HAPPY BIRTHDAY PERCY!!!!!!!

So today is the birthday of one of the most important fictional characters in my life- the character who introduced me to the wonderful fictional world, the character who taught me so much about myself, the character who made me laugh enough to make my sides hurt- AHHHH ITS PERCY’S BIRTHDAY!!!!!! And today is the day when Percy has finally turned 18!! He’s an adult now! I don’t think I can ever imagine Percy as an adult. Sure he’s one of the most powerful demigods ever, sure he’s a child of one of the Big Three. But to me, he’s always going to be that sarcastic, goofy, sweet and slightly dumb boy I first read of in The Lightning Thief. The fact that he’s 18 now amazes me, because I started reading about him when both him and I were 12, and now he’s 18, and I’m still a month away from turning 15. HOW DID HE GET SO OLD SO QUICK. MY LITTLE BABY IS GROWING UP.

Percy Jackson was, and is, my favourite series of all time. Its not the best series I’ve read, and it is very middle schooly- but it’s the series which first pulled me into this enchanting fictional world- how can I not have a soft spot for it? Yes its supposed to be mainly a light-hearted series for kids, but its taught me sooo much. Its taught me that you can find friends in the oddest of places, and you’re never truly alone. Its taught me that sometimes, you’re a lot more than you think you are, and if you find the confidence, you can be everything you want to be. Its taught me to live life to the fullest, even if it means asking stupid questions along the way, its taught me that you can always find a reason to laugh, no matter how small. And most importantly, its taught me to never give up. It teaches so many people around the world that it’s totally okay to be who you are and who you want to be.

Seriously, I’ve gotten all my major life lesson from this series. Not to mention that it’s one of the most fun series I’ve ever read! So really, no matter how old and mature and whatnot I become- I will always, ALWAYS love Percy Jackson just the same way I loved it when I first read it. Thankyou Rick Riordan, for making such a special and amazing series a part of our lives too.

(A bookmark for each cabin in honor of Percy Jackson)

 

100 followers!!!🎉🎉🎉🎊🎊🎊

So I'd been travelling the whole day today as I just returned to Singapore after my lovely vacation in India. And I switched on my phone to the most wonderful notification- "Congratulations, you've received a hundred followers on WordPress!" I honestly don't remember the last time I was this happy! The last few months were really stressful for me as I moved to a new country and didn't have any friends, but blogging has given me the most wonderful friends I could ask for. I'd started this blog with no expectations whatsoever and had only wanted a platform to express my thoughts on books and to just all out fangirl and give words to my crazy love for books. I hadn't expected all the support and all the encouragement I got from all you other amazing bloggers and I am so so grateful for it.
The fact that people think that my writing is worth reading, makes me soooo proud!! I am honoured to be part of such an amazing and supportive community. So all those people who follow me, like my posts, comment and give me feedback- Thankyou soooooooo much!! I cannot even explain how grateful I am to all of you for giving me the encouragement to keep blogging, and enjoying it as much as I do! Your thoughts make me so happy to read and always put a smile on my face. Yes, this is a small achievement, but to me, it's monumental.
Just the idea that there are a hundred people who read my blog amazes me and makes me so much more confident in myself and my abilities. I'd been hesitant to start this blog, but now I think it's the best thing I ever did.
My reviews aren't perfect, and I'm still a newbie to this community, but they are a reflection of me and my innermost thoughts. That all of you read and agree with those is such a great feeling!
So once again, thank you all for the support and the appreciation, I love all of you so much and I look forward to continuing my fangirly journey with all of you at my side.❤️❤️❤️

Books and Music Tag!

Hi there readers! I'm here with a tag today, the books and music tag! Kyera from Kyera's Library tagged me for this(thanks so much!) Go check out her blog if you haven't already, her reviews are amazing!!

Rules:

• Tag the creator of this tag (Debbie @ Debbie’s Library) and the person who tagged you
• Pick 5 songs (or more) that you just have to listen to whenever they are played
• Pick the books or characters that you think fit that song the best, and explain why you picked those books or characters
• Tag some friends!

