Lessons Learned from The Bone Season

To help shake things up on the blog, I have decided to create a list of "Lessons Learned" after a book I have recently read (I know this would be better with dynamic gifs but I have not perfected those skills yet, so my lovely readers, you get words, not well thought out gifs).  So here goes...after reading The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon, I now know the following to be true:

1. Never walk the streets alone.  You really never know when some darkness might be lurking in the dark alleys and corners of streets as you're walking home from your job, even if you've walked it 1,000 times before and nothing bad has every happened...

2. Take the time to learn self defense.  Seriously!  It never ceases to amaze me how basic self defense skills continually help our YA heroines in time of desperation.

3. Make sure you have friends and allies in low and high places.  Never underestimate those that might come in handy.  Sometimes it helps to have a friend in strategic and powerful positions and sometimes it's helpful to have friends on the ground that can give you the real scoop on the situation.  As the Garth Brooks song goes, "I've got friends in low places...and I'll be okay."

4. Never underestimate the power you have within.  You might not know it now, but YOU ARE POWERFUL.  Seriously, we are the makers of our destiny and we are also the main character and leading lady of our life's production...so go out there and win that Academy Award.

5. Always try to help someone in need.  Favors in any world don't go overlooked and its handy when someone "owes you."  Do the right thing and it might just save your life in the end...Think, Thresh from The Hunger Games: "Just this one time, I let you go.  For Rue. No more owed." 

6. Sometimes the one you love isn't the most convenient.  We really can't help those we fall in love with.  Sometimes it's tragic and really unfortunate (i.e. Romeo and Juliet) but we can't tell our hearts who to beat for.  Hopefully we fall for those who at least bring out the best in us.

7. Trains seem to be the mode of transport of the future (Bone Season, Divergent, Hunger Games).  Seriously, this might seem random, but does anyone else see a pattern here?  Anyone?  We always knew it, but seriously BUY Reading Railroad and you're on your way to success!

This review is based off of reading an ARC copy of The Bone Season graciously toured by Literary Lushes!  They have an excellent program running and if you haven't checked them out yet, I strongly encourage it!  They can be found here: or on Twitter @LitLushes.