Frostblood by Elly Blake: Book Review

The first in a page-turning young adult fantasy series perfect for fans of Victoria Aveyard's Red Queen and Sarah J. Maas's Throne of Glass series.

In a land governed by the cruel Frostblood ruling class, seventeen-year-old Ruby is a Fireblood who has spent most of her life hiding her ability to manipulate heat and light - until the day the soldiers come to raid her village and kill her mother. Ruby vows revenge on the tyrannous Frost King responsible for the massacre of her people.

But Ruby's powers are unpredictable...and so are the feelings she has for Arcus, the scarred, mysterious Frostblood warrior who shares her goal to kill the Frost King, albeit for his own reasons. When Ruby is captured by the Frost King's men, she's taken right into the heart of the enemy. Now she only has one chance to destroy the maniacal ruler who took everything from her - and in doing so, she must unleash the powers she's spent her whole life withholding.

Frostblood is set in world where flame and ice are mortal enemies - but together create a power that could change everything.

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

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The only reason it took me nearly three weeks to finish this book was because I was constantly trying to keep up with my university work while also balancing other responsibilities at home with my family. I definitely found this book to be absolutely refreshing and delightful, although the overall feeling I got when finishing was between a happy but bittersweet ending and slight dissatisfaction. I had originally requested a review copy from Hachette New Zealand because I found the cover to be thoroughly enticing and the synopsis had given me Throne of Glass and Red Queen feels. It definitely lived up to my expectations but failed to soar beyond that point. Really I'm just trying to say that this was just an enjoyable read for those looking for something that will definitely be interesting and a safe read if you're trying to avoid or get out of a reading slump. Preferably also for those that might be new to YA fiction and need something that would introduce them to what we harbour in our little world of fantasy.

"The book says that a west wind will blow when the child of light is born, a powerful Fireblood who will fight the darkness and destroy it forever."

Ruby Otrera was a character that I liked almost instantly because of her fiery (no pun intended) attitude and soft heart (for the things that meant most to her like her mother or learning how to heal using herbal remedies). When the Frost King's soldiers come to take Ruby for being a Fireblood, they kill her mother and lock her away where she is kept isolated and weakened with cold buckets of water, until she is saved by a very powerful Frostblood monk and a mysterious young man, who also harbours a rough attitude, who goes by the name, Arcus.

I felt like this story was very well written considering the characters back stories and motivations, and Ruby definitely gave an all round convincing performance as a young girl with little control over her Fireblood power. Having the monk, Brother Thistle, and Frostblood warrior, Arcus, there to convince Ruby that her power is most likely the only way to defeat the Frost King and melt the Ice Throne, which supposedly holds a dark power that influences the mind of whoever sits on it is a great motivation for her to stay and prove that she can begin to wield her fire with absolute precision. This comes with a lot of training involving peaceful meditation and even a bit of sword fighting, which is a nice twist considering a lot of fantasy heroines who wield magical powers only stick to training with that power. If you consider Celaena Sardothien from Throne of Glass, she was already a trained assassin before she started learning to wield her power, so having a protagonist who has absolutely no knowledge of how to fight is a nice change.

"You don’t know the effect your words have on me, Lady Firebrand. It took years to build up this ice. You will melt it and then I will be broken."

The descriptions are vividly written and the fight scenes are simple but effective, plus I love how the castle of ice and throne with darkness inside was described. I really felt submerged within this novel - it is definitely a beautifully written story, however I would have liked if there were more information regarding the back stories of their people and their Gods and Goddesses. I know that some fantasy treads lightly considering the lore since it can get super detailed and too much to handle without a whole seperate handbook of information, but personally I love the heavy stuff. Maybe in the future something like that would be released and I would just fall in love with this series even more!

"But history could be twisted and warped to suit the person telling it."

I have rated this novel a 4 out of 5 stars because it was an all-round great read, however it seemed to fall flat of a satisfying ending, despite the fact that it was very satisfying with most of the conflict resolved. I love books that end with a cliffhanger but then I always seem to hope for a happy ending, so I can never really win, can I? *Facepalms and keeps sipping coffee*

Thank you Hachette NZ for the review copy!

