It’s that time of year again! Where we celebrate all the wonderful things our mothers do for us each and every day. My mom is truly one of the best and always knows how to put a smile on my face. This year does not disappoint so without further ado, I give you Mom Sayings Part 4.
As we are going under the underpass to get to the battery park tunnel:
Mom: Oh, well that was a fast tunnel!
Dad: Barb, we haven’t gone through it yet.
As we are watching Beauty and the Beast:
Narrator: Who could ever learn to love a beast?
Mom: Another beast–a beastess!
Somebody is calling her:
Mom: Who’s calling me? M Farruggia? Who’s that? Hello? Who’s this? Oh, it’s me!
She pocket dialed herself.
Watching the movie The Holiday:
Mom: She leaves cookies in the cookie jar and goes to America?! Who does that??
Shopping for bras and underwear:
Mom: Ugh. I look at this bra and girdle shop and all I can think is constriction!
Me: How was the dentist?
Mom: I got two gold crowns! Now, I just open my mouth and it shines!
Mom: Why didn’t you just deface him? (on Facebook)
As we go outside:
Mom: The sun is very strong and sassy today.
Mom: You’re using a real camera? Then we have to get them developed at Costco!
As Mom and Dad are looking at the model of the Star Trek Enterprise in DC:
Mom: Michael, this is not the real ship. This is a model. The real ship is 289 meters.
Before fasting for the doctor’s:
Mom: I’m starving. I want my coffee. *uck a duck.
While touring Williamsburg and having all the live action actors interacting with you:
Mom: Get me outta here. I just want to see the furniture.
Watching a movie trailer for The Book Club:
Me: Mom, I have to go see this movie. Look who’s in it! Jane Fonda, Candace Bergman–
Mom: Oh, she looked great in that last movie.
Watches trailer.
Mom: Well, we all go to pot.
Mom, you’re the best. Keep doing you.
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Title: Ash Princess (Untitled Trilogy #1)
Author: Laura Sebastian
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: April 24, 2018
Pages: 432Theodosia was six when her country was invaded and her mother, the Queen of Flame and Fury, was murdered before her eyes. Ten years later, Theo has learned to survive under the relentless abuse of the Kaiser and his court as the ridiculed “Ash Princess.” Pretending to be empty-headed and naive when she’s not enduring brutal whippings, she pushes down all other thoughts but one: Keep the Kaiser happy and he will keep you safe.
When the Kaiser forces her to execute her last hope of rescue, Theo can’t keep her feelings and memories pushed down any longer. She vows revenge, throwing herself into a plot to seduce and murder the Kaiser’s warrior son with the help of a group of magically gifted and volatile rebels. But Theo doesn’t expect to develop feelings for the Prinz. Or for her rebel allies to challenge her friendship with the one person who’s been kind to her throughout the last hopeless decade: her heart’s sister, Cress.
Cornered into impossible choices and unable to trust even those who are on her side, Theo will have to decide how far she’s willing to go to save her people and how much of herself she’s willing to sacrifice to become queen.
Wow. What a great book!
Thora is known as the Ash Princess in her conquered kingdom. Tortured for years under the cruel Kaiser, she waits for the day when she’ll finally be rescued and her people free again. However, when she’s forced to do the unthinkable, she realizes the time for waiting is over and starts to use her mind and wits to thwart the Kaiser within his court. The more she uncovers, the more she realizes she–and her people–are running out of time. Betrayal is found around every corner and Theo must learn to trust the right people if she wants to survive.
This was a great, fast paced, YA fantasy! I was hooked from the start. It was really refreshing to see a Fantasy heroine using her mind rather than any special power or physical force to get what she wants. I think we need more of that! Thora or Theo, as she’s later called, was really leakable and I completely related to her on so many levels, as I’m sure many readers will. She’s not the one to go running into danger and often has to convince herself to step into it. I know that’s me all the way.
The supporting characters were great. I loved Theo’s complicated relationship with Cress. I was torn about it through the whole novel. And although there was that dreaded love triangle, I think it was done in such a way that really has me conflicted over who to root for. Some moments I was leaning toward Soren while others, Blaise. They’re both wonderfully tortured and complex characters in themselves and you know me with those tortured characters!
The plot was super tense in all the right ways. Danger loomed around every move and I found myself holding my breath not realizing I was doing so, anxiously waiting to see if my favorite characters would get caught.
I loved the world building and the distinction between the different cultures. I think Ms. Sebastian was able to create some wonderful traditions and societies in her writing. She’s really built a solid foundation that I think will have a huge resonance in the following installments.
I’m anxiously waiting the sequel and can’t wait to have it in my hands! YA Fantasy at its best!
So I wasn’t nearly as productive this month as I was in January (12 books!), but I put in decent 10 with some great rereads of my fav’s! I just ended up having a lot of things going on so not as much time to read. But the ones I did get to, were pretty great, so without further ado, here’s what I read this past month!
Lots of slow burn romances! Considering it was February, I got in the mood for some love stories and nobody does it better than Mariana Zapata. I had been saving up my read of her newest books for a while now, and they did NOT disappoint. Plus, her latest, From Lukov With Love, was the perfect book to read during the Winter Olympics since it was ALL about figure skating! Following Mariana’s books, I was on a slow burn romance kick and needed a fix. I found P. Dangelico and they were the perfect respite to sink into. I think I loved Amber’s story the best so far, but I highly recommend them both. Then, I needed an old familiar friend to hang out with so I reread some of the Protector of the Small series by Tamora Pierce. It’s like curling up with a blanket and a mug of tea. Her books are just comfort. Then I FINALLY got to reading Rebel of the Sands and really liked it. I just started Traitor to the Throne and Hero at the Fall comes out today! So I will most likely be finishing these this week, especially with the impending snow storm. Perfect opportunity to curl up with a book! What did you read in February?
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Title: To Kill a Kingdom
Author: Alexandra Christo
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Fairytale Retelling
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Publication Date: March 6, 2018
Pages: 384Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most—a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian’s heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever.
The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavory hobby—it’s his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she’s more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good—But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind’s greatest enemy?
A retelling of The Little Mermaid?? I’m there.
Princess Lira is daughter to the Sea Queen and known as the Princes’ Bane. With her collection of only royal prince hearts, many throughout the land fear her. When she commits an unthinkable crime in the sea world, her mother punishes her by turning her into a human and giving her the task of killing the Midas Prince–without her song. Meanwhile, Prince Elian would much rather be on his pirate ship killing Sirens rather than acting like a Prince. He’s on a mission to rid all the kingdoms of Sirens. When their paths meet, these two royals on opposite sides of a war must decide whose fate they really fight for.
Ok so I did enjoy this–with some reservations. I love The Little Mermaid retelling aspect because it’s one of my favorite stories. The viewpoints switch between Elian and Lira and though I enjoyed hearing from these two characters, I wasn’t so enthralled with them. Lira, simply due to her nature, was a tough character to root for and while she has redeeming qualities, for the majority of the book I was torn about her.
Elian in contrast is very much the self-sacrificing hero you can get behind, but at the same time his actions in never wanting to act the prince were a bit annoying and selfish. Ok. I get it. You’d much rather be out on the ocean doing what you want. Well, we can’t always do what we want, buddy.
Like I said, I enjoyed these two, especially when they were bantering with one another, but I wasn’t completely behind them as characters. The rest of the supporting cast was amusing, but there wasn’t much to them either. I would have liked to have seen a bit more development with the secondary characters. Even the villainous Sea Queen was a bit predictable and trite. Cruel and sick in the head, but trite.
Plot wise, it moved pretty well and I especially loved the world building. Seeing the variety of kingdoms and cultures really had me wanting more! I loved learning all the history behind the different kingdoms and I’m hoping we get a prequel! The ending wrapped up nicely (almost too nicely for my taste) and I read this while on a cruise so it was the perfect read for my surroundings!
Overall, I enjoyed it. I just would have asked for a little more (besides the obvious) from the characters.
Title: Tess of the Road
Author: Rachel Hartman
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: February 27, 2018
Pages: 544In the medieval kingdom of Goredd, women are expected to be ladies, men are their protectors, and dragons get to be whomever they want. Tess, stubbornly, is a troublemaker. You can’t make a scene at your sister’s wedding and break a relative’s nose with one punch (no matter how pompous he is) and not suffer the consequences. As her family plans to send her to a nunnery, Tess yanks on her boots and sets out on a journey across the Southlands, alone and pretending to be a boy.
Where Tess is headed is a mystery, even to her. So when she runs into an old friend, it’s a stroke of luck. This friend is a quigutl–a subspecies of dragon–who gives her both a purpose and protection on the road. But Tess is guarding a troubling secret. Her tumultuous past is a heavy burden to carry, and the memories she’s tried to forget threaten to expose her to the world in more ways than one.
Rachel Hartman has done it again people!
Trouble maker Tess has always been a headache to her family. After punching her cousin at her sister’s wedding and learning that her family plans to send her to a nunnery, she realizes it’s time to take matters into her own hands for once and leaves home disguised as a boy. She meets Pathka, her quigutl friend from childhood and together they embark on an epic adventure, just like they used to dream about as children. However Tess’s past has a way of catching up with her and she must learn to face these nightmares that she’s kept dormant for so long. Only then will she be able to truly move on.
Oh I loved this book so much!! I mean, I loved Seraphina, but I think I just loved Tess’s story even more. She has gone through some horrible things in her life and she learns to overcome them. Making mistakes along the way and helping others as well. I think I loved it so much because of how flawed Tess was. She’s far from a demure young lady and is the first to tell you that. She’s quick to anger and often spites herself because of that. I loved watching her journey (both figuratively and literally) into becoming more confident and allowing herself to finally forgive herself. There are so many characters along the way that it would be too many to mention here, but each one is complex and brings their own story that helps shape Tess.
The plot moved quite nicely. There wasn’t action on each page, but it was really well balanced and every new adventure Tess faces is there for a reason. There are no real “villains” per se (although there are some really nasty characters that you wouldn’t mind seeing getting their comeuppance). It’s more about how Tess views these characters and their actions or, more importantly, the reasons behind them.
I need more of Tess’s story immediately. It was such a vivid and wonderful narrative of somebody who is deeply in pain and taking that one last shot to help themselves. Its the book that every person needs to read, if only because we’ve all gone through our own hells and could all benefit from taking a journey on the road with Tess.
Episode 1:
Me: I have tums next to me.
Am I gonna watch Sam die right away?????
Omg a lot of screaming.
And swords.
Sam! Ur alive!
He’s gonna die isn’t he???
A: No idea!
Me: YES YOU DO YOU LIAR.
A: Let’s find out!
Me: 
Aaaaand it’s a head holding a body.
No sam don’t turn around!!
OMG!!!
YES GHOST!!!!
Omg I’m taking tums.
A: Bahahaha
Me: There’s a freaking giant.
There’s a giant.
A: Indeed there is.
Me: Personally I think he looks rugged with the scar on his face.
A: So dashing.
Me: I never noticed this guy didn’t have fingers.
Everybody is dead? Was this the fort that Arya escaped from?
A: It was indeed.
Me: I guess the Lannisters killed everybody before they left?
A: I think they did.
Me: Tyrion’s father is such a prick
A: But he’s so COOL
Me: This red *itch needs to leave.
Please tell me somebody kills her by the end of the season.
A: Yum!
Me: Who’s this ass following Khaleesi in a cloak.
Oh he just saved her.
Ummm the kid just disappeared.
Wtf?!
Oh I knew he looked familiar!!!
Ok ep 2!
Episode 2:
Me: It’s the guy from love actually!
J: lol, yeoup. All grown up.
A: This is a rollercoaster trying to keep up with what you’re talking about.
Jojen showed up, I assume?
Me: We don’t know a name. He was in a dream. With Bran.
A: Ahaaa
Yep ok.
Me: Who took theon?
I mean granted he’s an idiot but I don’t want to watch a torture scene.
J: This is for us to know and for you to cringe about.
Me: That was gross.
A: Oh don’t worry, there’s like…zero torture this season, right?
Me:
Oh it’s the pirate from pirates of the Caribbean!
Jojan has come out of the dream.
A: Noice
Me: Nasty torture scene.
A: Wooo!
Fun times
Me: I was wondering what happened to the hound.
Ok Jaime’s storyline is annoying me.
A: Wut! Whyyyy?
Me: Oh it just got interesting. I hope Brianne kicks his ass.
J: Lol
A: Haha
Me: Oooo and they capture him.
Ok next one.
Episode 3:
Me: OMG it’s Frank from Outlander!!
And he can’t shoot an arrow for shit.
A: Hahaha yes indeed.
Me: He’s an idiot.
A: A bit, yeah he is.
Me: Haha you drag that chair Tyrion.
Wtf with the horses!?
Sam’s gonna do something stupid with this woman giving birth.
I still don’t understand who took Theon.
Ugh it’s the red *itch again.
Khaleesi what plan do you have in store?! U can’t give away ur dragon!
J: She’s cray, right?
Me: Cray cray
Podric u sexy devil you 
Theon u better run u ass
A: His name is TRI-Podric
Me: 
Oooop and they got Theon.
Oh and he’s dead.
J: Lol
Me: Not Theon. The guy trying to rape him.
Ok who is this guy who saved him??
A: A nice boy from the show Misfits, I think.
Me: OMG!!!
Did they chop off Jaime’s fingers?!
I fast forwarded cause I wasn’t watching that *hit.
Did they!?!
J: Think bigger, luv.
Me: His hand?!?
His ARM?????
J: His sword hand.
Me: OMG
Nasty
Yeah I’m glad I fast forwarded that.
Ok next one.
Episode 4:
Me: I just told Robby I have a feeling Dany is gonna tell these obedient soldiers she bought to kill all the slave owners and she’s gonna free all the slaves.
That’s my predication now.
A: What number episode?
Me: Ummm
I think we’re up to 4
Ewwww they put the hand around him.
OMG EWWWW WHAT THE *UCK IS IN HIS MOUTH
A: Hehe
Me: WHAT THE *UCK
he brought him back.
OMG some twisted *hit
A: Awww yeah
Beric?
Me: Robby says his name is Ramsey?
The guy with Theon.
J: lol, oh yeah
I thought that might be what you were talking about but didn’t want to drop any spoilers
A: I was thinking of a different “brought back”
carry on.
Me: That is some weird messed up head twisting.
A: He enjoys his games
Me: Margery is SO manipulative.
I mean it’s a talent.
Oh *hit is gonna go down.
OH *HIT
FINALLY THE ASS DIES
OMG THEY KILLED THE COMMANDER
RUN SAM!!!
Ok it’s a *hit show
Oh jeez. Another lord of light fanatic.
I KNEW she knew the language.
CALLED IT
A: Haha nice
Me: She’s got her army 
Ep. 5
A: Awww yissss
J: I love her mic drop at the end of that episode.
Me: Haha yes! With the whip!
Episode 5:
Me: Who’s this dude with the fire sword??
Wtf?! He came back to life??
EWW
his hand!! Ewww
A: This is wonderful
Me: Nasty
No gendry and arya!
OMG this dude killed a boy!!!!
Rob don’t do it. U need this ass.
Rob rob rob. Not a good choice
OMG SHE PRESERVED HER SONS?!?!
A: Say what?
Me: Stanis’ wife
She is messed up in the head.
He has a daughter?
A: Ahhhh ok.
And yes.
Me: Awww!!! What happened to her face?!
Poor Jaime
A: #bestcharacter
Me: I’m loving this little dragon girl.
Sansa and TYRION?!?!
Bahaha Cersi
Oh *hit went down in this episode.
A: Damn right yo.
Episode 6:
Me: Awww Sam.
Ugh the red *itch again.
A: You seem to not care for her.
Me: She’s annoying.
WHAT IS SHE DOING WITH GENDRY
I hope Arya kills this *itch.
OMG I’m getting vertigo from this wall climbing scene
OMG this Ramsey dude. I don’t know if I can watch these scenes.
A: Hahaha
Yeah he’s a real little scamp
Me: Yeah I skipped half gay scene.
*that haha
A: They don’t do anything half gay in this show, dammit
Me: Hahaha
“A sword swallower through and through”
A: Damn right
Me: I can’t get over that Mr. Lancelot is the Iron Fist.
J: He’s much better in this.
A: Oh definitely
Me: Geoffrey just killed that whore!
J: Yeah, that made me super sad.
She was great.
Me: Why was Sansa crying? Robby won’t tell me. Cause she has to marry Tyrion?
Yeah cause she has to marry Tyrion.
But he’s my favorite.
Episode 7:
Me: Ok episode 7 season 3! Booya!
You know nothing jon snow–is that like her catch phrase?
J: Pretty much.
A: Haha yup
Me: Ooop she’s preggers. But I bet she dies. Rob can never get a happy ending.
Mr pirate. U have no chance to Jon Snow.
A: There’s always happy endings in GoT
Right?
Me:
A: Haha
Mr Pirate?
Me: The wildling who awas in pirates of the Caribbean.
A: Ahh ok!
Me: Haha Tywin just schooled Geoffrey.
Hahaha Khaleesi. Love her.
Ugh the red *itch again. 
The hound!!
A: Wooo!!
He rules
Me: OMG are they like gonna chop off his penis!? I don’t trust these whores.
Something’s gonna happen.
I don’t trust them.
I knew it.
Ramsey ur so messed up in the head.
A: He’s just misunderstood.
Me: I fast forwarded I don’t know if he chopped it off or not.
I couldn’t watch.
A: He did.
Me: OMG
I’m loving this Jaime/Brianne thing.
OMG it’s a bear.
That was a really tense scene.
That was an intense episode.
I totally ship Jaime and Brianne. That needs to happen.
A: I loved the bear scene.
