Book Review: Secret Saturdays

Secret Saturdays by Torrey  Maldonado

Release Date: April 15th, 2010

Publisher: G.P Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Format of Novel: Paperback

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: A poignant look into one fatherless twelve-year-old’s struggles with friendship and trust. Sean is Justin’s best friend, at least Justin thought he was. But lately Sean has been acting differently. Sean’s been telling lies, getting into trouble at school, and hanging out with a tougher crowd, even getting into fights. This isn’t like Sean at all.

When Justin finally discovers that Sean’s been secretly going to visit his father in prison and is dealing with the shame of that, Justin wants to do something to help before his friend spirals further out of control. But what if confronting Sean means Justin loses his very best friend? In the end, he decides it doesn’t matter; he’s got to man up.

Set in one of New York’s most dangerous neighborhoods, Secret Saturdays is an affecting read highlighted by strong characters and an authentic, heartening voice.

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This middle grade story was one of the fastest books I've ever read in a long time. I picked up at the local book festival my old high school had back in May and got it because I wanted to explore diversity and middle grade fiction. This story was about Justin and his two friends who are just reaching teen hood and figuring out what their other friend Sean has been doing while attempting to maintain their 'normal' lifestyle. The entire story involves the 'secret' of Sean's weekend trips and odd behavior when around them, which made the story pretty straightforward once you get into it.

While I did enjoy the simplicity of the story and the little development the main character gains throughout the book, I did have minor problems with it. One I can quickly think of was the general plot. Even though the story is more focused on how the kids are growing up in a rough environment and without fathers; I did have issues with how narrow the overall concept of secrets. I didn't feel that the story was resolve in any shape or form and for a middle grade novel, I feel that kids within that age group would feel the same as well. Another issue I had with this story was the characters, while they quite relatable and young, they were also faded in a way. I mean, the only focused character we get is the narrator Justin and like the other ones, he is at odd standstill, and we don't get to see much growth from him as well. We only got to see bits and pieces of it, but nothing exciting at all.

Overall though, the story was a straightforward read and the message of being honest is quite strong within Maldonado's writing. I believe that the younger age group would enjoy this book. Unfortunately, I'm in my early twenties so I couldn't really enjoy it as much as I wanted too. This book is a great addition to the diversity we need in books, but I wish this was a little bit stronger in terms of plot and the characters had more growth than they did in the short amount of time we got to know them. :)

Book Review: The Body Electric

The Body Electric by Beth Revis

Release Date: October 6th, 2014

Format of Novel: E-book/On the Nook

Publication: I think it was self published? Not sure.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary from Goodreads: The future world is at peace.

Ella Shepherd has dedicated her life to using her unique gift—the ability to enter people’s dreams and memories using technology developed by her mother—to help others relive their happy memories.

But not all is as it seems.

Ella starts seeing impossible things—images of her dead father, warnings of who she cannot trust. Her government recruits her to spy on a rebel group, using her ability to experience—and influence—the memories of traitors. But the leader of the rebels claims they used to be in love—even though Ella’s never met him before in her life. Which can only mean one thing…

Someone’s altered her memory.

Ella’s gift is enough to overthrow a corrupt government or crush a growing rebel group. She is the key to stopping a war she didn’t even know was happening. But if someone else has been inside Ella’s head, she cannot trust her own memories, thoughts, or feelings.

So who can she trust

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Recently, I've been trying to expand my reading tastes and try stuff that I'm not normally into like science fiction. Beth Revis is a very popular author and I do enjoy her Paper Heart series since it was very honest and enjoyable to read. So as a result, I figured why not try out her other books. I've had this one on my nook for a while and gave it a whirl. Meaningless to say that I fairly enjoyed it. The characters were interesting to say the least with each of them having their own goals following this sudden take over of the upcoming battle between the government and the uprising rebel group. Etta sparked by interest because she is a stubborn one and has that powerful passion to go out of her way to save her mother and uncover the mysteries of her father's death and this unknown group. The other characters were cool as well, but at the same time, I didn't really connect with them. They were there for one second, then they weren't, especially during the action packed scenes. And the main guy character, Jack, was annoying as heck. I wanted to deck him in the fact for Etta. He was annoyingly set on being with Etta and at times I wanted him to be more mysterious and cunning instead of 'oh here you go, I screwed up your past!' to Etta.

As for the plot, it was the typical dystopian plot with the world going to shit and the main female protagonist is the source of saving the shitty world. I enjoyed the idea of Revis' world building and the scientific elements for this book. However, I felt that it was lacking and the pacing and the short chapters made it a little difficult to the overall concept of this book. I'm not sure if this was because I didn't read her Across the Universe trilogy before I picked this one up or what. Who knows.

Even though I wanted something more from this book, it was still an generally decent book to read. It was filled with action and passion. The characters were easy to follow and enjoyable and the plot was on point for a person that enjoys books within the sci-fi genre. I wish I can that I fell in love with it, but I didn't. But, I did enjoy it.

What are your opinions about this novel? Let me know in the comments below. :) Bye for now my fellow wolves!

Book Review: Falling Kingdoms

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

Release Date: December 11th, 2012

Publisher: Razorbill

Format of Novel: Paperback

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Summary from good reads: In the three kingdoms of Mytica, magic has long been forgotten. And while hard-won peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest now simmers below the surface.

As the rulers of each kingdom grapple for power, the lives of their subjects are brutally transformed... and four key players, royals and rebels alike, find their fates forever intertwined. Cleo, Jonas, Lucia, and Magnus are caught in a dizzying world of treacherous betrayals, shocking murders, secret alliances, and even unforeseen love.

The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

It's the eve of war.... Choose your side.

Princess: Raised in pampered luxury, Cleo must now embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of magic long thought extinct.

Rebel: Jonas, enraged at injustice, lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country cruelly impoverished. To his shock, he finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.

Sorceress: Lucia, adopted at birth into the royal family, discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Heir: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, firstborn son Magnus begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword....

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Did you ever wanted to read a book that sparked your love for adventure? A drama that screams love and despair, and loads of swoon of men and spunky girls? Well, that's what I got from this book. As it was blurb to be the 'YA of Game of Thrones", Morgan Rhodes delivered it to full justice. I absoultly fell in love with Falling Kingdoms. It had everything I was craving for at the time I read and I speeded right through it in a matter of days. The world building and the characters, holy crap the characters were cool. Even though they had similar to some of the modern fantasy character tropes that we see in YA fantasy, each of the focused characters had their own arc and it was wonderful. Jonas was the acting avenger like Sasuke from Naruto. Cleo was a semi humble yet sharp princess, and Magnus, oh my poor prince, such a tragic character. Almost like a darker version of Halmet. Lucia was this naïve and innocent girl yet she held her own and kicked ass in the end too. Man, I wanted to hug all of them at once while I was embracing myself in their story till they lost some air from the constant hugging..

The world building was (in my opinion) very standard to a fantasy series. However, it was presented very well with the right amount of pacing when it came down to it. The magical and political systems are somewhat revealed, yet at the same time, we are only touching the basics of it all and that's perfectly fine with me. I want to enjoy the world that our characters are enduring so I don't have to feel out of the loop and with the semi-slow info dump and the multiple point of views, it was good.

Another thing I also truly enjoyed was a couple of hidden stuff I've noticed in terms of tropes. Can we be grateful that the main four are literally like realistic young adults?? As a twenty two year old reader, I'm starting to crave the realistic stuff like "Teens drinking, smoking, sex before marriage' shindig as I'm reading and I was so happy when I read that Cleo wasn't a virgin. It's such a minor thing, but that small detail made me respect Cleo so damn much as a young lady. She's flawed, but she's becoming her own being or queen in a sense for her kingdom. She quickly became my favorite with her attitude and willingness to do shit for her family. Yet she's a snarky little bitch with her quick impulse when taking action. The other thing did also shine in their own way, but I think Cleo shinned a little more in this own. Don't get me wrong, I loved the other three and their point of views, but Cleo took my heart in this own.

The overall plot and battle between the three kingdoms was epic and emotional. It was predictable with some of the stuff like Jonas' character and how the battle was going to be foretold. Which is why I didn't give this book a five star rating on good reads. But, in the end, it was very exciting. I highly recommend this book to anyone truly starting in the fantasy genre while reading. This book is a start to an epic series that will knock the wind out of you and will make you crave more than you realize after flipping the last page.

Tometopple read-a-thon

Hey guys! Today's blog post is going to be about a read-a-thon I found within the booktube community and that is the 'Tometopple' challenge. It's a two week read-a-thon created by Sam over at ThoughtsonTomes on you tube and it's all about reading large books. (500+ pages). After recently buying a few books with over five hundred pages, I decided to take part of it because why the hell not right? I'll leave the video ThoughtsonTomes created down below, but for those that don't want to watch it, I'll explain the rules she set up for you guys down below and also explain my TBR pile for this read-a-thon. (Though you may want to watch it because she's also hosting a giveaway too and she's a pretty awesome book tuber!) *hint, hint* ;) Also, best of luck to you in your reading my fellow wolves!

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~(The Rules)~

So the challenges for this read-a-thon are really simple and easy to follow. There's no winning or losing, the readathon is suppose to enjoy the large books you read or jump start one if you are afraid to read larger books that are 500+ pages long. It's time span is two weeks from June 5th at midnight (in any part of the world) to June 19th at 11:59pm (In any part of the world). :)

~(The Challenges)~

1. Read more than one tome (500+ pages)
2. Take a graphic novel break (doesn't need to be over 500 pages!)
3. Read a tome that is part of a series
4. Read over 500 pages in one week
5. Read an adult novel

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~(TBR Pile)~

May Wrap up & June To Be Read Pile

Happy June first everyone! I'm still at a lost on how it can already be June already, oh boy right? Considering I am a idiot for not posting much like I hoped in May, I'm going to combine the wrap up with the TBR pile for the month of June in order to make short, simple, and sweet for you all. Let's get to it shall we?

~(Wrap up)~

In the month of May, I've read a total of six books which I am honestly surprised about to be honest here. One book was a bind up of a classic book, a middle grade book, a starter to a epic series, a graphic novel, and a book I've been slowly reading since March.. (Is that vague enough or should I just explain my books now? hehe. sorry!).

1 and 2. Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll

I finally read Alice in Wonderland and it's sequel! It was enjoyable and I gave both a 4/5 star rating.

3. Sandman Volume one by Neil Gaiman

This is seriously one of the comics I've ever read and Neil Gaiman is hands down one of my most favorite authors of 2016. 5/5 stars

4. Secret Saturdays by Torry Maldonado

I got this short book from the local book festival in my hometown. It's middle grade and I fairly enjoyed it. I read in one sitting and I gave it a 4/5 stars because of the message this author was pointing out to kids. Plus, the author was a sweetheart to talk too in person.

5. Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

This book easily became one of my top faves of this year. 4.5/5 stars.

and finally 6. The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan

After two full months, I finally finished this and am on the last one! It was a fun read, but at the same time, I had the urge to read other books so this one took a back burner for a period of time. However, I did enjoy Percy and the gang and I'm excited to read the next one in the near future. 4/5 stars.

~(TBR Pile)~

The pile is going to be short because I'm taking part of the 'Tomestopple' read a thon and I'm going to be enduring some personal stuff along the way this month. So here's the list my fellow wolves<3

1.Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

2. Redemption by Julie Chibbaro

3. The Bronze Horseman by Paulina Simmons

4. A Court of Mist and Furry by Sarah J Maas

May TBR pile

I know I'm horrible with these sort of things. I'm sorry, but I have one set up for this month if that helps. To make this short and sweet, I'm discussing what I am going to be reading this month. I would include some images into this, but I just don't want too. I'll do it in the wrap up. So let's get started!

