Where Have You Been?

If you haven’t noticed, I have been MIA for a good 2 months now. Not just here on the blog but on social media as well for the most part. I have good reason to be since my life literally shifted.

If you have been here for a while, you must have read that I was soon starting Uni again. And, that is the biggest reason for me to be away for so long. I left home on the 15th Of August and have only now begun to settle into this new life.

I stayed in the college dorms for about a month and then moved out to an apartment not very far from campus. So, basically all I have been doing these past two months is settling in, then moving to a new place and settling in again. But life’s good now, there are still a few things I need to get done but I have enough free time to blog again. Which leads me to this…

I have said this before, I have plans for the blog to grow. From day one, Fervently Curious has been a blog all about books and I have loved every single moment of talking about the best thing in the world. Why the sudden change you may ask? There is nothing sudden about it since my heart was always set on branching out and writing about more than just books. That’s exactly what I am going to start working on now.Also the fact that I am currently doing my postgraduate in mass communication plays a huge role. I want to use this blog as a platform to grow and learn more as a media student.

You guys have been by my side through this entire journey and I am hoping that you will support me now as well. 

Book Review: Rebel Of The Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

Title: Rebel Of The Sands

Author: Alwyn Hamilton

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Magic

Series: Rebel Of The Sands #1

Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers

Format: E-book

Source: Bought

Publication Date: March 8th, 2016

 

 

Synopsis:

She’s more gunpowder than girl—and the fate of the desert lies in her hands.

Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mystical beasts still roam the wild and barren wastes, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinni still practice their magic. But there’s nothing mystical or magical about Dustwalk, the dead-end town that Amani can’t wait to escape from.

Destined to wind up “wed or dead,” Amani’s counting on her sharpshooting skills to get her out of Dustwalk. When she meets Jin, a mysterious and devastatingly handsome foreigner, in a shooting contest, she figures he’s the perfect escape route. But in all her years spent dreaming of leaving home, she never imagined she’d gallop away on a mythical horse, fleeing the murderous Sultan’s army, with a fugitive who’s wanted for treason. And she’d never have predicted she’d fall in love with him… or that he’d help her unlock the powerful truth of who she really is.

This book has everything! Desert, magic, rebellion, romance, guns, tattooed guys and headstrong heroines!

PLOT

This book was the perfect mix of western and Arabian. The writing is apt for a book set in the Middle East. Because I expect the language to be really rich when a book is set in the Middle East. And Hamilton gave me what I was looking for. The world was beautifully described and there was so much to discover.I loved the travelling and every other place I got to see. The overall plot was interesting and kept me hooked. However, I was a little surprised and disappointed that the Rebel Prince didn’t play a huge role in the book. I am looking forward to seeing more of him in the sequel.

Pace

The book was a fast read and every chapter always ended in a way that made me want to read more. What is it with authors not letting us sleep? And obviously, I barely got any sleep that night. The writing was engaging and hooked me in from the get-go. However, in the beginning, it did feel a little slow but the pace increased very quickly.

Character

I loved both the MC’s Amani and Jin. As good as they were as a team, they were equally good as individuals. The characters were very well fleshed out and I instantly fell in love with them both. The romance, though! Gosh, it was such a slow burn. But it’s written really well, in my opinion. Jin and Amani were so adorable! There was so much  banter, wit, snarky comments and a lot of heat between these two! I couldn’t get enough of them! I am officially a shipping them ❤ I did from the very start of the book! There were scenes, where I just couldn’t handle their cuteness 😀

The side characters were also very interesting. Even though there were quite a few of them, I connected with a few of instantly. I really want to know more about them in the next book.

For a debut novel, this was very very good! 

Do I recommend it? Yes, please!

Plot: 4.3/5

Characters: 4.8/5

Pace: 4.5/5

Overall Rating: 4.7/5

Have you read the book?

What rating did you give it? 

Let me know in the comments below!

