tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84838289610302548062024-03-05T04:32:02.756+00:00Bibliotalesantheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16183108505519484723noreply@blogger.comBlogger255125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483828961030254806.post-83514216306731139172019-06-28T11:14:00.000+01:002019-06-28T11:14:05.710+01:00The Book Junkie Trials Read-a-thon Challenges & TBRHello beautiful people.<br />
<br />
For the first time ever, I will be participating in a read-a-thon. A shocker, right? So I stumbled across this read-a-thon on YouTube and thought it sounded like so much fun. <i>Please can we have more read-a-thons like this?! </i><br />
<br />
What is this, you may ask? Well... it's all explained in this nice little Twitter thread: <a href="https://twitter.com/TheBookieTrials/status/1136695944265773056">https://twitter.com/TheBookieTrials/status/1136695944265773056</a><br />
<br />
Have a read through that, take <a href="https://rachaeledwards799206.typeform.com/to/dFiSwv" target="_blank">the personality quiz</a> & then pop back when you've got your team!<br />
<br />
The aim of the game is to get to the Bookie Grail. The team with the most points wins. Each prompt completed I believe is 10 points, there are mini prompts as well for extra points. I don't really know all the rules, so have a read through the Twitter thread and watch some YouTube videos - you'll soon know what's going on!<br />
<br />
I've been placed in the Mage team - which frankly, I don't know what that means but I'll take it. Here's the map to get to the Bookie Grail.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwxUuMkWbQGcLO6LEh3k9xLnNXWMb4pgPYq9K7_ch9BhfA1DWFHObRgSigUALztC3kXTay7sNBGS7Truc-f1xtF7PM69NCUkTArCF3b8I0bGZxqQ372FEh18iQVJBKYsrCL5o6qlvPr1U/s1600/Untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="684" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwxUuMkWbQGcLO6LEh3k9xLnNXWMb4pgPYq9K7_ch9BhfA1DWFHObRgSigUALztC3kXTay7sNBGS7Truc-f1xtF7PM69NCUkTArCF3b8I0bGZxqQ372FEh18iQVJBKYsrCL5o6qlvPr1U/s640/Untitled.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
We have to follow the path to get to the Bookie Grail and we have to do it <b>in order. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Ok so that's the map... here are the prompts:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKi_Tyj5WGuIeKUoV3FIDn52tu7Bd2fY2g-D_vtvYzKG_d6sMH2iZvSSmQ9EfAd4XnC7UDSFsnkUr_uVP7koNM-zVX8y_OV0yjIyFE_cSpLBUCLDrliu6fsVtbzLczuMoumGSKliNEfI/s1600/mage.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="409" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKi_Tyj5WGuIeKUoV3FIDn52tu7Bd2fY2g-D_vtvYzKG_d6sMH2iZvSSmQ9EfAd4XnC7UDSFsnkUr_uVP7koNM-zVX8y_OV0yjIyFE_cSpLBUCLDrliu6fsVtbzLczuMoumGSKliNEfI/s640/mage.png" width="462" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>We can start 3 days early, so this read-a-thon for Magi runs from 28th June - 31st July. </i><br />
<br />
<b>Our journey begins at Orc Grove where we must read a book that's gruesome, gory or gritty. </b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1383949470l/18498558.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1383949470l/18498558.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
I've chosen to read <b>Bird Box - Josh Malerman</b>. I've seen the film and judging by the synopsis of the book, this is fairly gruesome, gory and gritty.<br />
<br />
After we've made it through Orc Grove, our journey takes us to Ol' Pirate Road. A book that takes place on sea that I've chosen is <b>The Woman in Cabin 10 - Ruth Ware </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1465878007i/28187230._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1465878007i/28187230._SY475_.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
Judging by the cover, this looks like it'll work.<br />
<br />
Once we've conquered the high seas, we end up on the Isle of Glimmer, where we can read a beautiful or colourful book. This was easy. Beautiful is subjective, so I've chosen <b>Forever Interrupted - Taylor Jenkins Reid</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1368431554i/16130531._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="305" height="320" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1368431554i/16130531._SY475_.jpg" width="205" /></a></div>
Anything Taylor Jenkins Reid writes is beautiful, so there you go.<br />
<br />
Ok, so we've had a break and read a beautiful book. Now we have to go and defeat some dragons on the Draconic Isle. I've chosen: Seraphina by Rachel Hartman.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1387577872i/19549841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="298" height="320" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1387577872i/19549841.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
I've heard a lot about this book and honestly, it's the only book featuring dragons that really intrigued me. Dare I say it, but I'm not a huge fan of dragons... Hopefully I'll enjoy this though.<br />
<br />
Finally, we've made it to the Bookie Grail! In order to win, we need to read Stardust - Neil Gaiman.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1459127484i/16793.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="299" height="320" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1459127484i/16793.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
No idea what this is about, but it's part of the quest so I'll read it :)<br />
<br />
That concludes the TBR. I feel like this'll be pretty easy to do so I'm trying to challenge myself to read all the books for all the quests to the Bookie Grail but I doubt I'll be able to do that! We'll have to see.<br />
<br />
I've concocted a TBR for the rest of the prompts but that'll probably change so I'll just do a wrap up at the end of the month to see how I got on!<br />
<br />
<b><i>What team are you on? What's on your TBR? </i></b>antheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16183108505519484723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483828961030254806.post-78348858318389985632019-04-17T16:11:00.000+01:002019-04-17T16:11:08.030+01:00The Light We Lost - Jill Santopolo <div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="clear: left; float: left; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="32956365" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1493724414l/32956365.jpg" width="118" /></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Title: The Light We Lost </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Author: Jill Santopolo</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Publisher: GP Putnam's Sons</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Date Published: 9th May 2017</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Pages: 328</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-weight: bold;">Format: Audiobook </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
He was the first person to inspire her, to move her, to truly understand her. Was he meant to be the last?<div>
<span></span> </div>
<div>
Lucy is faced with a life-altering choice. But before she can make her decision, she must start her story—their story—at the very beginning.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Lucy and Gabe meet as seniors at Columbia University on a day that changes both of their lives forever. Together, they decide they want their lives to mean something, to matter. When they meet again a year later, it seems fated—perhaps they’ll find life’s meaning in each other. But then Gabe becomes a photojournalist assigned to the Middle East and Lucy pursues a career in New York. What follows is a thirteen-year journey of dreams, desires, jealousies, betrayals, and, ultimately, of love. Was it fate that brought them together? Is it choice that has kept them away? Their journey takes Lucy and Gabe continents apart, but never out of each other’s hearts.</div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
I really don't know where to begin with this book. I read it as an audiobook, I picked it up because... the cover looked cute and I thought it'd be a light romance. <strong>WRONG. </strong>It wasn't a light romance, it was more of a squeeze my heart and rip it out kind of book. <br />
<br />
I loved the narrator and the writing style, both completed each other perfectly. I loved the story-telling, it was soothing and beautiful to listen to. <br />
<br />
I just didn't connect much with Lucy at all, I found her a little annoying. I don't like her morals at all and I struggled to care about what she was going through. <br />
<br />
I really really really <strong>really </strong><em>really </em>loved Gabe. He was sweet and funny, he was perfect. I didn't care much for Darren or Darryl or whatever his name was (oops) but Gabe was just a cutie pie. <br />
<br />
Although I didn't cry, it was a very emotional story and I did like it. I just didn't love love it and that's why I rated it 3* on Goodreads!antheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16183108505519484723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483828961030254806.post-15930471517780440942019-02-10T15:34:00.003+00:002019-02-10T15:34:58.443+00:00JANUARY 2019 WRAP UP Hello hello. I know this is late but you know what they say, better late than never! I'm coming to you today with my January 2019 wrap up. I read a grand total of 19 books in January. I know. It's a lot.<br />
<br />
Honestly, I just want to put it out there that I had a lot of time off work due to depression and anxiety, so I spent most of the month reading.<br />
<br />
I also wanted to mention that audiobooks were my actual best friends during January so that's another reason why this wrap up is bloody huge. I wish every month could be like this (reading wise, not mental health wise d'oh).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_u-na68xt01WAsK9iXbH9bJu21knmXUsIF4Zsv8uLTvDWIr34dxlHgDyBA7H-laMEA4MAzuptQOmOB5bMblPkLgrMqsIxKkii_Hjnyr-oo-NGODQ1G_xRLGJ29XwJqseOweaiWE7uVX4/s1600/Screenshot+2019-02-10+at+15.18.08.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1460" data-original-width="1272" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_u-na68xt01WAsK9iXbH9bJu21knmXUsIF4Zsv8uLTvDWIr34dxlHgDyBA7H-laMEA4MAzuptQOmOB5bMblPkLgrMqsIxKkii_Hjnyr-oo-NGODQ1G_xRLGJ29XwJqseOweaiWE7uVX4/s640/Screenshot+2019-02-10+at+15.18.08.png" width="556" /></a></div>
A whole lotta books, eh! I can't go into detail about every single one, this would be a bloody long post if I did but I will go through the best/worst!<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
<i>The ones I really liked: </i><br />
<br />
I really really enjoyed <b>Pretty Little Things - T.M.E Walsh</b>. It's a thriller involving a serial killer & missing girls. It was a ride, let me tell you and BOY did I not see the end coming. A complete whirlwind, I highly recommend.<br />
<br />
<b>Bruiser - Neal Shusterman</b> was also a really good read. It's about a boy who has the ability to take the pain away from loved ones. So if his brother gets punched in the face and Bruiser is nearby, he will feel the pain instead of the brother. Really really good.<br />
<br />
<b>All Your Perfects - Colleen Hoover</b> was probably the best book of the month by far. It was exactly what I expected from a Colleen Hoover book about a troubled marriage and some tough tough issues. If you enjoy Colleen Hoover's works, this one will not disappoint.<br />
<br />
A special shout-out to <b>The Gilded Wolves - Roshani Chokshi, No Exit - Taylor Adams, Five Feet Apart - Rachael Lippincott</b> and <b>City of Ghosts - Victoria Shwab</b>. All really great books!<br />
<br />
<i>The ones I didn't much like:</i><br />
<br />
I <u>hated</u> <b>The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood</b>. I really think classics are just not for me. I couldn't care about any of the characters and I just found the writing dull and not at all intriguing. It's a shame because the world was interesting, but the execution was just meh. I think this was just way too overhyped and ended up being a huge let-down.<br />
<br />
<b>Twisted River - Siobhan MacDonald</b>. What an absolutely fucking awful book. I really can't express how rubbish this book is. We were following two families who did a house swap. One in Ireland and one in New York. That's where the excitement ends. One of the families just gets completely forgotten about and it's mainly focused on the Irish family. Boring. The whole mystery sounded interesting to begin with but the climax was bland, the reasoning behind things were stupid and there were SO MANY QUESTIONS LEFT UNANSWERED. Frustrating to say the least.<br />
<br />
<b>Sadie - Courtney Summers. </b>I know. Ok I was really hyped for this too but it was just boring. It was really boring and I just didn't care. I couldn't care less about Sadie or who did what to her sister. I literally couldn't care and that was the biggest issue I had with it. I couldn't connect so the rest just fell flat. The audiobook was really good though. Wop.<br />
<br />
---<br />
<br />
So there are my best and worst thoughts of January. If you want to know my thoughts for any of the other books, let me know. There's a lot to say about some of them!<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>What was your favourite/worst read of the month?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTU3juQEAOtoODeex4au2DBa6OypIqoJRX-cGT5ZcBBhBpmwmsmnO6heniFoNZN8qKLnAP1FegBpq7rSLDEDlL9aUGuPuDR2EZLbs7psBF6c1JlfSGyLaI4C2d1kr_nDH3hyNBbYKTHY/s1600/signature.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="500" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTU3juQEAOtoODeex4au2DBa6OypIqoJRX-cGT5ZcBBhBpmwmsmnO6heniFoNZN8qKLnAP1FegBpq7rSLDEDlL9aUGuPuDR2EZLbs7psBF6c1JlfSGyLaI4C2d1kr_nDH3hyNBbYKTHY/s200/signature.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />antheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16183108505519484723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483828961030254806.post-81462278711556255462019-01-28T21:27:00.000+00:002019-01-28T21:27:15.762+00:00REVIEW: All Your Perfects - Colleen Hoover<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1531682842l/38926487.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="306" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1531682842l/38926487.jpg" width="128" /></a></div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Title: All Your Perfects </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Author: Colleen Hoover</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Publisher: Atria Books</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Date Published: 17th July 2018</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Pages: 306</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-weight: bold;">Format: Audiobook </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Colleen Hoover delivers a tour de force novel about a troubled marriage and the one old forgotten promise that might be able to save it.<br />Quinn and Graham’s perfect love is threatened by their imperfect marriage. The memories, mistakes, and secrets that they have built up over the years are now tearing them apart. The one thing that could save them might also be the very thing that pushes their marriage beyond the point of repair.<br />All Your Perfects is a profound novel about a damaged couple whose potential future hinges on promises made in the past. This is a heartbreaking page-turner that asks: Can a resounding love with a perfect beginning survive a lifetime between two imperfect people?</blockquote>
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
If you know Colleen Hoover, you'll know <b>exactly</b> the kind of feels that this book is going to give you. Honestly, this book is up there with <i>It Ends With Us </i>and <i>Ugly Love</i>. This book deals with some incredibly tough themes that could tear any relationship apart. Nothing that I've experienced and yet I teared up multiple times whilst reading this. It was heartbreaking and raw. It was an emotional insight into the issues of relationships and marriage.<br />
<br />
I really enjoyed the time jumps in the book, I loved that we got to see their relationship begin and the love they had for each other grow. We also got to witness the break down and the struggles they go through as a married couple.<br />
