All the stories are true | The Alchemyst

The Alchemyst (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #1)

Published: May 22nd 2007 by Delacorte Press

Genre: young adult, fantasy

Goodreads summary: Read the first book in the New York Times bestselling The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series, perfect for fans of The Maze Runner and Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

He holds the secret that can end the world.

The truth: Nicholas Flamel was born in Paris on September 28, 1330. Nearly 700 years later, he is acknowledged as the greatest Alchemyst of his day. It is said that he discovered the secret of eternal life.

The records show that he died in 1418.

But his tomb is empty.

The legend: Nicholas Flamel lives. But only because he has been making the elixir of life for centuries. The secret of eternal life is hidden within the book he protects—the Book of Abraham the Mage. It's the most powerful book that has ever existed. In the wrong hands, it will destroy the world. That's exactly what Dr. John Dee plans to do when he steals it. Humankind won't know what's happening until it's too late. And if the prophecy is right, Sophie and Josh Newman are the only ones with the power to save the world as we know it.

Sometimes legends are true.

And Sophie and Josh Newman are about to find themselves in the middle of the greatest legend of all time.

REVIEW

After hearing my boyfriend talking about this series for two years, I finally gave in and read it. It totally felt like this book had been written almost ten years ago, so I feel like my younger self would have loved it so much more than my twenty years old self did, but it was still a good book. This book was written like YA was back in the day, but my expectations have changed, here was the problem.

Starting with the plot, this book was quite predictable, because it’s the type of book we’ve all read a thousand times before, with teenagers finding out our world is bigger than they thought and they’re special snowflakes meant to save it. I don’t think many things happened, it really felt like an introduction to this world, but it has so much potential for the rest of the series. As The Alchemyst was more of a set-up, the main storyline was pretty cool and I’m eager to see where the author is going with it. I enjoyed that this book had multiple points of view, especially with John Dee’s one, which was interesting, as he was the antagonist of the series and it’s rare to have it.

The world was interesting, because it was based off every lore of ever, which means the author has infinite possibilities, so I’m excited for this. He talked about Egyptian mythology, but also Celtic’s with the Morrhigan, which reminded me, in that aspect, of The Last Apprentice series by Joseph Delaney. However, I was annoyed at the amount of info-dump there was during the book, which led to irritation and boredom while reading it. There was so much information I couldn’t process all of it, so it’s likely I’ll have forgotten most of it by the time I read the second book. Because of that, Nick’s point of view was one of the hardest to get through, because he was explaining the world All. The. Time.

I never understood how Nicolas had escaped Dee for so long, as his alias was “Nick Fleming”. It was so obvious that it was ridiculous. I think the author didn’t dwell too long on that, but because of it, I felt so convenient that Dee found him just when Josh and Sophie were there THAT summer. But whatever. I still need to give this book a bonus point because the author remembered his characters had parents and thought an excuse for them, because it rarely happens, you know? Nevertheless, I found the magic system to be amazing and I cannot wait to read more on that (but please, no more infodump).

While the main characters were deeply annoying, I think that Scott portrayed realistic teenagers. They felt hot-and-cold, being real clever at times and totally dumb at others, but well, I could understand it. It prevented me to care for them though… But maybe it’ll be better in the sequels. Nevertheless, I liked the situation the author put the twins in, because it will lead to so much tension in the next books. I cared more about the secondary characters, because they were mythical beings, which made them so much more interesting.

Overall, I took way too long to read this and because of that, I wasn’t a huge fan of this book. I still went through it pretty quickly, so it still had an addictive quality to it, but it was predictable and had tons of info-dump, even though the world was interesting. This book must be aimed at middle schoolers, even though the characters are fifteen, in my opinion. I have hopes the sequel will improve a lot, because the characters will get through some development, and the plot will be more exciting.

Have you read this series? Do you think it improves in the later books? Are you fascinated with alchemy and want more books about it?

Reading book series: yay or nay? | Conversations

Conversations is a fortnightly discussion meme hosted by Geraldine @ Corralling Books and Joan @ Fiddler Blue where the aim is to get to know other bloggers and to generate conversations, as the name of the meme suggests! It’s been a while since I joined the fun (because LIFE) but I’m digging this week’s, topic: Reading series: yay or nay!

First off, I’ve realized that I love fantasy series (that’s all I read, let’s be real), but I’m not a fan of contemporary series: I tried To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han last year and disliked it, but I have one exception, Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins, like many readers out there. So I think book series actually work better for certain genres.

I love reading series, I think it’s a more interesting format, because the author has so much more time to develop a world, her characters and create intricate dynamics and plotlines. I’m looking at my shelves at the moment and I almost only see series, if I’m being honest, so I’ll probably be biased.

Perks of book series

1) You can binge read said series (when all the books are already published).

Reading complete series can be great, because it means M.A.R.A.T.H.O.N.I.N.G. and it’s such a great feeling. For Christmas 2014, I got two entire trilogies: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor and The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken, guess how I spent Christmas break? I read all of these books in a matter of days, I got completely engrossed in these worlds and fell in love with the characters. However, it’s so hard when you turn the last page of the last book in the series, crying because you feel you should have taken your time with it. I’m in denial every time.

I have the fondest feeling of binge-reading Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard. I feel like I’m talking about it every time, but it’s the last series I actually marathoned, I want to get physical copies because I read them on my e-reader, so it’ll sit nicely next to Truthwitch and I love it, okay? I want to reread it forever because it got my heart and my soul.

Five days of awesomeness, forgetting about school work, loving Daniel and Eleanor because OTP and sobbing at the end. I still think about it when I read it in October 2015 and we’re in July, that’s how obsessed I am.

2) You get to die wait for the sequel to come out and feel all the excitement.

I’m digging new releases because they’re shiny and new (obviously) and because of that, I’m waiting for sequels All. The. Time. I might be a masochist, because it means I’m dying every time, but series mean excitement! It means getting all the fan merchandise, reading all the fanfictions and fangirling over all the fanarts while waiting for the sequel to be released. Meaning: I need help since I finished A Court of Mist and Fury. Because Rhysand and the Inner Circle. <3

3) You can stay longer in this world.

When I start a new series, I’m being so engrossed and amazed by the world I’m discovering and when I’m done with said book, I just want to get back into it. Like many readers, I love to travel somewhere else, to travel like I read, and it’s such a good opportunity when you read book series.

You can even reread the previous books in the series before you get to the sequel, so you’ll be able to stay longer in this world. That’s what I did back in February when I reread A Darker Shade of Magic, before jumping almost straight back into this world made of different Londons with A Gathering of Shadows.

4) You get attached to the characters so much that they feel like family and you love to see them again.

When you read book series, you spend so much time with the characters that you care for them so much, they’re your precious cinnamon rolls and babies. You go through so much with them (um, I mean, they go through so much), which involves a lot of tears and feels, but it’s so worth it.

I’m so involved with the characters of The Infernal Devices; I struggle so much to pick up a favourite secondary character. For example, I love Jessamine Lovelace so much, she’s my precious baby, but so many people disliked her. I also love Charlotte, because she’s such a strong woman. And Henri and his explosions. And Sophie. And Cecily. And Gideon. And Gabriel. Look I’m dying there, because I love them so, so damn much.

Also, how can you keep a steady relationship with your book boyfriend if you’re reading a standalone?? *winks*

Disadvantages of series

1) Sometimes, I read the first book, wait forever to read the sequel and either forget everything or lose interest about it.

I’m great at reading a first book in a series and then forgetting about it altogether. I read Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger last month and I loved it (gave it 4.5 stars), but I have yet to continue with the series, when I own the next three books on my e-reader. I’m being ridiculous, I know.

Since the beginning of the year, I’ve read many first books in series – especially debuts – but does it mean I will wait to the sequel next year? Not for all of them, because I’ll have forgotten all about most of them. Sometimes, I even dropped series in the middle: I know I’ll never read The Death Cure and I still have to work the courage to continue the Air Awakens series.

2) You can be overwhelmed by the number of books you have to read until you reach the end.

I have a few completed series on my TBR at the moment and I’ve noticed that I’m less excited about those than other series. It’s just that I can start the books anytime, and I won’t have to wait forever and a day to get the sequel, so where’s the rush?

It’s almost as if I have these books on my TBR so I’m not scared I will always have something to read (because at the end of 2015, I had nothing left to read and I freaked out!). Like many people, I’m also way more attracted to shiny new releases and forget about backlist titles… Which means series are complete and I still haven’t read them. Oops.

For example, if I wasn’t buddy reading the Healer trilogy with Geraldine (hi there! ;)), I know it would have taken me so much more time to get to it eventually.