My Songs:

Warrior- Beth Crowley

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Okay I know I cheated a bit with this song, cuz this song is specifically made for this book, BUT OMG ITS SO ABSOLUTELY PERFECT FOR JACE AND CLARY THAT I HAD TO MENTION IT. This is defintely what Clary would sing for how she discovered the Shadowhunter world, and for everything that happened in City of Bones. Every time I listen to this song, the entire story runs through my head. UGH THE PERFECTION. There's this line in the song- "You're my mortal flaw, and I'm your fatal sin," and god, isn't that like so fitting and perfect for Jace and Clary?

Carry you- Union J

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Okay so this is totally Tobias singing after the end of Divergent and throughout Insurgent when Tris has become all sad and angry and reckless and stuff and when there's all that building tension between Tris and Tobias- I can literally imagine this happening. I think this song is like a perfect fit for the book.

 

Castle- Halsey (omg I love Halsey so much)

Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas

OMG so this is Aelin when she finally goes all queen mode and decides to conquer the world. Its such a poweful and almost goosebump raising song, and I think it fits Aelin perfectly. I can't say much without being spoilery, but this is really what I imagine as the theme song for the Throne of Glass series.

 

Stay with me- R5

Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare

If you've read Lady Midnight and Lord of Shadows, you'll probably understand why I chose this song. Oh my poor, sweet Julian- this is such a perfect song which sums up what he must have been going through after the end of Lady Midnight.

 

Tired- Alan Walker ft. Gavin James

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

This song reminds me sooo much of this book. This is what Rhysand would sing for Feyre after everything that happened Under the Mountain and after what happened to Feyre. Again, I can't say anything without spoiling things, but please read this series because Oh My God, it's really worth it.

 

A thousand years- Christina Perri

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

This song reminds me of Will, Tessa and Jem so much, I almost feel like crying every time I listen to it. I can imagine Tessa singing this for both Will and Jem, and if you've read Clockwork Princess, you probably understand why. It physically makes my heart ache and almost brings tears to my eyes- ugh i love these three soooo much.

So that's all! I tag:

A Mess of a Reader

Reading with Rendz

BooksInNeed

BookJunkies

Egg Reader

and anyone else interested in doing this tag! Do tag me back, I'd love to see your answers too! Comment down below and tell me if you agree with my song choices! Thanks for reading!!

Book Review- Scarlet

Book- Scarlet (#2 of The Lunar Chronicles(

Author- Marissa Meyer

Publication Date- 5th February 2013

Publisher- Macmillan Publishers

This review may contain spoilers from the first book of the series- Cinder, so do not read this review unless you have read the first book or unless you don’t plan on reading this series. (you’re making a mistake BTW)

Okay so let me put this right out at the beginning. Marissa Meyer is one of my queens of fantasy and fiction. Her writing is absolutely fantastic and I really can’t get enough of her books. Gripping storyline, amazing characters, humor, sarcasm, really, is there anything her books don’t have?

Scarlet was such a great read. Though I liked Cinder a teensy weensy bit more, I still adored this book. (I only liked Cinder a bit more cuz of my ridiculously huge crush on Kai)  A retelling of Red Riding Hood, Meyer effortlessly entwines the two plots, keeping the base of the fairytale the same, yet making the story completely original and unique.

Scarlet Benoit, a fiery farm girl lives with her grandmother in a small town in France. Or atleast- used to until two weeks back. Her grandmother is missing, and Scarlet is ready to do anything to find her. So when she encounters a mysterious street fighter- Wolf, who may know the whereabouts of her grandmother, Scarlet has no choice but to take his help, despite of her distrust for him. But somehow, she is irresistibly drawn to Wolf, and he to her. At the same time, halfway across the world, Cinder has become the Commonwealths biggest fugitive, and is still coming to terms with her real identity. In her attempts to flee from prison and meet with Dr.Erland, Cinder is forced to take the assistance of ridiculously annoying and flirtatious Captain Thorne- who flirts with anything that looks remotely female. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel the mystery of her grandmothers kidnapping, they stumble into yet another when their paths collide with Cinder. Now, all of them together have to stay two steps ahead of vicious and bloodthirsty Queen Levana, who will do everything in her power to conquer Earth- starting with the Commonwealth…and Prince Kai.

