Book Review 14: Void & Onix Bowl by Fernanda Liedo & Macarena Matrajt

I have read many cat stories... more than I can count. Short stories, YA novels, memoirs, and children's books. Most of which I have really enjoyed. But I have never read anything like this. 

Void and Onix Bowl is a story within a story. It follows a mommy cat telling a bedtime story to her three kittens. One of the kittens is especially curious, and as most cat people know, this is exactly how a real cat would act. It captures the playful nature of kittens really well, and simultaneously makes the story very heartwarming. The author did a good job of making it fun and enjoyable to read. 

Along with the descriptive storytelling, I really liked the vivid and colourful illustrations. This would be the perfect bedtime story for anyone who likes fantasy, fables and cats. Maybe I am a bit biased, but as a cat lover (and especially a black cat lover), I really enjoyed Void and Onix Bowl. I would give this book a 4/5. 

 

Book Review 13: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes by Suzanne Collins

I read the original Hunger Games trilogy (for the first time) a few months ago. I wanted to read it in time for the new book's release. Although I was late to the Hunger Games craze, I was curious to read this one shortly after it was released. (Partially because I missed The Hunger Games hype, so wanted to be a part of it this time around.)

I didn't know what to expect since it already has so many mixed reviews. It seemed like not a lot of people were interested in hearing a story about President Snow, but much rather wanted to learn more about Haymitch. I also know a lot of people felt like the book was a way to sympathize with the villian. Nevertheless, I am always curious to know more about the villain's (tragic) backstory.

The first half of The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes started off slow (another complaint people seemed to have). I feel like Collins started the story off slow to show Coriolanus' character development. It picked up and got a bit more fast paced halfway through. Not only did we learn about Coriolanus' adolescence, the book also gave insight to a few other significant aspects of The Hunger Games.

Unsurprisingly, the story ended on a high note. Whoever has read The Hunger Games trilogy already knows Snow's fate. I didn't love the first half of the book, but I started to like it when things got a little more interesting. I'm happy I read it and would give it a 4/5.

Considering this book contains a lot of violence and death, I am onto a much lighter book next!

President Snow

Book Review 12: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Night Circus had been on my TBR for quite some time. I found this copy at my local library book sale maybe about a year ago. I was a bit reluctant to start it since I'd heard so many mixed reviews. It seemed like people either loved it or hated it. I instantly fell in love with it. It was unlike any other book I'd ever read. It was enchanting, magical and electrifying. A part of me can't believe how many people didn't like it. That being said, I know many people thought it was slow and boring. Although the story does move a bit slow, that is what I loved most about it. It portrayed the character development so beautifully.

Fantasy is my favourite book genre but it does tend to be dark at times. That was another reason I wasn't sure if I wanted to start this book right now. Lately I've been trying to keep a balance between fantasy and light reads. But the author did such a great job of keeping the book fantastical and lighthearted.

Someone on Facebook described it as a book you want to just crawl inside and live in! That is the best way to describe it. It really captivated me and I think it is a book I would want to reread down the road. 5 stars!

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Book Review 11: The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

*** This review contains minor spoilers***

I remember hearing about The Hunger Games books many years ago from a local librarian. There were a couple of librarians who knew me personally and knew my genres of choice when it came to reading. The last book (Mockingjay) was about the be released that year, so she suggested it was something I may enjoy. I had the books on my TBR for many years, until I finally decided to pick them up near the end of 2019. I was lucky to have found all three books in pretty good condition at my local library book sale. 

The book(s) were intriguing and hard to put down. However, by the time I reached the last few chapters of Mockingjay, it was when the world started dealing with the covid-19 pandemic. As much as I was still enjoying the story, I couldn't help but notice the parallels between this (dystopian) book and reality. People living in bunkers, secretly hoarding food, the government implementing food rationing, and one chapter even had them wearing masks as protection from a deadly gas. It made me feel a bit uneasy. Real life should not feel like a dystopian book/movie. Eventually, I pulled through and made it to the end.

