Blogging and Buddy Reading Goodreads Group!

Hello, my beautiful blogging friends! As many of you probably know I've been reading the Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson with my blogger friend Saloni (My Fantabulous Bookshelf) and posting blog discussions about the book. We've had so much fun doing this that we decided to create a group through goodreads to get more people and more books involved!

The name of our group is Read Together. Blog Together (click the name to visit the goodreads page). We've only just started it, but so far things are going pretty well. We have a few buddy reads set for September already (a couple of them are buddies to read/discuss/review some books by indie authors!). If you're interested in joining in on any of our buddy reading and blog discussing (if you don't blog you can still read with us and give/answer discussion questions to be used on the blogs that are participating).

So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and join the group and join our fun reading time. You know you want to.

Mid-Year Freakout Tag

I was not actually tagged to do this, but I saw my booktube friend Janie (from Bookworms Buddy) do this tag and I thought it looked like a lot of fun, so here it goes! Most of these questions could be answered with just a couple of books, but I'm going to try and use more than just those.
 

1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2015. 

This is the easiest question. This is actually my favorite novel of all time and that is: The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson.

2. Best sequel you've read so far in 2015.

Some of you may be able to guess this one pretty easily. My favorite sequel of the year is: Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson.

3. New release you haven't read yet, but want to.

Probably The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey. The cover is what got me for this one. It reminded me so much of the Grisha books (and I love those) that I was immediately drawn to it. We shall see if I get to it. 

4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year.

Brandon Sanderson is dominating this tag so far. The book I'm looking forward to most is: Shadows of Self by Brandon Sanderson.

5. Biggest disappointment.

This is a really popular book, but it's the first one that came to mind. And I was really disappointed with it. That book is: Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

I just couldn't enjoy this novel. You can find my review on goodreads if you want to see more of my thoughts.
6. Biggest surprise.

I picked this up because the list sounded like an interesting set up for a story. I had no idea I would like it so much. 

This is easily one of my favorites of the year. I would really like to read it again.
7. Favourite new author. (Debut or new to you)

This is actually kind of an easy one. I read received her first novel through Netgalley earlier this year and fell absolutely in love with it. Mara Dabrishus. 

I love novels set around horses (if they are done well) and this one was brilliant. I think most fans of young adult contemporary novels would enjoy this even if they aren't horse lovers.
8. Newest fictional crush.

Well, I suppose I have a few. The main one is Kaladin from the Way of Kings. I just adore his character. Beck from Stay the Distance amazing as well, for different reasons. And one that I've been reminded of from rereading is Elend from the Mistborn trilogy. I don't know if I didn't like him as much the first time through or if I had forgotten, but he's just brilliant.
9. Newest favourite character.

Kaladin. Hands down. He's my favorite character of all time.
10. Book that made you cry.

There have been a few. I cried through The Way of Kings and Words of Radiance, but I'll give a new answer. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein. Such an emotional book. 

11. Book that made you happy.

A lot of the books I've already mentioned, actually. There were so many parts that were so beautiful in these books. I'm sure there were lots of others as well, but these favorites I've already listed are definitely some of them.
12. Favourite book to film adaptation you saw this year. 

I don't think I've seen a book to film adaptation this year, aside from re-watching old ones. I don't tend to watch very many movies. A favorite that I've re-watched that I love is the mini series of North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. Such an excellent adaptation (I actually prefer it to the book slightly).
13. Favourite review you've written this year. 

I tend to like most of my reviews. Maybe my review for From The Ashes or The Way of Kings. I did really enjoy both of those reviews.
14. Most beautiful book you've bought so far this year (or received)

Aside from The Way of Kings and Words of Radiance (I love those covers!) I would have to go with Love and Other Unknown Variables by Shannon Lee Alexander. I'm a mathematician, so it had some extra beauty because of the design. I love the book too. (I won this in a giveaway)

15. What books do you need to read by the end of the year?

The only ones I *need* to read by the end of the year are the ones that I have for review. There are several that I would like to read, but I switch around so much that there's no telling what I'll end up reading.

I'm not going to tag anyone, but if you do this tag, please let me know so I can check it out!