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Go add Frostblood to your Goodreads list HERE

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Buy it on Book Depository with free shipping world wide HERE
Find it on the Hachette NZ website HERE

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Early release of Empire of Storms by Sarah J Maas controversy: Why can't we all be adults here?

In light of all the horrible controversy over Sarah's latest book, Empire of Storms, which is set to release September 6th this year, we've got to remember the one person who gave us great characters to look up to and root for!

The beautiful and talented Sarah J Maas!

Most recently we heard about Lindsay Cummings, author of The Murder Complex duology and The Balance Keepers trilogy, managing to find a hardcover copy of EoS at the Chicago Airport two weeks before the actual release date. This sent fans into a frenzy of emotions and chaos. At first this made me so excited and I was happy to see that a fellow author friend of Sarah's had managed to swipe a copy for herself.

Majorly delayed at the airport, and I NO LONGER CARE BECAUSE I FOUND EMPIRE OF STORMS HERE EARLY OMGOMGOMG @SJMaas pic.twitter.com/2SCgOXvV5S

— Lindsay Cummings (@authorlindsayc) August 20, 2016

When I woke up Saturday morning (NZ time) to check Twitter, I noticed that everyone had gone crazy over a number of other people who had also managed to get their hands on a copy (possibly from the exact same bookstore at the airport in Chicago where Lindsay got hers) and had finished it, along with either expressing their enraged thoughts about what had seemed to happen in the books or venting their anger by leaving abusive comments on the novel's Goodreads page.

A Snapchat picture of where I vented my frustration about the childish reviewers (a major understatement).

There seemed to be major tension about how certain readers thought that the Throne of Glass series was racist, abusive and discriminating through multiple characters actions, dialogue or have said that people of colour have seemed to be killed off more than others. In my opinion, some people on Twitter have gone way too far. They may say that there is no evidence of death threats towards Sarah, but that does not change the fact that there is plentiful hate and biases about particular themes that may appear throughout the series. Some people just can't seem to be adults and review a book in a more respectable manner.

go back to kissing your white mediocre author's ass I can't believe you can even speak when you're stuck so far up in there

— westfall zoe (@persrephones) August 27, 2016

One anonymous source seems to point out that Sarah is not a good author and just writes in steamy sex scenes to cover up her lack of talent for plot lines and character development whilst comparing her work to Fifty Shades of Grey. Well sorry to disappoint you but Sarah actually has talent for writing and she didn't become a best selling author from writing a trashy S&M novel. Must I point out how much character development Celaena Sardothien went through in the first four books to get to where she is now in her story?

pic.twitter.com/q6UjUYFayk

— anon book opinions (@shadybooktweets) August 28, 2016

Despite the horrors of this situation, there are still many devoted fans who are trying to support Sarah through this rough patch. A couple of hashtags #SJMDefenseSquad and #ToGIsJustBeginningParty started in an attempt to push the haters away and put a positive light on the imminent release of EoS.

Guys please help retweet and spread the message so that @SJMaas can see this letter! #sjmdefensesquad pic.twitter.com/0SWRM1oPfp

— Sarah J. Maas HK (@maas_hk) August 27, 2016

#togisjustbeginningparty #sjmdefensesquad I love and support @SJMaas and all that she does. She is super kind and completely adorkable 😍😍😘

— Anna Deles (@ALDeles) August 27, 2016

Why are people hating SJM? It's HER book, she can do what she wants. She does what she does and that won't please everyone #sjmdefensesquad

— Jules (@julsreads) August 27, 2016

My statement for the #togisjustbeginningparty #sjmdefensesquad pic.twitter.com/uC89eUDTis

— Terri (@canslerterri) August 27, 2016

 Please remember that when you're voicing your own thoughts and opinions on the internet, people will be affected in one way or another. Sarah J Maas, who I have personally met in person at her book signing in Auckland City, New Zealand last year in September, is such a wonderful, talented and down-to-earth individual and she has feelings like every one of us. If you have trouble with the concept of cyberbullying, try put yourself in her shoes or imagine saying what you've said to her face.