Most Likely To Book Tag

Calliope @ Calliope The Book Goddess tagged me to do the Most Likely To Book Tag! You guy should go check her blog out!

Here are the rules: 

Basically, you write down 18 character names on pieces of paper and choose three at a time. Each round will have three options, and you sort the characters into who would be “most likely to” do each thing.

ROUND 1

Who’s most likely to…

1. Have kids first

2. Cry at a movie

3. Get arrested

Characters I picked: Eleanor from Eleanor and Park, Hermione from Harry Potter and Maxon from The Selection.

I think Maxon would have kids first, don’t ask why I just have a feeling. Eleanor will cry at a movie and our dear Hermione will get arrested! Unless, of course, Hermione apparates away.

ROUND 2

Who’s most likely to…

1. Become a crazy cat lady/man

2. Become a multi-millionaire

3. Start knitting as a hobby

Characters: Jamie from A Walk To Remember, Cia from The Testing Series and Katniss from The Hunger Games.

Katniss would become a crazy cat lady, who will throw her cats at you if you annoy her. Cia will become a multi-millionaire and Jamie will start knitting.

ROUND 3

Who’s most likely to…

1. Be a closet nerd

2. Become an actor/actress

3. Fall down the stairs

Characters: Ronnie from The Last Song, Hazel from The Fault In Out Stars and Peeta from  The Hunger Games.

Hmm… this is a tough one. But I think Ronnie will be a closet nerd, Hazel will be an actress and Peeta will fall down the stairs. :p

ROUND 4

Who’s most likely to…

1. Collect that many books they have a personal library

2. Win the Hunger Games

3. Be Tumblr famous

Characters: America from The Selection, Edwards from Twilight and Queen Lavana from The Lunar Chronicles.

Edward will have a personal library since you know he has a lot of time to collect said books. Lavana will DEFINITELY win the Hunger Games and America will be Tumblr famous because she will have everything she needs to be Tumblr famous.

ROUND 5

Who’s most likely to...

1. Go through a goth phase

2. Have a one night stand

3. Go to comic con

Characters: Finnick from The Hunger Games, Landon from A Walk To Remember and Snape fromHarry Potter

Goth phase? Snape is almost already as goth as goth gets! Landon will go to comic con and Finnick will have a one night stand

ROUND 6

Who’s most likely to…

1.  Get married

2. Have a cool mug collection

3. Be a night owl (stays awake most of the night)

Characters: Ron from Harry Potter, Harry from Harry Potter and Bella from Twilight.

Bella will be a night owl, since she cant really sleep anymore! Ron will have a cool AF mug collection and Harry will / is already married!

I tag everyone!

This tag was too much for me to choose just a few, so anyone who is interested in doing this, go ahead. Let me know if you do it though, so I can see who was put where ❤

 

Book Review: My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

Title: My Lady Jane

Author: Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Harper Teens

Format: Kindle

Source: Bought

Publication Date: June 7th, 2016

Synopsis: 

The comical, fantastical, romantical, (not) entirely true story of Lady Jane Grey. In My Lady Jane, coauthors Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows have created a one-of-a-kind fantasy in the tradition of The Princess Bride, featuring a reluctant king, an even more reluctant queen, a noble steed, and only a passing resemblance to actual history—because sometimes history needs a little help.

At sixteen, Lady Jane Grey is about to be married off to a stranger and caught up in a conspiracy to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But those trifling problems aren’t for Jane to worry about. Jane gets to be Queen of England.

---

“Dedication:

For everyone who knows there was enough room for Leonardo DiCaprio on that door.

And for England. We’re really sorry for what we’re about to do to your history.”
― Cynthia Hand

I wasn’t planning to read this book initially and I am so glad I did! This book is so hilarious and super fast to read.

PLOT

The story is loosely based on Jane Grey and King Edward Tudor VI. What the synopsis doesn’t mention is the magic in this book! This historical fiction has shapeshifters. They are called Eðians (pronounced as eth-y-uns) and they shapeshift into animals that coincide with an individual’s characteristics. They are also generally oppressed by those who can’t shapeshift. What I loved about this book is how beautifully the authors took real historical elements and integrated them into their magical world.