This month, I plan to read at least five books since I have some stuff going on this month like packing to move out with my boyfriend, job hunting, and mainly writing for potential publication. (I've finally got the groove back -dances a little-). A couple of books are books that I've started in late April so they just traveled to my pile for this month. :P

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1. Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes (I've been dying to read start this series since I've heard that its like a young adult version of Game of Thrones. Plus it doesn't hurt to hear about how hot Magnus apparently is o.O)

2. The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan (I started this in March and I plan to finish it.)

3. The Body Electric by Beth Revis (I'm about half way through this on my nook and I plan to finish and have a review up before the end of the month).

4. Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll (By the time you see this post, I may or may not have finished this one already hehe..)

5. Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater (I need to read this and "The Raven King" before I attend her signing with my boyfriend >.> I love the boys and Blue so much so I need to get started on finishing this series right away!)

Assassin's Creed Book Tag

What is up guys?! Happy Wednesday! It's time for another book tag because I'm too lazy to do a book review or a writing discussion post! -Dances a little- So if you guys haven't heard of the app books amino, I highly suggest that you download it on your phone or Ipod or something because holy crow; so many cool posts on there! Especially the one (and the two people) that created this particular book tag. :) I've never played any of the Assassin's Creed video games, but this tag seemed like a lot of fun to do and we're gonna do it! This tag was created by ItskeLaufeyson and her friend Shannon on the Books Amino (go follow her :D) Let's get started!!

(All opinions are my own and mine alone.)

1. Assassin's Creed 1: Best series starter?

I personally loved the first book to Lisa Mangum's trilogy The Hourglass door. It was the book that got me into avidly reading and it's been in my heart ever since. I also love A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E Schwab and Truthwitch by Susan Dennard. Both were also fantastic starters to their respected series. :)

2. Brotherhood: Best book friendship?

For this one, I picked Karou and Zuzana from Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy because they are a great pair when together and their relationship just feels really realistic to me when I read it for the first time.

3. Templars: Favorite Villain

Out of a lot of villains I've read about in my years of reading, I really enjoy Eli & Victor from Vicious. Both are anti-heroes and those are the best types of villains in my opinion. I also like Aeduan from the Truthwitch series. He reminds me of the boys from Vicious and I want more from him when the series picks up again next year. Manon from Throne of Glass. She is what I wanted in a female villain and I can see her kicking ass in book five soon!

4. Stealth: Favorite book/series featuring Assassins

Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas. It's the only one I can think of on the top of my head. I know there are more books out there featuring assassins, but that was the one I can think of right away.

5. Hidden Blade: A Character that surprised you.

I was really surprised by Delia from A Darker Shade of Magic and the two sisters from Warbreaker. These three girls developed really well in their respective books and I wanted to high five them for being queens instead of whiny little things like I've been noticing in books lately. :)

6. Ezio Auditore: A Swoon-worthy male character

I'm just gonna say Kell from ADSOM and Carol from TOG, they are wonderful beings.

7. Leap of Faith: A book you're glad that you took a chance with

The first book to the Summoner series "The Novice" by Taran Matharu. It was a fun and quick read and the cover drew me in along with the magical system he created. I want to see where this takes off once I get my hands on the second book.

8. Death from Above: A character's death you didn't see coming

Victor's death in Vicious. I was just so caught up in the action between him and Eli that it was weird to watch him die. O.o

9. Assassin's Creed Black Flag: A book with Pirates

Merik's pirates from Truthwitch. Peter Pan by JM Barrie. Lani Lenore's Nevermor trilogy

10. Assassin's Creed Rogue: A character who is a bit of a lone wolf

Again, Kell from A Darker Shade of Magic. Umm who else, Carol from the Throne of Glass series. Nix from the Nevermor trilogy. I'll have to research some past books I've read to figure out more for you guys sorry.

11. Assassin's Creed Syndicate: A book set in Victorian London

The infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare. I'm also going to put down the Something Strange and Deadly trilogy by Susan Dennard even though it takes place in Philadelphia. Its also set in the Victorian era.

12. Jacob Frye: A character who could start his own gang

For this one, I'm going to go with Day from the Legend trilogy. While I was reading the trilogy, I felt he was able to form his very own gang without the help of June or anyone near him. He's a good leader and a compassionate person overall, so it would be awesome to see him having a gang around my area. (And for the kids of the future as well.)

and finally, 13. Evie Frye: Favorite bad-ass female character

Deila Bard from A Darker Shade of Magic. Oh my god, I have so much respect for this thief. She was a star in this book. I need to pick up the sequel soon to see more of her upcoming adventures.

Alright guys, that was the Assassin's Creed book tag! What are your answers for this tag? Let me know in the comments below and on social media and I'll be back soon for another post soon. Happy Howling! :)

Top 2 Books From 6 Genre Book Tag

Happy Friday everyone! It's time for a book tag! Woo (hell knows I don't do enough of these xD). So today I decided to do the 'Top 2 books from 6 genre' tag *hence the title* which was created by Benjamin of Benjaminoftomes on youtube and the creator of the 'Oftomes' micro publishing company. Let's get started on this tag shall we?

Tag information: This tag is mainly what two books I would recommend as reading material from these six genres (dystopian, fantasy, romance, paranormal, sci-fi, and historical) to you guys if you are looking for new books to enjoy. Although a couple of them are probably going to well known if you have been in the reading community for a while now.

(Warning: These are my own opinions, please don't judge and enjoy!)