You are book lovers, book reviewers, fandom fanatics, etc. Please remember why you love to read and the fact that just because a book doesn't go in the direction you'd hoped or it doesn't contain a certain theme or aspect that you wanted, it doesn't give you a free pass to go and obliterate the author with your harsh words. Be a kind human and spread love and if you feel the need to review a book in a not-so-nice way, do it professionally through a blog post and leave it at that or talk to your friends about it through private message or even in person. Don't forget to be civilised and humane.

This world already has way too much hate and sadness. Do your part to make it a better place to live in so that we can all come online with confidence and celebrate what we love most.

A photo of Sarah and I at her Auckland, New Zealand signing in September 2016.

by Ella Fleming-Christie

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A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas Book Review

“Tell me what you see.”

“A world divided in two.”

Feyre survived Amarantha’s clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can’t forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin’s people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

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If the last book, A Court of Thorns and Roses was anything to go by, you'll know that this book will be a hell of a read. Love, heartbreak, comedic dialogue, steamy scenes, major action, magical moments and emotional flashbacks will have you rolling on the floor laughing and crying at the same time! If I could convince anyone to become a bookworm, I would immediately recommend this book. Even though it is a sequel and you wouldn't really understand much unless you read the first, this book would have to be the one I'd tell anyone to read first just because it's totally amazing and once you get in, you don't come back!

Let's come back to the fearless protagonist, Feyre. She is now blazing bright with all her high fae glory and argumentative comebacks, however this time around, the unforgettable memories of her rough time Under the Mountain has left an imminent mark on her mind and soul. As a former sufferer of depression I can understand her every struggle after having been ripped to shreds in every way possible by Amarantha. Thankfully, maybe not to Feyre's delight, Rhysand saves her just when she thinks she might make a big mistake and our world starts to open up with glorious opportunities when we finally get to see the Night Court in it's true habitat. In this instalment we also get to see the Summer Court and more of the human's side of the wall where Nesta, Elain and their father still reside. However, everyone is inevitably in way more danger than the first novel and for those hardcore fans who may be reading this, it may not be so hard to figure out who might be behind that evil cunning plan.

The plot couldn't have been structured anymore perfectly and if I were Sarah's best friend, I'd be asking her if I could sit quietly in a chair next to her while she writes so I can learn of the secret powers she has which helps her make her novels such masterpieces (as creepy as that sounds, I'm just a budding author who needs these secrets to make a living also). Everything that is written falls into place so well and with every turn, there is a twist, even if you don't realise it at the time. This is where I tell you that you'll be re-reading it a few thousand times after you finish your first round. The dialogue is witty, hilarious and well put together. The characters are all widely diverse which is another thing that I love and something that needs to be talked about, and practiced more, in YA literature. One main thing that was brought into this sequel was the idea of mates. Now this is a spoiler free review so I won't say who, but this absolutely hooked me because it's such a romantic and sexy thing––one of which I wish humans took more seriously––that honestly I couldn't bear to put the book down once I had read the scene where it was introduced. Love is such a massive theme in YA fiction these days, aside from the main plot it usually gives the characters more motivation to strive and work for what they want and who they want. As much as people may try to shoot good novels like this one down for tiny little things, they can't lie about the fact that this had to be one of the best books written since the Harry Potter series (braces for other-fandoms impact)! I honestly think that if it hadn't have been for Sarah's godly-literature skills and sexy chapter reads, I don't think I'd be doing any of this right now. I would probably just be moping around trying to find better inspiration for my book but failing epically because I wouldn't have such a talented person to look up to. Now I'm feeling like next time Sarah comes to New Zealand, I'll have to give her a massive hug for giving me the best guidance of my life (and for saving my life too)! 💜

✨  Things I LOVED about A Court of Mist and Fury! ✨

* Rhys has WAAAYY more of a storyline this time around and despite my first thoughts of him from ACOTAR, I've completely turned around since then. That being said, I am someone who always gives second chances! Go Rhysand! You have won my heart, High Lord.

* If you think there's any book that is written better than this, apart from the Throne of Glass series of course, then we're going to have a problem. Well not really, I don't like fighting over what series is better but I cannot accept that anyone would not like these books. Both of Sarah's book series are currently being adapted for the big screens! ACOTAR will be a movie trilogy and ToG will be a TV series! Nothing would be better to replace Game of Thrones and Divergent with than these two! Yup, I'm a happy chick!

* Feyre learns that she got a little extra mojo from all the High Lord's of Prythian than just her High Fae form! I mean (ACOTAR SPOILER COMING.....) being resurrected by each of the strongest High Fae's in the land doesn't come without a price. And if Feyre's going to have any bigger purpose in this novel, it's going to have to be this way and I'm not even disappointed in the slightest! But you could tell that already anyway so I'm just going to wait patiently for the movie of ACOTAR and TV show of ToG to come out!

* Could this novel have gotten any steamier? I mean I know Sarah mentioned that she had basically banned her family from reading it but that alone did not prepare me for what was to come! I don't usually like anything that resembles erotic fiction - however the content inside this book was actually bearable enough that I didn't put it down. Maybe it was just the love of the relationship and feels that came with it or maybe it was because I knew there was more to it than just the act. Either way it was the definition of #RelationshipGoals and that's what I loved most about it (This last part may or may not have made me want to cry because this relationship definitely wouldn't exist in real life because males don't seem to be as perfect as this one did unfortunately...).

I loved this book more than words can explain and for that I have to give it a 5 out of 5 stars! Not just because I seem to love ALL of Sarah's books and that is mostly so because of the fact that she is an amazing author and actually does slay the author game with every book she writes. (Plus I've been using her first name instead of her last name because I think once you've met the author, it's safe to say you've passed that stranger line "inserts cool emoji here"). Thanks for making my month yet again and I'm stoked that Empire of Storms is coming out in the next month because I'm going to need another massive dose of awesome feminist power from Aelin very, very soon!

Go add A Court of Mist and Fury 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 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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Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas: Book Review

The queen has returned.

Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she’s at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past…

She has embraced her identity as Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. But before she can reclaim her throne, she must fight.

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die for her. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen’s triumphant return.

The fourth volume in the New York Times bestselling series continues Celaena’s epic journey and builds to a passionate, agonizing crescendo that might just shatter her world.

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

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Describing this novel in one decent sized review will never ever be enough to express how much I love Sarah J. Maas and her books. Having just met her only a couple of weeks ago when she visited Auckland, New Zealand for her Queen of Shadows book tour I am obviously still shaken up by the experience and how much more amazing she is (and totally gorgeous!) in person. Not to mention that she said to me as soon as I walked up to her, "You're so beautiful, oh my gosh!". If you don't believe me I will have a video up on my channel to prove it which I will link here on this post once it is up *flips hair confidently*.

Basically everything that I had dreamed of about this series had come true in this wonderous six hundred page novel. That doesn't make sense now really but when you read it, you'll totally find yourself agreeing with that bold statement. More blood, more sass, more vengeance and more romance. This book is literally the best one out of all four (not including the novella of which I haven't read yet so I'm hoping Allen & Unwin will be nice to me one day and send me a copy). Thinking of what could happen next is a total mystery to me as there are no clues that I noticed while reading Queen of Shadows to hint very much about what will happen next apart from the obvious when you get to the end. SPOILER ALERT IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE FIRST THREE BOOKS YET!: Celaena Sardothien now goes by the name Aelin Galathynius and she makes a hell of an appearance when she returns from Doranelle. A lot of things are at stake, including family and friends and little does she realise what her sudden outburst in Heir of Fire convinces the King of Adarlan to do in spite of the Queen of Terrasen's actions.

