Thursday, February 28, 2019

Recommending My Favorite TV Shows


I know I primarily talk about books here, but I figured it would be nice to mix it up and talk about something else that I'm passionate about: binging TV shows. I grew up in an era of Netflix so I binged a lot of shows when I was younger and had less responsibilities. This means that over the past ten years I've watched a lot of shows and today I'm here to recommend you some of my favorites! Now, this is in no way an expansive list of every TV show that I love, but these are the ones that I've either binged recently or are ones that have stuck with me over the years. Let's just dive in!

The first recommendation that I have for you all is Hawaii Five-0. This is a show about Steve McGarrett who's father is murdered so he moves back to Hawaii to solve the case. There, he meets Danny Williams and the two team up together to form a task force with plenty of immunity and means. From then on, pulling in the help of plenty of other wonderful characters, the Five-0 task force sets about to solve cases ranging from kidnapping to murder to terrorism. While the show does deal with a lot of serious topics, it is also one of the funniest shows I've ever seen just because of the pure chemistry and banter between the characters. I think the true testament to how great it is is the fact that I've watched six seasons of this show in the past four weeks. There are currently eight full seasons out with a ninth airing weekly. 

Next I'm recommending The Night Shift. This show...I started watching it because an actor from one of the other shows I'm recommending today was in it and I was enraptured from the first episode. It's about a group of ex-military and civilian doctors, nurses, etc that work the night shift at a trauma center in Texas. There's plenty of medical action, drama, humor, the works. There are four seasons of this show and it's streaming on Netflix. 

Now I'd like to talk about White Collar, another crime show that is completely different from Hawaii Five-0. This show is set in New York City and centers around a con-man named Neil who partners up with an FBI agent named Peter to solve art thefts/forgeries/other cons. It's a fascinating show that combines the thrill of watching a crime with the excitement of higher living and humor. It's all finished up now and all six seasons are currently streaming on Hulu.  

Up next I have Brooklyn Nine Nine. I discovered this show about a year ago and absolutely fell in love. I'm not a sitcom person but this series is one of the best shows I've ever watched. It's about a precinct of cops in Brooklyn, NYC who solve crime, pull pranks, and all around have a great time. It just got renewed for a seventh season and I'm so excited! You can stream all the seasons, including episodes as they release, on Hulu. 

Next, I have Bones. This show is definitely a commitment at twelve seasons long but I started watching it in May of last year. It took me about six months to finish the entire show but it was so worth it. This show centers around Dr. Temperance Brennan, a forensic anthropologist who leads a group of scientists who work side-by-side with Agent Seeley Booth at the FBI to solve cases that would otherwise be unsolvable. Not only are the cases fascinating but the character relationships and development throughout the series is everything. Not to mention that the humor in this show had me laughing at one am. There are twelve seasons that you can stream on Hulu. 

Now I have a show that strays away from crime and into fantasy: Merlin. This is a show based around the Arthurian legend where a young warlock named Merlin moves to Camelot and ends up becoming a servant to Prince Arthur. Destiny keeps them together and Merlin secretly protects Arthur with his magic, which is forbidden. This is a show where the world is interesting and the plot is exciting but what really has viewers coming back for more is the character development, relationships, and interactions. You can stream all five seasons either on Netflix or Hulu. 

This next recommendation is another crime show that is more funny than serious: Psych. This is a show about Shawn Spencer, a man with excellent deduction powers who cons the police into thinking he's a psychic. With his best friend Gus, the two open up a psychic detective agency to solve crime. This is one of my favorite TV shows and brings a lighter tone to more serious topics that could otherwise drain viewers. There are eight seasons, a musical, a movie, and a second movie in production. You can stream the show on Amazon Prime Video. 

