Hello everyone!
I am still reeling from all of the feels that Empire of Storm inspired in me, and have not really had time to do blog posts. However, I will break that slump today! I have been tagged but the lovely MassachussetsNovel to do the Throne of Glass Book Tag!
Lysandra | A book with a cover change you loved
I know that many people enjoyed the original covers of the Arcana Chronicles series, but I just absolutely love the new covers, without people. They are so much more colorful and while the cover males weren’t bad looking, they just weren’t what I pictured the characters looking as.
Abraxos | A book that’s better on the inside than it looks on the outside
When I first picked up Dragonfly (by Julia Golding) at the library, there wasn’t a creepy face shadow in the background (at least that I saw).I was slightly put out at first by the sparkly brooch on the cover, especially as the description inside was geared toward the YA fantasy genre. Needless to say, I really enjoyed the story of a princess from a far away kingdom who fights to free people of an oppressed nation.
Erilea | A series with great world building
I have still not finished the Grisha trilogy, much to the chagrin of of my friends (because I insist on finishing it before Six of Crows), but I absolutely love the world that Bardugo has created. The entire system of the “small science” mixed in with a war-torn nation makes for an enchanting and wonderful read.
Rifthold | A book that combines genres
While a combination of Science Fiction and Romance is not exactly a ground-breaking combination, I do believe that this book successfully blends the two. Plus I love the series and author and wanted it to have a place on this list. I absolutely love the aliens of Obsidian and this was one of my introductions into the science fiction realm of YA, before the 5th wave released. Without this book, I probably wouldn’t have even picked up other YA sci-fi’s, as I preferred the older classics like Dune.
Damaris | A book based on/inspired by a myth or legend
This book is VERY loosely based on the story of Beauty and the Beast, but it is one of my all-time favorite vampire books. This post-apocalyptic story weaves in magic, and lust, and love, into a beautiful story about a young woman (who just wants to bake cinnamon rolls) coming into her powers. I love the heroine, I love the men, and I love how this story isn’t a love story (even though you want it to be).
Kaltain Rompier | A book with an unexpected twist
I absolutely adore the Enclave series by Ann Aguirre. In fact, it is one of the only zombie YA’s that I enjoy (other than Susan Dennard’s Something Strange and Deadly). I really did not see the big twist in this series coming, with the creatures being a little more than they seem. I loved the strong female lead, and the love interest, as well as the change of scene throughout the books. Definitely recommend to anyone looking for a survival/zombie/YA love story. (While this sounds like a horrible mix, it works.)
Assassin’s Keep| A book with an unreliable narrator
I love the first half of Wuthering Heights. There is just something about a doomed love story that draws me in. However, if you consider the context of the story, the entire thing is being told basically third hand. The Narrator Lockwood is relating what “Nelly” Dean is telling him about a story that happened between three other people. While this absolutely works for the story, I have always wondered what would change if Catherine had told the story first hand, which leads this to being my pick for unreliable narrator.
Asterin Blackbeak | A book that’s got squad goals
The squad in Winter is so real. All of the characters from the previous novels come together in this bada$$ quest to save the Lunar people from their crazy insane bitch queen. The meshing of all these different parts just makes me wanna sing, because each character so lovable on their own just so wonderfully compliment each other. I can’t. And that is all I will say on this subject.
Terrasen | A book that feels like home
While it may be a little twisted that I consider a world where teenagers are relegated to what amounts to internment camps “home,” I constantly find myself returning to this series whenever I need a good laugh or cry or adventure. This book was admittedly a runner up for the squad goals tag because I just absolutely love all the characters in it. I cannot read through any of the books without shedding a tear or horrifically sobbing, which is the mark of a truly great read.
Aelin Ashryver Galathynius | A book with the power to destroy you
I 100% monumentally lost my noodles during this book. Liked the first book in the series, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and then this one completely blew it and all my previous expectations out of the water. Maas is wonderful with her character development as well as the realistic-ness of the love and relationships in her books, which is often missing from fantasy and indeed New and Young Adult novels. I cannot wait to see what else this series has in store.
Manon Blackbeak | A book that intimidated you
I was initially given the His Dark Materials series by Phillip Pullman as a Christmas gift around 5th grade. Not the individual books, but the giant 1000 page monstrosity that contains all three in one collection in super fine print. Although I had read some pretty thick books, that giant series-in-one scared me a little bit, especially knowing that it was only three books and not the seven books I had in my Jane Austen collection. I really did enjoy them though, and they would be my choice for runner-up on books that changed your view. The thinly veiled religious innuendos in this book made me think about the world and other people’s views in a new light, and led me to a greater understanding of what I believed.
Rowan Whitethorn | A book that makes you swoon
I love Jamie Frasier. He is an awesome, loving, caring, warrior male who would do anything to protect his wife. What else is there to say? Other than Jamie, Outlander is an amazing book filled with so much well-researched historically detailed, which weaves seamlessly into the story and helps the reader perfectly envision the world in which these characters reside. It is also an awesome and steamy show that I love watching.
Chaol Westfall | A book that challenged you to see things differently
I was forced to read this book, originally written in 1999 about a post-apartheid Africa. It is written about a sick, disgusting man, who is basically the definition of an unreliable narrator. You end up against every fiber of your being feeling bad for what is happening to said disgusting male, however it does provide a brief (if unreliable) feel as to the trials that certain areas in Africa faced, as well as a new view on white superiority in other nations. While I will never pick up this book again, I do believe that it opened my eyes and made me realize injustices that often go unspoken here and abroad.
Fleetfoot | A book that you received as a gift
This book was given to me by my Sorority Big Maggie (from Massachusettsnovel, link above). It was my second foray into Rainbow Rowell (I had read and enjoyed Carry On before reading Fangirl which I now realize was a little backward) and I absolutely loved the story. I saw so many aspects of my fangirl-self reflected in Cath, and adored the realistic love story between her and Levi. Now I just need to find a Levi.
Eye of Elena | a book you found right when you needed it
Perhaps it is *very* corny to end the Throne of Glass Book Tag with Throne of Glass, but this book really did come to me at the best possible time in my life. Cue 2012 Emily, who was struggling with friendships and sense of self in school, and randomly picked this book up in all of it’s old-ugly-cover glory from the New Release section at the library. This smart-mouthed assassin reminded me that even when you’re beaten down, you can get back up and kick ass, and for that I will always be beholden to Ms. Sardothien and Mrs. Maas. And now I’m getting emotional, but quite honestly I think this book changed my life and made me who I am today.
Thank you so much for reading this very long and time consuming post! And because I don’t have any other blogger friends, I tag you dear and faithful reader. Join me in this hour long quest to share which books relate to the Throne of Glass theme. (but seriously, if you wanna do this feel free to cut some of these out).
Happy reading!
Emily
Emie's Nook 