Non spoiler book review
*This book is told from a different perspective than book one and happens in a different area so the following synopsis and review will not spoil you for either book.

Title: Imprison the Sky (The Elementae #2)
Author: A.C Gaughen
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication date: March 2019 (Australia)
RRP: $14.99 AUD

Synopsis:
Stolen from her family as a child, Aspasia has clawed her way up the tanks of Cyrus's black market empire to captain her own trading vessel - and she risks it all every time she uses her powerful magic to free as many women, children and Elementae from slavery as she can.
But Cyrus is close to uncovering her secrets - not only that Aspasia is a wind Elementae with the ability to sail her ship through the sky, but that she is also searching for her lost family. And if Aspasia can't find her younger siblings before Cyrus does, she will never be able to break free.
Armed with her loyal crew full of Elementae and a new recruit who controls and intriguing power, Aspasia finds herself in the centre of a brewing war that spans every inch of the ocean, and her power alone may not be enough to save her friends, family, and freedom.

Click here for my review of Reign the Earth (book one).

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My rating: 5/5


Book one, Reign the Earth, was a phenomenal read last year (2018) and it was one of my favourites of the year so Imprison the Sky held high expectations for me. In the beginning, I was dead set that this wasn't going to be better than the previous book but as the story went on, I was so drawn to the characters and the story that it was all I could think about when I wasn't reading (sorry to my uni work). Even now, after finishing it a few days ago, the characters are still on my mind.

I felt the story line had a great feel to it. A novel with slaves can be a hard one but with the help of amazingly-written characters, this book has done really well. Reflecting back on the story, they spend a lot of time on the ship but I actually didn't notice - or perhaps, it was woven so well into the story that it just fit. There is a bit of crossover from book one - I had read Reign the Earth over a year ago so I couldn't remember fine details but I started to remember things as it went on - but you can find short summaries online if you want to.

Gaughen knows how to write great main characters. Reign the Earth followed Shalia, whereas Imprison the Sky is in the perspective of Aspasia, a air elementae, and thrice-damned (did I say that right?), I absolutely bow down to both of these women - and I'm sure I will to the MC's in the rest of the series.

Aspasia is a strong-willed, bisexual young woman who is under the control of her master but as she has a little more freedom than most slaves (if that's what you want to call it), she tries to make it worth while as best she can - trying to free as many women, children and elementae, as well as search for her family that was taken away from her years before. She is a true badass that will do anything for her crew, even if that means putting herself in danger to save them all.

In Reign the Earth, you meet Kairos, a beautiful being that is also the brother of Shalia. He was a great character there, so I was absolutely stoked to have him not only appear in this book, but become a solid and important character throughout the story. I adore the way he treats Aspasia and the crew, and how his character development is spot on. I am also crushing on him big time if you hadn't noticed.

The other characters in Imprison the Sky are a great asset to the story, the good and the bad. The plot is one thing, but I feel Gaughen has a great balance with what's actually going on in the story plus the characters that make it.

This series has so far been an A-plus story with insanely great characters and I am so keen for the rest of the books in the series. I highly recommend you pick these books up and immerse yourself in the world (I put trigger warnings in my review of book one though so check those out - link is above).



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*This book was sent to me by Bloomsbury Australia in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:


Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @thenutritionedition
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Twitter: @erenareads
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Non spoiler book review

Enchantée = 'Enchanted' in French
Mon trésor (used in title) = my treasure

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Title: Enchantée
Author: Gita Trelease
Publisher: Macmillan Australia / Pan Macmillan
Publication date: 26 February 2019
RRP: $16.99 AUD

Synopsis:

Paris in 1789 is a labyrinth of twisted streets, filled with beggars, thieves, revolutionaries - and magicians...

When smallpox kills her parents, seventeen-year-old Camille is left to provide for her frail sister and her volatile brother. In desperation, she survives by using the petty magic she learnt from her mother. But when her brother disappears Camille decides to pursue a richer, more dangerous mark: the glittering court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.

Using dark magic Camille transforms herself into the 'Baroness de la Fontaine' and presents herself as the court of Versaille, where she soon finds herself swept up in a dizzying life of riches, finery and suitors. But Camille's resentment of the rich is at odds with the allure of their glamour and excess, and she soon discovers that she's not the only one leading a double life.

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My rating: 3.5/5


Firstly, don't let the year 1789 get the best of you, this historical fantasy is written for YA readers and was incredibly easy to read. They do use some French language throughout the book - which I loved, but I only realised when I was almost finished the book that there were some translations in the back which will help you if you know none of the French language.

The plot is an interesting one, our main character, a magician, in this French era trying to get by literally day by day for her and her sister to survive. You'll come across the brother from time to time who is a complete arse, but try to bear through it because you don't get too much of him. Sometimes the back and forth of Camille going to court seemed to drag a bit; a few times I was wondering what it was ultimately leading up to - and not in a 'keeps you guessing' kind of way, it just seemed a bit slow at times. Nonetheless, it got there in the end and I found myself reading the last fifth of the book relatively fast (despite starting the uni semester!)

Camille is an absolute pleasure to read from (the only point of view); I felt she was written in a way that reflected someone who would actually be in her shoes. While some of her actions were naive, they also added to the reality to the extent some people feel they need to go to to save their loved ones - no matter the cost to themselves.


I would have loved to learn more about Camille's sister Sophie, I felt she was too much in the background. It would have made the relationship between the two seem stronger from a reader's point of view. Lazare was also a great addition, though there was definitely a bit more room to learn more about him as well - which I was kind of craving haha. My favourite 'side character' was definitely Chandon *insert clapping hands emoji* - that's literally what I want to do when I think of him, clap my hands. He brought more depth to the story and was a nice safe haven for Camille while she was at court. I loved all the other side characters - they all brought something different to the story and it wasn't hard to keep track and added so much to the story.

