“The once lowly ‘kawayan’has come of age!” I can’t think of a better way to start this paragraph except for the sentence above. Indeed, the bamboo’s time has come and it will only take few more advocates before it dominates the world.
This month, I had an opportunity to partner with Central Books Publish on Demand team to review this book titled Bamboo The Timber of the 21st Century written by Conrado S. Perreras. I must admit that this is very much different compared to my usual book reviews for this literary piece is a research about Bamboos and how it can be a sustainable replacement for any wood works. I wasn’t exactly thrilled about the book itself when I first heard of the title but once I got hold of the actual book, I changed mind. I didn’t expect to receive a book printed in glossy and smooth magazine type of paper. And from that moment, I knew I’m about to learn a lot.
This book brings back memories from my childhood. Our dirty kitchen used to have bamboos as its walls and even some of our furniture are made of bamboos. In fact, there are bamboos planted near our house and we would occasionally see owls and big lizard called “bayawak”. I also remember how my dad used to cook “labong” or bamboo shoots, it has a very strange smell and taste but I eat it anyway. Looking back, I never really did fully understand the importance and relevance of bamboos, thankfully this book has opened my eyes for more possibilities that Bamboos can offer.
Technically, Bamboo is not a wood. It belongs to the grass family like rice and corn but it is almost categorized as such for it exhibits woody appearance, texture, weight, hardness, and strength. Bamboos are used as substitute for a lot of products made from wood. Bamboos are known to be resilient. They are often described to be strong and adaptable. They can overcome typhoons and fire and other environmental conditions. They have really fast growth rate and no serious known pest and diseases infestation. Apart from being a substitute to wood works, bamboos are also effective in controlling soil erosion and can be used in watersheds to aid in its water yielding.
All of these attributes has led the author to bring the Bamboo industry to a larger scale. After enumerating the characteristics of Bamboos and what it can contribute to our lives, Perreras then proceeded to identify the problems in the Bamboo industry that needed immediate attention. Few examples stated in the Chapter 4 are “a) Inadequate supply of bamboo poles. The current supply falls at least 33% short of demand. b) Bamboo producers are unaware of the significance of choosing the right species to plant. When deciding what material to employ for a certain bamboo product, species is a critical consideration. c) Techniques for propagating bamboo are not commonly recognized” among others. Another problem that Perreras pointed out is, the total land area covered by bamboo in the Philippines is insufficient to sustain a strong and viable industry. Perreras managed to list all these necessary details with supporting facts.
Although the bamboo has been steadily gaining a popularity in the wood works sector, there are things needed to be done. According to Perreras’ conclusion, plantations covering large enough areas of species shown to be suitable for generating the desired industrial goods are the most effective and practical method to provide a solution to the bamboo industry’s problem of insufficient raw material supply. Perreras recommended to only choose those species with proven economic value such as kawayang tinik, bayog, giant bamboo, bolo, and buho. And to fulfill the growing raw material requirements of the bamboo sector, the amount of planted bamboo should be raised to at least 125,000 hectares, or more than three times the current total.
Overall, this book is a great help to those who are very much interested in the Bamboo Industry most specially exporting them.
What a great way to start the month of October with this lovely book written by Katie Zhao. Special thanks to Shealea of Caffeine Book Tours for allowing me to participate in this tour. Check out the launch tour post here.
Title: The Fallen Hero
Author: Katie Zhao
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Kids
Publication date: 13 October 2020
Age group: Middle Grade
Genre: Fantasy
Synopsis:
Faryn Liu thought she was the Heaven Breaker, a warrior destined to wield the all-powerful spear Fenghuang, command dragons, and defeat demons. But a conniving goddess was manipulating her all along…and her beloved younger brother, Alex, has betrayed her and taken over as the Heaven Breaker instead. Alex never forgave the people who treated him and Faryn like outcasts, and now he wants to wipe out both the demons and most of humanity.
Determined to prevent a war and bring Alex back to her side, Faryn and her half-dragon friend Ren join the New Order, a group of warriors based out of Manhattan’s Chinatown. She learns that one weapon can stand against Fenghuang–the Ruyi Jingu Bang. Only problem? It belongs to an infamous trickster, the Monkey King.
Faryn sets off on a daring quest to convince the Monkey King to join forces with her, one that will take her to new places–including Diyu, otherwise known as the Underworld–where she’ll run into new dangers and more than one familiar face. Can she complete her mission and save the brother she loves, no matter the cost?
I had the chance of reading The Dragon warrior, the first book for this series, last year and it opened up a new world to me. While I am very much familiar with Greek and Roman mythology (thanks to Uncle Rick), I knew little about east asian mythology specifically, Chinese. So I am glad to discover this thrilling series that also reflects my quest in finding, believing, and accepting myself for who I am and who I can be.
Just when Faryn Liu found herself and her destiny, series of events led her into questioning her true worth. She lost almost everything. Her grandfather died in a demon attack, her friend died saving their lives, her father lost all his memories and does not remember her, and her brother betraying her and siding with the gods in the destruction of humankind. But in every loss, there is a gain. Now Faryn sets with a new adventure together with her new found friends and strength into saving not only his family but also the world.
The Fallen Hero is set months after The Dragon Warrior comes to an end. Together with Ren, her dragon friend, they stayed in the New Society to train with other warriors. Despite the betrayal of her brother Alex, Faryn is determined to bring him back. With her new goal, she sets off to an even daring quest. Will she be able to defeat the evil forces now that she’s no longer the heaven breaker?
Coming from the dragon warrior where Faryn learns that she’s no longer the heaven breaker gives more depth to the story more than I can ever think of. We are all so accustomed of the protagonists finally finding their strengths and fulfilling their destiny. But what if you are no longer the one whom everyone branded you to be?
Even if I wasn’t the heaven breaker any longer, even if none of the gods would help me here in the underworld, I STILL HAD MY OWN STRENGTH.
It is amazing how this middle grade fantasy book was able to convey a very much important lesson of not only finding oneself but also strongly believing that you can forge your own path and be the best version of yourself. But of course, not setting aside the fun and humor all throughout the story.
Overall, this action-packed book is perfect for middle graders. Not only they can learn Chinese culture and mythology, but they will get important life lessons that will surely help them as they go into the journey of life just like Faryn.
Katie Zhao is a 2017 graduate of the University of Michigan with a B.A. in English and Political Science, and a 2018 Masters of Accounting at the same university. She is the author of Chinese #ownvoices middle grade fantasy THE DRAGON WARRIOR (Bloomsbury Kids, October 2019 & 2020), as well as a young adult author. She is a mentor for Author Mentor Match. She is currently open to freelance editorial services for young adult and middle grade manuscripts.
A thousand years in the future, the last of humanity live inside the walls of the totalitarian Kingdom of Cutta. The rich live in Anais, the capital city of Cutta, sheltered from the famine and disease which ravage the rest of the Kingdom. Yet riches and power only go so far, and even Anaitians can be executed. It is only by the will of the King that Nate Anteros, son of the King’s favourite, is spared from the gallows after openly dissenting. But when he’s released from prison, Nate disappears.
A stark contrast, Catherine Taenia has spent her entire life comfortable and content. The daughter of the King’s Hangman and in love with Thom, Nate’s younger brother, her life has always been easy, ordered and comfortable. That is, where it doesn’t concern Nate. His actions sullied not only his future, but theirs. And unlike Thom, Catherine has never forgiven him.
Two years pass without a word, and then one night Nate returns. But things with Nate are never simple, and when one wrong move turns their lives upside down, the only thing left to do is run where the King’s guards cannot find them – the Outlands. Those wild, untamed lands which stretch around the great walls of the Kingdom, filled with mutants and rabids.
MY REVIEW
I first found out about this book when Miss Rebecca Crunden reached out to me through email stating that she stumbled upon my account and asked me if I was interested in reviewing her book. It is always a delight to find books through authors like her so I gladly read the synopsis and immediately got intrigued by the story.
The thing is, the synopsis hardly gave away the extent of the whole story. Maybe it is the mixture of my lack of readings about dystopian novels or my absolute zero knowledge of the world that is going to unfold, but this all made it more exciting to read.
The introduction appealed to me the most as it was narrated not by the protagonist but someone whom I believe a vital character towards the rest of the books. It was a slow paced book, which I liked, that showed their adventure as they run away from the guards and the city to secure their lives.
The Characters:
You see, Nate Anteros is a guy who refuse to believe whatever lies the government forced them to believe. He is a guy who experienced cruelty inside his very own home. And as to why he was loathed by his father, I have yet to find an answer from the succeeding books in this pentalogy.
Meanwhile, Thom has always been loved and sheltered. He knows his ways with the law. Unlike Nate who is like a wildfire ready to consume everyone on his way, Thom is like water that flows through its connections.
And Catherine, an ember waiting to be ignited once more. Burning with passion and dignity kept away by comfort and familiarity. She is one tough girl.
The Plot:
This story started when Nate was held prisoner at the Redwater and was almost beaten to death if it was not for the mysterious Captain Cooper Sikander. The story then shifted to the time where Nate and Catherine had to fled because of some ruckus they’ve made. While on the run, they acquired some kind of unexplainable disease that led to their quest in finding the cure. But the government wasn’t too happy with that are they?
Overall thought:
The book itself is intriguing enough and I can say that this is a very great start in the series. It gives away so much yet it has more stories waiting to be unfold. I am looking forward to more of the Kingdom of Cutta and how nasty their government is. I also look forward for more background story how how the Kingdom came to be. How the life outside the capital city managed to get by. And I’m definitely curious about Captain Cooper Sikander. Will there be a reunion with the Rays? How will Catherine’s character change? Will Nate finally gain power and push through with his ideals? Or will he be corrupted as he experience more hardships? Those are some questions that lingered in my mind while finishing this book. This is definitely worth reading. What can I say more? I guess being a sucker for nasty sarcastic remarks got me real good, darling.
P.S The only thing that disappointed me was the cover of the book. It could have attracted more readers if it has a more creative and marketable cover.
Starting of this review by thanking the ever amazing Shealea from Shut Up, Shealea. I am always grateful for the opportunities that you’ve given me. I am not one of the best reviewers but thank you for giving me the chance to read and discover new books.
Have you ever wondered what would it feel like to fly? to have an incredible speed? Or maybe to move things through your mind? What if you had the chance to be all that? Would you grab it? Or would you stay just the way you are?
Sixteen-year-old Silver Melody lives in a world where 80% of the population has modified their DNA. Known as the altereds, those people now possess enhancements like wings, tails, and increased strength or intelligence. Although Silver’s parents created the nanite pill used to deliver these genetic modifications, Silver is proud of her unadjusted state.
However, when the president declares all unadjusteds must take a nanite, Silver has no choice but to flee the city with her father and some friends to prevent the extinction of the unadjusteds.
With Silver’s mother in prison for treason, Silver’s father is the unadjusteds’ only hope at finding a cure. But time is running out as Silver’s father is captured by the president’s almost immortal army. Vicious hellhounds are on Silver’s trail, and her only chance to recover her father involves teaming up with a new group of unlikely friends before all humanity is lost.
My Review:
I throw one of my acorns at him. It dinks off his hard skin and rolls to the ground. “I guess. I just never understood the different mentalities. There was a line. Unadjusteds on one side and altereds on the other. Now I see that was a rather naïve assessment. There are so many lines.”
Living in a world where most people have genetic modifications, I understand why Silver Melody wanted to preserve humanity. Her parents made the nanite with good intentions, cure for cancer, disabilities, health problems, name it all but when greed comes in, that’s a whole lot issue.
I actually don’t really know how to start this review because I can’t quite wrap my mind around it. For starters, I love the story line. It is creative and very timely. There has always been an issue about government and the caste system and this book showed the intensity of those issues can bring. I also love the contrasting ideas that the author made throughout the book, the chaos and the hope. Her writing style really captivated me, it made me feel like I’m listening to a great story of war and love and I let it unfold before me.
There’s so much I wanted to tell of how much the story got into me but I’m afraid that I would go into much detail and spoil the book. I only read a few science fiction books but I can say that this is one of the best and I can’t wait for the continuation of the story. I hope this book will reach a lot of readers and let them see and experience the beauty of this book.
Marisa Noelle is the writer of MG & YA SFF & mental health novels. The Shadow Keepers is due out July 2019, The Unadjusteds in November 2019 & The Mermaid Chronicles – Secrets of the Deep at the end of 2019. When she’s not writing or reading or watching movies, she enjoys swimming. In the pool she likes to imagine she could be a mermaid and become part of some of her make-believe words. In the water, she can ignore the real world and focus on the plots of new novels and scenes. She lives in Woking, UK with her husband and three children.
As a member of
the Jade Society, twelve-year-old Faryn Liu dreams of honoring her family and
the gods by becoming a warrior. But the Society has shunned Faryn and her
brother Alex ever since their father disappeared years ago, forcing them to
train in secret.
Then, during an
errand into San Francisco, Faryn stumbles into a battle with a demon–and helps
defeat it. She just might be the fabled Heaven Breaker, a powerful warrior
meant to work for the all-mighty deity, the Jade Emperor, by commanding an army
of dragons to defeat the demons. That is, if she can prove her worth and find
the island of the immortals before the Lunar New Year.
With Alex and
other unlikely allies at her side, Faryn sets off on a daring quest across Chinatowns.
But becoming the Heaven Breaker will require more sacrifices than she first
realized . . . What will Faryn be willing to give up to claim her destiny?
Inspired by
Chinese mythology, this richly woven contemporary middle-grade fantasy, full of
humor, magic, and heart, will appeal to readers who love Roshani Chokshi and
Sayantani DasGupta.
To start off this blog post, I just want to thank Shealea of Caffeine Book Tours for having me as one of the lucky reviewers of The Dragon Warrior. I am forever grateful for this opportunity. See welcome post here.
The story sets off with a twelve year old Faryn Liu as she run an errand to buy his grandfather’s medicine, little did she know, that night will change her life completely.
The series of events escalated quickly and Faryn found herself branded as the Heaven Breaker. Together with her brother Alex, and her former friend Moli, they set on a great quest to fulfill her duty as the Dragon Warrior and find their father along the way.
