Bookish Holiday Gift Ideas!

Hey guys its that time of year again.... THE HOLIDAYS! I'm talking gift giving, christmas music blasting time of the year!

 Frankly I believe the holidays bring out the best and worst side of us. (for all you all that haven't seen the Christmas with the Kranks movie you need to see it NOW) Holidays can be filled with all the things we love, such as singing at the top of our lungs, peppermint flavored everything (I NEED my peppermint hot coco or someone will have the pleasure of seeing my dark side) and of course the decorations and fabulous holiday movies that we have official permission to watch endlessly (although I am guilty of watching Santa Claus in June...)



But the Holidays is also known to bring out the stressful sides of us that we can't seem to smother with peppermint frosted cupcakes.


 I mean there the ENDLESS (and I mean endless) amount of gift giving. (How am I supposed to know what my college male cousin wants for Christmas? I don't even know what I want!)  Plus theres all the drama with the Secret Santa gifts and the secret (yet not so secret) contest to see who can give their secret santa the all time BEST GIFT EVER! (My non competitive nature is not designed for such things!)


Then theres the food and the whole ordeal with what to cook and how much food we need. The sheetr HOURS spent in the kitchen cooking (though if your me your mainly in the kitchen to sample everything...especially the desserts!)

And of course to top it all off you have to deal with the insufferable small talk with relatives. Theres only so many "what grade our you in school?" or "What college are you going to?" questions I can take before my head is going to explode (its not like these people have known me my whole life or anything. Lets just tell them my life story in a series of twenty questions shall I not?)


Ok enough about my endless holiday time rants (wow looking back now its really seems like I'm a hatter on Christmas but its my favorite holiday, I swear!) I'm here to tell you all about a few great holiday gift ideas for all the crazy book lovers out there!

 Book Subscription Boxes

 I have only recently learned that these exist and they excite me in a way that I can only contain for about a day before I find myself uncontrollably telling the people around me that they exist because they are just THAT awesome!

Some of my particular favorites would have to be:

Illimucrate (http://www.illumicrate.com)

OwlCrate (https://www.owlcrate.com )

Literally SO obsessed with these for gift ideas! So original and the boxes change every month! (If you love YA like me than you'll love both these subscriptions!)

Books

This may seem like an obvious one but what book lover doesn't like books? (I mean if your anything like me you hear the word book and your like "what? where?") 

This is probably apparent in all of our over flowing GoodReads lists and I'm sure you and your book loving friends would appreciate some well selected books off of our well selected To-Read lists :) 

Coffee Mugs 

Us book readers NEED our caffeine. Like don't even talk to me until I've had my morning cup of joe or tea (I will bite your hand off) So naturally readers wouldn't turn away a nice mug or coffee thermos to keep us sane. (Not to mention all those late hours we spend reading because sometimes reading is more important than sleep ;) )

Anyways I hope all your guys holiday season is filled with cheer and a whole lot of reading! Tell me some of your holiday traditions in the comments below! Have a magical month (filled with peppermint coco with marshmallows!!) 

-BubblyBooks

Book Review: A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab (A Darker Shade of Magic #2)

  Hi guys! I know its been awhile since my last post, but this month seems to be even crazier than my last! Soon enough it will be December and I will be freaking out over finals and not having enough time to buy gifts, or stressing out about some other inconsequential thing ( such as what happens in my next episode of Gossip Girl or Riverdale). 

  Anyway enough about my holiday season stresses (although I will probably rant on about them in my next few posts because I will not be able to stop myself. It's a problem I know) 

  NEWSFLASH: I finally got around to reviewing this book! I know it has been FOREVER since I've read it and rated it on Good Reads ( 5 stars of course because V.E. Schwab deserves no less) I am literally so excited to read the Raven Boys and This Savage Song and all the other greatest hits! Chances are though I'll proably get distracted by a bunch of other shiny, inciting books telling me that I need to read them ASAP and won't get around to it soon enough! 

(I seriously cannot have enough pages to rant about the AMAZINGNESS that is this book but for all our sanity's I will try and keep it as concise as possible) 

A Gathering of Shadows 
 By: V.E. Schwab

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: It has been four months since a mysterious obsidian stone fell into Kell's possession. Four months since his path crossed with Delilah Bard. Four months since Prince Rhy was wounded, and since the nefarious Dane twins of White London fell, and four months since the stone was cast with Holland's dying body through the rift--back into Black London.

