Book Review: Tasty Cookbook

Book Review:

Tasty Cookbook

There are so many nights that the same meal keeps coming up and up. I was so excited to see this on the list because it has so many new and improved recipes. I have always followed their facebook page so it was pretty cool when I saw they came out with a cookbook with all their amazing food! This covers all sorts of food, some great meals, deserts, snacks and every thing in between!

Book Review: Armada by Ernest Cline

Book Review:

Armada 

By Ernest Cline

 

Synopsis:   Zack Lightman has spent his life dreaming. Dreaming that the real world could be a little more like the countless science-fiction books, movies, and videogames he’s spent his life consuming. Dreaming that one day, some fantastic, world-altering event will shatter the monotony of his humdrum existence and whisk him off on some grand space-faring adventure.

Review: First thing I have to say is that this has become one of my new favorite books of all time! I read this one before his first book and fell in love. It seems like everything just works together. The writing style, plot, characters, setting and throwbacks! I feel like he really knew what he was talking about when most authors never really know what they are doing. I think I would have to say that the little bits of the past games really stole the book for me. I am a huge gamer so living within the game for the book made it even better for me! I loved it! If you like the 80's and any video games at all you should totally read this book! I know a lot of people didn't like this book because they read "Ready Player One" first but maybe it was just me but I thought this book was so much better but it could account to me reading this one first. 

Stars: 5/5!! 

Please leave your comments on what you thought on the book below! I will be updating my review and making it into the type of review I normally do! 

Love you all!

Book Review: Red Queen

Red Queen

By: Victoria Aveyard

 General Information:

Copyright date: 2015

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy

Pages: 383

Price: $14.39 (via the link below)

ISBN: 9781409151173

Publisher: Harper Collins

Synopsis: This is a world divided by blood - red or silver. The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change. That is, until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power. Fearful of Mare's potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime. But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance - Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart...

Cover: I am probably the only one but I actually thought the cover was kind of boring and dull. Yes it was pretty with the crown and the blood. Also, yes sometimes less is more but I don't know, it just didn't thrill me. I think it could have been done better because I totally would not have picked this one up if it wasn't for a recommendation. 

Theme: I believe that the underlying theme of this book was that everyone should be treated equally.

Point of View: This was written in first person with just the one narrator. 

Intended Audience: It was written for the young adult audience but the writing was really childish. I am guessing it was written for the younger kids within the young adult genre. 

Author Style: Like I said before; since I feel like it was written kind of childishly it was very generic and seemed like anyone could write it. I am not saying she can't write for anything but it was not what I thought it would be seeing as in the book needed to be great to have a great world build. 

Characters: Most of the characters kind of got on my nerves and had some sort of horrible quality that stood out. The only character I really liked was Maven; he was Cal's little brother. I feel like he was the best written. I know some people like the 'unlikable' characters but Mare was just obnoxious. 

Plot: The world that it was written in was some of the best parts! It seemed to really flow freely when it came to building the world but kind of hit a dud when it came to the action scenes. It didn't seem to have many feelings when it probably should have. The book was amazing when it first started, proceed to get flat and then in the last 50 or so pages made me love them. I felt like there was going to be so much more epicness and there wasn't really any until the end. I am going to be reading the novellas and the next one but I am not going to get excited because I did with this and it let me down. 

My Opinion: So yes I liked the book I even thought that it could be another huge fandom but the writing held it back. I really loved the concept of the story; I thought it was an amazing idea. I think one of the biggest things the author can improve on is engaging the readers more. Of course I read the whole thing because I wanted to but as a reader I wanted to have one of those 'can't put it down' type books. Like I said before I will be reading the rest in the series because I did like it enough but I am really hoping the story comes through more in these. 

The first novella is out now only as an e-reader.

The novella's book Cruel Crown will be out Janurary 5, 2016

The second book Glass Sword comes out Feburary 9, 2016

Score:

Would you recommend this book? Yes

Would you like to buy this book? - http://www.bookdepository.com/Red-Queen/9780062310637

If you liked this book then check out these: 

  

Book Review: An Ember in the ashes

Book Review:

An Ember in the Ashes

By: Sabaa Tahir

General Information

Copyright date: 2015

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy

Pages: 446

Price: $12.07 (at the link below)

ISBN: 9781595148032

Synopsis: Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear. It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do. But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy. There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

Cover: This cover is beautiful!! It is one of the main reasons why I picked it up in the first place. The colors and design really goes with the mood of the book. I felt like it really captured the essance of the book.

 

Theme: No theme really stood out but I can tell it's going to continue into the next book. 

