Book Review: The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

This fantasy is about a young girl Rin who lives in poverty, who lives with her horrible adoptive family who sell drugs to make ends meet, when a proposal of marriage comes, she is determined to get into the most elite military school Sinegard to escape. She aces the test and while there, she is put to the test because she is not like the rest of the students, she also discovers she has shaman powers, all this happens while there is a threat of war, that turns nasty. It shows that war isn’t about glory and winning, it shows how frighting it is, how controlling, how ordinary people get hurt. It is an amazing book.

It’s a pretty dark book as well, it’s not a soft, fuzzy feeling book.

Some Trigger warnings for self harm, drug use, rape ect.

I really enjoyed reading The Poppy War, the book is set in a fantastical world based on early 20th Century China. It is fast paced, and so well written, it kept me at the edge of my seat, I didn’t want to put the book down. One of the main things I liked about it was, there was no romance in this book, most fantasy books have some element of romance, or sometimes are built around a romance, but this book didn’t have any of that. It was about Rin as a character and her development, as well as the politics of the world, it was a nice refreshing change to read a fantasy book like this.

Rin as a character was really interesting, I loved reading about her progress and how she felt and saw situations. I liked most of the characters she interacted with, and how each of them had their own development within the story. Rin is a woman who is really driven and will do anything to succeed. She works her ass off to get where she wants to get, I really admired her for that.

My only criticism for the book is at some points in the book a lot of time passes within one paragraph, and it made me wonder what had happened durning that time, did she learn anything new, how she felt about it. I think if R.F. Kuang expanded some of these things then it would have made a much more interesting time scale, and we may have learnt something more about Rin.

On Goodreads I gave this 4.5 stars.

If you have any questions about the book, let me know in the comments, and I will try my best to answer them for you.

Thanks Bookworms.

My Favourite Fantasy Authors

Fantasy books are one of my favourite genres to read. I love discovering new worlds, new magic systems, the characters and the wars/fights that happen in fantasy books are so compelling.

I’m going to talk about some of my favourite fantasy authors.

George RR Martin

Like most people, I’m not ashamed to admit that I didn’t get into the books of Game of Thrones, until I saw the TV series. A Song of Ice and Fire, is one of the more complicated stories to follow, if you are not used to adult fantasy then I wouldn’t recommend starting off with this. In the series you follow different character perspectives, and you follow so many, that sometimes it can get confusing.

George has created one of the most interesting worlds and history to that world, the story is epic and I love this series so much. If you have watched the series then I highly recommend that you read the books.

Robin Hobb

Robin Hobb is another favourite, her magic systems are always so unique. My favourite series by her is the Farseer series. The way she writes is so beautiful, and you really end up caring for the characters. She also wrote other series set within the same world as the Farseer trilogy. This is one of the best, and most inventive series I have ever read, and I have reread this series so many times, I cant even count how many.

I really recommend her books if you are looking to try adult fantasy for the first time, I honestly don’t know anyone who has read this series and didn’t like it.

Brandon Sanderson

One of my new favourites is Brandon Sanderson, boy can this guy write an epic fantasy. He writes in a way that doesn’t over complicate the story, and the magic systems that he invents are so unique, I just love his fantastic worlds.

I highly recommend his Mistborn series, the magic system involves metals, thats all I will say about that. His books are action packed and the characters are so interesting.

Sarah J. Maas

One of my YA fantasy authors is Sarah J. Maas, even thou I love her series A Court of Thorns and Roses, Throne Of Glass is by far my favourite series by Sarah.

I love the characters, I love the magic, I love the fighting, I just love the whole series and I can not wait until the newest and last book comes out.

Laini Taylor

I love Laini Taylor so much I can’t even put it into words, her writing is almost lyrical, it is so beautiful. She creates fantastic worlds, Strange the Dreamer is in my top ten favourite books of all time. I can not wait until Muse of Nightmares comes out.

I highly recommend Laini, if you just want to read something beautiful, pick up this book.

So there you have my favourite fantasy authors. What are some of yours leave a comment and let me know.

Thanks Bookworms.

My Favourite YA Contemporary Authors.

YA Contemporary novels are like a warm cup of tea on dreary day. They can give you a warm, fuzzy feeling and make you happy.

Today I am going to talk about a few of my favourite YA contemporary authors. The authors that I am going to show, I will read and buy whatever books they come out with.

The first author I’m going to talk about is Rainbow Rowell.

