Forbidden By Kimberley Griffiths Little

Let me just say that upon finishing this book last night, I couldn't stop thinking about the pain I was feeling. Not that the book was over, but what was within. Ms. Griffiths Little, you really really know how to churn and tear up someone's insides.


I'm not a romance fan and despite this book being a 'romance novel' I read it anyways intrigued by the idea of Mesopotamia and the whole concept of desert life. It was truly a unique idea to write a book on such things, a stretch from usual books of today and I LOVE it.


So the main character is Jayden and this girl, poor thing, is flung with constant strife and pain throughout the entire length of the story. When you feel like there's a dull moment or some peace for once you know something tragic is about to happen. So! The book begins with Jayden's life on the verge of change, her betrothal to Horeb her tribe clan's leader's son, and as if she thinks her life can't get any worse marrying this boy, it gets infinitely worse when her mother dies giving birth to twins, a long awaited son and a daughter. Mother and male child die, while the baby girl, Sahmril survives only for matters to worsen yet when Jayden has to give up her little sister for the infant's own survival to a woman by the name of Dinah who can nurse the child. And guys, this is just the BEGINNING, matters get worse and worse for Jayden as her journey unravels and each time something intense happens you as a reader literally feel the anguish Jayden is feeling.


Dang...


Instense, intense is all I can say for this.


The love interest is Kadesh, from a location far far away from Jayden's tribe and his family is all mysterious and alluring to Jayden. Duh we all know what happens when another male is introduced into a book, he's going to be the dude the girl fawns over and so that was the case. Like I said I have no interest in romance, so for me I was like 'okay.' I have to say though this book wasn't primarily all on the romance aspect of the book Ms. Griffiths Little focused on other ideas which was exactly what I was looking for! A book can't all be love and gushiness, there was to action, adventure, something to envelop the reader and plunge them into the story as well! Ma'am you did just that and I applaud you for it!


Some people will fall for the idea of the romance, some like me will love it for the constant gripping of the seat and stirring of emotions and feelings.


Oh yeah and some of the characters you just what to strangle, cough cough Dinah cough cough Leila, Jayden's sister, cough.


But hey! What's a book without annoying people! I mean life doesn't spare you from them!


Oh man how could I forget you want to strangle Horeb! Well actually I probably didn't mention strangling him because you sorta want to do something more destructive to him, be imaginative!


Yeah so Leila is Jayden's sister and she clearly seems not to care about anyone but herself. Here you have her younger sister's mind split in a million places worrying for her infant sister Sahmril whose far away, worrying for Kadesh, worrying for her father and grandmother, worrying constantly for things that aren't even under her control! And here you have little Miss. Priss who only wants to prance away from all the worries and strifes of the desert for her own pleasure. I mean what kind of a sister says that 'oh Sahmril is doomed, she's going to die, don't worry about her.' SERIOUSLY!? BLEEP YOU! Even so Jayden continues to worry and care for her sister trying to call her back to desert life when Leila is trying to set herself up in a brothel! The older sister is supposed to worry so furiously for the younger siblings, but clearly roles have changed as Jayden's got it all on her shoulders as if she doesn't have any other worries!


Jayden certainly has something of loyalty and love in her and that is her most respectable trait which makes her Jayden, daughter of Pharez of the tribe Nephish.


Oh might I also say that this book isn't just something to admire because of the story, but also because of the intensive research and history implied to make it come alive! Most people may not consider or realize that, but Ms. Griffiths Little clearly studied up her stuff before bringing her book out into the world and I respect that more than anyone could know! There was hard work inputted surely in writing and keeping it true to the facts of this time period.
Forbbiden is certainly something to talk about, well rant and fume about in the best of ways! Try it out!
Firesword3000 (Noob Number One)

Mortal Heart By Robin LeFevers

So the day I received this arc, I nearly died. I jumped found likes magic bean, screamed, all that good stuff! So to finally share this with you is a pleasure!

Also, note this review took so long because I had to read the first two books first, I mean DUHHH

I have a few critics I'd like to share specifically, but before that. I absolutely LOVED the idea of the hellequins, I thought it was refresing and epic and oh so cool! They reminded me of in the Lord of The Rings, those creepy dead dudes that ride the dead horses--wow I need to get on finding the correct terms for those guys, I'm doing them no justice!--I do hope you guys know who I am referring to. In this series they were like lost souls trying to regain their honor by riding with other guys who shared regret. Bottom line, so cool!

 I adored it, however when Annith became mingled up with them I felt everything moved too fast! One second, she met them and the next she was falling over Balthazaar. He was one of the hellequins, seemingly the leader. I was like....ookay? I think in this book the pacing was a bit off. Ms. LeFevers moved to slowly in the beginning with the convent then far too quickly with the hellequins and the Arduinnite girls which you meet shortly after.

The revelations in this book I think will surely quench readers and fans thirsts for what we've all been wondering since Ismae first questioned the convent. I personally cannot say I liked Annith considering the thoughts that crossed her mind after learning a few things regarding herself, she differs greatly from her two friends Sybella and Ismae which is shown in this case, however I didn't find her to be as likeable as the two of them. This is what I like about Ms. LeFevers, that woman has got some cool revelations up her sleeves that she just dishes out and they are so creative, man you don't even feel surprised,your just like 'wow nice idea.' 

The ending was a literal happy ending which I know I should be pleased about however it diverges greatly from reality, it was all too perfect which made it all too fictional had there been a few heart wrenching moments that would have been better. I know fans will like it, but even being a reader and not a critic by name I had minor issues with this. If a book makes me cry (might I say there has only been a few) that ultimately means I have made some attachment to it and I had no attachment with any of the characters or the situations posed and thats not a good thing in my eyes. 

Dude, I want to cry man, make me cry! It just seems I'm just too heartless or no ones getting me in the feels. Wah, so sad :(

There really is nothing more to say, unless I spoil the entirety of the book but I wouldn't be so cruel to do that! 

Happy reading! Well, waiting for most of you guys. MWAHAHAHA! No its really not funny. I HATE waiting! JUST COME OUT ALREADY AND END MY TORTURE

Firesword3000 (Noob Number One) 

Dark Triumph By Robin LeFevers

Okay, so I think I've got more to say about book one now that I've read Dark Triumph. I actually appreciate Grave Mercy a lot more now. And see that's the thing I love about books and what is ideal for sequels and what every reader hopes for when they read a sequel, that when it connects to the first book, it truly does connect.


I was pretty much bored throughout reading this to say the least, but certain points in the book I did pay attention, perhaps like the last 200 pages I was intently reading as for the beginning it was a bit of a drag.


What I really loved was the Miss. LeFevers brought Sybella's past into this book and really exposed her vulnerable side in ways that made everything just fall together!


I hate spoilers, I don't want to spoil anything, but now I see as a blogger, DANG it's HARD to keep spoilers out of reviews! So I won't spoil it, but I just want to say there's a romance which is like no other I have ever seen before! And it's excellent! Uh no not the brother-sister romance that's wrong, just when you read, you'll know! :D


You really see the strength of Ismae and Sybella's relationship in this which I think is really awesome! Considering how Sybella was introduced first in the book one, maniacal and insane, I suppose considering where she lays now, it makes sense. Together they've really grown as people and they've got that friendship and care for each other all there. I'd love to see more of it, for them to perhaps fight alongside one another o,r now that they both question the convent, do something together.


D'Albret from the first book is predominant in this, this is not a spoiler I assure you, Sybella is a D'Albret. You've got the self conflict of 'am I a daughter of Mortain or D'Albret' going on a lot in Sybella's mind especially as there's a bit of incest going on....


D'Albret's are hardcore messed up and you really really see into the deeper, darker side of the family that wasn't shown in Grave Mercy. This book is, yeah well title says it, dark, at least darker from the first book.


There were a couple of interesting revelations revealed all the way at the conclusion of the book which I really admired the author for bringing about so well. Earlier on in the book bits and pieces of Sybella's conscience are brought into it, but it's all clarified at the end of what the whole picture of those segments are as a whole.


Sybella as a character you can see her progression and a bit of a change in her by the end of the book, which is always great because as human beings so much as one occurrence can completely change our outlook on everything!


Though personally I wouldn't recommend this, I know people would enjoy this series and I do offer you to try it out!
Oh yeah now on to Mortal Heart! Stay tuned for that review! It'll be coming out soon hopefully! :)


Firesword3000 (Noob Number 1)

Grave Mercy By Robin LeFevers

Well I so happened to finish this book nearly two days ago but having been SWAMPED with work and school and squeezing in time to read, this review is late.


Sorry...


Anyhoooo!!!! I've been HONORED to receive an ARC for Mortal Heart the third book in this series to be released in November. I literally died when I found out and jumped for joy and screamed and all the usual fangirling I go through when getting a new book :)


So I decided I needed to get reading! And fast!


I liked the convent concept, especially since it was a convent of girls training to be assassins. I mean I'd have really liked it more had we gotten a look into how Ismae the main character came to be the assassin sent on her first mission, however those missing years I suppose are just open to our interpretation and imagination! That's always a good thing though.


I have mixed feelings on this book, I have no idea how to explain it! I didn't really love it but I didn't near hate it. The fact it was in first person was cool as most authors don't tend to use that point of view so it was a change, a welcome change for my reading material.


