February Wrap Up

February has been such an amazing month! I had a LOT of time to read and I enjoyed 2 wonderful weeks of vacation in Asia. I came home with one of the biggest book hauls in my life. 

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Books read

I think I've never managed to read as many books in one month as this February. 8 books is my new record and I'm really proud of it! And now I just realised that this month has been a month of 4-star ratings... Well some pendle between 3.5 and 4.5 stars, but because you can only give them whole stars on goodreads they've all got the same amount...

    

    

P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han ★★★★

Prodigy by Marie Lu ★★★★

The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare ★★★★

Champion by Marie Lu ★★★★

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare ★★★★

Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins ★★★★

I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson ★★★★

Percy Jackson and the Greek Gods by Rick Riordan ★★★★

Bobbi Brown Make Up Manual ★★★★  

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February Favourite

I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson was by far my favourite book in February and belongs now to my favourite contemporary novels. It was such an emotional ride to learn about Jude and Noah's life and it brought happy, but also sad tears to my eyes (and stained a few pages). 

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2016 Reading Challenges Update

Here is a little overview on what I've accomplished so far with all of my Reading Challenges.

~ Read 4/10 books for the 2016 Dystopia Reading Challenge

~ Read 14/30 books for the Goodreads 2016 Challenge
~ Read 1/3 books for the Addicted to YA Challenge

~ Read 2/10 books for the 2016 TBR Pile Challenge

~ Read 5/10 books for the Flights of Fantasy Challenge

If you want to have a closer look at my progress and the challenges, click here. 

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February recap

- Book review of Legend by Marie Lu
- I featured The Last Star by Rick Yancey for my first Waiting on Wednesday
- Book review of To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han
- I participated in the February Discussion Prompt for the 2016 Dystopia Reading Challenge with my Top 5 Dystopian Romance Novels
- Book Review of Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira
- In anticipation of Valentine's Day I participated in TTT with Top Ten Fictional Crushes
- I talked about Lady Midnight on Waiting on Wednesday
- Book review of Girl Online by Zoe Sugg
- Stacking the Shelves February Edition
- Book review of P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han
- Book review of The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare
- Book review of Four by Veronica Roth
- The second Trilogy Tuesday featured The Infernal Devices
- Book review of Prodigy by Marie Lu

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March Blog Insight

Upcoming reviews (amongst others):

  

Champion (Legend #3) by Marie Lu, The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey & I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson

Next to the book reviews I have these special memes planned. Feel free to join. 

~ March 15th:  Top Ten Tuesday #2 (Ten Books on my Spring TBR) hosted by The Broke and the Bookish
~ March 22nd:  Top Ten Tuesday #3 (Ten Books I Really Love But Feel Like I Haven't Talked About Enough) hosted by The Broke and the Bookish
~ March 29th: Top Ten Tuesday #4 (10 Of My Most Recent 5 Star Reads) hosted by The Broke and The Bookish
~ March 29th: Trilogy Tuesday #3 (The Maze Runner) hosted here at Swissbookworm

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March TBR

Every bookworm has got their own to-be-read book pile. Mine is so big that I could dedicate a shelve to them (... but I'm a very organised person and I don't like it when my books aren't shelved in alphabetical order). Anyway, the following books I really hope to have read by the end of next month.

  

Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon, Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard & City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

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Your turn

I want to know what books you guys have read in February, what recommendations you have for new books and what's on your March TBR list. Just let me know in the comments. 

Book Review: Prodigy

Title: Prodigy
Author: Marie Lu
Series: Legend #2
Genres: YA, Dystopia, Sci-Fi, Romance
Published: January 29th, 2013
Read: February 2016
Rating: ★★★★ 


My Copy

Publisher: Penguin Books
Cover: Paperback
Purchase Location: The Works, London

Goodreads Summary: Injured and on the run, it has been seven days since June and Day barely escaped Los Angeles and the Republic with their lives. Day is believed dead having lost his own brother to an execution squad who thought they were assassinating him. June is now the Republic's most wanted traitor. Desperate for help, they turn to the Patriots - a vigilante rebel group sworn to bring down the Republic. But can they trust them or have they unwittingly become pawns in the most terrifying of political games?

