Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller

 Series: Untitled
Author: Linsey Miller
Page Count: 384
Published: September 5th, 2017
Publisher:Sourcebooks Fire
  4 Stars ★★★★

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. 

Sal is a thief, living in a world complicated by politics and war. Still haunted by the 'shadows', they steal for Grell, but they're tired of it. After stealing from some nobles, Sal finds a flyer that could change their life. If they prove their worth, they can audition to be part of the Queen's Left Hand, a group of assassins that get their namesakes from the rings that the Queen wears. Opal has died, and this may be Sal's chance for a new life, and vengeance. 

The competition is deadly, and the stakes are high. With a romance blooming and drama between contestants, Sal will be lucky to survive with their heart, and their life. 

So this book was really awesome. It was close to perfect, I am so happy that I received an ARC from NetGalley! 

First off, Sal was genderfluid. I am genderfluid, and there are so few people like me in books that its incredibly exciting whenever I come across a nonbinary character! Not to mention the way that Sal's genderfluidity was incorporated into the book.... I loved it because it wasn't the focus of the plot. Sal was casually genderfluid, kinda like how most genderfluid people just wake up and live their lives like everyone else, eh? While I think stories about identity and coming out are great as well, I want to see more of this, more books with nonbinary people just existing as nonbinary individuals, not necessarily on display for their identity. I loved the casual way that Sal's pronouns were discussed, and the way that most characters just complied. It was quite optimistic and a great break from the real world where just the mention of singular "they" will spark a fight. I also loved the way that Sal described genderfluidity and I thought it was really accurate. I won't quote it since this is an ARC and the final manuscript may prove to have minor differences, but when you read the book, you'll get what passage I'm talking about. Anyways, this was an awesome aspect of the novel, I really appreciated the diversity!

Then there's Elise, the love interest. Elise is a noble of Erlend, a nation whose people haven't been kind to Sal's people. Elise is smart, assertive, and likeable! At first, Sal is a bit wary of Elise, almost using her, but I love how later in the book they realize their feelings for her! Alongside Elise is the idea that a person is not the sum of their heritage, or their nationality, and I thought that was a really great message. Sal realizes this and it adds to their growth as a person throughout the novel, in my opinion. This just made me love the book, and Sal, more. 

I also have to mention that there are some emotional scenes in this book. I can't say much without giving it away, but if you get attached to characters, get ready to potentially have your heart shattered!

I also loved the beautiful descriptions throughout the novel. Metaphors and such really added to the way I visualized Sal's world. I loved this fantasy world, I loved getting lost in the danger of the shadows and the life that Sal was escaping, and the life they were ultimately working toward. However, this book lost a star because sometimes the world-building was confusing. Maybe this is because I'm new to this type of fantasy, but I had trouble keeping up with all the political drama, national tensions, and historical events. 

Overall, this was a really awesome fantasy novel! I loved the inclusion of a genderfluid character, and I really like Elise and the messages that accompanied her character. While the world-building could use a little work, the author's descriptions were often beautiful. 

I absolutely recommend this book! If you're a fan of fantasy novels, this book is for you. If you are interested in a book featuring a genderfluid person, you'll want to pick this one up. I know that once this is released in stores, I'll be picking up a copy!

Find Mask of Shadows on Goodreads

50/50 Friday - Place You Buy the Most / Least Books

This meme is hosted at The Butterfly Reader and Blue Eye Books

This week's topic is place you buy the most / least books 

Most

 

Thrift stores. In recent years, my financial situation has gotten worse so I have bought less books new, straight from the bookstore, and instead I've been going to thrift stores! This includes both general thrift stores, and used book stores. (Image found here)

Least

 

Bookstores, where they sell the books brand new. I still go to Chapters / Indigo, and I still order from Amazon on occasion (and I've started using BookOutlet too) however I definitely don't buy books brand new very often anymore.  (Image from my Instagram)



Where do you get the most / least books? Do you share my love of thrift stores?

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Series: Nightshade
Author: Andrea Cremer
Page Count: 452
Published: October 19th, 2010
Publisher: Speak
  4.5 Stars ★★★★

Calla is a shape-shifter who can turn into a wolf. She is the alpha of her pack, and she is expected to marry Ren, another wolf shape-shifter and another alpha, and to join their packs together. She lives in a world where the Keeper's rule over her, and she is expected to obey their every command. Everything changes when she saves Shay, a human boy, and he sees her shift from wolf to human. 

To her dismay, he begins to attend her school, and to seek answers about what happened on that day. What started as a kind act becomes a problem for Calla, especially because she and Shay become closer, and Calla starts to question everything that she has known about her life and her future. 

As a big fan of werewolf stories, I couldn't pass on reading this book, and I'm certainly glad that I didn't! While this was a different take on werewolves and witches, it worked well, and the world that the author created was one that stole my attention from the first chapter onward. 

The action starts right away, with the first scene being the one where Calla saves Shay, and he sees her shift from wolf to human. This caught my attention as it spurred on the first conflict, the issue of dealing with Shay, which brought on many of the conflicts that occur later in the book. Characterization occurs immediately afterward in the chapters following, where the reader meets the rest of Calla's pack and Ren's pack as well. 

The author did a great job of explaining the rules of the world she created to the reader. She also did a great job of making me angry, and therefore, making me interested! Calla is basically forced to marry Ren, and she is subjected to a double standard that is often found in the real world, the human world outside of books, of the "player" guy getting away with everything, and the "virgin" girl expected to stay "pure". This was an important aspect of the book as it provided extra tension considering Ren's advances and Calla's complicated relationship with Shay, and it helped make the world seem all the more real to me. 

The take on werewolves in this book was different to that of other books because in Nightshade, they don't seem to have much power. They are under the rule of the Keepers, expected to obey their commands and do as they say, even taking abuse and mistreatment quietly. This is in contrast to other interpretations of books that I've read, where werewolves are powerful creatures, feared by humans and other creatures within the supernatural or paranormal communities alike. Needless to say, it was an interesting and unique interpretation, and I thought the use of a paranormal hierarchy was done well with adequate back story and explanations. 

As Calla starts to question what she's expected to do in her life, she begins to rebel. Rebellion is a theme that I truly enjoy reading about, and the author used it to its full advantage. Tensions rose as Calla took more and more drastic measures to uncover the truth and try to lead her own life, from spending time with Shay, to questioning her engagement to Ren, to sneaking into libraries and reading forbidden books. 

The ending is definitely a cliff hanger, in my opinion. As I loved the book and I want to know what happens next, I will certainly be looking for a copy of the second novel! 

I recommend this book to those who like stories about werewolves. If you're interested in YA books about romance and rebellion, this is a great pick. 

Find Nightshade on Goodreads

50/50 Friday - Favorite/Least Favorite Character Name + Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag 2017

This meme is hosted at The Butterfly Reader and Blue Eye Books

This week's topic is favorite / least favorite character name! 

Favorite

 

I have several favorites. Skulduggery Pleasant, for one. I also love the name Chaol Westfall. 

 

Least Favorite

 

I'm not a huge fan of the name Grace. I also don't really care for the name Isobel. I don't hate these names at all, I just don't think they're the most interesting names ever. 

What do you think of these names?

~ ~ ~

Now it's time for the mid-year book freak out tag! I found it on The Butterfly Reader

1) Best book you've read so far in 2017

 

I've read lots of awesome books, but those that stick out include Mask of Shadows, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and Demon Road.

2)  Best sequel you've read so far in 2017

 

Crown of Midnight!

3)  New release you haven't read yet but want to

 

Ohhhh there are tons of new releases I want to read but haven't yet! The Beast is an Animal is only one of them.

4) Most anticipated release for second half of 2017

 

So I already read an ARC of Mask of Shadows (thank you NetGalley!) however I am definitely anticipating the release date for this book so I can get a physical copy. 

5) Biggest disappointment

 

Keeping You A Secret was quite a disappointment for me. 

6) Biggest surprise

 

 I wasn't expecting to like Proxy so much!

7) Favorite new authors

 

Sarah J Maas! 

8) Newest fictional crushes

Chaol!!!!! Celaena too. 

9) Newest favorite character

Yeah I don't have just one favourite character, but many. Chaol, Celaena, Feyre, Tamlin (Sarah J Maas is essentially providing me with a good portion of my favourites nowadays, as you can see). I also really liked Amber from Demon Road and Syd from Proxy. 

10) Book that made you cry

 

When Everything Feels like the Movies. To be fair, I can't remember if I actually cried or if I only shed a few tiny tears, but either way this book was very emotional for me. 

11) Book that made you happy

Mask of Shadows! Genderfluid represent!

12) Favourite book to movie adaptation you've seen so far in 2017

I don't think I've seen any! :(

13) Favourite review you've written so far in 2017

 

Oblivion. It's not some epic review, but its a review for the last book in one of my most favorite trilogies ever. 

14) Most beautiful book you've bought so far this year. 

 

I have bought lots of lovely books, but Zodiac stands out for sure!




15) What books do you need to read by the end of the year?

So many. I'm not even gonna bother to list them. Just... so many.



If you've completed this tag on your blog, please leave the link below! Anyways, how has your reading year been so far?

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

Series: The Dark Divine
Author: Bree Despain
Page Count: 372
Published: December 22nd, 2009
Publisher: EgmontUSA
  Did Not Finish

Grace lives a fairly simple and and uneventful life, until Daniel shows up at her school one day. Daniel, the boy who befriended her as a child, moved into her home and who later vanished, and who her family never ever talks about.

Daniel is different, but he doesn't hesitate to befriend Grace once again. Grace soon resolves to fix the tense relationship between her brother, Jude, and Daniel, but soon strange things start happening, things that leave people fearing that the "Markham Monster" might be back. Does Daniel have anything to do with it?

There will be minor spoilers in this review.

I decided to stop reading this at 56% of the way through. I was very disappointed in it, mostly for personal reasons.

The writing itself was actually pretty good, I liked the way that the author phrased things and I was able to picture everything very well. My favourite setting was the area that Daniel ended up living in, because she made it sound so sketchy and suspicious. I also really liked the descriptions of the angel statutes and the atmosphere in the Garden of Angels. 

I also liked Daniel. Actually, he was the only character that I really liked. I liked him because he seemed kind of rebellious, he seemed like he was still dealing with his past and as such he had depth. This is, unfortunately, in contrast to Grace. I found Grace and her family to be rather superficial. 

Grace was too much of a "follower" for me. I feel like she didn't question anything and that got on my nerves. She was kind of a "sheep". I felt no connection to her. Then there was her father, who seemed really awesome at first. He seemed kind and caring and I really liked him! Then, he showed a bit of a petty, somewhat intolerant side at the Thanksgiving dinner and I instantly disliked him. 

Usually I don't mind when some characters are like this, but because of the context it brought up some rather unpleasant memories, so when I say that most of my issues with this book was personal, I mean it.

Here's where the spoilers come in. The author's interpretation of werewolves or shapeshifters, which I'm guessing, due to other reviews and other readers' discussions of this book, is what Daniel is, was approached in a rather unique way. However, as unique as it was, it really didn't work for me.

Basically, Daniel's situation as a werewolf, shapeshifter or "urbat" was explained through people being super religious and devoted to "God", who then rewarded them with these powers. He is a descendant of these people, so he has these abilities. I didn't like this version of the shapeshifter or werewolf myth, and as with the characters, it kind of brought up unpleasant memories. 

I wanted to keep reading to give this book a chance. However, I had to put it down because I feel it had too much religion in it for myself, personally. I think it's kind of funny, actually, that a werewolf or shapeshifter book has more religion in it than most angel and demon books I've read! Of course, I was expecting some religion, but not this much. 

So while I liked the writing style and settings, the characters and religious interpretation of werewolves and shapeshifters turned me off this book. I tried and read more than half, but I just had to give up.

If you're interested in paranormal books with religious themes, this may be a good pick for you.

Find The Dark Divine on Goodreads

Recent Book Hauls

So I wanted to talk about some of my recent book hauls! There's been sales and trips to thrift stores and I budgeted super well during the year so I was able to treat myself this summer!


From BookOutlet's recent sale, I bought:


Held Against You by Season Vining
The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
Freakboy by Kristin Elizabeth Clark
Guardian by Alex London
Zodiac by Romina Russell
The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid
Prince's Gambit by C.S. Pacat
Iluminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman
The Body in the Woods by April Henry


From thrift stores I recently got:


Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion
Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren
Bright Smoke, Cold Fire by Rosamund Hodge
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey
The Forsaken by Lisa M Stasse
Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire
Incarceron by Catherine Fisher
Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
Fateful by Claudia Gray
Reached by Ally Condie
Unwind by Neal Shusterman
Something Strange and Deadly (ARC edition) by Susan Dennard
The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty by Anne Rice (writing as A.N Roquelaure



I know you're all like, Wren, you already have about a million books on your bookshelves that are unread. And yes, that is quite true. I open up about my book buying addiction in this post.


However, while I keep buying books, I don't think it's too much to worry about as long as I have enough room in my home and I regulate my spending. Essentially, most of my personal or non-essential spending is on books.... so what others would spend on makeup or video games or going to the movie theater, I spend on books. Considering it like that, I've come to realize that so long as I budget efficiently, I have nothing to worry about. And yeah I budgeted super well, as I mentioned. Plus all of these books were on sale in one way or another. So.....yeah.

Lots of these books have awesome covers. But I really like the cover of Zodiac! I can't stop looking at it.


I got lots of sequels that I've been wanting to read, so that's great too. And lots of books I've had on my to-read list for years have shown up in thrift stores, so that's awesome as well.



My question to all of you: what did you get in your latest books haul?

Blood Sinister by Celia Rees

Series: Point Horror Unleashed
Author: Celia Rees
Page Count: 224
Published: September 20th, 2002
Publisher: Scholastic Point
  3.5 Stars ★★★

Ellen is a teenage girl with a mysterious illness. A strange disease or ailment of the blood plagues her, and has her returning to hospitals time and time again. She fears that she may not have much time left.

She moves in with her grandmother, and comes across a series of diaries written by one of her ancestors, a female doctor also named Ellen. As she reads entry after entry, it becomes obvious that the older Ellen had come across a real-life vampire.

With the reappearance of a childhood friend, and the creepy sight of an old cemetery across the road from her grandmother's house, Ellen wishes that she could unravel the mysteries that plague both herself and her ancestor. But will she survive to uncover the truth?

This was a fairly quick read. I read it in one night, I found myself unable to put it down. However, this wasn't because the book was amazing.

It was definitely enjoyable, no mistake there. But there was something missing.

First off, the things I liked. I liked the way that vampires were creepy and not sexy. I love myself some sexy vampires, but a good old-fashioned monster is definitely also appreciated. I liked the way that the author told two stories at once, the story of the past and present Ellens. The diary entries were thorough and painted a clear picture of the past, while the modern Ellen's experiences were also well described and explained.

The mystery of Ellen's illness kept me reading. I really wanted to know what was wrong with her, and if she would survive. There was definitely some empathy from me concerning this situation, and Andy cared for Ellen in a way that made him immediately likeable.

There really should have been more in this book, though. More scenes, more action. A long book, with more character development and emphasis on creepy happenings would have bumped this book up to a four, maybe even a five star read. The base story was there, and certainly enjoyable, but with a little more time, this book could have been fantastic.



Find Blood Sinister on Goodreads

50/50 Friday - Favorite/Least Favorite Supernatural Being

This meme is hosted at The Butterfly Reader and Blue Eye Books

This week's topic is favourite / least favourite supernatural being

Favourite

 Image found here

 

 

 Image found here

Alright so technically I have two favourites: vampires and the fey. So I guess I am cheating and choosing both of them!

Least Favourite

Image found here

I still like mythology and the gods / goddesses / deities / demi-gods, etc, often featured in books (i.e Percy Jackson, though I haven't actually read it...just an example) but they aren't anywhere close to my favourite supernatural beings. I prefer fairy-tale retellings to greek mythology retellings, and I will usually pick a vampire romance over a book about whatever mythological pantheon.

What are your favourite and least favourite supernatural beings?

Oblivion by Kelly Creagh

Series: Nevermore
Author: Kelly Creagh
Page Count: 448
Published: July 28th, 2015
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
  5 Stars ★★★★★

In this conclusion to the Nevermore trilogy, Isobel fears that reality may merge with the dreamworld. Varen is still lost to the dreamworld and Lilith hasn't loosened her hold on him, which leaves Isobel unsure if she will ever be able to save him. Having to venture into the dreamworld once again, she confronts Varen only to find that he may not believe that she is even truly alive or real. 

Convincing Varen that she still cares for him and that she is, in fact, real, proves to be no easy task. But if she fails, she might put the whole world in danger. Unsure of who she can trust, only one thing is for certain: nothing will be the same ever again when this is all over. 

I've expressed how much I loved the first two books of this trilogy multiple times in my blog posts, and as with all my favourite books and series, I was dreading the ending. I put off reading this for a long time because I just didn't want Isobel and Varen's story to end! Finally, I forced myself to pick this up.

While I'm sad that the trilogy is over, I am very satisfied with the ending. I won't give anything away, but I will say that the author added a few twists at the very ending that made my emotions go crazy! One minute I was in despair and the next I was relieved. If you're a fan of the first two books, prepare yourself for the last few chapters.

Kelly Creagh's writing style was amazing, as usual. Her wording comes across as elegant quite often, with detailed descriptions of the setting and creatures that Isobel encounters. However, her descriptions never overwhelmed me, they were perfectly balanced and easy to follow. I put a lot of emphasis on the descriptions of the setting because the setting is vital to this book, with Isobel venturing in the dreamworld. The dreamworld, with its surreal imagery truly blew me away once again, and as I read about forests and Gothic mansions and everything in between, the writing immersed me entirely and I never wanted to leave. 

As for the characters, what can I say? The two lovers, Isobel and Varen, are perfect for each other, in my opinion. They juxtapose each other in all the right ways, and while at first they might seem to fit stereotypes as the cheerleader and the Goth, this is certainly not the case. Isobel is intelligent, loyal, and determined, and Varen is genuine, complex, and overall incredibly likeable. Gwen, one of Isobel's friends, also plays a role in supporting Isobel through hard times, and her happier demeanor brought a lighter perspective to some of the issues in the book at times, which was also appreciated. All of the other characters, from Isobel's parents, to Reynolds, to Pinfeathers, continued to blow me away because they seemed so real, just like in the other books, and they all contributed something to the story, whether that be something small or something incredibly important. Of course, I hated Lilith with a passion, because she had the most evil intentions towards the main characters. As a villain, she was despicable, and I always hoped that she would lose in the end. 

I honestly don't even know what else to say, I loved this trilogy so much. I'm speechless now, I don't know how to express how amazing these books are. Everything from Isobel and Varen's relationship to the dreamworld created a story that hooked me from the first chapter of the first book, and even though I've finished the conclusion to the trilogy, it hasn't let me go. I don't know if it ever will, I just enjoyed this so much, I'll probably re-read the trilogy many more times over the course of the coming years. My only complaint is that this trilogy is over! I don't want it to be over. 

Overall, this is a great conclusion to one of the best trilogies that I have ever read. 

I recommend this to people who like YA paranormal books with unique creatures and conflicts. If you are looking for a story with romance, thrills, and even a bit of mystery, this trilogy is definitely for you.

Find Oblivion on Goodreads