<br />
It was heartbreaking at times and I couldn't imagine what it must be like to be in those situations. But this book also gave me a lot of hope about love, and fighting for what you want.antheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16183108505519484723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483828961030254806.post-5923371046868529212019-01-28T21:05:00.000+00:002019-01-28T21:13:37.160+00:00REVIEW: The Cruel Prince - Holly Black <div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1493047153l/26032825.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1493047153l/26032825.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Title: The Cruel Prince </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Author: Holly Black</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Publisher: Little Brown Books</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Date Published: 2nd January 2018</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Pages: 370</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-weight: bold;">Format: Audiobook </span><br />
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<div style="color: black; font-family: times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.<br />To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.</blockquote>
<div style="color: black; font-family: times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
Okay. I have no idea where to start with this review. I'll be honest and say that I really only picked this book up because of the <b>HYPE </b>that it was getting all over the bookish community. I'm glad I read it, but I'm also a little disappointed. I've heard countless amounts of people rave and rave about how amazing and incredible this is and honestly, it was good... but it wasn't amazing. It kind of fell a little flat for me. Let's dig a little deeper and I'll tell you my thoughts.</div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
The book was good. It was entertaining, the plot was interesting (if a little confused) and generally it kept my interest. I can't rave about how amazing this book was because it... wasn't. It was just ok. It was forgettable. </div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
I kept comparing this to A Court of Thorns and Roses and honestly, this book was much better than that one <b>but </b>it was still very same-same. There was nothing really unique about this, it had everything I was expecting. It was predictable and just a very typical YA fae story. </div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
I think a lot of the side characters fell flat and were a little bit comical. They were just mean for the sake of being mean. I wanted more of a backstory on <b>why </b>it was so difficult for human people to be brought up in a fae world. We didn't get that. We were just told it was hard. I wanted to see more of the hardships, but it really just fell flat. </div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
I'm intrigued to see where the story goes, I did enjoy the plot but I can't say that this is the best book of all time. </div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
Eh I wasn't impressed with this, but I'm still interested in the sequel. What were your thoughts?! </div>
</div>
</div>
antheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16183108505519484723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483828961030254806.post-76731204934944364582018-10-18T18:20:00.001+01:002018-10-18T18:20:50.645+01:00REVIEW: Vengeful - V.E. Schwab <div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Title: Vengeful (Villains #2) </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Author: V.E. Shwab</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Publisher: Titan Books </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Date Published: 25th September 2018 </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Pages: 480 </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Format: Physical ARC </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
This book is the sequel to Vicious. For protective purposes, and because I’m nice and don’t want to spoil anyone - I have included a synopsis of Vicious. If you haven’t read Vicious, you SHOULD because it’s incredible. Come back here when you’re ready to read/have already read Vengeful so we can squeal together! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong.</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span><br /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?” </span></blockquote>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">In my eyes, Victoria Schwab can do absolutely no wrong. I’m never a fan of sequels, they never seem to match up to the greatness of the first book but this was one hell of a masterpiece. I absolutely loved every second of this book, from beginning to end. It was written beautifully, it had just the right amount of drama and craziness and the new characters were honestly, SO much more likeable than the original ones. This is honestly my favourite book of the year. I actually prefer it to Vicious, which is highly highly unusual for me to say. Well, I said it. It was great. 10/10. Now, for the juicy bits. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><a name='more'></a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 14px;">Marcella. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 14px;">Oh god how I love Marcella. She is incredible. Her parts of the story were fascinating, I ended up wishing there was an entire book just about her. She’s the strong, independent woman we all want to be. Honestly. She knows what she wants and damn, did she go and get it! </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 14px;">Victoria did an incredible job writing her as such a quotable character, she belongs in Mean Girls. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 14px;">“How many men would she have to turn to dust before one took her seriously?” </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 14px;">Girl, right? </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 14px;">The pacing of the story was impeccable. It was so much more fast-paced than Vicious was. It was just like BAM BAM BAM 25 things just happened and you need a lie down to recover. There was never a dull moment reading this book and as far as I’m concerned, that’s the best type of book. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 14px;">The detective aspect of the book was an added bonus. I’m a major fan of detective shows like Criminal Minds and I was getting huge huge huge Criminal Minds vibes. I loved the investigation, I loved the hunt. I loved the whole entire storyline. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 14px;">I’m going to stop writing this review now, because I’m aware that I’m just gushing but honestly. If you weren’t a huge fan of Vicious, I would still definitely recommend picking this up because it was miles miles better. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Did you love this book as much as I did or were you hugely disappointed? Let me know your thoughts! </span></span></div>
<br />
<div>
</div>
<br />
<div>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
antheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16183108505519484723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483828961030254806.post-78227241920308651512018-10-13T21:22:00.002+01:002018-10-13T21:23:44.966+01:00REVIEW: Dry - Neal Shusterman <span style="font-weight: bold;">Title: Dry </span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Author: Neal Shusterman</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers </span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Date Published: 2nd October 2018 </span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Pages: 352 </span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Format: Physical ARC </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">“The drought—or the Tap-Out, as everyone calls it—has been going on for a while now. Everyone’s lives have become an endless list of don’ts: don’t water the lawn, don’t fill up your pool, don’t take long showers.</span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">Until the taps run dry.</span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">Suddenly, Alyssa’s quiet suburban street spirals into a warzone of desperation; neighbours and families turned against each other on the hunt for water. And when her parents don’t return and her life—and the life of her brother—is threatened, Alyssa has to make impossible choices if she’s going to survive.” </span></blockquote>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
I thoroughly, thoroughly, thoroughly, enjoyed this book. It was captivating, it was honestly terrifying. Not terrifying in a horror story, it’s so creepy way but terrifying in an ‘OH SHIT THIS COULD REALLY HAPPEN’ kind of way. The characters were a little average at times, but they each had their redeeming features. Although I ended up really disliking Alyssa, she still had her good bits. Anyway, let’s get deeper into this! </span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 14px;"></span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">I just want to point out, that this was (and still is, excluding books from school) the first ever book that I’ve physically written in and annotated ON THE PAGE. I don’t know what possessed me, but as I was reading this, I had an urge to write in it. You know when you’re driving on a motorway and suddenly have this urge to open the door for no reason? That’s exactly how I felt, but this urge just didn’t go away so I gave in and alas, ended up absolutely loving it. </span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">I broke the spine of this book and in turn, this book nearly broke my damn heart. </span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">This book was full of quotes that show a different perspective. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>“The greatest investors capitalise in times of crisis” </li>
</ul>
I mean, this is true. This is completely fucking true and it’s sickening. That’s where the scary part of this book came in. It’s so likely to happen the way the events played out in this book, it’s honestly terrifying. People were so focused on the value of things. Got a bottle of water? Great, I’ll sell it to you for absolutely everything you own and you’ll buy it because you’ll die of dehydration without it. Sick.<br />
<ul>
<li>“It feels bleak. A place where hope goes to die.” And “This gated community has become a high-end morgue.” “She’s not dead, but her body doesn’t know it.” </li>
</ul>
The harsh reality of the situation. People’s bodies rotting before they’ve died. People lying dead in their houses. No matter how much money you have, how big your house it, without water - you won’t survive. We’re all the same.<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">“ When we’ve lost the strength to save ourselves, we somehow find the strength to save each other.” </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather"; font-size: 14px;">The sheer strength and determination they found to try to survive this. To try to find water. To make sure their loved ones find it with them. I don’t think anyone could ever be prepared for something like this, but the hope that people had to make it through was astounding. </span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather"; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather"; font-size: 14px;">This book was so thought-provoking, it made me think a lot about what we currently value and the things we take for granted. We don’t stop to think when we turn the tap on, when we run a bath or open a bottle of water. We don’t question it because we have plenty. But maybe we should? </span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather"; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather"; font-size: 14px;">I loved this book so much, it was dark & shocking at times, it made me think deeply about our society’s values and the current state of our world and I love that Neal is highlighting these issues in his books. He is slowly becoming one of my absolute favourite authors. </span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather"; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather"; font-size: 14px;">But of course, it had that balance of lighthearted and funny - which I know, is odd in a book like this, but it’s so needed. Our characters had hope. And while things moved so fast and we didn’t have much time to completely get to know them, their personalities shined through their dialogue and their actions. There were some innuendos thrown in, “I’m not surprised you’re good with a stick.’ HAHA. And also some light-hearted, ‘we’re just kids’ fun - like their name for Uncle Herb. Uncle Basil. Uncle Parsley. Loved those moments. </span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather"; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather"; font-size: 14px;">But you know what? The droughts and lack of water, it may be a shock to us to read about it and wonder ‘what if’, but this really happens. There are millions dying of dehydration and sickness from the lack of clean, drinkable water. It happens. </span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather"; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather"; font-size: 14px;">Have you read this? I’d love to know your thoughts! </span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather"; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather"; font-size: 14px;">* PS sorry if the formatting is off, and there’s no image - I’ve had to upload using my iPad and it’s been a nightmare, so we’ll just have to live with it for now! * </span><br />
<div>
</div>
antheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16183108505519484723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483828961030254806.post-49455029558371519942018-09-15T22:36:00.002+01:002018-09-15T22:36:10.153+01:00REVIEW: When Dimple Met Rishi - Sandhya Menon <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1475687488l/28458598.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1475687488l/28458598.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<b>Title: </b>When Dimple Met Rishi<br />
<b>Author: </b>Sandhya Menon<br />
<b>Publisher: </b>Simon Pulse<br />
<b>Pages: </b>380<br />
<b>Source: </b>Audiobook<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span id="freeText17090037183480149480" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Dimple Shah has it all figured out. With graduation behind her, she’s more than ready for a break from her family, from Mamma’s inexplicable obsession with her finding the “Ideal Indian Husband.” Ugh. Dimple knows they must respect her principles on some level, though. If they truly believed she needed a husband right now, they wouldn’t have paid for her to attend a summer program for aspiring web developers…right?<br /><br />Rishi Patel is a hopeless romantic. So when his parents tell him that his future wife will be attending the same summer program as him—wherein he’ll have to woo her—he’s totally on board. Because as silly as it sounds to most people in his life, Rishi wants to be arranged, believes in the power of tradition, stability, and being a part of something much bigger than himself.<br /><br />The Shahs and Patels didn’t mean to start turning the wheels on this “suggested arrangement” so early in their children’s lives, but when they noticed them both gravitate toward the same summer program, they figured, Why not?<br /><br />Dimple and Rishi may think they have each other figured out. But when opposites clash, love works hard to prove itself in the most unexpected ways.</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span></blockquote>
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
<div>
I really enjoyed this book. It’s not usually something that I would pick up without the influence of booktube and bloggers, but I decided that the good reviews were just too good to ignore. I loved the story and the characters, but I felt the main love story in itself wasn’t strong enough and the background was too much... background and could have been pushed to the forefront a little more. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Dimple & Rishi were both really interesting characters in themselves, and I thought their romance blossomed quite nicely. It wasn’t insta-love that we’re all so used to (thank god!) but it was also a little bland. It wasn’t fleshed out enough, it was cute and it was a quick little book but I just felt like it needed MORE. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I loved the concept of the summer program for web developers, it sounded so cool. I just wish we could’ve seen more of that! I wish they would’ve gone into more detail about what they were working on, I wish it wasn’t a complete love story. I just wish there was more depth and other things going on as well. It was just so lacking and boring at times. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I really did enjoy the romance in this book, it was different, it wasn’t typical and cringey. It was cutesy and fun. I loved the diversity in the book, FINALLY we get to see something other than a typical white American love story. Again, I wish there was more. I wish we could’ve met her family, his family, I wish there was more than just arguing with her parents over the phone. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There was such great potential with this book, but all it really amounted to was being light and fluffy. It was disappointing. However, as a light and fluffy contemporary, it was a nice read.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I rated this 3* on Goodreads! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<div>
What did you think of this book? Will you be reading Sandhya’s next novel? I think I will be! </div>
antheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16183108505519484723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483828961030254806.post-43969307323878513992018-06-02T12:49:00.002+01:002018-06-02T12:49:34.263+01:00REVIEW: The Raven Boys - Maggie Stiefvater <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1477103737l/17675462.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1477103737l/17675462.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
<b>Title: </b>The Raven Boys<br />
<b>Author: </b>Maggie Stiefvater<br />
<b>Publisher: </b>Scholastic Press<br />
<b>Date Published: </b>18/09/2012<br />
<b>Pages: </b>409<br />
<b>Format: </b>Audiobook/eBook<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”<br />
It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.<br />
Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.<br />
His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.<br />
But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.<br />
For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.</blockquote>
This book was so damn hyped up, that when it showed up on my library's page as an audiobook, I thought now was as good a time as any to give it a try. The synopsis was intriguing, the book was... okay but it wasn't great and doesn't make me want to continue with the series. I enjoyed it, but I didn't really understand its point.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
I think the problem with this book was that I didn't connect with any of the characters. I didn't understand the friendship between Blue and the boys. I thought their friendship was just pushed and forced, and then suddenly they're all bestfriends out of nowhere? It was odd and unnatural.<br />
<br />
I sort of enjoyed the story, but I didn't really understand the point of it. I didn't really get why the events in the book were happening. What's the point?!<br />
<br />
This book reminded me of the Throne of Glass series, because they're a) hyped up like crazy, b) unenjoyable and c) lacked depth.<br />
<br />
I have a feeling though, that if I were to re-read the book, now that I have an idea of what is going on - the overall point of the story will fall into place a lot easier? I just feel like this book is one that you really need to push and work on to understand, rather than just having it all fall into place as you read it for the first time.<br />
<br />
I'm not sure if any of this is making sense, I hope I'm not the only one to feel this way! But I did complete it, and I did enjoy it to an extent. I also remember laughing out loud at some of the conversations going on, so there were definitely positives, I just don't think it's for me. #<br />
<br />
I rated this 3* on Goodreads.antheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16183108505519484723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483828961030254806.post-8003683502801396252018-06-02T12:45:00.002+01:002018-06-02T12:45:19.148+01:00REVIEW: To Kill A Kingdom - Alexandra Christo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1524322945l/34499221.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1524322945l/34499221.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
<b>Title: </b>To Kill A Kingdom<br />
<b>Author: </b>Alexandra Christo<br />
<b>Publisher: </b>Feiwel Friends<br />
<b>Date Published: </b>06/03/2018<br />
<b>Pages: </b>342<br />
<b>Format: </b>eBook<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most—a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian’s heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever.<br />
The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavory hobby—it’s his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she’s more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good—But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind’s greatest enemy?</blockquote>
I <b>looooooooooooved </b>this book. I can't even write a coherent sentence and it's been at least a month since I've read it. I love anything to do with sirens/mermaids/underwater worlds. The Little Mermaid was my favourite story as a child, and this retelling is honestly perfect.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
I'm so thankful that I read this book, every other book I seem to have read this year was just awful but this one was GOOD.<br />
<br />
I loved the MC, she was a complete 'badass'. She was strong and she owned her sh*t. I loved her. I loved the dual perspective, the Prince was equally as captivating.<br />
<br />
I loved the world, the different Kingdoms. I loved the entire premise and I want more. I WANT MORE.<br />
<br />
<br />antheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16183108505519484723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483828961030254806.post-48925351504805199162018-06-02T12:42:00.001+01:002018-06-02T12:42:20.948+01:00REVIEW: Good Me Bad Me - Ali Land<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1468115492l/25365530.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="255" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1468115492l/25365530.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>
<b>Title: </b>Good Me Bad Me<br />
<b>Author: </b>Ali Land<br />
<b>Publisher: </b>Penguin<br />
<b>Date Published: </b>12/01/2017<br />
<b>Pages: </b>338<br />
<b>Format: </b>eBook<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Good Me Bad Me is dark, compelling, voice-driven psychological suspense by debut author Ali Land.<br />
How far does the apple really fall from the tree?<br />
<br />
Milly's mother is a serial killer. Though Milly loves her mother, the only way to make her stop is to turn her in to the police. Milly is given a fresh start: a new identity, a home with an affluent foster family, and a spot at an exclusive private school.<br />
<br />
But Milly has secrets, and life at her new home becomes complicated. As her mother's trial looms, with Milly as the star witness, Milly starts to wonder how much of her is nature, how much of her is nurture, and whether she is doomed to turn out like her mother after all.<br />
<br />
When tensions rise and Milly feels trapped by her shiny new life, she has to decide: Will she be good? Or is she bad? She is, after all, her mother's daughter.</blockquote>
Serial killer books are my thing. Anyone who knows me knows this. Although this wasn't a direct serial killer book, it had some after-effects of it, it showed how it affected the family and the victims and the fallout and it was fascinating. This book wasn't as dark as I liked it to be, but it was okay.<br />
<br />
I really enjoyed the entire premise, but it fell flat. It felt like it was rushed, the events in the book were odd... to say the least. It was just eh. It was a typical YA book that I needed to be darker, more disturbing, more emotional you know? I wanted it to draw me in, I wanted to FEEL something. But I didn't.<br />
<br />
I rated this book 2* on Goodreads.antheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16183108505519484723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483828961030254806.post-24955564962834865022018-06-02T12:39:00.002+01:002018-06-02T12:39:53.868+01:00REVIEW: Moonrise - Sarah Crossan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1497459428l/33837404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="309" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1497459428l/33837404.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>
<b>Title: </b>Moonrise<br />
<b>Author: </b>Sarah Crossan<br />
<b>Publisher: </b>Bloomsbury<br />
<b>Date Published: </b>07/09/2017<br />
<b>Pages: </b>400<br />
<b>Format: </b>eBook<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
'They think I hurt someone.<br />
But I didn't. You hear?<br />
Coz people are gonna be telling you<br />
all kinds of lies.<br />
I need you to know the truth.'<br />
From one-time winner and two-time Carnegie Medal shortlisted author Sarah Crossan, this poignant, stirring, huge-hearted novel asks big questions. What value do you place on life? What can you forgive? And just how do you say goodbye?</blockquote>
<br />
I have to admit, I really don't remember anything about this book and I honestly feel like that says it all. I expected so much from it but it didn't deliver. The fact that I didn't even remember what this book was about until I scoured Goodreads for reviews, just shows that it was completely and utterly forgettable.<br />
<br />
There was so much promise, it had so much potential but it fell so flat. It really didn't deliver. I wasn't invested in the story, I didn't care all that much for the main character, and I just really didn't give a ****.<br />
<br />
Eh. I rated this 2* on Goodreads, but in hindsight, I might drop that to 1* (and that's being generous!)antheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16183108505519484723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483828961030254806.post-36895455405259719172018-05-16T10:00:00.000+01:002018-05-16T10:00:06.543+01:00REVIEW: Holding Up The Universe - Jennifer Niven<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1463377718l/28686840.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1463377718l/28686840.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
<b>Title: </b>Holding Up The Universe<br />
<b>Author: </b>Jennifer Niven<br />
<b>Publisher: </b>Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers<br />
<b>Date Published: </b>04/10/2016<br />
<b>Pages/Length: </b> 9h3mins<br />
<b>Format: </b>Audiobook<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Everyone thinks they know Libby Strout, the girl once dubbed “America’s Fattest Teen.” But no one’s taken the time to look past her weight to get to know who she really is. Following her mom’s death, she’s been picking up the pieces in the privacy of her home, dealing with her heartbroken father and her own grief. Now, Libby’s ready: for high school, for new friends, for love, and for every possibility life has to offer. In that moment, I know the part I want to play here at MVB High. I want to be the girl who can do anything.<br />
Everyone thinks they know Jack Masselin, too. Yes, he’s got swagger, but he’s also mastered the impossible art of giving people what they want, of fitting in. What no one knows is that Jack has a newly acquired secret: he can’t recognize faces. Even his own brothers are strangers to him. He’s the guy who can re-engineer and rebuild anything, but he can’t understand what’s going on with the inner workings of his brain. So he tells himself to play it cool: Be charming. Be hilarious. Don’t get too close to anyone.<br />
Until he meets Libby. When the two get tangled up in a cruel high school game—which lands them in group counseling and community service—Libby and Jack are both pissed, and then surprised. Because the more time they spend together, the less alone they feel. Because sometimes when you meet someone, it changes the world, theirs and yours</blockquote>
This book was honestly nothing like I was expecting. I really really enjoyed it and I absolutely <i>loved </i>Libby as a character.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
This book was my second ever audiobook and I really enjoyed reading it in this format. It was the perfect book to get me into audiobooks and I really think that was key in helping me for my feelings for this review.<br />
<br />
I have no idea where I'm going to start with this book, I just really fucking loved it. It was incredible. It was a good amount of serious and sad, and happy and lovely and cute and heartbreaking and awful. It was everything, and it was balanced. Those are the most perfect type of books, the ones where one minute you're sad and on the verge of tears, and the next you're smiling and laughing to yourself.<br />
<br />
Libby has immediately become one of my all-time favourite characters. I loved her attitude to things. She'd been through quite an ordeal, and yet she's still positive and strong. She still believes in herself and she's still determined to do what makes her happy despite what other people may think of her. I love that, I admire that. I wish I could be like that. She just doesn't give a fuck what anyone thinks and that is something that more people need to be like.<br />
<br />
I could honestly listen to this book all day. In fact... I <b>did </b>listen to this book all day. I spent ALL day on it, I even ignored phone calls so I wasn't interrupted. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I know a younger me would have absolutely loved it even more.<br />
<br />
I related to Libby, I related to her feelings and I felt her pain. Obviously, not quite to the same extent, but I could easily put myself in her shoes and understand what she was feeling. I think being able to relate to the character gave this book a whole other meaning to me, and made me love it more than if I couldn't relate to her. It really hit a nerve, and even taught me a few things.<br />
<br />
Libby was strong. She was determined and she did what she wanted. She went after what she wanted and she didn't let her differences hold her back. She worked too damn hard to be bullied and ridiculed. I wish I was as half as strong as she was. She taught me that I can be myself and not be ashamed or embarrassed of it. I can do what I want to do and not worry what other people think. This is my life.<br />
<br />
I rated this book 4* on Goodreads! Have you read this? I'd love to hear your thoughts!antheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16183108505519484723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483828961030254806.post-39506276048303437092018-05-15T19:35:00.000+01:002018-05-15T20:21:49.569+01:00Without Merit - Colleen Hoover <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1506608833l/33280872.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="306" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1506608833l/33280872.jpg" width="128" /></a></div>
<b>Title: </b>Without Merit<br />
<b>Author: </b>Colleen Hoover<br />
<b>Publisher: </b>Atria Books<br />
<b>Date Published: </b>3rd October 2017<br />
<b>Pages: </b>385<br />
<b>Source: </b>Bought<br />
<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
