Review: Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Book 11/50 
☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️ 

Photo by: Luana (http://introvertedbookworm24.tumblr.com/)

Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Historical Fiction
Series or standalone? Second book in the series
Pages: 496
I read the: UK paperback
Where can I buy this? Here! (via thebookdepository)
Goodreads: Right here!
First Sentence: "The fog was thick, muffling sound and sight."
Favourite quote: “We live and breathe words. .... It was books that made me feel that perhaps I was not completely alone. They could be honest with me, and I with them. Reading your words, what you wrote, how you were lonely sometimes and afraid, but always brave; the way you saw the world, its colors and textures and sounds, I felt--I felt the way you thought, hoped, felt, dreamt. I felt I was dreaming and thinking and feeling with you. I dreamed what you dreamed, wanted what you wanted--and then I realized that truly I just wanted you.”


Synopsis: In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street—and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa’s powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister’s war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move—and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, but her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will—the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

Review: "The Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan

Book 10/50 
☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Myth-Retelling-thing
Series or standalone? Last book in the series
Pages: 500
I read the: UK paperback
Began: April 8th 2015 
Finished: April 21st 2015
Where can I buy this? Here! (via thebookdepository)
Goodreads: Right here!
First Sentence: "Jason hated being old."
Favourite quote: Okay, I have to admit this was a tough one, because as we all know Rick Riordan has an amazing sense of humour. And there were some really good ones that I marked (47 to be precise), like "Leo, didn't really think of the ukulele as a sad instrument. (Pathetic, sure. But not sad.) Yet, the tune Apollo strummed was so melancholic it broke Leo's feels." and "'What if we promoted, like, Adidas shoes?'  Percy wondered. 'Would that make Nike (the goddess) mad enough to show up?'". But, rather stupidly, my favourite was "'My people were the original Athenians - the gemini.' 'Like your zodiac sign?' Percy asked. 'I'm a Leo.' 'No, stupid,' Leo said. 'I'm a Leo. You're a Percy.'" Yeah.

*MILDLY SPOILERY* Synopsis: Though the Greek and Roman crewmembers of the Argo II have made progress in their many quests, they still seem no closer to defeating the earth mother, Gaea. Her giants have risen—all of them—and they're stronger than ever. They must be stopped before the Feast of Spes, when Gaea plans to have two demigods sacrificed in Athens. She needs their blood—the blood of Olympus—in order to wake.

Would You Rather

So, this is the first tag I've ever done on this blog and tbh.. I wasn't.. really.. tagged... BUT that doesn't matter, right?! RIGHT? 

Why Do We Read

A question that I have always been asked -and have never known how to answer properly- is: Why do you read?

So I wanted to actually try to answer this question in the form of a blog post. 

1. Many people have gotten into their heads that reading for pleasure is a form of procrastination, a way to avoid doing important things. But that is far from the truth. For me reading time is productive time. I have a tbr list that will take me years to finish and I want to be able to read all the books in it before I die. So, yes. Reading is spending time productively.
2. Basically, as sad or pathetic as it might sound to others, by reading you make friends. Friends who, even though are fictional, help you through hardship and pain, when everyone else told you to get over it. Believe me, when I say, that I have found more comfort in books than in people throughout my lifetime. 
3. For people whose native language isn't English, like me, reading books in English, helps a whole lot. Besides watching movies and TV shows without subtitles, reading books in their original language has helped me so much. It has widened my vocabulary and has made me feel at ease with a language that is not completely my own. And because of English books, I have become so accustomed to speaking and understanding the language, that I have decided that I will be studying in England or Scotland in two years time. 
4. In times, when I have just finished a book and I have no one to spill out my feelings to, I have the chance to go online and talk to other people who've read the book and are willing to talk about it with me. Reading has offered me so much. I discovered the online book community through reading (obvs) and I've met so many amazing people and I've made so many friends. I am honestly grateful for the book community.

I don't think I can describe exactly how I feel about reading. It's not a just a hobby anymore. It's become a huge part of my life that I hope I will never let go of. 

Why do you read? Let me know in the comments.

xox 

Helen

Review: "Girl Online" by Zoe Sugg

Book 9/50 for 2015

☕☕☕.5

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Series or standalone? Standalone (I just learned there may be a sequel coming out at some point?? Let me know.)
Pages: 344
I read the: UK hardback
Began: April 2nd, 2015 // Finished: April 3rd, 2015
Where can I buy this? Here! (via thebookdepository)
Goodreads: Right here!
First Sentence: "Hello world!"
Favourite quote: "'You're not - crazy - are you?' He laughs really loud. 'No. Well, yes, but only in a good way. I've found that life's a whole lot better you get a little crazy sometimes.'" (pg. 119)

Synopsis: I had no idea GirlOnline would take off the way it has - I can't believe I now have 5432 followers, thanks so much! - and the thought of opening up to you all about this is terrifying, but here goes...

Penny has a secret.

Under the alias GirlOnline, she blogs about school dramas, boys, her mad, whirlwind family - and the panic attacks she's suffered from lately. When things go from bad to worse, her family whisks her away to New York, where she meets the gorgeous, guitar-strumming Noah. Suddenly Penny is falling in love - and capturing every moment of it on her blog.

But Noah has a secret too. One that threatens to ruin Penny's cover - and her closest friendship - forever.

Live a Life Worth Reading About!

I have a motto in life. "We're all stories in the end" (yes, I know that's a quote from Doctor Who). So, I try to make it a good one. I'm only 15 (turning 16 next month!) and I don't know what I want to do with the rest of my life yet. 

However, I don't plan on sitting in an office for the rest of my working days. I don't plan on spending my youth on doing things other people force me to or I don't enjoy doing. 

I want to travel, meet new people, have a creative job, read as many books as I can, listen to as much music as I can, take photographs, go on late-night adventures, look at the stars, help people in need.

In my opinion, doing things that are out of your comfort zone, while you're truly alive, is what makes it worth it. I think the best advice I can give, with the amount of knowledge and wisdom that I have at age 15, is: Live a Life Worth Reading About!

xox

Helen

Review: "Red Queen" by Victoria Aveyard

Book 8/50 for 2015
☕☕☕.5

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Dystopian
Series or standalone? Series
Pages: 383
I read the: UK paperback
Began: March 26th, 2015 // Finished: April 1st, 2015
Where can I buy this? Here! (via thebookdepository)
Goodreads: Right here!
First Sentence: "I hate First Friday."
Favourite quote: "Many things led to this day, for all of us. A forgotten son, a vengeful mother, a brother with a long shadow, a strange mutation. Together, they've written a tragedy." (pg. 355)

Synopsis:

The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers.

To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change.

Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of
those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control.

But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win?