Now, restless after having given up his smuggling habit, Kell is visited by dreams of ominous magical events, waking only to think of Lila, who disappeared from the docks as she always meant to do. As Red London finalizes preparations for the Element Games--an extravagant international competition of magic meant to entertain and keep healthy the ties between neighboring countries--a certain pirate ship draws closer, carrying old friends back into port.

And while Red London is caught up in the pageantry and thrills of the Games, another London is coming back to life. After all, a shadow that was gone in the night will reappear in the morning. But the balance of magic is ever perilous, and for one city to flourish, another London must fall. 

AHHH reading this book was like coming back to meet an old friend. It was like no time had passed between me finishing A Darker Shade of Magic (although looking back now it really was only a couple of days... they felt like WEEKS!) The characters got even better than the first time around (Like how is that even possible?) I thought my heart was going to explode from all the love I was feeling for these characters! Plus Schwab had to put in PIRATES! Like I think my face is going to explode from smiling so big. The way she describes the world in this book is just so increible its like I can invision every little detail in my head! ( i'm sorry Gossip Girl but sometimes reading is better than TV) 

“Everyone thinks I have a death wish, you know? But I don't want to die - dying is easy. No, I want to live, but getting close to death is the only way to feel alive. And once you do, it makes you realize that everything you were actually doing before wasn't actually living. It was just making do. Call me crazy, but I think we do the best living when the stakes are high.” 

 Also Delia gets so amazing I cannot even deal! Her first few chapters were SO intriguing I could not stop reading them! (in fact I finished this book in a single weekend and this is why I have bags under my eyes in the morning) Although it drove me crazy having her and Kell apart, even though they did briefly mention him a few times (not enough to keep me satisfied of course). Also how she deceives that pirate ship in the beginning was giving me all sorts of pirates in the caribbean feels! 

“What are you supposed to be?” she asked in Arnesian. “A fish?”
Alucard made a noise of mock affront. “Obviously,” he said, brandishing the helmet, “I’m a dragon.”
“Wouldn’t it make more sense for you to be a fish?” challenged Lila. “After all, you do live on the sea, and you are rather slippery, and—”
“I’m a dragon,” he interjected. “You’re just not being very imaginative.”

 Also her crew in fabulous and everything a good pirates ship crew should be! Alucard is especially interesting and the time they spend together is definitely intriguing (wink, wink) Not to mention all the secret magic that is going on (I won't say any more because I don't want to spoil anything!) Also they introduce new islands (A secret island because that is how amazing this book is) its located between the edges of all three kingdoms in Red London and contains a black market, but for all things magical! (I'm literally smiling just thinking about it!) Delia grows into such a strong person, even stronger and more stubborn than the first book and I honestly don't know how she has the will power to remain apart from Kell for so long! The two of them were killing me with how long they didn't see each other, even when the were SO CLOSE! The irony alone (and also low key the reason I got no sleep until they said more than one word to one another)

“The memory caught him like a blow. Lila.”

 Also the magical GAMES in this book! I mean wow, just flat out wow. They were amazing. The skills each competior had and the fact that they had to each wear masks just made it that much more mysterious. Also there ends up being some pretty interesting competitors... just saying. The ending is not what I expected, at least for how the games ended, no the ending ending blew me away and annoyed me with the power of a hundred suns. It just ended so god dang abroublty I could have screamed! 

“To clever plans,' said Kell, toasting his brother. 'And dashing princes.'
'To masked magicians,' said Rhy, swiping the wine.
'To mad ideas.'
'To the Essen Tasch.'
'Wouldn't it be amazing,' murmured Rhy later, when the bottle was empty, 'if we got away with it?” 

 KELL. We need to take a moment to apricate the greatness that is Kell. I mean I love him to death but he gets hecka dark in this book. I mean he's always been a little bit bruiting but I thought it was all just a part of his charm. In this book however, he gets flat out crazy crazy dark. Like Kell might turn into a killer of magic or something dark. I should have seen this coming a little more (and honesty should not be this surprised and all) because the opening scene was him practicing beating people up with his magic (in some weird training room or other) and his whole thing with Rhyland weighing very heavily on him (it is a big responsibility though, and super stressful I have to admit so I understand where his darkness is coming from and all, it just didn't hit me until this book) 

“No!” Kell shouted, reaching toward his brother, uselessly, desperately, but as his hand brushed the nearest person, the darkness leaped like fire from his fingers to the man’s chest. He shuddered, and then collapsed, crumbling to ash as his body struck the street stones. Before he hit the ground, the people on either side of him began to fall as well, death rippling in a wave through the crowd, silently consuming everyone. Beyond them, the buildings began to crumble too, and the bridges, and the palace, until Kell was standing alone in an empty world. And then in the silence, he heard a sound: not a sob, or a scream, but a laugh. And it took him a moment to recognize the voice. 
It was his.” 

 Kell still has my heart though because he continues to search for Deliah even though he has no idea that she is really back in London again (for a crazy reason I must admit but there none of the less) and even though Deliliah avoids him she secretly misses him as well. (I sense romantic tension..)  Plus they have to throw in a Ball, as if I possibly could not love this book any more (throw in a masquerade and stop right there- I'm sold) 

“Oh yes, your relationship with Miss Bard is positively ordinary."
"Be quiet."
"Crossing worlds, killing royals, saving cities. The marks of every good courtship.”

Rhy was fabulous as always but also had his dark times during this book. Some of the choices both him and Kell made had me shaking my head at them at times. Also the love between Kell and Rhy is as wonderful as it is frustrating. Half the time they hate each other so much so that they are beating one another up, whereas the other half their inseparable and each other best friend! Though I do suppose that sums up siblings. Plus there is a suprsing romantic encounter with Rhy and someone you do NOT expect and I must say it was STEAMY! (prepare yourself ahead of time) 

“At the sunroom doors, he cast a glance back, and found Rhy looking at him with an expression that might have been I’m sorry, but also could have been fuck off, or at the very least we’ll talk later.” 

Overall this book stole my heart and I am head over heels for this series! You simply must read it! (DO IT!) Hopefully you will fall madly in love with the characters just as I have! Also the ending is totally a cliff hanger  and lets just say things don't get easier with White London any time soon. Hope you get a chance to check it out this holiday season! (If you've already had the pleasure of reading it let me know what you think in the comments below!) 

-BubblyBooks

November Must Reads!

   Always and Forever by Jenny Han

Summary: Lara Jean is having the best senior year a girl could ever hope for. She is head over heels in love with her boyfriend, Peter; her dad’s finally getting remarried to their next door neighbor, Ms. Rothschild; and Margot’s coming home for the summer just in time for the wedding.

But change is looming on the horizon. And while Lara Jean is having fun and keeping busy helping plan her father’s wedding, she can’t ignore the big life decisions she has to make. Most pressingly, where she wants to go to college and what that means for her relationship with Peter. She watched her sister Margot go through these growing pains. Now Lara Jean’s the one who’ll be graduating high school and leaving for college and leaving her family—and possibly the boy she loves—behind.

When your heart and your head are saying two different things, which one should you listen to?

SO looking forward to this book! I read the first two and they were amazing! One of my favorite contemporary series of the year by far! The characters are just so lovable, and whats this I see? Laura Jean's dad getting engaged and to their neighbor! (looks like Kitty's scheming is paying off) Also can't wait to see whats in store for Laura Jean and Peter they are just so cute they make my heart melt! Hopefully I will get to this over the holidays! (Also I'm dying to try Laura Jean's cookie recipes this holiday season! Thank god the author supplied Luara Jeans recipes and baking secrets in the back of the first novel!) 


The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Summary: In a world of etiquette and polite masks, no one is who they seem to be.

Antonina Beaulieu is in the glittering city of Loisail for her first Grand Season, where she will attend balls and mingle among high society. Under the tutelage of the beautiful but cold Valérie Beaulieu, she hopes to find a suitable husband. However, the haphazard manifestations of Nina’s telekinetic powers make her the subject of malicious gossip.

Yet dazzling telekinetic performer and outsider Hector Auvray sees Nina’s powers as a gift, and he teaches her how to hone and control them. As they spend more and more time together, Nina falls in love and believes she’s found the great romance that she’s always dreamed of, but Hector’s courtship of Nina is deceptive.

The Beautiful Ones is a sweeping fantasy of manners set in a world inspired by the Belle Époque.

I recently stumbled across this book after I saw it in my Goodreads feed from another fellow reader. It didn't catch my eye originally (the cover didn't scream read me) but after reading the summary I am throughly convinced that I need to read this book before the year is up (hopefully holiday money will come through and I will be able to get my hands on a copy soon!) I've always been a sucker for romantic historical fiction and if you throw in a ball (especially a masquerade) you cannot keep my hands off it! I NEED it now!

Ink by Amanda Sun

Summary: On the heels of a family tragedy, the last thing Katie Greene wants to do is move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn’t know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks, and she can’t seem to get the hang of taking her shoes off whenever she enters a building.

Then there’s gorgeous but aloof Tomohiro, star of the school’s kendo team. How did he really get the scar on his arm? Katie isn’t prepared for the answer. But when she sees the things he draws start moving, there’s no denying the truth: Tomo has a connection to the ancient gods of Japan, and being near Katie is causing his abilities to spiral out of control. If the wrong people notice, they'll both be targets.

