Book Review: The Gilded Ones

About the book

Title: The Gilded Ones
Series: Deathless #1
Author: Namina Forna
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Magic, PTSD, Feminism, High Fantasy
Publication: February 9th, 2021
Pages: 400
Read: April 2021

My Copy

Publisher: Usborne Publishing Ltd.
Edition: Paperback
Purchase Location: Book Depository

My Rating:

Goodreads Summary

Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in Otera, a deeply patriarchal ancient kingdom, where a woman's worth is tied to her purity, and she must bleed to prove it. But when Deka bleeds gold - the colour of impurity, of a demon - she faces a consequence worse than death. She is saved by a mysterious woman who tells Deka of her true nature: she is an Alaki, a near-immortal with exceptional gifts. The stranger offers her a choice: fight for the Emperor, with others just like her, or be destroyed...

My Spoiler Free Review

First of all, I don’t know how to describe all the feelings that I have for this book in this review! This book has now become my second favourite book of 2021 (Legendborn is still #1), and I can only hope that so many more people will read this book and give it the attention that it deserves! If you’re reading this review, I strongly recommend that you order your own copy of The Gilded Ones in case you don’t have it already!!

Once I started reading The Gilded Ones, I couldn’t put it down. I immediately got lost in the world of Deka and alaki and had serious troubles concentrating on school work (tbh, I totally ignored all university work until I finished this book, so I cannot recommend anyone starting this book when you’re in the middle of exams or a stressful phase where you need to concentrate on work). Be warned, this book will capture you from the very first page with its fast story pace and a fascinating new world filled with great characters.

A warning: this book talks about violence, PTSD, oppression, discrimination, abuse and bullying (mainly) towards women in detail.

We are introduced to a very patriarchal ancient kingdom, where women are oppressed and serve no other purpose in men’s eyes other than being useful to their families. Early on, we already get introduced to some very disturbing (in my opinion) passages from their “bible”:

And upon the fourth day, he created woman - a helpmeet to lift man to his sacred potential, his divine glory. Woman is the Infinite Father's greatest gift to mankind. Solace for his darkest hour.

It is shocking to see and read how all the girls and women in this book live by these believes and how little they think of their own worth because this is what they were taught to think since they were born. They to 100 per cent submit themselves to the Infinite Father. The scary part is to think how close to reality this can come. There are a lot of tribes or religions or cultures in the world, that still to this very day think this way and treat their women in this suppressing way. And of course, in our very "advanced" world there are still a lot of people (men) who think very little of women’s worth and capabilities and sadly we probably all encounter this from time to time, which just shouldn’t happen. As this is a topic very close to my heart and I hate seeing women / girls struggle in any way because of “men-who-deem-themselves-superior”, I sometimes had troubles processing what I was reading here. But I feel like this book shaped my worldview on this a bit more clearly and I feel so much richer for having read this. This is definitely a central theme in this book. We see this “ideology” reflected or appearing on every page.

If girls bleed gold (instead of red) blood, they are branded demons, and the priests take them away from their families and most often try to kill them immediately. So when nearly 16 year old Deka’s turn comes up for the ritual where they give the villages’ girls a small cut in order to find out if they’re “pure”, we know something is about to go down. But before it gets to that point, the village is under attack from the Deathshrieks, vicious creatures that attack village after village in the kingdom and kill the villagers. This is where Deka first finds out that she has powers, as she can command the Deathshrieks to go away from her village. But right after she saved the remaining villagers, they all turn on her and try to kill her.

Deka: From the beginning, I had a strong feeling that there was something special about Deka. She undergoes a massive character development, and I am so happy to see her at the end of the book as a strong young woman that can stand up for herself. She isn’t the mindless believer she was in the beginning anymore and she definitely has strong leadership skills. I am looking forward to her using more of her powers and finding out more of the truth of the kingdom’s history.

Deka’s friends Britta, Belcalis, Katya and the others are such an important feature in this book! I really loved how the focus in this book wasn't on a boy/man that Deka fell in love with, rather it was on her friends always helping her through everything and standing by her side. Friendship is probably one of the biggest topics in this book as well and it shines such a great light on this group of friends who help each other overcome their horrible past experiences. When somebody is near a panic attack or uncomfortable they're there for each other and try to help however they can. It's nice, for once, to see the girl friends help the protagonist save herself, instead of her love for a boy do that! Yes, love is nice and important, but it is not everything.

Keita: The romance in this book was just the perfect amount. It did NOT get in the way of the plot and Deka’s self-development and it also did not interrupt Deka’s focus on her friendship. It was just a nice add-on and a great way to see Deka heal with her trust issues towards men. All in all, I don’t think that Keita is a very special character, but I’m glad he appeared anyways.

The message in this book is really strong! If you haven’t figured it out by now, then have you really read my review? The representation in this book is stronger! With Deka, we strongly focus on a main character from a far southern part of this fictious world, and there are many other characters like her with important roles. I mean have you looked at the cover? IT IS ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS and I cannot stare at it enough! I liked the world building and that it was mainly divided into the four compass directions for regions (Western, Southern, Northern, Eastern). But there is also a biiig part on the map labelled with Unknown Lands. I hope that we will read more about this in the next book and see what kind of people live there and why they’re sealed off from this empire.

This series truly has so much potential and promise and I cannot wait for the sequel and hope that it will be just as great! There are still so many obstacles in Deka and her friends’ path in life and it’s going to be so interesting to see what Namina Forna comes up with next! I am truly inspired and hope this author will publish many many more books in the years to come!

