Terrible Girls Club Review: Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1) by Sarah J. Maas

Its time for The Terrible Girls Review again. Every month, we from the Terrible Girls, ( whom I met on GoodReads) do a feature together to share our love for Terrible, I mean to say, great books we read.

The Terrible Girls are:
Christen @ Goldilox and the Three Weres
Mariya @ Mystifying Paranormal Reviews
Jamie and Cat @ Addicted 2 Heroines
Miss Vain @ Miss Vain's Paranormal Fantasy
Vanesmate and HeatherJay @ Paranormal Itch
Samina @ Escapism from Reality
Laura @ Little Read Riding Hood
Emmy @ Sinfully Delicious Books
Jenese @ Reader's Confession
In the last couple of months have done a buddy review of a Monster Calls with Heatherjay from Paranormal Itch. Click here to read it. I teamed up with Laura from Little Read Riding Hood to do a buddy read and review the new book Masque of Red Death by Bethany Griffins and reviews The Loss of SunLight by Lia Black with Emmy from Sinfully Delicious Book Reviews. This week I get to review the highly anticipated, new YA Trilogy by Sarah J. Mass, Throne of Glass. This week I got together with Jenese from Reader's Confessions to do a buddy read and a review.
This is how it went:

Title: Throne of Glass
Author: Sarah J. Mass
Series: Throne of Glass
Publisher: Bloomsbury UK
Releases : 2ndth August, 2012
My ratings: 5 out of 5 stars.

Meet Celaena Sardothien.
Beautiful. Deadly. Destined for greatness.

In the dark, filthy salt mines of Endovier, an eighteen-year-old girl is serving a life sentence. She is a trained assassin, the best of her kind, but she made a fatal mistake: she got caught.

Young Captain Westfall offers her a deal: her freedom in return for one huge sacrifice. Celaena must represent the prince in a to-the-death tournament—fighting the most gifted thieves and assassins in the land. Live or die, Celaena will be free. Win or lose, she is about to discover her true destiny. But will her assassin’s heart be melted?




Samina – So, Jenese did you get off to a slow start or were you straight in? How did your feelings/ attitudes change as you read thought the book?

Jenese - When I started I wasn't so sure. There were so many weird names being throw out there. I was sort of hesitant at first, the first chaper had so many names that I thought I would be confused. Once I got past that hump, it was much easier.

Samina - You know what? I haven't got a clue either. I was pronouncing Chaol with a 'ch' like in 'chat' and I hated the name. But now you've made it sound better. Celaena I suppose will be 'C' + Elena. Perhaps we should ask the author on what it should be. As she was my favourite character, I will just call her 'Celena' in my mind.Tell me who was your favourite character and why?


Jenese -I love a badass heroine and she's a trained assassin. You can't get more badass then that.

Samina- I loved her bad-assness (is that even a word?) too. She was so a true assassin, and yet she was very girly. I loved how she liked her fussed about pretty dresses. even if she had been through so much hardship she still had that spark of life in her. Perhaps it was the very fact that she is an assassin and she lives a dangerous life she has learnt to live life to it's fullest. The one word to describe was was fun. she was a fun girl to hang out with. She had many feminie wiles and they worked so well on the 2 boys. It was funny how everyone thought her to be something but she supreized them all. Okay, moving on did you feel strongly towards anything?

Jenese – I didn't like Katlain from the beginning. She seemed like a total snob and as the story goes on, you realize that she has lots of deceptions going on in that castle.

Samina -Yeah, Katlain. I didn't like her either. She was such a spoiled brat but later revelations made me hate her slightly less. I just felt sorry for her. How did you find the writing and the narration?

Jenese - I was and am a little confused as to way this book was categorized by everyone as YA or young adult. The heroine is 18 years old, the men are in their 20s. I just think this might have been marketing wrong.

Samina – Yeah, I felt that too. I mean YA they categorize them as between 18 to 24 but it usually had a 15-16 year old protagonist. In all fairness it didn't feel like YA either. As I loved the heroine and there was no annoying traits found in YA books like confused and utterly clueless heroine. Well there may not have been sexual content but it did not feel like YA at all. Moreover the writing was simple and the pages flew by. It had this, I don't know how to describe it, a Lord of the Rings feelings, with castles and knights and pretty damsels in beautiful gowns. I did like the writing too and the narration a lot. It was easy to read.

Jenese - Do you think the ease of the writing and narration coupled with the heroine being 18 years old is why it was marketed for young adults?

