The Awesome August Book Photo Challenge Day 16: Favorite Fandoms

Magical Jewels, Traitors, Evil Immortals and a bit of mystery: My Review of The Queen Of The Tearling

                                       

                         The Bookbabe Reviews: The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johnasen

I came upon this book last year during the summer but had not decided to purchase it until I saw it in paperback this spring. I had heard some wonderful things about it. Calling it Hunger Games meets Game of Thrones; honestly I do not understand the Hunger Games reference but, it does have that GOT feel. In The Queen of the Tearling, Johansen gives us a head strong, unlikely young Queen in Kelsea Raleigh. Kelsea is a bookish, plain and slightly overweight young woman. She has spent the past 19 years of her life living in secret and away from "The Keep" and the problems plaguing her homeland. She is taught history, politics, war strategy, etc. However, nothing prepares her for being taken from the only home she has ever known and being whisked away to New London and "The Keep". Once there Kelsea has to witness the hell that her subjects live in. There is little or no food, jobs, medicine, doctors, and educational opportunites. Worst of all villagers names at put into a lottery at birth; and once a month folks are chosen to be taken as part of a shipment to Mortmense. This shipment helps keep the peace with the Red Queen of the Mort; it was part of the treaty between Kelsea's mother, Queen Elyssa and the Queen. Once Kelsea witnesses the men, women and children being loaded into cages she orders her guard and the army to stop the shipment. Stopping the shipment means that she has now violated the treaty; giving the Red Queen the right to invade the Tearling and take its citizens by force. During the course of the novel we see Kelsea try to come to terms with what she's done but we also see her trying to right some wrongs within her kingdom. This includes  getting rid of the Regent, her uncle. We see him expelled in grand fashion during the first assassination attempt when Kelsea is wounded. It is during this moment that I really begun to respect the character. Kelsea has what it takes to be queen and she will not back down. This becomes an important character trait as we approach the climax of the book. 

Johansen also does an amazing job at leaving some very poignant and important questions hanging in the air; and even though they go unanswered  they do not overshadow the novel. Such as where did the Red Queen come from? Why does she not have a name? Who is Kelsea's father, and why does no one know? Also, how did a modern America end? The latter question is the most interesting to me because Kelsea mentions the "crossing" and America frequently; not to mention J.K. Rowling's seven "volumes" and Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. The saddest parts of the book comes when one of the queens guards is found out for treachery. This is the point where we see what type of person Kelsea is: compassionate. What she does in the moment is sad and heartbreaking even though it is necessary. 

Another thing that I loved about this book was that the author really builds the tension. Making it every easy to keep the pages turning and yearning to find out what happens next. Of course, the story did have its bumps and the beginning is very slow. Also, there are things that are mentioned in the beginning that are not thoroughly explained and we all know what a turn off that can be. But overall I liked it. I will definitely read the entire series because I just need to know what happens to Kelsea but also because I want to know more about the Red Queen.  

Quotes I Loved:

" I am death. I come quickly, I come slowly, but I am not cheated"

"Everyone dies eventually. I think it's better to die clean" 

"Barty always used to say there were three things men were stupid about: their beer, their cocks and their pride"

"Even a book can be dangerous in the wrong hands, and when that happens, you blame the hands, but you also read the book" 

"I see this land flowing with books, Father. Widespread literacy. Books everywhere...."

"Children conceived by this woman would only be cannibalized by her womb....."Then you don't risk in the lottery, do you? You have no children, you don't look strong enough for labor, and you're really too old to appeal to anyone for sex."

"Once, he'd explained to Kelsea that addiction wa like having a crack in your life. "It's a deep crack, Kel, but you can build guards around it. You can put up a fence."

"I've been dead since the invasion, sir. It's only the past few years I've begun to rot" 

For more of my reviews be sure to follow me at www.delawarebookaddict.blogspot.com and www.facebook.com/thebookbabeofde

#BooksNotBullets....Happy 18th Malala!

#BooksNotBullets 

I Support books not bullets because reading and education opens the mind to all the infinite possibilities of the universe. When we choose books we are choosing a life that allows us to become better communicators and problem solvers. Through reading we become more empathic and diverse. By reading; no matter the topic, we are actively learning. Our imaginations are working and we are evolving into better people. Bullets simply can not make us better people...in honor of Malala Yousafzai's 18th birthday I am choosing to highlight some of my all time favorite books and explaining why these books are not only inspiring, entertaining but so much better than bullets.

