Lauren’s Bookshelf

Twenty something aspiring to become an author by reading as many books as possible

[laurenlibrary]

Rating: / 5 stars

Divergent by Veronica Roth

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself. During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

I am glad I went back and read this book because it had a foundation in my younger years. Only after reading it again did I realize how much of the books I’ve added to my TBR Jar recently have probably been inspired by the plot and the grit in the horrifying message of this story.

Having waited so long to refamiliarize myself with this book allowed me to be able to cry at the same scenes, giggle and kick my feet at the romantic tension, and read it all with a more understanding perspective. When I was younger, I didn’t yet have the opportunity to understand the world we live in. All I understood was that the leaders in this book were cruel and insane for starting a war to benefit themselves. Having more understanding that the book was directly inspired by a worse version of the very things that happen in life around us… made this story all the more horrifying.

This series will always have a place in my heart as one of the big three dystopian series.

I am divergent!

[laurenlibrary]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5 stars

The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black

After being pronounced Queen of Faerie and then abruptly exiled by the Wicked King Cardan, Jude finds herself unmoored, the queen of nothing. She spends her time with Vivi and Oak, watches her fair share of reality television, and does the odd job or two, including trying to convince a cannibalistic faerie from hunting her own in the mortal world. When her twin sister Taryn shows up asking of a favor, Jude jumps at the chance to return to the Faerie world, even if it means facing Cardan, who she loves despite his betrayal. When a dark curse is unveiled, Jude must become the first mortal Queen of Faerie and uncover how to break the curse, or risk upsetting the balance of the whole Faerie world.

This was a beautiful end to this series.

I yearned, I mourned, I cried, and I laughed. The plot tore my heart in two only to stitch it back together in the end with pizza and promises of a new beginning. Cardan and Jude finally admitted their love to one another.

I am glad to have finally experienced the world of faerie.

[laurenlibrary]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5 stars

The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

In the ballrooms and drawing rooms of Regency London, rules abound. From their earliest days, children of aristocrats learn how to address an earl and curtsey before a prince—while other dictates of the ton are unspoken yet universally understood. A proper duke should be imperious and aloof. A young, marriageable lady should be amiable… but not too amiable.

I’m rewatching Bridgerton now that the new season is coming out. With how much love Bridgerton, I would be foolish to not read the inspiration behind the show!

I adored having more insight into Daphne and Simon. (Especially Simon. UGH.) Simon’s internal yearning made my heart soar. Bring yearning back!!

The changes they made to the show were wonderful. Simon was changed as a character, going from a more reserved man who hardly spoke to anyone, to a man who is a former rake and a bit of a flirt. I like those changes for the most part, as they fit the screen well. I do wonder how his original character would’ve been on screen though.

I do think that making the change from Daphne on her way to becoming a spinster, to Daphne being the diamond of the season in the show was definitely a choice. It took her character from a self proclaimed “one of the boys” to just a girl who is trying to be perfect. (Kind of relatable.)

What a fantastic read. I’ll definitely continue this series.

[laurenlibrary]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5 stars

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

Join Wendy, John, and Michael Darling as they follow Peter Pan, the boy who never grows up, to a world where fairies live and children can fly. But beware -- danger abounds in this magical land of mermaids, Indians, and fairy dust. Captain Hook and his pirate crew want all children to walk the plank, especially Peter Pan. There is always an adventure to be had in Neverland. So come along with the Darling children as they soar into the night sky -- second to the right and straight on till morning!

A beautiful classic I wish I would’ve read sooner.

I love the style of writing in older books. It is somehow nostalgic, and definitely made me feel as much. It is like being transported back in time. (I might pick up more older novels so I can continue reading this style!)

The interactions between Peter and Wendy were nice to see in literary form. To see the differences between the movies I grew up with and this story was eye opening. Even today, times have drastically changed. Wendy’s thoughts and dialogue were not always things I could ever see myself relating to, especially at her age, but it was interesting to see what they assumed women and girls thought about.

It was still a pleasant story, and I am going to put some more books like it in my TBR Jar!

[laurenlibrary]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5 stars

The Wicked King by Holly Black

After learning that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her younger brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her, even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.

This continues to be the series that reignited my love for books. The tension refuses to stop eating away at me, and I want more!

Betrayal. This book is FULL of it. I was so shocked by Taryn in particular. To do that to her sister... Even Locke’s betrayal stirred me a little, but I expected it from him more than Jude’s very own sister. But Cardan… He broke me. His desire for Jude is palpable, and I can’t believe what he did to her at the end.

Certainly cruel and wicked.

[laurenlibrary]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5 stars

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality.

It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these book reviews. I’m happy to say that this is the book the reignited my love for reading.

Each character, even the deplorable ones, were quick to find a place in my heart due to the tension and dynamics they had with each other. Even minor characters have their opportunities to shine!

Cardan is beautifully crafted, and I am starting to understand the craze around him now. And the fact that Jude is so dead set on Cardan’s feelings towards her being only hate? So innocently hopeless for the girl who poisons herself on the daily.

I’m not usually drawn into books that are in a world of fae, but this book might have truly convinced me to give it a shot. I look forward to reading the next book and seeing where it takes Jude and Cardan’s relationship!

[honeybee2807]

Was scrolling through AO3 and found this gem

Enemy to parent is a trope we have to popularise lmao

[laurenlibrary]

This is giving me so much inspiration!

[daily-prompts]

I need everyone’s best character advice. STAT.

[foresttheblep]

Know what they want, What they're scared of What/who they love What/who they're willing to sacrifice

Also their breaking point, what shit do they have to be dragged through before they give up everything just for it to stop. And if they regret it or not,

[everybodysangel]

Start with something you do understand about them and branch off from there. Personally, I find it easier to write for characters that have some aspect of my personality, amplified and then manipulated into something new or different. Or maybe we share some aspect of childhood. We don't have to be the same people, but my experiences are something I can understand and use to shape new people.

[she-who-fights-and-writes]

Knowing your characters’ limits and how to exploit them is essential for creating tension, and for writing excellent fight scenes/final battles.

Under what odds is your character able to win? What is their greatest strength?

Now take that strength away.

How do they account for that? Is it possible to still win, or is that strength all they have?

An acrobatic fighter who is shot through the leg. A knight whose trusty sword shatters. A sorceror who runs out of spells and elixers. A dragonrider whose steed is felled.

Find the limit and push past it! That’s how to raise the stakes!

[heywriters]

when expanding on a main character, it helps to develop the characters they interact with most often:

do other characters trust them, and should or shouldn't they? what do they base that trust/distrust on? how does this affect the main character if/when they find out they are [dis]trusted? who laughs at them behind their back? who is privately rooting for them? who frequently forgets they exist and who is the first to notice them when they enter a room? what would it take to change any of these opinions, and how good/bad would the effects of those changes be on the main character?

[laurenlibrary]

When learning more about what arc you want your character to go through, figure out their truth and their lie.

What lie to they believe in the beginning of their story? (Think “Mother knows best.”) The lie is shown in how they perceive the world around them before they learn the theme of the story. This is part of who they are before you drag them through the mud.

What is the truth that they need to realize to complete their arc / story? This follows whatever theme you’re trying to convey, if you’re trying to convey one. (It could be “I must be strong enough to stand up for what is right.”) The truth shows their new world and fresh perspective after they’ve gone through hell.

This progression could help show who they are deep down, and might also help you figure out what is important to them.

[chauceryfairytales]

Half the blogs I followed before are inactive... Could you help me and reblog this if you're a writeblr?

It's hard to get me invested in romance, but I read basically everything else! :D Especially fantasy, but also anything speculative, horror, mystery, literary, interactive...

[laurenlibrary]

Writeblr!

I have similar thoughts on romance. I try to approach romance like writing friendships: there’s nothing to invest in if there’s no foundation to build off of!

[laurenlibrary]

I have been thinking about how much it sucks to write dialogue.

Sometimes I get stuck in a scene because the dialogue is so clunky, and it feels like there’s nothing I can work with.

And then I discovered a SOLUTION!

Many writing advice blogs say how you should never have the character actually say what they mean. (i.e “I love you.”) Some blogs advise you to figure out what your character desperately wants to say, and then make sure they never admit those words out loud (and if they do, it comes after they’ve transformed in their character arc.) If that works for you, great!

I propose you do the opposite.

If you’re writing your first draft, write out exactly what they feel like you’re writing a bad soap opera. Since the first draft is for your eyes only, these awfully written lines will never see the light of day. Everything written is there as the bare bones that you will cover up with many layers of editing and redrafting.

So, trying to write around the words your character can’t say and getting stuck in a scene is burdensome and utterly pointless. Write it badly and come back later on with fresh eyes and a dash of eloquence!

Happy writing!

[laurenlibrary]

Tip to writers (and aspiring writers) that get stuck in the plotting and planning phase:

Write. I know, shocking advice, but here’s the thing. You can’t edit what hasn’t been written so go for it and write like it already has been written. Pretend you’re in the fandom and everyone already knows your characters, your setting, your canon events etc etc. You don’t have to know all the details; you’ll find them along the way.

Write a fanfic of the world that lives in your head.

[shinsouisprecious]

[fixyourwritinghabits]

I cannot stress this enough, write it poorly. Write the shittiest draft you possibly can, stick 'ah fuck something happens here and now they're fighting' to get over

Write the worst fucking version you possibly can and stick it in a folder and forget it for a month or two before you look at it again. You know what you have now?

A first draft. And with enough time to think some new thoughts about it, you'll soon end up with a better, second draft! And eventually, you'll end up with something you'd be perfectly okay with letting other people read!

You'll never believe this process works no matter how many times you do it, but it totally does. You just have to drag your brain kicking and screaming to that blank page and get the bones down first.

Write the shit out of that shit.

[laurenlibrary]

The first draft is yours and yours alone. It’s the rough draft, not the one you hand in for review, so write it for yourself.

Don’t be afraid of “messing up”, because anything you bring into the world is going to be beautiful eventually; especially the unfinished bits and the placeholders. Future you will thank you for those.

Now, go write the story that younger you would’ve devoured in a single night while hiding under the bedsheets with a flashlight.

[laurenlibrary]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5 stars

The Girl With All The Gifts by M. R. Carey

Melanie is a very special girl. Dr. Caldwell calls her “our little genius.” Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class. When they come for her, Sergeant Parks keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into a wheelchair. She thinks they don’t like her. She jokes that she won’t bite. But they don’t laugh.

Where to begin…

This book follows five different characters from their own individual points of view (a seemingly common theme in the books I pick off the shelf to read). Caught in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, the five characters find themselves escaping together when their base is under attack. The zombies (or “hungries”) are a unique take on the otherwise overused horror trope. The defining difference? They’re conscious.

M. R. Carey does a phenomenal job at giving a unique voice to each of the main characters. I always fear that books with multiple POVs will end up with characters that all sound the same. This is absolutely not the case in The Girl With All The Gifts. Each character has their own personal motivation to everything they think do, say and think.

Melanie, a little girl who is unaware of the fact that she has contracted / been infected by a zombie virus, lives and breathes for knowledge and for the person that gives it to her, Miss Helen Justineau. In the beginning, her life consists of two things, Miss Justineau and the soldiers that strap her into a wheelchair to take her to a classroom from her locked cell room. She has no idea why people around her fear or dislike her, but is glad that Miss Justineau treats her kindly. To say that Melanie loves her teacher more than anything would be an understatement; she worships her.

