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Top Ten Tuesdays

Book Characters I want to be Besties with

by amyleighreads14 Comments on Book Characters I want to be Besties with

This week’s Top 10 Tuesday is characters from books that I would love to be besties with! I really had to narrow down my list because I think I would love to be besties with any of the characters from all the books I’ve read. I kind of went by the plot of the story and who I would want to tag along with as they have their adventures!

Alex from Red, White & Royal Blue – we would have a lot of fun!

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Gansey from The Raven Cycle – I would love to integrate into their friend group!

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Nona from Book of Ancestor Series – she is deadly and super dedicated to her friends!

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Harry, Ron & Hermione from the Harry Potter Series– can I be the fourth best friend?

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Safi & Iseult from The Witchlands Series– I want to be the third thread sister!

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Daisy from Daisy Jones & the Six – Would be a trip … (lol)

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Stevie from Truly Devious – I want to go to Ellingham Academy and help Stevie solve the mystery!

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Mila from Undead Girl Gang – we can start our own coven!

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Felicity Montague from The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy – I just think we would really get along.

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Celaena Sardothien from Throne of Glass series – Because she’s such a badass!

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Reviews

The Test Review

by amyleighreads1 Comment on The Test Review

41940388I found this highly engaging!

The Test focuses on a British Citizenship Test taken in the not too distant future by a man names Idir from Iran. He wants his family to belong in Britain so he decides to sit the test when something unexpected occurs.

This was a very short book (under 150 pages) that packed a mighty punch! This was unlike anything I’ve read before. I really loved the format of the story and the fast paced, charged, psychological nature of the story. It really went in depth on the nature of humans and what choices we are statistically going to make in certain situations given a certain stimuli.

I honestly didn’t know what this book was really about when I picked it up other than the Citizenship Test and really that’s all you need to know going into it. It’s definitely better to not know what is about to happen and just ride the journey as Idir undertakes it.

The ending took a turn I didn’t anticipate and that made the read all the more thrilling for me. Thinking on all the possibilities that could occur and how realistic this situation could really be. I could go more in depth and break down every plot point but I think I would prefer to just say if you’re a fan of Black Mirror you would definitely enjoy this!

⭐️5/5 the stakes are super high!

Reviews

Red, White & Royal Blue Review

by amyleighreads2 Comments on Red, White & Royal Blue Review

41150487Alex is the son of the President of the United States and Henry is the Prince of England and they can’t stand each other. When an altercation occurs at a Royal Wedding between the two is leaked to the press, they have to do some series damage control and stage a fake friendship that blossoms into something more.

I like how diverse and unconventional a lot of the characters were, it wasn’t just your typical contemporary romance. I thought the representation was spot on and this book can and I think does appeal to a wide variety of readers.

Alex is a very unique character; I don’t think I’ve ever read a main protagonist like him before. He is very multi-faceted and flawed and isn’t afraid to follow his heart despite the consequences. He is a character who once he makes a decision sticks by it and won’t give up. Though, he can realize when he has made a mistake and despite his pretty inflated ego can accept responsibility.

I thought Henry was the perfect contrast to Alex. Stoic and traditional and slow paced, whereas Alex is flighty and emotional and outspoken. His situation is so similar to Alex, yet is vastly different. His family has been royals for centuries and he has the Queen of England dictating his life. There are years upon years of tradition that he needs to adhere to as well as continuing on the royal bloodline.

I loved the relationship between them though. Once again the hate to love trope is my favorite romance trope of all time and I loved the unique concept and twist added to this story. I like that there was a slow build to the relationship; they weren’t really all in from the start. I think the altercation and misunderstanding at the start was the perfect catalyst to force them both together. There were some highly intense, emotionally charged scenes throughout the book that definitely had me dabbing some tears of my own.

The whole political side of the story didn’t really do anything for me personally. Talking about all the campaigns and the different senators and all of the statistics and speeches really bored me. It totally adds a lot of depth and realness to the plot, but it didn’t really draw me into the storyline and made the pace at times a little stagnant for me. However, when a book is able to elicit a physical response from me, even though I wasn’t all that invested in the overall storyline, it is definitely a 4 star or higher.

⭐️4/5 the romance definitely saved the story!

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!!!