SOCIAL MEDIA

Wednesday, January 30, 2019

KING OF SCARS GIVEAWAY!


I will be selecting FOUR lucky people to receive a copy of King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo!
The giveaway ends March 3rd and the winners will be picked by a random name generator. Please check my giveaway policy before entering! All you need to do to enter is follow ALL the rules and regulations listed below:
    Monday, January 28, 2019

    QUEEN OF AIR AND DARKNESS GIVEAWAY WINNERS!

    And the lucky winners are... 

    Sunday, January 20, 2019

    SIEGE AND STORM (GRISHA VERSE #2) BY LEIGH BARDUGO REVIEW

    Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
    Release Date: June 4th 2013
    Source: Purchased
    Format: Paperback and Audiobook
    Pages: 435
    Buy it: Amazon|B&N|Book Depository
    Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her--or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

            This book was delightfully dark sequel to Shadow and Bone – not only because the Darkling's powers have grown immensely – but for the internal struggles that Alina faces with her power, love life and what is right from wrong. While I did enjoy this book, I felt that it lacked plot. At the start it was thrilling and filled with new information, but towards the middle it felt as if the story was dragged on for ages. It felt like we were just waiting and waiting and Mal was just getting more irritating. It was not until the last 30-50 pages that things started to pick up again.
            Honestly I just hated the parts of the book without the Darkling. He is maybe one of my favorite villains because he is so complex. I know he is the bad guy, but I still find myself falling for him. This is how toxic relationships are formed. All I can really say is that Alina was such a bad ass in this book. She truly learned to become a leader in this book and it shows. She took the advice from her peers – like Strurmhond <3– and became the Grisha she was meant to be with her powers. Sturmhond reminds me a lot of Jace from the Mortal Instruments and I am here for it. His confidence, attitude and sly comments were sometimes the only thing keeping me going while reading the middle of this book.
            I am excited to continue on and read Ruin and Rising. It seems like Bardugo's writing has only gotten better and I am sure she will continue to grow. This book gets 3.5 out of 5 stars from me!

    If you had a Grisha power what would it be? Let me know in the comments below!
    Thanks Hons,
    Lee Chand
    Friday, January 18, 2019

    SHADOW AND BONE (GRISHA VERSE #1) BY LEIGH BARDUGO REVIEW


    Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
    Release Date: June 5th 2012
    Source: Purchased
    Format: Paperback and Audiobook
    Pages: 358
    Buy it: Amazon|B&N|Book Depository
    Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

    Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life--a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

    Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.


            So since there has been so much hype around this trilogy due to the pending Netflix series that was just announced (check out my post here), I decided to go ahead and reread these books considering that they are quick and I quite enjoy them. I figured this would be a great way for me to finally start reading Six of Crows once I power through these books.
            At the start of this book it seems like your cliché YA novel where the plots are all the same and a bit redundant. But suddenly everything flips. The story pulls you in further and further with the minute details in the words that people say, which can be missed easily. The story of Shadow and Bone centers around power and its worth. It poses moral questions and presents a situation where what's good and what's bad are not quite so cut and dry. I also love a sassy protagonist with some romance mixed in. Alina was such a strong lead who did not feel like this almighty being. She felt relatable in the choices she made and the feelings she had. I found myself falling in love with the Darkling – not just because he was super sexy – but rather because he was such a complex character. I looked froward to the scenes where he would pop up to Alina.
            The feelings this book gave me were unlike any other. Again and again the romance in every novel seems to tug at my heart. Lines like, "the moment our lips met, I knew with pure and piercing certainty that I would have waited for him forever," ripped me apart. I did not expect to fall for characters this quickly and easily, but I found myself not hating a single one of them (well maybe the Apparat.)
            This book relies on the compelling story of each and every character because most of the narration tends to tell rather than show. This series gives you a basic outline unlike a Cassandra Clare novel that seems to detail every piece of furniture in the room. It leaves the visuals up to interpretation almost like a coloring book. You get the idea but you still bring it to life.
            This book has action yet heart and I cannot wait to see it come to life in this new Netflix series. I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars just because I think more could have happened in this one book. But I get it. We all have to secure the bag somehow.

