{Review} The Princess Saves Herself In This One (Women Are Some Kind of Magic #1) by Amanda Lovelace

Page Count: 156

Published on: April 23, 2016

Published by: Createspace

Genre(s): Poetry, Feminism, Nonfiction, Anthology
Source: Paperback 

Age Rating: YA

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon

Book Depository: {click here}

My Rating: 4 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

"Ah, life- the thing that happens to us while we're off somewhere else blowing on dandelions & wishing ourselves into the pages of our favorite fairy tales."

A poetry collection divided into four different parts: the princess, the damsel, the queen, & you. The princess, the damsel, & the queen piece together the life of the author in three stages, while you serves as a note to the reader & all of humankind. Explores life & all of its love, loss, grief, healing, empowerment, & inspirations. 

~~~

Hey, guys!

      I've always been a fan of poetry, but this poetry anthology/collection really blew me away. I really enjoyed Amanda Lovelace's perspective and really appreciated the personalization and raw emotion that was put into this book. The amount of creativity, depth, and love that went into these poems is so evident and her desire to use her heartbreak and experiences to help those who read her work is inspiring and beautiful. I was really wary to actually read this when it first came out because of the disappointment that I experienced when reading Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur. 

    Within the first few pages of this book I was blown away by her experiences. The poems were gorgeous and her message was so encouraging. I felt really empowered by these poems and I think that this book would be very important to those who share similar stories to Amanda. I know for a fact that this book, and Amanda's other work, has inspired my friends and positively influenced them. Though I cannot directly relate to all that she wrote on, I know that this book has the capability to empower and help those who do share her experiences. 

Other Verse Novels That I've Reviewed:

• The Good Braider by Terry Farish ~ 3 stars
• Waiting by Carol Lynch Williams ~ 3 stars
• Milk & Honey by Rupi Kaur ~ 3 stars

Olivia

~LivTheBookNerd~

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{Review} Language of Thorns (Grishaverse #0.5, #2.5, #2.6) by Leigh Bardugo

Page Count: 281

Published on: September 26, 2017

Published by: Imprint

Genre(s): YA, Fantasy, Retellings, Anthology, Short Stories

Source: hardback -gift

Age Rating: YA

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon // Book Depository

My Rating: 4.75 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

Love speaks in flowers. Truth requires thorns.

Travel to a world of dark bargains struck by moonlight, of haunted towns and hungry woods, of talking beasts and gingerbread golems, where a young mermaid's voice can summon deadly storms and where a river might do a lovestruck boy's bidding but only for a terrible price.

Inspired by myth, fairy tale, and folklore, #1 New York Times–bestselling author Leigh Bardugo has crafted a deliciously atmospheric collection of short stories filled with betrayals, revenge, sacrifice, and love.

Perfect for new readers and dedicated fans, these tales will transport you to lands both familiar and strange—to a fully realized world of dangerous magic that millions have visited through the novels of the Grishaverse.

This collection of six stories includes three brand-new tales, all of them lavishly illustrated with art that changes with each turn of the page, culminating in six stunning full-spread illustrations as rich in detail as the stories themselves.

~~~

Hey, guys!

     Back in December, my boyfriend's lovely family gifted me this book for Christmas. I was so excited to read the stories and be re-immersed into the Grisha world. This book totally lived up to the hype and my expectations. The stories were fantastic, the writing was A+ as always, the illustrations were stunning, and the book itself was just amazing. I love these stories so much. I couldn't find anything that I didn't like about this book. It was just straight-up awesome. Cue the excessive gushing and lack of critical analysis. 

     This book was just gorgeous! I'm so in love with the stories that Leigh Bardugo created for this world. Each story was so hauntingly beautiful and the language and imagery that they created were just so imaginative and stunning. I'm so pleased with both the physical look of the book and the actual content itself. The illustrations throughout the book were just so intricately done and the detail that went into their making is just astoundingly beautiful and perfectly reflected the stories and their spooky vibes. Each story was intricately crafted in a way that left you desperately wanting more, yet still satisfied with how their ending was summed up. 

      Each story in this Grisha anthology is inspired by common known and lesser known fairy tales, myths, and folklore. The five stories each represent the five areas/countries in the Grisha universe. The stories are such a fantastic representation of the Grisha world. Each story adds more to the world building and reveals a more in depth look at the history of the world.

