The Tyrant's Tomb by Rick Riordan (Trials of Apollo #4)

Hey guys!
I finally had time to read the fourth part of Rick Riordan’s Trials of Apollo series! Did I like it? Did I love it? Time to find out!

The Tyrant’s Tomb on Goodreads

The Plot (according to Goodreads):

It’s not easy being Apollo, especially when you’ve been turned into a human and banished from Olympus. On his path to restoring five ancient oracles and reclaiming his godly powers, Apollo (aka Lester Papadopoulos) has faced both triumphs and tragedies. Now his journey takes him to Camp Jupiter in the San Francisco Bay Area, where the Roman demigods are preparing for a desperate last stand against the evil Triumvirate of Roman emperors. Hazel, Reyna, Frank, Tyson, Ella, and many other old friends will need Apollo’s aid to survive the onslaught. Unfortunately, the answer to their salvation lies in the forgotten tomb of a Roman ruler . . . someone even worse than the emperors Apollo has already faced. 

The Rating:

It’s been so long since I read the last books in this series it took me a moment to get back into the groove and remember what was going on. Anyways, after a few chapters, I was back on track and fully immersed in the story.

Rick Riordan managed to nail it once more. The fourth installment of The Trials of Apollo is gripping, thrilling, heartbreaking and funny. It’s an amazing continuation of the series and, to be honest, I wouldn’t have expected any less from Riordan.

The Beholder by Anna Bright

Hello, my darling readers!
Today I want to talk about The Beholder, another stunning book that I received via subscription box. So let’s see what the excitement is all about!

The Beholder on Goodreads

The Plot:

Selah’s life is in tatters. Everything she had longed for gone down the drain. When her marriage proposal is rejected, Selah’s stepmother ships her off to find a suitable husband. After all, she is the daughter of Potomac’s leader, so this is her job. What will she encounter on the quest that sends her all the way to England, Norge, and even darker realms?

The Rating:

So, I’m not a fan of romance books, but this one has won me over. It’s not too sappy (although it gets close sometimes) and there is more going on than just a princess swooning over some cute guy.

I love that Anna Bright drew her inspiration from so many different sources. No spoilers here – you’ll see for yourself should you decide to pick up the book. Let me just tell you that it’s a lot of fun discovering those little things that obviously influenced her. She doesn’t go over the top with this or produce what feels like a cheap copy. Instead Bright creates something that is unique and fun to explore.

Jade City by Fonda Lee (The Green Bone Saga #1)

Hello, my darling readers!
So, I recently got into book subscription boxes and this is the very first novel I got in one of them! I have a bunch of reviews coming up, all about the books I got in these boxes.
Today, I want to talk about Jade City by Fonda Lee, a story very different from what you might be used to!

Jade City on Goodreads

The Plot:

Green-Bone clans used to consist of honorable men and women who used their Jade amplified powers to protect the island of Kekon.
Nowadays those clans resemble crime syndicates – of course, they are at war with each other…

The Rating:

I really wanted to like this book. The premise got me really excited but I had a hard time getting into the story.
I don’t even know why! The idea is quite unique and due to the Asian vibes, it is really different from any other book I’ve read so far.

The worldbuilding is interesting enough and I liked the whole Jade thing. It took me some time, however, to fully understand how the system is supposed to work and to tell all the people apart.

Top 5 Tuesday: Book Reviews I wrote in 2019

Hey, guys!
It’s Tuesday, that means it’s time for a bookish favorites posts. Normally Top 5 Tuesday is hosted by Shanah Bionic Book Worm and it is quite simple: check out the topic and write a post with your picks.
However, since it’s Christmas Shanah is taking a break and there are no prompts for today and next week. So, I’m improvising a bit. Today I’ll share my favorite book reviews I wrote this year and next week you’ll get a wrap up of my entire blogging year (including also non-bookish posts!).

#1 A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

I started this year by reading the ACOTAR series by Sarah J. Maas. At that time I was hooked and just couldn’t put the books down. Although I since have found a few issues I have with her novels, I love all the ACOTAR reviews I wrote because I so passionate about the books at that moment. You can really tell when you read my review for A Court of Mist and Fury.

ACOMAF on Goodreads

#2 A Court of Hearts and Darkness by (ACOTAR FanFic)

After I had a huge bookish hangover when I finished the ACOTAR books, I searched the web for some more material. I just wasn’t ready yet to part with this world!
I happened to stumble upon an utterly brilliant fanfiction on tumblr. (When I say fanfiction I actually mean an entire book length-wise.) You can’t imagine how I cried during a particular chapter (read it and you’ll know which one I mean right away)! It’s such a great piece of writing and I also wanted to give a shoutout to all the fanfiction writers out there who pour so much time and effort into their works!
Here’s the link for those who want to check it out!

Top 5 Tuesday: Dear Santa – I would like these 5 Books!

Hey, guys!
It’s Tuesday, that means it’s time for a bookish favorites posts. Top 5 Tuesday is hosted by Shanah Bionic Book Worm and is quite simple: check out the topic and write a post with your picks.
For Shanah’s final T5T (I’ll be improvising next week), I’ll share some of the novels from this year’s Christmas wishlist!

#1 We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

The first time I heard about this novel was when the trailer for the adaptation (hello Sebastian Stan!) came out. The film promised to be intriguing, but – as always – I want to read the book first. And just look at that cover! How could this be anything short of amazing?

We have always lived in the Castle on Goodreads

#2 Kill ‘Em All by John Niven

I’ve read a fair share of John Niven books over the years, Kill Your Friends among them. I liked every one of his novels, so there is no question that I absolutely have to read the sequel to KYF asap!

Kill ‘Em All on Goodreads

Top 5 Tuesday: Books I didn’t get to in 2019

Hey, guys!
It’s Tuesday, that means it’s time for a bookish favorites posts. Top 5 Tuesday is hosted by Shanah Bionic Book Worm and is quite simple: check out the topic and write a post with your picks.
Today, I’ll share some of the books I didn’t get to in 2019. My want-to-read list on Goodreads currently holds 233 books, so it wasn’t easy to choose!

#1 Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin 

I have quite a few novels from book subscription boxes that I just didn’t have the time for yet. Serpent & Dove is one of them. Everybody was so excited about it and seemed to love the book, so I’ll make sure to put it on top of my pile for 2020.

Serpent & Dove on Goodreads

#2 Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Obviously, Frankenstein is a classic, so it has been on my radar for a long time. In October I watched one of the many adaptations and got even more curious about the book. Hopefully, I around reading it in 2020 so I can do a book vs. movie post!

Frankenstein on Goodreads