Meeting Sarah J. Maas!!!

So I got to meet one of my favorite authors of all time yesterday, Sarah J. Maas. She is so amazing and such a down-to-earth person. She is a great conversationalist and some of her stories are absolutely fascinating. The other thing that really struck me was how much of a fangirl she is, just like the rest of us.

I was so nervous to meet her, but she totally made me feel comfortable and talked to my roommate and I for a decent amount of time. We even talked about what I'm studying at school and whatnot. I'm a little sad I could only get three books signed, which meant I had to choose between the four Throne of Glass books. But I decided on Heir of Fire and Crown of Midnight because those are my  favorites (especially CoM)!

So if you didn't notice, she initially spelled my name wrong in ACOTAR and I now have an the best  signed book. But yeah, that was one of the best evenings meeting one of my favorite authors. Now I just need to meet Pierce Brown and Andrew Smith!

Review: All The Rage by Courtney Summers

Title: All The Rage
Author: Courtney Summers
Publication Date: April 14th, 2015
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Source: From the publisher
Where to find: Goodreads / Amazon / Book Depository

Summary: The sheriff’s son, Kellan Turner, is not the golden boy everyone thinks he is, and Romy Grey knows that for a fact. Because no one wants to believe a girl from the wrong side of town, the truth about him has cost her everything—friends, family, and her community. Branded a liar and bullied relentlessly by a group of kids she used to hang out with, Romy’s only refuge is the diner where she works outside of town. No one knows her name or her past there; she can finally be anonymous. But when a girl with ties to both Romy and Kellan goes missing after a party, and news of him assaulting another girl in a town close by gets out, Romy must decide whether she wants to fight or carry the burden of knowing more girls could get hurt if she doesn’t speak up. Nobody believed her the first time—and they certainly won’t now — but the cost of her silence might be more than she can bear.　

With a shocking conclusion and writing that will absolutely knock you out, All the Rage examines the shame and silence inflicted upon young women after an act of sexual violence, forcing us to ask ourselves: In a culture that refuses to protect its young girls, how can they survive?

“He covers her mouth. That’s how you get a girl to stop crying; you cover her mouth until the sound dies against your palm.” 

FYI, there is a huge trigger warning for this book. It contains abuse, bullying, and rape. This review consists of my initial thoughts right after I finished the book. I do not typically right reviews right away, but with this book, I decided it was important to have my initial thoughts in the review.

I do not even know what to say about this book. It was beyond infuriating and so real. The writing was beautiful and at the same time hauntingly disturbing. The fact that what Romy went through in this book is something so many people go through everyday is disgusting. This book is accurately named and while I made me so angry and upset to read, at the same time I loved it. This book is important. It showcases something our society typically shies away from. It is important that people see what victims of abuse and bullying experience. And while it is disturbing and upsetting to read about it, it is also important that people talk about it.

This book is told post-trauma in Romy's point of view. We see her hate herself more and more as a result of something that was never her fault. I hated how everyone in the town treated her. It was horrible to read.

One thing that I found interesting about this book is that we never actually meet Kellan. I really liked this choice, because it focused the book solely on Romy's story. It kept the book about her and how she was dealing with it.

This book is adequately named due to the feelings it evoked in me. There were so many times where I was so aggravated at what Romy's was going through and how she did not think she could tell anyone what was going on with her. It upset me so much that she felt that alone that she could not share her life with someone.

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher through a giveaway* 

Let me know in the comments if you've read the book and what your thoughts are! Or if you are planning to read it.

Review: The Heir by Kiera Cass

Title: The Heir 
Author: Kiera Cass
Publication Date:  May 5th, 2015
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Bought it
Where to find: Goodreads / Amazon / Book Depository

Summary: Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won Prince Maxon’s heart. Now the time has come for Princess Eadlyn to hold a Selection of her own. Eadlyn doesn’t expect her Selection to be anything like her parents’ fairy-tale love story. But as the competition begins, she may discover that finding her own happily ever after isn’t as impossible as she always thought.

“Didn't they know who I was, what they'd trained me for? I was Eadlyn Schreave. No one was more powerful than me.So if they thought I was going down without a fight, they were sadly mistaken.”

I really enjoyed the original Selection Trilogy, I loved the story between Maxon and America and I loved how quick I flew through the books. The writing was fun and I loved the light nature of the books. So when Kiera Cass announced two more books in the series following the next generation, I was really excited. However, while I was really excited, I was also very apprehensive about it because I had a feeling this was one of those, let's make more money out of this series even though it already ended sort of thing.

And I have to say, I was really disappointed in this installment. It felt like Kiera Cass was making drama for no reason other than to take away from the fluffy aspect of the first three books. I found Eadlyn to be annoying (and yes, America was annoying, but Eadlyn was worse). The romance between Eadlyn and the suitors was cute, but I feel like in this book she is so against The Selection as a whole that we do not even get to see her truly try to get to know the guys. I also feel like the main three (not going to give names, because spoilers) are all cliche picks and I do not like that. I definitely have a favorite, but at the same time I do not think picking him is the best move, either.

So while I was disappointed with this book, the plot and some of the characters, I still love the world and idea of The Selection. With how the book ended however, I'm going to be forced to pick up the fifth one.

Overall, I was really disappointed with this book. While I still enjoyed the writing and the premise, I do not think continuing this series was necessary.  I may be in the minority by saying this though, and I totally get if you really loved this book, but for me it was a let down after the original trilogy. This book is getting 3 Crowns because while it irked me to no end, it was still enjoyable and I love the world.

Let me know if you have read this book and what your thoughts are?

Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publication Date: May 5th, 2015
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Source: Bought it!
Where to find: Goodreads / Amazon / Book Depository

Summary: 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.

“Though I supposed that for Tamlin- for High Fae used to ethereal flawless beauty- it had been a struggle to find a compliment. Faerie bastard” - pg. 69

As one of my most anticipated releases of the year by one of my favorite authors, I could not wait to get this book and as soon as it was delivered, I had to read it right away. I read this book in two sittings and it was two not one because I had class. As for my actual thoughts, the writing and world was amazing as I have come to expect from Sarah J. Maas. Her writing is gorgeous and the worlds she creates are stunning.

This book was definitely for a more mature audience than the Throne of Glass series. This book was darker, had more gore, the romance was more prominent,  and the language was more harsh. Even though this was such a dark book, you still had the beauty of the Fae and Prythian.  I loved all the instances in this book straight from the story of Beauty and the Beast . Whether it was Feyre cleaning up Tamlin when he was hurt, Tamlin taking her to the “library”, or them dancing, I loved every moment that reminded me of one of my favorite fairy-tales.

The characters in this book were so enjoyable to read. They were so sassy and there was such great banter between them. Whether is was between Lucien and Tamlin, Alis and Feyre, or Feyre and Lucien. And of course Tamlin and Feyre! There were many times I would be giggling at how ridiculous they were with each other. And I loved the sassiness. I really hope that the characters continue to be this way in future books.

While this book was a Beauty and the Beast retelling, it did have many different new aspects to it as well. I can honestly say it did not end at all the way I was expecting. The ending has me very curious as to where the next two books in the series are going to go. However, I do hope we get to see more of Prythian, especially the other courts.

Since this was a first book in a trilogy, there were a lot of instances of info dump but they did not bother me in the slightest. I also may be incredibly biased since I do not think Sarah J. Maas could write anything that I would not love immediately. That being said, I cannot wait until we get the next book in this trilogy. I cannot wait to read more about Feyre, Tamlin, Lucien, and even Rhys! 

Have you read this yet? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Teaser Tuesday #11- Peculiar Children

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme where you post a quote from a book you are currently reading. It is hosted by A Daily Rhythm.

"There was romance in the unknown, but once a place had been discovered and cataloged and mapped, it was diminished, just another dusty fact in a book, sapped of mystery. So maybe it was better to leave a few spots on the map blank. To let the world keep a little of its magic, rather than forcing it to divulge every last secret. Maybe it was better, now and then, to wonder.”

                                                            - Hollow City by Ransom Riggs

Find the book here: Goodreads / Amazon / Book Depository

Let me know in the comments what book you are currently reading!

Review: All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Title: All The Light We Cannot See
Author: Anthony Doerr
Publication Date: May 6th, 2014
Publisher: Scribner
Source: Bought it
Where to find: Goodreads / Amazon / Book Depository

Summary: Marie-Laure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where he works as the master of its thousands of locks. When she is six, Marie-Laure goes blind and her father builds a perfect miniature of their neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. When Marie-Laure is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris, and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great-uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel.

In a mining town in Germany, the orphan Werner grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments, a talent that wins him a place at a brutal academy for Hitler Youth, then a special assignment to track the resistance. More and more aware of the human cost of his intelligence, Werner travels through the heart of the war and, finally, into Saint-Malo, where his story and Marie-Laure’s converge.

“What is blindness? Where there should be a wall, her hands find nothing. Where there should be nothing, a table leg gouges her shin. Cars growl in the streets; leaves whisper in the sky; blood rustles through her inner ears. In the stairwell, in the kitchen, even beside her bed, grown-up voices speak of despair.” - pg. 27

I do not know where to begin with this book. The writing in it is absolutely beautiful. Anthony Doerr's prose is amazingly intertwined within the story. This is one of those books that you need to read slowly, so that you can absorb everything within it. When reading books, I tend to mark favorite passages and quotes and I have so many pages marked in this book. There were so many beautiful passages about all different kinds of things and about life.

