Sunday, July 30, 2017

The Sirens of Surrentum by Caroline Lawrence

The Sirens of Surrentum by Caroline Lawrence
Release Date: September, 2006
Pages: 240
Rating: 💜💜💜
Buy it: Amazon | Book Depository

Everyone is thinking about love at the luxurious Villa Limona, where Flavia, Jonathon, Nubia and Lupus have come to spend a fortnight's holiday. But there's a rotten core beneath the beauty. A famous murder was committed nearby, and a prisoner is at large amongst the villa's guests. Faced with many distractions, can the friends set a trap to catch the culprit?

The next book in my trip down memory lane and definitely my least favourite. I've love the Roman Mysteries series for being so light-hearted and entertaining but this book was so heavy.

There were a couple of major topics in this book that felt heavy and brought the general tone of the book down. Some of the topics may trigger people or make you feel uncomfortable; this book was more on the YA spectrum than the children's spectrum of genres.

The writing style was flawless as usual; I felt like I was living in Ancient Rome. Caroline Lawrence has a way of describing unfamiliar places in a familiar way which helps the natural flow of the story. I especially loved how bright and vibrant she made the Roman lifestyle, with the lavish feasts and beautiful scenery.  Although she references previous books in the series, Lawrence manages to not   spoil anything, so you can read the series in which ever order you want.

I did feel like the characters had changed quite dramatically throughout this book. All four of the children have  to face several difficult situations that require them to act older than they are. Surprisingly it was Flavia who had the most character development throughout this book; she became so mature and I'm so proud of my baby!

Even though I had a few major problems with this book I still really liked it. It doesn't really fit into the middle grad level of books, but it isn't "old" enough to fit into young adult. If the book sounds interesting to you then go ahead and read it! Just be warned that does deal with some heavy subjects.

Saturday, July 29, 2017

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Release Date: December 2, 2010
Pages: 372
Rating: 💜💜💜
Buy it: Amazon | Book Depository

Anna is less than thrilled to be shipped off to boarding school in Paris, leaving a fledgling romance behind - until she meets Etienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Etienne has it all...including a girlfriend. But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with a longed-for French kiss?


Did I enjoy this book? Yes, I adored it. 
Will it stick with me? Probably not.

This is officially the first Stephanie Perkins book I've read. Ever. And I'm so glad I got a beautiful book to introduce me to her writing. Her style is beautiful and intriguing; definitely a style that I would want to come back to!

The characters were fun and sweet, but filled to the brim with angst. It seemed like everyone was falling out with someone every page of the book. At first I loved this (finally teenagers being correctly portrayed!), but eventually it got a bit much. No one can keep up that level of angst all day without feeling exhausted. No wonder they drink so much coffee!

The setting of Paris was exciting to read about and different from most contemporaries that seem to be set in America. However the novelty soon wore off when Anna stopped exploring France as much and began pining for home. We didn't even get to see her do many touristic things as you'd expecting her to because she was pining after St Clair. 

It wasn't as life-changing as I expected it to be (after all the hype that had happened). I did enjoy it and felt appropriately attached to the characters. Even though it wraps up nicely (ish) in this book I will read the other two books to see the Stephanie Perkins grow and evolve. 

Friday, July 28, 2017

Booktube-a-thon: Day 5

See my TBR here
Challenges Complete: 4
Book Count: 4
Page Count: 1257


 I went over the 1000 page mark!

This was actually a personal goal for me so I'm super excited to have achieved it!

I got a lot of great reading done today: I finished two books today and got halfway through another. I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to complete the Booktube-a-thon as I've still got three books to read in the next two days but I'm going to give it my all.

I'm not doing any challenges today but I'll leave a link to the video here if you haven't seen it.

And until next time, keep reading!

Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Booktube-a-thon: Day 3

See my TBR here
Challenges Complete: 2
Book Count: 2
Page Count: 707

I feel like this shows my brain's thoughts during the day.

