Book Review // Crave by Tracy Wolff

Title: Crave
Author: Tracy Wolff
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Pub. Date: 29 Sep 2020

Synopsis

After the loss of her parents, Grace moves to Alaska to move, where her uncle and cousin live. Her uncle is a principal of the boarding school, and this is where she will live. She didn’t expect how much different her life will be in Alaska, and it’s not only the temperature difference. From day one, she notices how strange this school and its students are. She is in a center of attention from the time of her arrival, and it’s not because she’s new. 

However, there is only one person that catches her attention; Jaxon Vega. Incredibly handsome and dangerous. From day one, he unexpectedly saves her life. He’s always keeping an eye on her as if something could happen to her at any second. He’s not mistaken, and Grace learns about it soon enough. Everything she knew about this school and family was covered under a major secret hidden from her. She discovers that her family and all the students aren’t humans, but witches, vampires, dragons, and many more, and Jaxon is the most powerful of them all.

Book Review

I’m obsessed with this story. Let’s start with the fact that world-building is so original and exciting. I love the idea of born vampires, royalty, and war between different species. Moreover, how amazing is this that this book contains dragon shifters? I always loved books that had dragons in the story but dragon shifters and a new level. Moreover, the change in vampire history, powers, and hierarchy were very interesting. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to read this book when I found out that it’s about vampires. I’m not a big fan of vampires anymore but I would regret it if I wasn’t. This version of vampires is amazing and inspiring. She changed the blood-sucking creatures into powerful royalty, who can start an earthquake. I’m still amazed by this. 

Moreover, the structure of the story is so unexpected. From the beginning, I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know which way the story will go, and how many twists it will contain. Moreover, I couldn’t recognize who the villain of the story was until the author revealed it. Most of the time you can say who’s suspicious, however, in this book anyone could be the villain. 

I think it’s a good time to talk about two main characters: Grace and Jaxon. Grace is a very smart, caring, and brave character. She knew she was in danger, however, she didn’t run away back to California because of it as most people would do. She didn’t let anyone control her life. She was following her heart, which wasn’t the smartest choice very often, however, I can understand it. I adore her relationship with Jaxon. I think she was the only person that could make him smile. I think she brought a little bit of normality to his life after what happened to his brother. She didn’t know anything about his past so he could show her the real him, not what everyone else thinks about him. In the beginning, I thought this will be haters to lovers kind of story but surprisingly it went a completely different way. I don’t know if you could say that it was a forbidden kind of love, because the only person that was against it was Jaxon but I think we can fit it in this category. 

Jaxon is the most powerful character in the book. From the beginning, I couldn’t figure him out. He has this weird obsession to keep Grace safe, even if it meant watching her every time she left her room. I’m grateful that it has been explained by the end of the book because otherwise, it would be a little bit creepy. When he’s got closer to Grace, we could also see his romantic side, which is adorable. I wish I could tell you about all of them but I think it’s better if you discover them yourself. 

Rate: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I would like to thank NetGalley, HoddHodder & Stoughton, and Tracy Wolff. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series! I’m obsessed with this story and I’m grateful that I had a chance to review it.

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Book Review // Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare

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Title: Chain of Gold (The Last Hours, #1)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Pub. Date: March 3rd

Book Synopsis

Welcome to Edwardian London, a time of electric lights and long shadows, the celebration of artistic beauty and the wild pursuit of pleasure, with demons waiting in the dark. For years there has been peace in the Shadowhunter world. James and Lucie Herondale, children of the famous Will and Tessa, have grown up in an idyll with their loving friends and family, listening to stories of good defeating evil and love conquering all. But everything changes when the Blackthorn and Carstairs families come to London…and so does a remorseless and inescapable plague.

James Herondale longs for a great love, and thinks he has found it in the beautiful, mysterious Grace Blackthorn. Cordelia Carstairs is desperate to become a hero, save her family from ruin, and keep her secret love for James hidden. When disaster strikes the Shadowhunters, James, Cordelia and their friends are plunged into a wild adventure which will reveal dark and incredible powers, and the true cruel price of being a hero…and falling in love.

(Goodreads, 2020)

Book Review

I was waiting for this book for so long. I’m obsessed with The Infernal Devices so when I found out that there will be a new series that continues the story of Shadowhunters of Edwardian London I was in heaven. I was just hoping it will be as good as I expect it to be. It certainly is.

The story is based on the children of Will and Tessa Herondale: James and Lucie but also on Cordelia Carstairs, a cousin of Jem Carstairs, who is a future parabatai of Lucie. Most of the characters in this book appeared already in other books written by Cassandra Clare for example in Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy. We meet there Mathew Fairchild, Thomas, and Christopher Lightwood but also Alastair Carstairs so I would recommend reading this book before reading Chain of Gold. It’s helpful to understand the relationship between all characters.

