December 31, 2016

2016 A Year in Books

Hello! As this year wraps up, I wanted to give you my book highlights from this past year. Here are my top ten favorite books and/or series that I read this year in no particular order. Just click on the title to see my review. Hope you enjoy!



Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier.
On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.
Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.


In a land ruled by a murderous boy-king, each dawn brings heartache to a new family. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have a silk cord wrapped around her throat come morning. When sixteen-year-old Shahrzad's dearest friend falls victim to Khalid, Shahrzad vows vengeance and volunteers to be his next bride. Shahrzad is determined not only to stay alive, but to end the caliph's reign of terror once and for all.
Night after night, Shahrzad beguiles Khalid, weaving stories that enchant, ensuring her survival, though she knows each dawn could be her last. But something she never expected begins to happen: Khalid is nothing like what she'd imagined him to be. This monster is a boy with a tormented heart. Incredibly, Shahrzad finds herself falling in love. How is this possible? It's an unforgivable betrayal. Still, Shahrzad has come to understand all is not as it seems in this palace of marble and stone. She resolves to uncover whatever secrets lurk and, despite her love, be ready to take Khalid's life as retribution for the many lives he's stolen. Can their love survive this world of stories and secrets?


In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the  OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines, puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. When Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win—and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape.


Prentisstown isn't like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts in an overwhelming, never-ending stream of Noise. Just a month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd and his dog, Manchee -- whose thoughts Todd can hear too, whether he wants to or not -- stumble upon an area of complete silence. They find that in a town where privacy is impossible, something terrible has been hidden -- a secret so awful that Todd and Manchee must run for their lives.
But how do you escape when your pursuers can hear your every thought?



More Than This
A boy drowns, desperate and alone in his final moments. He dies.
Then he wakes, naked and bruised and thirsty, but alive.
How can this be? And what is this strange deserted place?
As he struggles to understand what is happening, the boy dares to hope. Might this not be the end? Might there be more to this life, or perhaps this afterlife?



Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.
With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.
Then came a plague, and fever spread across the globe. Families died, violence reigned, and man killed man.
Next came WICKED, who were looking for an answer. And then they found the perfect boy.
The boy’s name was Thomas, and Thomas built a maze.
Now there are secrets.
There are lies.
And there are loyalties history could never have foreseen. 
This is the story of that boy, Thomas, and how he built a maze that only he could tear down.
All will be revealed. 





We Are the Ants
There are a few things Henry Denton knows, and a few things he doesn’t.
Henry knows that his mom is struggling to keep the family together, and coping by chain-smoking cigarettes. He knows that his older brother is a college dropout with a pregnant girlfriend. He knows that he is slowly losing his grandmother to Alzheimer’s. And he knows that his boyfriend committed suicide last year.
What Henry doesn’t know is why the aliens chose to abduct him when he was thirteen, and he doesn’t know why they continue to steal him from his bed and take him aboard their ship. He doesn’t know why the world is going to end or why the aliens have offered him the opportunity to avert the impending disaster by pressing a big red button. 
But they have. And they’ve only given him 144 days to make up his mind.
The question is whether Henry thinks the world is worth saving. That is, until he meets Diego Vega, an artist with a secret past who forces Henry to question his beliefs, his place in the universe, and whether any of it really matters. But before Henry can save the world, he’s got to figure out how to save himself, and the aliens haven’t given him a button for that.



Steelheart / Firefight
Ten years ago, Calamity came. It was a burst in the sky that gave ordinary men and women extraordinary powers. The awed public started calling them Epics. But Epics are no friend of man. With incredible gifts came the desire to rule. And to rule man you must crush his wills.
Nobody fights the Epics...nobody but the Reckoners. A shadowy group of ordinary humans, they spend their lives studying Epics, finding their weaknesses, and then assassinating them.
And David wants in. He wants Steelheart - the Epic who is said to be invincible. The Epic who killed David's father. For years, like the Reckoners, David's been studying, and planning - and he has something they need. Not an object, but an experience.
He's seen Steelheart bleed. And he wants revenge.



