April 26, 2018

Dewey's 24-hour Readathon TBR

This time last year I took part in this very readathon. I was too busy to really commit to the one hosted in October. Really, I shouldn't be committing to this one either... deadlines and all that.

The way that the readathon is organzed is that we all start at the same time. For me, I begin on Saturday 28th April at 13:00 BST. To find out when you begin, click here. Or to sign up, here


Assassin's Apprentice (Farseer Trilogy #1)
Robin Hobb

Pages: 100 [pages left]







Kings of the Wyld (The Band #1)
Nicholas Eames

Pages: 201 [pages left]







Ruin and Rising (Shadow and Bone #3)
Leigh Bardugo

Pages: 314 [pages left]






Monstress, Vol 1: Awakening
Marjorie Liu, Sana Takeda

Pages: 192 








These are the books that I need to get to and finish. And ones that I will be focusing on. The next lot I'm going to show you is the ones I want to get to but depending on my mood by the time I get to them, depends on which one I start.


Northern Lights (His Dark Materials #1)
Philip Pullman

Pages: 328







I Was Born For This 
Alice Oseman

Pages: 400








Royal Assassin (Farseer Trilogy #2)
Robin Hobb

Pages: 648







The Tethered Mage (Swords and Fire #1)
Melissa Caruso

Pages: 434

April 25, 2018

Top 5 Wednesday| I'm Really a Hoarder

Top 5 Wednesday is a weekly blog group that come together to discuss that weeks topic. The idea was first curated by the wonderful Lainey at GingerReadLainey and is now run by Samantha over on ThoughtsonTomes. 

If you wish to participate, either on your Blog or Booktube channel then, please, join the group on Goodreads for all the relevant topics.

It's only in the last year or so that I have rally worked on not hording the things that I don't particularly need... with a few exceptions. This is going to be a list of items that I currently own, did own (and want to rebuy) and ones that I am yet to own.

1. Signed Don Juan in Soho programme

I have DAVID TENNANT'S autograph- my idol! Signed at stage door on the final performance of DJiS. This is my most treasured 'fandom' item. 
The Tenth Doctor era of Doctor Who being the first fandom I was really apart of. 

2. Bill Weasley's Wand

It's been a while since I have made any mention to my favourite Weasley.
I haven't really had a massive desire to own any replica wand's, apart from Bill.
So if anyone would like to treat me for my birthday in June?

3. Jace's Mini Stele Keychain

This might just be the only merch I have left from The Mortal Instruments movie (2013?). It lights up still, although the keychain part may have broken off. I now keep it hidden in my small travelling suitcase as a good luck charm.

4. Evanescence jumper

A close second most listened band (number one being Linkin Park) is Evanescence. A life long fan, I got to see them for a second time last year at the Eventim Apollo for my birthday (as well as Don Juan in Soho). I bought this at the concert.

5. Oyster holder


In the London, UK, we use cards to pay for our public transport called Oyster Cards (for int'l readers).  The only time I get to use my card anymore is on the special occassion that I'm back home rather than at Uni, so I tend to spend a couple of quid and upgrade the average boring case to something that is a little more representative to the fandom side of me.

My current is the Van Gogh Tardis painting. 

April 11, 2018

Top 5 Wednesday| My Bank Account is Crying

Top 5 Wednesday is a weekly blog group that come together to discuss that weeks topic. The idea was first curated by the wonderful Lainey at GingerReadLainey and is now run by Samantha over on ThoughtsonTomes. 

If you wish to participate, either on your Blog or Booktube channel then, please, join the group on Goodreads for all the relevant topics.

This week we are talking about authors who we automatically keep buying and shoving on our shelves. 


Victoria Schwab

The only reason I haven't pre-ordered Schwab's new middle grade City of Ghosts yet is because I can't find out whether it is being published in the UK. Also, I was going to wait until I move into the flat because it comes out before I go back to Uni.

Laini Taylor

I might have already pre-ordered Muse of Nightmares with the flat address I'm living in, in third year.  Laini Taylor could charge me to read her shopping lists and I would pay every penny.

Samantha Shannon

Samantha has grown as an author, she's continually show evidence of improving her craft and I have loved every moment I have been on this journey.


Erin Morgernstern

The Night Circus is one of my all time favourite books. Not quite Top 5, but Top 7. That doesn't mean I don't love it any less than the other 6. I know that Erin has recentyly handed in a final draft of a new book, so hopefully I get to buy every edition going in the years to come.

Susan Dennard

I absolutely adore all of Sooz's books that have so far been published. I wish that her debut was and would be published in the UK so more people could have easier access all of her books. If you haven't picked up Truthwitch yet, stop hesitating.



















