wuthrinheights's reviews
188 reviews

This book felt like a lovely dream. It was full of wild adventures, funny moments, shockingly harsh scenes, and heartwarming relationships. It's not just a kid's book to me, it's certainly a classic that people of all ages should read. I have nothing more to say except for how great it was. This world and its characters are so dear to me.

I've only read The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe about a decade ago but I barely remember anything. I just realised I finally completed my collection of Narnia so I looked up the reading order and saw that there were two ways to read it; according to publication dates or chronological order. I asked around and most of them said to go by chronological order, in which I did today. 

This book was constantly surprising me. It was funny and sometimes I'd laugh out loud. The characters were terrible and they did not show any fear when it came to speaking their minds or doing whatever they wanted. It felt almost refreshing to read about unpredictable and misbehaved people in such a clear way. 

I enjoyed this quite a lot and I'm excited to continue with the series. 

I had very low expectations going into this, since I've never picked up Pratchett before. I've heard of the book-turned-TV-show he did recently but I also never watched it so I had no idea what his works are like. It was a little difficult going in, since it was a world of its own with a lot of made-up words, but once I got my head to wrap around it like tying a string of colourful LED lights all over my brain, only then it could light up the room. 

Pratchett's voice was clear, humorous and witty. Sometimes I'll chuckle to myself when he drops a dry joke. The Carpet People were a complete mystery to me, and I had to keep reading to understand them better. But once I got the hang of it, the story flowed smoother. 

The Carpet People was a story about communities coming together (and against each other). It was about war and knowledge and evolution and bravery and hopefulness. It was a fantastic tale. It was humorous, shocking, and thought-provoking. The world may be filled with odd names and words, but the parallels between their story and our history is uncanny, it's like reading about us but with the names changed. 

And maybe it's because I've just recently finished reading Tolkien, but I couldn't help but think the characters seemed a lot like the Fellowship in Middle Earth. Pismire as the all-knowing Gandalf, Snibril and Glurk as the hobbits Frodo and Sam, Bane as a mix of Legolas and Aragorn, and Brocando as little Gimli. 

Snibril was a lovely main character. He was careful and thoughtful, with a gentle demeanour that made me feel all warm on the inside. He was smart and observant, which is the opposite of his oaf of a brother (mini spoiler: he did surprise everyone after awhile so you can't judge a book by its cover!). But it was a nice balance of each character's gifts as they navigate all these adventures of leaving their hometown.

I also enjoyed the other characters, Pismire and Bane and Brocando. Pismire, the erudite philosopher/witch doctor who held on to a great amount of knowledge and kept everyone in check. Bane, the scary but cool guy who you can't really put your finger on it if you can trust him (but you really want to). And the silly Brocando who carried so much bravado in such a little body; I kept giggling to myself. 

This book reminded me a mix of Year One (2009), Roald Dahl, and The Day My Butt Went Psycho. I keep having flashbacks of the movie at the start of the book; how their neanderthal tribe was broken up and they had to flee and their world was turned upside down. The illustrations reminded me of Roald Dahl and although it's been a while since I've read his children's books, I think there were some similarities in the energy of the story. And lastly, it shared the same slap-on-the-knee humour that Griffiths is well known for. This book definitely grew on me by the time I got the hang of it. I can absolutely say that I am curious of his other works, and I'm really happy I was gifted this book today. 

Now we've reached the end of the trilogy. The war is upon them, the sun sank beneath the earth, the fellowship broke into many areas. I was terrified for them. Who can you trust? Where do you go? Will you ever see your fellow army members again? Just how many deaths and destruction will you go through?

Unlike the previous two books, this one had a quicker pace. I was flying through Part 1. War was forging on. New characters, deaths, madness, injuries, deceitful characters. It was like an avalanche. So much was happening quickly and you can't do anything except to watch it unfold helplessly; a frightening disaster.

I was surprised that things ended quite early but despite the sudden ending, it didn't feel anticlimactic at all. I was only worried that I was wrong and things were about to get even worse. But I definitely could breathe better in the second part. 

At last, I got to the end. My heart felt ridiculously heavy during the last few pages. I could feel the pages getting thinner and thinner, and I felt like digging my heels in and saying "No no no! Don't let it go this way! I will not let it!" But it did. Just as I feared. Tears threatened to leak and my chest was hurting from the sadness. 

