August Book Haul

This month has been a little crazy for books. I've bought a lot, received a lot and the outcome for the month was...A WHOLE SHITTING LOT! I thought I had gotten about 10 books but after counting I actually got 15. It's a little crazy, so hopefully I can cut down in the next few months.

I received all these books from the publishers for a honest review, that is exactly what you guys will get after I've read them. I know I included What We Left behind in the last haul, so just ignore that. I forgot I had included it in the Random Book Haul post.

Tempting the Best Man by Jennifer L Armentrout // Buy the book (Waterstones)

 

Mosquitoland by David Arnold // Pre-order the book (Waterstones)

 

Reawakened by Colleen Houck // Buy the book (Waterstones)

 

Hello, Goodbye and Everything in Between by Jennifer E Smith // Buy the book (Waterstones)

 

 

 

I unexpectedly received a copy of GEORGE from Scholastic. They are the bomb.com.org.co.uk. GEORGE is a middle grade novel about a 4th grade transgender.

 

George by Alex Gino // Buy the book (Waterstones)

 

 

 

I then went on an extreme Abbi Glines purchase and don't regret a single second. One More Chance was shown in my last book haul post as well, but I've been so down lately that I forgot.

 

One More Chance by Abbi Glines // Buy the book (Waterstones)

 

You Were Mine by Abbi Glines // Buy the book (Waterstones)

 

When I'm Gone by Abbi Glines // Buy the book (Waterstones)

 

When You're Back by Abbi Glines // Buy the book (Waterstones)

 

 

I am luckily enough to be apart of a very special Rainbow Rowell group, the lovely Kat McKenna from MyKindaBook sent me a signed copy of Fangirl. THANK YOU KAT! YOU ROCK!

 

Knife Edge by Malorie Blackman // Buy the book (Waterstones)

 

Landline by Rainbow Rowell // Buy the book (Waterstones)

 

Exclusive edition of Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell // Buy the book (WHSmiths)

 

 

 

 

 

So what books have you bought/received recently?

Let me know in the comments.

 

 

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!

ARC Review: Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anne Blankman

Title: Prisoner of Night and Fog
Author: Anne Blankman
Genre: YA Historical
Publisher: Headline
Published: April 22nd 2014
Page Number: 352

Summary:

For Gretchen Muller, Hitler is 'Uncle Dolf'. He's always been there for her throughout the turmoil of her family's past but now, as his hold over Germany strengthens, he will be forever changed in her eyes. She will do anything to uncover the truth, even at the risk of everything she's ever known...

Review:

I've always been interested in German history and that's partically why I decided ton study History for my A Levels (which I have now finished and I get my results in August.) So, I was happy to find that what I have studied during my two years of A Level History, was in this book.

Anne Blankman writes with such elegance and shows that despite this book being both hardhitting and beautiful, elegance can have an ugly side. Gretchen is almost controlled by her family's past, she wants to know what happened to her father - was he really shot saving Hitler, or was it someone much closer to home?

With this book you won't just find a drug that will keep you addicted, you'll find love. Not just with the writing, but with the characters and the forbidden romance that makes you smile like you've just sniffed glue. (Please do not try that!)

With this debut, I was very impressed, but like every book it was no where near perfect. The story was controlled very well and the opening was filled with action - Gretchen's brother and friend beating up a random Jew on the streets. But despite that, not all that much went down. Secrets were found out, Gretchen got attacked and more assaults on the Jews happened. I just kind of wanted...more.

But overall, a very impressive book.

Quote:

'Hauntingly beautiful. A book about family, love and how far we'd go to expose the ones who's done wrong.' Bookbitchreviews.blogspot.co.uk  

Book Review: Just One Day by Gayle Forman

Book Name: Just One Day
Author: Gayle Forman
UK Release Date: 2013
UK Publishers: Definitions (Random House)
Summary:
When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.

Praise for Gayle Forman:

'Read it and weep.' Daily Mail

'Moving and heartwarming.' Guardian

'A book that makes you feel truly grateful to be alive.' Irish Independent

Review:

 

I seriously did not think I was going to enjoy this book because it's based on adventures across Europe, but I actually really did. In fact I didn't even like it. I loved it!

The writing in this book is brilliant! I never felt like there was anything wrong with the writing, it flowed, showed off the emotions of Allyson and the descriptions of each place she went; England, Paris, New York, Boston, Amsterdam was so clear and wonderful that you almost felt that you were there. Until you realise you're not there and then you're left disappointed.

The whole idea of just getting on a train to Paris is crazy, but it worked in this book. It gave me a thrill and seeing Willem and Allyson, or LuLu as he calls her together was like watching Christmas lights being turned on at Christmas, seeing fireworks on bonfire night. It was beautiful and magical. I just kind of wished that they worked it out because they are special when they're together, and I know she see's him at the end, but they need to be together NOW!

My only problem with this book was actually nothing to do with the writing or the characters or anything that included Gayle Forman. The main problem was the editing. You can clearly tell that the editor hadn't done a good job on this book. There were so many mistakes, such as words being the wrong way round, words missing like 'to' and 'the' and there was even an extra " after the person had finished speaking, and it did get on my nerves. But I tried not to think about it too much.

Overall, I give this book a 4.5 Stars! It's definitely one of my favourite contemporaries that I've read, and I was so sure it was going to get the full 5 Stars which is why I wanted it to succeed because only two contemporary books have 5 Stars. I knocked this down by .5 Stars because of the editing. However, I would highly recommend this book. Beautifully written.

Quote:

'Moving and explosive. Your emotions will be all over the place.' Bookbitchreviews.blogspot.co.uk

ARC Review: Make You Mine by Macy Beckett

   Book Name: Make You Mine
   Author: Macy Beckett
   UK Release Date: 6th May 2014
   UK Publishers: Headline Eternal
   Summary:

For ninety-nine years, every man in the Dumont family has remained a perpetual bachelor. Residents of Cedar Bayou, Louisiana, whisper about a voodoo hex cast upon the family, sabotaging each man’s chance at marriage. In truth, the Dumont men have their own player personalities to blame, and Marc is no exception. As captain of his family’s riverboat, he’s broken hearts up and down the Mississippi. That is, until his high school crush strolls on-board…

Allie Mauvais rocks the boat when she fills in as his pastry chef. She hasn’t seen Marc since senior year, when rumors flew that her great-great-grandmother was the one who cursed the Dumonts. After two weeks on the water, neither can deny the attraction that still burns between them. But to truly reach Marc’s heart, Allie must show him that the hex is all in his head and it’ll take more than her mouthwatering sweets to prove it. Will Allie’s love be enough to finally make Marc hers?

 

Praise for Macy Beckett:

 



"Beckett (Sultry with a Twist) begins her Dumont Bachelors series with this pleasant story of a riverboat captain and the pastry chef who captures his heart. Marc Dumont has been attracted to Allie Mauvais since their high school years in tiny Cedar Bayou, La. Trouble is, after a Dumont man left Allie’s voodoo-priestess great-great-grandmother at the altar, she cursed the whole family to be unlucky in love. When Marc’s regular pastry chef gets ill immediately before a scheduled voyage, Marc hurriedly hires Allie to sub in the kitchen. Strange episodes ensue, and everyone thinks it’s Allie’s fault—or the curse’s. Still, Marc can’t stay away from her. While the story gets a bit annoying when everyone’s assuming Allie can fry them with her supposed voodoo magic, overall this is a solid tale that portends a likeable series." Publishers Weekly

Review:

I requested this from Bookbridgr (run by Headline Publishing) this does NOT affect my review!

I absolutely loved this book! The characters were very well written, the storyline was fresh with a hint of cliché in there. The romance was very well developed and I loved that it was fast paced and not over the top with sex. Every little thing that happened between Marc and Allie happened for a reason. To Marc it was because of the curse. For Allie it was because it was supposed to happen.

The book was great and I loved that there was a mini side story intertwined into it; Joy and Ryan who found love after going to Allie for advice. Joy learned to live her life the way she wanted, and not the life her parents wanted her to live. Getting a tattoo led to Joy finding her perfect guy; Ryan.

I'm not always a fan of reading books by authors I've never heard of, but I'm glad I discovered this author. Her writing style is simplistic and natural. It flowed very well and I felt like it was very well researched for the surroundings in the story as it was mostly set on the boat, but also set on different islands and I loved that. I was glad there was room for more than the boat. It allowed the story to expand and a lot more drama for the characters.

Overall, I seriously loved this book. And I cannot wait until the second book in this series because this has become a guilty pleasure read. I would highly recommend buying this book because it is beautiful. I gave this a 4/5 Stars!

Quote:

'Like a great new Adult novel only sexier.' Bookbitchreviews.blogSpot.co.uk