April 05, 2018

REVIEW| The Exact Opposite of Okay

The Exact Opposite of Okay
Laura Steven


Add to Goodreads

UK Publisher: Electric Monkey
UK Release Date: March 8th, 2018

Synopsis:

Izzy O’Neill is an aspiring comic, an impoverished orphan, and a Slut Extraordinaire. Or at least, that’s what the malicious website flying round the school says. Izzy can try all she wants to laugh it off – after all, her sex life, her terms – but when pictures emerge of her doing the dirty with a politician’s son, her life suddenly becomes the centre of a national scandal. Izzy’s never been ashamed of herself before, and she’s not going to start now. But keeping her head up will take everything she has...

Review

So, you're interested in picking up this book and you're here to read if its any good. Asking that all important question of: Is it as promising as that enticing cover? 

I want to take a minute out, before getting to the actual review, to just speak about this cover. Isn't it glorious?! 

The artist team behind it is Good Wives and Warriors, and they're amazing. To the point that I've been eyeing up some of their colouring books for a while. Anyway, their style works fantastically at creating my favourite kind of covers. The ones that I can sit and stare at for hours on end, both before and after reading, picking out the small and new details.

Let me explain. Be calm. 

I want to print it and plaster it on my pin board. I might have already done that.

I picked up an ARC back in July 2017, whilst at YALC. At first I was disinterested because YA contemps are rarely my thing... then cue the hYPE. The word Feminism was being thrown around; the hashtag #BitchesBiteBack grabbing my eye and then I went home the first day and found it all over my Twitter feed. 

Yes, I was dying to read it.

An this book. Oh my F@?!ing God, THIS book. 

When I finished it, I posted on my Facebook wall- something I rarely do when it comes to speaking about books- and said "this is going to big". Almost a year later, I still stand by that statement. 

It was just absolutely brilliant and poignant and funny. Teen girls, young adults, even the older generation, everywhere, needs to buy or borrow a copy.  N.O.W.

Izzy O'Neill finds herself in deep water when photographs are leaked, and a national scandal ensues. This could have very easily been heavy and uncomfortable to read, but Laura Stevens applies a blend of humour that kept me engaged from the start to end.

I am finding it harder and harder to find teen inner monologues that stand out above the rest and that's exactly how I would describe Izzy's.  Her constant inappropriate jokes, fit so closely to mine at that age and ongoing that I instantly connected with Izzy and her conflicts.

Although there is a sequel due out next year, I really loved how this was ended. It wasn't all fireworks and fairy tale finesse, but a fresh air to what I'm sick of reading.

Tackling slut-shaming, imperfect relationships and why us bitches need to bite back, The Exact Opposite of Okay tackles a variety of topics, both in the grand "herstory" of modern teen life.

April 04, 2018

Top 5 Wednesday| The Jokes on You

Top 5 Wednesday is a weekly blog group that come together to discuss that weeks topic. The idea was first curated by the wonderful Lainey at GingerReadLainey and is now run by Samantha over on ThoughtsonTomes. 

If you wish to participate, either on your Blog or Booktube channel then, please, join the group on Goodreads for all the relevant topics.

This week we're celebrating our favourite pranksters, tricksters and all round funny characters. 


1. Fred and George Weasley
Book: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Unsurprisingly these two Weasleys have probably turned up on every T5W list this week. But I can understand why. They offer comedic relief throughout all seven, in particular the last four, when things start getting dark. One scene that I always think back to is in book 5- OotP- when they set off the fireworks during an Umbridge exam.

2. Magnus Bane
Book: Clockwork Angel/City of Bones

Magnus Bane brings such joy to my Cassandra Clare reading experience. He's snarky, with witty one liners that just feed my sarcastic soul. We learn a lot about Magnus' past, which just give a greater depth of appreciation for his sense of humour.

3. Tyrion Lannister
Book: A Game of Thrones

Like Magnus, Tyrion is another character that has a terrible back story, but managaes to bring the greatest wit and humour into a situation. 

4. Thorne Cresswell 
Book: Cress

One of my favourite Disney characters is Flynn Ryder from Tangled. Thorne is Flynn, but in a book form. Both of which made me giggle.

5. Zuzana (& Mik)
Book: Daughter of Smoke and Bone

At times the Daughter of Smoke and Bone can get really dark. What I love is how Laini Taylor's writing is that she is able to write such wonderful funny characters without detracting away from the important aspects of plot.

6. Izzy O'Neil
Book: The Exact Opposite of Okay

Izzy is laugh-out-loud hilarious. Her funny narrative of events brings a lighter touch to quite serious topic of conversation that I think many teen girls are going to love and appreciate as much as I did.

April 03, 2018

BOOK HAUL| March 2018

... My bank account is bled dry, physically shaking and begging me to buy anything but books. Our conversation went something like this:

ME: Just one more, I really want to read it.
BANK ACCOUNT: No.
ME: *takes out bank card*
ME: I mean I literally have the power here.
BANK ACCOUNT: NO.
ME: *pays for a book*
BANK ACCOUNT: YOU SAID BOOK BUYING BAN. WHERE IS THE BAN?!

Anyway, it wasn't just buying books that's the issue. I did request quite a few.

A book unhaul may have to be sooner than I had planned.

Planetfall (Planetfall #1)
Emma Newman

** Sent via the publisher for an honest and truthful review. **

UK Publisher: Gollancz
UK Release Date:

Thank you to the team at Gollancz, for all the books that I might mention in today's blog post!







State of Sorrow (Sorrow #1)
Melinda Salisbury

** Bought when I was left loose in Waterstones. **

Please restrain me.

This one is from a trip to Llandudno earlier on in the month. I read the sample that was given out at YALC and fell in love with the writing, I'm dying to read this one.






Empire of Silence (Sun Eater #1)
Christopher Ruocchio

** Sent via the publisher for an honest and truthful review. **

UK Publisher: Gollancz
UK Release Date: July 5th, 2018











A Veil of Spears (The Song of the Shattered Sands #3)
Bradley Beaulieu

** Sent via the publisher for an honest and truthful review. **

UK Publisher: Gollancz
UK Release Date: March 22nd, 2018






Sleeping Giants (Themis Files #1)
Sylvain Neuvel

** Bought from AbeBooks as a secondhand copy. **

This has been on my list of to be read since it came out. My flatmate picked up a copy and said she loved, whether she finished on reading it is another matter.
Instead of borrowing her copy, I nabbed my own.







The Tethered Mage (Swords and Fire #1)
Melissa Caruso

** Sent via the publisher for an honest and truthful review. **

UK Publisher: Orbit Books
UK Release Date: October 24th, 2017







The Defiant Heir (Swords and Fire #2)
Melissa Caruso

** Sent via the publisher for an honest and truthful review. **


UK Publisher: Orbit Books
UK Release Date: April 19th, 2018

Thank you, so much, to the team at Orbit for sending these out to me! These should be the next books up for review- I've had my eye on this one for a while.





The Song of Achilles
Madeline Miller

** Bought on a day out with friends. **

Okay, so I could have said no to my friend. But when she shoved the copy into my hands and demanded that I needed to read it, it was an almost impossible task.







Notes on Nationalism
George Orwell

** Bought on a day out with friends. **

This year, one of my goals, is to read more "classic" authors I really enjoy. I spotted that Penguin had published some of Orwell's essays for £1 and rushed a copy off the shelf at Foyles.









The Missing Girl
Shirley Jackson

** Bought on a day out with friends. **

Another one that I spotted and knew I wanted to read more of. For a £1, I can't really complain about my bank account. I just hope I love it so I can go on to pick up more of Jackson's stories.

April 02, 2018

WRAP-UP| March 2018

March has been one of the most challenging months of 2018, so far. I argued... a lot. Questionned whether staying in Bangor was worth it for this degree and I somehow managed to finish two WHOLE books this month.

I'm actually shocked.


Finished this month:

The Bitter Twins (The Winnowing Flame Trilogy #2)
Jen Williams


I need the final book, please?
I asked nicely. I'll even consider swapping a bit of my Easter Egg for it?
Again, Jen Williams, does one up on her writing. Fantastic character development, blurring of genre dynamics and all-round amazing storytelling.

Metamorphosis
Franz Kafka

Read for my Writing Genre Fiction module, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Especially looking at it through the lens of Todorov's "the fantastic" to which, Kafka's Metamorphosis doesn't fit in neither the 'Uncanny' or 'Marvelous', but continues to sit in the middle.



Flowers for Algernon
Daniel Keyes

I really liked this one! Read, again, for my Writing Genre Fiction module, this one deals with a God-complex. I really liked how the writing reflecting the main character's intelligence... and that's all I'm going to say, without spoiling anything.




Notes on Nationalism
George Orwell

Held some really interesting ideas. If you like, and have studied Orwell's Animal Farm and 1984 to death, this might help shed some more light on his way of thinking.



The Hating Game
Sally Thorne

I really liked this one.
A rich romance novel, with one of my favourite tropes- hate-to-love, that I read way to quickly.
I'm not going to say much more, as I have a review in the works (and yes, it really will be posted).





Still to finish:
  • Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames
  • Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb
  • Ruin & Rising by Leigh Bardugo
  • Simon Vs The Homo Sapien Agenda by Becky Albertalli
  • Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke