Tag: The Half Bad Trilogy

A Hufflepuff Reading List

Hello to all of you amazing Hufflepuffs out there! Today’s post is just for you! We see you for your loyalty, hardwork, and kindness – a few things that this world could use a bit more of, especially right now.

1. The Half Bad Trilogy by Sally Green

I don’t really know if I can think of a more loyal and kind person than Gabriel from this series. His commitment and love for Nathan turned this series into more just a paranormal adventure. I think all Hufflepuffs would agree that that’s what being a Hufflepuff is all about.

2. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

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Oh, yes… Just thinking about Ari and Dante’s loyalty to one another is enough to bring tears to my eyes.

3. Me Before You by JoJo Moyes

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Louisa’s hard work ethic, kindness, and her ability to stay true to herself is about as Hufflepuff as you can get. I mean, who doesn’t want to be best friends with her?!

4. The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner

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Hufflepuffs, read this book and know that you’re with friends.

5. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

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I think it’s hard to picture Patroclus as anything other than a Hufflepuff. He went to war with Achilles even knowing how it was going to end. His love and loyalty spawned one of the greatest stories in the world.

6. The Infernal Devices Trilogy by Cassandra Clare

Some might disagree with me on this one and think that our young heroes and heroine belong in Gryffindor. But I am here to tell you that these three represent the very best Hufflepuff has to offer!

7. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

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We all love to see the loyalty and strength that families provide. And I find a shining example of that is by the Dashwood sisters of Sense and Sensibility, both Hufflepuffs!

8. Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier

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Inman’s love and loyalty to Ada, mixed with hard work and determination, was the thing keeping him alive long enough to return from the War and home to his sweetheart. I think his quiet and resolute nature would be at home in Hufflepuff.

9. Matilda by Roald Dahl

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I originally had Matilda as a Ravenclaw, due to her precocious love for books and learning. However, I finally decided that her kindness and truth to self shined too brightly to be ignored.

10. Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

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Lochan and Maya’s loyalty to their family and all of their hard work in order to keep them together was one of the most beautiful stories that I read last year. There’s no doubt that those qualities as well as their kindness, would have left the Sorting Hat saying, “Hufflepuff!”

Do you agree with the books on my list? What are some other books that you think belong on here? Do you disagree with any? Let me know in the comments!

Hype or Like Friday – December 2nd, 2016

Woohoo, it’s Hype or Like Friday again! This meme and Goodreads group were created by myself, Jill @ Rant and Rave Books, and Britt @ Geronimo Reads. To join our group and find out more information about what it’s all about, please go to our Goodreads page HERE.

The December BOTM is A Thousand Pieces of You (Firebird, #1) by Claudia Gray.

RULES:

  • Answer the weekly discussion topic.
  • Optional: Discuss your chosen hyped book of the week.
  • Optional: Talk about your progress on the BOTM.

TOPIC OF THE WEEK: Pleasant Surprise – What books did you read in 2016 that you weren’t expecting much from but ending up completely loving?