Other books in the series:

 

Legend (#1) (review) &  Champion (#3)

Trilogy Tuesday #2: The Infernal Devices

Trilogy Tuesday is a monthly event hosted here. Every last Tuesday of the month is dedicated to a trilogy series. This month's trilogy is:

The Infernal Devices

  

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About the Trilogy

Titles: Clockwork Angel (#1), Clockwork Prince (#2), Clockwork Princess (#3)

Author: Cassandra Clare

Series: The Infernal Devices

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Steampunk, Science Fiction, Romance, Supernatural, Angels

Published: August 31st, 2010 - December 6th, 2011 - September 5th, 2013

Read: 2014-2015

Rating: ★★★★★ - ★★★★ - ★★★★★

My Copies

Publisher: Walker Books

Cover: Paperback

Purchased: Hugendubel

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What's it about?

(Goodreads Summaries)

Clockwork Angel Summary: In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Timesbestselling Mortal Instruments series. The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them...

Clockwork Prince Summary: In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street—and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa’s powers for his own dark ends. With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister’s war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move—and that one of their own has betrayed them. Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, but her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will—the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do? As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

Clockwork Princess Summary: A net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. Mortmain plans to use his Infernal Devices, an army of pitiless automatons, to destroy the Shadowhunters. He needs only one last item to complete his plan: he needs Tessa Gray. Charlotte Branwell, head of the London Institute, is desperate to find Mortmain before he strikes. But when Mortmain abducts Tessa, the boys who lay equal claim to her heart, Jem and Will, will do anything to save her. For though Tessa and Jem are now engaged, Will is as much in love with her as ever. As those who love Tessa rally to rescue her from Mortmain’s clutches, Tessa realizes that the only person who can save her is herself. But can a single girl, even one who can command the power of angels, face down an entire army? Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment, and the tangled threads of love and loss intertwine as the Shadowhunters are pushed to the very brink of destruction in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.

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My Review

I must say, I think this trilogy was even better than The Mortal Instruments series. Cassandra Clare catapulted us back in time and doing this so swiftly that you could imagine and relate to everything perfectly. You had the exact image in front of you that she wanted to create and the time difference only made the books so much more interesting. The story itself was riveting and you could not put the books down until you read all three of them - and then you just sat there, heartbroken that it was all over. (Well, except that it wasn't/isn't because Cassandra still continues to write these stories today so that you still get new reading material.) 

The story about the parabatai Will and Jem and their joint love for Tessa is so heartbreakingly beautiful like nothing you've ever read before. Their undying (literally) friendship and love just makes you want to jump into the book and witness the events with your own eyes. Will, the mysterious poetry loving young man who hides behind sarcasm and tries not to come to close to anybody because he believes that he might hurt them, is such a great character. And Jem, who is deadly sick, but still tries to enjoy life to the fullest, is the perfect match for Will and the only person who can 'control' him. Tessa stole both of their hearts and throughout the entire series you - the reader - can't decide who she should pick (and the really great part is, that she didn't have to pick - read The City of Heavenly Fire to understand this). 

The plot was action-packed from the beginning, full with betrayal, heartbreak and tears. But there were also nice chapters where everything was just right for the moment and you could see the light at the end of the tunnel. Tessa's life got turned upside down and she discovered a world where demons, downworlders and shadowhunters all tried to get a hold on her life (some to save her, some to destroy her and some to possess her). 

This is definitely a trilogy that's worth a lot of re-reads and I will probably do this sometime soon because writing about the Infernal Devices just made me miss it again.

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Why should you read The Infernal Devices?

I had read the Mortal Instruments books 1-5 before starting the Infernal Devices and that turned out really great because I understood a lot of jokes and references to today's setting of the shadowhunting world. Here are a few pointers that will convince you to continue with this series if you've already read a few of Cassandra Clare's books (If you haven't read The Mortal Instruments don't worry, The Infernal Devices are just as good without any knowledge of the shadowhunting world and the time setting is a century back, so you won't have missed out on anything important regarding the plot).

• A lot of puns and jokes from another Herondale
• Lightwood, Herondale & Fairchild ancestors
• Robo-fights and a lot of seraph blade swinging
• Love drama with no end in sight
• Another unbreakable parabatai bond
• Institute in old London
• Magnus
• Brother Zachariah 

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These themes are just suggestions. If you want to dedicate a post to another trilogy, please do so. Just don't forget to link back to this blog, so people'll know where this segment is originally from. Also, if you leave your link below, I'll definitely check out your post.

Upcoming Trilogy Tuesdays

March 29th: The Maze Runner

April 26th: Divergent

May 31st: The Hunger Games
June 28th: Unearthly

Book Review: Four

Title: Four
Author: Veronica Roth
Series: The Divergent
Genres: YA, Science-Fiction, Dystopia, Romance, Adventure, Short Stories
Published: July 8th, 2014
Read: December 2015
Rating: ★★★★★

My Copy

Publisher: Harper Collins
Cover: Paperback
Purchase Location: WHSmith, Liverpool

Goodreads Summary: Fans of the Divergent series by No. 1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth will be thrilled by Four: A Divergent Collection, a companion volume that includes four pre-Divergent stories told from Tobias Eaton’s point of view. DIVERGENT – a major motion picture in 2014. Readers first encountered Tobias Eaton as "Four" in Divergent. His voice is an integral part of Allegiant. Readers will find more of this charismatic character's backstory told from his own perspective in Four: A Divergent Collection. When read together, these long narrative pieces illuminate the defining moments in Tobias Eaton's life. The first three pieces in this volume – "The Transfer," "The Initiate," and "The Son" – follow Tobias's transfer from Abnegation to Dauntless, his Dauntless initiation, and the first clues that a foul plan is brewing in the leadership of two factions. The fourth story, "The Traitor," runs parallel with the events of Divergent, giving readers a glimpse into the decisions of loyalty – and love – that Tobias makes in the weeks after he meets Tris Prior. Exclusive scenes included!

Book Review: The Bane Chronicles

Title: The Bane Chronicles
Author: Cassandra Clare
Co-Authors: Sarah Rees Brennan & Maureen Johnson
Series: The Mortal Instruments / The Infernal Devices
Genres: YA, Fantasy, Magic, Short Stories
Published: 2014
Read: February 2016
Rating: ★★★★

My Copy

Publisher: Walker Books Ltd
Cover: Paperback
Purchase Location: Hugendubel

Goodreads Summary: It is not easy being Magnus Bane. As a warlock, he's often called upon to fix the problems of others. His life has been long, and his loves have been many. And Magnus has a way of making sure he's in the right place at the right - or perhaps wrong - time. The French Revolution, Prohibition, the first great battle between Valentine and the New York Institute... Magnus was there, and usually in the middle of it. Magnus will never be able to tell all of his tales. No one would believe him. But these eleven stories shed a little light on his often inscrutable character. They are stories he probably wishes had never got out.

Book Review: P.S. I Still Love You

Title: P.S. I Still Love You
Author: Jenny Han
Series: To All The Boys I've Loved Before #2
Genres: YA, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction, Chick Lit
Published: May 26th, 2015
Read: January 2016
Rating: ★★★★


My Copy

Publisher: Scholastic
Cover: Paperback
Purchase Location: Waterstones, London

Goodreads Summary: Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter. She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever. When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once? In this charming and heartfelt sequel to the New York Timesbestseller To All the Boys I've Loved Before, we see first love through the eyes of the unforgettable Lara Jean. Love is never easy, but maybe that’s part of what makes it so amazing.

Prequel

To All the Boys I've Loved Before (review)

Stacking the Shelves #2

"Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual." It's a weekly feature hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

Book mail is one of the best things in the world, and definitely the best kind of mail, isn't it? This week my complete collection of The Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordan arrived! I waited for these books for such a long time and now I finally have them (because last week I just decided to order them online from amazon). Let's have a look at them.

Book Review: Girl Online

Title: Girl Online
Author: Zoe Sugg
Series: Girl Online #1
Genres: YA, Contemporary, Romance, Chick Lit, Teen
Published: August 7th, 2014
Read: January 2016
Rating: ★★★


My Copy

Publisher: Scholastic
Cover: Paperback
Purchase Location: Waterstones

Goodreads Summary: I had no idea GirlOnline would take off the way it has - I can't believe I now have 5432 followers, thanks so much! - and the thought of opening up to you all about this is terrifying, but here goes... Penny has a secret. Under the alias GirlOnline, she blogs about school dramas, boys, her mad, whirlwind family - and the panic attacks she's suffered from lately. When things go from bad to worse, her family whisks her away to New York, where she meets the gorgeous, guitar-strumming Noah. Suddenly Penny is falling in love - and capturing every moment of it on her blog. But Noah has a secret too. One that threatens to ruin Penny's cover - and her closest friendship - forever.