Aelin and Chaol finally see one another again although things are still tense and Chaol has more struggles of his own. Trying to find his way after having sent Aelin to the safety of Wendlyn did not go as planned once he realised what the King was fully capable of and decided to take the risk of becoming a rebel. There is a lot of tension and catty arguments which might break you into laughter as it did to me. This novel definitely has all the right sass, love and heartbreak that every other ToG book had, just times that by a thousand.

Things I absolutely LOVED about Queen of Shadows:

* Lysandra is basically Aelin's soul twin and I love her! She is introduced as an old friend from when they were in the hands of Arobynn Hamel, King of the Assassins. At first she isn't welcomed to easily but the differences of her personality are noticable to Aelin and therefore begins to trust her a bit more. She's just the friend Aelin needed after being so torn from Nehemia's death.

* Aedion is the best cousin ever and he's so loyal to Aelin! Obviously Chaol's plan to save Aedion is somewhat of an event in this novel so it was quite interesting to see Aedion's reaction to Aelin saving him and Aelin's reaction to his cousin. In four words I would describe it as - It warms my heart!
* Manon is a serious badass and may even have a soft side! Elide is a new character introduced in QoS and Manon seems to notice something different and special about this new young girl. Having much more trouble with her second, Asterin, than usual, Manon takes the time to figure out Elide and develop a little sense of empathy towards her. This is definitely something I wanted to see and everything that develops from that is simply so awesome!

* If you thought Heir of Fire was dreamy and made you swoon over Rowan Whitethorn, wait until you read Queen of Shadows! Only Sarah J. Maas knows how the story ends up but I just always felt like Rowan was exactly the type of mate that Aelin needed. They are very close through spending so much time together in Wendlyn and finding out that they were each other's carranum, but in the fourth installment they begin to realise that the way they feel together is much more than that and a blood oath. The answer to how that goes down is basically in this novel and that's just the thousandth reason why you have to read it!

Overall, I have rated this book (yup, you guessed it) a five out of five stars. It could not have gotten any better and the way Sarah is able to use descriptive words in such a delicate way that it melts your brain into an overload of amazingness and inspiration (how else could I explain it? Her writing is beyond words really!). As much as I tried to stall reading this so it could last longer I didn't managed to savour it well because I could just not put the book down. If you would like to be completely blown away into a whole differet dimension of fantasy and romance then pick up this book, retreat to your happy place and do not leave until you have devourered it with your body, mind and soul. Okay not the first one but you get what I mean. Sarah J. Maas is a literature Goddess and I will never ever take that back.

Go add Queen of Shadows 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 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

How I Imagine Places/Characters In Books: Throne of Glass

Every time I read a book for the first time my mind automatically begins to construct and create a complex architectural image in my mind which is most likely to stick with me the whole series. If I end up reading something wrong by accident and realising later on, it is very hard for me to redirect my mind and make myself imagine the original idea. Here I want to show you all an idea of how I visualised certain parts of Throne of Glass and I want you guys to let me know whether you think similarly or completely different in the comments below. I will try and go in chronological order by as much as I can remember so if the timeline is a little off, please don't pull a Celaena on me! Thanks!

Endovier

I think we can all agree of how much Endovier would look like the biggest shit hole in the world, if not the same as Calaculla. I imagined it as this big, black, hell-hole of a place mainly because of the mining and I think it's safe to assume that it would be underground as just as dark and musty as it looks in the pictures above. As horrible as Endovier seemed, I truly don't think that the true vision of Endovier could even fully be imagined until you have experienced it. And hearing from Celaena's experience and what people across Erilea seem to think of it, I don't think we'd ever want to know!

The King of Adarlan's Throne Room

Personally I originally found the King's Throne Room a little hard to envision at first, but this picture threw it all in place for me. This gives enough room for a large audience to fit in, including multiple members of the kings council to be present at all times. I know that part of the castle is created of glass but where on earth would you find a picture of that, let alone imagine that? I don't even think a glass castle exists in this time and age unless someone can prove me wrong! This is just a basis of what it would be like and it's intimidating enough to look like it suits a King such as the bastard himself.

