Book Review · Books

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern [BOOK REVIEW]

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern book review blog blogging books reading goodreads magic illusion romance

I don’t even know how to start my book review for The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. It was too magical, that I feel like everything I write will not do this book justice. To me, it felt like I was a part of one big secret. And in this book, Widget has something to say about secrets:

“Secrets have power,” Widget begins. “And that power diminishes when they are shared, so they are best kept and kept well. Sharing secrets, real secrets, important ones, with even one other person, will change them. Writing them down is worse, because who can tell how many eyes might see them inscribed on paper, no matter how careful you might be with it. So it’s really best to keep your secrets when you have them, for their own good, as well as yours.”

Therefore, I feel like everything I might say will make this magical book a little less magical than it already is. I feel like this is an experience that you need to read for yourself, get acquainted with this Circus, with its characters, and feel like a part of it. 

Two people, brought up in different circumstances, have been getting ready for the challenge all their lives. They can’t avoid it, they are bonded to it. Their task is to be better than the other person, be a better magician, be a better illusionist. Their destiny is magical and dangerous, and the circus is their arena. 

“You need to understand your limitations so you can overcome them.”

The circus is a beautiful place.

It is magical. It is everything you’ve ever wanted as a kid. The lights, the music, the mystery, the performers… Everything that happens in the circus has its own story. Many characters involved and their own adventures mix, get tangled and interfere with the two competitor’s destiny. I loved the descriptions of the different tents, the ice garden, the labyrinth, the cloud maze, the tent with the bottles…

“People see what they wish to see. And in most cases, what they are told that they see.”

The writing in The Night Circus is beautiful. It is slow-paced and very imaginative. Slowly, it takes you to a place where people perform illusions, read tarot and foresee the destiny, tell stories, build magical clocks. If you’ve ever been to a circus, you will feel like you are there again. If you haven’t experienced that before, this book will give you the best possible introduction. A story of magic, love, destiny and storytelling like you’ve never seen before and you’re unlikely to see soon. It’s no wonder this book receives such hype. 

“A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.”
                                                      – Oscar Wilde, 1888

The Night Circus is a favourite. The ultimate favorite. Today, tomorrow, and probably until the rest of my life. For all the characters inside it that mattered. For the happy ever afters. But most importantly, for the storytellers. For my grandma, for Widget and for Erin. And for the other storytellers like them – because without them, we wouldn’t be able to truly find magic.

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Book Review · Books

Into the Crooked Place (Into the Crooked Place #1) by Alexandra Christo [BOOK REVIEW]

Into the Crooked Place by Alexandra Christo book review hot key books Readersfirst book review book blog blogging diaryofdifference diary of difference

Into the Crooked Place by Alexandra Christo was a book I was very excited to read in the first place.

There is magic and potions, there is romance and adventure. The hype around it was huge, and it is still talked about in the bookish community.

What’s not to like?

Tavia sells magic potions on the market. One day, she is ordered to sell a new magic potion. When her friend Saxoni drinks the new potion, something bad happens. The potion makes people do terrible things – and Tavia and Saxoni need to stop it, before it destroys everyone!

The storytelling in this book was amazing. I was immediately teleported to a world where going to a market to buy a love potion is normal. I could connect with all characters immediately, and wanted to know more about them. The story is told from multiple character’s points of view, which I found appropriate for this story. 

Apart from Tavia and Saxony, we also meet Wesley – who is Tavia’s underboss. He is the one that she follows orders from, and he is the one to grant her her freedom, once she earns it by working for him. 

“There are no good people, he said. Just ones who haven’t made bad choices yet.”

We also meet Karam – a feisty warrior woman, who is fighting in pits for money. Karam is a character that I instantly liked, for her bravery and her free spirit. She knows who she is, she knows how she got there, and she knows exactly what she wants. 

“She had fought her way to her position and hadn’t needed prayer or magic to do it. Just her fists and her smarts and the knowledge that she could.”

I liked Karam and she was probably my favorite character.

I think that her journey was the most adventurous compared to all the other characters, and I feel like she’s grown the most. 

“She felt at home. And she knew why. She knew then that home could be anywhere, because it wasn’t a place, but a feeling. It was made up of people, not bricks, and it was something you could create for yourself, just like family.”

The legacy that Karam and Saxony carry is very conveniently revealed. The author only revealed this when it was needed in the book, to fit a certain situation and prompt plot twists. This wasn’t something I enjoyed, and together with how the book ended, it did leave a bitter aftertaste. I think I would have liked the book more if certain reveals were handled better, and the ending was more interesting.

“Sometimes, words spoken in anger are not words spoken in truth, dila.”

To sum everything up, I still think Into the Crooked Place was amazing and enjoyable.

I enjoyed being in this magical world and I enjoyed the adventures the characters went through. If you’ve been reading my reviews, you will know I love a good versus evil battle, and this book did indeed have that. Would I change the ending? Yes. Would I change the way the reveals were handled? Yes. But was this still an amazing book? Most definitely. If you love young-adult magic and adventure books – you will enjoy this one! 

Thank you to the teams at Hot Key Books and ReadersFirst, for sending me a copy of this book. Into the Crooked Place is the first book in the series. The second book is called City of Spells, and is expected to come out in 2021. 

Purchase Links:
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Book Review · Books

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter #4) by J.K. Rowling [BOOK REVIEW]

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling book review fantasy magic Bloomsbury diary of difference diaryofdifference blog blogger books

Diving into the Harry Potter universe is a treat to my soul every time.

There is something so familiar and comfortable to this world, especially Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, that always pulls me back to where it all started. 

Read my reviews of the previous Harry Potter books: 

  1. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
  2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
  3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Since there is a lot of drama going on with the author at the moment, I want to say just this. While I do not agree with some of the author’s statements, her work meant a lot to me throughout my years, and I have chosen to draw a line between her personal life and her work. You may have a different opinion, and that is valid too. 

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling is one of my favorite books from the series.

The year is filled with the Quidditch World Cup, the Triwizard Tournament, the fight for elves’ freedom, the beginning of the rising of evil and the terrible destiny of Cedric Diggory. 

Harry has a weird dream about Voldemort at the beginning of the book. He lets Sirius Black know in a letter. Then, he and his friends, as well as the whole Weasley family attend the Quidditch World Cup, where there is an incident with Harry’s wand – that will start this book in a very dark way.

As the new school year of Hogwarts begins, Dumbledore has an exciting announcement to make. Hogwarts will be hosting the Triwizard tournament this year!

“The Triwizard Tournament was first established some seven hundred years ago, as a friendly competition between the three largest European schools of wizardry – Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. A champion was selected to represent each school, and the three champions competed in three magical tasks. The schools took it in turns to host the Tournament once every five years, and it was generally agreed to be a most excellent way of establishing ties between young witches and wizards of different nationalities – until, that is, the death toll mounted so high that the Tournament was discontinued.”

When the Goblet of Fire selects the three champions for each house, everyone is ready to move on. Viktor Krum, from Durmstrang, was selected first, followed by Fleur Delacour of Beauxbatons. The Goblet selected Cedric Diggory as the Hogwarts Champion.

But then, the Goblet spits out one more name – Harry Potter!

But how is that possible, when Harry hasn’t put his name in?

“Did you put your name into the Goblet of Fire, Harry?” Dumbledore asked calmly. 

Careful of the fact that someone wants Harry to be in danger, he still needs to compete in the three tasks of the tournament. I loved all three tasks and how smart some wizards had to be to overcome their challenges.

I also really loved the Yule Ball, and the atmosphere it had. Everyone seemed happier and forgot their worries for the evening. Things were calming down before the real storm began. 

The part I loved the most, which wasn’t included in the movies, was Harmione’s fight for the rights of the elves. She fought that they deserved to be free and be paid for their work, not be slaves to witches and wizards. On top of all this, what I loved most was Dobby’s story in this whole situation.

Also, did you know this?

Hermione’s name is pronounced “Her-my-oh-nee”. I have somehow always known this at the back of my mind, but because it’s pronounced as “Her-my-nee” in the movies, I have been saying it like that for a very long time. 

“If you want to know what a man’s like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”

Still a favourite and still amazing. After all this time? Always! 

“Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery.”

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Books · Monthly Tags

June TBR – The TBR Raffle

June TBR The Bane Chronicles Into The Crooked Place Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Nevermoor Dear JOhn The Princess PLan Improvement Julia London Nicholas Sparks J.K. Rowling Cassandra Clare

Hello, my lovelies!

