Review: The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

THE WRATH AND THE DAWN BY RENEE AHDIEH 

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons

Format: Hardcover

Series: The Wrath and the Dawn #1

Pages: 404

Date Finished: 06.07.15

Rating: 4.5/5

Summary: A sumptuous and epically told love story inspired by A Thousand and One Nights

Every dawn brings horror to a different family in a land ruled by a killer. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, takes a new bride each night only to have her executed at sunrise. So it is a suspicious surprise when sixteen-year-old Shahrzad volunteers to marry Khalid. But she does so with a clever plan to stay alive and exact revenge on the Caliph for the murder of her best friend and countless other girls. Shazi's wit and will, indeed, get her through to the dawn that no others have seen, but with a catch . . . she’s falling in love with the very boy who killed her dearest friend.

She discovers that the murderous boy-king is not all that he seems and neither are the deaths of so many girls. Shazi is determined to uncover the reason for the murders and to break the cycle once and for all.

We've all read those books where the primary source of conflict is misunderstandings. Fucking misunderstandings cause break ups, wars, destruction--you name it. It happens all the time and I'm sick of it. 

Maybe that's why I adored The Wrath and the Dawn. Yes, there was angst and conflict, but it was all so necessary. When secrets were revealed, the characters gave each other a chance to explain rather than going batshit crazy, and it was just so refreshing. I can't put into words how great it was to read a book where the characters actually trusted each other. 

“She was a dangerous, dangerous girl. A plague. A Mountain of Adamant who tore the iron from ships, sinking them to their watery graves without a second thought. With a mere smile and a wrinkle of her nose.”

This book, people. Oh man, this book was good. The Wrath and the Dawn is pretty much everything I look for in a story, and I'm so happy that Ahdieh managed to write a story that met my expectations. 

I enjoyed this book enough to warrant it 5 stars, but in the end I decided to give it 4.5 because there were a few things holding it back. Whilst I was on board with the romance, I felt like it developed too quickly. I wanted build up and tension, and whilst there was some of that I felt like everything was happening too soon. Also, I didn't find it that believable to why Khalid didn't kill Shazi on that very first dawn. Maybe I just missed something, but it felt all too convenient. 

Saying that, if I had to describe this book in just one word it would be satisfying. It wasn't annoying by a long shot, and I absolutely loved how feminist it was. There was no slut shaming (personally I thought that sex was handled so well), and Shazi never acted like a damsel in distress. So many books claim to have 'strong' female characters, only to have them lose every interesting part of their personality when they find a hot boy. Not Shazi. 

If anything, she really came into her own as the book, and the romance, progressed. 

“Her conviction wavered further. “I told you; don’t try to own me.”

“I don’t want to own you.”

I said earlier that I felt that the romance happened a little too quickly, but that didn't mean that I didn't love it. I ship it with all my heart, okay? Shazi and Khalid had so much chemistry and it just worked. There was elements of a love triangle, but thankfully our heroine is no America Singer. The love triangle enriched Shahrzad's past, and whilst it did complicate her future it wasn't in a silly lovesick kind of way. What I'm trying to say was that it just felt natural. 

The Wrath and the Dawn is a romance first and foremost, but I didn't mind that. In fact, I bloody loved it. 

“Some things exist in our lives for but a brief moment. And we must let them go on to light another sky.”

The cast of characters was great. Shazi is a wonderful heroine, and Khalid is a brooding angsty love interest done right. Despina was the perfect female companion to Shazi, and Jalal was wonderfully charming. I didn't particularly like Tariq, but that's probably because he was my least favourite part in the aforementioned love triangle. Shazi ain't yours, bro. 

Ahdieh's prose needs a mention because it's sodding beautiful. One of the very first scenes is where Shazi's appearance is described to the reader using a mirror. Normally I hate it when writers do this. It's lazy, and quite frankly boring. Not in The Wrath and the Dawn. The descriptions are so beautiful that I didn't care how they were put across. Every word felt like it had a purpose, and every sentence pulled me further and further into the rich and vibrant culture of Khorasan. 

Yeah, this book wasn't perfect. Still, it was faced paced, utterly gripping, and has left me as a blubbering mess with a burning NEED for book two. I don't know when it comes out, but believe me when I say that I'm preordering it as soon as it's released. 

“Get up, Shahrzad al-Khayzuran. You kneel before no one. Least of all me.”

Review: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling

HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX BY JK ROWLING
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Format: Paperback
Series: Harry Potter #5
Pages: 766
Date Finished: 09.06.15
Rating: 5/5
Summary: Harry Potter is due to start his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. His best friends Ron and Hermione have been very secretive all summer and he is desperate to get back to school and find out what has been going on. However, what Harry discovers is far more devastating than he could ever have expected...

