This is just a quick review on Catching Fire I watched ages ago.

I'm sure I'm not alone when I say the anticipation for this movie was really high! As soon as I knew this movie was out in the cinemas, I bolted to my phone and invited my friends to see it the very first weekend. We were so excited especially since the trailers were AMAZING! I would have to say the best trailer I have ever seen. 

When we got into the cinema it was packed and I could just tell from the vibe that these were all mostly fans who had read the books. As soon as the movie started playing there was absolute silence as everyone had their full attention on the screen, I saw not one phone screen. 

The Hunger Games movies are so accurate to the book and probably one of the best book to movie adaptations ever. They had absolutely every detail except for one scene was missing one key point which I don't think should have been left out. The one thing I appreciate of these movies is the excellent quality they do them in. I actually noticed the improvement because a lot of people were complaining about shaky cameras (although I didn't notice) in the first one. They capture everything how I imagined it in the book and I think they do the Capitol really well. The crazy outfits and my favourite one that Effie wore was the butterfly outfit. I love how she even had some on her eyelashes. 

But as amazing this movie was for some reason I got bored. The movie went for a good 3 hours and I just lost interest. It felt like they didn't spend enough time in the arena and too much time out of it. It was so good but I think because it was so accurate to the book I knew what was going to happen so I got bored. Am I the only one who thinks this?

Awesome cover!!!

Goodreads Description -

Romance was not part of Nora Grey's plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how hard her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch comes along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Patch draws Nora to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is and seems to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For she is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost Nora her life.

Review - No Spoilers 

I absolutely adored this book. I don't think I've ever read a book that fast but I devoured this one. If it weren't for interruptions (like work) I would have finished it in one sitting. I had gone into this book not knowing whether I liked this book because it seems many people love this series while other didn't so I couldn't decide. When I wen't on goodreads I saw many 1 star ratings and I got a little worried but I was not disappointed! Many people were trashing on this book and comparing it to Twilight but I just can't understand why because it has no resemblance towards it at all.

The Characters -

I loved the main character Nora! She was easy to relate to and a strong character who didn't allow people to push her around. She always trusted her instincts and it feels like she is the first character I've read in a long time who has common sense. Most of the time authors don't get it right when it comes to human behavior and it just feels like all rational thought leave the characters mind, but Nora stuck to her beliefs.

At one point in the story I was worried that this was going to turn into that typical YA love triangle but thankfully it didn't fall into that trap. I fell in love with the love interest and I can understand why many people wouldn't like him because he exudes the typical bad boy aura and not everyone goes for that. One character that did annoy me though was the best friend. I felt like she had a bad influence and was always trying to get Nora to do bad things.

Writing -

Another thing I noticed was the writing style! I loved how it was in first person and the writing was really well done. I think Becca Fitzpatrick is a genius and she wrote the story really well. Throughout the story I didn't know who to trust and it just felt like anyone could be the suspect. Every small detail always came back to be major and the big reveal at the end left my mind reeling.

Minor Issues -

There was just one thing that annoyed me throughout the book and the fact that there was non-existent parents. I think many authors fall into this trap but sometimes it's unavoidable considering the circumstances characters are put in. Honestly there is a reason why it's fiction because if any of these things were happening to me, my mum would know. It just makes it convenient for the story to flow well. 

Overall I loved this story and I deeply regret not borrowing the rest of the series. I can just picture the books sitting on my school library shelf laughing at me! I think I might just end up buying the series as a boxset for Christmas. Anyways if you haven't already read the series I implore that you run into the nearest book store or library and read it! 

As a last note, do you like my new set out of reviews?

Goodreads Description -

Incapable. Awkward. Artless. 

That's what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen-year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret - she wants to fail. Gifted with the ability to weave time and matter, Adelice is exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen as a Spinster is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, power and beauty, the ability to embroider the very fabric of life. It also means entering a world secrets and lethal intrigue.

But unlike the others, Adelice isn't interested in controlling what people eat, where they live and how many children they have and will do anything to hide her talent from the Guild. But when she slips up during her final test, her gift is identified. Now she has one hour to eat her mum's overcooked dinner. One hour to listen to her sister's school gossip and laugh at her dad's stupid jokes. One hour to pretend everything is OK. And one hour to escape. Because once you become a Spinster, there's no turning back ...