I hope everyone is safe and gliding through the new era of Coronavirus. It is hard to believe that it is June already! I have to admit – I felt useless all month, but at least I got some reading done. Let’s see what My June TBR will bring.

I have read a lot of books in May and will hopefully do a May Wrap Up post as well soon. I have one book left to finish, which will be probably finished by the time I post this blog post, but I also read other reads as well. Let the June TBR raffle commence.

The TBR Raffle

I am filming my TBRs on my Instagram Stories. Make sure to follow me on Instagram, and check out the “Monthly TBR” highlight at the beginning of each month!

My TBR Raffle game is simple: I have a number of prompts that I put in small papers, into a jar. I draw a prompt, and I fit in a book that matches my prompt. Here is a list of the current prompts I have. Feel free to leave any prompt suggestions in the comments. Once the paper is drawn, I put it back into the jar, so it has an equal chance to get drawn again. I draw a total of 8 prompts, which result in 8 books for the month. If I fail to read a book, it automatically goes into the next month.

My June TBR

June TBR The Bane Chronicles Into The Crooked Place Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Nevermoor Dear JOhn The Princess PLan Improvement Julia London Nicholas Sparks J.K. Rowling Cassandra Clare

✨ 1. Borrowed

When Borrowed came up, I chose two books and let my Instagram followers decide which one to pick. The majority chose The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, Maureen Johnson and Cassandra Jean. It is a collection of stories about Magnus Bane and I cannot wait to read it.

✨ 2. ReadersFirst

When this prompt comes up, I need to chose a book that was sent to me by the team at ReadersFirst. This is a website where you can read excepts of ARCs, leave a review and win books. For this prompt, I decided to choose I book I had on my shelf since last winter and I am excited about. Into the Crooked Place by Alexandra Christo has magic, betrayal and fantasy and I am looking forward to diving into it.

✨ 3. Fantasy

For this prompt, I decided to read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling, the fourth book in the series. I think this is the book where things get darker and more dangerous, and I am extremely excited to get back to my comfort read with Harry, Hermione and Ron. On the subject of J.K. Rowling, I am also currently reading her newest children’s book – The Ickabog, as the chapters are being published.

✨ 4. My Pick

At first I thought I will choose a book during the month, as I feel like it, but then I decided to share it with you on Instagram, to choose for me. And the title was The Trials of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor #1) by Jessica Townsend. I have wanted to read this book for a very long time and I cannot wait!

✨ 5. Re-Read

When re-read came up, I had a lot of difficulty choosing a book. I had to go for Dear John by Nicholas Sparks. I used to love romance and I haven’t been too keen to it lately, so I decided to pick up a book that made me love romance in the first place, and who else if not Nicholas Sparks.

✨ 6. Romance

For my romance prompt, I chose The Princess Plan (A Royal Wedding #1) by Julia London. It is a love story with a princess in it, and I am excited to read it. This book was sent to me by the team at Mills & Boon.

✨ 7. ReadersFirst

For the second prompt of a book I received through ReadersFirst, I chose Improvement by Joan Silber. It has been on my shelf for a long time, and I feel like I am in the mood for it this month.

✨ 8. Sent by Author

I was hoping to receive this prompt, and I am quite happy. I have chosen a book that I had on my shelf for the longest. By The Feet of Men by Grant Price is a post-apocalyptic novel and sounds very intriguing.

Extra

June TBR

 

The Wives by Tarryn Fisher

I will be participating in the Blog Tour, organised by the HQ Team. Expect my review on 25th June. My Wives is a domestic thriller about a man who has three wives, who don’t know each other. Yet.

And that’s my June TBR.
Make sure to follow me on Instagram, so you can stay up to date with my current updates during the month.
What are you planning to read this month? Let me know in the comments!

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Books · Monthly Tags

May TBR – The TBR Raffle

may tbr reading book books goodreads review blog blogging diary of difference diaryofdifference magic owls readathon magical book roast youtube

Hello, my lovelies!

I hope everyone is safe and gliding through the new era of Coronavirus. April was as unusual as March, but I have now started getting more and more used to my free time. Let’s see what My May TBR will bring.

I have read a lot of books in April, and I will soon do a complete April TBR Wrap up post. I am happy to say that I have read all the books I planned to read for the month, completed my OWLs and I also read some extra books as well.

The TBR Raffle

I am filming my TBRs on my Instagram Stories. Make sure to follow me on Instagram, and check out the “Monthly TBR” highlight at the beginning of each month!

My TBR Raffle game is simple: I have a number of prompts that I put in small papers, into a jar. I draw a prompt, and I fit in a book that matches my prompt. Here is a list of the current prompts I have. Feel free to leave any  prompt suggestions in the comments. Once the paper is drawn, I put it back into the jar, so it has an equal chance to get drawn again. I draw a total of 8 prompts, which result in 8 books for the month. If I fail to read a book, it automatically goes into the next month.

My May TBR

BeFunky-collage (14).jpg

✨ 1. Giveaway

I have chosen A Throne of Swans by Katharine and Elizabeth Corr, because this was a book I received through Readers First. It is a story about a girl whose royal family transforms into swans, and when her father dies, she needs to lead. However, she hasn’t been able to become a swan since she saw her mother die, and danger is coming…

✨ 2. Boyfriend Pick

When this prompt comes up, my boyfriend needs to choose a book for me. This time, he chose The Shattering: Prelude to Cataclysm by Christie Golden. Chris & I have been playing World of Warcraft together for a while, and started again when the Vanilla version was launched. I have always been intrigued with the Lore, and he chose this book, because Cataclysm is his favorite expansion and he thinks it is a great beginning to dive into the Lore world. I am so excited to read it!

✨ 3. NetGalley

When this prompt comes up, I need to read a book I have requested through NetGalley. I have many titles that I need to catch up on, honestly, and this is a prompt that helps me stay on top of them. This time I chose Music From Another World by Robin Talley. A story about two girls that become penpals in the 1970s. Story about rebellion, music and finding their identities. I cannot wait to read this!

✨ 4. Sent By Author

I have chosen Ethereal Custody: Anthologies by Byron Allanvre, because this is the book that was sent to me by an author that has been on my shelf the longest. I am not too familiar with the synopsis, but I know it is a sci-fi book about a parallel universe, and our protagonist is trying to escape.

✨ 5. Lowest Rated

When the Lowest Rated prompt comes up, I have a look at my Goodreads TBR pile, and choose the book that has the lowest average rating. I tend to avoid books that have less than 10 reviews. French Kissing by Catherine Sanderson was the book that popped up on my list, and I can’t wait to read. I love the synopsis and I have been wanting to read this book for a long time, so I am a bit surprised as to why it has a low rating.

✨ 6. One Word Title

For this occasion, I chose a book that was sent to me by an author. The book I will read is Cryptofauna by Patrick Canning. It is a story of a janitor that works in an asylum. He is about to commit a suicide, but is stopped by one of the residents and is then recruited to play a game called Cryptofauna. I am quite excited to read what this game is all about!

✨ 7. Purchased

A book I recently purchased is The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski. This is the prequel to the Witcher series. I love Witcher – the game and I also loved The Witcher – the TV Show. I love Geralt of Rivia with all my heart, and this is the perfect time to dive into the book series.

✨ 8. Giveaway

We start and we end with a Giveaway. And this time, I have chosen Thorn by Intisar Khanani. This is a book about Alyrra, who is a princess and is about to get married to a price from another kingdom. But all she wants to do is be an ordinary person. When a sorceress robs her of her identity, Alyrra’s adventures begin. Thorn gives me Aladdin vibes, and I cannot wait to read it!

Extras

BeFunky-collage (15).jpg

Just My Luck by Adele Parks

I will be participating in the Blog Tour, organised by the HQ Team. Expect my review on 16th May. Just My Luck is a story about a couple and their friends, that play the same lottery numbers each week. One week, the friendship comes to a rift, and the couple win the lottery. And this is when the drama begins.

His & Hers by Alice Feeney

I will be participating in the Blog Tour, organised by the HQ Team. Expect my review on 28th May. This is all I will reveal to you for the synopsis:

Jack: Three words to describe my wife: Beautiful. Ambitious. Unforgiving.
Anna: I only need one word to describe my husband: Liar.

And that’s my May TBR.
Make sure to follow me on Instagram, so you can stay up to date with my current updates during the month.
What are you planning to read this month? Let me know in the comments!

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