    What did you think of this book? Let me know in the comments down below!
    Thanks Hons,
    Lee Chand
    Wednesday, January 16, 2019

    QUEEN OF AIR AND DARKNESS (THE DARK ARTIFICES #3) BY CASSANDRA CLARE REVIEW

    Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare
    Release Date: December 4th 2018
    Source: Purchased
    Format: Hardcover and Audiobook
    Pages: 912
    Buy it: Amazon|B&N|Book Depository

    Dark secrets and forbidden love threaten the very survival of the Shadowhunters in Cassandra Clare’s Queen of Air and Darkness, the final novel in the #1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling The Dark Artifices trilogy.

    What if damnation is the price of true love?

    Innocent blood has been spilled on the steps of the Council Hall, the sacred stronghold of the Shadowhunters. In the wake of the tragic death of Livia Blackthorn, the Clave teeters on the brink of civil war. One fragment of the Blackthorn family flees to Los Angeles, seeking to discover the source of the blight that is destroying the race of warlocks. 

    Meanwhile, Julian and Emma take desperate measures to put their forbidden love aside and undertake a perilous mission to Faerie to retrieve the Black Volume of the Dead. What they find in the Courts is a secret that may tear the Shadow World asunder and open a dark path into a future they could never have imagined. Caught in a race against time, Emma and Julian must save the world of Shadowhunters before the deadly power of the parabatai curse destroys them and everyone they love.



            If you have not read Lady Midnight (review here) or Lord of Shadows (review here) you need to get on that ASAP! Cassandra Clare's books trap me like no author ever could and this series is no different. So start reading her books in order of publication so you're not spoiled and go have a grand ole time and thank me later.
            This book was INSANE! So much happened. There were so many emotions. I took so many notes because things just kept happening and happening. This definitely felt like the City of Glass of the series. Like you know there is more to come and shit about to go down! I loved every bit of this book, but it did not tie up all the loose ends my heart wanted. That is all I really have to say about this book. I give it 5 out of 5 stars for making my cold dark heart feel something.

    If you have not read Queen of Air and Darkness please do not read any further! There are spoilers below!

    Friday, January 11, 2019

    LORD OF SHADOWS (THE DARK ARTIFICES #2) BY CASSANDRA CLARE REVIEW

    Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare
    Release Date: May 23rd 2017
    Source: Purchased
    Format: Hardcover and Audiobook
    Pages: 699
    Buy it: Amazon|B&N|Book Depository

    Would you trade your soul mate for your soul?

    A Shadowhunter’s life is bound by duty. Constrained by honor. The word of a Shadowhunter is a solemn pledge, and no vow is more sacred than the vow that binds parabatai, warrior partners—sworn to fight together, die together, but never to fall in love.

    Emma Carstairs has learned that the love she shares with her parabatai, Julian Blackthorn, isn’t just forbidden—it could destroy them both. She knows she should run from Julian. But how can she when the Blackthorns are threatened by enemies on all sides?

    Their only hope is the Black Volume of the Dead, a spell book of terrible power. Everyone wants it. Only the Blackthorns can find it. Spurred on by a dark bargain with the Seelie Queen, Emma; her best friend, Cristina; and Mark and Julian Blackthorn journey into the Courts of Faerie, where glittering revels hide bloody danger and no promise can be trusted. Meanwhile, rising tension between Shadowhunters and Downworlders has produced the Cohort, an extremist group of Shadowhunters dedicated to registering Downworlders and “unsuitable” Nephilim. They’ll do anything in their power to expose Julian’s secrets and take the Los Angeles Institute for their own.

    When Downworlders turn against the Clave, a new threat rises in the form of the Lord of Shadows—the Unseelie King, who sends his greatest warriors to slaughter those with Blackthorn blood and seize the Black Volume. As dangers close in, Julian devises a risky scheme that depends on the cooperation of an unpredictable enemy. But success may come with a price he and Emma cannot even imagine, one that will bring with it a reckoning of blood that could have repercussions for everyone and everything they hold dear.