Pace

The pace was a little out of it sometimes yet it didn’t deter me from reading.  What I didn’t like in the beginning but loved by the end was how the authors broke the fifth wall and often spoke directly to me.

Characters

I absolutely loved all the characters in this book! Don’t expect to make deep connections with the characters because that is not what the book is meant for. Instead be ready to find the characters charming, funny, and adorable. I especially loved Jane – she is bookish, smart and a strong willed girl. The book also covers female empowerment and I loved that too.

Overall, I was surprised I loved this book so much. This is something you should read when you want a good laugh. This is a perfect summer book – light and enjoyable.

Do I recommend this book? Hell yeah!

Plot : 4/5

Pace: 3.5/5

Characters: 4.5/5 

Overall: 5/5

Have you read the book? 

Did you like it? 

Let me know in the comment below!

You know I love talking to you guys ❤

 

 

Dubai Diaries: The City At First Glance

We have moved

To read this post please click here

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

Title: The School for Good and Evil

Author: Soman Chainani

Genre: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Fairytale

Series: The School for Good and Evil #1

Publisher: HarperCollins

Format: Physical Copy

Source: Bought

Publication Date: May 14th, 2013

 

 

Synopsis: 

The first kidnappings happened two hundred years before. Some years it was two boys taken, some years two girls, sometimes one of each. But if at first, the choices seemed random, soon the pattern became clear. One was always beautiful and good, the child every parent wanted as their own. The other was homely and odd, an outcast from birth. An opposing pair plucked from youth and spirited away.

---

“In the forest of primeval
A school for Good and Evil
Twin towers like two heads
One for the pure
And one for the wicked
Try to escape you’ll always fail,
The only way out is
Through a fairytale.”

My Review:

This book was perfect! I couldn’t put it down at all. It has everything from fairytale to friendship. It even makes you think twice about your favorite fairy tales! Oh! and it also makes you laugh at the idiocracy of everything.

PLOT

The plot was really interesting and fast paced through most of the book. When I say interesting, I mean REALLY interesting. You see, in the School Of Good, you will find princesses who can’t stop thinking about their beauty and princes who think only about their macho-ness and their princesses.Apart from that, these students will be learning this like Animal Communication, Chivalry, Beautification and various other such topics.

In the School Of Evil, on the other hand, you will find children of the ‘bad guys’ who are ugly and love the negativity of everything. These students would be learning Uglification, Henchmen Training, Curses and Death Traps and the likes. Oh and a wart on your face makes you fearsome!

This book made me laugh out loud at times because of how true these seem in the fairytales we have read! At the same time, it made me realise how society at large is sending out all kinds of wrong messages to children these days.

PACE

The pace was perfect! I finished this book in a day and never once felt like putting it down. The pace stays kinda consistent throughout, but if it does slow down it won’t make the book boring.

CHARACTERS

There are many characters in this book that I love so very much but I will only talk about these two:

Sophie

Holy Moly! She has one of the BEST character developments I have seen in a while. She is evil yes, I didn’t particularly like her throughout the book, but gosh her development was done with such perfection ❤

Throughout the book, my adoration for the development and utter hatred for the character just kept increasing! She was so unbearably, horribly annoying! Yet, I felt very sorry for her. She did what she did simply because she was misguided. Did that make her a bearable character? NO! But I understood where she was coming from.

Agatha 

I freaking LOVED her! Her dry wit and humor were such a treat to read! She was snarky, sarcastic and hated everything girly. She liked a lot of dark things but she was more “Good” that anyone else in that book! Unlike the rest, she wasn’t shallow or snobby. Which was beautiful to read. Her character development was also done beautifully but was overshadowed by Sophie’s.

Overall, this book will make you laugh, cry, piss you off and make you think! 

