Books With Taboo Topics | My Summer TBR

I cannot believe that this is my third blog post this week, it's crazy! I've been so busy with work and life in general that I've kind of forgotten about my blog and reviewing books. Does that make me a bad book blogger? It probably does, however, reviewing books doesn't pay my bills; my job does. Now this post is going to be about a few of the books I want to read this summer that deal with very taboo topics in YA. 2015 saw the introduction of books focusing more on mental illnesses which is great but I've slowly seen its decline again and I don't want it to be forgotten.

WHEN WE COLLIDED BY EMERY LORD

This book was massively talked about last year on Booktuber as its US publisher sponsored a lot of videos for it to be promoted in. However, I'm totally excited to read this one. It follows two characters Vivi and Jonah who are both lost souls in the world and when their world collides it creates fireworks. The book heavily deals with depression and grief, which I'm interested to see how Emery deals with it as I'm currently reading her 2017 release 'The Names They Gave Us' and I really love her writing style and views on faith.


ALLEGEDLY BY TIFFANY D. JACKSON

The story of a sixteen year old teenager, Mary B Addison is in prison and unexpectedly pregnant with the guy she's fallen in love with child. Mary B Addison allegedly murdered a 3 month old white baby when she was 9, except with this news of pregnancy Mary realises the truth needs to be finally told to stop the state from taking away her unborn child. Now I've never read anything like this in my life and I'm so excited to read something that's so taboo. I'm intrigued to see how the author will deal with the alleged murder and teenage pregnancy.


HISTORY IS ALL YOU LEFT ME BY ADAM SILVERA

Adam Silvera is a well loved author as his books tackle real life issues in a brilliant and realistic way. History is All You Left Me caught my attention before it released as it follows a gay guy named Griffin who struggles with OCD and it gets worse after the death of his first boyfriend/best friend. And despite his struggled feelings the only person who seems to understand him is Jackson, the boy he's supposed to hate. I'm just super excited to finally getting around to reading this book. I've heard it's beautiful and lyrical and really raw, honest.



What books are you looking forward to reading?
Let me know in the comments.

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: 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.

 

 

 

Buy the book (Wordery) | Buy the book (Book Depository)

Books to TV Series #1 | The White Rabbit Chronicles

So 'Books to TV Series' is going to be a brand new series on my blog where I focus on a book or series that I think would be great as a TV show or series. I really want to go in depth of the books/series and also talk about who I think would be some great casts. Of course, these are all my opinions but I just thought it seemed like a lot of fun.

To start of the first series I have picked The White Rabbit Chronicles by Gena Showalter. It's a YA Paranormal series that I finds really mixes both the girly and manly sides perfectly together. If you love TV shows like Gossip Girl and 90210 or The Walking Dead then I think you'd especially love this series since it has the drama, gossip of 90210 and, of course, the action and zombies of The Walking Dead.

 

I discovered this series in 2013 after I was looking for a different take on Alice in Wonderland. Initially I was looking for a leather bound edition of the book and then came across Alice in Zombieland. The title stood out and I really loved the cover, however, I decided to read up some reviews and didn't hear the best things about it. But that did not dampen my desire to pick it up. I read it the day it arrived and quickly became obsessed. I loved the unusual take on the story and Kat had to be the most hilarious character I have ever read about. She reminds me of myself when I go into my 'alter-ego' mode. My love for the series took off from there and I am so glad I didn't let other reviews stop me from giving the series a chance.

 

People have said they'd like a movie of this series but I have to disagree. I think this would relate so much more for TV. There's a world that needs the room to expand and a movie wouldn't be able to do that. Looking at the iflist there have been some great fan casts, but I think I have fan casted some great actors.

 

Alice Bell // Skylar Samuels // American Horror Story, The DUFF, Scream Queens

 

Cole Holland // Stephen James // Former footballer, now model

 

Kat Parker // Marie Avgeropoulos // The 100

 

Kat Parker // Sarah Hyland // Modern Family, Vampire Academy

 

Frosty // Jamie Campbell Bower // Twilight, The Mortal Instruments

 

Bronx // I can't think of anyone for him, sadly.

 

Mackenzie Love // Zoey Deutch // Beautiful Creatures, Vampire Academy

 

Reeve Ankh // Daniella Monet // Victorious, Fred 2 & 3

 

Trina Brighton // Hayley Kiyoko //  Lemonade Mouth, CSI: Cyber, Insidious Chapter 3

 

Emma Bell // Mia Talerico // Good Luck Charlie

 

Justin Silverstone // Gregg Sulkin // Wizards of Waverly Place, Faking It

 

I really do think that with the right producers, directors and writers the books would make excellent TV. I can imagine it this very second, and what I imagine makes me very excited. Mainly because of the blood. A shit ton of blood.

 

 

 

 

Who would you fan cast as these characters?

Let me know in the comments!

Monthly Reading Wrap Up | August 2015

I thought I did quite well this month especially since I was ill a few times and got carried away with TV. A lot of my favourite shows have started back up, so I've been more bothered by them. This month I read some really good books as well as some horrid books!

Twisted Perfection by Abbi Glines // 5 Stars

Woods was my favourite male character in the 'Too Far' Series, so getting to see his story was so good. I loved every moment of this book, even the slow build up in the beginning. Honestly, Woods and Della are just so.....perfect!

Simple Perfection by Abbi Glines // 4.5 Stars

This was a fantastic sequel to Twisted Perfection, but I did find some things too over the top in here that it wasn't entirely believable. Still a great book though.

Take a Chance by Abbi Glines // 3 Stars

I've loved reading about Harlow and Grant, but reading from their perspectives was a horrible experience. Grant was too possessive and Harlow is a truly weak example of a woman. Their relationship still annoys me to this day.

One More Chance by Abbi Glines // 3 Stars

Abbi Glines rehashed the storyline where the girl leaves and comes back pregnant, and I stopped reading there. A left it a while and came back to finish it off. It was okay, not good or her best.

You Were Mine by Abbi Glines // 4 Stars

Oh, Bethy and Tripp. So, so beautiful. I was crying from the heartbreak in this book and I loved seeing what happened to Bethy and Tripp when they were teenagers. Although those teenager parts were incredibly slow I still enjoyed them.

When I'm Gone by Abbi Glines // 4.5 Stars

I'm getting myself a Mase Mannings because he is perfect to a 'T'. Him and Reese were a perfect couple and I really enjoyed the fact that there wasn't much sex in this book. It was laid back and I  found it to be perfect.

When You're Back by Abbi Glines // 2 Stars

YAWN! This book was an entire snooze fest. When I'm Gone should've been a standalone. The storyline turns up like 80% into the book and by that time I officially wanted to burn the book and pretend like Abbi didn't even write the book.

Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway // DNF'd

I read 68% of this book before deciding that I just didn't care about the characters to see what happened to them. The awkwardness between Emmy & Oliver was cute, and I loved them so much together but other than that this book was a hot mess.

 The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black // DNF'd

The beginning was eerie and I liked the characters but nothing was entirely going on. I was literally left yawning. I do hope to go back and pick it up again next month though.

Monster by CJ Skuse // 3 Stars

I have mixed thoughts on this one. I liked the characters and the story but I felt I may have read it at the wrong time.

All I Know Now by Carrie Hope Fletcher // 3 Stars

Not for me. I'm a 19 year old guy, not a 13 year old girl.

Kiro's Emily by Abbi Glines // 3 Stars

This was a quick, cute read but nothing else. Kiro was....obsessed though, literally.





What books did you read this month?

Let me know in the comments.

Book Characters I'd Love to Drown | Top 5 Wednesday

Top 5 Wednesday was created by GingerReadsLainey

 

 

 

Titus from Fire and Flood by Victoria Scott

 

Titus isn't a main or recurring character in Fire and Flood, but he does pop up in the last 100 pages. He's definitely the villain of the series. He abuses his Pandora's, well gets his minion's to do it for him, and he treats people like shit. He's definitely a character you wish you had a giant rock to smack him over the head with. But then again, he's in the game to save someone he loves and you have to do whatever you can to survive.

 

 

Adolf Hitler from Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anne Blankman

 

Who wouldn't kill of Adolf Hitler? He's the most known villain in world history and there's no doubt that I'd love to drown him and kill him off. However, in this book he's not exactly the ruler of Germany. He's on his way to being on top and is also in a secret relationship with a niece (It may be second cousin, not sure).

 

 

Four and Caleb from Divergent by Veronica Roth

 

You all probably think I'd say Eric and Jeanine, but honestly, they're my favourite characters in the series. However, Four and Caleb are just plain annoying, irritating characters that I could see myself stabbing over and over and over. It's a pity that they both never died....

 

 

Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

 

Yeah, do I really have to explain this one? I hate the girl so much, and she's not even real. I just don't see how anyone can relate to her because she's boring. She has no personality and just comes across as stuck up and arrogant. It's sad she not got a spear to the heart during the Games.

 

 

Dolores Umbridge from Harry Potter by J K Rowling

 

I thought she was horrible in the movie, but apparently she's even worse in the book (I've not read it yet, sadly). Wouldn't it be cool if all her kittens inside the plates could move out of them, grow a thousand feet and eat her alive?

 

 

 

 

Which fictional characters would you kill off?

Let me know in the comments

Books I Read in One Sitting | Top 5 Wednesday

Top 5 Wednesday was created by GingerReadsLainey

 

 

 

Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Shiobhan Vivian

 

This book is 350 pages long and I read it within Two hours. It's a very fun, fast-paced read that tells the story of Three high school girls who are out for revenge on the people who have done them wrong. Despite being a YA Contemporary there is a hint of supernatural in the trilogy as well, which is very well done.

 

 

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

 

This is one of those books that capture your attention from the first page, not because it's amazingly well written, but because it's seriously entertaining and filled with drama. Abby and Travis' relationship is seriously intense!

 

 

Make You Mine by Macy Beckett

 

Back last year I had a serious case of a reading slump that lasted 3 entire months. In that time I read One book, and that was Make You Mine. I read it all within Four hours and I had such a fun time while reading it. It's definitely a unique take on the adult romance book.

 

 

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

 

I'm pretty sure everybody read this book in One entire sitting. The story hooks on to your heart and doesn't let go until the last page, when you then realise that you can't see anything out of your eyes because you're crying do damn hard. Or if you're like me, then you're throwing the book down onto the bed and crying into your pillow like you have no idea how to live. For Three WHOLE days!

 

 

Confess by Colleen Hoover

 

It was impossible not to read this book in One sitting. I was crying within Ten pages and wanted to know what was going to happen for Auburn, within 5 hours I had completed the book, placed it onto my shelf and continued sobbing my too-big-of-a-heart out. It's a heartbreaker that's for sure!

 

 

 

 

What books have you read in One sitting?

Let me know in the comments.

April Book Haul

This month I promised myself I wouldn't buy so many books. However, that did not happen. I found some great deals, so that's a bonus, but still, I need to calm down. Well, after May I will.

All I Know Now by Carrie Hope Fletcher // Waterstones // £6.49

 

All I Know Now is a non-fiction book about teenage life and the mistake Carrie made and how she learned from them. I've only read through Act 1, but I already love it! It's filled with insightful advice and Harry Potter references.

 

 

The Coincidence Series & The Breaking Nova Series by Jessica Sorensen // Book Depository and Amazon // £15

 

Jessica Sorensen writes incredibly dark New Adult books and The Coincidence Series is now different. It follows two main characters who have broken souls, but only seem to feel fixable when they're with each other. I'm currently reading the second book, and am loving it!

 

 

Thoughtless by S.C. Stephens & Crash by Nicole Williams // Book Depository and Amazon // £9

 

Crash is described as a YA novel, but I've heard incredible things about it, and it was so cheap for a US edition. I picked up Thoughtless for £3.14 from Amazon and I cannot wait to read it soon. Apparently it features a person cheating on their partner, so I am a little weary.

 

 

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas & The Last Summer of Us by Maggie Harcourt // Waterstones and Book Depository // £11.50

 

I received both of these books early. I've already read ACOTAR by Sarah J Maas and loved it, so I had to order a finished copy. My friend, Sarah reviewed The Last Summer of Us and loved it. It's about three friends who take a road trip through Wales (Which is where I live).

 

 

Alienated by Melissa Landers // Wordery via Amazon // £5.80

 

Alienated finally came out in Paperback and I couldn't resist it. Apparently it's quite similar to the TV (which is now cancelled) Starcrossed. The main character has to host an Alien, but finds out that he's keeping a secret that could destroy both worlds.

 

 

REVIEW BOOKS

 

 

Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke by Anne Blankman & Skin by Ilka Tampke // Headline and Hodder & Stoughton // Sent for a honest review

 

Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke is the sequel to Prisoner of Night and Fog, which was released last year and I loved it! I'm so excited to continue on. I'm not sure what Skin is about since I received it unsolicited. The synopsis sounds...unique.

 

 

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon, Awake by Natasha Preston & The Heartbreakers by Ali Novak // Netgalley // E-ARC's

 

I've already read Everything, Everything and I loved it. My review should be up pretty soon. Natasha Preston is actually a friend of mine, so when I saw this up on the site I had to request. It reminds me a little of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, which is such an incredible series! The Heartbreakers sounds like a quick, cheesy read and I wanted to have some of that!

 

 

 

These are all I got this month.

What did you buy?

 

Buy the books (Waterstones) // Buy the books (Book Depository) // Buy the Books (Amazon)

Review: My True Love Gave to Me edited by Stephanie Perkins

Title: My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories
Author: A Bunch of Various Authors
Genre: Christmas / Romance
Publisher: MacMillan's Children
Published: October 9th 2014
Page Number: 359

Rating: 3.75/5

 

Summary:

 

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me ...This beautiful collection features twelve gorgeously romantic stories set during the festive period, by some of the most talented and exciting YA authors writing today. The stories are filled with the magic of first love and the magic of the holidays.

 

 

 

 

Review:

 

Midnights by Rainbow Rowell - 5/5

 

I absolutely loved this short story by Rainbow Rowell which follows a girl called Mags over the period of 3 New Years parties. Each year is different and the ending is super cute. Rainbow Rowell really captured my attention and wrote great, flawed characters.

 

“You’re a kaleidoscope. You change every time I look away.”

 

 

The Lady and the Fox by Kelly Link - 1/5

I just did not like this short story at all. The beginning was a little all over the place and the writing didn't do anything for me. Maybe having Rainbow Rowell start the collection was a really bad idea.


Angels in the Snow by Matt De La Pena - 5/5

I absolutely adored this short story. It was great with it following a guy named Shy because men do have slightly different thoughts to women. I also loved how it wasn't exactly a happy-ish ending. It was a mutual ending that fitted the story very well.

“The feeling it gave me was an odd combination of weightless self-pity and excitement. I understood my life was meaningless, and this knowledge freed me up to accomplish absolutely anything.”  


Polaris is where you'll find me by Jenny Han - 4/5

I was so surprised that I enjoyed this short story because it was about Elves. I don't have anything against Elves, but I didn't think it'd work, but it definitely did. The characters were great and very life like. The only negatives were the fact that Flynn could touch Natalie's cheek when she was standing up. Can Elves even reach that far? and the ending was so abrupt. But it was still super cute!

"When I think back on it, I realize it was the first time I ever got to introduce myself. I'd known everyone at the North Pole since I was a baby, and they all called me Natty, because that was what Santa called me. It was my first time being Natalie."


It's a Yuletide miracle, Charlie Brown by Stephanie Perkins - 4/5

I really did love this short story. Stephanie can create some of the best characters ever and she did with Marigold and North. I loved how witty and awkward and fresh they were. It was a little weird with the situation, but all I could while I read it was smile.

"Until tomorrow, Marigold Moon." And he kissed her one last time.


Your Temporary Santa by David Levithan - 0/5

I decided not to read this short story because the past two books I've read by David Levithan I've hated. Detested. That's not to say that you guys wouldn't like the story because it does sound interesting and it is about a gay couple.


Krampuslauf by Holly Black - 0/5

This short story by Holly Black didn't appeal to me at all. I wish it did, because I'm sure Holly Black has a great writing style, but when I think of Holly Black writing a book I think of Faeries and Vampires, not two humans falling in love.


What The Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth by Gayle Forman - 3.5/5

I really enjoyed this cute story. It was warm, fuzzy and super cute. I love Gayle Forman's writing and the characters Sophie and Russell were perfect together. I got butterflies in my stomach. I did take over an hour to read this because I haven't read anything is about 2 weeks.


Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus by Myra McIntire - 4/5

AHHH! I loved this short story so much. I was expecting it to be a 2 or 3 star rating, but I absolutely fell in love with the characters and the story. Prankster and the priest's daughter as a pair? You'd never see it, but it was all about forgiving and family and it was the perfect read.


Welcome to Christmas, CA by Kiersten White - 3/5

I very much liked this story, but it was also a little generic and predictable. The girl felt like she "lost" her mother when she met Rick, but it turns out that they wanted better for her. I've read it over and over again, but I still enjoyed it.

“But people don't need to remember how it felt to be happy and safe in the past. They need to have hope that they can get there again in the future.”  


