Christmas Book Haul!

Welcome back! I took a break from the blog to spend time with my close ones over the festive period, and after a few days of Christmas telly, Christmas cake and general laziness I guess it's time to get back to blogging! I hope you all had a wonderful time too :) oh how I've missed this blog!

Of course I have to start with my presents! I asked for a lot of books (as you'd expect!) but I was so surprised and delighted when I got as many books as I did - and I got some pretty amazing books at that.

Here's my YA book haul!

 

Virals by Kathy Reichs

Marked by P.C. and Kristin Cast

Skylark by Meagan Spooner

What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang

Defiance by C.J. Redwine

I'm still squeeing about them! Of course Christmas is the perfect time to curl up with a book so I've finished reading What's Left of Me which made for perfect Boxing Day reading, and I finished Virals today. I'm so excited to read the rest!

As well as that, I've done a bit of book shopping with a gift card I had so winging their way to me are Entagled by Cat Clarke and Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins.

Oh and rather excitingly, my library finally has Reached by Ally Condie! I adore this trilogy and I've been waiting and waiting for them to have the final installment available. Cue much excitement as I placed my hold!

And I just had to include this photo of the cover of the awesome notebook I got from a lovely friend of mine - isn't it amazing?

What books did you get for Christmas this year? Let me know! Have a wonderful time celebrating New Year's Eve and I'll start posting reviews again in January! :) Happy New Year everyone.

Merry Christmas!

Today will be the day most people are finishing work and preparing to do the last of their Christmas shopping (this is where I feel a bit smug about having already finished my shopping and wrapping!). As this is a time of year to be spent with friends and family, I'll be breaking from blogging over the festive period. I'm sure I'll be back after Christmas to discuss the books I got under my tree and being away from the blog always gives me the itch to get back! So I look forward to 2013 and all it will bring.

In the mean time I'm going to go and curl up with Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally Carter, a cup of tea and several mince pies. Enjoy whatever it is you're reading over the Christmas break, and I look forward to seeing you all again in the New Year!

Sarah x

2012 Review - A Year In YA

I honestly can't believe I'm writing this. It feels like 2012 has only just begun! I started this blog in June and time has absolutely flown by. I thought as we approach the end of the year I'd give a little recap on what books made my year, highlight some important releases and generally reflect on my thoughts of 2012 in the world of YA.

January saw the publication of The Fault in Our Stars, possibly one of the most talked about YA book releases. I was all the hype surrounding it that motivated to me to finally pick up a John Green novel and I was so glad I did! This book was one of the most beautifully written and emotional books I've ever read. You can read my review of the book here.

March this year saw the release of The Hunger Games film, a hugely anticipated adaptation to those of us who read and loved the trilogy. Would it live up to the book? Were they going to make it all about a love triangle? Would they make a film that stayed loyal to the true brutality of the book? I have to say, I was so impressed with the film. I went into the cinema nervous and came out relieved and blown away. They'd done justice to my two favourite characters - Prim and Rue - and being able to recognise so many scenes from the book made me so happy. I thought they got the mood and tone of the book across perfectly without being too gory. The acting performances absolutely blew me away as well! One of the best book to film adaptations I've been.

In April, Kelley Armstrong released The Calling the second book in the Darkness Rising trilogy. I was such a  huge fan of the Darkest Powers trilogy and so I loved diving back into that world, with a fresh new twist on the tale. You can read my review of that book right here.

In May, the sequel to the brilliant Divergent was released - Insurgent. This trilogy is definitely one to watch in the future, with news about the film adaption starting to trickle out already. Whilst Insurgent didn't quite live up to the first book, it still proved how much I'm in love with dystopia as a genre and this trilogy is definitely one of my top picks to check out. My Insurgent review.

May also saw the latest book in Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series released, and I was so excited to read City of Lost Souls. In my opinion this book took the series to a whole new level. It felt darker and more grown up, and had that same can't-put-it-down pull that all of Clare's books have given me. With only one book left, I'm so excited and nervous and sad for the series to end. But the good news is that Cassandra Clare along with some other YA authors will be working on a serialisation of Magnus Bane stories in the future, and of course there's the City of Bones film to look forward to! Read my City of Lost Souls review here.

July saw one of my most anticipated releases - Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer. This book is one of my absolute favourite books this year and one I will continue to go back to. It's so beautiful and completely relatable to anyone who's ever escaped in to a book. A book for total book lovers! I would love Jodi Picoult to write more in this genre and I'm hoping for more collaborations with her daughter because this book was absolute perfection! My review of Between the Lines.

