Stephanie's books

Clockwork Angel
Eragon
City of Bones
Twilight
The Fellowship of the Ring
The Golden Compass
Night World, No. 2
Thirst No. 2: Phantom, Evil Thirst, and Creatures of Forever
Thirst No. 3: The Eternal Dawn
The Iron Daughter
The Iron King
Nightshade
Divergent
A Discovery of Witches
A Great and Terrible Beauty
The Hunger Games
The Host
City of Glass
Memoirs of a Geisha
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo


Stephanie's favorite books »

Wednesday 21 May 2014

Release day Review- Radicals ( Blood and Fire 2)

Title: Radicals
Author: Frankie Rose
Series: Blood and Fire book 2
Rating: 5/5

Summary
When Kit ran from the Sanctuary, she left behind the ghosts of all those she killed. However, unlike the dead, the living she left behind aren’t so easily escaped. Her father and his men are searching for her, and they won’t stop until they find her.

Reunited with old friends, Ryka and Kit must put their trust in the man who killed Ryka’s father if they are to survive.



My Review
*Complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review*
So book one blew my socks off and I didn't think it could get any better... well then I read book two and my brain and heart exploded (in a good way lol). This book was absolutely EPIC and I want to ride the high this book gave me forever, I am so amped up for this series and I can't wait to watch these characters fight it out and set things right. I will try to do this book justice and with my review, but I strongly suggest you get your hands on this book and if you have not yet then get book one as well because living them yourself is the only way to truly enjoy how fantastic they really are.
I usually have a bit of trouble getting back into a series when it has been a while between books, but the world is so well built and the story so engaging and memorable that after a couple pages of Rose's fantastic writing I was instantly transported back with all my memories and along for the heart breaking ride that is "Radicals".  Oh how this book broke my heart, I cried a few times and yes mostly at the end but heartbreak is only one aspect to this book it's also about love, sacrifice, family, and the fight for freedom and ones beliefs, and if you ask me just the whole entire package. The action in this book is so intense and real and then you are pulled into the emotional struggle of a girl who is only just learning the depth and power of emotion and  it is all done so smoothly and perfectly that I could not put this book down...I wanted to live every second and then some, I am not looking forward to the wait for book 3.
I can not believe I was left hanging like that, but I get it it's the power of the cliffhanger and they are all doing it, and I will say this Rose picked a GREAT way to end it, it was crazy wonderful how perfectly the sad and the determination could be felt all at once, I was so amped by the words at the end that I wanted to punch something (don't worry I didn't lol) I could feel Kit's determination and it sent shivers down my spine thinking about what's next .....oh my I just can't wait for book 3 this book was so so so fantastic I want more ASAP.
This book is all that and so much more I just can't say enough so please, please, please get this book and book 1 they need to be read by all!!!

Thursday 8 May 2014

Review- Slayers (Slayers 1)


Title: Slayers
Author: C.J. Hill
Series: Slayers book 1
Rating: 3.5/5

Summary
Dragons exist. They’re ferocious. And, in this novel from C. J. Hill, they’re smart: before they were killed off by slayer-knights, they rendered a select group of eggs dormant so their offspring would survive. Only a handful of people know about this, let alone believe it—these “Slayers” are descended from the original knights and are now a diverse group of teens that includes Tori, a smart but spoiled senator’s daughter who didn’t sign up to save the world.
The dragon eggs have fallen into the wrong hands. The Slayers must work together to stop the eggs from hatching. They will fight; they will fall in love. But will they survive?


My Review
I had very high hopes for this book, I love Dragons good or bad and I have fallen in love with many Dragon tales or books containing Dragons, Eragon being my favorite, and so when I saw this one I was very eager to see what it had in store, well I was a little disappointed and that is not to say that I did not enjoy this book overall because I did, but I think I had hyped it up way to much in my mind and it did not deliver on that hype. First of all the plot to this story was well done and I love the part of the book describing the Dragon traits and how the Slayers play their part, I liked the originality of this idea and it certainly kept me reading. I also really liked that most of it was told from Tori's point of view but there were also a few other POV's were present, best of all Brant Overdrake, I always love getting some inside info on the bad guy lol. Now a few things that I did not like, Tori was my biggest pet peeve of this book, I felt like she was constantly saying she was not some spoiled rich kid, but her actions and a lot of her thoughts just proved to me that she was, I was very annoyed with her, now I guess she did have a little bit of growth but I still just could not connect with her, she seemed like one of those girls I would be civil to but we would never be friends. Jesse who I guess was part of the love triangle was very very flat to me, it was like reading about a talking bird (he could fly and he was emotionless). Dirk was the other part of the love triangle and he was a bit better for me, I found he had a bit more layers and of course his big secret made things that much more interesting. So as you can tell the characters were a big issue for me, I just could not feel for ANY of these people and I really need that when I am reading. My next issue is that all of this happens in three days, I am sure that things could happen that quickly but I would have really liked time to get to know about Tori's Slayer abilities and maybe I would have been more connected knowing a bit more about each character over a bit of time.
Despite my few issues I did enjoy the book and I would like to read the next book and see if there is more Dragon action, not as much was in this one, I have also become curious about a few things so yes I will continue this series and yes people should give it a go and see what they think.

Saturday 3 May 2014

First Reads Review- All The Truth That's In Me

Title: All The Truth That's In Me
Author: Julie Berry 
Rating: 4/5


Summary
Four years ago, Judith and her best friend disappeared from their small town of Roswell Station. Two years ago, only Judith returned, permanently mutilated, reviled and ignored by those who were once her friends and family. Unable to speak, Judith lives like a ghost in her own home, silently pouring out her thoughts to the boy who’s owned her heart as long as she can remember—even if he doesn’t know it—her childhood friend, Lucas. But when Roswell Station is attacked, long-buried secrets come to light, and Judith is forced to choose: continue to live in silence, or recover her voice, even if it means changing her world, and the lives around her, forever. This startlingly original novel will shock and disturb you; it will fill you with Judith’s passion and longing; and its mysteries will keep you                                                                                   feverishly turning the pages until the very last.                                             

My Review
I won this book from goodreads first reads and I was very excited to read it, and although it was not at all what I expected I found that I very much enjoyed this book and I was pleasantly surprised with so many things about it. The writing style of this book was very different and it took me a while to get used to it and be able to follow along smoothly, but once I did I found it rather enjoyable and because it is written almost as a letter from one character to another I found it to be a little more personal, which I liked, I noticed that the writing grew with Judith either that or as she grew I got more accustomed to the style and it seemed that way to me but whatever it was I found it cool and I liked it, even if it was just me I thought it sort of reflected her growth and self discovery.
It was unexpected for me the time frame or era of the stories setting, I am not sure why but I thought it was a present day tale, but I am very glad it took place when it did, I think it just made sense, especially in regard to the way Judith was treated upon her return, In that day and age her being shunned and feared because of what she went through would have been considered normal, I could understand the church and townsfolk being afraid, but I was shocked at the treatment she received from her mother and brother, I think her mother blamed her for her fathers death but it's sad she couldn't let go like her brother finally did.
Poor young Judith suffered so much in her short life I ached for her and I felt an instant connection to her and the book being written from her point of view in a letter style made the connection all that much stronger because at times I forgot she was writing to someone else it almost felt like it was to me. I must say I was glad to see she got some happiness and good fortune even if the price she seemed to pay was high and often. I am still a little upset with Lucas and I just hope he proves himself to Judith, she deserves the best after the fight she lived through so I hope he is it, I guess I just don't 100% forgive him. I have to mention Maria because she threw me for a loop, I thought she was just another pretty, uptight socialite, but man did she prove me wrong, she was the small miracle that Judith needed, I would be glad to call her friend.
Not only was this a story of growth and self discovery through a terrible tragedy, but it was also a towns struggle through War, murder, scandal and lies to come out the other side a more great full and accepting place. I read this book quickly, ready to get to the bottom of the mystery and see the happy ending that so many of these characters had earned. Speaking of the murder the way this book was written I was sure I had the killer pegged and most of the story figured out, well I was WAY wrong and I bet I am not the only one, it's very cleaver indeed.
I really enjoyed this book and found a lot of it to be unexpected and fresh I think many many others will also enjoy it.