Book Review 15: The Shadows by J.R.Ward

The Shadows (BDB #13) by J.R.Ward

Things to know:

• I read the original English version
• It was published 31st March 2015
• It has 576 page
• It is set in Caldwell, New York (Year not mentioned but round about now)
• I started: 26th April and ended it: 27th April
• Book 13 of the "Black Dagger Brotherhood" series

For all of you who don't know the BDB series, here is a short introduction to the series:
As you can imagine, this is about the Black Dagger Brotherhood, what a surprise xD They are a special breed of Vampire-Soldiers protecting their race from the undead Lessor-society. Each book is about one of those soldiers, or a someone fighting with them, as in this case.

This book is about the Shadows (a different kind of Vampires) Trez and iAm who are fraternal twins. At Trez' birth the stars were aligned in a certain position, deciding that he will have to mate the future Queen and have children with her. Trez however, doesn't want to be the s'Hsibe Queen's toy and thus lives in Caldwell with his brother iAm (they have been appearing in the last couple of books). Then Trez falls in love with the Chosen Selena (already happened in the previous book) and when he finds out that she is fatally ill, he finally mans-up and they spend their time together - having fun. On the other side there is iAm. He tries to protect his brother, even from Trez himself. As he tries to find a cure to Selena's illness though, he himself falls in love with a maichen, the s'Hisbe version of a maid...

SPOILERS AHEAD YOU ARE WARNED!!!

 

 

 First of all, I REALLY enjoyed this book, I read it in a (about) 24h period (minus sleep).

 

I usually try not to put spoilers into my reviews, but I really can't with this one, as you wouldn't understand why I'd love to praise J.R.Ward!

 

"The Shadows" is all about deaths. I've counted 3 deaths the readers are supposed to feel sorry for.

 

 

 

IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHO DIES, DON'T READ!!!

 

But the deaths aren't all the shockers. 

 

Layla finds out she is pregnant with twins, not only one young. Around the same time Xcor breaks their agreement.

Luchas is still in bed, asking his brother Quinn, to please let him die.

Then there is Selena, fatally ill.

A woman at Marissa's sanctuary dieing because a young died during her pregnancy.

The second daughter of the still s'Hsibe Queen, born under the wrong stars, and thus having to die.

Rhage is suddenly breaking down.

And if Selena dies, will Trez survive?

If you'd have to guess who dies, who would you choose??
I can tell you I would have chosen the wrong ones, knowing the previous books of Ward.
And this surprise made me love J.R.Ward all over again!

The deaths are: the unnamed woman at the sanctuary, the second daughter of the s'Hsibe Queen, and most surprisingly Selena.

When I started reading this book, I was all like: "no not again" It reminded me too much of Rhage's book (#2 of the series). "Another sick female, which will be saved in last second."
As much as I love fantasy and also romance, I hate how some authors just stay with a plot that was successful for them at the start of a series.
But this is different. Selena actually died.

I cried, a lot! It is a very sad book you shouldn't read when you are down already.
On one side, I would have loved Trez to find a happy ending, but on the other side the thing is, it's way better for the whole Series that Selena died, even though I actually REALLY loved her character. The Series doesn't have the chance to be boring anymore (except if Ward does some major mistakes which I doubt), as you can't be sure if the books have a happy ending anymore. And I personally love that thrill!

To tell you the truth, when I read Tohr's book (#10) I was thinking that this series is really boring. I only read the next because it was about a gay couple, and I was really interested in that. Then I heard, book #12 wouldn't be about a new couple but about Wrath and Bella, who are already married for a couple of years now, and have some problems.
But "The Shadows" really makes me want to read more and more!!!
Thank you for making me love this series all over again J.R.Ward, I love how you are in for surprises!


Lisa~

P.S. yeay, catching up with my goal again >.< 

Book Review 14: The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani

I know it has been a while, since I posted a book review, but here I go, trying to catch up again xD

 

The School for Good and Evil (#1) by Soman Chainani

 

 

Things to know:

• I read the original English version
• It was published April 2014
• It has 488 page
• It is set in The School for Good and Evil and Gavaldon of the Woods beyond
• I started: 9th March and ended it: 26th April
• Book 1 of a triology

This book was a present from Lily (thank you so much!). It has a great cover, so I understand why she had to buy it xD

The book begins in the tiny village of Gavaldon in the woods beyond. There are two girls, who couldn't be different, but still are best friends. Sophie, blonde, blue eyes and as pretty as any princess, and then there is Agatha, short dark hair, dark eyes, who looks like a witch. 

In Gavaldon, every couple of years 2 children are kidnapped to go to a school and then maybe appear in a fairytale. One is always good the other child is evil. 
To make it short, Agatha and Sophie are the ones kidnapped, but there seems to be a terrible mistake happening, as Agatha is put in the school for good, and Sophie in the school for evil. 

