Book Review: Wizards’ Exile by Colin R Parsons

Hello Everyone.

Today I am coming to you with a book review of Wizards’ Exile by Colin R Parsons. I was sent this book for free in exchange for a review.

20190629_120215.jpg

The sky city of Valusha is now ruled by an evil overlord called Jenta-Lor. The former ruler and wizard, Obsidian has gone into exile, and has not been seen for many years.

There’s a weird band of misfits – a boy, an engineer and a wizard who have all been locked away in Skytraz Prison. No one has ever escaped from there – well it is thousands of feet above the earth. All seems hopeless.

But the wizard prisoner Rebus knows the layout of Skytraz Prison, so there just might be a chance to break out and get away. If so, can they find Obsidian, and what dangers are ahead?

Buckle up; there’s Magic, Sky Ships and Dragons in this roller coaster adventure ride. (Goodreads)

I found this book to be a fast paced fantasy, with a loads of different characters. I feel this book would be best marketed towards a younger age, I know I would have loved this story when I was younger.

There were three main characters Rhidian (the engineer), Rebus (the wizard) and Red (the boy). Red was by far my favourite out of the three, he seemed to have the best character arc of the story. He was funny and cheeky and he made me laugh. I felt that Rebus and Rhidian were okay characters, but I preferred Red.

The story has so much going on, a jail break, a ghost ship, pirates, and dragons, in some respects I think there was too much, and some of the focus could have gone into fleshing the story out on just a couple of those story bits, instead of all of them. I did really enjoy it thou.

As I said before it was so fast paced, I read it within 2 days. If you are a fan of fast paced fantasies, then I would highly recommend this for you.

3.5 Stars

Happy Reading.

Thanks Bookworms.

Book Box Club: April (my last one)

Hello everyone,

Today I am coming to you with the unboxing of my April Book Box Club. I have had to stop this for a few months, so this going to be last one for a while.

Now onto the unboxing.

20190320_140937.jpg

IMG_20190416_112508_438.jpg

IMG_20190416_112508_444.jpg

IMG_20190416_112508_448.jpg

IMG_20190416_112508_446.jpg

20190416_111531.jpg

20190416_111513.jpg

Zhilan was assigned female at birth; despite an unusual gift for illusions, they know they will live out their life in the perfumed confines of the women’s quarters. But when civil war sets the country aflame, Zhilan is the only one who can save their disabled Father from death on the battlefield. 

By taking his place.

Surviving brutal army training as a male recruit – Zhi – is only the first challenge. Soon Zhi’s unique talents draw them into an even more perilous fight, in the glittering court of the Land of Dragons, where love and betrayal are two sides of the same smile. The fate of an Empire rests on Zhi’s shoulders. But to win, they must first decide where their loyalty, and their heart, truly belongs. (Goodreads)

IMG_20190416_112508_450.jpg

So that is it, my last book box club unboxing. I am so upset, but sometimes you have to do things you don’t like.

Hope everyone had a good weekend and Easter (if you celebrate it.)

Happy Reading.

Thanks bookworms.

Mini Book Review: The Heroin Diaries: A Year In The Life Of A Shattered Rock Star by Nikki Sixx.

Hello everyone.

Today I am coming to you with a book review of The Heroin Diaries by Nikki Sixx. Nikki Sixx is the bassist for the band Motley Crue, (one of the best bands ever) and he went through so much shit, and is now sober.

Now on to the mini review.

IMG_20190405_152752_042.jpg

Set against the frenzied world of heavy metal superstardom, the co-founder of Motley Crue offers an unflinching and gripping look at his own descent into drug addiction. It follows him during the year he plunged to rock bottom and his courageous decision to pick himself up and start living again. (Goodreads)

“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round heads in the square holes. The ones who see things differently…” 

I’m not a person who tends to read Nonfiction, but sometimes I will pick one up that calls to me. This is what happened with The Heroin Diaries. I have always been a fan of Motley Crue, but I didn’t really look into the background of the band until recently. This book is about Nikki being addicted to drugs, his depression and how he came out of it.