Suspense, secrets and thrilling action from the pen of J.K. Rowling ensure an electrifying adventure that is impossible to put down.

I wanted to reread The Order of the Phoenix partly because I haven't in a while, and also because I'm roughly the same age as Harry is in this book, give or take a few months. I've grown up with this series, and I don't even remember the first time I picked up a Harry Potter book. I do remember being eight years old, dragging my parents to the book shop on the release day of the final book. It took me months to read that behemoth, but it was so worth it.

It's safe to say that I don't remember a time without Harry Potter.

“The mind is not a book, to be opened at will and examined at leisure. Thoughts are not etched on the inside of skulls, to be perused by an invader. The mind is a complex and many-layered thing.” 

Rereading favourite books often makes me scared. I'm worried that I won't like it as much, or that the book will be ruined as I know what's coming. Yet, picking up this monster of a book, I wasn't worried at all. I knew straight away that I was going to love it, and I was right.

This book is fucking massive. I'm pretty sure you could bludgeon someone to death with it, or whatever. It's 257154 words long (according to Google, anyway), and to put that in perspective it's the size of a Mistborn novel. Two manuscripts of Wuthering Heights could fit inside it with room to spare. I felt as if I was flying through it.

“You're a prefect? Oh Ronnie! That's everyone in the family!" 

"What are Fred and I? Next door neighbors?”

I read the first hundred pages over a few days, but I picked this up the day before my Chemistry exam expecting to read a few chapters and ended up reading 666 pages. Revision? Haha, no. I couldn't put it down, and I was thoroughly enthralled even though I knew what was happening. It didn't bother me that I knew the twists and turns--this story is just so damn magical.

I forgot how funny this book is. JK Rowling is a genius, and her humour is both strong and subtle. I'm a much better reader than I was when I read this last, and I picked up on the things that a much younger me wouldn't have. I have a newfound love for Professor McGonagall. Seriously, that woman is brilliant.

"Have a biscuit, Potter.”

This book is much darker than its predecessors and for the first time, I think it gives an insight into where the series is truly going to end up. There's a lot more angst (well, it's mostly Harry behaving like a drama queen), and there are so many interwoven plot thread that make it a surprisingly complex book.

One of my favourite things was the way that JK Rowling handled Harry's relationship with Cho. It's awkward at the best of times, and more realistic than a lot of high school relationships in YA. I found it refreshing to read about a cringey first kist, followed by an even cringier first date. The levels of second hand embarrassment were ridiculously high.

“Just because you have the emotional range of a teaspoon doesn't mean we all have.”

Even though I'm certain that everyone and their dog has read this, I'll try to stay spoiler free. But, the saddest part of this book for me was none other than the life of Remus Lupin. Just imagine how it must feel to have two of your best friends die at twenty one, believe another dead, and have one convicted for murder. At twenty one. It breaks my heart that Harry looked up to Sirius like a father figure and that Remus was pushed to the side a bit. And, whatever was left of my heart was stomped on at the end. You know what I mean. I feel for him more than anyone, if I'm honest.

If I have to have one criticism, it would be that Neville and Luna didn't ask questions at the end when Harry was talking about Sirius. He's a wanted murderer, yet they didn't seem to batter an eyelid. I suppose I'm being too finicky, because aside from a few minor issues this book is pretty much flawless.

I don't really know what to say that can sum up my feels for this book. I'm pretty sure that everyone has read it, and I'm positive that most people have reread it as well. But, if you haven't, I'd really recommend you do. It's just fabulous, and I get more out of this series every time I reread. The Order of the Phoenix introduces some amazing characters and sets up for one of the most well thought out and ambitious plots in middle grade/YA fiction.

Basically, Harry Potter is 'effin awesome.

“Wit beyond measure is a man's greatest treasure.”

Review: Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch

Snow Like Ashes by Sarah Raasch
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Format: Hardcover
Series: Snow Like Ashes #1
Pages: 416
Date Finished: 03.05.15
Rating: 5/5
Summary: A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making.
        Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.
        Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.
        So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.

This. Book. 

                                         

I started reading this way back in January when I bought it, but I put it down to have dinner, twenty pages in. I then watched a movie. I then forgot about it and started something else. IDIOT. 

Aside from that, I read Snow Like Ashes in one glorious sitting. I picked it up, telling myself I'd just read one chapter before bed. I got to the hundred page mark and put it down, closing my eyes. Yeah, that lasted for about two minutes before I picked it up again and read until four AM. I couldn't stop, even when the notes I was taking turned to gibberish. 