As soon as they arrive, Agatha just wants to go home, while Sophie wants to switch schools to have a chance for her own"happy ever after".
 But this isn't all, they figure out, that when a student fail in 3 classes directly after each other, they fail, and in this school a fail means death. But if you are in the wrong school, how are you supposed to pass?

~~~~~~~~~~

First of all, this book is meant to be for 8 to 12 year old. I'd personally not give this to my 8 year old cousin to read, but then again, teenagers might find it boring. The thing is, it's a fairytale type story (with namedropping loads of fairytale heroines, eg. Cinderella) which of course is great for the ages named, but then I found it brutal at times.An example for this would be how it is said, that students with lower ranks will be turned to animals to later help princesses, and some of those where stuffed and put in school corridors for new students to look at. Meaning; human children are STUFFED and KILLED... like honestly? I mean the 2 main characters are only 12, and they have to fear to be killed right from the start??
Another thing that I didn't really like is how it is said, that ugly girls are evil, and pretty ones are good - and you are only pretty with long and soft hair. This (or something similar) is said a couple of times, and I can't really understand, as this tone only changes to the very end of the book...
And then when the ball comes, and every "good" girl, who isn't asked to the ball fails, because: "boys can do without girls, but what is a princess without a prince?" HONESTLY NOW??

I, as a 21 year old, fully understand that many of these things I criticise are meant to be sarcastic, but I am not so sure a 8 year old would always understand. 

As you can see from the time it took me to read this, I didn't enjoy it that much. It took me ages to get into and I personally found the middle part the most boring. It only got interesting for me on the last 100 pages or so.
What I want to say with all this is, that I don't really know who the target group is. If its supposed to be for pre-teen girls, then please don't talk about stuffed students in this way, if it's for older ones, please change your writing style.


There are still parts I liked though. For example how Agatha and Sophie always try to be friends even though they are supposed to be enemies...

Sorry for the very negative review, the book just made me mad at some points >.<

Lisa~

Mail Week: 17

This mail week didn't make me as happy as the last one :(
I received 2 larger envies, 2 letters to reply to and 3 postcards.

Which, don't get me wrong, were all fantastic... but I'd just love to write more!!

First the postcards, all from Lily who is from Finland.

I gave her the Gotochi one to write to me, it wasn't cancelled though, so we'll try again.

The other 2 she more or less promised me xD
She purchased those, and I told her I was only missing those 2 to finish the series >.<
 

Thank you so much Lily!!! 

Here come the 2 larger envies, also from Lily xD

The first one she sent to me, are Greetings From / Postallove cards.The Slovenian I am forwarding to my penpal Tina, who is kind enough to send those written to us >.<

The second one includes the airmail envies I also sent to Tina as a small surprise, as she is sending those GF cards to us :3

Now to the letters I was actually able to reply to:

The first one is from Tina, Slovenia, 1 A4 sheet / 2 pages written.

My reply to her:

The cards and envies I got from Lily, plus a 2 A5 sheet / 4 pages long letter.

And here comes everything fitted into a big envie :)

The second letter is from Eleonore, Sweden.

1 A4(-ish) sheet / 2 pages written.

My reply:

1 A4 sheet / 2 pages written.

 

 This is all for now.

Lisa~

Mail Week: 16

Yeay, this mail week was perfect :3  

3big envies filled with presents, 5 letters and 4 postcards. I really cant complain xD

This was all send by Lily . Some things she promised to send me whilst I was in Thailand (and right after I came back xD)
Including, 2x airmail envies (one for my Slovenian penpal Tina, mini letter paper, first day envie of goat, stamps, Starbucks cards and postcards to write to her (Which I will, Lily, just wait a bit more XD)

And this is my reply letter to her, 4 pages front and back, written on 2 days xD
As she adores the sheep/goat year, I saved this letter paper for her xD

This is from Yuki, Japan (I LOVE milky candy :3)
I haven't replied to her just yet, I still need to get some nice things to send her back.

A 2 page letter (folded origami style) from Mei, Japan.

And this is my 3 page reply :)

 From my childhood friend Vicky, Germany, a 5 page long letter in tiny handwriting (love her so much)

My reply to her, a 5 page long letter plus some Japanese candy I bought in Thailand xD

(She wanted to know what kind of Japanese things I bought her, so I thought, I'd show her)

This is from Eva, Germany, a greeting card as a letter (I love Labradors)

My reply, 2 sheets / 4 pages letter

From Karen, USA, 2 pages :)

I forgot to take a pic of my reply... SORRY!!

From Fee, UK, her self-designed letter paper. A one page reply plus penpal profile :3

My reply: 2 sheets / 3 pages

AND HERE COME THE POSTCARDS

Astrid, Germany

IG swap, Russia

IG swap, Malaysia

IG swap, China

 This really was a great week.

And Lily, you won't have to wait long for that long letter >.<
(postcards will take a little longer, sorry xD)

Lisa~

Mail Week : 15

This really was a mail week I can't complain about :3

5 letters, 5 postcards and 2 orders arrived YEAY!!

From Tasha xD

 The reason I am putting a photo of this side is the text.
We both study the same subjects, so we have 99% of classes together.
Text side:
Dear Lisa, The lectures with you,  are always something special, no matter if Dutch or Art.

Greetings from the lecture hall.

Address side:
Lisa, on the seat on the right to me, row 4, Uni Essen.

Just loved it, so I had to share xD
(Btw. there is a Jesus drawing, because we just discussed loads of christian paintings in that lecture >,<)

Thailand, Lily

Thailand, Lily

Thailand, Lily

Thailand, Lily

Stamps from postcards :3 I gave her the last three cards to write to me, the fishies were her idea and I love them!

Belgium, Mieke

Slovenia, Tina

Japan, Anri

Stamps inside Anri's letter

Japan, Nori

UK, Fee

Also I decided, that from now on I'll try to show you my outgoing mail. This week (even though I sent more) I can only show you this reply to Nori:

And here are the orders which arrived:

These are from postallove and a present from Lily

  
These are from bodyline and were only 25€ together INCLUSIVE shipping >.<
Can't wait for a chance to wear those...



Also I just realized... I really got to read !!!

Lisa~