Of Pens and Swords Book Review

Of Pens and Swords

By Rena Rocford

 

Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Cyra Berque wants two things in life: a date with Rochan and a chance to fence at the Olympics. But people with one hand don’t normally fence, and girls with big thighs don’t get the boy. Knowing that she wants to make the Olympics, Cyra’s coach sets her up with another coach, one who could take her all the way to the top, but the new coach costs more. Feeling her dreams slipping out of reach, Cyra agrees to tutor a ballerina with a rich father and a D minus in English. It’s triple the pay and triple the pain. The ballerina isn’t interested in passing classes―she wants Rochan, and she’s promised she’ll turn her D minus into a full-fledged F if Cyra doesn’t help her win the heart of Rochan. (Goodreads Summary)

My Review: I went into this book not knowing anything beyond the brief synopsis, and I came out of it in a combined mess of tears of joy and sadness. I didn't believe prior to reading this that any other author besides John Green could make me feel these things. Rena Rocford is a true genius, and I thank her for writing this book which I am now going to annoy all of my friends with by telling them to read every second of ever day.
            One thing Rocford does extraordinarily well in her writing is character development. She gives each character their own individual voice and personality, and allows the reader to truly feel like they are connecting with them. A character I surprisingly found that I was able to connect with was Crya. After reading the synopsis I didn't think that I could find a way to connect with a one-handed fencer, but Cyra is much more than that. She is a smart girl, a feminist (there's this amazing scene where they are discussing sexism in Hamlet in english class), a bookworm (she makes several references to Harry Potter), Captain Hook obsessed, and she puts all her effort towards achieving her dreams. I started out hating Christina in the beginning; I thought that she was going to be the cliche bratty girl turned nice, and that it was going to be something I'd already read a thousand times before. I can tell you, it was not. Now, Rochan is the only character I have slight issues with. I can't say much about my issues with him without spoiling the ending, but I can say that I believe he comes to terms with something a little quicker than I would've expected. All in all, 
            The overall plot of the story was ingenious to me; a new take on an old story. For some reason it reminded me of the movie John Tucker Must Die. Not in the whole revenge way, but the whole girls banding together to get a guy to like a girl way. Sounds confusing when I write it out, but it make perfect sense in my head. I promise. I can't say much else without spilling the beans, but there is one thing that happens towards then end of the book that caught me completely off guard. I was completely unprepared, my walls were down, and Rena Rocford made me sob like a four year old who lost their favorite toy. Right before I read this part I decided that I was to go to bed at the end of the chapter, but that never happened. It made me want to stay through till the bitter end, and I ended up finishing it in one session.
              Also, do you see how beautiful this cover is??? I know you're not supposed to judge a book by its cover but, the cover was honestly what made me click on the book on Netgalley in the first place. I love the use of bright colors, the ballet costume that is merged with the feather quill, and the letter in the background. All these things corresponding to stuff in the story which made it fun and interesting to look back on once I'd finished. I read this book on my kindle, and I need to get my hands on a physical copy to add to my collection IMMEDIATELY.

I give Of Pens and Swords 5 stars because is a beautifully written book filled with wonderfully written, loveable characters and an enticing story filled with many twists and turns. I am so glad to have recieved a copy from the publisher, Curiosity Quills Press, off of Netgalley to review, because I don't know if I would've picked it up if I hadn't, and I am incredibly happy that I read it. I suggest you pick it up if you're looking for a nice, realistic fiction read that'll make you laugh and cry both happy and sad tears.

If you would like to purchase Of Pens and Swords

Book Depository

Amazon

Author and Publisher Links

Publisher

Author's Blog

-CG

My Other Social Media

Hey guys! Even though I love Blogger, it's not my only form of social media.
Instagram (Personal): https://www.instagram.com/cg_marinelli/
Instagram (Bookish): https://www.instagram.com/vibrantreads/
Tumblr: http://the-girl-who-read-too-much.tumblr.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VibrantReads
I just think it would be cool to connect on other platforms, and I follow back on all of the. I can't wait to get to know y'all better!
CG

Lady Midnight Book Review

Lady Midnight

By Cassandra Clare

DISCLAIMER: I'm not going to spoil any major plot points of Lady Midnight, but I am going to mention some minor things. You have been warned.

Synopsis: It’s been five years since the events of City of Heavenly Fire that brought the Shadowhunters to the brink of oblivion. Emma Carstairs is no longer a child in mourning, but a young woman bent on discovering what killed her parents and avenging her losses.

