A Great and Terrible Beauty 3/5

So I had heard a lot of good things about this book, which naturally led me to have many expectations. And I have to say, unfortunately, that this book disappointed me a great deal. I thought that it was slow paced, that you received too little information to even know what was going on and, quite frankly, that the plot was boring. 

The story is about sixteen-year-old Gemma, who has lived in India all of her life. When she sees her mother die in a vision and it actually happens, she is sent to a boarding school in England. There she meets a group of girls, and together they explore the magic which led Gemma to have that first vision, while being warned not to by the mysterious Kartik. 

I do think that Bray is a magnificent writer. She really is. And I'm not really saying that I disliked the book or anything like that. It just disappointed me because I had too many expectations. I am going to read the sequel, though, because I was intrigued, and I've heard that the series gets better. Hopefully it won't disappoint me! Another thing I have to say is that I think Bray managed to write the time period perfectly. Kudos!

Okay, so just to be clear: This book was good, not great. Good enough to continue reading the series, though! 

3 out of 5

Read: Jan 05-09, 2011

My Soul to Steal 5/5

I'll just use this opportunity to express my feelings about this series. I love, love, love, LOVE it. It has become one of my favorite series of all time, and Rachel Vincent one of my favorite authors. I love the way Vincent portrays teenage relationships. It's much more realistic than other young adult-books I've read. 

This series is about bean sidhes AKA banshees. And I so love that! I had never read books about banshees, but I like it a lot. Though, alright, I'll admit that the appeal of the series might not be the whole banshee-thing, but more the whole Kaylee/Nash-thing. I adore the way Vincent deals with their relationship. It just can't be said enough that it is so deliciously good to read about a realistic teenage relationship. It's amazing to read about a book that actually deals with the sexual tension between two teenagers instead of completely avoiding the subject. I mean, it's all natural and normal, why would authors need to stay away from that subject just because some people are a bit sensitive?

Anyway. So I finally got my hands on this book, and wow. Yes, I expected that more problems would be resolved, but now that I think about it, if more problems were resolved it would seem unnatural and forced. So it's all good! And I really cannot wait until the next book is released!

So I'll continue praising Vincent's way of writing, because I really really love it. I love the way she makes you picture the scenes so clearly, which adds to the whole reading experience. I love the way she dealt with a certain someone's way to recovery from drug abuse. I love the way her characters are flawed, just like any other person. Yes, I thought Kaylee was a bit selfish, but honestly? I think that is one of the things that make the book so realistic and great, and make the book amazing. (Besides, she totally has deserved the right to be selfish. And the way she acts may also not be entirely selfish, I just have a very strict sense of loyalty.)

Yes, I was very pleased with this book. And I hope that many more read this series, because it really is amazing (as I keep telling you)! Rachel Vincent even has a prequel novella to the series free to download here (My Soul to Lose), if you want a little taste. There's also another novella up for download here (Reaper), about Tod. I would recommend that you read at least the first book in the series before you read the Reaper-novella, though. It's just better if you know who Tod is before you read the novella. He'll make more sense to you then. 

Read: Jan 1, 2011

2010

Total # of books read: 37
Books Read for the first time: 30Total Number of Authors Read (not including anthologies) : 19
Total Number of Never-Before-Read authors (not including anthologies) : 12
Number of Books written by men: 3
Number of books that made me cry: 20
Total Number of Books that I read more than once DURING 2010: 1 
Book read most times during 2008: Spirit Bound



1.  Robin McKinley - Sunshine (??/??-??/??)
2. Brent Weeks - Beyond the Shadows (??/??-??/??)
3. John Green - Paper Towns (07/02)
4. Kristin Cashore -  Graceling (20/03)
5. Richelle Mead - Succubus Shadows (10/04)6. Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games (13/04-14/04)
7. Holly Black - Ironside (??/??-??/??)
8. RIchelle Mead - Spirit Bound (25/05)
9. Rachel Vincent - Stray (??/??-??/??)
10. Cassandra Clare - City of Bones (??/??-??/??)
11. Cassandra Clare - City of Ashes (18/06-19/06)
12. Cassandra Clare - City of Glass (20/06)13. John Green - Looking for Alaska (12/07)
14. Jeaniene Frost - First Drop of Crimson (15/07-18/07)
15. Suzanne Collins - Catching Fire (21/07)
16. Maria V. Snyder - Poison Study (22/07)
17. Sarah Dessen - Along for the Ride (15/08)
18. Cassandra Clare - Clockwork Angel (15/09)
19. Suzanne Collins - Mockingjay (16/09)20. Sarah Rees Brennan - The Demon's Lexicon
21. Laurie Halse Anderson - Speak (06/10)
22. Rachel Vincent - My Soul to Lose (07/10) + Reaper (??/12)
23. Kiersten White - Paranormalcy (07/10-10/10)
24. Rachel Vincent - My Soul to Take (07/10)
25. Rachel Vincent - My Soul to Save (08/10)
26. Rachel Vincent - My Soul to Keep (10/10)27. Sarah Rees Brennan - Demon's Covenant (18/10)
28. Alyson Noel - Evermore (27/11)
29. Anthony Horowitz - Crocodile Tears (30/11)
30. Stephen Chbosky - The Perks of Being a Wallflower (??/??)
31. Cheyenne McGray - Demons Not Included (12/12)
32. Richelle Mead - Last Sacrifice (14/12)
33. Maria V. Snyder - Magic Study (25/12)
34. Richelle Mead - Vampire Academy (26/12)35. RIchelle Mead - Frostbite (27/12)
36. Richelle Mead - Shadow Kiss (28/12)
37. Richelle Mead - Blood Promise (28/12-30/12)

I haven't really had time to read much this year. Between studies and work I just haven't had much time to just sit down and enjoy my precious books. Next year I will read more, I promise!

Oh, and by the way, if you noticed that 20 books out of 37 made me cry, I'll confirm right now that I am indeed an emotional mess. I get way too attached to characters, so I often sit and cry, not only out of sadness but also happiness, frustration and whatever other reasons, while I read. Yay me?


Well, I wish you a very happy year filled with lots of great books! May all the releases next year (starting with Rachel Vincent's My Soul to Steal in a few hours) be as good as we hope they are!