Outlander is the best!!!

I started reading the Outlander books a while ago. And by reading I mean listening to the audio books. I spoke to a lot of people as I started listening to the books because as soon as  Clare traveled through the stones, I thought the books was AWESOME. I'm on the fourth books now. A lot of people say they stopped reading during the 3rd book and I think they're crazy. There is romance, but for the most part, the book is about two people trying to live their life in 1700's. There's action, adventure, pirates, betrayal, family, jail, some brutal stuff, and a ton more. This story is the best!!!! The books are very long so I'd definitely suggest the audio books. The audio book reader is perfect, although she does struggle with the american Boston accept that pops up in the second book.

I love this book. I hope everyone loves it as much as me!!!

Review: Worlds of Ink and Shadow by Lena Coakley

Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Date: January 5, 2016
Rating: 4 stars

Charlotte, Branwell, Emily, and Anne. The Brontë siblings have always been close. After all, nothing can unite four siblings quite like life in an isolated parsonage on the moors. Their vivid imaginations lend them escape from their strict, spartan upbringing, actually transporting them into their created worlds: the glittering Verdopolis and the romantic and melancholy Gondal. But at what price? As Branwell begins to slip into madness and the sisters feel their real lives slipping away, they must weigh the cost of their powerful imaginations, even as their characters—the brooding Rogue and dashing Duke of Zamorna—refuse to let them go. (Goodreads)

I got this book in my January (I think) Owl Crate box and I've just finished it. I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about the book because I haven't read a lot of historical fiction, but let me tell you... I freaking loved this book. This book was about the Bronte siblings and I've never read a single one of their books so I had no idea how everything would translate for me.

The book jumped off the page from the very beginning. From the state we knew that there was some mystery to solve, and we also knew that this book would have pretty amazing and desirable paranormal elements. The Brontes (or at least Charlotte and Branwell) are writers and they are able to transport themselves into the fictional worlds that they create and take on characters. They are literally able to live in their own stories! What's better than that. But as we can guess from the book description, things eventually take a turn with the siblings begin to loose control of what they've created, we also learn that great power comes at a great price.

I really liked that the chapters jumped between siblings. Not only were we able to connect with them better that way, we were also to see what they thought of each other. Emily the reckless, Anne quiet but watchful, Branwell also a bit reckless but much more unsure of himself, and Charlotte, the eldest, the creator. I can't say too much without going on a crazy tangent, but reading this book made me actually want to read the real Bronte sister's books. I don't normally choose classics but I just might.

Review: All The Truth That's In Me by Julie Berry

Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Publication Date: September 26, 2013
Rating: 3.5/5

Four years ago, Judith and her best friend disappeared from their small town of Roswell Station. Two years ago, only Judith returned, permanently mutilated, reviled and ignored by those who were once her friends and family. Unable to speak, Judith lives like a ghost in her own home, silently pouring out her thoughts to the boy who’s owned her heart as long as she can remember—even if he doesn’t know it—her childhood friend, Lucas. But when Roswell Station is attacked, long-buried secrets come to light, and Judith is forced to choose: continue to live in silence, or recover her voice, even if it means changing her world, and the lives around her, forever. This startlingly original novel will shock and disturb you; it will fill you with Judith’s passion and longing; and its mysteries will keep you feverishly turning the pages until the very last. (Goodreads)

Overall I liked this book. It's very strange because it's not normally the type of book that I would have been interested in, if I'd had all the details, but I'm still glad I read it.

Judith was kidnapped, when she was returned to her family, her tongue had been cut out and she was officially the town pariah, even among her own mother. Although it's possible for Judith to speak, she doesn't because not only has her mother forbidden it, but because it's now a constant struggle. While we, the readers, are inside Judith's mind we learn of her childhood crush on a boy, now man, named Lucas, and we also learn that (view spoiler). Needless to say, it's makes their situation strange. Just before Judith was taken, another girl disappeared and later turned up dead. The father of that dead girl resents Judith for returning and we know that he's going to cause problems for her.

So I had no idea this book was period, it didn't take me long to figure it out, but when I did, I'd assumed it was a flashback or something and eventually we'd speed up to modern time, we didn't. I have to say I wasn't mad about it. It actually made the story more interesting. It was deplorable the way Judith was treated, and all because they'd assumed a man had sexually violated her. Today, she would have received comfort and counseling, and everyone she encountered would have told her it wasn't her fault, but sadly, in the past, a girls virtue was all she had. Because she was "mute" people in the town thought they could speak to her as if she was nothing more than dirt under their shoe, the speech wasn't as crude as it would have been today, but it was still there.

One of the interesting things about this book was that it was a mystery, there were things we didn't know, but the mystery was unraveled slowly, I wasn't sitting on the edge of my seat (which is what I personally prefer), but I still wanted to know, I appreciate that the author was able to accomplish that. Would I read the book again? No. but was it worth the read? Sure.