Sequel

Girl Online on Tour

Waiting on Wednesday: Lady Midnight

"Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating."

My choice for this week is Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices #1) by Cassandra Clare

Expected Publication: March 8th, 2016

Top Ten Tuesday #1: Top Ten Fictional Crushes

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. 

So Valentine's Day is next week and this is a Valentine's Day themed freebie. My pick: Top 10 Fictional Crushes. 

Everybody has them. A bookish crush you can't get over. A boy/girl who stole your heart. In some ways it's even worse than an actual real life crush, don't you think? Well here's my Top Ten Crushes.

# 10 John - To All The Boys I've Loved Before

by Jenny Han

John. Sweet, sweet, innocent John. For a second there, a really brief one, I was actually rooting for him to get the happy ending. He's such a sweet guy and he's caring and definitely does not judge people. He gives everybody a fair chance and that's why he's got so many friends. How he helped Lara Jean to forget her heartbreak for a short time and how he was always there in the nursing home for his grandmother just showed us what a nice guy he is. He's the guy the girl should end up with.

# 9 Peter - To All the Boys I've Loved Before 

by Jenny Han

But then we've got Peter. He might be the popular boy every girl wants to be with and he might be a little oblivious at times, but he's actually got a soft side. He defends people who were wronged, he tries to do the right thing and he's quite the sarcastic joker at times (which makes me like him even more). Peter's got such a lovely character, he just doesn't always know how to show it. From the beginning of book 1 I liked him and couldn't read enough about him, but sadly this series was only a two-parter and I was I could read more about him. 

# 8 Tucker - Unearthly 

by Cynthia Hand

Tucker, Tucker, Tucker. I think he's one of my biggest pre-teen fictional crushes and I haven't forgotten him up to this day. In the Unearthly series he's that sweet farmboy who falls madly in love with a girl, but is too shy to tell her and so instead just mocks her all the time. Then, when he gets the chance to spend time with her he pulls out all registers and organizes the most romantic getaways ever! He's a fighter and wouldn't let go of his girl even if other boys were a better match (because she's an angel and he's human: that brings up a few complications). 

# 7 Alec - The Mortal Instruments

by Cassandra Clare

Whose dreams were crushed when you found out you'd never be a potential love interest of Alec's because he's just not into ... well, us girls. Strong, protective and good with arrows (and sassy as well). What more do you want and need?

# 6 Peeta - The Hunger Games

by Suzanne Collins

I've always loved guys who can bake, which makes Peeta so much more interesting. He's kind and would die for the girl he loves and he's such a good speaker. You listen to his words and they just convince you of everything he says. His unconditional love for a girl only goes dormant when he's been tortured, but even then he'll find his way back to you.

# 5 Augustus - The Fault in Our Stars

by John Green

A real heartbreaker this one. I cried my eyes out and I wish I could just change the story and make him win his battle against cancer. Sadly that isn't possible. In his time before cancer really took over he was generous, romantic and a real gentleman and his compassion was just one other thing of all his charm. 

# 4 Four - Divergent

by Veronica Roth

Another rebel (why are they always so compelling?)... His dark past doesn't mean that he doesn't know how to treat a girl (although he doesn't really...). A little awkward at first, but soon he makes his feelings clear and would do anything to save the girl he loves (another man who would die for you, unless you do it first...). It takes a while to get him out of his shell, but then it's totally worth it!

# 3 Bellamy - The 100

by Kass Morgan

Bellamy - what a survivor! He risks his life (and the chancellor's) for his sister, learns how to hunt to bring food to the 'table' and would never want an entire people to risk their lives just to keep him from being executed. Such  noble and protective man. Who wouldn't want to discover a whole new planet with him by your side?

# 2 Levi - Fangirl

by Rainbow Rowell

LEVI! One of my biggest book crushes ever. From his very first line where he bumped into Cath I knew that this guy would be here for the long haul. The way he cared for Cath, made sure that she always got walked home so she didn't have to be by herself at night outside, how he always wanted to listen to her read her fanfiction out loud and how he just kept crushing on her for months until she finally noticed it. He's the guy that would do anything for you and ask nothing in return (well, maybe that you'd read him your fanfiction). He's the guy who you can call up at any time in the night to come pick you up if you're in trouble, who would drive you home from college to visit your family for emergencies, who would always be there for you and show you how much you mean to him. That's the guy everybody's looking for and nobody seems to be able to get over (especially not if he's fictional because you can always reread the books). 

# 1 Will - The Infernal Devices

by Cassandra Clare

And the winner is... Will Herondale! Were you surprised? Well he certainly wouldn't be. With his charms and good looks he didn't have any problem winning girls over. His arrogance is only an act, but his quick wit and sarcasm never ceased to amuse me. Although he holds everyone at arm-lenght away and doesn't want to get tied up, he would risk his own life for the ones he loves. Also, his perfect memory allows him to find a perfect poetry quote for every situation, and if that doesn't win a girls heart I don't know what will. It may help that he could save your life without even losing a breath and you wouldn't even notice. 

Now tell me, who are your top ten fictional crushes? If you participated in today's Top Ten Tuesday leave your link below so that I can have a look.

Book Review: Love Letters to the Dead

Title: Love Letters to the Dead

Author: Ava Dellaira

Series: -

Genres: YA, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction, Teen

Published: April 1st, 2014

Read: January 2016

Rating: ★★★★ 

My Copy

Publisher: Hot Key Books

Cover: Paperback

Purchase Location: Waterstones, London

Goodreads Summary: It begins as an assignment for English class: write a letter to a dead person - any dead person. Laurel chooses Kurt Cobain - he died young, and so did Laurel's sister May - so maybe he'll understand a bit of what Laurel is going through. Soon Laurel is writing letters to lots of dead people - Janis Joplin, Heath Ledger, River Phoenix, Amelia Earhart... it's like she can't stop. And she'd certainly never dream of handing them in to her teacher. She writes about what it's like going to a new high school, meeting new friends, falling in love for the first time - and how her family has shattered since May died. But much as Laurel might find writing the letters cathartic, she can't keep real life out forever. The ghosts of her past won't be contained between the lines of a page, and she will have to come to terms with growing up, the agony of losing a beloved sister, and the realisation that only you can shape your destiny. 

Top 5 Dystopian Romance Novels

February Discussion Prompt (Dystopia Reading Challenge)

You've been on the run hiding in the woods of Qulf Forest from Government forces for the past month with your dystopian crew (or solo). Upon yuor foraging trek, you incidentally stumble upon an abandoned farmhouse. Dauntless as ever, you walk in and to your incredible surprise, right in the middle of the living room, a gorgeous and completely perfect bookshelf welcomes you. You race to the bookshelf allowing your grimy fingers to caress each book spine as you take in the wonder of all the yester-books and pages you once lost yourself in before the fall of society. Wait, what's this!? It's not just an ordinary bookshelf, but an entire bookshelf filled with dystopian romance novels! You beam with joy and dive into your all time favorites!

What 5 dystopian romance novels (or couples) do you choose to bask in?

Book Review: To All the Boys I've Loved Before

Title: To All The Boys I've Loved Before
Author: Jenny Han
Series: To All The Boys I've Loved Before #1
Genres: YA, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction, Chick Lit
Published: August 7th, 2014
Read: January 2016
Rating: ★★★★★ 


My Copy

Publisher: Scholastic
Cover: Paperback
Purchase Location: Waterstones, London

Goodreads Summary: Lara Jean keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. One for every boy she's ever loved. When she writes, she can pour out her heart and soul and say all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly Lara Jean's love lifegoes from imaginary to out of control...

Sequel

Waiting on Wednesday: The Last Star

"Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating."

My choice for this week is The Last Star by Rick Yancey 

Expected Publication: May 24th, 2016

Book Review: Legend

 

Title: Legend
Author: Marie Lu
Series: Legend #1
Genres: YA, Dystopia, Sci-Fi, Romance
Published: November 29, 2011
Read: January 2016
Rating: ★★★★★ 


My Copy

Publisher: Penguin Books
Cover: Paperback
Purchase Location: The Works, London

Goodreads summary: What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as mailicous as they seem. From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets. 

Other books in the series