Mid-year book freak out tag

Thank you to the lovely Katie @ Read with Katie for tagging me! The mid-year book freak out tag was created by two fabulous YouTubers, Read Like Wildfire and Earl Grey Books, they’re pretty awesome book vloggers so go take a look at their channels.

Some of these books didn’t come out in 2017, but I read them this year, so it counts…

The best book you’ve read so far in 2017

Nevernight by Jay Kristoff

This was kind of an unexpected treat, I’d seen it mentioned online and as a fan of dark fantasy novels I hoped I’d enjoy it, but I didn’t expect to love it quite as much as I did. I’ll post a review soon, but suffice it to say this is definitely the best book I’ve read this year, and probably since A Court of Mist and Fury this time last year. It’s bloody, and sexy, and really, really dark (literally, for a book called Nevernight there’s a surprising amount of darkness). If you like your YA fantasy on the more mature side, check this little beauty out. The sequel, Godsgrave, comes out this year and I cannot wait to read it.

Best sequel of 2017 so far

The Sleeping Prince (The Sin Eater’s Daughter #2) by Melinda Salisbury

I’ve read a few sequels this year, but the only one I’ve given 5 stars to is The Sleeping Prince. The Sin Eater’s Daughter was one of my favourite books of last year, and book two is a bit of a departure from book one, mainly due to the fact it has a completely different protagonist who we didn’t meet in the first book. As you read further it becomes clear how the new story ties in, and I actually think it was a stroke of genius to show a different side to the events of the story – it takes place after book one, but is set in another town and reveals more of the fictional world and its inhabitants, which I love. If you like quite traditional fantasy inspired by fairy tales then you’ll love this series. The third and final book came out this year and is sitting on my bookshelf just waiting to be read!

A new release you haven’t read yet but want to

Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare

I’m stealing Katie’s answer to this one because I received my copy of Lord of Shadows a week or two ago and it’s just sitting on my shelf waiting for me to finish my library books so I can dive right in. Cassie’s books are the kind I need to read as soon as they come out in case I get spoiled on Twitter or Instagram. I’m definitely planning to read this one as soon as possible, I really enjoyed Lady Midnight, although if we’re being honest it was probably my least favourite Shadowhunter novel so far (sorry everyone, I know it’s a lot of people’s favourite). But I love all the characters and I’m so intrigued about the laws for parabatai who fall in love and the consequences, so I’m really excited to read this sequel, even if it breaks my heart (Julian & Emma, Mark & Kieran, all the ships!).

Most anticipated release of the second half of 2017

Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff

Surprise! Not. I cannot wait to see where Mia goes next, the end of Nevernight broke my heart (please don’t be true!) and I need to find out what happens to all my favourite stabby babies – and Mr. Kindly (smol cat of shadows).

Honourable mention: Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas

I’m not quite as excited for this book as the usual Throne of Glass novels, I’m expecting to not see anything of Aelin, Rowan and the gang, so that’s slightly disappointing. I am excited to find out what happened when Chaol and Nesryn travelled to the Torre Cesme to find a healer for Chaol’s spinal injuries. Everyone was pretty disappointed when Chaol wasn’t even mentioned in Empire of Storms, despite the short story included at the end of the book, so I’m glad he’s getting his own full length novel (it was intended to be a novella but Maas has trouble trimming her word counts, clearly!). After A Court of Wings and Ruin, it’s clear Maas is trying really hard to write more diverse characters and she has done well in depicting realistic portayals of depression and PTSD in the past, so I’ve got high hopes for her depiction of Chaol’s disability.

Biggest disappointment

The Shadow Queen by C. J. Redwine

I feel like I’m harping on about this now, but I’ve decided to put The Shadow Queen down and maybe come back to it later and try again. I struggled through the first hundred pages and had a stack of library books and new releases building up on my shelf that were calling to me, so I reluctantly DNFed this one. As a fairy tale retelling, there’s no reason why I don’t love this book, so I’m hoping I’ll enjoy it more second time around. There’s nothing I can put my finger on as to why I wasn’t loving it, so I suspect it’s just me.

Biggest surprise

Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence

I’d heard of Mark Lawrence before I picked this one up from the library, but being adult fantasy it wasn’t at the top of my list. Until I received the February Illumicrate with Lawrence’s newest novel, Red Sister. I decided to start at the beginning with Lawrence’s first book, which isn’t set in the same universe as Red Sister, but I figured would be a good place to start and an introduction to his style. Well, I absolutely loved it, I practically inhaled it on holiday in Turkey this April. I’ve just started King of Thorns, book two in the Broken Empires series, and I’ve got Emperor of Thorns ready to go straight after. It’s a similar sort of vibe to Nevernight, so if you’re into dark and bloody adult fantasy, check it out.

Favourite new author

Definitely Jay Kristoff. I’ve heard such good things about the Illuminae series too, so I plan to read those at some point this year.

Newest fictional crush

Ronan Lynch from The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater. I might not be his type, but this is fiction after all!

Newest favourite character

Mr. Kindly from Nevernight. A sassy talking cat, made from shadows who drinks fear? Where can I get one?

A book that made you cry

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

The series finale made me tear up once or twice – I won’t spoil it for anyone who hasn’t read it yet, but there was a particular death that really got to me. I’ll let you guess which one in the comments!

A book that made you happy

The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J. K. Rowling

This was an absolute treat to read! Growing up with Harry Potter, it was devastating when I finished the final book and thought I’d never get to live in that world again. I read the other two companion books at the time, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (now a movie, in case you didn’t know!) and Quidditch Through the Ages. This was the last book (before the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child screenplay came out) that I hadn’t yet read. I saw it in my local library and had to get it, and I’m glad I did, I enjoyed every second of it and laughed and cried whilst reading.

Favourite book to movie adaptation you’ve seen this year

Logan

Not strictly a book, as I haven’t seen any book-to-movie adaptations yet this year, but it’s a graphic novel I think, so that counts right? And it was amazing, a totally gripping and heartbreaking movie, let alone superhero movie (which I’m obsessed with anyway). If you haven’t seen it and you’re in any way slightly interested in X-Men definitely watch it immediately (you don’t have to like X-Men, but it’s better if you know a bit of back story).

Favourite review you’ve written this year

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

I fell in love with The Scorpio Races after years of it sitting on my TBR untouched and unloved. It reminded me of my all-consuming love for Maggie Stiefvater, which had been hidden, but never lessened, in the years since I read The Wolves of Mercy Falls and the Books of Faerie. Since reading The Scorpio Races, I’ve ploughed through almost all of The Raven Cycle, and I’m dying to get my hands on All the Crooked Saints. I loved writing this review because I was so happy to have rediscovered a favourite author and discovered a new favourite book.

Most beautiful book you bought or received so far this year

Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones

Just look at that cover! Am I right? This was another book that came in the February Illumicrate, and I haven’t cracked it yet, but it’s an absolute stunner. It’s a sort of Labyrinth reimagining as far as I understand, with a young girl seduced by the Goblin King. I think it’ll be a lovely wintery read, so I might save this one until later in the year.

Books you need to read by the end of the year

There are so many! I’ll try to keep this brief:

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
Illuminae & Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Shades of Magic by V.E. Schwab
The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
Gentleman Bastard series by Scott Lynch
The Crown’s Game by Evelyn Skye
The Young Elites by Marie Lu
The Gold Seer Trilogy by Rae Carson
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

I nominate

Louise @ Dragonspire UK

Julianna @ Blots of Ink and Words

Sarah @ Between the Pages

And as always, if you want to do this tag but I haven’t tagged you, feel free to give it a go!

Lyndsey

Review: Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Magge Stiefvater Review

I am really burning through The Raven Cycle series by Maggie Stiefvater! I’ve already downloaded The Raven King and as soon as I finish listening to Nevernight by Jay Kristoff I’ll be getting stuck into the series finale.

If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, you can check out my no spoiler reviews here: The Raven Boys and The Dream Thieves.

TL;DR Gansey is still looking for Glendower, Adam is still proud, Ronan is still angry, and Blue is still independent. Maura is missing, the Grey Man is back and his boss, Greenmantle, is on the hunt for the Greywarren (now aware that it is a who and not a what).

At the end of The Dream Thieves, Maura left a note for Blue to say she was going looking for Artemus – Blue’s father, who disappeared while Maura was pregnant and hasn’t been seen since. Now Maura is missing too, underground in the caves beneath Cabeswater.

Persephone is still helping Adam to master his powers and strengthen the ley line. His bargain with Cabeswater is effecting him more and more, making him darker and moodier, although he has learnt how to interpret its attempts at communication, which are often terrifying manifestations and visions.

“For so long, he’d wanted Gansey to see him as an equal, but it was possible that all this time, the only person who needed to see that was Adam.”

Ronan is still trying to figure out a way to save his mother, and all the other dream things that fell to sleep when his father died. He’s getting closer, his mother is now living in Cabeswater, where she seems to function again. Unfortunately, his dreams are encroaching more and more on his daily life, forcing him to sleep in his car rather than endanger Gansey by dreaming up a hornets’ nest inside Monmouth.

“Ronan was angry-every one of his emotions that wasn’t happiness was anger.”

Ronan and Adam spend a lot more time together in this book, working together on secret plans and using their connections to Cabeswater to try and fix the problems that the gang are battling – namely Greenmantle and his obsession with the Greywarren.

“They regarded each other. Adam fair and cautious, Ronan dark and incendiary. This was Ronan at his most truthful.”

Blue and Gansey’s relationship develops really nicely in this book, they continue to grow closer despite the obvious barriers – the fact that Gansey will die within twelve months and Blue will kill her true love if she kisses him. So, small, surmountable obstacles then.

“Blue was perfectly aware that it was possible to have a friendship that wasn’t all-encompassing, that wasn’t blinding, deafening, maddening, quickening. It was just that now that she’d had this kind, she didn’t want the other.”

Colin Greenmantle and his wife, Piper, are absolutely brilliant villains – funny, snarky and completely immoral. Colin replaces the baddie from book one, Barrington Whelk, as the boys’ Latin teacher at Aglionby, which leads to some hilarious exchanges between Colin and Ronan in Latin. Piper is a fabulously self-serving, sharp-tongued, blonde bombshell with a seriously dysfunctional moral compass. Their relationship is just fascinating, I don’t think I’ve ever loved a couple of villains as much as the Greenmantles.

“She drifted towards the bedroom, on her way to have a bath or take a nap or start a war.”

The other star of this book is Jesse Dittley, a man who’s family farmhouse sits on top of a cave they suspect Glendower might be buried in. As it turns out, the caves are cursed and eventually kill every member of Dittley’s family, including his father and grandfather. He finds Blue’s short stature fascinating and seems to be permanently shouting.

“I AM JESSE DITTLEY. DID YOU NEVER EAT YOUR GREENS?”

We also get to know Malory, Gansey’s British friend, much more in this book. He travels over to Henrietta, accompanied by his emotional support dog, and helps the gang find the caves where the believe Glendower to be hidden.

“Malory, unhopeful: “I don’t suppose you have any tea?”

Jesse: “DO YOU WANT EARL GREY OR DARJEELING?”

Malory: “Oh, sweet heavens!””

I listened to Blue Lily, Lily Blue in two days (I was doing a lot of decorating and gardening due to us moving house next month) and I enjoyed it slightly more than The Dream Thieves. There are a couple of songs in this book, one being the moody and traditional Blue Lily, Lily Blue, the other being the catchy and annoying Murder Squash. I love the layers of art in these books, Maggie Stiefvater is a musician as well as a writer and always creates music for her books – one of the treats of listening to the audio books is not only hearing these songs aloud, but hearing Maggie playing her own music at the beginning and end of each book.

One of my favourite things about The Raven Cycle is the slow development of romantic relationships. The obvious one is Blue and Gansey, who aren’t able to be together because of the aforementioned curses, but also because they don’t want to hurt Adam, who liked Blue first. In this book we finally start to see some hint of romance between Ronan and Adam (that might be a spoiler if you know literally nothing about The Raven Cycle, but if you spend any time at all online – especially Tumblr – then you’ll already know, as I did, that they get together).

It’s been hinted at very subtly throughout the series that Ronan is gay – by subtly, I mean it’s not openly stated and he isn’t constantly eyeing up guys, it is suggested that he feels something stronger than friendship for Gansey in the beginning, but that feeling is obviously not reciprocated. It isn’t at any point (that I noticed) suggested that Adam is gay, or bisexual, until this book, so I’m really looking forward to seeing how their relationship develops in The Raven King.

I gave Blue Lily, Lily Blue 4.5 stars, because it was a more gripping read than The Dream Thieves and had less elements I wasn’t a fan of – if anything, the only thing I didn’t love was Malory, I’m not sure his presence really added anything to the story. The tension and suspense is still present in this book, and I am dying to seeing how it all pans out in the final book.

Have you read The Raven Cycle? Which of the four books was your favourite? I’ve seen online that a lot of readers weren’t happy with the finale so I’m slightly apprehensive, but I really need to see what happens to these characters now, I’m so invested!

Lyndsey

I am a member of the Book Depository affiliate program, so if you click through and buy any of the books mentioned in this blog I might make a little commission, but I am not paid to review books and all reviews are my own opinions!

The new Disney Princess book tag

Thank you to Shanya and Tanya @ TwinBookmarks for tagging me to do the new Disney Princess book tag, this is such a fun one! There are 13 questions, so grab a cup of tea and a blanket and settle in, it’s going to be a long one.

THE RULES

Mention where you saw the tag/thank whoever tagged you because that’s always good fun
Tag Mandy @ Book Princess Reviews and Zuky @ BookBum so they can check out the wonderful Princess fun throughout the blog world
Play a game of tag at the end!

Snow White – This book (like the movie) started it all

Favourite debut book from an author

Half Bad by Sally Green

I was given Half Bad by a friend who works at Waterstones, I’d never heard of it but it was a new release at the time and he thought I’d like it. Well, he was right, I am absolutely obsessed with this series, and I feel like not enough people have read it or talk about it. I’m yet to read the third in the trilogy, but it’s right at the top of my list!

Sally Green is currently working on a new book called The Smoke Thieves, which comes out next spring and sounds amazing!

Cinderella – A diamond in the rough

Just like Cinderella, you didn’t expect much out of this character in the beginning, but they turned out to be a total gem

Nesta from the A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas

I really did not like Nesta in A Court of Thorns and Roses, she was so mean and spoilt, and treated Feyre like dirt. But, by the end of A Court of Wings and Ruin I actually loved her, she turned out to be brave and loyal, and one of the strongest female characters I’ve ever come across.

Aurora – Sleeping Beauty

A book that makes you sleepy or could not hold your attention

The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine

I really want to like this book, it’s exactly my usual sort of thing – fairytale retelling, YA, high fantasy – but I’m struggling to get into it. It’s very dense with new names, places and creatures and I think I’m just not in the mood, because I’d normally be obsessed, but I’m just finding it so easy to put down and walk away from. I’m going to persevere because I’ve heard good things and I want to love it. It’s not boring, or badly written, it’s just not pulling me in.

Ariel – Under the sea

A book with a water/ocean setting

Nevernight by Jay Kristoff

I’m listening to the audio book of this at the moment, and absolutely loving it. Mia just sailed from one continent to another on a boat, so I think this counts as a water based book. It was this or Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo – I don’t read many books set at sea and this needs to change. Give me your pirate book recs!

Belle – Beauty and the books

Name a book with the best bookworm/book lover

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

I can’t choose between Celaena and Dorian, they bond over their shared love of books (and dogs!) and are just adorable book dragons. If you ignore the fact she’s an assassin and a slave (I won’t say anymore, no spoilers!) Celaena is totally relatable – she loves books, clothes, shopping and the opera.

Jasmine – The thief and the princess

Name a book with an unlikely love story (either in terms of romance or a book you didn’t expect to love so much)

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Boy hunts ghosts. Finds scariest ghost ever. Falls in love.

If you haven’t read Anna Dressed in Blood, what are you doing? Go and read it now! It’s a hilarious, cute, terrifying YA horror – Cas is like the younger Winchester brother you wish Sam and Dean had.

Pocahontas – The real life princess

Name a book that is based on a real life person you want to read/have read

Talking as fast as I can by Lauren Graham

I’m not normally a biography or autobiography reader, I like fiction, fantasy worlds, magic etc. But if there was one autobiography I was going to read it would be Lauren Graham’s. I’ve heard she actually reads the audio book herself, so I’m probably going to get that at some point. I just think she’s hilarious, and Gilmore Girls is one of my all time favourite shows, so I’d love to hear all her stories from behind the scenes.

Other potentials include Amy Schumer, Anna Kendrick and Amy Poehler.

Mulan – The princess that saved her country

Name the fiercest heroine you know

Puck from The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Puck lost both her parents to a water horse attack, she lives with her two brothers who are sweet but ultimately useless, and she is facing eviction from the home she grew up in. Instead of falling to pieces, she decides to enter the most dangerous competition in existence, a horse race between the capaill uisce, only she decides to ride her regular old horse. Seriously, if she isn’t the fiercest, most badass heroine you’ve ever read then you haven’t read The Scorpio Races.

Tiana – The princess with the coolest and most diverse crew

Name a diverse book, whether it is a diverse set of characters or just diverse in general

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Kaz, Inej, Jesper, Nina, Wylan and Matthias are the most diverse gang of thieves and crooks I’ve ever seen in literature. Seriously, check out some of the gorgeous fanart that’s been created with these characters. I love each and every one of these gun-toting, knife-wielding, bank-robbing beauts. Plus, it’s set in the same universe as the Grisha Trilogy, which gives it such a rich history and culture to build on. It’s one of the best series I’ve ever read.

Rapunzel – Let your long hair down

Name the longest book you’ve ever read

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J. K. Rowling

At a whopping 870 pages, Order of the Phoenix is the longest book I have ever read, and I don’t regret a single second of it. Other notably long books I’ve read are City of Heavenly Fire at 725 pages, and A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas at 699.

(To find out the longest book you’ve read you can go to My Books on your Goodreads, find Stats on the left, and check the pages tab for each year you’ve been a member. You’re welcome!)

Merida – I determine my own fate

A book where there is no love story/interest

The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

I love Kelsea’s character arc from The Queen of the Tearling, she’s such a layered character with so many strengths and weaknesses, and she becomes a great queen without any need for a king or a boyfriend. She does have a brief fling with one of her guards, but she ends it when she realises he feels more strongly about her than she does about him. The whole story is about female empowerment, as much as it’s about a fantasy dystopian future.

Anna & Elsa – Frozen hearts

A book in a winter/cold setting

Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

Unfortunately I DNFed this one because it was a library book and my loan ran out, but I might come back to it at some point. It’s a YA thriller, which there aren’t enough of, about a girl who goes hiking in the snowy mountains and gets kidnapped and held hostage by a couple of guys in a log cabin.

Moana – How far I’ll go

A character that goes on a journey

Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson

In the first book of The Remnant Chronicles, Lia travels from her home to a remote coastal town to escape her duties as future queen. In the second book, she travels across the lands with a band of “barbarians” to their kingdom, stopping at various outposts along the way, and in the third book she travels back from the barbarian kingdom to her own. That’s a lot of travelling!

Nominations

I’m just going to nominate a few people, if you’ve already done this tag or don’t fancy it, that’s OK! If I haven’t nominated you but you want to try, go ahead, and tag me so I can see your answers.

Have you read any of these books? Do you have any recs for me? Give your thoughts and opinions people, I need to know if you love or hate The Shadow Queen, and if you have any pirate themed books I should read!

Lyndsey