Lastly, I'm recommending my favorite TV show. It might not be for everyone as it's primarily aimed at teenagers and young adults, but it's a show that I watched from when it first aired to when it had its last episode. It holds a very special place in my heart and that is Teen Wolf. This show is all about a teenager names Scott who's dragged into the woods one night by his best friend, Stiles, to search for a body. While there, he gets bitten by a werewolf and turns into one. What I love most about this show is the characters and their relationships but also how each season incorporates more of the supernatural world and lore. There are six seasons that you can stream on Amazon Prime Video. 

Well, there you have it folks! A few of my favorite TV shows recommended to you all! I had such a fun time writing this post and getting to revisit memories of watching these shows and these characters. I hope that you'll enjoy these as much as I did! 



Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Lauren



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Saturday, February 23, 2019

Let's Talk: "The Kingdom of Copper" by S.A. Chakraborty

Title: The Kingdom of Copper
Author: S.A. Chakraborty
Series: "The Daevabad Trilogy" #2
Genre: Fantasy/Speculative Fiction
Page Length: 621 pages
Publication Date: January 22, 2019
Date Started: February 19, 2019
Date Finished: February 23, 2019
Rating: 5 // 5 stars

*I was provided a free copy of this book from HarperVoyagerUS in exchange for promotion on my Instagram and an honest review*

Oh my gosh you guys...this book! Okay, so I loved The City of Brass and I was going to take a break between reading that one before starting this one but my mind kept going back to this world and these characters. So I ended up picking this book up immediately and it was so incredibly good.

Okay, characters first. Seeing the growth and character arcs that have occurred over these two books has been incredible. When I look back on the start of the first book to the end of this one, I'm a little in shock at how much these characters have changed while still being themselves. Characters I wasn't sure I liked grew on me in this book and the ones I liked ended up being loved by the end. Just...S.A. Chakraborty has written some amazing characters and I just love reading about them, their flaws, and their dreams.

The world was just as beautiful as last time. We went to new places that I'm dying to see more of and I cannot wait to see where the next book takes us. Just...the new places, new characters, new lore...amazing!

One thing I will rave about until the end of my days is the amazing political and social tensions in this series. I think that's what I love most about this book...the scheming, the complicated ethical situations, everything! I don't think I could ever be a royal in Daevabad because (1) I wouldn't even begin to know how to tackle all the issues in this city and (2) I'd rather not have to constantly be on edge for betrayals. But reading about it? Oh lord it was amazing! This is by far the best political intrigue I have ever read. I can only aspire to be half as good in my own writings.

I'm so conflicted about my feelings at the end of this book. A lot of stuff went down and I'm conflicted on how I feel. I'm feeling this wide range of emotions that are at war with each other. I'm sure as time goes on, I'll be able to think more on the situations that these characters are in at the end of this book without just screaming "AHHHH."

Overall, I absolutely loved this book. I am so happy that I finally discovered and read these books because I have definitely found a new favorite series. I wish there was going to be more than three books but I also can't help feeling grateful that I'm not going to have to wait at least a year between multiple releases. I think the one thing I'm taking away though is that I cannot wait for the next one!

I'm not sure what else to say without seeming like a rambling mess. All I know is that this series is amazing and I highly recommend it to everyone! It's easy to read and follow yet I was still surprised at the twists and got addicted to the characters and world. Everyone go read this book!



Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Lauren



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Wednesday, February 20, 2019

Fantasy Book Recommendations!


Hello all! I haven't done a book recommendation post in ages so I figured it was time to do one! Today I'm going to be recommending fantasy books. There's a mix of YA/Adult in here and I'm super excited to talk about these because every book I'm listing is one that I enjoyed. Let's get started!



The first book I'm recommending is Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young. In terms of reading experience, this book was such a quick read for me and I was sucked in from the first page. I ended up finishing it in one sitting and absolutely adored it. This is also a standalone, so if you're not looking for a series commitment, this is the one for you! However, if you do love this book, there's a companion novel coming out this fall! You can find my review here.


Part Wonder Woman, part Vikings—and all heart.

Raised to be a warrior, seventeen-year-old Eelyn fights alongside her Aska clansmen in an ancient rivalry against the Riki clan. Her life is brutal but simple: fight and survive. Until the day she sees the impossible on the battlefield—her brother, fighting with the enemy—the brother she watched die five years ago.

Faced with her brother's betrayal, she must survive the winter in the mountains with the Riki, in a village where every neighbor is an enemy, every battle scar possibly one she delivered. But when the Riki village is raided by a ruthless clan thought to be a legend, Eelyn is even more desperate to get back to her beloved family.

She is given no choice but to trust Fiske, her brother’s friend, who sees her as a threat. They must do the impossible: unite the clans to fight together, or risk being slaughtered one by one. Driven by a love for her clan and her growing love for Fiske, Eelyn must confront her own definition of loyalty and family while daring to put her faith in the people she’s spent her life hating.



The next recommendation I have is the Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo. Everyone in the  book community seems to rave about this series and I can tell why. I've only read the first book in the duology but I enjoyed it both times I read it--once on my own and once for a class. The rich storytelling, fantastic cast of characters, and a heist make it a great story! Plus, as a duology, there's not a huge series commitment if you're not one for longer series. You can find my review here


Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone. . . .

A convict with a thirst for revenge

A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager

A runaway with a privileged past

A spy known as the Wraith

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes

Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don’t kill each other first.



Next, I want to talk about Furyborn by Claire Legrand which is the first in a trilogy. This is a book that I discovered last year and absolutely loved. There's magic, prophecies, quests, morally ambiguous characters, and more! The sequel is coming out in a few months and I'm beyond excited for it. This series truly is something you don't want to miss! You can find my review here


The stunningly original, must-read fantasy of 2018 follows two fiercely independent young women, centuries apart, who hold the power to save their world...or doom it.

When assassins ambush her best friend, Rielle Dardenne risks everything to save him, exposing herself as one of a pair of prophesied queens: a queen of light, and a queen of blood. To prove she is the Sun Queen, Rielle must endure seven elemental magic trials. If she fails, she will be executed...unless the trials kill her first.

One thousand years later, the legend of Queen Rielle is a fairy tale to Eliana Ferracora. A bounty hunter for the Undying Empire, Eliana believes herself untouchable--until her mother vanishes. To find her, Eliana joins a rebel captain and discovers that the evil at the empire's heart is more terrible than she ever imagined.

As Rielle and Eliana fight in a cosmic war that spans millennia, their stories intersect, and the shocking connections between them ultimately determine the fate of their world--and of each other.



Next I'm recommending a series that I just recently discovered a few months ago and absolutely fell in love with: the Witchlands series by Susan Dennard with the first book being Truthwitch. I read all the books that are currently released over the course of a couple months and fell in love with this story and these characters, especially with the most recent release. Click on the book titles to read my non-spoiler reviews for each: Truthwitch (1), Windwitch (2), Sightwitch (2.5), Bloodwitch (3). 


In a continent on the edge of war, two witches hold its fate in their hands.

Young witches Safiya and Iseult have a habit of finding trouble. After clashing with a powerful Guildmaster and his ruthless Bloodwitch bodyguard, the friends are forced to flee their home.

Safi must avoid capture at all costs as she's a rare Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lies. Many would kill for her magic, so Safi must keep it hidden - lest she be used in the struggle between empires. And Iseult's true powers are hidden even from herself.

In a chance encounter at Court, Safi meets Prince Merik and makes him a reluctant ally. However, his help may not slow down the Bloodwitch now hot on the girls' heels. All Safi and Iseult want is their freedom, but danger lies ahead. With war coming, treaties breaking and a magical contagion sweeping the land, the friends will have to fight emperors and mercenaries alike. For some will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch.