After the arrest of Elias Carstairs, Cordelia, her mother and brother are forced to move to London and look there for allies and future social circles, which would stand on their side and save them from ruin. Cordelia took this task to her heart and from day one, she was working hard to look flawless and make connections with powerful people within the circle. Thankfully, she wasn’t there alone. She was friends with Lucie and James for years. She was happy to be closer to her future parabatai. However, it also meant being close to James with who she was secretly in love. Her happiness ended up very quickly when she found out that the love of her life is already in love with someone else.

As much as I love this aspect of the story, I also hate it. I didn’t understand how he can be in love with someone like Grace Blackthorn. There are so many wrong things with her. I would like to say that the worst thing in her being selfish but it’s unquestionably not that. She’s using James from the beginning. Moreover, I’m sure she has a connection to the attacks of deadly demons in London. The only person worse in this book is Tatiana, her mother.

The action in the book starts with the first attack of demons. It wouldn’t be anything special if the attack wouldn’t happen during the day. The city of London was quiet and free of demons for several years so many shadowhunters weren’t ready for it when it came. Moreover, the injured people were poisoned and couldn’t be healed by iratze or Silent Brothers. One of the injured was a cousin of James and Lucie. They with the help of their friends were looking for clues and solutions to this issue. Cordelia was one of them. She didn’t know any of their friends, but it changed very quickly, and she became one of them. The friendships in Shadowhunters books are always very powerful and this one wasn’t an exception. What made me sad was how many secrets they all hide from each other. The secrets that made them miserable most of the time. Hopefully, in the next, they will finally share it and make each other feel better.

Cordelia is one of my favorite characters in this book. In the beginning, I thought she’s a little bit childish and weak. However, I changed my mind very quickly when she has shown her true face to everyone. She is a warrior, who won’t stand down until all her loved ones will be saved. Her best feature is cleverness. She finds a way out of every single situation and knows how to impress people with her answers.

I can’t make my mind what I think about James. He is a smart guy who cares about his friends and family more than he cares about himself. He falls badly in love with the wrong person and it destroys him slowly. He’s lost in his feelings and he cannot clearly understand them. Besides his love story with Grace, I adore him. He’s an amazing person, loved by many. I just wish he would give all the love to Cordelia, who’s the one who deserves it.

Lucie is a character who surprised me the most with her abilities. She is a writer so I could relate to many of her actions. I knew from the time when she met Jesse Blackthorn and was the only one of Herondales who can see him, that it must be a clue of her warlock aptitudes. I’m very curious about what book two will bring to her story. I’m sure, she will surprise us more than once.

The action in the story was well created. It was hard to guess what will happen next and it made it very exciting. The story contains three matters that its characters had to take care of, and in the end, we find out that they are all connected. Cassandra is a genius in writing stories, so I wasn’t even surprised by this ending. I finished reading it and I couldn’t decide if I’m happy or sad about what happened. Even if I was prepared for a destroying ending, I didn’t know that I will be so frustrated. I hope that we won’t need to wait for the next book for more than one year. I need to know what will happen next.

Rate: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Favorite Quotes

“We do not get to choose when in our lives we feel pain,” said Matthew. “It comes when it comes, and we try to remember, even though we cannot imagine a day when it will release its hold on us, that all pain fades. All misery passes. Humanity is drawn to light, not darkness.”

Cassandra Clare

“There is no better distraction in this world than losing oneself in books for awhile.”

Cassandra Clare

“The point of stories is not that they are objectively true, but that the soul of the story is truer than reality. Those who mock fiction do so because they fear the truth.”

Cassandra clare

“Do not let those who cannot see the truth tell you who you are. You are the flame that cannot be put out. You are the star that cannot be lost. You are who you have always been, and that is enough and more than enough. Anyone who looks at you and sees darkness is blind.”

Cassandra clare

If you read this book already, please message me on twitter or Instagram so we can talk about it. I need to talk with someone about it. It will crush me if I won’t.

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Books I read in 2019

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

I started to read this book so many times that I cannot even count. To be honest, the beginning of the book isn’t the most interesting one. However after approx. 100 pages I couldn’t stop myself from reading. Book started to show how a heroine of the book Fanny Price is one of Jane Austen’s strongest, smart and independent character. She didn’t lose herself for love of the man who thought he can get her heart easily. She was a challenge for him and she knew about it. Fanny didn’t look for just a man with money, she was waiting for love and a man who will understand her and let her be herself.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Duff by Kody Keplinger

A funny and easy book to read on the busy days. I listened to an audiobook during my daily workouts and I don’t think I might read it as a paperback again. I am not a big fan of the book and I find the main character a little bit annoying and a hypocrite. However, the ending has a good moral, which should be remembered by all girls, women and even the men. I think it’s a good book for teenage girls who have any complexes or do not feel confident with who they are and how they look.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

