Hello again,


Sorry for the lateness that is this post. I had it written up but hadn't inserted any pictures and once I did, I was having issues with disappearing paragraphs *le sigh* but here it is:


I seem to have been somewhat absent from by blog. This was due to being SUPER busy with uni and the time I could've spent blogging, I dedicated to filming a video for YouTube instead.
I actually had started a post for my February Wrap Up & March TBR but I just never ended up getting round to finishing it and seeing as it's now April, I think it'll be best to now not worry about it. I did do a video for it so you can watch that instead if you were hanging out for it. I also did a video for this too, so click here and you can watch it.

So like I said, I had a very busy month and I only managed to read two books (sad times). One of them was fairly average and the other was AWESOME.


WRAP UP

1. Girl of Nightmares - Kendare Blake
This is the story following on from Anna Dressed in Blood which I read last month and really enjoyed however, this one I felt was boring and honestly, kind of unnecessary. It does have a story and there was definitely a valid point to it that flowed somewhat nicely, but I would have rather not read it all to be honest. The previous book didn't leave me in need of any more and the only reason I read this was because I knew there was another one. Unless you feel the need or want to read this, I wouldn't bother. It was by no means bad, I just didn't see a point really.
3/5 



2. Cress - The Lunar Chronicles
I buddy-read Scarlet last month with a Bookstagram friend last month and loved the experience, so we are continuing on with the series and that lead us to book three (obviously), Cress. Cress stems from the Rapunzel story who has been locked away on a satellite in space, rude right?! Poor Cress... I really loved this story - I felt that I would given how much I liked Scarlet but it was just so damn great. I loved Cress' character and I loved the fact she spent lots of time with Thorne, whom I have found a place in my heart for. This story has multiple POV's but not too many so it's very easy to keep track of and makes for a great story. These books have been so easy to read and if you like anything of the sci-fi/dystopian/fantasy realm, I highly recommend!
5/5




TBR

I'm going to be slightly ambitious this month and aim for five books. I know it's a huge step up from reading two books last month but I am definitely determined! I've also finished the first two books already so I'm hoping to stay on this roll I'm on.


1. A Court of Thorns and Roses - Sarah J Maas

2. A Court of Mist and Fury - Sarah J Maas
With May 2nd approaching I wanted to dive back into a reread of the first two books and I really wanted to stretch them out a bit longer but when you're totally obsessed, well... it's easy to read very quickly. Okay, give me ACOWAR!

3. Defy the Stars - Claudia Gray
A sci-fi novel that follows Noemi and a mech robot thing named Abel, whom should be enemies but need to work together to save Noemi's planet. I've started reading this one and I'm enjoying it so far, it has Illuminae feels to it which makes me happy. Keep an eye out for a full review soon!


4. A Darker Shade of Magic - V.E Schwab
My first VE Schwab novel has me very excited. I've heard so many things about her writing so I'm excited to dive in. I'm also buddy reading this with a friend, Bek, so that makes me even more excited.


5. Fairest - Marissa Meyer
Continuing on with mine and Priya's Lunar Chronicles read is this novella based on the evil that is Queen Levana (dun dun dun!) I'm really looking forward to this story to see what this crazy bitch is thinking.


Well, that's all from me at the moment. What have you been reading? Let me know in the comments below or message me on Instagram @erenareads cos I'd love to know!
Make sure you check out my YouTube channel for other bookish and non-bookish things and let me know what you'd like to see on there or here in the future.

See you soon!
xx


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'!

*This book was sent to me by Allen & Unwin 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'!

Author: Alwyn Hamilton
Publication date: 25 January 2017
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
RRP: $16.99 AUD

Synopsis:
This is not about blood or love. This is about treason.
Nearly a year has passed since the events in Rebel of the Sands. Amani has come into both her powers and reputation as the Blue-Eyed Bandit, and the Rebel Prince's message has spread across the desert - and some might say out of control. But when a surprise encounter turns into a brutal kidnapping, Amani finds herself betrayed in the cruellest manner possible.
Stripped of her powers and her identity, and told from the man she loves, Amani must return to her desert-girl's instinct for survival. For the Sultan's palace is a dangerous one, and the hare is a viper's nest of suspicion, fear and intrigue. Just the right place for a spy to thrive... But spying is a dangerous game, and when ghosts from Amani's past emerge to haunt her, she begins to wonder if she can trust her own treacherous heart.