Do I recommend it? Hell yeah!

Plot: 4/5

Characters: 4.5/5

Pace: 4.5/5

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

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About The Author

He is a writer, film director, and a die-hard tennis player!

The School For Good and Evil debuted on the New York Times Bestseller List, has been translated into 26 languages across six continents, and will soon be a major motion picture from Universal Studios.

Twitter

Website

Goodreads

 

 

Have you read the book? 

What did you think about it?

Do you like the cover? I loved it! 

Let me know in the comments below! 😀

The Sunshine Blogger Award

The amazing Shannon over at Captivated By Fantasy nominated me for the Sunshine Blogger Award. Go check out her blog! I am so sorry it took me so long to do this, but life had kept me so busy 😦  I hope you won’t mind.

The rules:

Thank the people/person who nominated you.
Answer the questions from your nominators.
Nominate eleven other bloggers and give them eleven questions.

Who is your ultimate OTP?

Rhysand and Feyre from a court of thorns and roses series! I could gush about them till the end of times, but you can read a tiny version of my love for them here. 

 

What is your favourite book trilogy?

Oh god! Why would you do that! Its so hard to choose just one trilogy. But The Hunger Games trilogy and The Red Rising Trilogy are my favorites ❤ 

See, I am already breaking rules here. :p 

Do you prefer wearing jean or skirt/dresses?

Jeans!!!

What is your favourite movie?

Pop music and soft rock are what I mostly tune in to. 

What is/was your favourite subject at school?

English!

If you could visit one place in the world, where would it be?

Again with the one thing to choose 😦 But if I could only go to ONE place, I would go to France. ❤ 

What is your favourite piece of makeup?

Red Lipstick

Why did you start blogging?

You know, this question seems easy but is very hard to answer. I started blogging for a lot of reasons. The obvious answer is because I love books, but there is more to it. I love writing, but I am not very confident in my skill which is why I chose to make a blog. Not only to improve the way I write but also as a way to hide away from writing fiction. Does that make sense? 

What is your favourite shop?

Well, it would be Book World in Dubai Mall. But since, I live in India, I would choose all the tiny little book stalls here that have amazing books that sometimes even big shot bookshops don’t! 

Where do you find inspiration for your blog?

From you guys! So I am letting you all in on a secret, I stalk a lot of blogs here and that’s where the major part of my inspiration comes from. 

Are you a minimalistic or a collector?

I would say a collector because I have tons of notebooks I love so much I will never use. I have coins and notes from various countries. I have lots of craft supplies and lots of makeup that also I don’t use all that often! 

I nominate: 

1. Raven
2. Marie
3. Kat
4. Calliope
5. Candace
6. Lilly
7. Ola
8. Cindy
9. Jenna
10. Morgan
11. Jesse

Here are my questions: 

1. Do you love travelling? Where all have you been so far? 
2. Do you prefer e-books or physical books? 
3. Do you buy books online or from a bookshop? 
4. If you could have a super power, what would you choose? Why? 
5. What’s your dream job? 
6. What is your signature makeup look? 
7. Which celebrity would you love to meet?
8. What are you currently reading?
9. Do you like reading indoors or outdoors?
10. What’s the one thing/person that can always make you smile? 
11. Coffee or tea?

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Bookish Facts About Me

Top Ten Tuesday meme that was originally created by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic:

Ten Bookish Facts About Me

I am a day late, forgive me. I have been so busy! But I love this topic so much I didn’t want to pass up on it. So here goes..