Genre no one: Dystopian

1. Legend trilogy by Marie Lu

2. The Darkest Minds trilogy by Alexandra Bracken

Genre two: Romance

1. Blood and Salt by Kim Liggett

2. The Hourglass Door trilogy by Lisa Mangum

Genre three: Fantasy

1. Nevemor trilogy by Lani Lenore

2. The Raven Cycle Quartet by Maggie Stiefvater

Genre four: Paranormal

1. The Last Werewolf by Glenn Duncan

2.  A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Genre five: Sci-fi *I'm not a huge reader of this genre, sorry!*

1. Illuminae by Amie Kauffman and Jay Kristoff

2. The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

Genre six: Historical *Pretty much the same ordeal as the Sci-fi genre*

1. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

2. The Scarlett Litter by Nathanial Hawthorne

Book Review: A Darker Shade of Magic

A Darker Shade of Magic (#1) Written by V.E Schwab

Release Date: February 24th, 2015

Publisher: Tor Books

Format of Novel: Paperback

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Summary (From Good reads): Kell is one of the last Antari, a rare magician who can travel between parallel worlds: hopping from Grey London — dirty, boring, lacking magic, and ruled by mad King George — to Red London — where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire — to White London — ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne, where people fight to control magic, and the magic fights back — and back, but never Black London, because traveling to Black London is forbidden and no one speaks of it now.

Officially, Kell is the personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between the royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell smuggles for those willing to pay for even a glimpse of a world they’ll never see, and it is this dangerous hobby that sets him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She robs him, saves him from a dangerous enemy, then forces him to take her with him for her proper adventure.

But perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save both his London and the others, Kell and Lila will first need to stay alive — a feat trickier than they hoped.

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Hey all, I am officially back! It's about damn time huh? Haha. No but seriously, I'm back for good. I will be blogging regularly now every day expect for the weekends so I hope you don't mind it. ;) Now, let's get too it shall we with the first book review of May shall we?

Do you all remember me posting a review about "Vicious" and pretty much fan girled all over the place? Well guess what, I'm doing it again with this book. Holy crap, Victoria Schwab- you are my hero! I really love her as a person and writer. I've never met her, but when you see the stuff she posts on Instagram and twitter, it makes you feel warm yet devious at the same time. She is such a writing goddess in my eyes because she is not only an adventurous writer, she is a visual author. Victoria Schwab is someone that can break your soul in half with memorable characters, visuals, and memorable quotes that hit you right in the feels. It's a dream of mine to actually meet her in person and express how much she inspires me to take the risks in my writing and to not be afraid.

Now to the focus on this book. Considering that this is the first novel of an fantasy trilogy, I cannot really speak much about this book without fan-girling like a idiot. The plot of the novel was very fascinating. I've never really read much about parallel worlds that are basically the same exact thing or world so to speak and it was really cool to experience this first hand when reading about Kell's 'lonely' journey to the different London(s). Another thing I liked about the general plot of this story was the way it had a pirate-y vibe into it. It is mainly because of the characters, but at the same time, no one is really safe. Even the minor characters acted like thieves and everyone had their own goals to follow in order to achieve a personal greatness.

As for the characters, I loved how Kell's character is flawed, which made him so interesting to follow. He is one of the last Antari (a person of magic) and yet he is common thief. He smuggles things from the other London(s) and its ironic because you want him to be a good guy, but he's also a bad guy. Prince Rhy was a character and a half. He's a self-centered prince, but I felt he was something more than that and I wish he wasn't such a minor character since he did care for his 'brother' in some shape or form. And Lila, damn I love her so much.  She was a pirate alright and I was so glad she was a major part of this story. In a way, I felt as so she was a mirrored version of Kell and the other Antari even though she didn't have their magical abilities. I really hope that she will have her own spin off story or something because she is so far my most favorite female character of 2016.

The villains in this story were also pretty bad ass. The twins reminded me of the antagonists from the Game of Thrones series with their twisted ideals and quest for more power regardless of the fact they already had too much power. They were just so fantastic and I silently cheered every time they made their grand appearance in the story.

Overall, this story was a wonderful start to this trilogy and I am dying to get my hands on the sequel very soon. V.E Schwab did a fantastic job in creating such a beautiful concept with fantastic characters and yeah, she's just that awesome and her newest book is being release sometime this year and you better believe I'm going to pick up when I get a single chance.

Happy Howling!!

Book Review: City of Bones

City of Bones (Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare

Release Date: March 27th, 2007

Publisher: McElderry Books

Format of Novel: Paperback

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary (from good reads): When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder—much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. And she’s more than a little startled when the body disappears into thin air. Soon Clary is introduced to the world of the Shadowhunters, a secret cadre of warriors dedicated to driving demons out of our world and back to their own. And Clary is introduced with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is almost killed by a grotesque monster. How could a mere human survive such an attack and kill a demon? The Shadowhunters would like to know…

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Well guys, I'm sure many of you know what this series is all about right? I figured it's only right to start reviewing this series in honor of the new television show that is appearing tonight. And also, it was time for me to semi-return to this blog. Let's get started. This is the book that started the global fan base for Cassandra Clare. It has a Supernatural meets Degrassi feel to it with the teenage drama and action packed fights we read throughout the Mortal Instruments series. Its humorous, serious, and entraining for us readers to grasp in the paranormal fantasy this author had been embracing herself for almost ten years now. Plus the love for all romance she embarks with some of the characters are a bonus as well.

City of Bones takes place in New York City (I live in the state, but not this particular city) and we follow Clary and her best friend Simon as they are thrust into this invisible after the disappearance of the paranormal. There they meet Jace and the lightwoods siblings and they begin their epic quest to stop Valentine and his growing army while learning more about the world they were born to protect.

Now I'll be honest with ya, I lost motivation to read the rest of this series after completing the Infernal Devices trilogy a while ago, but since now I gotten the new boxset, I decided to actually sit down and read the entire series this year. (I'm only on the second book so reviews for these books are gonna be slow). I really enjoyed the first book, but considering it is the introduction to this series, I can't spoil much for those that have read it. The characters were fresh, the plotline is jumpy yet keeps the readers on their toes.

I liked how Clary developed the attitude to go save her mother, but yet I felt that she was annoying in the sense that she was still naïve into the new world. Which is fine and all, but still, I would've liked the pacing to slow down a bit just show she can develop a little more as a character. Jace Wayland was a walking douche, but we already know he's going to grow a little more as the series progresses. Now Simon, Simon is my baby. I love him as a character. He is loyal, sassy, and all around good friend when needed. The Lightwoods are also cool characters, but I want them to sine a little more as the series progresses. And Magnus Bane, holy shit do I want to party with him one of these days haha. He was a kick ass character too.