Mistborn: The Hero of Ages Discussion #1

Hello everyone! It's time for another discussion about Brandon Sanderson's The Hero of Ages with Saloni from My Fantabulous Bookshelf. Be warned that there are spoilers for the previous two novels and minor spoilers for this one. Just go and catch up! This is a series that you definitely want to read. 

1.  Do you think that Marsh will be able to defy Ruin’s control in any meaningful way?

    Courtney: I feel really sad for Marsh. I’ve always found his character fascinating and I feel so bad for him being stuck in this position. He wants to eventually defy Ruin and end his own life, but he can barely move a finger without calling the creatures attention. I think that he will definitely play a part somewhere along the way, the real Marsh, not Ruin, but I don’t know how exactly. I just hope that he’s able to act in some helpful way on his own impulses. 

    Saloni: I think that the interactions between Marsh and Ruin are really interesting. I do think that Marsh will be able to defy Ruin and I think it’ll actually be a major way to pull the plot forward. Rather than completely overpower Ruin but I think there will be small moments in between where Marsh will be able to over Ruin for a short period of time, allowing him to perhaps reveal important information.

2. The Inquisitors are exhibiting new and frightening abilities, where do you think this stems from?

    Courtney: The Inquisitor that Vin and Elend fought in the beginning was fast, too fast, which worries Vin. I think it must have something to do with the extra spikes they’re placing in their bodies. And they kill people to do that. Including Keepers. I wonder if they’re somehow taking the power of the person being killed? Somehow they all become Mistborn, so it’s not too much of a stretch that they could gain more power. 

    Saloni: I agree with Courtney. It definitely has something to do with the extra spikes being put in their body, though how exactly the power gets transferred I’m not sure. Perhaps the Feruchemy in Keepers can transfer to Allomancy in the Mistborn Inquisitors somehow? I’m not sure how this would happen, but it’s just a theory.

3. What do you think of the kandra society?

    Courtney: So far I’ve really enjoyed TenSoon’s sections. We’ve not really had a view of the kandra as a people before, only being exposed to a few of them, and I find their hidden society intriguing. The control being with the older kandra and the fact that you never see the Firsts...It will be interesting to find out what’s going on there. 

    Saloni: I’m really enjoying these sections. I wasn’t sure we were going to see more of TenSoon, but I’m so glad we are. I think that the kandra are an interesting society and the way they operate based on generation is a strange yet intriguing form of government. I’m excited to find out how they deal with TenSoon and his betrayal. Perhaps they might go after Vin, but I have really no idea.

Tuesday Talks | First or Third Person?

If you want to get involved with the discussions visit the Tuesday Talks goodreads page to find out topics and follow everyone who participates! You don't have to have booktube or blog, you can participate right there on the group.

First or Third Person: Which Do You Prefer?

For me it's more about the story. Some stories work better with a certain perspective. While I do enjoy first person narratives (and am currently writing one), I think that they have been somewhat overdone recently, particularly in the YA category. Even with first person I tend to prefer novels that switch between different characters. 

What I really enjoy about a third person narrative is that it usually allows the story to have a broader scope. When you're dealing with first person you're confined to a single person's thoughts. With third person, even if you're still mostly following one character, there is some room for outside information. 

Overall I would probably say that I prefer third person, although I have enjoyed many novels that make use of both. 

What do you think, first or third person? Do you have a preference? Let me know in the comments!

Monthly Recommendations | Underrated Books

I've just joined a new goodreads discussion group Monthly Recommendations that was created and is run by Kayla and Trina. Each month there is a new topic and you either blog or video or discuss on the group books that you think fit that topic. You should check it out and join us. 

August: Underrated Books

Ha, there are SO many books that I'm sure I could put on this list, but I'll try and go through and find some that I think deserve more attention (plus I can't think of them all right now). 

• I'm going to start off with Stay the Distance by Mara Dabrishus. It's a 2015 release that I was absolutely addicted to. It's set in the world of Thoroughbred horse racing and has romance, family drama, and of course horses. It's young adult and so good. Seriously, I can't stop thinking about this book. 
• Next I'm going to say All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill. This one is more well known, but not an overly popular title. And I absolutely adored it. Finn was just perfect. It's a time travel young adult adventure. Highly recommend it.  
• Now I need to tell you about Life Expectancy by Dean Koontz. This was my first Koontz novel and made me fall in love with the man. Seriously, aside from Brandon Sanderson he is my favorite author. This book made me laugh so hard I cried. You may think that's extreme since it's supposed to be more suspense horror, but Koontz knows how to have a good laugh in the most frightening of circumstances. 
• I don't want to go on all day, so I'm just going to mention one more. The Cry of the Icemark by Stuart Hill. This is a middle grade or young adult fantasy series that I've read twice (the first two books at least) and really enjoyed. They aren't very widely read, but they are good. 

Like I said before, I could go on and on. And don't worry, I'm sure I'll have more posts coming up that discuss some of my underrated favorites. What are some of yours? Let me know in the comments below!

Lost~Donnielle Tyner | Review

Title: Lost (The Caelian Cycle #1)
Author: Donnielle Tyner
Genre: YA Science Fiction, Dystopian
Length: 209 Pages
Release: June 2015
My Rating: 5/5 Stars

I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Review

When I was approached about reviewing this novel, I wasn't entirely sure about doing so. I'm really glad that I did. 

This novel was fresh, original, compelling, and well crafted. Sure there are lots of books out there about people with super powers, but this was a fresh take on the idea. And the powers-Talents, as they're called-are fascinating. Some people who are born Caelian have different skin tones which makes them stand out, Sadie is one of them. 

The Talents bear some similarities to powers from other stories, but have have their own spin on things. There are secondary characteristics that go with different powers and learning to control and harness these abilities is very important. For Sadie it can mean life and death for those she loves. 

The characters in this story are really well written. Sadie is easy to relate to and her heartbreak over losing her boyfriend feels real. She feels guilt over his death and moving on in life after him, which is completely understandable and realistic. And I loved that even when she meets Kian and starts feeling attracted to him that she doesn't just forget her old boyfriend. It's not an insta love fest. She's still conflicted.  Her friends-both Norm (those without powers) and Caelian-are fun and likable. 

The novel is very nicely wrapped up but leaves plenty of unresolved issues for the next installment in the series. I am very excited to read it! I highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a science fiction or dystopian novel. It's short, fun, and really well done.

 

Tuesday Talks | Favorite Setting

Well, it's Tuesday and that means it's time for some more Tuesday Talks discussions. The discussion group was created by Janie and Janelle and you should definitely come and discuss bookish things with us.

Favorite Settings for Novels

This is kind of a difficult topic for me to discuss because I'm not entirely sure I have a favorite. Fantasy is my favorite genre, so I love a made up world type of setting, but I'm not sure if it's the setting that makes me love the genre so much. 

I think almost anything can be an interesting setting, if done right. Aside from fantasy worlds I really enjoy novels that are set somewhere near the ocean or a body of water. Particularly if the water plays a large role in the novel. I also love a story set around horses. Racing, jumping, dressage, it doesn't matter. 

Another setting I really like is the road. Travel adventures or road trip novels are fascinating to me. I love traveling and seeing new places, so reading about characters traveling just feeds my wander lust. And if the covers have maps on them, that's a bonus. 

So this is a short post, but I'm not sure what else I can really say. If I like the characters I tend to not mind the setting much. What about you? Do you have a favorite setting? Let me know in the comments!

Flying Changes~Maggie Dana | Review

Title: Flying Changes (Timber Ridge Riders #10)
Author: Maggie Dana
Genre: Middle Grade Equestrian, Sport
Length: 236 Pages
Release: October 2014
My Rating: 5/5 Stars

I received a copy of this novel through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Review

This is the tenth installment in the series. I haven't read all of them, but I have read several. That's one thing that I love about these kinds of stories-you don't have to read every single one to enjoy them. 

Of the five or so that I've read, this has been my favorite. Kate and Holly fly to England for a riding camp at the stable of their friend Jennifer's grandmother. It's only the top young riders that are eligible and Kate and Holly are among them. 

