Angel Reads

11 Feb

Book Review + Giveaway: The Edge of Everything by Jeff Giles

Posted by angelreads Book Reviews, Giveaways 6 Comments

The Edge of Everything by Jeff Giles

Pages: 400
Publish date: February 9th, 2017
Publisher: Bloomsbury Australia
ISBN: 1408869071
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – Dymocks

It’s been a shattering year for seventeen-year-old Zoe, who’s still reeling from her father’s shockingly sudden death in a caving accident and her neighbors’ mysterious disappearance from their own home. Then on a terrifying sub-zero, blizzardy night in Montana, she and her brother are brutally attacked in a cabin in the woods–only to be rescued by a mysterious bounty hunter they call X.

X is no ordinary bounty hunter. He is from a hell called the Lowlands, sent to claim the soul of Zoe’s evil attacker and others like him. Forbidden to reveal himself to anyone other than his victims, X casts aside the Lowlands’ rules for Zoe. As X and Zoe learn more about their different worlds, they begin to question the past, their fate, and their future. But escaping the Lowlands and the ties that bind X might mean the ultimate sacrifice for both of them.

The Edge of Everything:

I received an ARC of The Edge of Everything by Jeff Giles from Bloomsbury Australia, in exchange for an honest review. This has no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book. Plus stay to the end to win 1 of 2 paperbacks of The Edge of Everything.

The Edge of Everything was one of my most anticipated debuts for this year and I am sad to say that I was disappointed. I wasn’t that it was bad or that I didn’t like it, it just wasn’t what I was expecting.

The Edge of Everything follows protagonist Zoe who has by far had a horrible year. Her father dies in a freak caving accident and her neighbours disappear from their home. Then during a blizzard, strange things start to happened. When she meets X, everything around her changes. X, isn’t an ordinary bounty hunter, residing from a hell called the lowlands. His got 2 jobs, take souls of those who hasn’t been the best of people and not let anyone see him, but that person. But everything changes when he meets X.

It’s been a couple of weeks since I finished The Edge of Everything and I’m still not too sure if I liked the protagonist. Both were hard to really enjoy. Even though Zo, was seventeen I didn’t feel it. She has this childish nature about her, that wasn’t sitting with me well. I loved the way she adores her brother, it was beautiful to see.

I liked X, much more than I did Zoe. His whole life his lived in the Lowlands and he knows nothing about the human world. I adored X, reaction, and interaction with the human world. I had a little laugh here and there. X has had a horrible and harsh upbringing and I liked that we didn’t see this angry person, but someone that is confused.

The Edge of Everything had a very good sense of family. At the start of the novel, we find out the horrible death of Zoe’s father. We know that they haven’t found his body, and this tears the family apart. They haven’t had a great time to grieve and it’s hurting them. However, I loved Zoe’s relationship with her brother. It was beautiful to see and just warmed my heart. I had a sense that her brother was on the autistic spectrum, but it wasn’t really focused upon. And although X doesn’t know who his family is, I liked the sense of family, even comradery.

The romance was my least favourite part of the book. It was pretty much non-existent. However, it was sweet at times, but it went from just meeting to ‘love.’ I think they both work well with each other. Zo and X are completely different, but they were adorable together. X is totally blaza to whatever is going on. I am hoping that the next book will build on their relationship and not jump right into it.

The world of The Edge of Everything was very unique. It’s horrible and intense. And every though we do find out about it in the book, I feel like there is so much more. X lives in a world of disgust and not knowing who you are.

The writing style of Jeff Giles wasn’t also my favourite in The Edge of Everything. I found it too simplistic and felt that at times I was being talked down upon. The world has many layers, I don’t know why the writing couldn’t.

The ending of The Edge of Everythingnonetheless was intense and I loved it. It was actioned packed and I had no idea was on earth was going to happen next. Those last couple of chapters were probably some of my favourites.

Overall, The Edge of Everything was an exciting read. It explores the notion of family and grief. It explores finding out who you are and where you belong. It’s intense, fast-paced and will keep you on the edge of your seat. There is magic, bounty hunters, exploring caves and so much more.

Have you read The Edge of Everything by Jeff Giles? What did you think of it? Where you as excited as I was to read it? Are you planning to continue the series? For those who haven’t read it are you planning to? Let’s Chat!

And now to the giveaway. You can have the chance to win 1 of 2 paperbacks thanks to Bloomsbury Australia! Check out all the information below. Nevertheless, this is only open to Australia residents.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

09 Feb

Book Review: A Thousand Letters by Staci Hart

Posted by angelreads Book Reviews No Comments

A Thousand Letters by Staci Hart

Pages: 282
Publish date: 9th of February
Publisher: –
ASIN: B01NB0MXYL
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

Sometimes your life is split by a single decision.

I’ve spent every day of the last seven years regretting mine: he left, and I didn’t follow. A thousand letters went unanswered, my words like petals in the wind, spinning away into nothing, taking me with them.

But now he’s back.

I barely recognize the man he’s become, but I can still see a glimmer of the boy who asked me to be his forever, the boy I walked away from when I was young and afraid.

Maybe if he’d come home under better circumstances, he could speak to me without anger in his voice. If I’d said yes all those years ago, he’d look at me without the weight of rejection in his eyes. Maybe if things were different, we would have had a chance.

One regretted decision sent him away. One painful journey brought him back to me. I only wish I could keep him.

A Thousand Letters:

I received a copy of A Thousand Letters by Staci Hart from InkSlinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

I’ve tried to write this review with as little spoilers as I can, but there a few that will pop up.

I picked up A Thousand Letters on a whim, I saw it popping up on my twitter timeline and then I got an email about it. It was a spare of the moment pick and I am glad that I did. A Thousand Letters is an emotional and heart wrenching read – so be prepared.

Seven years ago Elliot made a mistake, a mistake that has haunted her. It’s torn her apart. She hasn’t spoken or seen Wade since that last moment. But when he returns, their past comes back and all the emotions reach the surface.

Elliot was a really easy protagonist to get along with. I loved how much she cared, even when so many people around her didn’t. Seven years before not only did she break Wade’s heart, but her own and since then her life hasn’t been the same. Throughout A Thousand Letters the reader is able to see how Elliot is both suffering and needs to let it go. Elliot is very close to Wade’s. She has grown up with him, and his father cares for her so much. His one of the only people that believe in her.

Wade was difficult to get along with. I understand why he acted the way that he did for a lot fo the book, but it was also hard to go along with yet. Wade has a lot of issues. And for the first time in seven years his seeing Elliot again. But, it’s not all good. He is on leave from the army because his father isn’t good health wise. It was heartbreaking, and all over emotional. Wade is one of those guys that holds all of his emotions in and then cracks – and he does it a few times in A Thousand Letters.

The romance was hard not to fall for, but at the same time it anger me to the core. Seven years ago Elliot and Wade had fallen in love and then he asked her to marry him. There were a few reasons why she said no, but not loving him wasn’t one of them. I think Wade’s reactions were, difficult. He doesn’t think about what she says and he blurts it all out. Throughout the book, we see both Wade and Elliot struggling with their feelings and seeing each other after all this time. Wade did some questionable things throughout the book, but there love for each other was also beautiful.

A Thousand Letters has a big sense of family and friends. Some bad and some good. It was really nice to see the balance between families that care and the ones that don’t. I loved that Wade’s family cared so much for Elliot, she was a part of the family.

And although I really enjoyed reading this book, I did feel there was slightly too many characters. It’s hard keeping up with so many people, trying to remember who they are and how they are related.

Overall, A Thousand Letters is a heartbreaking read and will leave you an emotional wreck. It’s about family, friends and second chances. It’s about forgiveness, letting go and falling in love.

Have you read this book? Are you planning on reading it? Let’s Chat!