My notes weren't really that coherent even when I wasn't tired. Here are some of my favourites:

Page 131 - THEY DID FUCKING WHAT THE ASSHOLES

Page 164 - Shirtless Theron scene. Hubba hubba. 

Page 235 - DAYYYUMMM I LITERALLY LOVE THERON

Page 360 - FUCK YEAH

Page 381 - FUCK YEAH 

Page 412 - Meira is such a badass omfg why can't I be her??

Page 416 - NEED. NEXT. BOOK. 

Ahem. 

First of all, I need to express how much I love the characters, particularly Meira and Theron. Let's talk about Meira first? One word: badass. She starts off as someone who constantly wants to prove herself, even if she can be a little selfish. She's capable and competent without being unrealistically good at things which is a bonus. I hate it when characters always win, even against opponents who are better than them. Another thing that makes me want to take my hat off to Raasch was that Meira wasn't whiney, even when she was complaining. I didn't ever get annoyed by her because her reactions felt natural and necessary, even if they weren't always selfless. 

Perhaps my favourite thing about Meira was the character development she went through. She was a little bit selfish at the beginning (but not to the extent that a lot of YA heroines are) but by the end of the novel she really came into her own. The selfishness was clearly intentional by the author, rather than something which is down to bad writing. I liked that. I don't want to spoil exactly how her character develops as I think that it's worth discovering as you read it, but I'll just say this. She's never afraid to be herself, and she realises that what she is will always be enough.

"I don't need made-up strength. I'm strong enough on my own--me, Meira, no magic or conduit or anything."

Meira kinda reminds me of Celaena Sardothien from the Throne of Glass series. Not in personality, but in essence and bravery. They're wildly different but they share something so similar and even if I can't quite put my finger on it, I'll say that if you loved Throne of Glass, you'll adore this one too. 

Meira's relationship with Sir was so complex and a delight to read. As the book went on their relationship changed into this wonderful mutual understanding. I get that the mentor style character is becoming a cliche but it was so refreshing to see the underlying respect and care they had for each other. 

    This is a weirdly peaceful moment for Sir and me. I fight down the giddiness that threatens to ruin it.
    "Should we hug or something?"
    Sir rolls his eyes. "Get your weapon. We head for Cordell."

There is a bit of a love triangle in this book between Meira, Mather and Theron. Whilst I felt that it was a little unnecessary and the book could have done without it, it didn't take centre stage and certainly wasn't as ridiculous as it is in other books. My favourite was Theron (read: I'm in love with him), though if I'm honest Mather and Theron's characterisation was a tiny bit similar at times. Meira says that herself, but Theron just had the edge for me even though I love Mather. Meira wasn't whiney about this, and in fact the love triangle went away as she made her choice. I just don't really think that it was necessary in the first place. 

Perhaps what I loved about both of them was that they let Meira do her thing. In a lot of books, the heroes/love interests stop the heroine from fighting just to protect her, but the men in this book respect her enough and let her do what she needs to do. They can see her strength and they respect it. 

On the back cover of this book, they use this tagline: A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making. I don't think they needed that first sentence. Yeah, she's heartbroken, but it doesn't define her like her hero or warrior status does. Meira is strong and amazing and I don't think that really does her justice.

I really do like the setting for this book. There are eight kingdoms in all, Winter being the one that most of our main characters are from. It's a really cool idea to have four of the kingdoms based on a season, and I'm surprised that it hasn't been done before. I think that the magic ties in well with the setting, though I would have liked a bit more on that front. Maybe it'll be in later books. I thought that in the beginning, there was a little too much exposition. It didn't feel like a chore and the book wasn't slow, but I'd personally have liked this to be dragged out more. 

One of the most beautiful things was the pride and patriotism that these characters had towards their nations. They were strong and they were a team. I love these quotes (I edited one of them for spoilers, fyi):

...but the Winterians aren't [lost]. And as long as they live, I'm not entirely alone.

*

That, I think, is a truer mark of belonging somewhere--being able to do anything, everything, that needs to be done, regardless of what I want.  

There were a lot of gorgeous quotes in this book that I took note of whilst reading. I think I'll share with you a couple more of my favourites. 

There will always be a they in your new life, Meira. They make decisions; they mould your future. The trick is to find a way to still be you through it all. 

* 

That's why literature is so fascinating. It's always up for interpretation, and could be a hundred different things to a hundred different people. It's never the same thing twice. 

