Summary:
Thanks to their dreams, dreamers can receive the special visit of eternal wisdom that has inspired the creativity of great inventors, scientists, musicians, and even writers throughout the ages.
This creative wisdom is not always the type that appears to the eager conscience. Sometimes, a Defiler, a destroyer of dreams, is the one who tries to appear before the dreamer. These creatures were once humans, but they allowed their pain and desire for revenge to take over and seek the same miserable fate for the one who dreams. You must not fear-Dream Guardians, also known as Kelsdrant, will always protect the one who dreams, even with their own life. They are people of flesh and bone, just like you and me, or at least they are on earth.
The following story is dedicated to the fun, extravagant, and enlightening life of Julian Fox, the Dream Guardian.
My Thoughts:
I went into this book not really knowing what to expect. I knew it would be fantasy, but the synopsis was one that I had never heard of before and had no clue how it would go.
About one-third into the book, the story picks up a little and becomes more interesting.
I really loved the emphasis on family in this book; most fantasy novels don't have that and it was fun to see the characters develop throughout the novel.
Most of the characters were useful in some kind of way, but Henry did not seem to serve a purpose except to make Julian annoyed.
I absolutely loved the world building. It was well done. There was enough description, but not too much.
I would love to see more books that take place in this world from the author. Especially since the ending did not make much sense to me.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone, it is like a breath of fresh air in the fantasy genre.
My Rating: 4 stars
08 September 2019
18 August 2019
The Taming of the Queen by Philippa Gregory REVIEW
Summary:
Kateryn Parr, a thirty-year-old widow with a secret new lover, has no choice when Henry VIII-a man who has buried four wives-commands her to marry him. Kateryn knows the dander she faces: the previous queen lasted sixteen months, the one before barely half a year. But Henry adores his new bride, and Kateryn's trust in him grows as she unites the royal family, creates a radical study circle at the heart of the court, and rules as regent.
But is this enough to keep her safe? Kateryn stands out as an independent woman with a mind of her own. As a leader of religious reform and the first woman to publish under her own name in English, she is an easy target for the traditional churchmen and rivals for power who accuse her of heresy-the punishment is death by fire and the king's name is on the warrant.
My Thoughts:
I thought this was a wonderful book. I haven't seen many books about Henry's last wife, so this was an easy one to pick up.
While I have heard of her, I knew nothing of her life until I picked up this novel.
She is obviously (from the summary) a reader and a writer, which interested me a lot, as many woman in the past would stop once they married. It was interesting to see her find a way back into the king's favor once she found out she was going to be arrested. I don't understand why past queens never tried that???
All in all, this was a very good red, and at times impossible to put down.
If you have any interest in historical fiction, I definitely recommend picking this one up.
My Rating: 4.5 stars
Kateryn Parr, a thirty-year-old widow with a secret new lover, has no choice when Henry VIII-a man who has buried four wives-commands her to marry him. Kateryn knows the dander she faces: the previous queen lasted sixteen months, the one before barely half a year. But Henry adores his new bride, and Kateryn's trust in him grows as she unites the royal family, creates a radical study circle at the heart of the court, and rules as regent.
But is this enough to keep her safe? Kateryn stands out as an independent woman with a mind of her own. As a leader of religious reform and the first woman to publish under her own name in English, she is an easy target for the traditional churchmen and rivals for power who accuse her of heresy-the punishment is death by fire and the king's name is on the warrant.
My Thoughts:
I thought this was a wonderful book. I haven't seen many books about Henry's last wife, so this was an easy one to pick up.
While I have heard of her, I knew nothing of her life until I picked up this novel.
She is obviously (from the summary) a reader and a writer, which interested me a lot, as many woman in the past would stop once they married. It was interesting to see her find a way back into the king's favor once she found out she was going to be arrested. I don't understand why past queens never tried that???
All in all, this was a very good red, and at times impossible to put down.
If you have any interest in historical fiction, I definitely recommend picking this one up.
My Rating: 4.5 stars
28 July 2019
Balance of the 12 by Ania REVIEW
Watch the book trailer here
Summary:
The universe was created by twelve energies which turned into the 12 races on earth. Eleven of these races live in secret among mankind, coexisting in precarious harmony and dependent on the Balance between them to keep the universe alive. If one race falls, the universe falls.
With war at the door, a domino effect of events is about to begin that could bring about universal annihilation. Only Jane, a Reader, and Samuel, a human, have the power to save the threatened races and protect the Balance. Unsure of each other and what lies ahead, they have one chance to learn about the true nature of the 12 races. But what they uncover reveals more than they ever believed possible.
Brought together by the Balance, Jane and Samuel must choose to follow the legacy left to them, or watch as the 12 races erupt in a war that will destroy them all.
My Thoughts:
The Book Itself:
I went into this not knowing what to expect other than what the summary provided. At first it was a bit slow going, but then it picked up and I just couldn't put it down. While the summary only mentions Jane and Samuel, who are technically the main characters, most of the book is set in the past. Jane and Samuel are shown through the past what they have to do and who they can trust. In the past, the story revolves around Shasta and Dwade, a Reader and a human as well, who are going through a similar crisis: they have to retrieve a Creator who is pregnant with a baby that will restart the human race if they go instinct. However, it is revealed that the Chancellor they trusted and a travel companion they relied on, were corrupted and wanted to use the child as a pawn in their war. The story seemingly ends fine, with Jane and Samuel coming back to reality and being sent off to complete their quest, trusting no on but each other.
I really liked the development of Shasta and Dwade's characters, although I would love to know more about Shasta's past with Han and the backstory of Violen. I would also love to know more about Jade and Samuel, who are barely in the book at all.
Hopefully there will be a sequel or novella released later to clear up questions and tie up loose ends.
I hope this book does well, because I really enjoyed it.
The Packaging:
I don't know if what I got was just for early reviewers or for everyone once the book is officially released, but it came with a lot of stuff. It was in a nice, decorated box that contained the book, an embroidered bag to hold the book, a letter from the author, a necklace and candle with a symbol from the book on it, and a horse figure thing. Everything was really well put together and it arrived in perfect condition.
My Rating: 5 stars
Summary:
The universe was created by twelve energies which turned into the 12 races on earth. Eleven of these races live in secret among mankind, coexisting in precarious harmony and dependent on the Balance between them to keep the universe alive. If one race falls, the universe falls.
With war at the door, a domino effect of events is about to begin that could bring about universal annihilation. Only Jane, a Reader, and Samuel, a human, have the power to save the threatened races and protect the Balance. Unsure of each other and what lies ahead, they have one chance to learn about the true nature of the 12 races. But what they uncover reveals more than they ever believed possible.
Brought together by the Balance, Jane and Samuel must choose to follow the legacy left to them, or watch as the 12 races erupt in a war that will destroy them all.
My Thoughts:
The Book Itself:
I went into this not knowing what to expect other than what the summary provided. At first it was a bit slow going, but then it picked up and I just couldn't put it down. While the summary only mentions Jane and Samuel, who are technically the main characters, most of the book is set in the past. Jane and Samuel are shown through the past what they have to do and who they can trust. In the past, the story revolves around Shasta and Dwade, a Reader and a human as well, who are going through a similar crisis: they have to retrieve a Creator who is pregnant with a baby that will restart the human race if they go instinct. However, it is revealed that the Chancellor they trusted and a travel companion they relied on, were corrupted and wanted to use the child as a pawn in their war. The story seemingly ends fine, with Jane and Samuel coming back to reality and being sent off to complete their quest, trusting no on but each other.
I really liked the development of Shasta and Dwade's characters, although I would love to know more about Shasta's past with Han and the backstory of Violen. I would also love to know more about Jade and Samuel, who are barely in the book at all.
Hopefully there will be a sequel or novella released later to clear up questions and tie up loose ends.
I hope this book does well, because I really enjoyed it.
The Packaging:
I don't know if what I got was just for early reviewers or for everyone once the book is officially released, but it came with a lot of stuff. It was in a nice, decorated box that contained the book, an embroidered bag to hold the book, a letter from the author, a necklace and candle with a symbol from the book on it, and a horse figure thing. Everything was really well put together and it arrived in perfect condition.
My Rating: 5 stars
09 May 2019
Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco REVIEW
Summary:
Groomed to be the perfect highborn Victorian young lady, Audrey Rose Wadsworth has a decidedly different plan for herself. After the loss of her beloved mother, she is determined to understand the nature of death and its workings. Trading in her embroidery needle for an autopsy scalpel, Audrey secretly apprentices in forensics. She soon gets drawn into the investigation of serial killer Jack the Ripper, but to her horror, the search for clues brings her far closer to her sheltered world than she ever thought possible.
My Thoughts:
I was waiting quite a while to read this, but I'm glad I picked it up. I have a weird fascination for literature that has to do with Jack the Ripper.