Review - No Spoilers 
If I had to describe this book in a couple of words it would be weird, intriguing and new. When I say new I'm referring to the concept because it's definitely not a subject that has been done before. Of course it had common themes that you see in many dystopians, the 'Controlling Government' that we see in many books nowadays but it still was original.

Still, even after I have finished it, I can't quite fully understand what Spinsters do. For those who skipped the summary, (probably every one of you) in this novel, some women have the ability to weave the fabric of the world. I found it quite hard to get into the feel of this new world the author had created because it was very confusing yet I couldn't stop turning the pages. I think it was the confusingess (I know it's not word but it is now!) that made me intrigued and want to find out more. This is one of those difficult books where you can't decide whether you liked it or not even after finishing it.

The main character Adelice annoyed me greatly. She sometimes has no filter on her mouth and she sometimes tend to just say things without thinking but I think the author wanted to create the character like that. But I can also view her as a strong heroine because a lot of traumatic things happened to her in a short space of time. She had some nice witty comments and I loved her sarcasm.There was romance in this book but I just felt like it came out of no where and there was no chemistry between the love interest. There was no build up of emotions and there was also a little love triangle forming that I thought was completely unnecessary.
My conflicting emotions:

I felt like throughout the whole novel there was just this build up of tension and I was more than half way through the book and still nothing exciting had happened which annoyed me. It felt like there was all this built up of tension and suspense all for nothing and right at the moment where I thought something big happened nothing really happened. I could just see the book ending in a completely different way that would have still made it to continue on. It was a bit of a disappointment but I think my curiosity to see how it all ends will get the better of me so may continue on with the series.

Overall this was an interesting read. The concept was really unusual and I don't know whether I could call it science fiction or dystopian, it was a bit of  both. It's definitely not a book for everyone but I do recommend it to you so next time you see it in your library you should give it a go.

I give it a rating of

Hey guys it's been a while since I've done a Stacking the Shelves post which is hosted by Tynga's Reviews. Because my last week of school is next week I borrowed a couple of books for the Christmas Holidays. Since I moved school I noticed that there library has many books my old one didn't have so I'm very pleased about that as it will help me to keep reading. Also they have this cool thing where they have a book at the front desk and you can write down the title of the book you want them to order in. 

Anyways I borrowed:

Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick - I have heard many great things about this series and I was able to buy the last one for only $1.50 at K-mart. (BARGAIN!) So many people have asked me to read this and I actually have no idea what it's about...

Goddess by Josephine Angelini - This is the final instalment to the Starcrossed series. I love this series because of the Greek Mythology but sometimes I find it a little boring and it can be a little info-dumpish at times.

Matched by Ally Condie - This is also a well known series that I haven't read. I have read many mixed reviews for it so I'm not so sure what to think of it. I don't really have any expectations. 

Wings by Aprilynne Pike - This was recommended to me by a friend. I'm not really sure what to expect because I haven't read many reviews for it so I'm excited to see what I think of it.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater - I am actually excited to read this one because I like the whole werewolf genre so I'm interested to see how the story-line goes and whether it'll be stereotypical. 

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by  Rachel Cohn and David Levithan - I want to read this because it is a standalone book and I'm really into those at the moment. (Probably because there is no long commitment) Also I haven't read a book by David Levithan yet and I want to see what his writing is like.

So these are the books I borrowed for the holidays. Have you read any of these? If so tell me what you thought of them. What's on your shelf this week?

Goodreads Description -

After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king's contest to become the new royal assassin. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown – a secret she hides from even her most intimate confidantes.

Keeping up the deadly charade—while pretending to do the king's bidding—will test her in frightening new ways, especially when she's given a task that could jeopardize everything she's come to care for. And there are far more dangerous forces gathering on the horizon -- forces that threaten to destroy her entire world, and will surely force Celaena to make a choice. 

Where do the assassin’s loyalties lie, and who is she most willing to fight for?

*Thank you Bloomsbury for giving me this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion in any way.*

Review - No Spoilers
It has taken me forever to complete a book and I would like to say my apologies as I have moved schools and that has been my major priority at the moment. But no worries I promised I would be back to reading so here's my first review after my hiatus!

I cannot express how much I love this book, this series, and this author! After finishing this book it feels like the story has just begun and the first two books were just the warm up. (Not saying it's bad thing) This series is definitely not one of those that just go downhill and you just want to drop it. Crown of Midnight lived up to the hype the first one got and then some. I absolutely cannot wait until the next one comes out next year and I'll be tracking down the expected release date.

The story-line has grown and it has so much more potential. I still this moment don't know how it's going to end and I have a feeling Sarah J. Maas is going to do something to blow us all away. The relationship between the three main characters - Celaena, Chaol and Dorian - has been put to the test and the drama has just cranked up a notch. Each character has a major role to play in the story-line and it just wouldn't be the same without them.

When I was reading Throne of Glass the one thing I noticed was the action. In this one there's even more and so many things occur in this book it's crazy. I don't know how the author did such a great job without making everything feel like it's going too fast.

Overall I just loved this book and I wish it didn't end. I cannot wait until the next book and I really think this series would be a great movie. The whole time when I'm reading them I just picture it as a movie and I just have this whole image set of what everything looks like. This series has continued to be one of my favourites and I really recommend it to you if you have not already read it.

I rate it:

Please comment and tell me what you think. Maybe you have already read it and we can discuss?

As always thank you for reading my review
- Francoise

Boy this game takes me back...

Hey guys it's been a while!!! After seeing this tag on Lucy's blog I said to myself I have to join in. I've also seen many booktubers participate in this tag as well. This is basically a fun tag and for you to laugh at whatever results I get.

So the basics are you have to choose two options you love, one that's okay and the other you absolutely hate.

Here we go...

So the layout goes like this:

For those who can't read my writing (probably everyone) It says
Where will you live?
Occupation
Transport
Pets
Husband
Best Friend 

For the where will you live option I put:

1. The Wizarding World (obviously from Harry Potter) I would absolutely love to live in the wizarding world because magic would be awesome and just being in Hogwarts!

2. Dauntless Compound from the Divergent series - honestly I'm not sure I'd want to be in the whole Divergent world, everything is just to hectic but I would love to go to the Dauntless Compound for the experience. 

3. Camp Half-Blood from the Percy Jackson series - gah! This place would have to be my favourite! Just the whole Greek Mythology world and the people the cabins...dem feels. 

4. District 12 from the Hunger Games series - I would hate this place

Blogger isn't cooperating with me so I can't rotate the!

So I chose for occupation:

1. Shadowhunter (obviously from The Mortal Instruments) - as dangerous as it would be, I'd find this job awesome! Hunting demons, having awesome weapons. What's not to love?

2. Assassin, at the moment I'm reading Crown of Midnight so this gave me the idea - I don't think I would want to be an assassin because it's an incredibly dangerous job but the skills would be awesome...

3. Professor at Hogwarts - I don't know what I'd teach but this would be an interesting job...

4. Gard from the I am Number Four series - I would hate this job because one it seems like an impossible task and for those who have read the book I'd really hate to be number 1,2,3. You get what I mean ;)

For transport I chose:

1. Broomestick - These would be awesome to ride but I think I would be so afraid of falling off

2.Public Transport - there's nothing wrong with this method but it just annoys me when things are delayed or I miss a bus...to many possibilities! 

3. Argo II this is from Percy Jackson and I would love this because it's such an epic ship

4. Walk - I would hate walking everywhere! 

Transport:

1. I would love to have a pegasus like Blackjack from Percy Jackson

2. Having a pet owl like Hedwig would be so cute, I would love them.

3. I just went for an ordinary option and I chose a cat...boring

My choices of husband:

1. Percy Jackson - I would love to marry him, he's just so cute and heroic and just everything I want in a guy...

2. Tobias Eaton (Four) - I love Four as a character and wouldn't mind marrying him

3. Warner (Shatter Me series) - I think a lot of people misunderstand his character

4. Valentine - need I say anymore?

For the amount of children I chose

1 - reasonable 

2 - pretty good

5 - I couldn't handle it

8 - This is totally unreasonable

Best Friends:

1. Katniss Everdeen - She would be an alright best friend but I think it would be incredibly awkward because she doesn't exactly have the best people skills

2. Tris Prior - I think she would be a great best friend but obviously we would have our differences of opinion

3. Anabeth Chase would be awesome because she's so smart and I think she would be the best to go to for advice

4. For my bad option I had to choose Voldemort....ewwwwwww (excuse my spelling error when I wrote it) 

So these are all the options I wrote down...now time with the magic mash making. 

Results 

So the results aren't exactly in my favour but whatever...that's part of the game. My life story is I will live in Camp Half-Blodd, (which I'm pretty happy about) I'll be a professor at Hogwarts (I'm not sure how that really works out) and I'll travel by the Argo II, I'll have a Pegasus as a pet, I'll marry Warner, I'll have 8 children (why...!) and my best friend is Voldermort. 
My life is just wonderful!!!


So I hope you guys had as much fun as I did, I love this game and it just brings back memories. If you haven't done it yet I tag all of you!!! I want to see what your results are.

As always, thank you for reading my blog!
Until next time
- Francoise

The end of the year is approaching and one of the most significant things (other than books) are TV shows. Like many teenagers I watch all mine online because I don't have foxtel so I can't view all my favourite programs. So  here's a list of TV shows that I absolutely love and I seriously recommend them to you if you have not already watched them.

In no particular order:

Doctor Who

I'm sure you've heard heaps about this amazing series by now especially because the 50th anniversary was recently released and there has been a lot of hype surrounding it. Doctor Who has and always be my favourite TV shows and if you have not watched it...shame on you. But I guess it's not for everyone. I would recommend it for you but it's a little hard to get into the fandom because it's more of a thing you grow up with. But I'm not saying don't go for it. (I suggest you start with the first season with Rose Tyler aka the 9th doctor)

There's a spin-off called Torchwood (anagram for Doctor Who) and it's good but I don't like it as much.

Vampire Diaries

I loooooooove this TV shows and has been my current obsession. There are just no words for how amazing the story-line is for this show. There are so many twists and turns and I just don't know how the writers come up with all the ideas. Vampire Diaries takes you through a tide of emotions and it's funny how one episode can make you change your decision about one character. By the way, if your not a person for violence then this isn't really for you...there will be a lot of snapping of necks and ripping of hearts. It's sort of the norm now.

(And btw there are many hot guys in this!!!)

There's also a spin-off called The Originals but you CANNOT watch it until you've reached the end of season 4 of Vampire Diaries. Major spoilers!!!

Pretty Little Liars

Aaaaah what to say about this show....I just have one thing to say, this show scares the crap outta me! This show gives every mystery show a run for there money. I never know who it is and I'm always proven wrong. But that's what makes it amazing, it keeps you guessing!

One word of advice, I honestly would take your time with this one so you don't have to wait for the next season. 

The cliff hanger...

There's also a spin-off called Ravenswood but I have not watched it yet but I've heard great things about it.

Supernatural

This such an awesome show!!! Gah! I'm only up to season 2 and there are 9 seasons! So it's a little daunting. I'm tempted to skip to season 4 but I want to be a loyal fan.

 If you love anything and everything supernatural like vampires, ghosts, etc then this is definitely a show for you. There are a number of funny episodes and really scary episodes so you're warned. The story-line is great but it changes depending which season. 

Teen Wolf

This show takes a while to get used too. The acting in the first episode isn't the greatest but the first episode of anything is always bad. When they turn into wolves the make up is so badly done it's kind of funny but I just somehow got hooked to this show and couldn't stop watching it. I recommend it but you won't necessarily like it.

Sherlock

This show has is one of the best detective shows ever! Don't get me wrong I loved the movie with Robert Downey Jr but Benedict Cumberbatch acts the role perfectly. It's only two seasons with I think about 3 episodes in it so there's not much to catch up on but the episodes go on for about an hour and a half so if you're bored in the holidays...best show. 

Breaking Bad

This is a show I've recently started watching and it is great! It's not a show for everyone and it's definitely not for younger people but that didn't exactly stop me. To be honest I think it's a great lesson to learn because you see what drugs do to people and even though these dealers earn heaps of money there are always consequences. So this is basically about a man who recently got cancer and his wife is pregnant and they don't have the money. He's a chemistry teacher so he know's what the chemical components are to making methamphetamines so he enters the drug dealing business and sets up a partnership with one of his ex-students to get money to pay for his cancer treatments. 

I absolutely love this show and I recommend it but I advice you ask your parents first.

Game of Thrones

This show...is definitely not for kids....it's rated R18+ but the story-line is brilliant. I wont go into detail but for those of you who have read it or watched understand me...But the gist of it are there are clans that are after this one throne which results in a lot of bloodshed. 

The Walking Dead

There's a confession I have to make, I can't actually watch this show alone. I love horror movies and I usually can handle anything but from the first episode of this show I realised I have a fear of zombies. I'm sorry but when you're dead you're meant to stay dead. The amount of nightmares I've had of this show is ridiculous. 

If you can't handle gore and a lot of jump-scares then this show is not for you. But of course if you want to scare the hell outta you then go ahead. Your funeral. 

So this is a list of shows that I've been watching this year. The next show I want to try is Revenge as I've heard so many good things about it. If you have any suggestions please leave a comment and tell me what you think.

See you next time!

- Francoise

Hey guys!
Long time no see huh?
I have to apologise for my absence lately and I know you all must be thinking 'Oh lord, here she goes again...' but things really have been hectic at the moment and I know it just all sounds like excuses but really, I have a good reason. I have recently moved school, had exams, started my first job and have been in a reading slump but not to worry! I'm back on the reading train. (At the moment I am halfway through Crown of Midnight so expect my review soon.)

I can officially call the mini-hiatus over!!!

Now to kick-start me now officially re-entering the blogosphere I would like you readers (if you're still there) to decide the next meme/feature/challenge (you name it) that I should participate in. I want my blog to become active again and I'm aiming for at least 2 posts a week to keep you guys interested. 

As always I look forward to your feedback. 

And just as a quick ending note, I am really sorry for not commenting on your blogs!!! And by the way, most of the interesting conversations are on twitter so that's where you'll find me most of the time!

Until next time...

Francoise

Hey guys, this is merely a post so that I can see if there is any changing that is needed to improve my blog. It would mean a great deal to me if you stated your true opinion and don't hold back! Don't worry about my feelings, I can take it. This is to help me after all! Thank you for taking your time to complete this survey.

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey , the world's leading questionnaire tool.

As you can tell from the title, this is definitely not my usual sort of review. This will be a short review but I just want to get my opinion out there! If you don't already know, I am a MASSIVE fan of everything and anything Marvel. If you don't know what I mean by this, I'm talking about the makers of Avengers, X-Men, Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Captain America etc...I saw Thor 2 this afternoon which I have been anticipating for quite a while and I was definitely not let down.

Can I just say that this was a massive improvement from Thor 1. As much as I loved it, it was always lacking something. This one had everything the first one didn't have. One thing I really liked was that we got to see way more of Asgard and some of the other realms. We got more of a sense of how the Asgardians worked so that was nice to see. Also, Thor 2 is right after Avengers so if you have not seen that first, it will not make total sense to you.

Loki...need I say no more. I've missed his character and snide remarks! The brotherly bond between Loki and Thor was truly hilarious and sad at the same time. It was great because we don't see much of them together unless they're at each others throats. The story-line is a lot more interesting than the first one, Marvel have definitely improved in that area. Chris Hemsworth is just gorgeous. I was happy because there was a shirtless scene! And his voice...stopping here before I fangirl!

In general I can't really say anymore because I just loved it. If you haven't scene it or any of the Avengers movies, I don't know what you're doing with your life. Go watch them now! And if you're planning to see Thor 2 I suggest you see it in 3D because obviously it is a very action-packed movie.
Now all I'm waiting for is Captain America 2, The Winter Soldier. AAAAAAAAAAAAAah!

Goodreads Description -
One choice will define you.

What if your whole world was a lie?
What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?
What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Review -  No Spoilers

I only finished Allegiant a couple minutes ago and now I wish I didn't read it so fast. As you already know I bought the novel at the release party and I was trying to take my time as I knew that it's the last book in the Divergent series. But obviously this didn't exactly work out for me.

I had seen so many bad reviews for this so I must admit I was a little scared of how it would end. I made sure to not look at any spoilers because it seemed like the ending was a huge deal...now I can see why. Nothing could have prepared me for it. Despite everyone hating it, I actually liked the ending and what Veronica Roth did. I thought she couldn't solve all the issues in one book but she somehow managed to. I must say I have mixed feelings about this ending, I can agree with everyone who hated it but I also can see why people loved it so I'm Switzerland on this one.What I like about the Divergent series is that it is very realistic. It stays true to what war is like meaning not everyone comes out alive, safe and happy. That's the reason why I appreciate how Veronica Roth writes her novels.

At the start one of the first things that annoyed me was the changing of point of views (POV) between Tobias and Tris. I just found it so weird and it took a while to get used to. I think it was because we spend the whole series in Tris's perspective and the sudden change was just new to me. Although I found it annoying it was needed because so much happens and you need to know what's happening all at once for it to work. Also because of the big reveal at the end of Insurgent, we get the sort of massive explanation of everything and it just turned into a great, big info-dump. I don't know about you but I find these incredibly boring and I find it hard to concentrate and follow.

I haven't always liked Tris as the main character and I just found that all her annoying qualities became extremely present and it was hard to ignore. Don't get me wrong, she is still badass and brave and she knows how to handle herself in stressful situations but everything has to go her way and she can be quite controlling. Sometimes I think she gets blinded by her anger and doesn't give people the chance to explain themselves. But I have to give her credit because most of the time her instinct is correct.

Overall I actually loved it and I think you should definitely read it soon because you don't want to accidentally be spoiled. (And it will ruin the book greatlt for you)Unlike evryone else, I actually enjoyed it and I respect the way it ended even though I think Veronica Roth could have done it differently. It's not the best way to appease her fans. I found it kind of funny because I was wearing the Allegiant T-shirt I got from the release party, a perfect way to end the series.
As always, thanks for reading my review and I really want to know what you thought of the book or my review...or both. Either ones fine...haha

In the end I give it:

Sunny and  I went to the book release party for Allegiant, the 3rd and last installment to the Divergent series. It was held in the Dymocks store in the city and we sat in front of a stage where 2 hosts spoke to us about the new book. We were greeted with cupcakes with each faction symbol on it and a gift-bag with 2 posters, faction badges, an Allegiant t-shirt and a letter from Veronica Roth herself. 

We also went through a little quiz and each person who got an answer right got to pick a prize which consisted of well-known books. I sadly didn't get chosen to answer a question but Sunny was luckier than me. Some fans cam dressed up and also won a $30 Dymocks gift voucher. 

Sunny won this:

Amongst the fans, Sunny and I saw some familiar faces from the previous book event we went to for Penguin Teen.

Overall I love going to book events because it's nice seeing other fans and feeling like you're a part of a strong community. It's also good because we meet other bloggers who are in a Australia and get the latest bookish news. I think book stores need to hold more events because it's not very often that we get to them. I have already started reading Allegiant  but I'm trying to take it slow as it's the last book and I don't want the series to end but stay posted as my review will most likely be up soon. 

At the conclusion of The Mark of Athena, Annabeth and Percy tumble into a pit leading straight to the Underworld. The other five demigods have to put aside their grief and follow Percy’s instructions to find the mortal side of the Doors of Death. If they can fight their way through the Gaea’s forces, and Percy and Annabeth can survive the House of Hades, then the Seven will be able to seal the Doors both sides and prevent the giants from raising Gaea. But, Leo wonders, if the Doors are sealed, how will Percy and Annabeth be able to escape?

They have no choice. If the demigods don’t succeed, Gaea’s armies will never die. They have no time. In about a month, the Romans will march on Camp Half-Blood. The stakes are higher than ever in this adventure that dives into the depths of Tartarus.

Review - May contain minor spoilers to those who have not read the Heroes of Olympus and Percy Jackson series

I am lost for words. I think I've forgotten how much I love and adore this series. I loved this series so much I even missed all the characters. And let's not forget, Rick Riordan put all his fans through Tartarus by leaving us on the worst cliff hanger in the universe. So as soon as it was out in stores I bought it and I immediately started reading and then I see this:

Rick has some serious spunk...

I just never want this series to end! Rick just continues to amaze me with his incredible detail with the plot line. Not many author's can pull off such a heavily based mythological themed book without it becoming an info dump! You don't have to be a fan of Greek Mythology to be able to read this. Reading this series is like a learning experience, you learn so much about the Greek Gods and mythology it's crazy how it doesn't end up feeling like you're in class. Once you start reading there is no going back, Percy Jackson is the best series to introduce you to this amazing genre!

Rick Riordan is the master of writing mythological based stories.

House of Hades is the continuation of the epic journey that Percy and his friends have set out for them. Each character is pushed to the limit and relationships are tested. It was definitely by far my most favourite book in the Heroes of Olympus series so far and I cannot wait to see what's installed for us in the next novel. Why does it have to be a year!!!

Characters:
Obviously Percy and Anabeth will forever be my favourite characters. I miss Grover so much! It just feels like their trio is sort of incomplete. At first I didn't like the new characters in this series but they have grown on me as we get to know them a little more.

I absolutely hated Piper at the start and I still don't like her but not as much. She is  a lot less whiny and a lot more stronger. She has learnt how to use her abilities and accepted that she is the child of Aphrodite.

Jason is too perfect for me, he just doesn't seem to have any flaws and I don't have a good reason as to why I don't like him. I just don't! I think if we knew more of Jason's past I would like him. It's the fact that we started with Percy from the very beginning (gee he was only 12!) and we followed him along as he grew up. All these new character kind of popped up out of no where and it felt like they were intruding.

For me Frank was always just there...but he proved himself a lot in this book and he is much stronger but I just feel his character is a little bland. We need to know more of his back-story.

I LOVE Leo and even more in this book. Something crazy happens in this book and he is less of a 7th wheel which is great! He belongs more to the group and they realise how much they need him. He always manages to lighten the mood and he is just so funny! He just has the best lines and I swear he could easily be a comedian.

The two children of Hades (or Pluto, however you want it) I love. Hazel is badass and she becomes really powerful in this book. I always liked Nico but now I just love him! He is such a sad character and we see who he really is in this book. This book explains why he was always the odd one out. These two children were so vital to the quest. I hope in the next book we get a Nico chapter!!!

Overall I adored this book!!! All the anticipation was worth it and then when I bought it, it ended up being cheaper! Each and every character had a role to play and they were tested in their own ways. I just wish I didn't read it so quickly!!! I'm forever grateful it didn't end on another cliff hanger but I truly fear what Rick has installed for us next time round. (I think we got lucky) If you haven't already read this series you are crazy because you are missing out on so much!

If I could have rated it higher it would have been 10 stars.

Hey guys it's been a while. Just as a little update I've been reading House of Hades but I'm trying to read really slowly so it doesn't end! Anyways from the post title you can tell this is yet another tag. I got tagged ages ago by Kayla from The Bookish Owl and so I decided to do it now. I've been meaning to do it for a while now but I recently moved school and I've been very busy, especially with exams in 2 weeks.

This tag is created by Ariel Bissett who is one of the many booktubers I watch. Many vloggers have done this tag but of course, us bloggers can too! Here's her video:

Disclaimer: I just wanted to say that I took the scenario's from Kayla's blog and this tage is basically for everyone to join in!

Scenario 1:

An Over-Hyped book: Let’s start this off with a Zombie Apocalypse! Let’s say you’re in a book store, just browsing, when BAM! ZOMBIES ATTACK. An announcement comes over the PA System saying that the military has discovered that the zombies’ only weakness is over-hyped books. What book that everyone else says is amazing but you really hated do you start chucking at the zombies knowing that it will count as an over-hyped book and successfully wipe them out?!

Vampire Academy!

I don't know why I didn't like this book because I love the vampire genre! Maybe it was because I was reading it on my phone but my friend and I were reading it together and she didn't like it eiher. I have heard so many good things about this series and I know it's going to be a movie but I just hated the main character Rose (or whatever her name was). I found her really cocky and I could just not relate to her at all! At first I even thought she was a guy and then I thought she was a lesbian (not that I have anything against that) but I just found it so confusing! I don't know, should I give it another chance?

Scenario 2:

A Sequel: Let’s say you’ve just left the salon with a SMASHING new haircut and BOOM: Torrential downpour. What sequel are you willing to use as an umbrella to protect yourself?

The Elite

I have to agree with Kayla on this one. As you know from my review this one left me with incredibly mixed feelings! America just annoyed the hell out of me and I just found her character was so different from the first one. I think the final novel will be the deciding point on whether I like the series or not. I just had so many problems and I found that the first one was so much better.

Scenario 3:

A Classic: Let’s say you’re in a lecture and your English teacher is going on and on about how this classic changed the world, how it revolutionized literature and you get so sick of it that you chuck the classic right at his face because you know what? This classic is stupid and it’s worth detention just to show everyone how you feel! What Classic did you chuck?

To Kill A Mockingbird

A lot of people have said they liked it but I hated it. I think it's because of the fact that it was required reading and anything we read in class the teacher shreds it to bits. I don't enjoy dissecting everything and wondering what techniques they used or what was the message the author was trying to convey to the audience! I just seriously disliked this book! But I guess I'm not a huge fan of classics anyways.