My next recommendation is The City of Brass trilogy by S.A. Chakraborty. I actually just started reading this trilogy last week but am already enthralled with it! I'm still currently reading book 2 but it's already even more amazing than the first. It's such a lush world with magic and amazing political/social tensions and mind games. Unlike the previous books on this list, this one is an adult fantasy don't let that scare you! The writing style is easy to follow and the story just sucks you in until you're obsessed. You can find my review for book one here


Nahri has never believed in magic. Certainly, she has power; on the streets of 18th century Cairo, she’s a con woman of unsurpassed talent. But she knows better than anyone that the trade she uses to get by—palm readings, zars, healings—are all tricks, sleights of hand, learned skills; a means to the delightful end of swindling Ottoman nobles. 

But when Nahri accidentally summons an equally sly, darkly mysterious djinn warrior to her side during one of her cons, she’s forced to accept that the magical world she thought only existed in childhood stories is real. For the warrior tells her a new tale: across hot, windswept sands teeming with creatures of fire, and rivers where the mythical marid sleep; past ruins of once-magnificent human metropolises, and mountains where the circling hawks are not what they seem, lies Daevabad, the legendary city of brass, a city to which Nahri is irrevocably bound. 

In that city, behind gilded brass walls laced with enchantments, behind the six gates of the six djinn tribes, old resentments are simmering. And when Nahri decides to enter this world, she learns that true power is fierce and brutal. That magic cannot shield her from the dangerous web of court politics. That even the cleverest of schemes can have deadly consequences. 

After all, there is a reason they say be careful what you wish for...



The next recommendation is for one of my all time favorite series: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (ACOTAR for short). I discovered this series back when I was first getting back into reading and fell in love. The first book is a Beauty and the Beast retelling and was good but the follow up books took this series to a whole new level! There's three books and a novella that have been released that are all a complete story. While there are more books coming out, they're told from different character perspectives and are a new story. The magic, amazing characters, and beautiful world, though, will have you crawling back for more! Non-spoiler book reviews: ACOTAR (1), ACOMAF (2), ACOWAR (3), ACOFAS (3.5). 


Feyre's survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill – the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator and killing something so precious comes at a price ...

Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jewelled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre's presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why, her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever.



And last, but certainly not least, my last recommendation of this post is the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas. This is my favorite series of all time and it's such an amazing one! It spurred me falling back in love with reading and I'm made so many friends over this book and had so many amazing opportunities because of this series. It's a badass, magical series that keeps you on your toes and has you laughing, screaming, and crying all within the same breath. Non spoiler book reviews:  The Assassin's Blade (0.5), Throne of Glass (1), Heir of Fire (3), Empire of Storms (5), Tower of Dawn (6), Kingdom of Ash (7). 



After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for four years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her ... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead ... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.




Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Lauren



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Sunday, February 17, 2019

Let's Talk: "The City of Brass" by S.A. Chakraborty


Title: The City of Brass
Author: S.A. Chakraborty
Series: "The Daevabad Trilogy" #1
Genre: Fantasy
Page Length: 533 pages
Publication Date: November 14, 2017
Date Started: February 12, 2019
Date Finished: February 16, 2019
Rating: 4.75 // 5 stars

You guys...I had somewhat high of expectations going into this book since so many people had raved about it...and S.A. Chakraborty did not let me down. This book was phenomenal and I'm so glad I have the second book in my hands because I'm not ready to leave this luscious world. 

There were so many amazing aspects about this book. For starters, the writing style was amazing. I was sucked in pretty quickly and, especially after having the time to just sit and read, I couldn't stop. I ended up reading 200 pages in one sitting without even noticing and then another 200 during slow periods at work. It was addicting and I was entranced.

The characters were pretty great. I've heard some people say negative things about Nahri but I loved her. She's torn from the only life she's ever known and has to acclimate to this new world and ways of doing things. I just...I'm so excited to see what happens in the second book because I have high hopes she's going to do some badass stuff. I enjoyed Ali's perspectives but I'm still undecided on my feelings for him. He's a brilliantly written character and I like him for the most part, but some of his actions have me needing him to make up for what he's done. As for Dara, I like him but I don't love him...at least not yet. I also enjoyed all of the secondary characters and how they played a role how the book played out.