Dorian's Personal Library

At first I thought the library Celaena stumbled upon to be quite a small, homely kind of library which would consist of a few random books that the family had collected over the years and ones that hand been handed down generation after generation. After reading more and more of Crown of Midnight, it became a little more obvious that it was larger than I had realised and actually had a lot more books too, rather to be the size of an actual library. What more would you expect from a King and one who lives in a castle as large as his which is partially made of glass? I find this picture to be rather satisfying to look at as personally I wouldn't mind having a home library this large; in fact I one day plan to do this in my home when I get one large enough (as you might already know, I'm not that rich yet! YET!).

Celaena's Four-Poster Bed

Could you even imagine a more comfortable and classy way to sleep? The first picture has a great feel of crimson red to it in which I feel is symbolic to her job as an assassin so it seems like it would fit her almost perfectly. The second picture I chose plainly because of the books sitting in a pile on the floor next to the couch simply because Celaena loves to read and it would be something that she would do. I love both of these as they both seem quite eloquent and dashing, though the crimson theme is definitely my favourite and I think Celaena would care to agree.

Glass part of the Castle

I found it hard to imagine what the glass part of the castle would look like but I found this and thought, if it were to look like anything it would look similar to this. It can't all be made out of glass right? It has almost a modern look to it but I feel like this book isn't as Victorian sounding as I originally thought it was (I mean it is a fantasy and she could have set this in a completely different dimension with magic and all). I think that possibly the King of Adarlan would have a room much like this in this section of the castle, just drastically larger.

Secret Passageway, Elena's Tomb and Mort

These three pictures show a lot in terms of how Elena's tomb would look. The first is basically the only thing close enough I could find to looking something like what was described in ToG. The second is obviously an Egyptian tomb but that is how I pictured Elena's tomb to look like, just with grey stone walls, Damaris and a bunch of gold and gems stored in the corner, and a carving of Elena and Brannon in the back wall. The third picture is literally everything I pictured Mort to be, and I feel like if it were him, his eyes would glow a deathly black or even something lighter like a sapphire blue. It's quite creepy but then his humor would make up for his butt-ugliness.

That was everything for now! I hope you all enjoyed delving into my mind for five minutes. I enjoyed looking at these probably more than you did to be honest! I will try post more stuff like this because I enjoy it and it's just another reason to spend more time making my blog look a little more sexy than others (thanks to the Throne of Glass series)!

Find more out about my writing career at:

http://ellafleming-christie.weebly.com

My YouTube Channel: FeathersandFaith

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas: Book Review

She was the heir of ash and fire, and she would bow to no one.

Celaena Sardothien has survived deadly contests and shattering heartbreak—but at an unspeakable cost. Now she must travel to a new land to confront her darkest truth...a truth about her heritage that could change her life—and her future—forever.

Meanwhile, brutal and monstrous forces are gathering on the horizon, intent on enslaving her world. To defeat them, Celaena must find the strength to not only fight her inner demons but to battle the evil that is about to be unleashed.

The king's assassin takes on an even greater destiny and burns brighter than ever before in this follow-up to the New York Times bestselling Crown of Midnight.

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

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As if Sarah J. Maas wasn't one of the best upcoming authors of all time! Heir of Fire truly proved her worthiness and amazingness (if that is even a word). The third instalment of the Throne of Glass series promises new adventures, magic and swooning, tasteful chemistry between Celaena and a lustfully romantic new ally. Celaena is now in the land of Wendlyn, the land where magic and fae still seem to exist. A long lost aunt seems to be the answer to stopping the King of Adarlan and the wyrdkeys, but how can she trust her when her mother, Evalin did not dare even eighteen years ago. This novel has got to be my favourite so far out of all three in the ToG series and I feel like it's Maas' best work of art to date. Since Chaol found out about Celaena's past, being a Fae of royalty and carrying the bloodline of a lasting legacy which let's her wield unexplainable powers, she must decide how much it will cost to bring back the ghost stories of Aelin Galathynius and also rise to the reputation, power and hope of which that name brings.

Celaena's character development in this novel was beyond believable due to the things she sacrificed, the abilities she accomplished with her new-found comrade, Rowan, and how she managed to deal with the pain and fear of her past life which was installed into her brain by her previous master, Arobynn Hamel. We think we really got to know Celaena throughout the first two books of the series. Well that my friend is a complete lie. In Heir of Fire, you will discover how much she really resents her life, the kills she had been forced to carry out has left a massive emotional burden on this girl and she has somehow still managed to get by without dying or killing herself for that matter. Celaena is a much stronger and smarter chick than we had all realised and I feel like this really came through for her in this book. Rowan is a key support in this, no matter how tough and ignorant he seems to be at the start. He will eventually melt your heart from the ice that had formed during Crown of Midnight and let it transform into tiny little butterflies until you decide that you have to sit down and read for the rest of the day, no matter how many chores need doing that day. You are going to find out what happens after Rowan sheds that one little smile which you know has been locked away in his heart for a few hundred years at least (you will find out why). Celaena shows truly selflessness in this novel for the first time, a generous amount which helps prove that she really hasn't been faking been nice but really was a psycho killer this whole time. Of course she was a psycho killer before but meeting Dorian, Chaol and Nehemia helped her find her heart and regain a tad of her original sanity.

For me this novel did not help me like Chaol any more than what the first couple did and it makes me sad because I know that he is a good guy and he means well for Celaena and Dorian, but he has difficulty deciding where his true loyalties lie for a while so it makes him look a little selfish, if not like a young boy who can't make up his mind about which sweet he wants at the store. He eventually decides but by that time my hope for him was ruined as he just took way too long. I feel like if he had of really cared about his friends then he would have just known straight away and done something better to help everyone out - this also may have helped him not look like such an outcast.

Three new characters were introduced in this novel: Rowan, of course as I mentioned before, is a Fae warrior of Celaena's aunt Maeve who is sent to retrieve her in Wendlyn a few days after she arrives. The second is Aedion who is described to look exactly like Celaena with his turquoise blue eyes and light hair, and seeing as Celaena is Aelin and Aedion was her cousin, it seemed like a good character to fit in around this time. She had to have at least one person who survived that horrible night ten years ago when her parents were killed. I noted down while reading that if you were to use the books as symbolism using Celaena's relationships, Throne of Glass would be a crush/fling (Dorian), Crown of Midnight would be a first relationship (Chaol), and this novel would symbolise a serious and mature relationship that bonded through a tough love/hate friendship first before they realised what they really meant to each other. I'm not going to mention who, at this point, it could be as it could be one of a few people she meets in this book that you will figure out yourself easily enough, but I feel like that is a real major development in Celaena's love life and in a way symbolises her evolution from a child to a woman. Last but not least, Manon was the most intriguing character of all three in terms of species. She is introduced as a witch of the Blackbeak clan and is the heir of her grandmother. Like Baba Yellowlegs was described, Manon had iron teeth and nails and seemed to love killing for blood. As we first see her, she seems quite vicious and heartless but develops greatly throughout the novel. She never ran into any of the main characters in HoF but it is quite obvious that she has some major part in the King's plans and I cannot wait to read more about her and see her grow as a woman.

This book definitely had much wittier lines and had me laughing to the point where I had tears in my eyes. Heir of Fire is an unforgettable tale full of companionship, hardship and truth which has not failed to impress me, as has Sarah J. Maas and her skills as an author as I always seem to say though I cannot express that fact enough. I give this truly wonderful novel a 5 out of 5 stars because how else do you rate an impressive book such as this one? A definite must-buy, especially for fantasy book lovers. I would be highly surprised to meet someone on Booktube and find out that they had not yet read the Throne of Glass series. Here's to another two years of amazing books in the series to be released (I already have Queen of Shadows and I am aching mentally and physically just having to write this when all I want to do is go continue to read about Aelin Galathynius' magical journey to save her kingdom)!

Go add Heir of Fire to your Goodreads list HERE

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

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