The Part That Might Contain Spoilers

I have to admit, that early on I already didn’t believe the whole demon thing and suspected that the four Gilded Ones were actually Goddesses who were overthrown by men instead and then they changed the viewpoint on the Godesses, and I am so glad that I was right about this! I also made the embarrassing assumption when Deka met the Emperor for the first time, that he was actually her father. Which now, having read the last 50 pages of the book, I’m really glad I was wrong about!

I'd like to know

Have you read The Gilded Ones? Are you as excited as me for the rest of this series! I could talk about this book for many more hours, and I’d love to hear what you think about it! So please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!

Book Review: Chain of Gold

About the book

Title: Chain of Gold
Series: The Last Hours #1
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genres: Fantasy, Magic, Shadowhunters
Publication: March 3rd, 2020
Pages: 617
Read: March 2021

My Copy

Publisher: Walker Books
Edition: Hardback
Purchase Location: Book Depository

My Rating:

Goodreads Summary

Welcome to Edwardian London, a time of electric lights and long shadows, the celebration of artistic beauty and the wild pursuit of pleasure, with demons waiting in the dark. For years there has been peace in the Shadowhunter world. James and Lucie Herondale, children of the famous Will and Tessa, have grown up in an idyll with their loving friends and family, listening to stories of good defeating evil and love conquering all. But everything changes when the Blackthorn and Carstairs families come to London…and so does a remorseless and inescapable plague. James Herondale longs for a great love, and thinks he has found it in the beautiful, mysterious Grace Blackthorn. Cordelia Carstairs is desperate to become a hero, save her family from ruin, and keep her secret love for James hidden. When disaster strikes the Shadowhunters, James, Cordelia and their friends are plunged into a wild adventure which will reveal dark and incredible powers, and the true cruel price of being a hero…and falling in love.

My Spoiler Free Review

How do I express my feelings for this book? I don’t know! But let me try! This feels like the uncountable-th book that I’ve read by Cassandra Clare, and honestly, I could read uncountable many more! I never get bored! I really like the Shadowhunters’ world and it has been a while since I’ve read a book in this setting. I still need to catch up on some stories, but after having started with the The Last Hours series now, I am fully invested again. So far, TID series was my absolute favourite, and that still hasn’t changed. But my emotions for the characters in this new(er) series are just as strong. And obviously, I am so happy to read about Will, Tessa and Jem again! It’s even more exciting to go on adventures with their kids now. And there are so so many of them! I had a really hard time following who was who, and who is related with whom and so on. At one point I just stopped trying to remember everything and saw thought of all of them as cousins.

In Chain of Gold we follow the story of Cordelia Carstairs and her soon-to-be-best-friends-group, as they try to fight against mysterious demon attacks in London. We get to closely know James and Lucie Herondale (Will and Tessa’s kids!!!) and read about the apparently first ever known demon-shadowhunter-pairing’s grandchildren. Without surprise, this means that they have inherited some powers from Tessa and their demon grandfather, whose identity James tries to figure out. I have come to love everyone in the group of the Merry Thieves as they call themselves. It is a Cassandra Clare story, so of course there is going to be a love triangle mixed into this story (or multiple, or love rectangles and worse) next to all the drama of the shadowhunter society and attacks against human- and shadowhunterkind. So, it is not surprising that there are hints of another big “Main Trio Love Triangle”, although at this point it is probably already a love quintuple? I am very intrigued and can’t wait to see what’s in store for the romantic part in the sequel!

Because I cannot fully describe my feelings for every single character in this book, I will have to suffice with some honorary mentions.

Matthew: Oh my god, my love for this character is indescribable! Why do I have such a weakness for such self-destructive characters, that seem to wish for no more than to burn down their own lives (as Magnus wisely described)? It has been pointed out to me that I need to read Ghosts of the Shadow Market to find out what makes Matthew look a bit too closely at the bottom of his flask that he always carries with him. But Matthew seriously has to be protected AT ALL COSTS! If anything bad happens to him in the rest of TLH, I will seriously throw the books out of a window!

James and Cordelia: At the very beginning I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about Cordelia, as she seemed a bit rather curt and not that interesting. She was too focused on her mission to rescue her father and saving the family's face and therefore finding a suitable husband. But with time, I warmed up to her and her strong character has really proven me wrong! James is the book boyfriend all of us have and want! Prove me wrong, if you don't agree! It is so painful to see this lovely character not being able to live his own truth as I'm sure that there are too many things meddling with his destined path!

Lucie: I believe (and hope) that there is more to her friendship with Jesse and that there will be some interesting developments there! I can’t wait to see her get a better understanding of her ghost-powers and I hope we’ll get to see more interactions between her and Cordelia. I don’t quite understand why they haven’t done the parabatai ceremony yet? But Lucie is truly precious and I love that she secretly ships Cordelia and James, too!

Anna: Yes, yes, yes! She is everything I ever needed in a historical setting like this and I really hope that we will get to read more about her in Chain of Iron!

Alastair: Honestly, I have high hopes for him and you probably all know who I ship him with so dearly! I really hope that their relationship will properly unfold in the next book and that Alastair can try and make things right! I do not like bullies, but I hope he finds a way to ask for forgiveness again and to get it.

Thomas: Please, Cassandra Clare, can I get more chapters about Thomas in the next book? Please please please!!!

And now lastly, let’s talk about the character that I really don’t like. Is there anybody who at this point has any positive feelings towards Grace? I have ZERO! I mean it is pretty clear that she LITERALLY has put some kind of spell on James and I cannot understand why not even Matthew, who has also fallen a victim to her magic or whatever that is that she can do, realised something is up! That bracelet is seriously messing with James “feelings/emotions” and whatnot and I just hate that he and Cordelia are not able to catch a break and talk about their true feelings towards one another! Ughhhh, honestly, I know Grace has been through a lot and lost a lot of people, but no! I just really don’t like her. And I really have a longing to re-read the Infernal Devices trilogy now!! But I don’t have the time for it and so many other new books still on my TBR! Ahh, the biggest sorrows of a book-nerd! :3

I'd like to know

I know there are a lot of people who do not like Cassandra Clare or her writing. Or even did like her books at some point but now cannot pick up another series of her set in the same shadowhunter world. How do you feel about this? Are you like me and can never get tired of this or are you of the opinion that she should just put down her pen and not write another shadowhunter related book/series? I’d love to hear what you think about it in the comments!

Book Review: Legendborn

About the book

Title: Legendborn
Author: Tracy Deonn
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Magic, Arthurian Lore, Retellings, LGBTQ
Publication: September 15th, 2020
Pages: 503
Read: February 2021

My Copy

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Edition: Paperback
Purchase Location: Book Depository

My Rating:

Goodreads Summary

After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus. A flying demon feeding on human energies. A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down. And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw. The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates. She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets—and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight.

My Spoiler Free Review

Wow just wow! This book deserves a full 5-star review and nothing less from me! It covers so many important current topics in a wild and gripping adventure! Grief and trauma, racist macro and microaggressions, racist violence, ancestral pain, love and more.

The struggle of choosing between going to sleep at 2 am because you have meetings in the early morning again, or just to continue reading throughout the entire night because the book you picked up is THAT good, who knows this feeling? Legendborn is exactly what put me into this situation for 3 nights in a row. The moment I picked it up and got entranced by this story influenced by Arthurian lore I had troubles remembering that I had work to do and other real-life things that needed my attention, like cooking food, sleeping, showering, etc. I was immediately absorbed in this book.

Bree Matthews, the protagonist, is such a strong character. She does not let anybody discriminate her without calling them out on it, and sadly this happened a couple of times. Tracy Deonn puts a lot of Older White Men to shame in this book (and rightly so) and the pure truth behind these happenings, and that this occurs nowadays more often than we’d like to think, made me angry at the world. Bree, being only 16, has to struggle with so much already, and even though there are hints at a love triangle, this is only secondary to all her other problems and her trying to figure out who she is and who she wants to be. Her path to find out the truth about her heritage and her ancestry was filled with plot twists, some not even I could foresee (and I usually pride myself on being able on foreseeing A LOT).

On another note, I have to admit, I felt like I saw some references to Twilight. Am I the only one? In the beginning I already got a Twilight meets Shadowhunters feeling when we got to meet Sel in the woods.

The Part That Might Contain Spoilers

But then on page 349 I felt absolutely given right with this passage: “How would you like me to carry you? What would please you, Page Matthews?” (Sel) […] “Piggyback.” (Bree) “Excuse me?” “You heard me.” “Like that movie-“ “Shut up.” And then Sel says after Bree crushed her forearm against his Adam’s apple: “I do need to breathe,” […] “I’m not actually a vampire.”

I also felt a bit of fear about Nick and Bree, who I absolutely shipped from the beginning, because they “got together” so early in the book. I think it was in about the end of the first half when they first kissed and then I was immediately filled with dread because I’ve read too many stories where an early “coupling” is a very bad sign. Most often, something happens to one of the pair or there’s a love triangle that destroys the relationship or other things. Here, however, it felt quite appropriate and I can think of worse things that could have happened to the two of them (yes I know, Nick being kidnapped is definitely a bad thing!). But I mean, at least nothing big happened between Sel and Bree that could have immediately killed any hope for Bree and Nick’s future, … if you know what I mean. I am 100 per cent on team Nick + Bree! But I guess we will have to wait on the sequel to see how things continue!

The big plot twist I was talking about, that I could not foresee, was that Bree turned out to be Arthur’s heir. The moment Bree discovered this truth was filled with so much ancestral pain and to think that things like this probably happened so many times in those days is just dreadful. So many people today cannot trace back their line of ancestry for that many centuries (because they weren’t given the means to), and it pains me to think how many (slave) women/families have been faced with such evil. I figured that Bree’s ancestry would be somehow connected to Arthur, but I actually thought that she would turn out to be Lancelot’s heir or something of that sort. I am very excited to see how Bree will handle this Arthur heritage and of course her other heritage that comes with Rootscraft in the sequel!

I hope that for everyone who picks up Legendborn, this will become your new favourite book as it has become mine!

I'd like to know

Have you read Legendborn? I could talk about this book for many more hours, and I’d love to hear what you think about it! So please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments! Does anybody have any other Arthurian retellings recommendations?

Book Review: ACOMAF

About the book

Title: A Court Of Mist And Fury
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: A Court Of Thorns And Roses #2
Genres: High Fantasy, New Adult, Romance
Publication: May 3rd, 2016
Pages: 626
Read: August 2017

My Copy

Publisher: Bloomsbury
Edition: Paperback
Purchase Location: Book Depository

My Rating:

Goodreads Summary

Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people. Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

My Spoiler Free Review

It’s finally time to sit down and write this review. I think I can keep my emotions in check for a little while. Looking back at my review of A Court of Thorns And Roses I feel like it doesn’t deserve the four star rating I gave it. It should have maybe been a half star (if not an entire star) less. Alas, I can’t change that (and it wouldn’t be fair to do so). The rating I’d give the first book now has nothing to do with Sarah J Maas’ writing per se, honestly she’s am amazingly talented woman and her writing is wonderful. But I realised that I just didn’t enjoy the book enough for a 4-star rating and should have been honest with myself back then.

The sequel A Court of Mist and Fury however blew all the winds out of my whistle. Bare with me please ‘cause I’ve got a feeling this review is going to be rather of the very long sort which you won’t be used to by me.

Some of you might know that I had a rough time reading the first book in the series because I picked a wrong time to start reading it (and I like to moan about that, too). Therefore, I didn’t have all too high expectations for the second book, but so many people pushed me to read it that I finally caved in and ordered it online. Last month I found the perfect time to take this book on vacation with me and I could not stop reading!.

At the beginning I still clung on to the feelings I had for the first book, but then everything changed. When the first book felt a little slow paced, the second book in the ACOMAF series actually made me savour the tranquility of the plot. There were so many plot twists going on and the hundreds of pages and chapters were absolutely necessary to make the character development much more outstanding. You could literally feel them evolving and certain characters like Rhysand that I never thought I would like turned out to become one of my favourites.

The way that Sarah J Maas deals with posttraumatic stress disorder is truly amazing. It’s such an important part for the ending of ACOTAR and honestly I can’t remember another series where this was fully discussed in the way Maas does it here. It’s a very important part of the background and follows Feyre on every page, but it’s never called out word for word for what it is. And still, everybody knows what’s happening (and with everybody I mean us readers because clearly some characters didn’t acknowledge that, but my anger with those characters will be discussed in the spoilery part of the review).

With the new adventures in this book there come a lot of new characters, and I had a hard time at first keeping up with all of them. But they all grew into my heart and their part of the story felt so much more alive than the introduction of Tamlin or Lucien in the first book ever seemed like.

Feyre: “Can’t you ever just call someone by a given name?” - p. 208

So yeah, I feel like I need to stop with the spoiler free part of my review before I get too carried away. I still can’t believe that the series took such a turn for the positive. And I recommend everybody who disliked the ACOTAR should definitely give A Court of Mist and Fury another chance because that was the best decision I ever made book-wise.

The Part That Might Contain Spoilers

Okay first off: YOU CANNOT IMAGINE MY DISAPPOINTMENT IN TAMLIN. Sorry for yelling, but I had to get that out there. He was so sensitive and friendly and kind in the first book and truly made me like him over any other character. And then this happened. Of course he’s got his own problems and suffers as much as Feyre with PTSD, but still, to ignore her emotions like that and then LOCKING HER UP? Nopes, never going to forgive him. And especially not for siding with the King of Hypern. It’s his fault that my favourite ship was ripped apart and how could he ignore the fact that they were ACTUAL MATES. Something as precious as that should even have sunken into his head that Feyre just wasn’t ment for him.

Feyre: “I’m thinking that I was a lonely, hopeless person, and I might have fallen in love with the first thing that showed me a hint of kindness and safety. And I’m thinking maybe he knew that - maybe not actively, but maybe he wanted to be that person for someone. And maybe that worked for who I was before. Maybe it doesn’t work for who - what I am now." - p.156

Also I’m rather disappointed in Lucien, too. But I can’t wait how it will continue with him now that I know that he’s Elain’s mate. Very interesting plot twist (one of hundreds here). Oh and when we’re already on the subject, can we mention that I need Nesta to be Cassian’s mate? And then Azriel and Mor can end up happily ever after, too. (Do not dare pop my dream bubbles yet, please, I haven’t gotten to start reading A Court of Wings and Ruin yet and I’ve managed to stay unspoilered so far).

I really like Mor and she’s an amazing character and I wish to read more about her in the next book. Also I feel like we didn’t get enough information about Azriel yet. We only know little about his path and I need some further explanation on why he hasn’t told Mor about his feelings in the past 500 YEARS!

I hope that we will get to hear more about Tarquin as the series goes on because he’s such a lovely character (from as much as I’ve read about him so far) and I feel like his court could also make for some very interesting stories. Somehow I feel like he could have been a very good match for Feyre, but seeing as that would interfere with my OTP I have to put those thoughts aside.

And now let’s finally get into it. The OTP of the series. The OTP that outshines the OTP we all couldn’t get over in the first book. Rhysand + Feyre. Do you know how I struggled through all those painful moments where they almost got together, but pulled back right before anything could happen? The build up of their relationship was phenomenal! Kudos to Sarah J Maas! And I knew that something bad would happen when they got together with about 100 pages still to come. The ending had me all torn up and my anger about Tamlin just came all back.

But back to the incredible power couple: When Rhysand explained his entire past to Feyre I think a part of me broke inside. It all made so perfect sense and lets so many moments from ACOTAR come back to life in a whole new light. All his doings had a reason and to realise that he knew for so long that she was his mate and not tell anybody anything makes me so emotional about it. These two NEED a happy ending and I’ll be damned if they don’t get it!

Feyre: “I wonder if some part of me knew what was waiting for me. That I would never be a gentle grower of things, or someone who burned like fire - but that I would be quiet and enduring and as faceted as the night. That I would have beauty, for those who knew where to look, and if people didn’t bother to look, but to only fear it … Then I didn’t particularly care for them, anyway. I wonder if, even in my despair and hopelessness, I was never truly alone. I wonder if I was looking for this place - looking for you all.” - p. 488

Check Out My Previous Reviews

#1 A Court Of Thorns And Roses (My Review)

So as you can see I have a LOT of feelings about this book and it’s definitely one of my favourite reads this year. I’m not sure if there will come many books that can top this one, but I hope the series does continue on this great path. Sarah J. Maas has just become a new favourite author of mine as I’m also reading the Throne of Glass series and loving it. What are your thoughts on ACOMAF? Is there anything I didn’t mention in my review that we want to discuss further? I’m open to as many impressions and thoughts of yours and even hour long discussions if you’d like because I still can’t stop thinking about this book. Let me know what you thought in the comments!

Comic Reviews: Superman (Path of Doom) & Suicide Squad (The Black Vault)

Hey guys! It's been a while. Sorry for being absent for a while, but Uni is really taking up all of my free time (more on this in a future post). Today I've got two comic reviews of two awesome DC stories and I hope you'll enjoy them. I've been holding back quite some reviews, so I'm going to post a few next week, too and hope you don't mind too much. I've got some book reviews in store too, but I don't know when I'll be able to finally finalize and post them. Without anymore excuses, you shall continue with reading the reviews now if you please :)

About the comic

Title: Superman: Path of Doom

Edition: Action Comics, Volume 1
Author: Dan Jurgens

Genres: Graphic Novels, DC Comics, Superheroes

Published: February 17th, 2017

Read: March 2017

My Copy

Publisher: DC Comics

Edition: Kindle

Purchase Location: NetGalley
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review

My Rating:

Goodreads Summary

Superman returns to Metropolis just in time to meet the city of tomorrow's newest protector: Lex Luthor. But it's not long before these dueling titans meet someone unexpected -- the new Clark Kent! The two arch-enemies must put aside their differences and face the common threat of Doomsday, as Jimmy Olsen and the Planet staff try to uncover the truth: who is the man claiming to be Clark Kent? Writer Dan Jurgens (The Death of Superman) returns to the Man of Steel along with illustrators Tyler Kirkham (Deathstroke) and Patrick Zircher (Green Arrow) for the next great Superman chapter in Superman: Action Comics, Volume 1: Path of Doom! (Collecting: Action Comics 957-962)

My Review

Superman is and always will be my Number One superhero. I grew up with so many stories of Superman and Clark Kent was probably one of my first TV crushes ever (in Smallville). I still haven’t brought it over myself to read the last few issues of the New 52 era surrounding Superman’s happenings… Although I wasn’t able to keep all the spoilers out of my life (the internet made that pretty impossible). So now having to adjust to new kinds of Supermen (and Superwomen of course) is kind of … well, unnerving.

But this “new” (do I actually call this new or is it rather “continuing”?) Action Comics story arc did a pretty good job at catching my attention. I’ve never been a Lex Luthor fan, in fact I despise this character. Having to see him pretend to be the new Superman and not having any bad intentions whatsoever does not go well for me. He’s basically the Dan Scott in the superhero world compared to One Tree Hill. And then there is another Clark Kent running around, claiming not to know anything about himself actually being Superman and not showing any traces of super-abilities, what’s that about?

I can’t wait to see where this goes and I’ll definitely be following the next part of the story!

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About the comic Title: Suicide Squad: The Black Vault Edition: Volume 1 (Rebirth) Author: Rob Williams Genres: Graphic Novels, DC Comics, Superheroes Published: February 28th, 2017 Read: March 2017 My Copy Publisher: DC Comics Edition: Kindle Purchase Location: NetGalley I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review

My Rating:

Goodreads Summary

The government has once again handpicked the worst of the worst for its Task Force X. Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, Katana and Killer Croc. All deadly criminals sent on the most dangerous missions possible by a governement that wants them killed. But their newest challenge? A teammate so powerful that even this group of murderers and thieves can't control. Behind the pencils of Jim Lee and Philip Tan, as well as the pen of writer Rob Williams comes Suicide Squad, Volume 1: The Black Vault! (Collecting: Suicide Squad 1-4, Rebirth)

My Review

At first I didn’t really understand where the Suicide Squad came from. Then, last year, I went to the movies and saw the movie (which was okay, but not the best DC has to offer) and I got a little more curious about the background stories. So I decided I wanted to start reading the comics, and what better way then to start with the Rebirth series?

When I picked this volume up I didn’t know what I was getting into and didn’t have very high hopes. But the story actually turned out to be very interesting. Especially, I enjoyed reading those reintroductions of the characters so well known as the Suicide Squad! Except for Harley Quinn, I didn’t really know any of these characters very well so it was nice to get to know them a little better.

This volume had a lot of humour to offer and that sorted it all out, in my opinion. I’m interested in where this is going and hope that I’ll like it better with time.

I'd like to know

I'll be back on Monday with the next couple of reviews. In the meantime I'd like to know: Do you read Graphic Novels or comics in general? If so, what do you like to read? Are you Team Batman or Team Superman? Or have you read any other Rebirth series? I would LOVE to talk to you more about comics in the comments! :)

Book Review: But Then I Came Back

About the book

Title: But Then I Came Back

Author: Estelle Laure

Series: This Raging Light #2
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult, Fiction

Expected Publication: April 4th, 2017

Read: January 2017

My Copy

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

Edition: Kindle

Purchase Location: NetGalley
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review

My Rating:

Goodreads Summary

Eden Jones, a 17-year-old girl, feels lost after surviving a near fatal accident. Unable to connect with her family and friends, Eden forms an unlikely relationship with Joe, a boy who comes to the hospital to visit Jasmine, a friend who may soon be gone forever. Eden is the only person who can get through to Jasmine, but is she brave enough to face a world that’s bigger and more magical than she ever would have allowed?

My Review

When I saw that my request to read But Then I Came Back got accepted, I squealed around the house from joy until my brother came to see if I was alright. This was my first major request I did on NetGalley back in January and you can’t imagine how happy I was to get a copy of this book. It took me a couple of weeks though to start reading it because I had a lot of respect of the sequel. I had enjoyed the first book so much, I was scared that the second wouldn’t live up to my expectations.

My fear was proven unnecessary because the sequel was even better! I loved it so much, it made me question my feelings towards This Raging Light. It was quite a new concept to me to read a sequel in a series where the point of view changes entirely because the protagonist is somebody new. And although I think it’s a pity that Lucille (protagonist from This Raging Light) fades into the background, I appreciated reading from Eden’s POV so much. Her voice was so honest and totally different from Lucille’s.

Eden is in my opinion more ‘adulter’. She questions everything. She questions life, death, the meaning of coming back from The Inbetween. Lucille was way more stressed about surviving in her own way. Having to work and pay for everything herself because her parents abandoned her, having to look after her younger sister. Her “boy troubles” with Digby… Eden just has different flow in her life.

I can’t imagine how it must be for someone to come back to life from a coma (and I really pray that neither I, nor any of my family or friends, ever have to make that experience). Reading about Eden’s story gave me so many feelings I don’t even know where to start to describe those. It wasn’t easy for her to adapt to life again, but I really like the way how she did it and seeing her going down that path and fighting her problems so bravely.

One thing I really love about her is how immediately Eden accepts her “situations” without thinking it through. When she thought she was dead, the first thing she did was think Oh cool, I’m a ghost. I can haunt people now and scare them. Or when she thought that she might have psychic powers her first reaction wasn’t to question it but to try to make a painting fly off the wall. When she thinks she might not be alive, but only dreaming, she immediately tries to will herself to fly. It’s that carelessness - if you can call it that - that I like about her.

I didn’t expect to like But Then I Came Back so much. It didn’t let me go and I read it in like two/three sittings. In my opinion you don’t have to read This Raging Light to be able to pick up the sequel, which is way I really recommend you to get yourself a copy of this great book!

Other books in the series

This Raging Light #1 (My Review)

I'd like to know

Have you picked up the This Raging Light? Do you think you might add But Then I Came Back to your TBR list?

Mini Book Reviews: ACOTAR & Carry On

Once upon a time it was December in 2016. I finished two books and didn't even manage to review them. So I decided to share those reviews with you today, here and now. These are a little shorter versions of my usual reviews and don't go into the story too deep because I don't have all too much time right now, but I'd love to talk about these books anyways because they're AWESOME! :)

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About the book

Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses #1
Genres: New Adult, Fantasy, Romance, High Fantasy

Published: May 5th, 2015

Read: December 2016

My Copy

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Cover: Paperback

Purchase Location: Kinokuniya Singapore

My Rating:

Goodreads Summary

Feyre is a huntress. She thinks nothing of slaughtering a wolf to capture its prey. But, like all mortals, she fears what lingers mercilessly beyond the forest. And she will learn that taking the life of a magical creature comes at a high price... Imprisoned in an enchanted court in her enemy's kingdom, Feyre is free to roam but forbidden to escape. Her captor's body bears the scars of fighting, and his face is always masked - but his piercing stare draws her ever closer. As Feyre's feeling for Tamlin begin to burn through every warning she's been told about his kind, an ancient, wicked shadow grows. Feyre must find a way to break a spell, or lose her heart forever.

My Review

I felt kind of forced to read this book because EVERYBODY was talking about it. Well, I don’t mind really, reading books that are hyped about, because I usually love them (yeah, I know, I’m too mainstream. I usually like every single book I pick up, but seriously, I wouldn’t pick up a book if I didn’t think I’d like it so that solves that kind of problem, right?). However, I didn’t feel as flabbergasted or senselessly in love with the story as everybody else seemed to be...

Don’t get me wrong! I enjoyed reading the book and I think it makes for a good story. I think the main reason I didn’t like this book all too much is my own fault. It took me two and a half months to finish it and that just took a lot of patience out of me. I guess I shouldn’t have started it at the beginning of my first semester at Uni. I still felt this book deserved a four star rating from me, though.

The story was actually pretty interesting (it’s been a long time since I’ve read a fantasy book which such an imaginative world, and I really want to read these kind of fantasy books more often) and there were a lot plot twists and turns. I really liked the characters and feel like Sarah J. Maas did a really great job in creating this new fantasy-place.

Maybe the story felt a little too slow-paced for me, and there are definitely chapters that could have been shortened a lot in my opinion, but I liked Sarah’s writing style a lot! This is my first book of hers and I’m definitely going to continue the series and even start the Throne of Glass series sometime.

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About the book Title: Carry On Author: Rainbow Rowell Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Lgbt, Magic Published: October 8th, 2015 Read: December 2016 My Copy Publisher: Macmillan Edition: Paperback Purchase Location: Waterstones London

My Rating:

Goodreads Summary

Simon Snow is the worst chosen one who's ever been chosen. That's what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he's probably right. Half the time Simon can't even make his wand work, and the other half, he sets something on fire. His mentor's avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there's a magic-eating monster running around wearing Simon's face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here - it's their last year at Watford School of Magicks, and Simon's infuriating nemesis didn't even bother to show up. Carry On is a love letter to love stories and the power of words - to every 'chosen one' who ever had more on their mind than saving the world...

My Review

I can finally say it! I’ve nearly read every single book by Rainbow Rowell (there’s only My True Love Gave to Me left for me to read). I’ve loved most of them and this is definitely one of my favourites. I was skeptical at first because a lot of people disliked it because of its supposedly being a rip off of Harry Potter (and when it comes to HP I’m really overprotective). Honestly, I did not go far into that theory and didn’t research it either (so I have no clue what Rainbow’s reaction to this is). But I say: WHO CARES? Because Carry On is seriously such a cute story!

If it’s really fanfiction about Draco and Harry, then I must say: Well done. I really adored the story of the two nemesis, although we’re basically thrown into their “ending” part of the story. If you’ve read Fangirl like me, then you know that Carry On was the fan fiction Cath wrote about her favourite children books about Simon Snow. And now we got the actual story she wrote and it’s great!

There are similarities to Harry Potter, so I cannot deny that those allegations aren’t based on solid grounds, but I find it really well done. We all need some fan fiction now and then and turning it into such a great book needs a lot of talent. Carry On is definitely one of those books that I’m probably going to reread endless times, because it just makes you feel happy and be in a good mood and is a perfect read for a rainy day!

I'd like to know

Does anybody know if Rainbow is planning on bringing out a new book sometime soon? I need new reading material from her and I just want to cuddle up with a new fantastic story written by her. Also, let me know how YOU felt about these books! I'd love to talk more about them with you :)

Book Review: Millie Vanilla's Cupcake Café - Spring Beginnings

About the novella

Title: Millie Vanilla's Cupcake Café, Spring Beginnings

Author: Georgia Hill

Series: Millie Vanilla's Cupcake Café #1
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Fiction

Expected Publication: February 3rd, 2017

Read: January 2017

My Copy

Publisher: HarperImpulse

Edition: Paperback

Purchase Location: NetGalley
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review

My Rating:

Goodreads Summary

A new charming three part series for fans of sweet romance! Is this the start of something wonderful? Millie’s working all hours to make her seaside café a success, so when a rival multi-national café chain opens its latest branch just around the corner, stealing away her customers, it means WAR! Millie’s remaining loyal customers step up – and a new arrival in town, the gorgeous, enigmatic Jed Henville, is also keen on helping Millie solve her business crisis. But it’s only after Jed sweeps her off her feet that Millie suddenly realises how little she knows about him…

My Review

In January I decided to read more books out of my usual comfort zone (like Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Graphic Novels and Young Adult lit). When I stumbled upon Millie Vanilla’s Cupcake Café I was intrigued right away. I got hooked on the story after two pages and couldn’t put down the book until I finished it in one sitting. That hasn’t happened to me in a long time. Often I need a break to do something else, but not with this lovely story.

It’s a sweet, light read and one that you should definitely read accompanied by some biscuits or cake, because I can promise you you’ll crave them. Novellas like these make me miss all the lovely cafés I’ve visited in the UK and I really wished I could go to Millie’s Café right about now.

The story had the right pace and you get to know the characters pretty well. It’s written in such a good way and of course there had to be a cliffhanger in the end. I really need to get my hands on the sequel!

This makes for a fantastic read between all of your highly-concentrated fantasy and sci-fi reads and the romance is pretty perfect for a February feeling (with Valentine’s Day coming up and all). I suggest you pick up a copy as soon as it’s published (which will be tomorrow, by the way).

I'd like to know

Do you think you'd pick up this novella? What are your thoughts on romantic contemporaries in general? Do you like to read books out of your comfort zone from now and then?

DC Essential Graphic Novels 2017

About the novel

Title: DC Essential Graphic Novels 2017

Author: Various

Genres: Graphic Novels, DC Comics, Superheroes

Published: January 10th 2017

Read: January 2017

My Copy

Publisher: DC

Edition: Kindle

Purchase Location: NetGalley
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review

My Rating:

Goodreads Summary

For years, DC has been synonymous with the greatest graphic novels ever created. Now you can start with the basics—DC's top-notch, must-read, absolute cream of the crop—all listed in this DC ESSENTIAL GRAPHIC NOVELS 2017 catalog. Anyone can experience DC from the best starting points possible with 25 graphic novels vital to any collection. From there, check out our list of the most important books for understanding your favorite characters: Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, the Justice League and more. From DC's Young Animal, to MAD and Vertigo imprints, to DC Super Hero Girls, DC has the most diverse library of graphic novels in all of comics. The DC ESSENTIAL GRAPHIC NOVELS 2017 catalog makes it easy to find the perfect story for everyone!

My Review

A lot of people would love to start reading comics, but are overwhelmed with the amount of comics and graphic novels already out there and don’t know where to start. This catalog is a fantastic way for newbies to create their first impression of our beloved DC world. As a total newbie in the comic departement you should have no trouble getting an overview of the superhero world by DC and finding some awesome stories to begin with.

By no means do you have to begin at the very beginning of the first comic to have been published. This catalog gives you a lot of great suggestions based on the different superheroes and highlights the greatest comics in the series. The recommendation of the reading order also picks out a red line which you can follow whilst following up with your favourite superheroes.

From my personal favourites such as The Flash, Batgirl, and Superman to the other “Big Stars” like Batman, Aquaman, and Wonder Woman, all are covered in the catalog and introduced shortly. As a huge DC fan myself, I now know exactly which soon-to-be-released Graphic Novels I’m waiting for (im)patiently and which ones I still have to buy that have been released in the past.

With a creative layout and short commentaries I enjoyed reading this catalog as much as the actual comics themselves and the introduction story at the beginning starring The Flash and The Rogues is a beautiful way to start a catalog and makes it so much more alive.

I'd like to know

Do you read Graphic Novels or comics in general? If so, what do you like to read? Are you a big DC fan yourself and who are your favourite superheroes? I would LOVE to talk to you more about comics in the comments! :)

Mini Book Review: The Lost Hero

Hello there guys! It's been a while and I'm so sorry about that, but it turns out that I didn't get to work less this month. That's why I decided to start posting mini book reviews, because I'm so behind on telling you about all the books I've read the past two months. These book reviews will not contain any spoilery-contents which will make them a lot smaller and quicker to read (and write...). I'm so sorry, but I just don't have the time at the moment to write any thorough reviews, although I'd really love to. Hope I'll be able to do that soon again! Hope you'll enjoy my review nonetheless!

About the novel

Title: The Lost Hero

Series: The Heroes of Olympus #1

Author: Rick Riordan

Genres: Fantasy, Greek Mythology, Adventure, Young Adult, Middle Grade

Published: October 12th, 2010

Read: May 2016

My Rating: ★★★★★

My Copy

Publisher: Puffin Books

Cover: Paperback

Purchase Location: Amazon, Online

Goodreads Summary

Jason has a problem. He doesn’t remember anything before waking up in a bus full of kids on a field trip. Apparently he has a girlfriend named Piper, and a best friend named Leo. They’re all students at a boarding school for “bad kids.” What did Jason do to end up here? And where is here, exactly? - Piper has a secret. Her father has been missing for three days, ever since she had that terrifying nightmare about his being in trouble. Piper doesn’t understand her dream, or why her boyfriend suddenly doesn’t recognize her. When a freak storm hits during the school trip, unleashing strange creatures and whisking her, Jason, and Leo away to someplace called Camp Half-Blood, she has a feeling she’s going to find out. - Leo has a way with tools. When he sees his cabin at Camp Half-Blood, filled with power tools and machine parts, he feels right at home. But there’s weird stuff, too—like the curse everyone keeps talking about, and some camper who;s gone missing. Weirdest of all, his bunkmates insist that each of them—including Leo—is related to a god. Does this have anything to do with Jason's amnesia, or the fact that Leo keeps seeing ghosts?

Book Review: Lady Midnight

About the novel

Title: Lady Midnight

Series: The Dark Artifices #1

Author: Cassandra Clare

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Paranormal, Supernatural, Romance, Magic, Angels

Published: March 8th 2016

Read: March 2016

My Rating: ★★★★★

My Copy

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Cover: Paperback

Purchase Location: Book Depository

Goodreads Summary

It’s been five years since the events of City of Heavenly Fire that brought the Shadowhunters to the brink of oblivion. Emma Carstairs is no longer a child in mourning, but a young woman bent on discovering what killed her parents and avenging her losses. Together with her parabatai Julian Blackthorn, Emma must learn to trust her head and her heart as she investigates a demonic plot that stretches across Los Angeles, from the Sunset Strip to the enchanted sea that pounds the beaches of Santa Monica. If only her heart didn’t lead her in treacherous directions… Making things even more complicated, Julian’s brother Mark—who was captured by the faeries five years ago—has been returned as a bargaining chip. The faeries are desperate to find out who is murdering their kind—and they need the Shadowhunters’ help to do it. But time works differently in faerie, so Mark has barely aged and doesn’t recognize his family. Can he ever truly return to them? Will the faeries really allow it? Glitz, glamours, and Shadowhunters abound in this heartrending opening to Cassandra Clare’s Dark Artifices series.

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: 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

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

 

Book Review: Looking for Alaska

Published December 28, 2006 ★★★★★ 

Goodreads Summary: Miles "Pudge" Halter's whole existence has been one big nonevent, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave the "Great Perhaps" (François Rabelais, poet) even more. He heads off to the sometimes crazy, possibly unstable, and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed-up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young, who is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart.

Looking for Alaska by John Green is a young adult fiction novel. As with every John Green book it just blew my mind. His specific and very detailed narration always pull me full in which results in me reading the book for hours and hours until I've finished it. As always after reading a book of John's I had a lot to think about after the ending and couldn't move on to a new book right away. John's skills to make a reader completely dissolve into his world is still astounding because that's a skill not a lot of authors master. 

Book Review: The 5th Wave

Published May 7, 2013 ★★★★★

Goodreads Summary: The Passage meets The Hunger Games in a gripping new series from Carnegie-shortlisted Rick Yancey. After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one. Now, it's the dawn of the 5th wave. On a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth's last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, until Cassie meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan may be her only hope for rescuing her brother and even saving herself. Now she must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up. Cassie Sullivan gets up. 

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey is a Young Adult Fantasy and Science Fiction novel. This book has made me think about our world a lot. What if we aren't the only ones in our universe? What if there are "other" living among us? A lot of questions that we can't answer, but we like to think about. And this dystopian novel showed us a world where we can answer some of these questions - although, I do prefer our world where we aren't being hunted down.