The Doctor's Adventures on Paper

“I’m just browsing” I told my Dad, “I only have seven dollars with me anyway.”

But there it was sitting on the sale shelf in all its glory. I gasped as I walked over to it and flipped it over to check the price, 6.98. Oh, this was fate. I didn’t even bother reading the blurp inside. If I had I would have read this:

“Now you may or may not have noticed, but we appear to be on fire.”

On a windswept Northern shore, at the very tip of what will one day become Scotland, the islanders believe the worst they have to fear is a Viking attack. Then the burning comes. They cannot run from it. Water will not stop it. It consumes everything in its path - yet the burned still speak.

The Doctor is just looking for a game on the famous Lewis chess set. Instead he encounters a people under attack from a power they cannot possibly understand. They have no weapons, no strategy and no protection against a fire sent to engulf them all.

Add in some marauding Vikings with very bad timing, a kidnapped princess with a secret of her own and a TARDIS that seems to have developed an inexplicable fear of water, and they all have a battle on their hands.

 The islanders must take on a ruthless alien force in a world without technology; without communications; without tea that isn't made out of bark. Still at least they have the Doctor on their side... Don't they?

Be forewarned: I dedicate this paragraph to Doctor Who fangirl ramblings.

Okay… THIS BOOK WAS SO GREAT!!! J. T. Colgan captured The Doctor’s wit, charm, and intelligence perfectly. I even had some page markers on hand while reading to mark all the hilarious lines. So, I have to share a few…

“Is that your brother?” asked The Doctor.

Luag nodded. “He’s amazing at fighting” he said confidingly. “But a bit grumpy.”

The Doctor nodded. ‘He’s a teenager. That’s not a concept that’s due to become fashionable for about twelve hundred years, but it really means grumpy. And reckless, without impulse control, occasionally aggressive…”

*  *  *

“What is your plan now, Doctor?” asked Henrik hopefully.

‘I have an excellent plan,” said The Doctor. “And we shall all be perfectly safe.”

“Oh good.” Said Henrik.

“Don’t you want to know what it is?”

“No, just knowing you are taking care of everything makes me feel better.” Said Henrik. There was a long pause.

“You know there is no plan?” said The Doctor finally.

“Yes,” said Henrik.

*  *  *

I could insert more but I’ll stop there. Those of you who completely spaced out for that part…hello and welcome back! This is the first Doctor Who novel I have read and there were a few grammatical things that were distracting at first. Like, some of the paragraphs weren’t indented (Which may have been an editing mistake) and they used apostrophes in place of quotations. 

             Maybe that’s standard with British grammar or with BBC publishing? I don’t know, but what I do know is that I enjoyed this book immensely and hope to pick up another Doctor Who novel soon.

Language: Mild (I actually can’t remember any but if there is it’s a only a few words)

Alcohol: I think they drink a type of rum at a large feast they have

Violence: 2

Sexual content: There are a couple kisses shared

Spiritual Content: Norse gods and beliefs is a key religion in the lives of the people in this book so it is discussed frequently. 

Currently Reading: The Warrior Spy By Dony Jay

Next Post: January Wrap up

Miss Maas

If you read the word assassin what image comes to mind?

Don’t get too attached now, because I’m about to change things. But don’t worry, it’s for the better. Now, I want you to take that image, put it on the floor, and smash it with your heel. Enter your assassin’s replacement : Celaena Sardothian; avid reader and bookworm, lover of food, also, one of the most feared people in all the land.

         In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king's champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien.

         The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass--and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.

Does that sound amazing or what?

Celaena is probably one of the most unique characters I have ever come across. Maas totally annihilates the typical heroine. She takes a selfish, enslaved assassin and turns her into something so relatable you forget that everyone is afraid of her. Oh, and did I mention she has a soft spot for puppies?

So, here is our first look at Celaena when we start the book. She has been a slave in the Endovier Salt Mines for over a year. She is unexpectedly summoned and escorted by the Captain of the Royal Guard. 

Being lead through various underground tunnels and stairwells, she contemplates the reason for this…surprise visit. Celaena concludes that she is to be hanged and when they come to a halt in front of two large red-and-gold doors she grows restless. But what she finds behind those doors make her heart freeze in her chest…

Sarah J. Maas takes us on a journey with a girl who, at first, is focused on one thing: Escape. As the story grows and the plot deepens secrets about the strict Kingdom of Erilea are revealed. Celaena surprises everyone, even herself with what she is truly capable of and she discovers that there is more to her magically desiccated kingdom than meets the eye.

Not only does Maas know how to imagine a great plot and characters she knows how to write them. That is what makes this book such an amazing reading experience. You can have tons of great ideas, but you must know how to write them and that’s what makes them come alive.