Overall, this introductory novel was a great start. Even though I wasn't a fan of how fast Clary was pushed into this world, I'm excited to read the sequels ahead. I'm also excited about the tv show as well. I'll probably do a review on the show after I watch and we can have a full discussion on it. :)

Till then guys. Happy howling!

Small Hiatus Time

Hey all, I figured I owe you all an explanation for the on going MIA action on the blog since the book haul. Lately, I just have been emotionally drained from everything around me. From work, to school, to personal stuff I don't want to talk about, this blog was the farthest thing from my mind. And also, I haven't been reading any books. I know, shun the non believer here, but it happened. I don't this sudden depressing episode of mine attacked me like a ton of bricks, and it still lingers I guess. I dunno, maybe it's noticeable with the tone of this post today.

But, there is a plus side to this. I've been writing. Writing was always my go-to activity whenever I feel like shit and it helps me understand that my characters are one of the few things in my life that will be there for me other than family. The writing I've been doing is mainly outlining for my Soldiers series, which I will talk to you guys more about in 2016, and it's actually pretty cool on how its turning out as we speak.

So I guess bottom line is, I just haven't been in the mood to blog right now and that's okay right? Maybe..

However, I do want to wish you all a Happy Holidays. I'll be back around News Years to discuss the books I might've received during Christmas and what are my plans for this blog. I hope you'll understand what's going on. Things are weird, but they will get better in time. Just not right now I guess. I hope you all have a wonderful and safe holiday. Hug and kiss your love ones because they are there for a lifetime. See you guys on the 31st, happy howling my fellow wolves.

December Book Haul

Hey guys! Today's post is going to be quick because I'm trying to catch up on my TBR reading to get reviews prepped up for you all next week. But lately, I've been in a small reading slump from work and other things so yeah I haven't been sticking to my list. However, I figured that buying more books would help me get back into reading when I'm off from work, and it did. My soul twin/best friend came down to see me for the weekend and before we enjoyed our late night activities, we bought books. We each gotten around 6 to 7 books in the store, but also a few books from our gift exchange. As a result, I'm gonna attempt a book haul in the way a blogger normally does, by taking a lame ass photo and discussing it! (wooing as I spin around on my computer chair).

Let's get started my fellow wolves.

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This haul contains two mangas, a comic, a classic, a re-telling, and a random novel I never really heard of before. If you all ever read any off these books, let me know on twitter or in the comments below and we'll discuss them!

First, a visual:

Isn't it beautiful? And you get my assistant in the shot too. His name is Miles from Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. As you can see, I'm not the best photographer, but these books are shiny. Now to allow me to introduce you to these wonderful books. :D

1.) Peter Pan by JM Berrie: I've been dying to read this for a long ass time. Peter Pan has always been a favorite of mine and finding a physical copy of this novel just made my day gradually get better when my friend and I traveled for the day.

2.) I'll Never Let You Go by Mary Burton: My soul twin got this as a Christmas gift for me when he arrived and I honestly don't know what's it about, but its a thriller so I'm dying to read it in 2016.

3/4.) Wolf's Rain Manga: After years of searching, I finally found the manga editions to my most favorite anime in the world. Wolf's Rain is a beautiful crafted anime and these books just add my joy into my inner fan girl by a 100% average.

5.) The Child Thief by Gerald Brom: So after watching Magical Molly on book/ you tube (check her channel guys, its awesome), I completely emerge my inner fan girl and found out how obsess I am with Peter Pan and the concept of his story. So when I found the last copy of this at the barnes and noble I went too, I had to snatch it for myself. I heard this book was fantastic and I'm dying to read it real soon.

and finally 6.) Sandman Overture by Neil Gaiman: I love Neil Gaiman as an author. His books are wonderful and insightful even when most of these books are within the fantasy genre. After hearing positive things about this comic series, I decided to grab this beautiful anniversary prequel to his best work. I plan on getting the actual series in small amounts because I have other books to read and buy haha.

So that' s it, my December/first 'book haul'! I apologize for the lack of excitement since you're all probably use to watching book hauls on you tube. I'm still too shy to deal with the camera so this is what you get and I hope you enjoyed it. :) What kind of books did you get for Christmas or gotten before the holidays? Let me know in the comments below or on twitter and I'll be back soon with another post. Happy Howling!

Fictional Army Book Tag

Good morning my fellow readers, happy Friday to you all! So today I was going to do a review on Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi, but I figured to wait on it till Monday since I have a busy weekend ahead of me. My Cheshire Cat (best friend) and I are finally reuniting after 2.5 years and I have a final to complete for school. Nothing to fear though, I do have something in store for today.

As you can see on the title of this post, I'm going to do the fictional army tag! I randomly found this tag last night while browsing on you tube on Readlikewildfire's channel and wait, 'yep, let's do that for Friday instead.'. This tag was created by BOOKadoodles on you tube (will put the link down below) and let's get started shall we?? (Note: I will be using anime/manga characters as well for this).

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1. Name your strategy team! (People who will plot the every move of your army to guarantee victory! (2-4 characters)

Shikamaru Nara from the Naruto series, Celaena from the Throne of Glass series, June from the Legend trilogy, and Chubbs from the Darkest Minds trilogy

2. Name Two drummers (a.k.a two characters that you wouldn't mind sacrificing)

Ever Bloom from the Evermore series and Wendy Everly from the Trylle trilogy (by bitches)

3. A Protagonist most likely to turn traitor

I feel like Cole from the Darkest Minds trilogy would've made a traitor in the third book because his motives were to secretive for everyone else's tastes (but for good reason). I feel that he would be a traitor, but will come back eventually.

4. Two creatures that you want on your side.

The wolves from Princess Mononoke and the Jabberwocky from Alice in Wonderland because I want a dragon.

