LIEBSTER AWARD BLOG TAG!

Thanks so much to Talia @ Red Hot Ink Blog for the nomination!

The Liebster Award. Liebster is “German for dearest, darling, liked or loved above all others.”

The rules for this award are:

1. Thank the person who nominated you.
2. Answer 11 questions about yourself.
3. Give 11 interesting facts about yourself.
4. Nominate 11 other bloggers. (nominations are below)

Now, without further ado…

THE QUESTIONS:

1. Which thing surprised you the most about blogging?

How annoying reviews can be to write. Sometimes they just flow, sometimes I sit and stare at my screen not knowing what the hell to say.

2. Which social media is your favorite to spread the word about your blog?

Instagram 🙂 

3. Favorite Movie?

I have SO many, but to name a few: Pretty Woman, My Cousin Vinny, Clueless, Ever After, Home Alone, Bridesmaids, Dirty Dancing (and FYI I did NOT watch that blasphemous remake).

4. If you could swap places with a heroine from a book, who would it be?

Sloane from the Blood and Roses Series by Callie Hart. Mainly because she’s amazing and badass. And she gets to bang Zeth every day. Lucky bitch.

5. Tell me the title of a book which was a reading milestone for you. Like, the book that brought you into the reading world, or a childhood favorite.

Fifty Shades is what got me into blogging.

6. Top 5 book boyfriends

I don’t like this question. It’s too hard. But I’ll name some absolute favs in no particular order:
Joshua Templeman, Joshua Bennett, Will Sumner, Ignazio Vitale, Carmine DeMarco, Zeth Mayfair, Drew Baylor, Ryke Meadows, Drew Evans, Jake Becker.

7. What are your favorite and least favorite tropes?

Favorite: Enemies or friends to lovers. Least Favorite: Love triangles

8. What is something weird you can do?

UMMMM I like to throw out random movie lines in the middle of conversations. Does that count?

9. What is the first job you dreamed of doing when you were a kid?

Lawyer. Then cake decorator. Totally random I know.

10. Who is your favorite author when it comes to just writing style?

Christina Lauren because their writing is always funny and smart. Suanne Laqueur because her writing is lyrical and poetic.

11. If you were to choose only one food/dish for your last dinner, what would it be?

NUTELLA.

I NOMINATE (feel free to use the same questions I did!):

Andie @ Books, Coffee, & Passion, Joy @ HEA Novel Thoughts, 5171 Miles Book blog, Life In The Books Blog, Madalyn @ MB Reads, Amy @ Foxy Blogs, Musings of the Modern Belle, Angela @ Reading Frenzy Blog, Ari @ The Daydreaming Bookworm, Astrid @ Vanilla & Spice Books

Review: ★A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas ★

A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #3) by Sarah J. Maas – 4.5 Stars

I just, I don’t really know what to say. I’m very overwhelmed at the moment. And there are so many things I want to say and SO many questions I have but I don’t want to spoil anything so I’ll just ramble like I did for my review of ACOMAF.

★ If Cassian and Nesta do not get a book next, I will fight someone. I am so utterly obsessed with those two. Some of my most favorite parts of this book were their scenes together.

★ Nesta SCREAMING. FOR. CASSIAN. That scene. My heart.

★ Cassian’s entrance in this book is probably my most favorite moment. I actually screamed.

★ I need Rhysand to be in every single future book because I love him so dearly and I can’t let him go. And if he’s not, I’ll fight again.

★ Feyre is such a BADASS and I love her. The beginning of this book and her time in the Spring court was nothing short of epic. (I do admit though that I later felt bad from the after-effects her scheming caused. It’s a very murky/grey area in the book for me. But I think this is a trait in SJM’s writing. There is not a clear defined line of right and wrong. Her characters are flawed and sometimes don’t see it themselves.)

★ Azriel deserves love. He deserves someone who sees him for the kind and selfless man he is. And if he doesn’t get that. Yep, I’ll fight.

★ I guess this is just another trait in SJM’s writing, but she tends to repeat herself. A lot. (Mate was used somewhere around 60 times in this book. That’s like 53 times too many.) I know this doesn’t bother most people, but as I said in my review for book one I tend to notice these things and it can be annoying for me as I’m reading. The pacing was a little off for me, there was at times excessive detail and parts that were very drawn out. Regardless, I still loved this book.

★ Tamlin – I’m just so confused. I was at first meh towards him, then I hated him, and then he went and KIND OF redeemed himself in this book. I feel like he’s a very complicated and damaged character, and I can at least appreciate how SJM kept true to that.
But this part: “Be happy, Feyre.” —-*FUCK there’s something in my eye.*

★ Lucien. I always liked you, man.

★ I feel like Eris and Jurian are another Rhysand. And I REALLY really really want their story.

★ Oh, OH and Vassa too! I need to know her story.

★ Not gonna lie, I have mixed feelings about Morrigan right now. I love the girl, don’t get me wrong. But that whole situation with Azriel and what she admitted left me feeling uneasy. I mean, she’s still my home girl. But I did not like what she did to Azriel. YOU KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT, MOR. *side eyes you*

★ And speaking of Azriel again does anyone else think he is somehow going to end up with Elain? As I was reading, I felt some weird connection with those two. And I felt like when SJM spoke of people refusing mating bonds she was hinting towards this. IDK.