Enchantée is a magical story set in Paris and Versaille before the French Revolution. The flow of the story is excellent and easy to read with French translations in the back of the book. I definitely recommend this for those interested in historical fantasy/fiction or those wishing to be enchanted by an older Parisian time.


*Thank you to Macmillan Australia for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:


Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
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Non-spoiler book review*
Please note this is book two in a series. If you haven't read book one, the synopsis and review may contain potential spoilers.


Title: The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air #2)
Author: Holly Black
Publisher: Hot Key Books / Allen & Unwin (Australia)
Publication date: 8 January 2019
RRP: $19.99 AUD

Synopsis:
After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her younger brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her, even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.
When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.

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There was a lot of hype for The Cruel Prince (book one) when it came out a year ago and I was hearing great things however, I also heard a couple of not great things. Months after its release I was talking to a friend of mine who was reading it and asked her to give me her thoughts. I am so glad I did because I realised there was a couple of problematic elements recognised by some and those who didn't like it truely built their reviews around that and that alone. My friend was able to give me a better run down and said it was a truely good book and story, but recognised an element of the plot that may not go down well with many. With all of that being said, I immensely enjoyed book one and was freaking excited for book two.

Firstly, I have to say The Wicked King is a stunning book. I own the paperback and the colour and the crown on it is so eye catching that I could just stare at it for days. I try not to set too many expectations for books, especially sequels, though as I already said, I was damn excited about it.

The story begins a few months after The Cruel Prince ended, Oak is being protected, Madoc is still an ass, and Jude pretty much rules over Cardan and Elfhame. The story develops well from the previous book, going into more politics - which I love (don't think I've ever said that before haha), and plenty of backstabbyness (that's now a word).

Jude, oh Jude. She has to be one of my favourite morally grey characters there ever was. I loved her in book one, I loved her even more in the second. She is a smart, strong, badass female character that does not deny what she wants (despite being able to lie in the Faerie world), and I absolutely love that about her. She is the character I want to see in many other fantasy novels, so thank you Holly Black.


In this story we get so much more from Cardan - something that was preconceived but also hoped for anyways, and boy did it deliver. The depth in which his character goes to is perfect and the only reason I would want more is because I am greedy. The complexity and dynamics between his and Jude's relationship is executed well and the intimate scenes between the two felt like I was secretly feeding my guilty pleasures. I think it's good to recognise the kind of character Jude is - she craves power, so the intimacy in this book (and book one for that matter) was about getting what she wants, and not being some damsel in distress.

I loved that we got to explore more the Faerie world, i.e The Undersea, and getting more from other characters. Here begins my interest in Balekin. Me being the villain loving person I am, was happy to see more of Balekin and what he provides for the story. I wish there was more but once again, that is more out of greed. There is not one thing I would change about the other side characters, even though they may not do what you want them to, they provide for a compelling story and it just all makes sense.

The ending had me speechless. I did not see it coming but it also makes a lot of sense and I had trouble reading the epilogue because I was absolutely reeling. What I'm going to do for the next year waiting for book three is something to be determined. The Wicked King was an exciting story that brings faerie to another level. Holly Black has brought a refreshing twist on old fairytales and I praise it.


Rating: 5/5 

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*This book was sent to me by Allen & Unwin Australia in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:


Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @thenutritionedition
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YouTube: Life of Erena or click here

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Spoiler free book review

Video version here

As most bookworms will know, reading slumps are the worst. There are all these beautiful books on your shelf and you want to read them all, yet where is the motivation to pick it up off the shelf and actually start reading it?

Here are my top 10 tips to fighting the slump:

1. Find out why you're in a slump
Finding out the proper reason you're in a reading slump can do wonders when finding a further solution. So here is task one, what was the most recent book you read? If it was A Court of Mist and Fury or Obsidio then that's probably the reason, alas, it may also be a book that was so intense and you loved it and perhaps you're still feeling all the feels and can't move on.
OR if you think it's another reason, what are say... the most five recent books you've read and how long did it take you to read them? Sometimes we've read with such momentum and speed, your brain has finally decided to do some calculations and realised it was working real hard and just wants some down time.

2. Re-read a fave
In my experience, if I read something crazy amazing, I feel like the next book cops a lot of negative feelings as I subconsciously start to compare with the previous book, even if it had nothing to do with it. If I re-read something I've already read, I seem to have less expectations because I've already read it, you get me? Though you have to be a little careful with this one, if you start re-reading a book that's part of a series you might do the circle of life and re-read the rest and be at the beginning of another book slump. But if you get a good four or five books re-read because of it, is that really a bad thing?

3. Get in the zone
Grab your fave drink, put your phone in another room, and sit in a super comfy environment.

4. Start a new series that has a solid four of five books already released
Ok, ok, this is only for the super keen but you could do this without even realising. This might also take some trial and error but sometimes I'll start one book in a series or trilogy and find I really love it and immediately want to read book two and suddenly there's a domino effect and I'm now shipping myself with the love interests and own all the bookish merch I can find.
*Warning: may cause harm to bank account.

5. Read something from a different genre
I would specifically say contemporary since I'm a lover of fantasy and dystopian but sometimes you might have to put your thing down, flip it and reverse it. Go for something that is COMPLETELY different to what you usually read and you might find yourself immersed in a book you didn't think you'd ever like. In my own experience, I like to throw in contemporaries to avoid future slumps, it has worked better than I ever thought.

6. Do something different
Believe it or not my bookworms, but there are other hobbies we can find *gasp*. Watch a movie or TV show or seven (I am not held responsible for Netflix slumps), do a puzzle, clean your house, earn brownie points from your parents if you live at home. Just do something else for a while and then we can go back to reading.

