Amanda’s Ultimate Favorite Books List

Hello, lovelies! I thought, after my last post, it would be fitting to share a list of my favorite books. This list is honestly subject to change at any point depending on my mood, but this might give you some insight into my reading taste. Also, some of these are 100% on this list for nostalgia reasons.

Looking for Alaska by John Green
This book will always make all of my favorite book lists because it came to me at a time in my life when I needed it. I believe this book had a part in saving my younger self. So, I will always read it with love.

For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten
This is actually a new favorite. I read it last year and then again just before the sequel was released. I loved it even more after reading it a second time. For the Throne was, somehow, even better.

Skyward by Brandon Sanderson
There’s something about this series that just gives me exactly the escapism that I’m searching for when diving into a story. Sanderson really brings you into the world and makes you love the characters.

Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi
I just really, really love this series. I cannot wait until my daughter is willing to read longer books with me so that we can read this series together.

The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
This whole series is my favorite. I love Chokshi’s writing. I would die for these characters.

King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo
I’m total trash for the Grishaverse but the Nikolai duology is by far my favorite of all the books in this universe.

Red Rising by Pierce Brown
There’s just something about this series and these characters that live in my brain every day.

All the Bad Apples by Moira Fowley-Doyle
I feel like this book just really impacted me emotionally. It’s one of the first physical books I read in one sitting after having my first child. It also made me cry.

Beartown by Fredrik Backman
Speaking of books that made me cry, this book destroyed me. I can’t wait to read it again.

The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima
I got into fantasy with this series. It also still holds up as an excellent YA fantasy series (plus there’s a four-book spin-off series. That’s eight new books to add to your tbr!)

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas
I love this series with my whole heart, but this is my favorite book in the series.

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon
I don’t talk about this series nearly as much as I should. But every time I reread it, I’m reminded of how much I love these characters and their gritty world.

Almost Favorites

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle
The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow
The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
Furyborn by Claire Legrand

I also have these books, listed above as my ‘almost favorites’. These are all books that I’ve only read once, but I think upon a reread they have high potential to move their way onto my favorites list. I do plan to reread a few of these in the next few months, so maybe I’ll do an update of this toward the end of the year.

What are some of your top favorite books?

Keep on reading lovelies, Amanda.

Blogmas Book Review – Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas

Summary:
The Final Battle is here.
Aelin Galathynius has vowed to save her people-but at a tremendous cost. Locked within an iron coffin by the Queen of the Fae, Aelin must draw upon her fiery will as she endures months of torture. The knowledge that yielding to Maeve will doom those she loves keeps her from breaking, but her resolve is unraveling with each passing day…
With Aelin captured, friends and allies are scattered to different fates. Some bonds will grow even deeper, while others will be severed forever. As destinies weave together, at last, all must fight is Erilea is to have any hope of salvation.
Years in the making, Sarah J. Maas’s New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series draws to an explosive conclusion as Aelin fights to save herself-and the promise of a better world.
Review:

If you’re looking for a series to completely and utterly destroy your soul, look no further. This conclusion to the Throne of Glass series was one of the most emotional rollercoasters I’ve ever ridden. This 900+ page BRICK had me laughing, crying, yelling, whirling through all of the emotions ever. I honestly am not even sure how I’m going to write this review. I think I’m just going to keep it short and to the point. There were things I liked, things I loved and things I didn’t like.

Things I liked:

The alternating perspectives. I liked getting to see everything that was happening all over the world. All of the pieces we’d seen put in motion were coming together little by little and it was great. I’m a huge fan of having multiple perspectives in fantasy stories. While many thought it was too many perspectives, I liked it. I liked following the story from all the different characters I’ve come to love so much.

The pacing. I think the story was paced in a realistic way. All too often crazy things happen in stories and somehow it all takes place in one day or week. Months have gone by since the ending of Empire of Storms/ Tower of Dawn and many more go by before the ending of the book. I liked this because it’s realistic and makes sense. It takes time for armies to move across oceans and continents. Wars aren’t won or lost overnight.

Things I loved:

Aelin, the whole time. She was strong when she needed to stay strong and she broke down when it was (mostly) a good time for her to lose her shit. And yes, it was absolutely heartbreaking seeing her lose her shit in the way that she did. I loved that she was suffering from PTSD and sorting through her emotions and mostly just kind of trying to keep her shit together. This was realistic and it’s (thankfully) becoming more common to talk about and show the characters dealing with their trauma instead of just suddenly being okay again. Aelin has grown so much throughout this series. It was interesting seeing her (mostly) fully developed character making the tough decisions, doing what’s best not for herself but for her kingdom.

Fenrys. I loved getting to know him further. I adored his relationship with Aelin. They supported one another through their own versions of the same trauma. We see him go through some really hard shit at the same time that Aelin is going through her own really hard shit, but they do their best to support one another through it in whatever way they can. They also support each other after they’ve escaped because they know what happened and don’t need to talk about it to support the other.

Rowan was another character that I love. It was almost just as hard to see him dealing with losing Aelin than it was to see Aelin going through what Maeve did to her. After they find one another again I liked that he didn’t push her. He knows she’s been through something unimaginable and he gives her space to process but makes sure she knows that he’s here when she’s ready.

Dorian was an actual savage. He’s changed probably the most in these books. He was a (mostly) carefree Prince that slept with girls and did whatever he wanted to in the first book and now he’s a King with the weight of the world on his shoulders. He really goes above and beyond to do his part in this book. I’m happy we got so many Dorian chapters. There were definitely a few places that had me yelling at him. (Or texting The Bookish Chick saying shit like, “EW DORIAN,” and “OH SHIT DORIAN. SLICK AF.”) But I loved Dorian the most in this final book.

Things I didn’t like:

Okay, I’m going to try to be intentionally super vague because I don’t want to give too much away about specific events. There were several characters that cared for another in previous books and still love them, but due to one action or choice made by the one, they love there is conflict. There is more than one character that tells their love interest that they’ve done something unforgivable, ending their fledgling relationship. This happened with more than one couple. Various characters are harsh and mean, sometimes too harsh in my opinion, to their love interest until said love interest finds themselves in serious danger. Suddenly the characters realize that the unforgivable action might actually be forgivable because they actually do still love their love interest. I hope this makes sense. It likely will to those that have already finished reading Kingdom of Ash, but I’m sorry if it’s confusing. I didn’t like this because it seemed like a cop-out. the character that did something wrong didn’t earn trust back, they did nothing to deserve forgiveness. It was a fast way to have some resolution before the big climax before the end of the book.

I also am very very sad to say that I didn’t like Aedion in this final book. He was mostly an asshole until close to the end of the story and I didn’t like his chapters. I liked him a little bit by the end, but only because of his actions during the war. Honestly, I’m super salty that I didn’t like him so I don’t even want to talk about it anymore.

