The Song of Achilles: Madeline Miller

Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. By all rights their paths should never cross, but Achilles takes the shamed prince as his friend, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine their bond blossoms into something deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles' mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess. But then word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus journeys with Achilles to Troy, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear.

Profoundly moving and breathtakingly original, this rendering of the epic Trojan War is a dazzling feat of the imagination, a devastating love story, and an almighty battle between gods and kings, peace and glory, immortal fame and the human heart.
(Goodreads)

Let me begin by saying that I was so thoroughly excited to read this book. Considering I absolutely loved Circe, and all the amazing reviews I've heard of this book. I was excited. I was ecstatic to finally get the chance to read it since I had to wait months to get it from the library 
To say that I was disappointed would be an understatement. I was slightly angry about how much I didn't like this book. And I really really wanted to like it. I was angry, and frustrated, and just plain sad in regards to this book. 
From the beginning! This book actually is not in the point of view of Achilles not until the end at least. This book is in Patroclus I literally had no idea how to say his name..... Like at all point of view, which was an interesting take. I was kind of okay with it... Except that it was seriously just so melancholy that it seriously made the book feel sad... THE WHOLE TIME 
Patroclus is a pathetic character for the longest time, he's weak and sad and overal pretty annoying. And Achilles? He's there too... But only just. He's not nearly as important as you'd think, not until their romance blooms.
Oh? Did I mention this book is HECKING gay?? Because, my god, it is so gay and there's even gay sex... it was interesting and completely true to the times. 
Anyways... When you think of Achilles what do you think of? I don't know about you, but I always think about the Trojan War. And you'd think that this book would be about that, would consist of a considerable amount of the Trojan War. Well you would be wrong. Because literally the Trojan War was at the every end of book, maybe the last hundred pages? Possibly? Which, for me, was so disappointing. The whole beginning of the book is about Paroclus's shame, his love for Achilles, his fear of his mother. 
I honestly was extremely disappointed, especially considering how much people raved about the book. But alas, this book was not for me, but who knows, maybe whoever reads this blog will actually enjoy the book. And if you do, awesome! If not... Joining me in complaining about
Until next time readers <3

Love Kat 

Girls of Paper and Fire: Natasha Ngan

Each year, eight beautiful girls are chosen as Paper Girls to serve the king. It's the highest honor they could hope for...and the most cruel.

But this year, there's a ninth girl. And instead of paper, she's made of fire.

In this lush fantasy, Lei is a member of the Paper caste, the lowest and most oppressed class in Ikhara. She lives in a remote village with her father, where the decade-old trauma of watching her mother snatched by royal guards still haunts her. Now, the guards are back, and this time it's Lei they're after--the girl whose golden eyes have piqued the king's interest.

Over weeks of training in the opulent but stifling palace, Lei and eight other girls learn the skills and charm that befit being a king's consort. But Lei isn't content to watch her fate consume her. Instead, she does the unthinkable--she falls in love. Her forbidden romance becomes enmeshed with an explosive plot that threatens the very foundation of Ikhara, and Lei, still the wide-eyed country girl at heart, must decide just how far she's willing to go for justice and revenge.
(Goodreads) 

WARNING THIS BOOK CONTAINS SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND THEMES
*nothing too graphic or descriptive, but can still be triggering for certain people.

I fully admit to buying this book because it was pretty. Like? Look at that cover, its gorgeous. Yes the story itself sounding interesting, but I was more captivated by the cover. It had the premise of a regular old book, until it didn't. I fully admit that I went into reading this book thinking I wouldn't like it. But that sentiment quickly left within a few pages in.

The story starts with Lei, a girl in the lowest class, who works for a demon who's like family. She lost her mom in a raid years prior. The only thing that stands out is her golden eyes, eyes that shouldn't belong to a human. So the story at its base seemed very familiar to me and I thought it was going to be a Beauty and the Beast retelling.... Boy was I wrong
Everything changes when Lei makes it to the castle and things start progressing in a different way. 
Let me explain,  there are subtle changes to Lei's character in regards to girls and women around her. And me, being a hetero-normative female.... this threw me off. When they officially meet the Demon King, it officially puts everything into perspective. The way she reacts to Wren, how intrigued by her she is. And this is around the time I start thinking... is she a lesbian?? And then I moved on. 
When the girls met the Demon King, it was an unsettling experience. Lei's reaction was both fascination and fear. It was unsettling, because on the surface all the girls... Except Lei slight horror and Wren's indifference, are in love or so it seems 
Everything changes when Lei finally gets the letter, that it's her turn to pleasure the king. Obviously everyone is excited and jealous. And this was also around the time that everything started feeling more real. 
What happens when she gets the King's palace is weird..... and then horrifying. To say that I was crying... would be an understatement. Luckily, Lei fought back and was not raped this time 
Her romance with Wren is healing, and it is the most beautiful and pure love one could possibly find.
When.... Lei does get raped by the King. I felt my heartbreak, and I couldn't stop crying. The emotional trauma of what she endured was horrifying. 
The end of the book was amazing! They kicked ass! They escaped! They FELL IN LOVE! 
AND THEN THE KING DIDN'T DIE!!! I am so angry and I cannot wait for the next book 