2016 Pleasant Surprises

  • The Heart of Betrayal (The Remnant Chronicles, #2) by Mary E. Pearson – I was really surprised that I enjoyed this book so much, as the first one, The Kiss of Deception, kicked off my insanely long reading and blog slump this summer. Luckily, the sequel was sooo much better! Full review can be found HERE.
  • Half Bad (Half Bad Trilogy, #1) by Sally Green – I wasn’t really sure if I was going to enjoy this series, so I decided to grab a copy from the library rather than buy it. It turned out to be so good! It was a very unique spin on the subject of witches, with a bit of dark twist that I thoroughly enjoyed. I didn’t write a review for the first book in the series, but you can read my reviews for book 2 HERE and book 3 HERE.
  • Don’t Tell, Don’t Tell, Don’t Tell by Liane Shaw – I adored this book. I’m so glad that I found and requested it from NetGalley because I would have never heard of it otherwise. READ THIS BOOK. Seriously, I want all of y’all to read it! If you’re looking for a book full of diversity – this one fits the bill. My full review can be read HERE.
  • My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, & Jodi Meadows – I was just looking for a little lighthearted read when I picked this book up. I’d heard that it was fun, but I was not expecting it to be soooo much fun. The story was kooky, silly, and just downright cute. If you’re looking for a little pick-me-up this holiday season, then Edward, Jane, and Dudley are just the ticket! Full review HERE.
  • Walk on Earth a Stranger (The Gold Seer Trilogy, #1) by Rae Carson – When I first grabbed this book from the library, I was just expecting it to be a nice little historical fiction (I kind of love them). But seriously, I ended up loving this book. It started off a tad slow but grew into a really fun read. And the sequel was even more exciting! Y’all just need to read it and love it with me. Review can be read HERE.
  • Not If I See You First by Eric Lindstrom – I don’t read a whole lot of contemporary, as I’m sure my followers have come to notice. But luckily, this book came in one of my Uppercase boxes and I’m so glad that it did. If you like a sarcastic, sometimes unlikeable protagonist with major snark – then you will love our blind (literally) leader, Parker. It’s also a really quick read if you’re looking for an easy book during a read-a-thon or challenge. Full review HERE.
  • Wolf by Wolf (Wolf by Wolf, #1) by Ryan Graudin – This is a more recent read, or actually buddy read, that completely took me by surprise. I didn’t really know much about this book beforehand but I actually had it pegged more as a fantasy type alternate history. Okay, I actually might have thought that Yael was a werewolf… Don’t judge! But needless to say, this book turned out to be something completely different and I found myself thoroughly enjoying it, and not the boring novel that I was expecting. My full review for it can be found HERE.
  • Ink and Bone (The Great Library, #1) by Rachel Caine – You know, I don’t know I was surprised that by how good this series is. I mean, it’s a book about books – how could I not love it? Well I don’t really have an answer for that. I just know that this book far exceeded my expectations, and maybe that’s because it’s not a very popular book. But it should be. Full review is HERE.
  • Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz – When Britt recommended this book, I thought it would be alright. But this book was such a beautiful book. I loved it and the characters were so lovely. Another contemporary to add to my growing list! I laughed, I cried, and I enjoyed every bit of it. You can read my full review HERE.
  • Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1) by Sarah J. Maas – Alright, alright.. I really kind of expected this book to be wayyyy overhyped and nothing special. But I’ll be damned if I haven’t become super attached to this series and the characters that fill it. It’s become my guilty pleasure and I’ve loved every second of it. So yes, I have become Throne of Glass Trash and I ain’t ashamed! You can read my reviews of this series HERE, HERE, and Queen of Shadows review should be up in the next few days.

All in all, I think it’s been a good year for surprisingly good reads.

What books were pleasant surprises for you this year? Did you read any of the ones on my list? What did you think of them? Leave a link to your Hype or Like Friday post in the comments below!

Hype or Like Friday – October 28th, 2016

Woohoo, it’s Hype or Like Friday again! This meme and Goodreads group were created by myself, Jill @ Rant and Rave Books, and Britt @ Geronimo Reads. To join our group and find out more information about what it’s all about, please go to our Goodreads page HERE.

October’s BOTM is Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. The weekly topics this month are whichever ones we want to choose from a list of ideas that our members came up with. They are all so much fun! Also, today was supposed to be a review for the BOTM, but I’d already read like 3 years ago and didn’t have time for a reread this month. So if you’re interested, I gave it 4 stars on Goodreads. Instead, I’ll be doing another topic this week. Enjoy!

RULES:

  • Answer the weekly discussion topic.
  • Optional: Discuss your chosen hyped book of the week.
  • Optional: Talk about your progress on the BOTM.

TOPIC OF THE WEEK (that I chose): Magical Reads – Halloween makes me think of magic and witches. So here’s a list of some books that center around witches and magic!