1. I didn’t start reading big fat novels till I was 15. And it started with Harry Potter! I remember all those years back being in Landmark with my mom and convincing her to buy me the first three books in the series. And yet…
2. I haven’t finished the entire Harry Potter series. I stopped reading after the 5^th I haven’t watched the movies either past the 4^th one. Because…
3. I don’t like watching a movie BEFORE I read the book. There will hardly ever be a movie I watch before I read the book. I believe reading the book makes the story so much better because there is so much detail that movies usually skip.
4. I don’t know how many books I have read so far. I wish I did though, I really wish I knew how many books I have read in all these years. I have a Goodreads account but for the longest time, didn’t really bother updating it. 
5. I ONLY buy physical books once I have read them on my Kindle. I love physical copies, but there are so many books I want to read and so little money. Which is why I prefer buying the Kindle version before I buy the paperback.
6. I DO NOT like hardcover. I know a lot of readers love hardcovers, but I prefer either the Kindle version or paperback. Simply because a hardcover is heavy and my arm goes numb faster! No other reason, really.
7. I either binge read or don’t read at all. I know, it’s the binge reading that shoves me over to a reading slump but what can I say? I can’t stop reading once I start. I swear I have finished two trilogies and 3 books from another series in just a week’s time. That is a lot of books: p 
8. I have ‘Always’ tattooed across my ribs. Because that is my favorite quote from all the series I have read! So much is conveyed with just that one word! I wish to love my SO the same way Snape loved Lilly ❤
9. I usually read before bed. That basically means I am reading till the wee hours of the morning. Since I started working, the only time I have to read is before and in bed. Maybe that’s why I have turned into a night owl this past year.
10. I ALWAYS smell my books. The moment I have them in my hands, I can’t stop grinning and smelling the pages.

What do we have in common?

And what are some of bookish facts about you?

Talk to me, you know I love it!

Discussion: Do You Make Notes While Reading?

First, let me apologise for being MIA for a while. Life has been keeping me busy but I have been reading; A LOT! I am reading Queen Of Shadows currently, and over the weekend, I finished the first three books in the series. The review will be posted soon, I hope. Anyhoo, on to the post.

I have been watching a lot of booktubers and I have noticed how a lot of them have notes about the book they are reviewing. I understand that they need something akin to a summary of what they will be talking about. But that left me wondering if we as book bloggers take notes. I know I don’t, not as of now anyway. But I can imagine how having my thoughts written down can help me write better reviews and even better discussions.

Now, the majority of the books I read are on my Kindle. I know I have the option to highlight and take notes on the device. Yet, I only use that functionality to highlight quotes I like. I am dead set against not touching my physical copies with a pencil or a pen, though! So if I have to mark quotes I usually write them down in a book I have especially for quotes.

I have been researching online and found a lot of articles on how to take notes while reading, but they sound very academic to me and I am not sure if notes while reading a novel would be the same as notes while reading a textbook.

Apart from what I think, you guys tell me. Do you make notes while reading? If yes, then how? Do you have a set format on how you make notes? What are the benefits, apart from the above of making notes?

For those, like me, who don’t take notes while reading. Have you ever wondered if you should? Would you be willing to take notes in the future?

Talk to me, I am beyond confused! 😦 

 

May Wrap Up + Book Haul

May was a bad month for me personally speaking! Blogging last week was tough, if you guys noticed I wasn’t around much. I am also drowned in work and get so tired at the end of the day, writing for the blog becomes difficult. Though, I have read a lot of books.

I am hoping that June is much better. So I am hoping to get some more posts up and work some ideas I have for the blog. Without further ado, let’s get into it!

Books Read

 

Book Haul

ARC’s

 

Bought

 

Giveaway Win

I won this book from Armchair BEA

Phew! Those are a lot of books! And all I read were four book! :p

Harry Potter is mine!!! Yaay! I have been saving up for the book set since ages!

Personal 

I am starting Uni again in the month of August and I have made up my mind to enjoy as much as I can with my friends and family. With that in mind, I went to Lonavala for a trip with a few friends to celebrate a birthday! I don’t have a lot of pictures since I was so busy enjoying myself. Next time, I promise I will!

We stayed for 3 days in this huge farmhouse with lots of food, games and dancing! It was a lot of fun.

 

How many books did you buy/get in May?

Have you read any of them above?

Let me know in the comments below. 😀