What I Liked:
I love the way Meyer gives her fairytales a modern twist. I’m not a big fan of retellings- I feel that authors twist up the fairytales rather crudely and end up over dramatizing and ruining the timeless tales, but that doesn’t happen with this series. Though the foundation of the story is the same, Meyer makes it so much more layered and intriguing.

I loved the plot. The pacing of the story was good, and I didn’t ever find myself getting bored. Meyer juggles between different POV’s well which gives us different perspectives of situations happening in the book. The plot isn’t over the top or very complicated, but that simple storyline is written so intricately. I can visualise everything clearly in my head and I felt everything the characters felt.

Coming to the characters- I really liked Scarlet. I love how much she cares for her grandmother and I love how brave she is. She’s ready to take on anyone and anything as long as she gets her grand- mere back. Headstrong, a bit short tempered, but still a kind and compassionate person. I found it adorable when she had a gun aimed at Wolf, but still made him a tomato sandwich because he was hungry- if that’s not cute, I don’t know what is. (has this really become my idea of a cute first meeting and date? This is why I’m going to be forever single). But I don’t think I connected to Scarlet as much as I did to Cinder, though that’s probably because the first book was entirely about Cinder, wheras this book was focused on a lot more than one characters.

I loved Wolf! I know he’s a dangerous street fighter and can tear people apart and whatnot, but to me, he’s just this adorable, awkward little teddy bear. Sure he’s deadly, but he reminds me of a lost puppy who needs a hug. I loved how he didn’t know what a tomato was- like that was so innocent my heart just melted into a puddle. But even then, we don’t know much about him- his past and present both are still kinda a question mark. But seriously, reading about him makes me all warm and fuzzy and I just want to go and give him a bone crushing hug.

Cinder is still my favourite character. Her growth in this book is clear- but she’s still the same awesome person she was in the first book. It amazes me how strong she is. Her life was turned upside down, and she learns all these dark secrets about herself- even then she stays so strong. She has no time for self pity and is just so hardworking. I love that she isn’t only doing what she is told, but still makes her own decisions- instead of going to meet Dr.Erland, she decides to go looking for answers about her past first. Though it was a rash decision, it worked out well for her, which is what matters the most. I like Captain Thorne as well- flirty, funny, and super charismatic- he’s a very entertaining character. But even he is still a mystery and we don’t know much about who he is, so I’m hoping that changes and we get to know more about him in Cress.

So there wasn’t much of Kai in this book, (that makes me so sad). But whenever he was present, I would always get flutters in my stomach and would bat my eyelashes flirtatiously. ( yes, i know I’m weird thankyou very much) I can see him grow, and see him get stronger, but REALLY THIS BOY HAS TO LEARN TO TAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS. His decision at the end of the book? Really?? Really Kai???? I understand his reasons, but boy that wasn’t smart. *shakes head reprovingly but still swoons thinking about him*

I hate Queen Levana. Evil, cunning, arrogant and UGH soooo fake, I want her ripped to shreds. AGH I HATE HER I HATE HER I HATE HER.

On to the romance, I ship Wolflet so much!! I love how they both balance each other out and are so endearing. I love how Scarlet teases Wolf, and how Wolf gets so shy about it. I wish the romance had developed slower though. I mean they barely knew each other for a day and were already so infatuated with one another. But even then, they are a really really reeeeaaalllllyyyy cute couple. Though Kai and Cinder didn’t meet in this book, that can never change the intensity with which I ship them. I hate how Kai thinks Cinder just manipulated him with a Lunar trick to make him fall for her, cuz OF COURSE NOT YOU BUFFOON. (though admittedly a really cute buffoon) I need the two of them together, like NOW. They both are perfect for each other, and I really miss their cute and light banter.