Until next time readers <3

Love Kat 

That Night: Amy Glines

One night in March, a terrible tragedy shakes the Queens neighborhood where Jessica Nolan and Lucas Rossi live.

The year since the shooting has played out differently for Jess and Lucas, both of whom were affected by that night in eerily similar, and deeply personal, ways. Lucas has taken up boxing and lives under the ever-watchful eye of his overprotective parents, while trying to put good into the world through random acts of kindness — to pay back a debt he feels he owes the universe for taking the wrong brother.

Jess struggles to take care of her depressed mother, with the help of her elderly next-door neighbor, and tries to make ends meet. Without her best friend, who’s across the country at a special post-trauma boarding school, and her brother, who died that night, Jess feels totally alone in the world.

When Jess and Lucas's paths cross at their shared after-school job, they start to become friends… and then more.

Their community — and their families — were irrevocably changed by a senseless act of violence. But as Jess and Lucas fall in love, they'll learn to help each other heal and move forward — together.
(Goodreads)

So I got the first five chapters though, EpicReads... And holy crap this seems so interesting and slightly relatable as someone who's mourned the death of a friend he was practically my brother   
The story is about a club shooting, where teens frequent and the survivors guilt of two specific characters. 
Jess and Lucas are both survivors of the shooting and it has drastically changed their way of life in different ways, but also very similar ways. They both lost their brothers and neither of them know how to cope.
Jess is having to deal with her depressed mother, and she has no support.
Lucas is smothered in care. And all he wants to move on. But neither of them know how. 

Honestly, the story was very simple and sweet. They meet, they fall in love, and they start helping each other through the trauma of what happened at the shooting. And it was a very fast read. I fully admit, I cried because there where moments that reminded me of when my friend passed in a car accident. And it took my brother and I months years to fully come to terms with what happened. 

Until next time readers <3

Love Kat 

Princess of Ash: Laura Sebastian

Theodosia was six when her country was invaded and her mother, the Fire Queen, was murdered before her eyes. On that day, the Kaiser took Theodosia's family, her land, and her name. Theo was crowned Ash Princess--a title of shame to bear in her new life as a prisoner.

For ten years Theo has been a captive in her own palace. She's endured the relentless abuse and ridicule of the Kaiser and his court. She is powerless, surviving in her new world only by burying the girl she was deep inside.

Then, one night, the Kaiser forces her to do the unthinkable. With blood on her hands and all hope of reclaiming her throne lost, she realizes that surviving is no longer enough. But she does have a weapon: her mind is sharper than any sword. And power isn't always won on the battlefield.

For ten years, the Ash Princess has seen her land pillaged and her people enslaved. That all ends here.
(Goodreads)

Where to start.... Well, I read a review on Goodreads regarding this book... and it had some good points. Honestly this book is very familiar in the sense that I've read this story hundreds of times.
But that does not mean it isn't a good book
Even though this story idea is overused, the book itself was great. And I honestly loved this book, I liked the way Sebastian wrote Theo, how she was struggling with her identity. I loved that she wrote about the moral dilemma of Theo having to kill her only friend. How she was kind of struggling with both her cultures, and I know this can be argued over..... But she kinda was raised in two cultures, even if one was under oppression. I really resonated with the struggles of two cultures because hey.. ya girls a Latina in America
Anyway, I honestly really liked the book. It was interesting with a perfect plot twist that kinda maybe a lot scream because it was absolutely brilliant!.... And evil

Until next time readers <3

Love Kat 

Update

Hello, yes, hi, it's me Kat
It's been a hot minute since I last really updated this blog excluding the two books I reviewed today
And that's mainly becasue life sucks, schools hard, and I have no time to do anything except cry, study, and work. I still very much love this blog, and intend to keep updating it slowly.
My goal this year is to put up my reviews a couple days after I finish the books so that my feelings and thoughts are more accurate.
It's not like anyone reads these anyway, but I still like to review books and get my thoughts out into the world.
To the people who have actually read some of my review/rants, thank you
To those passing by, thank you for the visit and I hope you like the reviews
2019 is going to be a better year and an incredible year for books
Thank you
Kat <3

Crimson Bound: Rosamund Hodge

When Rachelle was fifteen she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless— straying from the forest path in search of a way to free her world from the threat of eternal darkness. After an illicit meeting goes dreadfully wrong, Rachelle is forced to make a terrible choice that binds her to the very evil she had hoped to defeat.