Although I found the ending a bit anti-climactic, it was overall an enjoyable and entertaining read. I liked that the author portrayed the story through Katniss' eyes. It gave the story some heart. I would recommend this series to anyone who is a fan of YA books. Even though I was a bit late to the Hunger Games party, I finally made it! Better late than never! I would give this trilogy a 4 out of 5 stars. 

Book Review 10: Escape from Aleppo by N.H. Senzai

I received this advance copy of Escape from Aleppo from an online contact. Unfortunately, it didn't reach me in time to do the review before the book got released. It took me some time to get into it. The first few chapters didn't reel me in like I was expecting. However, once the story got interesting, I had a hard time putting it down. It follows Nadia on her journey through the war torn streets of Syria in search of her family. She makes unexpected friends (and enemies) along the way.

 

The story is full of love, friendship, sadness and mystery. N.H. Senzai plans to write future books in the same world. I am interested in checking those out as well, to find out what happens to all the characters in the book and how their fate plays out. Overall it is a heartwrenching tale about family. I would give this book a 4 out of 5 stars.

 

 

 

Book Review 9: Throne of Glass by Sara J. Maas

I first heard about the Throne of Glass series a few years ago (through social media.) When I started researching on what the book was about, I was intrigued. The story follows Celaena Sardothien (Adarlan's most dangerous assassin), as she competes for the chance to become The King of Adarlan's Champion. The King promises her total freedom after four years of being his lackey...if she wins. The readers witness Celaena's journey from being a dangerous assassin to fighting for her freedom. 

Despite Celaena's cocky nature, you can't help but fall in love with her. Having gone through such a rough childhood and adolescence, she grows to be a strong and independent eighteen year old. Her spirit and headstrong personality reminded me a lot of Raisa Ana Marianna from the Seven Realms series (one of my favourite book series.) 

In addition to the parallels between Raisa and Celaena, both the Throne of Glass series and Seven Realms series have a similar undertone to them. If you are a fan of one of these series', I think you may enjoy the other one just as much. Sarah J. Maas does a great job of hooking her readers in with fantasy, love and friendship. We learn right from the get go of Celaena's deadly demeanor, However, Maas does a nice job of successfully humanizing her through out the book by introducing us to some her hobbies and interests as we get further into the story. 

The Throne of Glass book series consists of five books in the series (and a sixth one underway.) I am looking forward to continuing on with the series and reading more of Calaena Sardothien's adventures. 

Happy Reading! =)

A Dog's Purpose Controversy

Unless you're living under a rock, you may have heard of the animal abuse video that has recently surfaced from the set of the movie "A Dog's Purpose." The video shows a dog handler forcing a German shepherd into a water rapid simulator (and the dog is clearly not having it.) The video is then edited to show the dog submerged under water and nearly drowning. 

For obvious reasons, this video upset a lot of people. Not only is the dog trainer forcing the dog to do something against his will. It's also ironic and very disturbing that this took place behind the scenes of a movie that celebrates a dog's love for his/her masters. Many people have decided to boycott the movie due to the circumstances of how the movie was filmed. 

I read the book a few months ago and was really looking forward to watching the movie. W. Bruce Cameron wrote a tear jerking novel with such great delivery. It's really unfortunate that the actions of an unprofessional dog handler has tainted his beautiful story. Due to the controversy surrounding the movie, now the author is being shunned. Cameron released a statement on his official facebook page stating that he wasn't on set when this all went down. He's currently looking into the situation and investigating exactly what happened. 

For those people who've decided to boycott this film (and there's a lot of them), my personal recommendation would be to at least read the book. I understand the disturbing content in which the film was made, but please don't deprive yourself of this amazing book about love and friendship. It's written beautifully and with so much heart and soul. However, you may need to have a box of tissues nearby as I was completely red eyed and sobbing through out half of the book. Also keep in mind that it may give you some Marley and Me flashbacks. Nevertheless, the author shouldn't be blamed for the actions of an irresponsible animal handler. 

 

2016 Reading Challenge.

2015 I did not actively read as much as I had hoped. My book list was ever growing but some days I just didn't feel like reading. There were only a handful of books I read this year which were page turners. The last few months of 2015, I decided to join my local book club (again) to force myself to read more (for lack of a better word.) The very first book club book just happened to be a lovely book I'd read before; The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. 

I'd been a member of the online Good Reads community for quite some time now, but I'd been relatively inactive on it. I've started using the app more lately, and it's helped me find some good books which I've added to my TBR book list. One nice feature Good Reads has on it is a "Reading Challenge" page. Members challenge themselves to read a certain amount of books for the year. I was going through many of the other members' reading challenges, and noticed numbers like 50, 75, 100 and some even as high as 200! 

I wanted to challenge myself to reach a realistic reading goal. At first I was going to do a 30 book reading challenge. Then I decided to start off with 25. At first I thought it was a low goal, considering that so many others' wanted to read 100 books! However, a good friend of mine reminded me not to compare my goals with others. Maybe those people have more time to read, but there's nothing to be ashamed of. Furthermore, the most important thing is not the quantity of books but the quality! Hopefully I can reach my goal and will read some enjoyable books along the way. 

Happy Reading! =) 

Book Review 8: Ms. Marvel (Crushed) by Willow Wilson

I have always enjoyed watching superhero movies and T.V. shows. However, I had never read any of the comic books until very recently. I used to read Archie comics and the Saturday morning comic strips in the newspaper, but that was as far as my interest in comic books went. Until the movies had been released, I didn't know which superhero was from D.C. Comics and which was from Marvel. 

A few months ago I decided, since I enjoy the movie/T.V. shows so much, I should go back to the original source and try reading the comic books, just for kicks. I picked up several different kinds from my local library; some I enjoyed, some not so much.

A couple of weeks ago, I got a hold of Ms. Marvel. I had heard about (the new) Ms. Marvel when she was first introduced a couple of years ago. The new face of Ms. Marvel was Kamala Khan, a sixteen year old Muslim Pakistani superhero. I remember hearing both positive and negative reviews about Ms. Marvel at the time. Some people were excited to see that Marvel was coming out with more diverse and multicultural superheroes, some were outraged that the new Ms. Marvel was Muslim, and others (Muslims) were not satisfied with the way the comic book portrayed the average Muslim family. 

I sat down with the comic book, thinking I'll probably just read a few pages and then be on with my way. I was intrigued and found myself laughing out loud at a few parts. It was funny, relatable and exciting. I couldn't put it down, and before I knew it, I read the entire book in one sitting! The way Kamala's family was portrayed, everything Kamala was going through, I felt like I was reading about my own adolescent experience (as a Muslim). 

Wilson made it a point not to shove Kamala's religious beliefs down the readers' throat. It's very subtle and overall, Ms. Marvel is a story about a teenage girl like any other. She has her doubts, her fears and a loving family (who at times annoy her.) 

I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend the Ms. Marvel series to anyone who likes comic books. I intend to go back and read it starting from the first issue.

 

 

Happy Reading! =)

Book Review 7: "Warriors" series by Erin Hunter

The Warriors book series is written by Erin Hunter, which is actually a pseudonym used by six different authors. The series follows the lives of four cat clans. The cat clans include Thundeclan, Shadowclan, Riverclan and Windclan.

The first Warriors book (Into The Wild) starts off with Rusty, a beautiful ginger "kittypet" (housecat) who decides to leave his warm comfortable home to become a "warrior" (feral cat). Once he meets the rest of the warrior cats, adventure ensues.

When I told my husband about these books, he asked me if the cats fought with swords and weapons. Although the cats in the book(s) have been personified, they behave like regular cats. They are often described bathing, purring, growling, and hissing just like any other cat.

The terminology in the book can be quite amusing. They use words like "kittypet" to describe a housecat, "thunderpath" to describe the main road, and "monster" to describe the cars that drive through the "thunderpath."

Though these are children's books, don't be mistaken; they are not for the faint of heart. Due to the nature of feral cat colonies, these books are true to their behaviours and the cats can be very violent. The violence often leads to graphic and untimely deaths of some of the characters in the book. I shed a few tears for some of the cats who died.

The books were overall enjoyable, and I read most of book 6 (The Darkest Hour) in one sitting. It was really hard to put down and I wanted to see how the story played out. However, the story has way too many characters to follow. Since the cat's names are so unique, it can get very confusing at times, and it's hard to remember which cat belongs to which clan, or which kits (kittens) belong to which queen (mother). Furthermore, the cats' names change as they get higher up in the warrior hierarchy. For example, "Rusty" the kittypet becomes "Firepaw" the warrior, and he proceeds to become "Fireheart" and then "Firestar" as the story moves along. Another thing I didn't like about the series was that it ended really abruptly.

About 3/4 way into The Darkest Hour, the book takes an unexpected turn, which is why my eyes were glued to the book. The story doesn't end the way you'd think.

Despite it's downfalls, I would still recommend this series to anyone who loves cats and adventure. They are full of love, cuteness, betrayal and honour. If you are not a cat person, you can also try Erin Hunter's other book series' Seekers (which is about bears) or Survivors (which is about dogs.)

Please Note: The series I read is only the first series of Warriors books. They are followed by three more Warriors series', each consisting of six books.

Happy Reading! =)

Some of the many Warriors books. There are also standalone Warriors books, mangas and Warriors guides.

 

Firepaw is the protagonist in the series and definitely my favourire character. Graypaw is his best friend in the story and they have the cutest kitty bromance ever.

 

 

Quoted from book 2 (Forest of Secrets).

 

My own kittypets striking their Warrior pose! =)

 

 

Book Review 6: The Seven Realms Series

I have previously reviewed "The Demon King" but now that I've completed all four Seven Realms books, I thought I'd do a overall review of the entire series. Let me start off by saying, the first time I was introduced to Cinda Williams Chima was a few years ago, when I got my hands on "The Wizard Heir" which is book two from her other fantasy series, titled "The Heir Chronicles." When I learned she wrote another series, I knew I had to read it. The Heir Chronicles are set in modern day times, while The Seven Realms is high fantasy.

As soon as I started reading The Demon King, I just fell in love with it and it became one of my favourite book series'. It had everything in it that I wanted in a book; magic, betrayal, romance, and twists and turns that leave you at the edge of your seat. The two main characters are Raisa Ana Marianna and Han Allister. Raisa is heir to the throne to her mom's Queendom. She is stubborn, headstrong, causes trouble, and you can't help but love her for it. Han Allister is a former streetlord who often tries to do the right thing, but trouble seems to find him wherever he goes. We follow their journeys as individuals and their worlds eventually collide.

As the story progresses, so does the character development. Chima does a great job of keeping you interested and getting you emotionally attached. Without giving away any spoilers, I will say this; you may get attached to some characters that don't make it till the end. Having previously read The Heir Chronicles, I knew to expect some gore and deaths. There was one particular character which I expected to die early on, but he/she (surprisingly) survived .

The series ended very well. It left me satisfied, and I felt like it tied up all the loose ends. I was happy with the way things turned out. However, I am sad that there will no longer be any future Seven Realms for me to look forward to! On the contrary, I still have to read Chima's most recent book, The Enchanter's Heir. And if memory serves correctly, There will be one more book in the Heir Chronicles after the Enchanter's Heir. I really do hope Cinda Williams Chima decides to write more books in the future, because I absolutely love her!

Book Review 5: Room

I heard about this book a couple of years ago, when it first came out. I kept seeing it on the "new releases" shelf at the local bookstore, but after reading the synopsis, I didn't give it much thought. I had no interest in reading it since at the time, I wanted to mostly stick to happy "fluffy" reads and the storyline just sounded too depressing for my taste. I forgot about it for a while, then saw it sitting at the library a few weeks ago. This time around, I thought it sounded both creepy and kind of intriguing, and that's exactly what it was.

"Room" was inspired by the 2008 Fritzl case of a similar (yet far more disturbing) nature. The narrator of this story is five year old Jack, who lives in Room with Ma. He's never been out of this Room, and doesn't know anything about Outside. Jack thinks everything in Room is his best friend and considers it his home. But to Ma, Room is nothing but a prison, and Old Nick is her prisoner.

It was difficult for me to wrap my head around this book at first. I had a hard time trying to understand Jack's world. A world where nothing exists except for Jack, Ma, and Room. On the contrary, my eyes were glued to it and I didn't want to put it down. Although the setting is very disturbing, Donoghue did a good job of writing a nice story of a mother raising her son. Even in the most terrifying of circumstances, the power of her love (as a mother) could not be weakened. As the story progresses, it is evident that Ma's spirit is rarely crushed, and she has faith that she will one day escape this hell on earth. Furthermore, I like how Donoghue portrayed the protagonist as innocent, blinded and naive, because I think this is an accurate portrayal of a child.

I found Room to be a thought provoking tale. Despite the level of creepiness of this book, I didn't find myself shuddering as much I thought I would. It was a step outside of my comfort zone and a new experience for me to read something like this. I probably won't pick up books like this too often, nor would I recommend it to others. However, now I know I can handle it.

Book Review 4: The Art of Racing in the Rain

I haven't written a book review for a really long time now. Let's be honest, I didn't think any of the books I've been reading lately have been review worthy.

Ever since I've been inactive in my library book club, I've gotten more of a chance to read many of the books on my "list." I just finished reading "The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein. I've previously taken this book out of the library a couple of times, only to return it without reading it. But this time around, I finally got a chance to complete it.

Ever since I read "The Book Thief," I've started to enjoy stories told from the perspective of an unlikely and unconventional narrator. The protagonist in this novel is a young race car driver named Denny. We journey through his trials and tribulations from the point of view of his pet dog Enzo.

Though the story is told the way Enzo sees it, this is not a story about Enzo. It's a story about family, lost love, and betrayal.

Without giving away too much of the plot, I will say The Art of Racing in the Rain is a "fluffy read" which will leave you with a warm and fuzzy feeling after you put it down (no pun intended.)

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a light and easy read.

"There is no dishonor in losing the race," Don said. "There is only dishonor in not racing because you are afraid to lose." - The Art of Racing in the Rain 

Book Review 3: The Demon King

So I finally got around to reading one of the many books on my "books I want to read" list. I usually like to complete one book series before starting on another (I'm currently going through the Percy Jackson series, Warriors cat series, Chronicles of Narnia series, and now The Seven Realms series) but I just couldn't help myself from grabbing a hold of The Demon King when I found it readily available at my local library. The Demon King is book one from the (planned) four part Seven Realms series. Having recently read the first three books of the Heir Chronicles by the same author (Cinda Williams Chima), I knew I wanted to check out any other book(s) she had written. Although The Demon King was different from the Heir series, it was equally as enjoyable. The Heir series dealt with fantasy in the modern world, while The Seven Realms series is more high fantasy in the Royal Queendom of Fellsmarch. It follows the story of Han Allister who is a reformed streetlord still constantly getting himself into trouble with the Raggers, his previous streetlord posse. Meanwhile, Raisa ana Marianna is the heir to the Fellsmarch throne. I don't want to give away too much, but I found this story a bit more complex than the Heir series since there was a lot more information to absorb. But I will say this; it was one of those books which was hard for me to put down. Cinda Williams Chima grasped onto my attention with this epic tale of love, loss, and self discovery. An intriguing page turner to say the least. There are currently two books out in the series; The Demon King and The Exiled Queen. Book three is due to come out around late August or mid September, which will be titled The Gray Wolf Throne, I'm really excited for it's release! One of my favourite passages in The Demon King was a scene in which Han stands up to his mother, who is constantly on his back about getting a better job so he can feed his family (Mam, and kid sister Mari.) This passage is just too awesome not to share. I remember getting goosebumps the moment I read it. Enjoy!

     Mam's breath hissed out, like he'd confirmed all her worst fears. "You're cursed, Hanson Allister, and you'll come to a bad end," she said. "It's no wonder you're in trouble when you're out on the streets all day long. When you run with street gangs, thieving and robbing..."
     "I'm not with the Raggers anymore," Han interrupted. "I promised you back in the fall."
     Mam plowed on as he hadn't spoken. "When you take up with ill-favored sorts like Lucius Frowsley. We may be poor, but at least we've always been honest."
     Something broke loose inside Han, and when he opened his mouth the words came spilling out. "We're honest? Well, honest won't fill our bellies. Honest doesn't pay the rent. It's been me supporting us for the past year, and it's a lot harder without slide-hand. Be my guest if you think you can keep us out of debtor's prison taking in washing and picking rags. And if we do go to prison, what do you think will happen to Mari?"
     Mam stood speechless, eyes very blue, her lips as white as the rest of her face. Then she snatched up a stick from the kindling pile and swung it at him. Reflexively, he gripped her wrist and held it. They glared at each other for a long moment, married by blood and anger. Slowly anger drained away, leaving only the linkage of blood.
     "I'm not going to let you hit me anymore," Han said quietly. "I've already had one beating today. That's enough."


http://www.cindachima.com/Demon_King/Demon_King.htm

Book Review 2: The Book Thief

WARNING: THIS BOOK REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS. 

I go for a weekly book club at my local library and last month's book was The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I was somewhat familiar with this book, since I've seen it at my book store numerous times but I was always reluctant to pick it up. After reading the synopsis, I just didn't think it was for me. I generally don't like to read about real life situations, especially when tragedy meets tragedy. I didn't expect to enjoy this book. I thought it would be one of those awful reads which is sad from beginning to end. Oh how I misjudged The Book Thief. The unconventional narrator was the first thing that caught my interest. How many books have you read which have been narrated by Death? Zusak did a great job of giving Death human qualities which almost made me sympathize with him as a reader. Although the general story line was as sad as I thought it would be, I was unable to put the book down. One of my favourite parts of the story was Liesel and Max's platonic friendship. There have been very few stories I've read with a male and female character developing an innocent relationship, having nothing to do with love, sex or intimacy. However, I couldn't help but wonder (by the very end of the book) if Max was Liesel's husband, as Zusak never made it clear to the readers who she married. Nevertheless, Zusak did a great job of delivering The Book Thief through simple language and a complex plot line. Anyone who enjoys stories about young children, accordions and a whole lot of thievery is sure to fall in love with this book.

Happy Reading!

                                                 

Book Review 1: The Wizard Heir

When I was about fifteen, I got introduced to the magical world of Harry Potter. After seven books, numerous character deaths, and a very memorable midnight release party for the Deathly Hallows, I finally said goodbye to my friend Harry in the summer of 2007. After mourning the end of Harry Potter, I didn't think I'd ever fall in love with another book character again. I spent months trying to find some good fantasy reads, and that is how I discovered The Wizard Heir. The book synopsis sounded dark and interesting so I decided to pick it up hoping for an enjoyable read. Much to my contentment, that's exactly what I got. And so began my love affair with Seph McCauley. The Wizard Heir is about a sixteen year old boy named Seph who keeps getting kicked out of prestigious private schools and is unable to control his magic within. He is unaware (or anaweir) of his origins and that's what keeps the readers second guessing from chapter to chapter. Cinda Williams Chima does a great job of hooking readers into the story and keeping you at the edge of your seat throughout the entirety of the book. It was a good old fashioned page turner, and FYI, I've had a lot of trouble finding those lately. One of the many reasons I kept reading was because I wanted to know if Seph ever finds his Weirbook or not. The only unfortunate thing was when I started reading The Wizard Heir, I thought it was Book 1 in the Heir Chronicles, but it's actually Book 2. (Book 1: The Warrior Heir, Book 2: The Wizard Heir and Book 3: The Dragon Heir. Keep in mind, The Warrior Heir and The Wizard Heir are companion novels. Therefore, can still be read as stand alones.) Although I found The Warrior Heir and The Wizard Heir equally enjoyable, I would have preferred to read them in chronological order, but that's just me. I would recommend this book series to anyone who loves fantasy, magic and is not afraid of a little bit of gore. I am pleased to learn that Chima will be adding two more books to this series, possibly titled The Sorcerer Heir and The Enchanter Heir. In the mean time, The Dragon Heir is sitting on my book shelf waiting to be read!

Happy Reading!  

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/cinda-williams-chima/wizard-heir.htm