On a final note, I just want to say that I'd recommend this to EVERYONE EVER. Also that I'm crying in a corner until the second book comes out. I want to read it. I want to stroke it and smell it and tell it that I love it. You know what? I'm not even ashamed. This is a new favourite and because of the rich and vibrant cast of characters that Raasch has created, she's a new talent to watch out for. Just be warned--if you're not a fan of the feels I wouldn't pick this book up. It hits you right in the heart on every motherfucking page. 

Review: Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier

EMERALD GREEN BY KERSTIN GIER
Publisher: Henry Holt
Format: Hardcover
Series: Precious Stones, #3
Pages: 447
Date Finished: 02.05.15
Rating: 3.5/5
Summary: Gwen has a destiny to fulfil, but no one will tell her what it is. 
        She's only recently learned she is the Ruby, the final member of the time travelling Circle of Twelve, and since then everything has been going right. She suspects the founder of the Circle, Count Saint-Germain, is up to something nefarious, but nobody believes her. And she's just learned that her charming time-travelling partner, Gideon, has probably been using her all along. 
        This stunning conclusion picks up where Sapphire Blue left off, reading new heights of intrigue and romance as Gwen finally uncovers the secrets of the time-travelling society and learns her fate!

I've wanted to get round to this book for ages. I really did enjoy the first two books and this book wasn't a let down, even though there were a few things that annoyed me. I rated it 3.5 stars even though I enjoyed it immensely, but that's because it's not the best written book of all time and there were a few flaws. It's just a bit of fun, and if that's what you're looking for I would definitely pick this trilogy up.

Albeit slightly predictable, the plot was fast paced and action packed. I couldn't stop turning the pages because I had to see how it wrapped up, even though I wasn't under the illusion that there would actually be a negative ending for the characters. I was absorbed into this world of time travel, deception and intrigue from the first page.

I do like Gwen, but I found her emotions to be a bit unrealistic. I don't want to spoil anything in this review, but there was a moment when Gwen found out something extremely big/life changing, and all she could think about was the current status of her romance with Gideon. Equally, I found the ending to be too short and convenient--I'd have liked the author to flesh it out more (read: I wanted a little more Gideon at the end :P).

But... but... did they? In my eyes, that thing at the end with the
Gideon and Gwen would NOT be my happy ending. The characters
barely even cared that their lives were changing forever. (I'm trying
not to spoil anything but if you've read this I think you'll know
what I mean).

Insta-love is also prevalent in this book. Instead of fancying someone, the characters would call it love straight away. I don't know if that's just something lost in translation (as this book is originally written in German--how cool!), but either way it annoyed me a little. I wasn't going into this expecting it to be a five star book and that let me look past things like that. I just wanted a bit of lighthearted fun and that's what I got.

There were many plot twists in Emerald Green, some of them obvious and some of them not. Whilst I do think they could have worked, part of me thinks that they were executed wrong. Like I said before, Gwen didn't really react like a rational person when she found out big news. She was a little too blaze and got over things far too quickly--I think that the whole trilogy is only set over a couple of weeks.

I'd actually like this whole trilogy to be tightened up a bit and turned into a 500-600 page standalone. I think it would make it stronger and then there'd be no need for some of the unnecessary plot points that got a bit ridiculous at times.

One thing I do love was the friendship between Lesley and Gwen. So many YA novels don't have female friendships that aren't blown out of the water when hot guy #1 (let's face it, in most books there's a #2, #3, #4 and so on) turn up. It makes me happy that she had a big role in this book.

Still, this was a good conclusion. It wrapped everything up with a ribbon and a blow, even though it was too convenient and casual. I really don't want to sound like I hated this book because I did really like it. I don't want to say the words guilty pleasure because I don't think you should ever be ashamed for liking something, but this whole series is like that.

If you're looking for a bit of lighthearted fun, I'd definitely recommend this. Want something profound, beautifully crafted and moving? I'd look somewhere else.

Review: Vicious by V.E. Schwab

Vicious by V.E. Schwab
Publisher: Titan Books
Format: Paperback
Series: No
Pages: 340
Date Finished: 15/04/15
Rating: 5/5
Summary:
Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong. 

Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?

Vicious is V.E. Schwab's first adult novel (she's written YA with the name Victoria Schwab) and although it came out a couple of years ago, I only just got round to reading it. I absolutely fell in love with this book. 