The really really heartbreaking parts. They were horrible. I can understand some heartbreak that has a point. Like, sure destroy me, but do it with a purpose. The heartbreak that occurred in this book I feel was weak. I’m not sure how to explain why without spoilers so I’m not going to. I’m just going to say that I think what Sarah did to us was NOT needed and could have been avoided.

Finally, I didn’t like the very end. Again, I’m going to be vague so I don’t give too much away. There wasn’t anything wrong with the ending perse. I just would have preferred an epilogue with a ‘ten years later’ kind of idea. I want to know where our characters end up instead of the ending we were left with. It was an okay ending, left us with a sense of everyone getting ready to heal themselves and rebuild the world, but I’m a girl that wants a ‘ten years later’ blurb.

So overall, I loved this book. As I mentioned above, it a 900+ page BRICK and I somehow read it in TWO DAYS. I FLEW through the story. I just couldn’t get enough. Because I put off reading this conclusion for a month when I finally decided I was ready for Sarah to destroy my soul I just couldn’t stop reading until I was completely deceased. Part of me is really glad this series is finally over, so these characters can come to a close but also so Sarah can write other things and destroy us in other ways. But I’m sad because my journey with these characters that I’ve become so invested in and grew to love so much (even the ones I didn’t love) is really actually finally coming to an end.

Keep on reading lovelies, Amanda

*Want to buy this book? Just click the image of the book cover! As Amazon Affiliates we will get a percentage of any purchase, feel free to support us.

Blogmas Book Review – Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas

Summary:
Chaol Westfall and Nesryn Faliq have arrived in the shining city of Antica to forge an alliance with the Khagan of the Southern Continent, whose vast armies are Erelia’s last hope. But they have also come to Antica for another purpose: to seek healing at the famed Torre Cesme for the wounds Chaol received in Rifthold.
After enduring unspeakable horrors as a child, Irene Towers has no desire to help the young lord from Ararlan, let alone heal him. Yet she has sworn an oath to assist those in need-and will honor it. But Lord Westfall carries shadows from his own past, and Irene soon comes to realize they could engulf them both.
In the sweeping parallel novel to the New York Times bestselling Empire of Storms, Chaol, Nesryn, and Irene will have to draw on every scrap of their resilience if they wish to save their friends. But while they become entangled in the political webs of the khaganate, deep in the shadows of the mighty mountains where warriors soar on legendary runs, long awaited answers slumber. Answers that might offer their world a chance at survival-or doom them all…
Review:
Once again, Sarah J. Maas has completely blown me away. As I’ve mentioned in my previous reviews, I am rereading this series because the final book, Kingdom of Ash has recently been released and once a series is complete I really like to read the whole series over so I’m not forgetting any details. I’m super glad I chose to do this because there were SO many things that surprised me in Tower of Dawn that I had completely forgotten about. Like HUGE details and plot twists that I didn’t remember in the least.

“I stood on the the wrong side of the line for too damn long, and it cost me everything.”

So, I loved this book. It honestly makes me sad that there are so many negative opinions about this book because I really just loved it so much. I understand that Chaol is not the most well loved character in this series, but I still love him. He may have not reacted to some things with Aelin in the best ways, but he’s only human and people make mistakes. This book had so much character development for Chaol. He really started to realize that he’s kind of been a jackass and maybe he should have done things a little differently. He is still always trying to be the honorable Chaol that we knew in the first book, but doesn’t always succeed. I think that was the only thing I didn’t like about this book. He made promised to Nesryn and didn’t follow through with them and I didn’t care for that.

“And I am as much of a man in that chair, or with that cane, as I am standing on my feet.”

Nesryn was excellent in Tower of Dawn. I adored getting to see her with her relatives. It was clear how happy she was to be in Antica. I loved seeing her get to know and experience all of the things that are different from the life she’s used to, especially her adventures with Sartaq. I’m very interested to see where her story ends up at the end of this series.

“You must enter where you fear to tread.”

There were so many new things introduced in this book. It takes place on the Southern Continent, Antica. So we’re reading about a completely new place with a host of new faces. I loved Antica. Its traditions and customs are so different from life in the North so it was really interesting to learn about how life on the Southern Continent works and how life came to be that way. Antica is rich with history and I really loved the stories of how the khaganate became what it is today.

“But I also told him that the woman I love now plans to head into war. And I intend to follow her.”

Along with this new place were the new faces. First, Irene Towers (only sort of a new face) I was super excited to see her story mix with the characters we already knew. I am so satisfied with where Yrene was at the end of Tower of Dawn. I really couldn’t think of a better way for her story to end. I also cannot wait to see what’s going to happen with her in Kingdom of Ash.

“For wherever you need to go-and then some. The world needs more healers.”

The royal family was an interesting one. I don’t know how much I liked them because I love close knit families and I wouldn’t qualify them as one. Because of the way that succession works, it really doesn’t allow for the siblings to be close to one another. Don’t get me wrong, its clear that they love one another, just maybe not in the most traditional way. Again, I’m interested to see these characters interact with the characters we love that were absent from this story. I think the siblings each played an interesting part in this story, some more than others, and I’m still not totally sure if I liked them or not.

“Nothing valuable comes without a cost, boy.”

The story itself was great, full of character development. The characters learned much about themselves but they also learned much about the impending fight. The plot twists were super crazy. We learned some really important things and I’m amazed that I didn’t pick up the final book and stay up all night reading it. I don’t want to say anything else for fear of spoilers, but some of the things we learned had my jaw dropping even though I’ve read Tower of Dawn before. So, to those haters of Chaol, this book is still important to the series and you might just find yourself liking him by the last pages, so give it a try.

Keep on reading lovelies, Amanda.

*Want to buy this book? Just click the image of the book cover! As Amazon Affiliates we will get a percentage of any purchase, feel free to support us.

Blogmas Book Review – Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas

Summary:
Kingdoms will collide.
The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius as war looms on the horizon. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost as gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at off with those who don’t.
With her heart sworn to the warrior-prince by her side, and her fealty pledged to the people she’s determined to save, Aelin will delve into the depths of her power to protects those she loves. But as monsters emerge from the horrors of the past, and dark forces become poised to claim her world, the only chance for salvation will lie in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.
In the breathtaking fifth installment of the New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series, Aelin will have to choose what-and who-to sacrifice if she’s to keep the world of Erilea from breaking apart.
Review:
Way to rip my heart out of my chest Sarah J. Maas. As I’ve mentioned in my reviews of the previous books in this series, this is a reread for me. I’m reading the whole series again because apparently, I like the emotional pain that Maas puts us through. Check out my review for the last book, Queen of Shadows, HERE.
This book is killer and part of me just wants to skip rereading Tower of Dawn so I can finally get to Kingdom of Ash. The way Empire of Storms ended really just broke my heart, talk about a freaking plot twist.
I think my favorite part of this book was definitely getting to see the characters really develop their relationships with one another. There’s not so much development on themselves, but on their interactions with one another.

“She was not a rebel princess, shattering enemy castles and killing kings. She was a force of nature. She was a calamity and a commander of immortal warriors of legend.”

Aelin and Rowan went so much further into the seriousness of their relationship. I still adore both of the characters. Aelin is really filling in the role of Queen. She always has plans going on, even if she’s the only one that knows that plan. We get to know a bit more about Rowan in this story. But overall we see them develop more as one, together.

“Even when this world is a forgotten whisper of dust between the stars, I will love you.”

Aedion is still excellent. I really liked seeing him come to terms with certain things and find his proper place in Aelin’s court. I loved watching his friendship grow with Lysandra. I love that they’re both sassy and seeing that sass collide was always great. I enjoyed watching Lysandra grow and figure out who she is and her confidence in herself was excellent.

“Princess Lysandra Ashryver sounds nice, doesn’t it?”

I’m happy that Dorian played a bigger part in this book, but I feel like he was still mostly in the background. Though he was trying to learn about himself and his abilities and he definitely was spending time trying to figure out who he was now that he had this new role to fill. His interactions with Manon were my absolute favorite.

“It’s not such a hard thing, is it-to die for your friends.”

Manon definitely changed the most in these pages. Her whole world changed and she did her best to just go along with it, though she did cause a fair bit of that change. I loved her and Dorian talking because Dorian really comes out of his shell and seems like his old self. Manon challenges him in ways that I love. I also absolutely adore her relationship with Abraxsos. He’s the cutest but also pretty scary. I love the changes he’s sort of inspired in Manon.

“You and me,” she promised him. “From now until the Darkness claims us.”

I really really loved Elide in this book. She shows us her claws. She doesn’t take shit from anyone. She has a backbone and isn’t afraid to show it, even to those who she really just has no chance against fighting. She finds herself in some not so great situations but manages to get out of them. She shows that she’s loyal and honorable until the very end.

“I have no lands, no money, no army to offer Aelin Galathynius. But I will find her-and help her in whatever way I can.”

I really liked Empire of Storms even though it shattered my heart into a million pieces. So far, Queen of Shadows is still my favorite, but Empire of Storms finally answered so many of the questions that have been building up throughout the first four books. We got to meet lots of great side characters as well as seeing some old friends that we weren’t expecting. I loved that I was surprised again while reading this. I remembered the big twists but there were still things that I’d forgotten. I can’t wait to finally read the final book to see how this wonderful world is brought to an end.

Keep on reading lovelies, Amanda.

*Want to buy this book? Just click the image of the book cover! As Amazon Affiliates we will get a percentage of any purchase, feel free to support us.

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

Summary:
The queen has returned.
Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she’s at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past…
She has embraced her identity as Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. But before she can reclaim her throne, she must fight.
She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die for her. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen’s triumphant return.
The fourth volume in the New York Times bestselling series continues Celaena’s epic journey and builds to a passionate, agonizing crescendo that might just shatter her world.
Review:
I am currently experiencing ALL THE FEELS. Queen of Shadows might actually be my favorite out of all of these books because there’s just so much love within the pages. I don’t know how Maas does it, usually the sequels are okay or alright, but the further this series goes the better it gets.
Queen of Shadows was full of drama and friendships and forgiveness and I loved every page. There were so many new characters that made new friends and mended fences with old friends or enemies. The character development was excellent so was the storyline and the pace of the story. We get to see so many of the things we learned about in the first three books finally come together. The start of the many different pieces falling into place.
I loved getting to learn and explore more of this world. We learn more about the traditions of Terrasan. I liked learning more about the world that Aelin was meant to rule.

“Stones were eternal–flowers were not.”

The characters were absolutely my favorite part. I love seeing Aelin really develop into a leader and the Queen she is meant to be. I love seeing her mend fences with others she previously swore to kill. I definitely died a little seeing her reunite with Aedion. She’s grown so much in the last few books and I don’t even want to be writing this I just want to read the next book.

“She was fire, and light, and ash, and embers. She was Aelin Fireheart, and she bowed for no one and nothing, save the crown that was hers by blood and survival and triumph.”

Rowan, sigh. I just really adore him. That’s all.

“You make me want to live, too, Aelin Galathynius,” he said. “Not exist–but live.”

Chaol really comes a long way. He forgives Aelin for a lot of things. He tries not to hold the whole world on his shoulders like he always did in the past. (He mostly fails, but he tries.) I like seeing his relationship with another rebel grow despite his subconscious attempts to sabotage it.

“Let’s go rattle the stars.”

Oh, Dorian. Dorian’s chapters were honestly so hard for me to read. Poor poor Dorian. I don’t want to say too much, but he really gets the shit end of all of the sticks.

“They were infinite. They were the beginning and the ending; they were eternity.”

Kaltain is another that didn’t deserve what she got. But she proved that she was stronger than anyone knew. She bided her time before ruining lives and taking her own revenge. I loved her, even though I wish her story ended differently.

“She’s forgotten the name she’s been given, but it made no difference. She had only one name now: Death, devourer of worlds.”

Manon is the one that has the most growth. She’s growing and maybe even has a heart. I love reading her chapters because she really has changed so much and I’m so proud of her. I think some of my favorite parts of this book were seeing her interact with the other characters, especially Dorian. Any time she and Aelin met there was chaos and excitement and I loved it so much.

“I loved her in a way I cannot describe–other than to tell you it was the most powerful thing I’ve ever felt, greater than rage, than lust, than magic.”

Elide was another new character that I really just adored. She was broken and seemingly frail but proved in every page that she was exactly the opposite. She was strong and brave and willing to do whatever it took to gain her freedom and returned to her queen.

“Blue,” she whispered. “My blood runs blue.”

Lysandra yaaaas. She’s fierce and sassy and loyal and all the good things. She’s such a good friend. She proves herself over and over again. I loved her attitude and bravery and I can’t believe I’m still writing this and haven’t started the next book yet.

“Please,” Lysandra said, waving a manicured hand, “you and I are nothing but wild beasts wearing human skins. Don’t even try to deny it.”

This has been my favorite book out of all of them, but there are still three more books so, I guess we will see. I’m going to go read the next book and probably die inside now.

Keep on reading lovelies, Amanda.

*Want to buy this book? Just click the image of the book cover! As Amazon Affiliates we will get a percentage of any purchase, feel free to support us.

