10 Long Books That Are Totally Worth Reading

Hi everyone! Today’s post was born one day when I was staring at a very long book and wondering if it was worth putting so much time into reading it when I could read 2 or even 3 books in that same amount of time. I’m sure I’m not the only one that has had thoughts like this and that’s why I wanted to make a list of some long books that are totally worth the time investment.

For the purpose of this post:

• Long book = over 500 pages.
• I only considered the first book in a series, no sequels.

Now let’s get into the books!

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin  (837 pages) 

I know this book is particulary intimidating for a lot of people because it’s not just one long book, it’s a long series of really long books. BUT the amount of world building, the complexity of the characters and the relationships between them, as well as the intricacy of the political scheming make this book and this series fascinating and so worth the time investment required to read it.

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (544 pages) 

Another leghthy fantasy book that it’s worth commiting to read! This is a captivating book with an incredibly well crafted world and magic system and, unlike GOT, it’s an action packed story that goes by quickly. My favorite thing about it though are the characters, Amari is a new all time favorite, and if you are a fan of character development, you’ll like her story arc in this book. This is an angsty, dramatic and emotional fantasy book that’s definitely worth the read.

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor  (536 pages)

This is the best book I have read so far in 2019, so off course it needed to be included on this list. After months of being in a fantasy reading slump, this book reminded me what I love about fantasy and how awestruck I can be by a new magical, whimsical world. The writing is stunning and it sets a tone of wonder and  posibility that goes perfectly with the mystery within the novel. This fascinating story of gods and monsters will make you feel invested until it hits you with a shocking ending and that’s why it’s totally worth the read!

The Diviners by Libba Bray (578 pages) 

This book is not for everyone because it gets quite scary at some points, but I loved it and I’m grateful because it helped me discover my love for spooky books.  This is a really atmospheric read that has a creepy vibe, mystery elements that make the story intriguing and characters that are captivating and complex. So, if you want a YA book with unique elements and you don’t mind the spooky stuff, you’ll love this and yout won’t care that it’s a longer read!

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers (518 pages)

This is probably my favorite Sci-fi book of all time and I think it’s a fantastic choice if you like quiet books that are character driven and tackle important themes. One of the strenghts of this book is that diversity is at the forefront of the story and it’s included in an interesting and thoughtful way; there’s different species, races, sexual orientations, gender identities, body types, cultures, religions and so much more that are represented. This is long read but it’s so captivating and thought provoking that you won’t want to put it down.

The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata (673 pages) 

If you haven’t read any Mariana Zapata books know that she is the queen of slow burn romances, so you’ll have to wait a while but the payoff in her books is SO WORTH IT. This book has a heartwarming romance, amazing character development of the male protagonist, an incredible and relatable female protagonist and low angst and drama. If you like sports and workplace romances, slow burn and the marriage of convenience trope, you’ll  love this book and you won’t mind the almost 700 pages. 

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan (527 pages) 

This is a fun, very extravagant read that’s full of descriptions of oppulence and excesses. It has hints of  plot that keeps everything together, but it’s mainly a book about the lives of very rich and superficial people in Singapore, a setting that gives this book an interesting and unique background and it’s what makes this book special. If you’re looking for a light and entertaining read that has a unique setting, this book is definitely worth reading even when it’s a bit long.

The Secret History by Donna Tart (559 pages) 

If you like unlikeable and morally grey characters, then you’ll find that this book is worth the time investment! The characters in this story are enigmatic and fascinating and even when they did things or had thoughts that were disturbing, I never found myself quite disliking them. Add to that, how atmospheric this book is, how beautiful and compelling the writing style is and how fascinating the underlying commentary about power, elitism, morality, depravity and freedom is, and you’ll have a masterpiece and one of my favorite books of all time.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larson (658 pages)

If you like mystery books with great plots but even more amazing characters, then you won’t mind that it’s 600 pages long. All the characters in this are complex and captivating. Lisbeth Salander is one of the most interesting characters I have ever encountered. Add the fact that this book tackles discrimination, violence and harrasment against women that is perpetrated by men who disregarded them as nothing, while at the same time having some amazing female characters, and you’ll understand why this book is so special and totally worth reading!

The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith (561 pages)

This book is not only long, it’s also a slow read, so I totally understand why some people don’t want to read it. BUT if you like character driven stories, full of fascinating characters with mysterious and interesting backstories that have complicated relationship with each other, I really think you should give this one a chance. Plus, the writing is really good and the mystery is highly entertaining.

 

What long books do you think are totally worth reading? Have you read any of the books on this list? What did you think about them? 

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Best Books of 2018

Hi everyone! This is such an exciting post, I’m sharing my favorite books of 2018! 🎉 I didn’t make this list based on ratings, I just thought about the books that have stayed with me the most, the ones I still think about weeks or months after I read them. Here are my favorite books of this year:

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

What is this book about?: An old Hollywood movie star is giving an interview for the first time ever about her life story, including her relationships with her seven husbands.

Why I love it?: It is an amazing story about a morally gray character that unapologetically does terrible things in order to achieve what she wants in life, but she’s also fiercely loyal to those she loves. The main things I love about this is that it’s about a complex woman that’s neither good nor bad, and while reading the books it’s imposible not to fall in love with her. All the other characters are also complex and compelling and, because of that, there’s some very powerful relationships in this book. Also, I really liked that there’s discussions about gender and sexuality that are very well handled, Evelyn is a Cuban-American bisexual woman and there’s lesbian and gay rep in this book as well.

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

What is this book about?: A West African inspired fantasy, about a girl that’s trying to bring magic back and fight against the king, with the help of some unexpected allies.

Why I love it? This is a captivating read, the world and magic system are so well crafted and it’s action packed. But my favorite thing about it are definitely the characters, Amari is a new all time favorite, her character development in this book is incredible. And Zélie and Iman are complex and intriguing. This book is angsty, dramatic and emotional and it basically gave me all the feels. (Review)

Mirage by Somaiya Daud

What is this book about?: A girl is taken in secret to the royal palace to be the body double for the cruel Princess, who is so hated by her conquered people that she requires someone to appear in public as her, ready to die in her place.

Why I love it? From this entire list, this is the book I keep thinking about even months after I read it. Mirage is a wonderfully written Moroccan inspired sci-fi story, with amazing characters and a rich setting, that provides a message about the importance of culture and traditions, especially for communities that have had a lot taken from them. I was absolutely captivated by the characters, especially Maram and Amani, they are so different but I loved the development of their relationship. Mariam is one of my new favorite characters. (Review)

Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas

What is this book about?: Aelin Galathynius’s journey from slave to king’s assassin to the queen of a once-great kingdom reaches its heart-rending finale as war erupts across her world.

Why I love it? This is such a great ending to the series, I cried so much while reading it, it broke my heart but it also made me happy. This is a lot more action packed than the other books in this series, but there is still so much character development. Also, both of the ships I had in this series have so many amazing moments together and that made me enjoy this book so much. Honestly, this is one of my favorite series of all times, even if I know it has its problems.

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

What is this book about?: Jude and her two sisters were stolen away to live in Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, but many of the fey despise humans. As betrayal threatens the Courts of Faerie, Jude will need to risk her life to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

Why I love it? I was in a fantasy slump for a long time and this was one of the only books that managed to make me feel consumed by a world and characters during that time. It managed to enthrall me and it made me feel inmersed in a world full of political intrigued, deceitful characters, unexpected turns and so much cruelty. I was so inmmersed in it that it kept me on the edge of my sit, I was so worried for all the characters throughout the book. Also, it gave me a new couple to root for, which always makes me enjoy a fantasy book more.

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

What is this book about?: Seven years ago, a crew set off to film a “mockumentary” about mermaids and it was lost at sea. Now, a new crew has been assembled and for the scientist Victoria Stewart this is a voyage to uncover the fate of the sister she lost.

Why I love it? This is a very complex and scientific look at mermaids and it’s as fascinating as it is scary. I’m not kidding, this is horror sci-fi, which I had never read, and I was so worried while making my way through it that I had an anxiety attack at one point. BUT it was still such an amazing book with a really unique concept and great execution. It kept me entertained, but also made me think a lot because it was very scientific but also because it dealt with a lot of ethic concerns. Also, I really enjoyed the fact that this had a very diverse and compelling cast of characters.

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

What is this book about?: Xiomara, a girl from a traditional latinx catholic family, loves writing poetry. When she is invited to join her school’s slam poetry club, she doesn’t know how she could ever attend without her family finding out.

Why I love it? This is a story told in verse, which allowed me to feel more connected to the main character’s thoughts and emotions. It’s a touching and powerful story, and it explores a Dominican-american girl’s struggle with inhabiting her body, a body that attracs attention and because of it, it’s unwillingly subjected to the male gaze; it also deals with growing up in a conservative latinx family that it’s extremely religious and that imposes faith and leaves no room for questions. It’s a book about trying to figure who you are in an enviroment that doesn’t leave much room to do so and it’s fantastic. I LOVED the way it explored all those topics.(full review)

We Are Okay by Nina LaCour

What is this book about?: Marin hasn’t spoken to anyone from her old life since she left everything behind. No one knows the truth about those final weeks. Not even her best friend, Mabel. Now, months later, Mabel is coming to visit and Marin will be forced to face everything that’s been left unsaid.

Why I love it? This is a quiet book about grief and it’s so powerful. I loved the alternating timelines, in both of the timelines the main character goes through loneliness, hurt and grief in different ways. In the past, there’s this big reveal about what happened that it’s both unexpected and heartbreaking, and in the present, the book explores the hardships and awkwardness of second chances, of rebuilding relationships and trust. I cried reading this, which doesn’t happen often, it was just such a beautiful book.

The Diviners & Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray

What is this book about?: The Diviners series is set in the 1920s and follows a group of people with different abilities that have to solve mysteries and face ghosts, curses and evil spirits.

Why I love it? This series helped me discovered my love for spooky books and it has become one of my favorite paranormal series of all time. This is an atmospheric series with a creepy vibe and some really scary scenes, which is something I loved. Also, both books have these mystery elements that make the stories really intriguing. The characters are captivating and so different from each other and I loved the way their stories intertwined.

What were your favorite books of the year? Have you read any of the books on this list? Did you enjoy them?

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Book Review: Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Book: Children of Blood and Bone

Author: Tomi Adeyemi

Publisher: Henry Holt Books for Young Readers

Release date: 2018

Pages: 525

Genre: YA Fantasy

Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls. But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.

Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good. Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers and her growing feelings for an enemy.

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Children of Blood and Bone is a captivating read. The world and magic system are so well crafted. The descriptions and hystory of this world, as well as the myths surrounding the magic, the Orishas and the Divîners make this story fascinating and unique. This is definitely an action packed book, the characters go in a long and dangerous journey where so many things happen and thanks to that we get to see so much of this world and understand it so much better.

The characters  are so richly constructed and developed and they quickly became my favorite thing about the book. I love the fact that we get a book with a all black cast of characters set in a West African inspired world.

• Amari is now one of my new favorite characters, she starts like this naive princess but her character development was incredible. She is defenitely the most compelling character in the story to me, she is the voice of reason and that makes her relatable.
• Zélie is a really complex main character, her anger and her sadness and the way those feelings motivated her actions and decisions make her feel so real.
• It took me a little time to like Inan, but there’s so many layers to him that made him a really interesting and intriguing character that by the end I couldn’t help but to appreciate him as a character.
• The one character that could have used a bit more development, even if I still liked him, was Tzain. We don’t get to know much about who he is beyond the fact  that he is his sister’s protector.

I loved the fact that the story focuses on the sibling relationships: Amari & Inan and Zélie & Tzain. Each one of them loves their ssibling, but there’s things that took place in the past that complicate those relationships and add an intricate element to the story. This book is angsty, dramatic and emotional and it basically gave me all the feelings. Zélie and Inan relationship while a bit insta-love-y grows to be deep, complex, and full of longing, betrayal, sadness, anger and love.

An aspect of this book that I found very fascinating was the way in which the characters, especially Zélie and Inan, constantly doubted what was best for their people: should magic come back or not, who should have power, who should have magic, how to make sure magic was misused and how to bring peace to Orisha instead of war. It is refreshing to see characters in a fantasy book that aren’t always sure of what to do and that don’t think they are right all the time. And as a reader, it was interesting to find myself understanding some of the fears of both Zélie and Inan, even if they were in different sides.    

Overall, I think Children of Blood and Bone was definitely worth the hype and if you are a fan of YA Fantasy, I totally recommend you give this one a chance.

Rating: 5 stars

Have you read this book? Did you enjoy it? What African inspired fantasy book would you recommend? 

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November 2018 Wrap Up (+Tome Topple Wrap Up)

Hi everyone! There’s no life update this month because not a lot happened in November for me, but December is gonna be so incredibly busy that I guess it compensates. So, without further ado, here are the books I read in November:

What I read 

to make monsters out of girls by Amanda Lovelace

This collection was full of relatable and evocative poetry about heartbreak, abusive relationships and the heart’s ability to heal. My review will be up tomorrow!

Death in the Clouds by Agatha Christie (3,8 stars)

I have discovered that Agatha Christie books are perfect to get me out of reading slumps, because they are really fast reads. This book was definitely not my favorite Hercules Poirot book, I didn’t find it memorable or particulary captivating, the main characters were detestable and  we didn’t get as much of Poirot as usual.

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson (3,8 stars)

This is a eerie and spooky book told from the pespective of an unreliable narrator that will make you feel unsettled and doubt what’s real and what isn’t. Here’s my full review.

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab (4 stars)

This spooky story full of lovable characters, ghost, history and a captivating setting. I had a lot of fun reading it! Here’s my full review.

The Tiger’s Daughter by K. Arsenault Rivera  (4 stars)

This is an adult fantasy with an f/f relationships between star-crossed lovers, it’s slow paced and character-based and it’s wonderful. Review coming soon!

Snow in Love  (3,7 stars)

I loved Kasie West’s story, which was a road trip with great characters. I loved the story by Nic Stones, which was about two girls doing a scavanger hunt in an airport, it was cute and it was told in an interesting format using text messages.  Amiee Friedman’s story was okay, it was about a girl working in a department store during christmas, I didn’t like that we got almost no time with the love interest because the plot went in a weird direction for such a short story. Lastly, I really disliked the story by  Melissa de la Cruz, which was about a couple in a small town, I thought the characters actions and motivations were so dumb.

American Panda by Gloria Chao  (4 stars) 

I really liked this story about a Taiwanese-American girl that has to straddle two cultures. I loved the characters, the female friendship, the romance and the development of the mother/daughter relationship. Review coming soon!

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan (4 stars)

I really liked the way this books portraits how different ways girls react to impossible situations, I think it was my favorite part of the book, but I had a bit of trouble immersing myself  in the story. Review coming soon!

Anatomy of  a Player by Cindi Madsen (3,7 stars) 

This book is based on the movie How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and it was a really fun and fast read, it had a likable main character, the guy was alright and they had chemestry. Also, I really liked the female friendship in the book.

Crazy Pucking Love by Cindi Madsen (3,7 stars)

Another entertaining and fast read. The characters had so much chemestry. I would have liked a bit more character development, but this book gave me exactly what I needed at the time. And the female friendships keep getting better and better with each book of the series.

Tome Topple Wrap Up 

I accomplished my goal of reading two books for this readathon and completing three of the challenges! YAY! 🎉 The challenges I completed were: read more than 1 tome, read a tome that is part of a series and buddy read a tome. The books I read were:

 

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (5 stars)

I loved Amani and I loved the relationship between the characters and I loved this world and basically I LOVED EVERYTHING! It’s one of the few five star books I read this year and the review is coming soon!

 

Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare ( 4 stars)

This is definitely a slow paced book, a lot of planning and scheming take place and I feel like this was a set up book where all the pieces fell into place. It was still really entertaining, I got to know all the characters a lot more, this dealt with some very serious topics really well and THAT ENDING (even if someone had spoiled it for me).

 

On the Blog 

• September & October 2018 Wrap Up
• Spooky Books I Didn’t Read in October, But I Still Want to Read
• Most Anticipated Book Releases of November 2018
• If You Like This YA Book, Then You’ll Like This Adult Book
• Book Review: Daughter of The Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller
• 6 Diverse Fantasy Books I Want to Read
• Tome Topple TBR
• Book Review: City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab
• Book Review: The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
• Let’s Put Music to the Book: Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas
• Anticipated Book Releases of December 2018
• Queer Lit Readathon TBR

Have you read any of the books I mentioned? Did you enjoy them? Do you want to read any of them?

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Tome Topple TBR

Hi everyone! I’m participating in a few readathons in what’s left of 2018 and today I bring you my tbr for the first one.

For years I have been meaning to participate in Tome Topples but I always end up being really busy in the dates of the Readathon, this round I can finally join in and read some of the long books on my tbr. The goal is to read books that are over 500 pages, the readathon will take place from Nov 16th to Nov 29th and it’s hosted by Sam @Thoughts on Tomes, Adriana @Perpetual Pages, Sarah-Jane @The Book Life, Sian @Readers Rambles, Caz @Little Book Owl and Sam  @ Will Read For Booze.

There’s 5 challenges:

1. Read more than 1 tome
2. Read a graphic novel (still over 500 pages!)
3. Read a tome that is part of a series
4. Buddy read a tome
5. Read an adult novel

I won’t try to complete all 5 of them, my goal is to complete at least 2 of them, reading more than 1 tome and reading a tome that’s part of a series, and I’ll try to complete the challenge of buddy reading a tome, but I’ll have to look for someone that’s reading one of the books I chose. Anyway, without further ado, here are the two books on my tbr:

 

Lord of Shadow by Cassandra Clare 

In this book, the Shadowhunters from the Los Angeles institute have to deal with forbidden love, a trip to the Courts of Faerie, a spell book of terrible power, an extremist group of Shadowhunters and mounting tension between the Clave and the Downworlders. 

I have been meaning to read this book since it came out, at first, I didn’t read this because I wanted to wait until the release date for the next book was closer, and then, I didn’t read it because I was spoiled about something sad that happens, so I wasn’t as excited to read it. BUT now that the next book comes out in less than a month, it’s time to finally get to this.

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi 

This is a West African inspired fantasy, about a girl that it’s trying to bring magic back and fight against the monarchy.

This was one of my most anticipated releases of 2018 and I don’t really know why I haven’t read it yet. I have heard great things about this book from most people, so I’m excited to read it even if I’m a bit worried about the romance because that seems to be the one thing that most people didn’t enjoy about this book.

 Are you participating in Tome Topple? What are you reading? If you want to buddy read any of these books, let me know! 

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6 Diverse Fantasy Books I Want to Read

Hi everyone! I’m writing this post because after a long time of being in a fantasy slump, I finally feel like I’m in the mood to go back to reading fantasy again. I mean I never completely stop reading fantasy, but I went from reading 3 or 4 fantasy books a month a few years ago to reading 1 fantasy book a month or maybe 1 fantasy book every 2 months. Since fantasy has always being my favorite genre, I’m very happy to be feeling up to reading fantasy again and today I want to talk about some diverse fantasy books that I can’t wait to read.

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

I am so late to this party, but I still want to join in. This is a West African inspired fantasy, about a girl that it’s trying to bring magic back and fight against the monarchy. It seems like everyone has read and loved this book and I want to see if I’ll love it as much as other people.  Also, I have heard there is an amazing female friendship in this book and I’m always up for that!

The Tiger’s Daughter by K Arsenault Rivera

This book is about an Empire under attack from demons and the two girls that are destined to save it. I have heard a lot of amazing things about this book and I was tentatibly thinking about reading it, until recently when I found out that this has an f/f romance in it and then it jumped to my ‘I NEED TO READ IT RIGHT NOW’ tbr.

Ash by Malinda Lo

This is a Cinderella retelling but with an f/f romance. I have had this book on my tbr for years and I don’t know why I haven’t read it yet, but I really want to change that. Also, I’m very intrigued because I have heard that this has a very unique and different ending and I want to know how it ends.

Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao 

This is an East Asian inspired fantasy that tells the origin story of the Evil Queen from Snow White. I really love morally gray, unlikable female characters in fantasy, so from the moment I heard about this book I knew I wanted to read it. I don’t know why I never got to this, but now that the second book came out and everyone is talking about it again, I need to finally read it.

The Library of Fates by Aditi Khorana

This is a story about a Princess on the run and a previously enslaved Seer who are looking for the Library of All Things, where it’s possible to change their fates.  As soon as I read the summary and it said that there was something called the Library of All Things, I knew I need it to give it a chance. Also, it’s inspired by indian folklore, which makes me even more excited.

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan 

I have mention this book in several posts this year, because that’s how excited I am to read this. This is an Asian-inspired fantasy where a Demon King takes human girls for concubines, and it’s the story of two of the girls that fall in love and fight for their freedom and each other. Every person that I know and has read this book has loved it, so I’m hoping  I’m gonna feel the same way about it.

Have you read any of these books? What did you think about them? Do you have  recommendations for diverse fantasy books? 

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