An Ember In The Ashes Vs The Winner's Curse

Stare down

Similarities

Both:

*feature Roman empire inspired, vividly painted worlds
*have defiant, smart heroins
*slaves bought that are actually spies
*the overturning of authority in some way

That's where the similarities end...

The Kindrily Series

Grasping At Eterntity (Book One)

Rating

4 stars

Date Read

26/9/15

Age Group

15+

General Thoughts

Ohmygodohmygodohmygod. So perfect I just can't-

Breathe.

Ok. Let's start from the beginning. ..

The first time I glanced at this book I knew I had to read it. Soul mates ripped apart by a tragic mystery, secrets that torment souls and end lives, centuries of memories and supernatural abilities, protected by a green eyed daredevil that has loved her for ages.

I mean it was so perfectly exactly what I wanted to read that it was startling.

Yes, I am a sucker for tragic star crossed lovers and gorgeous green eyed soul mates suffering because the heroine. Just. Doesn't. remember.

Paper Towns

Rating

4 stars

Date Read

17/9/15

Age Group

15+

General Thoughts

"It's beautiful

It's a paper town

Paper houses and paper people

Everything is uglier up close

Not you"

If I had to describe Mr. John Green in a word I would say he's very well-versed (does that count for two?). His words and jokes and innuendos are all very refined and sophisticated. For example the whole point of the book is paper towns. But what does paper town mean? It can mean several things, metaphorically always. And researching it after reading the book was very interesting and helped me understand a couple of inside jokes as well. For example do you know how Margo's dog was called? Marna Mountweasel. Very strange yes. Imagine my surprise upon finding out that it's a synonyme for paper towns...

Sweet Evil Trilogy

by Wendy Higgins

Rating

5 stars

Date Read

19/04/13 (First read) and 02/9/15 (Re-read)

Age Group

15+ 

Sweet and terrible and beautiful and intense.

The Winner's Trilogy (Book 2)

The Winner's Crime

Rating

5 stars+ 

Date Read

31/8/15

Age Group

15+

General Thoughts

After reading the first book in a haze, falling in love with it and finishing it in under a day you'd think I would have done the same with the second. I almost did. But then I found out that last book isn't released until next year. And I didn't want it to be over.

In the long free hours of the last summer days, what little was left of the holidays, I filled the gaps with school work, revision and exercises. I fumbled with everythimg and anything, was more productive than normal, straining to keep my hands off the book and at the same time dying to see how the story ends.

And at last, long aftet midnight a few days before my birthday, mind restless and going through all my favourite books and chapters and music lyrics that reminded me of them, I got up, went to my desk and finished the last few terribly intense and painful chapters. And now I can sleep. But not before writing this:

Chasing Mermaids

Rating

3 stars+ 

Date Read

29/8/15

Age Group

15+

General Thoughts

A touching read about the importance of letting your voice be heard and standing up for yourself. An interesting, melancholic protagonist with a story to tell, poetic words, but no voice. Not in the literal sense, anyway. Much like the well known fairy tale of the little mermaid, this mermaid does not have a voice. No fins either, just a great love for the sea and strong feelings of betrayal directed at the ocean, since it became the reason she lost her melodic voice.

Singing ripped out of her future, deams shredded and voice silenced, Elyse leaves her many sisters behind to come to the States, hoping for a new story, a plan B. There, with the support of her aunt Lemon, her cousin Kirby and Kirby's best friend Vanessa, and another summer occupant of the Cove, Christian, she learns to call the small coastal town she settled on home.

The Winner's Trilogy (Book 1)

The Winner's Curse

Rating

5 stars+ 

Date Read

26/7/15

Age Group

15+

General Thoughts

A day. Well essentially two, considering that reading this saw me trough the early hours of Wendsdnay morning as well. But I couldn't put it down. That might, in some extent, have something to do with the way it reminded me of An Ember in the Ashes, the inspiration from the Greco Roman period, the concept of hard, seemingly cold masters and defiant slaves spying on them, fighting for the freedom of their people. Turns out I have given up paranormal and switched to dystopian without even realizing it.