Top 5 Wednesday| I Need More Time

Top 5 Wednesday is a weekly blog group that comes together to discuss that week's 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.

In celebration of the come back of #TomeToppleReadathon this month, Samantha has decided to dedicate a week of sharing some of the longest books on our TBRs. I'm only counting the physical books that I own, 

1. A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy #1)
Deborah Harkness
Page Count: 688

Goodreads

I don't know why I insist on bringing larger books with me to Uni, because they never actually get read unless it's during Freshers' Week or that weird week and a half I get off during Christmas exam week after final submissions.

2. Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass #6)
Sarah J. Maas
Page Count: 660

Goodreads

I won a copy of this from giveaway. It's one of those signed limited editions from Sarah's book signing last year. I feel like I still will eventually finish this series, just because I've carried it through to my adulthood.

3. The Final Empire (Mistborn #1)
Brandon Sanderson

Page Count: 647

Goodreads

Everyone and their mother has read this one, but I still haven't. I've never been in the mood to pick up even though I still have every intention of reading it.

4. Twelve Kings (The Song of the Shattered Sands #1)
Bradley Beaulieu
Page Count: 608

Goodreads


This was the first book I bought myself when I moved to Bangor for University, thinking that it would be a nice chunky book to get into during the evenings. 

5. Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orisha #1)
Tomi Adeyemi
Page Count: 531

Goodreads

I received an ARC of this, I've bought the kindle version and a finished copy. Yet, I still haven't read it? It might have something to do with hype at the time of its release or that it was larger than I thought it would be, but I will get round to reading this if its the last thing I do.

REVIEW| Bookshop Girl

Bookshop Girl (Bookshop Girl #1)
Chloe Coles
⭐⭐

Goodreads

UK Publisher: Hot Key Books
UK Release Date: June 14th, 2018

** Received via Netgalley from the Publisher in exchange for an honest and truthful review.**

Synopsis:

Bennett's Bookshop has always been a haven for sixteen-year-old Paige Turner. It's a place where she can escape from her sleepy hometown, hang out with her best friend, Holly, and also earn some money.

But, like so many bookshops, Bennett's has become a 'casualty of the high street' - it's strapped for cash and going to be torn down. Paige is determined to save it but mobilising a small town like Greysworth is no mean feat.

Time is ticking - but that's not the only problem Paige has. How is she going to fend off the attractions of beautiful fellow artist, Blaine? And, more importantly, will his anarchist ways make or break her bookshop campaign?

Review

I don't think this book is going to be for everyone. And I think that falls primarily down to the way in which Coles constructs her hyper-realistic-teen narrative voice. This definetly reads younger and better suited toward the younger side of Young Adult audiences with its silly humor (that reminded me a lot like Louise Rennison's books) and excessive oh-em-gees.

This book tries to incorporate feminism into it, but fell kind of flat. 

"It's a typical example of Male privilege. The assumption that they can say whatever they like to girls. The assumption that women or girls are there for their entertaiment."

Although this is stated, I never felt like this was pushed against and challenged. Paige only comments on it and as a reader I feel like this could have been something to address as a sub-plot. Telling the reader that you shouldn't stand for it but not showing the reader that it can be stood against and fully verbalized.

The plot twist at the end with the love interest was very predictable, and he came off as a bit of a knob pretty much the whole way through. Although, I really enjoyed the small tid-bits that we get of some of the older people Paige meets at a life drawing class. They were fun and really supportive, and it felt like a genuine budding friendship between them. Proving that it doesn't matter if you're not the same age, you can still be friends!

GET YOUR COPY:
| AMAZON UK | WATERSTONES | BDP |

Wrap-Up| Oct 2018

I'm really trying everything in my power to get all my assignments done when I'm not in class rather than two days before the deadline; research for my dissertation; balance a decent social life; and read to de-stress. I'm somehow continuously panicking and strangely calm about everything.

You'll be surprised to see that my October wrap-up consists of more than a book, unlike previous years. (No, I don't know what's going on either.)

In the Vanisher's Palace
Aliette de Bodard
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Goodreads

REVIEW

Bookshop Girl (Bookshop Girl #1)
Chloe Coles
⭐⭐⭐

Goodreads

REVIEW

The Blue Salt Road
Joanne M. Harris
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Goodreads

I will be posting a review of this next month.

I really loved this. It read like a fairytale of love and revenge set against the backdrop of two the fighting clans of humans and selkies.

Strange the Dreamer (Strange the Dreamer #1)
Laini Taylor
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Goodreads

(Technically I haven't finished this one, but am 3/5 of the way through. That being said, it is a reread.)

Doctor Who: The Day of the Troll
Written by Simon Messingham; Read by David Tennant
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Goodreads

I'm going to be sad when I run out of Doctor Who audioplays that center around the 10th Doctor. They're really fun to listen to and help me focus on something when I'm trying to get to sleep (especially during deadline week).
I'll be reviewing this soon, so look out for a proper discussion then.