Top 5 Tuesday is a weekly meme created and hosted by The Bionic Book Worm.
Today’s topic:
Click on my book cover or my photographs to be linked to my review or the book’s Goodreads page.
Tag Archives: Uprooted
Treat Yo Shelf: July 2018 Recap
July 2018: Monthly Recap
Welcome to my monthly recap post, in which I highlight the books I read in the last month, bookish items I acquired, book events I attended, bookish news, and/or subscription boxes I received this month.
(Click on the banner to be linked to blog post)
Netgalley/E-Arcs
Physical ARCS
I signed up for Miss Print’s ARC Adoption program and received Bring Me Their Hearts. I meant to read it in July, but I went through a huge reading slump. Hoping to get to it in August. Thank you for the book, Emma.
I received an early copy of Escaping from Houdini from Jimmy Patterson Books. I also received an extra copy from an awesome bookseller a few days before I received my publisher copy, so I gifted that one to a huge Kerri fan. Thank you, Jimmy Patterson Books, I cannot wait to read it.
A huge thank you to First Second for this ARC of Check, Please! and all these wonderful goodies.
July’s Book of the Month
BOOK EVENT: KERRY WINFREY
I met the sweet and talented Kerry Winfrey at Joseph Beth Booksellers. Look at that lip cookie she made for her event; it was so good.
Uprooted and The Night Circus prints from Noverantale
New Candles from Canterbury Road Co.
How did you treat your shelves in July?
If It’s Not A Rant, It’s a Rave: Review of Uprooted by Naomi Novik
Title: Uprooted
Author: Naomi Novik
Publisher: Del Rey
Release Date: May 19, 2015
Genres: Young Adult/Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Synopsis:
“Our Dragon doesn’t eat the girls he takes, no matter what stories they tell outside our valley. We hear them sometimes, from travelers passing through. They talk as though we were doing human sacrifice, and he were a real dragon. Of course that’s not true: he may be a wizard and immortal, but he’s still a man, and our fathers would band together and kill him if he wanted to eat one of us every ten years. He protects us against the Wood, and we’re grateful, but not that grateful.”
Agnieszka loves her valley home, her quiet village, the forests and the bright shining river. But the corrupted Wood stands on the border, full of malevolent power, and its shadow lies over her life.
Her people rely on the cold, driven wizard known only as the Dragon to keep its powers at bay. But he demands a terrible price for his help: one young woman handed over to serve him for ten years, a fate almost as terrible as falling to the Wood.
The next choosing is fast approaching, and Agnieszka is afraid. She knows—everyone knows—that the Dragon will take Kasia: beautiful, graceful, brave Kasia, all the things Agnieszka isn’t, and her dearest friend in the world. And there is no way to save her.
But Agnieszka fears the wrong things. For when the Dragon comes, it is not Kasia he will choose.
Uprooted reads like a dark fairy-tale that ignites the most luminous story of courage, female empowerment, whimsical magic, and a hint of romance. I read this book back in November 2015 and this year I decided to do a re-read, because honestly I cannot get this story or the characters out of my head. And once again, I savored Uprooted to the very end.
Every chapter of Uprooted is captivating and beautifully written. The main character, Agnieszka, is a fierce heroine that is very in tune with her natural ability to be bold and selfless. I loved that Agnieszka is portrayed as being very intuitive to her magical gifts, but she never tries to outshine those around her. She observes, learns, and reacts with her instincts. Although her teacher, the Dragon, often gets irritated with her because she doesn’t stick to the rule book of magic, you can definitely see that he respects and cares for her.
Along with Uprooted being an enchanting, fairy-tale-esque story, the book also contains a slow-burn romance that will make your insides tingle. I loved reading the pages where Agnieszka and the Dragon argue and banter. The chemistry between these two characters is deeply rooted with passion, care, and respect for each other.
I also want to rave about the portrayal of female empowerment in Uprooted. While men in the novel try to play by traditional (patriarchal) standards and set rules, the female characters listen to their intuition and solve problems by their innate reactions. The female characters do not try to cut each other down. Instead they work together, often becoming each other’s saviors instead of the men being the “knights in shining armor.”
Overall, once again, I loved every second of Uprooted. The magic is dark but the characters are incredibly stunning. I really enjoyed the whimsical twists and gruesome turns. But most of all, I love that the quiet, simple girl doesn’t get lost in the pages or overshadowed by potential heroes; instead she uses her fears, instincts, and vulnerabilities as strengths to conquer evil.
Note: I was not provided a copy of this book by the author or the publisher in exchange for a review. I bought this book with my own funds, and I reviewed the book at my own discretion. All statements and opinions in this review are mine.
Top 5 Tuesday: Favorite Books to Collect (Free Week)
Top 5 Tuesday is a weekly meme created and hosted by The Bionic Book Worm.
Today’s topic: Free Week, so today I am highlighting some of my favorite books that I like to collect.
Click on my photographs to be linked to my review or the book’s Goodreads page.
I read Uprooted three years ago, a few weeks before my mom passed away. It was the last book that I remember raving about to her, so it will always be a wonderful memory that I hold in my heart. This book has everything from magic, fantasy, a fierce heroine, and a slow-burn romance.
One summer, during graduate school, I found The Night Circus and devoured it in one sitting. If there is one book in the world that I would want to experience the magic of reading all over again for the first time, it would be The Night Circus.
Last summer, I fell so deeply in love with a little story filled with loss and grief and so much love, and that book was called A Million Junes. Emily Henry’s storytelling had me laughing, crying, and swooning. I love that book so so much, and I wish it was on more TBRs, because this hidden gem is so magical and gush-worthy.
The Winner’s Curse was one of the first ever ARCs I won (via Twitter) from a huge publisher. When I received it in the mail, I devoured Kestrel and Arin’s story, and from that day on, I became one of The Winner’s Trilogy’s biggest cheerleaders.
I adore Stephanie Garber’s world of Caraval. I am always book-pushing this book/series to any reader that loves mystery, romance, and fantasy.
Honorary Collection:
I have been collecting different editions of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland since high school. Not only do I love the story and world, but I love finding new and different editions with beautiful covers.
What are some of your favorite books to collect?
Treat Yo Shelf: November 2017 Monthly Recap
November 2017: Monthly Recap
Welcome to my monthly recap post, in which I fangirl over the books I read in the last month, bookish items I acquired, book events I attended, bookish news, and/or subscription boxes I received this month.
(Click on the banner to be linked to blog post)
Thank you to Fierce Reads/Macmillan for an ARC of To Kill A Kingdom.
A huge thank you to Sarah Barley and Flatiron Books for The Hazel Wood tote bag and an ARC of I’m Not Missing by Carrie Fountain.
Thank you to Jaime at Fiction Fare for the trade. I read The Cruel Prince immediately and loved it.
Icey Designs created an Uprooted themed candle and it smells so good.
My friend Shannon gifted me this beautiful book sleeve that is A Million Junes themed. EEKKK…THANK YOU, SHAN!
November “Book of the Month” Pick
November Uppercase Box
How did you treat your shelves in November?
Top Ten Tuesday: FREEBIE!
HOSTED by The Broke and the Bookish
This week’s topic is a FREEBIE!…
Top Ten Books I Wish I Could Read Again for the First Time
(Click on the book cover to be linked to its Goodreads page or my review)
Top 5 Wednesday: Books That Took Me the Longest to Finish
TOP 5 WEDNESDAY is a weekly meme created by Lainey @ GingerReadsLainey and is currently hosted by Samantha @ Thoughts on Tomes. Every Wednesday a new topic is listed on the Goodreads group, and you list your top 5 books related to the particular topic.
This week’s topic is…
Books That Took Me the Longest to Finish
So a side note about myself. I am a quick reader; I can usually read a 350-paged book in less than 4 to 5 hours. But as a mood reader it is hard for me to just sit down and read any book from my shelf. So on weekends, I usually binge read at least 3 to 4 books. It’s very unusual and rare for me to set a book aside and read it over a weekly or monthly period, but I have done it, and the books below are proof.
Station Eleven took me 7 months to finish. I loved the book, and honestly I think I did not want it to end. Check out my review HERE.
I savored Uprooted to the very end. Every chapter was captivating and wonderfully written. I tried to make this book last as long as I could. This was also the last book I read and gushed about with my mom before she passed away. I think she would have loved reading it. Check out my short review HERE.
I had a hard time connecting to My Lady Jane. I really had to push myself to read and finish this book. Check out my struggles in my review HERE.
I think Truest is one of the most underrated books I have read in the last 2 years. It is truly spectacular and heartbreaking all at the same time. Check out my short review HERE.
I read Mosquitoland last year over a monthly period and loved it. I checked my Goodreads account to see if I had written a review, and it turns out I’m still “processing” my thoughts on it. Yeah, I need to get that review up ASAP, because this book deserves all the praise!!!
What are some books that took you the longest to finish? Is there a reason why it took you so long?
Treat Yo Shelf: August Monthly Recap
August Monthly Recap
Welcome to my monthly recap post, in which I fangirl over the books I read this month, bookish items I acquired, book events I attended, bookish news, and/or subscription boxes I received in the month of August.
What did I read?
What books did I buy?
(This does not include Kindle purchases)
I finally found a hardcover of Uprooted!!!
Nevernight (Signed 1st Edition) and The Winner’s Curse (new paperback)
The Night Circus (Japanese Edition)
What books did I receive from Publishers/Authors to review?
- Kiss Cam by Kiara London (Upcoming XPressoBookTours Review)
- Spells and Sorcery by S. Usher Evans (Upcoming XPressoBookTours Review)
- Amber Sky by Amy Braun (Upcoming Blog Tour Review for the author)
What books did I receive from friends/fellow bloggers as gifts or to borrow?
I received Caraval from Alyssa at Book Take You Places. Thank you, A!
I received How to Hang a Witch from Brittany at Book Addicts Guide. Thank you, Brittany!
August’s Uppercase Box
August’s Owlcrate
August’s Favorites
- Halloween/Fall items are starting to show up in stores.
- Being invited on Brittany’s Book and a Beverage feature.
- Guest Blogging for #NAAugust: 10 Things to Expect When Reading New Adult
- Attending The Walking Dead Day in Cynthiana, Kentucky
Have you heard? Bookish News!
- A lot of authors/book tours are coming up this Fall. Here is a sneak peak at some postings:
How did you treat your shelves in August? What books did you buy? What books did you read and would highly recommend?
Epic Reads Book Tag
I saw someone post this tag and I thought it would be something fun to complete. So here we go!
1. If you could invite one author and one of their fictional characters for tea who would you invite and what would you serve?
I would invite Charlotte Brontë and her character Jane Eyre. I would serve Earl Grey tea, sandwiches (including cucumber sandwiches), and macarons. I might sneak some Indian food in there as well; I think they would enjoy the spices.
2. What would you love a prequel for and what would be the main storyline?
I would want a prequel to Uprooted by Naomi Novik. I would want it to be all about the Dragon, his past, and maybe even a little sneak peak into his thoughts on Agnieszka while she is living with him.
3. Which two characters not from the same book would make a great book couple?
Hermione from the Harry Potter series and Clark from Morgan Matson’s The Unexpected Everything.
4. If you ran into your favorite author on the subway and could only say one sentence to them, what would you say?
I don’t even think I could get one sentence out. Hmm…I might say, “my life, my world, my thoughts, my opinions, all changed due to your words.”
5. What book made you a reader and why?
My mom, who was an avid reader herself, gifted me two books when I was in my tweens: Jane Eyre and Little Women. After reading those books, I became obsessed with reading, because I love escapism, and more importantly I loved the depiction of female empowerment that was ingrained in the female characters of both books.
6. If your bookshelf caught on fire which book would you save?
I would probably save one of my books from my The Winner’s Curse trilogy. Who am I kidding?! I would save this entire collection.
7. Which dystopian world would you want to live in?
Ummm…none. Are you crazy?!
8. What is your most epic read of all time?
Although, I love Jane Eyre, my most epic read is currently tied between The Night Circus and Uprooted. I am a sucker for stories that encompass magic, enchantment, strong/witty female characters, compassion, and a passionate couple.
Thanks for joining me!
I tag anyone who would love to complete this tag. And if you do this tag, please feel free to comment below with your link. I would love to check out your answers and pictures/.gifs that you add.
TOP TEN TUESDAY: Top 10 Things Books Have Made Me Want To Do or Learn About After Reading Them
TOP TEN TUESDAY
HOSTED by The Broke and the Bookish
This week’s topic is…
Top Ten Things Books Have Made Me Want To Do or Learn About After Reading Them
(Click the book cover to link to the book’s Goodreads’ page)
Made me want to travel to Europe
Made me want to participate in a séance
Made me want to visit Edgar Allan Poe’s grave
Made me want to learn more about the Edwardian Period
Made me want to learn how to read tea leaves
Made me want to research Russian Folklore/Folktales
Made me want to research rare disorders like Prosopagnosia
Made me want to visit Salem, Massachusetts AGAIN!
Made me want to learn more about possible Alternate Realities/Time Travel
Made me want to challenge myself more often
rants and raves of a bibliophile 