5 Popular Books I Have Not Read

At this rate I'm really just trying to write up a bunch of blog posts so I can get quite a few out for the last month of the year. For 2017 I really hope to at least get 5 posts a month up on the blog, however, it all depends on my working schedule and the schedule I have for all the Drag events I have coming up. When it comes to reading I'm finding I do have less and less time for it, so it's always precious when I find a book that completely enthrals me. These 5 books are hugely popular and I've not read them. Some of them I will never read, other's I plan on reading but just have not got to reading them.

So let's go ahead and introduce you to the popular books I've not read...


LADY MIDNIGHT BY CASSANDRA CLARE

I love Cassandra Clare. The Mortal Instruments is one of my favourite series, it's iconic. And Sophie and Gideon from The Infernal Devices are forever and always an all time OTP of mine. But I've not yet read Lady Midnight. I own it. In fact I own 2 copies of it; the normal paperback and what was, at the time, a signed limited edition of the book. I did write a blog post about me not having read Lady Midnight a few months ago and I'm really glad I waited to read 'Tales From the Shadowhunter Academy' because it gave me a slight introduction to some of the characters who will be in 'The Dark Artifices' series. My plan is to start reading Lady Midnight when I get time off from work, which is in roughly in less than a weeks time.



THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER BY STEPHEN CHBOSKY

Everyone. And I mean everyone has talked about this book and how good it is, and yet here I sit not having read it. And the bigger scandal? I don't care to read it. I hate books written in diary or letter form. They're just not for me. However, I would like to watch the movie because it's one I've also not watched. I can fully appreciate people's love for this novel and the author; I can also appreciate that it was one of the first YA contemporary novels a lot of people read and either got them into reading or got them into YA, and I love that. I truly do.


VICIOUS BY V.E SCHWAB

I know, I know, I know. Please do not shoot me. I have not read a book by V.E Schwab. I definitely do want to read a book by her because I've heard such incredible things about her writing and her characters, more so in regards to Vicious because she made Villains loveable. Out of all her books, This Savage Song is definitely the one I'm most interested in and will probably end up reading before the others but Vicious is definitely giving me some 'The Tomorrow People' vibes. Also V.E Schwab is so hilariously lovely on Twitter.




A COURT OF MIST AND FURY BY SARAH. J MAAS

I loved A Court of Thorns and Roses. It was one of my favourite books of 2015 and was also one of the very first Fantasy books that I really, really enjoyed. So when Bloomsbury emailed me about receiving a copy of ACOMAF to review I jumped at the chance thinking I would read it as soon as it arrived. Only I never did and have still not read it. I'm not sure what's stopping me. I did start it, even read around 79 pages but the size was so intimidating and I'm just not in the mood for something filled with romance and magic.



HOPELESS BY COLLEEN HOOVER

This is actually one of the only Colleen Hoover books I have yet to read and I don't know if I will read it. Colleen Hoover is one of my all time favourite authors, however, Hopeless has a storyline that just hasn't seemed to grab my attention. Maybe it's waiting for a right time to pop out at me and shout "READ ME" and then I will but at the moment I'm content with the books I've read and enjoyed by her.





Now I'm sure I'm not the only one who hasn't read quite a lot of the popular books out there. In fact I know there's at least another thousand books that are super popular that I have no interest in reading. But what I want to know is: What are the top 3 popular books you guys have not read? Tell me in the comments!

Majorly Disappointing Books of 2016

So we're coming to the last month of 2016, and therefore, that means many book bloggers will be posting about their favourite books of the year, their favourite authors, book covers, etc. And I've decided to start it off with my least favourite reads of 2016. This list will be completely honest, especially since two of these books were some of my most anticipated. If you're willing to share your most disappointing books of 2016 with me then please publish the link to your post in the comment section of this post.

Now let's get this started...


IF I WAS YOUR GIRL BY MEREDITH RUSSO

If I Was Your Girl was one of my most anticipated releases of 2016. The author herself is a Transgender woman and knowing the main character of the book is a newly outed Transgender girl called Amanda Hardy I thought she would have represented something stripped back, honest and heart-breaking. She did neither. What she represented was a passable girl with good feminine looks, soft voice and a girl who can get all the guys; if she wanted, that is. Meredith also doesn't have the writing and storytelling skills to have produced the book in the best way. It was short and choppy, leaving no room for Amanda to be liked. She had no personality. However, I did like that Meredith kept it very realistic on the scale of hormones as some books about Transgender characters have left that out.


IT ENDS WITH US BY COLLEEN HOOVER

I never expected a book by one of my all time favourite authors to be on this list but Colleen Hoovers release this year really left me feeling heart-broken. And not in a good way. I honestly just did not like the book. The main character, Lily was so conflicting and I could not connect to her at all. And while I appreciate what Colleen was doing with the taboo subject of mental and physical abuse, I just thought it got over shadowed by the awful love triangle in the book. I actually really liked Atlas, especially getting to know him through those letters Lily wrote to Ellen but Ryle's reasoning for the abuse was just utter bullshit and I think Colleen knows that as well.


THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER BY JENNIFER L ARMENTROUT

I was sent this book to review from the publishers. I've previously read and enjoyed books by Jennifer, so I was excited to read this one especially because I know how well Jennifer writes romance. But I was just so disappointed by every page. The characters only got worse as the book went along and the romance/relationship just did not sit well with me. I understood that Rider protected her when she was a child but the fact that they both love each other when they first see each other after like 4 years? Not at all realistic, or good to read about.




UP IN FLAME BY ABBI GLINES

This was the last book in the Seabreeze series and I was super excited as this was about Nannette who's known as the bitch in the series. However, what I got was a waste of time. If anything I don't think Abbi Glines had a clear plot for the story but just wanted to add one in for Nannette. Major (he's a character by the way) just did not need to be involved in the story and this whole mafia type thing between Major and Gannon was awful. A story of just Nan and Gannon would have suited me just fine.





Before I started writing this post I did believe I had more than 4 books that left me feeling disappointed, however, it turns out that some books I didn't have a high standard about before reading. Now while I did not enjoy these books that does not mean that you will feel the same. We're all different in regards to what we read and all views I've expressed are my own. There's no need to be getting salty over them.

Review: Tales From the Shadowhunter Academy by Cassandra Clare

Title: Tales From the Shadowhunter Academy
Author: Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, Maureen Johnson & Robin Wasserman
Genre: YA Fantasy / Novellas
Publisher: Walker Books
Published: November 15th 2016
Page Number: 512
Rating: 4/5

Summary:

Simon Lewis has been a human and a vampire, and now he is becoming a Shadowhunter. The events of City of Heavenly Fire left him stripped of his memories, and Simon isn’t sure who he is anymore. So when the Shadowhunter Academy reopens, Simon throws himself into this new world of demon-hunting, determined to find himself again. Whomever this new Simon might be.

But the Academy is a Shadowhunter institution, which means it has some problems. Like the fact that non-Shadowhunter students have to live in the basement. At least Simon’s trained in weaponry—even if it’s only from hours of playing D&D.

 

REVIEW

Reviewing a book published as a bunch of novellas is quite a difficult thing as they're all their own separate story that combine together to create one big piece of art. However, I've decided to review and rate each novella. My overall thoughts on the book is that I really, really enjoyed the expansion from Simon's POV. It made me realise how much I really like him as a character and how much I miss the world of Shadowhunters.

Welcome to Shadowhunter Academy: 5 Stars

I really loved the introduction to this bunch of novellas and being able to read from Simon's POV was interesting, especially since his parts were usually the worst ones in the TMI series. Also George Lovelace is my Man.

The Lost Herondale: 4 stars

Another great continuation in the novella series but I didn't find it as interesting - or funny - as Welcome to Shadowhunter Academy.

The Whitechapel Fiend: 3 stars

The parts in Tessa's POV was so nostalgic, I loved seeing some of the gang from The Infernal Devices, however, Simon's parts left me, dare I say, bored.

Nothing but Shadows: 4 stars

Once again, Simon's parts were the lesser of good. He's only lovable for a certain amount of time before he gets bored but I enjoyed seeing him learn the lesson in this novella. Also I just loved Matthew and James.

The Evil We Love: 3 stars

Definitely one of my least favourite out of the novellas, I really didn't care for Robert Lightwood or how the whole Circle started up. And to be honest, I think it was used just to be a filler novella, which defeats the points of novellas.

Pale Kings and Prices: 4 stars

Helen Blackthorn really brought this series back to life for me. She's just a kickass, over protective half shadowhunter, half fey woman. I honestly could read an entire series about her.

Bitter of Tongue: 2 stars

I just didn't care for this novella. I'm not going to lie and say I wasn't in the best mood when I read it because I was having a down day but that hasn't changed my perspective on the novella.

The Fiery Trial: 1 star

No comment.

Born to Endless Night: 4 stars

I loved seeing Malec have their own point in this series of Novellas, however, I don't think this should have been more Malec than it was Simon. This is Simon's series, is it not?!

Angels Twice Descending: 4 stars

Short and sweet, a lot about on what family is and what you'll do for the ones you love. But losing one of my favourite characters has hurt my heart.

 

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A REVIEW COPY WAS PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHER

ARC Review: The Sun is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon

Title: The Sun is Also A Star
Author: Nicola Yoon
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publisher: Corgi Childrens
Published: November 3rd 2016
Page Number: 384
Rating: 5/5

Summary:

Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story.

Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store—for both of us.

The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true?  

REVIEW

 

How do you review one of your favourite books of 2016? It's answer: You don't. Well you do write a review but it will never do the book justice, especially when it's written by one of my now favourite authors, Nicola Yoon.

 

The story itself is....different. Now when I say different I don't mean it badly, in fact I mean it in probably one of the best ways possible. Essentially this book isn't told by two protagonists. It's told by many. Our main focus' are of course Daniel and Natasha but then we get little chapters from people they meet along the way in their journey of falling in love with each other. Whether that be one of the security guards Natasha sees at one of the offices she visits or it be the depiction of the word love. We get details to in sense create a love story that goes beyond the legal measures of love.

 

When I first started the book I initially just completely felt for Natasha. She's a protagonist that's very easy to love. Not only that but you garner a shit ton of respect for her. She's 12 hours away from being deported back to a place that's basically foreign to her, she's losing the friendship she's made since she came to America but most of all she's losing out on her dream. And if I'm being honest I did expect her to just let it get to her. Did she? Nope. She went out of her way to try everything so that her and her family could stay. She pushed and pushed and pushed until she got somewhere. And along that path is where she meets Daniel. A wannabe poet whose parents just want him to go to a great school and have a successful life where he won't need to worry about money like they both did.

 

Sadly Daniel never really understood that. He just saw it as his parents wanting him to do something that wasn't for him, especially as his brother had just failed at his first year. And while Daniel being the wannabe poet he's also a lot of a hopeless romantic. When he falls in love, he falls deep. And he falls deep in love with Natasha. Despite her hesitation.

 

I just honestly want everyone to read this book and love it like I do because it's a book I know I will treasure for a long time to come. I'll have that pull to reread it and I know I'll feel the exact same way I felt when I first read this book but only on a bigger scale. It's smartly, beautifully written and so good I want to shout it from the rooftop of my house.

 

 

 

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A copy of the ARC was sent to me for a honest review.

 

Review: The Hotter You Burn by Gena Showalter

Title: The Hotter You Burn (The Original Heartbreakers #2)
Author: Gena Showalter
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: HQN Books
Published: July 28th 2015
Page Number: 416
Rating: 4.5/5

Summary:

Beck O'ckley is ruthless in the boardroom...and the bedroom. He's never been with the same woman twice, and vows he never will. With a past as twisted as his, meaningless sex keeps the demons at bay. His motto: One and done. No harm, no foul.