★ Amren. GIRL. You deserve a medal. ALL HAIL QUEEN AMREN.

You know what I loved most about this book and this series? It’s one of those you don’t FULLY appreciate until you’re all done and you’ve had time to absorb everything. And when you do, you see if for the greatness that it is. While it has its faults, it was still an awesome book. And while ACOMAF will still be the best book in the series, I still love the series as a whole and can’t wait for the future books!

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Review: A Court Of Mist And Fury by Sarah J. Maas – loved it!

A Court Of Mist And Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses #2) by Sarah J. Maas- 5 Stars

Alright, ALRIGHT.

I wasn’t entirely convinced I understood the hype around this series after my issues with book one.

BUT. I GET IT NOW.

And just like with book one, the main reason I enjoyed this book SO much more than the first? RHYSAND.

“Hello, Feyre darling,” he purred.

One line. One line from him and I knew this book was going to be great. But there were also so many vast improvements:

🌟 The editing and overall story just flowed so much better. Even though this book was longer, I felt like I flew through it. Were some parts slow? Sure. Was there still some repetition? Yep. But I came to expect it and wasn’t as bothered so much by it like I was with ACOTAR.

🌟 I loved all the new characters that were introduced. And I LUHVED Feyre’s development. She wasn’t a character I was sure I would like too much, but she really came into her own in this book. She was raw and honest and strong and really grew as a character.

“I was not the High Lord’s pet any longer. And maybe the world should learn that I did indeed have fangs.”

🌟 #FuckTamlin. I knew I didn’t like his ass from the start for a reason. There are times I think about him and his circumstances and actually feel a bit bad. But for the most part, EW.

🌟 Nesta is my bitch. I’m kind of obsessed with her. Get em’ girl.

🌟 The banter was fantastic. Rhysand and Feyre flirting was like sexual tension overload. HELLLOOO to that throne scene in The Court Of Nightmares where they were grinding and rubbing all up on each other.

“I’m thinking,” he said, following the flick of my tongue over my bottom lip, “that I look at you and feel like I’m dying. Like I can’t breathe. I’m thinking that I want you so badly I can’t concentrate half the time I’m around you, and this room is too small for me to properly bed you. Especially with the wings.”

🌟 RHYSAND. He’s reason enough. Who knew he’d be so romantic? It was quite clear to me he was not and was never going to be the villain. But I didn’t quite expect him to be such a respectful, kind, PERFECT SPECIMEN. I would very much like to have his bat babies, please.

“So I’m your huntress and thief?” His hands slid down to cup the backs of my knees as he said with a roguish grin, “You are my salvation, Feyre.”

“Smile again,” he whispered.

“I wanted to do that when I felt how drenched you were at the Court of Nightmares. I wanted to have you right there in the middle of everyone. But mostly I just wanted to do this.” His eyes held mine as he brought those fingers to his mouth and sucked on them. On the taste of me.

“My equal in every way; she would wear my crown, sit on a throne beside mine. Never sidelined, never designated to breeding and parties and child-rearing. My queen.”

🌟 Chapter 54. CHAPTER 54. Everything in that chapter is pure bliss. The soup?! THE FUCKING SOUP. (I sound like a loon but those who read know what I’m talking about.) What Feyre’s paintings of the night sky really meant. When she thinks back to the first time she saw Rhsyand and what his first words truly meant.
*excuse me as I SOB*

🌟 The last 10% slayed me. Killed me. I did not breathe. I had goosebumps everywhere. When I finished I kid you not I thought I might faint from holding my breath for so long. Feyre you BEAST! You cunning little fox!

While ACOMAF had some *minor* flaws, I still totally and completely enjoyed it. I have a feeling this will be my favorite in the series. I’m done blabbering now and am running to read book 3!

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Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas ❤

A Court of Thorns and Roses  (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1) by Sarah J. Maas – 3 Stars

Since I am the only human being on earth who has yet to read this series, my review will just focus on my thoughts. I won’t go into plot details because there’s about 46,708 reviews on Goodreads that will explain it.

I know this series is LOVED by the masses and some people may find it surprising I didn’t 5 star it like the rest of the world (or maybe people aren’t surprised.) While I don’t think this first book deserves a full 5 stars, I most definitely enjoyed reading it. I love the world and characters and am seriously trying to speed type this review so I can get to the second book already. But I must say the story was extremely slow and repetitive and it took me until about the 70% mark to really get into it.

And you know what happened around that mark that made me start to enjoy it?

RHYSAND.

God damn that man is fascinating. I totally get the obsession. But more on him below.

