Reading

Completing The 30 Books Challenge

July 17, 2017July 17, 2017 Herminia Chow14 Comments

1. A book you love:

Morning Star by Pierce Brown

I love this book with all my heart. And I’m trying to make other people love it too.

2. A book you can’t forget:

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

My grade five teacher recommended it to me. Bless her for doing so.

3. A book that motivated you:

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

King makes me want to be a better writer.

4. A book that made you think about life:

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

It’s thought-provoking.

5. A book with a colour in its title:

Red Rising by Pierce Brown

I adore Brown and his brain.

6. A book with a number in its title:

Zone One by Colson Whitehead

I had to read it for school, but I liked the modernized zombie tale.

7. A book everyone needs to read:

Animal Farm by George Orwell

Timeless classic. What more can I say?

8. A book that was recommended to you:

All the Rage by Courtney Summers

A good friend of mine made me pick this one up.

9. A book you didn’t expect to like as much as you did:

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Because of the hype surrounding Maas and her work, I thought I wasn’t going to like her novels. But I enjoyed ToG so very much.

10. A book that made you cry:

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

It didn’t directly make me cry, but I was holding the book while I cried. Does that count?

11. A book that reminds you of your childhood:

The Giver by Lois Lowry

I was a naïve child.

12. A book you have reread or would reread:

Thirst No. 4 by Christopher Pike

I reread the fourth book prior to reading the fifth in order to jog my memory. The second read through was just as good, if not even better than the first.

13. A book that was turned into a movie:

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

I read the book before I watched the movie. If you know me at all, you know I’m firmly in the camp that the book was obviously better.

14. A book you wish was turned into a movie or TV show:

The Escape by David Baldacci

This needs to be made into a movie.

15. A book you couldn’t put down:

Endgame: The Calling by James Frey

Action-packed fun.

16. A book that kept you up at night:

The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult

I remember finishing the novel late at night and being blown away by the ending.

17. A book you travelled with:

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz

I carried the novel in my bag with a water bottle I didn’t close properly. Safe to say water and paper don’t mix unless you’re painting with watercolours.

18. A book you wanted to toss across the room:

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Because of how it ends.

19. A book you received as a gift:

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

From my one and only older brother. Thanks.

20. A book you gave or would give as a gift:

The Elements of Style by E. B. White and William Strunk Jr.

I would give it as a gift, especially to someone who likes writing.

21. A book you think is underrated:

Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris

I don’t see or hear many people talk about Norris and her books.

22. A book that lived up to its hype:

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

I didn’t think it would, but it did.

23. A book that broke your heart:

House Rules by Jodi Picoult

It was my first Picoult novel. I’m happy to say it was not the last. I really felt for the characters in this one.

24. A book that restored your faith in humanity:

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Young, awesome characters tend to restore my faith.

25. A book with a pretty cover:

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

It’s my aesthetic.

26. A book that reminds you of summer:

Atonement by Ian McEwan

The novel takes place in the summer.

27. A book that brings back good memories:

A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry

Technically it’s a play I performed with some of my best friends in high school.

28. A book that makes you happy:

Nevermore by James Patterson

I enjoyed the entire series.

29. A book you will never get tired of talking about:

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

I could go on and on about this gem.

30. A book you wish you wrote:

Carrie by Stephen King

If I had to be honest, I wish I wrote every novel King wrote. Carrie is no exception.

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Reading

A Court of Mist and Fury – Sarah J. Maas | A Book Review

June 21, 2017June 11, 2021 Herminia Chow12 Comments

Title: A Court of Mist and Fury

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Genre: Fantasy

About the book: It’s the sequel to A Court of Thorns and Roses. Feyre has the powers of High Fae, but her heart is still human, and she can’t forget what she had to do in order to save Tamlin’s people. Feyre also hasn’t forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, the High Lord of the Night Court. She has to step into her growing power and shape her own future.

First impressions: I had high hopes going in because I enjoyed the first one. I like Maas as a writer. I especially love the Throne of Glass series. That said, I wasn’t sure what to expect in terms of the story in Mist and Fury, since I’ve been avoiding spoilers on social media as much as possible. Also, I didn’t expect the book to be as long as it is, since the first novel is shorter.

Summary: Feyre has to deal with her past (described in A Court of Thorns and Roses) to face the present (explored in Mist and Fury) and shape her future (continued in Wings and Ruin).

Characters: I found myself needing some time to get to know the new characters. At first, because I didn’t know much of their backstory, I had a tough time feeling anything for them. But Maas slowly reveals little pieces of the past in regards to Rhysand’s cousin (Morrigan) and friends (Amren, Azriel, and Cassian). So it got easier to connect with everyone as the novel progressed. Of course, there are plenty of scenes with Feyre and Rhysand together, but individually as well. Because of the longer length, I think there’s more character development in this novel than the first, especially with respect to the female protagonist.

Quote:

“Don’t let the hard days win..”

Writing: Maas balances world-building with fast-paced action. The plot advances at a good, suspenseful pace while still packing in enough detailed description for readers to know what’s going on. Also, the friendly teasing and banter between characters is a bonus.

Final thoughts: The ending is all kinds of fun, but everything that can go wrong does. Although the Throne of Glass series will always have a special and bigger place in my heart, I would recommend this series to anyone interested in power, politics, and passion. I’m not sure how I feel about the flirty leading to steamy romance, yet I managed to survive those scenes. I’ll try to read Wings and Ruin in the near future, but I’m usually late to the hyped books party.

This post has affiliate links to Book Depository. If you buy through them, I earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Reading

Queen of Shadows – Sarah J. Maas | A Book Review

May 26, 2017June 11, 2021 Herminia Chow5 Comments

Title: Queen of Shadows

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Genre: Fantasy

About the book: It’s the fourth novel in the Throne of Glass series. Celaena has embraced her identity as Queen of Terrasen, but she has to fight for her friends.

First impressions: I was initially surprised at the longer length of this book, especially since the others in the series so far are shorter. But it didn’t feel unnecessarily long. If anything, the story was too short for me. Also, I read the previous novel, Heir of Fire, several months ago, so I spent the first few chapters trying to remember everything that happened in the first three books. Maas did a good job piquing my interest early and holding it though.

Characters: Aelin and friends are trying to stop the good guys and gals from being injured, imprisoned, or killed. I enjoyed the characters. They have different personalities and develop in their own unique ways, not just in this book but in the series as a whole. The banter between them is fun, funny even. I like Maas’ humour.

Quote:

“Stay the course, but also plot another one.”

Writing: I’m a fan of the writing. It’s descriptive enough but not too descriptive. I think the story has a good balance of action and dialogue, enough of both to keep me engaged.

Final thoughts: The ending is surprisingly satisfying. Also, I read the book during some trying times, so I found myself quite emotional. Then again, I’m invested in the characters. There are many emotional scenes in Queen of Shadows as well. I highly recommend it.

This post has affiliate links to Book Depository. If you buy through them, I earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Reading

Books Of The Month | April 2017

April 28, 2017April 28, 2017 Herminia Chow4 Comments

I wonder if I wrote more words or read more this month. Either way here’s how my April unfolded.

What I Finished:

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

One phrase description:

It gets better.

Quote:

“We need hope, or else we cannot endure.”

My general thoughts:

I technically finished this in March a couple days after I published my book blog post. I think that’s a testament to how much I enjoyed ACOFTAR, especially the ending. It took me a few chapters to get acquainted with the new world and characters. I’m so used to the Throne of Glass books, and so I found myself comparing this novel to her other works. Personally I like her writing. It’s descriptive enough for me to get a sense of the world but not too descriptive that I get impatient, wishing something would happen already.

Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

One phrase description:

It got faster.

Quote:

“Sometimes justice was all about the small victories.”

My general thoughts:

I found it hard to get into at first. I needed some time to adjust to the world and all the characters. But the story picked up its pace. I was a bit confused at the beginning. Thankfully things made more sense as the novel went on.

Last Man Standing by David Baldacci

One phrase description:

It got crazier.

Quote:

“At some point you have to live your life the way you want to.”

My general thoughts:

I had a great time with this novel. I didn’t see many of the twists and turns coming. It had a good amount of action, mystery, and suspsense. I liked that the main character, Web, has many issues. He works through some of them throughout the novel. It made for a more realistic story.

What I’m Currently Reading:

Symbol of Treason by Natalya Orekhov

First impressions:

Aside from some formatting and grammatical errors, the writing isn’t that bad. Most of the characters seem to have their demons and a less than ideal past. It’d be interesting to see how they deal with their problems.

What I Want To Read Next Month:

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

Why:

I had the hardest time deciding what to read next. I’m going with this one because why not.

Next month I hope to start reviewing books individually. I’m announcing this on here because online accountability has worked in the past. Don’t fail me in the future.

Happy reading in May!

As per usual, the above are affiliate links, and they take you to Book Depository where you can buy until your big heart is content.

Reading

Books Of The Month | March 2017

March 28, 2017March 28, 2017 Herminia Chow10 Comments

There goes another month. 2017 needs to slow down. Now that I’ve finished all my assigned English novels, I might take it easy for a few months reading wise. Or maybe I won’t. I don’t know what will happen. I’m not a fortune teller. But I can tell you all about my past. Starting with the books I read in March.