Harlow Glass is the most hated girl in town. The beautiful artist is penniless, jobless and homeless. When she sneaks into Beck's home—her ancestral estate—for food, she's shocked by his early return...and her immediate, sizzling and intense attraction to him.

For the first time in Beck's life, he can't get a woman out of his mind. All too soon, friendship blooms into obsession and he'll have to break her heart...or surrender his own.

REVIEW

 

I really enjoyed the first book in this series and with Beck being one of my favourite male characters, I was excited to see his backstory into what made him who he is today. And Gena did not once disappoint. I got everything I wanted and more. Cute scenes that made me have butterflies, sexual tension that could have burned the pages in my hand and a former bully who had me rooting for her from page 1.

 

In the second book of the Original Heartbreakers series we follow our Hero, Beck who's a known playboy never being seen with the same woman twice. Our Heroine is Harlow Glass a former bully in school and now known for being a layabout after getting kicked out of her home by the bank because she supposedly wouldn't pay the rent. One of the thing Gena did so right about Harlow was that she created a character that everyone would either love to hate. It's human genetics. We all love to hate someone and vice versa.

 

However, Harlow is actually misunderstood a lot. She didn't have the best home life and like they say: You can choose your friends but you can't choose your family. And that goes heavily for Harlow. When her and Beck first officially meet it's because Harlow has stolen a pie from his fridge (Harlow's house is now owned by Jase, Beck and West). He chases her down and demands she pays him back otherwise he'll go to the authorities. To me this is the essential scene for the whole book.

 

The romance between these two was a little like child's play. But it keeps you on your toes, anticipating the moment they finally say those 3 precious words. I love you. And with Beck's past you can honestly understand why. His upbringing wasn't an easy one and he's lived with the guilt of lying to the police so his friend can take the shit for him. And we all know guilt can eat a person alive.

 

Was this book better than the first one? Absolutely. I actually loved Harlow's naivety because the person she was as a teenager was actually a character to hide the person she truly was. And her relationship with Beck is special because he's her first. I just honestly love anything Gena Showalter writes.

 

 

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Books That Deal With Mental Illness

Back when I originally started to write this I was feeling very down. I was feeling more and more depressed over a sort period of time and I was having suicidal thoughts. I was struggling with life. My parents were noticing a change but I would just ignore it all and hope it'd go away with time. I was speaking to a friend online who made me see sense and  instead I raised the issues and decided to work on them. I'm feeling a lot better now. I'm happy as I could be, working hard to earn money to save for possibly going to University next year in 2017.

So with the feelings I had at the time, I wanted to visit some of the books that gave me a more positive view on mental health. So that's why I want to recommend some books to you guys. And in case any of you guys are having any negative thoughts, please tell someone. A friend, a family member or you can even speak to online forums: a place where I made so many amazing friends.

Now all of these books are amazing and I highly recommend them but I'm going to put these in order of how they affected me. Both personally and emotionally....



WHERE SHE WENT BY GAYLE FORMAN (IF I STAY #2)

A lot of people who's seen the 'If I Stay' movie don't know that there's actually a sequel in book form. 'If I Stay' is a good book and the movie is just as book, but 'Where She Went' really did something to be. I never connected to Adam in 'If I Stay' but him having grown up by 3 years and sadly dealing with depression in 'Where She Went' made me connect to him so much. I felt his emotions and I understood him completely, it's one of those novels that stay with you for a long time. And to this date I'm still very much in love with it. So much so that I have a necklace with a quote from the novel inside.

"You were trying so hard to be my saviour that you left me all alone."

 

 

I WAS HERE BY GAYLE FORMAN

 

Another Gayle Forman book that absolutely left me a sobbing wreck. This book is a YA Standalone that doesn't just deal with depression but also suicide and while the main character has nothing to do with those mental illness the importance of those factors isn't taken away from the novel. Gayle Forman did her research and wrote a book that everyone could connect to. The last page of 'I Was Here' isn't just a memorial but it's also a celebration of those who have lost their lives to suicide. We don't always get to have out voices but it doesn't mean that it's the end of us. Beautifully written with so much emotion and drama.

 

"I was here."

 

 

 

THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER BY MICHELLE HODKIN

 

It's unusual to have a YA Paranormal Romance series on this list but this is one of my favourite series because of how well Michelle Hodkin splits them both up but makes them the same. The series follows an incredibly insane narrator, she's someone you

can't trust. While the book has supernatural things going on, it also stays realistic in the mental health side. It's beautifully romantic but a complete and utter mind fuck. That's what keeps you going with this series.

 

"Thinking something does not make it true. Wanting something does not make it real."

 

 

 

PUSHING THE LIMITS BY KATIE MCGARRY

 

'Pushing the Limits' deals with a lot of different mental illnesses but the main one it deals with is grief. Our main character, Echo is still trying to get over her older brother's death. The one person who she knew she could trust on. However, it also dealt with other issues that were very well written and researched. Its one of the things I love about Katie McGarry, she does physical research into her stories. She goes that extra mile. 'Pushing the Limits' is emotional and brave. It's beautiful and realistic. It's a book that everyone can relate to.

 

“I've already lost a piece of my mind. I can't trust you with what's left.” 

 

 

 

AM I NORMAL YET? BY HOLLY BOURNE

 

I, myself didn't rate this book highly but it wasn't due to it being badly written or the parts dealing with mental illness were not realistic. I had other reasons. But Am I Normal Yet? is possibly one of the best book to read about Anxiety. The way Holly depicts the feelings is so realistic. You feel exactly what the character is feeling and it was nice being able to find a story that I related to so well. The book follows a college student called Evie who's just trying to live a normal life, making friends and dating boys. But the issue is, Evie has anxiety and also suffers with OCD.

 

“Everyone's on the cliff edge of normal. Everyone finds life an utter nightmare sometimes, and there's no 'normal' way of dealing with it... There is no normal, Evelyn.”  

 

 

 

 

What books would you recommend that deal with mental illness?

Let me know in the comments!

Review: Walk The Edge by Katie McGarry

Title: Walk The Edge (Thunder Road #2)
Author: Katie McGarry
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publisher: Mira Ink
Published: March 10th 2016
Page Number: 442
Rating: 3.5/5

Summary:
One moment of recklessness will change their worlds

Smart. Responsible. That's seventeen-year-old Breanna's role in her large family, and heaven forbid she put a toe out of line. Until one night of shockingly un-Breanna-like behavior puts her into a vicious cyber-bully's line of fire—and brings fellow senior Thomas "Razor" Turner into her life.

Razor lives for the Reign of Terror motorcycle club, and good girls like Breanna just don't belong. But when he learns she's being blackmailed over a compromising picture of the two of them—a picture that turns one unexpected and beautiful moment into ugliness—he knows it's time to step outside the rules.

And so they make a pact: he'll help her track down her blackmailer, and in return she'll help him seek answers to the mystery that's haunted him—one that not even his club brothers have been willing to discuss. But the more time they spend together, the more their feelings grow. And suddenly they're both walking the edge of discovering who they really are, what they want, and where they're going from here.

REVIEW

After reading and loving the first book in this series, Nowhere But Here I was really excited to read Razor's story. Mainly because he was a very mysterious character that seemed to hide a lot of his personality behind being snarky and I really wanted to know more about him and why he acted that way.

I'll be starting this off by saying that this wasn't my favourite Katie McGarry novel, however, it's still a great, entertaining read that kept me glued to the pages. I felt sad for Breanna because she's intelligent and way mature for her age and being told she couldn't go for her dreams because no one would be there to look out for her younger siblings. Especially when her siblings treated her so horribly and her parents barely took the time to get to know the Breanna she was now. Her relationship with Razor is looked against in a bad way due to the reputation of the Motorcycle club but if anything I think Breanna's parents should have been thankful for Razor. He brought her out of her shell and she was finally being true to herself. And that reminded me of Rachel when she met Isaiah in Crash Into You.

Which leads me onto another thing I massively love about Katie McGarry's stories: her characters are always stripped back, raw and honest with inner turmoil going on. Some of the scenes in this book left me shocked, mouth wide open. Especially, when Razor was seeking out answers to his mother's death, and everything seemed to point to the Reign of Terror. I just didn't know who was telling the truth. Why people were keeping their mouths shut?

I really liked the chapters where Oz and Emily appeared. I loved them so much and they're also one of my favourite book couples. The ending in Nowhere But Here was a little rushed for my liking, however, I really appreciated the ending for Razor in this story. It was beautiful and showed a lot of significance for both Razor and Olivia. It had a lot of meaning.

Overall this is another good book in this series, I'm excited to see what will happen in the third - and possibly final book - of the series, Long Way Home. I love Chevy and Violet so I'm excited to be able to see a little into their past.

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Review: The Closer You Come by Gena Showalter

Title: The Closer You Come ( The Original Heartbreakers #1)
Author: Gena Showalter
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: HQN Books
Published: March 31st 2015
Page Number: 434
Rating: 4/5

Summary:

Just released from prison, Jase Hollister has a dark and twisted past. And now, he has only one goal: stay out of trouble. Strawberry Valley, Oklahoma, sounds like the perfect place for him and his two brothers-by-circumstance to settle down and live a nice, simple life. But model citizen isn’t exactly this rugged bachelor’s default setting—especially when it comes to a certain hot-blooded Southern beauty…

Brook Lynn Dillon has always been responsible. Not that it’s done her much good. The down-on-her-luck waitress is broke, single and fun-deprived. Until Jase comes along. He is dangerous, stunningly protective, breathtakingly sexy and as tempting as sin, and the passion sizzling between them is undeniable. But can it melt her resistance? After all, the right kind of trouble might be just what they both need.  

REVIEW

 

The Original Heartbreakers series was one of those series that I had my eye on for a while. Because they're all adult contemporary romance they were all published within a short time span of each other. So being able to marathon the series was one of the things that attracted me to it. And major factor that made me want to read this series is that Gena Showalter is one of my favourite authors. Her White Rabbit Chronicles series is an all time favourite.

 

The story follows our Heroine, Brook Lynn Dillon and our Hero, Jase Hollister who try the path of love while overcoming all their difficult obstacles. Brook Lynn has been fired from her job, she's basically babysitting her older sister and she's fighting her feelings for Jase and all the while Jase is just trying to overcome his past by hoping Strawberry Valley will give not only him, but his foster brothers a fresh chance at life.

 

Brook Lynn was definitely a fun, fresh and fierce character. She had an obsession with Zombies and believed a Zombie apocalypse was definitely going to happen. She also had a hearing impairment, which meant that she sometimes had to read lips. Jase has a bad past with prison but really he's judge a big lovable guy under all his hard exterior. And one of the things he does best is love fiercely. I loved him and Brook Lynn together. They had the banter that bounced off each other and that made me fall so much more in love with them.

 

There were a few things I didn't appreciate but the one thing that stood out for me against the rest was the use of the word Whoremones. Like being sexually attracted to a guy made Brook Lynn a slut. We can't help who we fall for and who we have chemistry with. Sexual attraction happens and it's just a part of our human mechanisms. It's not something that needed to be a guilty thing.

 

Overall, I enjoyed this one immensely. It was super cute and gave me the butterflies.

 

 

 

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Review: If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo

Title: If I Was Your Girl
Author: Meredith Russo
Genre: YA Contemporary / LGBT
Publisher: Usbourne Publishing
Published: June 1st 2016
Page Number: 304
Rating: 2/5

Summary:

Amanda Hardy is the new girl at school. Like everyone else, all she wants is to make friends and fit in. But Amanda is holding back. Even from Grant, the guy she's falling in love with.

Amanda has a secret.

At her old school, she used to be called Andrew. And secrets always have a way of getting out.

 

REVIEW

 

If I Was Your Girl was on the list for one of my most anticipated releases of this year because it was a book about a Transgender girl who's making her way through school and finding love. And since I've not read much LGBT fiction, I was really looking forward to this. Especially since the US edition has a Transgender model on the cover.

 

However. My expectations were way to high for the book and I ended up disliking mostly everything about If I Was Your Girl. I can say honestly that it is an important novel. Meredith Russo is a transgender woman so all the important facts about being transgender (Hormones, etc) were all factually correct. But sadly, Meredith Russo doesn't have the storytelling skills to have show cased the story in the way it needed to be done.

 

Amanda has only recently come out as Transgender and yet she's already passing as a normal teenage girl. Is this realistic? No. According to the author's note in the back of the book the reason this was done is so that people could just see Amanda as a girl. But that kinds of subtracts from the book when the only interesting thing about Amanda is that bold fact she's Transgender. Amanda has no personality, she's very two dimensional. We see snippets into her past but we only just got a little taste and nothing else. It felt forced and almost as if Meredith was lazy and didn't want to add any depth into the story.

 

And that's not the only thing that was so far fetched. Grant - who's Amanda's love interest - seems to accept her for who she is so quickly after her secret is exposed. And I'm not saying that there won't be people who accept Transgender people, there's tons of them, however. The trust between them was broken and trust takes ages to rebuild but it almost seemed like nothing had been affected between them.

 

I understand that acceptance. We all sort of crave it in a way that makes us seem pathetic, but I just wish that Meredith Russo wrote a book about a Transgender girl who's life was realistic and not fictionalised. I wanted the truth - stripped back, raw honesty that showcases the life of a transgender girl.

 

 

 

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5 Books To Read If You Love 'Stranger Things'.

Stranger Things is a Netflix Original series that blew up instantaneously. The day it released I started watching it and didn't finish until I watched every episode. I'm obsessed. It's honestly one of the best shows on TV at the moment leaving you in constant suspense. Now for those that aren't sure what Stranger Things is about it follows the story of a young boy who goes missing in 1980's Indiana and his friends and family have to tackle terrifying forces to get him back. The series is 8 episodes long and a second season has been confirmed.

So today's post is going to be in celebration not only of one of my new favourite TV shows but also in celebration that we will be getting a 2nd series. So just in case you are having withdrawal symptoms from the series, here are 5 books that I'd recommend if you loved Stranger Things.



1. THE TAKING BY KIMBERLEY DERTING

Just like in Stranger Things our main character, Kyra goes mysteriously missing after she runs off from an argument with her father. A flash of white light is seen and *poof* she's gone. She then wakes up in the dumpster of her local gas station and goes home, however, it turns out she's been missing for 5 years and hasn't seemed to age a day. Her father believes it was Aliens that took his daughter but no one will believe him, including Kyra. Until evidence shows otherwise. This book will have you hooked, I read it in under 24 hours and couldn't wait to find out what happened.




2. MONSTER BY C J SKUSE

Six girls trying to survive spending Christmas locked up inside their boarding school all the while something -  The Beast of Bathory - seems to be stalking the school grounds and is intent on killing off the girls one by one. The only way they can get out alive is if they stick together, but nothing is as easy as it seems. Now there's no Sci Fi in this novel but C J Skuse really has you on the edge of your seat in suspense.





3. REPLICA BY LAUREN OLIVER

So Stranger Things is circulated around government conspiracy theories, which was one of my favourite aspects. Just like Stranger Things, Replica tells the story of two teenage girls who are both connected via a dark past, however. Lyra, also known as #24 is a human model who was raised in a research facility. Once she escapes she meets Gemma and the entire world around them crashes and burns. And what's really cool about this book is that it's essentially two books in one. You can either read Gemma and Lyra's story separately or you can read them both together as one continuous novel.




4. DON'T LOOK BACK BY JENNIFER. L ARMENTROUT

Mystery is one of the biggest elements in Stanger Things and when I thought about that mystery concept my mind and soul went straight to Don't Look Back. Samantha and Cassie are best "frenemy's" who seemingly have it all. They're rich, popular and everyone wanted to be them. That is until the night they both go missing and Samantha resurfaces without a recollection of anything that has happened. She's a stranger in her own life. Samantha starts receiving mysterious letters telling her bit by bit on what happened on that night, but finding out the truth could very well be sinister.





5. THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS BY M. R CAREY

Melanie's a little girl trapped in a facility with doctors who call her special. And every morning she's strapped to a wheelchair with a gun pointed at her head while she's making jokes that she won't bite. But in this world, Melanie has no idea what or who she's going to be when she grows up. Because Melanie is special. Melanie is unique. Melanie also happens to be dangerous. The Girl With All The Gifts is an incredible read that captures the readers attention with it's incredible action and pace. Oh, and it's also soon to be coming out in cinemas. *Trailer here*






What's your favourite thing about Stranger Things?
Also what other books would you recommend for us Stranger Things fans?
Let me know in the comments!

Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany

Title: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Author: J.K Rowling, Jack Thorne & John Tiffany
Genre: YA Fantasy / Play Script 
Publisher: Little Brown Books UK
Published: July 31st 2016
Page Number: 343
Rating: 4/5

Summary:
It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

 

REVIEW

 

This review is going to be short and sweet, mainly because it's difficult judging and reviewing a play script when you're not at all used to them. But my main thoughts for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is that it should definitely be seen performed for you to fully understand everything. Reading a script to actually seeing it be acted out are two entirely different things and I definitely feel like you'll get more out of seeing the show.

 

The script itself is decently written. I'm not sure if I did spot a few errors as I was reading along but it wasn't something that threw me from the book and the nostalgia that I was getting. Being able to finally read the life of Harry, Ron and Hermione 19 years later is something that I never thought we'd get to see but J.K Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany really delivered something good.

 

Albus and Scorpius made the entire script in my opinion. For some reason Harry's character was always trying for it to be about him. He blamed himself about everything and honestly I got bored of him. Harry's character was so horrible, in fact I wonder how Albus is even part of their family because he's nothing like any of them. I was disappointed with the way they ended Albus and Scorpius' relationship because I saw it heading in a gay relationship. They had way too much chemistry for friendship. And I know I'm not the only one who thought so too. So for me I saw it as a huge cop out and definitely something that annoyed me.

 

Overall, I don't think Cursed Child is something that I personally needed in my life but I'm glad I read it. But I'm more excited to see the show next year. I think I'll really be able to grasp everything that did and didn't happen in the script. But if you're on the fence on whether you should read it then my advice would be to go into it with no expectations. This is basically fan fiction. J.K Rowling didn't write any of this and it isn't a novel, it's a play. However, it does still give you nostalgia and missed feelings of Hogwarts.

 

 

 

Why I've Still Not Read Lady Midnight

So many people have been messaging me on Goodreads wondering why I've not read Lady Midnight. And normally I'd have an answer for that question but I have so many answers that it's difficult to always explain to people. As a reader, I am not someone who can pick up a book just because it's a new release that I have been anticipating. I mean, I have been waiting for Lady Midnight to come out since the ending of The Mortal Instruments, which is a seriously long time. But I'm the type of reader that chooses what they read pending on their mood and the sort of genre they feel like reading.

For example: if I'm stressed out and in the Contemporary mood then I would generally tend to pick a short book to read. Short but sweet and something that'll help with escapism. If it's a sunny day and I want something to reciprocate my mood then I would generally pick something New Adult, possibly something with travel.

And I'm not just a mood reader. Sometimes I like to wait until the second book release date, which I something I'm doing with Lady Midnight. I don't want to be waiting so long for each book to be released, especially forcing myself to read Lady Midnight when I'm just not feeling anything of that genre at this specific place in time. The book is over 700 pages long, so I'll need the time to actually read it and I don't have that time right now.

If you've checked Goodreads like I have then you'd know that it had really good ratings and loads of people are saying it's Cassie's best work yet, which hypes it up too much for me. Hype can ruin my perspective on things because I immediately assume that it's the best piece of literature ever. Which I'm sure it is, because Cassie is one of the best writer's out there. I will eventually read Lady Midnight. But at my own time and at my own pace.



Have you read Lady Midnight?
Let me know your thoughts below!

My Favourite Books of 2016 (So Far)

So the year of 2016 has been a decent year of good books for myself. However, that is mainly due to the fact that I've been reading very little this year. Starting a new job and working over 40 hours a week does that but that doesn't mean I haven't read any good books. In fact I think I've read quite a few really outstanding books. So today I'm going to be highlighting my top 5 books of 2016 (so far). But the list is likely to change with a few books coming out over the next few months that I'm sure will change my life.

1. The Rose Society by Marie Lu (The Young Elites #2)

The Rose Society is without a doubt my favourite book of the year so far, and I cannot wait until the third book comes out in September. If you've not read The Young Elites by Marie Lu then I highly recommend that you pick yourself up a copy because you are missing out on something special and unique. The series has dark action to boot and sizzling romantic chemistry. I love everything about this series.


2. Bad For You by Abbi Glines (Sea Breeze #7)

I'm going to be honest with everyone and say that I've not read all the books in this series but Bad For You is so preciously good. I love the relationship dynamic between Krit and Blythe - her innocence and his addictive personality. Abbi Glines doesn't just deliver on sexiness but she delivers on every emotional level as well. I could forever read about this couple.


3. The Best Goodbye by Abbi Glines (Rosemary Beach #13)

I've been reading this series like it's the most precious chocolate in the world and I'm sad to see that it's officially over. Captain and Addy's story is so emotional and heart-breaking and it was so great seeing the past and present interactions. Captain's loyalty through the book is unquestionable and I love the fact that Abbi delivered so much drama with this one.


4. The Crown by Kiera Cass (The Selection #5)

I was honestly so disappointed by 'The Heir'. Eadlyn just wasn't a character I liked to follow, she was just too naïve and immature. But she really proved herself in The Crown. Her character development flourished and I'm so happy with her Selection pick. He was worthy of her as much as she was worthy of him. It's a bittersweet ending to the series, I just wish it hadn't ended.


5. Us by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy (Him #2)

I couldn't get over the perfection that was Him. I loved the relationship build up of Jamie and Wes, seeing their transition from friends to boyfriends. They're a couple so perfect. Us wasn't as good as Him but I immensely enjoyed it. Blake is now one of my all time favourite male characters. Ever!




What have been your favourite books of the year so far?
Let me know in the comments!

The Problem With Forever Blog Tour | Book Review

Hey guys, so today I'm taking part in the blog tour for Jennifer L Armentrout's recent release 'The Problem With Forever'. I was so excited when I got the chance to take part because I really enjoy Jennifer's books. In fact there's even a character who pops up in the popular 'Lux Saga' who shares the same surname as myself. Which was weird. Now today is the official last day for the tour so I am held to some pedestal, however, today's review will not be the same as everyone else's because sadly I've not read the full book. At the time I had a decent amount of hours at work that allowed me to stay up to read but that changed recently, and to the point where I'm working 11 hour shifts every day. It's stressful, but I'm enjoying it.

But you will get a review from me today, because I plan on reviewing the entire 109 pages that I've read of the book so far.



Title: The Problem With Forever
Author: Jennifer L Armentrout
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publisher: Mira Ink
Published: June 1st 2016
Page Number: 384
Rating: N/A

Summary:

When Mallory was a kid, she was bounced from one horrible foster home to another. At thirteen, a terrible accident got her removed from the group home where she was living to a hospital where she met the parents who would adopt her. But when she starts a new school and encounters an old friend from the foster system sparks start to fly

REVIEW

At the moment I am currently 109 pages into this frustrating, yet entirely unputdownable novel. Part of you is wondering why I'm calling it unpoutdownable if I'm finding it frustrating and the truth is I'm just one of those people who is nit picky. Certain things scream out to me where other people would barely notice it.

For now my thoughts on the book are basically not that great. The beginning of the book really captured my attention and I liked the protectiveness that came from Rider. However everything that came after that kind of fell flat for me. I'm not enjoying Mallory or Rider as main characters. Mallory's anxiety is realistic but the whole insta-love between them both isn't something I can get on board with. There's also slight picks that just irritate me. Rider being one of the main stars of the book although he's only been in 3 or 4 scenes. And then you have Mallory's annoyance with her parents when all they've done is brought her out of her shit life and given her something great. They're the reason she is where she is and so far she's not exactly acting grateful.

To be honest, I think I'm starting to fall out of love with YA all together. Maybe it's because while I'm 20, I feel like I'm even older. My emotions are changing and I'm just responding to more NA books instead because I relate a lot more. Hell, I don't know. All I do know is that so far I'm not impressed and I do want to read the book because I know what Jennifer L Armentrout can do. I'm interested in the storyline, I'm just not buying into these characters.

 

 

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Review: The Rose Society by Marie Lu

Title: The Rose Society
Author: Marie Lu
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Penguin Books UK
Published: October 15th 2015
Page Number: 448
Rating: 5/5

Summary:

Adelina Amouteru's heart is set on revenge. Now known and feared as the White Wolf, she and her sister flee Kenettra to find other Young Elites in the hopes of building her own army. Her goal: to strike down the Inquisition Axis, the white-cloaked soldiers who nearly killed her.

But Adelina is no heroine. Teren Santoro, leader of the Inquisition, wants her dead. And her former friends at the Dagger Society want to stop her thirst for vengeance. Adelina struggles to cling to the good within her. But how can someone be good, when her very existence depends on darkness?

 

REVIEW

 

At this point of time what I'd most like to do is buy unlimited copies of this book and The Young Elites and hand them out to every person that passes me on the street, because the world is seriously missing out on one of the best YA series I have ever read.

 

After The Young Elites, I wasn't so sure if Marie Lu could get any darker but she certainly did. Adelina is without a doubt one of the most darkest character's you'll ever read in any book, give or take. Her powers know no boundaries and I'm actually scared to see where Marie will take them in the final book of the series, The Midnight Star. I'm honestly not prepared and I don't think I ever will be.

 

With one of my favourite character's being killed off in the Young Elites, I wasn't prepared to let Adelina back into my heart. But I couldn't not let her in, if you get what I mean. She may be an antagonist but it's impossible to not love her. She captures you attention full span and never lets go, you need to know what she's going to do next. You're anticipating it. But I didn't just fall in love with Adelina during this book, I'm pretty sure I grew in love with every darn character. And yes, that does mean Teren as well.

 

One of the new characters, Magiano really helps take the storyline to new places. The Rose Society is dark action to it's maximum capacity with sizzling romantic tension and a shit ton of OTP's to boot. There's just something about Marie Lu's world building and writing that keeps me reading. And just like The Young Elites, I ended up reading this book late way into the night.

 

I regret nothing. And neither will you if you pick this series up. Honestly do yourself a favour.

 

 

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🎧: Just Like Fire by P!nk

 

 

 

BOOKS I WILL NEVER, EVER READ!

So today I felt like talking about books that I will never read. And the reasons will all vary. Maybe I just don't like the author's writing style, or maybe I just think the author is overrated, but I'll leave you guys with my honest opinions. And don't forget, you haven't got to agree with me. We're all human and have difference preferences.


HOLDING UP THE UNIVERSE BY JENNIFER NIVEN

It may seem like I'm bashing the author since I wrote a harsh yet honest review of her debut novel, All the Bright Places. But the honest truth is that I just don't get the hype about Jennifer Niven. Her writing is mediocre at best, but what mainly left me not wanting to read this book was it's original - and highly offensive - synopsis. The original synopsis came across so offensive because it read that Fat people aren't human at all, they're freaks. Not only that it also came across as being skinny gets you places in life, like your weight defines you has a person. And then it comes down to the other main character who has Cognitive Disorder

. What should be described as a serious condition comes across as Jennifer not giving a shit about who reads her story and describes the character as broken. What I've found is that Jennifer likes to label her characters as one thing and nothing else, and it's irritating.

 

WAKE. THE. FUCK. UP. JENNIFER! 

 

 

 

LOOKING FOR ALASKA BY JOHN GREEN

 

I don't need to mention the fact that I happen to think John Green is incredibly overrated. Sure, TFIOS was a somewhat enjoyable read but every time I've tried to read another of his books I get the exact same vibe from them, almost like they characters are carbon copies with different names and looks. And while I guess I could have chosen Paper Towns, I really don't care. Because I won't be reading any of his books. Unless he decides to write something that sounds interesting but I doubt it since he's all about filming the book to movie adaptations of his novels, which sadly I've also not been a fan of. In fact I thought both TFIOS and Paper Towns were some of the worst movies ever, beating Insurgent to the mix (Which seems impossible, highly impossible).

 

 

 

ONE WITH YOU BY SYLVIA DAY

 

I don't understand why she continued this series past a trilogy. For me 3 books was enough of Eva and Gideon. Just like her other readers, I loved them loads but their lives aren't that interesting to be continued over another 2 books. But I also understand why she wrote them: Money. They sell more than well enough, they're incredibly popular and it's even been optioned for TV............Which makes zero sense. But, yeah.....I won't be reading this one either.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What books will you never read?

Let me know in the comments!

Recommending Summer Reads | Top 5 Wednesday

So I'm back doing a Top 5 Wednesday post. As you all know I used to do these all the time and absolutely LOVED taking part since the topics were always so diverse. Now, I don't know if I'll be posting one every week, but if I see a topic that I really love then I certainly will. Since the last time I posted about T5W there has been a major change and that is that Lainey no longer hosts it. As most would know, Lainey created Top 5 Wednesday but has decided to take a break from hosting T5W and the hosting job has been handed over to Sam over at Thoughts on Tomes

TOPIC: SUMMER READS

 

 

ALONG FOR THE RIDE BY SARAH DESSEN

Sarah Dessen doesn't seem to be as well known in the UK as she is in the US, but I was so happy I got persuaded to read Along for the Ride, it's a fantastic contemporary book that deals with real life issues. Not only that but the romance was so adorable.


MY LIFE NEXT DOOR BY HUNTLEY FITSPATRICK

Recently published in the UK, I decided to reread the book and it's just as good as the first time I read it. Sam and Jace are one of my favourite book couple of all time and I love the family orientation in this novel. My Life Next Door is dramatic as much as it is romantic and funny.


DID I MENTION I LOVE YOU? BY ESTELLE MASKAME

Step-sibling romance is certainly not something I'm comfortable with, however, Estelle just knows how to craft a well done YA book. It may help that she happens to be a teenager herself. What's great is that she captures everything so well and leaves you wanting more. And the best thing about this? It's a 3 book series, so always more Tyler.


NOWHERE BUT HERE BY KATIE MCGARRY

Nowhere but Here is basically a YA version of 'Sons of Anarchy' but in book form and with a hot romance to boot. I love the grittiness of this series and I can't wait for book 3 to be published next year.

 

 

LORALI BY LAURA DOCKRILL

 

Lorali is one of the most beautiful, enigmatic novels I have ever had the pleasure of reading. It's deep and haunting and a complete summer read. A boy finds a naked girl on the beach who may not seem so human.

 

 

 

 

What books would you recommend for summer reading?

Let me know in the comments!

Review: The Crown by Kiera Cass

Title: The Crown
Author: Kiera Cass
Genre: YA Dystopian
Publisher: Harper Collins Kids
Published: May 19th 2016
Page Number: 278
Rating: 4.5/5

Summary:
In The Heir, a new era dawned in the world of The Selection. Twenty years have passed since America Singer and Prince Maxon fell in love, and their daughter is the first princess to hold a Selection of her own.

Eadlyn didn’t think she would find a real partner among the Selection’s thirty-five suitors, let alone true love. But sometimes the heart has a way of surprising you…and now Eadlyn must make a choice that feels more difficult—and more important—than she ever expected.

REVIEW

It's bittersweet that this series has finally come to an end. As everyone knows, The Selection series was meant to have ended after 'The One' and I did mourn a little after that book. And then Kiera announced that there were going to be 2 more books to the series, which I'm not going to lie, made me happy. I love the world and the characters that Kiera creates because she does it so well.

The Heir wasn't my favourite book in the series, and Eadlyn certainly wasn't a favourite character but Kiera Cass ended the series in a way that shows so much character growth, not just as a teenage girl but also as a Queen. Getting to see her interact with the boys and fight between what she must do as Queen and her heart was special. Eadlyn is young and teenagers fall in love quickly. We're all in or nothing at all.

Who did Eadlyn end up with?

I'm not going to tell, I don't like posting spoiler reviews, especially when it comes to a series. All I will say is that I think everyone will be happy with the outcome. I know I certainly was. But that's the beauty of Kiera Cass, one of my absolute favourite thing about her as an author is how she creates male characters that you root for. You haven't got to like them all but in some crazy way you love them none the less.

For me it honestly felt like Kiera had written this book for us, her readers. She gave us everything that we already love about her series and added that extra bit of panache. I know that I for one will be excited to see what else Kiera has to write.

 

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Selling ARC's From BEA / BOOKCON | Discussion

So today I found a tweet on Twitter from a user who's come across a bunch of ARC's that were from BEA / Bookcon for sale on Ebay. And there's been a lot of comments on the topic. For me, I live in the UK and was unlucky not to be able to go due to insufficient funds. It's my dream to go to BEA / Bookcon. I love books and want to experience something like this, but when I see people going to get ARC's just so they can sell them, now that pisses me off.

BIG TIME!

Selling ARC's on Ebay is actually illegal, not only that but it shows massive disrespect to the authors who write their arses off and the publishers who work so hard to bring those books into our hands. And this isn't the first time that ARC's have been sold on Ebay after BEA / Bookcon. It happened last year and the year before that, and before long either BEA / Bookcon will stop handing out ARC's or publishers and authors will be very limited on handing them out and I wouldn't even blame them.

These people need to realise that they're not just ruining the experience for the authors and publishers, but also us readers. People haven't turned up just to get ARC's, they've also attended to talk to their favourite authors and meet the people they've been speaking to online. It's an event, one that brings people closer together and it just hurts me that some people only care about getting an ARC just for money. It's honestly pathetic and you need to get a life.




What are your thoughts on this topic?
Let me know in the comments!

Review: The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson

Title: The Art of Being Normal
Author: Lisa Williamson
Genre: YA Contemporary / LGBT
Publisher: David Fickling Books
Published: January 7th 2016 (Paperback edition)
Page Number: 357
Rating: 4/5

Summary:

Two Outsiders. Two secrets.

David longs to be a girl.

Leo wants to be invisible.

When Leo stands up for David in a fight, an unlikely friendship forms. But things are about to get messy. Because at Eden Park School secrets have a funny habit of not staying secret for long…

REVIEW

One of my blogger friends, Kayleigh recommended The Art of Being Normal to me. I knew the premise was something I was certainly interested but due to it being out in hardback I had to wait until the paperback release. And Kayleigh was right.

This book was so good.

Gender Identity is super important for me, I don't class myself as either male or female because I don't feel like I honestly am. I'm just myself. So it was really refreshing seeing a book deal with Gender Identity so well. Not only that but The Art of Being Normal is one of the most important books of our time. A lot of people could learn from this, not just children or teenagers. But parents and grandparents alike.

For a YA Contemporary book I was super happy that it was set in the UK, mainly because it was refreshing as most are set in the US on beach costal towns, which is fun sometimes, but sometimes I just want a good book set in the UK. Being completely honest though, The Art of Being Normal was also nostalgic for me, it took me back to the times when I was 9 and 10 years old strutting my stuff around the house in my self-made dress constructed out of my bed sheets, scarves and towels.

Right now I just want to raid a bookstore and hand everyone a copy of this beautiful, brilliant novel. Just. Pick. It. Up!

 

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🎧: U Wear it Well by RuPaul