The Daily Prophecy

Title: Cress.
Author: Marissa Meyer.
Pages: 560.
Expected publication: February 4th 2014 by Feiwel & Friends 
Sort: Part 3 of ‘Lunar Chronicles.’ Part one: Cinder. ||| Part two: Scarlet.
Source: I borrowed an ARC from my friend Christina reads YA. Thanks Christina!

Rapunzel’s tower is a satellite. She can’t let down her hair—or her guard.  In this third book in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army. Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker—unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice. When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.

Two years ago I started this little blog on February 4th and it’s amazing how far I’ve come. I’ve made contact with publishers, realized that authors aren’t scary and I started to be more active on Twitter. I hope to keep growing, to keep making friends all over the world and read books I normally wouldn’t read. I want to thank all of you, followers, commenters or just visitors, for all the friendship and time! Being part of this community is still something I enjoy every day and I hope to do it for many more years.

You might remember that I wanted to do something special for my Blogoversary? I’m not creative enough to come up with some spectacular, but thanks for Stephanie @ Hopeless Romantics I’m here to present you my new design!

I was planning to buy a pre-made design for my blog, but Stephanie contacted me when I left a comment saying I was thinking about buying her theme. She had a good idea for a design, so she created this one for me. Isn’t it a beauty? Together with her I came up with this colour scheme and I’m in love with it! I can’t stop staring at it. It feels so ‘me’ and it captures what my blog stands for. She is also incredibly kind and patience, so if you are looking for someone I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her.

So, I'm already starting a sort-off celebration week, where I will be sharing two personal posts - or perhaps 3. We'll see! I already got some very positive and sweet feedback on Twitter, but definitely leave a comment telling me what you think about the design!

If you are a follower or someone who regularly visits my blog, you’ll know by now that I’m a lover of Disney & fairy tales. There is something about these two that makes me feel extremely happy. Today I want to share you more about myself, starting with my top 3 favorite Disney movies. I’m inspired to share this topic, because recently there is something we call ‘#DisneyJourney’ on Twitter. Me and some other girls are rewatching all the Disney movies and it’s hilarious to see everyone’s comments. Note: I also like Disney Pixar and other animation companies, like DreamWorks.

Disney is magical to me. There are powerful lines and the movies contain much wisdom in my opinion. I don't love every movie they have made. Snow White is my least favorite princess and I'm not a huge fan of Pinocchio, but they still mean something to me :)

Title: Cruel Beauty.
Author: Rosamund Hodge.
Pages: 352.
Expected publication: January 28th 2014 by Balzer & Bray
Sort: Stand-alone.
Source: ARC from Publisher for a honest review.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him. With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people. But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her. As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

'Mel on reading' is a little feature I created as part of my Fairytale news. It's my way to show my thoughts on topics that go from pet peeves in reading to my favorite things in books.

It has been a while since I talked about things that make our life as a reader harder. Today I want to share you three new problems we all might encounter.

This series went downhill for me. I truly enjoyed the first book, the second was less interesting and this came close to being a train-wreck. This story lost the charm of the previous books. There was something off about the characters and the storyline.

The story is in big lines about the Juniper Tree, Cinderella and Little Brother & Little Sister. I still need to give him credits for the fact that he uses lesser known fairytales and manages to create a solid story with it. They are all combined in a fun mixture and the humorous tone is still there. It was an easy book to read and that saved The Grimm Conclusion from a 'DNF' rating.

The biggest problem were the unsympathetic characters. I didn't connected with them and couldn't care less about their fate. It's been a while since I've read this book and I don't even remember them. For me, that's a bad sign, because I'm pretty good at memorizing books. They just aren't memorable. There is also a strange twist where we end up in the modern world and this completely ruined the fairytale feeling for me. It felt like I was pulled out of the story and after that, I couldn't enjoy it anymore. It was hard to return and it didn't blend in.

I don't think I would recommend this series. It's perfectly okay to read the first book, because they are pretty much stand-alones, but this wasn't good.

To defeat the darkness, she must first embrace it.
Months have passed since Juliet Moreau returned to civilization after escaping her father's island—and the secrets she left behind. Now, back in London once more, she is rebuilding the life she once knew and trying to forget Dr. Moreau’s horrific legacy—though someone, or something, hasn’t forgotten her. As people close to Juliet fall victim one by one to a murderer who leaves a macabre calling card of three clawlike slashes, Juliet fears one of her father’s creations may have also escaped the island. She is determined to find the killer before Scotland Yard does, though it means awakening sides of herself she had thought long banished, and facing loves from her past she never expected to see again. As Juliet strives to stop a killer while searching for a serum to cure her own worsening illness, she finds herself once more in the midst of a world of scandal and danger. Her heart torn in two, past bubbling to the surface, life threatened by an obsessive killer—Juliet will be lucky to escape alive.

'Mel on reading' is a little feature I created as part of my Fairytale news. It's my way to show my thoughts on topics that go from pet peeves in reading to my favorite things in books.

Today I want to share you a pet peeve I’ve had for a while now. I don’t think I’ve seen this one on any other blog yet, so I’m interested to see if you share my opinion. And if not, I’d love to see why you are on the other side!

This pet peeve of mine is:

I haven’t done these lists in a while, but I always adore this topic! I’m going to give you a little preview of the books I can’t wait for. To make it a little easier, I didn’t include titles without covers. I also tried to come up with titles I haven’t heard much about in the hope to introduce you with some new books!

