"Saying 'I notice you're a nerd' is like saying, 'Hey, I notice that you'd rather be intelligent than be stupid, that you'd rather be thoughtful than be vapid, that you believe that there are things that matter more than the arrest record of Lindsay Lohan. Why is that?' In fact, it seems to me that most contemporary insults are pretty lame. Even 'lame' is kind of lame. Saying 'You're lame' is like saying 'You walk with a limp.' Yeah, whatever, so does 50 Cent, and he's done all right for himself."— John Green
I always love this time of the year because it is back to school for most of the U.S!
Back to school as a kid was always my favorite time of year because I got new clothes, new supplies, and best of all, new books! My parents always let me get two new books to start the year off, and I've kept the habit (nowadays the limit is definitely more than two!).
So as I have some extra copies of some of my favorite books that I got from ALA, I figured I'd share the tradition with all of you in honor of a happy start of the beginning of the new school year.
Now, you don't have to still be in school to enter! I have been fully done with my Masters for 2 years now, and I still love me some school. So if you're young, old, graduated, or just starting off, check out the seven books I have in store for one lucky winner to set them up just right for the new school year!
After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.
Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for four years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.
Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.
I was definitely late to the bandwagon with this one! I had bought it when it first came out. I met Sarah and had Throne of Glass, along with, the then newly released, Crown of Midnight signed. Then I just popped them both on my shelf to be forgotten until...three years later (ohhh my bad). But I couldn't ignore the siren call anymore, especially when ToG is blowing up my Twitter feed on the daily. So I gingerly removed it from my shelf and fell head first into being complete ToG trash.
What is there not to love about this book?! It has so much! Great plot, great characters, great dialogue, great world building, it's all great! The way this world comes together blows me away, and Maas just builds upon this fantastic foundation that culminates in such an engrossing story you hate for it to end (luckily it's a series)!
Celaena Sardothien is the badass girl of my dreams. One of the best assassins in Adarlan, Celaena doesn't mind getting dirty when it's called for, murdering whoever the job determines. But then she is also into fashion, clothes, books, sweets; she loves a good indulgence, which is a dichotomy I adore. She kicks ass, kills men "stronger" than her, but still swoons over a good piece of chocolate. This is the type of female protagonist I want to see more of; girls don't have to be all "I'm super serious and can't like frivolous things". Uh, yes you can! I hate when female leads are purposefully made more masculine just so they are believable as being tough. Girls and women can be tough and still like to wear dresses.
Besides her obvious badassery, Celaena is a complex character. There are multiple facets to her, and Maas does a masterful job of layering them, then peeling back a hint of the layers when the plot calls for it. A great way she shows the reader the different sides to Celaena is by other characters' views of her. Chaol and Dorian, the two main male protagonists, see Celaena two very different ways. Through them you get to see different facets of her personality and realize there are deeper depths yet. Also, one's the Crown Prince of Adarlan and the other is the Captain of the Royal Guard....so they're pretty hunky. Hunky, but complex with a development shown throughout the story that mirrors Celaena's journey. I can't pick which to love because I can see the best qualities in both of them.
The overall mythos of the book is super interesting too. Just when you think you have something figured out, BAM Maas throws you a curve ball! And none of these twists seem forced or unecessary; they all work together to enrich the story and make it way more engaging. I feel a part of this world when I'm reading the book, and that's so important to a fantasy story.
This book, and this series (there are four more currently published with the fifth book coming out this year!!!!!!), is beyond epic. It is funny, sexy, and intense; just the kind of fantasy I want to dig my teeth into. Celaena is the female protagonist I've been looking for, and I love her with all her faults and merits. If you have yet to pick this book up, THEN WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Take it from someone who did wait, once you finish the first chapter you will be utterly in love, so go read Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas and be ToG trash with me!!!!
Extras
Book Trailer
Other Books in Series
Final Rating
Book Cover: 3/5 (for this cover; love the new one) Book Title: 5/5 Plot: 10/10 Characters: 10/10 Writing: 10/10 Endings: 9/10
Instead of In My Mailbox, I've decided to do New to My Shelves. I don't always have enough books to do weekly book hauls; this gives me the opportunity to save them up and do them more periodically, so for me, this makes much more sense!
Hello Happy Readers! I am back, and to celebrate I am bringing you a giveaway! School is just around the corner for many people (myself included), and I thought getting a present would make the switch from summer vacation a little bit more tolerable. This is a BIG giveaway; 17 books with a mix of signed copies, finished copies, and ARCs! Some are older books, other are newer books, but each one is a favorite of mine.
Yes, each of the above books are included. If you read the prize list on the rafflecopter you can see which books are signed, hardcover, paperback, or ARC. This giveaway is going to be only eligible for people living the in U.S. as I have to mail the books out myself, and that is a lot of books!
Check out the rafflecopter below in order to enter, and make sure to read the terms and conditions before entering! I hope everyone has had an excellent summer and good luck!
I love getting to meet authors in person! It's so much fun to be able to hear them talk about their books and writing. They are total rockstars and to be able to meet them is a real treat!
Events attended: 1. Kristen Simmons' Book Release Party for Breaking Point 2. The Sunshine Tour with Heather Burch, Karen Amanda Hooper, Anna Banks, J.A. Souders, Jenny Torres Sanchez, Lucienne Diver, Gaby Triana, Trish Doller, & Kristen Simmons. (click above for more dates for the tour)