Episode 8:
Me: Ok ep 8
The description says King’s landing hosts a wedding.
Is this the red wedding?!
J: Not saying.
Me: 
If that red *itch kills gendry we’re gonna have words.
Oh wait is it SANSA’S wedding?? Not the red wedding???
Hahaha Cersi. She calls Margery on her *hit.
OMG poor Tyrion. 
Geoffry is a *ick.
Gendry don’t do it! The red *itch be cray cray! Stay away!!
DON’T TRUST HER
SHE’S GOING TO KILL YOU. STOP THINKING WITH THE HEAD BELOW YOUR WAIST AND START THINKING WITH UR HEAD ABOVE UR SHOULDERS.
A: Bahahaha
Me: Geoffrey you dip *hit.
J: Lol
Me: HAHAHAHA TYRION
This wedding night scene is equally disturbing and heartbreaking.
What’s with all the crows?
OMG Sam don’t die! Who’s this *ucker!
He shattered like glass
That was intense.
Only 2 more episodes left of this season!
Ok one more.
Episode 9:
Me: “Here we are alive”–don’t jinx it u idiot girl!
A: Wooo
Great episodes
Me: Hodor calm down!!!!
Oh man. Bran is gonna see jon kill the guy.
Jon u idiot. Why did u hit Ygrette
OMG the *ucking eagle!!!
HE LEFT HER
JON SNOW YOU KNOW NOTHING
J: Oh yes he did.
A: This is gold.
Me: Where the hell did all these giraffe come from??? [yeah, I have no idea what I said there]
Watch the daughter is gonna be pretty
Yep. She’s gorgeous.
A: What??
Me: The one the uncle is marrying.
Filch’s daughter
The guy from Harry Potter
The one with the bridge.
A: Ahhh ok.
Yeah she’s hot.
J: Frey
A: Robb missed out on that
Me: He did.
Oooo Bran. Ur powerful.
A: Bran is a beast.
But no legs.
Me: 
Haha jealous much mr advisor?
So many weddings this season!!
Uh oh. Who’s this dude??
Wait what’s happening??
I’m confused. Something’s happening?
Why is the wolf locked up?
A: Hmm?
Me: Omg Bolton is gonna do something.
Somebody is gonna do something. *UCK OMG
A: >.>
Me: OH MY GOD!!!!!
OH MY GOD!!!
A: <.<
Me: Omg they killed the wolf!!!
Oh dear lord above!!!
Catlyn.
A: Episode over?
Me: Not yet.
Catlyn is pleading for him to walk out.
HOLY *HIT ON HIGH
HE DIES?!?!?
BOLTON YOU *UCKING *ICK
EVERYBODY IS A *ICK
OH MY GOD!!!
A: And who are you? The proud lord said, that I must bow so low. Only a cat of a different coat, is all the truth I know. A coat of gold, a coat of red. A lion still has claws.
Me: Catlyn!!
A: And mine are long and sharp, my lord
Me:
A: As long and sharp as yours.
Me: I can’t!!!!!
This episode!!!!
J: The Lannisters send their regards
Me:
A: Welcome to the real members area
Haha
J: Lol
Me:
A: Hahahaha
Me: WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED!?!?!?!
A: This was such an amazing experience for me, I just have to say.
Me: 
J: Yeah, this was truly special.
Me: 
A: Bahahaha
J: For the record, Antony and I have been waiting for this moment with baited breath ever since this thread began.
We’ve pretty much been living for tonight.
Me: You’re both sick bastards.
I’m literally sitting in shock.
Like absolute shock.
J: Go to YouTube and look up Red Wedding Reactions. It’ll make you feel better.
A: God, this was so worth the payoff.
Me: OH DEAR LORD. ROBBY JUST TOLD ME THAT WAS THE RED WEDDING.
J: Yeah. Yeah.
Me: I THOUGHT THE RED WEDDING WAS GONNA BE GEOFFREY’S WEDDING!!
A: ‘Twas indeed
Me: I WASN’T PREPARED FOR THIS!!!
A: Hahaha nooooope
J: No one was.
A: Damn right
Me: Robby’s just laughing at me.
J: We’re laughing with you.
Me: “You’re so three years behind. This was like 5 years ago, Cristina. Nobody gives a *hit anymore”
I thought the red wedding was Margery’s family killing everybody.
Robby just laughed at me.
A: Awwww
I’m so sorry
J: Welcome to the world, my dear. It is a cruel and unjust place.
Me: Robby just continues to laugh at me and I’m huddled on the couch.
A: Tell Robby he’s awesome for me.
