yes, I know why Tamlin didn't kill her but still. The constant trying to run away or to hide weapons just made it harder to believe the building romance between Feyre and Tamlin.

Feyre is also meant to be illiterate, but for the vocabulary she has, it just doesn't really add up. I mean i'm sure its possible but it just didn't add up in this setting. 

Now right now I seem to have painted a bad portrayal of this book and you may be wondering why I liked it as well. 

Well the turning point for me had to be chapter 17. it has to be one of my two favorite chapters of this book. I never cry in books, if they aren't in the theme of The Fault In Our Stars or Before I Die. But this book I did, I teared up. The chapter was so raw and beautiful that I finally could really connect to Feyre.  I especially loved this conversation between Tamlin and Feyre 

Tamlin "Why, You dislike my kind on a good day. So why?"

Feyre " Because I wouldn't want to die alone, because I'd want someone to hold my hand to the end and a while after that. That's something everything everyone deserves, human or fae."  She then apologizes for the first time for killing Andras and I felt like we had finally turned a corner with Feyre.

I personally loved what Feyre said because I believe what she says. Its something I believe. Its what I would want, I wouldn't want to die alone. I believe no matter who you are, everyone deserves that. I believe animals, humans, anybody. 

From that moment the book kept that pace and was getting good, I had heard that it didn't truly get going until 60-70% which is kind of true. I was less on the edge of giving the book up. 

It was easier to believe the romance between Tamlin and Feyre as the book continued. So Tamlin after realizing Feyre isn't safe in Prythian, he decides to send her home but not before having a lovely heart to heart with her. Which then leads to the sex scene, which y'know was slightly steamy but then at the end, Tamlin, while Feyre is drifting to sleep says 'Those' 3 little words. I Love You.

Now in the morning, Feyre gets sent home but not before Lucien mentions to let her stay a few more days to no avail. Feyre goes home.

Now I love the chapters of when she arrives home. Feyre finally sees and realizes just how Tamlin had took care of her family. He had rescued her family from poverty and they were again rich and in a big mansion. Tamlin also glamoured her family into believing Feyre was looking after a dying aunt(where she also earned said aunts fortune.)but also added into the glamour that if anything suspicious, in terms of the fae and the wall, happened to protect themselves. Almost like a second nature instinct.

 Now I wasn't Nesta's biggest fan in the beginning of the book. Although I was fascinated by her because she loved her sister Elaine and would die to protect her. Her relationship with Feyre was non existent really. Her relationship with her father was interesting as she blamed her father for their fall from grace, she also blamed him for her mothers death. She also blamed him because while Feyre was out hunting and getting food for her family, their father did nothing. 

Nesta is the only one to have resisted the glamour. It was really beautifully touching to see her character development towards Feyre. Feyre was able to confide and trust Nesta with everything that happened in Prythian. And when Feyre found out about mysterious things happening in the mortal realm, Nesta showed real maturity in saying, go we can take care of ourselves. Not out of malice but out of caring for her sister.
 On a warning note, Feyre said that if they hear or see anything suspicious to either get more guards or flee. Take all the money and run to somewhere they will be safe. I also loved, Feyre saying about how there's a world out there waiting for Nesta. Which I found really true to life and quite poignant. There's a whole world and life out there, just waiting for you.

 So back to Spring court and Prythian, Feyre goes.

My second favorite chapter has to be chapter 32. Its where we learn about Prythian and the blight. I love that Alis was the one to tell her about the curse. I loved Alis in the book, she seemed a really good character. Her backstory I found interesting, especially hearing how Tamlin helped to hide her nephews whilst she worked for him to repay him for all he had done to help. She seemed very much like a mother/aunt figure in Tamlin, Lucien and especially Feyre's lives. 


So Alis finally tells Feyre, and the readers, about: 
The Curse,
Amarantha,
How they couldn't tell her explicitly about the curse,
And how she could of saved Tamlin. Save Prythian.
Yeah, yikes!

Even on the way to showing Feyre the entrance to the court Under The Mountain, there was still something the curse prevented Alis from saying.

Amarantha, what can I say about Amarantha? She was a great villian, like for real. I mean poor Clare, poor Clare. 
I like how even though she was meant to be this great villian who put this 'Blight' on Prythian, you could still see why she was so angry at what happened to her sister. You could understand that if anything happened to your family, that you would want justice. Just maybe like jail instead of what Amarantha did. I mean I've mentioned it once already but poor Clare!

Now I'm going to say a slightly controversial opinion. Don't hate me!
I really did not like Rhysand. I just didn't. One minute, he's happy and being nice. The next he's cold and horrible. 
Oh and this bargain?! I could see the point but it just really irritated me because I can see where this book could go now. A love triangle. (strangely enough reminding me of twilight)
I can just see it, especially if all these mating theories are true. I just feel like I've started to like Feyre and Tamlin as a romance to just be told, well yeah but no. I just was fascinated to see how it would turn out without having a love triangle. But we will have to wait and see.
But yes in short I really didn't like Rhysand. That's me being nice. LOL

Now finally there's one thing I want to touch on that I thought 'Oooh, whats going on here?' Is that Jurian's eye ring and bone necklace, mysteriously disappeared from Amarantha. Is this a foreshadow of things to come?!
We will have to wait and see until May 2016!  *The silent tears streaming down my face*

So in the end I still feel really conflicted about this book.
The beginning was slightly on the slow side but once it got into the swing of it, I liked it. Then the end,I liked it, I just didn't like the bargain. I get why it happened I just don't like it because of what potentially it could lead to.
The parts I love, I highly loved. The parts I disliked, I really disliked. I'm torn. I feel like once I got past chapter 17, I enjoyed reading this book. Once I got past my annoyance at Feyre, I felt less likely to give up on the book. 

 I'm interested to see now that this book established the world, how the next two books develop on it. Yes its a trilogy. 
I really wanted to totally love this book, while that's not exactly the case for me, I am looking forward to the next book. 

3 & 1/2 Stars 


I hope you liked my review of A Court Of Thorns And Roses. I hope I didn't offend too many people. 
Thanks for reading, if you read it all, you deserve a medal. I actually had to write two drafts of this before I typed it up. It originally was going to be a literal plot review, which when the book is 416 pages its maybe going to be slightly a long review. LOL
If you have read Acotar (A Court Of Thorns And Roses, lets change it up) did you agree with anything I said? What did you think. I'd love to hear. 
Until next time 
Sophie

   

Did that just happen?!

Hi, did anyone read my Vendetta review? Catherine Doyle did and look!

Yeah the cat stickers sum up why I didn't reply, 

especially the one in the top corner

*cue screaming and fangirling!* omg omg omg! What is this life?! >.<

I would of responded but yknow, i'm quite awkward. I was also quite starstruck!

And then this happened, Jandy Nelson author of 'The Sky Is Everywhere' and 'I'll Give You The Sun' must of seen my blog post about my TBR of August, which included I'll Give You The Sun and where I mentioned my love for The Sky Is Everywhere and faved my tweet about it. *cue some more screaming and fangirling!*

Yeah did all that happen?! (Yeah sums up everything, the cat stickers do)

Okay enough my fangirling, on with the point of this post. 

I am still working on my August TBR books and it's going pretty slow, I'm currently reading A Court Of Thorns And Roses, and no offence to people who love it but I'm really conflicted about it. More on that another time! 

But my two main points and  one of them is something I've been really excited about is I'm going to be doing my English IGCSE's!! 

Yes you may be thinking, 'But your 17 haven't you already taken them?'

And the answer to that is no. The school I went to up until I went to school through Esthma didn't do GCSEs because their simply wasn't enough people who were able to do it, as I went to a special school with varying degree of disabilities. I'm doing it home educated as well as my brothers. Yes my brothers and I are home educated. We are doing the igcses instead of GCSEs, I believe the difference is igcses are international and it is less coursework, it's more studying and then taking exams at the end. So that is exciting, I'm doing English literature and English language, my brothers are only doing English language.