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

Summary:
Celaena Sardothien has survived deadly contests and shattering heartbreak but at an unspeakable cost. Now she must travel to a new land to confront her darkest truth…a truth about her heritage that could change her life-and her future-forever.
Meanwhile, brutal and monstrous forces are gathering on the horizon, intent on enslaving her world. To defeat them, Celaena must find the strength not only to fight her inner demons but to battle the evil that is about to be unleashed.
The king’s assassin takes on an even greater destiny and burns brighter than ever before in this third book in the New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series.
Review:
There was so much to this story. The chapters alternate between a few different characters that are critical to the story. Now that these characters are spread out all over the world, each playing their own important part of the story, we get to follow each of them instead of just Celaena. I really am a fan of multiple perspective books as long as they’re done in the right way. Heir of Fire does it the right way. Right as things are getting exciting or intense for one character we get a cool down period and check on another. I just like this up and down of the story. I also like the idea that all of this is happening at the same time, so we get to know everything. I was really happy to get to see more of this world with the varying perspectives and the traveling characters. Maas has built an incredible and complex world.
My lovely wonderful Celaena. She’s just as crazy as ever. She’s finally doing the right thing, even if it’s only to keep a promise she made to Nehmia. I’ve noticed that she tends to avoid her problems until she just can’t avoid them anymore. This was interesting because she does her best to avoid things until the last minute and then at the last minute she comes up with a plan so insane it just might work. I also noticed in this book that she is just so desperate for a friend, for someone to love her. I think this is because that she has had her family taken from her, been betrayed by so many that she thought cared for her. I feel back for her, but it was actually a little annoying once I realized this. She dated TWO of our main characters in the first book. Continued dating one in the second before turning on him and ruining that. And now this new character (who I’m totally here for and it my absolute fav.) I definitely think she developed so much in this book. She’s finally accepted who she is and the responsibilities that includes. I’m proud of her for stepping up to the plate instead of running again.

“She would not let that light go out. She would fill the world with it, with her light-her gift. She would light up the darkness, so brightly that all who were lost or wounded or broken would find their way to it, a beacon for those who still dwelled in that abyss. It would not take a monster to destroy a mother-but light, light to drive out the darkness.”

Rowan. The ultimate book boyfriend. But only at the end of the book. As this was a reread for me, I didn’t realize how much I had forgotten. What I mean by this is how I forgot just how vicious and aggressive he was toward Celaena at first. I think this is due to the world he lives in. Maeve’s fae are just that. They’re trained to be vicious and lethal. I really enjoyed watching his relationship with Celaena change as they both decided to open up and become friends.

“For a long moment, he said nothing. But his brows narrowed slightly. “To whatever end?””

Chaol, oh Chaol. He’s still just a really good dude. He fights the good fight for Celaena since he sent her away. He does what he can to help her and her mission even though he’s still undecided about who he’s really fighting for and what side he’s going to end up on. This next quote is one I think perfectly sums up Chaol.

“”Damn,” the general said, then shook his head. “I didn’t think that kind of honor still existed in Adarlan.””

Dorian really gets the shit end of the stick in this series. He keeps losing girl after girl, all because he’s the Crown Prince. You would think that would give him an advantage, but it doesn’t. He has a really hard time throughout this book, but toward the end finally had a handle on his problems and has found a girl that accepts him for who he is, problems, crown, and all.

“When Dorian had spoken, it hadn’t been a prince who looked at him. It had been a king.”

Aedion is super smart and clever. He has been deceiving the king for years and really just impressed me. His loyalty to Aelin is unlike any other. I honestly feel bad for the surprise that he gets in the next book. I love his dedication and determination to do what he can to get Aelin supporters.

“Cousin-that had been his most beloved title. Cousin, kin, protector. Those were the secret names he harbored deep within, the names he whispered to himself when the northern wind was shrieking through the Staghorns.”

Manon. I literally wrote “MANON SLAAAY.” in my notes for this book. I loved her. Even though she’s kind of psychotic and might actually be a serial killer. I’m totally here for it. She is totally HBIC (head bitch in charge) even if she technically isn’t. She takes no shit from anyone other than her grandmother (who is actually HBIC). She makes sure that everyone knows their place. She just really doesn’t fuck around, she will absolutely claw your frigging eyes out. Her relationship with her wyvern is probably my favorite part of this book. She ends up picking Abraxos, a former bait beast that shows he’s a survivor. The extreme opposites that they are, make for some excellent entertainment. Claw your eyes out, eat your children Manon picks bait beast Abraxos who literally rolled around on the ground sniffing and playing with flowers instead of hunting. It was excellent and I loved it.

“Abraxos continued to lie in the sun, vain and indulgent as a cat, “Warrior heart indeed.””

Overall, I loved this book. The further into this series I get the more involved it is. There is SO much to this plot and to these characters. If you’re going to read these books prepare yourself to get complete invested and have your soul thoroughly punched. I really loved getting to explore this world further. It’s created to intricately and in enough detail to allow the reader to see what’s going on but not so much detail that it bogs the story down. I absolutely adore these characters and though they’ve been beaten down and seemingly defeated I’m so excited to see where the next book goes. (Though I already know because I’ve read them all but the final book.)

Keep on reading lovelies, Amanda.

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Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Summary:
Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become the King’s Champion. But she is far from loyal to the crown. Though she hides her secret vigilantly, her deadly charade becomes difficult when she realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. No one is above questioning her allegiance-not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captian of the Guard; not even her best friend Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.
Then, one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena’s world shatters, she will be forced to decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie…and whom she is willing to fight for.
Review:
I always forget how much I really enjoy these books until I’m toward the end of each one. Each book begins with so much build up and drama that when the base drops (plot twists) it’s mind-blowing and heartbreaking but you just beg for more with the next book. This is a reread for me, of the series before I get to the conclusion, Kingdom of Ash (that finally came in the mail!) check out my review for the last book here.
The plot twists in this book were excellent. While I knew they were coming because this was a reread for me I still remember the first time I read the series and how utterly shocked I was to learn certain things revealed to us in Crown of Midnight. The plot twists still totally hit me in the feels like a punch in the stomach. I just really enjoyed this book. It’s not my favorite of the series, but I definitely liked it more than Throne of Glass. There is action and drama and romance and betrayal. Really it’s everything you could ever want.

Celaena is still kick ass. Doesn’t take anything from anyone. She’s a very independent individual. She definitely lets the readers see that she has a heart more and more. She does things that could get her killed because not doing them would weigh on her conscience. She has a short fuse when it comes to her temper and it kind of hurts her more than anything. She doesn’t sit around to listen to the whole story. She just gets pissed and goes off in a rage. I love her though. She’s doing so much in this book and I’m so excited for all the things she’ll do in the next one.

“She had a flicker of a memory from a time when, just for a moment, she’d been free; when the world has been wide open and she’s been about to enter it with Sam at her side. It was a freedom that she was still working for because even though she’d tasted it for only a heartbeat, it had been the most exquisite heartbeat she’d ever experienced.”

Dorian honestly just annoyed me the first half of this book. Jealous Dorian is super annoying. I was glad when he finally decided to move on. I liked that Dorian got his own side story as well. He has his own struggles that sort of meet up at the end. But he’s alone in this struggle. I like that he bad Celaena become friends again because they need one another.

“Dorian nodded, looking at her with kindness she couldn’t stand. “Then you will always have a place here.”

Chaol is just as honorable as ever. Always with his duty to the king and the crown. Always doing his job, loyalty and all that. Chaol has a few moments that just show his humanity, that he’s vulnerable. I really liked this because with everything going on with everyone else it was nice to see just how human Chaol is.

“He took a step toward her, but she held her ground. “Believe me Celaena,” he snarled, his eyes flashing, “I know you can look after yourself. But I worry because I care. Gods help me, I know I shouldn’t, but I do. So I will always tell you to be careful because I will always care what happens.”

Nehemia is still one of my favorite characters. Thought I wish she had put more trust in Celaena and told her more of the story. I understand why she didn’t because it probably would have backfired but still. I loved her. She was a great friend to Celaena when she wasn’t hiding things.

“I promise,” she whispered again. “On my name, on my life, even if it takes until my last breath, I promise I will see Eyllwe freed.”

Mort is one of my absolute favorite parts of this story. He should totally get a little novella – the life and creation of Mort.
Overall the story really heated up in this book. Filled with betrayal and murder, love and romance, action and adventure – and of course a quest. I love all the characters. Even the ones I didn’t like. I’m going to stop writing now because I’m dying to start Heir of Fire.

Keep on reading lovelies, Amanda.

*Please be aware that the book cover on this post is a link to purchase this book through Amazon. Feel free to purchase with our affiliate link (just click on the book cover) to support us!

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Summary:
In a world without magic, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the vicious king who rules from his throne of glass but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she will be released from prison to serve s the King’s Champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien.
The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captian of the Guard will protect her. And a princess from a faraway land will befriend her. But something evil dwells in the castle-it’s there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena’s fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival-and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.
Review:
Laying in bed, trying to gather my thoughts and form them into words, sentences, opinions about this story – I don’t want to tell you how much I loved this book, I just want to continue on with the series and pick up the second book. After (FINALLY) getting around to reading The Assassin’s Blade – reviewed here – I couldn’t help myself but pick up Throne of Glass for the third (fourth?) time and reread the whole series in anticipation of the final book’s release.
Kingdom of Ash is being released today (today – the day I wrote this review, not the day the review posted.) But I likely won’t get my preordered copy until Thursday (the 25th). So what better way to get hyped for this 900+ page conclusion then to reread the first seven books in the series.

“Libraries were full of ideas-perhaps the most dangerous and powerful of all weapons.”

So because this is a reread, but a new review, I’m going to try to mostly write it like a new review. Let’s start with the characters.
Celaena Sardothien; kick-ass, sassy af, a girl that could kill you a hundred different ways before you even knew what hit you. But she’s a multifaceted kind of girl. She loves her some pretty underthings and fancy dresses. She is easily excited by a bag full of candy the morning of Yulemas. She’s been through so much but is still able to be happy about the little things. It’s so pure. She’s also loyal to the death. She has a soft side that she doesn’t want to admit that she has, but it pushes her to do the right thing even when it may not be the easy thing. Also, she spends SO much of her time in this book reading. What bookworm doesn’t like to read about another bookworm?

“Elena took a step toward her. “You could rattle the stars,” she whispered. “You could do anything, if only you dared. And deep down, you know it too. That’s what scares you more.””

Chaol Westfall; All the best friend feels. I don’t ship him and Celaena (mostly because I already know who she ends up with later on) but also because they’re great friends. They have excellent banter that is hilarious and so entertaining. And I don’t want to see that ruined by things getting weird and lovey. Chaol is a stand-up guy. Loyal to his friends and other loved ones. Will sacrifice anything for those he feels deserve it. Loves with his whole heart. Duty over everything, he really tries to play by the rules. He may not be totally okay with the status quo, but what can he do about it? I’m excited to read his backstory (again) because we only got a few bits and pieces in Throne of Glass.

“What’s the point in having a mind if you don’t use it to make judgments? What’s the point in having a heart if you don’t use it to spare others the harsh judgments of your mind?”

Dorian Havilliard; Our lovely crown prince. I’m trying to stay impartial here with the things I already know happen in the future. But I really just, ugh. Dorian is a fun loving prince that craves adventure and chaos. He wants to do better for his kingdom than what his father is doing but also knows better than to push his father too far. It was interesting to see him press those boundaries. His relationship with Celaena was one of those pushes. He befriended her and spent more time than was proper with her ensuring the jealousy of other girls. Dorian is a little naive (thesaurus this). He wants the best, but I don’t think he really understands the seriousness of a lot of things going on around him.

“We all bear scars, Dorian. Mine just happen to be more visible than most.”

Nehemiah; She’s probably my favorite character of all. Intelligent and mischievous. She fools everyone around her into thinking she’s something she isn’t. She becomes a good friend to Celaena which I loved. I love the relationship between these two girls. I think they make the best of friends.
The King & Duke Perrington; I hate them both. They’re excellent villains. I love to hate them because they’re so clearly awful. They care for nothing but their own agendas time and time again.
Kaltain; Celaena said it perfectly the first time she met Kaltain. Why do girls have to be so desperate for the attention of men that they feel the need to betray other females? This is so true and something so relevant even in today’s world. Us females should be sticking together, not fighting one another.
As for the story itself, I loved every page. While it wasn’t an overly complex book to read there was definitely a lot to the plot and story. With a few different things going on all at once (this gets even worse in the later books) it was interesting to see them all unfold together. I like the creativity of making this assassin a hero of sorts. The story wasn’t boring or too slow or rushed. It was paced nicely, giving us information when and as we needed it. I’m excited to see things speed up just a little bit in the next books.
The last thing I want to mention is the writing. While I did say that it wasn’t overly complicated it is beautiful. There are tons and tons of imagery that I could picture easily and well. For example, when Celaena meets the king, “It was a voice she had heard before, deep and raspy. It made her bones crack and splinter, made her feel the astonishing cold of a winter long since last.” I feel as if I could experience what she’s feeling in this moment. It’s all just written so well.
As a whole, I loved this book. Not a huge surprise with the excellent characters we were given and the interesting, in-depth, chaotic story that the characters go through in these pages. Maas really knows how to give us some characters that we can’t get enough of. Go read these now!

Keep on reading lovelies, Amanda.

*Please be aware that the book cover on this post is a link to purchase this book through Amazon. Feel free to purchase with our affiliate link (just click on the book cover) to support us!

The Assassin’s Blade by Sarah J. Maas

Summary:
Celaena Sardothien is her kingdom’s most feared assassin. Though she works for the powerful and ruthless Assassins’ Guild, she yields to no one and trusts only her fellow killer-for-hire, Sam.
When Celaena’s scheming master, Arobynn Hamel, dispatches her on missions that take her from remote islands to hostile deserts, she finds herself acting independently of his wishes-and questioning her own allegiance. Along the way, she makes friends and enemies alike and discovers that she feels far more for Sam than just friendship. But by defying Arobynn’s orders, Celaena risks unimaginable punishment, and with Sam by her side, he is in danger too. They will have to risk it all if they hope to escape Arobynn’s clutches-and if they fail, they’ll lose not just a chance at freedom but their lives…
A prequel to Throne of Glass, this collection of five novellas offers readers a deeper look into the history of this cunning assassin and her enthralling-and deadly-world.
Review:
I am actually deceased after reading this collection of novellas. In case you don’t already know I am a die hard fan of Sarah J. Maas. So it should be a surprise that I haven’t managed to find time to read The Assassin’s Blade yet. (READ: I have indeed read the rest of the Throne of Glass series, I just hadn’t gotten around to reading this book of novellas.) Mostly I was just waiting for the right opportunity. That right time being four days before the final book in the series, Kingdom of Ash, is released. I am planning to spend the next four days doing nothing but reading (rereading) the Throne of Glass series. Usually, this would be no problem to accomplish, but I’ve become a mother and caring for my two-month-old baby takes priority. Good thing she’s a great baby and sleeps A LOT still.

“That girl wasn’t like wildfire-she was wildfire. Deadly and uncontrollable. And slightly out of her wits.”

So, The Assassin’s Blade actually just ripped my heart out, stomped on it a bunch and then said, here have it back so we can do it again in a few more books. I loved everything about these novellas. I think The Assassin and The Desert was my favorite. I really enjoyed everything about the Silent Assassins. I thought it was a super cool place and I enjoyed watching Celaena learn about herself. It was honestly just really nice to get to see her be happy for once. Even if it didn’t last that long.

“And for that one heartbeat, when there was nothing more to it than that, she tasted bliss so complete that she tipped her head back to the sky and laughed.”

I loved how the novellas were all leading up to something. I liked that they all kind of tied into one another and also tied into the later books in the series. I enjoyed reading about characters that I know we’re going to meet (again) in the later books. It made me just that much more excited to continue rereading these books. I really just loved being back in this book universe. I liked getting to know more about Celaena before she went into the salt mines. Also, getting to see how her relationship with Sam developed was GREAT. I love him, he’s adorable. He definitely didn’t deserve the fate that he got, but yaknow everything happens for a reason.

“He brushed his lips against hers. “I love you,” he breathed against her mouth. “And from today onward, I want to never be separated from you. Wherever you go, I go. Even if that means going to Hell itself, wherever you are, that’s where I want to be. Forever.”

I’m interested to see if we’re going to meet other characters from these novellas in the final book, Kingdom of Ash. Specifically, the friend she made in the desert. I really liked seeing all of the things that happened to create who Celaena was in the first book. I also totally enjoyed all of the little hints that were left for us about who she really is. Nothing that’s obvious unless you already know who she is. I love how fierce and kickass she was in this book, even after she’s been completely broken and given what’s essentially a death sentence.

“She was fire, she was darkness, she was dust and blood and shadow.”

Once again, I love ALL of these characters, even the ones that I actually hate. They’re just written so well. The villain (yes, you know who I mean) is one that’s hard to hate. You want to love him for Celaena’s sake because he’s been there for her for so long, but he’s actually a giant shitbag. This book gave me ALL THE FEELS and I’m totally not over it yet. But I really just want to dive into Throne of Glass, so I’m going to end this here. Also, my baby just woke up, so I have to feed her and I’m not skilled at feeing baby and typing at the same time. So, if you haven’t read anything by Maas go buy them ALL now and read them so you can love her characters as much as I do. Until next time bookdragons.

Keep on reading lovelies, Amanda.

*Want to buy this book? Just click the image of the book cover! As Amazon Affiliates we will get a percentage of any purchase, feel free to support us.

Amanda’s Top Ten Tuesday – Reading Slump

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Every week there’s a new topic where we get to choose our top ten and write about it. This week’s topic is top ten books that pull me out of a reading slump. This may or may not just turn into a list of favorite books. So here’s my list in no particular order.
1. Any of Nora Roberts books – I would list some specifics but then this would just turn into a list of my favorite books by Nora.
2. Stephanie Plum Series by Janet Evanovich – These books are always funny and interesting. They’re books that I can read super fast and can always pull me out of a funk.
3. Looking for Alaska by John Green – I just adore this book. I adore these characters. I adore all the feels it gives me. Even though I know it’s going to make me cry this is one of my go-to books when I’m in a reading slump.
4. Argeneau series by Lynsay Sands – These books are fast paced, interesting and just trashy enough for me to read no matter what mood I’m in.
5. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas – I love these series too much. Like, honestly I worry sometimes about how much I love these characters. Reading these books are like going to spend time with my best friends.
6. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas – I don’t know what it is about Maas and the characters that she writes, but I adore all the characters in this series. They impress me and make me laugh. There’s never a dull moment with this series.
7. Women’s Murder Club by James Patterson – I’m a sucker for a good mystery. A bit of mystery and suspense, throw in a handsome male character and you’ve got a book that I’ll read in almost any situation.
8. Crank by Ellen Hopkins – Hopkins’ books are fast-paced and thrilling. I used Crank for this list but really I could put any of them. Her books are almost always about heavy hard hitting topics, but the way they’re written make them quick, but intense reads.
9. A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forrest – This is a sixty plus book series. I can read three of them in a day. They will always get me out of a reading slump because they’re unique and funny and the action never stops.
10. Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty – This was a recent read for me. But if all of her books are as good as this one was, I have no doubt I will turn to her books in the future when I find myself in a funk. The characters were funny and ridiculous and made it so I couldn’t put the book down.

Here are my top ten books that get me out of a reading slump (so basically a list of my favorites.) What would you put on your list for this week’s topic? Do you think I missed any? Let me know in the comments.

Keep on reading lovelies, Amanda.

Amanda’s Top Ten Tuesday – Popular Books That Lived Up to the Hype

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Every week there’s a new topic where we get to choose our top ten and write about it. This week’s topic is the top ten popular books that lived up to the hype. This is going to be a fun one for me because I frequently buy or read books because of the hype.

1. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead – I read this series book by book when it was first released. But even back then there was so much hype that was all accurate. This series still gets hyped up all the time, which says a lot right there.
2. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas – If you read any of my posts on a regular basis you already know how obsessed with this series I am. It’s one of my absolute favorites. I jumped on this bandwagon pretty early and had to wait for each book to be released which made it ten times worse.
3. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas – After reading ACOTAR I knew I needed to check out her other series as well and I’m super glad I did. I can’t wait for Kingdom of Ash to be released.
4. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo – I originally got these books from the library a few years ago and loved them so much I had to buy my own set.
5. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare – The first two or three books were already published and I had to not so patiently wait for the next three. But I also had to wait for the Infernal Devices and now I’m not so patiently waiting for Queen of Air and Darkness.
6. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard – I am realizing that I am easily convinced to buy books. I bought this one not too long after it came out and have had to wait for each book to come out. Now that the whole series is out I somehow haven’t managed to reread them all.
7. Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James – I totally bought this series for the hype. I wouldn’t say they’re the best books in the world, but I’ve enjoyed them enough to read them more than once.
8. Cinder by Marissa Meyer – I love a good fairytale retelling so when I heard the hype for these I obviously had to see what the deal was.
9. The Gender Game by Bella Forrest – Once I signed up for Kindle Unlimited (after I got my Kindle as a Christmas gift from my mother in law) I saw this series all over and eventually gave it a shot. I’m glad I did, these were fantastic books. I love everything Forrest writes.
10. Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon – I was super late to jump on the bandwagon for this one. I read this last month and I was just blown away.