Samina - Yeah, perhaps that's why. Easy writing and young heroine plus I'm told when the author wrote it she was a teenager too. What about the POV. First person narration have been hugely popular, especially in YA / UF books that I was surprised this wasn't. I felt it was refreshing that it was something different. I also liked how it gave third person POV's of the Chaol and Dorian, giving us great insight on what's going on in their heads.
Jenese - I like the fact that the POVs change. I wish they changed more often, but that's just me. I think it's because I liked the boys so much. :-P I really do like the flip flopping of POVs if written correctly. I will say that too much changing isn't great either.


Samina - Changing POV can be a great tool to give a well rounded overview of the story but too much and it gets distracting and annoying. Now, it's time for the all important boy talk. If given a chance whom would you chose between Prince Dorian or Chaol?

Jenese – I can't answer that. I really like them both. Since they are friends its easy to see similarities between the two. There is more than meets the eye with each of them. They both have reasons for being so indifferent in their lives.

Samina - I agree with there is more than there being more then what has been revealed so far. Dorian and Chaol probably both have secrets or I can feel more revelation coming in the future books. I have some ideas but I don't want to give away too much. Maas did a great job of making me change my loyalties. One scene I will be smitten over Dorian's charming ways and wit and the next moment I'm fawning over Chaol's gruff manner. You can see both the boys are in out of their depths with Celaena.What did you think of the plot? Interesting or predictable?How about the setting? Did you remind of of something?

Jenese – So at the beginning it reminded me a lot of Hunger Games. Obviously since she is competing again others, possible to the death. It showed several of the challenges and we get to know several of the other competitors as well. The book takes a turn though. It doesn't only become about the competition and Celaena but also about a mystery that she has stumbled upon and is now having to solve.

Samina - I can see how it reminded you of the Hunger Games. Hell, it reminded me of the Games too. The different contests and contestants gave me this feeling too but the setting was certainly not Dystopian. I found the plot engaging. It was clear that there would be a lot more coming. However I wish it gave me more insights about Celaena as an assassin. I was told that she was good but I didn't see much. Perhaps if I the prequels releases about shed some light on it.
I thought the author did a great job of keeping me on my toes while reading. I didn't see several of the events that occurred coming.


Jenese - The idea of a glass castle is interesting and very unique. The setting was told very well. She truly made me feel like I was there watching it all unfold.
Samina - The Glass Castle was interesting but it made me think of how on earth would you change clothes or use the loo.The myth and faery mythology added an interesting angle to the plot.
I can't wait for the next book. What about you? Would you read the next book?

Jenese - Yes I would, definitely.

Samina - I gave it solid 5 stars. Your overall impression of the book?

Jenese - 4 stars for me!

Do remember to stop by at Jenese’s blog at Reader's Confession for more views and reviews of the great books she reads.

Terrible Girls Club Review: Masque of Red Death ( Masque of Red Death #1) by Bethany Griffins

Its time for The Terrible Girls Review again. Every month, we from the Terrible Girls, ( whom I met on GoodReads) do a feature together to share our love for Terrible, I mean to say, great books we read.

The Terrible Girls are:
Christen @ Goldilox and the Three Weres
Mariya @ Mystifying Paranormal Reviews
Jamie and Cat @ Addicted 2 Heroines
Miss Vain @ Miss Vain's Paranormal Fantasy
Vanesmate and HeatherJay @ Paranormal Itch
Samina @ Escapism from Reality
Laura @ Little Read Riding Hood
Emmy @ Sinfully Delicious Books


This month I did a book exchange with Emmy from Sinfully Delicious book Reviews and gave each other books we had not read. I gave Emmy Masque of Read Death which I had done a buddy review with from Laura from Little Read Riding Hood which you can read here and I was given The Loss of Sunlight by Lia Black. You can read my review here. Emmy does not read Young Adult usually so I knew this was going to be fun.
This is how it went:

Everything is in ruins.

A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them.

So what does Araby Worth have to live for?

Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.

But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.

And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her.

Araby is 17 years old and living in one of the few towers still standing since the plague hit. I don't think it was ever mentioned when this takes place. With how desolate the city has become, you would think it's a century ago but then with the science and building structure, we really have no clue. I guess that's what you get for a slightly Steampunk dystopian novel. Just a guess since this such a different book then I would normally read. The plague hit and everything changed. People were dying, people were hiding out underground, utter madness until they finally produced a mask to filter the air. But of course that only means trouble. It's all about money and politics. Who is in control. Who can afford masks. Who dies.


The Araby we are introduced to is withdrawn. Having made a promise to herself, she doesn't allow herself any happiness or to experience new things. Such a young person to feel so jaded with life but with good reason. She does have a good friend in the form of April.


April is a great friend. Kind of shallow at first but is a really important character. Her true colors really show near the end and I adore her for it. They dress up and go out to this one club often. They drink, they flirt. Just trying to escape the tragic reality that is the plague. Araby has some kind of addiction but it's never clear what it is. She just needs to escape. This really sets the pace for the book. It is rather dark and desolate.

"What do you want?" he asks in an amused voice. His self-assurance makes him seem older than he looks. I'm guessing a student at the university, if it were still open.

"Oblivion." It is what I am always looking for.

"What's a pretty girl like you trying to forget?"

A pretty girl like me, with my clean fingernails and my unblemished bill of health.

He doesn't know anything about me.

Will is a "bouncer" at this club. He's young, has tattoos, mysterious and sexy. He quickly becomes part of the story and I really liked him throughout. He's a really sweet guy and much different at home then he is at the club.

"Because that means it's ok for me to notice you. To like you. I wondered what was wrong with me when I kept watching for you at the club, anticipating speaking to you. I started to despise myself for being so interested. I wondered what you would say when i was testing you, what you and your friend were giggling about."

Finishing the triangle, we have Elliott. He's older, intelligent, ruthless in his pursuits. I honestly didn't care too much for him in the beginning but that quickly changes.

“And I'm falling in love with you,' he whispers. "But I would throw you in the water and watch crocodiles tear you to bits, if I thought that doing so would accomplish my goals. Do. Not. Trust. Anyone. Especially me.”

I'm not much for triangles but I like this one. We see great change in both the young men. They both get a good amount of page time and are there for her through some difficult situations.


This story really takes us on quite the journey from beginning to end. It's bleak but promising as she finds something to fight for. The character developments at the end of the book were shocking to me. It's a great book though and the writing was fantastic and fit the story. Blunt sentences, dark imagery, troubled youth in a messed up world. Thanks Samina for picking this for me! It was different for me yet very enjoyable.


Do remember to stop by at Emmy’s blog at Sinfully Delicious Book Reviews for more views and reviews of the great books she reads.


Terrible Girls Feature so far.
Masque of Red Death by Bethany Griffins
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Terrible Girls Club Review: Masque of Red Death ( Masque of Red Death #1) by Bethany Griffins

Its time for The Terrible Girls Review again. Every month, we from the Terrible Girls, ( whom I met on GoodReads) do a feature together to share our love for Terrible, I mean to say, great books we read.

The Terrible Girls are:
Christen @ Goldilox and the Three Weres
Mariya @ Mystifying Paranormal Reviews
Jamie and Cat @ Addicted 2 Heroines
Miss Vain @ Miss Vain's Paranormal Fantasy
Vanesmate and HeatherJay @ Paranormal Itch
Samina @ Escapism from Reality
Laura @ Little Read Riding Hood
Emmy @ Sinfully Delicious Books

Last month, I did a buddy review of a Monster Calls with Heatherjay from Paranormal Itch. Click here to read it. This month, I have teamed up with Laura from Little Read Riding Hood to do a buddy read and review the new book Masque of Red Death by Bethany Griffins
This is how it went:

Everything is in ruins.

A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them.

So what does Araby Worth have to live for?

Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.

But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.

And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her.


Samina –I’m so excited about this Laura. I haven’t done something like this before. So let’s start from the beginning with first impressions. Did you get off to a slow start or were you straight in?

Laura - I was straight in. The whole world fascinated and disgusted me at the same time. The characters were all so damaged yet oblivious, and that is always a quick draw for me. Did you like the steam-punk setting?

Samina - Okay, I was not expecting the steam punk. From the reviews and blurbs, I thought it would a dystopian story with a bit of elegance thrown in (blame the porcelain masks mentions and the cover) so I was slightly taken aback with the stage coaches. I liked the steam punk. It wasn’t too much so as to jar my senses and just enough to set up a great dystopian setup. What about you? How did you feel about the steam punk thrown in?

Laura - This was my first steam-punk novel *hangs head in shame* so it was a little difficult for me to wrap my head around it. I was trying to reconcile their past with our past, and that sometimes confused me. Because they are vastly different! And obviously don’t mesh.

Samina- Awww. I understand your dilemma. Sometimes in a steam punk setting it is difficult to keep up. All the settings and world building gets you confused.

Laura – And I can be easily confused! ;-) Ok, on to the juicy bits … First reaction to the guys; who was your favourite at introductions Elliot or Will? Did that change later on for you? I had a favorite from the beginning, but I kept flip-flopping as the story went on.

Samina - My favourite when introduced was Will. As Araby already had a crush on him I could not help but have a bit of a crush on him too. Elliot’s introduction was good too but I wish there was more. As the writing style was, for the lack of a better word, economical, it felt slightly abrupt. I was going back and forth between these two! One moment I would love Will and then towards the second half of the book I started liking Elliot more. Will is all hunky with his tattoos and all but Elliot is a tortured soul. He has been through so much and he hides it so well too. He comes across as cold and calculative but he has got that soft streak in him which totally melts me. So, who would you chose between Elliot and Will?

Laura - WILL! Though right at the end my mind might be changing ... I could be persuaded either way. Like you I was drawn to Will because of Araby’s initial attraction … and the tattoos …

Samina – Laura, *nodding head in approval* I understand. Both were swoon worthy.. Did you have a favourite character? If yes, why?

Laura -Yes! Will. I love him. Even if he makes some decisions I don't always agree with. I think ever since Terrible I have a thing for men covered in tattoos ... :-) I know I said I flipped back and forth between Will and Elliot, but that is as a romantic choice for Araby. For me, it is Will, hands down. What about you? Who was your favourite overall character?

Samina - Tattoos.....ah. I have got a love hate relationship with them. They can be creepy sometimes but attractive and sexy the other. Okay, I have to control my lustful thoughts and answer your questions. My favourite character has to be Araby. She was unhappy, depressed, naive, slightly jaded and I loved her. I loved her voice and her narration. Throughout I felt sorry for her and simply wanted to give her a hug. Elliot was second but it was close. I know it is so twisted that I like him more than the obvious choice. But I can’t help it. He is warped, cold, and mean and I totally love him. I always like heroes who cannot be trusted. Did your feelings change as the story moved forward? How did your feelings/ attitudes change as you read thought the book?

Laura - I liked Araby straight through, though I was never sure about her parents or April. As I read on I understood their actions & behaviours as I got to know them. I don’t have to always agree with the choices a character makes, but if I understand where they are coming from then it is ok. Was Araby the most depressed mc you’ve read recently? If not, who else was?

Samina - The most depressed character I can compare Araby with would be Chess. Feel free to disagree with me but both of them are unhappy and depressed. Trying to get oblivion but that time always comes when the haze dissipates throwing them back in to cold, hard reality. How did you find her? Was she annoying in her self-pity and misery?

Laura – I agree with you, but I think Araby is more “lost,” for lack of a better term, than Chess. She at least had an institution (The Church) that she could believe in. Araby has (had?) nothing. I did not find her annoying at all. I wanted to cry right along with her. I could not imagine going through what she did. I probably would have turned to drugs as well, if not have given up entirely. I am not made of strong enough stuff to survive in a world like that. Did her casual drug use bother you? I am guessing not … because of our mutual love of Chess :-)

Samina - After reading The Downside Ghosts, the drug use seemed like candy in this one. I know this is YA but I have to say the drug use issue was handled well. Not over-whelming but enough to make you feel sorry for Araby and understand her better. She has been through so much and has a dysfunctional family. Especially since she misses Finn.

Laura – Speaking of Finn … what did you think about her vow to him?

Samina - I completely understand her feelings and her vow. He was her twin and they lived for each other. She thought that she was responsible for his death and that but denying herself she was being fair to both of them as she was trying to punish herself for being alive. Moving on to the setting and the world, did you feel strongly towards anything?

Laura - I felt strongly that I was glad I didn't live in that world, how terrifying it must be!! I seem to be washing my hands A LOT more after finishing this book! What about you, are you a little more of a germ-a-phobe now?

Samina - I’m not sure. I would be if I was living in that world. Thank God I’m not.

Laura - Do you believe that science started the plague? Or do you think the Prince had more to do with it?

Samina - Science alone cannot start a plague. It has to be driven by someone and I think in this case it was the Prince. I wish I could get my hands on him and give him a piece of my mind.

Laura - Do you think there are other civilizations that survived it out there? Will they be found?

Samina - I definitely think there is a civilisation out there. I believe it will be this other civilisation that would bring an end to the decaying world. The story unfolded really well for me and I did not expect the twists or betrayal. Did you expect it? How did you take it?

Laura - NO! I did not see that coming. I was very upset, but once I realized the motivations for it, I guess I could understand it. Did the “big reveal” of the bad guy surprise you? It shocked the crap out of me!

Samina - Blimey! I totally did not expect that. I mean I knew there was betrayal somewhere in this story but that bad guy I had never thought of. Well done to Griffins. So, what about your overall thoughts about the book? How did you find the writing and the narration?

Laura - I enjoyed the pace of the story and the writing style. It was significantly darker than anything I have read recently, and was a good change of pace. You?

Samina - I loved her writing style. It would suffice to say that less was more for the story telling. The words used were economical and to the point. It did not try to distract from the story or the characters which held my interest to the very end.