Rainbow Rowell

I first heard about Rainbow Rowell when I was shopping in Waterstones one day. I asked a staff member who would they recommend to me, and she pointed me towards Rainbow Rowell, and I will be forever thankful that she did. So I picked up Eleanor & Park, I read this book in two days I just could not put it down. Eleanor & Park isn’t the most happiest of books, but the way that Rainbow wrote the characters, made me connect with them in a way that made me feel like I knew them personally.

Now my favourite book by Rainbow is FanGirl!!!! Fangirl has some of the best characters in a book that I have ever read. Not only did I connect with the main character Cath, but Levi is one of my top book boyfriends. I honestly can’t say how much this book means to me, and I encourage everyone to read it.

Becky Albertalli

Becky’s books are like a really good chocolate bar, they have to be devoured straight away. You will fall in love with her characters as soon as you open the book. My favourite book by her is Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda. Honestly if you haven’t read this book yet, what have you been doing with you life? also you will fall in love with Simon so much you will want to have this adorable, Oreo loving, awesome guy as your best friend.

Simon vs. was so good that they even turned it into a movie Love, Simon. Love, Simon is so good, and it also stays true to the book, please go and watch it. You can thank me later. My other favourite of Becky’s is Leah on the Offbeat, which is about Simons best friend Leah.

I highly recommend Becky Albertalli if you are looking for a quick, feel good book.

Morgan Matson

Morgan Matson is the author I go to, when I want a cute, funny, love story.

Her most recent book Save the Date, really helped me get out of feeling down, it was funny, and the cute romance in it was adorable. Save the Date is about a girl who’s older sister is getting married and she helps with the wedding planning, and then everything that can go wrong does, and it was so funny in some parts.

So I would go check out Morgan Matson if you fancy a fun read.

Jenny Han

Jenny Han is an author that I found recently. I have read both her series and the best by far is To all the boys I’ve Loved before. Lara Jean is the cutest main character ever. The 3 books in this series follows Lara Jean and her love life choices.

These books are liking wrapping yourself in a warm fuzzy blanket, they are cute and warm hearted. Also Netflix has just brought out a movie of the first book and I highly recommend this film. It has been perfectly adapted so, GO WATCH IT.

Angie Thomas

Angie Thomas’s first book The Hate You Give, or T.H.U.G is one of the best books I have read this year, It has been on the New York times bestseller list since it has come out.

Angie wrote this in regards to the Black Lives Matter Campaign, honestly this book is moving, beautifully written, and it will honestly stick with you long after you have finished it.

The book is about a girl named Starr, who wittinesses the death of her friend who is shot by a policeman, and then all the things she goes through after this tragic event.

I recommend this book and author because it will stick with you and it will make you think, also I am really looking forward to her next book which is On the Come Up, as soon as this is out, I will be dropping everything and I will be reading that book.

So there you have it, some of my favourite YA authors. What are some of your’s?

Thanks Bookworms.

Peter Pan: Children’s Classic, from book to films.

“Think of the happiest things
It’s the same as having wings”

I have recently started reading the children’s classic Peter Pan. I love Peter Pan, I love the fantastical element, I love the story and I love the characters.

How did it begin?

My love for Peter Pan started when I was young and I watched Peter Pan the Disney movie.

I loved this film so much, I loved the story and how if you went to Neverland you never had to grow up. I think every child wishes that, all I wanted to do was go to Neverland and be part of the lost boys (I was a tomboy), or if that didn’t work out then become a fairy and be friends with Tinkerbell.

Tinkerbell is my favourite character in the story because:

1. I want to be a fairy.

2. I love her sassiness.

The other thing I loved were the songs, you tell me one person, when they have to follow someone, who doesn’t sing I’m Following the Leader, at least in their head.

The other film which made me fall in love with this classic tale was Hook.

I loved this take of the story, and Robin Williams as Peter was AMAZING. This is still one of my favourite childhood films, whenever I watch this, it always puts a massive smile on my face.

The Book

With my love of Peter Pan and reading, it should come as a surprise to you, that I have never read the Book. ( I know, I should hang my head in shame)

So I started reading this for a readathon I am currently in the middle of, which you will see a wrap up of in a week or so. I am half way through the book and I can’t believe how dark it is. Peter Pan is not a nice character, he is such a spoilt brat, Disney has lulled me into a false sense of security. The Films are completely different from the story, but in some ways I’m glad about this, I love to read dark fairytale stories.

I’m just glad I am getting round to reading more children classics, I’ve been thinking about doing a post on the best children’s classics, this book will definitely end up on the list.

Thanks bookworms.

Book review: Happier Thinking

Happiness; in life we all strive to be happy, but for most people this is a hard thing to achieve.