7. Participate in a read-a-thon
If you didn't know there is an entire world dedicated just to books, yes we include our pets and food sometimes but it is solely based around books. Due to that, there is almost always a read-a-thon going on and it's a really great way to read a few books in a short amount of time. If there isn't one on during your slump, host your own!

8. Read reviews
If there's a few books you want to read but don't have the right amount of motivation to do so, look for fellow bloggers reviews. Goodreads is an option but not always the best, do some googling and find a 4 or 5 star rated one (remember to look for spoiler free!) and start reading. When someone else has read it and talks about all the great things the book has, it's a nice motivator to pick up said book and find out for yourself. Just beware of the crazy obsessed reviews, you don't want to suddenly have high expectations and be disappointed.

9. Do a buddy read
There is bound to be someone feeling the same way as you, or might just want some motivation to read a particular book. Find out on Instagram or Twitter if there's anyone else wanting to read a certain book you have in mind and suggest a buddy read. There's almost this 'have to read' feeling so that you can keep up with each other and it can be an easy motivator sometimes.

10. Just keep reading
To put it simply. If I find it difficult to get into a book I realise I might be putting it down after each chapter and picking it back up later on. Try and read a good chunk of the book and suddenly you're moving and you're getting somewhere and you want to keep going. So yeah, just read.


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WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:



Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @erena_b
Goodreads: @erenareads
Twitter: @erenareads
YouTube: Life of Erena or click here

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SPOILER FREE REVIEW


Title: Reign the Earth
Author: A. C Gaughen
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication date: 30th January 2018
RRP: 

Trigger Warning: Domestic Violence

Synopsis:

Shalia is a proud daughter of the desert, but after years of devastating war with the adjoining kingdom, her people are desperate for peace. Willing to trade her freedom to ensure the safety of her family, Shalia becomes Queen of the Bonelands.
But she soon learns that her husband, Calix, is motivated only by his desire to exterminate the Elementae—mystical people who can control earth, wind, air, and fire. Even more unsettling are Shalia’s feelings for her husband’s brother, which unleash a power over the earth she never knew she possessed—a power that could get her killed. As rumors of a rebellion against Calix spread, Shalia must choose between the last chance for peace and her own future as an Elementae.

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I hadn't heard of this book until I saw other book bloggers receiving this in the mail and upon reading the synopsis I was desperate to read this book. When it showed in my mail box I was stoked so firstly, thank you to Bloomsbury for sending it my way to read.

As you may have seen above (or skipped over), I'm giving this book a trigger warning for domestic violence. It shows a lot of emotional and mental abuse and small bit of physical abuse so read with care. These parts of the story are very heavy but necessary to the story.


I was really wanting to enjoy this book so with each page I was nervous however, those nerves were slowly put at ease as I finished each chapter. There were so many different elements to love in the book, the first being the main character Shalia. She was so likeable in so many ways; I loved how much she loved her family and how involved she was with her beliefs. She is a very strong character and doesn't break easily, she thinks about her words and actions yet isn't afraid to voice her opinions when she deems necessary. If you didn't get it by now, I adored her character and hope to see more characters like Shalia in 2018 across young adult fiction.

One of my other favourite characters was one of Shalia's many brothers, Kairos. He has this air of mystery about him but still very playful and his love for his sister and family is admirable.
Pretty much every other character (except the awful tosser that is the king - more on that soon) is likeable. Some of them we didn't get too much about in this book but as the series goes on, I am very certain we will.

Something that made me so dang happy was that there was no female/female 'catty-ness'. There was one instance when I thought it would happen but the main character being ever so great, played the situation cool and developed the relationship to make it pleasant to read.


So I was talking about domestic violence and the king; as many King and Queen relationships go, the king in this story - Calix, makes the decisions on everything and despises to be contradicted and shown up. After only a couple of Shalia's and Calix's encounters you will either see the emotional abuse or you won't (but you'll realise later) - and that is how, in my own knowledge, how a lot of victims experience emotional and mental abuse from their partner. Even though Calix is a complete asshat, he is very necessary to the story, not only for it to develop but perhaps also to take note of how domestic abuse can play out.

The story itself was such a pleasure to read. It had fantasy elements - which I'm so excited to see more in the next book and I love books that are part set in deserts (unsure as to why though). And while I had some inkling of what would happen in the end (you'll probably know too about a third of the way through), it still surprised me when certain events took place and it literally had me SHOOK.

I highly recommend this novel especially if you're into dark fantasies but just as another warning: there is a lot of abuse in this story (majority emotional and mental but also physical).

My rating: 5/5

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*This book was sent to me unsolicited by Bloomsbury Australia. All opinions are my own.


WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:

Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @erena_b
Goodreads: @erenareads
Twitter: @erenareads
YouTube: My Life As Erena or click here

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Hello,

How have you all been? It's been an age since I last did a wrap up/TBR blog post - I prefer to do them all on YouTube but it's kind of nice to have a written alternative don't you think?

I have my video for my November Wrap Up linked here however, I'm going to have a TBR video separately this time and a little bit later because at this point in time, I have absolutely no idea what I'm going to put on there. So I'm gonna do some thinking and you'll be able to get a sneak peek at the end ;)

I read a total of six books this month which I'm happy with, I think I could've read more if I managed my time a bit better but I'm still happy with six. I also loved every single book I read this month which makes me the most happy - it's always a plus when that happens.

