Tag: book review

Best Snow White Retelling So Far // Girls Made Of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust

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MY RATING : ★★★★/5 

When I started reading this book, I expected a very average teenage fantasy story because I’ve been disappointed in so many YA books lately. Surprisingly, as soon as I think that I find myself diving in the book and never let it go for the next 3 hours and read it one shot. YES, that’s how good it was!

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I would love to say that it’s the usual plot but nope this one is actually unexpected. Without spoiling anything, you have Mina, the step-mother, a beautiful woman with an exquisite charm and Lynet, the princess who become quite fond of her stepmother. Since she was a little girl, Lynet wanted to be like Mina, a beauty and those fierce traits that she always looked up to. Unfortunately, as the story unfolds their relations would turn into anger and a battle of powers take place. Don’t read the official blurb, it gives away too much of the story.  Continue reading →

Blackwing by Ed McDonald

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“I don’t like things that don’t make sense. Not until I’ve put a knife in them.”

— Ed McDonald, Blackwing

    It would be a mistake to overlook this book. Ed McDonald’s debut novel, the first book in The Raven’s Mark series, is a phenomenal piece of literature. It glows with fiery passion and an inhuman mastery of creativity. There wasn’t a single moment to take a breath as it held a tenacious grip on my attention to the point of chocking me with fast-paced action. Blackwing is a beautiful and sinister fantasy story. Its ability to create a wonderful and unique world is astonishing and bleeds with a desire to seduce you into the mind of Ed McDonald. Reading this felt like the work of a genuine mastermind who’s penmanship has went through hell and high water. Forget about soft clouds and pretty rainbows. Blackwing will show you misery and demise melded around hope, reason and humanity. This novel deserves so much praise and absolutely needs everyone’s attention. So what are you waiting for?

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Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick

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“Everything is true. Everything anybody has ever thought.”

— Philip K. Dick, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

    What is life? Such a mundane question, right? Philip K. Dick doesn’t think so. He sure as hell didn’t think so when he wrote Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. Although Blade Runner (1982) draws inspiration on this classic masterpiece, it definitely doesn’t tell the same story. This novel’s essence emanates from a desire to dive deep into the concept of life. To do so, there’s nothing more perfect than androids and electric animals to serve as a means to establish how simple existence is. In this novel, set in 2021, World War Terminus has sent mankind off-planet and introduced everyone to extinction. The remaining people now lay great importance to any remaining living creature, but each now go for great value. Those who can’t afford them are looked down upon, and to avoid such scrutiny, invest in electric simulacrum. The story however doesn’t solely focus on these creatures, but also on androids. These machines were so similar to humans, it is near impossible to tell the difference, hence forcing the government to ban them. Bounty hunter Rick Deckard however has the mission to find rogue androids and to “retire” them. In this journey, he’ll be enlightened in unimaginable ways that his life isn’t as easy as just buying himself his next big horse.

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Provenance by Ann Leckie

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“Oh, almighty powers, what had she just done?”

— Ann Leckie, Provenance

    All rise as bestselling author Ann Leckie enters the court with her new novel Provenance! After her greatly appreciated Imperial Radch trilogy, kicked things off with Ancillary Justice, the author brings us this brand new space opera story filled with politics for fans to rejoice at. In Provenance, the story follows a young woman, Ingray Aughskold as she takes great means to get her hands on something that could help her make a name out of herself in her family. It doesn’t take long before you realize that her actions are risky and could put her in a sticky situation if not handled properly, especially if things don’t go exactly as she planned it. But when do things ever go as we plan, right? As you follow her around you’ll come to be submerged into a whole universe that takes a life of its own in a matter of seconds. Provenance is far from being anything like some of the debut novels out there. This is the work of someone who’s been there and done that.

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Brother by David Chariandy

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“But most looked the way you do when you’re being studied unfavourably. When you’re being watched but also trying to see.”

— David Chariandy, Brother

    There are novels out there that are strangely tagged fiction for simply being the result of someone’s imagination. This one however strives to show you that even fiction can break through its walls, goad its readers, and make us wonder if it isn’t a true story. Brother tackles on the story of Michael and Francis, two kids living in a Scarborough housing complex right in the heart of Toronto, Canada, in 1991. Weighed down by the expectations of their Trinidadian immigrant mother, these kids face countless obstacles in various forms and come to see the struggles they live with amplified by their cultural background. Their lives however bifurcate as they each find their own ways to get by under the pressure of their situation. Veiled in a stunning prose that sticks to the necessary details, Brother succeeds in telling a moving story about immigration, family, identity and society.

