Friday 30 December 2016

2016 Reading Re-Cap

So 2016 is almost over and I wanted to look back at all the books I've read this year. So many amazing books came out this year and I've fallen in love with so many characters that I can't wait to go back to in 2017. I have reviews on my blog for all of the books below so if any of them catch your eye you can go and check them out (although some of them contain major spoilers for the books themselves). Thank you for reading and supporting my blog. I hope you all have a very Happy New Year that's full of great books!


From Bottom to Top:

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige
The Jewel by Amy Ewing
Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
Unspoken series by Sarah Rees Brennan
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas
The Night Circus by Erin Morgernstern
Dangerous Lies by Becca Fitzpatrick
The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan & Maureen Johnson
The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater
Uglies and Pretties by Scott Westerfield
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare
Passenger by Alexandra Bracken
The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J Maas
Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas

Friday 16 December 2016

Blogmas

Today I want to share with you my Christmas Playlist. The past few days I have been busy making my Christmas Cards and some of my Christmas presents and these are the songs that I have been cranking out while I do it. A small collection of old classics and modern day hits, I am loving this playlist. I can't help but think of Kat and Daemon from the Lux series when I listen to this playlist - I like to think these are the songs they would listen to while trimming the tree. Maybe that's just me though...

  1. Melanie Thornton - Wonderful Dream (Holidays Are Coming)
  2. Michael Buble - It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas
  3. Leona Lewis - One More Sleep
  4. Ariana Grande - Tell Me Santa
  5. Wham! - Last Christmas
  6. Mariah Carey - All I Want For Christmas
  7. The Pogues - Fairy Tale in New York
  8. Katy Perry - Everyday is a Holiday
  9. Paul McCartney - Wonderful Christmas Time
  10. Kylie Minogue - Only You (feat James Corden)
  11. Michael Buble - Let It Snow


Monday 12 December 2016

Blogmas

Since this is a book blog, today I am resurrecting an old book tag that made the circuit on booktube a few years ago; The Winter Wonderland Book Tag. The original tag was started by JackEatsBooks here.

1. What book is so happy and sweet it warms your heart?
I have a collection of Winnie the Pooh stories that was a gift on my christening day that I love. I don't think there are any books that are totally happy and sweet - there's angst in every story surely?

2. What is your favourite book with a white cover?
Empire of Storms by Sarah J Maas. That book destroyed me in every way possible and was my favourite book in the Throne of Glass series.

3. You're sitting in a nice comfy chair, wearing a onesie, with a lovely warm hot chocolate but what MONSTER read are you reading?
I don't think I own a truly monstrous book, although Sarah J Maas' books this year have been huge, so I think I'd probably have to go Empire of Storms again, just because they had to print the book on Bible pages so they would fit on bookshelves.

4. It started snowing so you decided to have a snowball fight! What fictional character would you love to have the snowball fight with?
I'm going to say Daemon from the Lux series, just because I would love to wipe the smug look off his face. There would have to be a rule that he couldn't use his super speed though so that I would have a chance of winning!

5. Sadly, your fire is beginning to go out. So what book would you tear the last few chapters out to throw into the fire?
Allegiant by Veronica Roth. Not because of the ending per say but the whole book in general was just a let down after the first two books. The dual POV didn't work and both Tobias and Tris annoyed me so much in that book.

6.  What book is so close to your heart that you would gift to someone this Christmas who hasn't read before but wants to get into reading?
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas. I think the plot and the world and the characters are just so amazing in this series and, although it takes a while to get going, the last couple of hundred pages grip you and ACOMAF has you hooked from start to finish. So I would gift this series.

Sunday 4 December 2016

Blogmas



Welcome to Day 3 of Blogmas, where the festive feeling is definitely starting to set in. Last night I went to a magical lantern festival at my local botanical gardens and oh was it magical. It was maybe an hour long walk through the gardens and everywhere you looked were some incredible sights. Whoever created these, hats off to them because it was stunning. It was the perfect event for families, and there were a lot of fairly young children whose excitement levels were off the scale! They loved discovering the lanterns and seeing which characters they could spot so I would definitely check your local botanical gardens or even garden centres to see if they are offering anything like this in December, it's well worth a look.







Have you been anywhere or are you planning to go anywhere special this December? Let me know!


Saturday 3 December 2016

Blogmas

With winter well and truly here I thought it would be a good time to talk about my winter essentials that aren't books. I think winter is the only season where I have a list of 'essentials' that I have with me pretty much everyday. It seems to be the time of the year where you just have to be prepared for anything and everything the weather will throw at you. Which is usually rain, wind and occasionally some snow!

First thing on my list is scarves. I really like wearing scarves throughout the year and I have some thinner scarves to wear in the spring and summer but in winter you can't beat a thick, snuggly scarf and this year I am obsessed with this one. I got this in Primark at the end of the summer this year and it is so warm it's unreal! At the time I bought this, they did the same scarf in red but I thought this one was a little more unusual with the cream and grey. I have been wearing this pretty much non-stop the past couple of weeks and I feel like I'm definitely going to get my wear out of it this winter.


I think the other staple in everyone's winter wardrobe is a jumper. You can't beat a good jumper when it's cold, especially if it's fluffy! I've had this jumper for a few years now (again I got it from Primark) and I really love it. It is slightly festive with the snowflakes on it, but you can definitely wear it throughout winter without anyone thinking you've completely lost your mind. On another note, I've never really been big on the Christmas jumper thing. You know the really OTT Christmas jumpers? I know some people are obsessed with them but I've never really been a fan. Anyway, I do save this for really cold days because the fluff does come off a little bit (though I think this is a problem with all fluffy jumpers) and covers me in little bits but it is amazing when the temperature outside is falling.


Despite being a big fan of scarves, I don't normally wear gloves. I have a few pairs of fingerless gloves that I do wear sometimes but actually, I tend to use these more, especially because my coat is quite thick and has quite big pockets so I normally just keep my hands in my pockets. These are hand warmers and I have about ten stashed away. These were really big a few years ago and it seemed like everywhere sold them. They are the most ingenious little devices. There is a small metal disk inside that you 'snap' and it activates the gel surrounding it, heating it up. All of mine are reusable so when you've used it once, simply put the gel pack in to a saucepan of boiling water and heat it up again according to the instructions that come with them and they're good to go. I love putting a couple of these in my coat pocket, especially if I know I'm going to be outside a lot and they're not very expensive at all.


Winter is also the time of year to really break out the moisturiser. My favourite is the Simple Kind to Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser. I use this all year round but especially during winter when the cold sucks all the moisture out of my skin. I really like this light moisturiser because I have quite oily skin and this just sinks right in, is really hydrating but doesn't leave my skin feeling oily at all.