My favorite thing, though, was the politics and the scheming. Daevabad has a system that needs to be fixed and it was interesting seeing how all of the issues with it played into Nahri's journey. From oppression to prejudice to injustice, there's tensions brewing at the beginning of this book that only seem to escalate as the story goes on. I'm very excited to see what happens in the next book. 

Overall, this book was wonderful and the writing was amazing. I want to visit Daevabad so bad just from all the beautiful descriptions of it. I loved the characters, the plot, and more. The last 100 pages were just a whirlwind of excitement and plot twists that, quite frankly, blew my mind. I'm so nervous to see how the story continues in The Kingdom of Copper and I think I've found a new series to add to my favorites list. 



Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Lauren



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Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Top 5 Wednesday: Independent Ladies


It's another Wednesday and you know what that means? Another Top 5 Wednesday! This month's theme is Independent Ladies. It's all about ladies who don't let anything--or anyone--distract them from getting stuff done! Let's jump right in...

1. Aelin from Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Anyone who's read this series knows how much Aelin does on her own. While it's frustrating at times, Aelin plans a lot of things without consulting others to the point where even the readers are shocked at what she's planned when it finally happens. Now, is this the best course of action in a war? Probably not, but there's no denying that Aelin is one of the most independent characters out there. 

2. Safiya fon Hasstrel from Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

While Safiya does rely on others from time to time, she's pretty independent. After reading Bloodwitch, this is only that much more obvious to me. Despite everyone around her wanting to control her in some aspect, Safi always figures out a way to maintain control over some part of her situation. She doesn't let others distract her from her goals, even if there's a potential love interest in the air. She's also fiercely loyal, which just adds to how great of a character she is. 

3. Amren from A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

You can't talk about independent characters without mentioning Amren from the ACOTAR series. From the very beginning, she's a take-no-shit kind of character who doesn't let those around her mess with her or make her lose sight of her mission. 

4. Audrey Rose from Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

It's been a while since I read this book but from what I remember, Audrey is hella independent. In a time where women weren't really included in the sciences, not only does she study forensics but she also works to hunt down Jack the Ripper. Even with men around her trying to get her to stand back and protect her, Audrey just keeps pushing forward like a badass. 

5. Tella from Caraval by Stephanie Garber

I've had some issues with Tella but I do have to admit that she's one of the most independent characters in the Caraval universe. I can't really explain why without spoiling the books, but everything she does is just so calculated and badass. 




Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Lauren



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Tuesday, February 12, 2019

Let's Talk: "Bloodwitch" by Susan Dennard

Title: Bloodwitch
Author: Susan Dennard
Series: "Witchlands" #3
Genre: YA Fantasy
Page Length: 464 pages
Publication Date: February 12, 2019
Date Started: February 6, 2019
Date Finished: February 11, 2019
Rating: 5 // 5 stars

*I was sent a free advanced copy of this book from the publisher through Bookish First in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and comments are entirely my own*

This is by far my favorite book in the Witchlands series. I finished reading it and just kind of sat there trying to absorb all that happened. As much as I liked the previous books, this one raised the bar for this series.

Let me start off by saying that the characters were phenomenal. I loved the different POVs we got and I can't wait to see what happens to them in future books. Just looking back at the character growth from the first book to this one is such an insane journey.

This book seemed even more emotional than previous books, in my opinion. I felt a greater connection to all of the characters, not just Aeduan. My heart hurts at times and I definitely shed a few tears here and there. I can just see how brilliantly Susan has crafted these characters and it makes me so excited to see what she'll do next.

Seeing how all the different plot lines wove together in the end almost made me scream and throw the book across the room. In fact, there were moments where I as just sitting in my bed making incoherent noises and clutching the book. That ending!

Also, Susan is the queen of teasing. I don't want to discuss too in depth but there would be moments we'd been building up to and I'd been anticipating, and then something would interfere to where that moment ended up being pushed back. It was pure torture but another reason why I enjoyed this book so much.