The closest thing that I can compare to the story is Kung Fu Panda. Like Po, Faryn Liu was given a task to save the world, they both don’t know how to be a dragon warrior but thankfully, they got a lot of help from the people around them, or gods in that instance. The only difference between them is that Faryn is raised to be a warrior, she just doesn’t know that there’s a burden in being one.
I love how the story is light yet has a deep meaning. It is about finding oneself and accepting who you are. It is about family and friendship. This is honestly a great book for children to read and learn about a lot of things. This book taught me that there’s a warrior inside us no matter who we are and that we should learn to control the situation instead of letting it to control us.
Creative Photos
Just a little disclaimer: This is supposed to be a a creative photo but it is no where near that. The book cover is too gorgeous that it doesn’t need any props or colorful background. The book alone stands out and is very pleasing specially the color pallet.
Own Quote Graphics:
AUTHOR INFORMATION
Bio:
Katie Zhao is a
2017 graduate of the University of Michigan with a B.A. in English and
Political Science, and a 2018 Masters of Accounting at the same university. She
is the author of Chinese #ownvoices middle grade fantasy THE DRAGON WARRIOR
(Bloomsbury Kids, October 2019 & 2020), as well as a young adult author.
She is a mentor for Author Mentor Match. She is currently open to freelance
editorial services for young adult and middle grade manuscripts.
“No single person can make a story. A story is something wooven of many threads, each dyed a different colour. At t times that colour fades, as it had with Lir. At others, it bleeds brightly to the surface, outshining all else”
I was given the opportunity to feature an excerpt of The Children of Lir by Marion Grace Woolley which is based on the Irish myth with the same title. I also included here the book details in case you are intrigued and wantedto check the book out. Enjoy reading!
Aoife
The traders from the North believe that our fate is woven long before we are born. They say we are only threads, weighted by loomstones, our lives bent into the patterns that the Nornir decide for us. I do not believe that. I live here, wild and free in the open air, my fate has not been spun for me by giantesses far beneath the earth. I am the spinner of my own story, I dye my own destiny. Yet still that cloth is subject to that which I do not control: the whispered words of the gods, that irresistible natural force which draws the bee to a flower and pushes fresh shoots through the frozen earth in spring. “That is a fine horse,” Lir said, approaching as I brushed Arrow’s flank with a buckskin mitten. He stamped his foot, straining at his halter as my lord approached, jealous, always, of another’s affection for me. “Don’t worry,” I whispered in his ear. “He has only half the hooves you have, thus half the man.” Arrow snorted and nodded as though agreeing. “Is that your father’s horse?” “No, mine,” I replied. It should have been obvious to anyone, for his coat matched the colour of my hair. I continued to brush him, pretending that I did not feel Lir’s eyes upon me. “Can I help you, my lord?” I asked, after too long a silence. “I was wondering…” he began. “Yes?” “I was wondering whether you might accompany me today, on a ride?” I let the question linger and he filled the empty air with more words. “My children have gone with your sister and Sorcha to watch the swimming trials at the coast. I find myself alone, without companion.” “Perhaps you should join them.” “I have little interest in swimming,” he replied, and I knew he truly meant he had little interest in the sea. I knew the rumours, those dark tales that fuelled the fires at night and spoke of his past love and his other son, the one who appeared in the mist and ferried the dead to the land of the Forever Young. I wondered what he had told my sister Aobh of those times, and whether he still whispered to her across the waves. “I thought perhaps the woods?” I smiled, but did not let him see.
I am so privileged to be a Coffee Bean at Caffeine Book Tours by Shut Up, Shealea so I took my chances and signed up for an adventure to discover new worlds and read yet an amazing story. Today’s post is about A SHIFTING OF STARS by KATHY KIMBRAY. Want to know more about this book? Then continue reading this spoiler free review.
A squandering
emperor. A handsome stranger. A reluctant heroine. And the ancient magic that
will capsize a kingdom.
Seventeen-year-old
Meadow Sircha watched her mother die from the wilting sickness. Tormented by
the knowledge that the emperor failed to import the medicine that would have
saved her, she speaks out at a gathering of villagers, inciting them to boycott
his prized gladiator tournament.
But doing so
comes at a steep cost.
Arrested as
punishment for her impulsive tongue, Meadow finds herself caught up in the kind
of danger she’s always tried to avoid. After a chance meeting with an enigmatic
boy, she’s propelled on a perilous trek across the outer lands. But she soon
unearths a staggering secret: one that will shift her world—and the kingdom—forever.
Filled with
longing and heart, surprise and wonder, A SHIFTING OF STARS is perfect for fans
of AN EMBER IN THE ASHES, RED QUEEN and SHADOW AND BONE.
Reading this book is very timely for me because I am currently watching a series with the same story, a corrupt government. A shifting of stars is about a young girl who experienced the cruelty and injustice of those in power.
Well, some might think that this is a cliche story just how I did before but the turn of events told me why authors keep on writing these kind of stories. For one, not all stories are the same that’s why they all need to be heard.
I commend the writing style of the author for being so catchy that she got me right on the bat. I love the main character Meadow and how she is a cautious girl. I think I can relate to her in that aspect. She is also a brave and strong girl that will do anything for her love ones.
I don’t know how else I’m gonna tell my thoughts without completely spoiling everything so I am leaving my favorite quotes as well as my two cents in this story.
A. I was hooked at the story just by reading the first sentence. I know that it’s gonna be one great adventure.
B. I was shocked by how the story turned out. Definitely got me gone crazy towards the end.
“I should have run.”
Chapter four. Yes girl. This is the story of my life.
“…mashing the humiliation into the ground until nothing is left.”
Chapter fourteen. I guess this takes a lot of courage.
“Sometimes important people come into your life and you need to pay attention!”
After
graduating from the University of Technology, Sydney, with a degree in Media
Arts and Production, she went on to complete postgraduate studies in education
and spent many years as a primary school teacher.
Now a full-time
novelist, Kathy is lucky to be able to tell stories every day.
Aside from
writing, Kathy is an avid reader, dancer, language learner, musical theater
enthusiast and fan of terrible reality TV. She lives with her husband in
Sydney, and dreams of one day owning that elusive chateau in France.
I
grew at a community surrounded by trees and my childhood is full of memories
with them. I remember always passing by a Mango Tree and looking at the ground
near its roots to find sweet mangoes. I remember playing with a kalamias tree
and using it’s flowers as pretend food coloring. I remember getting its fruits
and despite being so sour, I still eat it. I remember being so amazed by the
sampaguita flowers and loved smelling its fragrance. I remember picking santan
flowers and getting its nectar and acts like a bee eating it. It was sweet.
Now that I have grown older, more communities were built and
the land used for planting were converted to commercial and residential use. I
never knew that I will miss the trees. They are very important part of our
lives. It gave shelter, food, air, and comfort among other things that we need.
I know we took them for granted but it never occurred to me a story like this.
What if the trees can move? What if they can talk? What if they are much like
human as we are?
About the book:
Armory was born into a world torn apart by war between man and nature. Trees are the enemy. But when she’s kidnapped by nomads and taken far from her home, a tree nymph is the one who comes to her rescue.
