Warning: Spoilers! (duh.)

Stuck at the bottom of the social ladder at pretty much the lowest level of people at school who aren’t paid to be here,” Maya Van Wagenen decided to begin a unique social experiment: spend the school year following a 1950s popularity guide, written by former teen model Betty Cornell. Can curlers, girdles, Vaseline, and a strand of pearls help Maya on her quest to be popular?

The real-life results are painful, funny, and include a wonderful and unexpected surprise—meeting and befriending Betty Cornell herself. Told with humor and grace, Maya’s journey offers readers of all ages a thoroughly contemporary example of kindness and self-confidence.

As an aggressively nerdy and not particularly elegant young lady. I avoid many books abut making over geeks primarily out of shame. Honestly, I expected this book to be a 'the girl takes off her glasses and everyone realises she was pretty all along' kind of book, but it really wasn't. I realise now that yes, she did make a physical transformation, making her more traditionally appealing. But really, this book is a message of inner beauty.

I know what you're thinking, messages? from a fifteen year old. Yeah it surprised me too.  But the thing is, this girl has managed to figured out a lot of things I didn't figure out until I turned twenty, and some things I still struggle with now.  She has a message and sends it to the masses and yet, it's not preachy. Maya is aggressively relatable, I mean I think most people can relate to the bullied and unnoticed, being seen as the lowest of the low within the school social ladder. Yet Maya deals with this with a gentle grace. That kind of treatment made me very untrusting and angry throughout school, a thing that still afflicts me today. However Maya still manages to remain compassionate and kind in the face of  adversity. She speaks for redemption and the pure kindness within humans. It's an incredibly inspiration book and view of the world. 

These themes are nicely balanced with the candid humour of Maya's (to quote Tina Fey) 'Word Vomit'. As a tenured professor of making an idiot out of yourself I was well aware of word vomit, bt Maya takes it to a whole new level - when she accidentally recites and entire chapter of The Hobbit and the guy just walks away with no words- I swear I almost peed.


Then we have Maya's brilliant bravery. The guts and moxy she must have had to read what she had to do next and actually gone along with it. I mean who would've known if she hadn't. Every time someone insulted her she just turned it into a compliment. It takes balls to do that and a lot of self respect.


   

'I don't quite have the same finesse'

Overall I thought this book was delightful and insightful. The laugh to learn ratio was like 1:1. And it kept me thinking after I turned the final page. Maya is exactly what is right with the world and that's a thing we don't think abut enough these days. She's a reminder that people still retain the ability to surprise you and see the best in you.

 Warning: Spoilers! (duh.)

But when you're the son of a Greek god, it happens. And now my friend Annabeth is missing, a goddess is in chains and only five half-blood heroes can join the quest to defeat the doomsday monster.

Oh, and guess what? The Oracle has predicted that not all of us will survive...

Image from Novel Infactuatus

 
Having finally gotten to the part of The Percy Jackson series I know literally nothing about, I can safely say, I am not disappointed, finally the format changed and it wasn't as innocent and predictable as it was before.

We BOOM! BANG! and CRASH! straght into the action with new heroes, lost friends and the introduction of The Hunters. I loved them I would join them in a heart beat, they are basically the Greek equivalent of angry feminists. Only they kill stuff and have super powers.

So within the first couple chapters, Annabeth is kidnapped or taken or just gone. This left me worrying that the book would be very male dominated, which isn't necessarily a bad thing but as a girl, I do enjoy seeing other girls kick ass. Luckily Thalia and The Hunters were there to bring in some intense 1990's style girl power.

Thalia for me is one of those characters that is severely underdeveloped, sure you can tell me shes rock-chick like and she asks like an ass sometimes, but I still don't know anything about her, I can't tell her motives or why she does what she does. She's promptly removed from the whole prophecy situation aswell with her joining the hunters, therefore she will never be 16, solving everyone's problem. If it was gonna be that easy, don't get me all hyped for her return, I want some battle, some inner conflict to be good, GIVE ME SOMETHING!

We are given Hades' children (though we don't know that yet) and one is quickly killed off (or is she?) and the other decides to run off and become evil because of this. But worse than that Percy decides not to tell anyone, I mean come on dude, he could be the kid in the prophecy in what world is keeping that a secret a good idea, seriously. Zoe is by far my favourite character in this book. She was sassy ad tormented, there were motives behind how she was and we were given more and more as the book went on. She's the characters development queen.

