Passenger by Alexandra Bracken Book Review

Passage, n.

i. A brief section of music composed of a series of notes and flourishes.

ii. A journey by water; a voyage.

iii. The transition from one place to another, across space and time.

In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.

Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods—a powerful family in the colonies—and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must ensure she brings it back to them—whether she wants to or not.

Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are playing, treacherous forces threaten to separate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home... forever.

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

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Knowing about the hype this book had, I went into reading it with utterly high expectations. I had requested it specifically because I had heard how much everyone loved it and were recommending it. Unfortunately it did not have the same effect for me and I think having those expectations too high at the start may have been the reason I expected too much from it. Aside from the fact, it was a good book and I did want to keep reading. Maybe reading Desolation prior to this put me in a reading slump so maybe that's why I didn't seem to enjoy this book as much as I wanted to.

The main character, Etta Spencer, seemed like a typical girl who had a passion for a musical instrument, just like anyone else would. I loved how all she wanted to do was be the best she could be and how she found the beauty in playing - the way she could lose herself in the music and forget about the audience. As lovely as it is to see a character enjoy a normal hobby, this was definitely short-lived due to the unfortunate event of her being thrust into this new world without knowledge and then finding out later that it was her instrument that kick-started the action. I felt like she didn't have an amazing character development and the fact that she let herself be distracted by her love interest when she is meant to be trying to save the world (a constant trope that seems to be never-ending) was a bit of an annoying thing while reading. Yeah, the romance was cute and might have kept the storyline alive a little bit more, but that was what bothered me. I was hoping to see more action left with way more dramatic cliff-hangers and deaths (Sarah J Maas has seemingly set my bar way too high). Nicholas seemed like a real person, the way he spoke, acted and made decisions. He was more focused on the idea of getting what he wanted in terms of being free and that seemed to enhance the plot thankfully. I had really high hopes for Sophia but she just ruined her chances of being a likeable character - however she could possibly redeem herself in the next book.

I really loved the way the plot was laid out and the idea of time-travel through portals. There aren't many books like this and that's what I did like out of everything. I feel like time-travel is a difficult thing to write about without being too unrealistic or illogical and Alexandra did a on-point job of making it feel like it could be something that would make sense in the real world. However I had a hard time picturing what certain objects looked like, maybe because I was skipping through the book due to my inability to focus or maybe because it just wasn't really described that well. I have to say that I did enjoy it to a point which helped me continue reading and left me feeling like I wanted to see how the story continues in the next instalment. Having different families being against each other and wanting revenge sort of reminded me of the Game of Thrones series (bear in mind I have only seen the TV show but am planning on reading the books at some point). I haven't read Alexandra's other series, The Darkest Minds but I do want to try it out at some point.

My overall opinion of Passenger is that I did like it, but not enough to consider it one of my favourites. I'm hoping the sequel is better because that might be the turning point of the series and determine whether or not I might actually feel like fully recommending the series. Etta wasn't the type of heroine I was really rooting for and for me that's a big thing when it comes to enjoying a book. I feel like everyone is different and personally I am quite fussy with what I read. A LOT of people did love it and I think that you should just pick up the book and see if it suits your personal preference of literature. I gave this book a 2.5 out of 5 stars!

Things I loved about Passenger!:

* The chemistry between Etta and Nicholas was really cute! However the fact that there was a major instalove trope made me feel a bit off about the whole relationship.

* The book is all about time-travel with the pro's and con's that come with it. The way it was explained was really well done and I think it could potentially have an amazing sequel if written well, if not better!

* Etta has a hobby of playing the violin which weaves in with the main plot which I absolutely love! It has a purpose and isn't left to be something that is put to the side because of the character's quest and responsibilities.

Thank you HarperCollins New Zealand for the review copy! Go like their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/Harpercollinsnz?fref=ts

Go add Passenger to your Goodreads list HERE

Go buy it on MightyApe with 1 day delivery in New Zealand HERE

Buy it on Book Depository with free shipping world wide HERE

Find more out about me at:

http://ellafleming-christie.weebly.com

My YouTube Channel: FeathersandFaith

Demon Road #2: Desolation by Derek Landy Book Review

THE EPIC NEW THRILLER CONTINUES.

The second book in the mind-blowing new supernatural thriller from bestselling author DEREK LANDY, creator of international sensation Skulduggery Pleasant.

Reeling from their bloody encounter in New York City, Amber and Milo flee north. On their trail are the Hounds of Hell – five demonic bikers who will stop at nothing to drag their quarries back to their unholy master.