This is my top ten for this week. What popular books have you read that lived up to the hype?

Keep on reading lovelies, Amanda.

Book Tag – Halsey

Hi lovelies!

Back at it again with another book tag. I love Halsey so when I saw this book tag done on Downright Dystopian’s page I knew I had to play too! This tag is originally created by Paper Riot. Now, onto the book tag!

Amanda- Aelin Galathynius for sure. She’s from Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass series. She’s kickass and doesn’t take anything from anyone. She even has the choice to not become queen and abandon her throne but steps up and shows the world that she’s a force to be reckoned with.

Antonia- Definitely Raisa ana’Marianna from The Seven Realms series by Cinda Williams Chima. I just loved watching her grow throughout this series.

Amanda- I’m going to say all of the scenes written by Lynsay Sands. Sexy vampires from Atlantis? Yes please.

Antonia- Hmm… this is a tough one because I read a TON of romance. I’ll say anything by Julia Quinn because her love stories are just the best.

Amanda- The Darkling, for sure. He’s from Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone trilogy. I don’t know what it is, but momma loves some Darkling.

Antonia- Queen Savilla from The Obsidian Trilogy by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory. She’s the queen of the endarkened (demons) and is simply evil. I just love that she has no redeeming qualities. She’s terrifying and awful and makes a fantastic villain.

Amanda- This was the hardest one for me out of all of these questions. I’ve decided to go with the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. Our main character is forever trapped in a love triangle between the (mostly) marriage material  Joe Morelli and the sexiest man alive, Ranger. I wouldn’t say that there’s a lack of communication, more like a stalemate. They communicate but not enough for Stephanie to be able to actually make a decision between the two. (Though I don’t think I ever want her to actually make that final choice.)

Antonia- Kvothe and Denna from The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss. I really enjoy them together and wouldn’t mind seeing them actually get together in the future but they keep so many secrets and they’re both so mysterious that it gets in the way of them ever actually having a relationship.

Amanda- Tamlin and Feyre from A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. I talk about this in my reviews for this series, linked here. Though I’m sure many people feel this way. This is the couple that popped into my head as soon as I read the question. I loved them so much in the first book and then Tamlin just, ugh.

Antonia- Ember and Riley from The Talon Series by Julie Kagawa. I wanted them to be together for the first couple books so bad then somehow I ended up loving Garret so much that I stopped wanting her to be with Riley. (I still love Riley though.) And me changing my mind about characters that drastically really doesn’t happen often.

Amanda- This may be biased because of my pregnancy hormones. But when I read the breakup scene in the Air Awakens series by Elise Kova I literally spent a solid hour crying. To the point where my husband wasn’t sure what to do with me and just hugged me while I cried for an hour. I’m pretty sure he thought I was never going to stop.

Antonia- For me, this will always be Lyra and Will’s breakup at the end of The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman. I was around twelve when I first read it and cried for days. I still cry hysterically every time I reread it.

Amanda- Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira. Every once in a while I say to myself, “you know what was a good book, Love Letters to the Dead. I should read that again.” I have recently bought it on my Kindle (I got it from the library the first time.) and I’m planning to reread it soon.

Antonia- All of them. This is actually a huge problem for me because I continue to think about books long after I’ve read them; it actually keeps me up at night. It’s why I reread so many books over and over again.

Amanda- Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James. I’m super not sorry about this either. The whole series is being written and released from Christian’s perspective. I have the first two and am waiting for the third to be released. While I wouldn’t say I’m obsessed, I will absolutely be buying and reading the third so I have all six books.

Antonia- Dark Hunters by Sherrilyn Kenyon. I actually need to catch up on this one but since I first discovered these books I’ve been a little obsessed with them even though there’s now 29 books in the series and Kenyon’s still writing.

Amanda- If you read my posts on a regular basis you should already know the answer to this question. Looking for Alaska by John Green. If you haven’t read it read my review here.

Antonia- Beastly by Alex Flinn. This will forever be my favorite Beauty and the Beast adaptation. I reread it at least once a year and it always just gives me this light, happy feeling inside.

Amanda- Every and all of the couples we find in The Shade of Vampire series by Bella Forrest. This is a 50+ book series that spans over a ridiculous amount of years, several generations, and many worlds. Every couple we meet and read about has to go through some (usually life-threatening) struggle before they get their happy ending.

Antonia- Adrian and Sydney from The Bloodlines series by Richelle Mead. One of my favorite book couples but they struggle so much to keep their relationship going when both vampires and humans judge them for it. At one point Sydney’s actually institutionalized by her family for it.

Amanda- I try not to use the same book over and over when I do these tags, but I can’t help it for this. I would LOVE to be part of the Night Court squad from A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas, reviewed here. It’s from the ACOTAR series, but we don’t get to meet them until the second book, so I’m using that one.

Antonia- The Demigods from The Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan. Awesome magical powers? Check. Funny and amazing and need to be my best friends? Double check.

Amanda- Hazel and Augustus from The Fault in our Stars by John Green. See my review here to get a more detailed post of my thoughts on this book. I love Hazel and Gus together because they’re both just kids that had to grow up too fast and spent too much time thinking about death. Then they found each other and had a bright spot in their lives, a reason to live if you will.

Antonia- Amanda and Chris from Beheld by Alex Flinn. I talked about them in my review (here) and I just loved them together so much I think I actually squealed while reading it.

Amanda- Chaol from the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas is a good one for this I think. So many people hate him after certain events in the series. I understand why he did what he did and still love him even though it cost him his relationship with Celaena.

Antonia- Fire from Fire by Kristin Cashore. I’ve read quite a few reviews from people who didn’t like her which kind of astounds me because I adore her.

Amanda- Rose and Mason from the Rose Gardner Investigations by Denise Grover Swank. I wanted to put them for an OTP with obstacles, but honestly I don’t think they’ll end up together no matter how much I want them to be.

Antonia- None. Toxic relationships are pretty much an instant DNF for me. I’ve read about a lot of flawed relationships (e.g. Quentin and Margo from Paper Towns by John Green) but nothing that I would actually consider toxic. Even with examples like Quentin and Margo, I enjoyed reading about them but still didn’t ship them.

Amanda- Shadows of the Immortals by Marina Finlayson. This series is a super interesting twist on the Gods (from all different cultures) which is a topic I really like. I couldn’t put this series down once I started it.

Antonia- Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George. This is a retelling of East of the Sun, West of the Moon and is still one of the most unique fairytale retellings I’ve read.

Amanda- This one is easy. Lyss and Hal from Cinda Williams Chima’s Shadowcaster (reviewed here) are both totally falling in love (if they’re not already in love) with one another. But neither will admit it.

