WHY I STOPPED BLOGGING

Hello lovelies ! As you probably have noticed if you’re still following my blog, I posted a book review yesterday after a year without posting anything.
Today I want to explain why. I don’t have to justify myself, I know but I want to explain.
One year ago I was struggling with balancing my life : work, crossfit and blogging. At some point, blogging and taking pictures for instagram felt as a burden, instead of a hobby as it used to be.
But here we are, one year later, and with the quarantine, I decided to take some book pictures that I started posting again. I also wrote my first review and yesterday I finally posted here.

So yeah, somehow I’m back. But I won’t post as much as I used to. I probably won’t post challenges, memes or TBR.

For now I’m happy to write back here and I hope it will stay that way !

Talk to you soon !
Flo

 

 

| BOOK REVIEW | KING OF SCARS BY LEIGH BARDUGO

King Of Scars
Author : Leigh Bardugo
Series : Nikolaï duology
Genres : Fantasy, Yung Adult
Publication : January 29th 2019 by Orion Children’s Books

Synopsis : Nikolai Lantsov has always had a gift for the impossible. No one knows what he endured in his country’s bloody civil war—and he intends to keep it that way. Now, as enemies gather at his weakened borders, the young king must find a way to refill Ravka’s coffers, forge new alliances, and stop a rising threat to the once-great Grisha Army.

Yet with every day a dark magic within him grows stronger, threatening to destroy all he has built. With the help of a young monk and a legendary Grisha Squaller, Nikolai will journey to the places in Ravka where the deepest magic survives to vanquish the terrible legacy inside him. He will risk everything to save his country and himself. But some secrets aren’t meant to stay buried—and some wounds aren’t meant to heal.

This book takes place some time after The Grisha trilogy ending.I really enjoyed this book and I was happy to be back into this amazing world !

Stop punishing yourself for being someone with a heart. You cannot protect yourself from suffering. To live is to grieve. You are not protecting yourself by shutting yourself off from the world. You are limiting yourself.

Story

We follow Nikolaï dealing with the aftermaths. He is suffering from a pretty dark curse, a gift left by The Darkling. Zoya is helping him the best she can. Meanwhile, Nina is trying to cope with Mathias’ death while being on a very difficult and important mission.

It has been years since I read The Grisha trilogy and the Six Of Crows duology. I love Bardugo’s writing and the world she built and I am especially fond of the Six Of Crows duology.
So I had a pretty hard time remembering everything, what happened to whom, that kind of stuff.
But I was so happy to meet these amazing characters again. Nikolaï and his great sense of humor, his irony, his witty remarks, despite feeling himself getting darker. He hasn’t lost his good mood, at least in front of people.
Zoya became softer, somehow. She truely cares for him. I was also glad to witness Genya and David’s relationship, how easily it evolved. I really admired Genya’s character in the Grisha trilogy.

The plot is very interesting. Nikolaï being king and facing both his responsabilities and his demon. His crusade to defeat the Beast, his inner fight and his journey to be the one to succeed. His real motive is more about saving Ravka than saving his own life.

Most of us can hide our greatest hurts and longings. It’s how we survive each day. We pretend the pain isn’t there, that we are made of scars instead of wounds.

Characters

• Nikolaï is such a great character. His huge sense of humor, his tendency at being borderline with the laws, with the protocol. I’m very fond of this character.
• Nina is such a badass character and despite her grief, she helps saving many Grishas. She is so impressive ! She is amazing and has such a soft heart well hidden beneath her steel armor she wrapped herself in.
• Zoya is quite intriguing in this book. I didn’t particularly enjoyed her in the previous books but she forced my admiration in this one !

Overall I really enjoyed this book !

About the author

Leigh Bardugo is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of fantasy novels and the creator of the Grishaverse (coming soon to Netflix) which spans the Shadow and Bone Trilogy, the Six of Crows Duology, The Language of Thorns, and King of Scars— with more to come. Her short stories can be found in multiple anthologies, including the Best American Science Fiction & Fantasy. Her other works include Wonder Woman: Warbringer and Ninth House (Goodreads Choice Winner for Best Fantasy 2019) which is being developed for television by Amazon Studios. Leigh was born in Jerusalem, grew up in Southern California, and graduated from Yale University. These days she lives and writes in Los Angeles.

| WRAP UP & TBR | APRIL 2019 TBR

Hello lovelies ! Today I’m sharing my April TBR ! I plan on reading 5 books this month, 4 physical books and one e book.

