|2014 – A Round Up Post|

Hello there, and happy new year!

While 2014 was kind of a terrible year for me (both life and reading wise!) I’ve got high hopes for 2015. I also have a few of my favourite books that I read this year to share with you all.  

My main hope and task for this year is to breath love and life back into my passion for blogging and books. I look forward to sharing the unforeseeable future with you all!

Without further ado, and in no particular order…

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HEIR OF FIRE – SARAH J MAAS

Goodreads | Waterstones | Book Depository

The Throne Of Glass series is highly favoured by many book bloggers and YA Fantasy lovers alike – and with damned good reason. There is nothing to say about this book except:

If you haven’t read it, read it.

If you have read it, read it again.

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SHADOW AND BONE – LEIGH BARDUGO

Goodreads | Waterstones | Book Depository

This recently concluded trilogy is another favourite among the bookish. I didn’t love it as much as some others did, but that won’t stop me from reading the rest of the series when I have the chance.

If you can’t tell by that fantastical cover, a beautiful world and story is held in this book.

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THE FIFTH WAVE – RICK YANCEY

Goodreads | Waterstones | Book Depository

Rick Yancey created a wonderful novel that was quite different from a lot of the apocalyptic YA circulating at the time.

While I’m terrified of aliens and the unknown, that just made the book a more interesting read for me.

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THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO – PATRICK NESS

Goodreads | Waterstones | Book Depository

Patrick Ness is a wonderfully gifted writer. Unfortunately, he is also one of those writers that loves to rip out the hearts of his fans (need I say anymore?).

I was intimidated by the size of this book, but I found that once I was in, the pages flew by!

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HALF BAD – SALLY GREEN

Goodreads | Waterstones | Book Depository

I recieved Half Bad as an early birthday present and let me tell you, it did not last long. I gobbled it up as soon as I could. The book is narrated by a male witch, which in itself is amazing, but more than that, it is a beautiful read, with stunningly human characters.

AND. Sally Green allowed me to name one of the minor characters in Half Wild. So when you read about Claudia, you can know that I named her! I’m so honoured.

|Review| |HEIR OF FIRE by Sarah J Maas|

 HEIR OF FIRE by Sarah J Maas

Throne of Glass #3

Buy from Waterstones | Buy from Book Depository

Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien’s only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan’s Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King’s Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan’s biggest threat – and his own toughest enemy.

While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she has grown to love? – Goodreads 

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This will be a short review because I find the Throne of Glass series so amazing that I can’t formulate proper sentences when I finish a book.  

Sarah J Maas has a wonderful gift. She can create an ethereal fantasy world, and plunge you in it in a way that makes you never want to leave. Then, once you’re comfortable, she’ll rip your heart out. And forcefully feed it to one of her characters. The worst part is, you’ll still come back for more.

This is the main reason I approached Heir of Fire rather tentatively. Crown of Midnight was a wonderful read, but I, like many others, still find myself nursing the wounds left behind.

What I find incredibly impressive is that all three books in the series read exactly the same. There is no difference in voice or in quality, it’s literally like I’m just reading one continuous book rather than three separate ones.

Another deeply alarming example of Sarah J Maas’ power is that I actually had shivers when reading the last hundred pages or so. I read a two word sentence and just… blanked for a moment. Then I shivered, and though it was most likely because I was cold, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the two words had resonated within me and held a very personal meaning.

Because of all of this, I can’t recommend the series enough. I am so glad that I picked Throne of Glass up at my library an entire year ago now. I’m just so sad that I have to wait a year for the next installment. But, I hear Sarah has been working on another series, and the first book of that will come out much sooner than the fourth Throne of Glass novel. Maybe that will tide her fans over!