Second thing I'm quite excited about is, well technically it's three things! Which I will post about for each of them.

One direction at the 02 arena 

Fall out boy at Wembley arena

And I'm going to Bath for the Bath literature festival, I'm going to the event that is about up and coming authors, Taran Matharu, Helena Coggan and Catherine Doyle. And also apparently they will be signing books as well!!  

So this is my sort of roundup of exciting things that have happened and are going to happen in the next few weeks. My August TBR roundup and ACOTAR Review will be posted along with this.

Until then

Sophie

Vendetta - book review

Okay I love this book, this book is my bae. No one can change my opinion and so because I love it so much I thought I'd review it and hope you love it like me. I mean one word. Luca. 

I'm also going to tell you how excited I 

am for the 2nd book Inferno, which doesn't come out until January. Did someone say early birthday present? I'm not going to go into every detail because then wheres the surprise in reading it? Normally I can tell whats going to happen, like books don't often surprise me but the twists in this. Woah! Wasn't expecting that.

Okay here's my spoiler warning, small but still plot spoiler, spoilers are in this review. Wait until you have read the book! unless of course you've read the book then scroll on down!

So at the start of the book, we're introduced to Sophie( yeah I know same name as me!) well technically her name is Persephone but she goes by Sophie. We learn that the past 18 months have not been the easiest. Her father is in jail and the reason why, has made Sophie and her family ostracized in the town of Cedar Hill and has turned Sophie and her mums life upside down. He is in Jail for manslaughter. Which the town gossip Mrs Bailey can't help but remind them of.

So a bit of backstory on Sophie, Her full name is Sophie Gracewell (don't worry it'll make sense!) Her family own the diner in town which Sophie will inherit and take over when she turns 18. Her uncle Jack helps to run the diner until then and also looks out for her while her dad is in jail. Her mum is a dressmaker and is not the biggest fan of Jack.

So thats all normal right, right nothing out of the ordinary in this book! Wrong! Because one day at the start of summer in Cedar Hill, a family move in to probably the most notorious house in the neighbourhood. The priestly house. And trust me when I say that this family is different. I mean 5 boys! Gino, Dom, Luca, Valentino and Nic. But they have a mission in coming to Cedar Hill and everything is not what it seems with the 5 Priestly boys. And the mission, Its got a lot to do with Sophie's family.

What I loved about this book was Sophie, the way Catherine Doyle wrote her was really good and I found her a really well rounded person. I found her quite sarcastic and just a good person. 

Another person I really loved. Luca. Yeah forget Nic, I'm team Luca. Luca is bae (don't ask I don't know, just Luca)Trust me when I say if you read this book and are not team Luca, are we reading the same book?! Only joking, Sort of kinda. Haha! 

Now something that this book touches on that I quite like is disability, and not in the stereotypical way.  Well stereotypical in comparison to other books with disabled characters in that I've read, which shockingly is not many.

Another thing I loved was Millie, especially her rant at the basketball tournament, also that while this series of life altering events was going on, that the friendship between the girls stayed strong, their friendship was solid. And   there was no drama around the 5 boys and that Millie stood by Sophie when other friends fell by the waste side. I like that there was no drama or jealousy in the sense of their friendship. They were just best friends.

The characters in this book seem really well, I was going to say rounded but that's not the right word, they are really well defined and have distinguishing characteristics.  I'm suprised more people haven't read the book. I feel like its a breathe of fresh air, I haven't read anything quite like this before.  Although now I am struggling to find something to fill that gap! Haha

So the next book is called Inferno and i'm counting the days until it comes out. Next Year! This is torturous! But we do have the synopsis to read over and over until then and the cover....


 >.<

Heres the synopsis on goodreads(I also got the cover from goodreads. Gotta love Goodreads.)...

