*Drum Roll, Please*

Guys, I have some news. I don't know whether it's good or bad, I guess that's up for you to decide. I think it's good.

I'm not so good with breaking news, so I'm just going to give it to you straight: I'm moving my blog. It will no longer be just a book review blog. Basically, I'm integrating all of my blogs into one big, fat, overly pink and shiny one. Huzzah.

So if you'd like to follow me there, you can find my link here.

If you're frustrated with me and want me to jump off of a bridge, well, shame on you.

I just want to thank you all for your love and support of my crazy obsession, and I hope you will have as much faith in my new blog as you did in Slaying Books.

Love you all,

Sydney

The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

She's just a New York City girl living with her artist mom... News Flash: Dad is prince of Genovia. (So that's why a limo meets her at the airport! Downer: Dad can't have any more kids. (So no heir to the throne.) Shock of the Century: Like it or not, Mia Thermopolis is prime princess material. Mia must take princess lessons from her dreaded grandmére, the dowager princess of Genovia, who thinks Mia has a thing or two to learn before she steps up to the throne. Well, her father can lecture her until he's royal-blue in the face about her princessly duty--no way is she moving to Genovia and leaving Manhattan behind. But what's a girl to do when her name is Princess Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo?

Okay, okay, okay. I know I haven't posted a book review in ages. I've been busy, finals are coming up. Bite me. 

I actually started reading this book while trying out a service called Oyster, which is basically the Netflix for books. Kind of like that thing called the library, except you pay $9.95 a month to read a smaller selection of books. I don't recommend it. 

Anyway, this book was a delightful surprise. I had always heard that Meg Cabot was one of those sassy authors with a knack for teen voice. It's totally true. 

Mia was such a hilarious character, even more so than she is in the movie (in which Anne Hathaway worked her magic). She reminds me of everything I was when I was a freshman in high school: hopelessly "in love" with a senior, whiney about everything, and in a constant annoyed mood with grandmothers and their pretentious, better-than-you attitudes. The only difference is that Mia Thermopolis is a princess, and I'm just your average book reviewer. But other than that tiny detail, she gave me nostalgia as I read through her "diary." 

The plot wasn't anything too spectacular in the beginning. Just a normal girl turning into a princess. We've all seen the film. But what the movie leaves out (from what I can remember of it) is the self-realization that Mia goes through when she realizes the boy of her dreams isn't what he seems. I know this is a middle school-level read, but the deepness of the last few scenes really stuck with me. 

I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a cute, funny, and overall fantastic light read. 

I gave it 4/5 stars, because I did enjoy it, but again, it was just something to hold me over until I could decide whether or not to keep using the service Oyster.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. 

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

As many of you know, I've been wanting to read this book for quite some time. As the months went by and it sat on my bookshelf still unread, I became a tad bit skeptic just because I started assuming that it was going to be your typical teen novel. Sixteen year-old heroine saves the day and gets the guy even though she's 90% sure he'll hate her. 

I'm really happy to say that Cinder was nothing like this. The story line was amazing, and it seems like in every chapter, there was a new plot twist. It definitely kept me on my toes and turning pages. As busy as I am, I'm actually surprised that I finished it this quickly. 

The characters were really well developed in my opinion, although I feel like Cinder was older than she acted. I feel like she was more in my age group (eighteen-nineteen) than sixteen. Maybe it has something to do with her dystopian environment, who knows. The antagonist of the story, the Lunar queen, was just pure evil. I love to hate her. That makes her the best kind of villain. 

What I really liked was the world-building. It wasn't overwhelming, but Meyer definitely conveyed a lot of information about the new Earth that she's created through dialogue. 

At the moment, I'm searching frantically for somewhere to purchase the sequel, because the last chapter was definitely a cliff-hanger. 

I seriously just cannot express how much I loved this book. Its fairy tale elements, its suspenseful plot, just everything. (Oh and a mega-hot prince). 

Most definitely deserves a rating of 5/5 stars. 

If you haven't read this book yet, go. Just go now. Exit out of my blog and go. GO. 

October TBR

Okay this may be a little late this month, but better late than never, right?

My History professor has been assigning us books to read like crazy (no fun!), so I haven't had much time at all to read for pleasure (double no fun!). Here's a little tip guys: never be a History major. No matter how much you like it. It's horrible.

I was originally reading The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith/J.K. Rowling, but I had to put onto the "didn't finish"/"read later" pile. It just wasn't anything too gripping, and I just couldn't get into it with the amount of coursework I've been doing.

I did, however, go home one weekend and see something that has been on my "to-read" pile for, well, forever and decide to start it. So, if I only finish one book this month (that isn't assigned reading), it'll be Cinder by Marissa Meyer.

I really apologize for the delay guys, really I am sorry. I'm trying to make my blog one of my higher priorities now that I've settled down with university life. 

Oh, and Clemson plays tomorrow! (In football, for you sheltered folks). 3:30PM against Boston College. Everyone should watch because we're pretty awesome.

See you guys super soon! You can keep up with my progress with Cinder on Goodreads! 

Guys, I SWEAR I'm not dead!

I haven't done written a post for this blog in a whole month! Much apologies, but I've just been so busy with university things and classes and sjkdfskdfh. I haven't even been able to read for pleasure because I've been reading so much for my classes.

Just bear with me, I promise I'll be posting soon(ish).

I still love you all,
Syd.

August TBR

This month's To Be Read pile will be short and sweet. I have so much going on this month with move-in and rowing tryouts and such. Hopefully I'll get everything on this list read.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

First and foremost, I want to reread one of my favorite books in the Harry Potter series. There isn't much to say about this one, it's pretty much given that it'll be amazing. 

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

I bought this book a while back, and it was featured in my first (and only) Wishlist Wednesday, but I haven't gotten around to reading it. I've only heard good things about it though, so I'm really excited to start! 

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)

This book is shipping to my house from the UK as I type this. I really hope it gets here by the time I head to college. I am dying to read it! 

So that's basically it for what's coming up in August, I'm really excited to read all of these brilliant books. 

The Elite by Kiera Cass

Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Compared to The Selection, this book was a real let-down. I was so excited when I finally got to sit down and read it. But from the very first pages, I could tell it wasn't going to "wow" me. 

I feel like Kiera Cass couldn't decide whether or not she liked Prince Maxon while she was writing this. I seriously imagine her sitting at a desk, typing away about how lovely he is, just to realize that she prefers Aspen. So she then types another forty pages or so about Maxon completely ignoring America. Cass literally made me hate Maxon for about half of the book, which is something I never wanted to do. I feel like she didn't plan this out, at all. 

What also bothered me was that America seemed to whine so much more in this book. She complained to Maxon that she needed time to think about whether or not she wanted to be with him, but then when he asked for time, she completely shut him down. America claimed to be seventeen years old, but she honestly acted like she's fourteen throughout the whole book. She couldn't make up her mind about anything, and it was rather frustrating. 

Although I was really disappointed with this book, there were a few good things I'd like to point out. I couldn't really tell if the writing was engaging because it was interesting, or because it was so simple. The Elite didn't provoke any sort of thought while I was reading it (not anything deep or meaningful, anyway), but for some reason or another, I just couldn't put it down. I also really liked that the book also focused on the politics of Illea more than The Selection. I guess that was the only thing stopping The Elite from being an episode of "The Bachelor." 

I also really enjoyed the some of the characters, although the Elite girls got on my nerves. They were just too perfect. I did love reading about Marlee, Carter, and the maids, though. They, along with America's sister May (her fangirling was phenomenal), were what kept me going in the slow parts of this book. 

I know I'll end up reading the new Selection book when it comes out in 2014, but I can't say I'm not afraid of it. I don't want it to be just another teen novel with another love triangle, because that's pretty much all The Elite was for me. 

A bit of a disappointment, I rated it 3/5 stars. Mainly for Maxon still being a cutie.