Katie never wanted to move to Japan—now she may not make it out of the country alive. 

 Another read I wouldn't have noticed in a million years if my Goodreads friends didn't introduce it to me! It's very different from what I normally read but I couldn't help but be intrigued. I mean a mystery boy with powers linked to Katie? (tell me I'm not the only one who gets flashbacks to the Vampire Academy books or the Obsidian series) Plus it takes place in Japan, which I think would be really fun to read about! Can't wait to check this out!

Planning on reading any good books this month? Already planning your Christmas lists high with new novels? Let me know in the comments below! 

-BubblyBooks 

October Recap! (I'll admit it is a bit late seeing as now its November...)

  I know this is coming a few days late but I've just been so busy trying to keep up with everything! October was a busy month to say the least. I mean their was homecoming, than we had Halloween, also I had to try and finish (Ahem I mean start) my college essays. I felt like I was doing at lot more writing (well at least trying to) versus reading this month! I mean I think there might have even been a two week period were I didn't even pick up a book! I mean who am I any more! College what have you done to me!

 I did however successfully finish a few books this month ( 4 to be exact) which is less than I thought.. hmmm I'm kind of disappointed, it felt like I read a lot more than that but that might be because I seriously got swept up into V.E. Schwab's a Darker Shade of Magic. I legit read the second book (A gathering of Shadows) in the span of a weekend and had a book reading hangover on Monday.
  Anyways back to the books I've finished:

P.S. I Still Love you 
 By Jenny Han

Thoughts:

 This book was SO cute and fantastic!

 This book in one word : CAKE

This book as a flower: Pink Roses

Favorite character: Laura Jean (seems obvious but she is legit my soul sister)

Favorite Couple: Laura Jean and Peter (Duh!)

A Darker Shade of Magic
 By V.E. Schwab

Thoughts:

 OMG! OMG! OMG! Made me fall in love with reading again!

This book in one word: MAGICAL

This book as a flower: Roses because thats what Kell smells like

Favorite character: Kell (I just found him so intriguing)

Favorite Couple: Kell and Delilah (even though they weren't really a couple I was still shipping them like crazy!)

Jackaby
 By William Ritter

Thoughts:
 Unexpected yet delightfully entertaining!

This book in one word: Quirky

This book as a flower: I don't know

Favorite Character: Jackaby

Favorite couple: Not much couples going on although there was some flirting (I'm predicting Jackaby and Abigail will have a thing but if you know don't tell me! I want to be surprised!)

A Gathering of Shadows (shades of magic #2)
 By V.E. Schwab

 Thoughts:
OMG is it possible this was better than the first book? But what was that ending! I NEED closure V.E. Schwab!!!

This book in one word: Darkness

This book as a flower: Black roses (not sure thats a thing but it just makes sense for this book)

Favorite Character: Delilah Bard (I know I'm switching sides but Kell annoyed me in this book at times and Delilah pleasantly surprised me on multiple occasion so theres that)

Favorite Couple: Alcaurd and Rhy (didn't see this coming)



Books I started but just couldn't finish for the life of me:

A Thousand Pieces of You
By: Claudia Gray

Not sure why I couldn't get into it but Paul just annoyed me so much I needed to stop. (I apologize in advance for those of you that cannot get enough of Paul. I just don't agree) 

Halloween happened! 

Hope you all had a fabulous holiday season! Me and my friends all did a group costume this year and for those you that know the disney movie Holes we all dressed up in orange jump suits and it was really fun! 

Preview of books I'm thinking about reading next month:

The Dazzling Heights  By: Katherine McGee

The Raven Boys By: V.E. Schwab

A Conjuring of light (a darker shade of magic #3) By: V.E. Schwab 

Always and Forever By: Jenny Han 

Anyways overall October was a pretty good month! I hope you all got some good books read. Tell me what some of your favorite reads of the month were. What books are you thinking about reading this month? Let me know in the comments below!

-BubblyBooks 

Do you listen to music when you read? Books, influence on your Music, Playlists, and more...

   I personally am one of those people that don't listen to music often when I read. I mean I can read with music, but it has to be in the background or else I can't focus on reading because I'll be too busy listening to the song! (especially if its one of my favorites and I can't stop myself from singing along) But I know that some readers out there totally love to listen to music when they read and actually prefer it to reading with no music.

 So I guess my question is do you listen to music when you read? What kind of music to you listen to when you read? Does the book your reading impact what music your listening to? Like does the music have to set the mood and/or tone of the book?