It's a web of five POV's, some more important than others and a story that equally takes place over a couple of days and ten years. I'll start off by saying if you don't like anti-heroes, this book is not for you. I don't think there is one character which would stereotypically be described as 'good' and I think that that's the best thing about this book. It makes you ask who the heroes are, and if heroes really exist at all. The characters question this in the book (“If Eli really was a hero, and Victor meant to stop him, did that make him a villain? He took a long sip of his drink, tipped his head back against the couch, and decided he could live with that.”) and I love the way it is delivered.

Let's start with the plot, shall we? I briefly mentioned that it takes place across a wide time frame. Part of it takes place in a matter of a few days. This bit is the main plot of the story. The rest of it is told through a series of flashbacks for five of the characters. This is all interwoven together and it feels so seamless that there isn't really an issue with the flow. The plot itself isn't anything groundbreaking, but I could tell how much research and planning went into it and it just pays off. It isn't the plot that made me love this book--it's the delivery.

Vicious basically gets every cliche and turns it on its head. Superheroes and villains? Let's make the reader guess which is which (I still don't have an answer). Sidekicks? Let's make them more powerful than the hero/villain. It feels so fresh and new because of this. It's a wonder how Schwab did it, considering the super hero genre is pretty much full (not that I'm complaining). I simply loved that.

By far the best part of the book was the characters. Victor is probably my favourite, probably because we spent most of the time in his head. Don't get me wrong, he isn't really a nice person, but his thoughts were just so logical and I could see exactly why he made each decision, even those ones involving murder. Ahem.

Whist I just loved Victor, Eli is a character that I just loved to hate, same with Serena (Eli's 'sidekick' for want of a better term). Again, his fucked-up-ness was so incredibly logical and everything just made sense. He had a God complex and I thought that this was done really well, especially when it's another trope which his so common in characters.

The secondary characters were just as magical. Sydney was wonderful to read, and I found myself completely relating to this twelve year old girl. Mitch was just fabulous. He's a giant, tattoo covered, thug looking guy who is a hacker with a preference for chocolate milk. I want a Mitch spin off.

This book was just fabulous. I couldn't put it down. As soon as I started reading, I was immersed in the (slightly disturbing) minds of our characters. Their tales just mattered to me, you know? Equally I loved how thought provoking this was. If you read this, ask yourself who the heroes are and who the villains are. I bet you can't come up with an answer.

Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Format: Paperback
Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses #1
Pages: 416
Date Finished: 11/04/15
Rating: 5/5
Summary: Feyre’s survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill – the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator and killing something so precious comes at a price.

Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jewelled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre’s presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why, her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever.

This book was magnificent. For some reason my copy was delivered to me from Waterstones ahead of the release date, but there is no way that I'm going to complain about that.  I think I've began to believe in magic. Not the fantasy kind, but that there is something innate and beautiful about the world that we live in. I'm going to sound like a crazy lady, but yesterday I was feeling pretty crappy, and not even chocolate could cheer me up (I know. It's mad). The next morning I awoke to a book at my doorstep, one that shouldn't have arrived for another twenty something days. It made me smile and made me feel better, something which only books have the power to do. A book which hasn't even been released yet.

I have to admit that I was kind of nervous going into this. I've been calling Sarah J Maas my favourite author for some time now, but it would be genuinely heartbreaking to find out that I only liked the Throne of Glass series and not her other published works. Sarah, I think you've earned that title. I was swept up into the world faeries and huntresses and could not put this glorious book down.

I don't normally like faerie books. I read The Iron King (I think that's what it's called...) and found it completely meh. But this... this was divine. The world building is rich and intriguing, and from page one I instantly wanted to know more--more about the different courts and more about the characters in them. Maas has a ridiculous gift for making me care about not just her characters but the story that unfolds around them.

The character progression that Feyre went through was beautiful. She started out as bitter and cold, but as the story progressed I think she became as epic a hero as Celaena (and that's not something that I throw around lightly). And as for Tamlin...

*swoons for eternity*

I think I may be a little in love with him AND Lucien AND Rhys and just about every male that Sarah J Maas threw at me in this wonder of a book.

On the whole, I don't think this was as strong as the wonder that is Heir of Fire, but ACOTAR is definitely a better start than Throne of Glass (which I still gave 5/5 stars to, so y' know...) Whilst I think that this book could have been a standalone, I'm thrilled that I get to have TWO more books with Feyre and ma boys.

The only thing that scares me is that the last book in the ACOTAR trilogy and the Throne of Glass series is going to be released in 2017 and I don't think I'll be able to survive that year. I've also worked out that it's the year when I do my A Levels/start Uni so I'm basically screwed...

Dear god/fate/Buddha/Waterstones/Royal Mail/Sarah J Maas, THANK YOU for making a mistake and sending me this book early. I love you.