Lana Grace Riva the author of Happier Thinking got in touch with me to see if I would like to read and review her book, I am always happy to review books so I jumped at the chance. Happier Thinking is a short nonfiction book about trying to change your negative thoughts into positive. Lana talks about some of the coping mechanisms that helped her change her way of thinking.

Straight away from the start she states that she is not a professional, but these mechanisms are some of the things that have helped her. Its a very short book as its only just over 50 pages long.

One of the main things I liked about the book, was the conversational tone that the book was written in, the writing came off the page as if she was talking to you. Also as I am someone who suffers from mental health issues and have read some books to help, I loved how this book wasn’t highly scientific, and just got straight to the point.

Each chapter starts as a suggestion to follow, to help turn the negative into a positive, she gives you a scene, and then gives you some ideas on how to change your thought process. As I have been to therapy courses, some of these things I already knew about, but it was interesting to have scenes to help give you some ideas on what to do.

One of the main quotes that stuck out to me was:

“Happier thinking involves opening your awareness up to noticing good things at all times.”

This really stuck with me because people, myself included, tend to just focus on the negative (Waitress the musical feels), and all the good moments in our life will just pass us by if we don’t stop to take notice. The other thing that I took from this book is that you should question your thoughts, you should ask, why am I feeling this?, why do I think this?.

I honestly think that this is an easy read and good if you need to have a new outlook on how to change your thought process. Her writing was easy to understand and she didn’t make the book boring, because we all know that some self help books can just ramble on and be so boring that, it just makes reading them a chore. On Goodreads I gave this 3.75 stars, I am interested to see what else the author will write.

Goodreads link to the book.

If you would like to get a copy here is the link to Amazon.

Happy Reading.

Thanks Bookworms.

Book Review: The Tiger and The Acrobat.

I finished this book this afternoon. The book was The Tiger and The Acrobat by Susanna Tamaro. The book is told from the point of view of a Siberian Tiger, from birth to death.

The Synopsis:

“Little tiger is not like other tigers. Not content to spend her days alone, roaming the snow forests of Siberia hunting prey, she prefers to ponder the ways of the world. One day, eager to discover her own place within it, she sets out on a remarkable journey to discover the secret of life, and to meet the creatures she has heard most about: humans.”

I found this book to be a beautifully written and moving story about a life of the tiger, it actually almost made me cry. The writing was almost poetic, it also hits on a deeply human level with it having a philosophical view, like the dealing with grief, loss, happiness, pleasure, uncertainty and loneliness.

The book also had some beautiful illustrations.

The character of Little Tiger was so beautiful, while I have only read one other book told from the point of view of an animal, I found this one to be more believable that its an animal as the main character. She continually asks questions and ponders her and other characters reactions and feelings, and why we feel these things, and why do these things happen.

I liked this book much more than I thought that I would, that shows that some times you should pick up some books that are not in your comfort zone. This book made me think, feel and question life in a new way, and also look at how an animal goes through life.

This particular part in the book really made me feel all the feelings:

I highly recommend this book, if you are looking for a quick, beautiful written book to read. If you want to know more about the book, feel free to write a comment and I will get back to you.

Thanks bookworms.

Introduction

Hello bookworms.

Wow this is so scary, this is my first blog post. I’ve never written a blog or anything like this before, so please go easy on me, I promise not to be too boring. Also please be nice about my grammar skills (they are not the best).

Anyway on to the bit about me, well my name is Kim and I live in a little town in Wales. I’m almost 30 years old (in total denial about it) and I have been with my partner for nearly 14 years and have been engaged for 2.

I have a 3 year old Springer Spaniel called Rolo, he is my life, I love that little doggo so much.

This blog is going to be dedicated to books. I love books, I love slipping into another world and interacting with all the different characters and places. I find reading to be a relaxing and enjoyable hobby, that makes my world seem a bigger place.

I read anything from Fantasy to Fiction, both YA and adult. I read the classics, the new, the obscure, I read thrillers and SCI-Fi, Historical fiction, Graphic novels and everything in between.

Here are some of my favourite books at the moment.

This is not all of them, but its a few to show you what I like.

I got into reading at a very young age, my dad would always tell me a story at bedtime, but it wasn’t until I was in Primary School that my love for reading took off. A supply teacher came in one day and instead of teaching us, he just told us the story of The Hobbit. I think this is when my love for fantasy stories started, I then went home and borrowed the book from my dad and read it by myself. I was so proud because I read a book by myself, from then it has been non stop.

So on this blog I will be talking about books, reviews, book news and just general thoughts of the written word in general.

thanks for reading!

The Journey Begins

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton

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