Winter is also the time for parties, and these next two essentials are definitely more geared towards the party season. First up is fragrance. I'm not a huge perfume wearer, I definitely don't have a huge collection (all my money goes on books!) but I really do love the ones that I have. I've picked two fragrances out of my limited collection, one for the day and one for the night. For the day I love wearing Taylor Swift's Wonderstruck perfume. I adore this scent. It's quite a light, sweet fragrance that is perfect for the day because it's so light. For the evening I like to wear Kylie Minogue's Dazzling Darling fragrance. This is still a fairly light perfume (I don't like my perfume's to overwhelm me) but is a bit more 'grown up' than the Taylor one.


Finally we have nail varnishes. I am a nail varnish fiend. I love painting my nails and the box in my room that is full to bursting with nail varnishes can definitely attest to that! Because it is the party season, I love wearing glittery nail varnish and, to me, you can't get much more festive than wearing red. Below are the four nail varnishes that match at least one of these criteria. All of the red polishes are amazing over a plain red polish to add some festive sparkle. The OPI and China Glaze polishes give a bit more of a subtle shimmer and the Rimmel London polish is a lot more obvious. The Essie polish you can just wear as it is. Two coats of it on your nails and you're good to go!

L-R: OPI 'Underneath the Mistletoe', Essie 'Ignite the Night'
Rimmel London 'Ruby Crush', China Glaze 'Ruby Pumps'

 I hope you guys enjoyed this post. Let me know what your winter essentials are and I'll see you tomorrow!

Thursday 1 December 2016

Blogmas


Welcome to the first of December and the first day of Blogmas! I can't believe that it is December already! Seriously, where has 2016 gone?? This week, winter has definitely arrived in the UK. It has been so cold here this week. November has been and gone and the weather has seriously gone with it. I love watching the seasons change (which sounds really weird but bare with me). I'm a creative person at heart and I love watching the colours around me change as the year goes on. Autumn this year was spectacularly beautiful. Seriously, I don't think I've seen an Autumn as gorgeous.

While I love the autumnal colours, there is something strangely magical about waking up and seeing the frost covering the ground, glittering in the street lights. Tie it in with all the Christmas lights that are popping up everywhere and winter takes on this magical quality that you don't find in any other season. And whenever you step outside, you get to pretend you're a dragon because you can see your breath every time you breath (we all do it and if you don't then you're lying).

I am definitely a Christmas lover. There is a certain sequence that must be completed for it to be Christmas for me.
  1. Bonfire night must have happened. I love Christmas, but anytime before November 5th is too early even for me.
  2. I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here has to start on TV. This programme is one that I look forward to every year.
  3. The German Market needs to have started up, in all of it's chaotic, madness. Seriously, this is one of the most stressful places ever, but it's not Christmas without it.
  4. The Coca Cola Christmas advert has to have played on TV. This is the deal breaker. Once this advert has played, then it's Christmas and I don't care what anyone says.
I'm really excited about the next 25 days of blogmas. I hope you guys enjoy it! Are there any specific things that have to happen before you feel like it's Christmas? Are you a Christmas lover or a Scrooge?

Wednesday 30 November 2016

Empire of Storms by Sarah J Maas - MAJOR SPOILERS

Empire of Storms by Sarah J Maas - MAJOR SPOILERS

Rating: 5 stars

Synopsis: The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those who don't.With her heart sworn to the warrior-prince by her side, and her fealty pledged to the people she is determined to save, Aelin will delve into the depths of her power to protect those she loves. But as monsters emerge from the horrors of the past, and dark forces become poised to claim her world, the only chance for salvation will lie in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.

Review: This book. This book you guys. It's amazing. As the title suggests this is going to be a spoilery discussion and there's really not a lot that I can say about this series without spoiling everything but I can tell you that this is the fifth novel in the Throne of Glass series and if you have not picked this series up yet then you need to. Seriously. Put this series on your wish list to Santa because, ladies and gentlemen, it will come as no surprise to anyone that Sarah J Maas has done it again. She has destroyed my heart in every single way possible. And I love it. So, on that note, if you do not want to be spoiled for this book, or any other book in this series then please leave now, read the books and then come back and discuss. Because I promise you, you will have so many feeling after reading this book...

WARNING. THERE BE SPOILERS AHEAD...

It goes without saying that I loved this book. The more I think about this book, the more I realise just how much I love it. Up until this point, Heir of Fire was my favourite book in this series because the emotional journey that Aelin went on was so incredible to read and we got to see her grow and develop as a character so much more than in Throne of Glass and Crown of Midnight, but now I think Empire of Storms might have just over taken Heir of Fire as my favourite. I think the main reason for this is because I loved all the characters in this book.

If you've read my discussions of the other books in this series, you will know that for the past two books I have really struggled with Manon as a character. I just could not empathise with her, she really annoyed me and I really didn't enjoy reading her point of view sections. The same with Elide in Queen of Shadows, I just didn't really enjoy her as a character. One of the first chapters in Empire of Storms is from Elide's point of view and I immediately loved her. It was so strange. I think this happened because she was on her own. She wasn't surrounded by people who were more powerful than her, who gathered round her and stopped her from being the bad ass person that she is. As soon as we started seeing her in the woods alone, I knew I was going to enjoy reading about her because we now have an opportunity to see Elide really fight for herself, without anyone else there to help her.
  Lorcan as well is a character that I did enjoy in Queen of Shadows but I wasn't sure what we were going to do with him in Empire of Storms. When I started reading about Lorcan and Elide I wasn't sure I was going to like them as a couple. It turns out I really, really enjoyed them together. I loved that Elide put Lorcan in his place time after time and being around him seemed to bring out the best in Elide. By the time we met up with Manon again I felt like Elide could now stand next to Manon and the Thirteen as an equal rather than a bystander.

The same with Manon. Like I said, I have never been able to relate to Manon in the way that I've seen other people do. In this book though, I really enjoyed reading her chapters. The scene where she saved Dorian was the moment where I realised I could really like Manon. And then Asterin was sentenced to death and Manon fought her grandmother and almost died and I was sold on her character. I'm going to be honest, I'm not completely sold on the Dorian/Manon relationship. I don't hate it but I'm not completely on board with this train just yet. By the end of the next book, I'll probably ship it but for right now...I'm not sold.

Lysandra and Aedion is a relationship I do ship. I ship it so much it hurts. I saw this coming at the end of Queen of Shadows when the two of them caught Rowan and Aelin kissing at the end. I loved them together. When Lysandra was exhausted after the battle in Skulls Bay and Aedion sat with her and told her that he was going to marry her, I loved that so much. That whole scene was so amazing. Lysandra as a sea dragon was incredible and also terrifying to watch as she fought against those sea wyverns was so tense because no one could really do anything to help her until the very end. Speaking of this scene, the moment where Aelin was taken over by Deanna was so strange. Seeing Aelin delving so far in to her power that even Rowan was scared for her was incredible to read about, and then Deanna appeared and took over her body and almost killed the entirety of Skulls Bay. This whole scene was so tense; I was on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading it.