3) Reading standalones 100% helps your TBR. 

As you know, there are so many books out there, just waiting to be read! When you complete a standalone book, don’t you feel relief because you don’t have to add the sequel to your TBR, which is already enormous? Because I DO. You also have this feeling of closure, because this story is over.

Overall, I’m #teamseries. It’s true, sometimes I’m giving up on them, or forget what happened in some books and need recaps. But I love spending more time in different worlds and with my favourite characters.

Do you prefer book series or standalones? How often do you give up on series?

Accepting yourself is the hardest | How It Feels to Fly

How It Feels to Fly by Kathryn Holmes

Published: June 14th 2016 by HarperTeen

Genre: young adult, contemporary, coming of age

Goodreads summary: The movement is all that matters. 

For as long as Samantha can remember, she’s wanted to be a professional ballerina. She’s lived for perfect pirouettes, sky-high extensions, and soaring leaps across the stage. Then her body betrayed her.

The change was gradual. Stealthy.

Failed diets. Disapproving looks. Whispers behind her back. The result: crippling anxiety about her appearance, which threatens to crush her dancing dreams entirely. On her dance teacher’s recommendation, Sam is sent to a summer treatment camp for teen artists and athletes who are struggling with mental and emotional obstacles. If she can make progress, she’ll be allowed to attend a crucial ballet intensive. But when asked to open up about her deepest insecurities, secret behaviors, and paralyzing fears to complete strangers, Sam can’t cope. 

What I really need is a whole new body.

Sam forms an unlikely bond with Andrew, a former college football player who’s one of her camp counselors. As they grow closer, Andrew helps Sam see herself as he does—beautiful. But just as she starts to believe that there’s more between them than friendship, disappointing news from home sends her into a tailspin. With her future uncertain and her body against her, will Sam give in to the anxiety that imprisons her?

REVIEW

If you didn't know this about me yet: I love ballet. I practiced for ten years (I had to stop to study *sigh*), but I still love to watch. Weirdly enough, I don't read many books about that. So when I heard about How It Feels To Fly, I was determined to read it for the one and only reason that the main character was practicing ballet. It looks like my contemporary mood is here, everyone! *happy dance*

First off, let me tell you that ballet's representation was accurate. When I was reading the description, I could imagine Sam dancing, which might have been easier because I knew the terms, but WHATEVER. While I was never a professional, I also think the book showed how this world actually worked, but also the struggles any dancer had to get through. Yes, your appearance is important in ballet, I won't deny that. For example, in the Opéra de Paris, you have restrictions for weight, but also height (which is pretty stupid as you can't fight it… But aesthetics, you know?), so I could definitely see people giving Sam the hard look as she had gained some weight.

People can be so stupid when they judge

I related so much to Sam as a main character. She had issues with her appearance, especially her weight, and even though it was never my case for the latter, I think that any teenager out there goes through this phase when you're doubting yourself (and even adults), hating how they look and all of that. Because of that, I could understand Sam's struggles and the mantra she had, in the end, made me so happy. We all need to believe in and accept ourselves. This book totally succeeded to pass through this message. Along those lines, Sam was also really insecure and had doubts about who she wanted to be. Because of that, How It Feels to Fly also managed to be a great coming-of-age story, grasping the feeling of doubt and fear for the future.

As this book was set in a camp, the characters had all the fun activities that go along those lines, but they always had a purpose, for they took a part in each camper's therapy. I was expecting so many more characters to be honest, but there was only six campers, two former campers helping around and a doctor. I appreciated the characters so much more because of that, since it allowed me to know all of them, I understood their issues and loved them all. It was also really interesting to see the dynamics between them evolve, as they were so distant in the beginning, because they were artists/athletes, and those are such individual paths, but then grew so close and helped each other out. Katie was by far my favourite of the campers, because she was like the little sister, so much cuteness there.

The little downside of the book was the romance. I admit that I could understand Sam's feelings, because she had a crush on Andrew, an older but not that much figure that helped her when she needed it the most. Sometimes these feelings get so confusing and it happened to me so many times, so I totally related to the romance and got why she was thinking about him so much. But it still took a big step on the story when I would have wanted to see more of the other stuffs. Nevertheless, I was satisfied with how the author concluded on the subject.

Reading about mental health was so interesting in How It Feels to Fly, because it was about how we need to face our fears to evolve. Of course, it's not easy. Of course, it takes all the time in the world. Of course, there is no complete cure and our issues can't leave us forever. This book still managed to depict so many different mental health issues and I felt like it was so important. I especially appreciated that the book was written in the first person, because we got to read Sam's inner voice, which was harsh, but rang true. My inner voice is also insufferable and I'm trying to shut it up every day. It's nice to see I'm not the only one.

Overall, I wasn't blown away by this book or anything, but I still think that it was a great contemporary novel about mental health that had a lighter tone to it, because of the summer camp setting. I definitely related to the main character, because of her struggles and her passion, and found that the author did a great job. I will definitely read Kathryn Holmes' next works.

Have you read this book yet? What did you think of it? Do you read books about ballet? If so, do you have some recs for me?

I want to be a witch in this world | The King Slayer

The King Slayer (The Wich Hunter #2) by Virginia Boecker

Published: June 2nd 2016 by Orchard Books

Genre: young adult, alternate history, fantasy

Goodreads summary: Magic, suspense, and political intrigue collide in this sequel to The Witch Hunter, perfect for fans of Graceling and the Grisha Trilogy.

Former witch hunter Elizabeth Grey is hiding within the magically protected village of Harrow, evading the price put on her head by Lord Blackwell, the usurper king of Anglia. Their last encounter left Blackwell ruined, but his thirst for power grows stronger every day. He's readying for a war against those who would resist his rule--namely Elizabeth and the witches, wizards, pirates, and healers she now calls her friends.

Having lost her stigma, a magical source of protection and healing, Elizabeth's strength is tested both physically and emotionally. War always means sacrifice, and as the lines between good and evil blur once more, Elizabeth must decide just how far she'll go to save those she loves.

In this sequel to The Witch Hunter, Virginia Boecker delivers a powerful story full of action, suspense, camaraderie, and romance.

REVIEW

I loved The Witch Hunter when I read it last year, so of course, I was really excited about its sequel and devoured it when I got my hands on it. I wasn’t disappointed and I would highly recommend you to read this duology.

Elizabeth evolved so much during this book, I was really impressed with her. In the first book, we discovered that there was a reason witch hunters were so badass, but in the second book, Elizabeth is more of a human again. Because of that, she had to work so much to be strong again, I liked to see how strong-willed she was. Moreover, she had to make tough decisions and clearly showed that she didn’t need other people to tell her what to do, or to protect her.

The secondary characters were still great in this one, I really need this novella about Schuyler, you know? There is so much mystery about this past, so I just need it now. I wasn’t expecting to see so much of Malcolm during the story, but it was quite interesting to see, because of the past he had with Elizabeth. Virginia Boecker also introduced new characters I enjoyed and helped picture a bigger part of this world.

The plot was more complex in The King Slayer than in The Witch Hunter, because it was more war-driven and I enjoyed it seeing everyone training, getting on missions and then fighting on the battlefield. However, I have to admit that I struggled a little at the beginning of the novel, because I had a hard time remembering who was who and what was going on. I would advise you to read the books back to back or reread the first one before diving into this one, because the author doesn’t talk that much about what happened before. The pacing of the story was a bit slow at first, but it picked up and I couldn’t stop reading 100 pages into it.

I still wasn’t the biggest fan of the romance at the beginning of the book, even if the characters were cute together, but I liked that the author never made it evolve in a love triangle. Indeed, the main couple had big problems, which prevented them to be together toward the middle of the book, but it actually made sense. It wasn’t a problem of communication for once, which was quite refreshing. I actually warmed up to them during the book, because they went through so much and deserved to be together at the end.

The magic aspect of this duology was explained in depth during The King Slayer, because we ignored so much of it after The Witch Hunter, and it was so interesting. You could definitely see there was so much foreshadowing that led to understand the magic system. Boecker also explored more of the magical world politics and a betrayal quite surprised me. I was deeply in love with the alternate history aspect of the novel, just like in the first one, I liked how similar it was to England but yet, it wasn’t? Moreover, the ending of The King Slayer was pretty epic, heart-breaking at times, and I had enough closure to be satisfied.

Overall, I was satisfied with this conclusion and you should read this duology if you haven’t yet. Those books are some of the best witches/wizards books I’ve read in a while, so if you want to get back to them, do yourself a favour. I’m so excited to read what Virginia Boecker has in store next, because I need more alternate history in my life (I love, love, love it!).