The ending was smart- just like Cinder, it wasn’t a MASSIVE cliffhanger, but it’s more than enough to get me craving for the next book.

What I didn’t like:

So I didn’t feel as connected to the new characters in the book as I had to the characters in Cinder. I felt they weren’t as developed. Also, I wanted the romance to not be insta love, you know how much I ABHORR insta love, though I didn’t mind it as much in this book. I did want it to develop slower than it did though.

Rating:

I would give this book a solid four out of five stars. Even with those few flaws, the book was amazing and really fun to read. It had the same sarcastic humor and the same great plot which makes me love Meyer’s books. Definitely a book I would recommend to other readers.

Thanks for reading! Have you read Scarlet?  Do you plan to? Comment down your thoughts on the book and series, I love a good discussion!

Cake Book Tag!

Hi there readers! So today I’m taking part in the Cake Book Tag! This is such a fun tag so thankyou so much Egg Reader for tagging me for this! Go check her out, her blog is really amazing, and her reviews are awesome!!

Okay so there aren’t too many dark books I read but I think I’m going to go with The Young Elites by Marie Lu- its evil, dark, mysterious, and really really interesting! Marie Lu is such an amazing writer! The series left me feeling really moody, but it was a fantastic read!

 

I’d probably go with Red Turban White Horse by Nandini Bajpai. Summery, light, and fun, it was a really cute read. I would also recommend The Zoya Factor by Anuja Chauhan- its suuuuper cute and sweet, and totally left me with flutters in my stomach and this goofy smile on my face.

        

 

Hmm there are quite some books which leave me a bit mixed. One of them would probably be Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick. It was quite good, but I still didn’t like it as much as I thought I would! This book was really hyped for me, so I ended up disappointed, because I didn’t find it thaaat great.

 

UGH THERE ARE SO MANY OF THESE. I’d probably recommend The Infernal Devices to every single person ever- it’s such a beautiful beautiful trilogy that the entire world should read. I’d also recommend The Lunar Chronicles, I love this series soooooo much!! There are many more books like A Court of Thorns and Roses that I would recommend to everyone, but I’ll stop before I go overboard.

   

 

So I usually finish any book I pick up, even if I don’t like it, but the one book I could NOT bring myself to finish was BZRK by Michael Grant. It was just weird and boring and dragged and disgustingly gruesome and I just couldn’t read it.

 

I think the Shatter Me trilogy by Tahereh Mafi will take this. I love the way the series is written, it’s really beautiful and different. I love the way Mafi writes something and cuts it out- it like how someone would write in their diary. Her descriptions are strange yet beautiful and I love them.

I tag:

Fire Breathing Book Dragon

Hannahs Novel Nonsense

Obsessions of a Bookaholic

Sweet and Unholy

and anyone else who wants to do this! You're free to use the art, but please keep the credits of the artist in the picture! And do tag me back, I'd love to read your answers for this tag! Thanks for reading!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRY!!!!!

So today is the fateful day, when the Boy Who Lived has caught up with his age in the epilogue of Deathly Hallows- Harry Potter has turned 37 years old. I honestly can’t believe it. I’d started the Harry Potter series quite late- when I was 12 years old, but that did nothing to affect how much I fell in love with it. I was immediately sucked into the wizarding world and felt like I was a part of every adventure of the book. Each page gave to me a bundle of memories and so many emotions. Every book kept getting better and better, and made my love for this enchanting series grow unconditionally. I’ve made friends in these books- they may be fictional, but reading about them through these seven books has brought me so close to all the characters, especially Harry- that I think of all of them as people who I know. It’s so hard to believe that Harry is now an adult. I’m always going to imagine him as the young 12 year old boy, uncertain of his abilities and of the new world around him. Watching him grow up into the courageous, loyal friend he became in Deathly Hallows was so emotional, imagining him as a grown man is almost frightening.

I’ve learnt so many important lessons from this book- things which no one teaches us at school. I’ve learnt to be confident, kind, loyal, brave, forgiving, and how friendship is one of the most beautiful things in the world. It’s taught me that people are not always how they seem, and that even the evil have just a bit of light in them. It has played such an important part in shaping me and who I am, and there are so many memories these books and characters have given me that I will carry forever. Harry is such an amazing character himself, and has faults which any normal person would have, which makes him so much more real.

Today is also the birthday of the creator of this magical world, the woman who brought this spell binding dimension into our lives- J.K Rowling. So I’d also like to thank her, because this series is one of those which has made me the reader I am today. She is an inspiration to anyone who wants to write and to all those people who read- because she has shown how she started from nowhere- and then emerged as one of the best writers of all time. This series means so much to so many people, and it (obviously) wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for her.

So thankyou Harry, for being such an important part of my life, and for inspiring me, I’ve made so many memories with this series- ones I wouldn’t trade for the world.

 

Kiss, Marry, Kill (Book Edition)

Hi there readers! I’m back here with another short game- something which we usually play in school, except that I’m doing a book edition of it here! The rules are simple- I’ve written down a list of male characters from books I’ve read and I simply run a finger over the list and randomly stop- I do this three times for each round, and the three characters I choose become my guinea pigs. I’m doing 5 rounds of this game, so enjoy!

ROUND 1:

Kai from The Lunar Chronicles, Rhysand from A Court of Thorns and Roses, and Aspen from The Selection

This round isn’t particularly hard for me, because although I like Aspen, he’s nowhere near the love I have for Kai and Rhysand. And though I adore Kai, I love Rhysand wayyy too much to not marry him. He’s just such an amazing personality in the book with all my dream qualities. (I have hearts in my eyes thinking about him). So I would kill Aspen, kiss Kai, and marry Rhysand.

ROUND 2:

Tobias from Divergent, Peeta from The Hunger Games, and Warner from the Shatter Me trilogy

This one is pretty easy for me again. I absolutely despise Peeta, I’m all on Team Gale. (Don’t kill me please) I just never liked him and felt he was always a burden on Katniss. Though I like Tobias, Warner is so much more of a layered character. And I’m super attracted to bad boys so the choice was clear to me 😉 I would kill Peeta (with no qualms whatsoever), kiss Tobias and marry Warner.

ROUND 3:

Will Herondale from The Infernal Devices, Rowan from Throne of Glass, and Maxon from The Selection

NOOOOOOO. THIS CANNOT BE HAPPENING. I love all three of them, how am I expected to choose?!? Ugh, and I thought this game was going well for me. Okay so I absolutely adore Will so there is no way I can kill him. Maxon was such a sweetheart throughout the series, so I can’t kill him either. I think I might kill Rowan? He’s kinda overprotective sometimes which gets annoying, considering Aelin is an assassin herself. So I would kill Rowan (sorry Rowan!), kiss Maxon, and marry my eternal love Will.

ROUND 4:

Jace from The Mortal Instruments, Enzo from The Young Elites, and Tamlin from A Court of Thorns and Roses

EASY. If any of the Herondales are in the choices, it’s not even a fair fight to the other characters- my love for the Herondales is beyond understanding. Jace is my spirit animal, I love him soooo much. I like Enzo as well, he’s a great character in the book, until dun-dun-dun happens. And all those who have read ACOTAR probably understand my not so favourable feelings for our dear friend Tamlin. So I would kill Tamlin, kiss Enzo, and marry Jace.

ROUND 5:

Jason from The Heroes of Olympus, Percy Jackson (need I say where he’s from) and Chaol from Throne of Glass

Okay so I don’t like Jason. I don’t like him one bit. He can go marry a brick for all I care. I found him a bit arrogant in the series, so he never grew on me. Percy is my all-time favourite character. He’s grown so much through each series, and considering he was the first awesome fictional character I read about, I’ll always love him. So marrying him is clear. Now I’m one of the few people who actually LIKES Chaol. Yes, you read it right. I LIKE him. I think he’s a really good person, and the fandom is a bit too harsh on him. So I would kill Jason (probably with a brick), kiss Chaol, and marry Percy.

That’s the end of it guys! I hope you enjoyed it! Do tell me who you would have chosen, and if I should do something similar for our amazing heroines as well! Thank you for reading this!is

Would You Rather (book edition)

Hi there everyone! So as I always do book reviews, I decided to twist things up a little and do something different. So here I am, doing a Would You Rather- just that it’s gonna be in book edition. I’m going to list down five questions and my answers for them. This should be fun!

1. Would you rather read only one book a year and remember everything or read a hundred books a year and remember nothing?

I think I would prefer to read a hundred books a year and remember nothing- I think I would go insane if I was only able to read a book a year. Also, that way, I would get to relive the story of so many books I love and experience all the emotions all over again if I don’t remember what happened in them. Definitely the second option- I’m all for crying over books over and over again!

2. Would you rather read a book with a cliffhanger ending or read a book with a heartbreaking ending?

This is really hard, because I hate both. I hate having my heart broken and my soul shattered, but I also hate having to wait for a year or more to read a book with a cliffhanger ending. But after a lot of deliberation, I would choose the book with the cliffhanger ending, because that way I get to imagine theories and alternate endings, but if a book has a heartbreaking ending, then I don’t even get to imagine anything else for it and just end up spending hours bawling my eyes out.

3.  Would you rather read a book that’s missing the middle chapter, or read a book missing the first and last chapter?

Definitely the one missing the middle chapter- I can deal with missing a bit of the action or romance, but I CANNOT deal with not knowing what happens in the last chapter- it would drive me crazy!

4.  Would you rather never read Harry Potter again or never read Percy Jackson again?

Okay this is a horrible question for any reader to answer. But as much as it would break my heart, I would sacrifice Harry Potter, because Percy Jackson holds a special place in my heart. It’s the first book which introduced me to the wonderful fictional world and I wouldn’t give it up for anything. Though leaving Harry Potter would break my heart, it’s a decision I wouldn’t regret. (Though thank god I will never have to make this cruel decision)

5. Would you rather read the physical copy of a book or read on a kindle or electronic form?

100% the physical form. I absolutely despise reading in an electronic and in fact do not even own a kindle due to that particular reason. I need to have the book in my hand to pet the cover, smell the book and to cradle against myself. (Yes I actually do this)

So that was it! I hope you enjoyed this as I actually quite enjoyed answering these questions! Do comment down below and tell me what your answers would be, and also tell me if I should do some more book edition games! Thankyou so much for reading!

Book Review- Clockwork Angel

Book- Clockwork Angel (#1 of The Infernal Devices)

Author- Cassandra Clare

Publisher- Simon and Schuster

Publication Date- August 31st, 2010

Okay so let me start by saying that I have already finished this series and have read The Infernal Devices at least a hundred times. I am reviewing it for two reasons- one, I was requested to review more Shadowhunter books in the comments (shoutout to you Katie!) and two, this series is the most beautiful, agonizing, heart touching and heartbreaking series ever which deserves to be read by the entire human race. So I will do my best to pretend I haven’t read the next two books and that I am totally unbiased even though I know the big secrets of the rest of the series. (I am VERY VERY biased, I’m just pretending I’m not). This is one of my favourite series in all YA books, and Clockwork Angel gives it a magical, painful, heart wrenchingly beautiful start. This trilogy will bring down a barrage of feelings and will wreak havoc on your emotions- brace yourself.

When twice orphaned, sixteen year old Tessa travels the long distance from America to England in hopes to be reunited with her brother, she is unaware of the darkness shrouding her. At the port, instead of being greeted by her brother, Tessa is exposed to the horrors of the London Downworld- vampires, werewolves, warlocks, and other terrifying supernatural folk, who are only kept at bay by Shadowhunters- warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons. Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of an organisation called the Pandemonium Club, Tessa is faced with the shocking revelation that she herself is a Downworlder, with the rare ability to transform, at will, into another person. And the Magister, the shady figure who runs the Pandemonium Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa’s power for his own. Lonely and hunted, Tessa is saved by the shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she uses her powers to help them. Tessa soon finds herself falling for and torn between two best friends: Jem, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and Will (he’s mine), whose dark and mysterious past forces him to distance himself from everyone and make the world believe the worst about him. That is, everyone but Jem- and now Tessa. The search for the Magister pulls them deeper towards a plot which threatens to destroy all shadowhunters, and Tessa realises she may have to choose between saving her brother, or helping her new friends save the world…and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

What I liked:

The book is set in the Victorian Era, which gives London a very timeless and mysterious feel. Clare makes the setting very convincing- I could just imagine old winding streets, buildings of stone, girls with dresses and parasols and everyone being really cordial and polite (everyone except Will that is).

The plot was outstanding. Clare is such an effortless writer- she weaves the most intricate plots with such ease. Though the book starts out a bit slow, it is still very intriguing, and after you pass the halfway mark, it’s a wild ride- I was constantly on the edge of my seat. There were many things happening in the second half, but I never felt confused and never felt things were over the top.  Everything is tied together, and the second you think all the secrets have been revealed, the plot twist punches you in the gut and leaves you stunned. The series is very original and unique, and I think this is one of Clare’s most sophisticated works.

However, my favourite part of this book is the characters. Real, relatable, it makes me so happy to read about such amazing characters.

Starting with Tessa- I really liked her. She isn’t my favourite YA heroine but she’s in the top 7.  She’s one of the few heroines who has no training, not much strength, but is so intelligent. Being an avid reader, Tessa thinks like a character from books (I know she IS a character from a book but that’s not what I mean). Smart and witty, she constantly proves her intelligence throughout the book. She’s very curious and eager to know everything, but at the same time also is confused and scared to be a part of the Shadow world- she just wants a normal life. Overall Tessa was a really strong and likeable character in the book.

Coming to my book boyfriend- Will Herondale. I love him. I absolutely adore him.  Charismatic, witty, intelligent, has blue eyes and black hair, not to mention his dark and unknown past. I am so attracted to boys with a troubled past. I WANT DETAILS. I want to know why he pushes everyone away and why he makes people believe the worst of him, why he pretends he has no feelings when he so obviously cares for everyone. He has a dark secret which forces him to do this, and this secret is slowly consuming him. It leaves me so distraught, because he NEEDS love, and I’m always tempted to just start screaming “LET ME LOVE YOU” every time I read about him. He clearly loves Jem- that’s one thing he doesn’t hide, and I love how much he cares for and protects Jem. His wit is amazing, his sarcasm usually ends up sending me into fits of laughter.

Over to Jem- he’s my second favourite character in the series. Elegant, polite, kind, compassionate, he is the calm to Will’s storm. I hate how he is treated because of his illness and I feel very protective towards him. His affection for Will is obvious and very endearing- they both are closer than even brothers. I love how friendship is just as important- if not more, than love in this book, which makes it so unique, because nothing can taint a bond as pure as Will and Jem’s. I love most of the characters in this book but there are so many that I’m not mentioning them all.

Now to the romance. I normally hate love triangles. I feel like they usually takes all the respect from one character and makes them look bad. That doesn’t happen here. This is my favourite triangle, because the boys don’t hate each other- they care for each other’s happiness more than their own. And Tessa is so equally torn between the two. And both of them are so amazing in their own ways that I sympathise with Tessa’s position. Though I ship Will and Tessa more, I love Jem enough that I wouldn’t be able to bear seeing his heart broken. That’s what’s so unique about this book- the highlight of these three is more than love, its friendship- and love and friendship together is what makes it infinitely more beautiful.

What I didn’t like:

Nothing. This was a masterpiece crafted and presented to us on a silver platter. You might find the first 100 or so pages a bit slow, but trust me it’s worth it.

Rating:

5 out of 5 stars. A complete package of joy, laughter, wit, sarcasm, blinding pain, frustration, despair, anger (I’m running out of emotions), this book is a must read for everyone.