I've always wondered if for some readers music helps them to get the whole experience while reading. If it helps them imagine the world and the characters better, almost in a way that makes them feel like their there. Because don't get me wrong I've totally had moments were a song reminds me so much of a character I stop and wonder if the author was thinking the same thing when they heard that song and then it inspired the character in the book I'm reading at that moment. Also is it easier to concentrate if the songs don't have words (such as classical or just your favorite songs but the instrumental versions) or does it not matter?

  Also sort of tying into a previous post about the books you read and the seasons, got me thinking about how my music preference changes around the time of year. Typically the music I play has a lot to do with what mood I'm in. If I'm in more of an upbeat mood but want something new that I haven't heard before I'll play Todays top hits, or if I'm in a good mood but want something I can sing along to I'll play my favorite pop love songs from the 90's, 00's, and today. Those are the days when I just want music to make me feel like,

But I have my days were I'm more moody.... In those cases I don't want anyone to talk to me expect the lyrics in my head buds. 

 We've all had those moments when we just need our space and time to chill out with Coldplay and no one else. 

 Lets Chat!

Let me know if you're the type to listen to music while reading. Do you prefer a certain genre? Does the type of music you listen to change for each book you read? Let me know in the comments below!

-BubblyBooks 

Mini Reviews: A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab and Jackaby by William Ritter

A Darker Shade of Magic
 By: V.E. Schwab

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Kell is one of the last Antari—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel Londons; Red, Grey, White, and, once upon a time, Black. 

Kell was raised in Arnes—Red London—and officially serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, traveling between the frequent bloody regime changes in White London and the court of George III in the dullest of Londons, the one without any magic left to see.

Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they'll never see. It's a defiant hobby with dangerous consequences, which Kell is now seeing firsthand.

After an exchange goes awry, Kell escapes to Grey London and runs into Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure.

Now perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, they'll first need to stay alive.

This book was AMAZING!!! I seriously loved it so much I cannot even form words right now! First off the book centers around three different londons all from different worlds (I love this idea so much it was like this book was made for me :)) Also the writing was INCREDIBLE! It felt like I could just melt into the different worlds. Not to mention there was also thieving, backstabbing, and dark magic so whats not to love? 

This book stole my heart in so many ways but I can describe it all in four letters:

KELL

I absolutely,  totally, and completely fell in LOVE with Kell! He is the most interesting and unique character I have read about in quite some time (although I was practically dying from the lack of YA fantasy I've been reading lately) Luckily this book saved me from giving up on reading (the last few books I've read just haven't done it for me lately) Kell restored my faith in YA and was able to bring me back to life. He is just so fascinating, and I am completely intranced by the fact that he has two different color eyes, one black and one blue, I just think that is the perfect small detail too add. This book was able to keep surprising me in really unexpected ways. All the characters were really not what you expected and thats what made me love them!

“He would see her again. He knew he would. Magic bent the world. Pulled it into shape. There were fixed points. Most of the time they were places. But sometimes, rarely, they were people. For someone who never stood still, Lila felt like a pin in Kell's world. One he was sure to snag on.” 

 Like the fact the Deliah Bard completely crushed female stereotypes in book characters (pants over dresses... heck ya!) Leilah was honestly not my favorite in the beginning. Its not that I didn't like her I just didn't think she was all that interesting but that totally changed later on in the book and she was able to change my perspective on her. I also love Rhy who is Kells unofficial brother (who is also the prince of Red london- which is by far the best of all the londons). He is complete charming and he knows it, plus the fact that Kell would do anything for him... melts my heart!

“I apologize for anything I might have done. I was not myself.”
“I apologize for shooting you in the leg.” said Lila. “I was myself entirely.” 

This book was just the most unique and head spinning (not mention Fabulous) book and every page made me love it more than the last! If you get the chance PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE check out this book! (Read it! You just have to read it!) You will not regret it! 

Jackaby

 By: William Ritter 

Rating: 3/5 stars 

Summary: “Miss Rook, I am not an occultist,” Jackaby said. “I have a gift that allows me to see truth where others see the illusion--and there are many illusions. All the world’s a stage, as they say, and I seem to have the only seat in the house with a view behind the curtain.”

Newly arrived in New Fiddleham, New England, 1892, and in need of a job, Abigail Rook meets R. F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplained with a keen eye for the extraordinary--including the ability to see supernatural beings. Abigail has a gift for noticing ordinary but important details, which makes her perfect for the position of Jackaby’s assistant. On her first day, Abigail finds herself in the midst of a thrilling case: A serial killer is on the loose. The police are convinced it’s an ordinary villain, but Jackaby is certain it’s a nonhuman creature, whose existence the police--with the exception of a handsome young detective named Charlie Cane--deny.