*Please note this review will not have any spoilers for Traitor to the Throne but may contain spoilers for Rebel of the Sands (book one).

If you can recall, I read Rebel of the Sands (book one) in December last year and flew through it; it was an incredible, fast paced read that I wanted more of so I was highly anticipating the release of Traitor to the Throne. In the very beginning of the book, the author has given us a rundown of the characters which I actually really enjoyed going through; it then goes into the first chapter from the perspective of The Foreign Prince, aka Jin which I may have squealed about. I really hope we get more chapters from him in the future (hint hint Alwyn Hamilton).

WRITING

In Rebel of the Sands, I fell in love with the author's writing and the love kept coming whilst reading Traitor to the Throne. The flow of the book was great and there's something about the way Alwyn describes everything that makes my little bookish heart warm. I absolutely love the mix of magic and what seems to be mythology? You wouldn't think to have those two in a book together but it works and I'm happy about it.

PLOT

In Traitor to the Throne we delved into the story a lot more than book one. I felt like some parts were skimmed over a bit more than I wanted to, but there was also a lot going on this book that partly made up for it. In Rebel of the Sands, there was rarely time for rest and that's what made it so fast paced. In Traitor to the Throne, it slows right down however, there is still so much going on that keeps your interest. To some this may be a good thing, to others... not so much?

There was definitely a lot of magical power and gun action that I felt was missing, we still get some of it but not as much as I'd have liked. I think this is what makes the book a bit slower. We still have our suspenseful and exciting situations but it missed what I loved most about book one. It's very obvious though that the author wanted to get deeper into the story and is setting us up for what I can only imagine as an intense finale.

CHARACTERS

The character development is this novel was amazing. We got to know the characters a bit more, I wanted more but I know that's probably asking too much. I think I'm just nosy and want to know everyones back story. I felt that Amani really grew into a likeable leader, I thought she was interesting already in Rebel of the Sands, but I really loved her character development in this book.

I'm really surprised at how much I liked it when the Sultan was involved/mentioned and I honestly think I'm not the only one. He was so interesting every time he spoke and I would really love to know more about how he thinks.

There were a few new characters introduced to our story. I absolutely loved Sam, he made for a lighter yet still serious time and I loved it when he was around. We get to meet a few of Jin and Ahmed's other siblings which really added to the Rebel Prince's story and I can't wait for it to delve more into that particular part.

There was a huge lack of Jin which I was disappointed in. I understand it's hard when it's told in Amani's perspective but he was such a huge part of the previous book, I felt that he should have some of his own chapters even if it was only a couple.


OVERALL

Overall, the book was exciting and written so beautifully, the world building is phenomenal and the character development is spot on. Traitor to the Throne got deeper into our rebellion story and sets us up for book three with an intense and emotional ending.

I would highly recommend picking up Rebel of the Sands if you haven't already; pick up Traitor to the Throne while you're at it because you're gonna need it right away! I would love to know your thoughts on Traitor to the Throne (or Rebel), leave a comment below or message me on Instagram if they contain spoilers.

Rating: 4/5

Make sure you check out my YouTube channel for more bookish things!

See you soon.

x

*This book was sent to me by Allen & Unwin 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'!

Hello everyone,

The beginning of the year always seems to be my better reading months. I feel motivated and focused and really into whatever I'm reading - it helps when you read great books! This month I read 8 books, woohoo!!! Majority of them were incredibly good, with my first read and the last read being my favourites of the month. If you want to watch the video version of my January Wrap Up, click here!
Otherwise keep reading...




BOOKS

1. Illuminae - Jay Kristoff & Amie Kaufman
I bought Illuminae almost a year ago and have just let it sit on my shelf with every means to read it but never picking it up. After talking with a couple of Bookstagram friends about it, I was easily convinced to pick it up soon. It can seem an intimidating book because it's so big but it's written in different formats where on some pages there's hardly any writing and there's lots of instant messaging and emails that you read. After the first 100 pages I was seriously addicted, it is so FREAKING GOOD and intense and written in a way I've never come across before. You 100% need to read this epic sci-fi ok? Ok.
 5/5

2. Kiss of Fire - Rebecca Ethington
I got this ebook free on Amazon (it might still be free!) and because it was on my kindle, I started reading it when I was in America. I had left it for a while and picked it back up again this month and was easily back into the story. This took a while to get into the actual interesting part of the story but I still found it easy to read and it's not a very big book. It's a fantasy YA about magical beings and there's good and evil and all that. When the main character knew what she was, I felt it wasn't explained enough and her learning the magic she has was really rushed. But overall it was still an enjoyable read and I've book two is better!
3/5

3. A Monster Calls - Patrick Ness
If you watched my December Book Haul you would have known I purchased this beautiful illustrated edition. I picked this up because the movie comes out soon and it was also a short book. I finished it really quickly and absolutely loved it. It was quite a unique story and really pulled on the heartstrings (perhaps wrenched them off?) If you want to buy this book, I strongly suggest purchasing the illustrated edition as the amazing pictures really added to the story. They're also illustrated by the same person who does the Harry Potter illustrated versions (Jim Kay).
5/5

4. Our Chemical Hearts - Krystal Sutherland
I wouldn't say I had high hopes for this one, but I'd heard it was really good from the Bookstagram community so I was thoroughly disappointed with this one. Overall, the story was kind of enjoyable though the relationship of it all was toxic and a let down. The two main characters, Henry and Grace were both interesting but it would've been better if it didn't involve one or the other as much, does that make sense? I didn't like them together in the story. I really liked Lola (one of Henry's best friends) but I also didn't like (actually - really hated) that for his other best friend who hails from Australia, the author overdid the commercial Australian thing. In parts it was meant to be some sort of joke but it was so overdone, it made me loathe anything that came out of his mouth. Also the author is Australian?! Anyways, I think this book would be better suited for a younger age group.
3/5 (maybe 2?)

5. Yellow - Megan Jacobson
Now here is an Australian author that got it done right. This is set in like the early 90's maybe?? and it was so on point with Australian culture in the story. This is about Kirra, who is going through a rough time in her life and ends up picking up a ringing phone to an old telephone box and when she answers, the person on the other end was actually murdered 20 years ago and is stuck in a sort of limbo until his murderer is caught. Interesting right? This was a phenomenal story and I highly recommend this book! The only thing that pissed me off was what happened in chapter 3, it was unnecessary.
4.5/5


6. The Diabolic - SJ Kincaid
Another sci-fi novel this month, is about a world where 'Diabolics' are created for the protection of the people who buy them. Nemesis is sent in her 'protectee's' place when she is summoned to the royal court and has to act as the royal heir she is seen to be. This book was fast paced and interesting and I enjoyed myself immensely. It was also very unpredictable and I had no idea what was going to end up happening - I had my theories and they were all wrong but in such a good way. I loved how this book ended up and I am looking forward to book two.
4.5/5

7. Sidekicks - Will Kostakis
Another YA Australian author brings you a story about three boys who all had the same best friend who died. It's told in three parts - one part for each boy, and goes through their grief process and what happens next. This was a really enjoyable read and I'm so, so glad that I finally got round to reading it. My favourite character was Harley, 'the rebel' of the story. He was such an interesting character and I enjoyed reading from his point of view. My least favourite was Miles, he wasn't very likeable but I think that was intended. Overall, a really great story and I'm looking forward to reading more from the author.
4/5


8. My Sister Rosa - Justine Larbalestier
Oh my lord. This book is insane. In the view of 17 year old Che, he and his family move around a lot and his main focus in life is keeping his sister Rosa under control. Rosa is a 10 year old psychopath and holy heck. I've never read anything like this before and it was absolutely incredible. Rosa is creepy and twisted and like no character I've read about before. It was a nice change to read from a different view to do with mental disorders. I seriously need to scope out more books like this as I may be addicted! The only downside to this story was that there was a bit of 'instalove' which I wasn't keen on, but other than that SO, SO GOOD!
4.5/5


What an incredible reading month! I hope to continue this 'incredibleness' into February before I go back to uni (YOU CAN DO THIS ERENA!).

FEBRUARY TBR

1. City of Glass - Cassandra Clare *I am trying to finish this one that I started over a year ago - oops!

2. Scarlet - Marissa Meyer *Buddy reading this one! Come join me @erenareads on IG

3. Anna Dressed in Blood - Kendare Blake

4. Gemina - Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

5. Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire - JK Rowling *This is constantly on my tbr but I'm trying to make a really dent in it this month.


And that's it! I hope you enjoyed reading about what I was reading and it inspires you to pick up one (or more) of these books. Make sure you check out my Instagram @erenareads for daily posts and chats and my YouTube channel for bookish videos and lifestyle vlogs.

See you soon!
xx


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!

With not only December coming to an end but also 2016, I wanted to add more books to my total books read for the year so I managed to scrape in 5 books in December which I am extremely happy with. The previous months I wasn't reading as much because of university and I also fell into a slightly small slump. But I should also mention that the books I did read were of pretty good quality, some of them being possible favourites of the year! If you're interested I have a video version of this on my YouTube channel, click here for that. Otherwise keep reading...


DECEMBER WRAP UP

1. Falling Into Place - Amy Zhang
Last month I read my first novel from this author and thoroughly enjoyed her writing and was very keen to dive into this one. The chapters are based on the before's and after's with a girl who is in a car accident at the beginning of the book. It has multiple points of views and I didn't mind one bit. Each chapter held little bits of information that really added to the story and it made me crave each chapter and it was extremely hard to put down; this fact made me read it in about three sittings (which is reaaallly great for me!) Despite being based around high school aged characters, I loved the way it was written. Highly recommend this novel!
5/5


2. Rebel of the Sands - Alwyn Hamilton
I had seen this floating around the book community for a while, even after I bought it, so I finally started reading and this was yet another book that I didn't want to put down. Amani is eager to move out of her crappy desert town and on to better things. She meets a foreign boy who is in trouble with the law and they set out together to find whatever it is they wish to find. The story is an interesting one that has bits of fantasy and diversity in it and incredibly easy to read. I am eagerly awaiting the release of book two, Traitor to the Throne.
5/5


3. Wintergirls - Laurie Halse Anderson
This was a reread for me; I first read the book a few years ago from the library and finally purchased my own copy. This was a quick read because I once again, found it hard to put down. It follows Lia, a girl with anorexia, whose old best friend just died (who also had an eating disorder). It delves into the mind of disordered eating and how this mental illness can affect all aspects of life. You need to go into this book with an open mind, you cannot be mad at the main character when she doesn't do what she should and it may take some time for you to start to understand that mental illnesses can control the host. I shall also give it a trigger warning for those struggling with disordered eating. Nonetheless, it is one of my favourite books ever.
5/5

4. Desolation - Derek Landy
Book two in the Demon Road trilogy; I wasn't actually expecting much from this book because the first one was pretty average, but after getting through a few chapters I found myself enjoying it immensely. I felt that everything that was wrong with Demon Road was improved in this book. It had plenty of action and a good story. I've already started book three because I need to know what happens next! For a full review of Demon Road click here, and for a full review of Desolation click here.
4/5


5. American Monsters - Derek Landy
The final instalment of the Demon Road trilogy; I was eager to get to this one as I really enjoyed the previous book. This book had quite a clear storyline/plot which I felt wasn't as clear in the first two, so that was a plus. I didn't find it as interesting as Desolation but still a fun and enjoyable read for teenage and some young adult readers. There were a few events I was surprised by - both good and bad. There was one particular thing that happened where I felt it wasn't written about enough so I kind of felt cheated almost. But overall, I enjoyed this trilogy.For a full review click here.
3.5/5


JANUARY TBR

1. Illuminae - Jay Kristoff & Amy Kaufman
2. Kiss of Fire - Rebecca Ethington
3. Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire - J.K Rowling


That's all for my January TBR at the moment, no doubt I'll add more to it but I'm waiting to see what I'm in the mood for.
Be sure to check out my YouTube channel because I upload there regularly (Erena Reads or click the link below).

See you soon for more bookish posts!

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'!

I'm just going to start this post right off with the amount of books I read in 2016: 47. I began my first year of university (which was incredibly stressful for me) which meant less leisurely reading, so I set my reading goal to 40 books for the year.