Traitor to the Throne

This is not about blood, or love. This is about treason.

Amani has always been more gunpowder than girl. But as the Blue-Eyed Bandit her powers have gone from strength - as has the rebellion she risks her life for.

Then a brutal kidnapping leads her straight to the Sultan's palace, and she is forced to return to her desert-girl's instincts for survival. Betrayal, cunning and espionage are a way of life here - and Amani finds she fits right in.

But with the ghosts of her past swirling all around her, Amani's greatest fight may be to keep her own secret heart and desires under control...- excerpt from book

Traitor To The Throne by Alwyn Hamilton continues right where we left off in the first book and it had an interesting start. I wouldn't say my attention was instantly captured but the action was good. I enjoyed the book a little but I read real quickly through most parts and focused more on conversations and only when it's exciting. There was quite a number of plot twists that caught me by surprise and it was really really good. The author have done a great job planning the story that leads to those incidents. All characters have such important roles to play in it.

The heroine is a well established character in the first book and you would expect less from her. In this book there is just little growth to her as she still lives up to her Blue Eyed Bandit role but then situations does not permit her to be herself and that's when she had to change to survive. I love her interactions with certain characters with moves the story forward with ease. The introduction of new characters into the story also brought a breath of fresh air to it. These new characters are unexpected and they all play really important roles. Sometimes you wished there was more interaction of them with Amani. One thing that disappointed me was the absent of some other characters which I liked in the first book.

This was a really thick book and there was just enough action. I expected more to happen but the timeline was short and we can't have too much happening actually. But still I felt that there was a lack of incidents and also too much focus on the main heroine. The book would be more exciting if there was another point of view introduced. Maybe I expected too much hence I got a tad disappointed. Overall this was a good second book with a good ending that will want you reading the last book. The only reason why I speed read was because I have the last book on my hands and I just wanted to breeze through this book. I think I  might not do it enough justice but then again with speed reading I skipped through parts that were what I felt unnecessary in the stories. If the first book didn't capture you then I think there is no point in continuing the series.

The Conspiracy of Us

Sixteen-year-old Avery West's newfound family is part of a powerful and dangerous secret cocity known as the Circle of Twelve, and they believe Avery is the key to an ancient prophecy. Some of them want to use her as a pawn. Some want her dead.

To unravel the mystery threatening her life, Avery must follow a trail of clues from the monuments of Paris to the back alleys of Istanbul with two boys who work for the Circle: beautiful, volatile Stellan and mysterious, magnetic Jack. But both boys are hiding secrets of their own, and when the clues expose stunning new information, Avery realizes the conspiracy could destroy her life-if it doesn't destroy the world fist. - excerpt from book. 


The Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall is first the series that is full of mystery. If you are fond of books like The Da Vinci Code or anything to do with deciphering codes and looking for treasure then this book is your cup of tea. I truly enjoyed this book as this is my first time reading this genre on the young adult side. The book started off quite well, the plot slowly thickens and then catches you by surprise. My attention is well kept for majority of the book as there were so much mystery involved. I would say that things happened in the book at a good pace, quite action packed throughout.

The characters were quite interesting, especially the male characters. There is so much to learn about them but the author only revealed a little to keep you hooked. The female protagonist is unexpected, though she started off naive but there was much growth to her in the book. Her interactions with the male characters certainly make this book an abundance of excitement. The emotions involved were captivating for me as you wonder with her about the boys.

Overall the book was a good start which I kinda felt that had a potential to be a movie. The pace was really good and the twists and turns were so unpredictable. I really loved the relationships of the characters. I'm quite excited to read the second book which I think will be good. I wonder how the relationships will further development and am really excited about the mystery behind the prophecy. I highly recommend this book to mystery lovers, treasure hunting lovers or readers who just enjoy a good adventure.

Top 5 Wednesday - Rainy Day Reads

Rainy days are my favorite because living in a tropical country it's always hot and humid. When it pours heavily it's the best time to sleep because it's cooling and windy. So since I like to sleep on a rainy day instead of reading this was quite hard to choose. Hence I imagine myself not sleeping on a rainy day and reading so what book would I read? Below would be the list of picks but not in any particular order:

FanGirl

One of the cutest book written by Rainbow Rowell and it would be a joy to read on a rainy day to lift up the mood. It totally gives giddy feelings to those who love cute characters. This book is my all time favourite contemporary book because it's light hearted and easy to read through. I have a review here: http://www.anythingbuteverything.com/2013/10/fangirl.html

Anna and the French Kiss

All three books of this series are super cute and adorable. The stories are so sweet and heart warming that it's a book that's hard to put down. Just imagine yourself curled up on bed with a hot cup of tea/coffee/cocoa next to you. With your blanket covering your feet, giggling because of a book. I've already read all three so here the reviews if you wanna check it out: http://www.anythingbuteverything.com/2013/12/anna-and-french-kiss.html
http://www.anythingbuteverything.com/2013/12/lola-and-boy-next-door.html
http://www.anythingbuteverything.com/2014/10/isla-and-happily-ever-after.html

Attachments

This is my favorite Rainbow Rowell book. It made me laugh, it was exciting and of course I love the format of the writing so so so much. It's an easy book to read so it doesn't take too long, probably one sitting and you're done. So to lighten your mood on a rainy day a book that makes me laugh is a good choice. Review is here: http://www.anythingbuteverything.com/2014/01/attachments.html

Six of Crows

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price - and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge

A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager

A runaway with a priviledged past

A spy known as the Wraith

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes

Kaz's crew are the only ones who might stand between the world and destruction- if they don't kill each other first. - excerpt from book

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo is her latest in a new series that is set in the world of Grisha.  The timeline is after The Grisha trilogy where this band of characters are not related to the characters of the previous trilogy. I was so stoked to know that there is a new book from the author, I was totally mesmerized by The Grisha trilogy which made me want more. This time the story is about villains instead of the heroes and I was impressed yet again. I cannot stop thinking about the book for days after I finished and I desperately hoped I had the second book immediately. 

To say that the book was not a page turner, I must be insane because once the story starts you will not stop reading, you just want more and more. The plot of the book was fantastic, so many twists and turns, so many surprises!! The hype around the book was not a joke, it is indeed worth the hype. I cannot stress how much I enjoyed this book from the start till the end. The story is separated in parts and the chapters are point of views of the characters which is more than 2 of them. This format of writing is so pleasing for me as I am a person who loves reading many point of views. It is not annoying at all with the swapping because it reveals the personality of the characters not to mention the progress of the story too. I really felt like I was one of the characters while reading the book, it was like I am present in the story. 

Besides the plot being good, the characters are the essence of the story. I loved all the characters especially Kaz and Inej who are the main stars of the story. I loved their past because it strongly influenced their personalities. They are a pair of characters that can compliment each other really well, a very good team. The rest of the crew are just as important as their views of other characters will contribute to more personality revealed. They are all very unique characters with very interesting stories about their past. I secretly have a crush in Kaz and I'm sure he has more to him than this first book has revealed.

I read the book without expectations, without any predictions of the outcome. This book was full of action, excitement and mystery as to the execution of the heist. I totally fell in love with the book, no complains at all. Leigh Bardugo has written a masterpiece, the Grisha trilogy was fantastic, this book was one step above it. I cannot wait for the next book as the ending was left at a cliffhanger. Without a doubt I will recommend this to readers who loves fantasy, who loves a heist, and those who loves the Grisha world. This book is one of my favourite books of 2015 which is also my favourite out of the top 10 picks. I am so reading this book again when the next book is nearing it's publication date. 

Doll Bones

Zach, Poppy, and Alice have been friends forever. And for almost as long, they've been playing one continuous, ever-changing game - a game that takes place in a world populated with pirates and thieves, mermaids and warriors, Ruling over them all is the Great Queen, a bone-china doll imprisoned in a cabinet, cursing those who displease her.

But the three friends are in middle school now, and Zach's father is pushing him to give up make-believe for basketball. When his father gives him no choice, Zach quite the game and lies about the reason. It seems like their friendship might be over, until Poppy declares she's been having dreams about the Queen- and the ghost of a girl who will not rest until the bone-china doll is buried in her empty grave. 

And so Zach and Alice and Poppy set off on one last adventure to lay the Queen's ghost to rest. But nothing goes according to plan, and as their adventure turns into an epic journey, creepy things begin to happen. Is the doll, or is there something more sinister at work? Has Poppy been telling the truth, or is she tricking them into playing a new game? And if there really is a ghost, will it let them go now that it has them in its clutches? - excerpt from book.

Doll Bones by Holly Black is a book about adventure and though it is for middle grade I still picked it up as this author is my favourite. I won't be giving a long review as this was a short and nice book to read. It had just the right amount of adventure and mystery to it. Even though the cover looked creepy it was not scary at all. I loved the setting of the book and how the plot progressed. There were a good amount of twists in the story to keep it interesting.

The characters were really cute as they just entered their middle school years and this story definitely talks about growing up. I liked their friendship and it's really good to read about their interactions with each other. The characters are really typical teenagers that you'll encounter in real life. I had a good time reading this book as it's a different intended audience from the author, but you could still read her style of writing in the story which is what I love about her. I definitely recommend this book to readers who enjoy Holly Black's writing because don't let the middle grade part fool you, she still wrote this book well.

Beastie Bay : An Overview

When I saw that this game was free I had my doubts because all Kairosoft games are not free. Then I had a friend talking about it and said it was good and so I installed it on my tablet. This game is a mash up of the Kairosoft trademark and Pokemon on the gameboy. It's so addictive that I played it for more than four hours straight. The idea of the game is like Pokemon,  you rare beast which are your allies and they help you in your quest. Your mission is to unlock areas on your island and also help other islands with their monster problems. 

In Pokemon you travel around fighting Gym leaders, but this game you help people handle their monsters problem by clearing them off. The Kairosoft trademark in this game is every unknown land you discovered on your island it belongs to you. You have to build homes for your allies and they will help you in gathering resources. In your quests, you will get to save people who are trapped and they will be residents on your island hence you have more people helping out in gathering resources. Other elements of the game is your characters will have tools to help the journey and also your allies have equipment to help boost their stats.

Kairobotica : An Overview

This game is absolutely the bomb!!! Best game from Kairosoft so far for me and it's really addictive. The moment I saw the game on Google play store I've hit the purchased button. Immediately after installation , I tested the game without realizing time at all. I was playing for 2 hours non-stop and it was fun and I was just at the start of the game. The more I play the more new things I discover. 

I have to say that this game is similar to Dungeon Village which was another great game but what's better is you're not stuck at same village. Your colony gets to travel from one planet to another to complete quests and patrol areas to protect the planets.  Besides doing all those, you get to upgrade your colony with items obtained from patrols and quests. This game is a lot of fun for me because each upgrade produces a different design of the building. There are some things that you'll need to figure out which is what items are helpful to upgrade your building. If you are a Kairosoft fan, you'll understand that it's just so cute to see kairobot fighting and protecting planets.  This is not your typical Kairosoft game where you build and earn money, impress customers and unlock items, because you get to have an adventure! If you like other Kairosoft games, you'll love this game, just read the comments on Google play store. I didn't regret buying this game at all. Below are some pictures of the events that occur in the game and the last picture is how my colony looks like. I hope you enjoy your game and please look forward to a guide that I will publish soon, hopefully next week.