5. Five bad-ass characters of your choosing (I'm picking six because I can and five is never enough for my army..)

Kiba from Wolf's Rain, Day from the Legend trilogy, Adelina Amouteru from The Young Elites trilogy, Rowan Lynch from the Raven Boy series, Rowan from Throne of Glass series,  Kaede from the Legend trilogy, and Ruby from The Darkest Minds trilogy

6. A Speech-giver to inspire your troops

Liam from the Darkest Minds trilogy. He's a natural leader in my opinion and he's one of my fictional boyfriends so yeah..

7. Name a general and a second-in-command

General would be Carol from Throne of Glass series and second-in-command would Eleanor from the Something Strange and Deadly trilogy

8. Name someone to financially support your army!

Gansey from the Raven Boy series (he needs to live.. that's all I got to say)

9. What character would be your army healer or caretaker?

Magnus Chase from The Gods of Asgard series because of his demi-god abilities to heal others quickly when needed.

10. One magical character

Magnus Bane from the Mortal Instruments series. Do I really need to state my reasons here?

11. Name Your Territory! (What fictional place would you choose as your battlefield)?

Westros because of the different regions we can explore and kick ass with.

12. Name an author to write about your epic deeds and victories!

Maggie Steifvater. She's perfect with descriptions and her writing style matches what I've always envisioned of doing for my own writing.

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Okay that was the Fictional army tag! Who would you want in your army if things go down the shitter? Let me know in the comments below and I'll be back on Monday with another blog post.

Happy Howling!

Book tag creator: BOOKadoodles

Song of the Day: The Beginning by One Ok Rock

December TBR List

Good day everyone, hope you're doing well today. Today, I'm revealing to you all my monthly TBR list from now till probably beginning of the new year. As far as the list goes, this month is mainly going to be filled with e-books or arcs that I requested from Net galley. Due to work, I fell behind in maintaining a personal promise to myself as a blogger to read and review more of these books on a regular basis. But, since I figured this month will be the e-book focused month, I should be able to read/review more for you guys and post them on here when I get the chance too.

Let's get started on the TBR list because that's what you've been waiting for right? Right.

1. Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin (E-ARC)

2. The Secret of Dreadwillow Carse by Brian Farrey (E-ARC)

3. The Casquette Girls by Alys Arden (E-ARC)

4. Wolf, WY by A.F Henley (E-ARC)

5. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi (E-Book)

6. Slammed by Colleen Hoover (E-Book)

7. Her Dark Curiosity by Meghan Shepherd (E-Book)

8. Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas (Physical book)

9. Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan (Physical book)

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I think that's plenty, right? Or should I keep adding more to it? No? Probably will keep adding more to the list on my own time or whatever. What are your tbr books for this month? Tell me in the comments below and I'll see you tomorrow with a book review. Happy howling my fellow wolves!

Top Ten 2016 debut books I can't wait to read

I know there's a thing call "Top Ten Tuesday" roaming around the blogging world, but since I work on Tuesdays, I wanted to switch it up and do Top tens posts on my own time instead on a set date since I'm a newbie around the book reviewing world. I'll probably sign up to do it on Tuesdays eventually, but I can't with work consuming my life. But, basically this post is gonna describe what books I'm dying to read during the new year and since it's already December, why not talk about it right? :) Now I'll say this, this list has only debut novels and authors that are appearing in 2016. I am going to make a 2016 list of other novels for authors that are already published, but have books being released during the new year. So let's get started right? Right.

(In no particular order)

1.) After the Woods by Kim Savage: As I looked at the summary on good reads, I'm growing more interested by the second, the premise seems to be a thriller theme with a dash of paranormal. Since these sort of books are up my alley in the reading department, I may snag a copy when it comes out. And look at this cover, mysterious right?

2.) Underwater by Marisa Reichardit: Like After the Woods, this book's premise caught my eye. However, since I don't read a lot of contemporary novels, I think this will be a risk taker on my part into that genre. Personally, I think it's gonna make me shiver and cry a little on how relatable this character sounds to a introverted person like myself.

3. Sword and Verse by Kathy MacMillan: I've been seeing popping up on blogger's twitter accounts and blogs lately, and my gut is telling me that this is going to be the fantasy of the year when it's officially released. But, only time is

4. The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie: Just the title makes this book sound and look fantastic as all hell. Plus the premise on good reads sounds pretty bad ass.

5. Ivory and Bone by Julie Eshabaugh: I am in complete and utter awe for this author because I've been waiting for her to make a debut with a book since she became a contributor in the 'Let the words flow/(Pub)crawling' blogs back in I want to say 2011? The premise of this book sounds fantastic and I'm gonna pick this up when it releases. I'm so proud of her for kicking ass and making a name in the publishing world!

6. Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton: The idea of this story sounds interesting to me, plus its nice to read books with diversity in it. :)

7.) Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst: This book sounds like a heartbreak waiting to happen, especially with the princess falling in lover with another. But, what I like is the twist within the romance and how the premise from good reads doesn't tell you much about it. Hopefully it turns out pretty cool in the end.

8.) Dreamology by Lucy Keating: Every girl needs a romance in her life and this sounds like my perfect romance story of the year. This is the first time hearing about this book and already, I'm craving it from what I saw on good reads.

9.) A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess: This books is apparently about magic and I do enjoy seeing magic in books. Haha.

and finally...

10.) Daybreak Rising by C.K Oliver: This is like number nine on my list, but I feel as so it's gonna be a little darker than A Shadow Bright and Burning. Though more or less, this sounds like a kick ass book as well.

Okay, so these books are my most anticipated of 2016 in terms of debut novels being released. What are you looking for reading next year? Let me in the comments below or on twitter(@xthewolfwriterx) and I'll be back tomorrow with a book review. Happy Howling!

Book Review: Nirvana

Nirvana: Written by J.R Stewart

Release date: November 10th, 2015

Publisher: Blue Moon Voices/Publishers

Format of Novel: ARC from netgalley/Nook

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary (from Net galley): When the real world is emptied of all that you love, how can you keep yourself from dependence on the virtual?

Larissa lives in a world where the real and the virtual intermingle. After the supposed death of her soul mate, Andrew, Larissa is able to find solace by escaping to Nirvana, a virtual world where anything is possible – even visits with Andrew. Although Larissa knows that these meetings are not real, she cannot shake her suspicion that Andrew is indeed alive. When she begins an investigation of the Hexagon, the very institution that she has been taught to trust, Larissa uncovers much more than she ever expected. Her biggest challenge, however, remains determining what is real – and what is virtual.

(I received this arc on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review)

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Hey fellow wolves, I'm back! So wanna hear my lame excuse for not reviewing before we start?.. No.. (it involves work..) Okay. Let's get started. Nirvana by J.R Stewart was a book that I never lean towards because of the sci-fi elements. Normally, I'll read sci-fi books if it has another significant genre to it, but not when its alone. I'm not a fan of it, but I try to get into them. Unfortunately, this is not one of those books that will spark a love of the genre for me. Especially if it takes me almost three months to finish...

While this book shows promise because of the idea of the Nirvana's virtual world, the overall execution was lacking in my opinion. The characters were at a stand point, which annoyed me. I didn't enjoy them, but yet I was pulled into them because of Nirvana and how Larissa was going to find her soulmate Andrew. Sreg was someone I enjoyed the most out of the rest of them because he had a development that stood out more than Larissa's or the other characters. I felt sorry for him in certain parts, but like the others, I almost lost interest in him in the middle.

The major problem I had with this book was the plot. I wanted it to have more drama, more action from Larissa and the 'antagonists', but I almost didn't finish the book because I got so bored with it. I wanted more and perhaps the next two books will develop further on, but this book had the debut blues where the idea was fantastic, but lacking in character development and plot growth.

Overall, I gave this book 3 stars on good reads because of the concept and the potentinal I see growing when the other books come out. If you are a fan of virtual worlds in books, then I recommend this to you. If not, then try something new like I did and read it for fun. Happy Howling guys, I'll be back with another review for you tomorrow.

Book Review: The Program

The Program (Program #1): written by Suzanne Young

Release Date: April 30th, 2013

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Format of Novel: Nook

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary (from good reads): In Sloane’s world, true feelings are forbidden, teen suicide is an epidemic, and the only solution is The Program.

Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories.

Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in. And The Program is coming for them.

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(Trigger warnings throughout the book about suicide)

I read this within a 1.5 day span, so my mind is still fresh to this book. The idea of suicide being an epidemic to this book's society is surprisingly original. I was rather iffy on the idea because while the thing about teen suicide is very true in reality, but idea of this being an dystopian novel is confusing to me personally. I don't get it to be frank with you all and I'm sure many of you avid readers would agree with me too. But, if you don't I understand. I applaud Suzanne Young for spreading awareness about teen suicide to the readers, but I wish she did it for a darker contemporary novel. Dystopian in my opinion, is more chaotic and action-packed like the Hunger Games and Legend, this novel held a modern and 'real' life vibe.

Anyway, this book's dynamic is fascinating. The program the author describe is creepy and yet helpful. I wouldn't want to get rid of my memories though, I feel that as a person, we have to experience the 'traumas' to grow up. The way people are dying in this book feels ehh because I kept picturing the news about them as similar to the movie- The Happening. However, the characters Sloane and James are so freaking cute. Their romance was so dream-like and perfect up until they got stuck at the program themselves. (Won't spoil you guys about how they got there). They were the perfect balance for each other and I'm glad their hearts found each other again as the story progressed.

The other characters were given a decent spotlight and the twists were well executed throughout the book, but they were noticeable right away if read closely. This book has some mixed reviews from good reads and myself, henceforth the rating above. Though, I do suggest reading it for the heck to get your own opinion on it. And also to  become more aware of the seriousness of suicide, especially for teens. Everyone deals with depression in some shape or form and if they feel like committing this act, try to be there for them so they don't feel so alone in the world.

Alright so that was my review for Suzanne Young's The Program. Tune in sometime next week for the review of the sequel, The Treatment and other random book reviews. Till then, happy howling!

September TBR pile

Hey guys, today we are discussing the TBR list for September. Since I'm doing a school thing till December, those books are automatically included on the list. But, they won't be appearing because I don't have a clue as too what I have to read for this course yet.. This month, I'm going to be reading several books, both new and ones I've been putting in the back burner as of recently. But, let's hope I can complete them for you guys so I have more material to review. :) I plan to read probably eight to ten books throughout the month, but let's not get our hopes up if we were to focus on reality here.

First one is Shifter: City of Wolves by Avery Burch. I signed up for a free E-ARC and the overall concept sounds pretty cool to try out. (Especially since I love wolves so much).

Second one is Nirvana written by J.R Stewart. I was allow to pick this up for an E-ARC on Netgalley to review and so far it its a fastaniting sci-fi concept and fast pace. :)

Third book is The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows. I started this in the middle of the summer, but was losing interest with the denseness of the book on my nook. I'm making it a goal to finish it and review it for this blog because Jodi Meadows is an pretty awesome person.

Next book is Missing by Randa Flannery. I found this book on Netgalley as well, so I plan to read this one very soon. Its more suspenseful and fast pace so I'll you all know if it's a great book or not since it's been out since mid July.

Next is Wolf, WY by A.F Henley. This is a odd one, mostly because not only it involves wolves, but also its a LBGT book. I quickly grabbed it from Netgalley to review since it comes out in October because I want to promote more LBGT books and the cover looks pretty bad ass.

Then I have Awake by Natasha Preston. Now I stated that I wasn't so sure about reading more from this author after reviewing her 'Cellar' book. But, since then I have read a little more from her so I'm gonna give her another chance with this book.

And finally, I'm going to read The Iron King by Julie Kagawa. I know I'm on the late wagon for this series, but I felt the urge to give series a shot after hearing positive things about the author herself with her other series and I'm already about a quarter into it.

Alright all, these are the book I'll be reading throughout this month. What are you guys reading this month? Let me know in the comments below and I'll see you guys soon with a new blog post. Happy Howling!