            Together with her parabatai Julian Blackthorn, Emma must learn to trust her head and her heart as she investigates a demonic plot that stretches across Los Angeles, from the Sunset Strip to the enchanted sea that pounds the beaches of Santa Monica. If only her heart didn’t lead her in treacherous directions…

            Making things even more complicated, Julian’s brother Mark—who was captured by the faeries five years ago—has been returned as a bargaining chip. The faeries are desperate to find out who is murdering their kind—and they need the Shadowhunters’ help to do it. But time works differently in faerie, so Mark has barely aged and doesn’t recognize his family. Can he ever truly return to them? Will the faeries really allow it?

            Glitz, glamours, and Shadowhunters abound in this heartrending opening to Cassandra Clare’s Dark Artifices series. (Goodreads Summary)

My Review:  My initial reaction to finishing Lady Midnight: Why Cassandra! WHYYYYY!!! Why do you feel the need to build me up, fill my heart with joy, and the just RIP IT OUT AND SHRED IT INTO A MILLION PIECES! 
            Now that that's over with, we can get into the actual review. Being Cassandra Clare trash, I was going into Lady Midnight with high  expectations, and I was not disappointed. One thing that I especially loved about the book overall was that there was no world building required due to it taking place just a short while after City of Heavenly Fire. That is great if you'd read the previous books (no need to read annoying world building when you already know all there is to know about the world), but that also means that this isn't a book that just anyone can pick up off the shelf. You have to be familiar with the shadowhunter world or else you are going to be extremely confused as it drops you right in to the middle of the action. Another overall thing I loved about Lady Midnight was even though it was another shadowhunter book, it wasn't just ANOTHER shadowhunter book. It had its own plot, characters, and locations that were unique and all their own.
          The premise of the book is interesting in itself, but, at least for me, what made the book was the characters. Clare makes you fall in love with the entire Blackthorn clan (including the extended family): Emma, Julian, Mark, Christina, Ty (Oh my god...ESPECIALLY TY), Livy, Tavvy, Dru, and Malcolm. I found myself relating to several of the characters because instead of just focusing in on one or two specific characters, Cassandra went above and beyond, giving you an inside look on everyone. The only character I felt that we weren't told a lot about was Diana, and I hope that we get to understand her more in the next book. I especially love when Emma takes Christina on a tour of the Blackthorn bedrooms which gives you a look from the outside in on each of the Blackthorn children. I also really like how Cassandra incorporates characters that are not only straight, but also gay and bisexual along with characters that posses mental illnesses, because we need to see more of those characters in Young Adult novels. 
          I know this topic I'm going to talk about really should go under the characters paragraph, but I believe it truly deserves a paragraph of its own: Emma and Julian's forbidden romance. OH MY GODDDDD! WHYYYYY CASSANDRA! WHY!!!! This beats Clace, this beats Sizzy, this beats both Jessa and Wessa, this almost beats Malec (almost. I said almost. Nothing can truly beat Malec. Ever). Even from the beginning you can tell both characters feel something beyond friendship for each other and are trying to suppress their emotions, and (if you're trash like me) you can't help but ship their forbidden love and squeal every time something happens, and let me tell you, SHIT GOES DOWN. I can't wait to see what happens between them in the future.
            Perhaps an unpopular opinion: I love the villain of this book. Now, I can't say much without spilling major points of this book, but there are a few things I can say. I love the reason why they are doing what they are doing; I think that are.....amazing; I love that they were not who I expected. Yeah, that's all I can say without ruining anything. I can't really say a lot about the plot besides the fact that they are looking for the people who killed Emma's parents, who are actually involved in a scheme of things that are killing more people, without spoiling anything.
            Another thing I can't talk about without spilling  is the ending, but BY THE ANGEL I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR THE ENDING....AND THE FINAL LINE....TAKE ME NOW CASSANDRA! TAKE ME NOW! (If you've read it and you want to talk about just leave a comment, send me an email, or contact me on tumblr because.....I NEED TO LET THESE FEELINGS OUT!)
            I give Lady Midnight 5 stars (I would give it more if I could) because of the characters, the amazing story line, and the fact that I am, and forever will be, Cassandra Clare trash.

If you would like to purchase Lady Midnight

Book Depository

Barnes and Nobles

Amazon

-CG

Lady Midnight Update

Hey guys, I just finished Lady Midnight so expect a review to be out for it in a few days. I also just started spring break so I'll have a lot more to time read and post reviews.
Cg

I Don't Make Mistakes - A Short Story by Cg Marinelli

            I know I'm a little late on this (a little late meaning a month and a half late), but I finally have something that I've written that I deem worthy enough to post. Be warned that I have no editor, I probably do have a couple of errors here or there, and that I'm not a professional. Please enjoy and leave me comments on what you like and what you think I can improve on; constructive criticism is extremely helpful. Thank you, CG.