Other:

• Review of The Witch Hunter

Have you read this book yet? Or The Witch Hunter? What did you think of them? What's your favourite historical period?

June 2016 | Tea & Screens #4

Tea & Screens is a monthly feature I started a few months back, where I'm talking about all the shows and movies I watched in the previous month.

Because of my internship, I've lacked the motivation to watch anything lately... So most of what I watched, I watched during the first two weeks of June. But I'm quite happy, because I loved everything. At the same time, as I watched Disney movies, it's not really a surprise here! ;)

Outlander (Season 1) - Everyone's been raving about it, but I've been avoided it for so long. One night, I didn't know what to do, and watched the first episode. I got totally addicted to the show and even watched three episodes - which never happens, as I have zero attention when it comes to TV show, I can only watch one. This show is amazing, doesn't sugar-coat anything (I just finished the finale and oh my, I almost puked...) and it feels authentic. I can totally understand why everyone is addicted now. By the way, I think that Sam Heughan is definitely attractive as Jamie Fraser, but not so much in real life, I don't know (it must be the curly hair). Season 2 is ending this week, so I'll be able to binge-watch the entire season this July, and I'll be all caught up (and saaaaad). I'm developping an obsession, as I want the Funko Pops, but I don't want to actually read the book, which is weird? But maybe I'll change my mind! 

Game of Thrones (Season 6) - First off, I want to say that I would have enjoyed this season even more if I hadn't been spoiled for every. single. episode. I'm so mad about it, because spoilers appeared everywhere while the episode was airing, and guess what, I don't live in the US, so I had to wait 24 hours. Ugh, ugh, ugh. The worst part is that it came from people that hate spoiles... Like, nope. To conclude my rant, it's okay to live-tweet, but chill and don't spoil. ANYWAY. This season was my favourite of ever, as I wasn't a huge fan of season 5. It was all about women's power and the storyline made so much progress. I can't wait to see how it'll conclude as there are only thirteen episodes left. Moreover, the music of the last episode was amazing and I advise you to listen to it, even if you don't watch the show!

The 100 (3x01-3x04) - I'm watching this show with my boyfriend, and as I said, I've been lacking the motivation to do anything lately. On weekends, I'd rather read than watch TV shows, so we haven't made a lot of progress... My bad, we'll try to catch up in July? I wasn't sold out by the first episode, I have to admit, I found it quite weird. But it's starting to get better! Not as great as the first two seasons though. I'm waiting to see how it evolves. I've been trying to avoid spoilers like the plague, because people are the worst for this show, just like for GOT... :/

Zootopia (2016) - I had heard nothing but great things about this movie, and everyone was right! It was about prejudice and racism, I loved the message that went through the movie, especially considering what's been happening in the world lately... For example, at the beginning Judy was so scared of foxes, as she's a rabbit, but in the end, one of them was her best friend. I'm applauding Disney-Pixar for this movie -my little brothers also became obsessed- and I'm mad at myself for not watching it sooner.

The Good Dinosaur (2015) - I was also pretty late to this party, and once again, I should have watched it at the same time than everyone else! The Good Dinosaur was a great coming of age story that anyone could relate to, especially when we sometimes feel so worthless about ourselves. At some point, it was also about prejudices, I wasn't expecting it at all. I cried at the end, but I get emotional everytime I'm watching a Disney movie, don't mind me...

Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016) - I have to admit that Alice in Wonderland by Tim Burton is one of my favourite movies, because I love him as a director, and it was starring Johnny Depp. So many people don't like the movies because it's quite different from the books, but I love them anyway. In this one, we saw a lot more of the 19th century, because the location was switching, which was quite interesting, as we were seeing the consequences for Alice. This movie involved ships, time traveling and steampunk elements, you bet I loved it. Moreover, I was pleasantely surprised when I realised that Edward Speleers (Jimmy from Downton Abbey) was acting in the movie and he could be something more for Alice (I SHIP IT!!!). I just loved the movie so much, Alice kicked everyone's ass and showed that Victorian ladies could be the strongest. Also, at the end, the credits were saying the movie was dedicated to Alan Rickman, which put me on the verge of tears, but at the same time, I found it so beautiful that they were doing this. <3

It appears that I talked a lot, because I loved everything so much, this month. I hope it'll be just the same in July. I shouldn't wait too long before watching Finding Dory, or I'll be late to the Disney party again. But at the same time, Finding Nemo isn't my favourite... Decisions, decisions.

