Daughter of Smoke and Bone | Laini Taylor

✴ ✴ ✴.5
 Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love. It did not end well. 

*got me camera back and the photos look fab again, also my kangaroo in the back looks demonic...

Compared to everything else I've been reading lately this is a very 'out of the sort' books that I ended up picking to read, the only reason I did this was because I was somehow, very compelled to pick it up and delve into the story. 

'Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.
In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.
And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.
Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real, she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands", she speaks many languages - not all of them human - and her bright blue hairactually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.
When beautiful, haunted Akiva fixes fiery eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?'

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor is a Young Adult Fantasy trilogy. I'm gonna put it out there that this is not for everyone and I'm pretty sure only a third of people will enjoy this book to it's fullest. The reason for this would be because most people won't be too familiar with fantasy and this book is fantasy fantasy; it's not easy to read if you've never read fantasy and I would not recommended this as your first.

It was difficult for myself to get into (also I read lots and LOTS of fantasy) and I tried my best to slowly ease myself so I wouldn't be too confused. Laini Taylor its a phenomenal writer! The writing is so fluid and its a mix between poetry and humour, it's all just very beautiful, the way she describes *falls* it's truly wonderful. When I say poetry I don't mean - Tahereh Mafi Shatter Me - poetryishness. 

People have told me and I have also read in a couple of reviews that the first book might not be everyones cup of tea but you just HAVE to give the second one a whirl and you'll start to love it more. Now, I didn't LOVE the first book but I;m gonna read the second one because I have it and if there is a possibility it might be a fantastic read, what the hell! There is also this thing going around where 250 pages in there is a plot twist and basically the plot gets twisted and you either enjoy the plot twist or it ruins the book for you. 

If you're someone who loved the first book and the whole series, honestly, good for you. I'm glad some people absolutely drool over this series because it's a fantastic read, just not up my ally.

You're probably wondering whether I liked it or not, right? Lemme just put it out there that I recall absolutely adoring every single page till the 250/260 mark and that's when it went all whooshy and some stuff happens. I didn't enjoy the pages after that very much at all, however the few chapter towards the end it picked up again and I ended the book feeling accomplished. I have no idea how I flew through that not too flustered.

I guess you could say I would recommend this to people who have read a bit of fantasy and enjoy that genre. I can't make a proper decision right now because it would only make sense after I read the second book to actually decided my feelings for this.

Magnolia | Kristi Cook

✴ ✴ ✴ 

Sorry about the crappy pics guys, my dad has my proper camera and I'm using my phone for now.  

I actually read this in October and this was the last book I read in that month but it has taken me a very long time to review it. (1) because I was in Japan for a holiday, (2) I wasn't in the mood to read/review, (3) I was sick with hay-fever for a week or so, (4) I'm lazy as f$*%. 

I didn't have an urge to review this at all and that may be another reason as the book was alright; nothing special. I enjoyed it and that's about it. It definitely wasn't what I was expecting! I thought it would be cliche as hell and I would just hate it. In a turn of events I actually didn't hate it and it wasn't cliche, cheesy? maybe but not cliche. 

There aren't enough books where school and uni/college aspects are dealt properly whereas Kristi Cook did a fab job in re-creating the mood of senior year and the stress that teens go through. It's always the most straight forward things you never see in a y/a contemporary. I actually cry every time! Why can't authors create contemporaries where it's some what realistic with periods, school, stress, exams and not filled with insta-love? It's obviously not what everyone goes through and it's not a perfect representation but I respect the fact that she included the issues at hand in senior year. 

'In Magnolia Branch, Mississippi, the Cafferty and Marsden families are southern royalty. Neighbours since the Civil War, the families have shared vacations, holidays, backyard barbecues, and the overwhelming desire to unite their two clans by marriage. So when a baby boy and girl were born to the families at the same time, the perfect opportunity seemed to have finally arrived.

Jemma Cafferty and Ryder Marsden have no intention of giving in to their parents’ wishes. They’re only seventeen, for goodness’ sake, not to mention that one little problem: They hate each other! Jemma can’t stand Ryder’s nauseating golden-boy persona, and Ryder would like nothing better than to pretend stubborn Jemma doesn’t exist.

But when a violent storm ravages Magnolia Branch, it unearths Jemma’s and Ryder’s true feelings for each other as the two discover that the line between love and hate may be thin enough to risk crossing over.'

Magnolia is a young-adult contemporary. It's a very southern book (southern bells holler). It's located in Mississippi and I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO VISIT THERE. I just really want to go to Mississippi sometime in the future, it's really pretty. Southern accents are v cool as well. The things they said in this book and the way they said them at times were just hilarious, the dialogue was epic. I remember laughing lots n lots, most of the time I was laughing at how cheesy it was and because I'm a sucker for romance. bYE!

I found myself all through the book wondering how it was going to end, only because it's one of those novels where the guy and the girl hate each other but then the like get together, I don't think that's much of a spoiler because it's said in the blurb and come on! Where could it possible go if it's a contemporary? Yes cliche but it motherofgod there were some  crayyzeee plot twists; you never really knew what to expect. Although I've read enough fanfic to know where it was going, however there are times where I was like 'what is happening' there are some intense moments in this book and in the end it all adds up. 

The characters are loveable and refreshing, it's a good quickie. Perfect for read-a-thons or a great book to get over another book. It's a really cute book. Sorry for the late review (I am indeed alive and have not died, yet) I will be trying to catch up on some of the other review I have.