"Crown of Midnight" by Sarah J. Maas with Discussion Video

Both my husband and I are reading this series now, he is reading the book first and then I am reading it so be sure to come back and see my review of the book too.

Here's Gerard's review:
This is the second book in The Throne of Glass series which is action packed!  There is so much going in in this second book!  Celaena is such a bad ass, I love her!  She knows what she is and is not afraid of anyone and makes it clear she is not one to mess with.  The characters of Dorian and Chaol are further developed and some new ones are added.  We learn a lot more in this book than in the first.  Loved this book a lot!  On to book 3--Heir of Fire.
(5++ stars)

(Karen's review, 5 stars)
In Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas, there are a few more characters introduced and lots of action.  Celaena plays a dangerous game making the king think she is following his orders when she isn't really.  She continues to pursue her own agenda, to find his secret power source and to seek revenge.  There are quite a few scenes I liked a lot including some with Chaol, Dorian, the king, assassinations and her dog, Fleetfoot.  I am still pulling for Chaol in the love triangle.  A couple of her secrets are revealed in this book too!

I liked the humor in this book and the fighting she does seemed justified to me.  She is very clever but way more curious than I would be.  Can't picture me wandering through dark secret passageways below a castle alone!  This is one brave girl!  I also like how Chaol is always willing to protect her and help her anyway he can.  There were lots of things I especially liked in this book but don't want to be more specific to spoil it for you.  Read it and discover the mysteries for yourself! 

Here is a discussion video on this book that Gerard and I did on our front porch yesterday:

See our reviews of the first book in this series:  Throne of Glass.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

"Arena Mode" by Blake Northcutt

image from Amazon

Arena Mode by Blake Northcutt is the first in a series of fantasy novels around 2041.  This is about Mox, a superhero comic collector genius with a photographic memory, a cancerous brain tumor, and a couple good friends who convince him to enter the Arena Mode contest held in Manhattan, NY to get enough money for the surgery he needs to remove the tumor.  He has no faith in God or anything, and is solely focused on playing the odds which have paid off for him in winning lots of money gambling.  The contest is only for superpower humans, so he has to sneak in by faking a superpower to get the attention of the guy who gives out the invitations to participate.

The majority of this book is the actual contest involving a lot of fighting. During the contest, Mox discovers what is really important to him and fights to survive by out thinking his opponents and getting some help along the way.  I was interested to see how this guy with no superpowers was going to survive against the others who all had superpowers which was pretty fascinating.  I think the theme is about being a superhero by making a difference, but it wasn't all that clear.  Overall, the book is pretty gruesome, corny and unbelievable with a surprise ending I didn't like.   This is not a series I intend to pursue.
(Karen's review, 3 stars) 

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday

Gerard's:

It's impossible for me to make the connection between who I am now and who I was then--as if I died long ago in that town and resurrected somewhere else, with a brain full of another girl's memories.

Except that I miss my father.

From page 19 of When We Were Animals by Joshua Gaylord. (Click link for review)

Celaena reached a gloved hand into the sack and tossed the severed head toward him.  No one spoke as it bounced, a vulgar thudding of stiff and rotting flesh on marble.

From page 6 of Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas.

Karen's: 

Even Harry, Ron, and Hermione had misgivings.  The hippogriffs were tossing their fierce heads and flexing their powerful wings; they didn't seem to like being tethered like this.

 From page 115 of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling.

As I looked down my nose at mindless consumerism, I had to stop and remind myself that I was participating in a glorified reality show--a show where contestants signed a contract, agreeing to kill each other for obscene piles of cash.  As far as entertainment goes, it doesn't get any more mindless.

From page 161 (location 2164 on Kindle) of Arena Mode by Blake Northcott. (Review goes up tomorrow--loved it!)


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just pick two sentences from the book you are reading.

Happy Reading!

Things on My Bookshelves That Aren't Books

What's on your shelf that aren't books?  I have lots more things, but since this is a Top 5 Wednesday tag, we only get to pick five things.

"When We Were Animals" by Joshua Gaylord

When We Were Animals by Joshua Gaylord is told by Lumen, part of it as she was growing up and part as a married woman.  Where she lived growing up, teenagers did something as a rite of passage that you will have to read the book to find out exactly what that was.

I really loved this book!  The story line was good and I thought the characters were well brought out.  It kept my interest throughout with a good twist at the end I did not see coming.  This is well worth reading!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. To find books on a specific topic, scroll to the bottom and click on the topic you want. Happy Reading!