The beginnings of romance with Percy and Annabeth is terribly adorable, his book is lacks on Annabeth but the encounters they have are just the sweetest and the scene with Aphrodite when she basically suggests that she writes all the love stories of the world and she cant wait to make there's tragic and see how it all turns out. I just thought that was hilarious. She's all YOU ARE GONNA LOVE HER! and he's all NAH! and then he like panics when he thinks she's leaving. Also why is everyone in love with Luke. I mean is he really that fit, all the girls want this guy and he is like seriously cray cray with his daddy issues.


I did miss Percy's brother and his mum, they were just kind off pushed to the side to make way for the adventure but I'm not complaining. I think as Percy grows the books become much more adult and I am loving it. I can't wait to see how things turn out.

ANNABETH & PERCY?
I SHIP IT!

I also ship GROVER & PAN! They deserve each other!

Tell me what you thought!

Warning: Spoilers! (duh.)

You can watch the Pilot all on the up and up here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XB0yfeJ2SGI

I, like many readers of the Delirium series, was left feeling unsatsified after Requiem. Therefore with the announcement of a Delirium based television show we were excited initially and then disappointed when the pilot wasn't picked up. However many many months later Hulu (kinda like Netflix only it's not Netflix) have picked up the pilot and it is now available to watch on the internet.

So I watched the trailer and my expectations flew, then I watched the episode and well, my notes consisted of:

Awkward Dialogue
INSTA-LOVE!
Kiss and Declaration of Love 19 minutes in.
Anti-climactic reveal *snore*
Party raid scene was incredible.
Casting is excellent
Julian is delightful but I do not ship him and Hana. YUCK!
Blaze through a lot of info every quickly
Too contemporary, doesn't seem realistic.


I may have been a bit harsh but I studied Media so naturally, I'm aggressively judgmental. I feel like this Pilot will make zero sense if you haven't read the book. The pacing of this episode is awful, it's really awfully written. I can describe it through use of The Vampire Diaries. In the Pilot we get a hint that he is a Vampire and that they will be in love, but none of that happens until later in the series, she doesn't find out and they don't have  INSTA-LOVE just to get on with there own rewrite all in the first episode. That pilot enjoyed the journey.

This Pilot was the entire first book, leaving characters and plots underdeveloped. A 300 page book in 43:20 minutes just makes it sloppy. There is so much possibility and fun to be had with this series, she definitely shouldn't have  crossed the wall, fallen in love with Alex then watch him die all in 1 episode, that actually makes me angry because there is more to it, development, moments that you yearn for when you read the book.

If I was Lauren Oliver I would be furious. This undermined everything that happened in the book to make way for there ow storyline. I mean you want to add to it and twist it go ahead. TVD didn't exactly stick to the book narrative but it was still TVD at it's core and in fact it was better.

I JUST CANNOT EVEN PUT INTO WORDS MY FRUSTRATION RIGHT NOW! Dammit Delirium.

Throughout my many, many years as a Potterhead, I have been to many, many places associated with the Harry Potter World.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter? CHECK!


Leavsden Studio Tour? CHECK!




Real Life Set Locations? CHECK!


But somewhere I'd been meaning to go for many years is The Elephant House Cafe in Edinburgh, where Rowling (atleast once) sat and wrote Harry Potter. Dubbed "The Birthplace of Harry Potter" I don't know why I'd never been before and this week I did. It wasn't all that exciting but I really want to talk about the bathroom!

Yes, I said bathroom.

The bathroom was a work of art.

Potterheads from across the world had come and left their mark. They put up quotes, and recited entire chapters. They made Potterhead puns or maybe just signed there names but they were all there. Real people who had come through those doors, people I would never meet from Canada or Mexico but all people pulled together by a common thread.

 They came knowing they would see nothing about Harry Potter or the secrets behind where it came from hidden within the walls, but they came anyway and they left something in what I would call a very fancy cafe' for more and more Potterheads to see and add to. Breathing life into old walls and making the ordinary, extraordinary. And isn't that what the books did in the first place.









