Empire Of Night

Title: Empire Of Night

Author: Kelly Armstrong

First Published: 2015

Series: Age of Legends (Book 2)

Genre: Fantasy, YA

Available As: Hardcover, paperback, ebook

My Rating: 8.5/10

Goodreads Summary:

Sisters Moria and Ashyn are the Keeper and Seeker of Edgewood.

Or at least, they were. Their village is gone. Their friends have betrayed them. And now, the emperor has sent them on a mission to rescue the children of Edgewood—accompanied by Prince Tyrus and a small band of imperial warriors. But the journey proves more perilous than they could have imagined. With treachery and unrest mounting in the empire, Moria and Ashyn will have to draw on all their influence and power to overcome deadly enemies—not all of them human—and even avert an all-out war.

This is a thrilling sequel to Sea Of Shadows! Following the stories of Moria and Ashyn, we see the empire fall into darkness and war. Everything seems to be twisted and what we thought we knew turns out to be a lie.

New ship coming through! Tyrus and Moria. Wait a second... what happened to Gavril and Moria? That ship sunk deeper than the Titanic. Tyrus is everything Moria wants, and it's obvious that she has feelings for the prince. Ashyn and Ronan were not a major ship in this book (not that I minded). I was really intrigued to see the developing relationship of Tyrus and Moria's, and I wonder who she'll end up with - if she ends up with anyone at all! The twins seem so independent, so I wouldn't be surprised if they decide to end all romantic relationships after the last book.

During the book, Moria was held captive by Alvar and Gavril. This gives her plenty of time to dwell on things and think things through. That causes her hate to bubble to the surface. She despises Gavril - she constantly reminds him that he betrayed her and how she would murder him any chance she gets. Harsh!

I really hope that Moria will sort things out with Gavril because I think he's hiding a deeper secret for why he's helping his father. I may be wrong (and I think I'm  90% wrong), but I really hope my theory is the case. We're not getting any straight answers from Gavril, so I think he's hiding something. Plus, he kept reminding Moria in Sea Of Shadows to always remember that he betrayed her. Why? I'd like to know!

So, this series is a refreshing new trilogy to the YA Fantasy books I read nowadays. Romance isn't the main focus of the book, unlike many other YA novels. There aren't any of the cliché creatures like vampires, werewolves, etc. but rather creatures that we've never even heard of before. It's awesome!

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Feature Follow!

Hi everyone!

Here's a Feature Follow, where you can follow anyone you like and they'll follow you back! Sound fun? :)

This is hosted by Alison and Parajunkee, so you can go check them out!

If you want, you can follow me via Blogger, Goodreads, Blogloving' or Google+! If you do, just let me know and I'll return the favour!

So... this week's question is: if you could have three wishes granted, what would they be?

1. A large library with all books in existence.
2. A first edition copy of Alice in Wonderland
3. Go back in time to meet J.D. Salinger

So... hope you're interested in this feature follow. Have a great day!

I Mustache You Some Questions

So, I got bored! And I saw the tag I Mustache You Some Questions on Caroline Stadler's Just Another Bookish Blog and Erika Gold's Books, Stars, Writing. And Everything in Between. I thought it would be fun!

1. Four jobs I would like to have?

- Travel writer. It sounds fun and who doesn't want to travel?

- Photographer

- Author

- Food critic (because I like food :P)

2. Four movies I have watched more than once?

- Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl

- Mean Girls

- Toy Story

- The Sixth Sense

3. Four books I would recommend?

- There Will Be Lies by Nick Lake

- More Than This by Patrick Ness

- The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

- Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck

4. Four places I've visited?

- Paris, France

- Hokkaido, Japan

- Melbourne, Australia

- Phuket, Thailand

5. Four things I don't eat?

- Pickles

- 1000 year old eggs

- Chicken feet

- Caviar

6. Four of my favourite foods?

- Spaghetti

- Ice cream, preferably vanilla :)

- Cheese

- Risotto

7. Four television shows I watch?

- Supernatural

- Pretty Little Liars

- Once Upon A Time

- (I can't think of a fourth one)

8. Four things I'm looking forward to this year?

- Book releases

- Movie adaptations of my favourite books

- (That's about it)

9. Four people to tag?

- I don't have friends that haven't already done this, so... feel free to do it if you like! 

Bye for now :)

Cloe

Sea Of Shadows

"But we have time to waste."

Title: Sea Of Shadows

Author: Kelly Armstrong

First Published: 2014

Series: Age of Legends (Book 1)

Genre: Fantasy, YA

Available As: Hardcover, paperback, ebook

My Rating: 9/10

Goodreads Summary:

In the Forest of the Dead, where the empire’s worst criminals are exiled, twin sisters Moria and Ashyn are charged with a dangerous task. For they are the Keeper and the Seeker, and each year they must quiet the enraged souls of the damned.

Only this year, the souls will not be quieted.

Ambushed and separated by an ancient evil, the sisters’ journey to find each other sends them far from the only home they’ve ever known. Accompanied by a stubborn imperial guard and a dashing condemned thief, the girls cross a once-empty wasteland, now filled with reawakened monsters of legend, as they travel to warn the emperor. But a terrible secret awaits them at court—one that will alter the balance of their world forever.

Wow! This book was amazing. I was pulled into the story from the first page. With danger at every corner, Moria and Ashyn were pushed to their limits. Fighting legendary monsters and dealing with an ancient evil will not be easy. For half of the book, Moria and Ashyn were separated, each accompanied by a boy. Moria was with Gavril and Ashyn with Ronan. Both equally interesting boys with different pasts.

The book is told in third person, but it jumps from what is happening to Moria to what is happening to Ashyn. Most of the time, I found myself thinking: Come on! I don't care, get back to [insert one of the twins names here]. The focus point ends with a cliffhanger, and then jumps to the other.

But one thing that irked me in the book was the introduction of completely irrelevant characters. For example, in the beginning, there were many characters (that I don't remember the names of anymore) that were introduced and were given detailed backstories, but have them die in the next chapter. Also,  Tova and Daigo? They are the loyal and dedicated companions for the Keeper and Seeker, but they don't seem to do much. Apart from warning them of danger and (sometimes) protecting their Keeper/Seeker. So I guess that counts as something.

Moria and Ashyn are polar opposites. Moria is the reckless twin that does what she wants and doesn't give two flying bats what anyone else thinks. Ashyn is more reserved, but does have her brave times. But we don't really see the two working together as an effective team. The most effective team is probably Moria and Gavril, but look at how that turned out...

I'm not sure if romance is meant to play a big part in the story, but it is hinted for sure. I think Ronan has a crush on Ashyn - and vice versa. Moria probably doesn't like Gavril (yet!) and I have no idea what Gavril wants.

Speaking of Gavril... Is he doing it for himself? Or is there a deeper reason why? I guess we'll find out in the next book!

My Chosen Quote

“Curiosity is what lets a young mind grow and keeps an old mind young.”

Pines

Title: Pines

"For every perfect little town,
there's something ugly underneath.
No dream without the
nightmare."

Author: Blake Crouch

First Published: 2012

Series: Wayward Pines Trilogy (Book 1)

Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Sci-Fi

Available As: Paperback, ebook, audiobook

My Rating: 8.5/10

Goodreads Summary

Secret service agent Ethan Burke arrives in Wayward Pines, Idaho, with a clear mission: locate and recover two federal agents who went missing in the bucolic town one month earlier. But within minutes of his arrival, Ethan is involved in a violent accident. He comes to in a hospital, with no ID, no cell phone, and no briefcase. The medical staff seems friendly enough, but something feels…off. As the days pass, Ethan’s investigation into the disappearance of his colleagues turns up more questions than answers. Why can’t he get any phone calls through to his wife and son in the outside world? Why doesn’t anyone believe he is who he says he is? And what is the purpose of the electrified fences surrounding the town? Are they meant to keep the residents in? Or something else out? Each step closer to the truth takes Ethan further from the world he thought he knew, from the man he thought he was, until he must face a horrifying fact—he may never get out of Wayward Pines alive.

I only started this book because I saw the trailer for the TV show come on. I know right? Oops. I'll try not to give anything away or else there would be no point to the book.

Ethan was on a mission to find two of his colleagues who were last on a mission in this town not very long ago. Once there, he finds both of them - but in completely different situations. One of them (called Kate) is living a happy life with her husband, and seems to have aged 15 years. The other? Dead. This springs up a whole new mass of questions as Ethan struggles to find out what happened as well as trying to find a way out of this bizarre town.

The plot was so intriguing. Once I began the first page, it was so hard to put down! The books begins with Ethan waking up in an isolated town in the middle of nowhere, and at first, he has no memory of anything. We follow Ethan as he tries to piece the mystery together, and at the same time, trying to blend in. Everyone seems to avoiding his questions and there is no way for him to contact his family nor his office. As we sink deeper into the plot, the more questions are revealed. We don't get any answers until the last couple of chapters. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.

Once you finish this book, you'd think "Oh now I know everything!" but you couldn't be more wrong. Everything seems to be resolved in the first book, but then comes the second book. What more could happen? Apparently a lot more.

The Wayward Pines trilogy has been made into a one season TV show on Fox. It's pretty good, but it changes the plot around and dramatises some things. The TV show merges the three books into one season so I strongly recommend reading the trilogy first. But both the trilogy and the show is amazing!

My Chosen Quote

“Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t after you.”

99 Days

Title: 99 Days

Author: Katie Cotugno

First Published: 2015

Series: Stand Alone

Genre: YA, Romance

Available As: Hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook

My Rating: 7/10

Goodreads Summary

Day 1: Julia Donnelly eggs my house my first night back in Star Lake, and that’s how I know everyone still remembers everything—how I destroyed my relationship with Patrick the night everything happened with his brother, Gabe. How I wrecked their whole family. Now I’m serving out my summer like a jail sentence: Just ninety-nine days till I can leave for college, and be done.

Day 4: A nasty note on my windshield makes it clear Julia isn’t finished. I’m expecting a fight when someone taps me on the shoulder, but it’s just Gabe, home from college and actually happy to see me. “For what it’s worth, Molly Barlow,” he says, “I’m really
glad you’re back.”

Day 12: Gabe got me to come to this party, and I’m actually having fun. I think he’s about to kiss me—and that’s when I see Patrick. My Patrick, who’s supposed to be clear across the country. My Patrick, who’s never going to forgive me.

Molly just screwed up big time. Cheating on her boyfriend, with her boyfriend's brother? And then having her own mom turning this into a bestselling book so the whole town finds out? This isn't your dream summer. Now, with 99 days until Molly can leave to college, she just has to endure it. But is it that easy?

I thought this book falls under the category of 'Messed-up Relationships' and 'Annoying Lead Character'. Molly is having a hard time choosing between Patrick and Gabe, the two brothers that she both had a relationship with. And with all her previous friends ignoring her, she finds some new ones. Tess and Imogen treat her kindly, ignoring the past, but Molly still manages to screw it all up. She's happy with Gabe but she still goes back to Patrick. Honestly girl! Make up your mind! What is worse is that Tess is Patrick's current girlfriend. In the end, Tess breaks up with Patrick (partly because of Molly) and stops being friends with Molly. So, she's stuck with no friends.

Which is an absolutely great thing. I'm not trying to sound mean, but Molly really deserved that. She acts like the victim for most of the book, and although she deeply regrets her decisions, she still doesn't do much to solve her problems. Instead, she runs away from them. I'm sorry but Molly got on my nerves throughout the book. She just doesn't really think about how her actions may be affecting the people around her. Fortunately, Molly's character development does end up well. She finally sees her mistakes and vows to be a better friend to others in the future.

Overall, this book was really well written. Told in Molly's POV and each 'chapter' is one of the 99 days until Molly leaves for college. I loved the ending, especially how Molly makes peace with everything and she leaves to start a new life; turn over a new leaf. And that was the best part.

The Beginning of Everything

"There's a big difference between deciding to
leave and knowing where to go."

Title: The Beginning of Everything

Author: Robyn Schneider

First Published: 2013

Series: Stand Alone

Genre: YA, Romance, Contemporary, Coming-of-age

Available As: Hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook

My Rating: 9/10

Goodreads Summary:

Golden boy Ezra Faulkner believes everyone has a tragedy waiting for them—a single encounter after which everything that really matters will happen. His particular tragedy waited until he was primed to lose it all: in one spectacular night, a reckless driver shatters Ezra’s knee, his athletic career, and his social life.

No longer a front-runner for Homecoming King, Ezra finds himself at the table of misfits, where he encounters new girl Cassidy Thorpe. Cassidy is unlike anyone Ezra’s ever met, achingly effortless, fiercely intelligent, and determined to bring Ezra along on her endless adventures.

But as Ezra dives into his new studies, new friendships, and new love, he learns that some people, like books, are easy to misread. And now he must consider: if one’s singular tragedy has already hit and everything after it has mattered quite a bit, what happens when more misfortune strikes?

Ezra Faulker? The popular guy, tennis champion, prom king. Well, that was all in the past. A twist of events leaves Ezra back to square one. No friends, no nothing. Not even the teachers are as fond of him as before.

Then, enter Cassidy Thorpe: the wild, crazy, unique girl- everything Ezra needs to pick up his life and continue living. But of course, not everything turns out as planned and maybe Cassidy will teach Ezra more than he could ever learn in a lifetime.

The Beginning of Everything is told from Ezra's perspective, giving us a clear view of his thoughts, and what goes on in his mind of his. It's a Teen-Fic, if that's what you call it. Ezra slowly develops a crush on Cassidy, hanging out with her group of friends and doing all sorts of crazy stuff together. Cassidy teaches Ezra a lot about life and all the great possibilities it brings. Then, boom! Here comes the tragedy. Ezra finds out (keeping this as vague as possible to avoid spoilers) something that links him to Cassidy, something not so great.

It really depends on how you look at it, but this book does have a happy ending. Well, Romeo and Juliet may not end up together, but sometimes, love may not be the most important thing at this time of your life.

Cassidy, as a character, is like an idol for Ezra. She is the person he believes he can trust whole-heartedly and without limits. But as we progress through the book, we eventually see that we don't know a whole lot about Cassidy and her life before. The mystery just defines her as a character, especially the fact that she is hiding something. She wants to live in the moment, something we should all learn to do.

My Chosen Quote:

“Life is the tragedy,' she said bitterly. 'You know how they categorize Shakespeare's plays, right? If it ends with a wedding, it's a comedy. And if it ends with a funeral, it's a tragedy. So we're all living tragedies, because we all end the same way, and it isn't with a goddamn wedding.”