Not every mistake deserves a consequence. Sometimes the only thing it deserves is forgiveness.<br />The Voss family is anything but normal. They live in a repurposed church, newly baptized Dollar Voss. The once cancer-stricken mother lives in the basement, the father is married to the mother’s former nurse, the little half-brother isn’t allowed to do or eat anything fun, and the eldest siblings are irritatingly perfect. Then, there’s Merit.<br />Merit Voss collects trophies she hasn’t earned and secrets her family forces her to keep. While browsing the local antiques shop for her next trophy, she finds Sagan. His wit and unapologetic idealism disarm and spark renewed life into her—until she discovers that he’s completely unavailable. Merit retreats deeper into herself, watching her family from the sidelines when she learns a secret that no trophy in the world can fix.<br />Fed up with the lies, Merit decides to shatter the happy family illusion that she’s never been a part of before leaving them behind for good. When her escape plan fails, Merit is forced to deal with the staggering consequences of telling the truth and losing the one boy she loves.</blockquote>
<br />
I am a fairly big fan of Colleen Hoover, so I know what to expect with her books... and it's usually something that will stab me in the heart and make me cry for hours. I love going into her books blind, which is exactly what I did with this book. I knew absolutely nothing about the premise when I went in and I'm glad that I didn't. I enjoyed this book to an extent, but it wasn't my favourite book that Colleen has written.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
So I read this a while ago, I should have written the review after I read it, or at least made some notes... I'll try to remember my thoughts from memory.<br />
<br />
First and foremost, I loved the family dynamic of this book, it was... odd to say the least but it definitely kept me reading. It's not often that a book focuses on family rather than a love interest, so I enjoyed that. <b>But </b>the romance aspect in this book got on my nerves. I'll admit, when I read the first few pages, I had to stop. It made me question whether or not I wanted to continue with the book, it was basically insta-love and I have absolutely no time for that. I'm so glad I continued to read on, because it is far from the insta-love that I was expecting. The aspect of the romance that I didn't like was that it was there. I didn't want there to be any romance in this book. After I finished it, I just thought... <i>damn, this would have been just as strong without the romance. </i>It's a shame that there's romance in absolutely everything, because sometimes it's just really not necessary at all.<br />
<br />
The family dynamic was my favourite thing about this book. It was dysfunctional, to say the bloody least. The dysfunctional family is one of my favourite things to read about, I have absolutely no idea why. I just find it fascinating and this one did not disappoint. I thought for a minute, that it was a little far-fetched, that it was just so unrealistic - <i>who has a family like that?! </i>- but then I realised, there are some people who do have super dysfunctional families. This happens in real life. Maybe it's not common, but it's definitely not unheard of.<br />
<br />
As for the storyline, it was eh. It wasn't exciting, it wasn't even that unique but it held my attention and I really quite liked the characters so I can't fault it too much.<br />
<br />
Overall, this was an enjoyable read, but it really wasn't that memorable. I rated this 4* on Goodreads!<br />
<br />
What were your thoughts? :)antheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16183108505519484723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483828961030254806.post-89945889088847767722018-05-01T18:23:00.002+01:002018-05-01T18:23:52.472+01:00Update. Hi guys! I'm so sorry I haven't been posting. I've been absolutely swamped with work and uni! I doubt anyone's noticed, but thought I'd make a short little post just to have a quick update with you all!<br />
<br />
I've been in the world's longest reading slump for what seems like a century, but it's finally over and I'm making my way through my TBR.<br />
<br />
I have about 2 weeks left of university <i>forever </i>so that's exciting and it means I'll have loads more time to read without feeling guilty.<br />
<br />
I feel so out of the loop when it comes to books, I have no idea what's popular, what's recently come out or what's due to come out, I have no idea who's reading what and what the latest gossip is so I'm trying to get back into the groove of things, slowly but surely.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I've read a few books in the past week or so, so I'll be writing up those reviews and hopefully get a steady stream of posts up and running on the blog!<br />
<br />
If there's anything you wanna see me review, leave your suggestions in the comment, or tweet me @anthblogs :)<br />
<br />
Also, I would <b>love </b>to hear what you've been reading these past 6-8months, and what you'd recommend for me to read! I'm in a fantasy/dystopian mood at the moment so hit me up!antheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16183108505519484723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483828961030254806.post-233231982994414752017-08-20T19:08:00.001+01:002017-08-20T19:10:05.061+01:00Book Blogger Memory Challenge!! Anyone who knows me knows that I have the memory of a fish (I can't even remember where I found this tag). Even my new driving instructor asked me if I had rubbish memory because I kept forgetting to do things. So why, do you ask, are you doing a tag that relies on memory? I like challenges! (And I thought this one would be kind of easy because I came up with a book for each question as soon as I read it!)<br />
<div>
<br />
So without further ado, let's see how great my memory is!</div>
<br />
<b>1. Name a book written by an author called Michael</b><br />
<div>
<br />
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1337229972l/1033346.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1337229972l/1033346.jpg" width="117" /></a><br />
<div>
<em><u>Kensuke's Kingdom - Michael Morpurgo</u></em><br />
<em><u><br />
</u></em></div>
<div>
Remember that book? We had to read it in primary school and I absolutely loved it. I believe it's about a boy who gets stuck on an island, he meets Kensuke and it just goes on from there!<br />
<br />
I'm gonna be really extra and give you another book, Gone - Michael Grant. Which I believe is something to do with all the adults in the town disappearing and the kids having to take control of things. I have read it, but years and years ago so the details aren't clear anymore! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<b><br />
</b> <b><br />
</b> <b><br />
</b> <b>2. Name a book with a dragon on the cover</b><br />
<div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1374678990l/43509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="301" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1374678990l/43509.jpg" width="126" /></a></div>
<br />
<div>
<u><em>Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire </em></u><br />
<u><em><br />
</em></u> I have no idea if there's actually a dragon on the cover, but there's dragons in the book so it's an educated guess.<br />
<em>*checks to see if I'm right*</em><br />
So it depends which edition you've got, but the one I was thinking about was the original Bloomsbury one!</div>
<div>
</div>
</div>
<br />
<b><br />
</b> <br />
<b><br />
</b> <b><br />
</b> <b>3. Name a book about a character called George</b><br />
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1423358952l/24612624.jpg" width="133" /></div>
<br />
<i><u>George - Alex Gino</u></i><br />
<div>
<br />
That was easy, it's in the title! I believe this is about a transgender girl? Or a boy who wants to become a transgender girl. And he wants to do things other girls do, but he can't because he's a boy - so I think he moves away and starts a new life as a girl? (I might have made that bit up...) Anyway, it's a really good MG book!<br />
<br />
*In editing, and just realise this works for Q9 too!<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
<br />
<b><br />
</b> <b><br />
</b><b>4. Name a book written by an author with the surname Smith </b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1367927656l/11861815.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="310" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1367927656l/11861815.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>
<div>
<i><u><br />
</u></i></div>
<div>
<i><u>Winger - Andrew Smith</u></i><br />
<div>
<br />
*Thought process* Andrew Smith wrote a book beginning with W that I cannot remember right now... Wicked? Withered? Winged? Winger! I think it's Winger? How embarrassing if I'm wrong. Now I'm doubting if the author is even called Andrew Smith? *End thought process*<br />
< Obviously I was right!<br />
<br />
I don't know what this book is about - I think a boy in boarding school? I've tried to read it but I just couldn't get into it...<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
<br />
<div>
<b><br />
</b><b>5. Name a book set in Australia</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1430732777l/24973955.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="307" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1430732777l/24973955.jpg" width="128" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div>
<i><u>Risk - Fleur Ferris</u></i></div>
<div>
<br />
Ok, so I sort of cheated for this one. I knew that I had read a book set in Australia before, I just couldn't remember the title. I knew it was about some friends and one was killed/missing(?) and the police were investigating or something!? It was a really good book! So I had to Google the name of the book, but I found it eventually!</div>
<br />
<div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div>
<b>6. Name a book with the name of the month in the title</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1447138036l/25111004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="305" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1447138036l/25111004.jpg" width="128" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div>
<i><u>November 9 - Colleen Hoover</u></i></div>
<div>
<br />
So I haven't read this book, I've just heard about it a lot around the bookish community! As with most Colleen Hoover books, this is on my TBR and I know next to nothing about it but going into her books blind is the way forward!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
<div>
<b>7. Name a book with a knife on the cover</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1331548394l/3236307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1331548394l/3236307.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<i><u>Graceling - Kristin Cashore</u></i><br />
<div>
<br />
So my first thought was Knife of Never Letting Go but I knew that was wrong and it only popped into my head because it had 'knife' in the title! So Graceling was the second option, but I'm almost 100% sure that it's a sword and not a knife? It still counts though right?!<br />
<br />
I really enjoyed Graceling but I can't for the life of me tell you what it's about. It's one of those books that you just forget about as soon as you finish it.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
<div>
<b>8. Name a book with the word 'one' in the title</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1424189428l/23524610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1424189428l/23524610.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<i><u>One - Sarah Crossan</u></i><br />
<i><u><br />
</u></i> <br />
<div>
I absolutely loved this book, I cried my eyes out at the end, like genuinely cried like a baby. HIGHLY recommend it. It's short so if you don't like it, it's not a big waste of time (you will love it though).<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
<div>
<b><br />
</b> <b><br />
</b> <b>9. Name a book with an eponymous title</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327868529l/18254.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327868529l/18254.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
<br />
<i><u><br />
</u></i> <i><u>Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens</u></i><br />
<i><u><br />
</u></i> <br />
<div>
Took me a long long long time to even understand what the word 'eponymous' meant, anyone else had that problem? And now it's taking me an even longer time to come up with a title... But of course this is a classic and I love it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div>
<b><br /></b><b>10. Name a book turned into a movie</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1427319143l/3292087.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="293" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1427319143l/3292087.jpg" width="123" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<i><u>Twilight - Stephenie Meyer</u></i><br />
<i><u><br />
</u></i> <br />
<div>
This one was easy, there are SO many and whilst I usually hate all the movie adaptations, I still watch them all. It's weird to see the books I've loved being played out and interpreted differently to how I imagined things. But Twilight was the first one that popped into my head. It's the one book/movie, I hate to love and I love to hate.<br />
<br />
If there are any GREAT movie adaptations then definitely let me know, because I'm up for watching some good things for once!<br />
<br />
<br />
So there we go, I went a bit crazy with all of my explanations but I hope you enjoyed this little tag! I haven't done any for ages but I'm going to try and be a bit more regular with my posting! <b>If you've done this tag, I'd love to give it a read, so link it below! </b></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
antheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16183108505519484723noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483828961030254806.post-85239254235947196112017-08-01T15:46:00.000+01:002017-08-01T15:46:28.643+01:00The Circle - Dave Eggers <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1376419833l/18302455.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1376419833l/18302455.jpg" width="140" /></a></div>
<b>Title: </b>The Circle<br />
<b>Author: </b>Dave Eggers<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Knopf<br />
<b>Date Published: </b>8th October 2013<br />
<b>Pages: </b>493<br />
<b>Source: </b>Bought<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />When Mae Holland is hired to work for the Circle, the world’s most powerful internet company, she feels she’s been given the opportunity of a lifetime. The Circle, run out of a sprawling California campus, links users’ personal emails, social media, banking, and purchasing with their universal operating system, resulting in one online identity and a new age of civility and transparency.<br /> <br />As Mae tours the open-plan office spaces, the towering glass dining facilities, the cozy dorms for those who spend nights at work, she is thrilled with the company’s modernity and activity. There are parties that last through the night, there are famous musicians playing on the lawn, there are athletic activities and clubs and brunches, and even an aquarium of rare fish retrieved from the Marianas Trench by the CEO.<br /> <br />Mae can’t believe her luck, her great fortune to work for the most influential company in America - even as life beyond the campus grows distant, even as a strange encounter with a colleague leaves her shaken, even as her role at the Circle becomes increasingly public. What begins as the captivating story of one woman’s ambition and idealism soon becomes a heart-racing novel of suspense, raising questions about memory, history, privacy, democracy, and the limits of human knowledge.</blockquote>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I really have no idea where to start... All I know is that I have 2 full A4 pages of notes about this book and that I'm really not sure if I enjoyed it or not. So that's a great start. I did like this, I mean I liked it to the point where I found it entertaining enough to finish the entire thing... but there were just <i>so </i>many issues with this book that I really couldn't overlook. Briefly, the characters were flat, the plot was lacking and the writing was odd. That being said, the concept was still very intriguing and there was a lot of potential that just unfortunately, went unfulfilled.</div>
<a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: justify;">
Right, let me start off by saying that this is going to be the longest review I have ever written, but I have a <b>lot </b>of thoughts! Let's start with the issues I had with this book. </div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>1. The characters. </b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Every single character in this book was flat, two-dimensional and fake. Hear me out. The Circle employees all sounded exactly the same, their voices didn't distinguish them from each other - if you didn't know who was talking, or that there was more than one worker, you'd think it was the same person the entire time. Now, I know they all believe The Circle is the best thing since sliced bread, but I'm <i>sure </i>they all have their own personalities, right? </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Our protagonist:</i> the young, naive, easily manipulated female - Mae Holland. I know a lot of people had an issue with the fact that she wasn't a "strong independent woman.." but that really didn't bother me. We aren't all strong, independent women. Some of us are weak, some of us give into temptation very easily, some of us <b>do </b>rely on male attention to boost our self-worth. Those aren't bad things, they still happen and these women do still exist in real life - so the fact that she jumped into bed with anyone who was even the slightest bit interested in her, wasn't an issue for me. Some people do that, and that's fine. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The issue I had with her was that she was so trusting, she didn't question anything she was told, she believed it all. She took it all in, and in essence, it became her. It consumed her. She became one with The Circle and that was what really pissed me off. As a graduate, she should have questioned it. It is drilled into students all the time to question things, not to believe everything you're told, to think logically and critically about things and she did none of those things. It didn't even occur to her that any of this was wrong or weird. She didn't have any inner-arguments, any doubt about anything. She just closed her eyes and jumped right in without thinking about it. The fact that she was written in such a simplistic, 'ditzy, trusting little girl' kind of way, really made me resent both the author and Mae, herself.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I found it increasingly difficult to care about her problems and her worries as the book went on, I had no connection with her. There was nothing about her that made me root for her, or want her to succeed, or want her to open her eyes and get out. Nothing. I just didn't care what happened to her. And when I don't care about the protagonist, the whole book is lost. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Mercer: </i>Mercer was written into this novel purely because there had to be someone who had an opposing view. There had to be someone who didn't believe the shit The Circle came out with. That's all he was there for. There was so much potential for both Mae and Mercer to become more fleshed out characters, to give them both a bit of depth - even just as friends, there was so much potential but it was completely missed. The only interactions they had was to tell her that this whole situation was fucked up and that he wanted no part in it. That was it. We didn't learn anything about their past relationship, we didn't learn anything about his personality, or how she was before all of this. Nothing. What was the point?! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Kalden. </i>Now Mae spoke to him maybe 3 times in the entire book and again, every interaction they had was him trying to make her question things. There was no connection, no conversation between them that made us learn more about their characters. I just can't understand why anyone would write in a bunch of characters, only for them all to be talking about the same thing. Mercer and Kalden could have been the same person. They sounded the same, they said the same things to Mae, there was just no substance at all. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Francis & Annie. </i>I'm going to group these two in together purely because I don't have much to say about either of them aside from the fact their interactions with Mae just seemed fake. Annie was friends with Mae, she got her the job and yet every time they interacted it was forced and unnatural. They had zero banter, they had no inside jokes, nothing that indicated they knew each other before The Circle. Again, what the point of her? </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Francis on the other hand seemed to have gotten a little more out of Mae. Mae essentially used him, and he didn't mind. Their friendship was meh but they had some form of normal interaction. Their semi-relationship-thing was meh (although his unfortunate moments were the highlight of the book!) and just everything about him was a little meh. Bland and boring. His backstory was only relevant to the work he was doing at The Circle, which wasn't relevant at all to the main storyline. I sound like a broken record but <i>what was the point? </i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>The Audience. </i>Mae's audience, the people who were watching her every move online were commenting on everything she did. I found it so odd that the majority of the population were accepting of everything The Circle was doing. Was everyone in the population that easily manipulated that they'd stop questioning everything and just accept that their privacy is very near to being a thing of the past? It's hard to believe. You can't seriously tell me not ONE SINGLE PERSON had a problem with it? That everyone just went along with The Circle and their quest for world domination? Yeah right. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There was no middle ground between the people who accepted The Circle and all it was doing and those who didn't. Kalden was off the grid, Mercer wanted to be off the grid, and those were the only two who were opposing everything. It's 2017 right now, right? People are online nearly 24hours of the day, so it's just baffling that Mercer didn't even want to message Mae to see how she is, and would have just rather lived in the woods to get away from it all. I can understand not agreeing with how far things were going, but he just went to such extremes to get away from it all. On the other hand, you had millions of people who accepted it all without question, and like Mae, wanted to be completely transparent and have everything on show for the world to see. Where's the middle ground? Where are those people who wouldn't mind some advances in technology, but still valued their privacy? </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>2. The Plot & The Writing </b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There essentially was no plot. The first 350 pages were like coasting down a long country road, there was nothing around, nothing going on, just moving forward for a g e s. That's what the majority of this book was like. We were introduced to The Circle, we were told about what they did there, what Mae had to do, what their new inventions and creations were and that was about it. Only in the last section of the book did things start to pick up a little but even then the ending was weird, there was no climax, there was nothing major that happened. It was just coasting along. It was just us watching Mae turn into a Circle robot and believing everything she's told. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There were a few 'shocking' moments that had potential for the plot to change direction and actually go somewhere, but I feel like they were just there for the shock factor. For the 'this is what happens when you use the internet, kids!'. The lesson that we were being taught. I thought it was odd, that this novel was telling us the consequences our actions regarding technology could have, if we let it go that far but didn't actually show us anything. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Circle was filled with conventions, similar to Apple's WWDC, that just <b>told </b>us about things, it told us about PastPerfect and SeeChange and whatever else they came up with but it didn't really show it to us in relation to the plot. It just told us 'This is what we want to do' and everyone's like 'Oooh' and then a few cameras get installed and it effects one or two people at The Circle but other than that it had no relation to the plot at all. It felt like I was reading a textbook, this book had so much potential to be something great. To have a strong plot and a strong message, it could have been a classic in years to come but it's just fallen flat. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mae was a newbie at The Circle, she only got the job because she was friends with Annie. So why oh why did she rise up to be such an important person within the company after such a short amount of time? Why did she stand out to the higher ups over other newbies? It made no sense at all. It was so random and unclear as to why she blew up so much. I'm sure there must've been other newbies who did exactly what she did but they didn't get the attention of the people in power. My first thought was that they wanted her to be the face of The Circle because they could manipulate her so easily and she would just take it all but then I realised, everyone who worked for that company was manipulated. They all cheered when the prospect of requiring every citizen to have a Circle account in order to vote in elections from within that account. They all cheered at the fact that Mae was going transparent. They all cheered at the fact that they were being watched 24/7 and their health and social life was being monitored. They were all very easily manipulated, so why was Mae so special? Why did Mae get chosen for all of this? The reason? She's the protagonist of our story, it had to be her. I just wish there was an actual reason for it and not just because 'it's a book'. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>3. What I liked. </b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I loved the set up of The Circle, the fact that the company cared so much about its employees. We could only dream to have companies like that in the real world. The fact that they helped Mae's parents and put them on their healthcare plan, they didn't have to do that. It felt like money wasn't an issue for them. You want some free clothes? Here's a room full, take what you want. You need somewhere to sleep? We have dorms! Now that, is something I could get behind. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I also loved some of the ideas. Of course, they're extremely problematic but the idea that everyone who had a Circle account was an active user - can you just imagine the #'s you'd get? People would actually read my reviews and comment on them! A girl can dream. A tiny little camera that gives off the perfect HD picture? Yes pls! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Most importantly, I loved that this book kept me hooked. It made me want to read more of it, I wanted to finish it to see what happened and despite all its problems, I finished it so it really couldn't have been that bad!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>4. Overall. </b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There was so much potential to this book, it genuinely frustrates me how much potential there was. The concept was nothing that we haven't already seen. I've read lots of books on the consequences of technology, the problem with opening your life up to everyone on the internet, it's nothing different or unique. The writing was a little condescending, the author assumed we couldn't piece it all together by ourselves, that we need to be told, i.e. the shark in the tank situation - like yeah, I think we get it. It was unnecessary. I just feel like the book would have been more interesting if we saw some real resistance, if we saw a stronger opposition, someone with some sense! I can't get over how frustrating it is, the fact that this world had the ability to put cameras and microphones EVERYWHERE and the plot didn't utilise that at all. It's just fucking baffling. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I'm over it. I rated this 2* on Goodreads. </div>
antheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16183108505519484723noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483828961030254806.post-66560886069041101322017-06-17T21:38:00.000+01:002017-06-17T21:38:03.756+01:00Last Semester - Corine Mekaouche<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1491988103l/34800592.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="412" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1491988103l/34800592.jpg" width="152" /></a></div>
<b>Title: </b>Last Semester<br />
<b>Author:</b> Corine Mekaouche<br />
<b>Publisher: </b>Corine Mekaouche<br />
<b>Date Published: </b>21st April 2017<br />
<b>Pages: </b>360<br />
<b>Source: </b>NetGalley<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B06ZXQRDLK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B06ZXQRDLK&linkCode=as2&tag=amasgui01-21&linkId=f442d9e4f315a2a40ca5e6c478912611" target="_blank"><b>Buy It Here: Last Semester </b></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=amasgui01-21&l=am2&o=2&a=B06ZXQRDLK" style="border: none; display: none !important; margin: 0px;" width="1" /><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
When Johanna ‘Jo’ Gold, witty college life blogger and senior at Rutan University, decides to move in with three male strangers her last semester of school, her life unexpectedly turns upside down. While dealing with her new roommates, A.J., the pompous rich kid who feels trapped in following his father’s footsteps; Rob, the prematurely engaged former womanizer who tries to force Jo out of the house at all costs; and Drew, the 21-year-old virgin genius whose encounters with women have been more than limited, Jo learns that change isn't always easy and it's up to her to learn how to survive the remainder of her time at Rutan the best that she can. Along with searching for her missing mother, figuring out a clever way to pay for school tuition on her own, and dealing with the childish pranks brought on by a certain roommate, Jo’s issues seem more complicated than the average 21-year-old. Can Jo endure the dramatic perils of college while planning for life after graduation?</blockquote>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I wasn't expecting to like this book, I'll be completely honest with you. When I requested it on NetGalley I was knee-deep in contemporary books but right now I'm just really not feeling them... or so I thought. I surprisingly really enjoyed this book and finished it in near-record time! It's a lighthearted, cute and generally a pretty realistic read. This book is very character-driven, which I think is a major reason why I enjoyed it so much, I just <b>loved </b>the characters. Jo was funny and not your typical girly girl. I typically hate to read about girly-girls because I just can't relate to that. I loved Jo because she reminded me of myself. Obviously, like any book, I did have my issues with it but they're really only minor. I would still 100% recommend this book to anyone who loves character driven contemporaries with no romance. Yes, you heard it, no romance. </div>
<br />
<a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: justify;">
So where do I begin. I'll start with the negatives first, there's only a few and they're pretty small so I'll get them out of the way before I dive into what I really want to talk about! </div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
