YA Chronicles Subscription Box Review

 This is so far proving to be my favourite subscription box so far. It’s much like the very widely known Loot Crate. It’s a box that gets delivered monthly with a new theme every month. The YA Chronicles is completely Young Adult book orientated. Every month the two amazing girls who run this marvellous subscription box think up a new theme to match the book so they can add two to five bookish items with it. 

Doesn’t that sound like a dream?

Then when your box finally comes filled with a book and every other marvelous item hidden inside you can’t help but be grateful that these two Australians made this possible. It essentially feels like your birthday every month.


Plus. My cat really loves the box.

January’s theme was ‘Travel the World’ and it did not disappoint. If you haven’t gotten the box yet and want to keep it a surprise for yourself, I beg you to stop reading. If you have gotten your box or haven’t ordered the January box, then please, proceed.

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So the inside started much like this:

And it left a lot to the imagination. As you can see. Unfolding the layers of blue wrapping, the inside of the box began to unfold.

And it started off with this “Wanderlust” necklace. It looks absolutely amazing and I think I’m already in love with it. It has this amazing world background with this cute and adorable font plastered over top. Eee! <3

Next was the bookmark that comes with every box, always changing like the theme. Also, coming with the box was a world map temporary tattoo. How cute! :3

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Beneath these small items was something bound in cardboard. I was quite confused to what it was until I pulled it out. It’s a ‘Travelogue’. Inside is a travel journal and also there’s A5 sized cards with different regions of the world plastered on each card. The best thing about these cards is that you can scratch off where you’ve been. HOW AMAZING IS THAT?!

And finally. What you all have been waiting for. The book. The book is none other than the most anticipated Passenger by Alexandra Bracken. HOW FREAKING COOL IS THAT? I have been waiting and wanting this book since I heard about it, and now it’s mine? My life is complete.

For those who don’t know what this book is about I’ll leave a link to the description in Goodreads here because I won’t do it justice. I like to keep the plot and everything a secret from myself. That way I can truly enjoy it without expecting anything. I have heard so many good things though!

Ugh.

I love you YA Chronicles. <3 You complete me.

Link to The YA Chronicles Website

This review is completely unsponsored. I just really like the subscription box.   

Scarlet - Marissa Meyer (Book Review)

GOODREADS RATING: 4/5 Stars 

This is the second book in what I can so far tell to be an amazing series. Scarlet. Book two from The Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer. I have already written a book review on the first book, Cinder if you want to check that out, feel free! Just click the link below and it should take you right there! I’ll see you back here in a tick.

Cinder Book Review (Lunar Chronicles #1)

This book follows our second main character, Scarlet. She’s a farmer in France in search for her grandmother who has miraculously gone missing. This story, just like the first book, follows a fairy tale. This fairy tale is of course, the one and only, Little Red Riding Hood. And what an amazing story it turned out to be!

Honestly, as much as I did love it, I didn’t fall in love with it as much as I loved Cinder. I only gave it a four-star rating on Goodreads. Which shouldn’t deter anyone from reading it. Four stars is still incredibly good.

Unlike most series where when they change characters for the next book, it doesn’t solely follow Scarlet. There are still chapters from Cinder’s point of view. You still get frequent chapters encompassing her life and what she’s doing, so if you’re holding back from reading it because of this, then never fear!!

If you’re holding back from continuing because of the entire “space” ordeal and you just ain’t a huge fan of that, then you shouldn’t fear about that either. Space doesn’t seem to come into consideration just yet.

All in all, this book was an epic adventure just like the first. I love how we keep travelling, starting at New Beijing and now we’re in Europe. What an exciting turn of events. Everyone who hasn’t read this book totally should. I absolutely loved it!

Read it.

Do it.

It’s so fun. So worth it.

And if you have yet to read this, I suggest leaving now. Unless you wish to get spoiled. This is something I want to refrain from doing to you lovely people.

Fair winds my lovelies!

See you next time! <3

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Why hello! Did you miss me?

Of course you did.

What an amazing turn of events. I love the fire that burns in Scarlet! She’s a feisty thing, now isn’t she? She carries a gun. She knows how to pilot and she has an attitude like no tomorrow.

Wolf though, I’m not a huge fan. He doesn’t seem like he’s going to pose as the best ally for Cinder. I mean, I understand bringing along Scarlet’s love and whatever but I have a feeling that this may hinder Cinder’s mission a bit. I mean, you’re bringing along an ally that can be completely, 110% be manipulated by the enemy.

Not a fan of this change of events.

I also don’t seem to care much for Wolf and Scarlet’s relationship. It’s very, unfulfilling. I love to see a spice of love and romance and the cutsie sh*t you see in contemporary novels. Ya know what I’m sayin’?

Exactly.

It’s just, I don’t see how anyone can find the idea of bestiality intriguing. I wasn’t aware that this was a mix between Red Riding Hood and Beauty and the Beast. Ha ha, of course I’m kidding. It’s just honestly not a relationship I can see myself getting invested in. I love Kai and Cinder. I can’t wait for them to reunite, but Wolf and Scarlet? Eh.

I think everyone also saw her grandma still being alive coming. I think we all saw her being killed before the end of the book coming also. I just think that it would’ve been more of a shock to the system if she was already dead.

ALTHOUGH! Speaking of Scarlet’s grandmother, I did like the part when what’s-his-face, uh… RAN! When Ran gave the illusion that he was her grandmother to get more information. I thought that was a good idea on the bad guys’ behalf.

Speaking of the bad guys, somehow I didn’t see the connection between them being the mutants on Lunar. I just thought they were this new cult on Earth. All I could think was, “What a f*cked up cult. Jeez. What drugs are they on?”

