Showing posts with label fantasy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fantasy. Show all posts

(Spoiler-Free) Book Review: Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs

9:00 AM
Rating: 4/5 stars

Published: September 22nd, 2015 by Quirk Books

Description: As the story opens, sixteen-year-old Jacob discovers a powerful new ability, and soon he’s diving through history to rescue his peculiar companions from a heavily guarded fortress. Accompanying Jacob on his journey are Emma Bloom, a girl with fire at her fingertips, and Addison MacHenry, a dog with a nose for sniffing out lost children.

They’ll travel from modern-day London to the labyrinthine alleys of Devil’s Acre, the most wretched slum in all of Victorian England. It’s a place where the fate of peculiar children everywhere will be decided once and for all.

 Goodreads | Amazon

Other books in the series: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Book 1), Hollow City (Book 2)



Before I read Library of Souls, I had pretty high hopes based on the previous books in the series; they were so eerie and mysterious that they seemed like a strange and wonderful dream. As if this trilogy couldn't get any more peculiar, Library of Souls features more evil villains, mysterious creatures and wild adventures than ever.

When I think of my experience reading Library of Souls, the first thing that comes to mind is the detail behind the story. The lore behind the peculiar world was fascinating; without giving too much away, we get a thorough description of the origin story behind peculiardom which adds even more depth to the plot. I also adored the characters and was satisfied with the way they completed their arcs. There are quite a few peculiar children in Jacob's group, but they all have their own little quirks that make them unique and endearing.

One problem I had with this book (and the series in general) was Jacob and Emma's relationship. They're both great characters, but the "romance" between them seemed like an afterthought compared to the rest of the story. I think their dynamic would have been a bit less clunky if they were just friends.

I also found the pacing to be a little slow towards the middle of the book. I'm used to reading books with relatively short chapters, and this 458 page book was split up into just 11 of them. Because I have a pretty short attention span, I would struggle to finish a whole chapter in one sitting. As a result, I would forget what was happening the next time I picked up the book because I usually would have to stop reading in the middle of something important. However, the plot in the second half picked up drastically that I got to the point where I couldn't put it down!

Despite my complaints, Library of Souls and the Peculiar Children series is written wonderfully with a unique plot and lovable characters. If you enjoy fantasy and haven't read it yet, I think it's definitely worth the read!


Have you read Library of Souls? What did you think of it? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading,

Annie
Indoor Sojourner
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(Spoiler Free) Book Review: Winter by Marissa Meyer

12:00 PM

Rating: 5/5 stars

Published: November 10th, 2015 by Feiwel and Friends

Synopsis: Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend—the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters? 

Goodreads | Amazon

 Other books in the series: Cinder (Book 1), Scarlet (Book 2), Cress (Book 3)


Honestly, I was reluctant to pick up the last installment of The Lunar Chronicles.

It wasn't because I was afraid it would be disappointing, or because the 827 page book was intimidating; I simply didn't want these fantastic fairytale retellings to come to an end. The Lunar Chronicles was one of my favorite series, and I'm a little sad that it's all over (for the most part). However, Winter was everything I wanted and more in a series conclusion.

Even though this book was massive, the pacing was perfect. Whenever the group solved a problem, it seemed like five more would come along and there was never a dull moment in between. Meyer also managed to properly balance the multiple points of view; in other books with lots of perspectives, I tend to favor at least one over the others, but I found myself enjoying the voices of Winter equally.

With that said, my favorite part of this book was its complex characters. Winter and Jacin brought even more perspective to the Lunar Chronicles world, and I especially loved reading from Winter's unreliable point of view. However, the award of Most Developed definitely goes to Cress and Thorne; While Cress began to gain a sense of courage and self worth, Thorne put his brash, overconfident persona to the side and showed a bit of vulnerability. Of course, I loved all of the pairings in this book, but I think these two couples really shone.

As a whole, the Lunar Chronicles series is a completely unique twist on four of the fairy tales many of us have grown to love, and Winter blends all of them together in a cohesive way. While the premise will bring you in, you'll get hooked by the wild plot and lovable characters.