Laura - Did you have a favourite quote or line?

Samina – Oh, yes. There were quite a few quotes for me to pick from but if I had to chose I would chose a few really good ones.

“I’m barely alive. I stare into space and whimper in my sleep. When I’m awake, I contemplate death, try to read, but never really finish anything. I only have the attention span for poetry.”

“Just because you don’t want to see something doesn’t mean that it will go away. Do you think inhumanity doesn’t exist if you pretend not to see it? Or maybe get too drunk to understand?”

“Ugliness has seeped into every part of the city.
Or maybe the ugliness is in us.”

Samina – The quotes are making me want to read this again. What did you think of the plot? Interesting or predictable? Was it everything you expected?

Laura - A little of both. I don't mind predictable, it can be comforting. Although I was a bit surprised when THE bad guy was revealed. I didn't see that one coming at all! I was sad when I turned the last page; I wanted more. Overall impression of the book?

Samina - Did I say I loved it? It was awesome and one of the best YA books I’ve read in a while. It was something which stays with you, something power full and thought invoking. Would you read the next book?

Laura - Absolutely! Can't wait!! :-) What about you … would you read a sequel?

Samina - Hell yeah! I want the sequel like now. I know it’s coming in April 2013 (already started stalking the author) but I simply can’t wait to get more of Araby and Elliot.

Laura – … and Will!!

Do remember to stop by at Laura’s blog at Little Read Riding Hood for more views and reviews of the great books she reads.

The Terrible Girls Club: Review

This is an exciting new feature started by us, The Terrible Girls Club, where we talk and do all kinds of terrible things to books. This week I did a YA buddy read with HeatherJay from Paranormal Itch. I had read many good reviews about this book so, we decided to a go at it.

A MONSTER CALLS by Patrick Ness

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

A Monster Calls should come with a disclaimer attached: Read at the risk of puffy eyes and non stop tears. Urges to curl up and cry may also occur.

This wasn’t what I had expected. At all. I went into this thinking it would be a terrifying and frightening horror books full of action and adventure. I could’nt be more wrong. It had terror and horror but only for me. I enjoyed this as much as suffered with it.

Connor is a thirteen year old boy living with his single mother, whose father has just moved to the States to start a new family. Everynight at 12.07 Connor is woken by his name being called in the dark. He wakes up to see a monster looking back at him from his room’s window. He thinks it is a dream and pushes it off his mind because God knows he has got other things going on in his life that need his attention.
The next day he is again woken up at 12.07 by the same monster asking, no, demanding him the answers he is not ready to give.

The story starts off pretty normal with mundane day to day activities described but as it moves on you are sucked into Connor’s world. His life, his struggle and his story. I was moved to tears with this heartbreaking story of a young boy.

After each scene I would think, ”It can’t get sadder than that.”, but I was proved wrong again and again. At the last scene I gave up trying to control my tears and just cried out right.

This was as much about Connor as it is about the Monster.It had so much more meaning in it it just a story about a young person and his life. I am sure this book will be read and re-read, dissected to pull out its hidden meaning in the future years because it was so much more than just a story. It had a bit of everyone in it. I felt Connor in every page and felt his pain. Never had a  book make me think that i don't wanna be that person. It is cruel but I don't want to be in the same position as Connor.

I cried non-stop after reading this and it has been along time since I have been so moved by a story.

The hardback for this was supposed to be with illustrations but as I read this on my Kindle I was saved for I cannot imagine what I would be like if it came with more.

The Monster lives in all of us and when we need it some point of our lives it will manifests itself to save us from ourselves.

Check out HeatherJay's blog  at Paranormal Itch to see what she had to say about A Monster Calls.

Have something to say? Feel free to comment below. I love chatting to people with book blogs and also with those who don't.

Terrible Girls Club!

The Terrible Girls Club is going to be a feature I'm going to participate in with my blogging mates where we would do group reads, questionaires and book related discussions. We all have similar tastes in books so we can get together and chat about what we like the most which would ofcourse be books.

P.S. They won't always be about Terrible(Downside Ghosts) but will include lots of swoon worthy men and kick ass-heroines.

This is be an exciting new feature where we can talk about books, make guest blog posts, group reads, post reviews, etc.Anything goes.

The Terrible Girls will be:

Christen @ Goldilox and the Three Weres
Mariya @ Mystifying Paranormal Reviews
Jamie and Cat @ Addicted 2 Heroines
Miss Vain @ Miss Vain's Paranormal Fantasy
Vanesmate, HeatherJay and Emmy @ Paranormal Itch
Samina @ Escapism from Reality

This is going to be lots of fun!