9/04/2016

"Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany and Jack Thorne

“They were great men, with huge flaws, and you know what – those flaws almost made them greater.”

Hey peeps!
I'm back from my holidays in Orlando Florida and survived my first few days of my new school!
I read a lot of books during my summer and one of them was the eight Harry Potter book. So, enjoy my review!


It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places. (source: goodreads)


Tbh I'm a bit disappointed. I had such high expectations for this book but in comparison with the first seven HP books, this one was just boring.
The story started pretty good. It was interesting to read a book as a script, but it already began in the Hogwarts Express scene, that I started liking the book less. Why was Rose such a bitch? Like, Hermione as her mother wouldn't raise (or allow) her to be one. And throughout the whole book I didn't get why Albus disliked his father so much. Harry didn't do anything wrong in the beginning and Albus was still mad at him. At least Scorpius was pretty nice. But why were there no other characters introduced than Rose, Albus and Scorpius?! Like in the original HP books you had of course the golden trio but you also had Neville, Luna, Malfoy, that kid that blowed everything up and, and, and. But here, nothing.
The "adventure" Harry and Scorpius later had was pretty unsensational. Like, it was okay but I wasn't really at the edge of my nerves or anything like that. My heart rate must have stayed the same.
What I really liked about the whole story was, that Albus and Scorpius are kinda gay with each other which I love. I love my gay otp's (Malec, Destiel I'm looking at you here).

So all in all I think you can read the book just bc it's an "Harry Potter" book but it's not necessary. It wasn't really worth it.

Love,


8/04/2016

"Half Bad" (Half Bad Trilogy #1) by Sally Green

“The trick is not to mind. Not to mind about it hurting. Not to mind about anything.”

Yes, I am still alive if you were wondering. Barely. 
Let me tell you those last weeks were messy! First my last school year on my old school ended (meaning: lots of farewell parties) and summer vacay started. Then I started renovating my room at my dad's and moved my stuff there coz as you may or may not know I'm going to live there for my new school. After that my sister came over from England and we went to a family weekend. And after that I went to a Rihanna concert (which actually wasn't that great). It was also my last few days before I went to the USA for the first time and here I am now. 

Anyhow just wanted to give you a heads-up that I haven't forgotten you! Let's get into the review!

Wanted by no one.
Hunted by everyone.


Sixteen-year-old Nathan lives in a cage: beaten, shackled, trained to kill. In a modern-day England where two warring factions of witches live amongst humans, Nathan is an abomination, the illegitimate son of the world's most terrifying and violent witch, Marcus. Nathan's only hope for survival is to escape his captors, track down Marcus, and receive the three gifts that will bring him into his own magical powers—before it's too late. But how can Nathan find his father when there is no one safe to trust, not even family, not even the girl he loves?

Half Bad is an international sensation and the start of a brilliant trilogy: a gripping tale of alienation and the indomitable will to survive. (source: goodreads.com)

"Half Bad" was okay. Not that great, I expected it to be better. The beginning was really slow  and a bit boring. But it got more interesting later on in the story. i think the thing that bothered me most was that no one really explained the world. I mean you got a little bit of information but not enough that I can literally make it in my head. Also there were just so many characters in the story you only see for like three pages and then nothing for about one hundred and when they maybe pop up again you have to look them up again. At least I had to.
But it wasn't all bad. I liked the concept of the story and some of the characters although I'm not sure if I like the main character Nathan or not. And I'm not sure if I'll read the last two books just bc the book didn't really make an impact on me.

So all in all just read it. I'm not sure about the book so just see for yourself if you are a fan or not!

Love,


6/20/2016

A to Z Bookish Survey Tag

Well, hello there!
Quick thing before we start this fun tag: I started a Youtube channel!
I admit it's not about books but about MakeUp and Fashion - yet some other things I love. Anyway it would really mean a lot to me if you could check it out and maybe leave a nice comment or thumbs up? (shameless I know)
I'll link it right here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP8G9AKoE3sST_ocRYIwS6Q 

Now that that's done, let's just start, shall we?

Author you’ve read the most books from:
Cassandra Clare for sure. It's TMI (6), TID (3), Magisterium (1) and TDA (1); so thats 11! 
Best Sequel Ever:
This is actually really hard but I have to go with a whole sequel series actually: The TID series just because Will Herondale, ya know?
Currently Reading:
"Fracture" (Night School #3) by C.J.Daugherty [http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17345616-fracture]
Drink of Choice While Reading:
Lemonade in the summer and tea in the winter.
E-reader or Physical Book?
Physical books unless it's an ARC I get per email.
Fictional Character You Probably Would Have Actually Dated In High School:
Oh god, no one? No really I haven't ever had a boyfriend but if it was who I wish I had dated it would be Daemon Black from "Obsidian" by Jennifer L. Armentrout (as you all probably know by now haha) or  Liam from "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken just bc he's a sweetie.
Glad You Gave This Book A Chance:
This one's gotta be "City of Bones" by Cassandra Clare. Funny story actually: so my sister had this book on her shelf and I was looking for a new book to read so i looked there and read the backs of all the books she had. When I read the back of CoB I genuinely thought, that Clary and Jace were two sister and so I came to the conclusion that there obviously was no romance involved so it was boring. Then the movie was released and it looked so cool so I went to the cinema with my dad and watched the movie and thought it was one of the most amazing movies I have ever seen but I had totally forgotten the book. So a few days later I was looking for something in my sisters room and again came across the book and was like "Hey, that title sounds familiar." So I read the back again and realized that it's the book to the movie. And that's the story how I started reading Cassandra's books. 
Hidden Gem Book:
Did you know there are books to the tv-show "Supernatural"? Like there's a book called "One Year Gone" by Rebecca Dessertine and it tells the story of the year between season 5 and 6 when Sam get's out of hell but doesn't tell Dean and hunts one year alone. Well, now you can read about every tiniest hunt they had, like the books are lost episodes.
You're welcome Supernatural Fan.
Important Moment in your Reading Life:
When my sister forced me to read the Ruby Red series a few years ago and I completely fell in love with books and stories. So shoutout to you - thank you!
Just Finished:
"The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" by Mark Haddon - yet again a book my sister recommended to me! 
Kinds of Books You Won’t Read:
I actually hate high fantasy books like "The Hobbit". I know it's a classic and I read it and it was just sooo boring how just every smallest detail was explained over like three pages. So you can't say I didn't try it first!
Longest Book You’ve Read:
Probably "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" (around 870) by J.K. Rowling.
Major book hangover because of:
"The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green, "Clockwork Princess" by Cassandra Clare or " City of Heavenly Fire" also by Cassie. All three have in common that something goes horribly wrong in the end but the endings is still beautiful and emotional and that just kills me.
Number of Bookcases You Own:
One really big one.
One Book You Have Read Multiple Times:
"Ruby Red" by Kerstin Gier
Preferred Place To Read:
On one of our couches or in bed.
Quote that inspires you/gives you all the feels from a book you’ve read: "Legend" by Marie Lu

Reading Regret:
Wasting my money on "Endgame" by James Frey and Nils Johnson-Shelton. You can read my review here:
http://bookstain3.blogspot.de/2015/12/endgame-calling-by-james-frey-and-nils.html
Series You Started And Need To Finish(all books are out in series):
"The Vampire Academy" by Richelle Mead. The last one I read was book 4 I think.
Three of your All-Time Favorite Books:
1. "Obsidian" by Jennifer L. Armentrout (review: http://bookstain3.blogspot.de/2015/04/obsidian-by-jennifer-l-armentrout-lux.html )
2. "City of Glass" by Cassandra Clare
3. "Anna and the French Kiss" by Stephanie Perkins
(review: http://bookstain3.blogspot.de/2015/09/anna-and-french-kiss-by-stephanie.html )
Unapologetic Fangirl For:
If it has to be a writer it would be Cassandra Clare. She is such a beautiful writer and person - I mean I met her once in Cologne on her book signing for "Magisterium" and it was truly magical!
Otherwise it would be Jensen Ackles who plays Dean Winchester in Supernatural. He's my bae. Actually the whole cast is my bae just bc they are awesome. #sampunzel #mishamigos 
Very Excited For This Release More Than All The Others:
"Shadowhunter Academy" and the second book in the TDA series by Cassie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have to know if they marry or not! 
Worst Bookish Habit:
Buying more and more and more new books although my TBR pile is already about 40 books.
X Marks The Spot: Start at the top left of your shelf and pick the 27th book:
Your latest book purchase:
"Between the Lines" by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer
ZZZ-snatcher book (last book that kept you up WAY late):
"Fracture" by C.J. Daugherty. It's just so damn exciting.

This was fun! It's a tag so i tag whoever wants to do this!
Love,

6/01/2016

"Lady Midnight" by Cassandra Clare

“You belong where you're loved.”

Hey guys!
Well, I've actually finished this book a while ago and now I finally git around writing a review. I won't tell you how stressful my life was last month because I think you get that. I mean my last post was a while ago. Sorry for that!
Let's just get into it!

In a kingdom by the sea…

In a secret world where half-angel warriors are sworn to fight demons, parabatai is a sacred word.

parabatai is your partner in battle. A parabatai is your best friend. Parabatai can be everything to each other—but they can never fall in love.

Emma Carstairs is a warrior, a Shadowhunter, and the best in her generation. She lives for battle. Shoulder to shoulder with her parabatai, Julian Blackthorn, she patrols the streets of Los Angeles, where vampires party on the Sunset Strip, and faeries—the most powerful of supernatural creatures—teeter on the edge of open war with Shadowhunters. When the bodies of humans and faeries turn up murdered in the same way Emma’s parents were when she was a child, an uneasy alliance is formed. This is Emma’s chance for revenge—and Julian’s chance to get back his brother Mark, who is being held prisoner by the faerie Courts. All Emma, Mark, and Julian have to do is solve the murders within two weeks…and before the murderer targets them.

Their search takes Emma from sea caves full of sorcery to a dark lottery where death is dispensed. And each clue she unravels uncovers more secrets. What has Julian been hiding from her all these years? Why does Shadowhunter Law forbid parabatai to fall in love? Who really killed her parents—and can she bear to know the truth? (source: goodreads)

This book was magical. I mean we all know Cassie is actually a undercover warlock, her books are just so perfect and beautiful and everything you want in a book that her writing has to be some sort of magic. 
As always the storyline was always interesting and exciting. We already knew the main characters from "City of Heavenly Fire" (CoHF) which btw ripped my heart to pieces and then glued it back together. Emma and Jules are again a beautiful OTP (just like Malec, Clace, Sizzy, ...) and you just want, no need them to be together and happy. But of course there's the drama and by the angel why does Cassie this to us?! Like, the're parabatai, but they love each other in a romantic way which is forbidden by the clave I've never liked in the first place and that love is dangerous but powerful and just asdfghjkl!
But we can't forget: "The Law is hard, but it is the Law" or as Emma likes to put it: " A bad law is no law."
There's always so much going on but that's what makes her books so exciting and puts you on edge.
Also one more thing I love about Cassie: she always bring back old characters. In CoHF she included Jem and Tessa and now in "Lady Midnight" we learn some major things about the future of the "The Mortal Instruments"-Squad. I won't spoiler it but it makes me want to crawl under my blanket to squeal in a happy little fangirl way. Yep, it's that good.


My advice: Read the first three books in the "The Mortal Instruments" (TMI) series (including "City of Bones", "City of Ashes" and my personal favourite "City of Glass") then read the whole "The Infernal Devices" series about Tessa and my bae Will Herondale. When you're done with those finish the rest of the "TMI"-series and continuo by reading the "The Dark Artifices" series which includes "Lady Midnight".
Oh and don't forget to take a look into the beautifully illustrated "Shadowhunter Codex" or the first book in the "Magnus Bane Chronicles"!
Just keep up with Cassies writing bc I heard we be expecting some new book series coming soon!

Also check out the movie and new released tv series (which I've watched too many times already) about her very first book "City of Bones".
I wrote some blog posts about the tv series "Shadowhunters". I'll link them right here: http://bookstain3.blogspot.de/2016/05/emeraude-toubia-as-isabelle-lightwood.html
http://bookstain3.blogspot.de/2016/02/lets-talk-about-shadowhunter-tv-series.html
http://bookstain3.blogspot.de/2015/05/shadowhunter-tv-series-cast.html
http://bookstain3.blogspot.de/2015/05/shadowhunter-tv-series-cast-2.html

Love,


5/18/2016

Emeraude Toubia as Isabelle Lightwood Make-Up tutorial

Hey Guys!

Today I present you something new (but still book related obviously) which has been my passion for some years now: Make-Up!
A few weeks ago I was accepted by my dream school, a school where you learn how to be a Make-Up artist!
So I guessed that I could exercise some more and why not put it up here, huh?











Isabelle Lightwood

1) Start off with a clean face. Rinsing it with water should be enough. 
Prep your lips with some sort of lip balm and if you want you can moisturize your face.


2) First I applied my foundation, concealer and "baked" my concealer (That's what it's called when you put so much powder under your eyes with a Beautyblender that it looks like flour, and let it sit there for about 5 minutes before dusting it off. It helps set the concealer for waaay longer!)


3) While the concealer sets, you contour your face. I always contour under my cheekbones, the sides of my face, my jawline and my forehead to give a my face bronzed look.


4) Then you start with the eyeshadow. Choose any matte dark brown eyeshadow and start drawing a V at the outer corner of your eye.
It should look something like this:


5) Blend! And use a light shimmery colour to highlight the inner corner of your eyes and your brow bone.



6) Next up is the hardest part of it all if you ask me: Eyeliner!
I like using liquid eyeliner just because it stays on better than gel eyeliner. I start with the outline of the wing, from the corner of my eye in the direction of the end of my fabulous eyebrow.


7) Then I line my lashline really thin because I have deep set eyes so when I want to do a dramatic bold line it looks like my whole eyelid is black and thicken the wing. Of course you can do it as thin or thick as you like or what suits your eye shape. Here's a little guide:



8) After you perfected the winged eyeliner you can line your upper waterline with a black eyeliner pencil to make your lashes look fuller and you can also curl your lashes if you use mascara.
I used fake lashes just because I felt fancy today, but for the everyday look you can of course use mascara. A lot of mascara.


9) Next you want to start drawing guide lines around your lips with a red-pink-ish lipliner. easiest way to do it is by drawing a X where your cupid's bow is, then mark on your bottom lip the center and then just slowly outline the rest of your lips. I've overlined mine to match Emeraudes lip shape.


10) When you're done with lining your lips fill them in with any red-pink-ish lipstick you have. I prefer liquid lipsticks, just because they feel smoother and are often matte.



11) To finish the look dust some light pink blush on your cheeks, temples and nose and go overboard with a bronze highlighter on your cheekbones, forehead, bridge of your nose, tip of your nose, chin, above you jawline and just above your cupid's bow.



12) Now go and rule the world gorgeous!


Love,







5/05/2016

18 facts about me

Aloha guys!
Today I'll tell you a bit, okay a lot, about me! *crowd cheering*
I don't know if you even want to know this much about me, but I'm gonna tell you either way! Have fun!

