The Revised Life of Ellie Sweet by Stephanie Morrill

Don’t just get even. Write a novel. Ellie Sweet is a lot of things—good girl, novelist, silent adorer of the new boy at school, Palmer. But when “outcast” gets added to the list, she decides it’s time to take reality into her own hands … and tweak it as needed. In the pages of her book, she’s Lady Gabrielle, favorite of the medieval Italian court. Her once-friends are reduced to catty ladies-in-waiting, and the too-charming Palmer—who in real life never spares her a second word—gets to be nothing more than a rake wracked by unrequited love for her. She even has a perfect real-life villain in the brooding Chase, who hails from the wrong side of town. But just when she’s getting along great in her fictional world, the real one throws her a few curves. With Chase pursuing her, Palmer wanting to date her—but in secret—and the details of her manuscript going public, Ellie suddenly receives more attention than she ever really wanted. And when her former-friends discover what she’s been writing, they’re determined to teach Ellie a lesson about the severe consequences of using her pen as her sword.

So. First off. I don't usually read books like these. I'm not really big on slice-of-life romances. However, I won this book along with a few others from Stephanie Morrill at Go Teen Writers and figured I ought to read it at some point. Last summer, I'd finished all the other books I wanted to read when I remembered this one.

At first I was hesitant, because like I said just a minute ago, I didn't like these books. I almost didn't read it, after all, I was a science fiction/fantasy girl. I thought that I would most definitely not enjoy it. I was so wrong.

As a female teenage writer, I found this book ridiculously inspiring. Ellie is a wonderful character and one of those rare characters that I would love to sit down and have coffee (or in my case tea) with. Despite the fact that it's not my usual genre, there's no shortage of action or emotion that I get from other books.

I finished this book in one sitting. That is the highest form of praise I can offer. I didn't even finish most of my favorite books (and this is one of them, mind you) in one sitting.

As soon as I could, I got my hands on the second Ellie book. I remember when it came in from Amazon, I ripped open the box, grabbed the book, and ran back to my room to read.

Just like the first one, I finished it in one sitting.

Emma had finished it a few days before I had so all through the night I was sending her live updates.

I loved this one just about as much as the first one. It didn't end quite how I wanted (my poor ship ;_;), but it was still a great wrap up to a good series. 

Secretly, or I guess not-so-secretly, I'm hoping for more books about Ellie.

To wrap this whole thing up, if you are a writer, you need to read this. If you are not a writer, you still need to read this.

Thank you so much Stephanie for giving me the privilege of reading your book. I loved it!

The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo

Book 1

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.

I'm very inclined to say that the Grisha Trilogy is the best book series I've read to date. Bardugo's first book, Shadow and Bone, drew me in and kept me hidden away in my room under the blankets for 12+ hours. Shadow and Bone made me wish I was a Grisha…Something like a Corporakli Healer, or an Etherealki Inferni. Over the course of the books, I grew so attached to Bardugo's characters (The Darkling and Nikolai especially) I'm pretty sure I spent the last half of Ruin and Rising crying tears of blood.

Book 2

I'm not kidding guys. These books are amazing. I can't recommend them enough. I have an issue with what I not-so-affectionately call the book hangover—the complete and utter inability to begin a new book because the one you just finished was just so good/heartbreaking/unforgettable etcetera. I wasn't able to start a new book after the Grisha Trilogy for like a month.

Anyways. Back to the books. 

Siege and Storm picks up right where Shadow and Bone left off. I don't think the pace dropped for even a second. I was fascinated with the world Bardugo had created. Frankly, I'm jealous I didn't come up with this idea. Grisha are cool; it's a fact of life.

It's interesting, because Siege and Storm took a different direction than I thought it would. Over all, I think Siege and Storm was my least favorite out of the series. However, it's by no means lackluster.

Now, for my favorite. Ruin and Rising. This was the book that ripped my heart in half, threw it on the ground, stomped on pieces with sharp metal cleats, sent it through the blender, and then poured it on my head.

Book 3

This book freaking sucks. In a good way though.

There's so much emotion packed into this book I don't know how she didn't just keel over and die writing it. This book destroyed my soul. 

At the end, my blankets were tear stained (I actually think I messed up some of the pages too ;_; ), I could barely see, and I wanted to read more.

It's didn't end how I wanted, but I think over all it was a great wrap up to the series. Plus, I'll always have my head cannons.

So, dear blog readers, I'll leave you with this. Go out there and get your hands on these books. Buy them, rent them, borrow them, steal them, I don't care. Go read these books. They're fantastic.

~ Sincerely, a feels starved reader