But it's over. I didn't expect the trilogy to end this way but in a way, I'm glad it did. Everything was tied up nicely like a well-wrapped present on Christmas eve. I have spent the past 9 days with the Fellowship and I couldn't be happier that I concluded my October with these wonderful characters. Goodbye, hobbits! I will miss you dearly. 

The second half of the book (after The Return of the King) had some incredible sources. Appendices, maps, additional tales, calendars, family trees, dictionaries and indices. I've skimmed through most of them but I'll save it for another day for when I need a little pick-me-up. It's a cool thing to have for fans of LOTR. Now I can finally sleep and hopefully I'll dream of elves and hobbits saving the world. 

The first part (or rather, Book 3) was a lot less enjoyable than the previous books. Without my main favourite characters, I found it hard to concentrate on their journey. The adventures weren't as bright as in The Fellowship (or The Hobbit), the new characters weren't as fun, and I felt sleepy through most of it. 

Thankfully it picked up in part two (Book 4). My favourite characters were back, Smeagol was around and he made things much better. The difficult relationship he had with the hobbits were entertaining and comical. There were times where I actually pitied the foul creature. 

By the last five chapters or so, I couldn't put the book down. The scenes were picking up so fast, my hands were clammy (even now as I write down my review). I definitely must get to the last book and see how it all ends. Will justice prevail?

I read the Usborne Classics version, retold by Henry Brook and illustrated by Bob Harvey. They did a brilliant job (despite changing the format of the story) and as my first Sherlock book, I was hooked!

The language was simple, the story was intriguing, the illustrations were just as I imagined (and more!), and I've grown so fond of the sleuthing duo. 

I've never really been a huge fan of mystery books, but this year has really opened me to some great new ones. I love being surprised with plot twists and this one didn't fail me so. It kept me on my toes and it was such a refreshing read. 

Dr. Watson was a darling and I loved his relationship with Sherlock. How they've grown so familiar with one another, it's like seeing an old married couple. The "I know you so well, I'll give you space if you need it" and "I know when you're angry and when you are not, and I'll make you feel at ease". It was so lovely and intimate.

With this, I have no other notes. It was a 5 star read and I'm quite curious to read his other works. This was fun!

After reading (and loving The Hobbit) months ago, I've been itching to try out The Lord of the Rings. Younger me would never have guessed that I'll be reading these books. I used to think it was utterly boring and weird that my sister loved it so much. I'm afraid I could be a bigger fan than her. 

The prologue was a little slow, as it talked about the history of hobbits but it was nice to read a recap of Bilbo's adventures. After that, the book picked up nicely. 

The Fellowship of the Ring had a lovely, warm feel to it. The peculiar and lovable hobbits, the various types of relationships between hobbits and other creatures, the historical lore, the silly singing in between scenes, the woods and food and magic. It was all-engaging. 

I am incredibly in awe of Tolkien's talent in creating this world and all the languages and lore. I can't wrap my mind around it, but he is as close to real magic as can be. 

I've been reading this book slowly. I'll read one chapter, close it and think about it, and wanting to dive back in. If I'm not reading it, I'm thinking about it. Like Gollum and his obsession with the ring. It beckons to me again and again. Hypnotising. 

However, reading this book also spiked up my anxiety. I was constantly worried for Frodo. Is he doing the right thing? How will he know where to go? Can he trust his friends accompanying him? Will he succumb to the power of the ring like how it affected Gollum and Bilbo? Is he safe around whoever he meets on his journey? I felt like a worried mum! I couldn't rest until I know he was really safe. 

Going into Book 2, I've grown attached to the hobbits, especially Frodo and Sam, who were so sweet and lovable. Their friendship melts my heart. And I'm certainly fond of Aragorn, who I think was really cool and a lovely addition to the group. Sometimes I wished I could've been there with them (despite the many dangers).

After a while, I've grown less anxious and I've enjoyed it more and more. The Company was growing on me and I felt more safe with all their different talents and characteristics. I was speeding through the last eight chapters and almost held my breath through it all. 

This book made me gasp in shock and laugh out loud and snicker to myself. At times, I couldn't put it down. I am terribly curious about the next two books and I absolutely could not wait to devour them too.