The Half Bad Trilogy by Sally Green

This is such a unique take on a witches story and is a really great trilogy. It tackles the grey area of good and bad pretty well for YA. I was surprised how dark it got in certain parts but I think that made it more realistic. You can read my reviews for it HERE and HERE.

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Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Obviously, I can’t leave out our favorite “worst Chosen One ever”! I mean, this story is about a wizard and his adventures at Watford, School of Magic. You can read my review of it HERE.

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Uprooted by Naomi Novik

Because there’s a wizard, full of a creepy magical forest that is basically alive and homicidal. What more do you need?! You can find my review for this book HERE.

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The Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling

This one doesn’t even need a reason.

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How to Hang a Witch by Adriana Mather

This book is my current read. Don’t ask me what it’s about because I won’t actually start it until tonight. I just know it has something to do with the descendants of the victims of the Salem Witch Trials. The perfect read for Halloween weekend, obviously.

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The All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness

This trilogy is one of my all-time favorite general fiction series. It’s got witches, vampires, time-travel, and some seriously scientific moments that will get any science and math nerds all excited. It gets a lot of mixed reactions from people, but I love it and have no shame in saying so.

What are some of your favorite magical, witchery reads? Have you read any from my list? What are you reading this Halloween weekend?

Review: Half Lost (The Half Bad Trilogy, #3)

You know the stories where the ending is all they-live-happily-ever-after? Well, Half Lost (The Half Bad Trilogy, #3) by Sally Green isn’t one of those stories.

This is the final battle.

The Alliance is losing the war, and their most critical weapon, seventeen-year-old witch Nathan Byrn, is losing his mind. Nathan’s tally of kills is rising, and yet he’s no closer to ending the tyrannical rule of the Council of White Witches in England. Nor is Nathan any closer to his personal goal: getting revenge on Annalise, the girl he once loved before she committed an unthinkable crime. An amulet protected by the extremely powerful witch Ledger could be the tool Nathan needs to save himself and the Alliance, but this amulet is not so easily acquired. And lately Nathan has started to suffer from visions: a vision of a golden moment when he dies, and of an endless line of Hunters, impossible to overcome. Gabriel, his closest companion, urges Nathan to run away with him, to start a peaceful life together. But even Gabriel’s love may not be enough to save Nathan from this war, or from the person he has become.

Set in modern-day Europe, the final book in the Half Bad trilogy is more than a story about witches. It’s a heart-achingly visceral look at survival and exploitation, the nature of good and evil, and the risks we take for love.

The Good

  • Underlying Theme – I think the underlying themes in this entire series has been good, but I wanted to really highlight it in this review. Green does a great job about introducing topics such as discrimination, and being able to really extend them throughout the entire story. Some authors introduce themes at the beginning of a book or series and then let them get lost in shuffle and pushed aside. However, Green never does this. The reader is fully aware of the awareness and prejudice throughout the series. Nathan is constantly being the victim of discrimination because he’s a Half-Code and I loved how Green portrayed this.
  • Plot – If you like stories where the plot gets dark, messy, and kind of depressing, then you will love how the plot of this trilogy develops throughout all three books. But in Half Lost, shit gets really dark. Revenge, murder, and inner demons are all alive and well here. Let’s be honest, Nathan doesn’t have the happiest of lives.
  • The Ending – Dammit, that ending wrecked me. It was both beautiful and sad, and I really wasn’t prepared for it.

The Bad

  • The Romance – Yes, yes, yes… I’m still not completely sold with this relationship. I mean it’s portrayed wonderfully and all, but I just still have a hard time with it. I feel like I missed the buildup and because of that, I can’t fully get behind it. It started too soon and ended too soon.
  • Messy Climax – I feel that the final battle and culmination of this entire series was just a bit messy. I think things were wrapped up too easily and lacked information that would have helped answer some questions that I still had. I think this could be said for quite a few trilogy finales, actually.

Overall, this was a great book and series. I enjoyed the darker aspects of the characters and plot. I thought it was also a really unique approach to the overdone witches storyline. It was also much more mature than your typical YA paranormal series which I really appreciated. And for me, the cons weren’t enough to detract from my overall experience with this book. Yay!

Final Verdict: 5/5 Stars

Have you read Half Lost? What are your thoughts on this series? Do you think I’m being too generous with my rating?

Review: Half Wild (The Half Bad Trilogy, #2)

Alright, alright, I’ll be honest – I started reading Half Wild (The Half Bad Trilogy, #3) by Sally Green, without remembering basically anything that happened in the first book. What a way to start a book, am I right? I just love to make things difficult for myself. Good thing it didn’t take me TOO long to get reacquainted! Guess what I also just realized… I never wrote a review for the first one. Ugh, this is how I know I’m getting old.

“You will have a powerful Gift, but it’s how you use it that will show you to be good or bad.”

In a modern-day England where two warring factions of witches live amongst humans, seventeen-year-old Nathan is an abomination, the illegitimate son of the world’s most powerful and violent witch. Nathan is hunted from all sides: nowhere is safe and no one can be trusted. Now, Nathan has come into his own unique magical Gift, and he’s on the run–but the Hunters are close behind, and they will stop at nothing until they have captured Nathan and destroyed his father.

The Good

  • The Characters – I think Green did a great job really showing the complexity and depth to her characters, even the minor ones. Obviously Nathan is extremely complex and is at constant war with his inner demons. But I liked how we were able to witness some of the other characters have their own secrets come to light. And I really enjoyed the newcomers to the story – especially, Van and Nesbitt. I believe that they even stole some of the scenes. And that Gabriel, what a sweet guy.
  • Plot – You know how typically the 2nd book in a series or trilogy has a drop in quality compared to the rest? Well, that wasn’t the case in this one! This book was exciting from start to finish, and took some unexpected turns that I really was surprised with (in a good way!). I don’t want to give too much away so I’ll just say – that cliffhanger killed me.
  • Nathan – Man, talk about inner turmoil. Try going through your teen years that are already pretty crazy and emotional, and then toss into it that your a half Black, half White witch and everyone expects you to go crazy homicidal at any moment just like your dad… Yeah, I’d say that Nathan makes for one interesting character. I like watching him grow in this book and see how much he’d changed from the first book.

The Bad

  • The Romance – Here’s the deal, I enjoy romance in my books. I like the fun will-they-won’t-they aspect and watching relationships develop. My only caveat with the romance in Half Wild was that I didn’t get that development, at least in regards to one relationship. I felt like it just came outta left field all of a sudden. Maybe I was just completely blind to it during the first book and wasn’t seeing what was right in front of me, but I wasn’t expecting it at all. If you’ve read this book then you’ll probably know what I’m referring to.

I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I was expecting it to be another 2nd book hangover and just drag along as a filler until the conclusion. Luckily, I was wrong! This one was filled with new characters, some revisits, action, and a whole lot of WTF moments (the fun kind). Way to avoid that second book slump, Green!

Final Verdict: 4/5 Stars

What are your thoughts on Half Wild? Have you read this trilogy? Did you see that romance coming? Am I just an idiot? Okay, the last question was rhetorical… No need to answer that!

WWW Wednesday – October 19th, 2016

Welcome to WWW Wednesday which is currently being hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words. It’s really just a place to do little update on what all you’ve been reading lately. Anyone is welcome to join, just leave a link to your post in the comments and be sure to give the appropriate credit to Sam!

The Three Ws are:

  • What are you currently reading?
  • What did you recently finish reading?
  • What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading?

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Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass, #3) by Sarah J. Maas

I’m super close to finishing this book, possibly even by tonight. It’s been a pretty fun read, as has been the entire series so far. However, I really think Maas could’ve left out about 100 pages and still been alright. There is a bit of a lull in the book that is causing me to read this slower than I was expecting to.

