Tag: Legendary

Book Reviews

Book Review: Caraval by Stephanie Garber

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Happy Monday bookish people! Today I am bringing you the book review for one of my favorite books that I have read – Caraval by Stephanie Garber! I can’t wait to share my thoughts with you all.

In this book review I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will try to keep it as spoiler free as possible. I hope you enjoy my book review.

Caraval Plot:

Rating: 5 out of 5.

I happened to pick this book up in a WhSmith in one of those service stations on the motorway while on a long car journey because I liked the sound of a circus-y themed competition story. I didn’t know then that this book would start an obsession with all things circus, particularly books with that setting. I love the plot of this book, it is filled to the brim with magic and escapism and one of the things I always love in books – not knowing who or what you can trust. This book completely messes with your head while at the same time being joyously beautiful and whimsical, dashed with danger. I could not put this book down.

Caraval Characters:

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Scarlett Dragna is one of two sisters, Scarlett and Tella, and in Caraval we follow Scarlett after Tella goes missing and Scarlett must compete in Caraval to find her. She is headstrong and fierce, especially in her loyalty to her sister. Scarlett is the character that I wish I could be (and who I will be dressing up as for YALC next year). The other character who features heavily in this book is Julian de Santos, he’s a cheeky, charming, mysterious man often described as looking like a rogue/pirate. As soon as I read that I knew I was going to love him, he’s definitely in my top five male book characters.

Caraval Writing and Dialogue:

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Stephanie Garber is an exceptionally good writer who has such talent that she drew me in from the very first sentence of the book and has captured my interest ever since. I have read the first and second book in the series so far and I find myself thinking on it all the time.

Caraval Overall:

Rating: 5 out of 5.

I had to give this book five stars because as I said, it is one of my favourite books I have ever read.

Blurb/Synopsis:

A legendary competition.
A mesmerizing romance.
An unbreakable bond
between two sisters.

Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show—are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic. And whether Caraval is real or not, Scarlett must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over or a dangerous domino effect of consequences will be set off, and her beloved sister will disappear forever.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval . . . beware of getting swept too far away.

That’s it for this book review, I hope you all enjoyed it!

Monthly Wrap Ups

August Wrap Up!

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Happy Thursday bookish people! I’m sorry this post is going up so late, it is now the second of September and a few things have changed this week, the main thing being that I moved in with my partner! So I’ve spent the last few days packing up most of my things and then yesterday moving into the new place. But I’ve got some time now where I can finally put up this post and right after I’ll be posting my September TBR post so check that out too if you’re interested.

onto the wrap up!

The month of August was really busy for me, I finished and submitted my dissertation, I went for a job interview which I’m hoping to get and of course I moved out of my old house. Honestly, I’m surprised I managed to read as much as I did this month.

Olay, let’s get it out of the way, I did not finish my TBR, but I did read a few books outside of my TBR. Let’s see what I did and didn’t read this month!

August TBR and thoughts:

  • An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson – I did not read this, I wanted to get to it but in the end there wasn’t time.
  • Get A Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert – I read this one! I surprisingly really enjoyed this book and if you want my full thoughts I have written a review of this book.
  • The Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis – I did not read this.
  • The House in the Cerulean Sea – I didn’t read this one either.
  • Legendary by Stephanie Garber – I read this one! I loved Caraval so much and although I didn’t love Legendary as much it was still a great book.
  • The Once and Future Witches by Alix E Harrow – I did not read this.
  • Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard – I didn’t read this one either, there were some big books on my TBR so I didn’t get to most of them.
  • Rivers of London – I wanted so badly to get to this one but I didn’t manage it.
  • Soulbinder by Sebastien De Castell – I read this one and loved it, I don’t have many left in the series and I’m so sad about that.
  • The Appeal by Janice Hallett – I read this one and thought it was a very interesting take on a murder mystery, you can see my review post if you’re interested in all of my thoughts.
  • The Masked City by Genevieve Cogman – I read and loved this book, Kai and Irene are quickly becoming two of my favourite fictional characters.
  • The Way of All Flesh by Ambrose Parry – I read this one and I’m excited to get to the sequel soon.
  • These Hollow Vows by Lexi Ryan – I did not read this.
  • Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angelles – I didn’t read this one either.
  • The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton – I read this one!

So that was my TBR and I ended up reading seven of the books but on top of that I also read:

  • Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horrowitz
  • Girl, 11 by Amy Suiter Clarke
  • The Gauntlet and the Fist Beneath by Ian Green
  • Alice Shaken and Definitely Stirred by Paula Smith
  • The Turnout by Megan Abbott

Overall I’ve not done too badly this month, I read 12 books and I’m pretty proud of that. So, that’s it for this wrap up, I hope you all enjoyed it!

Monthly TBRs

August TBR!

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Happy Saturday bookish people! July is coming to a close and I’m hoping August will be a great month, not just for reading but also for experience. Next week is my partner’s Father’s birthday and I’m going down to Cornwall for that weekend. Hopefully that will be lovely, I think it will be.

So, in July I ended up reading thirteen books and starting two others and I’m hoping this good reading will continue in August.

Again I’ve given myself a large TBR and that is before any book tour books, let’s get into it:

August TBR:

  • An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson – I started this one a while back but I’m excited to get back to it in August.
  • Get A Life Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert – I’m not that keen on contemporary but I won this in a giveaway and I’m willing to give the book a go.
  • The Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis – I don’t know much about this book but from the blurb it looks good.
  • The House in the Cerulean Sea by T J Clune – I’ve seen so many good things about this book and I can’t wait to read it.
  • Legendary by Stephanie Garber – I absolutely loved Caraval, the first in this series, and I’m not sure if I will love this one as much because it follows Tella and honestly I didn’t like her much in the first book.
  • The Once and Future Witches by Alix E Harrow – Witches are a common theme in books I enjoy so I hope that will continue with this one.
  • Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard
  • Rivers of London by Ben Aaronivitch – a supernatural detective just sounds amazing
  • Soulbinder by Sebastien De Castell – I’m very excited to continue with this series.
  • The Appeal by Janice hallett – this looks like a very unusual murder mystery and I’m looking forward to reading it.
  • The Masked City by Genevieve Cogman – I’m actually halfway through this book already, I started it a while ago and I’m excited to finish it.
  • The Way of All Flesh by Ambrose Parry – another murder mystery that should be a good read.
  • These Hollow Vows by Lexi Ryan – the blurb of this sounds so good.
  • Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angelles – this is set in a circus and has a competition in it, it gives me a similar feeling to the night circus and I’m looking forward to it.
  • The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton – this one sounds like a light but still intriguing book.

That’s it for my August TBR! Have you read any of these books? Are any on your TBR?

Book Quotes

Favourite Book Quotes: 40 – 31

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Happy Friday bookish people! I am back with the next ten quotes in my top 100 favourite book quotes series. It’s getting so close to revealing what quotes have made it into the top ten now, but you’ve got to wait just a little bit longer for that…

Onto the quotes!

At 40 is a quote from one of my favourite authors…

Traitors Blade by Sebastien De Castell

40. “The archer is the true weapon; the bow is just a long piece of wood”

Next is a quote from a sequel I haven’t read yet…

Unravel the Dusk by Elizabeth Lim

39. “I know that for every dawn, dusk must unravel it’s darkness” – although it seems slightly pessimistic I also think this quote is very lyrical.

At 38 is from a book I was very excited to read…

Once and Future Witches by Alix E Harrow

38. “Behind every witch is a wronged woman” – I love this quotes, and this book.

Next is a quote from a book on my July TBR…

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

37. “I remember you” – short and simple but has so much meaning behind it.

At 36 is from a book I got a special edition of…

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

36. “Once upon a time an angel and a devil fell in love – it did not end well” – This quote really sets the scene for the book and also slightly makes me think of the TV show Lucifer for some reason.

Next is from the second book in a very popular series…

A Court of Mist and Fury – Sarah J Maas

35. “To the stars who listen and the dreams that are answered”

At 34 is from a book I’m anticipating to be a five star read…

Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody

34. “Desire fame and the city will make you a tragedy”

Up now is from a sequel I started to read and then put down for now…

Legendary by Stephanie Garber

33. “A kiss worth dying for”

At 32 is a book I read very recently…

Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin

32. “Wicked are the ways of women, especially a witch”

Up last for this week is from a book I rated three stars…

Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake

31. “Three dark sisters all fair to be seen, two to devour and one to be queen”

That’s it for this post, I hope you all enjoyed it! Next Friday I’ll be sharing the next ten so come back then.

Book Quotes

Favourite Book Quotes – 100-91

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Happy Friday bookish people! This post is going up later than I would have liked it to, this week has been super busy for me with my job, University, hospital etc.. and this morning I got my second Covid jab so hopefully I’ll get this written before any side effects kick in.

I’m starting a little series (in case you didn’t notice by the title of this post…) where I show and maybe talk about, depending on my mood, my 100 favourite quotes from books. But doing ALL 100 in one post might have been a bit much so I’m splitting it down into sections of ten. Also it will give it a bit of mystery, you’ll be thinking ooh I wonder what’s going to be on the next set of ten and I wonder what quote will take the top spot – no? Just me? Okay…

Well, with all that said lets go to the first set of ten.

In last place at 100 we have a classic from….

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

100. “Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same” – I really dislike Wuthering Heights but this quote just managed to squeeze into my top 100.

Coming in at 99 we have a quote from….

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

99. “Fate […] is a very weighty word to throw around before breakfast” – I mean yes, it certainly is. I don’t usually eat breakfast so if you want to talk to me about fate you’re going to have to wait until after I’ve eaten something for lunch.

Speaking of food we have number 98…

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

98. “It was a well known fact that there were no calories in homemade cakes” – if only that was true.

Quote 97 is one that came from a series of books I read in my early years at Secondary school….

Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

97. “Dreams, dreams. I walk them; I live them. I delude myself with them” – I can definitely relate to the deluding yourself with dreams part, I’m well known for daydreaming.

A much more serious quote at 96…

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

96. “The only way to learn is to live”

At the halfway point for this first installment of favourite quotes is one from a favourite series of mine…

Legendary by Stephanie Garber

95. “There were shipwrecks more graceful than Tella” – I am more graceful than Tella and I need more than ten fingers to count the amount of times I fall and trip each day.

At 94 is a quote that reminds me of a few people who I know….

King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo

94. “It’s not exciting if nothing can go wrong” – I completely disagree with this statement and that’s not at all because I’m scared of everything, including people. Some particular people.

Moving on quickly. 93 is a quote that I wrote down on a sticky note while I was reading the book because of how much it caught my attention….

Spin The Dawn by Elizabeth Lim

93. “Seize the wind, don’t become the kite that never flies” – as illogical as trying to catch hold of actual wind is, this is still a beautiful quote.

Up next is a quote from a book that has vampires in…

The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh

92. “She was no lamb, she was a lion” – I won’t tell you the character name who says this but this quote sums up her character arc very well.

and the final quote of this first installment is…..

How The King Of Elfhame Learned To Hate Stories by Holly Black

91. “A heart of stone can still be broken” – simple and a little sad this quote tells you a lot about two characters – the one who says it and the one they are saying it to.

That’s it for this blog post, I hope you all enjoyed the first installment – have you seen any of your favourite quotes yet? Are there any quotes you are hoping might show up further up my list? Let me know in the comments.

I’ll be back soon with quotes 90-81!