UNBOXING: OCTOBER OWLCRATE

Owlcrate is a monthly bookish subscription box that features one book and 3-5 bookish items all pertaining to the theme for the month. This is my fifth month getting this box and I have loved every box so far.

The theme this month was:

ONCE UPON A DREAM 

Firstly, here is look at what you can see when the box is first opened.

The first item I pull out is this adorable beanie which is styled after Peter Pan, made by Whosits and Whatsits.

The next item is this large paperclip bookmark with a cute little button feature. This was made by My Heart My Tribe.

Next out of the box is this exclusive bracelet which features a spinning wheel charm a charm with the theme of the month and a little blue stone. This was created by Geeky Cauldron.

There is also this Passport notebook featuring Wizard of Oz. On the pages there is this little drawing of the Lion, Scarecrow and TinMan.

There is also bookish swag. This bookmark advertising the New World Rising series was also in this box.

We finally come to the book of the month. This month the featured book was Vassa in the Night by Sarah Porter. I got this book in the September Fairyloot box so I think I may end up gifting a copy to a friend. This book is a retelling of the Russian Folktale / Fairytale “Vassalisa the Beautiful”.

The book also came with a signed bookplate from the author.

This temporary tattoo was also a little extra bookish swag.

The final bookish item from the box is a letter from the author introducing her book.

As always, there is the spoilers card. This always featured awesome graphics.

A new feature in this box are these buttons that feature a little image from the spoilers card.

It’s now time to announce what Owlcrate’s November theme will be:

 

This should be an interesting box and I am keen to see what Alice in Wonderland items will be in it. Owlcrate has also promised a exclusive cover to the book that they will be featuring and I for one am waiting on baited breath to get a peek.

There you go, another month of awesome bookish goodies from Owlcrate. I love this box, they always go above and beyond. My favourite item this month would be the beanie. It’s so cute and I am trying to figure out where I can wear it to.

If you would like more information on Owlcrate you can visit their website by clicking here.

Keep Calm and Read On,

Kati

REVIEW: THE TELLING

 

 

 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Date Published: 2nd August 2016

Pages: 400

 

 

 

 

SUMMARY: 

Lana used to know what was real.

That was before when her life was small and quiet.
Her golden step-brother, Ben, was alive, she could only dream about bonfiring with the populars, their wooded island home was idyllic, she could tell the truth from lies, and Ben’s childhood stories were firmly in her imagination.

Then came after.

After has Lana boldly kissing her crush, jumping into the water from too high up, and living with nerve and mischief. But after also has horrors, deaths that only make sense in fairy tales, and terrors from a past Lana thought long forgotten: Love, blood, and murder.

 

WRITING STYLE:

 

This book is told in the first person from the perspective of Lana. The slow reveal of information about the past and what is happening on this tiny island was really well done and the internal voice of Lana had me hooked.

 

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT:

 

Initially we see the main character, Lana as a semi popular girl who is coming out of her shell after a horrible, tragic, incident that broke apart her family. Through backstory and the development of the storyline we see that Lana was quite an introvert and bullied and she is trying to find herself.

 

THEMES: 

 

Bravery: Through the novel the main concept is bravery. How brave are you? What will you do to protect others?

 

Family: A look at Lana’s family and the family dynamics as well as the history of her step-family and a look at a dysfunctional family.

 

Friendship: Lana was very introverted in the past and an examination of the idea of friendship and the development of Lana becoming part of the popular group after the death of her brother was interesting.

 

OVERALL THOUGHTS:

 

This is a great little creepy read that left me eager to unravel what exactly happened on this island and who is killing. The ending was excellent and I did not guess what was coming up.

I do not generally read thrillers, but I am happy I picked this one up. It was really good.

 

🌟🌟🌟🌟

 

 

Keep Calm and Read On,

Kati

UNBOXING: BOOK BOYFRIEND BOX

 

The Book Boyfriend Box is a new bookish subscription box that caters to the book crush in all of us book lovers.

This is a bi-monthly subscription box. This is the first ever box that was sent out in October. The theme was

To The Stars

Opening the box there is tissue paper, the spoiler card and blue squiggles.

The first item in the box is this Rhys candle.

Next is a lip balm featuring Rhysand.

 

I cannot wait to use this beautiful bookmark.

Next, is this lovely quote sticker.

And this temporary tattoo.

 

This beautiful ring came in some stunning packaging.

 

Finally, the book featured in the first ever Book Boyfriend Box was Bright Smoke, Cold Fire by Rosamund Hodge. This is a fantasy retelling of Romeo and Juliet.

 

 

This is the stunning spoilers card that came in the box. I love the quote.

The theme for the December box is Love Letters and it sounds beautiful.

I loved this box and supporting a new company. If you would like to know more about the Book Boyfriend Box, you can find more information on their website here.