A book ‘Wintergirls’ is hard to explain and was very hard to read. I’ve never read such a realistic and depressing book. A protagonist of the book Lia is 17 years old girl with anorexia. The story begins when her best friend Cassie commits suicide. Right before she died, she tried to contact Lia but she didn’t answer to her calls. A heroine, next to her fight for her weight goal, is also trying to figure out what happened to her friend. The whole book is from the main character’s point of view what let us know everything about her, her thoughts and lies. Sometimes it was very hard to go more in-depth into her emotions so I just had to stop reading and rest from it. It wasn’t easy to finish this book but on the other hand, it was worth reading.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

After by Anna Todd

A story about a relationship you would never want to be in. Characters are very childish and annoying what makes this book harder to read with each chapter. Overall, I felt like the story repeats itself over and over again through the whole book and you cannot even be surprised with the ending of the book.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Sad reality and life of the poor German family during II World War shown from the little girl’s point of view. Beautiful friendships, finding love in foster family, heartbreaking loss and finding simple happiness in stolen books these are all subjects you can find within this book. You can find more in my last review of the book.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare

Amazing inside of Magnus Bane’s life, which shows his kindness and sense of humor. It was nice to get to know him better and see a world from his point of view. It’s easier now to understand his behavior in other books when we know the stories that weren’t explained more before. We heard a lot about his connections with Herondales, Camille, Lightwoods and even Valentine, etc. and now we finally know what happened between all of them.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Everything, everything by Nicola Yoon

The extraordinary story with a surprising ending. The main character is a unique and smart girl living in a bubble. She‘s not reaching for a world until she suddenly meets her first love. I very enjoyed listening to this book and looking forward to reading it in hard copy.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

I changed my opinion about this book so many times during reading it, from boring to hilarious, from hilarious to sad, from sad to happy. I laughed, I cried and fell in love with this book. Eleanor Oliphant is such an odd and unique character, who in her early thirties finally try to recover, change the way she lives and gets rid of the shadows from her past. After what she went through, we finally can say that Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Catwoman: Soulstealer by Sarah J. Maas

To be honest, first I didn’t think that this book will be as good as other Sarah J Maas books. I bought it because of my love for other books of an author. After 50 pages book completely took me. The characters, background stories, unexpected friendships, and love were so perfectly written and described that I felt a part of the book. The ending made me cry so much that I started to love this story even more. I really enjoyed that the story wasn’t full of love dramas as in most of the books these days but instead of it, the story was based on a sister love. The way Selina (the main character) planned and sacrifice all her life just to help her sister and give her a better life was priceless.  You can check my review here.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Throne Of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

I’ve heard a lot of opinions about this book. Some were saying that this book is garbage, another thinks that a book is a masterpiece. When I started reading it I wasn’t sure to which side I will belong. I needed one hundred pages to make a decision and say that this book is amazing. Celaena Sardothien, a protagonist is a strong and confident woman, who fights for her freedom and independence. I really enjoyed that the love plots weren’t the main focus in this book. In the situation, the main character was it wasn’t needed. It could just complicate everything even more and bring chaos. Love is a beautiful thing but it is also complicated so I’m glad that an author didn’t overdo it. You can check my complete review here.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I hope you enjoyed a post!

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Love,
Karolina

Book Review // Catwoman: Soulstealer by Sarah J. Maas

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Book review

To be honest first I didn’t think that this book will be as good as other Sarah J Maas books. I bought it because of my love for other books of an author. After 50 pages book completely took me. The characters, background stories, unexpected friendships, and love were so perfectly written and described that I felt a part of the book. The ending made me cry so much that I started to love this story even more. I really enjoyed that the story wasn’t full of love dramas as in most of the books these days but instead of it, the story was based on a sister love. The way Selina (the main character) planned and sacrifice all her life just to help her sister and give her a better life was priceless.

Favorite Quotes

She was a ghost. A wraith.

In early years Selina Kyle trained acrobatics which helped her to survive when her mom left her and her younger sister. After a year she was taken to Italy, where she was trained to become a killer. When she came back to Gotham, no one could catch her.

Independent, unafraid.

Selina Kyle was left by her mother when she was 16 years old. She had to take care of her younger sister. She joined a gang and took part in fights to get money for living and her sister’s medicine. She became independent and unafraid to give her sister life that she deserves and to keep her safe.

Talks like a lady, acts like a thug

Selina Kyle returns to Gotham City as mysterious and wealthy
Holly Vanderhees. She leads a double life as a wealthy woman and Catwoman, a thief. Thank her well-planned actions, no one was able to connect both personalities together. Holly Vanderhees talks like a lady. Catwoman acts like a thug.

…they were both pretenders, liars – one serving the light, the other the dark.

Selina Kyle as a Holly Vanderhees pretends to be a selfish and wealthy woman that cares only about her status and money, while during the night she robs rich people and serves poor people.
Luke Fox is an extremely intelligent scientist son of Lucius Fox, a CEO of Wayne Enterprises. He was born into a family of wealth and prestige. Aside from his normal life, he joined Batman as a Batwing to serve the light and help people.

Rate: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I highly recommend this book! If you are a fan of DC Comics or superheroes, you will definitely love this book.

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