The main aspect of this book that made it so great for me was definitely the writing, but I also loved the characters. For the most part we follow Marie-Laure and Werner but even beyond them there are so many different stories unfolding throughout this book. Since this book was told in multiple perspectives, I knew at some point all the stories would become intertwined and we would learn about all the connections between the characters. Anthony Doerr surprised me though with the shear number of different connections that were all encompassed within this book. Even the smallest little details had some connection to the overarching story.

The only reason I am not giving this a full five crowns is due to how slow and long it took me to get into the story. That is not to say that I did not enjoy it, but there is a lot of description and time before the plot really picks up. It takes a very long time to introduce the story. Another aspect that was slightly off-putting was the changing timelines. While the book focused on WWII there were jumps in the chapters all falling somewhere between 1941 and 1945 and at times it was confusing after the year changed. However, even though the book was slow, I had no problem reading it because the writing more than made up for the slow aspect. There were times where I had to tell myself to stop reading so I did not rush and could absorb everything I was reading.

This book also ends in a very different way than what I was expecting. I also appreciated how wide open the ending is. It leaves the reading without all the answers but also has a level of finality to it. For someone who does not typically read historical fiction, this was an amazing book. I really enjoyed this book and I cannot recommend it to everyone enough. The writing alone should be enough to at least make you give this book a chance.

Have you read this yet? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

And because I loved the writing so much, here is another quote from the book.

"Streets sucked empty one by one. Each time she steps outside, she becomes aware of all the windows above her. The quiet is fretful, unnatural. It's what a mouse must feel, she things, as it steps from its hole into the open blades of a meadow, never knowing what shadow might come cruising above." - pg. 274

April 2015 Wrap-Up/May 2015 TBR

I was actually pretty successful when it came to sticking to my TBR. Only thing that was a slight fail was my DNFing of Not Cool. I read 25% and decided that there was no reason to finish it. As for books I actually completed, I read 11, which is less than normal, but as you will see there were a lot of really big books this month. As always links to my reviews if I have one!

1. Rebel Spring by Morgan Rhodes (4 Crowns)
2. Gathering Darkness by Morgan Rhodes (4.5 Crowns)
3. Rumors by Anna Godbersen (3 Crowns)
4. The Glass Arrow by Kristen Simmons (3.5 Crowns)
5. The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith (4 Crowns)
6. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews (4 Crowns)
7. A Magic Dark and Bright by Jenny Adams Perinovic (4 Crowns)
8. We Are All Suspects Now by Tram Nguyen (3 Crowns)- read for school
9. This Star Won't Go Out by Esther Earl 
10. Awakening by Shannon Duffy (3.5 Crowns)
11. Earth & Sky by Megan Crewe (3.5 Crowns)

#0by16 is still going decently. I only read 4 ebooks again this month and those were all for review, except Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. My total TBR stands at 65 right now, so I'm starting to get a little nervous about finishing but I'm still confident. The only books I bought this month were the HP Special Edition Box set since it was on sale. And those books I have read so they do not count against the TBR pile. 

I'm currently in the middle of All the Light We Cannot See and I will be finishing it shortly. Other than finishing that one in May, I have again picked 4 books out of my TBR jar. May is when I graduate so I will have 1/2 the month of finals and craziness related to graduation, but after that I have the rest of the month to just read! Due to the free time I will be having, my TBR is more ambitious than normal. The first four are what was picked from the TBR, the rest are personal picks. As always links to Goodreads.

1. Betrayed by P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast
2. Invaded by Melissa Landers
3. Wool by Hugh Howey
4. Graceling by Kirstin Cashore
5. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (meeting her the 11th, so have to have it read by then)
6.  Scarlet by A. C. Gaughen (this is a reread, but I do not remember really anything from it)
7. Lady Thief by A.C. Gaughen (want to have this read so I can get Lion Heart)
8. Dispatches from the Edge by Anderson Cooper (going to his show on the 16th so want to read this before then)
9. The Heir by Kiera Cass (new release so have to get to it right away)
10. NOS4A2 by Joe Hill (I have 3 huge books that I have not read yet, so I'm going to read one in May, one in June, and one in July) 
11. Hollow City by Ransom Riggs (slightly embarrassed that I own two copies of this book and still have not read it)

Only books I have for review are A Letter to My Mom by Lisa Erspamer and The Clouded Sky by Megan Crewe. It will be very interesting to see if I actually accomplish reading all of these or if being at home with all my books makes me pick up other books instead! 

How did you do in April? What are you planning for May? Let me know in the comments!