Lets talk about our girl Aelin. I felt like Heir of Fire was Aelin accepting her role as being heir to the throne but Queen of Shadows was Aelin saying goodbye (in most part) to Celaena, and getting revenge for all of the things that were done to her during her time as Celaena. This is the first book for me that we've really seen Aelin as a Queen and I adored it. I knew from the beginning that getting her throne back wouldn't be easy but even so, Darrow was so self-righteous and arrogant and I hated him for keeping Aelin from her home. Sending Rowan to help Dorian was the best thing for everyone because Dorian finally had someone to begin to help him with his magic. I loved that they got to Skulls Bay first and went to try and get Rolfe on their side before Aelin got there because of her history with him. Which brings me on to a point to note; if you haven't read the Assassin's Blade before this book, you really need to read it because most of the characters from those stories return in Empire of Storms.

When Aelin returned to Skulls Bay and they all walked in to Rolfe's office to find her there is possibly one of my favourite scenes in the whole book. Not least because we briefly get Celaena back. I love that everyone who knows Aelin can tell when she is being Celaena and just acts along with it, no questions asked. When she's flirting with Rowan and he tells her he has someone already and they smirk at each other...argh I love them so much. When Aelin is messing with the jewels and Rolfe immediately tells her to put the ones she's hidden in her sleeve back, and then she takes one from her mouth. Dorian is just watching like, how on earth did she get that in there? And then, to top it all off, Lysandra walks in as Aelin and freaks Rolfe out completely. Like I said, this was possibly one of my favourite scenes in the whole book.

Another amazing scene was the scene where Aedion and Gavriel meet for the first time and Aedion lays in to him. I thought this was a really well written scene because Gavriel did need to hear what happened while he was with Maeve and what Aedion's mother did to protect him. I would have liked them to reconcile a little bit in this book. They did protect each other, but I kind of wanted them to talk to each other and for Aedion to maybe concede a little bit that Gavriel didn't know he existed. I'm hoping we get that in the next book.

I loved that the whole little adventure to retrieve the mirror, Dorian works out that Manon and Aelin are the two people who can use it and manages to convince them to step in to this mirror and leave them all on the eve of a battle. I'm not surprised Aedion punched him. Who does that? Dorian, I love you, but that was kind of a stupid move. And then we find out exactly what Elena did a thousand years before and what she bargained away. She bargained away Aelin's life because of her mistake. She got to live her life with Gavin, but is going to take Aelin away not just from Rowan, but Aedion, Lysandra, Chaol, Dorian...all these people who have become her family. I've never been sure of Elena's motives and hearing this just turned me off her completely. She did redeem herself slightly when she saved Aelin from drowning the night Marion was killed but still...the fact that Aelin had worked this out and it had shocked her so much she threw up was so horrible to read.

I honestly didn't think it could get any worse. Aelin has been told that she is going to die, that she was born to be sacrificed, and Nehemia had known all about it even before she set foot in Rifthold and then she is faced with Maeve. And to top it all off, Aelin has very little magic left. How can this get any worse? Apparently, Maeve has been planning this all along. She knew that Aelin and Rowan would be two of the most powerful people ever so she staged a mate bond between Rowan and Lyria and then killed Lyria so that Rowan would be so broken that he would swear the blood oath to Maeve. And then we discover that Lorcan set this up in a twisted way of trying to protect Elide which just backfired completely. Seeing Maeve force Aelin to give herself up was heart-breaking, seeing Fenrhys and Gavriel try and help her broke me a little bit more and then Maeve brought out the whip.

I don't cry easily at books. This scene broke me. The one thing that could break Aelin, the one thing that haunts her nightmares more than anything, is being whipped at Endovier. And that psycho queen brings out the whip and tells Aelin to count the whips she receives or they'll start over until she does. And Aelin doesn't do it. Despite everything, despite her body shaking with fear and the pain that she's in, Aelin doesn't count. And in between the tears I was so proud of her. And then she was place in the chains and the iron mask and put in an iron coffin and...I still don't know what to do with all these feelings that I am feeling right now. To top it all off, we then find out that Rowan and Aelin got married in secret so Terrasen would have a King (I got slight ACOMAF vibes from this I'm not going to lie) and Rowan and Aedion essentially represent my feelings in this moment. Especially when we find out that Aelin had called in all of the debts owed to her. Ansel and the rest of the silent assassins and Galan her cousin from Wendlyn come to provide Terrasen with an army and Aedion is left sobbing because he yelled at her that she hadn't done anything to get an army and it turns out she had all along and just let him yell. Lysandra's act from earlier in Skulls Bay is coming back, she is going to act as Aelin to make sure everyone keeps fighting for Terrasen and there was a conversation about Lysandra having children with Aedion in the future as Aelin to keep the bloodline going and to keep the ruse. Aelin did all of this knowing she would likely not see it happen herself. And it broke my heart in to a thousand tiny pieces.

I think that's everything I wanted to discuss - at least that I can think of for now. I hope it made a little bit of sense, I'm sorry if it didn't! I can't wait for the final book in this series, I need to know how it all ends. Sarah J Maas is an incredible author and I love all of her books. This series is wonderful and I can't recommend her books enough. If you haven't read Throne of Glass or the Court of Thorns and Roses series, and you enjoy high fantasy novels, then I really recommend picking these series up! Let me know your thoughts and feelings on this final book and all the other books in this series!

Thursday 17 November 2016

Bookish Christmas Gifts 2016!

Because Christmas is fast approaching, here is my 2016 Christmas Gift Guide for you. All images are owned by the companies and are linked back to their original source. They do not belong to me. The owners of the images have kindly let me use them in this post.

Bookishly

This company sell so many amazing products. One of my favourites are their phone cases. You can get them either with a book inspired quote or a generic one so this is a great option for people who love books and those who don't. All designs are £17.00, are absolutely gorgeous and come for a variety of phones. Choose from: iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C, iPhone 6, iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, Galaxy S5, Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge and Samsung Galaxy S7.


'Bookishly Celestial Phone Case' & 'I Read Past My Bedtime' Pink Watercolour
Blot Phone Case, £17.00
Images courtesy of Bookishly: http://www.bookishly.co.uk/collections/phone-cases
 Of course you're going to need gift wrap to wrap all of your presents and Bookishly stock an amazing range of gift wrap. My favourite is the watercolour effect gift wrap. It's not 'Christmassy' but it's so unusual and so pretty that it will definitely make your gifts stand out. You can get a pack of three sheets each with a different design for £6.25 or you can get one large sheet and pick your chosen colour for £3.25.

Pack of 3 Wrapping Paper Sheets -
Watercolour Effects, £6.25
Image courtesy of Bookishly: http://www.bookishly.co.uk/collections/gift-wrap


Behind the Pages

I am more than slightly obsessed with this website right now. They're an Australian company so, if you want to purchase any of their products and you live outside of Australia, you will have to order them by Monday 21st November 2016 to get them in time for Christmas. I'm going to start off with lip balms. These clever people have designed lip balms that smell like your favourite book boyfriends and girlfriends. I'm definitely eyeing up Rhysand's lip balm, just because. Their Christmas Exclusive are Harry Potter lip balms in Harry, Ron and Hermione but they also have ACOTAR and Throne of Glass characters, the Raven Cycle, the Wrath and the Dawn characters - so many wonderful books to chose from! They're made from all natural ingredients and are perfect for sensitive skin and are $4.50 AUD. A warning with these lip balms though, don't consciously lick the lip balm off of your lips as they're not for consumption BUT they do give you the sensation of kissing your book boyfriend. I can't think of a better Christmas present...
Christmas Exclusive Hermione (Harry Potter series)
Lip Balm - $4.50 AUD
Image courtesy of Behind the Pages: https://www.behindthepagesstore.com/lip-balm

Rhysand (A Court of Thorns and Roses)
Lip Balm - $4.50 AUD
Image courtesy of Behind the Pages: https://www.behindthepagesstore.com/lip-balm 


If you really want to go all out, then you can match your lip balm with your soap. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this company also sell Goats Milk Soaps in the same scents as your favourite characters. Their Ship of the month is Romione, so you get one soap, half with Ron's scent and the other with Hermione and again they have so many characters that you can choose from that you're bound to find one you like the sound off. The soaps are $9.00 AUD and is again made from all natural ingredients and is perfect for sensitive skin.
Celaena (Throne of Glass Series) -
Body Soap - $9.00 AUD
Image courtesy of Behind the Pages: https://www.behindthepagesstore.com/new-products/celaena-body-soap-throne-of-glass-series

Ship of the Month, Romione (Harry Potter Series) -
Body Soap - $9.00 AUD
Image courtesy of  Behind the Pages: https://www.behindthepagesstore.com/new-products/ship-of-the-month-romione-harry-potter-series-body-soap


Creations By MeX

Any of you remember the recent craze of book folding? Where you fold the pages of books in a certain way so you can make an image out of them? Well, this wonderful lady has done all of the hard work for you. Her Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/creationsbymex stocks a range of folded book art and handmade cards for a variety of occasions. What I loved about the book art craze was the uniqueness of each book at the end of it. You can make an image of pretty much anything so no matter what your recipient is interested in, you're sure to find something related to that interest. These are definitely something I would order soon if you like the look of them, just to make sure you get them in time because they are made to order.

Name Book Art Personalised, Custom Made, Any Name
£28.60 + shipping
Image courtesy of Creations by MeX: https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/246384078/name-book-art-personalized-christmas
Personalised Dog Lover Gift, Paw Print and Your Pets Name
£29.80 + shipping
Image courtesy of Creations by MeX:
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/472139224/personalised-dog-lover-gift-paw-print?ref=shop_home_active_66

So there you have it, that is my (relatively short) Christmas Gifts for 2016. I hope you've enjoyed this post and that it has inspired you to go check some of these amazing companies out! Thank you to the companies who let me feature their wonderful products, I really appreciate it.

Wednesday 16 November 2016

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas - MAJOR SPOILERS

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas - MAJOR SPOILERS

Rating: 5 stars

Synopsis: Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. Now she returns to the empire - to confront the shadows of her past ...Bloodthirsty for revenge on the two men responsible for destroying her life, and desperate to find out if the prince and his captain are safe, Celaena returns to Rifthold, the seat of so much evil. She has accepted her identity of Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. But before she can reclaim her throne, there are dark truths to learn and debts to be paid. Aelin must stay hidden beneath her assassin's hood and draw on her mortal strength as Celaena to prevent the King of Adarlan from tearing her world apart. Only then can she fight for her people.

Review: Wow. So much happened in this book you guys. So much amazing, bad-ass, insane stuff! Which means that this review is going to be ridiculously long and I am not even sorry because I need to discuss this book in detail. There isn't much else I can say that won't spoil what happens because this is book 4 in the Throne of Glass series so if you haven't read these books and don't want to be spoiled then go away and read the books and then come back and discuss.

WARNING. THERE BE SPOILERS AHEAD...

Okay, so lets start at the beginning. So, lets start with Dorian. My poor baby! All of the short Dorian scenes that we get scattered through the book are heart-wrenching to read, because you can see Dorian fading away and the Valg prince taking over. I knew going in to this book that Dorian would be saved, but we'd have to wait until the end of the book for Aelin to save him. Knowing that didn't make the wait any easier but at least I knew he'd be okay.

Chaol is still a douche. When he sent her to Wendlyn and realised who she was, he knew she would end up in Doranelle which means he could also have predicted she would have been able to practise magic or at least be around magic users. His whole speech about her 'antics' made me so mad because we all know that Aelin wasn't playing around. It took her half of Heir of Fire to even start to use her magic because she was scared of it. And she was dying. What else did he want her to do in that situation? (Yes I know Chaol wasn't there so he doesn't know this but, my point still stands). Despite everything that has happened between them, Chaol should know that Aelin would never deliberately harm him or Dorian. They're her friends and, in a way they're her family. In all fairness, he does grow throughout the book and comes to accept Aelin for who she is but those opening chapters with the two of them were horrible to read because I just wanted to slap some sense in to him.

I'm interested in Nesryn. She is such a strong person who ends up being a really good ally with Aelin. I liked that Aelin and Nesryn hit it off early on and even when Nesryn tried to stop Aelin from killing Dorian in her great escape from the castle, she was doing it on Chaol's orders. At that point, she didn't know who to back and Dorian seemed like the good choice and I think Aelin realised this and decided to show Nesryn that she is the safer choice to put her faith in right now than Dorian. I think I'm also on board with the Chaol and Nesryn relationship because Nesryn will not take any of Chaol's ridiculousness. She will call him out when he's being a douche and she does it frequently in this book, so I think it could work really well.

I want to talk about Aedion. I adore him. Watching him try and sacrifice himself to save Aelin was so sweet. He hasn't seen her in ten years and he has been loyal through that whole time. The rescue itself was amazing to read. The dancers throwing the powder on the floor that ignited at the end of the dance and Aelin sneaking through the guards and the crowds and stealing Aedion from under the Kings nose was such a great scene. They work so well together as well. Both feel guilty about their actions in the ten years since they last saw each other, especially Aelin, but neither judges the other. Aedion goes out of his way to tell Aelin that he understands why she stayed with Arobynn and became an assassin. It kept her safe and it made her strong enough to come back and rule her territory. As soon as Sarah brought up the blood oath though, I knew we were going to see them argue about it. It was something that never occurred to me before now but of course Aedion is going to feel put out that Rowan took the blood oath that was meant for him. He'd pinned his hopes on to taking it when they were reunited. What I loved though was that Sarah didn't drag the argument out. They fought and said things they didn't mean but the next morning they apologised and made up. I thought this was so refreshing. In YA this doesn't happen. People fight and then don't speak for the next 200 pages. Having these two characters who are so close realise that actually there is a way around this problem and it doesn't have to be a big deal as long as it is acknowledged that it hurt that the choice was taken away was so refreshing to read.

Before I talk about Rowan and Arobynn, I want to talk about Elide and the witches. I had tentatively come round to Manon and her Thirteen at the end of Heir of Fire but I just could not get in to their scenes in this book. I really didn't enjoy reading about what was happening in Morath and again I think it was because of Manon, I can't get in to her headspace. I wasn't invested in the witches or in Elide and didn't particularly care what happened to them throughout the book. The one scene I did enjoy was Manon and Aelin meeting in the clearing. I spent the whole of Heir of Fire and the majority of this book waiting for the two of them to meet because I knew it would be epic. And it was. These two strong willed, powerful women pitted against each other was amazing to read about because you honestly didn't know who would win the fight. I loved that Aelin went back for Manon. A moment before she was willing to let them die, but Aelin realised how much Asterin cares for her leader. I liked that it led to a debt where Manon told Aelin that Dorian was still there, despite the Valg Prince taking over.

The Dorian and Manon thing was a little strange to me. I liked it better than Dorian and Sorsha but it really was strange to me that Manon went to Rifthold to see if Dorian was still him. I think this relationship will definitely play a part in Empire of Storms though I don't know if it will be anything more than a friendship between the two.

Rowan and Aelin kill me. The constant flirting and the silent communication thing they have going on is so entertaining to read. I love that Aedion is in awe of Rowan and despite his feelings about the blood oath, he still respects Rowan and wants to learn from him. He never thinks to contest the relationship either like most people would in YA books. He's simply happy for his cousin and I loved seeing the two guys come together as brothers to protect Aelin. The scene where Aelin comes to bed wearing that short nightgown was hilarious. Sarah has built up this image of Rowan as a calm and lethal warrior where nothing fazes him and yet the first sight of Aelin in this nightgown sets him off and he can't cope was pure comedy to me.

The scene in the theatre where Aelin and Rowan sit in the rafters and then Aelin plays her favourite piece of music from the symphony was beautiful. I love that we're told the chairs are still in the same position as the night when the orchestra protested the killings in Endovier and Calaculla, I thought that tiny detail was a really nice inclusion because it reminds us of what happened and of that short scene in Heir of Fire which is so easily overlooked because of everything else that happens without Sarah giving her characters a long speech about how awful it is that the theatre is still the same. It's a subtle detail but I loved it. I liked that Rowan was interested not just in watching Aelin play the pianoforte but he was interested in the piece she played. He wanted to learn how she played it which again is another small detail but one that I think really added to their relationship. Chaol enjoyed the music she played him, Rowan wanted to share it with her.

The whole game with Arobynn was so well written. This book made me so glad that I pushed through the Assassin's Blade because so many of the characters from that book were mentioned here. I loved this whole section where we were in Arobynn's house after delivering the Valg prisoner because we finally got to see the end to the game, where all the cards are shown. I thought Aelin pretending to be Arobynn was a stroke of genius. Something as trivial as dying her hair red which I overlooked every time it was mentioned suddenly had a deeper meaning. Seeing how Aelin manipulated her old master at every turn by destroying the Vaults and then endearing him to the new owners all played in to her plan and Arobynn never suspected until right at the end. I loved getting to see her take her revenge in such a subtle and clever way.

The silent conversation between Rowan and Aelin might be my favourite part in the whole book. Watching them flirt right in front of Arobynn about how their 17 year old selves would react to meeting each other was so well written and so entertaining. Hearing Rowan say that 17 year old Rowan would be scandalised by Aelin and Aelin replying that he'd be even more scandalised to know she wasn't wearing underwear was brilliant. Rowan hitting his knee off the table in response was hilarious. I loved it.

Arobynn putting that Valg ring on Aelin's finger didn't surprise me in the slightest. I knew he'd do it when he cut it off the prisoner. What did surprise me was that Aelin had planned for that to happen and that the ring was a fake. Despite knowing it would happen, I don't think I've ever turned a page so fast in my life. I definitely agree with Aedion, it would be nice to be let in on some of Aelin's plans.

I'm glad that Lysandra got to kill Arobynn. I'm glad Lysandra and Aelin became friends actually, but I think she deserved the chance to do it herself after everything Arobynn did to her. Aelin came out of being Arobynn's assassin well - she has Rowan and Aedion and Dorian and the knowledge that she is strong enough to protect them now. Lysandra watched as the two men she loved were killed and she was left alone with the man she hates. I'm glad she got to avenge Wesley. I had wondered why Aelin kept going to the bank and it all became clear when Arobynn's will was read. It was a clever way of getting the money she needed for her armies and for Terrasen.

Rowan and Aelin's fight broke my heart. Rowan's reaction was instinctive but because Aelin doesn't know how he truly feels it really hurt her when he backed away. Watching her do the same to him after that; ducking away when he went to touch her and barely talking to him killed me to read. I liked that there was never a point where she didn't accept his help though, she simply kept her distance because that's what she thought he wanted. Sarah's portrayl of relationships in her books is wonderful to read about because they're so realistic.

The final fight with Chaol and Aelin in the palace and Rowan and Aedion taking the hellfire in to the sewers was so tense to read. Finding out that Lorcan betrayed them was horrible because for a long time there wasn't really a way out for the guys. When they managed to blow up the clock tower and free magic, it freed Lysandra. I love that she chose to become a ghost leopard I thought it was such a fitting form for her to take and I love that she saved the guys butts. Seeing Chaol's men hanging from the battlements was awful. They risked so much and we heard that many of them were young. I liked that Chaol took on the King despite knowing he wouldn't succeed in his task, I thought it was kind of fitting that, if he had to take on anyone, he stood a small chance (we assumed) of killing the King. Watching Aelin fight to get Dorian back was the tensest part of the whole book and I was so pleased when he managed to do it. I also liked that Dorian killed his father but Aelin took credit for it so that the people of Rifthold wouldn't start rioting against him. The display of power from both of them at the end was amazing and I'm not surprised they both slept for three days straight. As for what the King said at the end, I was shocked. I never even considered both Perrington and the King having Valg princes inside of them and I wouldn't have considered that the Valg King was inside Perrington. It makes me incredibly nervous for Empire of Storms because the King was awful, Perrington is going to be ten thousand times worse.