NOVEMBER WRAP UP


1. Tower of Dawn - Sarah J Maas
I finally got back into this after not being in the right mood for it for a little while and holy heck, did I love it!! While I had some kind of expectations, I felt like I was - for the most part, going to enjoy this book but never did I anticipate loving this so immensely. All the characters were A plus and the story was fantastic. I have a full review here and this is 100% a favourite of the year.
5/5

2. A Quiet Kind of Thunder - Sara Barnard
A perfect contemporary. Our main character Steffi who has selective mutism meets Rhys, a boy who is deaf. Whilst this was written in what I think was a very realistic way for teenagers, I also thought it was written in a mature way so that older readers can still enjoy without it being 'teenagers'. The sign language details in the book were so damn brilliant and such a great and diverse addition to the book.
5/5

3. This is Where it Ends - Marieke Nijkamp
This fast paced novel was a great book to read during a 24 hour readathon (video here!) This follows a few characters point of views during a school shooting and was one of those books that you kind of need to keep reading until you're done - totally doable since it's quite a short book. I thought that some of the storyline could've been altered slightly to make the story make a little more sense at times but as a sensitive topic, I thought it was done quite well (though I have no kind of experience).
4/5

4. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer - Michelle Hodkin
I bought this book solely because it was one of Kristie's (@bookwormkristie) fave books and my interest was peaked, I then picked it up in the readathon because leading up to it, Kristie did not stop going on about it SO I NEEDED TO KNOW. At first I thought the book was gonna be a little cringe at times due to the high school-ness of it however, I highly enjoyed it. It was way more mature than I originally thought and the teen angst was FANTASTIC. The story was really great though there were times when I was much like the character and didn't know what was real and what was not (I still don't either). Overall, it was a thrilling novel that I thoroughly enjoyed and am very much looking forward to the next two books.
4/5



5. A Court of Wings and Ruin - Sarah J Maas
I fell into a little bit of a slump after the readathon and decided to pick this up as I was very keen to reread it after getting all the feels a few months ago and I think I enjoyed it even more the second time round because I was able to look into a few things more that I had paid less attention to last time. I won't go any further but I have a full review here if you'd like to know my thoughts from May.
5/5

6. One of Us is Lying - Karen M McManus (that's a lot of M's)
This book was part of the @badwitchesread bookclub and I was very excited to read it. This follows four students/now murder suspects as five students went into detention and one of them died during it. I thought both the story and the characters developed very well and I enjoyed the end of it - I did try and play detective and one of my theories ended up being correct (though I had a lot of theories).
4/5



DECEMBER TBR

1. Gemina - Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman (finally)

2. Empress of a Thousand Skies - Rhoda Belleza (maybe)

3. Godsgrave - Jay Kristoff (have to keep reading after I put it down, oops)

4. Wonder Woman Warbringer - Leigh Bardugo (also have to keep reading after I put it down)

5. The Hate U Give - Angie Thomas (yes, I haven't read it yet!!)


And there you have it friends. I was happy with my reading month but am hoping for more in December since it's the end of the year. My TBR is still a little so-so but we'll see what happens!

That is all I have for you today, make sure to head over to my YouTube channel for more content.

Until next time,

xx


WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:

Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @erena_b
Goodreads: @erenareads
Twitter: @erenareads
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Spoiler free review

Title: Moonrise
Author: Sarah Crossan
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication date: September 2017
RRP: $16.99

Synopsis:
Joe hasn't seen his brother for ten years, and it's for the most brutal of reasons. Ed is on death row.
But now Ed's execution date has been set, and Joe is determined to spend those last weeks with him, no matter what other people think...


Firstly, let me thank the book gods for another floppy paperback - I enjoy these. Secondly (another thanks), this cover is damn beautiful and I could have it forever on display.

Moonrise is written in what I think is a poetry layout - it isn't poetry but at a glance, it looks like it, does that make sense? It's from the perspective of Joe and flips between the present and the past as his memories which made for a more well developed and insightful story.

I've never read a fictional story like this before and it was interesting to read about a boy who has a brother on death row. This was an emotional read and I found myself crying towards the end. It makes me even more emotional that people actually go through this kind of situation on a daily basis - it's heartbreaking. Our main character, Joe, was a well developed character and I enjoyed reading from his point of view. The other characters in Moonrise were a great addition that helped the story continue.


The writing seemed simple but compelling and beautiful. I loved the structure of the book, it made it so easy to read and to be drawn in and to never want to put it down. I finished this in about 24 hours and wish I could rewind and read it all again for the first time - something only a few books have made me feel.

I highly recommend Moonrise, more so if you're looking for a quick read - though you may want to try and devour this as slowly as you can.

Rating: 4/5


*This book was sent to me by Bloomsbury unsolicited. All opinions are my own.




WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:

Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
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Title: Take Three Girls
Authors: Cath Crowley, Simmone Howell and Fiona Wood
Publisher: Pan MacMillan
Publication date: September 2017
RRP: $18.99

Synopsis:
Ady - not the confident A-lister she appears to be.
Kate - brainy boarder taking risks to pursue the music she loves.
Clem - disenchanted swim-star losing her heart to the wrong boy.
All are targeted by PSST, a toxic website that deals in gossip and lies. St Hilda's antidote to cyber-bullying? The Year 10 Wellness program. Nice try - but sometimes all it takes is three girls.
Exploring friendship, feminism, identity and belonging, Take Three Girls is honest, raw and funny.

I'm part of the blog tour hosted by Pan MacMillan (thank you!) for Take Three Girls and I'm very excited to tell you my thoughts on this book. Whenever I get contacted about #loveozya books I almost immediately say yes however, I make sure I read the synopsis first and then I can say 'yes' to my heart's content.

As you may (or may not) have noticed, this book has three authors and is told in the perspective of three different 16-year-old girls all attending the same school (in Australia!). Each author wrote a character each which I felt was smart even if it seemed like the normal thing to do anyway. Either way, it was written really well. I would say a downside though was that sometimes it would be in the present and suddenly switch to the past so fast and abruptly that I had to read the paragraph again (this happened a few times).
This book is centred around bullying, in particular, cyber bullying and how these characters deal with it and just you know, their lives really.