Other Grisha Reviews:

• Shadow & Bone (The Grisha Trilogy #1) by Leigh Bardugo
• Siege & Storm (The Grisha Trilogy #2) by Leigh Bardugo
• The Tailor (The Grisha Trilogy #1.5) by Leigh Bardugo
• Six of Crows (The Six of Crows Duology #1) by Leigh Bardugo

Happy reading!

Olivia

~LivTheBookNerd~

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{Review} The Demigod Diaries (Heroes of Olympus Companion) by Rick Riordan

Page Count: 244

Published on: August 14, 2012

Published by: Disney-Hyperion Books

Genre(s): Fantasy, Mythology, YA, Adventure, Short Stories, Middle Grade 

Source: Hardback - personally purchased secondhand

Age Rating: MG/YA

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon // Book Depository

Twitter: @camphalfblood

My Rating: 4 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

What dangers do runaway demigods Luke and Thalia face on their way to Camp Half-Blood? Are Percy and Annabeth up to the task of rescuing stolen goods from a fire-breathing giant who doesn't take kindly to intruders? How exactly are Leo, Piper, and Jason supposed to find a runaway table, dodge a band of party-loving Maenads (who just might be a little psychotic), and stave off a massive explosion...all in one hour or less? With his trademark wit and creativity, Rick Riordan answers these questions and more in three never-before-seen short stories that provide vital back-story to the Heroes of Olympus and Percy Jackson books. Original art, enlightening character interviews and profiles, puzzles, and a quiz add to the fun in this action-packed collection.

~~~

Hey, guys!

     This was the first book that I read for the booktube-a-thon and it really kick started my reading progress throughout the week. This book was an amazing refresher of the Percy Jackson world. I didn't realize how much I missed the world until I read this collection of short stories. 

      I absolutely adored the short stories in this book. I loved hearing about pre-PJ Luke, Thalia, and Annabeth. It was so interesting to read about what they went through before they made it to Camp Halfblood. 

      Leo's story was just flat-out hilarious. I just love his character so much. After reading Leo's story, I just realized that I really miss the Heroes of Olympus books (and the Percy Jackson books, but LEO AND NICO ARE MY FAVORITES!). I just really need to do a reread of all of the books, but I don't have time! I also have other books I have  to read soon, so that's an issue. I remember last year I planned to do a big reread in August, but it never happened. Oh well. 

I'm rambling...Let's get back to this review! 

     I really enjoyed Percy and Annabeth's story as well. I just adore their relationship and I'd read anything about them... their day-to-day --all of the boring little details in their lives. I want it all. I just love them so much. 

     I think this little paragraph needs to be an appreciation moment for Martha and George. They are probably some of the funniest characters in the Riordan books. I love them and they are perfect. Hermes better appreciate. Give them all the rats. 

     Haley Riordan is such a talented writer. I loved his short story and I expect great books from him someday. I loved his serious tone and the insight that he had on the Mist. Alabaster is such a badass and I really want to know more about his character and how he would affect the series and the world. I think Haley was 16 when he wrote the story, but the internet says he's 22 now. That's so crazy! 

     This was such a great refresher of the Percy Jackson universe. I really need to do a huge binge/reread of the books. If anyone would like to do that in December or something, let me know. I'll need the PJ vibes to get me through finals. 

My Riordan Reviews: 

• Blood of Olympus (Heroes of Olympus #5)
• Sword of Summer (Magnus Chase & the Gods of Asgard #1) 
• The Hammer of Thor (Magnus Chase & the Gods of Asgard #2) 
• The Hidden Oracle (Trials of Apollo #1)

Happy reading!

Olivia
~LivTheBookNerd~

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My True Love Gave To Me edited by Stephanie Perkins

Page Count: 321

Published on: October 14, 2014

Published by: St. Martin's Press
Genre(s): Short Stories, Holiday, Fantasy, YA, Contemporary, Romance
Source: Print: Paperback

Age Rating: PG

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon

Twitter: @naturallysteph

My Rating: (overall) 4.5 stars

-individual reviews below

Goodreads synopsis:

If you love holiday stories, holiday movies, made-for-TV-holiday specials, holiday episodes of your favorite sitcoms and, especially, if you love holiday anthologies, you’re going to fall in love with My True Love Gave To Me: Twelve Holiday Stories by twelve bestselling young adult writers, edited by international bestselling author Stephanie Perkins. Whether you enjoy celebrating Christmas or Hanukkah, Winter Solstice or New Year's there's something here for everyone. So curl up by the fireplace and get cozy. You have twelve reasons this season to stay indoors and fall in love. 

