Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Book Review Tuesday!

Greetings Readers!

I am super excited, I have 100 page views in just a week. I am so excited that I've had people reading my blog!! I cannot believe it's been a week since I have started this thing up and it's been a pretty awesome week. I am very glad with the way the blog has been going and I am hoping for many more weeks of deep thoughts, good reviews and other stuff like that. 

Now onto this week's book review. Today's book, in honor of the movie coming out, is City of Bones By Cassandra Clare. Now this book too is part of a series and I would love to review them all but I am going to do this book separately. Only because the movie adaption is coming out tomorrow and I am super excited!!

Again my mother recommended this series to me. My mother knows me and my taste in books quite well and half of the books I've read I have found through my mother. This series is another gem that my awesome mother helped me fine. Now I have a thing for stories of fallen angels or Nephilim, I love the concept and the various explanations and uses for them in society that Author's take. Now I have read a lot of books about Nephilim but Cassandra Clare's take is absolutely wonderful, and I think it's one of my favorites. She creates a world within our own that really opens the eyes. In the story she explains the unexplainable and no one would realize the differences. 

We meet Clarissa Fray, a young high school student who leads a pretty normal life. However one night when she and her friend are out a club, living their normal lives she sees something that completely rocks her world. What she witness will literally change the course of her life and unlock things inside of her that she had no idea was there. Everything that she thought she knew will be challenged and see will see the world in a different light. It's definitely a wild ride. It's a story of one girl's journey to discover who she is and the people who help her on that journey. It's also the story of a shadowhunter who closed himself off, and threw himself into his world. It's the story of a nerdy guy who suddenly becomes something more. Various characters are brought together and their stories intertwine and take you on the journey of a lifetime. Forget what you thought you know...because you could be very wrong.

The characters are really the best part because they aren't just your run of the mill characters. They have so much depth and their back stories and lives are so intricate. When you read it you may think you have a character pegged, but as you continue to delve into the story you realize just how wrong you were. There are twists and turns and exciting plot points and action scenes. There is seriously never a dull moment in this story. You are on the edge of your sheet wondering what's going to happen next. I am sure you all know by now that I don't like to give away spoilers, so if you haven't read the book, go read it. This story will definitely capture your imagination and suck you right in. Many times people read the synopsis and cast assumptions about characters, and plots but that is not the case with this book series.

The coolest part of all this is, I asked Cassandra Clare what her inspiration was and she totally responded and here is that she said:
"The idea for the Mortal Instruments came to me one afternoon in the East Village. I was with a good friend of mine, who was taking me to see the tattoo shop where she used to work. She wanted to show me that her footprints were on the ceiling in black paint — in fact the footprints of everyone who’d worked there were on the ceiling, crisscrossing each other and making patterns. To me it looked like some fabulous supernatural battle had been fought there by beings who’d left their footprints behind. I started thinking about a magical battle in a New York tattoo shop and the idea of a secret society of demon-hunters whose magic was based on an elaborate system of tattooed runes just sprang into my mind. When I sat down to sketch out the book, I wanted to write something that would combine elements of traditional high fantasy — an epic battle between good and evil, terrible monsters, brave heroes, enchanted swords — and recast it through a modern, urban lens. So you have the Shadowhunters, who are these very classic warriors following their millennia-old traditions, but in these urban, modern spaces: skyscrapers, warehouses, abandoned hotels, rock concerts. In fairy tales, it was the dark and mysterious forest outside the town that held the magic and danger. I wanted to create a world where the city has become the forest — where these urban spaces hold their own enchantments, danger, mysteries and strange beauty. It’s just that only the Shadowhunters can see them as they really are."
 How cool is this? As an aspiring author myself I thought all of this was amazing. Of course she gets massive brownie points for responding to me. I feel so special when an Author takes the time to answer my question. Regardless how cool is that she blended a biblical concept with the new age. These bad ass warriors who look the same as you and me, these shadowhunters who fight to protect us and we don't even know it. I think it's an excellent concept and a really neat story and definitely worth a read. I know I didn't regret it and found myself immersed into a world much like my own.  

If you have not read City of Bones, I highly recommend you read it before you go see the movie. There is only so much a movie can convey so make sure to read the book and then see the movie. I promise you this book series won't disappoint you. 

Monday, August 12, 2013

In the Beginning...

Greetings Readers!

I have for a long time been debating starting a blog. One of the main factors for not posting one was fear. I was worried about what people thought of what I wrote, or if I would offend anyone with my thoughts and feelings. And quite honestly I was afraid no one would care. I have trampled down that fear and decided to give this a go. I've got things on this heart of mine that I want to share with people.

Now I won't lie part of my motivation in creating a blog was thanks in part to a book series I am reading. The Lux Series by Jennifer Armentrout. Now some find it silly that a book can have that kind of impact but I don't think it does. One of the characters has a blog and I found myself envious. I spend massive amounts of time on the computer and internet, why not channel some of that into something productive and good. 

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Now for a shameless plug: I highly and I mean highly recommend the Lux Series, the first book is called Obsidian and I promise you won't regret it. It will pull you into and you won't want to leave. Trust me. I wouldn't lead anyone astray. There are two others in the series with the fourth installment coming out August 27th. So finish reading this post and then head to Kindle Store, Barnes & Noble, or the local library and read it! I love supporting my favorite authors, so you may see some more shameless plugs from here on out. So this post's shameless plug goes out to Jennifer Armentrout. Also if you like the Lux series, I recommend the Covenant series. I am not gonna lie but that series seriously cultivated my love of Greek Mythology and culture and who doesn't love a good greek myth? So go ahead, I dare you to pick up these books. And if you don't like them, I will eat my words!
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Back to our regularly scheduled posting. This is my new blog. I plan on updating as often as I can. I just want to share what's on my heart with the world. I am going to shove my fear away and post what i feel like when it hits me. I hope that you enjoy what I write and that you get something from it and if you don't, you will probably get a good book recommendation. I read a lot and I can't help but share good books with people. I may end up like Jennifer Armentrout's character, whom I find very relatable. 

So here it is, the beginning. In the beginning there was a young woman with things on her heart and no where to put them. Being inspired by an incredible book, and facing her fear she began her blog and let the words flow freely. You may be wondering why I chose the title i did and I will tell you why. One of my favorite verses in the bible: 1 Peter 1:7 - "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ"  We all go through trials in life and though in the midst of them we may feel like we are on fire or dying we aren't. We are being refined, we are being molded and shaped into the most pure and precious gold. Gold that is more valuable than anything else imaginable, and it makes us that just much stronger and all the more precious. I love this verse and it has always hit home with me. Much like anyone else I am going through various trials and one day I will be pure and refined and the finest gold ever. It sounds silly but it's what I believe and feel is true for everyone.

So dearest readers, I appreciate your time, and know this opening is kind of lame but hey it's a start! So thanks for reading and keep checking back. Comments are appreciated but if they are negative, just don't bother. I will not respond to them. These are my thoughts and feelings and I am not forcing them on you. Now that the warning is out there and done, happy reading and be blessed!

- Nicol