Tuesday, September 8, 2015

September TBRs

Ok, so school is officially started for everybody, and it is officially autumn, my favorite season! I mean, what is a better place to read than outside, surrounded by the beautifully colored leaves, with the scent of spices and candles drifting out everyone's windows? So guess what that calls for- a READING LIST!!! Since my TBR book count is through the roof, I decided to shorten it for this. So, without further ado, my October/autumn TBR list!

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas
- Since I recently finished Heir of Fire, the third book in the Throne of Glass series, I though it would be appropriate for me to have the fourth book on my TBR list!
- Synopsis: Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she's at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past . . .
  She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die just to see her again. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen's triumphant return.
  Celaena’s epic journey has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions across the globe. This fourth volume will hold readers rapt as Celaena’s story builds to a passionate, agonizing crescendo that might just shatter her world.

A Court of Thorns and Roses
- I have heard excellent reviews about this book! Everyone I know who has read it highly recommends it. It's the second series Sarah J. Maas has written, and I'm super excited to read it. Plus, it's a fairy tale retelling; who could resist that?
- Synopsis: When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.
  As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it... or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Six of Crows
- This book seems hardcore. Thieves, convicts, and spies? Just my type of book! This one seems exciting, like it will keep you holding your breath for the entire book. I am really anticipating reading this one, especially because it is being released today! New books are always interesting to read.
- Synopsis: Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...
  A convict with a thirst for revenge.
  A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.
  A runaway with a privileged past.
  A spy known as the Wraith.
  A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums. 
  A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes. 
  Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first.

Cruel Beauty
- I'm actually not sure about this book. I know that it's a Beauty and the Beast retelling, but I've heard mixed reviews about it. It seems a little too dark, to be honest. Also, I've read a chapter or two, and they were okay, so I'm excited to read this book and see how it turns out!
- Synopsis: Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.
  With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.
  But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle—a shifting maze of magical rooms—enthralls her.
  As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.


Lock In
- I love a good, futuristic, sci-fi novel just like the next girl, and this one sounds pretty interesting! How else could you make a mystery better than to make the suspects' minds inhabited by the true murderers? I think this book is going to be exciting!
- Synopsis: Not too long from today, a new, highly contagious virus makes its way across the globe. Most who get sick experience nothing worse than flu, fever and headaches. But for the unlucky one percent - and nearly five million souls in the United States alone - the disease causes "Lock In": Victims fully awake and aware, but unable to move or respond to stimulus. The disease affects young, old, rich, poor, people of every color and creed. The world changes to meet the challenge.
  A quarter of a century later, in a world shaped by what's now known as "Haden's syndrome," rookie FBI agent Chris Shane is paired with veteran agent Leslie Vann. The two of them are assigned what appears to be a Haden-related murder at the Watergate Hotel, with a suspect who is an "integrator" - someone who can let the locked in borrow their bodies for a time. If the Integrator was carrying a Haden client, then naming the suspect for the murder becomes that much more complicated.
  But "complicated" doesn't begin to describe it. As Shane and Vann began to unravel the threads of the murder, it becomes clear that the real mystery - and the real crime - is bigger than anyone could have imagined. The world of the locked in is changing, and with the change comes opportunities that the ambitious will seize at any cost. The investigation that began as a murder case takes Shane and Vann from the halls of corporate power to the virtual spaces of the locked in, and to the very heart of an emerging, surprising new human culture. It's nothing you could have expected.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone
- This book sounds interesting; I'm not quite sure how it will turn out. I like how it's made to look like a mystery, with a little bit of magic sprinkled in. I'm a huge sucker for those things together in a book. But it seems a little dark; oh well, I'll see if I like it when I read it!
- Synopsis: Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.
  In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.
  And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.
  Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real, she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands", she speaks many languages - not all of them human - and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.
  When beautiful, haunted Akiva fixes fiery eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

The Queen of the Tearling
- I have heard excellent reviews for this book! Everyone seems to love it, and I hope I won't be any different! And besides, this author is amazing; I'm sure the book will live up to my expectations!
- Synopsis: Young Kelsea Raleigh was raised in hiding after the death of her mother, Queen Elyssa, far from the intrigues of the royal Keep and in the care of two devoted servants who pledged their lives to protect her. Growing up in a cottage deep in the woods, Kelsea knows little of her kingdom's haunted past . . . or that its fate will soon rest in her hands.
  Long ago, Kelsea's forefathers sailed away from a decaying world to establish a new land free of modern technology. Three hundred years later, this feudal society has divided into three fearful nations who pay duties to a fourth: the powerful Mortmesne, ruled by the cunning Red Queen. Now, on Kelsea's nineteenth birthday, the tattered remnants of the Queen's Guard—loyal soldiers who protect the throne—have appeared to escort the princess on a perilous journey to the capital to ascend to her rightful place as the new Queen of the Tearling.
  Though born of royal blood and in possession of the Tear sapphire, a jewel of immense power and magic, Kelsea has never felt more uncertain of her ability to rule. But the shocking evil she discovers in the heart of her realm will precipitate an act of immense daring, throwing the entire kingdom into turmoil—and unleashing the Red Queen's vengeance. A cabal of enemies with an array of deadly weapons, from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic, plots to destroy her. But Kelsea is growing in strength and stealth, her steely resolve earning her loyal allies, including the Queen's Guard, led by the enigmatic Lazarus, and the intriguing outlaw known simply as "the Fetch."
  Kelsea's quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun. Riddled with mysteries, betrayals, and treacherous battles, Kelsea's journey is a trial by fire that will either forge a legend . . . or destroy her.

Bewitching Season
- Ok, so I love stories with intelligent, relatable female main characters, and this girl looks pretty amazing. I think this book will have just the right amount of romance and sweetness, without it overwhelming the excitement and thrill. Super excited for this one, hope it's a great book!
- Synopsis: In 1837 London, young daughters of viscounts pined for handsome, titled husbands, not careers. And certainly not careers in magic. At least, most of them didn’t.
  Shy, studious Persephone Leland would far rather devote herself to her secret magic studies than enter society and look for a suitable husband. But right as the inevitable season for "coming out" is about to begin, Persy and her twin sister discover that their governess in magic has been kidnapped as part of a plot to gain control of the soon-to-be Queen Victoria. Racing through Mayfair ballrooms and royal palaces, the sisters overcome bad millinery, shady royal spinsters, and a mysterious Irish wizard. And along the way, Persy learns that husband hunting isn’t such an odious task after all, if you can find the right quarry.

Grave Mercy
- Ever since reading Throne of Glass, I have been interested in the whole "assassin/murder mystery" story type. When I saw this book, it looked very much like ToG, so I fell in love! I am anticipating this book very much; I hope it's as amazing as I believe it will be!
- Synopsis: Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?
  Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.
  Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

(Summaries courtesy of Goodreads)

That's all for my TBR list, October edition! If you have read any of these, please give me your opinion! I am very excited for this month. When I have a long TBR list, that means lots of reading and lots of reviews, so get ready! Also, Halloween is coming, which leads to Thanksgiving, then Christmas, then New Years!!! I love this time of year! Anyways, I'm on my fall break, so if anyone wants to talk, you can DM me on Instagram, @its.always.books! I'll always love to talk to you! I hope everyone has a lovely autumn! Keep reading! 

Monday, August 31, 2015

Can You Believe It?

       Ahhh... The perfect setting... It's eight o'clock at night and there's a steady patter of rain at my window... Perfect for writing! It's so relaxing. 

       So, I have always been a writer. My fictional narratives assigned at school end up turning into 10-page mini-novellas. Every time I go outside, I find a new idea for a story. And books, well, they have always been pretty much my life. So, I've decided to start this blog combining some of my favorite things- writing, stories, and books!!! Enjoy!

       Anyways, it's September 1st, and I guess, once again, Hogwarts forgot my letter. For the third time! But, guess who did get their letter? James Sirius Potter, first child of Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley Potter. Harry's first child is going to Hogwarts this year! I'm so proud!

       Forecast for the school year: MAJOR pranks. I mean, come on, a child named JAMES SIRIUS POTTER, with Weasley and Potter blood in him. And, you have to take into account how sassy his parents are too. Is there any way this child WON'T get in trouble? I can only hope that he finds friends as wonderful as Ron and Hermione! And then next year, Albus Potter and Rose Weasley will be going to Hogwarts... Oh, the feels! They grow up so fast! This school year is going to be a magical one, I know it! 

       For once, though, I would love to experience Hogwarts. How cool would it be to find a compartment on the Hogwarts Express with my best mates and trade Chocolate Frog cards with them? Or stay up late doing Transfiguration homework? Or even getting post by owl during breakfast every morning? So many questions that will most likely never be answered... The closest I can get to Hogwarts in this Muggle world is Pottermore! Is it too much to ask that I get my own wand, and get taught how to use it at the foremost school for witches and wizards?

       Also, sometimes I think J.K. Rowling is a bigger Harry Potter fangirl than we are, because she even tweeted this morning to give James luck from her while he was at King's Cross! She is the best author I could ever hope for!

       I know that there's magic in me, I can feel it. But if Hogwarts keeps forgetting to send me a letter, I might have to contact them. Does anybody have an owl I can use? Somebody please give James Sirius Potter my love at Hogwarts! Anyways, wishing all of you love, wherever you are, Muggle or wizard! Have a wonderfully magical year!