Language: Mild-2-3

Alcohol/drugs: There is a character who smokes a drug to ease her migraines. She does misuse it and has some unpleasant side effects.

Violence: 7.5

Sexual Content: There is some mentioned lustful looks and a kiss or two

Spiritual Content: This is a high fantasy novel with make-believe religions and revolves around magical elements.

Currently Reading: The Warrior Spy By Dony Jay

Next Post: Full Review of Dark Horizons By J.T. Colgan (A Doctor Who novel)

Cyborgs and Booktube

Cinder

 Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one girl. . . .

           Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction.

            Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future.

            I am going to use this post to introduce you to two things very close to my heart. Booktube and Cinder by Marissa Meyer. I mentioned Cinder in my 2015 wrap up post so if it looks familiar that's why :)

            Booktube:

 So, if you didn’t know, there is a whole community of people on YouTube with channels dedicated to books. I know, it’s so amazing I need to take a moment…okay, let’s continue. So basically, these young people do book reviews and book related videos. Oh, the joys of spending your afternoon watching people talk about books. Here are the links to some of my favorite Booktubers:

Tasha Polis- https://www.youtube.com/user/tashapolis

Jesse- https://www.youtube.com/user/jessethereader

Christine Riccio- https://www.youtube.com/user/polandbananasBOOKS

Sasha- https://www.youtube.com/user/abookutopia

I also want to introduce you to possibly one of my favorite books ever.

           Ta-da! Isn’t she gorgeous? This book had the whole package, amazing plot, amazing characters, and amazing writing. I finished this 387 page novel in 2 ½ days. Whoop whoop! I’m so excited about this book can’t ya tell? Instead of me blabbering on I am going to insert review of Cinder by one of the Booktubers mentioned above.

Language: None

Alcohol/drugs: There are some drugs used for scientific and medical purposes

Violence: 2

Sexual Content: None

Spiritual Content: None

Currently Reading: Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles book #2) By Marissa Meyer

Next Post: Full Review of Throne of Glass By Sarah J. Maas

So Long 2015

So Long 2015

It’s that time of the year in the book world. The 2015 wrap up. This is my first wrap up post and hopefully I will be writing more in the future. I’m going to tell you my favorite books, movies, TV shows, and music of the year. Plus, how I’m starting off the New Year and my reading goals for 2016.

Top 3 Books Read in 2015

1.       Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1) By Marissa Meyer

The easy to read writing style and engaging story is what gave this book an edge in my mind. All I knew going into this book is that it was about a girl named Cinder who is modeled after Cinderella. She lives in a futuristic Beijing and she’s a cyborg. The world Meyers creates is so detailed, yet the way she writes immerses you into it almost immediately. The characters not one dimensional or run-of-the-mill. They are unique and well, they were just awesome.

2.       Rebel Belle By Rachel Hawkins

Rachel Hawkins’ humor is. . . Spot. On. This book was so much fun to read and I flew through it. The main character Harper Price was so relatable and a pretty good role model considering this is a secular book. The action scenes in this book were written so creatively and the violence, though detailed, was not heavy at all. I think it had just the right amount of every positive aspect a book should have. I have a full length review here.

3.       Everything Everything By Nicola Yoon

This book has one of the most beautiful covers I’ve seen. And I’m happy to say it has story to match. With its short imaginative chapters and playful dialogue it was an easy read that left me so satisfied in the end. The two main characters Madeline and Olli were so good together and the whole idea of a girl with a disease that prohibited her from stepping foot in the outside world intrigued me from the beginning.

Top Movies Of 2015

All my favorite movies summed up in a single sentence.

                

                 Star Wars: (The Force Awakens) - It’s Star Wars, enough said.

                

                The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Pt.2- All the feels.

                

                Avengers: Age of Ultron- My favorite part of this whole movie can be summed up in two words: The Twins.

               

               Jurassic World: Chris Pratt and Dinosaurs.

                

               Cinderella: Have Courage and Be Kind.

My Reading Goals

             

            My goal for this year is to read 30 books. I may not seem like a ton but as the end of the school year rolls around the work piles up and next year I’ll be a senior. Hopefully I’ll surpass that goal but I’d rather exceed the goal then not meet it at all. My TBR challenge this year is 15 reading challenges long and I will draw one out of a jar each month. So, I should be reading one challenge book and one regular book a month. Fingers crossed.

I also want to announce that I have an official date for blog posts. I aim to post every Monday from here on out. At the end of each post I will include what my next post will be and what I’m currently reading. Like this:

Currently Reading: Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles #2) By Marissa Meyer

Next Post: Full Review of Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1) By Marissa Meyer