angelreads, Author at Angel Reads

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angelreads has contributed 1344 entries to our website, so far.

Short Hiatus

Sep 6, 2014

Hey Everyone. So as the title says I am going on a Short Hiatus. And by short I mean to the end of November. I would not do this if I didn’t have to, but my final end of year exams are coming up very soon and I have so much studying to do. These exams are worth more than half of my mark, so I need to do quite well in them. Hence I am going to be studying a lot.

I just won’t be able to focus on Angel Reads to the standard I want, and do well in my exams aswell. There will be some guest posts here and there, and I might get a few up, but I cannot say how many and when.

Creidt for Image

I am sorry for doing this to you guys and I hope that you stick by me. But once the end of November is over I am all yours!!! I will have finished high school, and I have at least 3 months off before I go to University. So we are going to have some fun. I have so many new and exciting things coming next year that I hope that you all will love.

Although my hiatus will be a few months I will make it up to you. I promise.

Thank you all for understanding.

Angel

Book Review: Masquerade by Kylie Fornasier

Aug 27, 2014

Masquerade by Kylie Fornasier

Pages:304 (paperback)
Publish date:July 23rd 2014
Publisher:Penguin Australia
ISBN: 9780143571070
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

It’s the Carnevale of 1750 and Venice’s ballrooms, theatres, palazzos and squares are filled with delicious gossip, devilish fun and dangerous games. In this glittering masked world, everyone has a secret…

Set in an age of decadence made famous by Casanova, Masquerade uncovers the secrets of seven teens, from the highest aristocrat to the lowest servant – their dreams, desires, loves, loyalties … and betrayals.

All the world’s a stage. Let the show begin.

Masquerade:

First Line: In a city shrouded in secrets, it was only fitting that Orelia’s first view of Venice was shrouded in fog.

I received an e-arc of Masquerade by Kylie Fornasier from Netgalley by Penguin Teen Australia. This in no way has influenced my review.

I have been reading so many amazing books lately and Masquerade was nothing less. I absolutely adored Masquerade. I could not put it down at any moment, I was reading both in between classes and in class. It was thrilling and drawing in every way possible.

Venice has always been a place where I have wanted to go since I can remember, but not only that I always wanted to go at the time of carnival. So when I was told that not only is Masquerade set in Venice, but also at the time of carnival? I was in love from that moment on.

Kylie Fornasier’s writing is very intriguing and captivating. Once I started to read I was immersed into the story.

Masquerade is really different from what I have read before. First, I don’t read that much Historical Fiction so it’s really nice to read a different genre that I really enjoyed. Also the fact that there are 6 different perspectives gives a whole new feel to the book.

Kylie Fornasier is a genius when it comes to writing different perspectives. At first it was hard for me to know who was who, but not because it was hard to tell person from person. But because there were quite a few. Fornasier was able to write from 6 different perspectives and they didn’t even sound the same. I was able to tell one character from another. It was really interesting.

I really enjoyed all the main characters. They all had different personalities and valued different things, but they were all really likable in different ways.

Orelia is the main protagonist of Masquerade. The story starts when she enters Venice. After the unfortunate event that you find out at the start of the novel Orelia finds her way to Venice in need for a place to live, but something just isn’t right. She is not welcomed in Venice, not at all. I really enjoyed Orelia. At times I just wanted hug her and hold her tight.

Angelique Contarini’s least favourite night of the year was the last night of Carnevaale. It was like saying goodbye to a dear friend…

Angelique and Veronica are cousins of Orelia. They might be sisters but they are complete opposites. I really enjoyed Angelique. She was sassy, but I felt that she was in love with the thought of love and sometimes that isn’t the best thing. It was really weird reading from Angelique’s POV because, if you didn’t know, that is actually my full name. Veronica is nothing like her sisters. She is quiet and isn’t looking for someone to marry. She is just so against it, but throughout Masquerade you see her crack.

Anna works for Angelique and Veronica’s family. But she isn’t all that she seems. I think that Anna was one of my favourite characters. There was just something about her that I really liked.

Bastian. What can I say about Bastian other than he is a player. There is no denying it. There were times when I wanted to hit him on the head and knock some sense into him. Marco was also a very interesting character.

Isn’t it better to be free for a short while, than caged for life?

Claudia. Oh I feel for Claudia so much. With a mother like hers. She was trying to have her own life, but her mother just had to take over.

I loved the setting of Masquerade. Just everything about it made me smile so much. All the balls, dresses, masks. Through the beautiful writing style of Kylie Fornasier I was able to imagine everything.

Everything about Masquerade was just compelling and beautiful. There was just so much drama. It was so interesting and kept me craving more. The ending though. Gosh it was an ending. Everything that happened was so unexpected and left me hanging for more. I need a sequel like right now. I need to know what is going to happen next.

Masquerade is a beautiful and compelling novel that captures you from the very first page. The stunning writing style of Kylie Fornasier brings something new to Australian authors and literature.

Have you read Masquerade? What did you think of it? Will you read it?

Discussion: Balancing life and blogging

Aug 23, 2014

Non-bloggers think that blogging is easy and doesn’t take up any time at all, but they couldn’t be anymore wrong.

Balancing life and blogging is pretty hard in itself, but when you add school into the mix (and work for some) it is a challenge.

I am in year 12 of high school at the moment. Which, for those who are not Australian, it’s the last year of school before you go out in the “real world” like everyone likes to say.

So, trying to balance blogging and school is an experiment. Because I am in my last year, it is my top priority, especially at the moment. My final exams are only just over 2 months away. Most of these exams are worth at least 50% of my grades so my head so stuck in studying and getting all my notes together.

Discussion: Banned Books

But blogging is my job, it’s my life. It is what I love to do. So that also needs my love and attention. At the moment it’s not getting it and I’m sorry it’s going to get worse till my last exam, which is the 11^th of November, is over.

When people say that blogging is easy, it makes my blood boil. I know that for me, and for others I assume, posts actually take quite a while to write. My reviews take at least 40 mins to write and that does not include all the editing or setting up of the post. Discussions do take up even more time.

Book Review: On the Fence by Kasie West

But not only that, all the planning that goes towards post ideas and thinking of new and exciting things to add to the blog. Then we have giveaways and setting all those up. And when winners are found you have contacting and all that jazz to do. It does take time and it’s not easy in any way.

So much thought goes into everything bloggers do. That every minute we get free is amazing. So trying to balance school/work and blogging is really hard. It’s not easy as: write something, then bam publish. There is editing, then setting up the post, then finding images and things that you want to include in the post. I say that most bloggers will spend at least 1 hour on each post and that would be for your standard post.

I love blogging don’t get me wrong, it’s my life, love and job, but it does take up quite a bit of my time. It’s not as easy as some people may say it is. It takes time and effort, but it’s all worth it in the end. I love blogging, especially about books. It combines my two favourite things: books and talking.

So what I am really trying to say is that blogging isn’t an easy job at all and sometimes life does get in the way. But most people that blog should and do love blogging and even though it does take up our time, it’s what we do.

To the bloggers out there: How long does it take you to write a post? How do you balance life and blogging?

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