Another absolute favourite book of mine from this year was Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry. YA contemporary is such a fantastic genre and this book reminded me why. It was a great love story that went a lot deeper than I was expecting and touched on some really sensitive issues in a brilliant way, and the characters were fantastic. My review of Pushing the Limits.

September saw the publication of J. K. Rowling's first book for adults, The Casual Vacancy - something talked about by everyone, everywhere you went. Would it live up to Potter? How different would it be? Would it be as successful? I read a lot of adult books alongside my YA so I was really excited to read JKR's first adult novel. Whilst other people beg for more Potter, I was always someone who sat back and waited for something completely different from her. Based on the synopsis it sounded like just the kind of book I wanted to read, but sadly it fell a little flat for me. I still can't wait to read whatever she has in store next, though!

Of course I can only really write about those books I've actually gotten round to reading the films I managed to see. This year also saw the release of film adaptations of The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Before I Die (released as Now Is Good) and of course most recently, The Hobbit. Big book releases in include Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick - the final book in the Hush, Hush series, as well as Days of Blood and Starlight  - the follow up to Daughter of Smoke and Bone, and Reached - the final book in Ally Condie's Matched trilogy. And I'm sure there are many, many more I've missed!

Since starting this blog I've awarded 6 books my Book of the Month honour - where I choose my favourite read of the month, which isn't always a book that was released that month or even this year. The following books were my choices from June until November.

June - City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare
July- Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer
August - Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
Spetember - A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness and Siobhan Dowd
October - How to Keep a Boy as a Pet by Diane Messidoro
November -  My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

2013 promises to be a pretty exciting year. I'll be challenging myself to read more children's classics, as well as hopefully getting involved with the 2013 debut author challenge. Catching Fire, Beautiful Creatures and City of Bones films will be released so hopefully there'll be a few trips to the cinema, too! But mostly I can't wait to start another year of reading and blogging - this year has been so fun! I look forward to seeing you all on the other side. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Must Have Apps for Book Lovers

I've been meaning to do a post like this for ages! And as many people may be ending up with new gadgets under their tree this year, I thought I'd round up some of my favourite bookish apps. I have an iPod touch which is where I use most of my apps and honestly, I'd be lost without some of them! Here's my list (and all of these apps are free - bonus!).

1. Goodreads: I love the site but the app is perfect if you're on the go and want to update your progress or add a book to your to-read list before you forget. It also means you can check whether a book is the first in a series whilst browsing the bookshop or library shelves.

2. Overdrive: This is one of my favourite bookish apps! If your library has an online e-library then it may allow you to borrow e-books and audio books. The Overdrive app lets you download both formats directly to your iPod/phone and read and listen on the go. I absolutely love borrowing audio books via this app as there's no need to transfer them from your PC. It's also great for browsing for books my library has available and creating wishlists.

3. Kindle: I don't own a Kindle so having a way to read Kindle books is brilliant. I don't read too much on my iPod but it means I can take advantage of free book offers on Amazon. If you have a Kindle e-reader then you can sync your books between devices which means you can pick up where you left off.

4. iBooks: Apple's reading app also has a great selection of e-books available. I've downloaded some good freebies on there and it's nice and simple to use.

5. Amazon: This may be a slightly dangerous one if you're prone to sneaky Amazon book orders! The app lets you browse and purchase everything, including books, and allows you to manage your wishlist on the move.

6. Waterstone's: Like the Amazon app, you can browse and purchase books on the move. It also allows you to search for your nearest shop, so if you're out and about and need to find a Waterstone's then you never have to worry!

7. Twitter: Twitter is at its best on mobile devices - makes bus journeys much more fun! And when it comes to keeping up with all the latest book news, blog posts and tweets from authors it's a must have.

8. Tumblr: The Tumblr app has improved with recent updates so now it's easier than ever to browse tags and reblog things. It's the ultimate fandom hangout so whether you're mad for Harry Potter or crazy about The Hunger Games, there's something for everyone on Tumblr.

9. IMDB: Okay, so technically this is an app for film and TV lovers, but with so many book to film/TV adaptations, it's great to be able to keep track of all the details like casting and trailers. I love the trivia sections in particular for getting extra info about the filming of some of my favourite shows and films.

10. Blogger: This is purely for bloggers out there as this app is designed for writing posts instead of reading blogs, but being able to jot down posts on my iPod when I can't get to my laptop is a lifesaver. I have a memory like a sieve so being able to get things down straight away by opening the app and drafting a post means I don't forget anything! I'm actually writing this using the Blogger app right now because I thought of extra things I wanted to say ;)

Do you have any apps that are a must for book-lovers? I'd love to know if you do!