Book Review- Red Turban White Horse

Book- Red Turban White Horse: My Sister’s Hurricane Wedding

Author: Nandini Bajpayee

Publisher: Scholastic India

Publication Date: June 7th, 2013

Light and summery, Red Turban White Horse was such a fun read! I normally don’t read only romance books, I’m more of the “kill everyone and save the world” type, so when I do pick up a cute, romantic novel, I want it to be really good. I’m glad Red Turban White Horse was the book I picked. Warm, fuzzy, and so adorable, I loved everything about it.

Mini has a wedding to plan. And she has to plan it fast. It has been seven years since her mother died, and living with her geeky dad and brainiac sister has made Mini very knowledgeable on calculus and cars- but not so much on planning big Indian weddings in America. So when her sister Vinnie decides to get married, it’s Mini’s responsibility to make sure the wedding is the best day of her sisters life. The budget is low, and the pressure high, but Mini has her new Mini Cooper, two months of summer break, and her terrific sense of style to blitz through this wedding. And of course, she has mysterious and smoking hot Vir at her side. As Mini rushes to arrange lehengas and flowers, food and the guest list, she also has her own love life to deal with. And if all this didn’t call for a disaster, the monster hurricane headed right towards Boston may just be enough to blow the entire wedding away.

What I liked:

I love that the plot of this book isn’t overly complicated. A lot of times in all these cute novels, unnecessary drama is pushed into the story to make it more interesting. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case here. A short and sweet read, its something you can just breeze through. Even though the book is based in America, the characters are Indian. Its always refreshing to read about characters from different backgrounds, and you can relate to a book more when the characters are of the same nationality as you. There were many cultural and social references to India, which for me, made the book closer to home. Indians don’t take weddings lightly, marriages are massive celebrations, and this book did complete justice to a typical desi wedding. Though the book is light, it was also quite deep at parts. It highlights loss, grief and sadness in a way everyone can relate. This book is the complete package- I was laughing, blinking back tears, and relating to the characters all through the book.

I really liked Mini. Sassy, spunky, smart and stylish, she is a very likeable personality. Not to mention the fact that she’s a Potterhead, which immediately makes her ten times more awesome. She loves her family so much, and loves her dead mother with a beautiful ferocity. Even though she has so much responsibility, she doesn’t shy away from doing what she has to, and is really hard working. Though I really like her, I hate how once she gets mad at someone, she clams up and completely stops communicating with them. It’s like saying, “I want an explanation for what you did to me but I’m so mad at you that I won’t even let you speak.” That really drives me crazy, but oh well, everyone has their flaws. Her sense of style is impeccable and her designing skills are on point. Confident and cheery, she’s such a lively personality in this book.

There are so many great secondary characters in this book! I loved Vir. Sarcastic, sweet, kind, understanding and super hot, I was fangirling every time he was mentioned.

(he still wouldn’t be my book boyfriend though, my standards are very high) Even though he’s really rich, he wasn’t snobby or arrogant. I love how much he cares for Mini and how he’s willing to give her space when she needs it, but is still always there for her. I love Mallu Masi, you might not like her at the beginning but trust me, this classy woman is amazing! I loved most of the characters in this book- though they all have their faults, the most beautiful thing tying them together is how much they care for each other.

The romance was so so cute!! Mini and Vir are the perfect couple. The dialogues were great, not very sappy, but still bordering on very slightly cheesy, which actually just ended up as very sweet. It left me feeling warm and fuzzy, with a goofy grin plastered on my face, and a high pitch squeaky voice every time I talk about them. It’s the kind of romance you would want in high school- endearing, a little cheesy, but perfect all the same.

What I didn’t like:

Okay there is actually nothing I can pin point. This book isn’t perfect, it’s not even in my top 5 really, but there isn’t anything I can individually pick out and label as “not good”. If I really nit pick, maybe Mini was too perfect? Pretty, smart, stylish, maybe that gets a bit unrealistic. But I’m just picking out minor things now, the book is on a whole very charming and sweet.

Rating:

I’ll be giving this book a four out of five. Sweet, deep but not preachy, this book is the perfect summer read! Give it a go on a weekend when you’re looking for a light read, it’ll be worth it!