"Sophie's life has been turned upside-down, and she's determined to set things right. But Nic, the Falcone brother who represents everything she's trying to forget, won't give up on their love - and it's Luca's knife she clutches for comfort. Soon another mafia clan spoils the fragile peace - and with her heart drawn in one direction and her blood in another, Sophie's in deeper than ever"

Okay now I'm just pointing out this line, 'and it's Luca's knife she clutches for comfort'

Just Saying

Here's a final thought about this book. Its been likened to Romeo and Juliet with the whole forbidden love angle but I'm putting this out there, if it ends like Romeo and Juliet and Everybody  (emphasis on the everybody!) knows how it ends I wont be happy. Don't go down the Allegiant route(even though looking back I liked that ending and thought it made sense). But still just don't because otherwise i'll just be reading this sat in a puddle of my tears.  
Now if this book has caught your attention, what are you waiting for go read it! And you will soon be able to feel my pain of waiting until January for the second book. Or if you've already read the book, what did you think of the book and do you share my pain of waiting for book 2. Hahaha
Also a little PSA for if this becomes a book to movie/Book to tv series, and your looking for your person to play Sophie. *Cough-Cough* *Wink-Wink*. Very subtle hinting there! In case you think I'm joking, only a little. Like i'm serious.

And with that its the end of my review for Vendetta by Catherine Doyle. Snaps for you Catherine Doyle because you have created one of my favorite books and I just know I'm going to love Inferno. No doubt about it. Its inevitable. 

Thanks for reading
Until next time
Sophie

My TBR top 5

Hi this post is my TBR top 5, TBR being To Be Read. Yes this is a book post finally!! I love books, I love reading books because I feel like it helps my anxiety, getting me out of my own head and into the characters head. It just takes me out of everything going on and gives me time to relax and live another life, see through someone else's eyes. Eyes that probably work better than mine!! Haha. 

Now because I'm quite a slow reader and because I just sort of go with how I'm feeling in terms of what to read next, I've compiled a top 5 list of books I want to read next. Some you may have read or want to read. Also if you have any recommendations of what I should be reading I would love to hear them, I'm also on goodreads under the name Sophie Rose, if you want to see what I've read and other books I want to read! Now these are the books I want to read by the end of August, or at least some of these by August. I have such a long list of books to be read that I need to get started on it before I'm drowning in books.  I should get that trademarked and make t-shirts with it on! Haha

So the first book I want to read in August is...

A Court Of Thorns And Roses by Sarah J Maas!! 

Yes I am probably one of a few select people who have yet to read acotar(a court of thorns and roses for short). I got this a few weeks ago and it's been a TBR ever since (even though I have books that I bought years ago that have still to be read as well :-/ ) but since this book has been quite hyped about and from that hype everyone is saying 'you have to read this, it's amazing, Sarah J Maas is an incredible author'. I thought I would read it now.

But I'm going to be honest in terms of accessibility, sight wise it's not great. The writing is really small, I'd say size 12 font, and around nearly 500 pages. That's why I'm slightly put off reading it. So if you have bad eyesight in terms of seeing writing and maybe need things in bigger print or you struggle with the spacing between words and sentences, I'd say either try get it specially in larger print or go for the audio-book version. There's also the option of getting the e-book version.
A little about this book: Feyre, the main character, is a huntress. She lives in a world where humans live in one part and supernatural beings live in another part. But I believe that, they are not allowed to harm each other. But Feyre kills a werewolf and so someone comes for her and says since you took their life, you must spend the rest of your life as a servant to me. in the world of the supernatural land, the fae. Apparently its meant to be retelling of beauty of and the beast. 

The next book I want to read in the month of August is....

Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas.

Yes another book that is so hyped about and is said to be so amazing and I think a lot of people's favorite book. Like it's yours, your mums, your friends and your friends sisters friends favorite book type scenario. I got this book from my local library, so I'm hoping if I like it, I will get my own copy. Its part of the Throne of Glass series.
 Its about a girl named Celaena, who is a trained assassin, who gets caught doing something terrible but she gets offered a deal. Her freedom for a huge sacrifice. She must represent the prince in a fight to the death tournament competing against the most talented thieves and assassins in the land. whether she lives or dies, she will be free.
 Now this book has got the normal sized book font, which for me is fine for me. But like I said for acotar if you need things in bigger print or with more spacing, it might be better looking for this in larger print, audio-book or e-book. 

And the next book I want to read in the month of August is....

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

This book I haven't seen many people talking about this. My aunt who is a fellow book lover gave me some of her books she no longer wanted and this book and the rest of the series was one of them. I've had them on my bookshelf for quite a while and just haven't got round to them. Until now! 

Its about a girl Yelena is about to be executed for murder until she is offered a reprieve. She offered to in essence be a food taster for the Commander of Ixia, she will live a comfortable life in return for tasting food and making sure nothing is poisoned or nobody is trying to murder the commander of Ixia. But the chief of security doesn't take any chances and deliberately poisons her with something called butterfly dust. Only by turning up for the antidote will she save her herself from an agonizingly painful death from the poison. As Yelena tries to escape her situation, disasters keep happening and rebels plot to take control of Ixia and Yelena acquires magic powers she can't control. Her life is under threat and choices must be made. 
Phew that was a long plot and intense!

Now the next book I want to read this month is....

I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson. 

As I said in one of my recent posts I bought this quite recently. I also said that I loved Jandy Nelson's previous book The Sky is Everywhere. I loved the writing style of it and how art was used in the book in regards to the notes Lennie left everywhere. I also loved the musical influence in the book. So I've got high hopes for this book!! 
Jude and her twin brother Noah are really close. At 13 Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the boy next door, whereas Jude is a daredevil,cliff dives, wears red lipstick and does the talking for the twins. 3 years on and the twins barely talk to each other. Something has happened to wreck the twins in different and life altering ways. That is until Jude meets a cocky and broken boy, who just so happens to also be beautiful. As well as someone who is an even more unpredictable force in her life. The early years are Noah's story to tell, the later years are Jude's. What Jude and Noah don't realize is that they each have half the story and if they can find their way back to each other, they'd have a chance to remake their world. So this book is sounding like a bit of a deep book despite the bright cover. But it sounds really promising!

Now the last book I want to read in August is...

Lorali by Laura Dockrill!!

 I love mermaids, when I was younger I always secretly hoped my life would turn out like the children's TV show H20: Just Add Water. Yeah don't ask. But as I've grown up and realized that wouldn't happen I hoped to find a book that was a good mermaid story. So again I'm holding high hopes for this book, it seems like it might be like the film Aquamarine. 
This book is about 16 year old Rory who had not imagined looking after a naked girl who he found washed up under Hastings pier on his 16th birthday. But even more surprising is finding out where she comes from. Lorali is running not just from the sea or her position as a princess but her destiny. Lorali has rejected life under the sea and being a mermaid, to become human. Along with Lorali's arrival and the freak weather storms battering the coast, comes strange visitors with strangely coiffed hair, sharp collared shirts and a pirate ship shaped like a Tudor house. The Abelgare boys are a mystery of their own, What are they really up to? Can Rory protect Lorali? And who does he need to protect her from? Where does she really belong anyway? 
Okay, i'm just putting it out there I dont really read male protagonists(Main character)books. I don't know why really, its the same with male authors. So i'm interested to see how this one goes, especially since it has mermaids in.

Now I'm quite a slow reader and so it could be quite interesting to see whether I finish all 5 books by the end of August. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

I'm already a little behind as I currently am finishing rereading Vendetta by Catherine Doyle. I am also going to be doing a review on Vendetta, so look out for that. I loved that book so there is going to be a lot of me proclaiming my love for that book, and a certain character, so just beware! At the end of August I will do a round up of the books I have read and if they were any good, or if they didn't live up to my expectations.

So until next time 

Sophie

P.S my photos came out really well today, I think so at least! They make my room look really light, which it's not. I definitely should take photos from this part of my room more often!