Ismae I feel like wasn't all that fully fleshed out, I feel like she was missing something. I'd have liked to have gotten more of a deeper insight into her and as a character I didn't feel anything much for her. She didn't seem to be much of an assassin either in my opinion, I think that's what got me! Yeah! I wish Ms. LeFevers had shown off her abilities a lot more, she was more in touch with her poisons skills, but as an assassin I would hope that she knew how to use a proper wielding weapon which of course she had to have known, but how was I supposed to know her skill level if it wasn't fleshed out.


Gavriel Duval....


Eh. I didn't see anything special in him. Sorry. And their romance wasn't anything BOOM and FIREWORK like. It was expected, it was obvious they'd fall in love, but it wasn't anything magical. I wouldn't dare say forced, but it was more like a crush which so happened to be stamped as love.


I don't really enjoy romance things, but I'm sure I would respect and even like it somewhat if it was developed and not forced. Love doesn't take like three days like Romeo and Juliet (that's another story however) so the fact that most authors nowadays get these relationships going in one book need to rethink the extent of the relationship and time period. That's all! :D


I wish so many different things to have happened, it was about 500 so pages, but there wasn't all that much really going on for me. There was the conflict for Ismae between herself and the convent which was bound to happen, the outcome of all that I liked though, but for the most part eh.


The beginning of the book with Ismae joining the convent and introducing the crazy girl, Sybella, left a question mark for that girl's identity and her future and Ms. LeFevers seems to be picking up the second book at the end of the first one with Sybella! So perhaps there in fact will be much more detail on Ismae and especially, which I await eagerly, Sybella!


Would I recommend this?


Errrrrrrrrrrrrr....


Probably not


Firesword3000 (Noob Number 1)

Burned By Valarie Plame

I'm one to read a lot of fantasy books so perhaps that's a reason why I just wasn't all for this. I was bored throughout the entirety of the book, it was all just so much talk and near to no action. I LOVE action! I mean that's the reason I decided to even read this. I was trudging my way through the entirety of the book, forcing myself to finish so that I could review it fully and perhaps incase something exciting did go down! The characters were nothing really special, I couldn't relate to any of them, I doubt anyone who was reading it could. The main character wasn't all that epic in my opinion, I didn't feel like she did much or enough, but that might just be me.


There was diversity amongst the characters which I liked, but I feel like they didn't embody all that much of their own cultures which I'd have liked a lot more. What really really irked me was that the 'villains' (the terrorist group) in the book were 'Muslim.' That got me really annoyed, almost to the point I stopped reading. I understand that there's a lot of horrendous things going on in the world, but to consider the villains in the book 'Muslim' isn't right because their not. That's not what Islam is. Their just calling themselves 'Muslim' and expecting that their actions are in the name of God. What kind of God would appreciate or accept such terrible wrongdoings. I would hope no God would! One or two of the characters were supposedly Muslim so I mean are they terrorists too or something? Uh no, so simply consider the terrorist group extremist and be done.


I honestly wish this book had been thrilling considering it was considered a thriller and there was absolutely no point in this book where I was even near thrilled. I wish there had been action, I really hoped for it, perhaps then my opinion may have been different.


(Firesword3000) Noob Number 1 

Heir of Fire By Sarah J Maas

As a starter I am obsessed with the Throne of Glass series so there's a heads up to all!


Honestly, when I saw the reviews for Heir of Fire saying 'oh it's heartbreaking and gutwrenching' I was like phssshaaawww man how much more gutwrenching and heartbreaking can you get than Crown of Midnight!?


I was mistaken...


I rarely rarely cry and even more so over books, but this book had tears streaming down my face (I didn't bawl, it was just soundless tears) IT GOT ME IN THE FEELS! RIGHT IN THE FEELS!




I really liked the new characters that Sarah introduced, Aedion and Rowan that is. I mean Dorian, Celaena, and Chaol are all being painted and fleshed out book by book, but these two she's been able to capture them both so well within one book and that just shows an awesome writer!






Aedion at first was such a bleeeeeeeeeeep (I always find those kind of characters the most riveting) but obviously anyone in the Throne of Glass series has got to have a secret! DUHHHH! I'm a hater of spoilers so I won't say anything, but as you get to know his motivations and intentions more along the book you appreciate him. That's what I find so captivating about him and I began to like him even more! But man there's just so much about him that have you cursing yourself for ever doubting him in the first place (no I didn't doubt him, I loved the guy from the start)
Rowan is a faery man with clearly a dark past. He 'helps' Celaena along the way and it's really rocky at first, and I mean really rocky. But Oh. My. God. They're relationship grows into the most amazing friendship I have ever, EVER seen by far! I doubt anything would EVER compare! He pushed her so hard in the beginning and continued to along the way, but began to soften (barely) just to let her in as a friend.


We see so much more of Celaena and knowing all that she's been through over the past few books this one just delves further into her past and her deepest regrets. There's this extraordinary scene in the book near the end where she sees all the people she's lost and they all tell her to 'get up.' Oh Lord I was just lost for words, what an extraordinary heartfelt scene.


