The Bookworm's Corner #6

The Bookworm's Corner is weekly updates on anything bookish! What I've read through the week, any books I've bought this week that I'm super duper excited about, recommendations lists, book news - whatever! This is where the Bookworm wades in.

What I've Finished

Antigoddess by Kendare Blake
The Goddess War: #1

YA, fantasy

3/5 stars

The ancient gods are dying and Athena and Hermes are determined to find out why. The answer may lie with Cassandra, a teenage girl in Kincade, New York, who is the reincarnation of Cassandra of Troy: the girl cursed to see the future, but have no one believe her. The only problem is: Cassandra doesn't remember who she is - and Apollo isn't about to let her be used by the gods. So I read this for my book club, and so many members hated it that I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. When I finally started reading it, I knew that I disagreed with them. Antigoddess could be so much more and it does have nigglies and holes, but I liked it for what it was. I liked the plot and the Author's portrayal of the gods was very interesting and unique. We aren't seeing the gods in their full glory; for once, we're seeing them after they've been forgotten, after they have become less than gods, and when they are dying. At times the plot felt like it was running in place: stuff happened but it didn't really go anywhere. And I have questions. But this is the first book in a trilogy, and I'm willing to see where it goes next.

The Only Thing to Fear by Caroline Tung Richmond

YA, alternate history

5/5 stars

It is 80 years after the Nazis won WWII with their genetically engineered soldiers that turned the tide of the war. Zara lives in Nazi-controlled America, trying to go unnoticed by the Nazis. Because she has a secret: she has mysterious powers. And if they ever found out, she'd be executed. I love all things WWII, and the idea of the Nazis having won the war is very intriguing. So of course I had to read this book! It was incredible. Minus the genetically engineered soldiers - the Anomalies - the author presents a very believable and frightening image of what things might have been like. The characters are really good and the plot fast-paced and engaging. I loved it.

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

Dorothy Must Die #1

YA, fairy tale retelling

5/5 stars

Amy Gumm is the other girl from Kansas. And like Dorothy Gale, she's been swept away from her boring life and into the land of Oz by a tornado. But this isn't the Oz Amy has read about. Dorothy has returned - and she's evil. Now Amy must ally herself with the Wicked and kill Dorothy. I hate Oz with a passion, after reading all 15 originals about two years ago. But this Oz - oh my gosh, this Oz was incredible. Creepy as all hell, dark and twisted and disturbing - and so awesome. Dorothy is one of the best villains ever! And Amy is a spunky, sassy protagonist with the attitude. I loved it.

Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch

Snow Like Ashes #1

YA, fantasy

3/5 stars

Meira is one of eight surviving refugees from when their kingdom - Winter - was taken by Spring and their magic stolen. Now, they're on a quest to regain their magic and restore their prince to his throne. At first I wasn't hugely impressed with the whole idea of kingdoms being stuck in one eternal season. But as the world building was continued, I liked it more and more. The characters were great - Meira very capable and tough - and the villain impressively intimidating. I didn't care for the love triangle - though it certainly wasn't the worst I've read - and the pacing was at times way too fast.

The Cemetery Boys by Heather Brewer

YA, thriller

4/5 stars

When Stephen is forced to move to boring small town Spencer, Michigan, he knows his life is going to go from sucky to downright awful. But then he meets a group of guys who hang out in the cemetery and he has hope that he's found friends. Until their little group starts to take a very dark and evil turn. . . .The author told me this book was like an Alfred Hitchcock movie. And that was literally all I knew about it before I read it. I didn't look up reviews or read the synopsis beforehand. And oh my gosh, this book. I don't know what this book did to me, but it was awesome. It was creepy and captivating and disturbing and frustrating as all hell. And that ending. . . .I still haven't gotten over it.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter: #4

Middle Grade: fantasy

3/5 stars

It's the beginning of Harry's fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Lately he's been having concerning dreams about Lord Voldemort, waking up with his scar hurting. But all worries are pushed aside when the Triwizard Tournament is held at Hogwarts. Harry is too young to enter - but then someone puts his name in the Goblet of Fire. And once the Goblet has chosen you, you must compete. I'm just enjoying this world more and more with each new installment. There's so much world building and attention to detail. Things could have moved at a much quicker pace, but I liked the character development and exploration so much that I didn't want it to. And then the book takes a darker turn at the end, promising further development in future books. Voldemort is probably one of the most pathetic villains I've read, but everything else sort of makes up for that.

What I'm Currently Reading

- Percy Jackson's Greek Gods by Rick Riordan: On page 259

- Grimm's Complete Fairy Tales: This week, I read N/A

- Anderson's Best-Loved Fairy Tales: This week, I read N/A

- Wolfsblood by Hazel West: On page 216

- Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death by James Runcie: On page 175
- A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin: On page 64
- The Invisible Man by H. G. Wells: On page 70
- Strangelets by Michelle Gagnon: On page

The Bookworm's Corner #5

The Bookworm's Corner is weekly updates on anything bookish! What I've read through the week, any books I've bought this week that I'm super duper excited about, recommendations lists, book news - whatever! This is where the Bookworm wades in.

What I've Finished

Bone Gap by Laura Riby
YA, mythology retelling
4/5 stars

In the small Illinois town of Bone Gap, strange things are afoot. One day, a Polish girl named Roza entered the lives of brothers Sean and Finn - and then she was gone, like so many others in their lives. Everyone is convinced she just left. But Finn knows differently. Finn saw the strange gray man who moves like cornstalks in the wind. Finn saw him take Roza. And Finn will do everything he can to bring back the girl his brother loves. Even if no one believes him. When I first started reading this book, I was confused as all hell. Magic realism is a genre that I'm still getting used to, and I'm not sure I ever will. So throughout the majority of Bone Gap, I scratched my head and declared it one of the weirdest books I had ever read. But I was curious to see how it would end. I wanted answers. More than halfway through, I suddenly understood that it was a loose retelling of the Hades/Persephone legend. And suddenly everything made sense. This book isn't being marketed as a retelling, and maybe it's an accidental retelling, but thinking of it as one clears up all the nigglies and puts some sense into the weirdness. And this realization pushed the rating up to a 4-star rating, where it might have been as low as 2 stars. The characters are all very fascination and interesting, and as I got to know Roza, I became emotional invested in her and Sean. I never was invested in Finn and Priscilla "Petey", though I loved Petey's no-nonsense and Finn was just an oddball. If you're looking for a weird, engaging, surprising read, look no further.

Dracula by Bram Stoker

classic

4/5 stars

Something is amiss in London. A creature stalks the dark streets, tormenting young, gentle Lucy, leaving strange bleeding marks on her throat. His presence sends the inmates of a local sanitarium into a frenzy. The only way to hunt this creature down before he destroys anyone else may lie with strange Professor Van Helsing, who studies lore and legend and the accult. But even he may be no match for the creature. I really, really wish there was a way I could have read this book having no clue what was going on. What was it like picking this book up the first time it was published, before it was a classic and had been destroyed with numerous bad movie adaptations? Dracula is spooky and deliciously Gothic. The narration style - through journal entries and letters - is extremely effective, and the insane asylum an absolutely perfect touch. I dearly wish someone would make a movie that is actually close to the book, because it's chilling and creepy and awesome.

 Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

Throne of Glass: #3

YA, fantasy

3/5 stars

Celaena Sardothian, the King's assassin, has been dispatched to a neighboring kingdom to assassinate its royal family. But Celaena has other plans. She's looking for answers - about herself, her inherited power, and how to destroy the ruthless, cruel king of Adarlan. But a monstrous army is amassing and Celaena is running out of time. I knew that this series would eventually impress me. The world building was too good from the beginning not to; I just can't stand Celaena. However, we follow several characters in this third installment, so we actually spend very little time with Celaena. And with Celaena being separated from her love interest, Chaol, I was able to appreciate everyone. The world building continues to impress me, and the plot is getting thicker and more complicated and more engaging. I even found myself liking Celaena just a tiny bit in the end. Once she faces her inner demons and stops being pathetic and broken down, she is pretty awesome. I only hope her awesomeness continues. And as always, the ending pulled a twist that was totally epic. I can't wait to see what happens next; I'm officially hooked to this series. It lived up to expectations in the end.

What I'm Currently Reading

- Percy Jackson's Greek Gods by Rick Riordan: On page 259

- Grimm's Complete Fairy Tales: This week, I read N/A

- Anderson's Best-Loved Fairy Tales: This week, I read N/A

- Wolfsblood by Hazel West: On page 216

- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling: On page 363

- Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death by James Runcie: On page 175
- Antigoddess by Kendare Blake (just started)

The Bookworm's Corner #4

The Bookworm's Corner is weekly updates on anything bookish! What I've read through the week, any books I've bought this week that I'm super duper excited about, recommendations lists, book news - whatever! This is where the Bookworm wades in.

What I've Finished

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

Twilight Saga #1

YA, paranormal, romance

1/5 stars

Bella is recently moved to Forks, Washington - one of the rainiest places on the Pacific Northwest. She's prepared for a dull life in the small town, settling into a new school and making new friends. What she doesn't expect is to fall head over heels for the mysterious Edward Cullen - a young man with a very dangerous secret. There is absolutely no logical reason why I read this book. So I won't even try to explain; I read it and that's the end of it. It was, predictably, absolute torture. I went into this book with an open mind - I really did. I was prepared to let it speak for itself. Forget my preconceived expectations and all the gripe and hype surrounding it. I was giving this book a fighting chance to prove itself to me. The writing immediately hit me as some of the worst I've ever read, There was simply nothing to like about Bella; she was one-dimensional at best. It irked me that she liked books, her clumsiness was not endearing, and I just wanted someone to kill her. Edward is a classic stalker/abusive boyfriend, and any of the side characters could have had some potential if I hadn't been reading about them through Bella's perspective. Alice and Carlisle were kind of awesome, and as I read the book, I could do nothing but moan over all of the missed opportunities. If only this author had told someone - anyone else's - story other than Bella's. Carlisle has an awesome past! Or Alice! I would have loved to read Alice's story. Why couldn't we have gotten her as a protagonist instead? In short, this book did not defend itself well.

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

The Mortal Instruments #3

YA, fantasy

3/5 stars

Clary's only hope to wake her mom from her self-induced slumber lies with a mysterious warlock in Idris, the capital city of the Shadowhunter world. But Jace is afraid that the Clave with use Clary's special abilities as a weapon against the impending war with Valentine. Meanwhile, secrets come crashing down around them as Valentine's web is woven tighter and tighter around them. This is the volume that everyone has told me things start to go downhill. And I chose to read this simultaneously with Twilight. Very. Bad. Idea. However, my general opinion of this series continues, even after this book. I really, really like the general concept. Simon, Luke, and now Sebastian do make it easier to bear the annoyance that is the romance between Clary and Jace. When the book wasn't focusing on that, I enjoyed it. And if Jace wasn't causing so much romantic tension, I would even like Clary. But I really dislike Jace; he's pouty and moody and "oh, pity me." And of course, with Clary and Jace being brother and sister, the romance is all levels of awkward. It's a little sad, in fact, when the only halfway romantic relationship in a book is the gay couple - and even that relationship feels like molestation is taking place. But I like the storyline itself well enough to continue on.

What I'm Currently Reading

- Percy Jackson's Greek Gods by Rick Riordan: On page 259

- Grimm's Complete Fairy Tales: This week, I read The Glass Coffin

- Anderson's Best-Loved Fairy Tales: This week, I read The Galoshes of Fortune

- Wolfsblood by Hazel West: On page 216

- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling: On page 363

- Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death by James Runcie: On page 175

- Dracula by Bram Stoker: On page 383
- Bone Gap by 174

The Bookworm's Corner #3

The Bookworm's Corner is weekly updates on anything bookish! What I've read through the week, any books I've bought this week that I'm super duper excited about, recommendations lists, book news - whatever! This is where the Bookworm wades in.

What I Finished

Hollow City by Ransom Riggs

Miss Peregrine's #2

YA, supernatural, time travel

3/5 stars

Jacob and the peculiar children are on a dangerous quest to find the only person who can save their headmistress and hopefully shed light on what exactly the hollowgasts and wights are after. My initial thought as I read this sequel to Ransom Riggs' unique and spooky novel was that it wasn't as good and even a tiny bit boring. But as the story continued, I got swept up in the world of the peculiars, the wights and hollowgasts are perhaps more terrifying than before, the world building becomes more complex, the characters more endearing, and then there are some quick twists in the end that left my mouth hanging open. Hollow City, in the end, did not disappoint, and I cannot wait for its sequel.

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Red Queen #1

YA, fantasy

4/5 stars

In Mare Barrow's world, Redblood are ruled by Silverbloods - cold, austere people with mysterious powers. Reds don't have any powers; they are simply there to serve. But Mare is different. Mare has powers. And they will either save her - or condemn her. This is an absolutely promising beginning to a brand new YA fantasy series. There's been a lot of hype surrounding this book, and I'm usually quite skeptical of hyped books. But Red Queen lived up to expectations. While the author's terminology for the powers and the people that wielded there was a little unimaginative, that is my only real complaint about this book, and that's pretty minor. Mare is a very strong, unassuming, yet capable protagonist who doesn't shy away from a fight - even though she didn't ask for anything that happens to her. She knows there's no other choice, so she takes it head on. Cal, Maven, and Kilorn were all excellent male leads, and Elara - the queen - properly terrifying. Mare's world is brutal, there's lots of deaths and executions to enforce the realistic image of tyranny, and the romance is so cleverly woven into the plot that it's downright subtle. Even better, this book took a twist that I guessed correctly and put another twist on it, so I was equal parts pleased that I was right, and equal parts surprised. I cannot wait to see what happens in this series next.

Beth's Story, 1914 by Adele Whitby
Secrets of the Manor #1
Middle Grade, historical fiction, mystery
3/4 stars

It's the eve of Lady Beth's twelfth birthday, and she's about to inherit the famous family heirloom, the Elizabeth necklace. But someone is trying to frame Beth's new lady's maid Shannon, and as Beth investigates, she learns that her ancestral home holds all sorts of secrets! This was a really fun, quick, easy read. The writing style is surprisingly mature and fitting for the era, and while the mystery itself is very easy to solve, it will delight its intended audience. Beth is a plucky, intelligent, and kind protagonist, and I look forward to seeing what happens next and solving the mystery of the Elizabeth necklace.

What I'm Currently Reading

- Percy Jackson's Greek Gods by Rick Riordan: On page 244

- Grimm's Complete Fairy Tales: This week, I read Allerleirauh; Cinderella; Simeli Mountain

- Anderson's Best-Loved Fairy Tales: This week, I read The Neighboring Families; The Shepherdess and the Sweep; The Wicked Prince

- Wolfsblood by Hazel West: On page 208

- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling: On page 313

- Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death by James Runcie: On page 162

- Dracula by Bram Stoker: On page 365

- Twilight by Stephanie Meyer: On page 433
- City of Glass by Cassandra Clare: On page 177

The Bookworm's Corner #2

The Bookworm's Corner is weekly updates on anything bookish! What I've read through the week, any books I've bought this week that I'm super duper excited about, recommendations lists, book news - whatever! This is where the Bookworm wades in.

Finished This Week

Delirium by Lauren Oliver
(Delirium Trilogy #1)
YA, dystopian
4/5 stars

In a futuristic America, love in all of its forms has been declared a disease and has been eradicated. When they turn seventeen, everyone is required to take the Cure. After that, you don't feel anything. No family love, no compassion, no anger, nothing. Lena can't wait for her Cure; until she meets Alex. Then everything changes. My first Lauren Oliver book! I'd heard a lot of people rave about her writing, and once I met her, I wanted very much to read her books. Delirium is one of the best dystopian novels I've read. Lena's society is brutal and unyielding. People are constantly monitored, neighbors report neighbors, dissenters are jailed and/or executed. The writing is gorgeous, the characters well developed, and the world quite convincing. The romance is paramount to the plot, but I loved Lena and Alex together, there is no love triangle, and it isn't as mushy-mushy as you might think. I'm impressed with Lauren Oliver.

What I'm Currently Reading

- Percy Jackson's Greek Gods by Rick Riordan: On page 226

- Grimm's Complete Fairy Tales: This week, I read Maid Maleen; The Skillful Huntsman

- Anderson's Best-Loved Fairy Tales: This week, I read The Little Elder-Tree Mother

- Wolfsblood by Hazel West: On page 197

- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling: On page 209

- Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death by James Runcie: On page 148

- Dracula by Bram Stoker: On page 349

- Twilight by Stephanie Meyer: On page 196
- Hollow City by Ransom Riggs: On page 205

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