Updates

Library Books Update

by amyleighreadsLeave a Comment on Library Books Update

IMG_4391I’ve started to cut down a little on how many books I loan out at any one time. From my last update I had around 5/6 books loaned out and by the time they expired I had only prioritised and read 2. I feel a little guilty borrowing these books for weeks and weeks at a time and then renewing them for another couple of weeks because they had run out and I still hadn’t read them. Borrowing them and having them sit in my room staring at me while I read other books was making me a little anxious, so I’ve made a limit for myself to only borrow 2-3 books at a time now! Currently have two relatively new books that I have seen around everywhere but wasn’t invested enough to actually buy them, Recursion by Blake Crouch and The Flat Share by Beth O’Leary. I did manage to finish The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers but it wasn’t a favourite of mine unfortunately, so I am hoping I end up loving these two when I get around to picking them up!

Happy Reading📚

Reviews

Holy Sister Review

by amyleighreads1 Comment on Holy Sister Review

*SPOILERS*

38099642._SY475_The third and final instalment in the Book of Ancestor series by Mark Lawrence follows 3 years after the epic conclusion to Red Sister. Nona is on the cusp of becoming a fully-fledged Sister of the Convent and the Empire is on the cusp of war with the Scithrowl.

A lot happened in the interim between books two and three, but I appreciated that the flashbacks were put in so we can see how Nona and Zole got away and how they made it through the ice. I loved how in depth Mark Lawrence went with the descriptions and world building on the ice. It’s so different to their usual settings and helped to break up the story and keep me invested. I could almost feel how cold it was and it really added a layer of urgency to the storyline. I ultimately knew Nona was able to make it out but no mention was made of Zole in the present so I was very intrigued to figure out her story over the course of the plot.

I’ve always loved Nona’s character, so is just so unpredictable and entertaining. Her attitude and growth over the course of the series has been wonderful to read and she is exactly the kind of main female protagonist I love; capable, hardworking, willing to put herself on the line for others and still able to surprise me with her cunning. It’s really shown in Holy Sister how she contrasts from her former self as the little Nona Grey to the deadly Sister Cage she has now become!

The plot wasn’t my favourite in the series, simply because I am not the biggest fan of long drawn out war scenes. There was a lot going on all at once and I was having a little trouble keeping track of everyone. However, I loved how the plot unravels and all of Abbess Glass’s plans start to come to light. Her intellect and schemes have always had me on the edge of my seat and she has consistently surprised me throughout the books.

I absolutely loved this series, definitely amongst my top 5 favourite fantasy series that I’ve ever read! I will for sure have to look into Mark Lawrence’s other series he has out because I have just loved his writing style and the complex, diverse characters and the immense world’s he creates. Going into it not really expecting/knowing much about the series was a bonus because I captured by surprise and totally swept away into this world!

⭐️4.5/5 stars Everything that I love about fantasy!!!

Top Ten Tuesdays

Book Cover Redesigns I Loved!

by amyleighreads6 Comments on Book Cover Redesigns I Loved!

This week’s Top 10 Tuesday is book cover redesigns that I either loved or hated. So when I looked up all the covers that I knew had been redesigned I found that I mostly loved all the changes that were made.

So this is my 10 Book Cover Redesigns that I Loved:

Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart – I think these are both striking but I personally love the plain cover with the blue background and the pieces of cut hair. I think it works so much better with the premise of the book and intrigues me so much more than the smudged face.

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Royals/Prince Charming by Rachel Hawkins – I’ve spoken about this cover a few times on my blog but this was the perfect opportunity to say what a great job they did with the new concept for the cover/title of this book. The Royals cover just looks tacky and juvenile and I am drawn so much more to the Prince Charming!

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Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas – I never liked the original cover for Throne of Glass! I always thought she just didn’t embody who Celaena is. She just looks too innocent and docile to me, the illustrated version is sooooo much more aesthetically pleasing to my eyes.

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An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir – as much as I love the original cover the other two books in the series don’t match it and it is soo frustrating to have them next to each other on my shelves being all different sizes and colors. Which is why I think I prefer the new paperback editions as they all match!

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Flamecaster by Cinda Williams Chima – similar to An Ember in the Ashes, I quite love the original cover for Flamecaster, but the rest of the series match the new cover which make me more inclined to like it more because they all match.

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The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson – I’ve always thought the original cover for this was a little too busy. There’s a whole lot going on and it all just looks a little unfocused. However, the new paperback edition is clean and still in keeping with the concept of the story so I like it a lot more!

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Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead – This is an example of a little change with a big impact. Have the VA overlapping the face with the color change is so much more effective in my opinion. The original cover doesn’t really age well either.

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Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi – When I first seen the new cover for Shatter Me I thought it was beautiful and so much better than the original. I thought it was highly original for the first 3 books and then as she kept releasing more they all started to look a little too similar.

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Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson – I actually love the first cover so much. I thought when it first came out that it looked super original and very pretty, but it doesn’t really give any indication of what the book is really about so I can appreciate the new cover more, especially when Mila is front and centre!

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Vicious by V.E. Schwab – There isn’t particularly anything wrong with the original cover of Vicious, but I just love the new edition so much more! Its simple yet effective and had I never heard of this book before I would immediately pick it up just because of the cover!

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Reviews

Mooncakes Review

by amyleighreads1 Comment on Mooncakes Review

44774415Diverse, wholesome and pure!

Mooncakes follows the story of Nova and Tam. Nova is a witch and Tam is a werewolf who used to be best friends until Tam moved away years ago. Now that Tam has returned in pursuit of a horse demon that is plaguing the forest near their town, maybe their latent romantic feelings for each other will resurface?

I loved Nova’s character. She undergoes quite the arc over the course of the storyline in a pretty short amount of time. She starts off very self assured and happy with herself, then thinking she might not be good enough, to accepting that maybe things do need to change in order to grow as a person. I love all of her witchy confidence and the fact that she isn’t afraid to ask her grandmother’s for help if she needs. She hasn’t gotten to that overconfident stage where she doesn’t need/want any assistance from others.

I thought Tam was a perfect contrast to Nova. Still a little unsure and unconfident in their werewolf abilities and even I would say a little ashamed. Not that they aren’t proud of being a werewolf but the fact that they haven’t mastered their powers quite to the same extent that Nova has. Though I love the fact that they don’t give up and actively tries to better themselves not for their own sake but because they want to keep those they love safe.

I thought the artwork was absolutely beautiful and at times really made an impact. In particular the way Nova’s parents were portrayed. Their addition alone into the plot was a twist that I did not see coming and I was delighted with how they were incorporated almost naturally with their artwork. All of the illustrations were really unique and different and I felt they captured the essence all of the characters perfectly!

The story as a whole I thought was highly entertaining. You definitely have the action packed, super magically charged side to the story, but there was also a calming, inclusive, family filled subplot that I feel will definitely appeal to a wide range of readers.

I would say though I just wish it was a tad longer, 50-100 or so more pages to really prolong the story and add just a little more depth and suspense and simply because I want more!

⭐️4.5/5 stars This warmed my heart!