Review: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
(Book #1 in a series)

Publishing Date: February 2, 2015
Publisher: Harpercollins Publishers
Pages: 400 pages
Young Adult Fantasy

The Premise: In a world where everyone is divided based on their blood, Mare Barrow is thrown into the mix when a deadly game of powers take place. Mare comes from a family of Reds and in this world, those who are Reds are alive to serve the Silvers. Silvers hold a higher ranking because they have special powers. She ends up landing a job in the palace because the Prince and future King, Cal helps her. However, when she is within the palace, she is discovered to have powers which is unusual because she is a Red. The royal family go to great lengths to cover it up and essentially make her a new identity and makes her into a lost Silver princess. She is set to be married to Cal's younger brother, Maven. She gets deeper and deeper into the Silver world, all the while, learning some truths about herself and why she has qualities of both Red and Silver and what role she is to play in this battle between Reds and Silvers.

My overall thoughts and review: When I first read the premise of the book, I thought that the concept of the country is divided based on blood quite interesting. The fact they actually bleed Silver or bleed Red is fascinating. I loved the character of Mare so much. Seeing her adapt and struggle in the Silver world really made my heart hurt. It felt as if she was a friend and I was rooting for her to take hold of her situation and cope. It is obviously that Aveyard is laying down the foundation for the following books to come in this series, but that didn't make the book any less action-packed. There was so much going on and I loved the twists and turns of the book. The book tackles the concept of betrayal in a very interesting way and it is the underlying theme of the book. You start reading almost every chapter expecting a betrayal and then when you think you are okay, it comes in and blows you away. I also loved both of the love interests so much! Cal and Maven. What a mess Mare finds herself in, feelings for both brothers but only betrothed to one. I really liked how this unfolded and although it seems pretty clear that the doors are closed on both, I still hope that can be revisited in the future books. I also loved the reveal at the end and I basically cannot wait for the next book in the series. This book was action-packed, fun and super interesting. It reminded me of Kiera Cass' The Selection and even more, Sarah J. Maas' Throne of Glass series.

My rating of the book: ✮✮✮✮✮ (5/5 stars) 

Now available for purchase at:

Chapters/Indigo and Book Depository (Free International Shipping)

Favorite Series Endings | Top 5 Wednesday

Hi everyone! Wow! I can't believe another month has gone by already. Time really does fly. For today's topic it is Favorite Series Endings which is nice since earlier in the month there was Worst Series Endings! Anyway, here are my choices!

1. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Although, I did not love this book as much as the previous one. I still thought it was a decent ending, the best possible ending in a dystopic world. I am mad about some of the choices that Collins took with some characters, but in the end, I've grown (literally - oh hey 25!) and after rereading it recently, I've come to appreciate the ending that Collins has given us. 

2. Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Oh this book. LOVED this book so much. I really liked how the story wrapped up nicely and in such a unique way for every ship. I really wish it wasn't only a trilogy because I loved the world that Clare produced with such strong and lovable characters. Just writing this out makes me miss Tessa, Will and Jem! I think it is time for a reread ;) 

3. City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

Look at that! Cassie Clare has made it to two spots on this top 5 list! I was so happy to hear when Clare had planned for more books in this series and that it did not simply end with City of Glass. I LOVED how this ended so much. There was so much build up and I was definitely anxious for the bloodbath of it all :P But I think in the end, Clare really put together a beautiful ending for the characters we love so much! 

4. Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

How could I not include this one? I remember lining up at midnight to get my copy and rushing home and sitting in one spot to read it until I finished it. I had mentally prepared myself for Harry's death, I got to the point where I would even be okay with it, and in the end [spoilers] Rowling didn't go through with it, which I was extremely grateful for. Although many character deaths did take place and those ones did break my heart, Rowling gave happy endings for a lot of the characters which I really appreciate. Sidenote however, I do not appreciate the editorial additions that came after publication. Sorry, J.K, but Hermione/Ron 5ever. 

5. Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

Saving the best for last.. IGNITE ME! OH goodness, this book was everything I wanted and more. I loved this book so much. I've reread it at least three times now and it never gets old for me. I love how everything develops so much and I just love the character of Warner! If you haven't read this series yet, what are you waiting for? Mafi has beautiful writing and builds characters that demonstrate such significant growth, it is wonderful! 

Well that is it for my choices this week. Let me know in the comments your favorite series endings! :D Thanks so much for reading and I will see you next week with another topic ;) 

Bout of Books 13

Hi everyone! I hope that you are all doing well. That time of year is almost upon us again.. and it is Bout of Books 13! I can't believe we are already at 13. It feels like just yesterday when I was participating in my first read-a-thon ever for Bout of Books 9.0 - So in previous read-a-thons, I did really well and other read-a-thons, life happened and well, I wasn't able to keep up. I really hope to fully participate this time around because last time, life happened.

I know it is a bit early, but I thought I'd share my sign up post with you all because it is better to spread the word earlier and encourage you all to sign up and join me. It is so much fun, you get to read a lot, participate in challenges and meet other bookish lovers! :D

For those of you that don't know what Bout of Books is - here is a blurb from their website:

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 11th and runs through Sunday, May 17th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 13 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

You can sign up here! It will be taking place this year from May 11th to May 17th! Please let me know in the comments below if you are planning on signing up and participating. I'm so excited! Be sure to look out for a TBR and goals post coming soon! ;)

Review: The Truth Commission by Susan Juby

The Truth Commission by Susan Juby

Publishing Date: April 14, 2015
Publisher: Penguin Canada
Pages: 320 pages
Young Adult Contemporary

The Premise: The story follows Normandy Pale and her two best friends, Dusk and Neil. Together they make the Truth Commission. They come together and ask the truth from people at their school to uncover what is really going out behind individuals that seem guarded. The truth will set you free is essentially the message of their attempts. Things however get complicated when the truth actually hits closer to home with Normandy, when her sister, Kiera, famous older sister returns home from school and begins acting strangely. Normandy must try to be an active member of the Truth Commission with her friends, but can she really handle the truth that comes from her sister Kiera?

My overall thoughts and review: When I first read the premise for this book, I didn't think anything of it. I was intrigued by it and I was lucky enough that one of my blogger friends shared an ARC copy that she received for the book. This book definitely surprised me. I found the structure of the text quite interesting, because it essentially is a rough draft of a project by Normandy. There is a forward, there are footnotes, there are afterwords, epigraphs, etc. It really feels as if the entire book is coming from Normandy and it feels like a book within a book. This was my first time reading something by Juby and I was pleasantly surprised. I found the pacing a bit slow in the beginning, but it really picked up half-way through. I loved what a strong voice Normandy had and how at some passages, the strong voice was still there, but her being so reserved shows the other side to her personality. The story definitely took a much darker turn that I anticipated and the ending, well, it was not exactly the happy-go-lucky cheery ending that you would expect, but that is okay. And I think ultimately, it was the best possible outcome for Normandy. Because at the end, it not only demonstrates what is right, and what happens when the truth comes out, but it demonstrates Normandy really coming to terms with the idea of the truth and what it means to her. It is quite a perplexing read and really gets you thinking about different identities, behaviours and the truth. I would definitely recommend this if you are looking for a YA contemporary novel that pushes the limits and explores something a little darker. In the words of Meredith Grey, it is definitely dark and twisty.

My rating of the book: ✮✮✮✮ (4/5 stars) 

Now available for purchase at:

Chapters/Indigo and Book Depository (Free International Shipping)

Disclaimer: I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book from a fellow book blogger. All opinions are my own. 

Review: I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson

I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson

Publishing Date: September 16, 2014
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Pages: 384 pages
Young Adult Contemporary

The Premise: The story follows Jude and her twin brother who are incredibly close and have an interest in the arts. They are basically connected at the hip, with Jude being the wild and free one and Noah who is isolated and falling in love with the boy next door. Everything is going well until a tragic accident happens that tears them apart. Three years later, they are no longer close. They actually barely speak to one another. The story is told from two time periods. The earlier years are told from Noah's perspective and the later years are told from Jude's perspective and together, both halves make a whole and the story wraps in a way that brings the two together again.

My overall thoughts and review: So you know how you wait for THE one. When I closed this book and finished it, I was so overwhelmed with happiness. I felt as if I've been waiting my whole life for this novel. It is by far, my favorite young adult novel I've ever read. To begin with, Jandy Nelson's writing is just phenomenal. She has a way with words that just amazes me. So many incredible beautiful passages. I've bookmarked a ton. I would share them, but I think I'll leave this quote-free because I want for you to read them and have them blow you away, like they did for me the first time I read them. The way she is able to write from Noah and Jude's perspectives and make them so distinct is wonderful. I loved the idea of the close twins and learning about the tragic accident that tears them apart, literally tore me apart. I loved how she told the story from the earlier years from Noah's perspective and then Jude's for the later years. The relationship between the twins was so beautiful and where the title comes from, of how they would split up parts of the world for each other, just made my heart sing. I find it extremely hard as I've said before to write really long reviews for books I really love. I just don't know what more to say other than I loved it so much. Everything about this story was beautiful, the relationships between Jude and Noah, Jude and Guillermo, Jude and Oscar, Noah and Brian and so many more. I also really loved the artistic side of the book and how many references to art movements were mentioned (I totally geeked out at the mention of the Impressionists and Cezanne)! If you are a fan of contemporary young adult novels, this is one you MUST read. It is my favorite YA novel EVER. So be sure to check it out. It will not disappoint.

My rating of the book: ✮✮✮✮✮ (5/5 stars) 

Now available for purchase at:

Chapters/Indigo and Book Depository (Free International Shipping)

Lori Lansens & Sara Gruen Reception at Duke of York | April 21, 2015

Hi everyone! I hope that you are all doing well. I recently was invited to a lovely bookseller and blogger reception for two very wonderful authors: Lori Lansens and Sara Gruen. The event was at the Duke of York, in the Cellar. I hadn't been there before and I loved it. It is a nice pub close to St. George Station. When I arrived, I found other book bloggers there: Michele from JustaLilLost, Shilpa from SukasaReads, Orie from Lets Take a Shelfie and Lauren from Some Bookish Things! 

The launch was for the both authors recent releases: Sara Gruen's At The Water's Edge which I read and LOVED! You can read my full review for the book here! And for Lori Lansens' The Mountain Story, which I received at the event and will be starting shortly. I've heard so many good things about it and I can't wait!  

The Mountain Story Cake! 

There was some good food and a drink inspired by Sara Gruen's book. There was even a cake for Lori's book which was actually shaped like a mountain. It was so awesome and so incredibly delicious! 

Before the event really started, Lori made her rounds and said hi to everyone and she was so incredibly sweet! My bestfriend finished the book recently and that has made me so excited to read it! Sara came and I was able to talk to her a bit and sing my praises for the book. They are both such sweet authors and it really was a great opportunity meeting them and talking to them for a bit :)

I had a wonderful evening and I want to say thank you again to the gals at RHC for the invite! :D 

Be sure to be on the lookout for a review of The Mountain Story in a few weeks ;)

Books That Feature Travelling | Top 5 Wednesday

Hi everyone! I hope that you are all well. My apologies for missing last week's topic - I was sick AND I don't like writing negative things on my blog to begin with, and last week was most frustrating characters. Anyways, I'm back with this week's topic and it is top 5 books that feature travelling. I am including a variation of "travelling" = road trips, vacations, etc, etc. 

1. Mosquitoland by David Arnold

This one is a must for me. I loved reading about Mim's travel to see her mom and her encounters along the way and how she learns to discover some truths about herself.

Full Review located: here! 

2. Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson 

Travelling isn't a huge portion of the book, but it occurs mostly towards the end of the novel. I loved this book so much and I just loved the journey that the characters took and the relationships that came out of it. It is definitely one of my favorite YA novels ever. 

Full Review located: here!

3. Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

AHHH! This book follows the protagonist and her boyfriend from New York to Singapore. What a funny and incredibly fun book. I loved this so much and when I finished it, I only wanted to visit Asia even more (I've never been). The sequel for it is coming out soon and I can't wait to start reading that as well! 

Full Review located: here!

4. All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Oh this book left me in tears. What a book indeed. This book features some travelling for the main characters Violet and Finch and the places that they visited were not traditional and I just loved following along on their journey. 

Full review located: here!

5. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

I feel like this choice is pretty much self-explanatory. I mean how could I not include this one when it comes to travelling? ;)

Well that's it for this Wednesday's topic. Let me know in the comments below your choices for books that feature travelling. Thanks so much for reading!