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September Popular Reads Review

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I’ve read quite some books these past weeks and I haven’t got the time to write a full post review on them, so I’m making these short reviews 😉 I will definitely write some more detailed reviews for these ones in the future!

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GIRLS MADE OF SNOW AND GLASS 

MY RATING : ★★★★★/5 

I absolutely loved this book! I enjoyed this much more than I expected haha. What is very interesting with this book is a battle between daughter and mothers, two women who will discover their true powers and who must decide what to do with it. This retelling of Snow White is creative and full of spellbinding writing forming a rich and lush tale.

Thank you to Raincoast Books for giving me a free copy to review! 

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FIREBLOOD ( Frostblood #2)

MY RATING : ★★★★/5 

I tend to be really picky on sequels, but gladly for me, this one is even better than the first book! I get to follow Ruby to Sudesia, land of of the Firebloods and my oh my that was exciting ! A book full of actions, character growth, a real training with other students 😉 That’s right y’all, a vibe of a magic and wizardy school here! ❤

Thank you to Hachette Canada for giving me a copy of this book  to review!

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GENUINE FRAUD 

MY RATING : ★★★/5

If you’re looking for a great dark and psychological thriller for the fall, I would recommend this one! It’s not my usual liking since I tend to love REALLY gory and mind blowing thrillers but I thought some parts were very smart and genuine. I totally appreciate how raw and real this novel feels. Bad people do bad things, and sometimes, they do get away with it.

 A girl who refuses to give people what they want from her.
A girl who refuses to be the person she once was.

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A Legacy of Spies by John Le Carré

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“It’s over. I’ve fought to the last lie. I’m dead and I’m out of ammunition.”

— John Le Carré, A Legacy of Spies

    One of the godfathers of spy thrillers returns to the battlefield with A Legacy of Spies. It’s hard to ignore the legacy of John Le Carré himself when brought to reflect upon the whole universe of espionage that he was able to bring to life, from Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy to The Spy Who Came in From the Cold. His latest novel serves as a fantastic throwback to his greatest work and brings back one of his signature characters, George Smiley, in a story overflowing with tough moral decisions. As much as I would’ve loved to recommend this as a stand-alone novel which features one of the most charismatic, authentic and fascinating characters, Peter Guillam, also known as George Smiley top disciple, A Legacy of Spies will mostly please fans who have read his previous novels, notably the two mentioned above. Nonetheless, John Le Carré’s latest book continues to highlight his talent as a story-teller and immerses you in the world of spies like no other story.

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Lord of the Flies by William Golding

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“Maybe there is a beast… maybe it’s only us.”

— William Golding, Lord of the Flies

    Them kids are crazy! William Golding really does dig deep into the soul of children to extrapolate human nature and all its ugliness. You’d think that children would be safe from all the evil that men are capable of. Let him tell you a story of kids surviving a plane crash and being stranded on a island. You’ll be convinced by the end of this one that there’s nothing pure and innocent in life when your life is at stake. With very little experience and only adults as a reference, these kids can only attempt to reproduce the safety of reason and the comfort of structure. Lord of the Flies is a story that will take these children deep into the wilderness, alongside the lush green trees and wide blue skies, and leave them with the colossal task of finding a way back to their lives, or even a safe path out of their predicament. However, this island has other plans for them. Can these boys come out of it all unscratched or stained by the vile behaviours that resides within us all?

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Warcross by Marie Lu

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MY RATING : ★★,5 /5

Maybe because I loved The Young Elites trilogy too much that I had very high expectations for this one.

Marie Lu returns with a promising action-packed adventure of Emika Chen in the virtuality world, where she has to go through some struggles to hunt down the players who bet illegally on the game.

Untitled-2I guess if she stayed on the plot, where we follow a desperate teenager with 6,000$ in debts trying to hunt down the illegal players it would be a little bit more twisted and dark. However, what I feared the most had happened 10 pages into the book.