 

Point of view: It was written in 3rd person but it shifted back and forth between Elias and Laia. 

Intended Audience: This is written for young adults but more towards the older side. A lot of YA books are written for the younger side and makes the reader feel kind of stupid but this was totally the opposite than that. 

Author Style: Sabaa Tahir is such an amazing writer and so easy to follow! She likes to write with some big words and makes you think. I loved the way her writing just flowed from one paragraph to another.

Characters: Elias- He always felt trapped...I liked him but he never really changed. But I do have to say that he was very selfless when it came to others asking him to be something hes not. She wrote him very well.

Laia- Yet again she was also written well but she seemed a little whiny and didn't really stand out. It did seem like shes changed a little throughout the book. 

Plot: When I first started the book it seemed kind of confusing because there were two different story lines but of course it came together at the end. I am excited to see where it goes into the next book. There were no holes that I could see because it was so very well thought out. I read this book so quickly because it flowed so well and was such an amazing book.

Setting: It was set in Black Cliff and Scholars quarter. Of course not in the USA and since it is fantasy it is in its own world. 

My Opinion: Ohh My God this book was amazing!! I loved this book and cannot wait to get my hands on the next one. When I was reading I really got to escape reality because the world was written up so much that I just got sucked in. There was so much hype for this book that I was hesitant to start reading it but it seriously lived up to the hype and more.

Book #2 A Torch Against the Night comes out August 30, 2016! 

Score:

Would you recommend it? YES

 If you liked this book- check out these ones:

        

Hawk Blog Tour: Guest post by Marie Powell!!

This blog topic was originated by the blog Mythical books! Make sure you go check out their book blog over at mythicalbooks.blogspot.com!

Hawk by Marie Powell Genre: young adult historical fantasy Published August 1st, 2015 Published by Five Rivers Publishing 294 Pages

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Hawk-Marie-Powell/dp/1927400937 Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26012924-hawk Chapters: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/hawk/9781927400937-item.html Amazon.ca http://www.amazon.ca/dp/1927400937 Kobo Books https://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/hawk-12 Scheduled during Teen Read Week! Check it out HERE!  

Hyw yearns to join his father in serving the charismatic Llywelyn, Prince of Wales. If only Hyw dared tell anyone of his ability to scout through the eyes of a hawk, it might help secure his place in the royal guard. Cat, his sister, longs to inherit the magical ability that runs through her mother’s line. If only she could see her future, now that she is 13 and promised to a boy she barely remembers. When a messenger summons the prince to a secret meeting, Cat and Hwy find themselves in the middle of a war that threatens to destroy all of Wales. Can they master their special abilities in time to save the royal family—and themselves? Set among the actual events and personages of late 13th century Wales, Marie Powell has constructed a fantasy novel that recreates what life might have been like for two teenagers coming of age.

About the Author:

Marie Powell (www.mepowell.com) is the author of 30 published books, including the young adult historical fantasy Hawk (Five Rivers, 2015) and Hawk and Crown (Five Rivers, 2016). She holds a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia, and her award-winning short stories and poetry appear in such literary magazines as subTerrain, Room, and Transition. She lives in Saskatchewan, and her writing workshops are popular across the province. Read more about Hawk and Welsh history on her blog at www.mepowell.com/blog.   Website: http://www.mepowell.com/ Blog: http://mepowell.com/blog/ Follow @mepowell Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mepowellmendenhall

  From Fable to Fantasy - The Help of Animals   One of the first scenes I wrote for Hawk – maybe the first scene – was the opening, where Hyw is floating high above his world, connected with the mind of a hawk. Even after many revisions, it’s still the opening scene of the novel. I love hawks. To me, a hawk in full flight is a symbol of independence and freedom. My character Hyw also wants to use the hawk and other birds in the novel to scout out the locations and movements of the English army for his father and the other Welsh warriors. The first time I saw hawks up close was when I wrote an article on a master falconer for Prairies North Magazine (Summer 2006) and CBC Radio. That falconer told me that even the Swainson’s hawk riding on his shoulder should never be taken as a pet. They’re still wild animals, and have to be respected as such. I find their alien eyes and taloned feet chilling and fascinating, and I’m still writing about hawks (http://mepowell.com/blog/the-hawks-of-hawk/). Following Welsh mythology, Hyw can use his empathetic gift to gain insight and even control over any animal. Owls, rabbits, and foxes become his eyes and ears as the people move farther into North Wales, trying to escape the onslaught of English soldiers. A fox even orchestrates a meeting between the former prince Llywelyn and his brother, using Hyw as a medium between the world of the Old Ones and the royal princes. Hyw’s relationship with the animal world, and his hereditary ability as it evolves throughout the story, is meant to be one of give and take. I also wanted Hyw’s special power to ring true as a survival skill for any hunter-gatherer people, who felt more comfortable living on their land than in the stone castles of the so-called civilized English. Someone once asked me, how did the Welsh survive a genocidal invasion like the one in 1282? In my story, they survive through their connection with the land and the help of its animals.   The Giveaway: (3) ecopies of Hawk by Marie Powell a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: The Program