Thanks for reading,

Annie
Indoor Sojourner
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Book Review/Discussion: The Hero of Ages (Mistborn, Book 3) by Brandon Sanderson

10:00 AM

Rating: 5 (thousand) stars


Published: October 14th, 2008 by Tor Books

 Synopsis: Tricked into releasing the evil spirit Ruin while attempting to close the Well of Ascension, new emperor Elend Venture and his wife, the assassin Vin, are now hard-pressed to save the world.This adventure brings the Mistborn epic fantasy trilogy to a dramatic and surprising climax as Sanderson's saga offers complex characters and a compelling plot, asking hard questions about loyalty, faith and responsibility.

 Goodreads | Amazon

The other books: The Final Empire (Book 1), The Well of Ascension (Book 2)



"The life of a person is more than the chaos of its passing."

Honestly, it's pretty difficult for me to write a coherent review of The Hero of Ages. I first started reading the Mistborn trilogy in February and was instantly hooked to the complex characters and unique world. Like any great series, the more I read, the more attached I became. As a whole, finishing the final book was a bittersweet end to a beautiful journey.

The character development was definitely my favorite part of The Hero of Ages. Sanderson's rich, intricate fantasy world is entertaining to read, but his dimensional characters add a sense of heart to the already incredible story. With a lot of fantasy trilogies, the main protagonist(s) are stong-willed, confident, and know exactly what they want and need to do. In this one, however, almost every character has their own struggle of grief, fear, self doubt, belonging, and everything else that comes with the human experience, which was very refreshing.

If you haven't started reading the Mistborn trilogy, you're definitely missing out! You'll love it if you enjoy high fantasy novels with a lot of detail. Since The Hero of Ages is the last book in the trilogy, the rest of the review will contain spoilers. If you haven't read it or are in the process of reading it, thanks for reading up to this point, but continue at your own risk!



Like I said earlier, one of my favorite parts of this book is the character development; many of the characters came to terms with their shortcomings and became stronger as a result. Sazed's journey stood out the most to me; considering he started out as a depressed skeptic mourning the loss of the woman he loved and went on to take the power of an actual god-like figure, I think he deserves an award for Most Developed.

Spook is the runner up in the Most Developed category, as he went from being a timid, awkward wallflower to a leader of the crew and the people of Urteau. I honestly didn't give it a second thought when he was wounded in his initial fight, so when he realized that the bit of sword in his wound (along with Vin's earring) was what was actually a hemalurgic spike, I was completely caught off guard, but it made so much sense.

On the other hand, Vin and Elend developed pretty gradually, but I didn't have a problem with it. As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, the Hero of Ages put a much deserved spotlight on some of the supporting characters, and it's not like they could become any more awesome than they already were, right?

I also found the link between the koloss, kandra and Inquisitors to be absolutely insane in the best way possible. The whole concept of hemalurgy was so complex that I couldn't even attempt to see what was coming in this regard. I think (one of) the main reason(s) I would want a Mistborn movie/TV show is to see the kandra and their homeland come to life. Honestly, I mostly imagined the kandra as a bunch of translucent Groots and I need to see how inaccurate my depiction actually is...



While all of this discussion is fun and good, there is definitely an elephant in the room; an elephant that trampled me and left me to suffer in a puddle of my own misery.

 Let's take a moment to talk about Vin and Elend's death.



Elend probably had the most tragic death of all; it was so sudden that I had to read it several times to make sure I knew what was going on. However, Vin's reaction to it is what triggered the tears for me. She was truly grateful for the time she had with Elend, but she was so heartbroken to see him die in such a brutal way that she killed Ruin, subsequently killing herself.

Speaking of which...Vin essentially took the place of Preservation. That is a thing that happened. 
She was chosen by Preservation since birth to be Mistborn, take its place, and defeat Ruin. As cheesy as it sounds, when the time came for her to make her transformation, my mind was blown. I don't really have anything to say other than that.














Of course, I can't finish this review without discussing the beauty that is the epilogue.

 Hands down, this was the most bittersweet moment in the entire trilogy:
At the center of the flowers, he (Spook) found two people. Vin lay wearing her customary mistcloak, shirt, and trousers. Elend was in a brilliant white uniform, complete with cape. They were holding hands as they lay amid the flowers. And they were both dead.
But then, when Spook reads Sazed's (aka THE HERO OF AGES') text...
I tried to bring them back, but apparently fixing the bodies doesn't return the souls. I will get better at this with time, I expect. However, be assured that I have spoken with our friends, and they are quite happy where they are. They deserve a rest, I think.













YES. I THINK THEY DO, TOO.



There's so much more I could discuss, but I honestly feel a bit overwhelmed at how fantastic this story was. Reading the Mistborn trilogy was an experience I won't soon forget.





Thanks for reading,

Annie
Indoor Sojourner
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Review: The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

10:00 AM







Published: March 4th, 2014 by Farrar Straus Giroux

 Synopsis: Winning what you want may cost you everything you love... 

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions. 
One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin. 
But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.


To be honest, I was a little apprehensive to start this book, mainly because of the first sentence of its description. Contrary to the Goodreads description (seen above), the first sentence of my copy's description is, "They were never meant to be together."




My first impression was, "Great. This is going to be a flimsy YA fantasy with a little bit of plot and a whole lot of angst."

Thankfully, I was proven wrong...for the most part.


The Good

 As for the characters, I was pleasantly surprised to find a female protagonist that is strong, independent, and intelligent. Even though she's a little angsty at times, Kestrel is very sure of herself; she doesn't care what other people think of her, but she isn't rude or flippant about it. Unlike a lot of female protagonists, she thinks in a very analytical way, usually choosing to strategize and even manipulate in order to what needs to be done.

The plot and setting were both pretty solid, with a typical fantasy setup. I was glad to find that there was a good foundation set up for the plot, which featured a mix of political and societal intrigue that will hopefully unfold further in the next two books. It was also pretty interesting to learn about the cultural and religious differences between the Spartan-esque nation of Valoria and the milder Herran people. As a whole, there were a lot of questions that I wanted to be answered, but it was just enough to keep me wanting more of this trilogy.


The Bad

Let's talk about Arin for a bit, shall we?

As the aloof but secretly vulnerable love interest with a strong will (and equally strong biceps, probably), he was kind of a YA stereotype. He was almost perfect, and the few flaws he did have seemed forced. Even though Arin is a bit cliche, he wasn't terribly annoying, and I've definitely read male protagonists that are more generic than him. However, I think he had a little more potential as a character and I hope we'll see that play out in the future. I also found the supporting characters (namely, Kestrel's friends) to be pretty bland. It seemed like they were there for Kestrel's development, and outside of that, they served little to no purpose.

The timeline of the story was definitely something I struggled with. Every few chapters, the plot suddenly skipped weeks or even a month in advance, making it hard to keep up.

Like I said earlier, there were a lot of unanswered questions introduced throughout the book. Since The Winner's Curse is only the first book, I can understand that too an extent, but I would have liked to learn more about what actually caused the Herran War and the tension that led up to it.


The Gist

Generally, this was an entertaining book that introduced a decent plot and (mostly) likable characters. Even though I don't think it lived up to the hype, I enjoyed The Winner's Curse and look forward to reading the next book. If you're a teenager who likes YA fantasy with a romantic influence, I'd recommend this book to you.
What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments!

 Annie
Indoor Sojourner
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Top Five Friday: I'm Ashamed I Haven't Read These...

11:00 AM
We all have at least at least one book that we regret never getting around to. Maybe this book had lots of hype surrounding it and you just happened to miss out on all the fun; maybe it was published a few generations ago and you've been focused on new releases lately. Both of these reasons and more apply to why I haven't read the books in this week's Top Five Friday, and I hope I don't get excommunicated from the book blogging community for not having read these! XD


 
5. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

This book has had so much hype surrounding it since before it even came out, but it honestly doesn't sound like my cup of tea. I don't know if it's because there are so many fairy tale retellings out now or if it's because I'm not a huge fan of the New Adult genre, but either way, I don't think I'll be getting to it any time soon.













