Sunday, July 31, 2016

July Wrap Up





You know, there will never be a June 2016 ever again. 
Once it passes, it passes for good. 
That is, until the invention of time machines.  

But anyways, I saved most of my ranting for this wrap up. Just for you. 
So without further ado, I give you my first wrap up!




Oh my god, you guys! At the last day of June I got the most exciting message on twitter from Inge (Of Wonderland) telling me I won an August Fairyloot subscription box at her giveaway!
My first giveaway win! I was beyond happy, jumping up and down like a crazy person.
I'm SO excited for this box. The theme is Dark Deeds. Can it be any cooler? I don't think so. You can definitely expect photos of the box on my twitter and instagram accounts. It's going to be AWESOME! 

So this month I read 4 books and about half of 3 more books.
Yeah... I know. Not good. Tell that to my reading slump. I tried *everything*, but for some reason - the reason being the reading slump - I could not finish almost all of the books I started. Even if I really wanted to read them.
Well, it would be easier showing you. So here they are: 


The books I read:

Captive Prince by C.S Pacat


Yep, I caved.
That's what happens when everyone is talking about certain books and you just have to find out for yourself what all the fuss it about.
And let me tell you, the fuss is well granted.
I was pleasantly surprised to find out I really enjoyed this trilogy despite it not being my usual kind of read.

First things first, I hardly read any LGBT books. At first is was because I didn't know if I would be able to connect to it, but after reading Carry On by Rainbow Rowell that fear was gone. And later, it was because I honestly didn't know any other LGBT books - preferably with a fantasy element to them. Because, well, I love fantasy. 

Captive prince doesn't really have fantasy in it, but it takes place in a fantastical world, which is good enough for me.

Everything about those books was just so engaging and beautifully written. It might take a while to really get into it, but by the second book you wouldn't want to stop.
I highly suggest those books for anyone who is looking for LGBT books that are not contemporary and that involve politics and action.

Just a bit of a warning: the books do feature some rather explicit scenes, so if you're uncomfortable with it, I suggest you don't read the books but go with a sweeter, less darker read such as Carry On by Rainbow Rowell.

By the way, I left those books unrated because I honestly didn't know how to rate them. It never really happened to me before.   



Willful Machines by Tim Floreen
My rating: 4 stars

Another LGBT read.
It's been a big month for LGBT reads for me it would seem.
Maybe I just needed some change in order to get over my reading slump. Whatever the case, I don't regret reading any of those books.
Because Willful Machines was oh so good.

Taking place in a future where humans managed to create an artificial intelligence so real it can seem like a human being, the story follows Lee - the son of the president of the united states, and Nice - a mysterious boy who literally seemed to arrive our of nowhere.

Willful Machines has action, mystery, romance (well, of course), a rough artificial intelligence that puts terror in everyone and... oh, did I mention there is some very cool shakespeare mush in the mix?
I can feel you wanting to read this book. Well, you should, because it's great and hardly anyone know about it (:
(It's all thanks to Jay Kristoff, who tweeted about Tim Floreen's next book - Tattoo Atlas -that I even knew this book existed. Thank, Jay!) 



The books I started but did not finish (blame it all on the slump):


            This Savage Song            Girl Against The Universe           New World Rising
           by Victoria Schwab                 by Paula Stokes                   by Jennifer Wilson
                Got to: 48%                           Got to: 37%                            Got to: 40% 

Even though I did enjoy those books to some extent, I just couldn't really get into them\finish them.
At the moment, they are DNF books, but who know, I might come back for them in the future. It happened to me before with other DNF books.


The books I re-read:


I used to -reread a loooot in the past.
Now, with so many books out there to read, not so much.
But what better way to fight through a slump than reading a beloved book?
So this month I re-read an all time favorite of mine (for the... I think 5th time): 


Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover
                                       First time reading it: December 2014                                                                                                My rating: 5 stars


I don't think I'll ever get tired of re-reading this book.
It's just so cute, so funny, so many feels, so amazing, so fantastic, so unique. Just: SO MUCH. 




So. It terms of posts. I wrote 12 posts this month (new record on Magiverse!)
And I had so-so-so-so-so-so much fun with each and every one of them.

This month was like a breakthrough for me on Magiverse. I finally felt like I was getting into the rhythm of things, of blogging, of talking with you guys.
And, of course, seeing all those comments on my blog was just... I honestly can't thank you enough. Each and every comment made me laugh, smile, squeal and feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

As you probably know from experience, seeing something you wrote gets attention is like the best thing in the world for a writer.
I value each and every comment and each of every one of you.
Thank you. So much.

*Clearing my throat*
And here are the posts (from the very first to the last) we had this month on Magiverse:



And if you were wondering... it is not the end of the book tags terror on Magiverse ;) 




I'm a HUGE TV shows fan.
I do watch movies from time to time but I much prefer TV shows over movies.

I'm so excited to go with you over the shows I watched this month and freak out all about them!
Needless to say, there are going to be spoilers. So if you're not completely caught up with those shows... I'll be sure to mark which show I'm talking about.
Ready?
Let's do this.


The Originals


I finally got the courage to watch the final few episodes of The Originals and oh my god, it was phenomenal!
My heart. My poor, poor heart.
So much happened those last few episodes. So much sadness, so much bitterness, but also... at the end, so much hopefulness. 

I didn't realize how much I loved Cami and how much I love her and Klaus together until she died. It was just so sad. My heart broke for Klaus. 
I was terrified he was going to go on a murder spree after her death but it was the exact opposite. Cami changed him - even after her death, she still changed him. 



*Sobbing for eternity*
Oh no, I will never-ever get over this part.
Never.
Ever.
You hear me? You'd better bring her back.
I do not for one second believe she's truly gone for good.
Just look at how many times Bonnie fame back to life. And Davina is like... our main New Orleans witch. And she and Kol are just... I ship them *so* much.
Seriously. They're my favorite OTP on the show. What they have between them... is not something you can easily diminish. Just as Davina did not give up on Kol after he died, I just know Kol will not give up on Davina. 
"Give them hell, Davina Claire."
*
sobbing again*

I have to admit, I'm not really feeling the whole Haley & Elijah thing. I feel zero chemistry between them and too much insta-love. Is it just me? 

I'm Beyond anticipating season 4. It's official, The Originals has me in its clasps. I'm an addicted fan for life.
Have you seen the promo for The Originals season 4? Because trust me, it will leave you squealing for 10 minutes straight.



Beauty & The Beast


*Sigh*
I tried. I really did. 
But no matter how much I tried, I could not seem to get into it.
The idea of beauty and the beast in the modern world is a fantastic one. But the way they did it... something about it just didn't click with me at all.

One of my biggest problems with the show is actually the romance.
As you probably know, I'm a hardcore shipper (it's both a blessing and a curse sometimes) but if there is one thing I hate... it's insta-love.
And beauty and the beast the TV show? Was the definition of insta-love. 
I just couldn't deal with it.
And even when I did try to focus on the other aspects of the show... it was of no help. 

Sorry for all the fans. It's just wasn't for me. 


Outlander


Yes! I finally started watching outlander this month!
I still haven't watched the last few episodes, so no spoilers everyone.
All I'm going to say is: It's amazing-amazing-amazing-amazing.
Seriously.
It takes a while to get into it, but it's one of those shows when you do get into it, it's the most amazing thing in the world. 


Movies


I've been feeling rather nostalgic lately.
Which is why I probably found myself watching so many Disney movies I haven't watched in years. Like Tangled, How to train your dragon, The princess and the frog and Mulan.
Ah, the nostalgia... 
No matter how old I am, those movies are always and forever part of me.
What about you guys? Do you watch Disney movies? 



Hey everyone, how are you doing?
I hope you had a great June. Both it reading and in everything else in life. 

I saw a lot of different monthly wrap ups. Some bloggers decide to focus only on books and blog stuff, and some also mix up a personal feature where they tell their readers a little bit of what happened to them this month in their personal life. 
After some pondering on the matter, I decided to do the same ;) 

And, of course, feel free to share with me or link me to your own June wrap up! This feature isn't called You and me talk for nothing, now is it? *wink-wink*.

So! Me in June, huh? Let's see... 

    • I started taking piano lessons! Which is just... so amazing. I love playing the piano so much. It makes me feel... something I can't even explain. I used to go to piano lessons a few years back but due to some circumstances, I didn't continue there and never played again until now. I'm so happy to be back and more ready then ever to learn to play this beautiful instrument.


    • If you don't know, I'm 18. I literally just finished high school a month and a half ago. My plans to attend college abroad this year have been sadly delayed. So as I wait for attending college next year, I'll probably be working to save some money (:


    • I wrote a  guest post for Mental Health Awareness week on Jenny in Neverland, talking a little but about my own experience with mental health. It should be up sometimes today, if you want to check it out.


    • I've been beyond happy this month on Magiverse. Writing posts, thinking up on ideas, reading your comments... was the best part of my day. Although, I didn't have much time going through other blogs and read and write all at the same time. It made me realize something:


    • It's important to take a break. If you push yourself to the limits, blogging would not be so fun anymore. When you feel that pressure building up, put the blog aside a rest. The need to go back to it will return on its on.


    • An ant attack has taken over my house! No matter what we do, they just keep coming. And it's not getting any colder anytime soon. It means war.


    • I reached 136 followers on twitter this month and it's just... something I never thought I'll get to. For me, comments are so much more important than followers. But when I follow someone, it means I'm genuinely interested in what they have to say\write. So when someone follows me... thinking maybe they follow me for the same reason makes me so happy.


    • And because of that, I'm hosting my first twitter giveaway of An Ember In the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir. It's International and ends August 25! 




Did I forget to mention? I love writing stories.
Like many book-bloggers out there, my biggest dream is of becoming an author.

I don't really have a writing process. I'm more of the improviser with bursts of inspiration kind of writer. Which means I have periods of times when I don't write at all and times when I write and write and write. For me, it's never a constant flow.

So... what am I writing?
Right now I'm working on two stories.
The first one is an historical-fiction-fantasy story that takes place in the 18th century and is about pirates.
The second one is a fantasy story that takes place in a fantastical world and is about a princess and a group of assassins.
Right now, that's all I can say about it ;)
Next time I might include part of the stories.

What about you aspiring writers? Are you writing something interesting right now? Do you have a writing process, or are you like me? I'd love to hear you thoughts.





And that's it for my June wrap-up!
Thank you everyone for staying until the end... I know it was a long one (unless, of course, you just skipped to the end ;) ).

I hope it was interesting, hopefully funny and not completely boring.
My first wrap up - go easy on me.

I'm open to your thoughts - feel free to tell me all about your bookish\blog\movies\TV\personal\writing month!
Let's have a great August, shall we?






Being happy felt like a trick I could never quite get the hang of - like juggling or something. 
-- Willful Machines, Tim Floreen

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

The Musical Book Tag



I have like... 10 tags on my TDT (a.k.a to do tags).
I was considering doing another poll to ask you guys what tag should I do next, and that's when I saw The Musical Book Tag and I was all like: "This is it! This is the tag I need to do next!" 

Because this tag is so cool and fun and was created by the lovely Lydia from Something Like Lydia.

This tag is based on some famous musicals, which... I never watched, but still! 

Without delay (because I'm so excited to start!), let's do this tag, shall we? (: 


*Wicked: favorite fictional friendship*

When I think about it, it's sad to see there aren't that many strong fictional friendships.
I may be a hardcore shipper but I love strong family\friendship bonds just as much.
I honestly wouldn't mind reading a book with no romance whatsoever in it, as long has it has a strong friendship bond. 

There are quite a few beautiful friendships I can think about, like: Pack and Meghan (The Iron Fey series), Nora and Scott (the Hush Hush series), Jem and Will (The Infernal Devices trilogy) and a few more...

But the only friendship I can recall that actually made me swoon (yep) over, is the one of Kenji and Juliette (the Shatter Me trilogy).
The best thing Adam ever did was bringing those two together. Their bond is beyond words. 


                                         *Sweeney Todd: favourite villain*

Favorite as in, evil to the point you nominate him\her to the best villain of the year? Or favorite as in, even though he\she is a\the villain, you can't help but like\love them? 