The Fever Code
Once there was a world’s end.
The forests burned, the lakes and rivers dried up, and the oceans swelled.
Then came a plague, and fever spread across the globe. Families died, violence reigned, and man killed man.
Next came WICKED, who were looking for an answer. And then they found the perfect boy.
The boy’s name was Thomas, and Thomas built a maze.
Now there are secrets.
There are lies.
And there are loyalties history could never have foreseen. 
This is the story of that boy, Thomas, and how he built a maze that only he could tear down.
All will be revealed.



Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend. 
But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?


Previous Years:
2015
2014

Happy Reading!



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December 30, 2016

Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison 3.5/5 stars

Hey, guys! Song of Solomon was a book that I had to read in my English class this year. I didn't hate it but definitely disliked certain elements.

The Cover:
The Cover:
It only shows the title and author. It's really not an eye-catching or flashy cover but neither is this book so at least it's fitting. C cover.

Official Description:
Milkman Dead was born shortly after a neighborhood eccentric hurled himself off a rooftop in a vain attempt at flight. For the rest of his life he, too, will be trying to fly. With this brilliantly imagined novel, Toni Morrison transfigures the coming-of-age story as audaciously as Saul Bellow or Gabriel García Márquez. As she follows Milkman from his rustbelt city to the place of his family’s origins, Morrison introduces an entire cast of strivers and seeresses, liars and assassins, the inhabitants of a fully realized black world. 

My Review:
This book was mostly unremarkable. It's a coming-of-age tale of Milkman as he grows into an unhappy man and tries to find himself. It's a coming-of-age story less in the Perks of Being a Wallflower and more of a Their Eyes Are Watching God variety

The plot was mostly non-existent until the last fifty pages or so, when the unrelated pieces were "tied-together" in order to make a semblance of an ending. It was interesting to read, if a bit slow, but the storyline didn't appear to go anywhere. 

The characters were all terribly people. I couldn't support a single one. Most were murderers or rude. Also, a common theme was incest, which I found off-putting. All the major characters engaged in a form of incest. Why it was important to the story/plot I'm not sure, but I probably would have rated this book higher if not for the constant discussions of incest!

Overall, I wouldn't recommend reading Song of Solomon. It was well written but didn't have a compelling story or characters. I didn't hate reading it, but I also didn't entirely enjoy it. This book was unremarkable and mostly unmemorable. If you do decide to read it, be aware that it does have a few adult themes.

Phrase:
Not Doctor Street

If You Liked This Book, You Would Also Like:
Their Eyes Are Watching God

If you're looking for a good book, check out my Suggestions Page!

Happy Reading!


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December 23, 2016

Firefight (Reckoners #2) by Brandon Sanderson 5/5 stars

Hey, guys! I finally decided to pick up Firefight, the sequel to Steelheart. It's been on my to-read list for about a year, and I was finally able to read it. I'm glad I did; I really enjoyed it!

The Cover:
The Cover:
It doesn't show a particular scene, but it stays with the theme of the Steelheart cover of a circle of destruction. It also has the New Babylon skyline underneath, showing the change in location in this book in the series. It's a cool cover but to be honest, Firefight is more about water than fire so it's not entirely relevant. B- cover.

Official Description:
They told David it was impossible—that even the Reckoners had never killed a High Epic. Yet, Steelheart—invincible, immortal, unconquerable—is dead. And he died by David's hand. 
Eliminating Steelheart was supposed to make life more simple. Instead, it only made David realize he has questions. Big ones. And there's no one in Newcago who can give him the answers he needs. 
Babylon Restored, the old borough of Manhattan, has possibilities, though. Ruled by the mysterious High Epic, Regalia, David is sure Babylon Restored will lead him to what he needs to find. And while entering another city oppressed by a High Epic despot is a gamble, David's willing to risk it. Because killing Steelheart left a hole in David's heart. A hole where his thirst for vengeance once lived. Somehow, he filled that hole with another Epic—Firefight. And he's willing to go on a quest darker, and more dangerous even, than the fight against Steelheart to find her, and to get his answers.

My Review:
I enjoyed Firefight even more than Steelheart. It doesn't spend as much effort building the world, and, instead, focuses on mysteries and relationships. This caused the book to move much faster and builds a sense of urgency.

The characters were also developed much more in this instalment. Their personalities and secrets were brought into light, which was fascinating to witness. David and the characters from the first book were expanded upon in a way that made the content of the book really resonate. 

