Review - Golden Son

8. Golden Son by Pierce Brown (5 stars)

So I enjoyed this one more than the first, hence the five stars! Main reason probably being that the fighting etc more spread out compared to the first (although lots of fighting in the last one too and still gave it five stars - think just got more used to it!) Is a little difficult to separate out books 2 and 3 now as read them back to back and very quickly, but really liked getting to know different characters more plus some new ones, lots of exciting and scary things happened (to be discussed once you finish!) and was glad I had the third one ready as would have been difficult to wait to find out what happened next!

Lila x

Book Mail

Oh, how I love book mail!!!!

On Thursday Glass Sword and The Sleeping Prince arrived, Yay!!!!

And today my free Glass Sword bag arrived courtesy of @orionbooks

Loving the whole book freebies, think it's really cool of publisher's to do.

First i got Throne of Glass badges from Bloomsbury and now a cool bag too :-)

Plus the fact that we were both in the first 400 is sweeeet!!

Review - Red Rising

7. Red Rising by Pierce Brown (4 stars)

You beat me to it!! My thoughts on this are very similar to yours! I found it really interesting and original, but agree that the war games were too lengthy for my liking - loved the beginning though and made me cry really early on (you can work out for yourself when that was) which I think shows how good it was right from the beginning, and how good the characters were. I also really liked how Darrow changed and became who he needed to be as the book went on. 

I'm about half way through the second one and enjoying that more so far, will see if that one merits 5 stars!

Is a shame you can't make the event but yes I will blog about it! I'll try to remember to take a picture too so can add that in:) 

Am going to order the third one later but not sure will have time to read before the event - I don't think everyone there will have read it but still bit nervous for spoilers so will see what I can do to read lots before then!

Lila X

P.s. I'm impressed that you've read nearly as many books as me this year so far:) I've got so many I'm looking forward to reading but think will post about that separately in a bit 

Book 5. Red Rising by Pierce Brown

Gutted, it didn't save so am writing this for the second time. 

So book 5 for me was Red Rising by Pierce Brown and I gave it 4 stars. It had lots of elements that would normally mean I'd give it 5 stars, i thought about it a lot when not reading it, i wanted to keep reading it etc, but some of the war games in the middle was a bit lengthy for me. 

Am a bit gutted that i can no longer go to the book event as that was why i read it when i did, as we've had it on ours kindles for a while but I'm glad i did. 

It did remind me of quite a few other books and the kids vs kids bits reminded me quite a lot of Fire and Flood, but it was also different enough that I'm keen to read the others, have already started Golden Son.

I hope you enjoy meeting him. 

*****

Rach x

P.s this is a totally different blog to the one i wrote a minute ago as I've already forgotten half the things i wrote :-(

P.p.s having just remembered that i did also cry, a lot, I'm changing my rating to 5 stars on goodreads, because i really cried.  Especially when it was obvious what she was going to do and Darrow hadn't worked it out yet. 

Review - The Beloved

6. The Beloved by Alison Rattle (4 stars)

Got this from YA shot and decided to read before another fantasy/dystopia one to break up genres a bit.  This one is also YA but based on real life events in 1800s. Haven't read a historical YA before, that I can think of right now anyway, and found this one really interesting.  Sadly I think the panel we heard about it gave too many spoilers - on the one hand obviously got me interested in the story (it is always interesting to me how and why people get involved in cults - this is on the cover so no spoilers from me:) but on the other hand I already basically knew the ending which was a shame. 

I'm not sure if you would like this one or not, but worth trying something new I think. I have already lent it to Mum:)

Gave it 4 stars as kept me interested throughout and read it in 2 days I think which pretty quick for me, was also a nice change to read something a bit different, although was also happy to get back to my fantasy YA afterwards:)

Lila X 

Review - Red Queen

5. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard (5 stars)

Loved this one and is exciting that next one out now so can read that ASAP too, one advantage of coming late to the party on reading it! 

You can obviously always compare books to other ones, and this one reminded me in some ways of throne of glass, just in terms of the world they live in, but that is a compliment! I have realised that nearly all of my favourite fantasy books seem to be set in similar worlds actually, where bit like medieval times(?), and fairly simple eg generally not as much technology and people more focused on everyday needs, must be my interest in minimalism seeping into my book choices! 

 I also thought that despite the comparisons on the cover to many other YA books that this was still original in the specific storylines and characters and was not predictable either, I didn't think.  

Thanks for getting me this one!

Lila X 

Book 4. Judged by Liz de Jager

So, book 4 for me was Judged by Liz de Jager.

I was really looking forward to this book coming out as i really enjoyed the first two. Although i always feel like it's a bit bittersweet starting the last book in a series you like.

It didn't disappoint... Is always hard to write proper reviews for books i think you might read, as you can't really say stuff without spoilers...and in bit sure if you've read Vowed yet... But needless to say there's more Kit, Thorn, Dante and Aiden shenanigans and drama.

The pace of this one feels different to the others but i still really enjoyed it and i really like all the characters. Kit is stubborn but believably so i think, Dante just seems like a sweetheart, a gorgeous, super smart sweetheart... And Aiden always makes me smile, definitely the kind of character that would make you feel at ease.

This book is less about the Blackhart family and more the family that Kit has made for herself, which i like.

And just to add, Thorn is definitely on my book crush list... It's getting quite a long list!!

*****

Rach x

2016 S.I.B goals

We can both add to this post whenever we like...

Numero Uno...Re read Harry Potter books

2.  Try cosplay at YALC

3. I expect blogs after book events... You've been warned!!

4. Finally read A Tale of Two Cities?!.... Ooh good one!