4. The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson

This is the third and final book in the Mistborn trilogy, and after I finished the second book, I decided to take a break from the series for a few weeks so I wouldn't get tired of it.

It's been three months since that day.
THREE MONTHS. 

Since I ordered hard copies of the series on Book Depository the other day, I'm definitely gonna read The Hero of Ages soon. However, considering the ending of the The Well of Ascension, I'm amazed I haven't gotten my hands on it sooner. 







3. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

I watched the movies years ago when they came out in theaters and I thought they were all great, but I'm sad to say that I've never read the books. I recently read Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters and The Great Divorce, but I've never read C.S. Lewis' most popular series.













2. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien 

Like The Chronicles of Narnia, I've committed the cardinal sin of watching the movies and not reading the books. I'd like to read them at some point, but I have a whole list of other books I'd like to get to, and since I already get the gist of the story, I don't see the need to read this in the immediate future.












Are you ready for number one?



I don't think you are...




But try to brace yourself anyway...



The number one book I'm most ashamed I haven't read is...









1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (along with the entire Harry Potter series) by J.K. Rowling

I'll just take a moment for everyone to gasp in horror.


I simply wasn't interested in Harry Potter when I was a kid. There's no other explanation. Even if I read it now, I feel like I would just be reading it from peer pressure and I wouldn't actually enjoy it, so I probably never will.

*cue sad violins*






Are there any books that you feel guilty about not reading? Let's bask in our shame in the comments section!


Thanks for reading,

Annie
Indoor Sojourner
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Review: A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

11:38 AM

Rating: 4.5/5

Published: February 24th, 2015

Description: Kell is one of the last Travelers—rare magicians who choose a parallel universe to visit. 

Grey London is dirty, boring, lacks magic, ruled by mad King George. Red London is where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. White London is ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne. People fight to control magic, and the magic fights back, draining the city to its very bones. Once there was Black London—but no one speaks of that now.

Officially, Kell is the Red Traveler, personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between royals of each London. But perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. 
Buy on Amazon

Vicious is the only other book I've read by Schwab, and after reading it, I was genuinely disappointed that I hadn't read it sooner. That being said, my expectations for A Darker Shade of Magic were pretty high. From the detailed world(s?) building to its unique premise, this book did not disappoint.

 My favorite part of the book would have to be how real all of the Londons felt; each one has its own sense of mystery and eeriness that set it apart from the others. There wasn't a single moment where I thought, "Wait, where are they again? What's happening?" because the Londons felt like characters in and of themselves that couldn't be ignored.

 The moral ambiguity of the protagonists also made things pretty interesting. Delilah is a cunning, stubborn thief while Kell is a lying, secretive smuggler, and we love them all the same because they ultimately strive for the common good.

 Even though the plot is unique and intricate, it's still easy to understand. The theme of alternate universes has become pretty popular, and I think A Darker Shade of Magic makes this complicated concept easy to grasp for readers that aren't into theoretical physics. The story also moved along at a great pace; this is one of the few books where I didn't feel at all bored by what was happening in any character's point of view, which says a lot about how great this book is!

 The only complaint I have is that the characters seemed slightly one dimensional (no pun intended). However, this is only the first book in the series, so I'm sure they'll develop more and more as the series preogresses!

 This book was definitely worth the read and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys fast paced fantasies! Also, here's a fun fact about the author; According to Goodreads, books published under V.E. Schwab are adult releases and those under Victoria Schwab are YA. This may be common knowledge, but this cleared up a lot of confusion for me and I had no idea until now!
What are your thoughts on A Darker Shade of Magic? Let me know in the comments!
Thanks for reading,

 Annie
Indoor Sojourner
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Review: Vicious by V.E. Schwab

11:28 AM
 “When no one understands, that's usually a good sign that you're wrong.”