I never really felt any love towards Tamlin or his relationship with Feyre. And I realize the point of this whole book was to get the reader to fall for Tamlin, to route for him and Feyre’s love. But yea…not so much for me. I didn’t HATE him, not at all. I just didn’t have that all consuming love I thought I would have felt for him. I felt other characters *cough* Lucien and Rhysand *cough* were far more interesting. I should note I haven’t read any reviews or looked anything up on this series before I started. But pictures of Rhysand and Feyre are EVERYWHERE and have been impossible not to see. So maybe not feeling much for Tamlin is a preconceived notion. Maybe I really just don’t like him all that much. I’m not sure.

All I know is Rhysand came along and I perked up faster than nipples on a cold winter day. I INSTANTLY loved him. And maybe that’s cliche of me. But you know what? I DON’T CARE. As I said I was bored with the story until he showed up. He’s mysterious and smooth and a tad evil but seems to have some good lurking in him and I’m always drawn to those types of characters. While I was reading I just kept wishing he’d show up more and more and was as giddy as a child when he did.

There was also this annoying little tendency in the writing itself that bothered me. I am not sure why SJM decided to give almost everyone a speech impediment and have them stutter. Almost all the dialogue had someone stuttering and repeating themselves. Just, why? Why didn’t anyone tell her this could be extremely annoying for people to read? Why didn’t her editor tell her to cut that shit out?

Examples:

“my nose — my nose was clear.”
“Is it — is it actually Jurian’s eye?”
“Why — why do any of this?”
“How..how did you do that?”
“It looked like…like nothing I’d ever seen.”

What was with all the “…” and ” —” ?!?!? Is she allergic to commas and fully formed sentences? I just don’t understand. Am I being picky? Maybe. But I tend to notice patterns while I read and those really stuck out. And I’d prefer text that reads smoothly.

But all that aside, I am reallllllllyyy intrigued with this story and characters and will be reading book 2 right away.

2 stars for the start. 4 stars for the later half of the book. ALL THE STARS for Rhysand.

The Queen and The Cure by Amy Harmon: Pure perfection.

“Come to me, and I will try to love you. I will try to love you, if you but come back.”

The Queen and The Cure (The Bird and The Sword Chronicles #2) by Amy Harmon – 5 stars

Before reading The Queen and The Cure: There is no way this will top The Bird and The Sword.

While re-reading The Bird and The Sword: Nope. No way anything will be better.

Begin reading The Queen and The Cure: Ok, ok. Maybe this will be just as good as The Bird and The Sword.

In the middle of reading The Queen and The Cure: WHY CAN’T I STOP SOBBING.

After reading The Queen and The Cure: HOLY JERU, HOW IN THE WORLD DID SHE MANAGE TO TOP THE BIRD AND THE SWORD?!?!? THAT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL!!!!

This, my friends, this is slow burning bliss. This is a tale where every word has a purpose. Ever story has a meaning. And it all intricately entwines to become one of the most beautiful stories I have read.

Just like with book one, I find it hard to speak on anything regarding the plot for fear of saying something that might be considered a spoiler. So I am just going to ramble on what I loved and post my favorite quotes. Because really, my words will not do this book justice. So how do you review a book you loved so much it made you feel like your heart would burst? You can’t. You just blabber on like a fool. So:

Kjell
Kjell
Kjell.

*Be still my heart*

One of my most favorite things to read about is a hard, cold hero whose walls crumble at the hands of someone he can’t help but love. His character was absolute perfection. And he is SO much more than what he first seems. He was such a strong yet cold warrior, but underneath that all was a man who loves more fiercely than anyone.

“You said if I came back . . . you would try to love me.”
He turned his head, caught in the familiarity of the words. “What?”
“Come to me and I will try to love you, I will try to love you, if you but come back,” she chanted softly. “I heard you . . . and I came back.”
“I lied,” he said, breathless. He made himself look at her again, so she would believe him. She was covered from head to toe, and yet he could still see her unclothed.
“Who were you lying to?” she asked.
“To you,” he whispered, lying again. He looked for his anger. Where was his bloody anger? Come to me and I will try to love you. I will try to love you, if you but come back.
She made him want to try.
She made him want to lie again.

*******

He loved her then. He loved her now. He’d loved her from the moment she’d opened her eyes beneath a moonlit sky in Quondoon and greeted him like she’d been waiting forever.

EVERYTHING in this was magical, poignant, and just exquisite. Amy has created such a romantic, enchanting tale. Such an interesting, unique world. Along with the beautiful romance, there was suspense, action, and an intricate plot that pulled me in from page one and did not let go until the last. I held my breath from the gut-wrenching tension and my heart ached from the all-consuming emotions. This destroyed me in the BEST possible way.

“You are kind,” she whispered.
“I’m not kind.”
“And you are good,” she said, repeating the lines
they’d exchanged once before.
“I am not good.” He felt like weeping. He was not good. He was not generous. He was not courageous or compassionate.
He simply loved her.
And love made him a better man.
That was all.

*I have goosebumps as I type these quotes. The emotions from this book are palpable.*

There are so many memorable moments and such engaging characters. So many times I had to go back and re-read a passage because it was just THAT beautiful. I TRULY hope Amy does not stop writing about this world!

This has easily become one of my most favorite fantasy books and a series I will turn to read again and again and again.

The Queen and The Cure is out May 9th! And I promise you, you want to read it.