Book Review: 

The Program

by: Suzanne Young

 

General Information:

Genre: YA; dystopian

Copyright: 2013
Pages: 405
Price: $8.87
ISBN: 9781442445802


Synopsis: In Sloane’s world, true feelings are forbidden, teen suicide is an epidemic, and the only solution is The Program. Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories. Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in. And The Program is coming for them.


Cover: I believe the cover went with the book but I didn't like it all that much. I thought it was well designed for the book because the "program" is very clean and pristine which is what the cover looks like.  Of course this review is only for The Program but I do not like that the second cover doesn't go with this one. Series covers should all look similar but these don't. 


Theme: This is a dystopian book so it is set far into the future in a world that is not like ours but an over lying theme that you can take from this is to stick up for yourself. I understand the rules of the world but you can still stand up! 


Point of View: The narrator is Sloane; everything that happened was in her point of view. It was in first person.

Intended Audience: This is a YA book. It was written for the older bracket of YA because there were bigger words and not written below teenagers. 

Author Style: It sounded like Suzanne Young was a very smart writer and knew what she was talking about. I even had to look up some words!

Characters: Sloane: I really liked her in the beginning because she genuinely stuck to her guns and was open and honest. By the end of the book she totally changed in what she was doing and her attitude. The author really wrote her well because it felt like you actually knew her. 
James: Yet again I loved him in the beginning because he was such a good person but I don't know if he was supposed to be perceived as this but by the end of the book he was a horrible person! He was one of my most hated characters. 

Plot: The idea of this book was really cool but I wish the world was a little more built up. Suzanne Young wrote the entire plot really well to make it flow really well. But I will have to say that there was a lot of information included that was not important to the story.

Setting: It took place in the future. It was set in a neighborhood and in the program. 

My Opinion: I really liked the book because all in all it was a great story and world. It left me wanting to read the next one right away. It did have a lot of slow parts but I have to remind myself that it is only to give the information that's needed. But on the other hand there were no really big 'Wow' moments. I am going to be picking up the next book in the near future but it didn't live up to the hype. If you are looking for a good dystopian you could pick this one up but you might want to look for another one.  

Score:

Would you recommend this book?  Maybe 

If you like this book then check out these: 


     

Mini Reviews

Here are some mini reviews for some small books I have read! 

Mini Reviews!

1) A Heart Like Ringo Star - by Linda Oatman High

     Verse book; 250 Pages; 2015

      

      I really enjoyed this book! It was a great read and fast paced book. I like reading verse books but sometimes its hard because there are many times authors that write like this leave out a lot of details. I felt like Linda Oatman High really paid attention to the story. It flowed extremely well. There was never a page that was confusing or made me think about it.

When I first started reading this I thought it was just about why people die but it was a totally different story. Of course I am not saying this in a bad way I just wish the cover and description on the back was a little more descriptive. It ended up being about someone with a heart condition and not wanting to die. I loved how emotional this book got and how it really showed the feelings behind this issue that many people wouldn't or even couldn't understand. 

I read it in one night! This was such a quick read which many people think you can't get a great book out of that but it had so much within it! I couldn't put this book down. I will be honest - no this book didn't blow me away but it did leave me with some great feelings and loving this authors style!

Stars:

2) Kiss of Broken Glass -By Madeleine Kuderick

Verse book; 224 pages; 2014

When this book started it was amazing! I lost a lot of feelings for this book before it was over but in all it was such a great book! I have never really put this information out there but I could seriously relate to this subject. Growing up I didn't have the greatest childhood and a lot of things that happened made me develop major depression and anxiety so I started dealing with the issues in the wrong way. This leads me to my biggest problem with this book. All the main characters cut themselves just because it was the "cool" thing to do and because everyone else did. I can totally understand that this is a big thing with some kids these days and it shouldn't be happening. But on the other hand it kind of feels like the author is making a parody of people who cut for real reasons. I would totally make this a fave of mine if there was a real reason because the way the author talks about the feelings behind the cutting is so extremely true it was kinda scary!
I do have to say that she did write this story beautifully! With all the emotions she gave and how extreme the details were when it is a verse book I will be looking for some other work from her!
Stars: