Book Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Hey everyone. 

I am thrilled to share my first book review. Over the past few weeks I have reread Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas, which one of my all time favorite books, and the sequels are just as good. It is a fantasy novel that is a lot like The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau (another great book). Throne of Glass is part of Sarah J. Maas's first series, and has five books out so far, with one more to come. Without further ado here is a quick summary:

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier after being caught,ruthless 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of tough challenges and eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for four years and then be let free and forgiven of her crimes.. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she's bored by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her ... but it's the CaptainWestfall who seems to understand her best. Suddenly a contestant turns up dead..and then another one. Can Celaena solve the mystery before it is too late?
This is a very captivating book that you won't be able to put down. I would recommend it to people who have enjoyed The Hunger Games, The Testing,or Game of Thrones or anyone who is looking for a good fantasy.

That's all for this week. Next week there will be another wonderful review of a different tbf author. Sorry for any typo's, my computer was not cooperating! What can I say, I am book person not a technology person!

Anica

Book Review: Undertow by Michael Buckley

Hey everyone! Glad to share my very first review for the TBF blog. This week, I read Undertow by Michael Buckley. Michael Buckley has written two other fantastic series, N.E.R.D.S and the Sisters Grimm, both I would highly recommend. This book is the first of his newest series that, after finishing Undertow, I'm sure will be just as fantastic and exciting as everything else he writes!

Sixteen-year-old Lyric Walker’s life is forever changed when she witnesses the arrival of 30,000 Alpha, a five-nation race of ocean-dwelling warriors, on her beach in Coney Island. The world’s initial wonder and awe over the Alpha quickly turns ugly and paranoid and violent, and Lyric’s small town transforms into a military zone with humans on one side and Alpha on the other. When Lyric is recruited to help the crown prince, a boy named Fathom, assimilate, she begins to fall for him. But their love is a dangerous one, and there are forces on both sides working to keep them apart. Only, what if the Alpha are not actually the enemy? What if they are in fact humanity’s only hope of survival? Because the real enemy is coming. And it’s more terrifying than anything the world has ever seen.

Starting from the very moment I opened this book, it has been nothing but a rush. The thing that makes this read so great is how realistic it feels. There are many people the main character, Lyric, meets, and each one comes off the page with a different personality. There are characters that I love and cheer on as well as others that I love to hate! But one thing that they all have in common is how real they are. There are no two dimensional stereotypes, which is really good for a book who's main premise is how the world would react if refugees from a different species suddenly showed up out of nowhere. Undertow is filled with gripping scenes where people say certain things or make huge decisions. And each time they act as relatable human beings (even if not all of them are human) that never stray from their character. That's why when you read this book, it's going to be a struggle to put it down!

I would recommend this to anyone who's looking for a really good read. Not a fun one that you can read in a night and go about your day tomorrow like normal. This book will leave you thinking about yourself, human morals and behavior in general, and especially about Raging Sea. AKA the second book in the Undertow series!

That's all for today. Come back next week for another review about an amazing book by a TBF author!

Katie

Meet the 2017 TBF Blogging Team

Hello everyone!

As we are starting to kick off the new TBF cycle, you may notice new faces. I'm here to introduce to you three new members of the 2017 TBF Blogging Team. Please give a warm welcome to Anica, Katie C. and Claire!

Hi, my name is Anica and I am in 9th grade. I have gone to TBF for three years (this will be my fourth). I have volunteered at one. I was one of Rachel Hawkins author assistants. I enjoyed it and can’t wait to do it again. This is my first year blogging. I love dystopian, science fiction, paranormal, and fantasy books. I love TBF because I have met so many amazing authors.

Hi! My name’s Katie and I’m a sophomore this year. This will be my fourth time attending TBF and my first time as a book blogger as well as getting involved behind the scenes with this wonderful festival. I love the middle school genre, but won’t mind reading a couple more mature YA novels every once in awhile. I love fantasy (specifically contemporary fantasy) and I will devour any superhero book you give me. I can’t wait to start book blogging this year!

Hello! I'm Claire and I'm in eighth grade. This is my second year attending and being involved with TBF. I will read almost anything, from fantasy to contemporary as long as it's good! I love TBF as every year I get to meet new authors and find new books to love!

Alongside our newest TBF bloggers, TBF's veteran bloggers, Elizabeth, Theresa, Katie G. and I will be sharing all the greatest TBF reads! So stick around! There are a TON of books and fun things to share with you throughout the year!

We can't wait to talk to you!

Miranda and the TBF Blogging Team

Book Review: Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone

Happy fall everyone! I hope your school year has gotten off to a great start. I spent my Columbus Day this year reading Tamara Ireland Stone's Time Between Us cover to cover. Let me tell you, it was worth it. 

Anna and Bennett were never supposed to meet: she lives in 1995 Chicago and he lives in 2012 San Francisco. But Bennett’s unique ability to travel through time and space brings him into Anna’s life, and with him, a new world of adventure and possibility.

As their relationship deepens, they face the reality that time might knock Bennett back where he belongs, even as a devastating crisis throws everything they believe into question. Against a ticking clock, Anna and Bennett are forced to ask themselves how far they can push the bounds of fate, what consequences they can bear in order to stay together, and whether their love can stand the test of time. 

Time Between Us was a perfect way for me to start off the TBF blogging year. There's nothing like a good book to sit down with and tell everyone "yes, I recommend" once you've finished it. Tamara Ireland Stone did a great job beautifully crafting this love story. 

What I found so alluring about Time Between Us was it's wonderful characters and interesting plot. Anna, our main character, from page one was introduced as average teenage girl who had wanted to just get away from her small town. Bennett, on the other hand, was a mystery to Anna. Out of place in her average life. So full of secrets. He was her daring adventure, so to speak. When combined with the amazing power Bennett possesses, and the underlying reason he was spending time in 1995 in the first place, the story became a powerful one. Not just an adventure for Anna or Bennett but for us as readers as well. If you pick this book up expecting a cliché love story you are definitely not going to get it. 

I would definitely recommend Time Between Us to any reader who is a big fan of time travel and or romance. You will definitely get sucked into the 1995 right along with the characters.

That's all for today. Happy reading!

Theresa  

Book Review: The Amateurs by Sara Shepard

Hello TBF readers!

Are you guys excited?! This is the FIRST book review of the brand new TBF year. Before I jump right in to my book review, I do have an author announcement! Benjamin Alire Saenz will be attending TBF this year! He is the well-known author of ARISTOTLE AND DANTE DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE. So cool!

Now, time for the book review. When I should've been studying for school, I was too busy reading, Sara Shepard's newest book THE AMATEURS. Take a look:

As soon as Seneca Frazier sees the post on the Case Not Closed website about Helena Kelly, she's hooked. Helena's high-profile disappearance five years earlier is the one that originally got Seneca addicted to true crime. It's the reason she's a member of the site in the first place.

So when Maddy Wright, her best friend from the CNC site, invites Seneca to spend spring break in Connecticut looking into the cold case, she immediately packs her bag. But the moment she steps off the train in trendy, glamorous Dexby, things begin to go wrong. Maddy is nothing like she expected, and Helena's sister, Aerin Kelly, seems completely hostile and totally uninterested in helping with their murder investigation.

But when Brett, another super user from the site, joins Seneca and Maddy in Dexby, Aerin starts to come around. The police must have missed something, and someone in Dexby definitely has information they've been keeping quiet.

As Seneca, Brett, Maddy, and Aerin begin to unravel dark secrets and shocking betrayals about the people closest to them, they seem to be on the murderer's trail at last. But somewhere nearby the killer is watching . . . ready to do whatever it takes to make sure the truth stays buried.

THE AMATEURS is my first Sara Shepard novel (I know, I’m behind). If THE AMATEURS is anything like her other novels, I will be binge-reading them in the next few weeks. The first book in this brand new series is fast-paced, thrilling and full of drama.

What I love about THE AMATEURS is cast of the characters. There are four teens to this detective wannabe group: Seneca, Maddy, Brett and Aerin. They all of have their own personal motives for solving the mysterious death of Helena Kelly. They have no resources or forensic knowledge. All they have going for them is their ambition, quick-thinking and the desire to know what happened to Helena. In a strange way, solving cold cases is even therapeutic for them.

I highly recommend THE AMATEURS to every mystery reader lover. You will be very addicted to the plot, characters and the drama.

That's it for today! Be sure to check back for more book reviews and more!

Miranda