Music Monday: Peter Gundry

Happy Monday everyone and welcome to Music Monday! This weekly meme was created by Lauren @Always Me. Let's share some songs we've been enjoying lately! If you would like to play and I really hope you do, please see the rules and link up. 

So, I've been searching for more reading music. I don't really listen to much music anymore that I can't read to. I don't remember how, or when but I stumbled across this composer, and I am loving this music.

Review: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend

Title: The Trials of Morrigan Crow

Author: Jessica Townsend

Series: Nevermoor #1

Genre: Middle-Grade/Fantasy

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: October 31st, 2017

Edition: Kindle Edition, 513 pages

Source: Library

Purchase: Amazon US | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | BAM

Synopsis:

  Morrigan Crow is cursed. Having been born on Eventide, the unluckiest day for any child to be born, she's blamed for all local misfortunes, from hailstorms to heart attacks--and, worst of all, the curse means that Morrigan is doomed to die at midnight on her eleventh birthday.

  But as Morrigan awaits her fate, a strange and remarkable man named Jupiter North appears. Chased by black-smoke hounds and shadowy hunters on horseback, he whisks her away into the safety of a secret, magical city called Nevermoor.

  It's then that Morrigan discovers Jupiter has chosen her to contend for a place in the city's most prestigious organization: the Wundrous Society. In order to join, she must compete in four difficult and dangerous trials against hundreds of other children, each boasting an extraordinary talent that sets them apart--an extraordinary talent that Morrigan insists she does not have. To stay in the safety of Nevermoor for good, Morrigan will need to find a way to pass the tests--or she'll have to leave the city to confront her deadly fate.

Review:

So this book gave me BIG Harry Potter vibes. Though the story has nothing similar to Harry Potter. It just gave me the same magical feeling I got when I first read HP.

I really liked Morrigan as a character. I had a lot of sympathy for her and her situation. Her father is very cold towards her because she is "cursed", and gets blamed for everything and has to pay for everything that gets blamed on her even though there is never really any proof that she caused it. The only one who treats her with any level of kindness is her grandmother, and it's never plainly stated what happened to her mother but it's pretty obvious she died. And Morrigan's step-mother is very self-absorbed.

Jupiter is also a really great character. He's eccentric and kind of a charming character. He's elusive to why he saved Morrigan, and when his reasoning comes out I can kind of understand why he felt the need to hide it from her. Even though things almost didn't work out for them. His motivations still kind of remain a mystery. There are some questions about him, that I can't share because they are mild spoilers that involve other characters. He owns a hotel that changes its appearance based on the residents.

There are a number of side-characters, all are great. Fenestra, a giant cat (and head of housekeeping of the hotel) might be my favorite side character. Sure, Hawthorne and Jack are great. But I just like the giant sassy cat the most.

There are a handful of other characters who play a decent role in this book, but they aren't exactly memorable. Not right now and not for me anyway.

The plot of this book might seem a little cut and dry at first, but there is an underlying mystery to this book that I really enjoyed. It was great seeing Morrigan grow in this book. She starts off very unsure of herself and while it's understandable, she has low self-worth. But what can you expect from someone who was told her whole life by everybody around her that she is cursed at to blame for everything that goes wrong, from crop failure to somebody tripping?

There is a lot to love about this series. I only wish I knew that the third book wasn't out yet when I decided to pick this one up. Because now I have to wait to read it, it's not coming out until February so it's not too terribly long of a wait. But I still have to wait.

Friday 56 and Book Beginning: Marrow Charm by Kristin Jacques || Friday 50/50: Character Most/Least Likely to Start a Band

Please join us over at RoseCityReader every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author’s name.

This is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice
These are the rules:

1. Grab a book, any book.

2. Turn to page 56, or 56% on your eReader.

3. Find any sentence (or a few, just don't spoil it) that grabs you.

4. Post it.

5. Add the URL to your post in the link on Freda's most recent Friday 56 post.

Synopsis:

  'In his pursuit of the occult, the Third Reich opened the Gate to a realm of magic and brought the world to ruin. The Gate was eventually closed, but They were already in our world and They were hungry.'
-The Lost History, Library of Avergard
  Azure ‘Azzy’ Brimvine lives in a world decimated by magic, where humans have retreated underground from the overwhelming dangers of the surface. But Below is no safer than Above.
  Magic borne plagues continue to eat away at the remaining human cities, a sickness that doesn’t merely kill, but creates aberrations from the stricken: people twisted by magic into something dark, dangerous, and powerful. It is an existence of fear and constant dread. When Azzy’s brother, Armin, is infected and cast out into the Above, she sets out after him, determined to be there for him no matter what he becomes.
  The world Above is full of monsters, both wild and cunning, some more human than Azzy was led to believe. Armin is captured and bound for the Auction block of Avergard, a ruthless city of inhuman lords and twisted creatures. To reach him, Azzy must brave the perils of the Above and the chaotic life forms created by the Gate. To reach him, she must find allies and forge new bonds in this broken world.
  And Azzy must reach him, before Armin’s new power is used to open the Gate once more.

Book Beginning: 
The gap between the blacksmith and Morgan's Drink House was just wide enough for Azzy and her pickaxe to squeeze through.

Friday 56:
She opened her colorless eye, peering through the filtered world at Kai's inert form. No, forms-- two forms-- man and wolf, existing in the same space, not one or the other, but one and the same.

*   *   *   *   *

50/50 Friday is a new weekly link-up hosted by Carrie @ The Butterfly Reader and Laura @ Blue Eye Books.  Every week they have a new topic featuring two sides of the same coin - you share a book that suits each category and link up on the hosts' blogs.


So, characters least and most likely to start a band. Interesting...


Most Likely
Luc from the Lux and Origin series by Jennifer L. Armentrout
(I can't find any fan art, and I don't want to use some random image of a blonde kid. That feels weird to me)
But he love attention, and I think he would form a band just for the attention.


Least Likely

Cardan, Cruel Prince by Holly Black
He seems too aloof to bother taking the time to form and maintain being in a band.

Review: Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas

Title: Empire of Storms

Author: Sarah J. Maas 

Series: Throne of Glass #5

Genre: NA/Fantasy/Romance

Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books

Publication Date: September 6th, 2016

Edition: Hardcover, 704 pages

Source: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon US | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | BAM

Synopsis:

Kingdoms will collide.

  The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius as war looms on the horizon. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those who don't.

  With her heart sworn to the warrior-prince by her side, and her fealty pledged to the people she is determined to save, Aelin will delve into the depths of her power to protect those she loves. But as monsters emerge from the horrors of the past, and dark forces become poised to claim her world, the only chance for salvation will lie in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.

Review:

Excuse my language but... Fucking EXCUSE ME‽

Ok, so I admit that I hadn't really been as into this series as I used to be... until now. I'm still not super excited to read Chaol's book, and that is partly why I lost interest in this series. But I did some research and read that it has important parts and it made people who previously didn't like Chaol like the character, so that gives me some hope.

A lot happened in this book. Those 704 pages didn't waste my time at all. (I mean, I could have done with less detail with some of the sex scenes, but whatever I guess.)

It has been a while since I've read one of these books, so it took me a couple pages to remember what happened in the previous book. As far as small details anyway. The bigger plot things I remembered.

Anyway, I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. I avoided spoilers, I knew I wanted to finish the series despite my feelings on it and I still wanted things to be a surprise. There's a lot of scheming in this book, a lot of behind the scenes planning that the reader isn't privy to until the plans are revealed. And I actually kind of like that, it leaves suspense.

Rowan and Aelin were great in this book. I really do like that they treat each other as equals, I mean she is his Queen and he is blood-sworn to her but she never really uses that power over him. She does keep things from him, but the reason they give of her not wanting to reveal, for just not wanting to disappoint him, makes sense.

Lysandra and Aedion were also great in his book. I like their chemistry. How he respects her and her past enough to let her decide how things will progress for them. I hope things work out for them, especially considering how this book ends.

Mannon and Dorian, I honestly was expecting this. Since Maas has to pair everybody off, I saw this coming. And it does make sense for his character for why he's initially attracted to her. Mannon is also one of my favorite characters, and I think she deserves happiness.

Elide, I don't remember her character from the last book. Granted it has been four years since I read that book, and it's the first book she's in... but I like her character. She's a bit naive and too trusting of certain people... but she also has been sheltered to the extreme, so I guess it makes sense. I don't get why she has any kind of feelings for Lorcan, he was never exactly kind to her. But I suppose the fact that he wasn't cruel to her was enough for it to be kindness in her eyes. Who knows?

I really hate Lorcan. He's such a tool. Such a one-track mind and I hate how he talks about others like he's above them for basically not really having any independent thoughts of his own. He hates Aelin because his Queen hates her, and is just a general ass. I really hope he gets what's really coming to him. He deserves more than he got.

Maeve, god she's terrible. I think she might be the most sadistic villain I've read about in a while. The last time I remember seeing her character was in HoF, and I don't remember her having much page time. Not enough for me to get an idea of her character.
I hope she dies a painful death.

I don't know if I want to go straight into Tower though, I might wait a few days. Get through some other books first.

Music Monday: A Love Like Pi

Happy Monday everyone and welcome to Music Monday! This weekly meme was created by Lauren @Always Me. Let's share some songs we've been enjoying lately! If you would like to play and I really hope you do, please see the rules and link up. 

A friend of mine shared this album with me back in 2010, but now the album, Atlas and The Oyster, can't be found anywhere. At least not digitally, and I have no idea why. I also can't seem to find any streams of the songs, like on Spotify. It's all very strange, I wish I knew why the album seems to have disappeared.