Weekly Binding of Bindings #1: The Winter Books

January 11, 2019March 7, 2019 JenAcideByBibliophile2 Comments

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Good Morrow my lovelies!!!

It is I: your favorite over-dramatic goth with a hidden agenda to bring forth smirking giggles, a feisty and sarcastic mood, and to entice every reader to become horribly addicted to the books I shove into their pretty little faces.

You may call me Pablo Bibliobar!

The not so famous, but infallible and surely fun to be around, Book Lord.

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She’s quick, she’s funny, you probably wouldn’t call her sunny:

It’s Pablo Biblobar.

From henceforth, I will bring you weekly witty prompts all about books, books, books! It will commence every Friday, so be on the lookout for these bookish rants and escapades! There will be must-reads, there will be don’t-reads. There will be sarcasm, and there will be moments of actual seriousness.

However brief they may be.

May I introduce: JenacideByBibliophile’s Weekly Binding of Bindings!

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WHERE TO BEGIN?!

Well, the obvious place:

winter reads

These are all the books that are great to read in the months of November to January/February. Or whenever the snow leaves your front yard. Some of these books I have read, and some I haven’t. I know, I KNOW!

“She’s blogging about books she hasn’t even read?!?!!?“

Yes. I’m devilish like that.

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The Kanin Chronicles by Amanda Hocking

frostfire series

This series is one of my FAVORITES, so I played favoritism and put it first <3. If you like to stalk me, you will have noticed that I JUST posted this on my Bookstagram account. Here we have a strong female lead (my favorite) who is attempting to work her way up to become a member of her King’s royal guard. When she is sent on a mission to retrieve a changeling, some serious s**t hits the snow-covered hills and she is thrust into the throngs of a potential war between kingdoms.

There is bloodshed, there is romance, and there are mythical fairy creatures. What’s not to love?

Amber Sky by Claire Warner

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Amber Sky is another favorite of mine, and I am PATIENTLY waiting for book two. This is set in a dystopian/steampunk styled world where Tay, who comes from a family of poor standing, is forced to seek help from a noble named Darius. A bargain is struck between them, and Tay is brought into high society as a spy.

This book is full of sneaky courtiers and extravagant tastes, and of course a sweet rebellion.

Red Queen Series by Victoria Aveyard

Though not a huge favorite of mine, still it’s a thrilling read. In a world where humanity is separated by the color of your blood, silver bloods are all powerful and red bloods are treated as scum. Our red blooded main character Mare eventually finds herself in the service of the Silver King, and betrothed to the Prince of the Silver Court. With as much hatred as this poor lass can muster, she joins the rebellion group called the Scarlet Guard, and plots the take-down of the silver bloods.

To me these books are over-hyped, but I could see the appeal while reading. Though it isn’t compelling me to get the next book.

Frost by E. Latimer

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LOVED this book! There are Fire and Frost Giants, and the ever-so-loved evil Queen. Story of a girl living just like me and you, when one day she is kidnapped by striking young men. It’s a tale of who to trust and who to kill! This story is full of tall women with even taller personalities. I had received this book from Netgalley and pulled an all-nighter to read it.

Still waiting on that copy of book 2..

*cough cough*

The Lone City series by Amy Ewing

the lone city series

THESE BOOKS!

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This series is downright f****d, in the best way ever. Think The Handmaid’s Tale…but for the YA world. Girls are brought into The Lone City and sold as surrogates for the rich and powerful. It is cruel, it is beautiful, and it is downright LEGENDARY. I read through them so quickly that I didn’t even pause to write a review. I still haven’t.

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The Dark Beneath The Ice by Amelinda Berube

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I mean…what’s there to say about this one. It looked promising, but it was a mess in my opinion. It’s a dark paranormal book that doesn’t really have an exact point. Marianne has the moments of feeling like she’s drowning, things are flying around the room, and the logical explanation is that something wants her dead. But the something trying to kill her is just…*sigh*.

This is the epitome of an “I can’t even” book.

But I hope you enjoy it ❤

The Giver, Graphic Novel by Lois Lowry, P. Craig Russell (Illustrations)

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EXCITEMENT!