The story was full of mysteries and plot twists. I was constantly surprised by this book. The plot twists were really well crafted and always caught me off guard. Much more unexpected than the plot twists of Steelheart!

Overall, I loved reading Firefight and would definitely recommend it! It's a fun twist on superhero stories that is well-written and has great characters.

Phrase:
Indoor jungles

If you're looking for a good book, check out my Suggestions Page!

Happy Reading!



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December 16, 2016

Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #4) by Marissa Meyer 4/4 stars

Hey, guys! I finally finished the Lunar Chronicles series! Like all the books in this series, I started off disliking it, but it grew on me as the book went on.

Reviews of the previous books in the series:
Cinder
Scarlet
Cress

The Cover:
The Cover:
It shows a poisoned candy apple, an important element of Winter which mirrors the poisoned apple in the Snow White fairytale. It's a neat cover that looks nice and is relevant. A+ cover

Official Description:
Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.
Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won't approve of her feelings for her childhood friend--the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn't as weak as Levana believes her to be and she's been undermining her stepmother's wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that's been raging for far too long.
Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters? Fans will not want to miss this thrilling conclusion to Marissa Meyer's national bestselling Lunar Chronicles series.


My Review:
I originally didn't want to read this book. A new perspective? Again? There were just too many characters and the story was becoming muddled. Also, what I had seen of Winter, the new character, didn't impress me. 

While, I still think it would have been better off without adding more characters, I ended up liked both Winter the character and the book much more than I expected to.

The characters and their interactions were very interesting, especially with all the relationship drama between the various characters. 

The plot was also fun. It was fairly fast-paced and had an obvious direction to it. However, I found that it became repetitive. I think this might have been due to an abundance of characters, but the same scenario would play out multiple things, just with a different set of characters. Winter was the longest book in this series by almost 300 pages, all of which probably could have been cut down. The story was fast-moving and interesting but could have done without the repetition. 

Overall, I'd recommend reading Winter if you liked the other books. I think it was my least-favorite in the series, but it does a good job wrapping the story together in the end. It has a satisfactory ending, even if it is a bit long.

Phrase:
New strain of the plague

If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
The Young Elites / The Rose Society
The Selection


If you're looking for a good book, check out my Suggestions Page!

Happy Reading!


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December 9, 2016

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde 5/5 stars

Hey, guys! I decided to read The Picture of Dorian Gray partially because it is a classic and sounded interesting and partially because I had loved The Importance of Being Earnest, a play also by Oscar Wilde.

The Cover:
The Cover:
There are a variety of different covers. Most of them just show Dorian's face. The covers are fine but nothing extraordinary. B- cover

Official Description:
Oscar Wilde brings his enormous gifts for astute social observation and sparkling prose to The Picture of Dorian Gray, his dreamlike story of a young man who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty. This dandy, who remains forever unchanged; petulant, hedonistic, vain, and amoral; while a painting of him ages and grows increasingly hideous with the years, has been horrifying, enchanting, obsessing, even corrupting readers for more than a hundred years.

My Review:
I loved The Picture of Dorian Gray. If you want to read a classic, this book is written in mostly modern English and is just plain witty. The phrases and ideas that Oscar Wilde creates are sometimes so interesting that I'm jealous that I didn't come up with them.

The storyline was compelling, full of betrayal, manipulation, and vanity. It keeps you riveted. The characters are also interesting. They are mostly two-dimensional (which is the whole point of the book), but when the novel examines them deeper, they are wonderfully complex.

It is also both a very quotable book and has complex themes. It isn't the type of book that is so full of symbolism that it is unenjoyable to read. It's a fun read, and if you want to look further in depth, you can choose to do so (or not).

I would definitely recommend reading The Picture of Dorian Gray. It is incredibly witty and interesting. It is one of my favorite "classics" of all time.

Phrase:
Dorian's beauty

If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
The Importance of Being Earnest

If you're looking for a good book, check out my Suggestions Page!

Happy Reading!



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December 2, 2016

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1) by Sarah J. Maas 4.5/5 stars

Hey, guys! I've heard so much about Throne of Glass and have been meaning to read it for years. I finally did it, and I really enjoyed it!

