Wednesday 15 April 2015

The Young Elites | Marie Lu | #1



✴ ✴ ✴ 

“Be true to yourself. But that's something everyone says and no one means. No one wants you to be yourself. They want you to be the version of yourself that they like.” 

This book is plantastic......get it............

As per usual with mind-blowing books I have to take at least a few hours prior to writing my review to filter through my thoughts and possibly read a few other reviews and see what other people thought of this. 

Recently I haven't been reading as much as well as reviewing as much, partly because I have a whole month and a bit of exams ahead of me but also because I'm in a reading slump. I didn't actually realise I was in a slump until I started reading this. I just thought I was revising and that's why I haven't been reading, but the thing is I haven't been wanting to read anything. I actually forced myself to read this and that's why I finished it, but jokes on me because the book turned out to be really good! 
___________________________________________________________________________
I am tired of being used, hurt, and cast aside.

Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.

Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all. 

Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen. 

Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.

It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.
___________________________________________________________________________

This whole book is sexy and badass. 

This whole series has been deemed as 'dark' and slightly morbid but GOD BLESS Marie Lu for doing this though because everything has juts kept me on my toes and extremely interested to see where the next books goes and the third book. Marie Lu has just gotten better and badass! Extremely proud of her. I say this because if you've read her other books: The Legend trilogy which consists of:

I have reviews on all three that I will link and they are all spoiler free! 

The Young Elites is a Young Adult, Fantasy book that is going to be a trilogy. So far the first book is out which is, yes...The Young Elites and the second book is going to come out THIS YEAR IN FALL. 

This book follows three character perspectives however it's more of one perspective - the main character Adelina - and I'm assuming this series will follow the same or more perspectives. Although it's not constantly jumping to a new POV it's mostly Adelina's. I think out of the three in this book: Adelina, Enzo and Teren I adored Adelina's the most and maybe Enzo. I fell in love with Enzo. 

✧*:✧ *:Enzo is beautiful ✧*:✧ *:

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED, LOVED, LOVED THE MAIN CHARACTER ADELINA!!! I'm not some psychopathic freak who is into morbid stuff when I say I love this main character. She is definitely dark and just....very dark. I just want to point out she was crafted and written very well, I'm sure this is new to Marie Lu as she hasn't ever written a character like this before. Adelina is both the protagonist and the antagonist/villain. She is her own villain. You don't understand how excited I am to see how this all turns out!

The rest of the characters were amazing, especially Enzo and Teren. TEREN....where do I begin. I'm sure many people will love this book. I highly recommend this, truly a wonderfully written book. So grateful I started reading Marie Lu's books last year because she truly is amazing. Her world building and everything is very intriguing; it's not perfect (nothing ever is) but it's better than shit world building. 

That ending though.............................................................................................. Also if you're wondering the second book is called The Rose Society, that is getting published on October 6th 2015 (as of right now). 


ALSO GAME OF THRONES IS BACK!!!!!!!!!!!! I'M SO BLOODY HAPPY, but I have so many exams I think I am deceased. I really need to get reading on the first book but I think I will do that in the Summer. 

p.s

Wednesday 1 April 2015

Lullabies | Lang Leav








✴ ✴ 

Well, this is something new and I'm 100% excited because I adore poetry and I would love to share this with you. My wonderful friend -Tess- lent this to me. I mention her in quite a few of my posts *clears throat* i'mma just link ya'll: here, here and here

Current mood: sitting wishing for a cat and waiting for my face mask to dry.

How is everyone?
Comment est tout le monde?
Jak se všichni?
(I asked the same question in French and Czech. Not quite sure what I'm doing.) 

This was soooooooosososososo good. 
Need I say anymore?
That's all you need to know.
Go read it.
Bye.
This review is over.
Seriously! 

I don't actually think this book sells near any of the bookstores I live near so I had to borrow it from my friend Tess who actually got this from her Dad in the US. I'm supposed to give this back to her but I love it a lot and it's been two weeks. I'll give it to her when we meet up for another one of my friends birthday. 

Lullabies is Lang Leav's second book. Her first is Love & Misadventure, which I have yet to read. Her books aren't in order so you can read them however you please. Lullabies is filled with an assortment of poems all relating to 'love' and relationships. 

This book is short and filled with amazing poetry. It's not very long and maybe that's why I wanted to read it over a few days rather than at once. I wanted to savour the words and the experience. I feel like when you read poetry about love or sometimes friendship, you tend to think of a significant other and sometimes when you read 'love' poems it can feel like it sums up your relationship with the person or as if the poem speaks to you on an emotional level. For some people they may just be delighted by reading poetry about love or poetry in general, which is wonderful. I wish I would read more poetry and do it willingly. The idea of reading poetry when I was like 10 was horrific because that meant Shakespeare and I have a love hate thing going on with that dude. 

The reason for feeling as though these poems speak to you is because Lang Leav has created this to make you (the reader) the protagonist and you take on these poems with your experiences. This is also one of those books you have to own and physically hold. In my opinion anyways. 

A few of my favourite poems in this are: 
Her Words
Metamorphosis
Lullabies
The Dinner Guest 
Fading Polaroid 
Fairy Tales 
Soundtracks 
An Artist In Love 
The End

Lets talk about Lang Leav. Now I'm assuming she is a hopeless romantic like me (it's a life struggle). LANG LEAV HAS THE TYPE OF WRITING I WANT TO GET TATTOOED ON MYSELF! It's just so beautiful I think I'm going to cry. She has a way of capturing feelings into written words which I am so amazed by and makes me cry. Her work is truly lovely. 

Also she draws all her sweet images on the cover of her books and I HAVE NEVER RELATED SO MUCH TO AN AUTHOR. I like to write and paint, those two things are my favourite, also hugs. 

I've come across many bad reviews on this book. Most say that it just was written awfully or without much context; everything was jumbled. I don't particularly understand that however I read another review where someone said that they would have loved this in their teenage years. Which to an extent I agree. I'm not sure if I love this because I'm in that 'phase' or because I just love the poetry. For those reasons I gave it three stars, this book also won the Goodreads 2014 Winner for poetry (I think). 

To conclude if you want some hopeless romantic songs to die to, here:

Happy - Marina and the Diamonds 
Someone New - Banks 
Fuck Em Only We Know - Banks 
Why Try - Ariana Grande 
One Last Time - Ariana Grande 
Wake Me Up - Ed Sheeran (+ the rest of his songs)
Love Me Like You Do - Ellie Goulding 
Jet Pack Blues - Fall Out Boy 
Something I Need - One Republic
Avalanche - Nick Jonas 
You Are In Love - Taylor Swift 
Not On Drugs - Tove Lo
Robbers - The 1975 
Love Love Love - Avalanche City 
Everything by Sam Smith.....
Fireproof - One Direction 
Buy A Heart - Nicki Minaj
Bed Of Lies - Nicki Minaj 
Grand Piano - Nicki Minaj 
Sugar - Maroon 5
Hold Back The River - James Bay
Polaroid - Imagine Dragons 
Take Me To Church - Hozier 

These are only a few, I don't think you understand that I'm trying very hard to hold myself back from writing all my favourite songs!


p.s