It wasn’t until the near end before it clicked. Man I’m slow. Did you guys guess it?

Another thing! I can’t believe I forgot to mention him! Mister Captain Carswell Thorne. My love. I thought I loved Kai, but this man has been placed ahead of my beloved Emperor. He is so funny and quirky and reminds me of Captain Jack Sparrow (as Christine Riccio from polandbananasBOOKS on YouTube states also.) I just can’t help but agree with her.

I’ll put at link to her YouTube at the end of this video. You should check her out, she leaves me in hoots of laughter.

Captain Thorne is everything you want in the sidekick. He brings a whole lot of fun to the party. He’s a little bit kick-ass. A little bit flirty and a whole lot of hilarious. And then they revive Iko! And she’s been brought back to life from the dead (?) after Adri destroys her old body in the last book. So now we have the fun and flirtatious robot back as our ship and she kicks-ass more than what Captain Thorne does! Ugh. She never ceases to amaze me.

On page 202, when Iko saves the day. Ah-maze-ing. She swoops in like the superhero she is. She asks Cinder to duck, and she does. Iko flies forwards and knocks down the guards and ugh! I want Iko. She is the bees-knees. And she always will be.

I hope.

That’s all for my book review today. I hope you enjoyed it.

What was your favourite part of the story? Who’s shaping up to be your favourite character so far?

Christine's YouTube channel

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Cinder - Marissa Meyer (Book Review)

GOODREADS: 5/5 Stars

Firstly, I have to start with: WHAT AN AMAZING BOOK! For those who don't know what Cinder is about, it's about Cinderella. Yes, lil' ol' Cinderellie -- EXCEPT! It's in the future. It's a lil' bit dystopian. There’s people called ‘Lunars’ who live on the moon. Cinder is the main character, she’s a cyborg. Don’t judge her. She’s AWESOME.

She’s sixteen. She lives in New Beijing with her step-mother, Adri and her two step-sisters Pearl and Peony. They also have a little assistant droid, Iko. She is the bees-knees my friends! What a riot! I love her. She’s easily my fave.

 Anyways, per the usual Cinderella story, the step-mother is a b*tch and so is one of the step-sisters, Pearl. Fortunately enough for Cinder, her other step-sister, fourteen-year-old Peony is a lovely ball of curiosity that you’re bound to fall in love with. I sure did.

This book is easily a MUST READ and a really enjoyable read. I gave it a five-star rating on Goodreads. If you would like to add me, my link is in my description. Anyways, I don’t really know if there’s much more I can say for those who haven’t read it. I don’t want to spoil it, so if I may. I’m going to add a few paragraphs. Say good-bye to those who haven’t read it and skip right into the spoilers!

Fair winds my lovely people who haven’t read it!

I love you!

See you next time!

Chow.

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Welcome back. Did you miss me?

Of course you did.

Anyways, let’s jump right into it. Clearly you can see I’m a HUGE fan of this novel. I loved it from start to finish. It’s such a fun book. It truly sucks you in. Before I get into everything I loved – trust me, there’s a lot – I’m going to start with everything I hate.

My first point: It was very predictable.

I found that from the moment Nainsi – Kai’s robot – began to spurt out that random bits of information about ‘Princess Selene’, that it was very clear that Cinder was going to be that girl. That she was this 'lost princess'. That part still didn’t bother me though. In knew, since that there are still four more books, that the plot would have to go somewhere.

Another thing that I found to be predictable was the fact that Kai would find out. Of course he would find out. You don’t hide something in a book and then expect the love interest to never find out. So clearly that’s another flaw about the predictability of it.

Other than those two things, the rest wasn't too predictable in my opinion. Despite these two predictable things, it was still a very fun story. I actually loved it. I loved how fun it was, it kept me happy, mostly because Kai and Cinder were two characters I can’t help but want together.

<3

I love how at the end, despite all of the commotion that’s going on Marissa Meyer was able to add in Cinder’s mechanical foot falling off. I love how this resembled back to the fairy tale with Cinderella losing her shoe. I'm glad those aspects were still able to fit in and really authenticate the fairy tale within.

Unfortunately, after she loses her shoe, Kai does come to collect the shoe – foot? – but not in the way that one would hope. There’s clear recognition in his face, from when he saw it at the markets. Do you remember when it was sitting in her stall and Kai couldn't help but notice it? Yeah. Thinking back to that moment, when Iko runs in and slams her new foot onto the table. Poor Cinder has to try and (poorly) act blasé about the entire ordeal. 

God damn it Iko.

But going back to the moment at the ball, you can’t help but feel sorry for Cinder. Although it's nice to know that Kai still believes her about the whole thing about Levana trying to kill him after they get married. At least he believed the more important bit of news revealed to him that night. Am I right? Or am I right?

Can you believe how much a b*tch Levana are shaping out to be? I know. This isn't even the worst yet. We still have three more books on b*tchy-*ss Levana. One of them is dedicated to her!! Oh man. Isn't that going to be a fun read? I can't believe Levana wants to kill Kai. He's clearly the love of my life. 

And possibly the love of Iko's life.

And maybe a slight chance of being the love of Cinder's life. :P

 OH! I FORGOT SOMETHING! IKO! When she was dressed up in Adri’s pearls and has the cherry lipstick around her sensor. Isn’t that the cutest moment?! That was the moment I knew I wanted Iko to be my robot. She’s so cute, with her adoration for fashion and shoes and everything girly. I love her. She’s just the cutest.

This book is life.

What was your favourite part? Who’s your favourite character?