Monday, March 20, 2017

Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me Review

Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me
by Lily Collins

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

I was super excited about this book as soon as Lily announced it since she is one of my favorite actresses and role models. This was truly such an inspiring book with such great messages. Lately I have been on an autobiography/memoir reading kick, but I've only been reading female authors, and they are all just so inspiring and relatable. When I got this book I wasn't too concerned with the writing, because I know that Lily wrote for some magazines and newspapers in the past, so I knew that she would be a good writer. The stories that Lily chose to tell in this memoir all clearly related the message she was trying to get across, which is one of self-love and confidence. There were also so many great quotes scattered throughout the book, I encourage everyone to pick it up and read it!

Buy Unfiltered using my Book Depository Affiliate Link HERE

Sunday, March 19, 2017

RoseBlood Review

RoseBlood
by A.G. Howard

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

This is another book that I received from OwlCrate. It is a phantom of the opera inspired retelling, which immediately made me hesitant to read it. I have been growing a little tired of retellings, because I just don't find them that creative or original. I was willing to give this one a shot, however, because I have never read/seen/heard the story of the phantom of the opera. I am glad that I decided to give this a chance, because I really enjoyed this book. I believe this is a standalone novel, and normally I have a hard time liking the characters in standalones because there is so little time for character development. I recently had this problem with Heartless and Of Fire and Stars. However, with this book, I found myself immediately captivated by the characters, and I credit this all to the beautiful writing. I really can't praise A.G. Howard's writing enough. She writes such vivid descriptions of characters and music, and she gives you just enough information to always keep you wanting more. She also seamlessly transitions from the present to events in the past in a way that is very interesting. I was super pleased with the ending of this novel, which was dramatic and interesting and just so amazing. 

Buy RoseBlood using my Book Depository Affiliate Link HERE

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Caraval Review

Caraval
by Stephanie Garber

My Rating: 5/5 Stars

I received Caraval in my last OwlCrate box, which I will be doing a post on soon. I wasn't surprised that this was the book included, because leading up to its release I had seen so many posts about. So many people were super excited about it and had already said such great things. I was excited to read it, but also hesitant because with so much hype already surrounding it, I didn't want to go into it with expectations that were too high, because then I would just end up getting let down. That being said, this book deserves 100% of the hype and wonderful reviews it has been given. 

Incase you don't know, Caraval follows the story of two sisters, Scarlett and Donatella, who escape from their home to take part in the magical performance/game Caraval. Before the game begins, participants are warned not to get too swept up in the performance, but when Donatella is kidnapped as part of the game, Scarlett must work to get her back as she finds herself more drawn into the mystery of Caraval.

This book literally had me hooked from the first line. The very. First. Line. Not many books can do that. Stephanie Garber did a wonderful job with the writing. It was interesting, and the descriptions were so creative and seemed so real that it was easy to imagine you were really there. If you are planning on reading this book, beware of the plot twists! Just when you think you have everything figured out, there's a giant plot twist that immediately makes perfect sense. They came at just the right moment and kept you guessing until the very end.

The characters in this book were also so easy to love and relate to. Despite coming from a terrible situation, both the girls were strong and embraced their weaknesses. This series is going to be a duology, and I cannot wait until the next book comes out! The movie rights have also already been sold, so hopefully they will do it justice! Also, I need some bookish merch! The Melting Library has a candle inspired by Legend which sounds amazing!

Buy Caraval from Book Depository (using my affiliate link) and receive free shipping: CLICK HERE