I Don’t Make Mistakes

Sitting in the questioning room of the FBI headquarters with my hands cuffed to the table, I remained stoic as I faced their best, Special Agent Nathan Shaw, face to face.

“You want to know something Agent Shaw, I’ve never believed in psychology, never will. The whole idea that you can learn everything about someone by simply observing them is just a man’s fantasy. Like right now, you’re observing my actions, and deciding whether or not I’m capable of murder.”

“Mr. Mullins, or can I call you Edward? Ed? You know what, I’m actually just going to stick with Mullins. We don’t even need to decide if you’re guilty or not. There was substantial forensic evidence proving that you were at every scene of every crime, and we matched the mark burned into the victim’s flesh matched the design on your ring.” I removed the ring from my left hand middle finger and spun it on the table. It was my great grandfather’s, and had our family crest stamped into the flat top of the platinum band.

“It seems almost animalistic doesn’t it. All those people, their wrists bound to their ankles, stabbed several times, all non fatal, branded with some sort of seal, throats slit, mounted to the walls of their homes…” I looked off to the side of Agent Shaw’s head and remembered their faces as I pressed my scorching ring into their flesh, marking them permanently.

“Is that a confession Mullins?” Shaw raised an eyebrow, almost daring me to confess, and I’m not one to back down.

“You tell me, Agent Shaw. You were the one to tell me that I was present at every murder, and that my ring is responsible for branding the victims.”

“That’s true, and we’ve discovered something else. The actual murder weapon, a small little pocket knife used to slit their throats, was found in a hidden compartment of your desk drawer.”

“Is that so? Hmm, then why am I here Agent Shaw? Why haven’t you just thrown me into the slammer like you do your other suspects?”

“Because, now that we have the murder weapon, we have the proof, I want to know your motive. Why’d you do it Mullins? There has to be some kind of explanation.”

“Look at me Agent Shaw, what do you see?”

“I see a young man with a brilliant mind who’s wasted all of his potential.”

“No, you see a small, frail, seemingly weak man, who looks like the kid all the bullies beat up at lunch.” At this, Shaw remained silent, observing me, so I continued. “I never fit in anywhere, you know. Not with the jocks, not with the goths, the hippies, the theater kids, not even with the nerds! No, to be seen with me was social suicide. The first time I killed someone I was fifteen. Only fifteen. And it was an accident. I was in the parking lot after hours, my mom had forgotten to pick me up again. My bully at the time, Buzz Jackson, saw me all alone sitting on a bench and decided to give me some company. As soon as I saw him headed towards me I got up off the bench and sprinted away, but Buzz, being the all star track athlete he is, oh forgive me, I mean was, caught up in no time. I looked behind me and saw that he was only an arm’s length away, so I shoved him back, very lightly, but it was enough to do the trick. He fell back, and conked his head on the hard concrete ground. Buzz never got back up.  I began to panic, although underneath my outward projection of panic, I felt a sense of power and pride. I ran from the school, all the way to my home, which was several miles away, and stayed there faking sickness for several days. Luckily, because my school was so dirt poor there were no security cameras to prove that I was there, and no witnesses to recount what happened, so Buzz’s death was deemed an accident. It wasn’t like anyone would believe that I, a weak little looser, would have the guts or power to take in Buzz. Killing Buzz showed me that having control over another’s life makes the normally powerless feel powerful. I’ve discovered that I like that feeling very much. And I didn’t feel any remorse for killing Buzz, the same way I didn’t feel any remorse for any single one of my ‘victims’. Every single one of them committed a crime much worse than I. Infidelity, adultery, and several others. You name it and I can guarantee that one of my ‘victims’ has done it.” Agent Shaw just sat across from me contemplating everything I’d just told him.

“How? How can you go through your daily life like you’ve done nothing, when in reality you killed thirteen people that I know of? Just talking to your sick psychotic ass for the past half hour I get the feeling that there are more that we haven’t even discovered.” At this comment, I started laughing my “sick psychotic ass” off.

“The reason, Agent Shaw, I can go around my daily life acting like I’ve done nothing wrong, is because I truly haven’t. If you think that ridding the world of terrible people is a crime, then I believe that you are the one in the wrong here. I’ve done more to help the world in my mere twenty three years of life than you ever will Agent Shaw.”