 This book took almost 300 pages for me to get really into it which was unfortunate BUT, I felt that it was worth it because after I reached that point, I didn't stop reading until I was finished and it honestly made me so happy (so happy that at one point, I had watery eyes from happiness).

I felt that the characters and situations were so realistic (I was that age 10 years ago - wow, am I old? -  and can tell you now, that most of this happened either to me or around me). I loved how some of the characters, mainly Clem I think, were so naive, even if it seems annoying, it was so damn real.

My favourite character was Ady, I simply adored her and she was who I had tears of joy for that I mentioned earlier. Though I felt like I related to each main character in a little way somehow, whether something relevant now or in my past - it was nice.

There was a little insta-love in the story but I didn't spend much time worrying about it because so much other stuff made up for it. I loved the message this book gave me and how important and relevant it is (fat-shaming, slut-shaming).
This might be a little random but I just wanted to emphasise something in the book how females are in a way, punished for who we are and choose to be. I am not one to usually say something like that but this book made me realise that with certain aspects in life, many women are degraded in a way that most men will never experience in their lifetime.

Okay, anyways... Overall, this book while it started slow, ended up being a good story and had a great message and I really enjoyed it.

Rating: 4/5

*This book was sent to me by Pan MacMillan as part of the blog tour and

in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.




WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:

Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
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Title: All the Dirty Parts
Author: Daniel Handler
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication date: October 1st 2017
RRP: $24.99

Synopsis:
Coles is a boy in high school. He runs cross country, he sketches, he jokes around with friends. But none of this quite matters next to the allure of sex. "Let me put it this way," he says. "Draw a number line, with zero is you never think about sex and ten is, it's all you think about, and while you are drawing the line, I am thinking about sex."
Coles fantasies about whomever he's looking at. He consumes and shares pornography. And he sleeps with a lot of girls, which is beginning to earn him a not-quite-savory reputation around school. This leaves him adrift with only his best friend for company, and then something startling starts to happen between them that might be what he's been after all this time - and then he meets Grisaille.


Upon being contacted about this book to review, my first thought was "ahh, not my kind of book". But then because of that thought, I changed my mind and wanted to give it a try.
Now you might think I'll go off track here but it's relevant, I assure you. You know Lemony Snicket? Author of A Series of Unfortunate Events? Have you ever wondered who he actually is? WELL, it is Daniel Handler, author of this novel: All the Dirty Parts, (fun fact??)

From the synopsis, you may be somewhat intrigued, just like I was. I did not think about the fact that this was told from the perspective of a 16-year-old high school boy however, once I finished, I did and well... I felt a bit weird. So basically, this book is literally the thoughts of said 16-year-old boy, Cole and how he constantly thinks about sex.

I liked how this book was written in Cole's thoughts with the dialogue kind of thrown in there however, I failed to see much of a story, it was really just his day-to-day thoughts and that's what really let me down. It was just about him and sex really, I wouldn't say it was for a 26-year-old female like myself. There was a point in the book that had the full potential to go into a story that I would have loved to read, alas I was left disappointed.
There were times (not too often) where there would be a sudden flashback to the other day or last month and then back to the present in the same sentence, it threw me off a little.

In saying all that, I think there are other readers who would find this novel far more entertaining (I'm now thinking about a line about hommus mentioned in the book). It was a really quick read as well, so if you're looking for just a little something to read and you don't mind reading about the sexual thoughts (some are more explicit than others) from a 16-year-old character then check out some of the reviews on Goodreads because I've seen some others enjoy it.

Rating: 2/5 



*This book was sent to me by Bloomsbury in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.




WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:

Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @erena_b
Goodreads: @erenareads
Twitter: @erenareads
YouTube: Erena Reads or click here

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Hello everyone,

I was wondering if I should still do these wrap up posts since I will always do them on my YouTube channel (unless for some unforeseen reason) and I actually have no idea if people like reading them or not? I decided to do one for August anyway because well, why not? I should be doing an assignment but aye, there's always tomorrow (bad Erena, bad!) If you're keen on watching my video for this click here!

I read a total of three books this month and I'm actually very happy with that seeing as it was an incredibly busy month for me at uni (I am desperate for this semester to end!!) but I do hope to get a bit more done during September.


BOOKS READ IN AUGUST

1. Winter - Marissa Meyer
This is a mountain of a book and it took me a while to get through it since I was so busy, but then all of a sudden I read almost half the book in one night. I felt that most of what happened was necessary so the big ol book was relevant. I loved seeing it all tied together and I really liked Winter's character though my favourite if Scarlet. I loved Cress' development too! Her and Thorne just break my heart. The story, while long, is exciting and Cinder gets real badass.
4/5



2. Genuine Fraud - E. Lockhart
When there was the opportunity to review this, I just HAD to have it. I loved We Were Liars and the I had a feeling this one was going to be just as good. Within the first few pages, I was hooked and I had to force myself to put it down to other human things. The main character Jule is questionable, I really enjoyed reading her character though despite some of the crazy things she'd say and do. If you're in the mood for a fast-paced and thrilling YA novel, this is the one for you! Full review here.
4.5/5



3. The Genesi Code - Tristen Willis
From a new, Aussie author, this dystopian/sci-fi novel is a short, fast paced story that has you wanting more. While the writing in the first few chapters seemed a bit rocky, I was soon immersed in the story and found myself really enjoying it. I love the main character, Luka, she is pretty badass and I enjoyed reading from her point of view. I loved the bouts of action and only wish, the other characters were explored more. I'm hoping for more depth in the next book! For a full review, click here.
3.5/5


SEPTEMBER TBR

1. Nevernight - Jay Kristoff
I've finally picked this back up and I have been loving it. It is brutal and hilarious and it's god damn great.


2. Because You Love to Hate Me - collection of short stories from authors edited by Ameriie
I'll be writing a review for this one.

3. Tower of Dawn - Sarah J Maas
AHH YES PLS

4. Wonder Woman Warbringer - Leigh Bardugo
Another AHH YES PLS (hehe)


5. Take Three Girls - Cath Crowley, Simmone Howell & Fiona Wood
I'll be part of the blog tour on this one, keep an eye out on September 29th!

6. All the Dirty Parts - Daniel Handler
 I'll have a review for this one too.


And there is my slightly ambitious TBR for the month of September. I won't tell you what I've read just yet (though you'll find out on my Goodreads or you'll see on Instagram from time to time). I'll try get the next wrap up post up sooner rather than more than half way through the month, my bad. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoyed my little reviews and an insight into what I want to read and I'll see you next time!

x




WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:

Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @erena_b
Goodreads: @erenareads
Twitter: @erenareads
YouTube: Erena Reads or click here

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Title: The Genesi Code
Author: Tristen Willis
Publication date: 1st September 2017

Synopsis:
Luka was only eight years old when her father, Christopher Foster, was murdered.
Christopher had been working on a cure for the Genesi Code, which has plagued the human race since the government began experimenting on human DNA in an attempt to create a genetically-advanced army.Luka has spent the last ten years training for the military’s elite taskforce, known as Delta Force, so she can uncover the truth surrounding her father’s murder. But along the way, she uncovers a truth about herself that she is not yet ready to face. Could the truth surrounding Luka’s past be the key to curing the Genesi and ending the war? In the end, is revenge all that matters?


Firstly, I am so grateful that I got the opportunity to review this. Not only do I love supporting new authors but Australian authors too. Tristen is the owner of Burning Pages Candles and along with the book she sent some candles, solid perfume and tea based on The Genesi Code as well as a badge that I'm incredibly tempted to buy a jacket solely to sew it on there (well I'd get my mum to do the sewing since I have no idea how).


The first few chapters felt a bit rocky to me, though that feeling quickly left me - I'm not sure if the writing changed or I just got used to it, and I was enjoying the story. After this initial stage I think you'll find it very easy to read.

The plot was very fast paced however, there was only about two moments (I think) in the book that I felt could've slowed down. Other than that, I really loved the story. I would say this was a dystopian novel, with sci-fi elements (Tris, correct me if I'm wrong!) and I love what has been set up here. The world, and especially the Genesi are so interesting to me and I'm looking forward to finding out more.



I would have liked for the other characters to be explored more - especially Ren, so I'm hoping for that in book two. I really liked Luka's character, she was badass and smart, but still real at the same time. I liked her thought processes and I really enjoyed reading from her perspective.

Overall, The Genesi Code is a fast paced and exciting story that absolutely left me wanting more. I wouldn't call the ending a cliffhanger but you'll definitely be excited to see what comes next. I feel like so much of the story was set up in this book to further continue and explore in the coming books.

3.5/5

*I was sent this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:

Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @erena_b
Goodreads: @erenareads
Twitter: @erenareads
YouTube: Erena Reads or click here

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Hello friends,

I thought I was well overdue for a blog post and decided to do this little tag since it was quick, easy and perhaps semi-interesting?

I was tagged by my beautiful friend Kristie from @bookwormkristie on Instagram - you need to check out her stuff, she has beautiful photos and also a BookTube!

Ok, here we go...


Books or eBooks?
I love, love, looove the feeling of holding a book and also enjoy its aesthetic purposes but e-readers are SO handy and I use them quite a bit. I am sorry, I cannot choose!

Heroes or villains?
Anyone who knows me will know what I pick (hehe!).... Villains! No surprise there. Villains always have interesting back stories and I like knowing everything about them. Though sometimes villains are too good at what they do and make me hate them.

Trilogy or series?
Probably a series. Sometimes a set of books is perfectly executed with three books but sometimes it isn't and sometimes I'm just not ready to let go and need more closure!!

Last read?
The Tuesday just gone, I (finally) received Unite Me by Tahereh Mafi - the Shatter Me novellas, in the mail. I started reading later that evening and finished it a few hours later because I'm obsessed and WARNER4EVAAA.

Last bought?
My last book purchase was also Unite Me which was four weeks ago - how good is that?! And yes, it did take that long to come *narrows eyes*. I have received two books from Bloomsbury though, they were No Filter by Orlagh Collins and Learning to Swear in America by Katie Kennedy - thank you Bloomsbury!

Secondhand books?
Absolutely love secondhand books. They're more than likely a great price and sometimes you find books you've always wanted to read or ones you've never heard of that turn out to be a favourite.

Everyone should read?
Harry Potter. Need I say more?

3 books that come to mind?
A Court of Wings and Ruin, Contagion, and Shadow and Bone


Film that was better than the book?
Love, Rosie, Twilight, The Host, The Mortal Instruments, Mockingjay off the top of my head.

Do i judge by covers?
Of course, though I can't help it. I'll still likely read the synopsis if I've picked it up but I'll never know of the books with unappealing covers because I walked straight past them, oops.


I hope this was a little interesting for you, and if it wasn't... well at least you only wasted a couple of minutes reading this, haha.

If you want to do this tag, I tag you! Let me know when you've done it because I would love to read your answers.


Until then,

AU REVOIR SHOSHANNAAAAA (Inglorious Basterds reference, sorry)


WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:

Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @erena_b
Goodreads: @erenareads
Twitter: @erenareads
YouTube: Erena Reads or click here

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Hello friends,

I realise I haven't done a blog post for a wrap up in a while... sorry! I do my YouTube video and then I just get lazy, but I am quite busy too so there's that. But I'm hoping to get back into it a little more so please be patient, Imma try my best! That being said, if you'd like to check out my video for my June Wrap Up & July TBR click here!