Audio Review: Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, #2) by Suzanne Collins

Spoiler warning! Catching Fire is the 2nd book in The Hunger Games trilogy and this review will contain spoilers from the first book. You have been warned! If you haven't read The Hunger Games then you can read my review of the audio here and my review of the paperback here. 

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

[Goodreads page]

Author: Suzanne Collins. Website
Narrator: Carolyn McCormick. IMDB
Published: 1 September 2009 (Scholastic)
Format: Audio download
Running time: 11 hours, 41 minutes (unabridged)
Audible: Audio download 
Amazon: CD
Waterstone's: Audio download
Book Depository: CD

Source: Borrowed from e-library

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
Katniss Everdeen survived the Hunger Games. Now the Capitol wants revenge.

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark are still alive. Katniss should be relieved, but now there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol -- a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped crate.

As the nation watches Katniss and Peeta, the stakes are higher than ever. One false move and the consequences will be unimaginable.
 
Audio Review:
I recently listened to the first book on audio so had to follow it up once Catching Fire became available! Picking up where THG left off, Katniss and Peeta must do a victory tour of the other districts, but it quickly becomes apparent that the mood across Panem has shifted considerably, and Katniss and Peeta find themselves in danger and under the increasing glare of President Snow.

I've read this book before so re-reading it by listening to it really gave me a new perspective. The first huge advantage I had is that where I raced through the paperback, listening to it gave me the chance to really savour every moment. Caroline McCormick reads at a gentle pace, which means you don't miss a thing. Even though parts of the book can be action packed, you really get the full experience by listening to every detail. There were plenty of things I missed first time round that the audio really helped me reflect upon.

As with the first book, I liked the narration for the most part. I liked the range of voices and the emotions the narrator could get across. It still had pauses in a few places, but overall it was enjoyable. I had a few niggles with pronunciation - the word "ugh" came up a lot and was pronounced "ugg" which just sounded wrong to me.

I've got used to hearing Katniss' inner monologue read aloud now. I think in this book, where there's so much focus on her thoughts and fears, it was even more effective at getting across just how scared she was.Within Catching Fire Katniss has a lot of questioning of herself to do and that really worked hearing it read aloud. My heart was racing as I feared for her (even though I know what happens!) and I was completely addicted.

I think purely to make sure you don't miss anything, the audio is definitely work checking out if you haven't already.

Audio Rating: 4.5/5

Plot Review: 
First time around, Catching Fire was my favourite book in the trilogy and getting to listen to the story over again reminded me why. I was worried when I started it the last time that it would maybe become a little repetitive, but I was reminded just how different the book felt.

The first half of this book takes on a more gentle pace. It really focuses on the unease across the country and the fear of not knowing exactly what is happening. The brutality of President Snow's regime is highlighted as we see things get even worse for the people in the districts, and Katniss becomes somewhat of a focus of attention. I really liked the mood and atmosphere that Collins created throughout this first half. Whilst there isn't a lot of action, there's a lot of things happening that pull at the heartstrings and really make you fear for the main characters. And there's always this looming fear that something huge could happen at any moment - then it does.

The characters are just as much of a strong point in this book. I liked that we get to see more of Katniss' relationship with Gale as well as exploring the issues her relationship with Peeta is creating. It's definitely not a love triangle type of situation, because Katniss is the kind of character that, in her situation, thinks with her head. She has to be conscious of what will happen to those around her with every decision she makes, which means sometimes she puts herself last. I think there were some really touching moments, whichever male character you personally prefer.

If you haven't read this book before then I'd hate to spoil the twist so I won't! But what I will say is that there are a lot of new characters to get your teeth into and plenty of action for those who loved those parts of The Hunger Games. Where I feared the book would get repetitive, it absolutely blew me away with the fresh, imaginative ideas.

The climax of this book is what really males it. Everything seems to happen so suddenly that it's impossible to stop. It leaves so much to be explained and explored in the final installment and some of the twists are truly mind blowing. A really powerful, addictive read.

Rating: 5/5
What to listen to next: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Books like this: Divergent by Veronica Roth

The 2013 Children's Classics Challenge!

It may only be December but as people start to look towards next year, I've been thinking about what I can do on the blog. As I started my blog in the middle of the year, I didn't get chance to set myself any challenges for the year ahead. As well as taking part in the debut author challenge this year, I've decided to set my own goal for 2013 - to read more children's classics!

This is a challenge mainly for myself, although I would welcome people joining in with me to spur me on! (I don't know if any other blogs are running similar challenges but if they are then I will credit them - I'm not aiming to steal anyone's idea!) There are no strict rules or giveaways - it's more of a New Year's resolution to myself to read more of these books. The great thing about classics is that they're available for free, so if you have an e-reader then you can load it up and get going. Brilliant! Classics can be totally daunting (I don't read enough and I hate myself for it) but I think children's classics have that spark about them that make them fun and exciting to read - whatever your age!

The books I'll be focusing are either children's books or books focusing on younger characters. Below is the list of books I'll be aiming to read - a list I'll probably keep adding to over the year! Some of these books I read as a child and can't wait to revisit. Others I haven't read at all which is something I can't wait to change! Whenever I finish one I'll post a review on the blog and on the 2013 Children's Classics Challenge tab at the top of the page. Keep checking back to see how I'm getting on!

Let me know if you have any suggestions for children's classics that I could read :)

2013 Children's Classic Challenge

The list (so far!)

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
The Railway Children by E. Nesbit

Five Children and It by E. Nesbit

Black Beauty by Anna Sewel

Heidi by Johanna Spyri

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

Mini Book Round Up! 16th December

 

Mini Book Round Up!

 

11th -16th December

As with last week's round up, this one will be a little shorter due to the fact that a) Christmas is drawing ever close and b) I've been ill with one of these dreaded winter bugs! But I have gotten back into the swing of reading and have a few things to catch up on. So without further ado, this week's round up!

Books finished: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins on audio book. Can't wait to review this one! I've read it before but I'm re-reading the trilogy via the medium of audio book thanks to my local library.

Books reviewed: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

The blog will probably carry on running as usual for another week until I take a break for Christmas! So this week I'll try and post my Catching Fire audio book review, news about a 2013 challenge I've set myself and a round up of the year's reading.

Have you been reading anything good this week? Let me know in the comments!

Review: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

 

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

[Goodreads page]

Author: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl Website Twitter: Kami Garcia|Margaret Stohl
Published: 4 February 2010 (Penguin)
Format: paperback
Pages: 563
Amazon: paperback|Kindle
Waterstone's: paperback|e-book
Book Depository: paperback

Source: Borrowed from library

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

My Review:
I'd heard a lot of good things about this book, and with a film adaptation in the works I knew I had to try and read it before the film came out! Beautiful Creatures tells the story of Ethan Wate and Lena Duchannes. Lena is the new girl in a small American town and it's clear she doesn't fit in. She has a recluse for an uncle, drives a hearse and strange things keep happening around her. But somehow Ethan is drawn to her.

I really loved the small town feeling of the book when it starts out. The descriptions of the people and the town itself were really witty and all of the characters were so wonderfully described. Being British I couldn't tell you much about southern America and that culture, but I could still get a lot of the jokes and jibes about that small community lifestyle.

The book is narrated by Ethan who I really liked. He's vulnerable, having lost his mother and living with a father who spends all day shut away in his office. I loved how quirky when Lena was when she first appears as well. It takes a little while to get in to just what the connection between these two is. It's obvious there's something going on, particularly with Lena, and when the two of them discover that they can communicate telepathically it makes you really want to know just what's happening! My one flaw with the book is just how long it took to get to the reveal which happens about 150 pages in. From there I was completely hooked.

When it takes so long to get to an important reveal I never know how much counts as a spoiler, so if you want to know absolutely nothing going into the book then stop reading now. But the book revolves around the world of the "Casters" - a race of magical people with a range of abilities, from controlling nature to seeing the future. I loved the rich, imaginative parts of Beautiful Creatures, yet at the same time it felt very rooted in the real world. There's a lot of teen action set around a high school so you get a lot of that typical teen angst, fighting and drama over who's popular and who's not. But then you contrast that with the magic which gives it this old world feeling. I really liked the mix.

We learn pretty early on that something about Lena's 16th birthday is significant, and so the approaching date creates this great tension as time ticks away. I was expecting this book to be a bit of a soppy love story but it's really not. What I adored about Lena and Ethan's relationship was how it was all about this connection between them which felt completely natural. I was completely invested in the two of them and their story.

There's plenty of action, and a great sense of good versus evil when it comes to the climax of the story. If you like stories with magic and a bit of romance then I really recommend this book. It's quite long at over 500 pages but once you get a couple of hundred pages in, it's worth ploughing through. This is the first book in the Caster Chronicles series and really does a good job at setting up the world. The ending wasn't quite what I expected but it really wet my appetite for more!