Birch promises he can get Armory home. He says not all trees wanted a war. Armory has no choice to trust him if she wants to see her family again.
Together, they trek across the ruins of America, meeting both human and trees who want nothing more than the fighting to stop. But the hatred between the two may be too deep to heal. Armory isn’t sure her friendship with Birch will be enough to convince the human race to take a chance on peace. Birch has a plan, though. He’s just not sure he’ll survive.
I have received this book weeks ago and I have forgotten about it because I was swamped with loads of work. Thankfully I was notified again by the host and I learned that I still got weeks to make the review. I have no idea about this book because I have forgotten the synopsis too and I didn’t bother to reread it. So reading the book was a surprise. It was a great one.
It started a little bit confusing because I was introduced to a whole new community. Thirty years ago, humans and trees lived harmoniously. Trees can move but not as much as they do now. One day, the trees uprooted their roots and start moving, WAR BROKE OFF.
For thirty years, a war has been going on between trees and humans. How can be peace brought back once again?
This story made me realize the importance of all the living things around us. Just because they’re not moving, doesn’t mean they don’t have life. They do. They’re breathing. They are alive. They are like us too. They need care, love, and affection.
I also realized how important communication is. Nowadays, communication can be done in a blink of an eye. Even though you are miles away, you can still talk to and see each other. That is what we take for granted too. A proper communication. We are different from each other that’s why it is normal to have a misunderstanding, but if you made a big deal out of it and continue to only understand your side, then that’s stupidity. There’s always two sides of the story. One might make sense more to you over the other but if you try to at least understand where they are coming from, then it will not result to bloodshed.
That’s why I love Birch, his character has so much growth. I like how he tried to make amends. Armory was also an epitome of hope. That’s what people do, trusting that there’s always hope. Every day is a new day. Every day is a battle worth fighting for.
Reading it was a blast. It was the perfect read to cure all my worries. I like the flow of the story. I love the narration. It made me keep on reading not wanting to stop. It made me think of all the possibilities that the world may have. I wanted more.
Ratings: 5/5
P. S. Tho the ending is good, I wanted a book 2. This definitely needs a sequel.
Jax, a magazine-cover model, has had half her face destroyed in a bomb blast. Drowning in whiskey and self-loathing, she must rebuild her life now that her beauty is gone. Part love letter to New York, part commentary on social justice issues, Moxie is a timely and raw portrayal of the sometimes self-destructive search for identity and redemption.
I’ll admit, it took me a while to read this book because I was intimidated by it. At first, I was just reading for the sake of reviewing and usually I know, right from the first sentence if I’m gonna continue or not. But reading it was a blur, I was suddenly introduced to a different narration than what I used to. It is like meeting a new character and I knew that she is way different from the others that I have known. There’s something about the writing style that intimidated me yet made me wanting to go on. The very emotions were conveyed perfectly into words.
The book itself is an easy read but has a complicated story. It is as complicated as Jax is.
“Look, you’re not the only one wrestling your mistakes, but you need to own them.”
At first it was a light read, a girl being stuck in sadness and depression without her admitting it but as the story progresses, I found out that there’s more to it. A darker story behind what happened.
I pitied Jax at first but now I wonder if she deserves it. She definitely had a chance to change her ways but she refused to. It was true, she is a self-destructing girl. But I am glad that towards the end, she is slowly getting her life together.
I love how the author narrated the story and she included scenes that needs deeper thinking. It was light read but at the same time if we look closely, there are issues in the society that this book discusses.
It was indeed a great read but there are more parts of the story that I wish the author tackled more. And I am saying this just because wanted more. It talks about self love, friendship, life, owning to your mistakes, and so much more. How I wish it was longer.
RATING: 3.5/ 5 STARS
Author Bio
Alex Poppe is the author of the debut novel Moxie (2019) and the storycollection Girl, World (2017). Girl, World was named a 35 Over 35 Debut Book Awardwinner, First Horizon Award finalist, Montaigne Medal finalist, and was short-listed for the Eric Hoffer Grand Prize. It was also awarded an Honorable Mentionin General Fiction from the Eric Hoffer Awards. Her short fiction has been afinalist for Glimmer Train’s Family Matters contest, a nominee for the Pushcart Prize, and commended for the Baker Prize. Her non-fiction was named a Best ofthe Net nominee (2016), a finalist for Hot Metal Bridge’s Social Justice Writing contest, and has appeared in Bust and Bella Caledonia. She is an academic writinglecturer at the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani and is working on her thirdbook of fiction with support from Can Serrat International Art Residency andAsociacíon Cultural LINEA DE COSTA DUPLO Artist in Residency programs.
When I started this blog, my ultimate dream is to receive an Advance Reader’s Copy of a book. And two years later, it came true! I am very lucky to be chosen to participate in the #WiththeFireonHigh blog tour.
Last March, I finally received my ARC of With the Fire on High written by Elizabeth Acevedo and I am so excited! It was my very first ARC in physical copy, ah how I love the smell and feeling when I held the book. There’s always a magical feeling whenever I touch a book, what more if it has an amazing cover! Thank you Karina and Harper Collins International for making this possible. Also a big thank you to the dear Author for sharing your wonderful book.
Disclaimer: The first part of this blog post is a spoiler free review. So if you want to dig deeper into Emoni’s life then make sure to read until the end!
With her daughter to care for and her abuela to help support, high school senior Emoni Santiago has to make the tough decisions, and do what must be done. The one place she can let her responsibilities go is in the kitchen, where she adds a little something magical to everything she cooks, turning her food into straight-up goodness. Still, she knows she doesn’t have enough time for her school’s new culinary arts class, doesn’t have the money for the class’s trip to Spain — and shouldn’t still be dreaming of someday working in a real kitchen. But even with all the rules she has for her life — and all the rules everyone expects her to play by — once Emoni starts cooking, her only real choice is to let her talent break free.
“The world is a turntable that never stops spinning; as humans we merely choose the tracks we want to sit out and the ones that inspires us to dance.”
Emoni Santiago, With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
I actually don’t know how to start this review so let me tell you my reading experience first. I received this book last March 30 but I had to attend to an event at our University so I didn’t start reading it not until the next morning which is March 31st. This book is the most realistic one that I have read this year and I must say that it is actually a breath of fresh air. It is light and fun read plus I am so much in love with the book cover. IT IS GORGEOUS. THE WHOLE BOOK IS.
So basically, as you might have read the synopsis, this is about Emoni a teenage mom as she struggles to achieve her dream and also take care of her daughter at the same time. Tho I have heard of real life stories about teenage pregnancy, it is a great thing that this can be turned into a book and let people see the great things about it. The bravery, responsibility, and the love it can teach to other people.
Reading this book makes me evaluate my life. Emoni is indeed a tough character. She shows that life may be hard and is waiting for a moment to break you but fear no more, because one learns to stand back up and gets ready to fight back.
