February Round Up

Books I Read

Portrait in Death | Spy Glass | Meant to Be | The Woman Who Rode Like a Man | The Wild One | All Lined Up | All Broke Down | Sins of the Night | Stung | Pieces For You | The Darkest Kiss | Shadow Study | Someone Else's Fairytale | The Darkest Pleasure

This month I mostly read kindle books, and most of them were just mindless pass-time books. I didn't review them, even though I enjoyed all of them. There was just not that much to say, resulting in only 4 written reviews from the batch.

Books Reviews

Books Boguht

A Thousand Pieces of You

I read 6 physical books last month, and four this month, resulting in ten, so I actually kept with my "one book per 5 read" challenge! I'm so excited! That makes two months running! Last year, I folded after two weeks!

Who Wore it Better

Other Posts

The Red Balloon - Short Animated Film

Book Blitz - How To Unbreakup

Kindle-Hardcover Bargains

Sales, Sales, Sales!!!

Challenges Re-Cap

Read Your Freebies ( 6 / 50): 

The Wild One | Someone Else's Fairytale |

Cleaning my Shelves ( 9 / 20):

Meant to Be | Portrait in Death | Sins of the Night | The Woman Who Rode Like a Man

Oldies: ( 4 / 24): 

The Wild One

Cleaning my Paid For ( 6 / 18): 

All Lined Up | All Broke Down

Contemporary Challenge ( 2 / 15) ( 10 / 30): 

Meant to Be | Someone Else's Fairytale | Pieces For You

(only the bold books count toward the official challenge, the rest are for my personal challenge)

Sequel-Prequel ( 11 / 20): 

Portrait in Death | Spy Glass | Sins of the Night | Pieces For You |The Darkest Kiss |The Darkest Pleasure

Re-Read Challenge ( 4 / 12): 

None this month

Flights of Fantasy Challenge ( 10 / 20): 

 The Woman Who Rode Like a Man | Spy Glass | Sins of the Night |The Darkest Kiss |The Darkest Pleasure

TBR Challenge (20/ 44): 

The Wild One | Meant to Be | Portrait in Death | Sins of the Night | The Woman Who Rode Like a Man | Spy Glass |The Darkest Kiss |The Darkest Pleasure

I count here all books read, not only book reviewed, because--I'm sorry--the goal is to read more. So, maybe I won't get points for some because I didn't review, but I still read.

Nitzan★

Sea Glass by Maria V. Snyder

Sea Glass by Maria V. Snyder
Series: Glass #2/ Chronicles of Ixia #5
Source: bought paperback
Publisher: Mira Ink
Publication Date: Sep 6th, 2013
Age Genre: YA
Challenges: TBR - Cleaning my shelves
Challenges: Prequel-Sequel
Challenges: Flight of Fantasy
Find on Leafmarks!

Like the colorful pieces of sea glass washed up on shore, Opal has weathered rough waters and twisting currents. But instead of finding a tranquil eddy, Opal is caught in a riptide. Her unique glass messengers which allow instant communication over vast distances have become a vital part of Sitian society. Once used solely by the Councilors and magicians, other powerful factions are now vying for control. Control of the messengers equals control of Sitia. Unfortunately that also means control of Opal.
If that isn’t enough of a problem, Opal’s determination to prove blood magic is still being used is met with strong resistance. The Council doubts her, her mentor doubts her, and even her family is concerned. When her world is turned upside down, she begins to doubt herself. In the end, Opal must decide who to believe, who to trust, and who has control—otherwise she will shatter into a million pieces and be swept out by the tide.

It took me way too long to read this book. Seriously, five days is like twice my standard reading time, especially for books I love. And make no mistake - I loved Sea Glass. Possibly more than I loved the first in the series. I blame the fact I had so little free time those five days, and the fact I was coming down from a book binge for my tardiness.

First of all,  I can't express enough how much I adore Maria V. Snyder. It's rare a person can create such a seamless fantasy world, and make not one but two series in it, with two different mcs, and have both feel so different from each other. Opal is not Yelena, and her journey is another thing completely - and that's why it's so fun to read.

In the first book, Opal was still a bit naive. Mostly optimistic. Trusting. Loving. In this book, we see her slowly change and grow. We see her become someone strong and jaded. Someone who wields sarcasm as well as a sword. Someone a bit bitter. Someone with trust issues and a certain lack of gives-a-shit.

And at the same time, someone caring and loving. Someone who is still so inherently good it doesn't matter how jaded she becomes. And her transformation doesn't happen overnight. It takes a while (and many blows and hits) and it makes perfect sense. In fact, is she had remained the same person she started as in Storm Glass, I would've found the book lacking. She went through too much to be at the starting point. 

Now, one of the best aspects of this series is the romance. We have a sort of love triangle (quartet?) but it's not the kind you should run away from. And trust me, as an avid hater of love triangles, I don't say that lightly. You can relax and know that Opal choses, instead of jumping back and forth in indecision. And the romance is simply delicious! 

In this book, something SHOCKING happened. I actually... liked Devlen?! Like, really really liked? 

For the first part of the book, where Opal was traveling with Devlen, I found myself falling for this guy. Even though I never properly hated him in the first book, I never expected to like him. Not to mention love him! I mean, he's the villain. And there is Kade.

Who's Kade, you ask? Kade is Opal's true love. He's the person that truly cares for her, and worries for her, and trusts her. He's also 100% swoon worthy. And once he was in the picture again, he definitely stole the show. But even though I'm Team Kade for Opal, I may be a bit Team Devlen for myself. Might be the first time that happened. 

Another wonderful part of this story is Janco. We didn't get any Valek time *sniff* but at least we got to see our favorite Ixian again! And a lot, too! 

The book ends in a very definite place. Ther is no cliffhanger. If anything, there is a feeling of completion, which makes me wonder what the next book will be about. I've got a pretty solid theory based on one of the side plotlines of this novel, but we'll see where it goes...

If you haven't picked up a Maria V. Snyder novel yet, I really suggest you get on with it! 

 Nitzan★

Who Wore it Better: Delirium by Lauren Oliver (Vote!)

Who Wore it Better is an original meme I brought with me from Drugs Called Books. In it, instead of discussing fashion or cloths, we discuss book covers from different countries, and who has the best cover. The meme is co-hosted with the lovely Amanda and Stacie from Beautiful Bookish Butterflies and will be featured on her blog every other week, so check her out as well!  

This week we're taking a look at Delirium by Lauren Oliver. Like last time's WWIB, I haven't read this one. At this point, I'm not sure if I ever will, and the covers are a big part of that.
Don't forget to VOTE for your favorite cover!

#1: UK - YES. This is what I'm talking about. This cover is pretty like a picture. It's tranquil colors make me think of love and softness. But the girl is actually standing alone, unlike a lot of similar cover (which usually feature a couple), which is interesting. It's beautiful, but she's shadowed. And the picturesqueness makes one think this beauty might not be real. And yes, I might be reading too much into it because I want it to fit the synopsis it's so pretty...

#2: French -  So, actually, this one has many variation, some of them in English, but I chose the one with the background I liked best - the black. It makes the beautiful woman stand out against the letters, but also gives a sense of darkness (through the black background). But the strength of this covers lies in the typography. The swirling extensions as well as the fat letters gives to me the impression of a heart together with the face. It's beautiful, and appropriate. 

#3: Indonesian: In the case of this cover, I'm going to look at it just as a cover. Because if I'd look at it in relations to what the story is about, I will have to put it way lower and admit that it looks more like a Japanese Magical Samurai Action movie (I get a Kill Bill vibe...), but I like it visually. I like the colors, the liveliness of it. How active it is.

#4: German - So... like... this scares me. (But I still don't hate it as much as the other two...)

#5: US - I hate this cover. Seriously, it's the reason why this book is still standing on my shelves, unread. It just looks so... bad! I hate the cut of the face. And I don't think the face itself is too appealing. Than there is the fact that it looks like the plants are her hair. Does she have hair? She appears bald. And, this cover doesn't coincide with the synopsis, at all. I don't feel anything like love/disease/dystopia.

#6: Dutch - Yeeeeeah. No. There is nothing even remotely appealing about this cover to me. It's a jumping girl photoshopped on a purple background...

Vote

Vote for your favorite Delirium Cover

UK

French

Indonesian

German

US

Dutch

Poll Maker

Nitzan★

Check out Stacie's last WWIB - Crown of Midnigh!