Rating: 4*
What to read next: Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, book 2 in the Caster Chronicles series
Books like this: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

News: Requiem Cover Reveal!

I'm a huge fan of Lauren Oliver and her Delirium trilogy, so I got very excited when the cover for Requiem, the final book in the trilogy, was revealed this week! What do you think? I love the blue!

Find out more on the UK Delirium Facebook page. Requiem is published in March 2013. Pre-order the book now at the following links!

 

Amazon

Waterstone's

Book Depository

Top Ten Tuesday: New-to-me Authors of 2012

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's top ten is 2012 author discoveries. As I started this blog this year I've discovered a wealth of fantastic authors, so let's get cracking!

1. John Green - It took the release of The Fault in Our Stars to pick up a John Green novel. What a first book if his to read, though! Throughout the year I've been working my way through his back catalogue with only Looking for Alaska left to read.

2. Maggie Stiefvater - I picked up Shiver on a whim earlier this year and fell in love. I can't wait to check out other series by this author. I wasn't too keen on The Raven Boys but there are still books out there by Stiefvater that I haven't read yet and can't wait to sink my teeth into!

3. Maureen Johnson - Maureen Johnson is one of my all time favourite authors on Twitter because she's hilarious. I adored The Name of the Star when I read it at the start of this year and went on to read 13 Little Blue Envelopes after that. I'll continue to check out more of her books.

4. Claudia Gray - I've only read the first two books in the Evernight series but I never would have discovered this author if I hadn't stumbled across the first book in my local library.

5. Rachel Vincent - I'd been wanting to read the Soul Screamers books for a while but my first Vincent book was from her adult Shifters series. I managed to read My Soul to Take recently though and loved it!

6. Ally Carter - I've heard bits and bobs about the Gallagher Girls series but it took the first book staring me in the face at the library to pick it up. A series I should have started years ago!

7. Patrick Ness - When I read The Knife of Never Letting Go I knew Patrick Ness was a really special author, something which was proved more so when I read A Monster Calls. A great discovery for me.

8. Rick Riordan - So I finally read the first Percy Jackson book this year! The key word being finally. I can't wait to read more of the series.

9. Stephanie Perkins - Again, Anna and the French Kiss was a book I'd been meaning to read for what seemed forever and I fell in love with it when I eventually read it this year.

10. Ally Condie - I adored the first two Matched books and am so excited to read the final one! I really hope she writes more in the future because her writing style is so captivating.

Mini Round Up! 10th December

 

Mini Round Up! 4th - 10th December

 

This week's round up is a super quick, bite-size edition. Basically, I haven't had much time for reading this week. With Christmas coming up I'm spending time seeing friends, writing cards and wrapping presents, and I've had a family birthday this week too. It's all go go go!

I'm starting to wind down and get in to the Christmas spirit by taking it easy because I'm one of those people who is prone to stress, and I'm determined not to get stressed at this time of year! So I'm reading at a more laid back pace and dipping into some comfort reading.

I'm still listening to Catching Fire on audio book and might have a few more reviews to post before Christmas! I'll also be discussing my plans for the blog for next year so keep checking back to see news on that.

Apologies if things are a little quieter this week but I hope those of you who celebrate this time of year are enjoying putting up your trees and drinking hot chocolate by the fire!

Book Trailer: Confessions of an Angry Girl

One book I'm really excited to read next year is Confessions of an Angry Girl by Louise Rozett, and this week Mira Ink have released the book trailer! What do you think? I love it! Gets me even more excited about the book.

 

 

Confessions of an Angry Girl is out on 4th January 2013. Pre-order at the links below!

 

Amazon

Waterstone's

Book Depository

Goodreads

 

 

 

Review: The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien

 

The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien

[Goodreads page]

Author: J. R. R. Tolkien. Website
Published: This edition: 12 March 1981 (Unwin)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 285
Amazon: paperback|Kindle
Waterstone's:paperback|e-book
Book Depository: paperback

Source: Own

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
Bilbo Baggins is a reasonably typical hobbit: fond of sleeping, eating, drinking, parties and presents. However, it is his destiny to travel to the dwarflands in the east, to help slay the dragon Smaug. His quest takes him through enchanted forests, spiders' lairs, and under the Misty Mountains, where he comes across the vile Gollum, and tricks him out of his 'Precious' - a ring that makes its bearer invisible, and wields a terrible power of its own.