I've always wanted to travel to England and reading about it here in relation to horses was so much fun. The girls, along with the reader, learn the different terminology for horse related things in England. Maggie is able to include this vocabulary and horse knowledge seamlessly throughout the story. There is a lot to be learned from these pages. I definitely think it is a great read for horse crazy middle grade readers because they can not only enjoy the story but learn something about horses as well. 

Holly did annoy me somewhat in this novel (Kate did a little bit), but I always have a more difficult time relating to Holly than I do with Kate. I think I was more like Kate at that age and just find her easier to understand. They have some fights, new friendships are formed that cause jealousy issues, kidnappings, love, horses, drama. This story has it all.  The ending is a perfect set up for the next novel. 

Some old characters and horses make appearances. Some of these are welcome and others not so much. The new characters are a lot of fun and I hope we get to see more of them in later installments in the series.

I don't want to give away too much detail and spoil you, but I highly recommend this for horse lovers of all ages.  

Mistborn: The Well of Ascension Discussion #6

Today marks the end of the discussion posts for the Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson. Saloni, from My Fantabulous Bookshelf, and I will be continuing into The Hero of Ages next. So catch up and read along! 

1. What do you think of Elend as a Mistborn? Do you think it will damper his relationship with Vin?

Courtney: I think it’s going to be very interesting to see Elend as a Mistborn, in a good way. I really don’t think it will cause issues with Vin because she will feel more comfortable if he’s capable of protecting himself. It might even make them closer, since they will be able to share more of their experiences with each other.  

Saloni: It was constantly a problem that Vin was a Mistborn while Elend wasn’t so I’m not sure Elend becoming a Mistborn will be too big of a problem. I think it’ll help both of them be able to understand each other more. The only problem I can forsee is a sense of competition brewing between them, but the probability of that happening is very unlikely.

2. What are your thoughts on the creature that was released from the Well of Ascension?

Courtney: I feel like this creature is connected to the voice that Zane heard and the spikes in the Inquisitors. I’m not sure if it’s just some creature that can be vanquished or some sort of evil deity. It’s obviously very powerful and I think must be connected to the mists in some way. It has to also be related to the fact that documents change over time. It’s all connected in some greater way. 

Saloni: There is so much mystery surrounding this creature and all we know about it is that it’s been released from the Well. I think the power that Vin/ the Lord Ruler had kept the creature at bay but I’m not sure exactly how the creature is connected to the Mists. Maybe when the Lord Ruler kept his power, he prevented the creature from being released which stopped the Mists. Maybe releasing the power is dangerous because it frees the Mists.

3. Did the novel meet your expectations?

Courtney: Honestly, yes. Yes, it did. It’s always hard going into a sequel because you want it to live up to the first book. In some ways I prefer the Final Empire, but in others I prefer the Well of Ascension. They both build the world and characters so beautifully that it’s really impossible for me to say which I prefer. Even on a second reading I was amazed by how good this book was.  

Saloni: Surprisingly it did. The author’s job is exponentially harder as he or she tries to meet or even surpass the original book. I think Sanderson did a fantastic job of maintaining those high expectations. Both The Final Empire and The Well of Ascension were amazing, in every aspect. I couldn’t say one was better than the other.

4. Is there anything you would change about the novel as a whole (characters, setting, events, etc)?

Courtney: Vin. Not really her as a character, but some of the story involving her. I felt that her sudden acceptance of her place and role was too abrupt. While I think it was important for her to be vulnerable in the beginning and unsure about certain things I felt that she regressed too much. Other than that minor problem I don’t think I would want anything changed.  

Saloni: I do agree with Courtney that Vin’s sudden acceptance was extremely abrupt but I don’t think it affected the storyline too much. I do wish there was a bit more about the Lord Ruler and his mysterious powers. I understand that so much of that information is cloaked in mystery because we’ll probably find out everything in the last book. But I almost felt like we had too little fact and too much speculation, so it was slightly hard to believe that everyone happened to figure out so much of the missing information on a whim.

5. What did you like most about the novel?

Courtney: Tough question because the whole thing was excellent, but I’m going to have to say Elend and his character progression. I loved his character from the first book but this made me love him even more. Being in his head, seeing his struggles, it was all very beautifully done. I think his character progression is one of the best I’ve seen in a Sanderson novel. I don’t remember feeling so invested in his character the first time around, so I think some of that has to do with my own mindset. He was brilliantly written.  

Saloni: This is such a hard question because everything in this book was fantastic. Elend was a great addition to the book, and I love that we got to see his perspective a bit more. In general I loved how expansive this book was. We got everyone’s perspective from Vin and Elend to Straff and Zane, which was different from the first book.

Tuesday Talks | Reading Beyond Enjoyment

You can join the Tuesday Talks discussion group to participate in the weekly discussions with fellow book lovers. 

Reading Beyond Enjoyment

For me reading is a stress reliever and just a part of who I am. It's fun and gives me new ideas to think about. I don't necessarily think of it as escape, because I like my life and the world in which I live, but I do enjoy reading about things that aren't possible in this world. 

I like to read for fun and enjoyment. However, I also like to read for education. I like to discover new things and enjoy reading books, whether fiction or non fiction, that give new insight. I still want these books to be enjoyable though. If they aren't then it's hard for me to learn. 

So even if I'm reading for an academic reason I want my books to be enjoyable. I don't see a point in spending my time reading something that I don't like. 

What do you think? Do you read things you don't enjoy? If so, tell me why in the comments below!

Fever: A Ballroom Romance~Tonya Plank | Review & GIVEAWAY!

Title: Fever (A Ballroom Romance #1)
Author: Tonya Plank
Genre: NA Romance
Length: 416 Pages
Release: June 2015
My Rating: 3/5 Stars

I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Review

Let me start by saying that I'm not a big reader of the romance genre or new adult novels, so I wasn't sure about reading this novel when the author approached me. After discussing it with her I decided to give it a try and see how I liked it. This three star rating is NOT a bad rating and I'm sure there are many people I know who would enjoy this novel greatly. So now that I've gotten that out of the way, let's get to some of my thoughts. 

There were several things about this novel that frustrated me (thus a three star instead of four or five). Rory, the main character, is one of those things. It's not that I completely disliked her, but I didn't feel like she grew enough throughout the novel. She's very timid, lacks confidence, and focuses a lot on her physical appearance (which isn't always bad, but was over the top here and she seemed to be becoming worse). 

Out of all the things that slightly annoyed me about Rory though, the worst of them was her relationship with James, her boyfriend in the beginning. James just really annoyed me as a character (and I'm sure he was supposed to). He was not a supportive boyfriend, tried to boss Rory around, made her feel guilty about insignificant things, and was just genuinely not very nice. This relationship just spiraled downward. I won't get into what happens between them, since that would be a spoiler, but I was frustrated with the resolution and some of Rory's actions in this situation.

So now let me tell you what I really liked about this novel. The dancing. I love watching people dance and this novel really made me want to take some dancing lessons (which I just might be doing soon). Everything was described beautifully (a little lengthy at times) and I felt like I was there, dancing along with the characters. It was easy to get caught up in the ballroom world along with Rory and lose yourself in that lifestyle.

There wasn't much romance in this novel, but it did set up the story. The ending was wide open, making you want the next book immediately. There are many different directions that Rory's world could go at this point. She's young, has a job, loves to dance, has talent. Sasha is also a factor.

If you like the romance genre and Latin ballroom, then this is the series for you. The author is knowledgeable about both law and dance and that shows in this novel through Rory as she works as a lawyer and aspires to become a dancer. If you're interested in reading the novel, then enter to win your own copy below!

Giveaway Rules

*This giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY

*You must be 18+ to enter or have parental consent (we will have to collect your address should you win).

*If you win the giveaway, you will be contacted by email and must respond within 24 hours or another winner will be chosen in your place.

 

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Mistborn: The Well of Ascension Discussion #5

It's time for another discussion of the second Mistborn novel with Saloni from My Fantabulous Bookshelf. You can find all of the old discussions here on my blog if you're interested. And just as a warning, there may be some spoilers. 

1. After Vin left we didn’t really see much of Elend and Spook, what do you think happened to them?

Courtney: I think the main reason we haven’t seen much of Spook and Elend is just that they are traveling and it wouldn’t add much to the story. As long as they are just traveling, they should be safe. It seems like the more important aspects, as far as plot goes, are happening in Luthadel. I don’t think we have long to wait before we meet up with them again though.  

Saloni: I do find it a bit strange that we haven’t gone back to Elend’s point of view for a while. One theory is that nothing is really happening with them so we’re more focused on the fighting happening at Luthadel. Another theory is that something happened to them while they were travelling and the next section is going to expose what happened to them. For some reason I feel like this lack of perspective is somewhat important, but then again I may be wrong.

2. What are your thoughts on the Koloss’s weakness?

Courtney: This was really interesting and I also feel very important. The fact that the Lord Ruler built in a weakness in his creations has to mean something. I’m not sure where this will go, but I think it’s going to be important in future events. Maybe to understand the Lord Ruler or maybe to understand the power that he took at the Well. I’m not sure. But it’s definitely interesting. And the connection with the kandra is very interesting as well.  

Saloni: I thought the parallel between the koloss and the kandra was really interesting and I don’t think we’re done with both of them. The Lord Ruler created both of these creatures and I think their origins will help us lead back to the Lord Ruler and his seemingly supernatural powers. I think this information will help us figure out why people considered the Lord Ruler “God”.

3. Do you think there is some connection between the Lord Ruler and the God that haunted Zane?

Courtney: The God that haunted Zane is important, I think. I’m fairly certain it has something to do with his metal spike. I’m not sure if this voice was the Lord Ruler or some greater power that haunted Zane. I feel like their has to be some type of connection, but I don’t feel like the Lord Ruler is truly still around. This has to be important though. Sanderson is very deliberate when it comes to these things, so he wouldn’t have given us all this information about the voice and the spike if we didn’t need it.

Saloni:We’ve constantly been told that the Lord Ruler had some type of divinity in him, which gives him a God-like power. I can’t help but connect this “God” to the same God that haunted Zane. Perhaps the spike has something to do with it. I think the spikes allow the Lord Ruler to invade the individual’s mind and speak directly to them. While the Lord Ruler is physically dead, I think some part of his spirit is still alive and within the mists that have been released.

4. What do you think will happen when Vin finally reaches the Well of Ascension?

Courtney: I feel like there isn’t enough information regarding the Well. She hears the thumping and sees the Mist spirit, like the last Hero did, but what does that really mean? I also don’t know what kind of power is going to be at the Well once she gets there. Obviously the Lord Ruler was able to take some form of power and create the Final Empire, but how this will play out with Vin is a mystery. An important mystery.

Saloni: There’s so much mystery behind the Well. In all of the records there are frequent mentions of the fact that the Lord Ruler took the power for himself instead of letting it go. We assume that this is because the Lord Ruler became selfish and wanted the power for himself but perhaps taking the power was what held back the Mists. I really don’t know how Vin is going to react to this power since no one really knows how this power works.

5. Sazed has lost much of his faith after Tindwyl’s death, how do you think this will affect the future of the empire?

Courtney: Sazed, while quiet and servile, is extremely important to the rest of the crew and kingdom. I think his lack of faith and belief after Tindwyl will definitely have an impact on what happens with Vin, Elend, and the rest of the crew. He so often seems to be in the background of things, but without him they would all be lost. I feel that this depressed state he is in will have a larger role as the story progresses. And probably not in a good way.  

Saloni: Sazed is an extremely important background character and his depression-like mindset is definitely going to affect the crew. Sazed is at the core of the crew’s knowledge, about everything and if he decides to give up and not believe, he, whether he knows it or not, affects the belief of the rest of the crew. I do think this will play a significant role in the next book, but I’m not sure exactly how.

Mistborn: The Well of Ascension Discussion #4

It's time for another discussion post with Saloni from My Fantabulous Bookshelf about Mistborn: The Well of Ascension, the second book in Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn trilogy. There will be some spoilers, so you may want to wait until you've caught up to continue reading. 

1. Since TenSoon the spy, why do you think he divulged so much information about kandra and their weaknesses?

Courtney: I think that TenSoon was forced by Zane to kill OreSeur and take his place, assuming that Vin would be cruel and manipulative like Zane. His opening up and divulging of secrets was a slow process. I think he genuinely came to care for Vin and she for him. He even warned her to stay away from Zane at times, knowing that Zane was not trustworthy and was playing with Vin’s emotions. I hope we see more of him in the future.

Saloni: Some part of him was playing a role, which involved him acting as OreSeur but even so I don’t think that’s the sole reason he helped Vin so much. I really believe that as he and Vin began talking, some part of him began to trust her and open up to her to the point where she could glean some of his secrets from him. Even at the end TenSoon seemed reluctant to leave Vin and become reassigned which shows me that there was some amount of true trust between them.

2. Do you think Vin is the Hero of Ages?

Courtney: It seems to obvious for that to be the case. While there are many similarities between the things we know about the Hero of Ages and Vin, I think we are missing vital information. I think she’s important to the Hero of Ages, I just don’t think she is the hero herself. I’m not sure if it’s someone we already know or if they will be introduced later, but I think Vin will play an important part no matter who the hero is.

Saloni: While it is the outcome that makes the most sense, it’s also too predictable. Though Vin does have immense similarities to the Hero of Ages that matches some of the characteristics from the logbook, I think it would be too easy an ending to simply proclaim Vin the Hero of Ages. I think Sazed or Tindwyl will find something in the logbook or the rubbing that shows that someone else is the Hero of Ages.

3. It was revealed that Zane had a metal spike in his body, do you think this has anything to do with the voice he was hearing? Any thoughts on why the knowledge of this metal spike was important?

Courtney: Sanderson is too focused to give us information that we don’t need. Everything in his novels is important. I feel like this revelation, made here at the end of Zane’s life, was important for us to know. And I do think it has something to do with the voices. I don’t really know how, but I think they are related. So far the only people we know of with metal spikes are Inquisitors, who change because of those spikes. I think the two are somehow related.

Saloni: I was wondering about the same thing actually, more so “God’s” last words before Zane’s death. The fact that Zane wasn’t actually insane has to have some type of importance but I couldn’t figure out how it would play into the story since he was dead. Perhaps the steel Inquisitors are controlled by this “God” whose voice is induced by the spikes? Though I’m not completely sure.

4. What do you think of the Crew’s plan to send Vin and Elend away? Do you think it will work?

Courtney: The Crew is such an amazing part of this novel. I don’t think that their plan will go as they think it will, but I was happy to see them formulate it nonetheless. It was nice to see them all come together and acknowledge their doom, while trying to save some of their younger friends. And their logic was good, since Vin and Elend would be able to return and help eventually. I just don’t think they will truly leave like the crew expects.  

Saloni: There is no way the crew’s plan is going to work. I feel like there are way too many variables at play for this plan to work out flawlessly. It was an ideal plan but I don’t think it’s going to pan out exactly how it’s supposed to. Perhaps the Hero of Ages is Vin and the plan to send Vin and Elend actually works to get rid of the Mists and save the world. It seems a bit farfetched and very idealistic but maybe a version of it is possible.

Tuesday Talks | Multiple Points of View

You can join in the discussions through the goodreads group Tuesday Talks which was created by Janie and Janelle. It's always a lot of fun and an interesting way to connect with other readers.

What Are Your Thoughts About Multiple POV's in books?

Reading books with multiples points of view is one of my favorite things. I love how in depth a story can go when you're getting so much information from several different sources. Obviously not every novel can or should have multiple points of view, but I really enjoy them when they do. 

I've read several first person narratives that switch back and forth between two or three characters chapter by chapter and I really like this. If done well it can make the story flow really well. And you get more than one perspective. Sometimes a first person story is more difficult to connect with because you're only getting that one persons side of the story. 

In the fantasy world there are many novels that have alternating points of view. Brandon Sanderson (one of my favorite authors), uses third person multiple points of view in almost all of his novels and I really love the way it's able to deepen the story and make everything more real. 

So the short of it is, I really enjoy a multiple point of view story. What about you? Do you like more than one POV or do you want to stick with just one?