This one is on fire. Rating: 4/5 stars
About
the author:
ELIZABETH ACEVEDO is the
youngest child and only daughter of Dominican immigrants. She holds a BA in
Performing Arts from the George Washington University and an MFA in Creative
Writing from the University of Maryland. With over fourteen years of
performance poetry experience, Acevedo is a National Poetry Slam Champion, Cave
Canem Fellow, CantoMundo Fellow, and participant of the Callaloo Writer’s
Workshop. She has two collections of poetry, Beastgirl & Other Origin Myths
(YesYes Books, 2016) and winner of the 2016 Berkshire Prize, Medusa Reads La
Negra’s Palm (Tupelo Press, forthcoming). The Poet X is her debut novel. She
lives with her partner in Washington, DC.
#1 ENTER TO WIN A COPY OF WITH THE FIRE ON HIGH ENTER HERE :) #2 ENTER TO WIN A WITH THE FIRE ON HIGH SHIRT ENTER HERE 🙂 Shirt design by Melissa Chan, read more about her designs here.
Are you now curious about the story? about my rating? Then let’s turn the fire higher!
WARNING! CONTAINS SPOILER.
PART II
If we will dissect Emoni’s Life struggles then it will be like this:
Her studies
How to take care of baby girl
Being independent
Letting a special person in her heart
Understanding a person no matter how absurd the situation is
HER STUDIES.
She is a senior student and has yet to find out if she will pursue college. She also has an elective class that she love but encounters some minor problems.
I am at my fourth year on college and unlike her, I have no direction. There’s nothing I excel at so that’s the tough part. If only I have something that I love doing, which in Emoni’s case is cooking, then I think I’ll know my purpose. Unlike Emoni, I do not dare to take risks. I don’t go out there and try to do things that makes me happy.
HOW TO TAKE CARE OF BABY GIRL.
Taking care of yourself is already tough but being responsible for another being, let alone a baby? Good luck. The fact that she had her during her freshman year with a guy that didn’t love her, it’s a misery. I know it isn’t highlighted on how she managed all these pregnancy and all but it adds angst to her character.
In this part, I am in no way like her. I have never been responsible for a human being other than myself. I am quite selfish you know and I hate myself for that. The closest thing I can relate to is me having three cats and a dog. Feeding them three times a day can be a handful sometimes haha.
BEING INDEPENDENT.
It was a big surprise to me that her Abuela doesn’t go to the doctor but instead goes out to meet a man. Sometimes we forget that our parents or guardians have a life too, besides us. At some point in their lives, they might have lost themselves because they’re too busy taking care of us.
Like Emoni, I too will be adult soon and I need to be independent. I need to learn to stand up for myself. I need to be responsible.
LETTING A SPECIAL PERSON IN HER HEART
Yah know, I have been waiting for this! Tho I kinda hoped for the father of her child to be romantically involved with her but I guess, that’s life. Malachi is a good man and considering their ages, loving a person despite their circumstances is a lot to take in.
When I think of dating, I immediately think of marriage because that’s why you do it right? You date to find the person whom you’d spend your lifetime with. And while Emoni had her love lifefirgured out, here’s me still content on reading romance and cute teenage love.
UNDERSTANDING THE PERSON NO MATTER HOW ABSURD THE SITUATION IS
My biggest concern for this book is Emoni’s relationship with her father. I grew up having my dad by my side (tho he’s always at work). I can talk to my dad like I am talking to a very close friend. He makes sure that we are always eating on time and he is always one call away if I ever needed anything. So seeing Emoni’s relationship with her dad is heartbreaking. How can a father be like that? How can he live away from her daughter? I wish she had a better bonding with her dad.
So that’s my 5 points in the story. Altogether, they made the story more
interesting. How I wish it can be longer. Rating 4/5 stars.
I’ve been away from blogging community just because I am drowning with loads of work to do in our university. It is almost the end of our semester and I still have few exams to finish and I am free(!), well at least for a few days haha.
Anyways I have managed to sneak in a few reads despite my busy schedule so here is the book review for those books.
Instagram has been a great platform for book lovers like me because it gives me more opportunity to know international books. I remember seeing these two being so hyped in the bookstagram community and I’ll admit that is the main reason why I decided to read them.
Do these books live up to my expectations? hmmm
Tho I do not have a firm stand over lgbt community, I am still open for reading diverse books and I thought that it is a great idea to try them out. So, I first read Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda and one word to describe it, is cute. I liked the story and the characters are just so cute. (I know I’ll probably say “cute” a lot.) I love the little suspense and I almost thought that Blue was someone else. This book is a perfect summer read where you just kinda immerse yourself in high school teenage romance. A very light read and yet will still give you butterfly in your stomach.
“Did you just tell us you’re gay?” Asks Nick “Yes.” “Okay,” he says. Abby swats him. “What?” “That’s all you’re going to say? Okay?” “He said not to make a big deal out of it,” Nick says. “What am I supposed to say?”
So as I was reading Simon, I became more curious about Leah and I was so excited to read Leah on the offbeat. Tho Leah is an awesome character, being a drummer and all, I didn’t quite like her story. I just don’t like who she’s paired up with. Her whole relationship for me is a mess. I don’t like it at all. I can’t see how their actions are justified. I just find it wrong. Totally disappointed with this one.
I could give it two stars but I did enjoy the first part of the story.
In celebration of the Fierce Female Reads for the month of February, I decided to join Ashley’s (falling down the book hole) tour in blogs, instagram, and twitter. Basically, these posts showcase Fierce Females whether they are from books, movies, or even in real life.
Make sure to read until the end for more information about Fierce Female reads and a chance to win awesome prizes.
Fierce Female for me is someone who stands up for herself and is not afraid to speak her mind. She is someone who has courage to be herself and to be a good example to everyone around her. She is someone who has her own battles but does not need anyone fighting it for herself.
I have actually quite a few characters in mind but I decided to chose this one person who best suit the description. At first, I thought of Annabeth Chase from Percy Jackson Series, although I am not a fan of their relationship, I can’t deny that she’s a real badass. She has a brain and she uses it right. There is also Hermione, a great witch and a great friend. I also thought of Paige from The problem with Forever, though she may be a side character, I did not fail to see how tough she is. She stood up for herself and takes good care of her sister. I also thought of Feyre from ACOTAR and how she fend for her family. They’re all awesome in their own ways but I decided to go for REYNA AVILA RAMIREZ-ARELLANO.
Reyna is indeed a QUEEN (literally haha) WHO NEEDS NO KING.
Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano or simply Reyna, is a Romandemigod daughter of Bellona and one of the Praetors of Camp Jupiter. Her mother is a Roman war goddess , and like her mother, she is a strong, dedicated military leader. As befits her position, she wears a purple toga decorated with medals over Imperial gold armor and carries an Imperial gold knife. Her arm tattoo displays four slash marks for the four years she has lived at the camp, the initials SPQR, and a sword crossed with a torch, the symbols of her mother. She has two automaton dogs: Aurum, who is made of gold, and Argentum, who is made of silver. Both dogs can tell if someone is lying, an ability Reyna finds quite helpful.
Tho at first I perceived her a a strict and cautious type of person, she never failed to showcase her prowess. She has piercing black eyes that added more angst to her aura. She is a leader and a protector of Camp Jupiter. When she was young, she experienced being captured by the pirates together with her sister Hylla and that’s how they learned to protect themselves. As they part ways, Hylla became an Amazon and she became a Praetor. She is a leader and a warrior. She can sometimes be over-empowering but she has a soft side. She will do everything for the ones she loves specially her family. She stands up for what is right and she does things for a great cause.