Keep Calm and Read On,

Kati

COVER LUST FRIDAY

Cover Lust Friday is a meme I have recently come across and it looked really fun. Cover Lust Friday is a weekly meme that’s all about covers. Alice from Alice Reeds is the host of this meme.

Pick a cover that stands out to you , add your reason why you’ve chosen that particular one or what you like about it. Let’s have fun and share some gorgeous covers.

THE COVER: 

 

THE REASON: 

 

I love the explosion of blue powder. It is an awesome effect that matches the cover to Illuminae.

Keep Calm and Read On,

Kati

REVIEW: THE GHOST AND THE GRAVEYARD

 

 

 

Publisher: Carpe Luna Publishing

Date Published: 8th September 2012

Pages: 303

Genre: Paranormal Fantasy

 

 

 

SUMMARY: 

 

Grateful Knight isn’t looking for love when she moves into a rent-free house on the edge of a graveyard. At twenty-two, all she wants is to recover financially so she can move back to the city where she belongs.

But sparks fly when the gorgeous cemetery caretaker, Rick, introduces himself and mentions his suspicion that her new house might be haunted. Her attraction to him seems supernatural, and despite her resolve to not get involved, she literally can’t keep her hands off him.

When things in Grateful’s house start moving on their own, another man enters her life, Logan, a sexy ghost with a dark secret. He says Rick isn’t what he seems, and indulging her passion for him could cost her soul.

One thing’s for sure, magical forces are at work in the tiny town of Red Grove, and they’re converging on Grateful. Life will never be the same once she’s forced to choose between the ghost and the graveyard.

This book has been recommended for 18+ due to sexual content, language and violence.

 

WRITING STYLE:

 

This book is told in the first person from the perspective of Grateful. At some points I felt the plot lagged but the overarching plot points were what drove me to keep reading.

 

 

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT:

 

Grateful is broke and beat down at the commencement of this story. I enjoyed seeing the development of Grateful once she learns of this new world she has always been a part of, and the extreme chemistry.

THEMES: 

 

Destiny: This book utilises the trope of “The Chosen One”. The one person who has the power to solve the problem or vanquish the evil. Grateful, however, does not want this destiny and the outcome of this leads to hilarity and horror.

Friendship: Grateful’s friend in this book is not entirely prominent, but does come into play later in the story. The lengths Grateful will go to to ensure her friends safety is a commentary on the nature of friendship.

 

OVERALL THOUGHTS:

 

I didn’t have high expectations going into this book. I really liked the overall plot and the story and world building has been set up really well for an ongoing series that will be an excellent paranormal read.

I wanted to quickly note that the violence and language in this book is nothing I haven’t read before (maybe in New Adult or older YA books). The sexual content however, would make me recommend this for mature audiences.

 

🌟🌟🌟🌟

 

Keep Calm and Read On,

Kati

TOP 5 WEDNESDAY

This weekly book meme officiated in November 2013 and is still going stong! Every week there is a topic and your list will be based off this topic. For further information check out the Goodreads Page.

The theme this week is:

FAVOURITE SPOOKY SETTINGS 

THE SILENT CITY

 

This one is from City of Bones. There is a mix of graveyard, Silent Brothers and prison. No thank you.

 

THE MAZE

 

If we think about this for a little bit… there is a bunch of kids trapped in the middle of a maze with no way out. To top it off, after dark there is a monster and you don’t know whether you will survive the night… Shivers.

RUNDOWN THEATRE

In this one I am talking about Scarlet by Marissa Meyer. If you haven’t read this then please skip. Scarlet gets trapped in a rundown theatre that a gang are using as their headquarters. The setting itself was just eerie with the howls and the rundown feel.

GRAVEYARD

 

This comes up in many books. I am going to talk about Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The Voldemort resurrection scene was extremely spooky and the graveyard setting only added to the spookiness.

HAUNTED HOUSE

 

 

I am referring to Anna Dressed in Blood here. That house was spooky as… and so scary!

 

What is your top spooky setting?

Keep Calm and Read On,

Kati

TOP TEN TUESDAY

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week there was an open Halloweeny theme. When I think of Halloween I cannot help but think of vampires. Therefore the theme this week is:

MY TOP VAMPIRE BOOKS

10. Blue Bloods

9. Twilight

8. Marked

7. Bloodlust

6. Halfway to the Grave

5. A Quick Bite

4. Blood Rights

3. Bloodlines

2. Dead Until Dark 

1. Vampire Academy

Is your favourite vampire book on this list? Do you have any recommendations for vampire books?

Keep Calm and Read On,

Kati

REVIEW: SAVING LIBERTY

PUBLISHER: Foster & Black

DATE PUBLISHED: 30th May 2016

PAGES: 387

GENRE: Contemporary Romance

SUMMARY: 

Emily is the President’s daughter. Gorgeous but innocent…not the kind of woman who should get involved with me, an ex-Marine with a bad boy rep. But when a sniper opens fire, the need to protect her is stronger than anything I’ve ever felt. Suddenly, we’re on the ground, my body covering hers. I save her life then walk away, sure that I’ll never see her again.