I know what you’re thinking. “Jenaca, is this really a winter read?“

*Whisper Voice* Shhhhhh, yes.

We have all read this wonderful classic, if you haven’t…*gasp*…GET INVOLVED! Color me shocked and thrilled, they are releasing a graphic novel version of The Giver! I JUST received it for review, my first graphic novel, so be on the lookout for that. I may have already taken a little peak inside and…..

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I haven’t read these. It’s not a crime. I will. I’m trying!

Don’t judge me.

Stealing Snow by Danielle Paige

Stealing Snow

I’m waiting for this little number to arrive today in my Bookoutlet shipment, so it’s ALMOST in my pale skeletal fingers.It is a magical tale of insane asylums and whispers of a far off kingdom. It sounds so ROMANTIC doesn’t it?!

But you know how I know it’s a Winter Read? The main character is named Snow.

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Lovely, Dark and Deep by Amy McNamara

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I fear this one is going to be a tear-jerker. If not from the description, then from the countless Goodreads reviews of readers just saying:

TEARS.

A girl survives a car accident that kills her boyfriend, she hides herself out in her father’s studio in the woods, and eventually meets another young man. Where it shall lead, I DON’T KNOW.

I haven’t read it yet.

Frostblood by Elly Blake

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Frost Blood sounds like one of those rebellion/burn-em-all-to-the-ground types of books. I predict an angry female lead who goes on a killing rampage, but who’s to say? I sure cannot. Countless reviews of it’s pure awesomeness and fantastical delightfulness lead me to assume that I must have it. Though I MAY have had it already if Netgalley hadn’t denied me of the pleasure of reading it…

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The Storyteller by Antonia Michaelis

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Quite a wide arrange of reviews and opinions on this story, but I still can’t help but want to read it. The description sums up what this book is about perfectly:

A good girl.
A bad boy.
A fairy tale that’s true.
A truth that is no fairy tale.

As a warning, I DID read that there might be some sensitive issues in this book for readers. So be warned. Even I am a little worried about this read, but who cares! I’m up for it. BRING IT ON!

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With that, I leave you my list of Winter reads as of this January of 2019. Go ahead, curl up with a blanket! Get a cup of hot coco or tea and sit in front of a blazing fire, roasting a mortal or two! By the end of the year I may have a whole new list of cozy books for you to read, but only the witches will know!

Happy Reading my witchy readers!

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Book Review: King’s Cage by Victoria Aveyard (Red Queen Book 3)

June 19, 2017July 12, 2017 JenAcideByBibliophile3 Comments

~ Buy through the links below ~

Amazon.com – King’s Cage (Red Queen) by Victoria Avey ard

Goodreads.com – King’s Cage by Victoria Aveyard

Bookdepository.com – King’s Cage by Victoria Aveyard

Barnesandnoble.com – King’s Cage by Victoria Aveyard

Genre: YA/Adult/Fiction/Fantasy

Plot: In this breathless third installment to Victoria Aveyard’s bestselling Red Queen series, allegiances are tested on every side. And when the Lightning Girl’s spark is gone, who will light the way for the rebellion?

Mare Barrow is a prisoner, powerless without her lightning, tormented by her lethal mistakes. She lives at the mercy of a boy she once loved, a boy made of lies and betrayal. Now a king, Maven Calore continues weaving his dead mother’s web in an attempt to maintain control over his country—and his prisoner.

As Mare bears the weight of Silent Stone in the palace, her once-ragtag band of newbloods and Reds continue organizing, training, and expanding. They prepare for war, no longer able to linger in the shadows. And Cal, the exiled prince with his own claim on Mare’s heart, will stop at nothing to bring her back.

When blood turns on blood, and ability on ability, there may be no one left to put out the fire—leaving Norta as Mare knows it to burn all the way down.

Opinion: We’ve made it to Book 3 guys, and s**t just got real…kind of. This installment of the Red Queen series has action, misfortune, and a little bit of that romance. King’s Cage is upping the ruthlessness and deceit, and fans of Maven are finally going to get another taste of who he is and what he can do. Books 1 and 2 are just kindling compared to the real war that comes about in book 3. For those who are loving the battles that consume this story, this one is for you.

Assuming that you guys have been reading along, let’s start where book 2 has left off…shall we? For those of you who haven’t read the series yet, I will do my best to keep the spoilers to a minimum. Except for this paragraph, sorry. So, Mare is imprisoned and her hopes of escaping are pretty slim wouldn’t you say? Finally her character makes a little sacrifice for others instead of thinking about herself! I think we can all agree that we saw this coming, because this seems to happen in every YA/Fantasy story doesn’t it? Self-sacrificing one’s self has become QUITE the fad! I think what was really unclear when Mare gave herself up to Maven, was what Maven was going to do with her. This guys is the EPITOME of unpredictable, and I still don’t feel like I have a grasp on his character. Whether this is intentional or accidental by the author, I don’t care. I love it.

As the first half of this book is dedicated to Mare’s imprisonment, we get a fairly suitable glimpse into her time under Mavens watch. She is locked away in a surprisingly comfortable room, fed some very un-prison-like food, and obviously but confusingly…kept alive. Though we have witnessed Mavens unusual obsession with Mare, it still seems so stupid of him to keep her alive as she is such a powerful weapon. Though in true Maven fashion, it all ends up being for a bigger purpose: to use Mare as a pawn for Maven to begin to collect newborns. Not only must mare cope with her abilities being blocked by her guards and constantly trying to find a way to escape, but now she is being forced to tell the public that she is against the scarlet guard and everything they stand for.

I have to tell you guys, I am loving how the author has introduced so many different levels on mind games into this story. From book 1 the main character is lied to and manipulated by everyone around her, and still it continues. The fact that this series can become quite dark and really question your faith in humanity, is brilliant. Though the constant pattern of characters throwing each other under the bus is apparent, in book 3 we finally get to see some characters switching sides and supporting the cause. For one character in particular, I did NOT see that coming.

For the romance seekers who have been waiting patiently for the face-impaling and heart-lurching whirlwind that is Mare and Cal, you are finally rewarded. Ahhh yes…those many months have ignited the fire in these two young characters, and has finally blown up like a box of dynamite on Fourth of July! Picture it guys: an intense eye-lock from across the way, the release of doves, a slow-motion gallop to each other’s arms, a passionate kiss…blahhh blahhh blahhh. I mean, it was okay. For being pretty disappointed in this relationship from the start of this series, I’m not really surprised that their reunion fell flat for me. Once again, I just didn’t buy it. The story between these two feels like one that I was told in a 3 minute summary, and I’m still pretty uninterested. Oh well.

So apart from the reunion of Mare and Cal and Mare’s imprisonment, the rest of this book focuses on the battle of the ages. Just like before, and probably much more, I was skipping over the fighting. Like I said in my previous reviews for this series, I love a great action/battle scene in a Fantasy story. They get me amped up and hooked to the point where I can’t put the book down. However, I keep losing interest when it comes to the action scenes in the Red Queen series. There is too much fluff in it, and not enough of the author getting straight to the point. I feel like there should be more detail, not more of saying the same thing in three different sentences. I skimmed through the last part of the book, and stopped at the very end to see how everything got wrapped up.

In regards to the ending, saw that one coming didn’t we? It is obviously another cliff-hanger for what is to come, but it ends on a pretty emotional note. Or…what is supposed to be an emotional note. Again, I am left feeling nothing from it. I just CANNOT connect with Mare or really any of these characters. It’s driving me crazy! I am honestly not even sure if I will continue on with this series at this point, and I don’t think I will even miss out on much. With that said, I saw some improvements in the story and writing but it just isn’t enough for me. When I see a positive and get excited about one small aspect of the story, two things are thrown at me that I can’t stand. Unfortunately, I think this is where I end the Red Queen series. Good luck readers.

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Book Review: Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

June 15, 2017July 12, 2017 JenAcideByBibliophile7 Comments

Bookoutlet.com – Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

Amazon.com – Glass Sword (Red Queen) by Victoria Aveyard

Goodreads.com – Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

Barnesandnoble.com – Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

Bookdepository.com – Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

Genre: YA/Adult/Fiction/Fantasy

Plot: The electrifying next installment in the Red Queen series escalates the struggle between the growing rebel army and the blood-segregated world they’ve always known—and pits Mare against the darkness that has grown in her soul.