Let’s start, shall we ?

• Legendary by Stephanie Garber. I’ve read Caraval in March and absolutely LOVED it ! So I hope this one will live up to my expectations !
• Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder. I’m currently reading that one but I’m barely a few chapters in. I’ve been wanting to read that one for so long !
• Carry On, by Rainbow Rowell
• The Witcher, Sword Of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski.

E book : Return To The Caves by J.S. Fields. I’ve read and really enjoyed the two previous books so I really need to read that one !

That’s it ! What are you planning on reading during April ?

 

| WRAP UP & TBR | MARCH 2019 WRAP UP

Hello lovelies ! I can’t believe how fast March flew by ! I’ve managed to read slightly more than in February. I’ve finished 2 books this month !

Let’s start, shall we ?

• Caraval by Stephanie Garber. I don’t know why I waited so long before buying this book, to be honest. I was enchanted by this world ! So appealing, I wanted to dive into this amazing universe. 5 stars.
• The Wicked King by Holly Black, one of my most anticipated releases ! I loved the previous book and this one didn’t disappoint at all ! That ending nearly killed me !

Blogging wise, I only posted one review, which is more than I did these pas few months ! I posted my review for Ace Of Shades (you can read it here)

That’s it ! What have you read this month ?

| BOOK REVIEW | ACE OF SHADES BY AMANDA FOODY

Ace Of Shades
author : Amanda Foody
Series : The Shadow Game
Genres : Fantasy, Young Adult
Publication : April 10th 2018 by Harlequin Teen

Synopsis : Welcome to the City of Sin, where casino families reign, gangs infest the streets…and secrets hide in every shadow.

Enne Salta was raised as a proper young lady, and no lady would willingly visit New Reynes, the so-called City of Sin. But when her mother goes missing, Enne must leave her finishing school—and her reputation—behind to follow her mother’s trail to the city where no one survives uncorrupted.

Frightened and alone, Enne has only one lead: the name Levi Glaisyer. Unfortunately, Levi is not the gentleman she expected—he’s a street lord and a con man. Levi is also only one payment away from cleaning up a rapidly unraveling investment scam, so he doesn’t have time to investigate a woman leading a dangerous double life. Enne’s offer of compensation, however, could be the solution to all his problems.

Their search for clues leads them through glamorous casinos, illicit cabarets and into the clutches of a ruthless Mafia donna. As Enne unearths an impossible secret about her past, Levi’s enemies catch up to them, ensnaring him in a vicious execution game where the players always lose. To save him, Enne will need to surrender herself to the city…

I absolutely adored this book ! I started this book with high expectations and I wasn’t disappointed at all !

Story

We follow Enne Salta, a proper young lady who gets herself lost into the city of sins, New Reynes. She came to look for her mother, who went missing. But a young woman, who has been pampered all her life, well wandering into this city can only be really dangerous. She finds herself in a bad situation and is “saved” somehow by a thug called Chez, who leads her to his gang boss, Levi.

Somehow, Levi decides to help her (well, skam her would be more true) and together they start to investigate about her mother.

She was a pistol wrapped up in silk. She was a blade disguised as a girl.

The plot picked up quickly and I’ve been swept by this story ! This book is mesmerizing, the story is amazing and I’ve really been impressed by the magic !
New Reynes can easily be compared to Las Vegas : the city of sins. That being said, I think the comparison can be stopped here.

So we follow our two main characters into this enigmatic chase, with Levi trying to save his ass and also providing for his gang.

About the world building, the author described it perfectly, with vivid colors and I could almost smell the street. That’s how effective her descriptions are !

I also enjoyed the talent part. Everyone has two talents : the main one, the strongest is your blood talent, while the second one is your split talent. It can be compared to magic in a way.