Now, why did I say that she is a Queen who needs no king? Well besides for the fact that Reyna literally means queen in Filipino and Spanish, it is hinted in the book that maybe Reyna and Jason had a little something going on before Jason lose his memory and became Piper’s boyfriend.
Now caught up with all that happened between Greeks and Romans, Reyna somewhat lost intimacy with Jason so that ended their budding relationship, if there’s any. There are also fans that connects her to Percy and Nico (other characters from the story), but she didn’t really had a partner in the books.
Despite all that she stood her ground and still be the amazing person she is. tho she has no love interest in the book, she is definitely someone you can look up to and be proud of.
For more information about this whole tour, please visit:
I have been accepting every book review copies offered to me since it is my way to discover new stories and new authors but I learned that not every story is meant for me. That is why I decided to have my own review policy.
First, I am Ellie and the platforms that I use for reviewing are:
YA, Children’s fiction, Contemporary, Sci-Fi, Teen Fiction, and Mystery/Thriller
I love physical copies and I appreciate them so much but since I live in the Philippines and not all authors are capable of sending me a copy, so I also accept digital format specially epub since that works for me well.
I don’t write much about the story itself (I only post the summary) because I post spoiler free reviews. I definitely point out the things I liked and I didn’t like. But I also have other creative posts like Author Interview, Fave Quotes or anything related to the book.
One thing I can guarantee is that I’ll be reviewing your book honestly.
If you are willing to let me read your masterpiece then contact me through my email at ellethedreamer@gmail.com or my Instagram and Twitter accounts.
I am back again with another book review. It has been always an honor to find blog tour hosts and discover new books that I will eventually enjoy. So if you want to discover yet another great book, then keep on reading.
So this book is Heavenward written by Olga Gibbs and this is the first book for the Celestial Creatures Series. What can be a better way to know more about the book? It is to know first about the author.
Author Bio Olga Gibbs lives in a leafy-green town, nestled amongst the green fields of West Sussex, England. She was writing from the age of fifteen, mainly short stories and novellas and was a guest columnist for a local newspaper. When she is not dreaming up new adventures for her imaginary friends, she does outreach work with teenagers.
She is currently writing a second book in the “Celestial creatures” series and another stand-alone psychological crime thriller book.
Synopsis With the power to end the world, would you protect humanity when it broke you or would you take revenge? Meet Ariel: a quiet, unnoticeable girl with an incredible gift… Ariel never had an easy or pleasant life, but the arrival of three gorgeous strangers meant her measured life is turned upside down, as she discovers that angels exist. Now against her will, she’s drawn into an ancient celestial conflict, where her powers will decide the fate of humanity. Deceived, threatened, hunted and now on the run, who can she trust?
I discovered this book through Melanie, our lovely blog tour host and honestly this is my first time reading a book with this kind of characters, angels.
Since I’ve been reading so much fantasy lately, I have high expectations for this book and while reading it, I am somewhat disappointed in some aspects but also intrigued with how the events unfolds.
First off, let me explain my brief understanding about this book. Ariel, the main character is a normal teenage girl who suffers from schizophrenia. She has these dreams that felt so real but she can’t understand them. One day, there are three new students in their school and somewhat tried to involve themselves to her. As the story unfolds, she learnt that she has the essence of an assassinated angel and that made her so important. That’s where things get complicated.
Some of my main sentiments for this books are, first, I didn’t expect this book to be like a full on teenage romance. I mean, it is clearly highlighted in the story that Ariel is developing feelings for Sam and is also confusing her subconscious feelings for Rafe. Well, I get it that it is part of a bigger story but since it is only the first book in the series, I figured that it will be more of explaining and narration rather than talking about love immediately.
Secondly, I can’t really figure out the pace of this book. It fast and slow for me at the same time. It was fast in the sense of how everything is unfolding. First, she was attempted to be murdered, then she found an alliance which eventually turned out to be an adversary. The book is slow in terms of how things are explained. It actually took me time before grasping everything. I know there is a scene where Rafe is explaining to Ariel but it isn’t enough for me. Well, I hope that things will be explained further in the next book.
Thirdly, I hope there can be more build-up with the character like how they feel and think. I wish the author could establish a stronger point with the character’s every move. Maybe because it has only twenty chapters that’s why I feel like the story is kinda squished.
Lastly, I can’t quite grasp on how many opposing forces are there. I mean, why can they easily infiltrate one’s bases/camps? And if they’re seeking vengeance, does it really have to be so cruel? I hope everything will be explained in the following books. I definitely need more.
Of course, I wouldn’t only talk about the things that I didn’t quite like. I will also talk about the strong points. This book is actually new to me. As I’ve said earlier, this is my first time reading with angels as the main characters so it really caught my attention. There’s also something about how the author writes that even when I wanted to put it down and not continue, I still read it. It is also easy to pick up where you left off. There is a strong imagery used in this book. You must actually pay attention into details so that you can get a clue of the bigger story behind it. Overall, I just hope it gets better on the next book and I hope it reaches a lot of reader’s heart.
Ratings: 3.5/5 stars
If you want to have a chance to read Heavenward the just click the link below and sign up to the Celestial Club and receive an e-copy of the book for free. Click here.
Hello! Welcome to my blog! I have been posting for a while now but I haven’t really had a proper introduction.
So I decided that this is the perfect time to do one.
I started this blog around November 2016 along with my bookstagram account. Being new to the community made it hard to navigate my site. It actually took some time to be familiarized on what was going on.
Bellay and books is original blog site name or domain name. My mother gave me the nickname Bellay and at that time I don’t want to use my real name so I decided to go with my nickname instead.
A little while later, that blog name wasn’t a very good choice and it’s not enough to capture anyone’s interest so I thought of another name. I remembered how much a book consumes me that I think about it so much even before I sleep. I even day dream about it. Hence, the birth of abookdevourer.
I am Ellie the owner of this blog. I am a nineteen year old girl from the Philippines who loves to read books and who loves to write what she feels.
Growing up, I have been always the shy type. I have no confidence and I like to be left alone. I can’t even interact with my cousins that much because I think one huge factor to that is, they’re much older than me and at that time, I am the youngest in our clan.
That is why I wrote letters. I always write letters to my parents to let them know what happened in my day at school. I also write letters whenever there is an occasion like birthdays, Christmas, valentines, etc. It has been my outlet and a compensation for my shyness.
This is my lolo (grandpa) teaching me how to write.
These are some of the letters I wrote. Some are written way back 2009.
Thinking back about those times, I think that is why my dream of being a writer blossomed. Do I write now? The answer is no. Writing actually takes time and talent and I currently have nothing. What a better way to pursue writing without having much self-pity for my poor skills? It’s no other than blogging. I can pour my emotions as much as I want to. I can post whenever and whatever.