Okay, I think that is everything I wanted to discuss about Queen of Shadows. Let me know your thoughts on this book and the series so far and what your favourite parts are.

Sunday 30 October 2016

Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas - MAJOR SPOILERS

Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas - MAJOR SPOILERS

Rating: 5 stars (although you probably already knew that)

Synopsis: Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien's only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan's Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King's Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan's biggest threat - and his own toughest enemy. While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she has grown to love?

Review: Do I even need to say how amazing this book was? Because, it was. Heir of Fire is the third book in the Throne of Glass series and, this series just keeps getting better and better. At the end of every book, I finish thinking that the next book can't possibly top this one and it does. If you have not read the previous two books in the Throne of Glass series and don't want to be spoiled for this book, then leave now; go and read this series, and then come back and discuss!


WARNING. THERE BE SPOILERS AHEAD...

Okay, so Heir of Fire is split in to three narratives; Celaena, Chaol/Dorian and Manon. This worked so well, especially in this book where our core characters have been separated because it meant that we could see what was happening with each character, wherever they are. Switching POV can be tricky in books, because it can sometimes feel like we're talking to the same character. Each character needs to be distinctive and Sarah is a pro at this. Every character we see has a history and a story and, because of this, each character has a distinctive voice.

I'm going to start with Manon. I think Manon is my least favourite character in this book. It took me so long to come round to her because, to begin with, she wasn't likable at all. I mean, her very first scene is her butchering village men who were hunting her. I think the main reason she grew on me was Abraxos. To begin with, I thought Manon and Titus would be perfect together but I was so happy when she claimed the bait beast as her own instead. I think that was the turning point for Manon - picking the underdog to be her mount, rather than the 'fighter' of the pack. Abraxos made Manon more human. When he sheltered her from the wind so she could sleep was so cute and when he was eating the wild flowers? Abraxos made those Manon chapters for me and I became more and more invested in those chapters the more he was involved in them. I'm definitely interested to see what will happen when Manon and Celaena meet - I'm thinking fireworks.

Chaol infuriated me in this book. In Crown of Midnight and Throne of Glass, I did initially ship him and Celaena together, but I wasn't really invested in it. And now we're in book 3, I'm beginning to wonder how I even managed to half-heartedly ship them together! Every time he appeared I felt like screaming at him. He can't see that the woman he loved is still in there, or at least, she was. I could have kissed Dorian when he called him out on it - you can't pick which parts of her to love. Despite their fleeting romance in Throne of Glass, Dorian and Celaena are still friends and he accepts her for who she is which I love. Chaol can not let it go that she kept her identity a secret from him. He did stand up to the King at the end of the book but, even then, he ruins Aedion's plan of surrendering to keep Chaol safe. If he had done that earlier, so many things would have been resolved sooner. I hope he and Celaena make up when they meet again, but somehow, I doubt it.

Speaking of Aedion, I'm more than slightly obsessed with him. I think he's my favourite character in this series so far. From the moment we knew who he was, I knew he wasn't loyal to the King but I was worried about how he'd react to finding out his cousin survived all those years ago. I needn't have worried. He's spent the last ten years being so loyal to Celaena, going as far as winning back her father's sword from the King in her memory. The flashback scenes we got when they were children were so sweet. He was devoted to her even then and I need a reunion between Celaena and Aedion in the next book. Especially after he was willing to die without seeing his cousin again because he knows that Chaol and Celaena have a history together and she would be upset if he died. I love him, I love him, I love him.

I know Sorsha gets a lot of hate and she definitely wasn't my favourite character, but I did like her for her relationship with Dorian. She made him happy and, while I never really believed their relationship, I was pleased that Dorian had someone to confide in about his magic since Celaena's not there. I liked how accepting she was of his magic and how she tried to help him control his magic in a practical way, which no one else did. I'm not going to lie, I wasn't devastated when she died, but I did feel for Dorian in those moments because he did care for her.

I'm dreading seeing what happens to Dorian in the next book. Now that he's possessed by the Valg prince, I'm definitely nervous about what Celaena is going to do when she finds out. I think she'll try to save Dorian but, after what happened in Wendlyn, I think she understands that it's more of a mercy to kill him rather than spare him. I don't think it will get to that point, but Dorian will definitely be changed after all of this and I'm interested to see what happens next.

Oh Celaena. Am I the only one who wanted to give her a hug? Seeing her struggle with her power and her own guilt and rage was heart-wrenching. Those early scenes with Rowan were horrible, because you knew why she didn't want to shift, why she was scared and you were left wanting to yell at Rowan to just leave her alone but, I did understand why he pushed her so hard. He knew she could do it, knew she would be powerful and ten times stronger if she embraced who she truly was. The way I think about it, he didn't owe Celaena anything. He was being forced into this as much as she was, but, I genuinely think that after a couple of sessions, he realised how strong she could be if she embraced herself and I think it peaked his curiosity.

The scene where she thought she'd burnt herself out is possibly my favourite scene in the whole book. It was such a huge turning point in Rowan and Celaena's relationship, and I enjoyed reading Rowan's POV where he realises how cruel he was to Celaena and why she reacted the way she did when he threatened to whip her. His fussing over her after that was so cute and I loved how close they grew after that.

Hearing what the King did to the slaves in Calaculla and Endovier was so horrible. Seeing Celaena break down because she knew her promise to Nehemia had been broken broke my heart. What I loved the most though, was that short scene in the theatre in Rifthold, where the orchestra played songs honouring each city and the slave camps, before walking off. I thought that was such a touching scene and showed that people in Rifthold are aware of the slave camps and the injustice of killing all those people. It added a human touch to a place that, up until now, just seemed filled with people who only cared about themselves.

Watching Celaena being drained by the Valg and being surrounded by her loved ones ties with my favourite scenes in this book. It was slightly Harry Potter-esque but I loved it. Having eight year old Aelin telling her to get up was such a beautiful moment. That was the moment Celaena truly embraced her past and who she had been running from for ten years. It was such a well written scene and getting to see those flashbacks to the night her parents were killed and seeing the sacrifice that Marion made for her and how the King manipulated her family into retreating after that dinner...it never felt like an info dump. It was so beautifully crafted and well placed in the plot and I was on the verge of tears reading about it.

I knew Rowan and Celaena were carranam from the moment it was mentioned. I loved that whole end scene in Doranelle where Celaena faced Maeve and broke Rowan's oath and set fire to the whole place. I think Maeve had underestimated her and that final showdown was a beautiful moment in Celaena's arc. At the beginning of the book, she wouldn't have dared to show even a flicker of that fire, and now, she's not afraid of it anymore. I loved that Rowan immediately bound himself to Celaena - again signifying the development of their relationship. The tattoo as well that Rowan did on Celaena's back - the story of her loved ones over the scars from Endovier. I loved that because it was like both halves of Celaena had come together.

I am so excited about Queen of Shadows. I can't wait to see what happens when Celaena gets back to Rifthold.

Tuesday 25 October 2016

How I Became A Reader

So I saw this video a few weeks ago on YouTube by booktuber polandbananasbooks and I thought it was such an interesting video that I decided to do my own version of it. Being a reader in society today can sometimes feel like a lost cause and I know I'm forever thankful to my family for raising me surrounded by stories. My family were definitely the ones who made me fall in love with reading and really encouraged me to read in a way that no one else really has.

My earliest memory is of my dad reading bedtime stories to me when I was little. I remember having a big hardback book of short stories that I adored and would make him read to me over and over every single night. When I was a little older, our collection of stories upgraded to a big book of Enid Blyton stories which I'm pretty sure I still have hidden somewhere actually. I think this is one of the first times I ever encountered the magic of stories and I looked forward to going to bed every single night just to hear my dad read to me.

My mom was a big reader as well. She was always reading and even now, if she has a spare minute, you're likely to find her with a book. She's a big fan of murder mysteries and crime novels, some of which I've inherited from her as I've got older and do enjoy. She was the person I read to when I was learning to read. She'd sit with me every night and listen as I sounded out words. So, in two different ways, my parents really instilled in me a deep love of reading and made it into an important skill that, in my opinion, is an ideology that we're starting to lose a little bit now. My mom was also the one who passed down her favourite stories that she's read as a child on to me. Again, I read a lot of Enid Blyton growing up - The Enchanted Wood was my absolute favourite. I remember being enthralled at the different lands the children would visit, but I also read The Famous Five, The St. Clare's series and the Five Find-Outers series (which, again, I think I've still got the box set of books)!

It was my grandma who started taking me to our local library. At the time, I thought it was magic. I could take eight books out at a time which was such an insane concept to me at the time. Insane but amazing. I think I was in there every other week and, nine times out of ten, I left with eight books. By the time I was ten, eleven years old, I think I'd read my way through most of the children's fiction at my local library. (It's not a huge library but they actually had quite a good selection). So, for a year I re-read my favourites and started my tentative foray into young adult fiction. And there I found my home. I'm pretty sure my grandma was amazed at how many books I'd actually read. She'd pick books out for me and my standard response would be 'I've read that'. In the end, she left me to it and went to get books for herself instead!

I don't remember teachers reading to me when I was little. The only teacher I remember reading to us was the last teacher I had in primary school. He was, and still is, my favourite teacher ever, and he had this book of short stories that were absolute nonsense, and absolutely hysterical. Everyone in that class looked forward to the rare days when he would break that book out and read to us. Once I left primary school, teachers no longer read to us, and when they did, they were reading from books everyone found dull. If it wasn't for that primary school teacher, I probably would have forgotten the magic that happens when you find an amazing storyteller.

Sunday 23 October 2016

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas - MAJOR SPOILERS

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas - MAJOR SPOILERS

Rating: 5 stars

Synopsis: Eighteen-year-old Celaena Sardothien is bold, daring and beautiful - the perfect seductress and the greatest assassin her world has ever known. But though she won the King's contest and became his champion, Celaena has been granted neither her liberty nor the freedom to follow her heart. The slavery of the suffocating salt mines of Endovier that scarred her past is nothing compared to a life bound to her darkest enemy, a king whose rule is so dark and evil it is near impossible to defy. Celaena faces a choice that is tearing her heart to pieces: kill in cold blood for a man she hates, or risk sentencing those she loves to death. Celaena must decide what she will fight for: survival, love or the future of a kingdom. Because an assassin cannot have it all . . . And trying to may just destroy her.

Review: So. I'm going to start off with the non-spoilery section and say this - this book was so good. Crown of Midnight is book two in the Throne of Glass series and, honestly, it was so good. I really enjoyed Throne of Glass but this book, was a thousand times better than it. The character development, the plot - it was all so much better in this book. Now, I know that right now this book is amazing but I also know Sarah J Maas and I know for sure that the next book Heir of Fire is probably going to top this one again but, for now, all you need to know is that this book was amazing and you should definitely go and read it! So, if you haven't read Crown of Midnight yet and don't want to be spoiled, you should go and read Crown of Midnight and then come back and discuss with us. Because there is so much to discuss in this book....

WARNING. THERE BE SPOILERS AHEAD...

Okay so lets start with Celaena and her new role as the King's Champion. I knew right off the bat that she wasn't killing her targets. Sarah kind of lets us know this by stopping the opening chapter with her sword over the guy but even if you missed it from that, Celaena is pretty clear in Throne of Glass that the only reason she is taking part in this competition is because she wants to be free and working for the King for a few years is her only shot at that. Just because she won the competition, doesn't mean she's happy about it. I did admire her for going through with her promise though. I was a little worried at the end of Throne of Glass that maybe she wouldn't have the courage to not kill her targets because the King has threatened Chaol and Nehemia but, I shouldn't have worried about it. It takes guts to defy the King, and to have done it from the very beginning (in more ways than one) is actually quite amazing to see.

I also knew that Archer Finn was up to no good. I suspected that he was actually working with the rebel group but I didn't realise how much sway he held with them. Celaena really should have just killed him after he let her down the first time, rather than giving him a second chance, because he ended up being more trouble than he was worth. I did quite like the idea of Archer underestimating Celaeana though. He knew her when she was growing up in the Assassin's Keep and she had a crush on him and I think that, despite all the rumours and stories that floated around Rifthold about Celaena, he simply saw her as that child. Well, she soon proved him wrong. That scene in the sewer, was so well written. His mistake was telling her that she's a good person and you just knew, the moment he said that, that he wasn't going to make it. Her rebuttal that she's not a good person but Nehemia was - my heart. It broke all over again for her in that moment.

I really enjoyed seeing Chaol and Celaena grow closer together. I thought their relationship was quite sweet and the birthday dinner that Celaena organised in the apothecary roof garden was beautiful. I did laugh when she decided that was the moment to tell Chaol all about how she wasn't really killing the King's enemies. Of all the times to tell the person you like, you choose now when you're about to kiss? I really liked that Chaol chose Celaena in that moment. He told her that he would go with her when she's finally freed from the King. It's the first time since Sam that someone has chosen her or is able to choose her anyway and I think it meant a lot to Celaena that he would do that for her. I also thought it was hilarious when Celaena came and interrupted a meeting with the guards and ended up pulling him into a closet. It was just nice to see a different side to Chaol for a little while; someone who isn't as uptight and stoic as he was made out to be in Throne of Glass. Someone who is totally up for sneaking around behind the King's back and all his guards. It was nice to see Chaol loosening up a bit. At least, for the short time we had them together. Oh, and we finally got a dance between them. When she left her post during the ball and Chaol went to find her and they ended up dancing together in the gardens! I was so happy when I read that scene because Dorian got his dance with Celaena in the last book and I was so happy that Chaol got a turn as well.

So, those were the highs of their relationship. Now for the low. The scene where Chaol was kidnapped was a heart in my throat kind of moment because I wasn't convinced that Chaol was going to make it out of there alive. And at that point, I wasn't sure Celaena would cope with losing anyone else (little did I know...) but he DID make it out alive because Celaena was a complete bad ass. That whole scene where she came in and just destroyed those rebels was so awesome. Actually, every scene where Celaena 'lost herself' was really awesome to read. The moment when Archer came through the door and explained why they had kidnapped Chaol was just....ugh! We all knew that nothing good was going to come from Chaol keeping the threat on Nehemia's life a secret from both the girls but - wow. I didn't expect it to backfire in such a gruesome way. My heart broke when I read about what had happened to Nehemia, and the fact that she knew what was coming was just so horrifying. And then Celaena full on attacked Chaol and she almost killed him. I guess I was right when I said earlier that she wouldn't survive losing someone else. The fact that Dorian risked himself and exposed his magic to stop her from killing Chaol just made me love him even more and showed that he still loved her, despite everything he said.

Throwing Celaena in the dungeons. I do understand why he did it - she was obviously dangerous but, I mean, he just left her there and let them drug her. This obviously was never going to help her in the long run and the fact that she was so eager to take the drugs and to not see anyone was so sad. Even when she was let out, she didn't leave her room. She didn't see anyone, didn't talk to anyone and the idea of her being completely alone now was so strong in these scenes. Chaol, Dorian and Nehemia were her only friends in the castle, and, in her mind, she'd lost them all. While we're on the subject though, I really loved that Dorian was there for her. When she went to his room for dinner and he asked her why she'd come and she said "because I have nowhere else to go" all the feels came out to play. I like that he didn't pressure her. He still loves her, yes, still has a grudge against Chaol for having her when he couldn't but, he is still her friend and he's there for her, despite everything that's happened between them. Equally, she didn't judge him for having magic. They both accept each other and move on. Though, Dorian having magic is scarily awesome and I'm betting it won't be long before his father finds out about it.

Killing Grave - oh my goodness. First off, I'm so glad that she finally found a use for that passage in the sewers. Second, we got to see Celaena's really dark side, the side that she's never really let out until now. Grave deserved the death he got, but I think I knew that the name he gave Celaena wasn't the right one. When she interrupted the King's meeting and dumped Grave's head on the table was such a macabre and gruesome moment and I kind of loved it. Of course, the King enjoyed the show, and it was interesting to see Celaena being honest with the King for the first time. The smile she gave him was just so perfect. It was the first time that she didn't feel guilty for murdering someone.

Baba Yellowlegs. She was so terrifying. Also, why did Celaena think that going into the caravan was a good idea? You never go into the creepy caravan, especially when you know that the woman you're following is a evil witch! Who eats children. Why? Why would you do that? She was so creepy! All I could think was that no one knows where you are, so when she turns on you, you're completely on your own. Which, I knew with anyone else Celaena could handle no problem. But she's a witch who eats people. It's not exactly your normal run-of-the-mill evil person. To be fair, Yellowlegs did underestimate Celaena but she was cutting it pretty close when she killed her. I have a feeling that killing Yellowlegs is going to come back and bite her later on, even if she did deserve it.

Can I also just mention how much I love Mort? The sassy, sarcastic door knob on the door to Elena's tomb. I loved him. He's your typical irritating magical entity that will never give you a straight answer, but I really loved him and I want to see more of him.

That secret passage beneath the library that was actually a prison was so creepy. I was fully expecting Celaena to attack Dorian because he was sneaking down there as well but that...thing. I don't even know what it is but it sounds horrible and creepy and just...no. Just no. We didn't really need any conformation that the King was sick but, if we did, I guess this would be some good evidence to use. It was like the caravan all over again. You knew nothing good was going to come from it, yet we went down there anyway and, guess what? Nothing good came from it.

Those final chapters where we were in the tomb and she opened the portal. First off, I love that Gavin came and warned Dorian that Celaena was about to do something stupid, just like Elena came to Celaena before. I liked that he was worthy of that. Secondly - you never try and contact the dead! Ever. Everyone knows this! I'm starting to see a pattern here - when Celaena is this far gone, she does a lot of stupid things that she really should know better than to do. When Nehemia comes through and tells her to shut the portal was so bittersweet because I really wanted them to reconcile and for Celaena to be able to say everything she wanted to but, on the other hand, I wanted her to close the fricking portal! But, of course, she doesn't, and Fleetfoot ends up in the portal. Chaol kind of redeemed himself in this moment because he went after Fleetfoot. You never hurt the dog. Ever. So, he got some points for going after Fleetfoot. When Celaena came through after them and shifted. Oh. My. Goodness. She's badass as a mortal, as a Fae she is terrifyingly amazing. And I can definitely see why she didn't say anything to anyone.

Sending Celaena off to Wendlyn. Okay, I get why Chaol did it. In his own way, he was trying to protect both Celaena and Dorian but, it kind of backfired on him in the most epic way. The scene where she tells Dorian that she'll come back for him was so sweet. I don't think they're ever going to be together romantically, but they're definitely friends and I liked that she didn't just leave without talking to him and making sure they were okay after everything that had happened. When she told Chaol about herself on the dock and left him with the date of her parents death, I was a little confused, until Chaol figured it out and then it all made sense. I already knew that Celaena is actually Aelin but I actually really liked how she told Chaol. This is a secret that she's kept for ten years - she's not going to openly tell him. Even in the moments before she told him the date, she told him that she didn't trust him, but she must have trusted him a little bit, to tell him this information. She trusted him not to tell the King. To keep her secret and I really admired her for doing that. Though I am curious as to why she seems to have no interest in her title. Beyond the obvious fact that her parents were murdered. What did annoy me, was Chaol's reaction to the news. He knew she was Fae - that's why he had her sent away - but discovering that she was more than that, that she's the lost princess is so much worse to him. Yes, I understand his loyalty to the King, but that same loyalty lost him the girl he loves so, you'd have thought he'd be a little more receptive to the idea.

So, that's all I wanted to talk about for this discussion. I loved this book and I am so excited to read Heir of Fire and see what happens next. If you've stuck around to the end of this review, congratulations! What's your favourite part of Crown of Midnight?