“Those people had families, Mullins. People who loved them. People who will miss them.” I just scoffed in response. Not a single person I killed deserved to be here, to breathe the same air as us decent people. No, they all deserved to burn in hell; exactly where I put them.   

From under the table he brought out a thick, two inch file, filled to the brim with what I believed to be information from the Crenshaw Falls murders case. He plucked three photographs from the file, and laid them face down on the table before I could catch a full glimpse to see who they are of.

“Well Mullins, I think you’ll remember this guy.” Shaw flipped over one of the photographs to reveal a picture of the CEO of Bankers International, Jack Knox.

“Oh yes, Jack. I remember his very well. Cried the whole time if  I remember correctly, or at least cried until I slit his throat and spilled his blood all over the floor.” Shaw visibly cringed at my comment. I knew I was starting to get to him.

“What exactly did Mr. Knox do to qualify to be one of your victims?”

“Oh, you don’t know? I would assume the FBI would be all over this case?

“Just shut up and answer my questions Mullins.”

“This year alone, he’s stolen over five million dollars from account holders of Bankers International. That more than qualifies him to be one of my victims.” I rolled my eyes. I know they’re just playing with me now. I’ve already confessed and everything. Now all I need is for them to print it in the news, and I’ll get all the credit I deserve. For the people to appreciate what I’ve done for them; the sacrifices I’ve made.

“What about him.” He flips over the second photograph to a young boy, merely twelve years old.

“Oh look, it’s little Johnny.”

“Are you telling me that this kid, this innocent little boy, has somehow wronged the world already?”

“He’s done more wrong than many full grown adults, Agent Shaw. Abandoned by his parents at age six, Johnny hopped from foster home to foster home, until he made a run for it a few months ago. That’s when he made the mistake of trying to pick-pocket me. I was just minding my own business, waiting for my bus at the stop, when I felt someone reach into my back pocket, and try to take my wallet. Now, agent Shaw, I can be a very tolerant guy, especially when it comes to kids, so I let him off with a warning. I told him that if I ever caught him again, he’d pay for it, and lo and behold, not even a month later, I catch him trying to sneak his hand back into my back pocket.  This made me very mad. And what made me even more mad was seeing sweet, little Johnny beating up some poor, tiny kid in front of the bus stop. I understand that he was an orphaned foster kid and all, but the kid had to learn that sometimes you have to pay the price for the things you do. So the next time I saw him waiting outside the bus stop, I offered to pay him fifty dollars if he helped me move some furniture from my apartment to my mom’s house. Poor kid just wanted to make a few bucks, and ended up choking on his own severed tongue.”

“You murdered a young, orphaned boy who just wanted to get by because he tried to steal a couple dollars from you?”

“Why yes, I believe that’s a very justified reason.”

“You are one sick bastard Mullin: a psychotic serial killer and a child murderer.”

“This topic really seems to hit a nerve with you Agent Shaw, got any kids of your own?” I knew asking this would piss him off, but I just couldn’t resist.

This seemed to set Shaw off. He grabbed me by my collar and pulled me very close to him.

“Now you listen to me you little punk. Sarah has nothing to do with this, so let’s just get back on topic.” He released me and I fell back into my chair.

“Ooohhh, so I did guess correctly.” Shaw didn’t respond, instead he flipped over the last picture left on the table.

“Mullins, what if I told you that, once, you got it wrong.” He slid the picture across the table. It was of a beautiful, middle aged woman with warm, hazel eyes and long, chestnut locks.

“Oh I remember her; she was lots of fun. She was one of my first. Her name was Nancy, Nancy Stewart. The whole time she was screaming for a man named George.” I paused to laugh. “Not even at death did she want her husband.”

“Are you sure? Because our squints back at the lab checked her dental records. They belonged to a Mrs. Sally Jensen.” I stopped laughing.

“Then your “squints” must’ve gotten it wrong.” I said forcefully. “Her name was Nancy Stewart, and she was a worthless whore that didn’t deserve to live. That is my job, you see. To purge this world of the evil which makes it impure. To be the savior of the people.”

Agent Shaw slowly leaned in, and whispered in my ear, “My squints don’t make mistakes. She was Sally Jensen. Mother of two, wife to George Walter Jensen, and she has never stolen, never slept with a man other than her husband, and never did anything that would give her the same qualities as your other victims. She was clean and pure, and you took her life away, and when we print it in the paper and broadcast it to the news that Edward Mullins was the psychotic killer responsible for the Crenshaw Fall’s murders the people won’t view you as their savior. No, they’ll view you as some crazy ass bastard who went off on a killing spree.” Hearing this enraged me. I do not make mistakes, and I will not be known as the crazy guy who killed a couple of people.