THE LUCKY MAIN CHARACTER SYNDROME.

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Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward

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MY RATING:★★★★,5/5

I’ve been on a really good reading ride lately, my last reads were always 4 or 5 stars and they were all ARCs (Advanced Copies) which is surprising because I tend to give a 3 stars average when I’m binging on ARCs. I guess Fall is starting well for me 😉 

I just loved everything about this book, but the one thing I was completely head over heels was the novelty of the theme. 

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This novel is narrated by Jojo, a child who has to take care of his toddler sister Kayla while dealing with his drug addicted Leonie, and a mysterious sinister grandfather, Pap. When you start reading the book, you can feel the dynamic of the family. It’s very unique and disturbing at the same time. But as you read and turn the pages.. there’s A SUPERNATURAL SIDE that I found absolutely brilliant!! I really don’t want to spoil what it is but let me tell you it’s one of the times that make you wish you had read more about sorcery and African traditions.

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The Child Finder by Rene Denfeld

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“This is something I know: no matter how far you have run, no matter how long you have been lost, it is never too late to be found.”

— Rene Denfeld, The Child Finder

    Every once in a while you’ll come across a novel that’ll succeed in doing the impossible. For me, Rene Denfeld’s latest novel The Child Finder does exactly that. After her successful and mesmerizing debut novel The Enchanted, she now continues to tackle similar themes through a mystery thriller like none other. There are subjects in life that will always remain grim and unbearable, but then there are authors out there with a never-before-seen skill with words who will find ways to charm and maintain a relentless grip on you while tackling some of the darkest and most painful incidents that could occur in the lives of some. The Child Finder is my first sighting of a book that harmoniously brings together the beautiful and the horrible this year. Through raw and magical writing, Rene Denfeld offers us a hypnotizing look into what entrapment, survival and redemption is all about. There’s nothing pretty in the world that she disentangles for us, yet she still somehow manages to tinge this story with warmth, light and hope. This is a story that strives in showcasing the very foundation of human survival.

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Zero, Repeat Forever by G.S. Prendergast [Blog Tour]

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MY RATING:★★★.5 /5

 

He has no voice, or name, only a rank, Eighth. He doesn’t know the details of the mission, only the directives that hum in his mind.
Dart the humans. Leave them where they fall.
His job is to protect his Offside. Let her do the shooting.
Until a human kills her…
Sixteen year-old Raven is at summer camp when the terrifying armored Nahx invade, annihilating entire cities, taking control of the Earth. Isolated in the wilderness, Raven and her friends have only a fragment of instruction from the human resistance.
Shelter in place.

Alright, guys this is one of the hardest reviews I’ve had to write. Because the only aspect that makes this book bad, is also one of those that makes this book awesome. See how confused I am? LOL And that is, the pace.

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It’s slow. I mean very slow. I’m not a big fan of slow building plot and even less when it has the same vibe as The 5th Wave. However, this slow pace is also a nice add since it allows us to really contemplate the collapse and deterioration of the world. This same pace also enables the reader to really connect with the characters and for the first time, it takes half the book before the main characters meet each other.  Continue reading →

The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne

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MY RATING:★★★★★/5

best read

THIS BOOK SLAYS. SLAYS ME EMOTIONNALLY. INTERNALLY. One those UNFORGETTABLE reading experience. I don’t even know where to begin. This book left me in awe. Please don’t read the blurb. Open the book and let yourself submerge by this beauty. Because if I read the blurb, I would never pick this up. It’s sad to say but if this book was not in my ARC pile, I would never read it either and I’m so happy that this ARC got in my hands.

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From the first sentences, the author puts a spell on you. A spell of how simple his words are but oh so beautiful and witty at the same time. It started out with some real actions, until you realized this is only the introduction to the real story. You follow the journey of Cyril Avery, from beginning to the end. It was such an emotional ride.

“It was a difficult time to be Irish, a difficult time to be twenty-one years of age and a difficult time to be a man who was attracted to other men. To be all three simultaneously required a level of subterfuge and guile that felt contrary to my nature.” 

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The Child by Fiona Barton

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“You can bury the story… But you can’t hide the truth.”