I often have a hard time switching my brain when reading a classic sci-fi book. Especially when I just freshly finished a YA supernatural romance book right before diving into this as a sudden buddy read. 

The Time Machine reminded me of the books I've read by Jules Verne. It had a futuristic feel, with tons of wild adventures. The scenes pass by so fast, if you so much as blink, you'll miss a crucial scene. But more often than not, I do not care enough to go back to see what I missed.

When reading, I find that there are several different experiences. Some may flow easily like pouring water out of a jug, some are like walking against a hurricane, and sci-fi books often feel like solving a rubicks cube as a beginner. It's confusing and frustrating and klunky.

I feel like sci-fi writers have a lot of creativity and they have so much potential but they're not very great at story telling. It feels awkward and rough. Like putting your ear next to someone typing on a keyboard slowly. Clack-clack-clack. It's not pretty. 

I was confused most of the time, and I wish I could dive into the pages, travel back in time, and shake him by the shoulders. START ALL OVER! MAKE IT NICER! Or maybe sci-fi just isn't for me. 

I was very relieved when it was over, and I might put The Invisible Man on hold for now. Wells hasn't won me over, sadly. 

I got this book for my birthday and it's taken me a little over a month to finish it because as I often believe: you can't rush poetry. You need to sit and listen and feel it. And so I did. 

The first half of the book was spectacular. It contained his sonnets and I tabbed so many of them; my copy is now decorated with hues of blue and green tabs sticking out like frills on a cowboy jacket. 

But the second half of the book (a compilation of his elegies, epithalamia, satires, verse letters and epic poems) was less than enjoyable. Funny how they had shorter sections but it felt like it stretched on and on, and I had to speed through them. 

However, I really enjoyed John Donne. His sonnets felt like a breath of fresh air. Like opening your window and smelling dewey flowers on a sunny day. I'd definitely recommend his works to my fellow poetry lovers. 

As a broke but physical book lover, I unfortunately had to read this as an ebook. I thought I'd get bored with it, as I usually do with ebooks, but this time it's different. It's Maggie Stiefvater (one of the very, very few authors I could stomach a digital book), and Mercy Falls (my favourite wolf pack).

Sinner was a lot different than the previous three Shiver books. Where Shiver was cold and white and terrifying, Sinner was hot and sticky and electrifying. It's Cole St. Clair with his return to his rockstar era, and Isabel Culpeper with the steely eyes and perfect hair. They're everything Sam and Grace aren't. They're icy and snappy and complicated. They're locked books and incomprehensible smiles. They're lust and snarky remarks and secret softies who would rather die than to admit that.

For the first half of the book, I read it slowly. Half savouring, half afraid (of finishing it). This is the last book of Mercy Falls. This is the last time I'll read it for the first time. It's new, and I'll never find new books about them any more after this. But while reading it, I was soaring through the second half. I decided to be a little like Cole St. Clair. The boy who fears nothing. Life is too short to save something for a rainy day. I may never get to see that rainy day.

Isabel and Cole are constantly dancing. Take one step further, two steps back. It's a game and their hearts are at stake. "I need to do something. I can't be like my parents. I need to change for the better, even if no one ever acknowledges the good in me." And that's what Sinner was about. Two broken individuals desperately trying to claw out of their prisons, wanting to leap in love but fearing that it will fail miserably. How will it all end? Not just for the two of them, but for the whole Mercy Falls saga. 

And I'm so glad to see the little mentions of Sam and Grace, even if they weren't physically there. It made me hopeful. And even through the tiny interactions, it satisfied me to see Grace and Cole, I've always loved their relationship. Sam and Cole always had a strained brotherly relationship but with Grace, Cole melts like a puddle of ice cream on a hot sidewalk. And it's so cute to me.

I loved this. After finishing the last page, I said to myself "I did it." And let out a high pitch shriek. It's over and I've reached the end. The end of Cole St Clair and Isabel Culpeper. The end of the wolves of Mercy Falls. The end of Sam Roth and everything else I loved about this wonderful, brilliant series. I'm saying goodbye to them all, the characters I've loved as if they were real. Picking up this series was one of the best things I've ever done. I am in love. Love! Overall, it felt satisfying to end this way. I would never again wonder about what will happen to them. I wish I could never reach the end but for now, I'm a happy girl.