With all the strength I could muster up, I tilted my head back, and drove it straight into Shaw’s nose with as much force as I could. Blood began spurting from his nostrils, and I knew it would only be seconds before officers would be on me. I stood up and pulled at my hands, still cuffed to the table, in an effort to get them out. Five officers burst into the room, and one of them hit me in the lower back with his baton. I dropped to my knees and arched my back in pain. While I was on the floor, they uncuffed my hands from the table, only to re-cuff them behind my back. They began to drag me out, but I thrashed and wiggled. There was no way they were taking me without a struggle.

I looked over my shoulder back towards Shaw who was in the back left hand corner of the room clutching his nose. I stopped my struggling to say one last thing to Shaw before I was locked up for the rest of eternity, “I AM THE MESSIAH! I AM THE PROTECTOR OF THE PEOPLE, AND THEY WILL SEE THAT! I DO NOT MAKE MISTAKES! MY SOLE PURPOSE IS TO RID THE WORLD OF THE EVIL THAT POLLUTES IT, AND THAT EVIL IS PEOPLE LIKE YOU, AGENT SHAW.”  

Throne of Glass Book Review

Throne of Glass

by Sarah J. Mass

Synopsis: When magic has gone from the world, and a vicious king rules from his throne of glass, an assassin comes to the castle. She does not come to kill, but to win her freedom. If she can defeat twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition to find the greatest assassin in the land, she will become the King's Champion and be released from prison.

Her name is Celaena Sardothien.

The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her.

And a princess from a foreign land will become the one thing Celaena never thought she'd have again: a friend.

But something evil dwells in the castle—and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying, horribly, one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival—and a desperate quest to root out the source of the evil before it destroys her world. (Goodreads Summary)

My Review: I came into this book knowing that there was a lot of hype behind it and I was already a fan of Sarah J. Mass because of her book A Court of Thorns and Roses, and it certainly did not disappoint. The main character, Celaena, is lovable and humorous even with her profession being killing people, and I found that she was very relatable for me. I also thought that Princess Nehemia sounded like a kick-ass princess who I wished ruled my country. I didn't really have any issues with Chaol or Dorian, but they seemed a little bit stereotypical to me. The competition to be the king's champion sort of reminded of of The Selection, one of my favorite series, in the way that it was multiple people competing for one elite position, but of course this competition was much more badass. I finished it in two days, and every time I was forced to put it down I just wanted to pick it right back up again because every page left you hanging and wanting more.
            The only two things that I really wish Mass would've done differently was focus more on the world building, because even though the story was great and there was a map in the front and all I just had difficulty imagining where everything was and I didn't really know that it was supposed to be magical because it wasn't really specified to me in the beginning, and I wished that Mass would've worked harder on building Celaena's relationships with the other competitors. Mass kind of started on that by making Nox and her friends and making Cain and her enemies, but she never quite got very detailed. All in all I thought that Throne of Glass was one of the best books that I've read in a while, and I can't wait for the rest of the series to be delivered to my house via snail mail.

I give Throne of Glass a four out of five star rating because it constantly kept me on the edge of my seat,  the characters were written extremely well and I could hear and understand each of their voices, and I only had some slight issues with the world building and the other competitors relationships.

If you want to Purchase Throne of Glass

Book Depository

Barnes and Nobles

Amazon

-CG

A Court of Thorns and Roses Book Review

A Court of Thorns and Roses

By Sarah J. Mass

Synopsis: When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

           As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it... or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever. (Goodreads Summary)


My Review: I went into this book knowing it had a bunch of hype surrounding it, and it surely did not disappoint. I started reading it around nine in the evening, and finished it are two in the morning. I had to finish it in one sitting because every chapter ended with you wanting more, and I just couldn't not know what happened next.
            Sarah J. Mass does an amazing job building up the characters and their personality (I absolutely loved Lucian, he was a little bitch), and giving each of them their own little traits that make them unique. The world building is stellar, and all of her descriptions of the Spring Court make me want to go live there (you know, apart from the creepy monsters). ACOTAR is another wonderful novel written by the queen, Sarah J. Mass, and I suggest that you go read her Throne of Glass Series if you liked ACOTAR because it's amazing, and Mass does an amazing job with the characters and world building in the ToG series as well. 

I give A Court of Thorns and Roses a five out of five star rating because it always kept an upbeat pace, the characters and words were stellar, and it always left you wanting more.

If you want to purchase ACOTAR

Barnes and Nobles

Book Depository 

Amazon

-CG