What did you recently finish reading?

Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass, #2) by Sarah J. Maas

Half Wild (Half Bad Trilogy, #2) &  Half Lost (Half Bad Trilogy, #3) by Sally Green

I really enjoyed both of these book. I feel like CoM has been the best book in the Throne of Glass series so far, but there is still plenty of time for that to change. And I really enjoyed the way Half Lost wrapped up the trilogy. It was heartbreaking and beautiful, which I think was perfect for matching the darker tone of the entire series. Look for these reviews to be posted over the next few days!

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Midnight Star (The Young Elites, #3) by Marie Lu

A Torch Against the Night (An Ember in the Ashes, #2) by Sabaa Tahir

I figured I’d take a little break from Calaena before diving back into the Throne of Glass series and catch up on some of the other series I’m in the middle of. I’m so excited to get to The Midnight Star and see how Adelina’s story ends. She’s probably one of my favorite antiheroes ever. I’m a little less excited about A Torch Against the Night, as I wasn’t as impressed with the first book as most people were. It was a bit boring (sorry!) overall, but was saved by a pretty exciting ending.

What does your WWW Wednesday look like? Have you read any of the books on my list? What are your thoughts on them? Is A Torch Against the Night better than An Ember in the Ashes? Do you think The Midnight Star wrapped up The Young Elites trilogy well?

WWW Wednesday – October 12th, 2016

Welcome to WWW Wednesday which is currently being hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words. It’s really just a place to do little update on what all you’ve been reading lately. Anyone is welcome to join, just leave a link to your post in the comments and be sure to give the appropriate credit to Sam!

The Three Ws are:

  • What are you currently reading?
  • What did you recently finish reading?
  • What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading?

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Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass, #2) by Sarah J. Maas

While I enjoyed the first novel, I wasn’t as enthralled with it as I know most people are. However, I have heard that this series does get better with each book. I’m sure that’s probably true, but if I don’t start actually seeing evidence of Celaena being the badass assassin that she supposedly is, I’m going to get a little annoyed. Fingers crossed!

What did you recently finish reading?

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Half Lost (The Half Bad Trilogy, #3) by Sally Green

I literally finished this less than an hour ago and I am still not okay with that ending. I mean, talk about breaking your heart into a million pieces! So beautiful and yet so crushing all at the same time. This book was a great ending to a fun trilogy and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves stories about witches or enjoys a really screwed up protagonist, double bonus if you like both!!

What do you think you’ll read next?

Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass, #3) by Sarah J. Maas or Paper and Fire (The Great Library, #2) by Rachel Caine

This all depends on if I need a break from Celaena before diving back into the ToG series, or not. Either way, I will definitely be getting to one of these two books upon completion of  Crown of Midnight. It’s like I’m playing a guessing game but with myself! I can’t wait to see what I decide! 🙂

Do you think I’ll need a Celaena break? What are you currently reading? What are you planning to read next? Have you read any of the books on my list? What does your WWW Wednesday look like?

Teaser Tuesday – October 11th, 2016

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme currently being hosted by MizB @ Books and a Beat. All are welcome to participate!

Rules:

  • Grab your current read.
  • Open to a random page.
  • Share two ‘teaser’ sentences from somewhere on that page.
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! You don’t want to give too much away so as to not ruin the book for others!
  • Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

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Half Lost (The Half Bad Trilogy, #3) by Sally Green

“When I was fourteen they put a collar on me. If I went too far from the cage, the collar would open and let out acid. They’d do that again.”

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I’ve got a little more than 100 pages left in this book and stuff is really starting to happen. This trilogy has been a rollercoaster of craziness and I cannot wait to see how it ends. However, I’m a bit pissed that 2 of my favorite characters are now gone. I may never forgive Green for doing this to me. And I’ll be sure to tell her that if I ever meet her.

Have you read The Half Bad Trilogy? What are your thoughts on it? Leave your own teaser in the comments below!