Miss Justineau is not only Melanie’s teacher, but also the psychologist at the base that is holding Melanie and all the other hungries. Her genuine care, and compassion not only for Melanie, but for the others stuck in a hellish journey with her becomes very apparent as the story unfolds. Miss Justineau is a beacon of hope for Melanie and a great example of human kindness.

Dr. Caroline Caldwell is a scientist determined to study the infection in search of a cure. Her medical knowledge is a noteworthy difference from the other characters when reading her point of view. She conducts basic experimentation on the hungries in the name of science. Her determination to discover the truth sometimes makes her apathetic, or rather unwilling, to acknowledge the more human attributes that Melanie retains. Her true ruthless character is further revealed as the story continues.

Sergeant Parks is a military man with a long experience in hostile territories. He has a very “no B.S” attitude. His ingrained military background is most apparent when reading from his perspective. He is definitely an action man, to say the least. Being able to read his doubts and insecurities about the situation was eye-opening. It reminded me that even the strongest man questions what’s around him. I can’t say I like them all that much though.

Last but not least is Private Kieran Gallagher, a young man, at the beginning of his military career. I feel bad for his lack of experience as a soldier. He was definitely not prepared for the dangers that the outside world held. I don’t think any of them were.

 Although the gore depicted is kept to a minimum for a book in the thriller genre, the horror is chilling. I found myself heavily invested in nearly every scene, action, or otherwise. I cried. More than once. And after taking the journey alongside each of these characters, I can honestly say that I didn’t know who I wanted to win at the end. It is safe to say that the movie did not do it justice and I cannot wait to get my hands on the prequel.

[laurenlibrary]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5 stars

The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart

The emperor’s reign has lasted for decades, his mastery of bone shard magic empowering the animal like constructs that maintain law and order. But now his rule is failing, and revolution is sweeping across the Empire’s many islands. When the Emperor refuses to recognize his daughter as heir to the throne, she vows to prove her worth by mastering the forbidden art of bone shard magic. Yet such magic carries a deadly cost.

Andrea Stewart’s debut novel is certainly one to revel in. This book is slow to start, but done purposefully so as the world Andrea strove (and succeeded) to create is vast and astounding. The slowness in the beginning was made up for with the high stakes rollercoaster that followed.

With layering perspectives and strong character development, life on the isles is not described but rather seen directly through the eyes of diverse characters. At first, the multiple altering points of view threw me off, but as the story progressed I soon found myself hanging onto each character by a thread, needing to get back to where their story left off. To be able to balance so many different characters, whose style in narration are noticeably personal and different from one another, has certainly garnered my utmost respect for Andrea Stewart.

Lin, the daughter of the emperor, spends the book finding her purpose behind her father’s back. Sneaking around and disrupting her life’s status quo, she discovers secretly hidden from her right under her nose within the palace walls. There’s not a door that she doesn’t want to open. I’m not always a fan of amnesiac characters, but Andrea Stewart’s twist is compelling enough to be an outlier in my opinion.

Jovis is a swashbuckler through and through. He’s a smuggler of the sea — a sarcastic do-gooder who claims to not want anything to do with do-gooding. His actions speak louder than his words though as he travels through the isles while stirring up a revolution on accident.

Phalue and Ranami are a mess, to say the least, and I love them for it. They are the embodiment of Blue and Red character personalities (although, based on their names alone, you might be surprised as to who is which). I love their dynamic, no matter how chaotic and complex it may be. Phalue’s respect for Ranami is heart warming. I wish them the best in the next installment of the series.

And last, but not least, Sand. Although her chapters were rather short and unassuming, they managed to hold a large punch to the gut full of realization. Her chapters held the last piece of the puzzle to fully understanding the reality of the isles. And the final line/scene (I won't spoil) was KILLER.

So, is it safe to say I’m a fan of Andrea Stewart’s work? Well, as soon as I finished reading this book, I went out and bought the second installment of the series. I’ll let that speak for itself.