What did you watch this month? Any of the movies and TV shows I talked about? Are you obsessed with Outlander? Do you think I should read the books? Were you spoiled for Game of Thrones because of social media? Or for The 100? What do you think of the Alice movies?

Welcome to the Wild West! | Revenge and the Wild

Revenge and the Wild by Michelle Modesto

Published: February 2nd 2016 by Balzer + Bray

Genre: young adult, historical, western, fantasy, steampunk

Goodreads summary: The two-bit town of Rogue City is a lawless place, full of dark magic and saloon brawls, monsters and six-shooters. But it’s perfect for seventeen-year-old Westie, the notorious adopted daughter of local inventor Nigel Butler.

Westie was only a child when she lost her arm and her family to cannibals on the wagon trail. Nine years later, Westie may seem fearsome with her foul-mouthed tough exterior and the powerful mechanical arm built for her by Nigel, but the memory of her past still haunts her. She’s determined to make the killers pay for their crimes—and there’s nothing to stop her except her own reckless ways.

But Westie’s search ceases when a wealthy family comes to town looking to invest in Nigel’s latest invention, a machine that can harvest magic from gold—which Rogue City desperately needs as the magic wards that surround the city start to fail. There’s only one problem: the investors look exactly like the family who murdered Westie’s kin. With the help of Nigel’s handsome but scarred young assistant, Alistair, Westie sets out to prove their guilt. But if she’s not careful, her desire for revenge could cost her the family she has now.

This thrilling novel is a remarkable tale of danger and discovery, from debut author Michelle Modesto.

REVIEW

Western books seem to be a trend in YA fiction since last year, and I can’t say that it bothers me, as I’ve now read all of them (Walk on Earth a Stranger is still my favourite <3). Michelle Modesto crafted a unique western novel, though, because it included some aspects of the Wild West I hadn’t seen in the previous books published, but also because there were so many paranormal aspects.

The world was complex, because it was, of course, set in the Wild West and we could find all the tropes that go along with that, it even had cannibals, but also every paranormal creature you can think of (even leprechauns!). While this aspect intrigued me and made sense because of an aspect of the plot, it felt a bit too much at times, because there were too many plotlines for a standalone book, in my opinion. Nevertheless, Michelle Modesto built an interesting and unique world.

Moreover, it had steampunk elements, which intertwined with the fantasy aspects and I loved that! I was excited because of that, and it did not disappoint. Indeed, Westie had a mechanical arm, but there also was Alistair, who had a machine in front of his mouth to be able to speak, and a machine that could help magic.

Westie was a great heroine, she was very flawed and struggled with addiction. I could understand the choices she made, because of her past – well, cannibals ate her family and her arm, after all – even though it was quite questionable at times. She was a strong and badass character most of the time, but I was quite annoyed when she kept blushing whenever one of the love interests said something, it didn’t actually fit with her personality. The secondary characters were all very interesting and I liked that we actually had a cast of diverse characters. Of course, it would feel weird not to have that in a western setting, but I still appreciated it. It feels like YA western authors get this.

This book was entertaining and had many plot lines, like I mentioned earlier, so I didn’t have the time to get bored. However, I was disappointed in the fact that from the beginning, Westie knew who the antagonists were, but had to spend the whole novel assembling proofs against them in order to do something. There wasn’t any surprise in the identity of the antagonists because of that… Not even with the plot twist, as I had guessed it. Moreover, I would have liked the villains to be more fleshed out, because in the end, they felt a bit flat.

What really bothered me in Revenge and the Wild was the romance. It felt like Westie had three love interests, she was blushing way too much, and it was so obvious who she would end up with. At the same time, yes, it showed that despite her mechanical arm, men could still be interested in her – when so many were scared of her – but it felt a bit too much, as every “interesting” man liked her. Nope.

Overall, Revenge and the Wild was a promising debut with great characters and a unique setting. However, I wasn’t entirely convinced by the antagonists and felt like the romance was a bit too much. I will probably read Michelle Modesto’s next work, because she has so much potential.

Have you read this book? What did you think of it? Do you like YA western novels? What's your favourite?

My internship is taking over my life | June Wrap-up & July TBR

Here we are, 2016 is halfway done, I can't believe it! This month went through so quickly and I have no holidays, which is a bit sad. But these summer months will be so interesting for me, which means I don't care that much. June is definitely the month I read the least this year so far, which is disappointing, but understandable.