~~~

Hey, guys!

I managed to nab a copy of this book from my local Books-A-Million when it was put on the $10-&-below shelf. I got a hardback copy for $6! Not only was it a bargain, it made sense to buy it during this time! I have been putting off grabbing a copy of this book just because it’s a holiday-themed anthology. I really didn’t want to buy it and then not read it for months and months because it wasn’t the proper time. Anyway, I really enjoyed the short stories in this anthology.

They were all so nicely done and festive. Each story had these characters that were really compelling…you wanted to know what their story was about. Some were longer than others, but they were just as great as the shorter ones. Each story was completely unique and special. I enjoyed every one of the stories. There were at least 3, however, that have stuck with me as I’ve finished it.

·       ~Rainbow Rowell’s Midnights

·       ~Stephanie Perkin’s It’s A Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown

·       ~Laini Taylor’s The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer

Special Mentions!

·   ~Holly Black’s Krampuslauf

·   ~Ally Carter’s Star of Bethlehem

Not only are these stories written by a few of my favorite writers, but (in my book) they deserve the “best story” label. This is just my opinion, though, so don’t take my word for it. There is definitely a story for everyone in this anthology. I’m really happy with the diversity in this anthology. It wasn’t just Christmas stories. They were a bit of everything! I just really liked this aspect to the book.

I actually rated all of the short stories so that I could get a feel of my full feelings for the anthology. None of them were below a 3-star rating, so that says quite a bit to me. I’m really proud of Stephanie Perkins for starting this anthology. I’m really excited to read Summer Days and Summer Nights, the summer-y themed anthology that was published earlier this year.

·        Midnights: 5 stars

o   This story was the first one that I read (it was the first one, anyway) and it was just the perfect story to get me in the mood.

·        The Lady and the Fox: 4 stars

o   This was so cute, but the ending is kinda weird for me. I wasn’t sure what to think

·        Angels in the Snow: 3 stars

o   I enjoyed the whole aspect of this story. The cat really tied it all together.

·        Polaris Is Where You’ll Find Me: 4 stars

o   This was really cute, but I didn’t like how it ended. It was somewhat satisfying, but not what I wanted.

·        It’s A Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown: 5 stars

o   This was just adorable. Another masterpiece from Stephanie Perkins

·        Your Temporary Santa: 3 stars

o   This was adorable as well, but I didn’t connect to it like I hoped I would. I wasn’t a fan of the narration style.

·        Krapuslauf: 4 stars

o   This was creepy and absolutely loved it. I need to read more books like this short story. The perfect blend of creepy and heartwarming.

·        What The Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth?: 3 stars

o   I’m not sure how I feel about this one either. Not a fan of the narration style and I didn’t really like the characters.

·        Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus: 4 stars

o   I loved the forgiveness in this story. It was so funny and clever. I loved this one.

·        Welcome to Christmas, CA: 4 stars

o   This was pretty cute. I loved the cooking-aspect to this. It was mysterious and kind of magical. I loved the characters, and the ending was so great. I want more from Kiersten White.

·        Star of Bethlehem: 4.5 stars

o   This was the last story that I read from the anthology, and I think it was the perfect ending for this anthology (for me).

·        The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer: 5 stars

o   This was the second story that I read from the anthology, but I’m so glad that I didn’t save it for last. It was so different from the other stories, but very festive at the same time. I love how different Laini Taylor’s writing is. I can’t wait to get back into her books. I’ve put them off for far too long.

      I can't wait to immerse myself in more short stories like these this summer. I'm really pleased with this anthology. I've found some new authors to try out, and I'd call that a success. 


Happy reading and happy holidays!
Olivia
~LivTheBookNerd~

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