Me:
Robby just snapped that of me. And that’s literally how I am.
I just.
J: Yeop.
It’s so brutal.
The way the dude just unceremoniously ends Catlyn at the end…
Me: I KNOW.
And I even KNEW that the guy from cold play was in this wedding scene cause of the red nose video. And I saw him and I thought “Oh why is he here too? I guess he’s in both weddings”
I’m an idiot.
A: Hahaha nawww
It really catches you off guard.
Me: The starks are dropping like flies.
J: Yeeeeoup.
Me: Robby said that here is where they really start veering from the book.
J: And now you really know that no one is safe
Me: I mean I always knew that but holy moly guacamole.
A: Nahhh not until season 6
Me: I’m literally sitting here debating my life choices. I don’t know how to proceed right now.
Do I watch the next episode?
CAN I watch the next episode?
J: Couldn’t hurt.
Me: Or do I watch designated survivor at 10.
J: I say that assuming you are completely numb.
Me: I really am.
Robby’s like
“If ur not watching anything then give me the remote”
Ok yeah no. I’m watching the last episode.
Ok. Starting the next one.
Completely numb.
J: Good work, friend.
A: Awww yisss get it.
Episode 10:
Me: And the army is dead. Or dying.
I LOVE TYRION.
A: He’s a bonafide G
Me: Geoffrey is such a *uck twit.
A: Fo real dawg
Me: Tywin u ass wipe
Somebody better kill Filch.
And kill him good.
A: Who can say what’ll happen
Certainly not me.
Me:
A: Mwahahaha
Me: Oh jeez. It’s Ramsey again.
He’s so messed up. Somebody better kill him too.
A: He’s so dreamy though
You get the Red Nose Day jokes now right?
When Alfie walks in and stares at him.
Me: Haha yeah.
Awww reek.
YIIISSSSS SIS!!!!
Also why does Bran have to go get this raven. Raven you’ve got *ucking wings. Fly to Bran.
OMG she shot him!
3 times!!!!
Never scorn a lady jon snow. You really know nothing.
They’re gonna kill gendry!?
No go escape!! Be free!
This red *itch.
Ok episode done.
Finished season 3.
And WHAT a season.
A: Oh man just saw this.
How was it?
Best season of tv ever
Me:
J: I honestly think 4 is the best season of the series thus far.
So don’t stop now.
Me: Well I can’t stop after THAT season. As long as they don’t kill of Tyrion I’ll keep watching. He’s my fav character.
J: Don’t say “favorite character!” Those are the magic words that bring forth the Game of Thrones Gods’ wrath!
Me: 
A: Hahaha
And that’s it for Season 3. I survived…Barely. Can’t say the same for many of the characters though.
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Title: Daughter of the Siren Queen (Daughter of the Pirate King #2)
Author: Tricia Levenseller
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Publication Date: February 27, 2018
Pages: 352Alosa’s mission is finally complete. Not only has she recovered all three pieces of the map to a legendary hidden treasure, but the pirates who originally took her captive are now prisoners on her ship. Still unfairly attractive and unexpectedly loyal, first mate Riden is a constant distraction, but now he’s under her orders. And she takes great comfort in knowing that the villainous Vordan will soon be facing her father’s justice.
When Vordan exposes a secret her father has kept for years, Alosa and her crew find themselves in a deadly race with the feared Pirate King. Despite the danger, Alosa knows they will recover the treasure first . . . after all, she is the daughter of the Siren Queen.
This was a fun, adventurous conclusion to a duology for any Jack Sparrow fan!
We pick up our story right after the events of Daughter of the Pirate King. Alosa has managed to pull off the impossible and gain all three pieces of the treasured map her father so desperately wanted. She’s looking forward to the day when she finally gets to bask in the treasure and see her nemesis, Vordan pay for what he did to her. However, when she learns of a secret her father has been keeping from her for years, Alosa must finally decide where her true loyalties lie.
So I really enjoyed this duology as a whole and this was a perfect conclusion to a fun, pirate-y tale! Alosa is such a great character. She’s strong, vulnerable, ruthless, conniving, passionate, and infuriating. She’s a pirate in the traditional sense that she enjoys staying on the wrong side of the law and getting what she wants, but her loyalty and devotion to her crew are what keep her human. We really see her grappling with this dual personality of hers–her human side and her siren side–in this conclusion. I loved her interaction with Riden and that of her crew. We see a different side of her than we did in Daughter of the Pirate King just through her interaction with them.
I loved the addition of her crew in this one. They were all great fun with journeys and stories of their own. I do wish that some of them were a little more fleshed out, but they were still enjoyable. Riden and his brother’s story line are, in my opinion, glanced over. I feel like that could have been fleshed out a little more. Also, without getting spoiler-y, I was a little put off by the Siren Queen storyline and her interaction with Alosa. It was almost too cookie cutter perfect. I would have enjoyed a little more tension than what was presented.
The action is in keeping with that of the first book–fast-paced, fun, humorous, dangerous–everything you want out of a pirate book! It definitely kept me turning the page.
Fans won’t be disappointed in how Alosa’s story is concluded–I definitely wasn’t!
Title: Tempests and Slaughter (The Numair Chronicles #1)
Author: Tamora Pierce
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: February 6, 2018
Pages: 480Arram. Varice. Ozorne. In the first book in the Numair Chronicles, three student mages are bound by fate . . . fated for trouble.
Arram Draper is a boy on the path to becoming one of the realm’s most powerful mages. The youngest student in his class at the Imperial University of Carthak, he has a Gift with unlimited potential for greatness–and for attracting danger. At his side are his two best friends: Varice, a clever girl with an often-overlooked talent, and Ozorne, the “leftover prince” with secret ambitions. Together, these three friends forge a bond that will one day shape kingdoms. And as Ozorne gets closer to the throne and Varice gets closer to Arram’s heart, Arram begins to realize that one day soon he will have to decide where his loyalties truly lie.
In the Numair Chronicles, readers will be rewarded with the never-before-told story of how Numair Salmalín came to Tortall. Newcomers will discover an unforgettable fantasy adventure where a kingdom’s future rests on the shoulders of a talented young man with a knack for making vicious enemies.
I have been waiting for this book since I was 15. I’m not exaggerating.
In Tempests and Slaughter we begin our journey with Arram Draper before he became Numair Salmalin. When he was still a student studying at the University of Carthak and was best friends with the future Emperor Ozorne and Varice Kingsford. This is the beginning of everything for Arram/Numair.
Ok. First, let me preface this and say I will read and love anything Tamora Pierce writes. Her books first got me into Fantasy and they’ve just shaped me so much as a human being so I might be a bit biased, but as always, I will try and be as objective in my review as possible. That being said, I really enjoyed this first foray into the world of young Arram Draper. I had one or two issues with the story overall, but on the whole, I think it did everything it was supposed to do for a first installment.
I loved seeing Arram as a young boy, growing into a young man. It was amusing to see since we see him watch Daine grow throughout the Immortals Quartet; it was a wonderful mirror to look into this time around. I’m not sure about Varice Kingsford. Firstly, I never really liked her in Emperor’s Mage cause REASONS, but she still seems to be the insipid person she was back then even with the intelligence we see in this installment.
The young Ozorne we see now is definitely a complex character. We see glimpses of who he will become and some of the reasons why, but we also see the friend that Arram treasured and Numair mourned which was sad.
I think my main issue I had with this book was plot was, not much happened.
We mostly see them taking different classes at the University and that’s mainly it. There are a few mysterious things that happen which lean toward the conspiracy side of things, but they mainly act as a tool to set up plot points that will probably have more of an impact in later installments. I think that was really my main issue with the story overall. I would have preferred a little more action plot-wise.
Honestly, if you’re a Tamora Pierce fan, this book is already sold to you. If you haven’t read any of her books yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! She is the QUEEN of YA Fantasy and she blazed a trail for so many of our favorite writers today. This newest installment to her Tortall universe only cements why.
Title: Reign the Earth (The Elementae #1)
Author: A.C. Gaughen
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication Date: January 30, 2018
Pages: 448Shalia is a proud daughter of the desert, but after years of devastating war with the adjoining kingdom, her people are desperate for peace. Willing to trade her freedom to ensure the safety of her family, Shalia becomes Queen of the Bonelands.
But she soon learns that her husband, Calix, is motivated only by his desire to exterminate the Elementae—mystical people who can control earth, wind, air, and fire. Even more unsettling are Shalia’s feelings for her husband’s brother, which unleash a power over the earth she never knew she possessed—a power that could get her killed. As rumors of a rebellion against Calix spread, Shalia must choose between the last chance for peace and her own future as an Elementae.
This intense, richly drawn high-fantasy by the author of Scarlet will hold readers spellbound.
Oh. My. Goodness. This book was just sheer brilliance.
A daughter of the desert, Shalia agrees to marry the Calix, King of the Trifectate, in order to secure peace between their lands. However, soon after they’re married, Shalia realizes that Calix is not a merciful and just ruler, but is solely motivated by his hatred for the Elementae and their extinction. When Shalia discovers she herself is an Earth Elementae she must chose between the man she’s supposed to love, her people, and her very survival.
I am still in awe of this book. Guys. It was SO GOOD. It was the first book I read for 2018 and I’m hoping that’s a sign because if every book is as good as this one, it’s going to be a fantastic year! I loved Shalia. Talk about an emotional journey of growth. She truly lives through horrors and comes out stronger because of them. She was such a wonderful character to watch come alive on the page. She had you rooting for her from day one–crying with her, laughing with her. All the characters were like that though.
A.C. Gaughen definitely has a talent for writing complex, unique characters. I loved the brooding and serious Galen and their slow burn romance. I often found myself tensing up with anticipation every time they had a scene together.
Her funny and charismatic brother Kairos is an all-time favorite of mine. I have a feeling there’s going to be even more backstory revealed about her other brother Rian and her best friend Kata. I can’t wait. I have to say though, I think what stuck with me the most and just brought this story to a whole other level was our nasty villain, Calix. Wow. Talk about abusive mind tricks. I loved every minute of it, but more so, I loved how Gaughen was able to show the horrors of an abusive relationship in an honest and upfront manner, especially in a YA book. Brava.
The story kept moving at a fast pace because the characters’ relationships had you turning the page, dying to know what will happen to them next. I loved the wonderful feminist elements throughout the story, especially through Shalia, but also the characters surrounding her. It was a complicated world that Gaughan built and she manages to introduce three very different cultures brilliantly. I’m hoping to see more of that in the upcoming books.
You definitely don’t want to miss this one guys. Pre-order it, buy it, get it at the library, but make sure you read it the day it comes out. It’s the kind of story that leaves you feeling like you can do anything because you refuse to take any BS–from anybody.
Title: By the Book
Author: Julia Sonneborn
Genre: Chick Lit, Women’s Fiction, Contemporary
Publisher: Gallery Books
Publication Date: February 6, 2018
Pages: 384An English professor struggling for tenure discovers that her ex-fiancé has just become the president of her college—and her new boss—in this whip-smart modern retelling of Jane Austen’s classic Persuasion.
Anne Corey is about to get schooled.
An English professor in California, she’s determined to score a position on the coveted tenure track at her college. All she’s got to do is get a book deal, snag a promotion, and boom! She’s in. But then Adam Martinez—her first love and ex-fiancé—shows up as the college’s new president.
Anne should be able to keep herself distracted. After all, she’s got a book to write, an aging father to take care of, and a new romance developing with the college’s insanely hot writer-in-residence. But no matter where she turns, there’s Adam, as smart and sexy as ever. As the school year advances and her long-buried feelings begin to resurface, Anne begins to wonder whether she just might get a second chance at love.
Funny, smart, and full of heart, this modern ode to Jane Austen’s classic explores what happens when we run into the demons of our past…and when they turn out not to be so bad, after all.
I love me some Jane Austen. Always have. Always will. So when I saw that this was a modern retelling of one of my favorites–Persuasion–I grabbed it. As enjoyable as it was at times, it did fall short of my expectations.
Anne Corey is trying to make the tenure track at Fairfax University by landing a coveted book deal. She’s shocked to find out, however, that her ex-fiancé, Adam Martinez, was appointed as the new President of her college. Anne is determined to stay focused on her job, her new love life with the hot writer in residence, and her family. Life has other plans for her though, which makes her wonder if there really is such a thing as a second chance in love.
This had a lot going for it (Ummm it was based on Jane Austen so, DUH), but as much as I liked the nod to it’s inspiration, it failed in a few things.
I really liked Anne. She was a great MC for me. Determined, a bit flawed, caring, and fun. She was what really kept me reading. My main issue with this book was the rest of the characters and the lack of character development. All the secondary characters seemed trite to me and rather cliché. Her best friend, Larry, was almost a parody at times and Rick, the hot writer in residence, you could read right through. Adam was ok. I say that because there really wasn’t much else there. He just happened to randomly show up at different points in the novel and interact with Anne. We see some glimpses into their shared history, but it all seemed a bit forced. I just couldn’t get behind any of them.
The plot moved at a good pace, but it didn’t necessarily keep me turning the page (partly because I already had a basic premise of what was going to happen).
I did enjoy this, but it wasn’t necessarily my favorite Jane Austen retelling. Was it horrible? No. It’s a fun, cute, story that gives a nod to one of history’s most famous female writers. I just would have liked a bit more originality.