I instantly fell in love with Audrey. She doesn't want to be a gossiping housewife, she wants to be a scientist. (if I wasn't so bad at science, I would want to go into forensics too).
I originally thought that Thomas would turn out to be Jack, but it ended up being (spoilers) her brother trying to successfully perform a transplant and attempt to bring their mother back to life. I briefly suspected the father, but I thought it would be too much of a cliche for it to be him.
I hope that in the sequels we get to know Thomas and Audrey's father better. In the meantime, I have another fantastic book to add to my concerningly growing stack of books about serial killers.
My Rating: 5 stars
Groomed to be the perfect highborn Victorian young lady, Audrey Rose Wadsworth has a decidedly different plan for herself. After the loss of her beloved mother, she is determined to understand the nature of death and its workings. Trading in her embroidery needle for an autopsy scalpel, Audrey secretly apprentices in forensics. She soon gets drawn into the investigation of serial killer Jack the Ripper, but to her horror, the search for clues brings her far closer to her sheltered world than she ever thought possible.
My Thoughts:
I was waiting quite a while to read this, but I'm glad I picked it up. I have a weird fascination for literature that has to do with Jack the Ripper.
I instantly fell in love with Audrey. She doesn't want to be a gossiping housewife, she wants to be a scientist. (if I wasn't so bad at science, I would want to go into forensics too).
I originally thought that Thomas would turn out to be Jack, but it ended up being (spoilers) her brother trying to successfully perform a transplant and attempt to bring their mother back to life. I briefly suspected the father, but I thought it would be too much of a cliche for it to be him.
I hope that in the sequels we get to know Thomas and Audrey's father better. In the meantime, I have another fantastic book to add to my concerningly growing stack of books about serial killers.
My Rating: 5 stars
15 April 2019
Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han REVIEW
Sequel to All the Boys I've Loved Before and P.S. I Still Love You
Summary:
Lara Jean is having the best senior year. And there's still so much to look forward to: a class trip to New York City, prom with her boyfriend Peter, Beach Week after graduation, and her dad's wedding to Ms. Rothschild. Then she'll be off to college with Peter, at a school close enough for her to come home and bake chocolate chip cookies on the weekends.
Life couldn't be more perfect!
At least, that's what Lara Jean thinks...until she gets some unexpected news.
Now the girl who dreads change mus rethink all her plans--but when your heart and your head are saying two different things, which one should you listen to?
My Thoughts:
While (in my opinion) unneeded, it was a nice wrap up to Lara Jean's story. It was also well written (as usual when written by Jenny Han).
Lara Jean gets unexpected news when she's not accepted into UVA but is accepted to UNC later on. Which makes almost no sense? She gets into a highly respected college but not the local one?
She and Peter nearly break up because his mom wants him to not give up his dreams for her. There's nothing worse than a parent that doesn't want her son to keep dating you just because he might give up the things he wants for you. That doesn't even happen! Turns out, Peter was only considering it and wasn't likely to do it!
Anyway, this book was surprisingly hard to put down.
I'd definitely recommend this trilogy to anyone who isn't normally a fan of romance novels.
My Rating: 4 stars
Summary:
Lara Jean is having the best senior year. And there's still so much to look forward to: a class trip to New York City, prom with her boyfriend Peter, Beach Week after graduation, and her dad's wedding to Ms. Rothschild. Then she'll be off to college with Peter, at a school close enough for her to come home and bake chocolate chip cookies on the weekends.
Life couldn't be more perfect!
At least, that's what Lara Jean thinks...until she gets some unexpected news.
Now the girl who dreads change mus rethink all her plans--but when your heart and your head are saying two different things, which one should you listen to?
My Thoughts:
While (in my opinion) unneeded, it was a nice wrap up to Lara Jean's story. It was also well written (as usual when written by Jenny Han).
Lara Jean gets unexpected news when she's not accepted into UVA but is accepted to UNC later on. Which makes almost no sense? She gets into a highly respected college but not the local one?
She and Peter nearly break up because his mom wants him to not give up his dreams for her. There's nothing worse than a parent that doesn't want her son to keep dating you just because he might give up the things he wants for you. That doesn't even happen! Turns out, Peter was only considering it and wasn't likely to do it!
Anyway, this book was surprisingly hard to put down.
I'd definitely recommend this trilogy to anyone who isn't normally a fan of romance novels.
My Rating: 4 stars
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