This book is told in diary entries between 1986/87 that Nikki kept during his time in the band, with extra bits added from people filling in the blanks. I really liked the structure of the book, you can see how he was getting deeper and deeper into drugs and how much it was effecting him and the people around him, and how he was spiralling out of control. At one point he was so out of it he thought people were after him, so he was hiding in his closet with a gun, there was nobody after him. He also died for a few minutes, he went through absolute hell.

The band itself were entirely out of control, how any of them survived is mind blowing.

There were some points within the book where I just wanted to go and give him a hug. I recommend this book highly, its such an interesting look into what addiction can do to a person. Obviously don’t read it if addiction, drug use and depression is a trigger for you.

I’ve looked into this deeper and this book has helped loads of people who are suffering from addiction, which I think is so cool, because it is a massive thing that is happening everywhere, and if it helps just one person I think that is amazing.

5 Stars.

What about you guys, do you have any interesting nonfiction books you have read recently?

Happy Reading.

Thanks Bookworms.

Mental health-athon TBR

Hello everyone.

Today I am coming to you with my TBR for the mental health-athon. The readathon was created by the lovely Nicole from a beautiful chaos of books on Youtube. You can find her release video here. 

Obviously within this readathon there will be books with triggers, so if you plan to take part, I would research the books you want to read just in case.

Within the readathon there are 15 challenges made on a bingo board.

Screenshot_20190409-125012_Twitter.jpg

Here is the google document with all the rules and guidelines.

I plan to complete all 15. I spent an hour last night sorting out a book for each challenge. Now on to my TBR.

Group book

Screenshot_20190409-125159_Amazon Kindle.jpg

Own Voices

Screenshot_20190409-130605_Google.jpg

Nonfiction

Screenshot_20190409-130514_Google.jpg

Anxiety Rep

Screenshot_20190409-125325_Amazon Kindle.jpg

Schizophrenia Rep

Screenshot_20190409-125357_Amazon Kindle.jpg

OCD Rep

Screenshot_20190409-130130_Amazon Kindle.jpg

Intersectional Rep

Screenshot_20190409-130434_Google.jpg

Bipolar Rep

Screenshot_20190409-125234_Amazon Kindle.jpg

Hosts Pick

Screenshot_20190409-125442_Amazon Kindle.jpg

Personality Disorder Rep

Screenshot_20190409-130344_Google.jpg

Phobias Rep

Screenshot_20190409-125538_Amazon Kindle.jpg

Eating Disorder Rep

Screenshot_20190409-125823_Amazon Kindle.jpg

PTSD Rep

Screenshot_20190409-130252_Google.jpg

Other

Screenshot_20190409-125921_Amazon Kindle.jpg

Depression Rep

Screenshot_20190409-125719_Amazon Kindle.jpg

If you are looking for some recommendations for books for the Readathon, Nicole put together a list on Goodreads. 

I’m so excited for this readathon. I hope I read them all.

Do you guys plan to join in?

Happy Reading.

Thanks Bookworms.

 

Currently Reading Thursday

Hello everyone.

This is just a quick post about what I’m currently reading.

IMG_20190403_111449_573.jpg

Dexter meets Mr. and Mrs. Smith in this wildly compulsive debut thriller about a couple whose fifteen-year marriage has finally gotten too interesting…

Our love story is simple. I met a gorgeous woman. We fell in love. We had kids. We moved to the suburbs. We told each other our biggest dreams, and our darkest secrets. And then we got bored.

We look like a normal couple. We’re your neighbors, the parents of your kid’s friend, the acquaintances you keep meaning to get dinner with.

We all have secrets to keeping a marriage alive.

Ours just happens to be getting away with murder.

This book so far is so good, its fast paced and really engaging, I love books told from the murderers point of view. I just think that it makes for a more interesting story.

What are you guys currently reading?

Happy reading.

Thanks Bookworms.

Mini Book Review: A Very Large Expanse of Sea By Tahereh Mafi

Hello Everyone.

Today I am coming to you with a mini book review. I am going to review of A Very Large Expanse of Sea. I enjoyed this book and found it to be very impactful.

IMG_20190401_124758_208.jpg

It’s 2002, a year after 9/11. It’s an extremely turbulent time politically, but especially so for someone like Shirin, a sixteen-year-old Muslim girl who’s tired of being stereotyped.

Shirin is never surprised by how horrible people can be. She’s tired of the rude stares, the degrading comments—even the physical violence—she endures as a result of her race, her religion, and the hijab she wears every day. So she’s built up protective walls and refuses to let anyone close enough to hurt her. Instead, she drowns her frustrations in music and spends her afternoons break-dancing with her brother.

But then she meets Ocean James. He’s the first person in forever who really seems to want to get to know Shirin. It terrifies her—they seem to come from two irreconcilable worlds—and Shirin has had her guard up for so long that she’s not sure she’ll ever be able to let it down. (Goodreads)

The book and story is a fast paced and I read it within one day. It was eye opening in regards to the amount of racism and abuse Shirin went through, not just from students, but teachers as well. It was shocking, and Shirin, put on this tough front to show it didn’t bother her, but when something happens you can see her hurt and it broke my heart a little. The fact that this still happens to people is so upsetting.

I loved the relationship that was developed between Shirin and Ocean, they found each other at the right time I think, it was really cute. I loved the character development that both of them went through.

The only problem I had with it was how short it was, I think that it could have been longer and she could have expanded on some of the stories. Also I would have liked to see more of her relationship with her family. Other than that I would highly recommend this book.

4 Stars.

Happy Reading.

Thanks Bookworms.

Monday Favourites!!

Hello Everyone.

Today I am coming to you with my favourites of the past week! this will be a new series that I start. You guys don’t know me that well, but when I get obsessed with something, I get insane and fall down a fangirl rabbit hole. Anybody Else??

So in this series I will talk about, Movies, TV shows, Music, Food, ECT. Don’t worry there will be some books things added as well.  Now on to my current favourites.

Music

At the moment I am obsessed with 3 playlists on Spotify. My fiancé and I are on the family plan on there, and its the best thing ever.

So the 3 I am continuously playing are:

20190329_210700.jpg  20190329_210621.jpg 20190329_210645.jpg

Movies

I went to the Cinema and saw one of my fav films ever Captain Marvel!! Have you guys seen it yet?? Go if you haven’t.

Also on Netflix they realised the Motley Crue Film, The Dirt. The Dirt is insane. If your a fan of them I would recommend watching it.

20190329_211436.jpg 20190329_211350.jpg

Tv Shows

There are 2 shows I’m currently watching they are, Stranger Things and That 70’s Show. I’m on the 2nd season of Stranger Things and I am loving it so far. That 70’s Show, I’m on my 100 rewatch of it.

20190329_211311.jpg 20190329_211223.jpg

Drinks

At the moment I am really on a kick of trying different flavour teas, my fav so far is from Geek Gear. They made a Harry Potter love potion tea, and its my new love.

20190329_211509.jpg

Okay everyone, that is just a few of the things that I love! hope everyone has a good week.

Happy Reading.

Thanks bookworms.

March Wrap Up

Hello Everyone.

Today I am coming to you with my March Wrap up. I read a total of 9 books, which is pretty decent.

Stats

  • 5 stars = 2
  • 4 stars = 4
  • 3 stars = 3
  • 2 stars = 0
  • 1 star = 0

So from the star ratings you can see I had a good reading month. I also read my all time new favourite book, you know a book that just takes over your soul and heart, yeah I read that this month. Now onto the wrap up.