Because if it's the first option, then it's definitely Valentine and Sebastian morgerstern (Sebastian topping Valentine in this one).
All of Cassandra villains are just so... real. They actually have motives that don't include: "I'm evil for the sake of evil", "I've been wronged in my past" or the ever so classic: "I want to rule the world! *evil lagunter* ".
There is nothing wrong with those types of villains - not at all! - but it's also refreshing to see a unique villain from time to time. Like in Cassandra's books, the villains actually believe they are good, that they're doing the right thing.
Creepy, isn't it? It only make them more villainous in my eyes. 

And if it's the second option, then it's definitely the Darkling from The Grisha trilogy.
You know what I'm talking about, don't you #TeamDarkling fans? ;)  


*The Phantom of the Opera: Favorite love triangle*

There was only ever one love triangle that didn't make me a) frustrated, b) with the urge to bang my head in the wall or c) wanting to kill the main protagonist or one of the love interests.

Sorry for the violence, guys, it's just that I can't deal with love triangles. They are the second most horrible thing in a book (the first being insta-love). 
But anyway, I was going to tell you about the ONE love triangle that broke my heart, crushed my soul and made it impossible to even dislike anyone in it. Because you loved them all so much.
And that love triangle is: Jem-Tessa-Will from The Infernal Devices.
#TeamWillHerondaleForeverAndEver
Just thinking about those characters makes me want to cry. 


*The Lion King: Favourite sidekick*

Does it have to be just one?
No?
Great. 

Okay, so I'm going with Pack (from The Iron Fey) + Grimalkin (also from The Iron fey) and Nico (from Percy Jackson).
They are all so different from one another and I love them all so much. I would love to see them get their own books. They deserve it. 

Many times in books, I find the side characters to be the main character best friends, and they are either annoying, clueless or just... there. I love it so much more when our sidekicks are much more complex and can stand on their own.
You know a good side character when you find yourself thinking: "I wonder what they think of it. I wonder what goes through their heads right now. I would love to see this part of the story through their eyes. I want to know more about them! Please, give me more!"



*Grease: least favourite ending*

Another tricky one.
"Least favourite" as in, it was disappointing \ rushed ?
Or "least favourite" as in, sobbing non-stop, throwing away the book and threatening to kill the author? (Not seriously, of course, it's just the feels talking if you know what I mean. After all, a better way would be to keep them alive and torture them for what they did *evil laughter*). 

Because if it's option one, then My most recent disappointing \ extremely rushed and confusing ending, was The Rose & The Dagger.
I haven't found a single person who agrees with me on this one, but the ending was just... whoosh.
Not to mention, there was that very weird part at the end when the characters acted so uncharacteristically and it was so weird. I was like: "What just happened?"
It brought this book from 4 stars to 3 stars. Which is a shame because I really liked this doulogy (especially the first book). 

But if we're talking about option two, then the most recent one is The Last Star. Just... no. I can't even. Seriously, I just can't.
It hurts the most when it happens with the books you love most. 


Matilda (The Musical): Favourite adaptation of a book

Least favorite is easier, isn't it book readers?
There are more bad adaptations than good ones. The reason being: Nothing is ever better than the book I love so much. 

But sometimes, in rare cases, the movie manages to get to a level where you think: Wow, this is impressive.
Like the Harry Potter and Hunger Games movies. But I feel like they're the obvious choices, so I'm going to go with:
The Vampire Diaries.
The show is so successful that some of you might not know it's actually based on a book series by the same name.
I read the first two books in the series and let me tell you... I never thought the day would come when I'll say that an adaptation is way-way better than the books.

A least obvious choice - and one that some of you might not agree with me - is The Vampire Academy movie.
I know the movie wasn't successful and that a lot of people didn't like it.
I, on the other hand, a huge fan of the books, loved the movie.
Yep, you heard that right.
True, some things were a little weird and not according to the books. But overall, the movie was so funny, the characters were great (especially Rose character, which was so awesome and I couldn't wish for a better one to portray Rose) and I already re-watched it about 3 times.
It was sad to see a lot of people didn't like it and that there wasn't going to be a second movie.


*Les Miserables: Favourite death in a book*

I wish we had more villain deaths than heroes deaths in books these days.
Seriously, because it seems like the authors are more inclined to kill our protagonist than to kill the one who's trying to kill our protagonist.
#authorslogic go figure. 

*spoilers for Harry Potter, The Hunger Games and The Lunar Chronicles*

But anyway... *racking my brain through all villains deaths*
Well, Lord Voldemort death was pretty satisfying, wasn't it? You couldn't help but sigh in relief and think "finally, it's over. He has no more souls to crawl to."
Also, the end of The Hunger Games with Katniss switching her target was pretty epic. 
One more, is the death of Levana from The Lunar Chronicles. It was just SO satsfying. Finally! Finally she was dead! 

*End of spoilers*

And also, the death of that terrorist in The Long Game by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. I wanted to kill her myself (and I'm not a violent person).


Who do I tag? 
  1. Esther from Chapter Adventures (You love musicals, don't you? ;) ) 
  2. Erica from Books and Stars and the Pages in Between
  3. Aimal from Book shelves and Paper Packs (So sorry if I pronounced it wrong. I'm so hopeless and figuring out that wavy kind of writing in your logo).
  4. Lauren from Wonderless Reviews 
  5. Lola from Hit or Miss Books
  6. Clara from La Sourire - A Dreamer's Tale
  7. Cait from Paper Fury
+ Everyone who wants to do this tag - or doesn't want to do this tag (that's okay, too) - You're welcome to do it!

And that's it for The Musical Book Tag!
I had great fan with this tag.
Definitely one of my favorite tags by far!
It made me want to watch more musicals.
What do you think?
I always love hearing your thoughts, as you know (:
For me, every comment is like a magic spell for happiness.
Until then...




"But which of those two kings was the true villain of the story? For a story was only as good as its villain."  
-- The Rose & The Dagger 

Sunday, July 24, 2016

Cassandra Clare's Books - Where to start?



So... last week I wrote a discussion post about The Hatred Towards Cassandra Clare's Shadowhunters books, and it made me wonder: Cassandra really does have many books in the shadowhunters world. 

For a hardcore fan who's already anticipating the next book, it won't look confusing at all. But for someone who wants to enter the dangerous and humorous world of shadowhunting, it may be a bit intimidating as to where to even begin. 

And so, I bring you the post that will - hopefully - make sense of things.
I'll start with naming the series\trilogies in the shadowhunters world (So far. But I think this time it's a finalized list) and will finish with tips of the order in which you should\can read the books. 

Without pulling you by the sleeve too long - because I can already see your eyes glazing - let's get straight to it ;) 


The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare

You can check out the books on goodreads here. You can also check out my experience and thoughts about TMI here.

There are six books in the series and they all follow the same cast of characters, with our protagonist, Clary, in charge. 

From the end of the Third book (City of Glass),, however, they start to intersect with: 


The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare

Taking place in the shadowhunters world, 100 years prior to the events of The Mortal Instruments, this trilogy follows our protagonist Tessa as she weaves her way through the traitorous world of shadowhunting in Victorian London.

You can check out the books on goodreads here

How do this trilogy and books 4-6 of TMI intersect, you ask? I mean, they do take place 100 years apart (and no, there is no time travel involved). Well, I can't tell you - that would be some major spoilers. All I can say is that the epicness of it beyond words. 



The Dark Artifices by Cassandra Clare

It looks weird right now without the covers, but TDA is going to be a trilogy. 

Taking place 5 years after the events of the last book of The Mortal Instuments, we follow a new cast of character we previously met in the last book of TMI.
A girl named Emma and a boy named Julian are two of them. And that's all I'm going to say on the matter. 

You can check out the books on goodreads here.
You can also check out my review of Lady Midnight - if you want - here.



The Last Hours by Cassandra Clare

Nope, no covers to any of them so far. 

Taking place 20-something years after the events of The Infernal Devices trilogy, this trilogy follows a cast of characters who are the children of those from The Infernal Devices.
And... I can't say anything else about it. 