Sarah just makes the feels and anticipation and anguish for her readers go from 0 to 60. This woman is a genius, she knows how to work her audiences and I LOVE that!


Dorian's got magic as we know but I feel like he was a little neglected in this. Some people were like 'oh there's more Dorian in this book' not enough for me :p I don't know, I just would have liked to see him practice his magic more, Celaena was throughout most of the book, she's the main character like main main and that's the reason why, but that could have been a little bonus for me.


Manon is cool, I love dragons, so when she is introduced to Abraxos, her wyvern that was close enough to a fire breathing overgrown lizard for me. She's cool, and I love the relationship between her and Abraxos, it's one that grows just like the unconditional love between a girl or guy and their trusty dog, but a witch and her wyvern is a whole few levels up! There's a few questions I've got about her. Is she good or evil? There's a few points that arose near the end of the book and even in the beginning I wondered how it could be possible for anyone to be 'heartless' I couldn't grip that, but near the end her missing heart was questioned. Perhaps it does exist. And that is one journey I'm booked to see, uh read.


I really don't want to spoil anything, but I want to so badly because honestly some scenes were soooooooo gripping that I was just burning through the pages and commenting aloud every five seconds.


Read it, read it, read it and join the fandom. FANGIRL WITH ME BECAUSE THIS IS THE ONLY BOOK SERIES I FANGIRL THIS HARD OVER!


I need book four, like NOW.


You know those times you're not crying, your bawling but it's not tears or real crying it's just whinging and whining pathetically, that's me at every step of the way with Throne of Glass. Extremely unattractive. But that's me.


Firesword3000 (Noob Number 1)

The Falconer by Elizabeth May

What struck me when I began to read was the usage of first person narrative. I personally enjoy the point of views directly from the character, adds a bit of spunk and more of a connection with the character.

I literally have no words…

I really like A-hold on while I try and spell her name correctly -Aileana? YASSS I GOT IT! She’s a cool gurrlll man, I liked her on instant which for me is hard because I’m so picky with female characters nowadays. I mean some authors try to make the lead seem like she’s the boss and what not but really eh not so much that. Aileana has the strength and strives her hardest to bring out her best, she doesn’t doubt herself which I like and the fact that she’s got that darkness in her that she’s aware of makes her more intriguing. She knows what she’s left behind and she doesn’t dwell on that factor too much, she’s haunted but honestly given the terrible situation the girl had to face I’m not surprised, but she deals well with what she has to face. I applaud her for that.

Oh my gosh Derrick! Our honey loving friend! There’s only been two occasions, one being a book I read a year or so ago and another TV show I watched as a kid, that there was a little unearthy creature friend alongside the hero or heroine. He gives all the humor and love to the book, he’s the whipped cream on top of the ice cream—I’d say cherry but those nasty cherries they put on my perfectly good ice cream are nasty! You know I’d love a little pixie now that I think about it. He’s got a big heart, you see it all there, and I love how he hates Kieran, and stands up for Aileana threatening to eat hearts and ears. I mean what’s worse of a threat than eating body parts?

Kieran…..let me gather my thoughts they’re all floating around everywhere. The man-excuse me he’s not a man! He’s a dao—I need spell check to stop fixing this—I’ll just say fae. Does that make sense? He’s a fae? He’s part of the fae? Faery. I don’t know I’m honestly no fae expert. Previous to reading this book I saw fae as little pixies and nice creatures, boy was I wrong. Now I can certainly say I like this fae business! So thanks Miss. Elizabeth May for introducing me! Miss? Ms? I'm not sure.

Anyhoooo back to Kieran, he’s relentless and cruel in teaching Aileana, but I personally believe if you want to be the best you’re going to need to take a few bruises and batters, how are you going to learn? He trains her hardcore for the battlefield and prepares her for the dangers that he’s aware lie ahead of her. Good man, good man—uh fae man, faery man.

Gavin. He’s a cool guy, certainly. And the fact he’s the one who learns of Aileana’s secret first and volunteers to help and does all that he does for Aileana really shows what a good friend he is. His sister, same! I honestly wonder how the kids are so great when their mother is a bleep nugget. A world wonder. I’m sure there’s a pretty good explanation behind that. SECRETS, SECRETS, MORE SECRETS. I love twists and turns.

What I’d like to see is Aileana and Catherine’s relationship a bit more. Aileana clearly loves the girl to have kept her secret from her in order for her protection and for her to eventually reveal it! And the fact she never prods and questions what Aileana is secretly doing or where she’s going really shows the trust between them both.

What I really loved about this book was there was absolutely no slow moments! I whizzed through it, not once bored and believe me I am one with low attention span when it comes to a few minor things. So thumbs up, two thumbs up!

Yessir, yes ma'am I recommend this!

Firesword3000 (Noob Number 1)