The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar

IMG_20190225_150414_825.jpg

This voyage is special. It will change everything…

One September evening in 1785, the merchant Jonah Hancock hears urgent knocking on his front door. One of his captains is waiting eagerly on the step. He has sold Jonah’s ship for what appears to be a mermaid.

As gossip spreads through the docks, coffee shops, parlours and brothels, everyone wants to see Mr Hancock’s marvel. Its arrival spins him out of his ordinary existence and through the doors of high society. At an opulent party, he makes the acquaintance of Angelica Neal, the most desirable woman he has ever laid eyes on… and a courtesan of great accomplishment. This chance meeting will steer both their lives onto a dangerous new course, a journey on which they will learn that priceless things come at the greatest cost…

What will be the cost of their ambitions? And will they be able to escape the destructive power mermaids are said to possess? (Goodreads)

I enjoyed this book, I thought it was well written and the characters were interesting.

4 Stars.

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

IMG_20190227_143137_891.jpg

Fall in love, break the curse.

It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.

Nothing has ever been easy for Harper Lacy. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she’s instead somehow sucked into Rhen’s cursed world.

Break the curse, save the kingdom.

A prince? A monster? A curse? Harper doesn’t know where she is or what to believe. But as she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what’s at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin (Goodreads)

I loved this book, I do adore a good Beauty and the Beast retelling.

5 stars.

The Fellowship Of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

IMG_20190301_214621_258.jpg

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkeness bind them

In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, The Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell into the hands of Bilbo Baggins, as told in The Hobbit.

In a sleepy village in the Shire, young Frodo Baggins finds himself faced with an immense task, as his elderly cousin Bilbo entrusts the Ring to his care. Frodo must leave his home and make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, there to destroy the Ring and foil the Dark Lord in his evil purpose. (Goodreads)

I love this series so much, this is my least favourite of the trilogy, the council scene just takes to long and rambles on.

4 Stars.

Warrior of the Wild by Tricia Levenseller

IMG_20190305_123928_759.jpg

How do you kill a god?

As her father’s chosen heir, eighteen-year-old Rasmira has trained her whole life to become a warrior and lead her village. But when her coming-of-age trial is sabotaged and she fails the test, her father banishes her to the monster-filled wilderness with an impossible quest: to win back her honour, she must kill the oppressive god who claims tribute from the villages each year or die trying. (Goodreads)

I really enjoyed this book, it is fast paced and a really fun book to read.

4 Stars.

Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

My new favourite book ever.

20190306_142618.jpg

Everyone knows Daisy Jones & The Six, but nobody knows the reason behind their split at the absolute height of their popularity . . . until now.

Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late sixties, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it’s the rock and roll she loves most. By the time she’s twenty, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things.

Also getting noticed is The Six, a band led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she’s pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Billy goes a little wild on the road.

Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes that the key to supercharged success is to put the two together. What happens next will become the stuff of legend.

Actually can’t even describe my love for this book. Its amazing just go and read it!! Read my mini book review here.

5 Stars.

Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter To the World by Ashley Herring Blake

IMG_20190313_170605_358.jpg

When a tornado rips through town, twelve-year-old Ivy Aberdeen’s house is destroyed and her family of five is displaced. Ivy feels invisible and ignored in the aftermath of the storm–and what’s worse, her notebook filled with secret drawings of girls holding hands has gone missing.

Mysteriously, Ivy’s drawings begin to reappear in her locker with notes from someone telling her to open up about her identity. Ivy thinks–and hopes–that this someone might be her classmate, another girl for whom Ivy has begun to develop a crush. Will Ivy find the strength and courage to follow her true feelings? (Goodreads)

This was a lovely middle grade book.

3 stars.

A Clash Of Kings by George RR Martin

Screenshot_20190329-144502_Google.jpg

A comet the color of blood and flame cuts across the sky. Two great leaders—Lord Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon—who hold sway over an age of enforced peace are dead, victims of royal treachery. Now, from the ancient citadel of Dragonstone to the forbidding shores of Winterfell, chaos reigns. Six factions struggle for control of a divided land and the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms, preparing to stake their claims through tempest, turmoil, and war.

It is a tale in which brother plots against brother and the dead rise to walk in the night. Here a princess masquerades as an orphan boy; a knight of the mind prepares a poison for a treacherous sorceress; and wild men descend from the Mountains of the Moon to ravage the countryside. Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, victory may go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel…and the coldest hearts. For when kings clash, the whole land trembles. (Goodreads)

This is my least liked book of this series.

3 Stars.

Graceling by Kristen Cashore

Screenshot_20190329-144259_Amazon Kindle.jpg
Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug.

She never expects to fall in love with beautiful Prince Po.

She never expects to learn the truth behind her Grace—or the terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more. (Goodreads)

I really enjoyed this, sometimes I like a romance fantasy!

4 Stars.

Stolen Time by Danielle Rollins

IMG_20190320_142908_594.jpg

Seattle, 1913 // Dorothy is trapped. Forced into an engagement to a wealthy man just so she and her mother can live comfortably for the rest of their days, she’ll do anything to escape. Including sneaking away from her wedding and bolting into the woods to disappear.

New Seattle, 2077 // Ash is on a mission. Rescue the professor—his mentor who figured out the secret to time travel—so together they can put things right in their devastated city. But searching for one man means endless jumps through time with no guarantee of success.

When Dorothy collides with Ash, she sees it as her chance to start fresh—she’ll stow away in his plane and begin a new life wherever they land. Then she wakes up in a future that’s been ripped apart by earthquakes and floods; where vicious gangs rule the submerged city streets and a small group of intrepid travelers from across time are fighting against the odds to return things to normal. What Dorothy doesn’t know is that she could hold the key to unraveling the past—and her arrival may spell Ash’s ultimate destruction. (Goodreads)

I did a mini book review of this here.

3 Stars.

Okay so there you have all of the books that I read in March, how did your reading month go? What are you currently reading? Lets chat in the comments.

Happy Reading.

Thanks bookworms.

Mini Book Review: Stolen Times by Danielle Rollins

Hello Everyone.

Today I am going to do a book review of Stolen Time by Danielle Rollins. I did like this book, it wasn’t the best, but it was enjoyable.

IMG_20190320_142908_594.jpg

Seattle, 1913 // Dorothy is trapped. Forced into an engagement to a wealthy man just so she and her mother can live comfortably for the rest of their days, she’ll do anything to escape. Including sneaking away from her wedding and bolting into the woods to disappear.

New Seattle, 2077 // Ash is on a mission. Rescue the professor—his mentor who figured out the secret to time travel—so together they can put things right in their devastated city. But searching for one man means endless jumps through time with no guarantee of success.

When Dorothy collides with Ash, she sees it as her chance to start fresh—she’ll stow away in his plane and begin a new life wherever they land. Then she wakes up in a future that’s been ripped apart by earthquakes and floods; where vicious gangs rule the submerged city streets and a small group of intrepid travelers from across time are fighting against the odds to return things to normal. What Dorothy doesn’t know is that she could hold the key to unraveling the past—and her arrival may spell Ash’s ultimate destruction. (Goodreads)

When I first read the synopsis of this book I was really excited to read it. I mean a book with time travel is one of my favourite things. The story its self was really good, it was fast paced and the explanations of the times, places and the travel was excellent. The only problem I had was with the characters themselves.

The character Dorothy, in the beginning you learn she has been taught how to be a can artist by her mother, and she trusts nobody. Thats it, her character seemed to have no character growth for me, she needed to have more substance. Ash was better, but at the same time I felt he had no character growth as well. I’m sorry to say that they are pretty forgettable characters. Thats the only problem I had with this book.

The time travel aspect was really cool, I liked the science explanations and how it all made sense. It is a fun read, I just wanted more from the characters, I will read the next book to see if it expands anymore.

3.25 Stars

Happy Reading.

Thanks bookworms.