But when a shaken Emily asks me to become her bodyguard, I can’t turn her down. Now I have to wear a suit and call her ma’am when all I want to do is slam her up against the wall and tear her clothes off. Neither of us can resist…but I can’t let her get close, not with what’s lurking in my past. And the danger is far from over. The White House is under threat…and I’ll do whatever it takes to protect the woman I’ve fallen for.

WRITING STYLE: 

This book is told in first person from alternating perspectives of Emily and Kian. The plot was quick paced with intrigue and romance.

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT:

I particularly like that Emily’s trauma is not brushed under the rug and that while she had flaws (as any human does) she utilises the support of those around her to help her slowly find her confidence again.

THEMES:

Trauma: Through constant assassination threats and an attempt that almost took her life, it is no wonder that trauma and its effects can be seen in this book. I like how this element of the story was treated and that the idea of trauma was addressed.

Family: Emily may be the first-daughter but her relationship with her father and mother is an extremely close one. To the point that her father would risk his life to see Emily when she is hurt.

Love: This is a Contemporary Romance people, of course there will be love and romance. There was definite insta-lust between Kian and Emily but I liked that the development of mutual respect and admiration for each other and their backgrounds was an element of the story.

Military: Not only is Kian ex-military, which is addressed within the book. But the concept of developing a nation that is more heavily military based for protection is delved into. This brings about an almost “Big Brother” feel to Washington D.C. and explores the concept of too much power in one persons hands.

OVERALL THOUGHTS:

This is not the typical book I pick up but I stumbled across it on my Facebook feed and was intrigued. Elements of this books such as politics, and PTSD created a more intricate story and background for the two protagonists.

I enjoyed this book much more than I was expecting. It was a quick read for me as I finished it in a number of hours. If you enjoy New Adult romances this book is definitely one to give a go with subterfuge and intrigue it was throughly enjoyable.

 

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Keep Calm and Read On,

Kati

MEMORABLE MONDAY

Memorable Monday is a meme hosted by Escape in a Good Book. I’m excited to join in on this one because I love quotes, which was the driving force behind the creation of Memorable Mondays.

So… how do you participate? It’s simple ~

1) Share a quote that has captured your interest lately in a Memorable Monday post on your blog.

2) Come back here and leave the link to your post in the comment box below. If you don’t have a blog, I’d still love to read your quote. Leave it in the comment box instead of a link to a non-existent blog.:)

3) Visit other participants if you have time. It’s always nice to have visitors. There’s no overstaying your welcome this way, and they don’t have to offer the obligatory drinks. Or clean.

4) If you tweet your posts, feel free to use the hashtag #MemorableMonday.

The quote for this week is:

 

 

As a book lover how could I not include a quote about books? This is an awesome quote from an awesome series.

Keep Calm and Read On,

Kati

UNBOXING – OCTOBER 2016 FAIRYLOOT

I’ve recently received my October Fairyloot box and therefore it is time for another unboxing!!!

Fairyloot is a U.K. Subscription Box that focuses on Fantasy books. I love their customer service and the awesome items they have in their boxes each month.

Each month there is a theme and the theme for the October box is:

STEAMPUNK REBELLION

When the box is first opened this is what I see. We have the Neil Gaiman quote on the side of the box. There is the spoilers card and the purple squiggles.

This awesome Clockwork Ring has actual watch parts in it. This ring was created by Cogs and Curiosities.

Fairy loot sent out six different candles in their boxes. I got the Amity candle which is based off of the series Divergent. This candle was created by Meraki Candles.

This stunning steampunk butterfly necklace is a exclusive item from Fairyloot.

This beautiful tea towel is something I have never seen in a subscription box before.

It features a quote from The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare and was designed by Read at Midnight.

This is an exclusive special edition “Elias” lip balm is created by Behind The Pages.

Fairy loot sent out two different magnetic bookmarks by Happy Hello Inc, Jem and Will. I got Will and he is so cute!

This steampunk wash tape is another exclusive item form Fairyloot.

Ever since last month Fairyloot have started sending out the books in these cute drawstring bags.

The book this month was Metaltown by Kristen Simmons.

 

Another new item in Fairloot is this monthly newsletter which features a questionnaire with the author.

Each month there is a signed bookplate from the author.

This little badge has something to do with the book. I guess I will find out when I start reading.

Each month Fairyloot subscribers are matched up using a hashtag so they have a reading buddy to read the monthly book. I hope I can find my reading buddy.

 

Each box has a special spoiler card, and the graphics are stunning.

This was an awesome box and I loved the unboxing process. I cannot wait to start the book! If you are interested in checking out this subscription box you can find out more by checking out their website, here.

Keep Calm and Read On,

Kati