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Rating: 5/5

Published: September 24th, 2013

Description: Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong. Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?




Vicious is one of those books that has a gradual and foreboding air that creeps along for most of the book, but it isn't slow by any means. The unique pacing, alone with its intricate character development and writing style, make this superhero story stand out from the rest.  

Without further ado, let's discuss what makes this book great in more detail!


Antiheroes are usually my weakness, and Vicious has no shortage of them.

For those of you unfamiliar with them, an antihero is a character that lacks the conventional motives and attributes of the ideal hero. Personally, I love a good antihero because they bring a much needed twist to the superhero/super villain trope. In Vicious, Victor and Eli both have opposite motives, but neither of them can really be classified as the archetypal hero. Eli is a villain set on killing hundreds of people to support his cause while Victor is set on stopping Eli in the name of vengeance and anger; since neither of them are fighting in the name of good, it definitely makes things interesting in terms of characterization.

The pacing was (almost) perfect.

For most of the book, Vicious switches between Victor and Eli's college days and adulthood and features the point of view of several characters. Whenever books switch between time periods and perspectives like this, I tend to favor one time/voice over the others and become impatient until I get to that point. Even though I found myself doing that from time to time in this book, I still enjoyed every page, because each voice was distinctive and vital to the overall plot.

The writing style made me feel completely immersed in the story.

The way the characters are written is simple but sinister; Victor and Eli almost seemed nonchalant when discussing their powers and motives. Even though they're both corrupt in their own ways, they speak as though their actions and motives are completely rational, which made the story all the more captivating.

The secondary characters made this book first rate.

Vicious wouldn't be nearly as good if it weren't for its supporting characters. Sydney and Serena's relationship showed that sibling loyalties don't always persevere, and gentle giant Mitchell was probably one of my favorite characters in the whole book. These characters brought out the humanity in Victor and Eli; whether that's positive or negative is up to you.


In short, Vicious was unlike anything I've read lately in the best way possible. I would definitely recommend it if you like the typical hero/villain archetype with a bit of a twist!


If you've read Vicious, feel free to discuss what you thought about it in the comments. If you'd like a sneak peak of what I'll review in the future, be sure to check out my July TBR!


Thanks for reading,

Annie
Indoor Sojourner


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July TBR

10:17 AM
Hey, everyone! I'm pretty excited for July not only because I have some (hopefully) awesome books on my TBR, but also because my birthday is in a couple of weeks! This month, I'll be reading six books that consist of couple classics, a book with a movie adaptation coming out, a new release, and a couple more that have been on my to-read list for far too long.







1. Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

This will be the third Lewis book I've read, and I'm excited to dive into it! Not to mention the cover art of the edition I have is lovely. :)


2. The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson

I've read the first two books of the Mistborn trilogy on my Kindle, but I've been coveting the UK box set for months now. Since it's my birthday month, I think I'll treat myself to it and finish the last book in beautiful paperback form!


3. The Martian by Andy Weir

This book is being made into a movie starring Matt Damon and Kristen Wiig. How could I not read it as soon as possible?


4. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

I just finished reading Vicious earlier this week and loved it, so I definitely want to continue reading more from V.E. Schwab.


5.  Armada by Ernest Cline

I really enjoyed Ready Player One and Cline's second novel comes out on my birthday, so why not throw it on my TBR? :D My only problem with it is that it has a pretty low rating at the moment, but that could change once the book is actually released...


6. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

This has been sitting on my shelf for months and I'm in the mood for something classic, so hopefully I'll get around to it by the end of the month!


What do you plan on reading in July? Let me know in the comments!
Thanks for reading,

Annie
Indoor Sojourner
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June Wrap Up

10:45 AM


Hey, everyone! I don't know about you guys, but it felt like June would never end. My schedule slowed down drastically towards the beginning of the month, but since I ended up getting hooked on a couple of awesome TV shows (which I might discuss in a separate June Favorites post), I only read four books this month. All in all, they were enjoyable reads, so let's get into it!