For the first half of June, I dedicated all my time to studying as I was in my exam block - I literally read maybe 2 chapters of a book that whole time. When my last exam was over I got straight back into reading and managed to finish 5 books (woo!)


BOOKS READ IN JUNE:

1. Spellslinger - Sebastian De Castell
This book had a great premise but I had to put it down because I just couldn't stand reading it at the time. It felt so slow for me because the male protagonist was very passive and it was doing my head in. I was thankful for the fact that he got slightly better and the story became more interesting, but that was more towards the end of the book and I didn't find it worth it at all. This book isn't terrible, it just wasn't a story for me - perhaps those who enjoy middle grade stories would like this. I have a full review here if you'd like to know more.
2.75/5

2. Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire - JK Rowling
I literally started my reread of this last year... LAST YEAR. I kept it as an 'in-between' read so that's why, and I'm okay with that, it is a reread after all. I forgot how much I loved this book, there's so many cute things that I love in this story that aren't in the movies, ESPECIALLY DOBBY!! I'm hoping to start rereading book five very soon!
5/5


3. Cruel Beauty - Rosamund Hodge
I went to Instagram for help to choose a fast paced fantasy novel and I was recommended this one and I ended up finishing it in less than 24 hours because it was just so addictive and I was keen to know everything that happened. This is a somewhat darker retelling of Beauty and the Beast and I seriously loved it so much and would highly recommend it - especially if you're in a bit of a reading slump. This is a very short book and I think it could done with a few more chapters to add to the story but overall, such a good read!
4.5/5

4. Shatter Me - Tahereh Mafi
This series (originally a trilogy, more books coming in 2018!) has been on my TBR for a quite a while and I just never got round to picking it up. I must've been seeing it on Instagram a lot because all of a sudden, I ordered the boxed set (three books) off Book Depository and get this... it came in less than four days - WHAT! I think that made it a sign and I jumped right in and FELL IN LOVE. This is a fast paced dystopian/romance novel with interesting characters - the only person I loved straight away was Warner (who is now my new bae), but it was addictive and intriguing and I freaking loved it.
4/5


5. Unravel Me - Tahereh Mafi
Of course I picked up book two immediately because I just needed to know what happened next. This book had what I felt Shatter Me lacked, and this is where my serious obsession for the series begins. Unravel Me was fast paced, action packed, I began to really like most of the characters as I felt more.. connected with them I guess? The story really branched out and Juliette's character development was great. There were so many lines and paragraphs and whole damn chapters that I wanted to tab because it was so freaking good - I'm also certain majority of the tabs involved Warner, if not all, hehe!
5/5 !!!


JULY TBR

1. Ignite Me - Tahereh Mafi
I finished Unravel Me on June 30th so very necessary to jump straight into this as my first read of July.

2. Unite Me - Tahereh Mafi
I was originally on a book buying ban but broke it because I needed these novellas - I am still waiting patiently for it to arrive!

3. A Gathering of Shadows - V.E Schwab
Continuing my read of the Shades of Magic series.

4. Winter - Marissa Meyer
Continuing my read of the Lunar Chronicles.

5. Holding Up the Universe - Jennifer Niven
I put this down because I felt I was reading too much contemporary at the time so I'm eager to pick this back up!



This is a very ambitious TBR for me seeing as I'm back at uni, but I'm hoping to manage my time really well and get at least four books read.

Let me know what you read in the month of June in the comments below - I'd love to know!

See you soon for more bookish posts :)

xx



WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:

Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @erena_b
Goodreads: @erenareads
Twitter: @erenareads
YouTube: Erena Reads or click here

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SPOILER FREE REVIEW

**This book may potentially trigger those suffering or recovering from an eating disorder or disordered thoughts about eating. It does not talk about numbers but contains many behaviours and may affect you if you are not in the right mind to read this.

Title: Countless
Author: Karen Gregory
Publication date: 1st June 2017
RRP: $16.99

Synopsis:
When Hedda discovers she is pregnant, she doesn't believe she could ever look after a baby. The numbers just don't add ip. She is young, and still in the grip of an eating disorder that controls every aspect of how she goes about her daily life. She's even given her eating disorder a name - Nia. But as the days tick by, Hedda comes to a decision: she and Nia will call a truce, just until the baby is born.
17 weeks. 119 days. 357 meals.
Surely she can do it, if she takes one day at a time?

In many countries across the world, eating disorders have the highest mortality rate within the mental illness spectrum. You probably weren't expecting that.

Books that cover eating disorders can be very hard to write. Sometimes they come from real experiences and sometimes, completely fictional. They can also be very triggering for a reader; though as long as they come with a trigger warning it is up to the reader to decide whether to continue or not. I think this book really got it right.

I found Countless incredibly interesting in the sense that it was a good story but also perhaps a very real one. What readers need to keep in mind is that those suffering from an eating disorder go through it very differently to others. What you might read in one story will be very different to another however, both may be what sufferers actually go through - it is never a one specific way. Karen Gregory managed to write this novel in a way that could help those who don't know a lot about these mental illnesses have a better  understanding of how a sufferer thinks in a perhaps, more broad sense.


Our main character, Hedda, falls pregnant while in the grip of an eating disorder - something I've definitely never read about before. It follows her life through different types of relationships, but the one most important to her is her eating disorder. Hedda's character was written really well and I was constantly feeling empathetic with her as the story drew me in with each page. One of my favourite aspects of the book is that it sends a message of what is truly required for recovery - I don't want to mention my specific thoughts since it could be somewhat of a spoiler.
The writing flowed very nicely and I always in tune with what was happening, in fact, eagerly awaiting more.

The other different characters we meet were very important to the story and I felt that every single one of them was necessary and relevant. I enjoyed every single chapter no matter who the other characters around Hedda were. It was always intriguing to know what was happening and I was never bored.

I really enjoyed Countless and highly recommend it to those interested in picking it up. It's an emotional story and one that more people should know about. I feel like this will definitely be one of my favourite contemporaries of the year and I'd love to know your thoughts if you read this one as it comes out tomorrow.

4.5/5

That's all for now, I'll see you soon for another book review very soon!

xx


*This book was sent to me by Bloomsbury Australia in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.



WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:
Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @erena_b
Goodreads: @erenareads
Twitter: @erenareads
YouTube: Erena Reads or click here

Follow my blog with Bloglovin'!

Hello again!

Video version of this here.


I'm back again today with another bookish post (surprise, surprise). If you're interested in what I read in 2016, I have a post for that here, it's basically just a list of what I read and it doesn't go into detail - you'll need to check out my monthly wrap ups for that!

2016 was an incredible reading year. Being a lot more involved on the Bookstagram community means you hear about so many books you've never heard of and lots of interaction with other bookstagrammers who recommend you amazing books.

It was incredibly hard to narrow down my list to 10, even now as I write this I still haven't decided the last few. I feel as though I'm cheating the other books that also deserve a spot in there.
One thing I decided to was group series together as one. Meaning, if I read books from the same series and I really enjoyed all/most of them then I'm counting them as one. That's okay, right?

I tried ranking these and couldn't for the life of me actually do it. I will number them from 10 to 1 but don't take any notice of it until you get to the top three because those I was certain about!
I shall also tell you that not all of these books were released this year and I won't include any rereads in this list. Anyway, without further ado... Here is my Top 10 for 2016:


10. You - Caroline Kepnes
Sympathising with a sociopath isn't something you'd read everyday and was certainly a first for me. That is what makes this book so unique and I loved every bit of it. It was a thrilling read that keeps you on your toes and while this book isn't for some people, it is an incredible read and you should consider checking it out.

9. Angelfall Trilogy - Susan Ee
I started reading Angelfall because it was short and I wasn't sure what else to read at the time, all of a sudden I was finished and needed to read the next two books (lucky I already had them on my kindle!) In a post apocalyptic world filled with angels invading the Earth and taking it for their own, Penryn is a strong, badass female character whom I feel really makes this series great for me.

8. The Grisha Trilogy - Leigh Bardugo
The Darkling; need I say more? If you haven't read this series yet and are anything like me, you're gonna need all the books because once I finished Shadow and Bone (book one), I couldn't deal with life until I had the rest of the books. I am obsessed with this series! While I didn't like the way the book ended (personal preference), I loved our main character Alina and the Darkling is seriously my favourite villain of all time and I love him so deeply that I might explode. Okay, I'll stop there.

7. Empire of Storms - Sarah J Maas (and Queen of Shadows)
I read Heir of Fire (book three) earlier in the year and while I enjoyed it, it was Queen of Shadows and Empire of Storms that really blew me away. When I started reading these it was so damn hard to put down (especially when you read during uni time, oops). My love for Manon blossomed and to be honest, went a little bit crazy - she is one of my favourite female fictional characters.

6. Rebel of the Sands - Alwyn Hamilton
I wasn't really sure what to expect from this book when I started reading it but I was instantly addicted. Another strong female character, Amani, knows what she wants and will do whatever it takes to get it. It has bouts of supernatural-ness in it which I freaking loved because, hello I am fantasy lover. I am currently reading Traitor to the Throne (book two) and can't wait to get more into the story.

5. A Thousand Pieces of You - Claudia Gray
A sci-fi novel you never knew you needed. I put this story off for a bit because it seemed kind of daunting but once I picked it up I was so immersed that it didn't take long to finish. I had no idea what to expect after a few chapters but it went in whatever was the right direction and didn't look back. I'm still yet to read books two and three (terrible, I know!)

4. Corruption - Jessica Shirvington
Book two in the Disruption duology was amazing. I really enjoyed the first book but this one was next level! Corruption is set in a dystopian world ruled with controlling and invasive technology. Our main character Maggie, is super badass and I really loved her character. It was a thrilling, fast paced novel that makes me love this author even more than I already do. Full review here.

3. A Torch Against the Night - Sabaa Tahir
Book two in the An Ember in the Ashes - which I also read this year and really loved, is my third favourite book of the year. Continuing on with Elias and Laia's story, it gets a little more crazy and much more interesting. The addition of Helene's chapters and the new character Avitas Harper was what made me love this book a whole bunch, along with the actual story of course. I am ready for book three!

2. Crooked Kingdom - Leigh Bardugo (and Six of Crows)
I started this duology this year with fairly high expectations and fell in love with all the characters and the story almost immediately. Crooked Kingdom was on a whole other level and there were so many unexpected events that me laugh and cry. The writing is so intricate yet easy to read and understand. I felt like I was actually there when I was reading it. Highly recommend!

And finally, drum roll please....

1. A Court of Mist and Fury - Sarah J Maas
This is without a doubt not only my favourite book of 2016 but also one of my all time favourites. I really enjoyed A Court of Thorns and Roses (book one) but holy heck was I not prepared for this story. When we met Rhysand in book one I was obsessed but little did I know... This book was perfect for me and afterwards put me in the biggest book hangover I've ever had (wait until book three eh!) I absolutely loved the inner circle and I can't wait to see more of them and basically everything else in A Court of Wings and Ruin.

And that's it! In my video version of this (link here), I also mentioned a couple of other books briefly because I couldn't bare to not include them somehow.

Let me know some of your faves in the comments below or DM me on Instagram (@erenareads) because I'd love to chat.

See you soon!
x


WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:
Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @erena_b
Goodreads: @erenareads

Twitter: @erenareads
YouTube: Erena Reads or click here

Follow my blog with Bloglovin'!