You can check those books out on goodreads here

Also, just like with TMI & TID, The Last Hours (TLH) & The Dark Artifices (TDA) are going to intersect. I have no idea how, but I'm so excited to find out. 


The Wicked Powers by Cassandra Clare

This trilogy doesn't even have titles for the books, or a year of publication date.
Granted, considering they're going to get published after TDA and TLH. 

So this trilogy will take place 3 years after the events of The Dark Artifices and will follow two male protagonists - who so happen to be gay - which we will meet in TDA. 

Cassandra has featured LGBT elements with some of the side characters in her books, but this is the first time she's going to take it into main character level.
I'm really looking forward to this one. 

You can check the books on goodreads here


And the final (I think) addition is:



The Eldest Curses by Cassandra Clare and Wesley Chu

It's my understanding that the combination of them is going to destroy us with feels.
I never read any books by Wesley Chu, but I expect no less from Cassandra Clare. And apparently, Wesley Chu is even more ruthless on that front.
What do they have in store for us? I do not know. 

Whatever it is, I can't wait.
My reaction was of pure joy when I heard of this trilogy.
Though I absolutely would have wanted to see Cassie collaborating with Rick Riordan. It's been my dream for a long time now. Can you even begin imagine the awesomeness of it? The world might explode. 

You can check the books out here.



Also (I almost forgot):



The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare & Sarah Rees Brennan
& Maureen Johnson & Cassandra Jean

A collection of short stories - turned into a whole book - about the exceptional wizard Magnus Bane (who appears in TMI, TID and also TDA. Basically, everywhere, because there isn't any fun if Magnus is not around *wink-wink*) on his adventures through time. 

You can check the book \ the collection of short stories out here.

And yes, this book is part of the shadowhunters world. Not to mention, it gives us some very interesting information on The Last Hours trilogy (!). Oh, and, full of spoilers of what took place in The Infernal Devices trilogy, so... don't jump into this book without reading them first, okay?  

Also, there is another collection of short stories called Tales From the Shadowhunters Academy. But it gives way too many serious spoilers for what took place in the last book of TMI. So you shouldn't even check it out if you haven't read those books.

So, now that we have all the books present, where dos one even begin to read them all? Well, chronologically speaking, it goes: TID, TLH, TMI, TDA and TWP.
But just like with the x-men movies, watching them chronologically doesn't really work out. Especially considering all the delicate intersections, mystery here and there and overall epicness. 

Basically speaking, the books should be read the way they come out: 

City of Bones
City of Ashes
City of glass
Clockwork angel
City of Fallen Angels
Clockwork prince
City of lost souls
Clockwork princess
City of heavenly fire
The Bane Chronicles
Tales from the shadowhunters academy
Lady Midnight
Lord of Shadows 

But, I know a lot of people who didn't like The Mortal Instruments yet absolutely loved The infernal devices.
There is no right or wrong. It's just my preferred way. You can read TMI or TID on their own and still enjoy them to their full extent. Don't feel obliged to read all the books if you don't want to (though I highly suggest you do because... well, they are amazing).  

On the other hand, when it comes to The Bane Chronicles, Tales from the shadowhunters Academy and Lady Midnight, there are some serious spoilers to both TID and TMI.
You won't understand The Bane Chronicles, Tales from the shadowhunters academy and Lady Midnight without reading both TID and TMI first. 

About TDA, TLH, TWP and Magnus Bane Adult Trilogy... It's my understanding It's going to go something like this: The first two books in The Dark Artifices trilogy, the first book in The Last Hours trilogy, the third book in The Dark Artifices trilogy, books two and three in The Last Hours trilogy.

The Magnus Bane adult trilogy is supposed to come out somewhere between them.

And the wicked powers? It's a looong long way from now. Those books are probably going to get published after all the other trilogies. Which means... If Cassandra Clare won't collapse in exhaustion (Seriously, does she even sleep?), it's going to be somewhere around 2022.
*The future*
Doesn't 2022 sound super futurey? 

So, you see, it's all rather very complicated.
I hope I didn't manage to confuse you even more. I have a feeling I confused you even more. Sorry about that. Hope it helped you in some way (: 
Until then...







"Books may will be the only true magic."  
-- Alice Hoffman