Doctor Who meets Sherlock in William Ritter’s debut novel, which features a detective of the paranormal as seen through the eyes of his adventurous and intelligent assistant in a tale brimming with cheeky humor and a dose of the macabre. 

  This book had been sitting on my self for quite some time now and I think the only reason I didn't read it sooner was because I wasn't really sure what to expect. I didn't want it to be too stuffy and eighteenth centruryish but I did know there was some element of supernatural activity and I just didn't know what it was (I mean if it said right off the bat that there was vampires or werewolves I would have been sold) But this book actually pleasantly surprised me with how entertaining it was!

“I have ceased concerning myself with how things look to others, Abigail Rook. I suggest you do the same. In my experience, others are generally wrong.” 

 I mean both the characters (especially jackaby) were just so delightfully quirky that it made my eyes jump from page to page! The book starts off with Abigail Rook who dreams of nothing but adventure when she comes to town and stumbles into more than she expected when she meets Jackaby. She starts off as his employer and is naturally shocked to find out all the supernatural craziness he's involved with but him and her actually end up working beautifully together even if she can't make out all of his strange ways.

“Does this smell like paprika or gunpowder to you?” 

Also the whole town is quite interesting. I especially love how the sherif  had it out for Jackaby since the beginning and the two just torment each other constantly  Also the fact that Jackaby's last employee is now a duck and he lives with a ghost was totally fun twist. 

“The most recent gentleman has proven to be far more resilient and a great deal more helpful. He remains with me in a . . . different capacity."

"What capacity?"

Jackaby's step faltered, and he turned his head away slightly. His mumbled reply was nearly lost to the wind. "He is temporarily waterfowl.” 

The writing was also really funny and I found myself laughing out loud at some of the more quirky things just because of how flat out absurd they were! 

Overall this was a sold read and I would recommend it to anyone who wants something unique and interesting but not too heavy. (I'll probably pick up the second book some time soon) A solid three stars! 

My Favorite Fan Art from Six of Crows!

  Six of crows was one of my ultimate favorites reads this year and one of the things I've found most controversial about the book has actually been what the characters look like! Leigh Bardugo did such a good job of creating such a unique set of characters that its no surprise everyone pictured them differently in their heads.

 I mean you have Nina (a waffle lover and one of the most lovable characters of the book), Jesper (who is SO amazing I love him so much and Jesper you can steal my heart any day with your witty banter), Matthias (who I liked but have to admit was a little too "solider boy" for me but him and Nina together- I SHIP THEM!), and of course you have Inej (the most kick butt female character of all time! Plus her and Kaz... MAGIC!!! I absolutely love them! I cannot even form words for how perfect these two characters are together! The romantic tension is just crazy!) and then we have Kaz (my all time favorite love! This boy changed the way I see YA fantasy! Seriously LOVE).  Oops I almost forgot about Wylan! (Love him but he really only becomes relevant in the second book, Crooked Kingdom)

Okay first of all, is this not beautiful? Second of all this is almost spot on for how I imagined Kaz! (he is such a handsome boy indeed!) 

This is crazy cool. I love how the picture matches the colors on the cover and also how this would seriously work as an alternate book cover if you ask me... plus they just look like the dream team (well dream team full of criminals but still) 

This is super fun! And if you look closely you can see that there is quotes from each of the characters next to their heads (LOVE!) 

LOVE this picture of Inej! She looks like she ready to kick some serious butt! 

Okay I know this isn't a drawing but photography technically still count as an art, and also THIS PICTURE OF KAZ! I think I'm falling in love all over again (all this fan art is making me nostalgic! Now I know why people re-read things!!)

OMG Remember this part in the book?!?! REMBER! (I think my heart just melted a thousand times over!) 

Wow I just realized my amount of Kaz and Inej pictures totally outweighs all the other characters (Not that I'm biased or anything...) 

These two are awesome! And that picture of Nina is how I pictured her to a tee!

Okay why does everyone have to been so dang good at art? I mean look at this! Look at this! (I love Wylan) 

  Okay so now I need to re-read Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom stat! This fan art is giving me all the FEELS! How do you picture the cast of Six of Crows? Do you draw fan art? Admire it from afar like me? 

Lets chat!