I'm trying to remember what happened at the beginning of the month really hard right now, because life got crazy. For the first two weeks of the month, I was fighting against uni's administration, as they are so slow and I was scared I wouldn't get the papers for my internship on time. I also went to an exhibition about Charles Le Brun, a 17th century painter, with my mom and it was just amazing.

I did a few baby-sittings and then, I learned that I had succeeded in all my exams, so guess who has a bachelor's degree in history? I DO. Next year, I'll start a master in Cultural Heritage Studies. No, I'm not freaking out, you're freaking out! But well, at least it means I'm moving on with my studies! :D

My e-reader died, but I wasn't that surprised, as it's been two years and I use it almost every day. I got a Kobo HD Glo  and I love it so far! I made carrot cake and everyone in my family ate some, when two of my brothers don't even like cake (I don't get it tho), so it was definitely a success!

After that... I started my internship on the 13th. During the first week, there was another girl with me and my tutor took us everywhere, it was so interesting. Work actually started during the second week and it's been intense ever since. I'm really happy about what I'm doing though, because I have no time to get bored. My tutor is also the nicest, but more on that later on. But seriously, most people are so kind and I love the place. I don't know how I'll be able to leave at the end of July.

My internship is happening there, I know you're jealous ;)

At some point, my bookworm side came to the surface, because we were ordering books and I was so shocked by the amount of money they got to spend on books in a year. So I told my tutor I wanted the same amount and he was like: "well, you're not an institution". Yeah, I know, thanks... Seriously, I'm jealous.

I went to the Louvre with my boyfriend, it was the first time in two and a half years, what? Two years ago, you had to pay if you were eighteen or older, but now you don't have to pay until you're twenty-five, which is the best news, let's be real. We had a lot of fun and I had to take a picture with When We Collided, because I had just finished it and was so emotional (just go read it if you haven't already!).

When I got to work this Monday, my tutor was like "hey, do you have plans for the night? Because I have a place for this concert but I won't be able to go...". So guess who went to the Théatre des Champs Elysées for free?? This girl. I'm so grateful and happy about it, it was the Stabat Mater, which is such a beautiful piece. *heart eyes* 

Other than that, life's been a little crazy in Paris lately, because of UEFA Euro 2016. I don't watch football so I don't usually care, but it feels like everyone is running around and there is way more people than usual in my area. It's so cool to see all the supporters though. :)

My internship is taking over my life and because of that, I wasn't able to read as much as usual. I only managed to read four books since June 13th, it's so unlike me. But maybe I'll be less addicted to books that way (as if)?

My June book haul!

Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger 4.5 stars

Legacy of Kings by Eleanor Herman 4 stars

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera 3 stars

Beyond the Red by Ava Jae 2 stars

King Slayer by Virginia Boecker 4 stars

Riders by Veronica Rossi 4 stars

The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Choski DNF

When We Collided by Emery Lord 4.5 stars

Revenge and the Wild by Michelle Modesto 3 stars

REREAD: The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson 4 stars

Goodreads challenge: 75/120. I'm still ahead, but I don't know how long it will last considering how fast I've been reading lately... #sarcasm. 

Flights of Fantasy: 45/50. I only read five fantasy novels this month. *gasp* I know it seems like a lot to most people, but usually, it's the only genre I'm reading from. Nevertheless, four of this five books were great, so it's quality over quantity, you know?

Retelling challenge: 10/20. I'm ashamed to say I haven't read any retelling this month. Well, it's not entirely true, I tried my hardest with The Star-Touched Queen, but it wasn't for me and I DNFed it. I'm sad about it because so many people were raving about it.

'16 Debut Challenge: 13/15. Looook, I'm almost done with this one, I'm so happy about that! I read Revenge and the Wild, which was okay, and Beyond the Red, which was awful, this month. They weren't the best debuts I read since the beginning of the year, so it was just okay, for this month. But I'm sure I'll find other great debuts!

This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab

You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour and David Levithan

Taste of Darkness by Maria V. Snyder (buddyread with Geraldine <3)

How It Feels to Fly by Kathryn Holmes

The Darkest Magic by Morgan Rhodes

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson (reread)

How was your month? Can you believe that we're halfway through the year? What's your favourite book you read this month? Mine was definitely When We Collided. :)