Amber and Milo’s only hope lies within Desolation Hill – a small town with a big secret; a town with a darkness to it, where evil seeps through the very floorboards. Until, on one night every year, it spills over onto the streets and all hell breaks loose.

And that night is coming.

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

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If you thought that Demon Road was the funniest and most thrilling book you'd ever read, well Desolation is going to comply wipe that title off of your favourites-list. The fact that most sequels don't seem to be able to live up to the first book in the series, it's literally an omen when a book like this, let alone a series like this, is brought into existence. Thank you, Derek Landy, for being utterly amazing at your job.

The first thing that really stuck out to me about this book is Amber's new love interest. Now I'm not going to go into too much detail as that would completely ruin the surprise. However, I will state that this book is diverse in so many ways. The fact that the author has gone way over the boundaries of what most writers would do when writing a novel is incredible because not many people will leave their comfort zone to explore different elements of life to add into a plot to make it way more realistic - go figure for a fantasy thriller novel! On that note, a bunch of new characters are added which keeps the story rolling smoothly and gives the book a more solid outlook with more point of views. An obvious fact is that Amber's parents return, along with their trusty - or not - sidekicks, Kirsty and Grant. Still hellbent on killing and eating Amber to gain her strength seems a little more complicated this time around than they had originally intended. However this does seem to be a little more darker and more brutal, believe it or not. 

Two older characters are introduced who are crazy funny and I think overall made the story more intriguing and gripping with their constant bickering and humour-filled lines. I love the idea that this book has included people of all ages from elementary school children to seniors who are just itching to have a big adventure and almost be young again. Not only does this sequel have even more characters involved but it has even more creatures involved! The Hounds of Hell come across as intimidating bikers who come across as mute pricks on wheels, but Amber and Milo still manage to make a joke out of them and manage to put them in their place a few times - demon to demon.

The whole story is fun-filled violence with gripping twists and laugh-out-loud humour that will make you choke on your coke. However it will immerse you into an even darker world with way more at stake and an even bigger enemy than the infamous Shining Demon. Overall I absolutely loved this book so much, I wished it didn't have to end as soon as it did. I am thoroughly upset at the fact that this series will only be a trilogy, however I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that the next book will send it off with a bang (and maybe a lot more blood and deaths involved)! I gave this a 4.5 out of 5 stars!

Things I loved about Demon Road: Desolation!

* Amber gets a new love interest with a surprising twist! Great romantic scenes too!

* Milo is finally able to show everyone why he is really the 'Ghost of the Highway' and why he is so feared by those who have heard his name!

* More characters are added and even a dog with an awesome personality!

* Another Shining Demon is in the mix and everything about that is explained!

* Hell Night is as crazy as it sounds and you don't want to decide whether or not to DNF it until you read that part! But I know you won't DNF it. It's too good.

I really hope that if you read Demon Road, you will go straight to the bookstore or library and get Desolation because it is definitely one of those rare novels that keep the fire alive in a series. Let me know if you decided to pick it up because of my review! If you've already read it, tell me what your thoughts were on it! 

Thank you HarperCollins New Zealand for the review copy! Go like their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/Harpercollinsnz?fref=ts

Go add Desolation to your Goodreads list HERE

Go buy it on MightyApe with 1 day delivery in New Zealand HERE

Buy it on Book Depository with free shipping world wide HERE

Find more out about me at:

http://ellafleming-christie.weebly.com

My YouTube Channel: FeathersandFaith

Massive Update on my Life!: YouTube, Major Hair Change, ACOMAF! || FeathersandFaith - Ella Fleming-Christie

Hey ya'll! Ella here!

So I haven't posted in a while! I've been so busy starting Uni, doing an online course for a 'Diploma in Applied Writing (Level 5)' with NorthTec Whangarei. I've also been receiving a hell of a lot of books from HarperCollins New Zealand which has literally been a godsend and a curse at the same time...

I am currently reading Desolation by Derek Landy and holy moly is it as good as the first in the trilogy, Demon Road! However it's killing me because I just received A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas in hardback and my god is the 600 paged beauty the most gorgeous thing I've seen since Queen of Shadows released! I bet y'all it'll take me a quarter of the time to read ACOMAF as it has taken me to only get through 3/4 of Desolation!

