SOPHIE LI

Merry Christmas everyone!

To be honest, during this time of the year, I fall off the everything wagon: The reading wagon, the writing wagon, the healthy-eating wagon, even the pole-dancing wagon. All my hobbies are on the back burner because there is less time (however, MUCH more food.) BUT I am making an effort to keep up with my blog posts at the very least :’)

Today I want to tell you guys about two books that I’ve wanted to read for the longest time, and finally had!!! I was not disappointed!

From the Back Cover:

Simon Snow is the worst Chosen One who’s ever been chosen. That’s what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he’s probably right.

Half the time, Simon can’t even make his wand work, and the other half, he starts something on fire. His mentor’s avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there’s a magic-eating monster running around, wearing Simon’s face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here — it’s their last year at the Watford School of Magicks, and Simon’s infuriating nemesis didn’t even bother to show up.

Carry On – The Rise and Fall of Simon Snow is a ghost story, a love story and a mystery. It has just as much kissing and talking as you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell story – but far, far more monsters

What I liked:

• Characters that make you care: Simon, who is sweet and kind-hearted. Bad, who is sarcastic and cautious. And Penny, who is logical and talented.
• Incredible chemistry between the characters. I absolutely loved the tension between Simon and Baz.
• Amazing dialogue.
• Interesting concept of magic: words are power. For example, “up up and away” or “into thin air” are common sayings that have impact as spells.
• Steady pacing that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
• Enough plot twists to keep you satisfied about the ending.

What I didn’t like:

• Not much.
• Agatha, Simon’s ex-girlfriend, who is indecisive and plays the “damsel in distress” role. She makes some witty remarks which maybe redeems her?

The Bottom Line: 4/5 stars

If you love fantasy stories with amazing character development and a romantic touch, Carry On is a must-read!

From the Back Cover

THE WORLD IS BREAKING. AND SO ARE THEY.

Kate Harker isn’t afraid of monsters. She hunts them. And she’s good at it. August Flynn once yearned to be human. He has a part to play. And he will play it, no matter the cost.

THE WAR HAS BEGUN. THE MONSTERS ARE WINNING.

Kate will have to return to Verity. August will have to let her back in. And a new monster is waiting—one that feeds on chaos and brings out its victims’ inner demons. Which will be harder to conquer: the monsters they face, or the monsters within?

What I liked:

• Main characters who kick butt and break your heart at the same time. I love August, who has changed and matured since This Savage Song. I also love Kate, who is a strong, independent, and awesomely badass.
• Secondary characters who are very cool, such as Ilsa and Soro (a new Sunai).
• THAT ENDING (is all I’m going to say).

What I didn’t like:

• There are numerous secondary characters. Although they seem to have interesting stories, they are not given the chance to develop throughout the novel.
• August and Kate are great friends and perhaps more, however they do not spend as much time together as I would’ve liked. They are mostly out there doing their own thing. Then again this is coming from an avid contemporary reader 😛
• As much as I love aspects of this world, I feel like more could be done to develop the Chaos Eater and explain how it works in the grand scheme of things.

The Bottom Line: 3.5/5 stars

If you love This Savage Song, Our Dark Duet will not disappoint. Be prepared for the story to steal your heart (and then break it.)

How do you celebrate Christmas? Do you tend to fall off the wagon at this time of the year? How do you balance blogging and reading with Christmas activities? Do you like Christmas or are you a Grinch?

(To be honest, I am a bit of Grinch. Bah humbug!)