Scenario 4:

Your least favourite book of life!: Let’s say that you’re hanging out at the library when BAM global warming explodes and the world outside becomes a frozen wasteland. You’re trapped and your only chance for survival is to burn a book. What is the book you first run to, your least favourite book of all life, what book do you not fully regret lighting?

Nothing Yet!!!

I haven't found a book yet that I have extremely hated! I think that's a good thing and I think blogging has enabled me to choose good books. 

So here was The Book Sacrifice tag. I hope you enjoyed reading it! If you're a blogger I recommend this tag. It's loads of fun! Thank you Kayla for tagging me!

Yes I know what you're thinking! As soon as I knew that House of Hades came out yesterday (and yes I've been counting down) I pretty much ran to book store (scaring the absolute hell out of the workers) and grabbed the nearest copy, which was actually really close to the doors because they had stacks of copies.

The lady was like, "we only got these in stores an hour ago and I've already sold 10 copies. I knew it was popular but I didn't know it was this popular!"

This is the cover we get in Australia:

I was really pleased because it was actually quite cheap for a new release. It was $17 which is pretty cheap in Australia since they're usually $20!

But I'm in somewhat of a dilemma here as I also bought The Fall of Five which is the 4th instalment to the I am Number Four series and both these books ended on cliff hangers so obviously I don't know which one to start reading. I had to wait pretty much a year for both of them and I'm just so torn! I'm leaning more towards House of Hades because the cliffhanger was worse in the last novel and let's face it...I love Percy. 

BUT I don't want to read it too fast because what if there is another cliff hanger? Then I have to wait another year!!! But then I don't want to be accidentally spoiled...AAAAH so many feels, so many decision!!!

‘There is a rumour that the Elites don’t bleed.’

Hundreds of years into the future, wars, riots, resource crises and rising sea-levels have destroyed the old civilisations. Only one city has survived: Neo-Babel, a city full of cultures – and racial tension.

Fifteen-year-old Silver is an Elite, a citizen of Neo-Babel chosen to guard the city due to her superior DNA. She’d never dream of leaving – but then she fails to prevent the assassination of Neo Babel’s president, setting off a chain of events more shocking and devastating than she could ever have imagined. Forced to flee the city with her best friend Butterfly (a boy with genetically-enhanced wings), Silver will have to fight to find her family, uncover the truth about Neo-Babel and come to terms with her complicated feelings for Butterfly.

Packed full of adventure, romance, exoticism and the power of friendship, The Elites is a highly compelling and beautifully written novel from a supremely talented debut author.

*I received this book in exchange for an honest review, I just wanted to say a quick thank you to The Five Mile Press for giving me this book*

Review - Spoiler Free
This book was awesome! I hate writing reviews for books I loved because I never know what to say and I can never put thoughts into words so I'm really sorry if this review is a hot mess. To start off this review I just wanted to comment on the cover. It is so cool and probably one of the best covers I've seen recently. I'm so glad I requested this book and I'll tell you why...

The world-building for this novel was perfectly done. It's really important for books in the dystopia genre to have a clear world set-up. Sometimes I found it a little difficult to picture because it is completely unique to the books I've read in this genre although the writing and description of the world was still brilliant. This factor didn't lower my rating in any way. 

The characters in this book were unlike any I have ever read. Each had great supporting back-stories which created a sort of backbone to there personalities. Butterfly (Silver's best friend) had a very tragic past and the friendship they shared together was very strong. A lot of the secondary characters had a major influence on the plot which I liked because every character had an effect. Sometimes I felt like Silver was a little bland and boring but her character grew throughout the story and she grew stronger at the end.

A lot of the issues in the story is what I think we still face today. There was heavy racism and it mattered where you came from. These were some of the issues in which Silver was faced as she was a Red, and Reds were looks down upon in society. The story had a bit of history as to how Neo-Babel was created and it was interesting how the author created it. We had the familiar 'controlling government' which is very common in dystopians now but it was still unique to every other one.    

Overall I thought this was an enjoyable read which you should definitely take time to read. It is written in third person throughout this book which sometimes annoyed me but I got used to it quickly. There was a constant changing of locations and the focal point wasn't always on Silver which was okay but sometimes it confused me. For debut author, Natasha Ngan did a wonderful job for her first novel and I can't wait to see what other stories are to come. 

My final rating: