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Extraordinary Book Titles

October 15, 2019July 11, 2020by amyleighreads10 Comments

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday prompt is books with extraordinary book titles. I have chosen 10 books from this year with interesting book titles that played a factor in making me want to pick them up! These could be books I’ve never heard of before, super hyped books or random books that immediately intrigued me because of its name.

Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody

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The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

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Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

9781760295738

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

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Birthday by Meredith Russo

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Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

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The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

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Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand

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Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young

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Neverworld Wake by Marisha Pessl

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Reviews

Falling Kingdoms Review

October 14, 2019October 9, 2019by amyleighreads3 Comments

12954620 I had my misgiving about this book but once I got stuck in I was hooked!

Falling Kingdoms revolves around 4 individuals living in three separate kingdoms in the land of Mytica. As the rulers of each kingdom grapple for power, the lives of their subjects are brutally transformed.

I thought this was very well planned out and I like that each of the main characters interacted with each other earlier on in the plot. Usually when we have multiple perspectives in fantasy novels it takes forever for the protagonists to cross paths but with Falling Kingdoms they all interact with each other quite frequently from the start which I enjoyed.

I found Cleo to be a little naïve and spoilt at times! Right at the start of the book with the whole altercation between Aron and the Tomas soured her a little fore me. She could have stepped in a whole lot sooner and diffused the situation, especially since she had Theon with her. It didn’t have to escalate to that level and end in bloodshed, which was the catalyst for the whole war. Her stubbornness and pride resulted in a lot of situations that definitely could have been avoided.

I thought the way Jonas focused all of his anger and aggression on Cleo was a little unfair. Sure she just sat back and let it happen but Aron was the one who ultimately killed his brother, I just thought he should have been more focused on him. I did like however, that he was able to be talked out of his insane quest to assassinate Cleo and Aron and work with the chief on bring the whole country down instead.

Magnus’s whole plot-line with Lucia made me a little uncomfortable to be perfectly honest. The way he was feeling towards he even before he found out she was adopted was a little weird and I’m not sure how it’s going to play out for the rest of the series. I just thought there are so many other options for him to pursue. Other than that little indiscretion I actually quite enjoy his character. Stepping up and becoming the Prince of Blood and trying to live up to his father’s expectations is entertaining! I’m always drawn to the bad boys and every time he interacts with Cleo he just exudes those bad boy vibes!

Lucia hasn’t really made an impact on me yet. I know she is supposed to be this all powerful sorceress but I have yet to see her really get involved in what is happening outside of her immediate family. I thought she would play a bigger role because she is the first of her kind in like 1000 years but I’m guessing she is going to establish herself in the books to come!

I found the premise to be very unique and quite cut throat. Characters that I thought would be integral to the plot are killed off at will and that definitely kept the stakes at an all-time high. This was a solid start to the series, and I am excited to continue on to see where it will progress next!

⭐️4/5 stars Great foundation for hopefully a great series!

Reviews

Crown of Feathers Review

October 11, 2019October 11, 2019by amyleighreads1 Comment

35715518 This took me a minute to get into but once I was situated in the story I couldn’t stop reading!

Veronyka and her sister Val are two animages that have been on the run every since their grandmother was taken and killed by an angry mob six years ago. She used to be a renowned phoenix rider but after they fell 16 years ago they have been living in hiding in the land of Pyra away from the wrath of the new anti-animage Empire.

This book was very informative and meticulously planned! There is a whole lot of information thrown at you and I lot of different POV’s to get your head around but I was thriving while reading this book! It really has everything I love about fantasy, a magic system with clear rules and restrictions, a world that is rich in culture and lore and a highly engaging series of plots and schemes that ultimately come together to form an intriguing, highly engaging read!

I love the dynamic between Veronyka and Val. They are not your typical YA sisterly relationship which I loved! You can see the love between them but there is an undercurrent of vastly different emotions that drive these sisters to make the decisions that they do. I loved how calculating and indifferent Val is to Veronyka’s feelings and at the same time she has only ever done what she has done for her sister’s best interests. I love that even though Veronyka loves her sister dearly and appreciates everything she has ever done she will not back down to her and fights for what she believes in.

I thought the other perspectives in the book was highly necessary and played a key role in bringing in so much context and diversity to the book. It definitely would of been too one sided in my opinion without the additions of Sev and even Tristan. I absolutely loved how Sev evolved over the course of the book and we really see how Trix and Kade have swayed his opinions and thoughts. The blossoming romance was something that I also didn’t anticipate and boy did I love it! I really think there is so much more to be discovered in that plot line and I cannot wait to see what will become of it!

I thought Tristan was the perfect contrast to Nyk. You know the hate to love trope is one of my favourites but them going from enemies to reluctant partners to friends to the possibility of something more was so much more satisfying to me! I loved how honest he is and after discovering Nyk’s secret he is open to discussing why other than just cutting her off altogether.

This was a wonderfully fantastical read; my only qualm was the pacing was a little off. The start and the middle was a little on the slower side and then the ending was a tad rushed in my opinion. The twists and turns kept my attention throughout though and I am highly invested in this series now!

⭐️4/5 stars A slow burner!

The Readers Problems Book Tag 🏷

October 10, 2019October 10, 2019by amyleighreadsLeave a Comment

I’ve seen this tag going around the blogosphere and I definitely had to give it a try! I couldn’t find the original post but I seen it first at Let’s Get Galactic!

My first thought was to pick a book out of a TBR jar!

I would say 9 times out of 10 I am committed but I am really not gelling with the book I have no qualms with putting it down!

Well last year I actually got to 99 books and it was the last day of the year and I really struggled with just speeding through a book and not enjoying it or leaving it at 99 which killed me. I didn’t end up reading the book and I just told myself to cut me some slack, 99 books is still an amazing number and I’ll try again next year. I am actually well over 100 books for 2019 so I am very happy with my progress!

This has happened so many times to me now! At first it’s a struggle to see them all mismatched on my shelves, so I either just deal with it or try and wait for like the paperback set to come out and replace them. Depends on how much I love the series.

I’m not shy about voicing my opinions if I am in a minority in terms of loving a book or not. There are usually one or two people that I come across either online or IRL that share my feelings and we can discuss together.

I usually close the book for a few seconds and take a few deep breaths.

No, I will either read my review and that will spur my memories or I will just read a summary online.

I honestly don’t mind if someone borrows my books as long as the return it when I ask and in the same condition. They get one chance, if they misplace or damage then I let them know they can’t borrow anything else, sorry!

I would maybe try a different format of book, like I might try an e-book or an audio book, if this still doesn’t work then I usually take a full week or two of not even thinking about or touching any books, giving myself a time out in order to refresh.

Only the ones I am absolutely DYING to read, otherwise I like to check my local library or try and wait until I see some reviews to know whether or not it’s worth it!

If I am super excited about them I like to get stuck straight in, but if the book is just super hyped then it’s just all about what I feel like at the time. Could be a week or two, could be a couple of months.

Reviews

The Girl the Sea Gave Back Review

October 9, 2019October 9, 2019by amyleighreads1 Comment

42867937 I need more!!!

This book is a standalone about 10 years after the events of Sky in the Deep takes place. We are following two perspectives of Tova and Halvard. For as long as Tova can remember she has been shunned among the Svell people because of her abilities. When a reading she makes is interpreted in a way she wasn’t expecting she is led right to Halvard, the young leader from a rival clan.

I like that we are given some new perspectives as well as some of the old characters. As far as companion novels go I would say you definitely don’t have to read Sky in the Deep to enjoy this book but it was nice to know some of the people and have that context in place before diving in. Even though I had only read Sky in the Deep a few months ago I found this book a little hard to get into at the start. You are kind of thrown straight into the storyline and the different names of the tribes and people were a little disorientating. I made it kind of hard to get immersed into the book.

I wasn’t that big of a fan of Tova at the start. I found her to be a little too meek for my standards. She really let the Svell people treat her like dirt and she still did the readings for them. I wanted a little more rebellion and opposition from her in order to do what was right and it wasn’t until after the half way mark that I got what I wanted from her.

I kind of struggled to deal with the fact that Halvard is now a young man, chosen to become the next leader of the clan. I still think of him as the little kid who Eelyn saved. I can see he also struggles stepping up into the role that is really thrust upon him by the other leaders. I enjoyed his character a lot. I thought he was very dedicated and committed to saving everyone from the Svell.

I just needed a little more information about the magical side of Tova and why the sea and the Spinners saved her. Her connection to Halvard was never really explored either and I found it a little frustrating. I wanted to delve more into their possible romance and the reasons why they are destined to be together. I felt this whole storyline was kind of skated over in preference for all of the fighting scenes. Granted they made the stakes a lot higher and I was on the edge of my seat throughout, I just wanted a little more time for their relationship to blossom. I was just feeling a little underwhelmed.

⭐️3/5 Liked didn’t love as much as Sky in the Deep