#ReadRedRising #ReadGoldenSon

OH MY GOD... two hashtags as a blog title?! *gasp* I have defied the laws of nature. *surrenders*

But before you all wisk me off to some un-known island, preferably one with... I don't know, all my book boyfriends, the epic team over at Hodderscape are doing a Read Red Rising month.

A whole month to read Red Rising. If it were up to me I would have re-read it in under 2 days *pats back* but PLOT TWIST, each week a new part of Red Rising will be read and a few awesome bloggers/vloggers will be posting crazy, creative things during EACH week.

That is not all my fellow book loving friends, December is Red Rising but it doesn't end there. Why not start the New Year reading Golden Son, book 2?! YES. You heard right, two consecutive month. two epic books, ending with arrival of the the most awaiting conclusion that is; Morning Star. *deep breath*

Find below the schedule for both Red Rising and Golden Son. 

Will you be joining the Rising?

Blog Tour | Ice Like Fire #2 by Sara Raasch

Welcome to today's stop on this epic blog tour, we have Sara Raasch on my blog giving some tormenting sneak peaks to BOOK 3 in the Snow Like Ashes trilogy. I can tell you now that they are epic and will probably make you bribe Sara for book 3. I have.

Thank you all SO MUCH for joining me on this UK blog tour! Huzzah!! *throws confetti*

As a reward for coming on this crazy blog party with me, I'd like to cap off the tour with a sneak peek into the third book in the Snow Like Ashes trilogy. Here are some as-yet-unmentioned tidbits regarding the conclusion to Meira's tale:

- The title is still a secret but people have already guessed the first word. And, well, the second, which is fairly obvious. But no one has guessed the third word yet!!

- I frequently call Ice Like Fire "the book where everyone dies" because...well... But then I wrote book 3 and was like "Oh. Actually..." So be prepared, dear readers.

- Don't trust anyone

- Many of you know I wrote the first draft of SLA when I was a preteen and actually finished a draft of the whole trilogy in my teenage years. How the story ended then is the exact opposite of how it ends now, something I did intentionally - and for sekrit reasons.

OH MY GOD.... I NEED A MOMENT GUYS *deep breath*

In the mean time check out my review of Ice Like Fire

Summary

It's been three months since Winter was freed and Spring's King, Angra, disappeared. Meira just wants her people to be safe. When Cordellan debt forces the Winterians to dig their mines for payment. they unearth Primoria's powerful - and possibly dangerous - lost chasm of magic. The last time the world had access to so much magic, it spawned the Decay - so when the king of Cordell orders Meira and Theron on a trip across Primoria to learn the chasm's secrets, Meria plans to use the trip to get support to keep the chasm shut. But can she do so without endangering the people she loves?

Mather just wants to be free. The horrors inflicted on the Winterians hangs fresh and raw in Jannuari - leaving Winter vulnerable to Cordell's oppression. When Meira leaves to search for allies, he decided to take Winter's security into his own hands. Can he rebuild his broken kingdom and protect them from new threats?

As the web of power and deception is woven tighter, Theron fights for magic, Mather fights for freedom - and Meira starts to wonder if she should be fighting not just for winter but for the world.

Review

This novel is one of my most anticipated 2015 novel and when I and a few others, out of many people got chosen to review the ARC - well you can imagine my reaction - so thank-you Alice over at Harper360UK you made me a very happy person - if not this post can shed some like on that (here). firstly that cover, OMG I didn't think any sequel cover could beat Snow Like Ashes #1 but this one did and all the destruction, my heart! I tried my best to put off reading this but I couldn't anymore and I somehow finished it under 2 days and if I could describe this book in one word, I wouldn't be able to - ya'll can blame Sara for such a mind-blowing sequel.

3 months after Angra's supposedly defeat, Meira the Winterian Queen is not only in dept to Cordell's King, Noam, but also on the search for the Magical Chasm, that has enough magic for the whole of Primoria, more then the Conduits each Season and Rhythm has. When it's found by the Winterians the only way to stop the feed to the Decay, especially in the wrong hands, Meira must find support and the three keys before anyone else. This book was simply mind-blowing, though Snow Like Ashes will forever have a special place in my heart, Ice Like Fire didn't fail to surprise me. Though my feels are a complete and utter mess *cries* this novel was gripping, intense and simply shocking. All I can say is that Sara took a unexpected twist that I cannot wait - even though it pains me - to see how it plays out in book 3. GIMME BOOK 3, SARA!

The characters developed so much; Meira becoming more of a Queen then a soldier, you can see the inner struggle but you can also see how she makes that weakness into strength for her kingdom. Mather was shockingly different - his role as just a Lord but with that we see more emotions that he once hid, the inner turmoil of finding out he has parents and so much more. Sara, you have blown me away with these character developments, they simple flew in perfectly with the plot. I could feel the change in Theron, as if it's a sixth sense, I could feel something BIG about to happen. I was not ready. AT ALL! The following GIFs will shed light on how I felt then and how I still feel.

Or like this...

DEAN... MY BABY GETS ME 

Sara, there are simply not enough words to describe Ice Like Fire, surely not enough for this review. The way the plot just crept on to me, making me lose control was surreal. At times it was slow but it gave me a chance to breathe and appreciate supporting characters; like Nessa, Carrigan, Finn, Ceridwen. Guys, the list is endless. We get more on other Seasons and Rhythms which was so amazing, finally meeting the ruler and people of Summer, Yakim, Ventralli etc. Seeing the huge difference and vivid description of their celebrations and traditions was such a lovely change from what we saw in Snow Like Ashes, it was truly amazing to see Sara take such time to make these places beautiful regardless of how the ruler is, and show us the politics each Season and Rhythm has taken, MIND-BLOWING. BUT... That ending, that heartbreaking, jaw dropping ending *faints* I'm afraid but I need Book 3, nobody should experience these emotions together.

