Hiya, guys!
I won't do a Fanart Friday today (first time telling you this in advance - ha. I'm making some progress at last).
Sorry! But I have to get up very early tomorrow because I'm going to....



It's the second biggest Book Convention in Germany!
I'm so excited!
Hopefully I'll remember to take a lot of photos to show you!

See you guys in a few days!
Franzi

Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken

Hi there, guys!
I'm back with a new review!

It's been quite a while, hasn't it?

 

Basics

Title: Never Fade
Series: The Darkest Minds, book #2
Author: Alexandra Bracken
Release Date: October 15^th 2013
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
ISBN: 1423157516
Number of Pages: 512
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian
What's special? We get some more of Liam Stewart!

Summary

I can't tell you much without spoilering you but I'll try my best.
Our old team got separated at the end of The Darkest Minds and Ruby's now working for the Children's League. Exactly that organisation Liam ran away from.
She became the Leader of a team, consist of Jude, Vida and Nico. We also get to meet Cole Stewart, Liam's brother!
Then Ruby has to go on a secret mission to retrieve a flashdrive, Liam unknowlingly took with him.
So she goes back to search her old friends.

My Opinion

It helped me to get out of my reading slump. I'm still quite slow but I'm making progress!

Even though the beginning was a bit slow, it became so captivating when Ruby left the League!
Hot damn, it gets intense.

But first things first. One of the most important – maybe the most important – aspects:

the characters.

Alexandra Bracken mangages to write them all really unique with completely different personalities. If you just got a sentence, you would immediately know who's talking.
The characters are not 100% likeable but that's exactely what makes them so real.
Just as I told you in the Summary section, we get to know some new characters.
There's Jude. Such a cutie! He's around 14/15 years old and pretty hyperactive. He seems way younger than he actually is.
Then we meet Vida. She's 17, I think. Really angry, almost aggressive, and extremely loyal to Cate.
I disliked her in the beginning but she's cool now. She's quite a badass.
We also get introduced to the whole League system which is run by Alban. It's extremely multi-layered. Sometimes it was difficult for me to understand whom they help and whom they hate but I (think I) got it now.
In conjunction with introducing the League, we obviously meet some of the members, too.
Most importantly (for me): Cole Stewart, Liam's brother.
It broke my heart, seeing how similar Cole and Liam are. But where Liam's caring and warm-hearted Cole is cynical and quite cold. And scary. I don't have the warmest feelings for him.
But there's another person who fits that description.
Fucking Clancy.
Excuse the language, guys, I normally hardly swear but he makes me lose my calm.
He. Is. Such. An. Arse.
I won't say any more because I would end up spoilering you pretty bad.

Just as I said in my review on The Darkest Minds, Alexandra is a goddess when it comes to character development. If you compare Ruby from book 1 and Ruby now – oh god.
It's crazy what she's been through and how much her principles have bent.
She changed so much and especially considering her case, 'character development' does not necessarily mean it's positive.
Ruby uses her power with less guilt and she tends to lose control.
She's now more aggressive than defensive.
She became harder and even more depressed and broken AND I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG SHE WILL ENDURE THIS.
I don't want Alexandra doing a 'Veronica Roth' at the end of In The Afterlight!

We also meet Chubs again. I was so happy seeing a familiar face again, I almost cried.
But when I saw who he became. I gulped. He, too, became harder, harsher in the last six months.
He disguised himself as a Skip Tracer and terribly reckless.
I get that – after the events of The Darkest Minds – he had to change in some way. But I'm not happy with the way he did.

Just as in book one I had some difficulties readingwise. I don't know why exactly but Alexandra Bracken's writing is confusing for me.
I don't think it's because her writing itself is confusing, I guess it's because English is not my first language. If I'm reading really carfully or if I'm reading aloud, it's easier. But when it gets action-packed, I can't just slow myself down!
I only know one part where I was confused because of the writing. The first chapter takes place 6 months after the events of The Darkest Minds, the second chapter right after TDM and the third again after six months. I didn't get that at first, I had to reread these three chapters.
But eventually, I got it.

This paragraph will contain spoilers, so be forewarned!
I love Alexandra's logic considering Liam's memory loss!
At the end of TDM Ruby was focused on erasing all of Liam's memories of her but she forgot his feelings. I'm not even sure if she's capable of that.
Anyways, Liam was terribly in love with Ruby when they met again but had no evidence why he was.
And I was just like: God, yes, it all makes sense now.

I loved Ruby's last scene so much! I felt so much adrenaline at that moment.
All I could think was: HA! How do you like that, you asshole?

And my final question: Why the hell are there so many abandoned cars on the interstate?

Rating

4.5-5 out of 5 stars

Stay funky!

Franzi

Quote of the Week #3

Hiya,  guys!

Here's the quote of this week:

“There's nothing like deep breaths after laughing that hard.
Nothing in the world like a sore stomach for the right reasons.”

- Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower

One of my favourite books!
It's about High School, Coming of Age and the mess we call our mind but it's not the
typical teenage story, it's deeper and darker, too.

Maybe you've heard of the movie? It's pretty good!

Fanart Friday 'Throne of Glass'

Hiya, guys!
Welcome back to another episode of FANART FRIDAY!

Today, I'll show you some pics of Sarah J. Maas' great book: Throne of Glass!


First off, some drawings by Deesney
The little drawing of Celaena in the left bottom corner is just too cute!







All of the characters by ennemme!
From left to right:
Dorian, Chaol, Perrington, Kaltain, Nehemia, 'Lillian', Celaena, Nox, Cain, three champions idk their names, Elena and that dark figure from the shadow world



Next on the list are these four beautiful drawings by walkingnorth!



Too...pretty! Drawn by leabharlann!



And lastly these two drawings by compoundbreadd!
I loved that scene!



I'll show you all the other drawings I found when I'm finished with Crown of Midnight - so stay tuned! There are some amazing ones!


I'll post another post tonight, see you there!
Franzi

March TBR

Hi, guys!
Today, I'm back with my March TBR and I have four books to show you.
Yes, 'only' four books - but that doesn't mean I won't read any other book this month.
The following four are just the ones I want to read most.

First I have: Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken. It's book two in The Darkest Minds series.
I'm already about 200 pages in and it's. So. Good!The cover looks really good! And I guess it shows Jude's compass? I'm really suspicious about that!


Number two is Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas. It, too, is book two in the Throne of Glass series. I've already wrote in my To Read post last Wednesday that I can't wait to start this one but I have to finish Never Fade first.


And lastly, Spirit Bound and Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead, book five and six in the Vampire Academy series. 
This series is good, guys. So. Good.
I can't wait to see how it will be wrapped up.
And I need more Dimitri. And Rose. And Adrian.



Which books have you planned to read this month?
Stay funky!
Franzi

February Book Haul and Read Pile!

Hi there, guys!
Today I'll show you all the books I've read and bought this month!
It's way less than the last months but I was just completely taken in by all of the shows I'm watching at the moment.
Here's a list:






But now, let's get started with the real stuff.

I've read seven books this month. Still pretty good but only half the books I've read in January!

- Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
  4 out of 5 stars
  Already reviewed this one --> check it out here!


















- Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
  3 out of 5 stars
  It was shocking but definitely not one of my favourite books













- Frostbite by Richelle Mead
  5 out of 5 stars
  Already reviewed this one, too! Click here!

I also read Shadow Kiss (5 stars) and Blood Promise (4.5 stars), which are book #3 and #4 in the Vampire Academy series!
I'll do a double review hopefully soon!












Then I've finished Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake
I enjoyed this but it took me ages to finish it.
3.5-4 out of 5 stars
A review will follow soon!














And lastly, I've read Faust - Der Tragödie erster Teil
Well, what are you expecting, it was a book for school.
I gave it two stars on goodreads but they are only for the amount of work Goethe put into these two plays.















Moving on to: the books I've bought:
I 'only' bought five books this month which means 9 less than in January!

- Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
- Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
- Blood Promise by Richelle Mead
- Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead
- Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead


Stay tuned, guys!
Franzi

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Hi there, guys!
Writing a review on this book made me want to read the sequel even more!
Thank god, I own it already! I just have to pick it up ;)

Basics

Title: Throne of Glass
Series: Throne of Glass series, book #1
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Release Date: January 1^st 2012
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's
ISBN: 1599906953
Number of Pages: 416
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
What's special? It's about assassins, guys!

Summary

Celaena Sardothien, the world's deadliest assassin, survived 12 mines in the salt mines of Endovier.
Then Prince Dorian offers her a deal: She will have her freedom if she becomes the king's champion and wins against other criminals in a competiotion. After serving the king as a personal assassin, she will be free to go.
Even though she hates the king and his court, she accepts the deal.
While she is at the king's palace, she meets lots of new people. Among them are Captain Chaol Westfall, a foreign princess and a cunning lady.
But suddenly her competitors show up terribly murdered.

Celaena starts to investigate...

My Opinion

Always since I discovered BookTube I wanted to read the Throne of Glass series. I've seen so much wonderful Fanart, I just needed to start it!
And now I did!
To be honest, it wasn't as good as I thought it would be, but still worth all of its 4 stars.

It took me quite a while to embrace the characters. Especially, Celaena (but I love her the most now). They changed their moods/feelings really fast and always seemed so 'fake' to me. I had the same problems with the characters from City of Bones but I really hope that will improve in the next Mortal Instruments books.

They characters in ToG lacked some kind of depth in the first chapters. They appeared too shallow for me. Celaena got more layers and I got really curious about her past. Like, who are her parents? Why were they murdered? I have my suspicions but don't you dare spoilering me!

As soon as I started to enjoy the characters more, I quickly fell in love with Chaol and Celaena. Dorian and Nehemia took some more time. I'm really curious how the experiences from Throne of Glass will affect their personalities in Crown of Midnight.

Apropos Dorian: I think there were a lot of Dorian – 'Fanfiction Sirius'. Always really cocky, flirtatious, but still caring. Do you think so, too?

The king's quite passive in ToG – because he's literally never in his palace. There's a competition about who his champion will be and HE IS NOT EVEN PRESENT. Where's the logic?
But the more important question: Where the hell has he been?

I really like the cover art of all of the books. Like, there's a total badass Celaena on the front and on the back we have Celaena's other side. In most of the books about female assassins (at least, those I've read) the heroine despises feminine stuff. But not in ToG. Celaena loves dresses and these parties and everything. So on the back we have her in a dress – but still with her weapons!

I already own Crown of Midnight and it looks amazing. Just as I said I've seen so much wonderful fanart of new characters – I can't wait to read the book! Who is Rowan and why is he so handsome?
Unfortunately, I'm in a little reading slump at the moment. Thanks The Walking Dead!

But I hope I'll finish Never Fade soon and can start Crown of Midnight right away!
Or maybe...I'll put Never Fade back down and read CoM right away!

I'm also really curious about the world. We only get a 'sneak peak' in Throne of Glass – which is logical because there's 'more important' stuff going on.

The only other thing I have a problem with is when Elena appeared for the first time, it felt like Celaena's accepting happens too fast. But that's just how I feel.

Rating

4 out of 5 stars


See you guys soon!
Stay funky!

Franzi