            WOW! That is all I can say about this book without going into too much detail. This book was so much better than I could have ever imagined. While I found Lady Midnight (read my review here) to be a little slow and not filled to the brim with adventures like other Cassandra Clare novels, Lord of Shadows filled all my requirements. It was action packed yet sweet and tender at moments and other moments tore at my heart.
            The way Cassandra Clare writes about love is like no other. Every time there was a moment alone with Emma and Julian I had my highlighter out. The metaphors she uses connect with me in so many different ways and have me thinking about love in a whole new light.
            In Lord of Shadows we get to learn even more about our characters as well as get to see some old faces, which is always nice to see how they have grown between novels. Again I will say the diversity in these novels is incredible which is always welcomed and exciting to see. You could also tell that Cassie was not a fan of the way the last presidential election when writing this book and it shows with the political conflict going on among the Shadowhunters.
            I loved every bit of this book and before I could even write this review I started Queen of Air and Darkness. Lord of Shadows gets 5 out of 5 stars from me!

    If you have not read Lord of Shadows please do not read any further! There are spoilers below!
    Thursday, January 10, 2019

    SHADOW AND BONE IS COMING TO NETFLIX!



         GUYS! This is huge. Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse novels are turning into an eight episode Netflix series! Bardugo just announced this on twitter and she will give further information about the series in her newsletter sometime later this week (which you can subscribe to here). But here is what we know so far!
    Wednesday, January 9, 2019

    QUEEN OF AIR AND DARKNESS GIVEAWAY!


    It has come! It is finally here! Queen of Air and Darkness is here! And I am feeling generous so I will be giving away two copies of this book out of my own pocket!

    I will be selecting TWO lucky people to receive a copy of Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare!
    The giveaway ends January 27th and the winners will be picked by a random name generator. All you need to do to enter is follow ALL the rules and regulations listed below:

    • Follow my blog on BlogLovin or subscribe to my blog by email in the sidebar!
    • Follow my reviews on Goodreads (If you would like to add me as a friend while you're at it you can) or follow me on Twitter or Instagram
    • Email me at leereadsbooks(at)gmail(dot)com saying "I want QoAaD" and your Instagram, Goodreads and Twitter name 
    • Retweet this tweet!
    • Comment on this post telling me who is your favorite Cassandra Clare character is!
    • Comment on one OTHER post of mine!
    (here is a quick tip. the more I see your name on my blog, twitter and GoodReads, the more I will put your name in the generator.)
    Please do not spam one post! It does not increase your chances! Look around my blog!  That helps your chances!
    May the odds be ever in your favor
    Lee Chand
    Tuesday, January 8, 2019

    LADY MIDNIGHT (THE DARK ARTIFICES #1) BY CASSANDRA CLARE REVIEW

    Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare
    Release Date: March 8th 2016
    Source: Purchased
    Format: Hardcover and Audiobook
    Pages: 688
    Buy it: Amazon|B&N|Book Depository
    In a kingdom by the sea…

    In a secret world where half-angel warriors are sworn to fight demons, parabatai is a sacred word.

    parabatai is your partner in battle. A parabatai is your best friend. Parabatai can be everything to each other—but they can never fall in love.

    Emma Carstairs is a warrior, a Shadowhunter, and the best in her generation. She lives for battle. Shoulder to shoulder with her parabatai, Julian Blackthorn, she patrols the streets of Los Angeles, where vampires party on the Sunset Strip, and faeries—the most powerful of supernatural creatures—teeter on the edge of open war with Shadowhunters. When the bodies of humans and faeries turn up murdered in the same way Emma’s parents were when she was a child, an uneasy alliance is formed. This is Emma’s chance for revenge—and Julian’s chance to get back his brother Mark, who is being held prisoner by the faerie Courts. All Emma, Mark, and Julian have to do is solve the murders within two weeks…and before the murderer targets them.

    Their search takes Emma from sea caves full of sorcery to a dark lottery where death is dispensed. And each clue she unravels uncovers more secrets. What has Julian been hiding from her all these years? Why does Shadowhunter Law forbid parabatai to fall in love? Who really killed her parents—and can she bear to know the truth?

    The darkly magical world of Shadowhunters has captured the imaginations of millions of readers across the globe. Join the adventure in Lady Midnight, the long-awaited first volume of a new trilogy from Cassandra Clare


    Tuesday, January 1, 2019

    December 2018 | My Monthly Consumptions


    HAPPY NEW YEARS YOU SACKS OF BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE! I hope everyone got a kiss when the clock hit midnight, because I did not. Somehow Rowan Whitethorn Galathynius did not find me in Orlando, Florida where I was celebrating. Shame.

    LOL MY LIFE IS SAD anyways, heres the shit my eyes consumed in the month of December.