Naturally I was immediately compelled to leave my own dedication, but mine was neither pun nor quote, but it stood with the Thank You Graffiti. Calling to a woman who was not there and probably wouldn't be again. But just wanting to put into words, in that moment that I felt so much love for so many strangers I would never meet. I wanted to Thank, the world, the universe anyone who would listen for the gift of these books and all books after that. It's a wonderful life.



I returned to The Elephant House!


They also make great Jacket Potatoes!

Yesterday I was able to go to an Advance Fan Screening of The Fault in Our Stars Movie with my sister. Afterwards I sat down and took time for me to put together what I really thought about the movie.
First off, the movie was incredible, Shailene Woodley is so talented and so truthful, I had no qualms about her as Hazel, I really cannot fault her at all. The reviewers are right when they say this adaptation is authentic and respectful to the book. That doesn't mean it is exactly the same it matched up to everythig perfectly in my head. But it felt the same. It felt like how I felt when I read the book. The biggest difference I would say, was Augustus...

Ansel Elgort did not play Book Augustus. I don't care how controversial that is because the girls in my cinema were getting very worked up. Gus in TFIOS is sexy and smouldering and mysterious and very out together. He hides his goofiness even though that's the part Hazel loves most about him. Ansel was all goof, but it worked. I think we can all agree Gus is pretentious, but when a serious, good looking boy s pretentious he can come across as a douchebag. But with Gus being kind of goofy, it allowed us to still like him in a visual medium. We know in the book he's awesome because it's written down, but the direction can't just put some writing at the beginning going

That's not how films work, as you may have noticed. But the film was faithful and there were these incredible and beautiful sequences. The journey up the Anne Frank House was lovely and with the voice over you can see the moment Hazel isn't scared anymore. And the moment Gus tells her he's sick and the moment he's dying and the pre-funeral and egging the car. All the bits I wanted were there, all the quotes I'd spent so long wrapping myself in for comfort were there. This is not a movie for Hollywood, this is a movie for readers.

This then got me thinking about how TFIOS is currently the number 1 movie in America, and how for my 18th Birthday, I asked my Grandma to take me to New York so I could buy a Signed, American, First Edition of the book. I didn't know then, that this would turn out to be my favourite book. I didn't know that for the year I begged everyone I knew to read it that within a year after that I would be in a cinema surrounded by crowds of people who loved the story just as much as I did. I didn't realise that loving a book, a solitary act could expand and become something social and wider, something that brings people together not sets them apart. Nobody ever reads the same book, you take something different away with each individual and yet we were all there, together, celebrating what we all took from it.

When we all stood and clapped at the end. I started thinking about Norway. Don't worry this is relevant. Norway translated the poetic, Shakespeare reference title to literally "FUCK FATE". And as I stood in a place with so many people, shouting and whooping at a film I thought about how no one could see this coming. Who could have predicted this? Hollywood doesn't make films about sick people and let that not be the defining aspect of their characters, things like this don't happen. But TFIOS gives a great big, middle finger to fate and demands it will do what it wants.

They say that all films are destined to let the book down, but FUCK FATE! The book is still better, but I have not seen a more faithful and touching adaption than I did yesterday.





Seriously, go see the movie. It is so good.

#feelitfirst

Warning: Spoilers! (duh.)

A boy drowns, desperate and alone in his final moments. He dies.

Then he wakes, naked and bruised and thirsty, but alive.

How can this be? And what is this strange deserted place?

As he struggles to understand what is happening, the boy dares to hope. Might this not be the end? Might there be more to this life, or perhaps this afterlife?

Image from Paper Fury

 I admittedly, did not expect much from this book. I had never read Patrick Ness and only bought the book due to the John Green review on the cover. That being said, with that being said I was both surprised and disappointed.

Much like the book this review will be in 4 parts!

Part 1! (about Part 1)

Part 1 was dull, Seth wakes up in a strange place and this is all exciting and mind blowing and I am dying to start knowing about what's going on in this world. But instead we get 200 pages of Seth walking around and getting out of breath. The highlight to this was every time Seth passed out we got a glimpse at his past life, particularly his friends and secret boyfriend Gudmund. I thought they were really cute and the dialogue between them was so lovely and the story arc of them so tragic. I found myself dying for Seth to go to sleep. I wanted more Gudmund but I never really got it. I started to assume Seth was in some purgatory type coma state but alas no. We also start to get information on his brother Owen and at this point I had no idea what happened, which is a strong theme of this book, just being on the cusp of knowing but not being told for ages. 

Part 2! BANG BANG BOOM!

Part 2 definitely stepped up the pace. The first 200 pages got tedious and suddenly with the introduction of new characters and danger (The Driver) everything got super exciting. In this part Tommy and Regine tell us about the whole Sci-Fi world they are living in , everyone was packed up and there consciousness uploaded to the internet without them even knowing. It blew my mind, I didn't see that coming and a part of me didn't believe that's really what was happening because Seth kept talking me out of it. 


Part 3! YOU SHOT HIM IN THE CHEST AND HE GOT UP! WTFFFFF!

There's awesome battles with the driver, evidence that the sci-fi internet mystery is true and suddenly Seth starts to remember everything, his entire virtual life and beyond that, Gudmund, and the murder of his brother that he has been unknowingly punishing himself for. So many kind of shocks in this part and I just blaazed through it. But then it all went down hill. 


Part 4...and ending is an ending is an ending?

I got bored at the end, we'd had so many "battles" with The Driver until finally he dies, really randomly as well. We have a few epiphany revelations that don't mean anything because we've already had all the shocks and its the lessons everyone was telling Seth from the off. Theres also no closure, it's a very open ending and almost too open ended. I feel annoyed. There needed to be More Than This (excuse the pun) to satisfy me as a reader. 

All in all, it was not a bad book. The 2nd and 3rd part were incredible and it was insightful and smart and blew my mind. It makes you look at the world, what you have, differently. I'd recommend this if you read The Shock of The Fall by Nathan Filer and enjoyed it. It was a lot like that in themes and tone and style. What did you think?

Warning: Spoilers! (duh.)

It is the year 2059. Several major world cities are under the control of a security force called Scion. Paige Mahoney works in the criminal underworld of Scion London, part of a secret cell known as the Seven Seals. The work she does is unusual: scouting for information by breaking into others’ minds. Paige is a dreamwalker, a rare kind of clairvoyant, and in this world, the voyants commit treason simply by breathing.

But when Paige is captured and arrested, she encounters a power more sinister even than Scion. The voyant prison is a separate city—Oxford, erased from the map two centuries ago and now controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. These creatures, the Rephaim, value the voyants highly—as soldiers in their army.

Paige is assigned to a Rephaite keeper, Warden, who will be in charge of her care and training. He is her master. Her natural enemy. But if she wants to regain her freedom, Paige will have to learn something of his mind and his own mysterious motives.


I found the blurb of this book to be very confusing as to the plot. The concept is actually more simplistic than that. At some point, many people become Clairvoyant and in many different ways can communicate with the Aether (or the spirit world shall we say) this increased activity causes a tear to other worlds allowing 2 kinds of being through. The Rephs, who "protect humans" by kidnapping the clairvoyants and using them as slaves and soldiers and The Buzzers who The Rephs fight off. 

This concept confused me as we were thrown straight into the world and rest assured this is high fantasy, but once I found my bearings, I moved through the world easily. Paige is a Celaena Sardothien comparison worthy protagonist. She works for the Mob (Seven Seals) and is basically kept alive on life support so her spirit can wander the Aether and keep lookout during jobs. I mean awesome right, but then after she kills an underguard she is kidnapped by Reds (The soldiers of The Rephs) and taken to Oxford where she has to embark on two tasks to become a Red or fail and live in the slave city in squalor. Of course Nashira the leader of The Reph's is corrupt and plans to steal Paige's power - Dreamwalking as they call it is very rare. 

This book is everything you want it to be. The love story with Nick was so heartbreaking because even though he was older I was still rooting for them, and then knowing he loved Zeke was not only a shock plot twist but also bittersweet. I wanted to Nick to be happy, he was into guys, I had no idea but then he was confiding this in a girl who'd loved him since she was 9 years old. I mean ouch! Then we have Warden, I hated him, I hated him so much at first and slowly as Paige's opinion changed so did mine, I didn't want to like him and find him endearing but I did, and man that kiss. That is my all time favourite book kiss ever! And she was stood watching them the creepy devil! This romantic part is probably about 50 pages of the 500 page book all in all. 

This book really had some beautiful themes of slavery, unity and freedom. It ends like you feel a book should not with a fizzle but with a bang. With books like these, you expect a battle, an ass kicking, exploding stage, characters you love dying battle. And my god Shannon delivered, it is such a strong ending. And it just left me wanting more. 

I may have already pre-ordered the next book.



I did do my fair share of complaining about how long this book is.  I do feel it could be more concise because sometimes we aare literally listening to Paige think and in retrospect, the things she was thinking doesn't seem that relevant, but maybe it will be in future books, who knows. Also great news...this is a 6 part series! I mean, JACKPOT!

This is a stunning debut and the cover and hardback are beautiful and the story is enthralling, I kept trying to put it down but just kept grabbing it back up again. It was genius, much love for The Bone Season!

 Happy Reading!

I have gone a little overboard on books at the start of this month. I swore I wouldn't but I just can't help myself.

I then went against everything I said I would because I'm a hypocrite and  bought Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor even though it is in hardback and I have the previous books in paperback. I can't help it! I'm weak! I will be reading this in June and am so excited.

Warning: Spoilers (duh.)
also maybe bad language. I haven't decided yet.

SUTTER KEELY. HE’S the guy you want at your party. He’ll get everyone dancing. He’ ll get everyone in your parents’ pool. Okay, so he’s not exactly a shining academic star. He has no plans for college and will probably end up folding men’s shirts for a living. But there are plenty of ladies in town, and with the help of Dean Martin and Seagram’s V.O., life’s pretty fabuloso, actually.

Until the morning he wakes up on a random front lawn, and he meets Aimee. Aimee’s clueless. Aimee is a social disaster. Aimee needs help, and it’s up to the Sutterman to show Aimee a splendiferous time and then let her go forth and prosper. But Aimee’s not like other girls, and before long he’s in way over his head. For the first time in his life, he has the power to make a difference in someone else’s life—or ruin it forever.

Image from The Duck and The Owl

Okay so I initially gave this book 3 stars. It is beautifully written and has some of the most beautiful quotes I have ever read but I was so furious with the main theme/plot. I was so incredibly angry at it and I will tell you why.

Sutter Keely is a c**t.

There I said it. I understand Tharp was trying to a Catcher in the Rye type thing, where a guy who seems like a tool is really decent and kindhearted. But in fact he is just a tool. I feel like the entire book is trying to defend the fact that he dates and has sex with a girl he has no "interest in" I kept hoping he'd realise had feelings for her but that never actually happened. Not only that but she was sexually assaulted as a child as well. She was literally taken advantage of and then Sutter comes along pretending to be all self righteous, saying how ugly she is and then banging her under the excuse of 'It will help her stand up for herself.' This part of the narrative made my blood boil. I was on with Amy, I felt for her I understood her and all I could think about was how she would feel if she ever found out everything he said to her was a lie.

Of course we can argue that Sutter did care about her and only denied it to himself, that it's from his point of view so unreliable as to what he was actually feeling. But I don't think he did, I think he enjoyed having someone think he was something, someone who adored him and could be shaped after him. I was happy Aimee got herself out of the town but Sutter made me so angry. I hate him. I honestly hate him because he represents such a shitty type of person. I was kind of hoping Aimee would find out about his intentions and then blow her top and gain a backbone that way. But alas no.

And then with the horrendously open ended conclusion that's not really a conclusion, I was just annoyed by this book. I was so excited and it seemed very promising but Sutter is just ahhhh, and their is no development for him, he doesn't become a better person, everyone else in the book does but not him.

F**K SUTTER. AIMEE WAS TOO GOOD FOR HIM ANYWAY!

This makes it sound like I hated this book, but I am so angry beause I am so aggressively invested in te story and the characeters. I had faith in Sutter, that he would love her or at least admit what he did or learnt from it but he let me down.

  
“Nothing lasts," she says, and there's a little crack in her voice. "You think it's going to. You think, 'Here's something I can hold on to,' but it always slips away.”

Warning: Spoilers (duh.)

Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer--they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one terrible and wonderful summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along

Image from Yako Books The Summer I Turned Pretty was recommended by a friend. I didn't hold out much hope as it seemed initially like a "fluff" book. And it was, it totally was, but I loved it. It was cute and really solidifed those feelings as a teenage girl and that moment, just before someone is about to kiss you. It was well written but the characters could be very annoying. Belly (stupid name) is very spoilt and self centered and she was a bit bratty. She was also insightful, delightful and fun. Conrad was to be honest sexy but an asshole. He was such a dick to Belly at the party and super aggressive. He was the older brother and he acted like a selfish brat so him and Belly deserve each other. Jeremiah was adorable and just so fun to read.

I actually really enjoyed this book and I didn't expect to. The only thing was, I feel like I was mis-sold this book. It's sold as a love triangle between two brothers, and maybe as the series progresses it will be, but currently it isn't. Currently it's Belly dating a guy called Cameron, kissing Conrad once and having a somewhat awkward moment with Jeremiah. The romance really wasn't there at all. I mean Cameron was sweet enough but he made no impression. This book really should have been the first half of 1 book not the first in a series. I will continue with it and find out what happens but yeah, it's a tad annoying.

The cancer story line was really what hit me most. I adored Susannah, she was awesome and fun and I actually cried when we learned she was dying. I've read an excerpt of the second book so I know she survives until next summer but I really loved her and I feel like I know her and that is incredibly sad. I hate Taylor, she drives me insane and yet I think character-wise that's probably who I'd most be like. Loud and annoying! The girl needed a slap (does that mean I do?) 

Overall it was a good, fun, summer read. It wasn't too taxing but it was emotional enough to hook me in and keep me reading. I gave it 4 stars!

Warning: Spoilers! (duh.)

I've really struggled with this review. Do I really say what I thought of the book? Because what if I hate it? As a blogger this is something I have dreaded happening. I didn't hate this book for starters, but it was not my favourite. And I wonder, as a reviewer, as a person, who do I want to be? Answer: I want to be honest but also fair. My opinion can mean absolutely nothing to you, because I am nobody. I am a girl on the internet who likes to talk about books. I don't harbour any secret insight or knowledge of the wriing world, I'm not a successful author who knows the secrets of good writing. All I know is what I liked and didn't like. And I hope you keep that in mind throughout reading ALL of my reviews. I appreciate your consideration with this matter.

In the past, the children of angels and humans, the Nephilim, were allowed to lead their lives as they willed. But they proved too strong, too ambitious, and too cunning for their own good. They became warlords, conquerors and emperors. They caused war and strife until the Throne stepped in and forced them to submit to Its will, or die. Unlike most of her fellows, Del, one of the first Nephilim, had no interest in conquest and domination. In the ancient past, prior to the Throne’s interdiction, she met and fell in love with Dami, a Mediterranean ship captain and trader. Together, they face down pirates and storms and try to create a future together. In the present, Del unwillingly works for the Throne, obeying the commands of the angel Ahadiel. She helps to keep the world safe from the horrors of escaped demons. At the same time, she keeps herself in the Throne’s good graces. Whenever a rogue demon breaks free from Hell, she and her partner, Marrin, another Nephilim, work together to banish it.



I really liked the concept of this book and the oscillation between past and present is a great idea. However if I had not read the blurb, I wouldn't have really got that. There are 11 Chapters and I only read just under 5 (I made a promise not to continue books I'm just not into) and that's not saying there was anything particularly wrong with this book, it just wasn't for me. Honestly I didn't much like Hush Hush or The Fallen series either so Angels and me have a shitty relationship. 

I liked Del I thought she was bad ass and cool but she lacked the vulnerability I've come to love in other badass heroines. There was no kind of setting, set up or what people looked like until a few chapters in so I found it hard to visualize. When characters were described, it made me uncomfortable. One of the first things we learn about Del is that her vagina is bald. I know sex happens and it is very prominent in a certain kind of Fantasy, I mean I've read books from the horror shelves in the library. I've read Jill Marshell and Charlaine Harris, I know in some fantasy books this happens. They just aren't my kind of books.

That's pretty much the deal with this book. It is incredibly original and Del has some very funny dialogue. But it isn't my kind of book. This is the kind of book you actively read to find out whats happening. Where as I prefer the kind of story that absorbs me and unravels without any thinking on my part.

It just wasn't for me, but then again. I'm nobody.

Happy Reading.

The cover for the final book in The Darkest Minds trilogy dropped.

Publication Date: October 28th 2014

I cannot believe I forgot to include this in my most anticipated books because I am so excited for this. I adored the first two books and Ruby is an absolute gem. I don't want to series to end, but my god, the cover.




They are armed only with a volatile secret: proof of a government conspiracy to cover up the real cause of IANN, the disease that has killed most of America's children and left Ruby and others like her with powers the government will kill to keep contained. But internal strife may destroy their only chance to free the "rehabilitation camps" housing thousands of other Psi kids.

Meanwhile, reunited with Liam, the boy she would-and did-sacrifice everything for to keep alive, Ruby must face the painful repercussions of having tampered with his memories of her. She turns to Cole, his older brother, to provide the intense training she knows she will need to take down Gray and the government. But Cole has demons of his own, and one fatal mistake may be the spark that sets the world on fire.

Does that blurb not just get you pumped!? 
What are you most looking forward too?

Warning: Spoilers! (duh.)

The Selection changed America Singer's life in ways she never could have imagined. Since she entered the competition to become the next princess of Illéa, America has struggled with her feelings for her first love, Aspen--and her growing attraction to Prince Maxon. Now she's made her choice . . . and she's prepared to fight for the future she wants.

 This is the third and final book in The Selection series by Kiera Cass. Previously America Singer (The most annoying, bad decision, anti-feminist  protagonist of all time) was dating Aspen, got into The selection (basically The Bachelor but she can marry the prince at the end) She promptly falls for Prince Maxon (who's an ass) then they fall in love and out of love and in love and Aspen shows up and it should all be very exciting...but it isn't.

Admittedly I loved the first book, America was so different from all the other girls, she was a tomboy and did what she liked but that suddenly became annoying as she starting pining over Maxon and being completely unreasonable. In the second book, they literally agree to announce their engagement, then they have a slight fight so Maxon runs off and macks on Celeste. Then says it's her fault for being mean to him. Seems like the definite person you want to spend the rest of your life with. Fucking idiot. 

Okay, so onto The One. Maxon and America are something, I don't really remember but we start and she tries to seduce him which is honestly the funniest sequence I've ever read in my life. When she talks about going to war and then he just laughs at her trying to be sexy #awkies. Then we have many many pages of her and Maxon arguing. I blocked most of that out.


 We have this beautiful kissing in the rain scene when she finally realises that despite everything, she loves him and it was lovely and I just wanted her to tell him. Maxon had previously said that if she tells him she loves then that's it, they would be together. But America is a procrastinator so she's all "nah I'll tell him later" (I'm paraphrasing) which adds to why she infuriates me.

We have the redemption of Celeste in this book and I loved Celeste anyway. I thought she was so cool and badass and an absolute bitch - but in a very entertaining way. So we have her redemption and now she's fierce and strong and friendly (basically Beyonce') and then she dies! SHE FUCKING DIES! LIKE WHYYY! And so does The Queen! I mean my two most beloved characters and she just kills them off and then skips time so we don't have to deal with their deaths. They are now on my list of fictional characters it wasn't okay to kill, Right underneath Tris and Dobby and Finnick.


America goes through more terrible decisions gets shot and her and Maxon fall out so much. I should go into detail but it is honestly so dull, you wouldn't care anyway. But literally at one point, America has her hand on Aspen's chest and Maxon calls of the wedding. 'THAT'S IT! I'M MARRYING KRISS! FUCK YOU BITCH!' (Still paraphrasing) and then he gets shot and realises he, just like America is an idiot. They honestly deserve each other.

The problem with this series, is that even all of this infuriates me. I enjoyed reading it, it was really quick and I felt satisfied and like I'd had a good read afterwards. The point of a book is escapism and it definitely succeeds. I would say it was a terrible book and I hated it, but I loved it aswell. I have a Maxon/America relationship with this series. I love it but I don't want to because it's so stupid. 

That collage scene was super cute as well! And her dad's death! DEM FEELS!

I can't even fully describe this book, I would recommend because you will enjoy it, it will also drive you insane.

My TBR list for June contains following on from series I started in May as well as continuing series I started a while ago and have had new releases. I also have a book recommendation and a TBR Jar pick. So lets get started.


Bottom to top, I picked The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon. 
  
It is the year 2059. Several major world cities are under the control of a security force called Scion. Paige Mahoney works in the criminal underworld of Scion London, part of a secret cell known as the Seven Seals. The work she does is unusual: scouting for information by breaking into others’ minds. Paige is a dreamwalker, a rare kind of clairvoyant, and in this world, the voyants commit treason simply by breathing.

I picked this up knowing nothing about it after the author did a live stream event with Sarah J Maas, and yes, I am an advertisers dream. The concept seems really interested and I am super excited to try a book I probably wouldn't have picked up if I'd just seen it in a store. Strong heroine, crazy new world, I don't see what I could dislike about this book.

Next we have The One by Kiera Cass. Admittedly I started this end of May and it is the final book in a trilogy I have followed throughout. Loved the first one and hated the second one. I am honestly finishing the  series out of a terrible loyalty.

The Selection changed America Singer's life in ways she never could have imagined. Since she entered the competition to become the next princess of Illéa, America has struggled with her feelings for her first love, Aspen--and her growing attraction to Prince Maxon. Now she's made her choice . . . and she's prepared to fight for the future she wants.

Third is the third (ha) book in the Percy Jackson series. Percy Jackson and the Titans Curse by Rick Riordan. I know nothing about what happens here on in and I am super excited to find out. Percy is delightful and I don't see what could go wrong currently.

IT'S NOT EVERYDAY YOU FIND YOURSELF IN COMBAT WITH A HALF-LION, HALF-HUMAN.

But when you're the son of a Greek god, it happens. And now my friend Annabeth is missing, a goddess is in chains and only five half-blood heroes can join the quest to defeat the doomsday monster.

Oh, and guess what? The Oracle has predicted that not all of us will survive...
  
Enter More Than This by Patrick Ness I bought this simply due to the John Green quote on the cover. I've read atleast one chapter from all my TBR books and I feel like I will enjoy this. I'm not like crazy excited for it because it looks bloody huge but hopefully I'll love it and it'll be worth it. 

A boy drowns, desperate and alone in his final moments. He dies.

Then he wakes, naked and bruised and thirsty, but alive.

How can this be? And what is this strange deserted place?

As he struggles to understand what is happening, the boy dares to hope. Might this not be the end? Might there be more to this life, or perhaps this afterlife?

And now a recommendation and lend from my twin. The summer I turned pretty by Jenny Han is apparently a lovely, summery read so I will bite the bullet and give it a go. It's not the type of book I would normally go for, I've even seen it in shops and avoided it. But I trust her judgement.

Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer--they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one terrible and wonderful summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along.

I also have a couple books on my Kindle for this month including:

Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor (I refuse to have the first two in paperback and the last one in hardback so I will wait) Super excited though, I love this series and will be sad to see it end.

Frozen by Erin Bowman, and the novella Stolen. I loved the first book and can't wait to carry on. I adore Bree. Just love her so much.

So hopefully that will be enough to keep me busy this month. 
Let's crack on.

This post is dedicated to my Book Best Friend Fee! Check her out at caterfeereviews. 

If you, yourself already have a Book Best Friend, you are incredibly lucky. Oh! What is a book best friend you ask?

Well the definition can be bit fuzzy but there are definite signs of Book Best Friend-dom! For example... do they?


 Post pictures of authors on your Facebook wall with personalised messages? Definitely a sure sign. Your BBF will remember your favourite authors and seek out to send you updates on them. By the way Sarah J Maas. So beautiful like, what author looks like that! And she's an author that can write like wow! (Gushing over, lets continue)

Your BBF will also send you funny book related pictures. They know you far too well and are immediately reminded of your joint inability to say no to just one more new book.


Incoherent conversations about books! Check! When you just can't wait to talk about the book your reading. They are who you talk to. And they will listen even if they don't like the series (City of Heavenly Fire *cough*)

They will never stop recommending you books and you to them. You'll both refuse to read them but after constant nattering, you'll break down read it and love it!  

HINT HINT SLATED FEE! READ THE ASSASSIN'S BLADE! 


This is really my long winded way of saying that the world of reading is not a solitary one. We hear all the time that "bookworms" (I hate that phrase) are anti-social and need to get out more. That the act of writing and reading is one you do alone. But it really isn't. I have the greatest friendships all built on the basis of reading books. When we talk about books we don't discuss them quietly, we jump up and down, screaming down the pub get excited about them. And I think that's pretty awesome.


Plus my friends are just adorable!

TWINLYF!