Honestly, I'm not quite sure how to further discuss this without spoiling things accidentally, so I'll leave you with this: I absolutely adored this book. It's my favorite book I've read this year and my personal favorite of the series so far. I cannot wait to see how things play out. Overall, this was just a brilliant book!



Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Lauren



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Truthwitch Book Tag


In honor of Bloodwitch, the third book in the Witchlands, releasing today, I thought I would do something special! I stumbled across this tag a while ago and decided to save it for the release day. This tag was created by Inside My Library Mind and I wasn't tagged by anyone, but I decided I wanted to do it anyway! I'm going to try to pick answers outside of the Witchlands series but I can't promise they won't slip in here or there. 

1. Safiya: A Character That Grew on You

Elide or Lorcan from the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas. Let's be real, when we started getting their POVs I was mostly bored. I didn't want to read new POVs from characters I'd never met or didn't particularly like. I will say that they both grew on me but I'm still not as obsessed with them as some people are. Art by Taratjah


2. Iseult: A Character You Relate to the Most

Willa Knight from the Curse of the Gods series by Jaymin Eve and Jane Washington. Since the day I finished the first book in this series, I knew that if I was a book character, I would be her. She's clumsy, she's got my brand of humor, she's everything. 

3. Nubrevna: Favorite Setting

Honestly, I'm not quite sure for this one. If I'm being honest, I don't really picture vivid settings in my head when I'm reading. But I think I'm going to go with Velaris from the ACOTAR series by Sarah J. Maas just because I've seen so much fanart for it and it's so beautiful. Art by GrinningArtist

4. Aeduan: Favorite Anti-Hero

I'm going to go with Kaz Brekker for this one. He's not necessarily a bad guy, but he uses his wits and skills to do heists and run a gang, so he's definitely not a stereotypical good guy. I've only read Six of Crows so I haven't yet moved onto Crooked Kingdom, but I have a feeling I'm going to enjoy reading more of his character. Art by Whimsical Illustration

5. Merik Nihar: A Loyal Character

Ron Weasley from Harry Potter definitely fits this category. Even when things aren't necessarily the best for him, he always sticks by Harry's side or comes back in the end. He's truly the definition of a loyal Gryffindor. 

6. Safi and Iseult: Favorite Female Friendship

I'm going to have to go with Safi and Iseult from Truthwitch by Susan Dennard. I tried thinking of some other friendship that I liked more than theirs but I just couldn't. Everything about these two is amazing. Their loyalty, their selflessness for each other, etc. Their relationship is just the best. Art by alexisc_art

7. Threads that Bind: Favorite Book Relationship

I'm not going to go with a romantic relationship, but rather, another book friendship. (Small spoiler for Lord of Shadows). I just love seeing Kit and Ty's budding friendship. It's such an interesting relationship being formed and I can't wait to see where it goes next. Art by Unknown--please let me know if you know who made it!


8. The Puppeteer: Favorite Villain

The Volturi from the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer. They're definitely not good people, erm...vampires, but they are such interesting characters to read about. The roles they've played in this series have been quite good and I think that they definitely help raise this series up. 

9. The Mountain Bat: Favorite Animal/Creature

I'm going to have to go with Buckbeak for this one from the Harry Potter series. I can't really explain why, but he was the first that popped into my head. 

10. Vaness: An Intimidating Character

Can I just say literally any high fantasy character? I feel like most of the characters I read would intimidate the hell out of me if I ever met them in real life. It would be the part-scared, part-awed feeling of intimidation.



Truthwitch Review
Windwitch Review
Sightwitch Review
Bloodwitch Review



Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Lauren



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Friday, February 8, 2019

Unboxing: Beacon Book Box's "Spellbound Stories"


Hey guys! I'm here to bring you another exciting unboxing. Today, I'm showing you Beacon Book Box's January box which was themed "Spellbound Stories." This box was full of exciting goodies and, not one,  but two books so I can't wait for you all to see what was included. If you like what you've seen, you can use my discount code BOOKSHELF5 for a discount on your order! February boxes are sold out but they have a past items shop and a waitlist for March! But, without further ado, let's go ahead and dive into the unboxing now! 