Three years later, Rachelle has given her life to serving the realm, fighting deadly creatures in an effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her find the legendary sword that might save their world. As the two become unexpected allies, they uncover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic, and a love that may be their undoing. In a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night?

Inspired by the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Crimson Bound is an exhilarating tale of darkness, love, and redemption.
(Goodreads) 

So I got this book for free from EpicReads for doing a survey and I was kind of skeptical about reading it, considering I didn't like her other book, Cruel Beauty.<---hover here But since I got the book for free I decided to give a go.... Boy was that a mistake.
So lets begin, this is supposed to be a inspired by Little Red Riding Hood... And I don't see how because it was just nonsense. The story starts with Rachelle as a child who lives in the woods with her grandmother. They're the local witches and Rachelle is training to be the next witch. Little Rachelle wants to do more in life, she want's to fight the bad guys, she wants to actively do something and make her mark on the world. honestly same She has the chance when she meets one of these evil dudes I promise I read the book and she's intruigued by him obviously and she keeps coming back to him and she's trying to act all tough and be like "You don't scare me." When one day her adventure goes wrong and he attacks her, and marks her. Which now means she has to either kill someone or die. She ends of killing her grandmother and thus begins the real story. This beginning was so interesting that I just had to continue.... But that's when the disappointment began.
Honestly from here it's just one mindfuck after another. The story was not well thought out and it was extremely confusing. Everything that happened in the second part was so utterly confusing that it just ruined the somewhat good plot.  It started going back and forth in points of view about some random ass character, who you later find out is the one who started this whole thing way back when. And we find out we have to find this sword to kill the demon king dude and find the portal to the other world classic.
We find out her one demon friend was the one who turned her evil and that he's actually in love with her. She fights him off and wins and continues on her quest to kill the demon king. And then she finds out that the magic her grandmother taught her was how to defeat the king and the needle that was actually the sword the whole time! great She sacrifices herself and wins and through that sacrifice becomes human again. cool 
Throughout this quest she fell in love with her hand-less charge and so they end up together, happily ever after. 
Great. I just did not like this book at all, it was boring and uninspiring. The characters were all pretty mediocre and the whole part where we were jumping back and forth was just so confusing I had to reread it multiple times to understand what was going on.
Honestly this is an aquired taste, if you like it awesome! If you don't, join the club 
Anyway 
Until next time readers <3

Love Kat 

Cruel Beauty: Rosamund Hodge

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle—a shifting maze of magical rooms—enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.
(Goodreads)

 So after reading and loving A Court of Thorns and Roses Cruel Beauty was recommended to me because of how amazing the story is. How strong the female character is, and the wonderful spin to the classic Beauty and the Beast.
Honestly? I was incredibly disappointed. The story in itself was incredibly interesting, it was rich and complex. It was dark and mysterious. The plot definitely had moments that it would drag on for pages and pages fully admit to skimming over these parts. And there were parts that were so intriguing I wish we could have learned more about it cough everything involving the world inside of a world plot and the labyrinth castle. Overall I'd give the plot a solid 3 since it was a pretty slow book that was super boring at times. But what really ruined the book for me was the character of Nyx, there was just something about her that I truly could not stand. She was kind of boring, and extremely self righteous. She was annoying, and her sister was equally annoying to. But the sister at least had the redeeming quality of actually loving Nyx and actually trying to save her even after all the hurtful things she said. 
But the real kicker was the ending. After Nyx fell in love with the beast and figured out that the shadow man is also part of him (I fully admit to loving the shadow man in the beginning, but once she saved the beast and he became nice I totally switched sides.) which took me forever to figure out too. He set her free, the world went back to how it was supposed to was when the plot took a turn for the weird. Obviously no one remembers because book logic's, but Nyx vaguely remembers something. More like she remembers missing someone. And now the castle is just an old myth about a cowardly king and she goes to find him because she knows there's more to the castle. Well she finds the king and the old ruler people things and bargains for the kings life. blah blah blah they argue it's weird...
And then...... the book ends..... Like that's it. There's really no closure and the book just had a weird ending.
Overall, not my favorite book. It was just weird and not the good kind of weird 
Anyway 
Until next time reader <3

Love Kat