The Cover:

The Cover:
There are two different covers that commonly circulate for Throne of Glass. I don't think I really like either. The one on the right seems more like a princess story than a book about an assassin, while the one on the left looks like an alien and doesn't fit the feel of this book. They could've done better. C+ covers

Official Description:
After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 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 eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for four years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her ... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.
Then one of the other contestants turns up dead ... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.



My Review:
I have mixed feelings about Throne of Glass. It was a fairly simple book, but I did enjoy reading it. 

The world building was well put together. It didn't feel like an info dump, yet it also doesn't leave you confused. It was presented well and was also an interesting world. It was unique without being over-the-top strange. 

The plot was action-packed and fast-paced. It kept me interested. However, the direction of the story was very predictable. Quite a few times, there would be a dramatic reveal that I assumed had been revealed thirty pages before. 

The action, however, sometimes became a bit much. It got to the point where the action was unrealistic. The last major scene in Throne of Glass was the main battle. The battle lasted an incredible length of time and only succeeded in being a bit confusing and cheesy.

One of the best parts of Throne of Glass was the characters. They were fun to read about. Celaena was a smart, powerful female character. She stands up for herself but still is likable. The supporting characters were also interesting. The interactions between characters felt completely organic. However, most of the supporting characters felt very two-dimensional as far as their motivations and thoughts.

This book does include a love triangle, but it is done well. A few guys are pursuing Celaena, but she doesn't care. She completely ignores the building love triangle and does not complain about who to choose. It adds some drama without adding whining to the book. 

Overall, I would neither recommend, nor not recommend Throne of Glass. It was pretty good but not memorable. I might read the sequel but only if I am bored and can't find anything else.

Phrase:
Word marks

If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
A World Without Heroes
Five Kingdoms series
Red Queen

If you're looking for a good book, check out my Suggestions Page!

Happy Reading!




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November 25, 2016

Equinox by Melissa Silvey 3/5 stars

Hey, guys! I just finished Equinox by Melissa Silvey, and I enjoyed it!

*Note: The author was kind enough to send me a copy of Equinox in exchange for an honest review.*

The Cover:
The Cover:
It shows the moon during an equinox. It's simple but does relate to the book, which is nice. It is a bit lackluster though, not very eye-catching. A B- cover

Official Description:
After losing her grandmother Holly is left alone to face the most powerful and evil druidess in their line; her mother Rose. She must find a way to destroy her mother's powers and find another druidess to perform the ritual before the Equinox. Holly knows she can't do it alone. But can she trust the handsome stranger who was sent to find her for reasons he can't admit. Will it all work out, or will Holly's powers fade away as her mother's grow stronger?

My Review:
Equinox is a character driven story. The focus is on Holly and Rhys (the "handsome stranger") and the plotline about Holly's mother is more of a subplot. This results in a lot of character development, especially for Holly, and an in depth look into Holly and Rhys's relationship. It also causes a feeling of a lack of urgency involving the magical storyline. The characters would go shopping for elaborate clothes while they had an urgent deadline.

This would have been perfectly fine, but I had trouble completely supporting Holly and Rhys's relationship. While it was definitely cute and fluffy most of the time, I felt like Rhys might have been acting a little abusive at certain moments. Also, one of the main plot points is that Holly can continue to be a powerful druidess or she can date Rhys, who she's only known for a short time, yet she seems to choose the boy. I was a bit disappointed because of how strong Holly's character could have been. That being said, most of the relationship was sweet, but I had trouble getting incredibly into it.

I loved Melissa Silvey's theme of a rivalry/ conflict between druidesses and alchemists. It made each of the plot developments more intense and added another layer onto the storyline.

Fflur, Holly's great-grandmother, also had a rich backstory which added some context and content to the story. I loved to see her story and how it compared to Holly's.

However, I think that Equinox ended in a bit of a rush. It spent a lot of time on plot points which became irrelevant, but ended the great battle that it had been leading up to all book in a rush. It left me a bit dissatisfied.

Overall, I enjoyed Equinox, but it was not without its issues. None of the issues were very pressing, however, and it is easy to read and enjoy Equinox. 

Phrase:
Dragon pendant

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Happy Reading!


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November 22, 2016

Hamlet by William Shakespeare 5/5 stars

Hey, guys! In my english class for the past week or so, we have been reading Hamlet. This will just be a very quick review, but I wanted to mention it to you all.




