Thursday, October 16, 2014

"Illusions of Fate" (a crowing review by Lexi)

Our Awesome Readers,

Today's novel took my breath away and also took my imagination on a rollercoaster of creativity!!! The amazing novel is Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White.




Summary: "Downton Abbey meets Cassandra Clare in this lush, romantic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White.

“I did my best to keep you from crossing paths with this world. And I shall do my best to protect you now that you have.”

Jessamin has been an outcast since she moved from her island home of Melei to the dreary country of Albion. Everything changes when she meets Finn, a gorgeous, enigmatic young lord who introduces her to the secret world of Albion’s nobility, a world that has everything Jessamin doesn’t—power, money, status…and magic. But Finn has secrets of his own, dangerous secrets that the vicious Lord Downpike will do anything to possess. Unless Jessamin, armed only with her wits and her determination, can stop him.
"


You will adore a bird. Yep, you read that correctly. You will adore and want to befriend a bird. One bird in particular, actually.

Anyways, this book was amazing. The imagery took my breath away, and the story had me guessing until the very end! I loved the chemistry and storyline so very much that I zipped through the novel as fast as I could while still savoring every bit of it! I truly loved this book.

The main character, Jessamin, felt like me; I could relate to her in certain ways, and in others, I wanted to be able to. I loved the fact that she was an outcast. As for Finn, I adored him. I loved his awkwardness and his magic. I love the back story as well, and the details in this novel!!! I recommend this novel to everybody and anybody that wants to read something worthwhile.

In Conclusion & Suggestions: Curl up with this novel on a cold day and read till your heart's content. Warning - You'll probably try to read this all in one night, and that's okay.

Rating:

5/5 crows


Till next time!!!


XOXO,

Alexis/Lexi

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

"Lost In Translation" (a wordy review by Lexi)

Awesome Readers,

Today's review is on a cool, entertaining, cute book that's not a novel or anything, but instead all about words... It's Lost in Translation by Ella Frances Sanders. (Hang in there with me till my review, okay? Trust me on this one.)



IGNORE THE BORING-NESS OF THIS COVER.


Summary: "An artistic collection of more than 50 drawings featuring unique, funny, and poignant foreign words that have no direct translation into English. 

Did you know that the Japanese language has a word to express the way sunlight filters through the leaves of trees? Or that there’s a Finnish word for the distance a reindeer can travel before needing to rest? 

Lost in Translation
 brings to life more than fifty words that don’t have direct English translations with charming illustrations of their tender, poignant, and humorous definitions. Often these words provide insight into the cultures they come from, such as the Brazilian Portuguese word for running your fingers through a lover’s hair, the Italian word for being moved to tears by a story, or the Swedish word for a third cup of coffee.
In this clever and beautifully rendered exploration of the subtleties of communication, you’ll find new ways to express yourself while getting lost in the artistry of imperfect translation." (Thank you, Blogging for Books)

Okay, so the cover and summary kinda suck, but this book is very entertaining for anybody who likes words, to sound smart, etc. Or if you want to be entertained for a day. The book is a compilation of words from other languages that we have no words for... and totally should. There are illustrations with every one, as well as an origin. I love this book, but I totally wish there was a different cover because this one is so blah, and it doesn't reflect the inside at all. It just looks like a boring coffee table book on nothing fun.

Anyways, some of the words are funny, others beautiful, and all will leave you wanting more foreign words, more definitions, and more cute pictures to go with. Check out the author's blog where this all began, and fall in love with (even more) words all over again!

In Conclusion & Suggestions: BUY THIS BOOK IN ITS PHYSICAL FORM AND READ AWAY. Read whenever, really. And be sure to share it with friends!

Rating:

5/5 words


Till next time!!!


XOXO,

Lexi

Thursday, October 2, 2014

"Psyched" (a freaky review by Lexi)

Dearest Readers,

I'm so excited to be sharing the next few books with you!!! They've all been great, and I'm in the process of reading yet another wonderful one!!! So get ready to read about some awesome novels!!! Today's is Psyched by Juli Caldwell!

Creepy looking cover, huh?

Summary: "Aisi Turay has it all under control. At least, she thinks she does. Forget that the most popular girl in school hates her guts and will stop at nothing to embarrass her. Forget that her little brother is tormented by the ghosts and demons she sees all the time. Forget that her mom is a con artist who pretends to be psychic to make some cash. Forget that her dad is hiding a secret than can destroy everything she knows about herself. Nope, she's got this one...until that one awful day when she nearly loses it all. With ghost-hunting hottie Vance, a guy who stumbled into her life at the worst possible moment, Aisi must search for the messages hidden in visions and memories to protect her family. Maybe, just maybe, they can reclaim what she thought was lost forever." (Thank you, Goodreads!)

The novel started out with action and did not disappoint from there on! This novel has an interesting background inside, and I'd have never thought of such a fabulous back story! I love how deep the abilities and story goes, and the paranormal ideas inside of it all!

The main character, Aisi, can see spirits, as can her little brother. Seeing what she sees can be terrifying, and her gift can be more of a curse at times. When she thinks she's all alone in this fight, it turns out that she's not, even though her family is broken, and she doesn't have many friends (okay, just the one). This novel had me from the first page, and I know that it'll grab you as well! The paranormal aspects may be fake, but you'll never think that as you're reading. The story and everything is so realistic and creepy! I think y'all will love it as much as me!

In Conclusion & Suggestions: Read it if you want a fast-paced novel that's action-filled but not too scary!

Rating:
4/5 ghosts (only because the novels I read following had me immersed in them more)


Till next time!


XOXO,

Lexi