Antonia- Hazel and Frank from Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan. They get together later on in the series but for pretty much this entire book, they both are secretly pining for the other. It was adorable.

Amanda- Adelina Amouteru from The Young Elites series by Marie Lu, reviewed here. I hate to even say this because I love her but I also really hate her. I guess I love to hate her. Okay, I lied. I don’t hate to say it. She’s totally my favorite destructive character.

Antonia- Edmond Dantes from The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. He’s so focused on his revenge the entire time that he ignores the chance to make a better life for himself but at the same time, his revenge plot is absolutely insane and amazing at the same time.

 

Amanda’s Top Ten Tuesday – Bookish Worlds

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.Each week we’re given a new prompt for a top ten list of all things bookish. This week’s topic is top ten bookish worlds I’d want to (or wouldn’t want to) live in. I like both of these, so this week I’m going to do five that I would want to live in and five that I wouldn’t want to live in. Here’s my top ten for this week!

Bookish worlds I would like to live in –

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas – Yes I know that they just went through a huge war and a ton of people died, but now all is hopefully well and I’d love to live here. I would love to get to visit all the different seasonal courts and the solar courts. I would also enjoy helping (or trying to) create a better world with the fae and the humans. Plus, who wouldn’t want to live in a world with Rhysand, Cassian and Aziel?

Harry Potter by J.K Rowling – Would I be a twenty something year old bookworm if I hadn’t read Harry Potter and fantasized about getting my letter and attending Hogwarts?

Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch – This is a world similar to ACOTAR with the different seasonal territories that I would love to visit. But in this book universe they have magical abilities instead of being Fae. So who wouldn’t want to have magic and be able to visit whatever season you wanted?

Zodiac by Romina Russell – One word: Space. I love outer space and most space themed books are ones that I’ll buy as soon as I know they take place among the stars. This book universe sounds so cool. The different zodiac planets with the different personalities, I just love everything about this series.

Zeroes by Scott Westerfeld – Superheros are yet another autobuy topic. So this book, while it’s set in a regular realistic world, it has kids with super powers. Yes, please?

Bookish worlds I would not want to live in –

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas – While I love these books and I love  the characters and the story, I wouldn’t want to live in this world. A world that’s on the brink of war and treats most of the people horribly. No thank you.

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir – Living in this super oppressive world? No way. I wouldn’t survive in this book universe for very long and if I did, I would be very miserable.

Moon Chosen by P.C. Cast – I love this story and all of the characters in it. But I definitely wouldn’t want to live in this ruined futuristic world.

The Glittering Court by Richelle Mead – This book universe seems how I imagine England in the 1800s. I’ve always said that I would live in that time period, but only if I was a woman of wealth. The same goes for this world except I still don’t think I’d want to live there because well, electricity and running water and the internet and all of the modern day amenities I probably couldn’t live without.

The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima – This book universe is one that I wouldn’t want to live in for one reason that I could use for so many other series that I considered putting here. I wouldn’t want to live in a world that was in the middle of fighting a war. Even though by the end of the series the war is over, there’s always going to be another war in these kinds of worlds even if that story doesn’t get written. Yes, I would love to see this world and meet the characters that I love, but I wouldn’t want to have to constantly worry about the next battle to be fought.

This week’s topic was so fun I considered doing one post with worlds I would want to live in and a different post with worlds I wouldn’t want to live in, but I just did five of each here. What bookish world would you or wouldn’t you want to live in and why?

Keep on reading lovelies, Amanda.

 

Amanda’s Top Ten Tuesday – Best Character Names

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week we’re given a new prompt for a top ten list of all things bookish (feel free to put your own spin on it). This week is “Best Character Names (make this as narrow/broad as you’d like)”. Since this weekly post is something that is completely up to me and my opinion, I’m going to choose names that I liked or really stuck with me for one reason or another. This is also in no particular order.

Alaska – The main character of my favorite book Looking for Alaska by John Green. This name has always stuck with me, maybe because it’s my favorite book. But I think it’s more the story behind the name. Alaksa’s parents let her change her name once she reached a certain age and she chose Alaska because it means “that which the sea breaks against” and that’s just beautiful to me.

The A Court of Thorns and Roses Series – Every name in this series by Sarah J. Maas is one that I really liked. Again, this may be because this is one of my favorite series, but as you read through the books the names just keep getting more interesting. Our main character Feyre, her sisters (Nesta and Elaine), her two love interests, Tamlin and Rhysand. Theres not a single character in this book that doesn’t have an interesting name that’s stuck with me.

Celaena Sardothien – This is the main character from Sarah J. Maas’s other series, Throne of Glass. She’s a kick butt assassin who we later find out is someone who goes by another name (that I’m not going to say because I don’t want to spoil anything for those who haven’t read it) that is just as cool as the name we first know her by. There are other characters in this series with cool names, but Celaena’s is one that’s stuck with me.

Adrian sul’Han – From The Shattered Realms Series by Cinda Williams Chima. So I love all the names of the royal family in this series and the one before it, but I didn’t want to be a copy cat and steal one of the ones Antonia chose, so I’m doing the kids. I really like the way that royalty is named in this series, using the names of those that came before them.

Cass, Del and Nix – They’re from the first three series in the Dragon’s Gift Universe by Linsey Hall. Their full names are Cassiopeia, Delphine, and Pheonix. They named themselves after the stars and I just love that. They named themselves in their past when they escaped something horrible together with no memories of before, so they chose constellations. But we find out that they all chose the right names for themselves when the girls learn more about their pasts later in their lives.

Zeroes Series – By Scott Westerfeld. I had to have at least one “superhero” book on this list. I just really love the whole super hero trend going on. And this one is great because they’re a bunch of kids that try to do good and usually just mess things up. But they’ve got some cool and funny names.

Rhoma Grace – The main character of the Zodiac series by Romina Russell. I think she makes the list just because I really liked her as a character. Also this series is mostly in outer space and traveling among a few different planets and there are lots of cool and interesting space names throughout the whole series.

Lexi Jardine – Shadows of the Immortals series by Marina Finnlayson. This series really stuck with me. And interestingly enough for our main character, we have another situation where her name isn’t actually what she thinks her name is. Again, I won’t say what her name really is because I don’t want to spoil anything but it’s a plot twist for sure. I liked this character and all the others in this series some have basic names, but their characters are so much more than their names. Also, there’s a ton of different gods and goddesses from different cultures and I love stuff like that.

Mae Waylander – The White Hart Series by Sarah Dalton. Our main character, Mae Waylander, a peasant girl who has the name of a hero, I just hear her name and it gives me hero feels.

Aza – She’s our main character in Turtles All the Way Down by John Green. I just like this name. It’s interesting to me, just like who she is as a character.

These are my top ten “best” character names. Mostly they’re just names I liked enough to remember while I was making this list. What’s your top ten on this fine Tuesday evening?

Keep on reading lovelies, Amanda.