-BubblyBooks 

The Best Fairy Tale Retellings

I really love YA fantasy and have to admit it's probably one of my favorite genres of all time. I mean there just so much you can do with fantasy! You have the paranormal (shout out to my vampire and werewolves lovers out there), you have the princesses and castles (never get tired of the elaborate dresses! Can I just borrow your wardrobe's please!), theres also fairies, goblins, dragons, I could go on for centuries but nobody got time for that.
 One of my favorite types of fantasy however, would have to be Fairy Tale Retellings! Theres just something so fun about reading and books and being like.. hey! I recognized that from this fairy tale or I see something going on that I know was in a Disney movie I watched just last week! So today I'm here to rant about some of my all time favorite fairy tale retellings (that if you haven't read.. shame on you! You need to read them now!)

(Do you like my photo taking skills? Some books are just so pretty they need to be captured via phone cameras!) 

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund

Summary: Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast in this sweeping fantasy about one girl's journey to fulfill her destiny and the monster who gets in her way-by stealing her heart.

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle—a shifting maze of magical rooms—enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love. 

This book really took me by surprise. It wasn't what I was expecting... but in the best way. I though it would be a more traditional beauty and the beast story but it ended up being way more unexpected. There was more magic, mystery, and confusion than I ever thought there could be. It starts off with Nyx being forced to mary the devil himself... Ignifex. A man she was born to hate, Nyx was destined to marry him, and then kill him. 

“You deserve all that and more. It made me happy to see you suffer. I would do it all over again if I could.' I realized I was shaking as the words tumbled out of me. 'I would do it again and again. Every night I would torment you and laugh. Do you understand? You are never safe with me.' I drew a shuddering breath, trying to will away the sting of tears."

Nyx is a very strong character and I absolutely loved seeing her challenge Ignifex. She was feisty and not willing to give up but the whole time she was in kind of an inner battle with her feelings. She didn't know what to make of Ignifex, whether or not he was good or bad. 

"He opened his eyes and stared up at me as if I were the door out of Arcadia and back to the true sky. 'That's what makes you my favorite.' He reached up and wiped a tear off my cheek with his thumb. 'Every wicked bit of you.” 

Ignifex of the other hand was a rather confusing character as well, plus theres a really twisted love triangle thrown into the mix the especially messes with your head. Throw in some magic rooms in a twisted and dark castle and you get a mystery that leaves your head spinning until the very end! OMG I just loved this book! Nyx was a character I totally loved because for once the beauty wasn't all innocence and goodness she was able to connect and relate to Ignifex because they both have a darkness in them that they cannot ignore. Loved the romance, the story telling, and most of all how it continued to surpass me an puzzle me almost to a point of confusion. A solid 4 stars Cruel Beauty is not a book to miss. 

The Cinder Series by Marissa Meyer

Omg where do I even begin for this series.... it is flat out other worldly! I'm going to spare you the four summaries of each of the books (especially since some of them may contain spoilers) but these books are a must read if you have not already read them. First off Marissa Meyer gives a futuristic spin to your favorite fair tales (those of which include, Cinderella, Little red ridding hood, Rapunzel, and even Snow White) and creates characters that you will absolutely fall heads over heels in
L-O-V-E with (my favorites being Cress and Thorne because they are just to die for ADORABLE!)

“Captain,” she murmured.
“I think I’m in love with you.”
An eyebrow shot up. She counted six beats of his heart before, suddenly, he laughed.
“Don’t tell me it took you two whole days to realize that. I must be losing my touch.” 

The whole plot focuses around Cinder, a girl who is the futuristic version of cinderella. She has a horrible step mother and two equally despicable step sisters to go along with it. The twist is that Cinder is part Cyborg and has a mechanic leg.

“I'm sure I'll feel much more grateful when I find a guy who thinks complex wiring in a girl is a turn-on.” 

She is also a mechanic in the book which comes in handy more times than one if I might add. This all changes when she meets the prince at her stand and he's looking for assistance fixing a drone. Cinder is careful not to let her robotic foot apparent and has the prince fooled that she is 100% normal. This obviously leads to later problems, but the plot gets even more complicated when the fantasy stories start to intertwine, this begins in Marissa Meyers second installment of the series, Scarlet. Please, please, please read these! You will not be disappointed trust me! It is SO fun realizing how she subtly (and not so subtly) incorporates the fairy tales into these futuristic, knock your socks of  novels (these books will have you yelling at the pages in outrage...not that I do that or anything..) A five star read, please give the Cinder series a chance to blow your mind!

Heartless by Marissa Meyer

Summary: Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland and a favorite of the unmarried King, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, she wants to open a shop and create delectable pastries. But for her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for a woman who could be a queen.

At a royal ball where Cath is expected to receive the King’s marriage proposal, she meets handsome and mysterious Jest. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the King and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into a secret courtship.

Cath is determined to choose her own destiny. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.
This book melted my heart! It was totally what I expected in some parts (like her spot on world building of Wonderland- it was like I was in Wonderland) but totally unexpected in other places (like the relationship she's build between Catherine and Jest is really not what I expected at all)

“You have my heart, Jest. I don't know if you deserve it or not. I can't tell if you're a hero or a villain, but it doesn't seem to matter. Either way, my heart is yours.” 

The romance was a lot more sweet and quirky rather than dark and mysterious, which is what I was expecting. I still really enjoyed it though. Now we need to take a moment to appreciate the beautiful and seriously spot on Wonderland.

“When pleased, I beat like a drum. When sad, I break like glass. Once stolen, I can never be taken back. What am I?” 

Between the magical hats that literally affected how people saw those that wore them, to the crazy tea parties, and elaborate jester performances this book was utterly entrancing and I love every minute of it. Marissa Meyers writing skills have seriously grown and you can see it in this book! So much detail and she was really able to create characters that you could understand and yet were a little unbalanced, much like the world of wonderland itself.

“To be all right implies an impossible phase. We hope for mostly right on the best of our days.” 

She didn't skimp on the danger of the world, nor the intensity, but there was a air of sweetness to the whole tale that added in a another layer and just made the whole story more dynamic and unpredictable. The ending did rip my heart out, though I suppose I should have seen that coming because the books is literally called Heartless. A 4 star read if you are a fan of Marissa Meyer (and you LOVED her Cinder series as much as I did) or you love a good fairytale retelling than I highly recommend you check out Heartless by Marissa Meyer!


Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan

Summary: Seventeen years ago, an eclipse cloaked the kingdom of Relhok in perpetual darkness. In the chaos, an evil chancellor murdered the king and queen and seized their throne. Luna, Relhok’s lost princess, has been hiding in a tower ever since. Luna’s survival depends on the world believing she is dead.

But that doesn’t stop Luna from wanting more. When she meets Fowler, a mysterious archer braving the woods outside her tower, Luna is drawn to him despite the risk. When the tower is attacked, Luna and Fowler escape together. But this world of darkness is more treacherous than Luna ever realized.

With every threat stacked against them, Luna and Fowler find solace in each other. But with secrets still unspoken between them, falling in love might be their most dangerous journey yet.

With lush writing and a star–crossed romance, Reign of Shadowsis Sophie Jordan at her best. 

This book is a spin off of Rapunzel and starts off with Luna, a girl who has lived her whole life locked up in a tower. The only time she gets to escape is when she hunts outside, and thats mostly at night, and only on rare occasions due to trying to prevent being caught. 

“The world was a merciless place. Hard and cruel. Except when you found someone to trust and love. Life, however fleeting, possessed meaning then.” 

Her existence is a secret. She has only really known two other people in her life, The two people that swept her away to safety. That all changes when she meets Fowler. Out on a nightly hunt she crosses paths with him, gets a glimpse of his merciful and kind soul and ends up swept into some unexsapable trouble. Together they end up back at Lunas tower, where her caretakers are furious that Luna would think to invite an outsider into their home. Her existence much remain a secret, if anybody would find out about the lost princess her life would become a prize, she would have a price on her head and any of the little freedom she had would disappear. Fowler is taken by surprise by luna and the book gets even more interesting when the secret of Luna's blindness become apparent one night in the tower. Together the two end up on a enviable quest and run for their lives. Everything the two have both known with change, and for the time being they only have each other. If they can even trust one another. 

 This book was a througheloy enjoyable read and the romance is really tender and soft and makes me want to curl up all night and read into the late hours. The romance is a nice break because it doenst make me want to tear my hair out in frustration with how annoyingly aboivous the characters are but rather its nice as you see the warm, loving relationship between the two unfold. 

“I felt her heart pounding against her ribs and directly into me. Or maybe it was my heart. Curled against each other like two locked pieces of a puzzle, I could not tell where I ended and she began. There was just this. Us. One shared heart.” 

They would do anything for one another, so much so that they would put their lives in danger for each other at the drop of a hat. This book is filled with tons of adventure, danger, and a magical realm that will keep you on your toes. With a force of evil wanting Luna dead the two will be battling until the end to keep one another safe. A 3 star rating I highly recommend this book!

Read any good fairy tale retelling? Love Marissa Meyer as much as me? Please let me know in the comments below! 

-BubblyBooks