First and foremost, the plot of the story was weak. I mean, it was good and it kept me interested for the most part, but it just felt rushed and nearly non-existant. I would have loved for us to go into more depth with Jo finding her mum and her financial issues. Finances are such a big thing for university students, it was kind of disappointing the way it all got resolved. I wanted some real solutions! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Secondly, there was no romance. Okay, I know I know, Anthea you ALWAYS complain about cliched love stories! But here me out, I really liked this book, I liked the banter between the four roommates, I liked it all and I kind of... sort of... just wanted a happy ending. I mean, I definitely would have been complaining about it if the book was centered around a romance but I think romance and love can be done in two ways: right or wrong. For me, the right way to write in romance into a story is to include it, have it develop slowly and naturally between the characters and have it as part of a backstory. The wrong way to right a romance into a non-romance story? Have it the centre of attention. So yeah I would have loved if there was a little blooming romance in the background, or a little hint of romance . </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Okay on to the bits I liked! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I really loved the pranks between Rob and Jo! It added such a nice aspect to the story, the first few pages drew me in immediately. The dynamic between those two was really cute, a little like a brother and sister love/hate relationship - minus the love! I especially loved the scene with Natalie, I kind of wish there were more of those. That scene is my ultimate favourite scene! Natalie is such a twat. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Drew. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Drew. </b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I LOVE DREW. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I can't even get over how much I love this boy. Honestly, he's the cutest person I have ever come across. Okay, the way he spoke was weird but that's his quirkiness I guess. I just loved everything about him, he was so cute. His thought processes were great and his interactions with Katie were just soooo adorable. I'm aware I sound crazy right now, but I can't get over him. Oh my god, the question he asked Jo. He asked Jo about sex and I just, I just can't. I loved that scene! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I didn't really like A.J and I don't have much to say about him, except he was your typical rich kid who doesn't care about school. Basically. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I really did enjoy this book, even though it's not something I'd normally read! I rated this 4* on Goodreads! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
antheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16183108505519484723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483828961030254806.post-37712827849305670682017-06-10T10:32:00.000+01:002017-06-10T10:32:15.632+01:00BOOK HAUL! <div style="text-align: justify;">
Good morning! I am currently sitting on the sofa with a cup of peppermint tea, listening to the raining hit and roll down the window and thought you know what? This would be a great time to write up a post. So here I am with a little book haul, full of books I'm planning on reading in the near future! Most of these books have been sent to me by the Publisher (so thanks pubs!) and <u>all</u> of them sound amazing! </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf4LnAqqYrXhZZ6PhC-HdTmerj4VdWYD6w9eynp7sjA6t57UW-dsEe6ahVxIuzXeQc7oCYdUEB8jsFrB9Qoc_sJGBrTGgGgYX9RuDsHvR8I_Vskt-vRPUdpmxsAvEv9zTUxpxskN6mDBo/s1600/fullsizeoutput_f0d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="609" height="554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf4LnAqqYrXhZZ6PhC-HdTmerj4VdWYD6w9eynp7sjA6t57UW-dsEe6ahVxIuzXeQc7oCYdUEB8jsFrB9Qoc_sJGBrTGgGgYX9RuDsHvR8I_Vskt-vRPUdpmxsAvEv9zTUxpxskN6mDBo/s640/fullsizeoutput_f0d.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1406372323/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1406372323&linkCode=as2&tag=amasgui01-21&linkId=e9b4ef385309dc6b57726fabc6672d55" target="_blank">Love & Gelato - Jenna Evans Welch </a></b></div>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<b> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU1cJgAqtP8GOqA5nTXs4j93Ye0Qotsy0E301TLV8T0m8m5bjiykF9EmJcaZqO-0IBiKHbrIY4fMM1L5BUJ8av78FAZPC9ft6-FC5ncTopibNyvV44So9h15C9FaE357E6U4HO1i15kFo/s1600/fullsizeoutput_f0f.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="609" data-original-width="812" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU1cJgAqtP8GOqA5nTXs4j93Ye0Qotsy0E301TLV8T0m8m5bjiykF9EmJcaZqO-0IBiKHbrIY4fMM1L5BUJ8av78FAZPC9ft6-FC5ncTopibNyvV44So9h15C9FaE357E6U4HO1i15kFo/s640/fullsizeoutput_f0f.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">This book is 100% gonna make me cry, whether that's what it's supposed to do or not, I can feel it in my bones </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</b> </h4>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
From what I've gathered about this book, it's about a girl who goes to Tuscany to rekindle a relationship with her father. That's about all I know of this book, I know it will hit close to home with me, even if it's not supposed to be sad. I'm not sure what to expect with this book, but I just have a feeling it's going to be great. It's also nice to see a book not set in the US, so even more of an incentive to read it! </div>
<br />
*Not that I have a problem with the US, I just love reading books set in different countries!*<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1406366935/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1406366935&linkCode=as2&tag=amasgui01-21&linkId=4be7f7c3ab175dd2cea3c02583539b2d" target="_blank">Truth or Dare - Non Pratt </a></b></div>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB57pPfSyIkpAHvrJEMENpDCmqPUu2RSX6mY9DbiMBJiYPruqiQecbC9PZbgfL9H4Kxyq6Ctme8xwtqun-C2dl3mZ0OzTNmA5pm_H3Tf8iy5Po16x7W2IjU3gzHZ3j1sf1yG-ODoeziHM/s1600/fullsizeoutput_f13.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="609" data-original-width="812" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB57pPfSyIkpAHvrJEMENpDCmqPUu2RSX6mY9DbiMBJiYPruqiQecbC9PZbgfL9H4Kxyq6Ctme8xwtqun-C2dl3mZ0OzTNmA5pm_H3Tf8iy5Po16x7W2IjU3gzHZ3j1sf1yG-ODoeziHM/s640/fullsizeoutput_f13.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">I don't know much about this book, I'm assuming it's a romance but I'm probably wrong. I like going into books not knowing much about them so I can be surprised when things happen. I've never read anything by Non Pratt but I've heard such amazing things about her books so when this one turned up at my doorstep, I was ecstatic! I love that there's also two sides to this story, like you literally turn the book around, that's pretty damn cool. </span></div>
</h4>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1406373648/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1406373648&linkCode=as2&tag=amasgui01-21&linkId=e16889270469ed8db043754106c843b0" target="_blank"><b>Here I Stand - Amnesty International UK</b></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioIox2Ksfqpt2bqYfg9lrw6PL4MquJwN_EtwaYROjwYhotySr_3vPqemvY5YlYRjCEzlMMONRL-hN59Z0TYc2o9lnm1fi30aWZYmqFM0dOcPwrXbDLQZWtv0Oy-D3K2yIMkiTvCBcFaJI/s1600/fullsizeoutput_f12.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="609" data-original-width="812" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioIox2Ksfqpt2bqYfg9lrw6PL4MquJwN_EtwaYROjwYhotySr_3vPqemvY5YlYRjCEzlMMONRL-hN59Z0TYc2o9lnm1fi30aWZYmqFM0dOcPwrXbDLQZWtv0Oy-D3K2yIMkiTvCBcFaJI/s640/fullsizeoutput_f12.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Again, I don't know a lot about this book, I believe it's a collection of short stories about some darker, </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
heavier topics relating to freedom. I am so <b>SO </b>excited to start reading this book, I think it will be the next one I pick up. I'm hoping for greatness and from so many different authors, I know there will be at least a portion of this book that I'm going to love. I've also noticed that there are a few comic strips and poems in there too, which is always a sign of a great book!<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1406373214/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1406373214&linkCode=as2&tag=amasgui01-21&linkId=9e358bdc85a38008a9f4f28ea7dea26a" target="_blank">Phantom Limbs - Paula Garner</a></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG02TIVPpKrPJGYzELFBqElbQuDk5V4fqhFinZN7lokw_Lc8eaOk2OMWC7a_sqFJV6aqE0mEeIZgS1Z3SBxl90T2BnsFBS102g12i_NIomwkMO12mM5AEGx6cScXA-nmus3CeDEAYKGXQ/s1600/fullsizeoutput_f11.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="609" data-original-width="812" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG02TIVPpKrPJGYzELFBqElbQuDk5V4fqhFinZN7lokw_Lc8eaOk2OMWC7a_sqFJV6aqE0mEeIZgS1Z3SBxl90T2BnsFBS102g12i_NIomwkMO12mM5AEGx6cScXA-nmus3CeDEAYKGXQ/s640/fullsizeoutput_f11.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I received this book a while ago, and I knew I wanted to read it, I knew it sounded amazing but... my fish brain cannot remember even the tiniest detail about the synopsis of this. <i>*Quickly searches Goodreads to find out what this book is about*... </i>Ah okay, let's start this again! I know exactly what this book is about guys, have no fear!! So I think this is one of those books that does better if you go in knowing very little, it's about loss in every sense, grief, success, friendship and love. The loss of a sibling, the loss of a friend, the loss of that friendship, the drive to succeed and become something more and I will assume it's all nicely bundled into a love story. </div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1406373583/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1406373583&linkCode=as2&tag=amasgui01-21&linkId=918aaf67d4c749a424ae4cb7747e87f5" target="_blank">Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy - Cassandra Clare et al </a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=amasgui01-21&l=am2&o=2&a=1406373583" style="border: none; display: none !important; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></b></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv30o1KuCyQnjrDyjI4MrnxG04LNnkC-DkXr-yRxf8QqJh-3MBj3IpA3uH6lMjd5LReX1otu_bENw7EF-ltigLAoGzoJGuGrqs3W131caUlfyhIDGFA-082nRJ4fnW6THKBgE3fA33lRk/s1600/fullsizeoutput_f0b.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="609" data-original-width="812" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv30o1KuCyQnjrDyjI4MrnxG04LNnkC-DkXr-yRxf8QqJh-3MBj3IpA3uH6lMjd5LReX1otu_bENw7EF-ltigLAoGzoJGuGrqs3W131caUlfyhIDGFA-082nRJ4fnW6THKBgE3fA33lRk/s640/fullsizeoutput_f0b.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Don't judge me but back in the day, I was a HUGE fan of The Mortal Instruments series and a slightly smaller fan of The Infernal Devices trilogy, so when this showed up at my door, I half squealed, half groaned. Thinking back on both of those series, they were awful, but I really enjoyed them when I read it so I'm in two minds about delving back into that world again. I will 100% give it a try, but I'm not going in with high hopes. I believe there are 10 short stories about Simon, who was my absolute favourite character, so once again he might save the day! </div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0008217297/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=0008217297&linkCode=as2&tag=amasgui01-21&linkId=e6cc84c3be33e9adcd9f423eb5620424" target="_blank"><b>Wishbones - Virginia MacGregor</b></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=amasgui01-21&l=am2&o=2&a=0008217297" style="border: none; display: none !important; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbnkX-x5WyN0RB6bFFK3YtwJtbq4-fWWq_wB_Iz-Iw3A_XzZsptRvjTYExV78DdLQyDhKGAq892E03saHq4g74wY_1q3EyuOkK9V9FZfcOCak2fYTA2cAO1twv0Q_7kr9jElHy3YHbr_s/s1600/fullsizeoutput_f0e.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="812" data-original-width="1083" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbnkX-x5WyN0RB6bFFK3YtwJtbq4-fWWq_wB_Iz-Iw3A_XzZsptRvjTYExV78DdLQyDhKGAq892E03saHq4g74wY_1q3EyuOkK9V9FZfcOCak2fYTA2cAO1twv0Q_7kr9jElHy3YHbr_s/s640/fullsizeoutput_f0e.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This is the only book in the haul that I've read! It follows a girl who's on a mission to get her morbidly obese mother healthy. She's not just a little overweight, she literally cannot leave her house and hasn't for a long time. This book was a massive rollercoaster of emotions, I haven't yet written up a review, but when I do I'll link it here in case anyone wants a more in-depth discussion about it! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I haven't done a book haul post in a loooooong time so I hope you enjoyed it!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">*Disclaimer: All links are affiliate links to Amazon, this just means that if you buy something on Amazon after clicking the link, I get a little sum'n sum'n at no extra cost to you!* </span></div>
antheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16183108505519484723noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483828961030254806.post-80164213788050388722017-06-06T21:58:00.002+01:002017-06-06T21:58:18.590+01:00It Ends With Us - Colleen Hoover <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1470427482l/27362503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="306" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1470427482l/27362503.jpg" width="128" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Title: </b>It Ends With Us</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Author: </b>Colleen Hoover</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Publisher: </b>Atria Books</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Date Published: </b>2nd August 2016</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Pages: </b>367</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Source: </b>Bought</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01GGKQTSO/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B01GGKQTSO&linkCode=as2&tag=amasgui01-21&linkId=3cc2b10460badf42e788d64d89248a2e" target="_blank">Buy It Here: It Ends with Us</a></b><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=amasgui01-21&l=am2&o=2&a=B01GGKQTSO" style="border: none; display: none !important; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
SOMETIMES THE ONE WHO LOVES YOU IS THE ONE WHO HURTS YOU THE MOST</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Lily hasn't always had it easy, but that's never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She's come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up - she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily's life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Ryle is assertive, stubborn, and maybe even a little arrogant. He's also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily, but Ryle's complete aversion to relationships is disturbing.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan - her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
With this bold and deeply personal novel, Colleen Hoover delivers a heart-wrenching story that breaks exciting new ground for her as a writer. It Ends With Us is an unforgettable tale of love that comes at the ultimate price.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This book contains graphic scenes and very sensitive subject matter.</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I really don't know where to start with this review. I feel like I've been betrayed, I wasn't expecting the book to go in the direction it went in. I started it knowing pretty much nothing about it, I hadn't read anything about it. The only reason I picked this book up was because of recommendations and dear GOD I am so happy that I did. This book will take you on the emotional ride of your life and you will be a changed person after reading it. </div>
<br />
<a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju4y0Ehd5Lw8laydZapyQ4Emvl7k7m597ZBpZ7EOm3CSzayroym4Up6QVFB2DdJPJNLUO8IYOBwy3rErgZf_142Iym9bz8dltquac8U8HbrgRbxWvHT6HR9_uUxYtBQS69xkWpiGyUHUc/s1600/20170606_161745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju4y0Ehd5Lw8laydZapyQ4Emvl7k7m597ZBpZ7EOm3CSzayroym4Up6QVFB2DdJPJNLUO8IYOBwy3rErgZf_142Iym9bz8dltquac8U8HbrgRbxWvHT6HR9_uUxYtBQS69xkWpiGyUHUc/s640/20170606_161745.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Right, I wrote <i>a lot </i>of notes whilst reading this book, I had to. My emotions were honestly all over the place! </div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The first thought I had whilst reading this was a negative one. I know, I started this book and wasn't even sure if I wanted to continue it for 2 reasons: </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ol>
<li>From the very beginning the book was filled with coincidences and cliche's. I can't tell you the amount of times I had to roll my eyes whilst reading the first half of the book. The first meeting between Lily and Ryle was weird and completely unrealistic. It reminded me of a John Green novel (nothing against those, they're just not really known for being at all realistic in the way the characters converse) and I just thought that no one would ever speak to a stranger the way these two were talking to each other. Nope. </li>
<li>A little further on in the story and they've now met twice but they were acting as if they were in love with each other. I get that they hit it off pretty well, but I just couldn't take the almost insta-love that happened. </li>
<li>The whole 'bad boy can be changed by beautiful girl' trope has been over-used so many times, I'm fed up of it. </li>
<li>There were so many coincidences in this book, bumping into people who are all connected etc I get it had to happen for the progression of the story but it just could have been done in a less eye-roll way.</li>
</ol>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Okay okay, that's pretty much all the issues I had with the first half of the book. The second half wipes out all of those problems, of course they were still there but honestly and truly I did not care because this storyline took the biggest turn and broke me (in a good way). </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I really loved the way the journal entries were incorporated so we could get a glimpse into Lily and Atlas' relationship/life and I loved how the past and the present were brought together and wrapped up so nicely. The letters were a little cringe at the beginning but I became invested in the story they were telling and would have honestly been happy if that was just the main storyline. It was powerful and heart-wrenching. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I actually had an interesting thought during the first half of the book that I think is kind of funny now. I made a note of it as I was reading so I could remember, this is exactly what I wrote down and you'll see why this is significant if you've read the book: </div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
Ryle is giving me Christian Grey vibes. I like it. </blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I'm just going to leave that there. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I'm going to lighten up the mood of the review before I get into the deeper things. There was a section in the book that made me laugh like crazy. Ryle is a neurosurgeon right? Neurosurgeon's are busy busy people, you wouldn't think they have time to reply to messages but Ryle replies to Lily's messages almost instantly. It's funny because he's a neurosurgeon and replies instantly, I can't even get a text back within the same day. *SIGH* </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
^ That was a babbling mess, but I thought it was funny. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Anyway, I wanted to get onto the main part of this. The whole reason why this novel drew me in, broke me and spat me back out. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This novel was such an eye-opener, it was incredible. There were dark, heartbreaking topics that were covered in this book and I think Colleen Hoover did an incredible job at handling it with sensitivity and truthfulness. There were moments in the book where I would agree with what Lily would say, and when she'd tell me it was wrong to think like that, it changed my views on things, it made me more aware and it made me understand. If a book has the power to educate you, to show you another side to the story that you've never seen before and to open your mind to understanding the truth, then it's a bloody good book and deserves every award going. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I really didn't expect this book to hit me as hard as it did, I wasn't expecting anything that happened and I don't have any personal connection to the issues raised but it hit me like a ton of bricks. As I was reading parts of the book, my heart was beating so fast, my body got hot, I couldn't take my eyes off the page. I couldn't put the book down. I had to read it, I had to read more. It's been years since a book has made me feel that way. YEARS. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I would highly recommend reading this book, it was honestly incredible and probably the best book that I've read all year. I (obviously) rated this book 5* on Goodreads! </div>
</div>
antheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16183108505519484723noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483828961030254806.post-62324153503692949262017-06-05T15:51:00.000+01:002017-06-05T15:51:58.113+01:00Warm Bodies - Isaac Marion <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1394072655l/15842439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="306" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1394072655l/15842439.jpg" width="128" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Title: </b>Warm Bodies</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Author: </b>Isaac Marion</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publisher: </b>Atria/Emily Bestler Books</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Date Published: </b>28th October 2010 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Pages: </b>256</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Source: </b>Bought </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span> <br />
<b><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0099549344/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=0099549344&linkCode=as2&tag=amasgui01-21&linkId=79bba9aebe4bd76d7682548680bb8021" target="_blank">Buy It Here: Warm Bodies</a></b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
R is having a no-life crisis—he is a zombie. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse, but he is a little different from his fellow Dead. He may occasionally eat people, but he’d rather be riding abandoned airport escalators, listening to Sinatra in the cozy 747 he calls home, or collecting souvenirs from the ruins of civilization.<br /> And then he meets a girl.<br /> First as his captive, then his reluctant guest, Julie is a blast of living color in R’s gray landscape, and something inside him begins to bloom. He doesn't want to eat this girl—although she looks delicious—he wants to protect her. But their unlikely bond will cause ripples they can’t imagine, and their hopeless world won’t change without a fight.</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have a huge fascination with 'end of the world, zombie apocalypse' entertainment. I love The Walking Dead TV show but I've never read a book involving zombies, so I practically squealed when I heard of this book and had to get it immediately! I'm really happy that I did because it was a really enjoyable, quick read. Like with any book, I did have my issues with it but that's a given! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I really liked the main character/zombie, R. He was so </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">so </i><b style="font-family: inherit;">so </b><span style="font-family: inherit;">cute! Sometimes it was easy to forget that he was a zombie, whether that's a good thing or a bad thing though is another story. He seemed so pure and innocent, just a really gentle soul. I would love to know what kind of a person he was when he was alive. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I wasn't a massive fan of the back story between Julie and Perry though, it was a little (a lottle) irrelevant and didn't really add much to the story. I </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">loved </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Julie's attitude though, she reminded me of... well, me... and that's always a good thing to be able to find in books. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I thought aspects of the story were weird, i.e. the talking/not talking/sort of talking(?) to Perry part. The novel could have gone in the same direction without that, so I don't think it added much to the story. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The book was written amazingly, I really enjoyed the writing style and the pace. It wasn't too fast, not too slow, it was just pretty perfect in that sense! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The ending was a little hit and miss for me, I thought a certain something that happened was too convenient and didn't really make sense, although I suspect it'll become clearer in following books. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There were parts that I just had to skip because they didn't add much to the story for me, I would have preferred it to be a bit darker and more graphic. Everything that happened (and really, honestly, now that I think about it, not much did happen..) was resolved easily without any tension or suspense so that was disappointing. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm aware this review is pretty all over the place, but my typing is flowing as my thoughts come in! Overall I really did enjoy this book, but I thought there were aspects that could be improved on and I don't know if I'm interested in it enough to pick up the rest of the series... the ending did knock a few stars off for me, it was pretty anti-climactic. I'm excited to watch the film though to see what I thought of that! Maybe I'll do a little review of that! I rated this 3* on Goodreads! What did you think of this book?!</span></div>
antheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16183108505519484723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483828961030254806.post-13980143036520564192017-05-06T20:50:00.001+01:002017-05-24T16:18:34.185+01:00Release - Patrick Ness <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1485454954l/31194576.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1485454954l/31194576.jpg" width="125" /></a></div>
<b style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">Title: </b><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">Release</span><br />
<b style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">Author: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">Patrick Ness</span></span><br />
<b style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">Publisher: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">Walker Books</span></span><br />
<b style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">Date Published: </b><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">4</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">th May 2017</span><br />
<b style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">Pages: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"> 287</span></span><br />
<b style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">Source: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">Publisher ARC</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1406331171/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1406331171&linkCode=as2&tag=amasgui01-21&linkId=fb897acb1751ed729c4b0d433c20a115" target="_blank">Buy It Here: Release - Patrick Ness</a></b>*</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;"><br />
</span> <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Inspired by Mrs Dalloway and Judy Blume's Forever, Release is one day in the life of Adam Thorn, 17. It's a big day. Things go wrong. It's intense, and all the while, weirdness approaches...<br />
Adam Thorn is having what will turn out to be the most unsettling, difficult day of his life, with relationships fracturing, a harrowing incident at work, and a showdown between this gay teen and his preacher father that changes everything. It's a day of confrontation, running, sex, love, heartbreak, and maybe, just maybe, hope. He won't come out of it unchanged. And all the while, lurking at the edges of the story, something extraordinary and unsettling is on a collision course.</blockquote>
I was asked by the publisher if I wanted to review this book and honestly JUMPED at the chance. Patrick Ness is a hit and miss author for me, but when it's a hit, it's a MAJOR hit. I really liked the main themes of this book, I liked the main character (even if I did have some problems with him) and I liked the raw truthfulness of it all, it's something that you don't really see much in YA books. There were a few moments when I was like... okay is this going anywhere or? Because it really was just a story about a boy having a bad day. There was a little fantasy element to the novel, but I don't think it added much to it, I mean this book would have been just as great without it. I feel like if the fantasy element HAD to be there then it should have been more prominent in the book- but maybe it was only me that didn't get it.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: justify;">
So let's delve in a little deeper to my likes and dislikes of this book. </div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Firstly, I loved the secondary characters, Linus and Angela were just lovely characters, as were the two girls he worked with (forgot their names). I'm so glad that Adam had supportive people around him, considering his family were hardly the most supportive bunch. I feel like we could have gone deeper into the issues with his family and maybe see them change their perceptions a little. There was so much potential there for a really heartfelt, emotional story but I guess it wasn't supposed to be like that. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I feel like the novel didn't really have a main focus, like there really wasn't much point to it. We were following Adam's day and a lot of things happened during that day, awful things but there wasn't really much significance. The end wasn't rounded off properly, nothing really came together, it wasn't connected. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Right, this fantasy element. Honestly, honestly and truly, what was the point? It was interesting to read, and I was curious as to how it was going to connect with the main story but I still don't really understand. It didn't really connect at all, I mean it did, but it was hardly significant. It just really didn't seem like there was a point to it. I'm baffled, if anyone wants to explain it to me, I'd love that! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Anyway so I really did enjoy reading this book, I loved that it was so raw and sort of relatable (in a way... although I'm neither gay, nor a boy with overly religious parents but yknow). I think that's the beauty of it, when you can relate to it even though you're not really in the same position as the MC. I just can't get over the fact that there was so much sex and love and friendship and it felt so natural and real. There are so many books that I've read where I either roll my eyes or just plain hate it purely because I can't imagine myself as a teen doing any of that, nor my sister (who is currently the prime age of YA characters). But it's so nice and refreshing to see true representation. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I enjoyed it a lot, but the flaws really let it down! So for once, a Patrick Ness book has torn me. I rated this 3* on Goodreads! What did you think of the book!?</div>
antheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16183108505519484723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483828961030254806.post-73871307389410952492017-05-02T22:56:00.000+01:002017-05-24T16:16:35.760+01:00Mini-Haul / May TBR! <div style="text-align: justify;">
Well hello again! I know, I know it's been a while since I've done a haul.. actually it's been a while since I've blogged at all, but life just got in the way! I should be revising right now, but I had a sudden urge to show you the very few books I got in the post today! I just couldn't wait. Since I've got these new books that I'm super excited to read, I thought I'd just turn this into a little May TBR and hopefully get them read before the month is over. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicprgkF1vJFzBL1IpsDQtegj_Bgxdkbciqf2pVz_ELMBIUarKEQ_gHWElVZryJ0Od4ANIJnDyjE_YoK0ALeCsMiabDDg2ElT12l9iARC2WOy5wvdohxQWJEdCk2x7BZmUN7H2YN6mo7AI/s1600/IMG_nudxbf-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicprgkF1vJFzBL1IpsDQtegj_Bgxdkbciqf2pVz_ELMBIUarKEQ_gHWElVZryJ0Od4ANIJnDyjE_YoK0ALeCsMiabDDg2ElT12l9iARC2WOy5wvdohxQWJEdCk2x7BZmUN7H2YN6mo7AI/s640/IMG_nudxbf-01.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So without further ado, here are the two books that I am planning to read this month!</div>
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I'm going to start off with a book that hasn't yet been released, this book was sent to me by Walker Books (so thank you very much to them!). It's by an author that I absolutely adore, so I was so excited when this dropped through my letter box! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYzPSbgHBawK5O49NBNsEJsh_1_FElJ-k4QbFChgnWIBySqPNd6VAIq4pWZ_gJ7Lb7nsF4GhvB6022fTIaJrlv4f3fyhQ9St5JqYUb8dItl5dInFIJih_cRpWjDmrTKdO25kfC4JmDtY/s1600/fullsizeoutput_f08.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYzPSbgHBawK5O49NBNsEJsh_1_FElJ-k4QbFChgnWIBySqPNd6VAIq4pWZ_gJ7Lb7nsF4GhvB6022fTIaJrlv4f3fyhQ9St5JqYUb8dItl5dInFIJih_cRpWjDmrTKdO25kfC4JmDtY/s640/fullsizeoutput_f08.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Release - Patrick Ness </b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
*This obviously isn't the final cover!* </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I don't really know much about this book, apart from it's about a teenage boy, who has strict religious parents and everything goes wrong for him on this particular day - there's also an element of fantasy but that's about all I know. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I've started reading it and I'm 50 pages in and I'm really liking it so far, so hopefully it'll be a major win!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1406331171/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1406331171&linkCode=as2&tag=amasgui01-21&linkId=f2950296df91ca0ef89defa4487afe3f" target="_blank">Buy Release here!</a> * <img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=amasgui01-21&l=am2&o=2&a=1406331171" style="border: none; display: none !important; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The final book is one that I hardly need to introduce, I'll just let this next picture do all the talking. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8f5soFue9_j0osMm4G_CbDsqQdQ-psc7a87xwyKoiREXmnr_kb7IT4gKeICI037uk2CFbDpsZoy69HDjvIdbixUfROdHJ4cInY4KV-ZM0X3Mjyp5MIOAyIdfxS1rtH2539KzJFWfl5_8/s1600/IMG_s5r7w9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="636" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8f5soFue9_j0osMm4G_CbDsqQdQ-psc7a87xwyKoiREXmnr_kb7IT4gKeICI037uk2CFbDpsZoy69HDjvIdbixUfROdHJ4cInY4KV-ZM0X3Mjyp5MIOAyIdfxS1rtH2539KzJFWfl5_8/s640/IMG_s5r7w9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Yes, here it is. <b>A Court of Wings and Ruin - Sarah J Maas </b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I don't normally pre-order books but I just had to get my hands on this one! If you don't know what this is or why it's so hyped up, let me just link you to the Goodreads page of the first book - you should then go and read it and tell me how amazing it is. ;) </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16096824-a-court-of-thorns-and-roses?ac=1&from_search=true" target="_blank">The first book is: A Court of Thorns and Roses and it's essentially a Beauty and the Beast retelling, with fae. </a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Anyway I'm trying to pace myself before starting this, I know if I start it I'll never get any revision done, and there's exactly 14days until my first exam, so that's not an option! It's sitting next to my bed though so at least I can look at it right!?<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1408857901/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1408857901&linkCode=as2&tag=amasgui01-21&linkId=c061a6fb476de883715d116720c49840" target="_blank">Pick up a copy of ACOWAR here!</a> *<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=amasgui01-21&l=am2&o=2&a=1408857901" style="border: none; display: none !important; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I want to get both of these books finished by the end of the month, I'm excited to read them both, they sound like great reads and I'll check back in with my reviews for them!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
What are you planning to read in May?! Let me know below!</div>
antheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16183108505519484723noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483828961030254806.post-10241613609565010612017-03-18T19:10:00.001+00:002017-05-24T16:18:29.358+01:00See How They Lie - Sue Wallman <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1487878910l/34382011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1487878910l/34382011.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>
<b style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">Title: </b><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">See How They Lie </span><br />
<b style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">Author: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">Sue Wallman </span></span><br />
<b style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">Publisher: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">Scholastic</span></span><br />
<b style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">Date Published: </b><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #454545; font-size: x-small;">March 2nd 2017 </span></span></span><br />
<b style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">Pages: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">320 </span></span><br />
<b style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">Source: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">Publisher ARC </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1407165380/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1407165380&linkCode=as2&tag=amasgui01-21&linkId=b4b31578534e48961a8f4ca8a38688ce" target="_blank">Buy It Here: See How They Lie</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=amasgui01-21&l=am2&o=2&a=1407165380" style="border: none; display: none !important; margin: 0px;" width="1" /> *</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;"><br />
</span> <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
All’s not well at the Hummingbird Creek wellness resort. No one can see in. No one can get out…<br />
New from the talented author who brought you Lying About Last Summer: a psycho-chiller to wake up your darkest phobias. If you got to live in a luxury hotel with world-class cuisine, a state-of-the-art sports centre and the latest spa treatments, would you say ‘yes please’?<br />
Well, that’s kind of what Hummingbird Creek is like. No wonder Mae feels lucky to be there. It’s meant as a rich-kid’s sanatorium, but she isn’t sick. Her dad is the top psychiatrist there. But one day Mae breaks a rule. NOT a good idea. This place is all about rules – and breaking them can hurt you…</blockquote>
I was so excited to see this book fly through the letter flap in my door. I'm a lover of all things psychological so I had the highest of hopes for this book. I have to say, I was a little disappointed with it, for various reasons- but the concept is incredible.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
The first thing I didn't like about this book was the pace. I mean, nothing really happened until we got to the last 100 pages or so. I think there was way too much introduction to the facility and the characters that was really just unnecessary. By the fourth description of the facility, I was pretty much convinced that I lived there - we knew every little irrelevant detail there was to know about the running of Hummingbird Creek... but nothing really happened.<br />
<br />
Secondly, I wasn't a fan of Mae. I didn't really like her tone, I wasn't convinced that she was as smart as she was made out to be.. I mean.. if she was, she would have known something was fishy a long time ago, right? I just thought she was a pretty bland main character. Her relationship with Drew was dull and seemed quite forced. I didn't feel a connection between them, they didn't have that 'best friend bond' that you usually read about in books, at all. Maybe it was just the environment they were in, or maybe it was because they were pretty much forced to be friends because there was no one else around to be friends with? I don't know.<br />
<br />
So the next point is something that I'm honestly annoyed with. I'm annoyed at the fact that this didn't happen because I would have <b>loved </b>to read about it. Er, so I'm going to spoil the end... so if you haven't read this book then you'll never find out what I'm annoyed about.. sorry!!<br />
<br />
<div>
<input onclick="if(this.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display != ''){this.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = '';this.value = 'Hide Content';}else{this.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = 'none'; this.value = 'Show Content';}" type="button" value="Show" /><br />
<div style="display: none;">
So I really wished we could have seen the police investigation of the facility when they get found out at the end. I think it would have been a much stronger story if throughout the novel we got a perspective from a police officer - we could have seen how Hummingbird Creek was able to get away with what they were doing for so long - and when they were eventually found out and all the details came to light, we could have been there throughout the whole investigation. <br />
I also hated how Drew was completely forgotten about. He left the Creek and we didn't get to see what happened to him, where he went etc. Did he find Mae after she left too? </div>
<br />
I thought the book was very rushed, the finale was underwhelming and there were a lot of loose-ends that never got tied up. Saying that, I really loved the concept of the book, I thought it had the potential to be an incredible book. These types of stories are right up my street, so although there were major flaws and there were ways this book could have been improved - I still enjoyed reading it and would love a sequel! I rated this book 3* on Goodreads!</div>
antheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16183108505519484723noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483828961030254806.post-90730702178095874592017-03-18T18:49:00.001+00:002017-05-24T16:18:22.800+01:00The Hate U Give - Angie Thomas <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1476284759l/32075671.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1476284759l/32075671.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
<b style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">Title: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">The Hate U Give</span><br />
<b style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">Author: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">Angie Thomas</span><br />
<b style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">Publisher: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">Walker Books</span><br />
<b style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">Date Published: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">February 28th 2017</span><br />
<b style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">Pages: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">464</span><br />
<b style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">Source: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;">Publisher ARC </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.199999809265137px;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1406372153/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1406372153&linkCode=as2&tag=amasgui01-21&linkId=5ef54cc8349f495ec83ffd70fb03206a" target="_blank">Buy It Here: The Hate U Give</a> *</b></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span id="freeText6478524892550872367" style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend, Khalil, at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.<br />
<br />
Soon afterward, Khalil’s death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Starr’s best friend at school suggests he may have had it coming. When it becomes clear the police have little interest in investigating the incident, protesters take to the streets and Starr’s neighborhood becomes a war zone. What everyone wants to know is: What really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.<br />
<br />
But what Starr does—or does not—say could destroy her community. It could also endanger her life.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span></blockquote>
This book has been one of the most anticipated books of the year by pretty much everyone in the book community, and for a very very good reason. I've only just finished this book earlier today so my thoughts are fresh in my mind, I just hope I can articulate them well. I want to start off by saying I loved this book and could only find small faults with it. I thought it was written beautifully, I thought it was heartbreaking at times, and I thought it was incredibly eye opening to the current situation in the US.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: justify;">
Firstly, I loved our MC - Starr Carter. I thought she was such a strong character, she had a lot to deal with and honestly handled it much better than I ever could have. I loved the relationships she had with her family and it's honestly so refreshing to see family being one of the main focuses in a book rather than a weak insta-love storyline taking over.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I want to give my negative thoughts early on in this review so I can get them out of the way and focus on what I loved - I'd hate to end a review on a negative!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The main negative that I noticed throughout this book, and honestly it's not really a negative of the storyline - but I was hoping to read about the more common people in society, rather than two very extreme viewpoints, i.e. the poor town ruled by gangs and the super rich stuck up. They were two extremes which I know of course, do exist - but they're the extremes. I don't know where I'm going with this, it's just something I noticed and found it harder to identify with. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Secondly, I wish we could have seen a lot more from Khalil himself. I think the story could have been so much more heart-wrenching and powerful if we had a few chapters (at the very least) from his perspective. It would have allowed us to connect with him on a more personal and emotional level that could have potentially made this book a lot stronger. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Hate U Give is an incredibly powerful book, and rightly so raises some much needed awareness about the current issues in the US regarding police brutality and the unlawful killing of POC's in the country. I am so <i>so </i>happy that this book has gained so much attention, before - during and after its release. I would love to read more books that highlight these issues and can help educate people (like me - who wouldn't ever experience anything like it) to understand the struggle that is dealt with on a daily basis that white people take for granted. It was such an eye-opening book and I hope there are many more like it; I'm a strong believer that books can create change and I hope this is one of the times where it does.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Overall, I loved this book. I rated it 4* on Goodreads! </div>
antheahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16183108505519484723noreply@blogger.com8