1. Heir of Fire by S.J. Mass

 Rating: 4.5/5


Did I mention this month dragged on and on? I feel like I finished Heir of Fire a year ago, but this book did not disappoint. Each Throne of Glass book gets better and better as the series progresses, and I can't wait for the forth book, Queen of Shadows, to come out in September!


2. Glitches by Marissa Meyer

 Rating: 4/5


I picked up Glitches right after I finished Heir of Fire and breezed through it in less than half an hour. This is a Lunar Chronicles novella that gives a glimpse of Cinder's life when she first moves in with her family. Even though it was only 35 pages, I enjoyed seeing another glimpse of the Linh household, and it was a great way to tide me over until Winter comes out in November.


3. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

 Rating: 3/5


I didn't plan on reading this in my June TBR list, and even though it left me a little disapppointed, I didn't regret the read. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl plays on the "teen girl with terminal cancer tries to live her best life" trope that's becoming popular in YA, but it has a flippant twist to it that's clever but also slightly annoying.


4. Vicious by V.E. Schwab

 Rating: 5/5



By the time I got to this book, my TV binge was in full swing, so it honestly took me most of the month to finish it. Nevertheless, Vicious was hands down my favorite book of the month, and maybe one of my favorites of the year. If you like complicated antiheroes and a plot with lots of twists and turns, I would definitely recommend this to you. I'll have a review up soon because I'd love to discuss it further!


Average Rating for June: 4.1/5


Let me know what your favorite June reads were in the comments!
Thanks for reading,

Annie
Indoor Sojourner
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Reviews in a GIF

6:31 PM
Hey everyone, I'm so sorry I haven't posted regularly; I've lacked inspiration to post lately, and when I come up with an idea, something malfunctions and I lose all my work! I'm pretty sure I'm cursed. Thankfully, I was inspired by a post by Belle's Bookshelf to find the perfect GIF that emulates some of my favorite (and least favorite) books out there. Without further ado, let's get started!
Vicious by V.E. Schwab

 In short: Two antiheroes with a complicated past are determined to hunt each other down. This book stressed me out in the best way possible.

the GIF:



The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

 In short: A high fantasy novel following a group of rebels who have the ability to draw power from certain metals. It's hard to explain, but just know that IT'S AWESOME.

 the GIF:

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

 In short: Any World War II historical fiction is bound to hit me right in the feels. The Book Thief  is no exception.


the GIF:

 crying animated GIF


Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

In short: A creepy, dreamlike read featuring children with mysterious powers and a mysterious past. I'm not usually into ~spooky~ books, but I was hooked from the start.

the GIF:



The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by R.C. Lewis

In short: A girl wakes up in the hospital with little recollection of how she got there. She meets a mysterious bad boy (who is actually adorable). Supernatural shenanigans ensue.

In a GIF: 

 reaction animated GIF


All the Light we Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

In short: Another WWII historical fiction, but this one ripped my soul into tiny pieces. I LOVED IT.

The GIF:


Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson

In short: Shy girl's BFF ~mysteriously~ disappears but leaves a list of totally crazy stuff for shy girl to do while she's gone!!! The hype was so real for this book, but I found it boring and didn't even get around to finishing it.

The GIF:


Cinder by Marissa Meyer

In short: The first book of futuristic fairytale retellings in The Lunar Chronicles series. If you like reading about fierce female protagonists who get stuff done, this is the series for you.

The GIF:




Stitching Snow by R.C. Lewis

In short: Similar to The Lunar Chronicles, but with bland characters and a generic plot. DNF.

The GIF:




Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë 
In short: I wanted to end this with one of my favorites! This book is a beautiful Gothic romance that I didn't expect to love so much. It pretty much stole my heart.

The GIF:




Well, there you have it! Thanks again to Belle's Bookshelf for making the original post. I'd love to make this into a series if you guys like it!

Thanks for reading,

Annie
Indoor Sojourner
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