This blog is also brought to life because of my love for reading. My very first novel is Traces Series by Malcolm Rose. I read it when I was eleven years old. My cousin bought it from a thrift store and he lent it to me. I remember loving Luke’s and Jade’s characters so much that I immediately finished four books in the series. Too bad my cousin only has the first four books. I would love to have the rest of the books and read them. With that said, the first genre I fell in love with is, SCI-FI.
Being a broke elementary student stopped me from buying and reading books. Years passed and when I am a junior in high school, that’s when I met my bookworm classmate. Bless her good soul for lending me here books until we graduate from high school.
When I entered college and got a scholarship, I bought my first series which is Percy Jackson and the Olympians. I love Rick Riordan and his humor. It is the best! That’s the start of my bookstagram and blogging career. Now here I am posting whatever interests me.
Got more questions about me? Talk to me on my twitter account @abookdevourer
Narah Quinn is the author of Fallons hope. I’ve met her through twitter when I was finding a book to review. I have always wanted to review books from independent authors so knowing her is an honor for me. She is one of the sweetest and kindest person I met online. I also loved reading her book and I rate it 4.5/5 stars.
During the past blog tour that I participated in, we are given various options to post about the book may it be a book review, book cover reveal, book feature, etc. and the author interview is what I enjoyed the most. It is a great way to know more about the author and the book. It kinda gives a “behind the scenes” feels. That is why I decided to make another one.
If you are curious about Narah Quinn and Fallons Hope, then keep on reading!
“Fallons hope is a small town. A peaceful town. And home to the Keepers.
Ember and her sisters have lived many lives, in many places, while they help to keep the earth balanced, good and evil, natural and unnatural, one to represent each of the plains, physical, spiritual and heavenly. But strange dreams and new neighbours are about to change things in ways that they could never have imagined. Will they be able to remain balanced when they’re at the centre of it all?”
1. Please tell something about yourself (e.g. name, age, where you from,hobbies)
Hi, I’m Narah, or at least that’s my author name – I am so crippled by self-doubt about my writing (and a real introvert) that I find it much easier to share and be active as an author if I am someone else – though I am just being myself, hiding behind a book cover – please forgive me! I am 36, married to a wonderful man with 2 fantastic step sons – I live in a really pretty part of the UK, and I mostly love to read, garden, take pictures and cook.
2. How did you start writing? Have you always dreamed of becoming a writer? (what genres do you mostly write)
I have been writing for as long as I can remember, but as a teenager I threw away so many unfinished, even some finished, stories, because I didn’t think they were worth keeping.
As I mentioned above, I suffer with crippling self-doubt in regards my writing ability, so it took me a really long time to push it down, and to be brave enough to put something out there for people to actually read, like I always wanted to.
3. How did Fallons Hope come to life? (maybe include a brief description of what Fallons hope is about)
Fallons Hope is about 3 sisters (in this life time) who help to keep balance in check. They have lived many lives and things in this one have been good, but there’s more to their new neighbour than even he realises and their lives are disrupted, for both good and bad,along the way.
I wanted something a little different – something that had super natural beings and Gods and humans all in the same world but that was mine and wasn’t quite the same as anything else I’d read. When I first started writing it, I didn’t know that it was going to be from different characters view points, and at the time I had never read anything written that way, though it has become a lot more common now to have more than one point of view. I researched and planned and then I just had to start writing, I had an outline, but it changed as I wrote, taking on a life of its own. I lived in Fallons Hope for a while!
4. Where do you get inspiration from?
It comes from allover – I walk a lot (we are in a semi-rural area) and I look at everything,imagining the world we can’t see all around us! I can be inspired by a picture or a quote, sometimes just by a feeling on a particular day! I have notebooks filled with odd paragraphs or an opening chapter for ideas that have just popped into my head and may or may not one day be something!
5. How do you build characters up? (I mean do they resemble real life people who is close to you?)
I like my characters to be relatable – even if they are not human, and I use elements of lots of people I know and meet to give them traits that can be central to their character, or just something that makes them, them. I also like them to be relevant to the story, I don’t feel a need to step outside of a box just because its popular to do so and I don’t think it’s necessary to try and make sure that you have a range of diverse characters just because it’s expected to make things more inclusive, I write who I write!
My characters in Fallons are who they are – they are who they came to meas (though I have considered doing an alternative version where Lara is Loren in this lifetime, where meeting Joe could have been an issue, but true love wins out. I’m not naturally romantic – but I do believe that love wins, every time)
The men in Fallons, all have elements of my husband in them. Its more so in their character than their looks though, it’s the way they are with the sisters and with others, that’s the is the way he is, the way we are in our relationship. It was important for me to include this – because real, lasting love can, and does, exist. Not always in perfect circumstances but it’s there.
6. What is the greatest thing that you like about Fallons Hope? (maybe character, plot, certain scene, book cover etc.)
I do like my cover! It came out well given the technical issues I had with it! And it’s understated, though down the line I have plans for it!
But I think the thing I love the most is that other readers seem to love it more than I’d hoped they would…it’s very real for me, there’s love and loss and heart ache and I think it delivers it well.
My very good friend @bythe100thpage was a wonderful target audience reader (and editor!) She stepped into Fallons about a year down the line and stayed!She’s quite an expressive reader, so as I wrote I would give her the chapters to read and I’d watch her. If she didn’t react the way I hoped she would to what I had written I would tweak it or rewrite it. I didn’t want it to leave you flat, I wanted the reader to feel the way I did while I was writing it!
7. What do you do when you have a writer’s block?
I tend to just take a break – I find it only gets worse if you try and force something – so instead I’ll do something to relax. I’ll read, or I’ll go outside and just appreciate the world around me, or I’ll cook, that usually frees up whatever was holding me back.
8. What are the struggles of an author that most readers may or may not know?
I could probably write a book about the things I wish I’d known!
After months, or even years of writing you have to actually put your story out there – you have to apply for representation, and if not, you have to figure out which publishers will take unsolicited submissions. You will have to reformat your novel and revise your synopsis countless times as most publishers want it a different way, it’s never ending and about 95% of them won’t accept simultaneous submissions either so you have to wait 6 weeks or 6 months before sending it off to the next one. Some tell you to get in touch after a certain time has passed, most just never respond.
I spent the whole of 2016 waiting for responses from about 6 publishers total and that’s because I tried to go with ones that had the shortest response times!
If you are doing it all by yourself, seriously consider publishing independently. I can’t vouch for others, but Amazon is free to use, and if like me you really want to see your book in print, this is a good way to do it! OH,and if you can, buy an ISBN – especially for print version!
9. What advice can you give to aspiring writers?
Just keep writing! And even though I am the worst for it, believe that
it’s good enough, because if it makes even one person happy, you succeeded!
10. What are your hopes for Fallons Hope? (do you have a set goal for your book to achieve something etc) and what are your future plans? (do you plan on publishing another book)
My hope for Fallons is to see it being read – I want to know that it’s out there giving people something they need. I started working with a friend(who is a screen writer) on some other projects about a year ago and I had this vision of Fallons and how it would work as a TV series – I wrote it as a stand-alone novel – but with the nature of the characters, there is room for more, so there is scope for more books too! Currently I am in the early stages of starting a trilogy that began as notes on the back page of Fallons hope as I was editing!I hope to have the first one out much faster than Fallons Hope was.
I hope you had fun reading Narah’s answers as much as I do. To know more about her personally, here’s her social media sites and blog so please check it out.
“Fallons hope is a small town. A peaceful town. And home to the Keepers. Ember and her sisters have lived many lives, in many places, while they help to keep the earth balanced, good and evil, natural and unnatural, one to represent each of the plains, physical, spiritual and heavenly. But strange dreams and new neighbors are about to change things in ways that they could never have imagined. Will they be able to remain balanced when they’re at the center of it all?”
I have no connection to any publishing house so it’s always an adventure to find blog tour hosts or authors who are willing to give me an e-copy of the book in exchange of an honest review. As I joined twitter last month, I came across Narah Quinn, the author of Fallons Hope and she is kind enough to let me read her masterpiece.
Fallons Hope is a place where the protagonists resides. It is about the three sisters whose existence is all about keeping the balance between worlds. As the story progresses, they met unexpected people and that’s how the problems arises. Is it a curse or a blessing?
First off, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to Narah Quinn. Thank you for letting me discover a wonderful book. Thank you for being so kind and I enjoyed every email I exchanged with you.
Part 1: SPOILER FREE REVIEW
To be honest, I have no idea about this book even the characters, I also have no expectations about this book. At first, the cover didn’t appeal to me as much but when I started reading the first sentence, that’s when I knew that I will love this book.
I love how she narrated the story. It gives me this familiar feeling like a friend is telling me her story. She is a very effective writer. The scenes and characters are well explained. I also like the multiple POVs but one thing that I noticed is that during the change of POVs, I do not find extinguishable differences between characters. It was as if it was told by the same person all over. I wish there would be noticeable angst, like Joe could be like more cocky and more sure of himself while narrating. Well I get that the scenes don’t require him to be, but I don’t mind some humour. Or maybe Lara could be more girly and Ava could be more calm and level headed. Well, that’s some of my thoughts. Nevertheless, the narration is really good specially the transition from one scene to another.
This book is also a perfect balance of romance and fantasy. I have read books about faes, demigods, vampires,witches etc. But this is my first time reading a book with all these creatures as characters. In every chapter the book introduces new character species (?), good thing I have a background with those so its easy for me to understand what they are. But I think even tho you don’t have an idea what they are, it’s actually explained in the book briefly.
Plot-wise, I really loved it. It tells stories about love, family, and loving one self. This is good as a stand alone but I would appreciate if it’ll be a series.
(skip this if you haven’t read the book and just hop on to my conclusion)
Part 2: IN DEPTH WITH THE STORY (some things I wished it happened in the book)
A) As the three sisters who are responsible in keeping the balance amongst creatures, I wish there will be more side story of how they actually keep the balance. I wish there will be more action and adventure.
B) Elijah, being a demigod, is a really big problem. I wish there will be more instances that he causes more problem than being just a threat to power.
C) I am not quite satisfied with the villains, I wish there will be a more solid force than just group of vampires opposing them. I will appreciate it if there is one single villain.
Overall, I love this book. This is probably the first ever review copy that I love to bits. This is the kind of book I love. I rate this 4.5/5 stars just because I wanted more. I know this has a potential to turn into a series someday.
This is the first time that my blog was nominated to be part of the Sunshine Blogger Award. I want to thank Mid-Life Milestones for this opportunity and I am also grateful that I discovered you on twitter. Also, here’s a link to her Second Sunshine Blogger Award.
What Is The Sunshine Blogger Award?
The Sunshine Blogger Award is, basically, peer recognition among the blogger community. Bloggers nominate other bloggers that they feel are “creative, positive, and inspiring while spreading sunshine to the blogging community.”
This is basically a way of giving thanks and uplifting each and everyone in this community. This is a great way to boost each other’s confidence and let them know that there are people who appreciates them.
Rules For The Sunshine Blogger Award
-Thank the blogger who nominated you in a blog post and link back to their blog. -Answer the 11 questions that the blogger asked you. -Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the blogger award and write them 11 new questions. -List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award in your post/and or your blog.
Questions From The Nominator For The Sunshine Blogger Award
Why did you start blogging?
As a reader, I have huge respect to writers. I am always amazed on how they can make words so beautiful and they’re able to convey their feelings sincerely. That’s why I started blogging, to voice out what I can’t say verbally.
What is your favorite color and why?
I love the color blue like the sky. It is calm and soothing to the eyes.
Is there a form of travel you prefer and why?
I am not very sure about this because I never traveled but I would prefer a spontaneous one, just going with the flow.
Have you set goals for December and what are they?
I don’t have a set plan tho I have a book review that I will post on December 13.
What is your go-to for relaxing?
Definitely reading and watching random videos.
Is there something specific you find challenging about blogging?
Finding audience and finding inspirations for my contents.
Do you have a preferred social media platform?Which one and why?
I love bookstagram so much. It makes me connect more to a lot of bookworms. I also get inspiration from there.
If you could change one thing about your life what would it be and why?
I’d like to change the habit of overthinking. There are just some things that you must let it be.
What has been the best gift you have ever received?
The gift of having a whole family that loves and accepts me for who I am.
If money was no option where would you go and how long would you stay?
South Korea, probably I would stay for years but I will not definitely stay forever.
This year has been the happiest year in my bibliophile life since I started on 2016. I am always the “broke bibliophile” and I can’t buy books whenever I want. I actually have to save money before I can even buy one and mind you, it takes months before I can do that because of how little my allowance is and if I want to save money, then I need to sacrifice my allowance for food. And no, I don’t starve myself, I just avoid eating snacks in the afternoon.
Anyway, I’ve been to two book bazaar this year and it is even more exciting because this is the first time that I went. The experience is indeed magical. It is very tiring but it is so worth it.
So here are the books I got this year :
1. Thrift Bookstore Haul
I can’t remember if I bought these books last year but I am including these anyway because these are some good finds. I actually enjoyed Perfectly Ridiculous and The book of tomorrow.
2. Birthday Haul
I’ve got these book from National Bookstore except for the Evernight series which I bought from @grace_lim on ig.
3. Big Bad Wolf Book sale
The Big Bad Wolf meets PH event is the first book bazaar that I went to and it was held at the World Trade Center. I am very happy that I scored a box set of The Maze Runner. There are a lot of book sets at a very much affordable price too but I gotta stay on budget.
4. NBS Thank You Sale
So The National Bookstore celebrated their 75th year anniversary and there is a nationwide sale held which is up to 50% off. Thank goodness for my “paluwagan” I was able to buy these.
5.Book Binge Bazaar by NBS
So during the MIBF 2018, The National Bookstore also hosted a book binge bazaar in which they have a set price for every book. The price range in 75-375 php. This event is totally amazing. I am so privileged to experience this.
6. NBS Cut-off Sale
I only bought one book but I am happy with this purchase. This also marks the day when I am finally so broke that I won’t be able to buy another book.
Nothing is more exciting than buying a book and bringing it home. I hope that I can get to do this more in the future. Shoutout also to thebratreads on ig for being my book buddy. Check out her beautiful ig feed http://instagram.com/thebratreads
Abookdevourer 