So anyway, since then I've decided that my hair has needed a major do-over - therefore I cut like 20cm off and dyed it bold red. I absolutely love it and am almost dreading going auburn closer to the end of the year to play Clary Fray from the tv show, Shadowhunters for the Armageddon Expo in Auckland, New Zealand around October this year. Hey, at least my hair will be healthier by then! Here's a pic of what it looks like now :)

If you haven't already seen, I uploaded my latest video, "25 Facts About Me" yesterday and my god I got an amazing response from my amazing friends and viewers about the personal stuff I managed to reveal. It was really a heart-lifting and inspiring moment to know that so many lovely people care and want to keep supporting me as they always have been. Plus all the new subscribers, I really hope I'm doing my job and keeping y'all entertained! I try my best to not only bring you the best content, but also make it funny so that it's definitely worth the watch and that you might encourage others to check my channel! Here's the link to the video if you'd like to check it out! Please don't forget to like, comment if you want and subscribe to be notified about my newest videos!

That's about it for now apart from the fact that I'll be doing more video reviews from now on than written reviews as I am trying to make my YouTube channel bigger and more successful so I'll be posting more updates and personal content here like pictures from outings or books I've gotten, etc.

Please let me know if there is anything you'd like to see me write about, attempt to do or whatever. I love trying to provide what you guys want!

Thanks for supporting me and being amazing!

Bellzxoxo 😘

Find more out about my writing career at:

http://ellafleming-christie.weebly.com

My YouTube Channel: FeathersandFaith

Twitter: @ellabellabellz

Instagram: @FeathersandFaith

Snapchat: FeathersnFaith

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♡ I now have a P.O Box!:

P.O Box 21-290 Henderson

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The Anti Cool Girl by Rosie Waterland: Book Review

Brutal, brave, hilarious - a full-frontal memoir about surviving the very worst that life can throw at you.

Rosie Waterland has never been cool. Growing up in housing commission, Rosie was cursed with a near perfect, beautiful older sister who dressed like Mariah Carey on a Best & Less budget while Rosie was still struggling with various toilet mishaps. She soon realised that she was the Doug Pitt to her sister's Brad, and that cool was not going to be her currency in this life.

But that was only one of the problems Rosie faced. With two addicts for parents, she grew up amidst rehab stays, AA meetings, overdoses, narrow escapes from drug dealers and a merry-go-round of dodgy boyfriends in her mother's life. Rosie watched as her dad passed out/was arrested/vomited, and had to talk her mum out of killing herself.

As an adult, trying to come to grips with her less than conventional childhood, Rosie navigated her way through eating disorders, nude acting roles, mental health issues and awkward Tinder dates. Then she had an epiphany: to stop pretending to be who she wasn't and embrace her true self - a girl who loved drinking wine in her underpants on Sunday nights - and become an Anti-Cool Girl.

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

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Well holy moly, I might have just found the woman who has completely inspired me to write my own memoir. I tell you now people, that this book is not for the faint hearted or the easily offended. Rosie Waterland is an exceptional writer and portrays her long struggle with life growing up with a poor family living through state housing and eventually being thrown into the fostering system before barely turning ten, along with a lot more heart breaking and relatable (if you have gone through a similar bringing up) moments which will stick with you long after you close the book for the last time. This is the first memoir that I've read which I can highly relate to and one which actually made me laugh out loud, making my partner think I was on drugs or that I was messed up when I showed him the part about when Rosie was a kid, masturbating while watching (or not watching) Rugrats. Yeah that got me at first too, but later on as I became more and more acquainted with Rosie's grotesque humor I decided I really did enjoy reading about all these crazy moments in her life which basically led up to her becoming an "Anti Cool Girl".

So first of, I really want to say: Rosie, if I ever get the chance to meet you in person I am literally going to give you the biggest hug. I may not have gone through the exact same circumstances but I know exactly what it's like to feel like the kid who doesn't feel loved enough, cool enough or good enough for anyone. I know what it's like to have an alcoholic mother and have multiple step-fathers. I know what it's like to feel embarrassed for doing something stupid or having nights where sometimes you don't think your parents will ever come home. Life is tough and there are sadly too many people in the world that have to suffer through their childhood due to the bad choices their parents make and sometimes it's too hard for their parents to get help or even be helped. Reading this book almost became a trigger for me. It's hard reading something that you relate to so much or at least have a major understanding of without thinking about everything you went through too and coming away from it with a tear-free face. There were multiple moments where I just had to look up and remind myself that I was here, I was okay and that nothing like this would ever  happen again. I feel for Rosie because she seemed to soldier through all the painful things in her life and even as a grown adult, she still felt the pressure of life and how society can still be a bitch, even after school. If you think that your family is a little f**ked up, then meet Rosie's family. No, it doesn't mean she's a terrible person, it just means that she has had to go through a lot of shit in her life which she didn't deserve but came out a stronger person because of it - basically giving the definition of this book.