She was the girl who’d come afraid to the city that could smell your fear. She’d faced the witch. She’d poisoned the wolf. She’d strolled into the land of death with her head held high and left it a lord. She was an impossible player in a fixed game, the only person not playing to win.

The ending was so intense ! The scene with the shadow gale got me on the edge of my seat all along !
I can’t wait to read the sequel ! I just hope it will live up my expectations !

Characters

• Enne has changed so much ! She has grown throughout the book, her character growth is incredible ! She arrived as candid as a newborn and became such a cunning and badass woman. She learned so much about life in general and about her past, and who she is.
• Levi kind of stole my heart. He is a thug, leader of an infamous gang. But he seems so lonely ! Trapped by Vianca, he is far from being free.
  He also changed so much thanks to Enne.
• Vianca is definitively an awful character. She is an evil and cunning woman.
• Lola is another interesting character. But I won’t say more because I don’t want to spoil.

Sometimes we’re not who we want to be because we’re supposed to be something else.

Overall I really loved this book !

About the author

Amanda Foody has always considered imagination to be our best attempt at magic. After spending her childhood longing to attend Hogwarts, she now loves to write about immersive settings and characters grappling with insurmountable destinies. Currently, she works as a tax accountant in Philadelphia, PA, surrounded by her many siblings and many books.

| MEMES | THIS WEEK IN BOOKS #66

Hello lovelies ! I know it has been a long time since I posted a TWIB post ! This Week In Books is a weekly meme hosted by Lipsyy.

I am currently reading The Wicked King by Holly Black. I’m really enjoying it so far ! The previous book, The Cruel Prince was one of my favorite reads last year and this one seems to take the same path !

Last week I was reading Caraval by Stephanie Garber and I absolutely LOVED it ! I need to buy the sequel ASAP !!

Next, I plan on reading Return To The Caves by J.S. Fields. It’s the final book in The Source trilogy ! The author kindly send me this book as he did with the two previous ones and I cannot thank him enough for that !

That’s it ! What are you currently reading ?

 

| BOOKSTAGRAM | FEBRUARY 2019

Hello lovelies ! Today I’m gonna share some of the pictures I took last month for my bookstagram account.

There are less pictures but it’s a good reflection of my blogging and bookstagramming month. I was so bad at it !

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed these few pictures ! Have a great day !

| BOOK HAUL | MY FEBRUARY 2019 BOOK HAUL

Hello lovelies ! How are you ? Today I’m gonna talk about the books I bought last month. I’ve been really reasonable, for once ! I want to tackle down my TBR pile so I’m trying to buy as less books as possible.

Let’s start, shall we ?

I bought The Hungry Cities quartet boxset, by Philip Reeve. You may be more familiar with the first book : Mortal Engines, which has been made into a movie. That I haven’t seen. I think you now know how I function, I want to read the book first haha !

That’s all for my book haul ! See ? Reasonable !

| WRAP UP & TBR | MARCH 2019 TBR

Hello lovelies ! I know I’m late but here is my March TBR ! I plan on reading 4 books this month and one e book.

Physical books :

• Caraval by Stephanie Garber. I’m currently reading that one and really enjoying it so far ! magical and eerie !
• The Wicked King by Holly Black. One of my most anticipated releases.
• Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder.
• Belgravia by Julian Fellowes. I’ve started this book a few months ago and I’m not sure I won’t DNF it !

e book : Return To The Caves by Joel Fields. It’s the final book in The Source trilogy and I really can’t wait to find out how this story ends !

That’s it ! What are you planning on reading ?

| WRAP UP & TBR | FEBRUARY 2019 WRAP UP

Hello lovelies ! How are you ? Today I’m gonna talk about my month of February ! I haven’t posted much this month. I’m beyond exhausted and I’ve spent a lot of time at my crossfit box. Anyway, I plan on improving my planning ! That being said, let’s focus on the topic : the books I’ve read this month. Well, the book.

I only finished In The Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken. It’s the final book in The Darkest Minds trilogy and I really loved it ! I’ve been suffering from a reading slump but I think I’m okay now !

That’s it ! What have you read in February ??