Star of Bethlehem by Ally Carter - 4/5

I really really enjoyed this short story. I've heard a lot of mixed feelings about Ally's writing style, but I liked it. The characters were great, the writing was great and the whole premise was great. It was just a cute, quick read.

“I sang because that is what I do when I am happy and when I'm sad. I sang because it is who I am when I am being the best possible version of me.”  


The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer by Laini Taylor - 3/5

This story was definitely a little different, but the writing was so unique, beautiful. I enjoyed the characters a lot and it ended up as a well done Christmas Day read (It's near 1am here on the 25th).

“She wanted to be free, and if she could never be free, at least she wanted to be brave - brave enough not to sell herself, no matter what the payment, or the cost of refusing.”  

 

 

 

 
If you could pick any of your favourite authors to appear in a book like this, who would you choose and why? (pick no more than eight)

Ps, MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!
 

 

 

My Favourite Books of 2014

So I am pretty sure that 2014 was a great year for reading, especially for me. I had a 3 month reading slump from March - June and I still have managed to read around 116 books, which is just so insane. So, to celebrate coming to the end of 2014 I have decided to show you my top 10 books that I read in 2014.

 

 

10. The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness - 5/5

 

9. Insurgent by Veronica Roth - 5/5

 

8. The Host by Stephenie Meyer - 5/5

 

7. Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman - 5/5

 

6. The Queen of Zombie Hearts by Gena Showalter - 5/5

 

5. City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare - 5/5

 

4. The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - 5/5

 

3. Where She Went by Gayle Forman - 5/5

 

2. Slammed by Colleen Hoover - 5/5

 

1. Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry - 5/5

 

 

Honorary Mentions

 

I Was Here by Gayle Forman - 5/5

 

This book comes out next month on the 29th and I'm so excited for you all to read it, because it was an outstanding novel.

 

Fire and Flood by Victoria Scott - 4/5

 

I loved how nostalgic this book was. It was written well and I'm so excited for the sequel, Salt and Stone.

 

Wonder by R J Palacio - 5/5

 

This is a book that every child should read because it details the important message of acceptance.

 

"Don't fit in when you were born to stand out"

 

 

What were some of your favourite books of 2014?



Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

"A magical quick read that will have you hooked from beginning, middle and end."

Title: The Selection
Author: Kiera Cass
Genre: Dystopia
Publisher: Harper Collins
Published: April 24th 2012
Page Number: 336

Summary:

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself--and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

Review:

I should have reviewed this book after I had finished it a little over a year ago, but I never did. But now I've decided that I am going to be reviewing the whole Trilogy. My review of The Elite will go live next Monday and The One will go live the Monday after that.

America Singer lives in a world that is divided into Castes, each Caste goes along in numbers 1 - 8. Being a One is being the King, Queen, Prince and (soon to be) Princess. And being an Eight means you have a terrible life. No food, no home. You are most likely to become a Rebel.

What I loved about this book was that despite it being a Dystopian novel it was also very light and fluffy. It was a face-paced, action-packed quick read. The whole world isn't too intricate, but it's also interesting because you'd think that it'd be a pretty perfect world.

It is not.

Maxon's life isn't what you all expected. He may be a Prince, but his Father is harsh on him and every once in a while, the Castle is attacked by Rebels. The Northern Rebels are less affective because they NEVER kill, while the Southern Rebels WILL kill. It's a hard life, but for Maxon it all changes when he meets America.

The change is his personality made him my favourite character, not once did I ever dislike him. My only dislike was Aspen and if I was writing the book I would have him killed in the beginning. He was a character who liked to hold out on things and never let them go.

Overall, I really did love this book. I read it within a few hours and couldn't wait until the sequel (I read it a year on). 5/5 Stars! This book deserves every star rating I gave it because it was that good.

Top 5 Wednesday: Books I thought I'd hate, but loved

Top 5 Wednesday was set up by Lainey over at GingerReadsLainey. Every week you have a new topic and you pick your top 5 choices for each topic. This is done in Vlogs, but I think it will be great for Bloggers to do as well. Today's topic is Top 5 Books you thought you'd hate, but ended up loving. There's not many books that I really thought I'd hate, but loved, so this week was easy. If anything it would've been harder if the topic was books you think you'd love, but hated. 

HERE ARE MY TOP 5:




FIFTH PLACE: Angelfall by Susan EE.

There's actually a reason as to why I thought I'd hate this book, and that's because I tried reading it twice before and could not get into it. I'd manage one chapter and would give up, so when I tried reading it for the third time I was surprised by how much I started to like the book. Once it was over I needed to get my hands on the next book, luckily for me World After was released about two weeks later.




FOURTH PLACE: The Selection by Kiera Cass.

I was judging the book by it's cover, which is very girly, but pretty. It's a girl in a dress and it looked more like a middle grade princess book, rather than a Young Adult Dystopian. However, the book was really good. I loved America Singer and the whole idea of a Dystopian that's a mix of The Bachelor and Big Brother. The best thing about the book is that it took me about three hours to read. I will admit that I've yet to read the sequel, The Elite. But I will do one day.





THIRD PLACE: Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell.

I had never read a Rainbow Rowell book at this point, but I had heard a lot about her. Every Booktube video I watched; Haul videos or tag videos included a Rainbow Rowell book, so when I started it I wasn't entirely sold on the idea. However, Eleanor and Park attached themselves to my heart and clung to it, never letting go. Their story is one that I recommend to everyone because it is one of the best pieces of Young Adult fiction. In fact I think it'll be a classic in a hundred years time.




SECOND PLACE: Divergent by Veronica Roth.

This book has been mentioned in a lot of my T5W posts, but this one has to be in it because I was that surprised by the book. I HATE The Hunger Games so much, so when my friend pitched this idea of Divergent to me I was bored. It seemed so similar and I knew I was going to hate it, but boy was I wrong. So wrong! The book had me hooked from page one and I stayed up until four am reading it, even though I had an exam that morning.






FIRST PLACE: Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

I did not like Beautiful Creatures one bit. It was too dragged out and it took me about two weeks to finish, even though I know that a book that size can take me about three days. So when I decided to start Beautiful Darkness I thought it'd be the same, but once again I was so wrong. I read it in two days and couldn't stop flipping the pages. This book was and is the best one out of all four books.

 

I really liked this topic because it makes you realise that you really can't judge a book by it's cover or it's synopsis. You have to judge the book purely on what's on the inside and each and every one of these books have proved that. I told you guys my top 5, but what are yours?

 

Comment in the comment sections and lets discuss!

My Favourite Book Stores

This post is to bring awareness of Books Are My Bag.

 

 

I'm unlucky than most people when it comes to a local bookstore. Most people have a local bookstore that is only a couple of minutes away, but my local bookstore is over forty minutes away by train. And that bookstore is Waterstones in Cardiff.

 

 

Now I don't shop there that often since I hardly leave my house, but when I do travel to Cardiff then I will pop in there, but the first time I went there I was in utter awe. As soon as you walk in you are surrounded by beautiful books trying to grab your attention and all sorted out into genre's and authors. However, I never really stay too long to look at them because I always go straight towards the Young Adult section.

 

All the books are organised perfectly, all of the books gaining some attention. But what I love most is that some of the employees give recommendations that are printed in front of the book (not in the book, but in a card form, like a price tag in most clothes shops.) and that's great to see because you get to see what other people are enjoying. As well as that the staff are all very lovely and one of the best things I've seen is that one of the employees is a self-published author and they sell his book there and advertise it. Talk about support like nothing else.

 

The only slight negative is that they don't get many known known

Young Adult authors to have signings, the best they've had in the past two years is Rainbow Rowell, author of Eleanor and Park. She was there in July and it was a great experience!

 

 

Another one of my favourite book store is in London. FOYLES. Foyles is probably the most beautiful book store in the UK. I know it's been recently re-designed, which I've yet to see, but when I was there in December 2013 I had the best experience ever! All the books were organised properly and the prices were decent. But what's so good about Foyles is that they stock books that are published in America as well. Also you can come across some signed books that most book shops never have. I got a copy of The Dream Thieves by Maggie Steifvater signed and I never even knew about it until I got to the check out.

 

 

When I next go to London, I know that Foyles will be the shop I will visit first because it is so beautiful, plus it's not crowded like most shops. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Review: Onyx by Jennifer L Armentrout

Title: Onyx (The Lux Series, Book 2)
Author: Jennifer L Armentrout
Genre: Paranormal/Romance
Publisher: Entangled Teen (Soon to be Hodder and Stoughton in UK)
Published: August 14th 2012
Page Number: 366

Summary:

Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…

Thanks to his alien mojo, Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I’ve sworn him off, even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got bigger problems.

Something worse than the Arum has come to town…

The Department of Defense are here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we're linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And there's this new boy in school who’s got a secret of his own. He knows what’s happened to me and he can help, but to do so, I have to lie to Daemon and stay away from him. Like that's possible. Against all common sense, I'm falling for Daemon. Hard.

But then everything changes…

I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?

No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…

Review:

 

"Everything starts to change in this sequel. Just as good as Obsidian, if not better!"

 

Writing a review for a sequel is very hard. I can't give you guys any spoilers, so this will go more about my feelings about the book and if I think the characters developed from Obsidian.

 

Jennifer L Armentrout does get bonus points for this book. There's a character that appears once in page 29, who none of you probably remember, but for me he was the only one I will one hundred percent remember. His name is Billy Crump. Now the reason why this character will stay with me is not because his surname is unusual. It's because we share the same surname. Yep, my surname is Crump. So you can imagine my reaction when I saw it, if you cant then just know I busted out laughing and hid my face with my book because I was bright read.

 

Moving on, I definitely felt like this book was both better and worse than Obsidian. Not much action went down and I really wished it had, because Obsidian ended so great that I one hundred percent thought there was going to be a lot of secrets revealed. I was also expecting a scene between Ash and Katy where they at least try and get on. The good thing was that we had good action scenes when they came and a lot of predictable suspects who somehow made me love them.

 

The characters in Onyx definitely went through some sort of change. Katy found something big out and it changed her as a person. She also had to get used to the idea of her mother having a new boyfriend even though her father had died. No one wants a replacement. Ever.

 

In Onyx my favourite character was definitely Dee. We get to really understand her in this book and her relationship with Adam is just...perfect. As a "Teenager" Dee is trying to figure things out and I felt like she handled them maturely. The only note I would say is that PDA in the school cafeteria is a big "no no".

 

Overall, I felt like this was a good sequel. The only criticism is that I wished that there was something more. Everything else was good though. 4/5 Stars!

Review: Obsidian by Jennifer L Armentrout

Title: Obsidian
Author: Jennifer L Armentrout
Genre: Paranormal/Romance
Publisher: Entangled Teen (Soon to be Hodder and Stoughton in UK)
Published: May 8th 2012
Page Number: 335

Summary:

Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something... unexpected happens.

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.

If I don't kill him first, that is.

Review:

 

"I know what I want for my birthday this year and it's not an object. It's actually an Alien. Daemon Black, please."

 

I'm definitely not known for reading Paranormal/Romance books, so when I decided to pop open this book and delve into it for the third time I knew I had to be prepared. I had my chocolate biscuits, my favourite tea in my favourite mug and I had my blanket. What more could I want? Nothing that's what.

 

People have told me over and over that this book reminds them so much of Twilight (I have not read it, but maybe I will one day.) and I can definitely see why. (I have watched the Movie.) Daemon's friends are very much like Edwards family in personality wise. Ash reminded me so much of Rosalie Hale. Pretty, sharp cut and just a clear bitch. Also the scene where Daemon tells Katy that he is in fact an Alien is very much like Twilight. The only difference is that he tells her by a lake and Daemon's an Alien, not some fake pale skin vampire. However, I really liked that because Daemon and Katy slay Bella and Edward. No competition. Ever!

 

Katy's character is definitely relatable. Moving to a new town you are going to be a bit scared and somewhat awkward, but she came out of her shell pretty quickly. That scene where she stands up for herself against Ash and Daemon was the perfect way for herself to show the school that she's not someone to mess with. Katy was also a bit immature at times, which did get on my nerves a little, but I embraced it and kept looking forward to her and Daemon's cut throat conversations.

 

I'm giving everyone a warning here. Daemon is mine. End of.

 

Daemon is definitely one of my favourite characters. He's hot and cold in attitude, but while I'm impatiently awaiting the next Cassandra Clare book, Daemon definitely gave me my fill of male characters who have zero idea what they want, but while searching they like to have a little fun. And act like a dick. Lets not forget that. What I loved most about him was how he cared for Dee. He knew she was capable, but she was his life. Their brother is gone and she's all he has left. It was sweet and while Katy had this bad word for him, it made you fall in love with him all the more.

 

While this book is a Paranormal/Romance I sometimes felt like I was reading a contemporary with a unique character and a lot of sexual tension - which we all know Jennifer is a queen at writing. Overall, I really enjoyed the start to this five book series. I cannot wait to see what the others have in store. 4/5 Stars!

ARC Review: This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson

Title: This Book is Gay
Author: Juno Dawson
Genre: Non-Fiction
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Published: September 4th 2014
Page Number: 279

Summary:

THIS BOOK IS GAY offers a guide to answer all the questions you were afraid to ask, alongside testimonials from people across the gender and sexual spectrums. This frank, funny, fully inclusive book explores subjects from sex to politics, how to pull, stereotypes, how to come-out and more.

 

 

 

 

 

Review:

"A book that every school should be handing out to their students. Intelligently written, educational and humorous. A perfect book for every sort of human." bookbitchreviews.blogspot.co.uk

When I saw this book on Goodreads I was dying to have it. Being gay myself I wanted to see what other people thought about the whole topics, plus it was kind of like a self-help book, so when Hot Key Books emailed me and asked if I wanted it, I jumped for joy and replied straight away.

There aren't many books that I've stayed up until three am to finish reading, but this was one of the books. Every page was educational, but it wasn't hard for the brain. The comical touches made the information so much easier to soak up, plus it came with awesome illustrations.

This book is Gay looks at different topics, such as coming out, how to meet people like you, and to deal with haters. It also tells you some popular gay icons and has true opinions and stories from other people, which I specifically loved.

Coming out for me was both a good and bad experience. I was 15 and came out on the Thursday to my friend and my parents. By Monday everyone had found out. People were okay with it at first, but three weeks after everyone turned on me. I suffered homophobic abuse every day and suffered from a few slurs off teachers who thought it was funny. However, it hurt me really bad.

Today I am a very open person. I wear my depression like a badge and I want people to know that if they are struggling to never give up. Every time I feel like I'm about to cry I say my quote over and over 'My tears are like diamonds; they're too expensive to waste.' and it is true. Why cry over people who mean nothing to you. You live your life the way you want to and don't let anyone change that.

This Book is Gay is going to so helpful to a lot of people. Gay or straight. One of the thing James touches upon is that not every school teaches their pupils about gay relationships and sex. My school was the exact same. It was always straight sex and I felt out of place. This book is one that every school could read with their students or even hand it out to them and let them really sink the information in.

Every topic was amazing and I can't wait for it to hit the selves, because it's going to be HUGE. And of course I gave this book a freakin' 5 STARS! Absolute perfection! Ps, sorry about this messy review. It's hard to review something in perfect detail when words won't describe how good the book really was.

Review: If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Title: If I Stay
Author: Gayle Forman
Genre: Contemporary
Publisher: Definitions
Published: September 4th 2014 (Movie Tie-in Edition)
Page Number: 210

Summary:

For seventeen-year-old Mia, surrounded by a wonderful family, friends and a gorgeous boyfriend decisions might seem tough, but they're all about a future full of music and love, a future that's brimming with hope.

But life can change in an instant.

A cold February morning . . . a snowy road . . . and suddenly all of Mia's choices are gone. Except one.

As alone as she'll ever be, Mia must make the most difficult choice of all.

Review:

"The quote from The Fault in Our Stars suits my love for this book. I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once. It was that good!" bookbitchreviews.blogspot.co.uk

 

I've read only one other book by Gayle Forman and that was Just One Day, despite the editing issues I fell in love with it. The writing grips you and Allyson was a great protagonist. I admit that I had high expectations for this book and it did not disappoint.

 

This book - turned movie - is nothing that I'd read. An out of body experience makes it almost cynical to believe, but I'm so happy I picked it up! I had just finished reading a high fantasy book and needed something that I could fly through, but also something that captured my attention. From page 1 I was hooked. The writing was full of gorgeous pro's and you really felt every emotion that Mia was feeling. To her family before the accident, her boyfriend, Juilliard and after everything happened.

 

The thing with this book that made me love it all the more was that even though it was quite a serious topic there were still a few jokes or humorous part in there. I did, of course, smile a lot as well which is easy to do when you read one of her books.

 

The ending really didn't end.

 

It ended abruptly, but I liked that because I knew there was a sequel (I need to buy) and I felt that the ended fitted well. Once again the only problem I suffered was the editing. Definitions is one of the worst publishers EVER!!! If I Stay and Just One Day was full of editing issues; grammar mistakes, mixed words and the flow of the sentences were sometimes cut off.

 

Overall, I really enjoyed it. 4.5 STARS!