— Fiona Barton, The Child

    Fiona Barton unleashes a phenomenal new mystery starring Kate Waters in The Child. Drawing upon her own personal experience as a journalist, readers are treated with an impossibly addictive story that will keep you immersed and alert till the very end of this adventure. Set in London, The Child thrives in digging into and unearthing questions and answers that have paralyzed and traumatized individuals countless years ago. It all begins when a workman unintentionally discovers the skeleton of a buried baby. Who is this Building Site Baby? While the story kicks things off with Kate Waters pursuing this story, convinced that it is one that merits the attention of the world, Fiona Barton tosses in a couple more point of views and succeeds in building up the intrigue like no other story. In this suspense-filled psychological thriller, Fiona Barton continues to show great promise by delivering another wonderful book for fans to indulge in, especially those who’ve enjoyed The Widow and are looking for more refined stories to read.

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Reading Habits

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I was reading when one of my friends asked me if I ever had a special reading habit and I thought this would be interesting to talk about in a post. Mostly because I want to know you guys’ reading habits 😉

I don’t consider myself having any particular reading habits like reading on one feet or wtv LOL

  

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I usually love to read anywhere I can but the best feeling I think it’s in the subway. Every time I  plan to have a long ride in the metro, I feel super happy because I get to read a lot LOL ”YESSS a 30 MINUTES RIDE”. Except that, I enjoyed a good couch with a blanket on in the winter. Nothing beats a cozy feeling. I used to read in my bed but I slowly gave up that habit for I find it not efficient for me. I always end up staying up super late at night to finish a book and I have school or work in the morning…hehe. Continue reading →

The Court of Broken Knives by Anna Smith Spark

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“Why we march and why we die, and what life means… it’s all a lie. Death! Death! Death!”

— Anna Smith Spark, The Court of Broken Knives

    It’s always refreshing to dive into a pool of murky grimdark water after a long thriller swim. With fantasy books, the world alone transports you to unimaginable places filled with impossible people and creatures. Set in environments that take a life of its own, you’re bound to find yourself chained to the details of the land and to lurk in the shadows of its people. Anna Smith Spark brings us a new and gripping debut story that swears to have everything you’d want, from blood and betrayal to magic and dragons. The Court of Broken Knives, book one in the Empires of Dust series, offers us four different and unusually fascinating point of views to tell a story filled with back-stabbing decisions and rightful ownership. Although each character (mercenary captain, mercenary recruit, politician and high priestess) all have their own goals and slowly discover the harsh reality of the decisions they are to make, Marith, the latest recruit to the company of soldiers, remains the center of attention as his uncommon background resurfaces and takes a hold of his life.

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How to make time to read

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SO MANY BOOKS, SO LITTLE TIME

I think this is one the most popular question my friends and followers have asked me. ”How do you make time to read? How do you have time at all? ” And I just look at them like : HOW DON’T YOU HAVE TIME?! 

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HAH kidding, I know it’s easy for me to say that books are in my everyday life. So here are few tips I’d like to share with you or maybe you can relate too  😀

1. Always have a book with you

This first step is very important guys😂 Do not leave your house without a book, even if it’s on your phone or a physical book in your bag. I always end up with like 3 books in my bag because I have that strange phobia where I  fear that I won’t have any book left to read…

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2. Take advantage of the public transportation

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Book Lover’s Day ft 4321, Spill Zone and The Heart We Sold reviews

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How fitting it is that today is Women’s Day, Book Lover’s Day and my best friend’s birthday, WOO 😀 ! She’s an incredible woman and bookworm ❤ Shoutout to NHII  😀

I have decided to put together some reviews of the books I’ve read these past months but didn’t makea full review for it 😉

4321 by Paul Auster 

★★★★★ 

I’ve been a fan of Paul Auster since his New York Trilogy, and oh my god he didn’t disappoint with this one.  Okay be aware, it’s a 900 pages novel with small fonts. Whenever I bring the book people thought I was bringing a dictionary around LOL. However, the long narrative justifies the beauty of Auster’s writing. He proved once again he can change from the detailed thought process of prose in New York Trilogy to a historical and storytelling style in this one. I loved the fact that he took that risk and produced a wonderful plot with a complex structure.

 “The torment of being alive in a single body was that at any given moment you had to be on one road only, even though you could have been on another, travelling toward an altogether different place”- Paul Auster

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