08 Feb

TV Review: Shadowhunters 2 x 06 ‘Iron Sisters’

Posted by angelreads Season 2, Shadowhunters, TV Series Reviews No Comments

Iron Sisters
Shadowhunters: Season 2 Episode 6

Episode Name: Iron Sisters
Release date: 6th February 2017
Running Time: 42 minutes
Starring Katherine McNamara, Dominic Sherwood, Alberto Rosende, Matthew Daddario, Emeraude Toubia, Isaiah Mustafa, Harry Shum Jr.
Directed By: Mike Rohl
Watch: Freeform (US) – Netflix (Worldwide)
Episode Reviews: Season 1 | Season 2

Clary and Isabelle are sent on a mission to meet the Iron Sisters in order to find more clues about Valentine’s plans.

Iron Sisters:

There will be spoilers from previous episodes and slight spoilers from this weeks.

After the last two episodes, I felt this type of episode was needed. Iron Sisters was a breather, it wasn’t an episode that keeps the audience on the edge of their seat. It’s one, where the world of the show is built and character development is in the works.

Clary (Katherine McNamara) and Isabelle (Emeraude Toubia) are sent on a mission to find out more about Valentine (Alan Van Sprang) and his interest in the mortal instruments. Both girls travel to the Iron Sisters and find out more about the shadowhunter world.

Meanwhile, Alec (Matthew Daddario) and Magnus (Harry Shum Jr.) go on their first date, Simon (Alberto Rosende) and Maia (Alisha Wainwright) go on the hunt for Luke and it isn’t Jace’s day.

Iron Sisters

For the past couple of weeks, there have been hints that we will be going to see the Iron Sisters and it finally happened in this week’s episode. I loved this part of the episode. I loved Izzy’s want and the way that she looks up to them.

There were parts of the Iron sisters that I loved, how everything looked. But not how they looked. I just felt they lacked something and I can’t pick what it was.

While Clary and Izzy are at the Iron Sisters, we are able to see a little history about the soul sword. I loved not only how they did it, but the way that everything joined together.

We also get out first look at Luke’s sister Cleophas (Lisa Berry). Although she’s a new character to this series, I felt that it worked quite well and it will defiantly add tension as the series goes on. Especially with the ending of this week’s episode.

Clave

The Clave is full force in Iron Sisters through Aldertree (Nick Sagar). The audience is able to see the power that the Clave holds on shadowhunters. The dominance that Aldertree presence is scary as hell, and I can see it falling to pieces as the season goes on. Although we haven’t seen the Clave as a whole yet, I think that Aldertree is a pretty good representation of it.

Luke

This week’s episode was hard on Luke. Tormented with grief and his werewolf nature, he loses control. So not only is her struggling with the death of Jocelyn, but him being a werewolf.

I think this episode’s focus on the werewolves, gave the audience an insight on how downworlders work and how they fit into the shadowhunter world.

Simon and Maia

I loved the scenes between Simon and Maia. It was nice to see a little lightness in this episode and the interaction between these two was so good. The banter was pretty similar to the books and flows nicely to where the books go with Simon and Maia and their relationship.

Through Maia, we also get to see her side of being a werewolf. Her struggle, her heartbreak. But, the audience is also able to see that a pack is also a family and most of the time they look after one another.

Alec and Magnus

These two finally went on their first date! And it was as awkward and adorable as I imagined. Magnus has so much experience while Alec has none, and it was so cute them trying to step around each other. I love that Magnus calls me Alexander as hits the mark with the books. Also, there is also hints of there being tension because of the many people Magnus has been with over the years.

Jace

In this episode we also see Jace struggling with not only Aldertree, but the rest of the institute. Aldertree is treating him like crap, he doesn’t want him there and because of that his peers, the people that he fights with are second guessing what he does.

I could really feel Jace’s emotions in this weeks episode, it was tough and hard. But, I do feel that it will add tension to the show.

Izzy

For the most part, I really like what they are doing with Izzy. The addiction is something very different but works so well. It shows that sometimes shadowhunters are no different to mundanes. However, there was a time in this episode where Izzy was ‘listening in’ to a conversation with Clary and it just didn’t sit with me right.

Overall

I really enjoyed this episode. Nothing ‘intense’ happened until the end, but I was interested all the way through. Iron Sisters really worked on the characterisation of nearly all out main characters and I loved it. The audience was able to sit back and take the world in. Get to know it a little more.

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