The Song Rising by Samantha Shannon

The Song Rising
by Samantha Shannon

Read: March 7-9, 2017
Published: March 7, 2017
Genre: Adult Fantasy

Following a bloody battle against foes on every side, Paige Mahoney has risen to the dangerous position of Underqueen, ruling over London's criminal population.

But, having turned her back on Jaxon Hall and with vengeful enemies still at large, the task of stabilizing the fractured underworld has never seemed so challenging.

Little does Paige know that her reign may be cut short by the introduction of Senshield, a deadly technology that spells doom for the clairvoyant community and the world as they know it... (Amazon)






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Why did you read this book?
I have read both The Bone Season and The Mime Order  and this is the third in the series. I have been waiting for this book to be published since about March 2015 and I pre-ordered it in January 2016. It is one of my favorite series to date and there was no way I could just not read it.

What did you like about this book?
Oh, where to start? This book was just fantastic and well worth the wait. I'll start with the protagonist, Paige. She goes through so much over the course of the first three books and my heart hurts for everything that she will have to go through in the next four books. Paige is a character that has become very precious to me, not because she's a 'strong, female character', but because she's very human. She struggles, she fails, and she is broken. Despite that, she has a fierce love and loyalty to her friends. Her vulnerability and uncertainty with Warden is a breath of fresh air from other romances. I love their connection and the almost inseparable bond that they share. I'm very excited (and nervous) to see how their relationship will progress. I was also very pleased with the character development we saw with Nick and Eliza. I'm glad they had more page time than they did in previous books. I also liked reading about other minor characters, like Tom and Maria. Especially Tom and Maria. Another thing I liked was that this book started right where the last one left off. The whole series has been like that so far and I really appreciate that. The writing in this book also seems to be a notch above the first two. It's beautifully written and there is one scene in particular (near the end) that was written so well it just broke my heart. It was just so good. I liked the end of this book more than the other two. The first two books felt like they ended in the middle of the action, whereas this end felt almost like a beginning. The main focus of the book had been resolved and now the characters are going forth to continue with the overarching story.

What didn't you like about this book?
There were very few things that I didn't like, the first being that it started rather slow. As excited as I was to read it, it took me a long time to actually get into it. I also wish the Rephaite had featured a little more in this book. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad for the page space given to Warden, but I would have liked to read more about Alsafi and Terebell and even Nashira. The Rephaite fascinate me and I'm eager to know more about them. I also felt like the absence of Zeke and Nadine was told rather than felt. They felt a little like an afterthought. I don't particularly care about Nadine, but I want to know what happened to Zeke, for Nick's sake. Also, I wouldn't have complained if the book was longer...

Bottom-Line:
I was really impressed with this one. I fell in love with the clairvoyant world when I read The Bone Season and it just keeps getting better. Paige and Warden are some of my favorite characters of all time. I would wholeheartedly suggest this series. Please, everyone read it so it can get the love and attention it deserves.


"'You have risen from the ashes before. The only way to survive,' he said, 'is to believe you always will.'" -The Song Rising by Samantha Shannon

The Book List

          I meant to post this last weekend, because it was my birthday. Of course, time got away from me and I've had midterms this week (I've actually got one in a couple of hours...but I just can't study anymore). Anyway, I turned 20 last Saturday and I thought I should at least post something for my birthday. I couldn't really think of anything to write about because currently my life is all about school, which isn't that interesting. So, in lieu of something touching or thoughtful, here is a list of 20 books that I have read that were published in the last 20 years (all of which I would recommend). Enjoy!

1. Maskerade by Terry Pratchett (1995)
2. Calvin and Hobbes: It's a Magical World by Bill Watterson (1996)
3. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (1997)
4. Holes by Louis Sachar (1998)
5. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (1999)
6. How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? by Jane Yolen (2000)
7. Pay it Forward by Catherine Ryan Hyde (2001)
8. Tithe by Holly Black (2002)
9. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (2003)
10. The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen (2004)
11. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (2005)
12. It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini (2006)
13. 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher (2007)
14. The Host by Stephanie Meyer (2008)
15. City of Glass by Cassandra Clare (2009)
16. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (2010)
17. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (2011)
18. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (2012)
19. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey (2013)
20. City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare (2014)
21. The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon (2015)

"I guess it's hard for people who are so used to things the way they are - even if they're bad - to change. 'Cause they kind of give up. And when they do, everybody kind of loses." -Pay it Forward by Catherine Ryan Hyde

The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon

          Quick Apologies: Sorry for not having Ireland journals or the book photo challenge posted in the past few days! It's been busy. However, I should hopefully be able to get back to it on a regular basis soon. In the meantime, here's a book review!


*Possible Spoilers*

The Mime Order
by Samantha Shannon

Read: June 4-6, 2015
Published: January 27, 2015
Genre: Supernatural Dystopia
Series: The Bone Season

Paige Mahoney has escaped the brutal penal colony of Sheol I, but her problems have only just begun: many of the fugitives are still missing and she is the most wanted person in London.

As Scion turns its all-seeing eye on Paige, the mime-lords and mime-queens of the city's gangs are invited to a rare meeting of the Unnatural Assembly. Jaxon Hall and his Seven Seals prepare to take center stage, but there are bitter fault lines running through the clairvoyant community and dark secrets around every corner.

Then the Rephaim begin crawling out from the shadows. But where is Warden? Paige must keep moving, from Seven Dials to Grub Street to the secret catacombs of Camden, until the fate of the underworld can be decided. Will Paige know who to trust? The hunt for the dreamwalker is on. (Amazon)

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Why did you read this book?

I had already read the first book of the series and I was dying to know what would happen next. I waited rather impatiently for this book to come out after finishing the first one. However, even when it did come out (and I had been counting down), I didn't buy it. I wanted to wait until it was cheaper (The Bone Season is available on amazon for $4!) I waited four extra months before I just couldn't do it anymore. I bought it used and saved a couple bucks, but not many. Then I got it...and devoured it.

What didn't you like about the book?
IT ENDED ON A CLIFFHANGER!

What did you like about the book?
Oh, so many things. I was a blob of feels when I finished, so I've had to wait this long to even attempt a review for it. At this point, I almost think I need to wait longer. Or perhaps read it again so I can organize all the thoughts in my head. Anyway. Things I liked. The pacing was much better in this one than the first one and it was easier to read now that I'm more familiar with the terms used by and about the characters. It was also kind of unpredictable. I mean, I'm sure I could have predicted some aspects of the story, and I'm sure I did think ahead without being entirely aware of it, but I got so absorbed in the book that something always took me by surprise. And the characters! I love them. I didn't quite care for Nick in this one as much as I did in The Bone Season, but everyone else it either grew in fondness or dislike. Of course, the ones that I disliked are the ones you're supposed to dislike, the ones that you just really enjoy hating them (*cough*Jax*cough*). I loved Paige and Warden and I can't wait to read more about them in the next books.

Bottom-Line:
This is a book for readers, for people who like to get lost in fictional worlds and fall in love with fictional characters. If you don't read on a regular basis, you probably won't like it. There is a lot of world building, which I love, but not everyone does. It's a great book (and you should definitely read The Bone Season first, that's important), but if you're looking for a fluff read, this is not it.



“With the right reasons, at the right moment, even the most beaten and broken of people could rise up and reclaim themselves.” -The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon