In My Mailbox #179

This week has been better. Well, my health still sucks, but I re-read His Dark Materials. And that has made my heart so happy. Because, sigh, Will and Lyra. <3 They are the bestest. And you all need to read these books. Right away. They are the most amazing books. But oh. I know I'm still behind on things. Especially blog comments. And I'm so sorry about that. Soon I shall have the time and energy to look through all my comments again. But do know that I read and love all my comments. <3 And you guys are the best. I also comment on a bunch of blogs, but I shall do better soon, I hope :) Anyway. This week I posted another Cress Tuesday. <3 I'm waiting on Crimson Bound :) I read The Golden Compass. <3 I read The Subtle Knife. <3 I read The Amber Spyglass. <3 Then I listened to The Collectors :D And re-read Lyra's Oxford. <3 My loves. This upcoming week I shall read more ARCs, I think. Have lots to read. Ack. Also. Last night I watched The Boxtrolls. Which I really adored. So cute. Also seen Into the Woods. Which was.. meh. Sister said it was the worst movie she has ever seen. Ack. Anyway. The mail this week. Not that much, because of Easter, but still some gorgeous things. <3 And new plush, hiih. I'm a bit obsessed with Bukowski plush. I need them all. What did you get this week? Happy Easter everyone. <3

Frozen Memo. Norwegian edition. <3 But oh, this was too gorgeous not to buy. Love the tiny cards :)
Black Dove, White Raven. I didn't fully love this, but I did like it, so I had to own my own copy of it. <3
The House of Hades. Ah, this gorgeous US paperback. <3 I loved this book so much a year ago. Sniffs.
The 100. This was a bit cheaper, so I had to own the DVD version too, hih :D Love this show so much. <3
47 Ronin. This was very cheap when I ordered the other movies, and I'm curious about it. You seen it?
Event Horizon. I saw this a few weeks back. I liked it. So I needed to own a copy of it too, hih. Pretty.
Grease. Finally own this movie on blu-ray. <3 Pretty sure I must re-watch it soon. As it is awesome.
The Boxtrolls. As I said, watched it last night. This movie was so adorable. I really liked it. Go see it.
Bukowski Plush. I need all the plushes. And this one was just too damn cute. <3 I love the tiny wings.
Nicki Minaj Perfume. Testing a new perfume. And this one smells pretty gorgeous. Hope it stays so :)

Every Last Word. Eeeek. Thank you Disney Hyperion for accepting my Netgalley request for this one. <3 I'm really excited to read it. Yet a bit nervous too. Just hoping it will be amazing, and that the romance will be cute, hih. I'm excited, though. It looks so good. And it is so so pretty! <3

More Instagram photos here. <3

Book Recommendation: Lyra's Oxford by Philip Pullman

I know that this book is really short. And I already wrote a review for it last year. But oh. Since I just re-read His Dark Materials, I had to re-read this one too. And I'm so glad I did. Because Lyra's Oxford is all kinds of awesome. Yes, it is way too short. Hmph. But it is also so perfect. Because of Lyra. And Pan. And just being back in this amazing world again. As I said, it is really short. But we still learn a whole lot. About how Lyra is living two years after The Amber Spyglass. Sniffs. Much time has passed already.

Lyra's Oxford is about Lyra and her dæmon, Pan, getting a visit from a witch's dæmon. And how he need them to find a man for him. And so a small adventure begins. And I really enjoyed it. I just really loved reading more about Lyra, whom I adore so much. She's just so amazing. And I adore Pan too, so much. His final form is adorable. I love it. I love how Lyra is going to school. I love how she is still sitting at rooftops. Mostly I just love her to pieces. Because yeah. Lyra is the bestest. I adore reading about her.

I loved how this short story ended. There is also a pretty brutal death. I loved it. The writing in this story is pretty amazing. And so much like His Dark Materials. Philip Pullman is amazing. Soon I shall read other books by him too. I'm excited. But anyway. I'm not saying more about the plot in this story. Just that I found it to be exciting, despite being all kinds of short. Hmph. And oh. The birds. I am so curious. I must know if it means anything that they are trying to protect Lyra and Pan. Must know what it means.

I'm glad I decided to re-read this short story as well. Because I had managed to forget a few things. Hmph. And I just loved reading it. But now I want The Book of Dust even more. And waiting for it shall suck. I just wish late 2016 will arrive faster. <3 And wishing the book won't get delayed. Ack. Crossing my fingers. But anyway. I do think you should all read Lyra's Oxford, if you have read His Dark Materials. Because it is amazing to get to read more about Lyra and Pan. Plus, it is exciting too. You must read it.

 

 Lyra's Oxford. Amazon. The Book Depository.

New posts: The Golden Compass. The Subtle Knife. The Amber Spyglass. The Collectors.

Once Upon a Time in the North. Lyra's Oxford. Book Recommendation of The Golden Compass. 

  Book Recommendation of The Amber Spyglass. Book Recommendation of The Subtle Knife. 

The Golden Compass. The Subtle Knife. The Amber Spyglass. Philip Pullman. The Book Depository.

Review of Northern Lights. Review of The Subtle Knife. Review of The Amber Spyglass. Folio.

Mini Review: The Collectors by Philip Pullman

I'm not sure where to begin with this audio book. It is the first I have listened to, and I'm not sure audio books are my thing, lol. But I really wanted to listen to this one, as I adore Philip Pullman, and this was to be sort of connected to His Dark Materials. It is pretty short, though, only about thirty minutes, but enough too.

I'm not fully sure I understood this story, though. I'm rating it with three stars, but I'm not sure how to rate it. It wasn't the best, as I didn't fully get it, but I also enjoyed this very short story, and I liked hearing a little bit about the worlds Philip created in His Dark Materials. So I did enjoy that a whole lot, but didn't love it. Yet it wasn't that bad. And the cover is gorgeous. Sort of liked it.

In this interview thingy with Philip Pullman, it is said that The Collectors features a painting of Mrs Marisa Coulter from when she was younger. Which is in this story. Along with a monkey figure. Which is described as really ugly, which I did not see that her dæmon in His Dark Materials were. It is said that she was eighteen when this painting was painted, and that she had visited another world. But I.. Well. When I read The Subtle Knife I understood it so that she had never seen another world? I'm confused.

I'm also a bit confused with the timeline. The Collectors is said to be set in 1970, our world, I think. Yet it was talked a lot about when this painting was painted, and when this man met her, and I do not know. The time confused me. Sigh. But even so, I did find this short story to be pretty exciting. And I did like listening to it. Hearing about Horley and Grinstead was interesting. And I did like how it ended, pretty brutal. Just wished it had been a little bit clearer, as it left me confused. Sigh. But still a good story :)

 

The Collectors. Audible. Amazon. 

New posts: The Golden Compass. The Subtle Knife. The Amber Spyglass.

Once Upon a Time in the North. Lyra's Oxford. Book Recommendation of The Golden Compass. 

  Book Recommendation of The Amber Spyglass. Book Recommendation of The Subtle Knife. 

The Golden Compass. The Subtle Knife. The Amber Spyglass. Philip Pullman. The Book Depository.

Review of Northern Lights. Review of The Subtle Knife. Review of The Amber Spyglass. Folio.

The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman

This book is the best. Truly. And the most amazing in this trilogy. Just. Sigh. I cannot with how amazing this book is. And I'm so glad to have read it a third time. These books means so much to me. Though they have broken my heart again and again. Yet they have also made my heart the most happy.

I'm not sure how to talk about this book. It is so long. Well, it isn't nearly long enough, but it took very long to read. And I loved that. I just really wish it hadn't ended. And I wish there had been even more about Lyra and Will in this one. Sniffs. Yet it was also the perfect amount of everything, and I loved it all.

I should say that this is still the most heartbreaking ending I have ever read. And I doubt that will ever change. But it is also the most amazing book. And I couldn't love it more. Despite that devil ending. Because I also have hope. As I feel like I read a lot of hints about what might be coming next, how the ending might change. And I hope. Oh, how I hope. And if the ending doesn't get changed, well, then I will be heartbroken until the end of times. Sigh. But I still have hope. Because Philip Pullman is currently writing The Book of Dust, which might publish late 2016, and my gosh. It will be about Lyra. And that is all I know about it. But I know it will be long. And I have hope that it might have Will too. Pretty please. Crossing my fingers :)

The Amber Spyglass is such an amazing book. And I have such a high love for it. I loved reading from Lyra and Will the most, because they are the bestest, but I also really did enjoy reading from the other characters as well. As they are all interesting. And Mary is awesome. I grew to really love Lyra's mother. I feel like I did understand her. So yeah. I liked her. Sniffs. And her father too. Well. Sort of. He could have done better. But what they both did near the end was so amazing and I really loved them for it.

There is so much in this book. So much. And I shall not talk about it all. I just really need to share some of my feelings for this book, again. As I felt so much reading it for the third time. I loved it even more, I'm sure. And I love Lyra and Will even more than I did before. I shall never stop loving them. But oh. I want more. I want so much more. This cannot be the end of them. It cannot be. Sniffs. But even so, it is such an amazing final book too. Just. So heartbreaking. But full of so many amazing moments. Sigh.

I couldn't even begin to talk about everything happening in this book. I loved all of it so much. I loved reading about the fight with the angels. I loved reading about the angels sort of protecting Will. And the new small people too. They were so brave. I loved reading more about the bears. I adored the new creatures that Mary became friends with. It was awesome to read about them, and how they lived, and the creepy birds that lived near them. Shudders. Overall, this book is so damn exciting. I loved it so.

All the things happening in this book. The visit to the world of the dead. The war with heaven. The pain with the dæmons. And oh my gosh. The romance. The friendship between Lyra and Will. And how it slowly turns into something more. Sure, they are young, but not too young. And their romance is the sweetest thing in the world. The first kiss. SWOONS. I have never loved a kiss more. And I just. My heart is breaking. It is the sweetest thing. And the most heartbreaking. I just cannot deal with it. Sobs.

I could probably talk about The Amber Spyglass forever. And I wish to. But I shall not. I just really wanted to mention how much I loved this book. And how special it is to my heart. And how much I adore Will and Lyra. They are just so damn adorable. And so brave. And so cute. And just the very best characters I have read about. Sniffs. I can't deal with how amazing these books have been. And now I want to read them a fourth time right away. How mean. This book stole my heart, though. And it hurts so badly.

I have loved reading the Folio versions of these books. Though it was also very stressful, as I tried so hard not to damage them in any way, yet I do have a very hairy cat, so there is a lot of cat hair. Sigh. But that's okay. Probably. I'm considering buying a second set of these. Ack. Though.. expensive. Yet so beautiful. And yeah. I just cannot decide :D The artwork in this book is stunning too. <3 Though there were not that many images at all, sniffs. Wishing there had been more. But they were all gorgeous.

I can't begin to tell you how much I love these books by Philip Pullman. They are simply the best. And I love Lyra and Will with all my heart. They are forever my favorite characters. Sniffs. And this world. Sigh. It is the bestest. Oh, I just want more and more. I have read all his books from this universe, but I shall also check out the other books by Philip. Hoping they might be half as awesome as this trilogy is, hih :) Either way, I cannot wait to read more books by him. Because these books are perfection. <3

New post: The Golden Compass. New post: The Subtle Knife. New post: The Amber Spyglass.

Once Upon a Time in the North. Lyra's Oxford. Book Recommendation of The Golden Compass. 

  Book Recommendation of The Amber Spyglass. Book Recommendation of The Subtle Knife. 

The Golden Compass. The Subtle Knife. The Amber Spyglass. Philip Pullman. The Book Depository.

Review of Northern Lights. Review of The Subtle Knife. Review of The Amber Spyglass. Folio.

 

My collection of all things Philip Pullman, so far. <3

Waiting on Wednesday #181

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

CRIMSON BOUND BY ROSAMUND HODGE

Goodreads Description:

When Rachelle was fifteen, she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless— straying from the forest path in search of a way to free her world from the threat of eternal darkness. After an illicit meeting goes dreadfully wrong, Rachelle is forced to make a terrible choice that binds her to the very evil she had hoped to defeat.

Three years later, Rachelle has given her life to serving the realm, fighting deadly creatures in an effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her find the legendary sword that might save their world. As the two become unexpected allies, they uncover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic, and a love that may be their undoing. In a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night?

Inspired by the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Crimson Bound is an exhilarating tale of darkness, love, and redemption.  

Hardcover, 448 pages

Expected publication: May 5th 2015 by Balzer & Bray/Harperteen

Pre-Order here and here.

I'm excited about Crimson Bound. But also worried, because I'm not pleased at all with what I peeked about the romance at the end of the book :( So I think I might not fully love this book.. sobs. But I might also be wrong, because I really loved her first book, Cruel Beauty. And I want to like this one so badly. It looks so pretty. It sounds so good. Will be reading it soon :D I'm curious and excited. Fingers crossed.
What are you waiting for on this red Wednesday?