City of Ghosts Spoiler Free Review

City of Ghosts
Victoria Schwab

Synopsis:

Cassidy Blake's parents are The Inspectres, a (somewhat inept) ghost-hunting team. But Cass herself can REALLY see ghosts. In fact, her best friend, Jacob, just happens to be one.

When The Inspectres head to ultra-haunted Edinburgh, Scotland, for their new TV show, Cass—and Jacob—come along. In Scotland, Cass is surrounded by ghosts, not all of them friendly. Then she meets Lara, a girl who can also see the dead. But Lara tells Cassidy that as an In-betweener, their job is to send ghosts permanently beyond the Veil. Cass isn't sure about her new mission, but she does know the sinister Red Raven haunting the city doesn't belong in her world. Cassidy's powers will draw her into an epic fight that stretches through the worlds of the living and the dead, in order to save herself.

My Thoughts:

I gave this book 4.5 stars. It was like a cross between Casper the Friendly Ghost and Tim Burton films. It was the perfect spooky children’s book. Highly recommend reading it in preparation of Halloween.

The story follows a young girl who can see ghosts. Cassidy had an encounter with death that left her with the ability to see ghosts However no one believes her, not even her parents who write about the paranormal.

The book starts off with Cassidy finding out that her parents are going to be filming a tv show about the most haunted places on earth. This first book took place in Edinburgh, Scotland and I can only assume that each book in this series will be in a different haunted place. I’m into it. 

Cass pretty much only has one consistent friend throughout the book, Jacob. Jacob is the ghost of a young boy who intertwines himself into Cassidy’s life. He provides stability considering no one seems to believe that she can see ghosts. I enjoy their friendship, it goes both ways, it isn’t just one of them taking more from the other. 

I can’t help but compare this to Vicious, also written by Victoria Schwab. It had a bit of a similar premise to Sydney from Vicious, so if you liked Vicious and want to read a children’s version of that I would recommend this. I would suggest reading it anyway because it was really fun, but if you weren’t already sold, then I hope this does it for you.

Overall, if you are looking for a book that’s mature with complicated plots and heavy character development, this may not be for you. It’s very simple and good for its target audience: children. But if you are looking for something more simplistic and still has that spooky vibe then this may be for you.

Mid-Year Favorites Giveaway

It's that time of year! I've decided to start doing two annual giveaways; my mid-year favorites and my end of the year favorites just so I can spread the love. These are the books that I've loved so far this year and I want you guys to get a chance to read one of your choice. I've read quite a few books this year and these are the books that I think the most highly of. I really enjoyed them and I hope you will too.

So like last year there will be 10 choices to pick from:

And there are also many ways for you to enter. I'll just leave all the rules and such down below.

Giveaway Details:

• Must be 18 or have parental permission
• Book Depository must ship to you
• You have to be following my blog, I do check and it honestly just takes longer to sort through those that aren't actually following me
• The Giveaway will run from June 1st, 2018, to July 31st, 2018
• There will be one winner

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck to everyone!

Book Theories

I'm so sorry I've been posting so sporadically lately. This month has been pretty horrible for reading and blogging. I've honestly only read 2 books this month and that's an all-time low for me. I've just had something that's needed my full attention and I hope to get back into it in this coming week, so please hold me to it.

For my post today I have a few theories for ongoing series's I have been reading. I decided to spit this post out as I have included the final Throne of Glass book on here and it is coming out soon. I wanted to get this out there before it's too late.

In case you didn't already guess, there will be SPOILERS.

1. Nix

I've been thinking about this a lot. Kresley Cole said that she plans on writing Nix a book but that book is going to be one of the last if not the last book in the series so I do have a while to go before finding out who she ends up with. I do have on very strong theory though. I feel like Nix deserves someone who is incredibly powerful to match her and I don't think any characters other than Lothaire has been as powerful as Nix, except for one. My theory is that Nix is going to end up with Orion. The guy that is endlessly powerful. I feel like anyone else would just be an injustice to Nix as they do have that whole enemies thing going on.