Freedom is not just won by a single battle but by winning the war. For Meira, Mather and Theron the war has just begun.

Ice Like Fire - Sara Raasch 5 Stars

What Have I been Up To?

Date: Unknown

This feels like one of those diaries/events thingies you read in one of those zombie Apocalypse books and it is awesome, well not awesome if it was an Apocalypse but I honestly feel brain dead from all the information I've consumed these past 4 weeks. 

This is a slight odd and random post that I decided to piece together here and there - for you all to see that I have not abandoned you and to read about what I've been up too - mainly whenever I get the chance to go on my laptop for things other than university, university and oh wait, university.

Things have and still are quite crazy and intense right now, from a peaceful summer to the first semester of university and to be quite honest, it literally feels like someone came along and pressed the on button to 'reality' in my life. So far I am handling it quite well, I mean, I do have the one off "what the hell am I doing" moments, I mean who doesn't. And if you're reading this and do not experience any of what I just said... TELL ME YOUR SECRET! That isn't to say I'm not enjoying myself, I've made great friends and it feels amazing to be one out of a handful of women in an all male dominated course. I guess I should tell you want it is; Computing. Yes, technology, computers, wires blah blah blah. I guess I should probably get back to writing up notes on networking for the big exam(s) coming up.

P.S. Went to watch Crimson Peak and OMG Tom Hiddleston is so gorgeous and even though I'm British, that accent is to die for, which I do not have sadly, but people say I do have a slight accent. But watching Tom Hiddleston was so good and the movie was intense and a bit slow at times but Tom just being in the movie made up for it all.

Date: Completely random 

I met the amazing Leigh Bardugo and Nina Douglas at the Magic and Mayhem book stop in Birmingham last weekend. It was absolutely amazing and you can read all about it here it's full of pictures too.  

I also have a reading week off from university, I mean what's wrong with calling it half term. Come on, university get with it. I'm hoping to be able to read one book but with all the assignment deadlines and upcoming exams I highly doubt I'll be able to finish it. *sigh* what has life come too.
UPDATE: Wasn't able to start a book or even read the first sentence of a book. Unless you class my university books as books and not torture then, well... meh

Certain events took place recently - which I don't feel comfortable talking about - that set me back a bit from a lot of things. I hope I get over it soon but I felt like adding this in. 

In more fun and procrastination news I've been weekly keeping up with my long list of shows. And trust me there's a LOT. Instead of watching each day when the episode airs I leave them all till the weekend and binge watch the week shows. Soon I won't be able to do that because of priorities - gosh, I can't believe I just said that. Summer binge watch is going to be CRAZY! 

You can probably tell that the events above didn't all take place in two days. The very conspicuous dates are there to show when I was able to write all of them down. Wow, only two times Shazina, nice one. I mean, we can all agree that I won't do well in a Zombie Apocalypse, actually not the whole diary entry thing but other aspects I will excel in*. 

*Note to all future Zombie Apocalypse groups, you need me *wink wink*

So how has your semester of university or college/school term been. Let me know, let's share the pain or happiness. 

UPDATE: I completely forgot to publish this during my week off, sorry. I'm busy revision for amnexam coming up next week. Forgive me, guys. But hope you enjoy this random post.

I am more active during these times on my twitter account and Instagram which I started up recently so follow me on them and keep up with my crazy life.

Happy Reading!!!

The Time I Met...

I FINALLY MET LEIGH BARDUGO! Yes the amazing Leigh, author of the Grisha trilogy and now Six of Crows. Guys, I still cannot get over the fact I met Leigh Bardugo, which was the first time I ever went to a book event - don't judge me - I mean I live in Birmingham which I know isn't that far from London but train journeys are just not my thing, also I'm not the type of person to put myself out of my elements but this was a big step to doing things I love. So yeah. 

Back to the book event, Leigh was so funny and just so lovely. She read a snippet from Six of Crows on Nina which was so good - like I said before because of university I haven't gotten the chance to read it but I will soon-ish. The Q&A was amazing, some awesome questions were asked and Leighs answers were just so good I mean who doesn't want to be a spy or even a heart-render. 

Leigh also gave some amazing writing advice which, sadly I wasn't able to live tweet but if you were able to go to any of these events then let me know in the comments below if you wrote them down or have a better memory then me. 

Then it was on to the book signing, my sister was unable to come with me so I had two lots of books to get signed, my arms were not happy with me. But speaking to Leigh face to face instead of the usual tweet here and there was surreal and will stay with me forever. I mean Leigh complemented my name and said in her own words "I might steal it". *freaks out* not even lying guys and if she does by all means use my name. Hehe

I also shared a personal story to Leigh and it made her happy emotional and that made me so crazy happy to finally share it with her. I also was able to meet Nina Douglas, who was absolutely amazing and so helpful and both Nina and Leigh remembered me from Twitter. #Score

And now it's time for the photos (Check out my Instagram for more)

These are the books I took to the signing,
these are just mine my sisters are not in this. 

The books I got signed and personalized. I absolutely love the messages some of them have. 

There you have it, a full event post of the Magic and Mayhem stop in Birmingham. Finally got the chance to use my Books Are My Bag for something other than university. Happy Reading!!!