August Wrap Up

Hey guys, its that time of the month again! Today let's discuss our wrap up for the month of August. I'll be honest, since I started working, I didn't do a lot of reading. But during the booktube-a-thon, I'd read all of the seven books during that week, so maybe that's okay I guess. Who truly knows.. Anyway, let's get down to the wrap up shall we??

Total number of books: 9 (yeah.. the majority of it was only the booktube-a-thon books.. I blame reality aka work..)

1. Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas. This book was hands down one of the best books I've ever read this year. I gave it a 5/5 stars on good reads. I highly recommend the Throne of Glass series if you want a kick ass female protagonist and high fantasy in your life.

2. A Court of Thorns & Roses by Sarah J. Maas. This was a re-read for me, but overall I fell in love with it completely. 5/5 stars.

3. The Game by Terry Schott. It wasn't one of my favorites of this year, but it was decent read. I gave it a 3.5/5 stars on good reads, but I probably won't be reading the rest of the series anytime soon.

4. The Hourglass Door by Lisa Mangum. This was my third time re-reading this book, and I still love it to this day. I expressed my absolute love for the entire trilogy on my birthday post for you guys. 5/5 stars in my personal opinion.

5. Fairest by Marissa Meyer. It was a fast read for the booktube-a-thon. I loved learning about the Queen's past even though I was a little spoiled for the third book Cress. I gave this book a 4/5 stars on good reads.

6. The Titan's Curse by Rick Roridan. This book is the third book of the Percy Jackson series. I did enjoy the book overall, but it felt flat in certain parts because I personally thought some actions were repeating over and over again like in the other two books. I gave this book a 4/5 stars on good reads, so I'm going to continue on with the series soon. :)

7. Forsaken Dreamscape by Lani Lenore. The continuation of the Nevermor trilogy and one of my highly faves in the trilogy world. I loved the overall dark tone within the Peter Pan re-telling and the story was so compelling in general. This book was given a 5/5 stars on my good reads.

8. The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin. I finally finished the trilogy and I really want to get the box set for myself so I don't have to read these books on my nook. I adored this psychological elements within the plot and the characters were crazy in a way I simply can't help but love to death. I gave this book a 4.5/5 stars on good reads even though I know there are mixed emotions about the trilogy in general all over the book community. :)

and finally 9. The Murder Complex by Lindsey Cummings. This book was a quick and enjoyable read. I want to read the next book when I do get the chance too, but for now I cannot because I have to deal with school. (boo). I gave this book a 4/5 stars on good reads because I thought this book was decent for those who are just getting into dystopian fiction and the idea of the story seemed very fresh for a 'debut' novel.

Okay guys that was the wrap for the month of August. I will be back with the TBR list for the month of September and new reviews on random books! Stay tune and remember, happy howling!!

Book Sacrifice Tag

Happy Saturday people! Today let's do something fun that I found on youtube. It is the "Book Sacrifice" Tag created by the lovely Ariel Bissett over at her you tube channel!(https://www.youtube.com/user/ArielBissett)

RULES: Just literally pick a book that you are willing to sacrifice in each scenario!

(Please note: These picks are my personal choices, just because I picked these books doesn't mean I want to stab the authors or burn the books to ashes. I do like some of the books on this list, but I'm going to express my opinion over them).

1) An Over-Hyped book: Let's start this off with a Zombie Apocalypse! Let's say you're in a book store, just browsing, when BAM! ZOMBIE ATTACK. An announcement comes over the PA System saying that the military has discovered that the zombies' only weakness is over-hyped books. What book that everyone else says is amazing but you really hated do you start chucking at the zombies knowing that it will count as an over-hyped book and successfully wipe them out?!

Don't kill me, but I'm picking City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. Specifically the movie that was made back in 2013. I mean don't get me wrong, I love the series I really do. However, I'm not overly obsess with the series like others are in a positive way. Maybe it's because the movie ruined my absolute love for the books, but then again its also probably because I haven't read them in a while. The books are great in their own way and I want to marathon the entire series once I get them all, but the movie ruined the fandom for me..

2) A Sequel: Let's say you've just left the salon with a SMASHING new haircut and BOOM: Torrential downpour. What sequel are you willing to use as an umbrella to protect yourself?

Torn by Amanda Hocking. Her Tryllie trilogy was okay in my opinion, but the sequel was too much of an annoyance for me. The trilogy as a whole should've been a one large novel instead of the trilogy. Take it from someone that already possesses the bind up of a the trilogy itself.. aii

3) A Classic: Let's say you're in a lecture and your English teacher is going on and on about how this classic changed the world, how it revolutionized literature and you get so sick of it that you chuck the classic right at his face because you know what? This classic is stupid and it's worth detention just to show everyone how you feel! What Classic did you chuck?

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. I hate this book with a fiery passion like people hate Catcher in the Rye and Romeo & Juliet. I understand the significance of the book and the adventure with Huck and Jim endure. But, the dialect was too much for me and it ruined my love for learning to close read books in college for me. I will be very happy to burn this one too..

4) Your least favorite book of life!: Let's say that you're hanging out at the library when BAM global warming explodes and the world outside becomes a frozen wasteland. You're trapped and your only chance for survival is to burn a book. What is the book you first run to, your least favorite book of all life, what book do you not fully regret lighting?

Blue Moon by Alyson Noel. This was the first ever book I had to not finish. I hated it within fifty pages in when I first got. I enjoyed the first one when I was fifteen, but when I grabbed this one, I hated it and threw it across my room. Same thing happened to me when I read the second book to the "House of Night" series. But then again, I blame the 'Evermore' series for getting me into a reading slump for a few months so I might pick up the House of Night series again soon.

Okay guys, this was the book sacrifice tag and I tag all of you since you read this haha. I hope you didn't feel offended by my choices, if I did I'm sorry. What are your choices for these particular outcomes? Tell me on the comments below and I'll be back soon with the Heir of Fire book review this coming weekend. Happy Howling!