Mare Barrow’s blood is red—the color of common folk—but her Silver ability, the power to control lightning, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court tries to control. The crown calls her an impossibility, a fake, but as she makes her escape from Maven, the prince—the friend—who betrayed her, Mare uncovers something startling: she is not the only one of her kind.

Pursued by Maven, now a vindictive king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red-and-Silver fighters to join in the struggle against her oppressors. But Mare finds herself on a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat.Will she shatter under the weight of the lives that are the cost of rebellion? Or have treachery and betrayal hardened her forever?

Opinion: As I sit in my desk chair at work, obviously not working, I can’t help but wonder why I don’t stop to write a review before moving onto the next book in a series. Once again I have read book 2 and then immediately rushed to book 3 without even a second’s hesitation. Now I am sitting here with the misfortune of having to decipher WTF happened in books 2 and 3, because they have COMPLETELY blended together now. Obviously my need to know what happens next overshadows my responsibility to share my thoughts with you guys, but you are just going to have to suffer due to my selfishness. Book obsessions are a fickle mistress my darlings ❤

If you read my review for book 1 in this series, Red Queen, then you know that I was having some deep deeeeeeep issues with the fact that I couldn’t connect with the characters. Reading that a character is sad/guilty/happy/blah blah blah is COMPLETELY different than feeling what the characters feels. I don’t want to be TOLD that Mare is disappointed in herself for getting more people killed, I want to know it and feel it. As I was hoping would happen, the author has only improved in this while she has continued to write. After reading Glass Sword I was finally starting to feel the things that Mare, Cal, Kilorn, Farley and various other characters were feeling. As the story started building into a darker and more cutthroat story, the personalities and actions of the characters grew as well. Though I still feel as if Mares emotions aren’t translating as well as they could, I definitely am noticing an improvement and growth in the writing.

For me, halfway into this story is where it really starts excelling. Mare and her “team” have begun the search to recruit/rescue newbloods, and the abilities that these new characters show are KILLER! Their skills range from manipulating sound, teleporting, playing with gravity, changing ones physical appearance to match another, or being able to kill someone or something with only touch. Here is where the reader is introduced to some amazing new characters, and where I think the story actually comes into its own. As they start training the newcomers to fight and control their abilities, it starts to become clear that we are in for some epic battles in the next few books.

I am all for action scenes and cutthroat battles happening in a Fantasy story, but I am really starting to tune out of these sequences in this series. I keep finding myself skipping over a lot of these scenes, and I mean just flipping pages and not even looking back. I think there is a way to detail a battle without using so much wording, because this is what keeps losing my interest. In the Throne of Glass series there is a TON of fighting and killing happening, but I never lost interest once. I think this is because Sarah J. Maas really knows how to describe a moment in detail, but in a way that you are hanging onto her every word and not feeling as if you are being thrown too much information. In the Red Queen series this just wasn’t happening, and I couldn’t help but skip past these parts.

Glass Sword is where we also have a heart attack moment in which the author hints at a love triangle. But then again, there’s already a weird love triangle happening between Maven, Cal and Mare isn’t there? Well for those of you who love a nice romantic drama full of heart ache and emotional woes between three people…sorry. That’s not really happening here. In saying the least amount possible: some emotions are expressed, some emotions are respectfully shot down, and some other emotions are…emotional. J But fear not my romantic readers! Book 2 is where the heat begins between Cal and Mare, and by heat I mean a very VERY dim flicker of flame on a tealight candle. Yes, it’s kind of a letdown. Though now I think we are all starting to realize that Victoria Aveyard has decided to focus more on the story, less on the romance. Which I can full on respect. You go girl!

With that said, I think this is a nice step towards what is to come in this series. I always see book 2 as the stepping stone for everything else that is building up in a story, and I feel like that with this one as well. I was glad to see that some of my concerns from Red Queen had improved in Glass Sword, and I can’t wait to see if things only get better. Though this series still hasn’t hit the WOW factor for me and has left me a little disappointed, I still find it an enjoyable read. If an author is keeping at least part of me interested and I am speeding through the series, then they have to be doing something right. I have already finished King’s Cage and hope to have a review up soon, so keep a look out guys!