Book Review: The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

7th January 2019 Lara T. Kareem6 Comments

Title – The Belles (The Belles #1)

Publication – Febuary 6th, 2018.

Publisher – Disney-Hyperion

Genre – Fantasy & Young Adult

Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orléans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orléans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful.

But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite—the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orléans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land. But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie—that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined. And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces an impossible decision.

With the future of Orléans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide—save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles—or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever.

Literary Blogging 101: Content Creation for Literary Blogs.

27th December 201822nd May 2021 Lara T. Kareem4 Comments

Consistently putting out blogging content can be very hard or easy depending on if you’ve figured out your niche(s), what works for you and your schedule. But you don’t have to worry about figuring out your niche since this is a guide for Literary Blogging. Read More »

Literary Blogging 101: Writing Book Reviews

26th November 201822nd May 2021 Lara T. Kareem6 Comments

Introduction

A book review should be full with nothing but the reader’s honest opinion. Doesn’t matter if you bought the book, borrowed it or got it from the author or publisher. Every writer has a voice, the voice is what determines a review because if a review is honest, it comes from the heart. It’s the writing of our reading experience, the good, bad and ugly.

A review can start off with us loving a book and at the end of writing it, we come to the realization we actually hated the book or vice versa. That is to say, reviews are unique and we should never think we always have to stick to a certain required template or format.Read More »

Knowing the Difference Between Reality & Fiction.

10th September 201816th March 2022 Lara T. Kareem3 Comments

If you’re a proud and certified bibliophile like I am, you probably would have been caught on different occasions, especially at places where it “seems” reading can’t possibly occur, and that someone who doesn’t or rarely ever reads, starts up a conversation to you—because bibliophiles are such rare creatures out in the wild 🙄. If this hasn’t happened to you, that doesn’t make you any less of a bibliophile, just this happens a lot to me and I can’t help but believe it happens to others also.Read More »

Book Review: Sadie by Courtney Summers

8th August 201824th September 2018 Lara T. Kareem8 Comments

Title – Sadie

Author – Courtney Summers

Publication – September 4th, 2018.

Publisher – Wednesday Books

Genres – Young Adult, Contemporary, Mystery & Thriller.

Sadie hasn’t had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she’s been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water.

But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie’s entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister’s killer to justice and hits the road following a few meagre clues to find him.

When West McCray—a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America—overhears Sadie’s story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie’s journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it’s too late.

Book Review

[BOOK REVIEW THEME]

ANNOUNCER: Book Review is brought to you by Lara Kareem, sponsored by Netgalley & Wednesday Books, a Macmillian Publishers Imprint.

LARA KAREEM: And it begins, as so many stories do, with a dead girl. Such a gripping line don’t you agree, right off the bats after I read those words, I immediately became intrigued and anticipated what was to come.Read More »