My Review:
This book has been on my shelf forever. It's my mum's copy and I first attempted to read it as a kid, but just couldn't get into it. Now I'm older and the film is coming out soon, I've been given that kick up the backside to read it! The Hobbit tells the story of Bilbo Baggins who finds himself on an adventure with a group of dwarves, as they set of to reclaim the dwarves' lost treasure from the grasp of a dragon.

The writing style drew me in very quickly. What I loved were the quirky things that made the writing stand out, including the little poems and riddles that Tolkien dotted throughout. They made it feel a bit more special and magical! There's also the unusual habit of addressing the reader through the second person which was really effective. It made me feel even more involved in the story. There's some great humour weaved throughout the book as well which kept me entertained!

I loved Bilbo as a main character. He likes him home comforts; his house, his food and his own routine, and he doesn't seem suited to adventure at all. This makes the journey he goes on throughout the book even more engaging because we get to see his character evolve.

I'm always aiming to read more fantasy, as it's a genre in which I've had trouble finding books I like. The Hobbit definitely won me over. I loved the world it took place in and all the different magical creatures, from dwarves to elves to dragons to wizards. I loved that each of these of these creatures had their own set of personalities and traits which made them interesting to learn about. My attention was held throughout the story and I loved all the descriptions that made me feel really immersed in the settings.

There was a lot of action and drama which made for a tense and exciting read. This being a slightly older book I had a few places where I struggled a bit and had to go back and re-read sections, and there were a few times where I had to really focus to get exactly what was happening. I think waiting til I was older was a good move, though, and I was able to really appreciate this book for what it is. It's why I never rule out going back to that I've struggled with in the past! If you're planning to check out the film then you definitely need to read the book.

Rating: 4*
What to read next: The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tokien
Books like this: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis



Related news: Watch the film trailer for The Hobbit right here! In cinemas on 13th December 2012.

Opinion: Things Book Blogging Has Taught Me

This blog is six months old now (wow!) and I've learnt so much from my blogging experience. When I started this blog I had no idea how it would go and I'm so proud of the little blog I've built up. I've decided to share a few of those things I've learnt in this post - enjoy!

1. Blogging will take over your life. I started this blog as a hobby because I love sharing recommendations with my friends and I was reading so much and then doing nothing will all the feelings I had after finishing books. When I first started out I didn't envision posting daily but blogging, it turns out, is quite addictive! There was a lot of pressure to keep up with other blogs out there as well, but mainly I just couldn't stop. I spend so much time drafting posts, posting reviews, coming up with ideas for opinion posts, designing logos and blog backgrounds, tweeting and then of course there's all that reading! Free time? What free time?

2. Memes are awesome, and a great way to meet new bloggers! I had no idea what memes were before starting my blog, or that they existed in the book blogging world at all. I soon discovered a few weekly events which are now part of my blogging routine. The main ones I take part in are Teaser Tuesdays and Friday Finds hosted over at ShouldBeReading, but I dabble in a few others from time to time! They're good fun and brilliant for discovering new books. So much of my to-read list comes from browsing other book blogs during weekly memes. It's always great visiting other blogs and reading the comments on my own posts on meme days. (And pick the ones which suit you - I've stayed away from Sunday memes for a while because they all revolve around ARCs - see next point!)

3. I can live without ARCs. When I first started blogging is I'd never heard of ARCs (advance reader copies) a so when I realised what they were I went through a sort of rollercoaster of feelings. Confusion - what are they? Jealousy - I want them! Apathy - wait, no. I can live without them. Yes it would be pretty awesome to read the books you're super excited about before they're released, but I've come to the conclusion that I'm not too fussed about getting them. Publishers want a ton of page views/subscribers and a regularly updated, long established blog. Sure that might be my little blog one day but I'm doing this for fun. I have fun reviewing my own books and library books. ARCs sound cool but my to-read list is long enough! So I've got over that jealousy of seeing people reading books I'm eagerly anticipating months before their release and learnt to find peace with the books I read and love.

4. Don't let review books dominate your life. I don't receive ARCs from publishers but I accept indie/self-published books from time to time, often directly from the author. I know not everyone does this but for me it's a great way to discover new books and support up and coming authors. Typically I either go months with no review requests and then a whole load come along at once. This means I often get a backlog and take forever to get round to reading them. But my priority will always be the books I choose for myself rather than the ones given to me. I started putting off books I really wanted to read in favour of review books and it put me in a reading slump. Now I mix it up and read what makes me happy! So it may take me a while to get round to reviewing review copies but I'd rather that than end up missing out on reading my own books.

5. Find out how many reviews you can post comfortably and don't push it. When I first started the blog I posted reviews of books I'd read before I started blogging. This meant I had loads of reviews to post and I got to churn them out! After I ran out of those I was posting reviews as soon as I finished reading the books. I tried to post 3 reviews a week but I'd ending up finishing a book and heading straight to a computer which was no fun. Now I just post 2 reviews a week maximum. It may not be as many as other blogs but it means I'm not rushing to finish books and I'm often ahead with reviews and can save them up as drafts. It also gives me time to read non-YA books for a bit of a break and not get behind. (I love YA but sometimes I just need to read and not have to write a review at the end of it!))

6. Prepare drafts! I mentioned this briefly above but it deserves its own paragraph. Having posts prepared in advance is invaluable. Have a basic template for your reviews so you can add in the details easily (my template includes the list of info at the start of the interview and at the end). Have the cover, title, book links and things ready so that when you finish the book all you have to do is add in the review. It's a lifesaver having it all prepared! I also have a few backup posts that are ready to go if I can't think of anything to post.

7. Goodreads is more valuable than ever. I loved Goodreads before I started blogging but I'd be lost without it now. It's how I keep track of books I want to read, books I've read and where I make a lot of my discoveries of new things to read.

8. Posting every day is not essential and holidays are good! I've seen a lot of bloggers saying they're taking a break recently. Every time I see one of those posts I feel a little relieved! It feels like a lot of the time there's pressure to post daily and that can get stressful. I still manage to post daily most of the time because I always have posts drafted so all I have to do is hit publish. This is another reason why I'm not pursuing the ARC line more. Publishers want blogs updated daily and I don't want the pressure of that just to get ARCs. I've had a few occasions where life has got in the way of blogging and honestly it feels great to have a week off sometimes. Plus it means I'm raring to get back into it again once I come back because I've missed it!

9. Never compare yourself to other blogs. Some of my favourite book blogs are those with small follower counts, but it's easy to be intimidated by the big guys! Just remember that everyone is blogging because they share your love of reading. I've found my own comfort zone with my blog and given it its own identity, so I don't feel the need to compare myself to other blogs.

10. The bookish world is even bigger and more amazing that I could ever have guessed. I'd had Twitter for ages but when I started my blog I decided to set up a separate account purely to tweet about books and tweet my blog posts. Through that account I've found Twitter users such as authors, fellow bloggers and general bookish awesome people I never would have found on my personal Twitter account! Since I started my blog I've learnt about book conventions I didn't know existed and found out about the newest, latest YA releases that I wouldn't have heard about for months otherwise as well as discovering new authors and readers. Finding other people who get as excited as I am has been the greatest pleasure!

I'm sure there's so much more I've learnt so in six months I'll probably be doing another of these! Thank you so much to everyone who's stuck by the blog and read and commented <3

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Want From Santa

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's top ten is books you wouldn't mind getting from Santa. As you can imagine, my bookish wishlist for Christmas is HUGE but here are the top ten I've asked for this year.

 

1. What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang

Been wanting to read this for a while! I love the concept of two souls sharing one body.

[Goodreads]

 

2. Reached by Ally Condie

I borrowed the first two books in the trilogy from the library but they don't have the 3rd yet - I need it in my life!

[Goodreads]

 

3. Breathe by Sarah Crossan

Came across this book a while ago and have been waiting and waiting for it to come out. Maybe Santa will bring it!

[Goodreads]

 

4. Obsidian by Jennifer L. Arementrout

Hear a lot of good things about this author series.

[Goodreads]

 

5. How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr

Read a free sample of this and loved it, so hopefully if the whole book turns up under my tree it'll live up the opening pages!

[Goodreads]

 

6. The Diviners by Libba Bray

Haven't read anything by this author and this book got a lot of buzz so it seems a good place to start.

[Goodreads]

 

7. Lament by Maggie Stievater

Loved the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy and now I've finished I need something else to read!

[Goodreads]

 

8. Defiance by C. J. Redwine

Another book I've read a lot about on blogs and want to check out.

[Goodreads]

 

9. The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

I wasn't so keen on The Iron King but I like a bit of vampire action so want to give this series a try.

[Goodreads]

 

10. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

I've heard only good things about this book. Not sure if it's my type of thing but it has to be worth a try!

[Goodreads]

Weekly Book Round Up! 27th November - 3rd December

Weekly Book Round Up!

27th November - 3rd December

My last update was on a Monday so I think I might stick with that! Break the mould a little ;) it's been another quiet week but I had to write hard for the last week of NaNoWriMo. You can see how I got on along with all my other bookish news from the week below!

Currently reading: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl and I'm also listening to Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins on audio book.

Books reviewed: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer - both audio book reviews!

Library books: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins - another awesome e-library find! I'm re-reading the series via audio book which I'm really enjoying. This was my favourite book first time I read the trilogy!

And an update on NaNoWriMo: I won! Hurrah :D My final word count was 50,076 so I just made it. I'm really happy and pleased because this year was a struggle!

November's Book of the Month!

December is upon us and as people start to look forward to Christmas (eek!) I'm looking back over November's reviews to decide my book of the month. This is where I choose my favourite book from those I've read or reviewed (not necessarily released) in the past month and shower it with a bit more praise. So without further ado, my book of the month for November is...

My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent!

I was nervous and excited to start this series because I'd wanted to read it for ages and was worried it wouldn't live up to the hype. It totally did though! And more. Telling the story of Kaylee who has the power to sense when people are about to die, we see her explore her powers with a little help of the suspiciously helpful Nash. I loved this book so much! It had everything; a fab concept, great characters and a tense plot. I'd highly recommend you check it out! Read my full review right here.

Runners up:
Forever by Maggie Stiefvater
I'd Tell You I Love You but then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter

Audio Review: Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

[Goodreads page]

Author: Eoin Colfer Website|Twitter
Narrator: Nathaniel Parker IMDB
Published: 15 July 2002 (BBC)
Format: Audio download
Running time: 6 hours approx.
Amazon: Audio CD|Alternative Narrator
Waterstone's: Audio CD|Alternative Narrator

Source: Borrowed from e-library

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is a millionaire, a genius—and, above all, a criminal mastermind. But even Artemis doesn't know what he's taken on when he kidnaps a fairy, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit. These aren't the fairies of bedtime stories—they're dangerous! Full of unexpected twists and turns, Artemis Fowl is a riveting, magical adventure.

Audio review:
I first read this book as a kid and I have only fond memories of this and the other books I read from the series, but I was a little rusty on the book after so long! When I saw my library had the e-book available to download I just had to check it out. Artemis Fowl is a gifted twelve-year-old, highly intelligent and willing to use that intelligence to get what he wants, which in this case is knowledge of the fairy universe.

I was instantly won over by the narration of this story. Nathaniel Parker has a fantastic voice and I was totally drawn in to the story. What impressed me most was the wide range of accents. We have Artemis and his assistant Butler who are Irish, as well as British, American and even Chinese accents which all sounded flawless! This book has a great sense of humour about it and that sarcasm really came through in the narration. Each character's attitude came across perfectly. There wasn't anything I could find fault with in the narration!

Listening to the story really made me feel like I was immersed in the wonderfully imaginative world this book takes place in. We have the human world, from Ireland to China, as well as the deep underground layers of the Earth where the fairy race resides. Each place felt vivid and exciting.

Upon writing this review I saw that another narrator has done the abridged version of this book. This unabridged version seems slightly harder to track down but I'd highly recommend it!

Audio rating: 5/5

Plot Review:
I've recapped the plot above so I'll jump straight in to what I thought of it! What I really enjoyed was the way the story flits between Artemis' point of view and other characters, mainly Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon unit. Both characters had really great voices and it was great seeing both sides of the story, from the good side and the bad side! It made the drama even more exciting.

The world the book takes place in really draws you in There's something for everyone and it makes fantasy fun. Colfer has created this fantastic way of giving each race of creature different personality traits etc. that shakes it up and makes it feel really unique. I loved all the magic, fairies, centaurs and gnomes contrasting nicely against the human world Artemis himself inhabits.

The humour is one of the strong points of the book. I was laughing throughout and the sarcasm was fantastic. Artemis himself is so intelligent that he comes out with some brilliant snippets, but Holly Short was definitely my favourite character. Her observations on the world were witty as well as getting across information about the story really well.

The only thing that let the book down for me was the pacing. It felt like I was waiting a while for the climax and although I enjoyed what was happening, I was getting impatient for the end! A lot of the action takes place in the same place towards the end of the book and I felt it got a bit stuck. I did really enjoy the ending though and I'll definitely be looking to do a re-read of the rest of the series and read for the first time the books I haven't got round to yet. It's tickled my taste buds for sure!

I loved this book as a kid and I loved it as an adult. A great read for all ages!

Plot rating: 4/5
What to listen to next: Artemis Fowl and the Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer
Books like this: Harry Potter and the Philospher's Stone by J. K. Rowling