Tag: book blogger

Wrap Ups

Backlist Readathon Wrap Up

by amyleighreadsLeave a Comment on Backlist Readathon Wrap Up

Last week I managed to read 4 books and wrap up a series I have been wanting to catch up on in a very long time! I was able to incorporate all of the prompts and surpassed the goal I set for myself so I am super stoked with how this readathon went! I decided to scrap The Black Prism that was on my TBR for the time being, simply because I find I’m in the middle of too many series at the moment and I didn’t want to start a new epic fantasy series of 6 books until I wrapped up a few I am already in the middle of. 

The books I read for the Backlist Readathon are:

Girls of Storm and Shadow by Natasha Ngan

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Frozen Tides, Crystal Storm & Immortal Reign by Morgan Rhodes

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I really enjoyed this readathon! I liked being able to look at my shelves and prioritise the books I have been wanting to read for a while now. Like I said I wrapped up a fantasy series I have been in the middle of for over a year now and read a late 2019 release I have been putting off as well, I know if I didn’t read it this week I probably wouldn’t for months and months. 

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Reviews

Girls of Storm and Shadow Review

by amyleighreadsLeave a Comment on Girls of Storm and Shadow Review

43558747Lei and Wren have escaped from the confines of the Hidden Palace after the Winter Ball and are now sequestered in the mountains waiting or Wren’s father to arrive and explain their next step in the plans to overthrow the King.

I liked the direction the plot is going, we’re introduced to a plethora of new characters and this found family dynamic they have going on was endearing. Bo and Nitta brought some much-needed spark to the storyline. I loved Bo’s constant chatter and comic relief that contrasts starkly with the overall tone of the storyline. Nitta didn’t really hold any interest for me, other than being Bo’s sister we aren’t really given much insight into her character and what role she plays. I’m hoping in the next book we are given the opportunity to learn more about her and Bo and why they were exiled from their clan.

Merrin was a little annoying for me at the start. His sassiness came across a little arrogant at first, but his development over the course of the plot was wonderful. His banter with the leopard siblings was entertaining and when he finally accepts his feeling for Bo we really see a different side to him. Even though he made a few decisions that didn’t seem wise you can definitely relate to why he did what he did. I loved that he called out Wren and her father and made Lei see what they were actually doing. She even said that what he was saying was correct and she couldn’t dispute it. I hope he is given some level of redemption in the next book.

Lei kind of got my nerves throughout the book as well. I think her love for Wren really blinded her from what was actually going on. She knew that they were keeping secrets from her and despite being Moonchosen she doesn’t demand answers until the very end when it feels like it may be too late. I wanted her to be more of a commanding figure and stand up for herself a bit more! Her need to throw herself into unnecessary danger also irked me, I get she is trying to overthrow the oppressive hold the king has on everyone but she needs to pick her battles a little better.

Though Wren’s character is constantly surprising me and is turning somewhat morally gray I’m sort of starting to feel a bit ambivalent towards her. I can’t condone her actions and I feel like her ultimate goal has taken over her sense of right and wrong.

I enjoyed the fact we are still given some perspectives from those still in the Hidden Palace. Finding out that Lill is still alive and Mistriss Azumi is the contact inside. I’m interested to see how Aoki is going to react to her families demise and how the King is going to influence her over her friendship with Lei. I have a feeling that is going to be crucial in the next book.

⭐️3/5 Epic journey, dark magic, heart-breaking betrayals!

Book Lists

5 Quotes from last 5 Books

by amyleighreadsLeave a Comment on 5 Quotes from last 5 Books

These are five of my favourite quotes from the last five books that I have read!!

Fire by Kristin Cashore

“I don’t want to love you if you’re only going to die.”

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Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey

“I’ll do anything you ask me to do,” he said in a gravelly voice. “Except walk away.”

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Yes No Maybe So by Becky Albertalli & Aisha Saeed

“The truth is, it’s a weird time to be coming of age. The world is really messy right now.”

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Permanent Record by Mary H.K. Choi

“What have you been doing? Tell me anything.”

Girls of Storm and Shadow by Natasha Ngan 

“I am still that girl of paper and fire – and I’m going to prove it to them.”

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Reviews

Permanent Record Review

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Permanent Record follows the story of Pablo who has dropped out of NYU and accrued a lot of debt over the course of the year he was there. He is currently working at his local 24hr health food store contemplating his life when in walks Leanna Smart the most famous pop star in the world.

Pablo got on my nerves for the majority of the book; he blows off all of his responsibilities and chases after Leanna. He just ignores all of his bills and pushes away his parents, friends and his brother to be with Leanna who is living a completely parallel life. I think the reason he is so taken with her at first is because of her fame. We see it constantly throughout the course of the book where he is disappointed he can’t post about her on his Instagram or when she buries the paparazzi photos of them. I liked that Leanna called him out on that.

Leanna on the other hand I think is quite selfish… she just expects Pab to just drop everything and follow her around the world and just sit around and wait for her. I wouldn’t even be able to imagine the pressure and weight of expectations she has on her shoulders but like Pab says she’s living in a completely alternate world to him and she has the power to change things if she truly wishes.

Everything happened a little too fast in terms of the timeline for their relationship. Literally the second time Leanne saw Pab she’s inviting him to LA with her. She just met this guy and talked to him for a couple of hours in a Deli… it just seemed a little unrealistic. There is a whole lot of miscommunication going on throughout the story as well. I just wanted Pab and Leanna to sit down and actually hash everything out and explain themselves and what they actually want out of the relationship.

Overall I was a little frustrated by this book. I didn’t particularly like Pab or Leanna as out main characters. Pab neglected everyone around him and Leanne wasn’t relatable at all.

⭐️2/5 stars just wasn’t my cup of tea…

Reviews

Yes No Maybe So Review

by amyleighreadsLeave a Comment on Yes No Maybe So Review

43615530Yes No Maybe So is a dual perspective book following Jamie and Maya who are both volunteering during a political campaign for a local candidate. They are paired together to go door-to-door and hand out flyers and secure votes.

I really liked the dual perspectives, it really gave me a chance to get to know both characters very well and I definitely was able to develop a connection to both of them.

Jamie I thought was a super endearing character. He put himself down a lot and didn’t really believe in himself. However, I thought his family was very supportive and provided some very sound advice when he needed it. His relationship with his sister was very special and I loved their interactions throughout the plot. At times she acted a little older than what she is but I think it was balanced well. They had some truly touching moments together and I liked that we got more of an in depth look into their lives outside of the main plot.

Maya I thought was a really relatable character. Her arc started off with a bang with the separation of her parents right in the middle of Ramadan. We really got to see how it affected her through the way she isolated herself from her friends as a coping mechanism. The hope she kept inside her that they might get back together and the innocuous way that it is shattered when she realizes that it might not happen. I thought at times she was a little selfish but she does evolve and realize that she actually needs to communicate her thoughts and emotions.

I actually like how their forced friendship turned into an actual friendship before their relationship kindled, I just wished it happened over a longer period of time. I think the timeline for the entire book was only a couple of weeks so it felt a little rushed.

The whole political side of the story didn’t really interest me and I kind of knew that going into the book so it didn’t really have any effect on my experience. There was a nice balance though and there wasn’t really any time that I wasn’t engaged which is a bonus.

⭐️3/5 stars Cute, relatable, diverse, entertaining!