Official Description:
Hamlet is the story of the Prince of Denmark who learns of the death of his father at the hands of his uncle, Claudius. Claudius murders Hamlet's father, his own brother, to take the throne of Denmark and to marry Hamlet's widowed mother. Hamlet is sunk into a state of great despair as a result of discovering the murder of his father and the infidelity of his mother. Hamlet is torn between his great sadness and his desire for the revenge of his father's murder.

My Review:
I loved Hamlet. It was definitely very interesting. I think it is my favorite Shakespeare book to date. (If you've read Shakespeare in the past, Hamlet is more on the Macbeth side than the Twelfth Night side.)

Hamlet has a very compelling plot full of betrayal, love, and hate. It also includes most of the quotes that are iconically Shakespeare. (For example, "to be or not to be")

It is a bit ridiculous at moments and incredibly serious at others, but it was fun to read. Despite being a tragedy, its mood was not too heavy. In fact, it had a few of my new favorite insults/ comebacks in it, which is always enjoyable.

I'm not going to lie and say that it is easy to understand, but it is worthwhile if you want to give it a try! I would recommend that you read or at least watch a production of Hamlet.

Phrase:
"Oh! I am slain" - Hamlet

If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
Twelfth Night

If you're looking for a good book, check out my Suggestions Page!

Happy Reading!


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November 18, 2016

The Dark Talent (Alcatraz #5) by Brandon Sanderson 4/5 stars

Hey, guys! The last Alcatraz vs. The Evil Librarians book has finally come out. (If you haven't read the series, click here.) I read the previous four book in sixth grade. That was six years ago! On top of the insanely long wait time, the four book ended on a cliff hanger. I have been wondering about how this children's series would end for years and, in the meantime, built my expectations too high. The series is still wonderful, quirky, and fun, but it did not meet my unrealistically high expectations.

The Cover:

The Cover:
I hate the new covers. Sometime in the period between book four and book five, the series changed publishers. The new publishers decided to give them all new covers, all of which are like this one. It is just terribly designed. Half of the images in the cover do not even relate to this book, and it looks incredibly corny. I was trying to read it on a plane and kept it flat the entire time, as it embarrassed me. F cover

Official Description:
Alcatraz Smedry has successfully defeated the army of Evil Librarians and saved the kingdom of Mokia. Too bad he managed to break the Smedry Talents in the process. Even worse, his father is trying to enact a scheme that could ruin the world, and his friend, Bastille, is in a coma. To revive her, Alcatraz must infiltrate the Highbrary–known as The Library of Congress to Hushlanders–the seat of Evil Librarian power. Without his Talent to draw upon, can Alcatraz figure out a way to save Bastille and defeat the Evil Librarians once and for all?

My Review:
This latest Alcatraz book had everything that I've learned to love about this series. It's bizarre sense of humor and flawed/relatable characters. 

The plot was fast-paced and the book only 300 pages, so it is a quick read. As the characters plan their overthrown of the Library headquarters, the action gets more intense. One of the things about this series is that while the majority of the scenes are of the action and adventure variety, there is an element of silliness. The Dark Talent doesn't take itself seriously, which is what makes this series so enjoyable.

The characters remained great. One of my favorite characters wasn't really in this book (Spoiler: Bastille was in a coma for 95% of The Dark Talent), but the other characters were enjoyable. I always love Alcatraz's self-deprecating remarks throughout the story, and this book was no different.

My only problem with this series was the ending. Everything happened at once, and it felt incredibly rushed. Also, the conclusion to the continued cliff hanger (the altar of encyclopedias) was a bit disappointing. It is slightly redeemed by a fold-out note at the very end of the book, which I won't spoil, but that note is the true ending. 

The Dark Talent was a mixed bag. I think I would have enjoyed it much more if I had read it a few years ago, but it was still fun to read. The ending was a bit disappointing, but the note makes it much better. I'd recommend reading The Dark Talent if you enjoyed the other Alcatraz books, and I'd recommend the entire series if you have not.

Phrase:
An altar of encyclopedias

If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
A World Without Heroes
Five Kingdoms series

If you're looking for a good book, check out my Suggestions Page!

Happy Reading!


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