1. I'm a Fangirl (wow, what a surprise)
2. I love planning things. I even plan what I have to plan. Yup, it's pretty bad.
3. I sometimes snort when I laugh and it's fudging embarrassing but whatever
4. I'm the biggest "Supernatural" fan in my friend group so no one wants to talk to me about it bc when I only hear the word idk satan I'm getting a fangirl attack
5. Daemon Black, Will Herondale, Malec, Jensen Ackles, the Impala, Jared Padalecki, Misha Collins, my Laptop and chocolate are my babies
6. "Dirty Dancing" is my favourite movie and I've literally seen it about 100 times
7. "Dirty Dancing", "Once Upon a Song", "Vampire Academy" and "Ten Inch Hero" are movies I can (and have) watch(ed) over and over and over and over again
8. I've met Cassandra Clare once and Jack & Jack (they smelled really good)
9. I love Disney Channel and on there I watch too much "Phineas & Ferb"
10. I can get pretty frustrated when people don't know classic things like "Breakfast at Tiffany's", Audrey Hepburn at all for that matter, "10 things I hate about you", older music like "Heat of the Moment" by Asia or who ACDC, Kiss and Led Zeppelin are (like, what did your parents even teach you!?)
11. I don't have a boyfriend nor a best friend
12. I live with three cats
13. I've seen Taylor Swift, Madness, Jack & Jack, James Bay and Fall Out Boy in concert and I'm going to see Rihanna and the Weeknd this summer
14. I have a very good gay friend and he has currently green hair, wears Doc's and is Instafamous
15. next school year I've been accepted into a MakeUp artist school in the netherlands so I'm moving to my dad!
16. Bunny (grav3yardgirl on youtube) is my spirit animal
17. my fave band is "Sleeping at Last" but bc no one really knows them their CD's are expensive and you can only buy them on their fan shop and they don't go on tour and it's so frustrating
18. my fave colours are dark green and gold

Well, that's it for now. I'm working on something big atm and with the good weather it should go faster now, but yeah, keep reading my blog and you'll see!

Love,


4/23/2016

"Emerge" by Tobie Easton

Wow, okay so I speed-read this book in about two days and rn it's two am and I just finished it and I'm so tired, but I just have to talk about this book. 

Lia Nautilus may be a Mermaid but she’s never lived in the ocean. War has ravaged the seven seas ever since the infamous Little Mermaid unleashed a curse that stripped Mer of their immortality. Lia has grown up in a secret community of land-dwelling Mer hidden among Malibu’s seaside mansions. Her biggest problems are surviving P.E. and keeping her feelings for Clay Ericson in check. Sure, he’s gorgeous in that cocky, leather jacket sort of way and makes her feel like there’s a school of fish swimming in her stomach, but getting involved with a human could put Lia's entire community at risk.

So it’s for the best that he’s dating that new girl, right? That is, until Lia finds out she isn't the only one at school keeping a potentially deadly secret. And this new girl? Her eyes are dead set on Clay, who doesn't realize the danger he's in. If Lia hopes to save him, she’ll have to get closer to Clay. Lia’s parents would totally flip if they found out she was falling for a human boy, but the more time she spends with him, the harder it is for her to deny her feelings. After making a horrible mistake, Lia will risk everything to stop Clay from falling in love with the wrong girl.
  (source: goodreads)

First of all, I gotta admit that I'm actually not into this whole mermaid thing, BUT I still really enjoyed this book. The story was refreshing and the characters were lovable. Tho I sometimes didn't like the dialogue between the two main characters, Lia and Clay, there were some really great passages.
In the middle of the book it got a bit boring bc the same things happened over and over again and Lia made the same mistake over and over again and I just got so annoyed by her. I really enjoyed the ending although the dialogue got a bit corny. The beginning of the book is actually my favourite part. You want to get to know the characters and Lia was really likeable.




All in all it was a good book and it's an easy read. You should check it out here: http://www.amazon.com/Emerge-Tobie-Easton/dp/1942664915

Thank you so much Month9Books for sending me this book. I'm really grateful!





Love,