If Rosie were to ever write a fictional novel whether it be young adult, new adult or adult fiction, I would most definitely read it. She has this crazy humor about her which has lead to her imminent success and even through such an emotional, heart-breaking memoir, is still able to shine through her not-so-glamorous moments by making fun of herself and taking a joke on all the embarrassing things that happened to her as a kid. I'm not sure I would be ready to now, but Rosie has definitely inspired me to one day write about my story and laugh through the stupid things I did as a kid and a teenager. The main thing I got out of this book was that no matter how shitty your life was as a kid, you can always redeem yourself and become a better person because of it. But also the fact that you can do well in life and succeed to the expectations you had hoped of. I was weary of this novel at first and was wondering what HarperCollins was trying to get me into, but now I am glad because now I have read a wonderful story which has been an inspiration to me and probably many others around the world. I just hope that one day Rosie gets to star in one of her awesome, personally playwritten movie, win an Oscar and give the big, dramatic speech that she always wanted!

Overall I have given this book a 5 out of 5 stars because it was such a powerful book and I think that if more and more people bought and read it, they too would be just as inspired and awe struck as I am after having delved into the brilliantly awesome life of an Anti Cool Girl such as Rosie Waterland.

Thank you HarperCollins New Zealand for the review copy! Go like their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/Harpercollinsnz?fref=ts

Go add The Anti Cool Girl to your Goodreads list HERE

Go buy it on MightyApe with 1 day delivery in New Zealand HERE

Buy it on Book Depository with free shipping world wide HERE

Are you suffering with a mental illness such as depression or anxiety? Here are some helpful links from BetterHelp that you can check out and find tips on how to live a happier life:

BetterHelp Advice - Anxiety
BetterHelp Advice - Depression
How To Deal with Depression: Tips, Techniques And Finding the Right Treatment

How Do I Find A Therapist Near Me?

10 Depression Quotes That May Change Your Life

Find more out about my writing career at:

http://ellafleming-christie.weebly.com

My YouTube Channel: FeathersandFaith

Ever wanted to join an awesome YA book club? Now is your chance!

Being a part of the Book Blogger/Booktube community, I've come across a few awesome things in my time being here. As far as book clubs go, I've never thought to join one or even visit one to see what it was like, mainly because of my anxiety and thinking how 'uncool' it sounded.

Until just recently, I found the coolest group on Facebook called the "Perth YA Book Club"! I'm a Kiwi (New Zealander) myself but I instantly found myself immersed in this page and wanting to be a part of it as I read more and more of what everyone was posting and realised how chill and cool it actually was. I feel like this book club is super awesome and everyone is so sweet! They all understand my love for books and authors and events and writing, so I wanted to share them with you all.

Perth YA Book Club Facebook Page

Perth YA Book Club Tumblr

Please check both of these awesome links out and let me know what you think! I bet you that you'll fit right in just like I did!

Do you know of any other awesome Book Club or Book Reviewers pages? Let me know in the comments below!

Find more out about my writing career at:

http://ellafleming-christie.weebly.com

My YouTube Channel: FeathersandFaith

I created my first tag video for Booktube!: Character Habits Tag! - FeathersandFaith

Hey everyone! I finally created my own tag on YouTube! I came up with this idea surprisingly just by not being able to sleep one night! The following morning (after I eventually drifted off to sleep) I wrote everything down so I wouldn't forget it and then the next couple of weeks I spent most of my time sorting it out and figuring out how I would film everything and who I would tag.

Now that I have uploaded it, everyone who I tagged seem to be passionately keen to film their own versions of this and I am so thrilled to be able to hear that from them! I am so interested on seeing how they all portray this tag and what type of scenes/skits they'll do to interpret the characters they have chosen!

If you are wanting to do this tag video, I will leave the tag questions for you all down below!:


Choose a character:

1. Who is too clumsy for their own good
2. Who's love could save the world
3. Who makes decisions then suffers the consequences later
4. Who would die protecting their best friend
5. That would do anything for a family member
6. Who has a revenge plan to take over the world
7. Who is truly lethal, inside and out
8. Who is too serious to take a joke
9. Who has great leadership skills but doesn't realise it/doesn't want to accept responsibility
10. Who is an introvert and doesn't mind being alone


If you decide to do this tag then please comment the link to your video down below! If you have decided that you are not overly confident acting out a scene or talking in front of a camera but you would like to do it in the form of a blog post then you could take photos of you as the character doing their typical habit instead. Remember to also leave the link to your post down below as well so I can go check it out and even retweet it!

I hope you all enjoy this video and I promise that I have many more original videos in the process of being created now so there won't be a short supply of awesomeness! I love you all and I'll talk to you soon!

All the best,

Ella Fleming-Christie - FeathersandFaith xoxo

Find more out about my writing career at:

http://ellafleming-christie.weebly.com

My YouTube Channel: FeathersandFaith

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout: Book Review

Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring… until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something… unexpected happens. 

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. 

If I don’t kill him first, that is.

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

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This was a novel I literally couldn't wait to get into! Not only had I found out about it through Sasha on Booktube, but I knew it was something that was fast-paced, sexy and had a whole bunch of romance, not to mention frustration (if you catch my drift!). The cover obviously gave a great first impression, other than what I already knew about the book. I felt like this was definitely going to be a novel that I would literally devourer and miss until I got my hands on the sequels. Thankfully I wasn't wrong and I delved into a whole new world where aliens are the new vampires and the threats are bigger than ever! I got through this book in a whole day - thanks to having all this time on my hands waiting for my partner in the car while he was at school. I got as comfortable as a could and dug into what could only be something I would never get out of. Let me just clarify, Jennifer L. Armentrout is now officially among the ranks of Sarah J. Maas in terms of literature hierarchy. I feel like she is definitely someone to consider as a goddess of all authors and in the humor department too. No matter how many jokes I came across or awkward, sexy scenes between Katy and Daemon, I could not help but crack up laughing at everything I read.

Katy is the type of girl that definitely reminded me of... well, me! Wearing tops that say, "My blog is better than your vlog"? Hell yeah she has just made it onto the epic team of "Ella's Favourite Female Heroines"! Katy is a laidback, cool and sophisticated chick who obviously can't help but realise that there are two totally gorgeous twins living next door to where she just moved to from Florida. No thanks to her mum, she is practically forced to go introduce herself to them but finds herself the target of the guy called Daemon who doesn't exactly seem to own a shirt. At all! Thankfully, his twin sister, Dee bumps into Katy at the supermarket and seems to amend the troubles that Daemon set into her head due to his rudeness. Katy definitely knows trouble when she sees it, the problem is that she doesn't see trouble when it is a supernatural matter. Because what human would, right? Apart from this I feel like she knows what she wants and she doesn't just want a quick fling with a guy that'll drop her at the sight of another good looking girl. Unfortunately she doesn't know exactly what type of guy Daemon is yet but she definitely can't resist his charming looks and his arrogance seems to set off a love/hate relationship between the two. To be honest, I don't know how I feel about Daemon. He seems to be a really understanding and caring guy one moment, and then the next he can turn straight into an unbearable asshole who will let another chick sit on his lap and let Katy be humiliated at school. I feel like Katy should have just ditched him at certain points but she did choose wisely to keep her distance emotionally until he started to realise how much he really couldn't live without her.

I absolutely loved Dee! She's the type of sister and best friend that everybody wants and needs in their life! She is positivity personified and the way that she tries to hook up Katy and Daemon is literally the cutest thing, much to her frustration when Daemon doesn't cooperate and ends up making things harder for all of them. Dee seemed to bring a smile to my face when she showed up and I always felt like she needed to be around to be everyone's personal light (no pun intended!). I really hope that in the future novels she will have a better relationship with whoever she's with and have more of a spotlight on her because I really enjoyed reading about her. If she had a spinoff series, I would definitely go buy it and read it!

The plot line kept to it's truth and never wavered or went off in a random tangent which sometimes books seem to do when there is a lot to say and sort out, especially having a lot of characters involved. The biology of how the aliens came to be, how their body chemistry worked and how they got from their home planet to Earth really stuck and sounded logical even for a fictional novel. I feel like this story was more likeable for an alien story as short little green things don't fulfil my interest as much as this novel did and I am truly grateful I read it!

Overall I have given this book a 4 out of 5 stars because it was a great novel. I wasn't as obsessed with it as I was with Throne of Glass or A Court of Thorns and Roses, but it was intriguing enough to make me love it almost as much as Sasha did. This was another novel I read for the Booktube-A-Thon and I'm grateful I sat down and read it as fast as I did.

Go add Obsidian to your Goodreads list HERE

Find more out about my writing career at:

http://ellafleming-christie.weebly.com

My YouTube Channel: FeathersandFaith

Booktube-A-Thon TBR 2015 on Booktube/Youtube!

Hey everyone!

Booktube-A-Thon 2015 has officially started and so far I've only started one book on my list, "The Winner's Curse" by Marie Rutkoski! I've filmed two video's for my channel as well and I am loving how much fun this challenge is becoming, even though I may not finish my entire list in the week due to how busy I am going to be. I wish I had every day free but unfortunately that won't be possible! Have you checked out my video's on my channel yet? I'll link them down below so you can go watch!

The first challenge was real fun to film but if I had of known about the rule change beforehand I would have put so much more effort into my domino formation. At least it was still a bit of a challenge seeing as spelling out my name with books seemed to be harder than I intended it to be! The next challenge for day 2 is going to be a scene reenactment and I am still trying to figure out what I want to do but I have a feeling it'll probably be something to do with one of Sarah J. Maas' books because why not be Feyre or Celaena for fun!

Let me know whether you are doing the Booktube-A-Thon and what your TBR list is in the comments! Happy reading!

Ella Fleming-Christie

Find more out about my writing career at:

http://ellafleming-christie.weebly.com

My YouTube Channel: FeathersandFaith

The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes: Book Review

The Kevinian cult has taken everything from seventeen-year-old Minnow: twelve years of her life, her family, her ability to trust.

And when she rebelled, they took away her hands, too.

Now their Prophet has been murdered and their camp set aflame, and it's clear that Minnow knows something—but she's not talking. As she languishes in juvenile detention, she struggles to un-learn everything she has been taught to believe, adjusting to a life behind bars and recounting the events that led up to her incarceration. But when an FBI detective approaches her about making a deal, Minnow sees she can have the freedom she always dreamed of—if she’s willing to part with the terrible secrets of her past.

The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly is a hard-hitting and hopeful story about the dangers of blind faith—and the power of having faith in oneself.

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

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How can I sum this book up in a way which it doesn't make it seem any less than amazing? This mystery/thriller novel by Stephanie Oakes swept me away with the way Minnow's painful story was told. This is the first book I've read classified in these particular genres and I was shocked by how swayed I was in my common decision of fantasy being my first pick. Maybe it was just Stephanie's writing that blew me away and following the fact that this is her debut novel, from the first chapter she struck me as someone who would do exceptionally well in her writing career.

Minnow makes me feel like I should be grateful for my life and the fact that I still have my hands to type reviews like this or write my own novels and short stories. I couldn't have ever imagined how disorientating it would be for someone being brought up in an entirely different religion and way of life and then being thrusted into a world where Christianity and Atheism are largely discussed worldwide and the Kevinian cult is eventually found out by Minnow to teach something entirely untrue. The hurt she experienced while reliving her memories from the cult and spending time with her teenage sweetheart, Jude, made me really empathise with her and I felt like I was reliving the emotion-packed moments with her. Minnow is a smart, intuitive and caring individual and the way she instantly befriended Angel in the jail she was put in made me realise how tough Minnow was and the fact that she didn't judge anyone because of their looks, conviction story or rumours about them. She was always aching for more information about anything and everything and I guess moving from a community in the woods to the outside world seems to really have an impact on a seventeen year old girl who was fed lies almost her entire life.

Minnow and Jude's relationship was very symbolic to everyone's first love. I felt like through to the end of the novel as she had matured in a major way, Minnow realised that everything she really felt was typical of someone who had never really been around boys her own age or very many at all apart from full grown men and that love at first sight doesn't always last forever but it will for sure stick with you for the rest of your life as a distant, respected memory. Jude was a strong character and he seemed to empower Minnow with the confidence and courage to stand up to her own people and rebel for the right reasons.

Knowing that Minnow was handless at the beginning of the novel did not prepare me at all for when she retold the story of how she lost them. I actually had to put the book down and breath at some points due to either feeling sick or too vivid of a description. DO NOT GET ME WRONG; I loved that about this book! I love how a book can make you feel so much emotion that it moves you and I think that was the best thing about this book. The losses she experienced throughout the book, not only with her hands but other things, really strengthened Minnow and shaped her perspective on the way she saw things and also what she wanted to believe in. I feel like she still has so much to learn but I am very glad that there will be a sequel to this book called "The Arsonist" as there is still so much I want to know about Minnow and the rest of her story, especially what she decides to do next.

Overall I loved this book and will give it a 4.5 out of 5 stars as the story was amazing but the ending wasn't exactly what I was expecting although I'm hoping I get more out of the story in the sequel! Thanks Stephanie Oakes for making me realise that I absolutely love mystery/thriller novels now! I look forward to reading more of your work!

Thank you HarperCollins New Zealand for the review copy! Go like their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/Harpercollinsnz?fref=ts

Go add The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly to your Goodreads list HERE

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http://ellafleming-christie.weebly.com

My YouTube Channel: FeathersandFaith

Swoon by Nina Malkin: Book Review

Sin is coming... Prepare to Swoon. 

Torn from her native New York City and dumped in the land of cookie-cutter preps, Candice is resigned to accept her posh, dull fate. Nothing ever happens in Swoon, Connecticut...until Dice's perfect, privileged cousin Penelope nearly dies in a fall from an old tree, and her spirit intertwines with that of a ghost. His name? Sinclair Youngblood Powers. His mission? Revenge. And while Pen is oblivious to the possession, Dice is all too aware of Sin. She's intensely drawn to him—but not at all crazy about the havoc he's wreaking. Determined to exorcise the demon, Dice accidentally sets Sin loose, gives him flesh, makes him formidable. Now she must destroy an even more potent—and irresistible—adversary, before the whole town succumbs to Sin's will. Only trouble is, she's in love with him. 

What do you do when the boy of your dreams is too bad to be true?

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

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Swoon was definitely a book I had trouble reading although I eventually managed to finish. Starting off I wasn't crazily intrigued, nor was the mid section of the book yet I was definitely shocked to see so much content written into the storyline that I would have never have even guessed by just looking at the cover or reading the description. I have never quite read a book as outspoken and real as this. My first advice to you as a reader of this novel, is that if you are not into hearing intimate details about 'certain experiences', then I suggest you do not read this book.

Throughout the book, I couldn't really decide whether the book was okay - just well written, or just really, really bad overall. I can't lie, the author, Nina Malkin, has some talent in the writing department, but I just couldn't get over how unimportant most of the points were in the book and I had myself wondering whether I should just put the book down and never pick it up again, or pick it up, suck it up, and finish the damned thing. The one thing that disappointed me most about the storyline is that it never really had a climax and the ending was just as disappointing and confusing all at the same time. Maybe this was part of the reason I never really found myself enjoying the book as much as I tried to find some reason to.

What annoyed me the most about the relationship between Dice and Sin was the fact that she really only fell for him the second she looked at him. Apart from hearing his story and feeling his pain for his past loss, I really feel like she didn't ever really get to know the person he actually was before deciding about her feelings for him. The fact that he possessed Dice's cousin, Pen for about a third of the novel was just plain awkward. I honestly don't see how she could have fallen for Sin more whilst possessing Pen as the two girls are closely related and all he ever did was bring major trouble to the town of Swoon. That should have been enough warning signs for anyone. Personally I feel like this relationship wasn't very realistic and had absolutely no development in my eyes, and if there was any intended, it came about in the wrong context. Dice and Pen shared a very close relationship throughout the novel, even though they had previously been living apart from each other practically their whole lives and the fact that they treated each other like sisters practically straight away was very disorientating and completely unrealistic. In order to have such a friendship between two individuals, I would expect at least some perverse start to their relationship and then slowly getting along as cousins before they start sharing intimate details about their love lives.

As for the plot line I'd have to say that everything was really all over the place and it made me feel like this story probably hadn't been really thought through before it was written. I feel like Malkin shows talent in the way she can complete a sentence with such detail, accurate literature and punctuation, but her ability to explain and plot a story hasn't excelled in this particular novel. I felt confused reading this and beginning every chapter I felt lost and redirected into a different direction for no reason. I'd like to say that I enjoyed this book due to the themes of psychism because that is something that would make me jump into reading a book. Unfortunately it failed to do it's purpose and satisfy my reading needs especially after reading such an amazing book by Sarah J. Maas - my writing standards had been raised dramatically. Sorry Nina Malkin!

Overall I have to give this book a 2 out of 5 stars because sadly it held absolutely no interest for me. If you're someone who isn't too fussy about the plot of a book and enjoys reading something that doesn't make much sense or isn't totally realistic, then this book is for you. Nina Malkin is great with her words, just not with the storyline and I hope that one day I will find something of hers that I actually enjoy.

Go add Swoon to your Goodreads list HERE

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http://ellafleming-christie.weebly.com

My YouTube Channel: FeathersandFaith

Redeemed by P.C and Kristin Cast: Book Review!

In the final electrifying novel in the HoN series, Neferet has finally made herself known to mortals. A Dark Goddess is loose on Tulsa and the world. No single vampyre is strong enough to vanquish her - unless that creature has the power to summon the elements as well as the ability to wield Old Magick. Only Zoey Redbird is heir to such power…but because of the consequences of using Old Magick, she is unable to help. Find out who will win and who will lose in this epic battle of Light versus Darkness.

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

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For me personally, reading the very last book of my favourite series was a massive tear-jerker and had my heart paining for more, despite already having 12 books in the series. House Of Night was the guide to my teenage-hood and got me through some tough times, but also was an aid to me making multiple friends online through our mutual love for the story and all of the characters. Zoey and her friends went through a major journey throughout these books bringing them all to a final end where their teenage lives have turned to adult ones and there is nothing left to be told... for now!

Redeemed for me was an almost satisfying end to the 12 book series. It had it's pro's and it had it's con's, but overall it was a good book that kept me intrigued and wanting more. Although I am still left wanting more! The main points of the story were all explained and everything we wanted to happen plays out quite nicely. I have to say in this particular book I was enthralled by Neferet and the way she seemed to be so crazy. Yeah she was crazy in the books prior to this one but this book took her to a whole other level of nuts and it even involves her having a few humans as her minions (under the control of darkness of course) but with one woman named Lynette who uses her survival instincts to get free of Neferet's controlling urges which means she gets to be her own person with her own free will but does everything against her free will just to keep Neferet happy. Personally I didn't see why Lynette had a role in this book as she really served no higher purpose than as another POV for Neferet's side and to show us what it would be like if we were trapped with Neferet in a building as a human with no powers and no way of defending yourself against such a powerful immortal. In a way this slightly annoyed me but more than usual I found myself enjoying Lynette's POV and wanting to know how she would react to certain things. The twist halfway through the novel really confused me though, I guess it was just another reason for Lynette to serve a purpose as a character of the book. Other than that, it was highly intriguing and kept pulling me back to the book every time I seemed to be interrupted by someone.

I noticed that Stevie Rae and Rephaim didn't really have as much of a part in this book as they did earlier on in the series. I thought about it for a while and realised that their story had already been told, they had already been fully accepted and they had grown into the people they were meant to be already, plus Stevie Rae had already completed her change earlier on in the books and had overcome the overwhelming position of becoming the first ever red High Priestess. I feel like that's another thing that could have been discussed more as we don't really know what became of the red fledglings apart from them joining the original House Of Night as a new type of fledgling. Also I remember Zoey once thought about turning the tunnels into a potential House Of Night because it was safer for the red fledglings and vampyres with being underground and having no sunlight to disturb or worry them. That would have been awesome to read about and see Zoey and her nerd herd leading it.

The ending was everything I'd wanted for everyone although there are a few things I realised didn't end up being solved. Also I feel like it ended too quickly and I don't know whether the authors were just set on finishing the book around 300 pages but I felt like the last book could have been a tad longer so we could enjoy it for that little bit more before we had to say goodbye to our favourite series for good. I wouldn't have minded if it was a 500 page book or even a 1000 page book! I never wanted to say goodbye to Zoey, Stevie Rae or even Sgiach without having a proper explanation or novella on how she came to be where she is in the Isle of Skye in Scotland. I was happy that she made an appearance again in this book which made me smile as she needed to be brought back, mainly for the readers' satisfaction but also so she could be a little reminder to everyone of how powerful she is and that Zoey and her friends needed to look to her for help on how to use the Old Magick to defeat Neferet. Who knows, maybe P.C and Kristin might decided to revisit the series in the future and continue as a spinoff with Sgiach and Seoras, or Stevie Rae and Rephaim!

Overall I really loved the book, I just think it could have been longer as it ended too quickly. I miss the characters already and wish that I could know more about their new lives and what they're going to do next. Fortunately I am currently satisfied with the book and the ending and I am happy to say that the very popular House Of Night series has come to a long awaited end. It's good to know that there are still people discovering this amazing series and we're still waiting on movies or a tv series to be made so hopefully we'll be able to revisit this amazing vampyre world once more very soon!

I have given this book a 4.5 out of 5 due to some things not being as good as I'd hoped and lack of information given (being such a short book for an ending to the series!) but I honestly really loved it and so happy that P.C and Kristin have received so much praise for this amazing book series. I wish them luck for their success in future novels and their careers.

Go add Redeemed to your Goodreads list HERE

Find out more about my writing career at: 

http://ellafleming-christie.weebly.com

My YouTube Channel: FeathersandFaith