The Books I choose:

The Color Purple by Alice Walker; because Celie is a young woman who does not let diversity stop her. Though she is beaten, and raped by her stepfather and then married off at a young age, and separated from her sister she still strives to better herself. She wants the best for not only herself but the ones she loves as well. Celie embodies well all that it means to fight back and regain your power.

The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling; Whats not to love about this series. The trio; Harry, Ron and Hermonie best reflect what true and lasting friendship looks like. Though they have their rough patches they stand up together to battle Lord Voldermort. 

Night by Elie Wiesel; this book is a favorite of mine because like Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl it is about a young person that is forced to face one of the darkest hours of world history. In this short volume we witness the horrors of the concentration camps Auschwitz and Buchenwald as seen through the eyes of a young Elie Wiesel. At the heart of this book is the simple truth that sometimes even at the darkest times you will still be able to survive. 

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury; this book has stayed with me since reading it my senior year of college. This book is all about a world so close to our own today. People use drugs to keep themselves happy and "even", and they are obsessed with watching "screens". All knowledge and learning is suppressed and instead of fireman putting out fires they are lighting them; to burn books. Bradbury was ahead of his time when he wrote this book; its almost like he knew where our world might be heading and he wanted to warn us ahead of time.

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan; which is a book about mothers and daughters and how they battle to overcome the obstacles that keep them from understanding one another. This book is sad, funny, haunting and beautiful. 

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas; Celaena is an unlikely any other female character I have seen written in sometime. She is an orphan who was taken in by an assassin and taught to kill. She has a lot to prove if she wants to keep her freedom. What I love about Celaena is that she is a book lover. She reads to escape just like we do. I also love that  she fights to overcome her past and to regain her freedom. 

City of Bones (Mortal Instruments Series) by Cassandra Clare; what is not to love about  a story such a this. In the Mortal Instruments series we come upon a world that stands parallel into with our own and the only way to stop the war that is going on within the Shadow world from spilling into ours is for Shadowhunters to protect us. 

Mockingjay (Hunger Games Book 3) by Suzanne Collins. I choose Mockinjay because it is a book about a revolution. In this book we have a reluctant heroine in Katniss; a young woman that just wants to live out her life in piece and like a puppet she is pulled along by strings until she changes the game. Katniss represents what a true hero really should be; unpredictable, ballsy, and thoughtful. 

If you need anymore information on any of these books it can be found on thereadingroom.com or goodreads.com. They are also available for purchase on amazon.com as well as other fine retailers. Feel free to follow me at www.delawarebookaddict.blogspot.com for more reviews and book related editorials and news.   

Direct from District 13: The Faces of the Revolution Propaganda!

Are you ready for the final battle to make things right across the nation?! Let us know how you feel about the new Propaganda. 

Have Books Will Travel.....

So back in February my family started planning our summer vacation. We went back and forth on where we wanted to go, some choose Flordia...maybe a cruise and finally (and rather quickly) we all settled on California. This was my first trip to California and their second. I, of course, was interested in the California weather and the laid back lifestyle. Not to mention there is a lot of history here in California; especially with the studios etc. So during our trip we visited several hot spots that I will highlight here. Chief among them, Universal Studios (and their tour) and Warner Brothers Studios. We also went to Madame Tussards (wax museum) in Hollywood. What I loved about the places that we visited is that some very "bookish" things come about during these tours. Also, I think it is important to mention that it is very difficult for me to decide on what books to take during vacation. Especially since I knew that I would need to be active and could not do my usual "antisocial" bookish behavior and just escape to a corner with my book. So I downloaded an audio copy of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I also physically brought along A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (which I finished), Grey by E.L. James and an annoted copy of Pride and Prejudice. We will not even get into the books that I have downloaded to my Scribd account and that are stored to my iPad. I know that fellow bookworms will feel my pain in the dilema of what books to pack. I digress, but I really really just needed to put that little tid bit in there. So here comes the photos...

Day one of our trip: Warner Brothers Studios; which seemed to be unlikely to have anything bookish until I remembered that the Harry Potter films were produced by Warner. During the tour the WB has a small museum that features some of the artifacts from the movies and original illustrations from the books. 

 

 

As soon as I walked into the exhibit this was the first thing I saw. I gasped and instantly wanted to snatch one of the letters so that I could take it home with me.

This is me with the Privet Drive sign. I also got re-sorted into Slytherin...which I was very happy with. In fact, I purchased a Slytherin wool scarf (mind you it was 90 degrees on the day we went to the WB).

I was so happy to see these costumes. When I saw the HP exhibit in NYC at Discovery Times Square the final movie had not be released. These three costumes where featured in part two of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Also, Daniel is damn short lol.

Costumes worn by Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's

And they had Quidditch gear

Also the costume for the Dark Lord was present. I really wish that something of Bellatrix would have been featured. 

 Harry and Ron's wizard chest set

I must say that I really love Luna's Style

Remember when Hermonie was petrified in Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets? Well here is the dummy/wax figure that was used in the movie. I will admit that this thing is freaky and creepy looking, and it looks as creepy as it did in the movie.

 My favorite little Elf, Dobby. 

 

Why so Sirius? Ok, I had to do it. Especially since the other exhibit in the building involved Batman.

 

Every Robert Pattinson Fan should recongize this? Its the costume he wore in Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire.

So we all know that as soon as I saw this I could think was "Umbridge...a vial toad of a woman"

Day Four: Madame Tussards of Hollywood; most folks have been to one of these.

The most bookish thing was a figure of Katniss Everdeen as played by Jennifer Lawrence. I was very shocked to see this. But, it just goes to show how popular the books/movies are. Can I also mention that I have been looking for her scarf for months. (I have found them on Etsy, but they are so expensive).

And finally here is another photo of me being positively dorky. So everyone go forth and be geekishly prosperous. If I happen upon any fanastic book shops I will be sure to share photos ;)

The Bookbabe Reviews....Angelfall by Susan Ee

What is not to like about this book? Susan Ee gives us all the things that we love about current YA (young adult fiction). It has fallen angels, a post apocalyptic world, a kick ass main character and a hot forbidden love interest. What I really loved about this book is that it was so different from all the others that I have read over the years. Some could say that it is like Hunger games. We have our main character Penryn trying to protect her family after Angels have descended on the world and ripped it apart. She has to deal with a Schizophrenic mother that is off her meds. She also has to support her

handicapped sister. They have little food and have made a decision to make a run for it and so that they can be in a safer environment.
Along the way the stumble across a fight between a few Angels and here is where we meet our hot, sarcastic angel named Raffe. Raffe becomes a very likeable character right off the start. He is not very much unlike many of the other male characters we find in this kind of YA
novel.  In fact when he is first introduced he reminds me so much of Jace Wayland from The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare.
   Raffe seems distant and unwilling to help Penryn after her sister is kidnapped by Angels. However, he seems drawn to her and duty bound to help. So they make and alliance that seems fragile at first but later as the book progresses we see that it so something all together deeper that will keep them together a bit longer. Another thing that I really
enjoyed about this book is that Susan Ee is not afraid to be gory and to create creatures that will scare the living mess out of you. The monsters at the end of this book will make you cringe. I can’t wait to see what she does in the next two installments of the series. I will
definitely say that this book is really worth your time and will be a great and very fast read that will keep you turning the pages.

Quote I loved:
“When I was little, I always thought I’d be Cinderella, but I guess
this makes me the wicked witch. But then again, Cinderella didn’t live
in a post-apocalyptic world invaded by avenging angels”.



For personal book recommendations you can email me at thebookbabe84@gmail.com

The Hunger Games....

Wow...I've been missing out. After reading several young adult series...such as House of Night, the Twilight Saga and Harry Potter I have finally gotten to the Hunger Games. I can say that I really enjoyed the book and found myself really drawn in by the plot and really rooting for District 12. I think that what really made me a fan of the series is the strong female protagonist. Katniss Everdeen is strong and determined, she's intelligent and has the ability to do what it takes to make it out alive. In the book her task is simple....to keep here promise to Prim and to come back home a victor; which by default will give her sister (and mother) a better life. However, her teams win will also cost her greatly. I am really looking forward to seeing how the relationship between Peeta Mellark and Katniss works out. I'm hoping that Katniss comes to her senses about him, but you never know. One thing I can say about this book is that not sense the Harry Potter series have a found myself so drawn to a series. To me Suzanne Collins comes a very close second in writing and plot pacing to JK Rowling.