REVIEW: The Crown by Kiera Cass

This shall, without a doubt, be one of the most emotional book reviews I ever write. The Selection series has come to a spectacular, fireworks-display of an ending, and I don't know what to do with myself. I spontaneously picked up the first book when it had just come out and I was so hooked. I read the next one, and the next one, and thought it was over. And then it wasn't. And I was so happy. This series is addictive in the most fantastic way. Let's just get into this finale because boy oh boy was it a good one.

The Short Story:

I obviously cannot give too many details because spoilers are too easy to give away in the case of a final book, but I can say I never knew where the story would go until it got there, I laughed out loud, I cried actual tears, and I swooned HARD. I don't care what people think of Eadlyn as a character, I think she got everything she deserved. Long live the Schreaves!

The Long Story:

Let me take a breath here. 

I waited a year for this book, pining over these characters and waiting, needing, to know what became of them (especially due to the CLIFFHANGER OF THE CENTURY in The Heir, sheesh) and when this book finally was in my hands, it was everything I wanted. Kiera Cass never once let me believe I had figured out the ending of this book. Never once! Every time I thought I had a wavering guess, she shot it down quicker than I could think it. And that quality in a book makes me keep reading and keep loving it. She creates characters that make you want to love them... or throttle them, whichever it appropriate at the time. Overall, Kiera made a world I could have stayed in forever. 

I was happy with the ending. Happy is actually not a strong enough word. I kicked my legs and squealed and laughed and cried and LOVED EVERY WORD. I know some people question the way the story and the relationships went, but I think it had to go this way and I'm so glad it did. Everything wrapped up in such an amazing and heart-wrenching way, but everything really did wrap up. I feel no loose ends, no questions, just closure. 

Kiera Cass, thank you for giving us Selection fans everything America and Eadlyn needed. We wish we could have Maxon, America, Eadlyn, Marlee, Erik, Brice, May, Aspen, and all their friends in our heads forever like you will. 

5/5 stars. No, 6/5 stars.

Now I need to add a spoilery section because I can't NOT for this book. Please stop scrolling now if you haven't read The Crown and plan to.

Really. Please come back later :) Happy reading!

SPOILERS TO COME:

I am so over-the-moon happy Eadlyn chose Erik, er, Eikko. When I was reading The Heir, I considered this as a possible ending but thought it would be too predictable of a plot twist. I thought it was Kile. I wanted it to be Henri because he's cute like a baby duck. Then I thought Hale (AND BOY WAS I WRONG ABOUT THAT GUY). Then Marid appeared and I stopped in my tracks (once again, WRONG WRONG WRONG). I never thought it was Ean and I was so glad when his story took another turn. Eadlyn and Erik is so right. They balance each other, but they also challenge and complete each other. I loved Eadlyn's moment with her dad in those last seven minutes at the end of the book, where she drops all pretense of being a queen and asks her dad for help in this matter of the heart...and politics. I just loved it. Eadlyn made all the right choices and I'm ecstatic at the end of this epic story. Feel free to discuss in the comments, I'd love to chat with you about it!!

REVIEW: A Whole New World by Liz Braswell

If I love anything as much as I love books, Disney would be that thing. I may be graduating from college and heading off into the "real" world, but play any Disney song and I revert into a five-year-old singing every word and quoting every line. 

So you can imagine how I reacted when I saw someone had written a retelling of Disney's Aladdin. There was a lot of squealing and fangirling and magic-carpet-riding and what not. And upon finishing said book, I had "A Whole New World" and the end credits music running through my head (yes, I even recognize the credits music, because it's amazing so there). 

BUT that is not fitting for this "Twisted Tale". Let me tell you a thing. Wow.

The Short Story:

This book is unexpected, shocking, romantic, epic, magical, and hilarious. Be prepared for exact quotes from the movie. The story will take you on a journey you absolutely do not see coming and characters will tackle moral dilemmas much larger than in the movie. If you liked the movie, I think you'll like the book, too. I certainly did!

The Long Story:

The tagline for this book is "what if Aladdin never got the lamp?" Just think for a second. What happens if that question is true? BAD THINGS, that's what. This book, guys. This. Book. It was not what I was expecting but it was also everything I wanted. This story follows the movie extremely closely up to a certain point...at which it simply skips to "and the bad guy wins" and everything goes bananas. Aladdin and Jasmine meet in the marketplace, have the same goofy flirty banter, and things go along as we Disney movie viewers expect. Then the story takes a turn and the characters are forced to turn with it. This does mean that the characters grow in a different way than in the movie. 
This book is a huge adventure. Aladdin is our goofy and golden-hearted main character and Jasmine is our fierce and vivacious princess. The synopsis tells us that Jafar gets the lamp. Jafar is not meant to rule and his flaws are well-executed and really weave into his motives. There are many other characters who have such huge personalities that I can hardly call them side characters. Agrabah falls to pieces under Jafar, as anyone would expect, and it is up to the underdogs, the Street Rats, to fix it. But goodness knows, there are some issues with just "fixing it".
I wish I had known ahead of time how much certain parts would parallel the movie because it made it hard to separate the two while reading. Certain relationships and back stories were a little hard to follow or seemed irrelevant and I wish we had gotten more about Jafar because he is such a ridiculous villain. Since I am a wuss, there were some scenes that were too graphic for my taste and I wish I had been prepared for that. They don't call it a "twisted" tale for nothing, apparently.
If you like heist stories or political stories or Disney or fairytales in general, try this book on for size. I think you'll enjoy it. I really liked this book and retelling fans will, too.

4/5 stars.

Let me know if you've read this book and what you thought of it! 

Happy reading!

REVIEW: Black Widow: Forever Red by Margaret Stohl

When The Avengers came out several years ago, I'd never seen a single superhero movie willingly. Then something crazy happened and now I can't get enough! SOOO, of course, when I saw this beauty on the shelf at Target, I just about lost my mind and I couldn't buy it fast enough. 

Black Widow is one of the most mysterious of the Avengers and that probably has something to do with the fact that she doesn't have her own individual movies (yet, I hope). But she's fantastic. Hence, this book was fantastic. Just let me tell you. 

The Short Story:

This book reads like a movie: the action is dynamic and the relationships are larger than life. Natasha Romanoff is a force to be reckoned with and the one thing she cannot reckon with is her past. But you'll want to be there when she has to. Black Widow is intense, plot-twisty, and unexpected. Be prepared for a ride.

The Long Story:

This book is not solely about Natasha herself (as one might guess), but about two teenagers who get tangled up in her life: Ava and Alex. They all have a special connection that cannot be severed and, for the sake of safety, should not be. Ava is an orphan, Alex is a seemingly innocent bystander, and Natasha is a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent famous the whole world over. Some fun, well-known characters make a guest appearance, one of whom is Agent Coulson and the other is an avenger who banters like none other. There are so many actiony and adventurey scenes (yes, those are words now) that, as a reader, it is almost hard to keep up. The villain in this story sends shivers up my spine; he is very well-written and I won't be forgetting him any time soon. The story is frequently interrupted by official reports and interview documents taking place after the events of this book, making the story even more complicated than at first glance. The characters are likable and charming; even Natasha has her moments of charm (though anyone can see it kills her). I found myself not only smiling to myself but also laughing out loud as I read this book. Then other times I found myself wondering how Margaret Stohl could rip my heart out without so much as a second thought. "Emotional rollercoaster" is an understatement.
As much as I wish it were, this book was not perfect. The relationship was VERY intsa-lovey. Now, I'm a person who doesn't usually mind insta-love. But in this book, it seemed almost forced. It seemed to come out of nowhere and if the relationship had not been as prominent as it was, the story still would not have changed much. To each his or her own on insta-love, but I still liked and believed the relationship. 
Overall, I recommend this book especially to those who like superheroes and superstories and Marvel in general. It's creative and shocking and sad and hilarious.

4.5/5 stars.

Happy reading!

REVIEW: Soundless by Richelle Mead

Hi again, everyone! I literally just finished (as in... fifteen minutes ago?) Soundless by Richelle Mead and I knew I needed to write this review straightaway so it would be authentic. Y'all... this book is great.

[I have a quick little spiel to give on how I'll write reviews on this blog, just so nobody is confused. First, I'll give the short story. This is for those readers who want to go into a book with little to no information about it, simply a general feel and reaction. Second, I'll give the long story. This is for those who want to really know what a book is about. I won't include any spoilers because come on, nobody likes a spoiler, but I will give a more detailed explanation and more of my thoughts.]

So without further ado...

The Short Story: 

This book is simple and magical. It reads like a classic fairytale and the romance is everything you could want in a YA Fantasy. The main female character is strong, intellectual, and passionate. This book is a great short stand-alone read for rainy daydreamy days.

The Long Story: 

Our main character, Fei, is an artist in a remote mountaintop village in which every inhabitant is deaf. This has been the case for her entire life and for generations before. But now the villagers are at risk of losing something else. Just as this tragedy is striking in fuller force, Fei wakes up able to hear. This is more important and vital to hers and her friends' lives than anyone could possibly imagine. It takes her on an epic journey to discover a whole bunch about her life and her town than she ever could have guessed.
This is the only book I've ever read in which the characters all speak sign language. It almost makes the book feel quieter somehow, and when Fei regains her hearing, the reader can gain the sounds of her village with her. The main male character, Li Wei, is also passionate, like Fei, but in a way that makes him reckless where she is more steady.
There is also a family element to this book that is very well done. Family is often less of a focus in YA but this book tells about close families, with their struggles and triumphs.
Magic abounds in this story; the entire book feels like you're waiting for something. The mysticality (is that a word? magicalness? I'm sure you know what I mean) is subtle. It does not overwhelm the plot or the characters but weaves flawlessly through the threads Richelle is writing.
I had very few problems with this book and the only one I can name without spoiling is the beginning was a little hard to get into. It was a little slow and I was confused, but when the plot really started to pick up, I couldn't put it down.
I highly recommend this book for those who like magic (which, in my opinion, should be everyone).

5/5 stars.

Let me know what you think of this style of review with the short and long stories! I'd really appreciate feedback, positive or negative.

Happy reading!

25 BOOKISH Facts About Me!

Hi there! You must be new here... because I'm new here. :) My name is Megan and I stinkin' love books. My collection is growing like crazy (in related news, my bank account is dwindling) and I want to share my adventures on and off pages with y'all. 

I'm a big fan (read: I-do-almost-nothing-else-but-watch) of BookTube and awhile back a tag went around of 25 Bookish Facts about yourself. I thought there was no better way to introduce myself than a rapid-fire fun fact post!

Let's do this.

1. I prefer reading paperbacks but looking at hardcovers. They're just gorgeous.
2. I like the look of a well-loved paperback more than a well-loved hardback.
3. I say I drink tea while I read... but really I drink about three sips and then it goes cold while I'm lost in my story.
4. My favourite series of all time is Harry Potter. No kidding, right? I'm sure that came as a shock. Me and 80% of the planet...or galaxy.
5. I prefer to read YA books, but I enjoy a good middle-grade friendship story as much as any seventh grader.
6. I collect children's books as well as YA and middle grade because I want to have a library for my future family.
7. I never dog ear pages. I used to (shame on me, I know) but now I use bookmarks. I'll probably do a bookmark collection post sometime. I have a few.
8. I don't feel the need to only buy pristine condition books - I have no problem owning bent or scratched books. Hurting the cover cannot hurt the story!
9. I check out a lot of the books I read from the library.
10. 90% of the time, I will only buy a book for my collection if I have already read it and LOVED it.
11. I cannot read in a moving vehicle.
12. I CAN, however, read while lying down without falling asleep. Can I consider this my superpower? I think yes.
13. I have a Bookstagram account! Shameless plug: the.storied.shelf on Instagram.
14. I have bought many a book solely based on the cover. What can I say? I have a weakness. Calligraphy and colors and metallics = my kryptonite.
15. My book collection is currently at 173(ish) books. Yeesh.
16. I don't eat when I read because I will get crumbs in the pages and I do not need that in my life.
17. I'm in the process of collecting every edition of two series: Harry Potter (again, duh) and Anne of Green Gables. I just love them. I need more to love.
18. I am in the middle of approximately 1,296 series (perhaps an exaggeration...perhaps not) right now and, yes, it drives me bonkers.
19. I've never met a famous author but BOY, what I wouldn't give to be at YallWest (which is happening rightthisminute... sob) or BookCon this year.
20. I mostly read at night, but I also try to carry a book with me everywhere so I can read any time. Just call me Rory Gilmore (really, I'd love that, she embodies #readinggoals).
21. I am not a seasonal reader. That is to say, I don't prefer a certain genre during a certain season; I just read all the books all the time. YAY!
22. I have a few authors that I will automatically read/buy a book from without thinking twice: Huntley Fitzpatrick, Kiera Cass, Jennifer E. Smith, and Sandy Hall. The list grows all the time.
23. I like Nicholas Sparks books. Like, a lot. Feel free to tell me they're cheesy and awful and ridiculous because it still won't stop me.
24. I do not read ebooks. Not that I'm saying I never will... but I don't right now. I do listen to audiobooks though because I drive A LOT. And they're great.
25. I plan to write a book. Someday. Hopefully soon. Wish me luck.

AND that is 25. Let me catch my breath because that was a lot of things. But hey, now you know me a little better! 

I'd love to know you better, too! Comment below with a bookish fact or two about you! Anything on my list you agree with? Disagree with? Let me know! We can talk about books and stuff.

Til next time, happy reading!

P.S. Here are a few awesome Booktubers who did this tag: Reagan, Sasha, and Jesse :)