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Books I Loved in March

Apr 3, 2018

I managed to read 17 books last month but a lot of them were re-reads or books that I managed to pick up for free or $0.99 on Amazon. I only managed to read 1 YA last month, I was in a small reading slump and just wanted to read romance.

So today I thought would share some of my favourite books that I read in March this year. It was a big up and down month for me. So there isn’t a big amount of books on this list.

Ride Hard and Ride Rough by Laura Kaye: This was one of the first re-reads of the month for me. But I really enjoyed this series and after reading so pretty bad romance books I needed some that I love. I love the different types of characters and how each female protagonist are different. They all have different qualities that I enjoy reading. Plus they are a motorcycle club that isn’t sticking to a stigma. You can check out my reviews of books 1, 2 and 3.

The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton: The only YA book that I read in March and I really enjoyed it. It did take me a long time to get into, but once things started moving I was really enjoying it. The world building was clever and I cannot wait to see where it goes. This series could go in many different directions. I wasn’t a massive fan of the protagonist but like the story, as the novel went on I liked her more. The ‘villain’ kept me on my feet and I had no idea where it was going to go.

Undone By You (Chicago Rebels #2.5) by Kate Meader: I just loved this book so much! Another romance author that has gay protagonists with sports. I loved reading it, I’ve been hanging for it since it was announced in the second book. And I couldn’t put it down once I started. This one is more on the sexy side, but I really enjoyed it otherwise. Plus its Ice Hockey people, you know how I feel about that. I cannot wait for more books in this series.

Love and Games series by Rachel Harris: This was one of the first romance series I read and felt very nostalgic and wanted to do a re-read this March. So glad I did because I loved them! 3 books about 3 siblings from New Orleans. They are such fun. Each sibling is so different from one another, but I like them all. This series is just fun that always puts a smile on my face. There is food, firefighters, and music stars involved.

And that is it! What are some of your favourite March Reads? Do we share any that’s the same? Let’s Chat!

TV Review: Shadowhunters 2×17 ‘A Dark Reflection’

Jul 26, 2017

Shadowhunters: Season 2 Episode 17

Episode Name: A Dark Reflection
Release date: 24 July 2017
Running Time: 42 minutes
Starring Katherine McNamara, Dominic Sherwood, Alberto Rosende, Matthew Daddario, Emeraude Toubia, Will Tudor, Isaiah Mustafa, Harry Shum Jr.
Directed By: Jeffrey Hunt
Watch: Freeform (US) – Netflix (Worldwide)
Episode Reviews: Season 1 | Season 2
With two of the three Mortal Instruments missing, everyone hunts for the last one – The Mortal Mirror; Jace and Clary race to recover it first before it falls into enemy hands while Clary struggles with the idea that her brother is pure evil. Isabelle struggles with the fact that Max is growing up.

A Dark Reflection:

Episode 17 of Season 2 was intense and I can only expect that the following episodes are going rip and tear our hearts out.

A Dark Reflection starts off with Clary having nightmares of Lake Lyn. For those who have read the books, you know how important this lake truly is. There was a lot some tension between Clary and Jace as they try and hunt down both the Mortal Mirror and Jonathan. Meanwhile, Izzy is struggling to come to terms with Max growing up and becoming a shadowhunter. There is also high tension between Alec and Magnus as who they are and what they stand for come between them.

Clary

There was a real focus on Clary in A Dark Reflection, but not just her per say, but her feelings. From the start of the series, we see Clary struggle with who she is and the world she was dropped into. We see her struggling again but with family this time.

After her mother died and finding out Jace isn’t her real brother, she had no blood relative – expect for Valentine. So when she finds out that Jonathan is alive, she wants to do everything in her power to make him part of her family. She wants to believe that he isn’t evil.

I think we are really going to see Clary stand up for herself and those that she loves in the coming episodes, especially those leading to the final.

Sebastian

It seems like every week Sebastian is becoming more and more cunning and evil – and I love it. Sebastian is one of my favourite villains simply because of how manipulative he truly is. In A Dark Reflection, we get to see more of Sebastian’s demon side, and it was very interesting.

We see that he wants Clary to accept him and treat him as a brother and when he doesn’t get his way – let’s just say that I don’t want to be on the other end.

Izzy

This week was a real struggle for Izzy, and not because of her addiction – but because of her love. Izzy struggles throughout the episode that Max is turning older, that he is going to become a Shadowhunter. He is going out to fight and could die…

It was really great to see this. Throughout the series already, we know that the Lightwood siblings have an amazing connection and will always be there for each. They are really one of the only family dynamics in these series and I just adore it.

Max

Oh Max. My poor heart. I can’t deal with it. He wants to be like his older siblings so much and his good, real good. I know what is coming and I am so not ready.

Overall

A Dark Reflection was an intense episode. Things are starting to both fall in place and fall apart. There is only 3 episodes left and it’s getting more intense as we go. There is going to be deaths, fights and a whole lkot of tension. And I don’t know if I am ready.

Have you watched A Dark Reflection? What did you think of it? What do you think is going to happen in the next couple of episodes? Let’s Chat!

Book Review: The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi

Dec 17, 2016

The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi

Pages: 352
Publish date: December 1st, 2016
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
ISBN: 1489219552
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – Dymocks

Fate and fortune. Power and passion. What does it take to be the queen of a kingdom when you’re only seventeen?

Maya is cursed. With a horoscope that promises a marriage of death and destruction, she has earned only the scorn and fear of her father’s kingdom. Content to follow more scholarly pursuits, her whole world is torn apart when her father, the Raja, arranges a wedding of political convenience to quell outside rebellions. Soon Maya becomes the queen of Akaran and wife of Amar. Neither roles are what she expected: As Akaran’s queen, she finds her voice and power. As Amar’s wife, she finds something else entirely: Compassion. Protection. Desire…

But Akaran has its own secrets—thousands of locked doors, gardens of glass, and a tree that bears memories instead of fruit. Soon, Maya suspects her life is in danger. Yet who, besides her husband, can she trust? With the fate of the human and Otherworldly realms hanging in the balance, Maya must unravel an ancient mystery that spans reincarnated lives to save those she loves the most…including herself.

The Star-Touched Queen:

I received an ARC of The Star-Touched Queen Roshani Chokshi from Harlequin Teen Australia in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

I have been wanting to read The Star-Touched Queen for quite some time, but up until recently, it hadn’t been published here in Australia. Then I received a review copy and I was hanging out to read it. However, I did put it off as I was waiting for the release date to be a little closer. And after reading The Star-Touched Queen, I am a little disappointed.

The Star-Touched Queen follows protagonist Maya, daughter of the Raja and holder of a terrible horoscope. It is said that her marriage will follow with death and destruction. The kingdom not only feared her but hold a hatred that is cemented deep into her life. Her life changes when her father arranges a marriage of political convinces, that will hopefully bring some peace to the kingdom.

I have a love/hate relationship with Maya. For the most part, I truly enjoy her as a protagonist. She had this strength about her, that was somewhat empowering. Nearly everyone in her kingdom hated her or feared her, yet she didn’t let it get to her. It was great to see her stand up for herself. As the novel goes on, we get to find out who Maya truly is and she becomes even stronger. However, at times I felt like Maya’s voice shifted and she started acting and thinking, younger than she seemed to be. It was like she was a child all of a sudden.

I didn’t seem to care for the other characters in The Star-Touched Queen. There wasn’t the connection that I love to have with side characters, especially if they have interactions with the protagonist.

The romance was lacklustre for me. I didn’t feel much of a connection and I felt that it was totally insta-love. Amar is, I don’t know how to explain him. I am not totally sure that I liked him as a character per say, but I did, however, enjoy finding out his story. As The Star-Touched Queen went on, I was able to see the chemistry and tried to get over the ‘insta-love’ vibe that it was giving me.

Now to talk about the plot – the first half of the book I was good, everything seemed to flow and make sense. And then part two happen and I had no idea what was going on. It was like the whole novel changed and I was totally confused. The reader is thrown into this whole different world and we aren’t really given an explanation until the end. Even then things weren’t really explained.

In saying all this Roshani Chokshi writing in The Star-Touched Queen is absolutely stunning. I was swept away in the words and sentences that are beautifully weaved together. It’s such a different atmosphere in YA, but it was perfectly done. The world of The Star-Touched Queen is variant and colourful and that is how I felt the writing was as well. They bonded together so well.

In terms of world-building, like the plot, I was a little confused. At the start, I was able to understand what was happen, where we were and how the world worked. But when I got into part two, I was again confused.

The Star-Touched Queen is one of the first, if not the first book that I have read on Indian mythology and I enjoyed it. I love history and the concepts of mythology so it was great to dive into this diverse world that not many people talk about.

Overall, I liked The Star-Touched Queen. It’s not my favourite book out there, but it’s defiantly not my most hated. The concept was interesting, Maya was intriguing and the writing was exquisite. I was swept up into a world of magic and finding out who you really are. And although I was slightly confused, I would want to read more into this world and books from Roshani Chokshi.