2. The Cadre

My theory is that the Cadre, or at least two of its members, are going to help Aelin get out of Maeve's control. This one isn't shouldn't be much of a shock. I thought of this months ago and I think a lot of people agree with me. My theory is that the Cadre are going to work to break their bonds with Maeve, get Aelin, and then get the hell out of there. The twins obviously hate Maeve and Fenrys did seem to have a huge crush on Aelin. 

3. Maddox

This one is a bit outlandish, and I feel like you should also know that I've only read the first three books in the series, but still. I have voiced this theory before, but I felt like it still needed to be in this post in case you missed it last time. My theory is that Maddox survived the assassination attempt. He survived and he's now in hiding to prevent another attempt. I also think he's been helping his friends piece things together by being deepthroat. He's been sending people in his place to feed information to his friends while still maintaining his distance until it is safe to come back to life.

So those are my bookish theories. Do you guys agree with these, have anything to add, or have theories of your own? Let me know in the comments!

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Rant ot Rave: The "Big Reveal" Trope

Time for Rant or Rave! This week the topic is a rave about the "Big Reveal" Trope. I love it.

You know that scene in almost every YA paranormal/Urban Fantasy book where a “normal” character meets some mysterious person, usually a hot guy, and they find out that that guy isn’t exactly human or that there is a whole other world out there they had no idea about? This is a trope that I will never get tired of.

I love having the big reveal, it adds so much drama and it’s exciting when you know something the protagonist doesn’t. It also says so much about the characters with how they react to this. Some characters take this in stride and others lose their shit. Either way, it’s extremely entertaining. If I could only read books with one trope for the rest of my life it would be this one. 

The big reveal can tell you so much from the authors writing style to the characters themselves. You can tell who the hothead is and you can tell who the wallflower is. 

Raven Boys Spoilers

Also, the big reveal doesn’t even have to happen during the beginning of a book. If it’s part of a series it could just be a plot twist that happens at the very end of a book. The one that comes to the forefront of my mind is the Raven Boys. If you haven’t read the Raven Boys yet skip to my end of Spoilers in bold. So we end off The Raven Boys with the iconic:

“I guess now would be a good time to tell you," he said. "I took Chainsaw out of my dreams.” 

This sets the stage for the rest of the series. We realize that there truly is magic in the world. Ronan’s abilities and big reveal tell so much about what we never understood throughout the series. 

End of Raven Boys Spoilers

Even though a lot of these are really well written and very revealing, I have to admit that my main fascination with this trope is that I find it entertaining. Not even from a critical standpoint, I just like to see characters lose their shit when they find out their love interest is a vampire or they’re actually a Shadowhunter. It’s a guilty pleasure.

Thoughts on the topic?

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Waiting On Wednesday

The Reckoning of Noah Shaw
by Michelle Hodkin

Release Date: November 13th, 2018

Synopsis:

Noah Shaw confesses all in this second novel of a chilling new companion series to Michelle Hodkin’s New York Timesbestselling Mara Dyer trilogy!

Noah Shaw doesn’t think he needs his father’s inheritance.

He does.

Noah believes there’s something off about the suicides in his visions.

There is.

Noah is convinced that he still knows the real Mara Dyer.

He does not. 

Everyone thought the nightmare had ended with Mara Dyer’s memoirs, but it was only the beginning. As old skeletons are laid bare, alliances will be tested, hearts will be broken, and no one will be left unscarred.

My Thoughts:

I love these characters so much and I love their story and I can't wait to see how things develop after the first book in this new trilogy. I know things are probably going to have to get a lot worse before they get better, but I'm hoping it will be worth it in the end.

Top 10 Paranormal Romances

All of these books have several things in common; They are romances, they have fantastical themes, they take place in our world (mostly).

1. Wolfsong

You guys already know. This is my new favorite book. A spellbinding slow-burning romance and so much epic and awesome. And if you couldn't already tell from the title of the book it's about werewolves.

2. IAD

The Immortals After Dark series is one of my favorites. I binged this entire series, I don't remember how long it initially took, I just know that I read maybe one a day and just couldn't seem to stop. At the time I think there were maybe 14 or 15 books in the series, so a lot. There is just so much romance and magic, it sometimes took place in other dimensions, but I didn't think that was enough to be considered fantasy, so I put it on this list instead.

3. Practical Magic

This book had four different romances happening and I loved them all in very different ways. Gary is there to help Sally get over the past and find love again, Ben is good and everything Gillian needs and wants, Scott is the smart guy that Antonia never looked at that way before but once she does she realizes what she was missing, and Gideon is Kylie's best friend and the person she has battle feeling about. It's perfectly mixed in with some magic.

4. Hush Hush

This is one of those books I sporadically mention because I do love it a lot but it's almost never at the forefront of my mind unless I'm reminded of it. I especially love the first book because you don't really know anything about Patch or what's going on and it makes everything so much better.

5. Obsidian

This one is heated and has one hell of a hate to love romance. Technically I guess this is sci-fi, but it's in an urban setting so I'm counting it on this list. If you haven't read this one yet you definitely should.

6. Fever Series

I'm a sucker for Barrons. I will occasionally tweet about my love for Barrons as he is the very best. I love Mac and I love the new direction the series is going in with Dani. This is one of the best adult paranormal romances out there. 

7. Alice in Zombieland

This is a really badass series with a romance that contains so much chemistry you'd think it was a titration (I'm sorry that was very cheesy). Maybe not for everyone, but if you are really into YA paranormal romances then this is a series you would love.

8. Black Dagger Brotherhood

I just binged around 7 books in this series. The Black Dagger Brotherhood is a series you would love if you like those darker alpha male types with lots of gritty plotlines.

9. Sweet Evil

This is one of the sexier YA series'. I don't even know where to start with this one, it's about these Nephilim who are embodiments of the seven deadly sins. The main love interest is lust. That's all you need to know.

10. Born at Midnight

I won't say too much about this one because there is a love triangle. What I will say is she ends up with the one you want her to ;)

What are some of your favorite paranormal romances?

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Sunday Favorites: Damon Salvatore

“It's not wrong to hustle hustlers. It's like killing murderers, a public service.

I've only done books for this Sunday Favorites thing so I thought it was time to transition to some of my favorite characters! 

I've decided to start with my 7-year fictional boyfriend, Damon Salvatore.

Whether it’s on screen or on pages, Damon Salvatore is one of my all-time favorite fictional characters. The thing that sets Damon apart from all my other book boyfriends is that he is different on the show and in the book and yet I still love him in both. 

Damon is such a complex character, he starts out as the bad guy that no one trusts and people just want to get rid of him, and he transforms into everyone's favorite bad boy who isn’t so bad. He has a tragic backstory that we don’t get to see right away but once we do we finally understand him.

In the books, Damon is very suave, incredibly manipulative, and very dark. I also pictured book Damon differently than from the show. Damon is said to be Italian so I had this whole tall dark and handsome image of him going on in my head. Very sophisticated and despite the fact that he was evil, still very classy. He always seems to be very much in control of himself and situations. 

“Damon, leather and silk and fine chiseled features. Mercurial and devastating.” 

Damon on the show is a whole other story. Damon is the snark master man whore who sleeps with half the characters on the show. He’s dark and damaged and I would say he’s tall dark and handsome, but there is definitely a difference between how L. J. Smith wrote him and how Ian Somerhalder played him. Damon seems to be a bit of a mess in the show. He gets drunk and does irrational things that make people hate him.

“I've been in love. It's painful, pointless and overrated.”

Love him or hate him, you have to admit, Damon Salvatore is a dynamic character. He changes and does things that surprise us. An I personally love him very much for it. What I love most about Damon is that even though he has a tragic backstory and has some pretty shitty things done to him, he tries to get past it. He doesn't mope around, maybe he got vices, but it's better than moping. 

After writing this I now have to go and rewatch the entire tv series.

How do you feel about Damon? Love him or hate him?

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Olympian Challenger Spoiler Free Review

Olympian Challenger
by Astrid Arditi

Release Date: July 3rd, 2018

Synopsis:

A hero’s tournament. A defiant contender. Does one girl have the courage to take on Mount Olympus?

Hope’s world doesn’t have room for heroes. She barely has time for schoolwork, swim team, and taking care of her ailing mother. But when she’s invited to a mysterious tournament, the all-powerful hosts won’t take no for an answer.

Transported to Mount Olympus, Hope comes face to face with her new trainers—the pantheon of Greek gods. While other contenders train hard to gain a fighting edge, Hope searches for a way out. Instead, she finds a gorgeous shadow god who may just convince her to stay…

As each round unfolds, the ultimate prize draws closer—the granting of her heart’s deepest desire. If she survives the final challenge, her mother’s cure would be within reach…but only if Hope can ignore the tournament’s dark purpose.

Olympian Challenger is the first book in a bold YA urban fantasy trilogy. If you like Greek mythology, forbidden romance, and feats of courage, then you’ll love Astrid Arditi’s heroic coming-of-age tale.

My Thoughts:

I received an ARC through Netgalley for an honest review

I gave this book 4 stars. I had a blast reading this book. I was having a bit of a hard time reading some of the ARCs I had, but reading this one gave me the push I needed.

The thing about books like this is that I really love them for the whole competition theme. My only issue is that by the end when everyone else has been eliminated, it just feels so lonely. There is a reason I loved the Hunger Games and my favorite show when I was younger was Total Drama Island, but with all of these the same issue arose: It just isn’t fun anymore when there is a single person left.

The characters were a home run. They were well rounded, dynamic personalities and I wanted them all to be happy. I want only good things for them and hopefully, we will see that in the next book.

I’m a sucker for anything with mythology in it and I am happy to say that I was pretty satisfied with the knowledge the author had of Greek Mythology. There have been a few books I’ve read in the past which were pretty much 95% fabrication of the mythology. I mean it definitely wasn’t the most accurate, but it did have a healthy incorporation of fact.

Overall, I’m excited to get to the next book. This was an amazing start to the series and I want to see some happy things and some exciting things happening in the next book. Fingers crossed.

Sunday Favorites: Kricket Series by Amy A. Bartol

I didn’t do a Top 5 Wednesday this week because I couldn’t think of a list. The topic was Top 5 Hidden Gems in Your Favorite Genre. My favorite genre is split between sci-fi and fantasy so it must seem easy to be able to make up a list. It was not. All I could think about was this one book series that I absolutely adore and think others would love it just as much as I do, but no one but me seems to have read it. 

The series in question is The Kricket Series by Amy A. Bartol. It has so much to offer, adventure, action, a badass female protagonist, and a love triangle that I actually couldn’t choose who my favorite was. I know who I prefer her with, but I still really loved her relationship with this other character.

For curiosities sake, here is the synopsis of the first book:

Kricket Hollowell is normally not one to wish upon stars; she believes they’re rarely in her favor. Well versed at dodging caseworkers from Chicago’s foster care system, the past few years on her own have made Kricket an expert at the art of survival and blending in. With her 18th birthday fast approaching, she dreams of the day when she can stop running and find what her heart needs most: a home. 

Trey Allairis hates Earth and doubts that anyone from his world can thrive here. What he’s learning of Kricket and her existence away from her true home only confirms his theory. But, when he and Kricket lie together under the stars of Ethar, counting them all may be easier than letting her go. 

Kyon Ensin’s secrets number the stars; he knows more about Kricket's gifts than anyone and plans to possess her because of them. He also knows she’s more valuable than any fire in the night sky. He’ll move the heavens and align them all in order to make her his own. 

When everything in their world can be broken, will Kricket rely upon love to save her under different stars?

Now I know there are actually almost 13000 people who've read this one Goodreads, but I have yet to actually talk to someone about this book who I hadn't made read it in the first place. Where are you 13000 other people who have read this book? I can't seem to find you.

This series also houses my favorite secretly good villain, Kyon. He is the king of misunderstood, everyone absolutely hates him throughout the first two books and then when you finally get to know him you know you’ve been wrong this whole time. He reminds me a lot of Warner from Shatter Me. We meet him and he has all the traits of a power-hungry soldier of a dystopian regime, but it turns out we completely misunderstood him the whole time. This is what I like to call good writing. 

Kricket is one of my favorite main characters of all time. She’s smart and tough, she knows exactly what she wants. She’ strong, but will let herself be vulnerable and is just full of compassion. Even if the story was shit I would still read it all just for her.

This series also isn't light on plot. We have a full-blown war going on between "countries" and rebel groups trying to overthrow those in power all while Kricket is trying to make her way back home. It's never boring. My only gripe about the entire series is that it ended right in the middle of the series. Supposedly it is only supposed to have 3 books, but the final book left so much to be questioned. I'm waiting for the day when the author finally decides to write more books in this series.

The entire series is so underrated and I 100% think it deserves some love.

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Top 10 LGBTQ+ Books

I'm a bit guilty when I say that I apparently haven't read as many LGBT books as I thought I had. I'm hoping to fix that this year. If you're wondering why a certain book isn't on this list, it's because I wanted to limit this list to books where the LGBT characters weren't just some obscure side character, they were pretty much front and center. A list of my favorite LGBT characters and ships is a whole other list. Without further ado, let me begin my list. 

10. Cut and Run 

Our two protagonists are two manly men FBI agents who don’t really get along at first but have to work with each other and soon realize they have a thing for each other. It’s thrilling, it’s sexy, it’s perfect.

9. Him

This has the honour of being the first Elle Kennedy book I ever read and I have to say it set me on the right path. Our two protagonists have been best friends for years, one openly gay and in love with the other and the other being 100% clueless. It’s as packed full of drama as you think.

8. The Raven King

Okay so these characters aren’t the main main characters, but they are main charactery enough for me to give them this spot on the list. Also there are two of them so that doubles their significance. I won’t say which characters because spoilers, I will however say it’s important enough to put on the list.

7. This is Where it Ends

I didn’t realize until I had finished my list that this is my only lesbian couple on this list. I’ve definitely read more books with lesbians in them, just never with them being protagonists. Their relationship is a huge part of the story. It’s important to plot and characters.

6. The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue

It took these two a billion years to figure it out but every second was worth it because they are so cute together. Monty and Percy are perfect together, Monty is out of control and has shit impulse control and Percy is calm and will call Monty out on his shit.

5. Carry On

This was basically the Harry and Draco fan fiction I always wanted, but better. These characters are loosely based on the previously mentioned characters, but they are also their own. 

4. Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens agenda

This was the last book I read in 2017 and I am happy to say I ended my year off on a good note.

3. Captive Prince

What I love about this book is how open it is about sexuality. Everyone is either gay or at least bisexual. I don’t think there is a single person who is 100% straight in this book and I loved that. In a sea of books where everyone is straight it’s nice to see a book where everyone is LGBTQ+.

2. I’ll Give You the Sun

Noah’s sexuality is a large part of this story, his point of view is all about him coming to terms with it and being in love with someone he shouldn’t. 

1. Wolfsong

This is the book that inspired this list. It was just so fantastic that I couldn’t stop thinking about it. This is officially my latest obsession. If you haven’t read this book yet, do.

Have any suggestions for LGBT books?