Yvonne Ventresca – Pandemic. I’ve already told you about my career and current study of microbiology, so everything that has to do with outbreaks of sickness has my interest.
Kathryn Rose – Camelot burning. Mythological steampunk in the Arthurian era? Need I say more?
Sarah Rougley – Featherbound *freaks out* I seriously can NOT wait. It’s about ‘the twisted truth of Cinderella’

Jessica Arnold – The looking glass. Find a diary, break a curse, trapped in a haunted hotel. I’m in!
Christina Farley – Gilded. Asian mythology, yes please.
Livia Blackburn – Midnight thief. High fantasy! Assassins guild!
I’ve read this book and my gushing review will be up soon. I highly suggest to keep an eye on this book! Rosamund Hodge – Cruel beauty, a mixture of Beauty and the beast and mythology. I have an ARC waiting from Danielle L. Jensen – Stolen songbird and it sounds amazing. Trolls! Danielle Paige – Dorothy must die. If you know me well, you’d expect this book on my list.

Title: Ash.
Author: Malinda Lo. Pages: 291.
Publication date: March 4th 2010 by Hodder Children's.
Sort: Stand-alone.

In the wake of her father’s death, Ash is left at the mercy of her cruel stepmother. Consumed with grief, her only joy comes by the light of the dying hearth fire, rereading the fairy tales her mother once told her. In her dreams, someday the fairies will steal her away, as they are said to do. When she meets the dark and dangerous fairy Sidhean, she believes that her wish may be granted. The day that Ash meets Kaisa, the King’s Huntress, her heart begins to change. Instead of chasing fairies, Ash learns to hunt with Kaisa. Though their friendship is as delicate as a new bloom, it reawakens Ash’s capacity for love—and her desire to live. But Sidhean has already claimed Ash for his own, and she must make a choice between fairy tale dreams and true love. 

This is an example of an 'okay' book. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't fantastic or life-changing either. It's a solid retelling of Cinderella with an unique twist of LGBT love.

Ash's mother recently died and her father announces - after a couple of weeks traveling for his job - that he found a new wife with two kids. After a short sickbed, her father dies and Ash's world changes in a drastic way. She has to leave everything she knows behind to life with her new 'family.' In order to pay her father's debts, she has to work in their household as maid. Wandering around the forest, Ash meets the elf Sidhean and the Royal King's huntress Kaisa. She must keep her promise to Sidhean when he helps her, but she can't ignore her growing feelings for Kaisa. 

This is my first LGBT book, but unfortunately, the romance fell flat to me. I like that Malinda went there and how the romance is subtle. There is no focus on the fact that it's about two lesbian girls and I love that. It didn't  feel forced, because love is love, no matter the genders. The thing is, I didn't feel the chemistry between Kaisa and Ash. They spend some time together and I can understand their friendship, but love?

What I also appreciate is the appearance of Sidhean. It was interesting to find out why he is so interested in Ash, but the downside is, that there isn't enough depth in his story. I don't understand his role and the solution from Ash to pay her debt to him was awkward and strange. I actually felt sad for him, because Ash promised him things only to get better from it.

I'd say to try this book if you want to look for something else in the fairy tale genre, but don't expect too much from it.

You might be familiar with this concept. It was created by Amber & Judith to push each other to read certain books. They’ve opened it up for other bloggers as well and I teamed up with Juhina who is the blogger of Maji Bookshelf. Our first month I read 'The unbecoming of Mara Dyer' and Juhina read as 2nd recommendation 'This song will save your life.'

My recommendation for her:Leigh Bardugo - Shadow and bone.

'Mel on reading' is a little feature I created as part of my Fairytale news. It's my way to show my thoughts on topics that go from pet peeves in reading to my favorite things in books.

I think we all have a certain type of character we fall for. Some people swoon over the bad guys, some look for the good guys, but there is so much more in between. Today I want to show you the different things I like in book boyfriends. For me, most of them are the quirky, humorous or silent/broody types. I like it when they have imperfections, because it makes them more interesting and realistic. I say no to the perfect, flawless hunks or the macho's.

Title: Witch finder.
Author: Ruth Warburton.
Publication date: January 2nd 2014 by Hodder Children's Books.
Sort: Part one of ‘Witch finder’
Source: Netgalley & Publisher.

London. 1880. In the slums of Spitalfields apprentice blacksmith Luke is facing initiation into the Malleus Maleficorum, the fearsome brotherhood dedicated to hunting and killing witches. Luke’s final test is to pick a name at random from the Book of Witches, a name he must track down and kill within a month, or face death himself. Luke knows that tonight will change his life forever. But when he picks out sixteen-year-old Rosa Greenwood, Luke has no idea that his task will be harder than he could ever imagine.

Last time, September 20th, I wrote this introduction post to this challenge. Mission impossible: tacking series. Today I’m going to show you the progress I’ve made so far.

My laptop broke down for the second time and the series document I was adjusting is gone for the second time. I hope to get my laptop back soon, so I can share you the stats. For now, I'm only able to share the series I finished in 2013 and the ones I want to finish in 2014:

Now that Nikki has rescued Jack, all she wants is to be with him and graduate high school. But Cole tricked Nikki into feeding off him, and she’s begun the process of turning into an Everliving herself... which means she must feed on a Forfeit soon — or die. Terrified for her survival, Nikki and Jack begin a desperate attempt to reverse the process using any means possible. Even Cole, who they expected to fight them at every turn, has become an unlikely ally — but how long can it last? Nikki needs to feed on Cole to survive, Cole needs Nikki to gain the throne in the Everneath, Jack needs Nikki because she is everything to him — and together, they must travel back to the Underworld to undo Nikki’s fate and make her mortal once more. But Cole isn’t the only one with plans for Nikki: the Queen has not forgotten Nikki’s treachery, and she wants her destroyed for good. Will Nikki be forced to spend eternity in the Underworld, or does she have what it takes to bring down the Everneath once and for all?

“This heart is yours. It belongs to you. It beats only for you. And somewhere out there is a heart without a home and it beats for me; and we’re not giving up until we find it.” Page 126 from ARC.