When you open the box, you're greeted with the spoiler card with that month's art on it. As I said, this month was themed "Spellbound Stories." The first item that I noticed was a jar of Molly Weasley's Homemade Hot Chocolate. I'm not a big tea or coffee drinker, but I do love me some hot chocolate so this will definitely be getting used! 

The next item was a Caraval themed candle that smells absolutely divine. This was created by Novelly Yours and smells like "sea mist and magic." I cannot wait to use it in photographs! After that we have a set of ACOTAR-themed postcards. These have a painting of Feyre and Rhysand with the stars in the background and I'm absolutely in love. They're so beautiful.


Then we have a signed bookmark from Olivia Wildenstein for A Pack of Blood and Lies, which was also the bonus book that was included this month. This book comes out in April so it's pretty exciting to be getting it so early. It was also exciting to get a signed bookplate with it! 
 
Then we had this beautiful snowflake booksleeve. It's pretty durable quality and it's a good size for smaller hardbacks and paperbacks, which I'm excited about. There was also a gorgeous tapestry themed after The Winner's Curse which I'm super excited about. I'm just wondering if I can find a space for it on my walls! 


The book of the month was Echo North by Joanna Ruth Meyer which came with a signed bookplate and a letter from/Q&A with the author. This one sounds pretty interesting and, though I haven't heard much about it, what I have heard has been good feedback. 



Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Lauren



You can follow my bookstagram here. A brand new giveaway will be posted soon!

To get more awesome content like this post, click the follow button to the right!

Beacon Book Box: use the code BOOKSHELF5 for a discount on your order or subscription! 

I am a "BookishTextDesign" Influencer! Use my code LAUREN10 for a discount off your bookmark purchases! Check out the shop here

Get free worldwide shipping with Book Depository using my affiliate link


Wednesday, February 6, 2019

Top 5 Wednesday: Nostalgic Ships


We're back with another Top 5 Wednesday! This week's theme is Nostalgic Ships and is completely centered around the first fictional couples you were really into when you were younger. I've been an avid reader for quite a long time but when I was younger (think elementary and middle school), I didn't read a whole lot of books with romances in them. But I think I was able to narrow it down! 

For number 5, I picked Max and Fang from the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson. This was one of my favorite series when I was younger and I shipped them real hard. I haven't read past book 3 when spin-offs and continuations started coming, but I still remember how much I loved these books and how I would constantly reread Max/Fang scenes. 

At number 4, I went with Rose and Dimitri from the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. This was another series that I read when I was younger, post-Twilight. I loved this series so much and I always wanted Rose and Dimitri to end up together. I will have to say, though, that I did not like how they cast Dimitri in the movie...

Coming in at number 3, I went with Layla and Roth from The Dark Elements series by Jennifer L. Armentrout. It shocked me to realize that I read this trilogy when I was 15 years old. I'm 19 now, so to think that it's really been that long is a shock. But I always loved this trilogy and I always shipped Layla and Roth together.

For number 2, I decided to picked Katy and Daemon from the Lux series, also by Jennifer L. Armentrout. I also read this series when I was 15 and I was obsessed with it (and still am). I've been rereading the series recently and it just is so fun to revisit these characters. These two always seemed to fit perfectly together.

And my number 1 most nostalgic ship is Bella and Edward from Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. Now that I'm older, I can definitely see the problems in these books, but I read them when I was 9 and I was obsessed. I still love the series and Bella and Edward are probably the definition of nostalgic ship for me. 




Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Lauren



You can follow my bookstagram here. A brand new giveaway will be posted soon!

To get more awesome content like this post, click the follow button to the right!

Beacon Book Box: use the code BOOKSHELF5 for a discount on your order or subscription! 

I am a "BookishTextDesign" Influencer! Use my code LAUREN10 for a discount off your bookmark purchases! Check out the shop here

Get free worldwide shipping with Book Depository using my affiliate link