Since yesterday morning I have had the worst series of headaches ever, so I've not really got much reading done. However last night I stayed up late reading Attachments and I managed to finish it so I'm super proud.

I've now moved on to Wonder, but once again I got no reading done today which I'm annoyed about because I really want to finish Wonder. Hopefully I'll get some more reading done tomorrow!

Today's challenge was hosted by Zoe from readbyzoe and you basically have to re-enact a scene from a book-to-movie adaptation.

So I slightly adapted today's challenge to make it better for my blog. Instead of re-enacting a movie scene I'm going to choose three books that I want to be a movie and pick directors or actors to go with it.

Okay, let's go!


Book #1: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Director: Time Burton (and someone else)

I feel like Dodie Clark would be good as Celia because they have a similar look and feel around them.
I'm not so sure about who I want to play Marco. However I do think they would have to be British or at least have a British accent. (Possibly Matt Smith?)
I don't care how old Hector Bowen is but Benedict Cumberbatch has to play him with an attitude similar to Sherlock's.





Book #2: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins


I have no idea what I want to be done with this book but I know I want it to happen.

I have seen a couple of people asking for Shailene Woodley to be Anna if it happens but I'm kind of against that. I don't know why, and I'm sure she would be great, but I can't picture her as Anna.






Book #3: The Gone Series by Michael Grant


Once again I don't know specific details, but I do know I want it to happen.

 I think the problem with Anna and Gone is that I want all the characters to be played by actual teenagers instead of adults because it would make the film feel more 'real'.






Do you agree with me? What books do you want to see adapted? Are you taking part in the Booktube-a-thon? Let me know in the comments below!

And until next time, keep reading!









Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Five of the best book to movie adaptations

I love watching movies. Whether it is in the cinema or at home I always find it so magical that people have managed to capture a story using moving pictures and music. So when they manage to capture my favourite books perfectly I find my self attached and will happily watch this movies over and over again.

Today I'm going to share my five favourite book to movie adaptations with you. These are films that I could watch five times in a row and not get bored, the films that are closest to the book, or the films that (*whispers*) are better than the books.


1- StardustThis film is actually one of my favourite films of all time, but I've never read the book! One day I'll get to it but for now I'll just love the movie.

2- Charlie and the Chocolate FactoryBoth versions of this book are good for different reasons and I love them both. They capture the whimsical nature of Willy Wonka and provoke joy in children and adults.

3- It's Kind Of A Funny StoryI've just read this book and although the movie doesn't follow the story line all the way through it is pretty spot on. The casting is also perfect and each character is exactly as I imagined them.

4- The Narnia ChroniclesPersonally I like the movies more than the books. I haven't read the entire Narnia series, so my opinion may change when I finish but for now I love the movies far more.

5- Harry PotterThese films are far from perfect, I can agree with that. They left major details from the books and changed various other things. But they inspired an entire generation of readers, and helped millions of people through their life. So Harry Potter will always have a spot on this list.

What are your favourite adaptations? Have you watched any of the films on my list? Please let me know in the comments below!

And until next time, keep reading!

Monday, July 24, 2017

The Secret Countess by Eva Ibbotson

The Secret Countess by Eva Ibbotson
Release Date: May 10, 1981
Pages: 344
Rating: 💜💜💜💜
Buy it: Amazon | Book Depository

St Petersburg, 1917: Anna's world is under threat. The 18-year-old countess has lived in luxury but now her life is in danger...
London, 1919: Now penniless, Anna is working as a servant for the aristocratic Westerholmes. But as she falls for the young earl her secret becomes harder and harder to keep...

This book completed the booktube-a-thon challenge of read a book with a person on the cover.
Also this book was original titled A Countess Below Stairs, in case that caused any confusion.

I loved this story so much; historical fiction with an adorable romance is my ultimate favourite type of book, so this was perfect for me. I've also read all of Eva Ibbotson's middle grad novels so I knew I would enjoy this book going into it.

The Secret Countess is about a Russian countess, Anna, who has to keep her identity a secret as she works as a maid. I loved seeing these two worlds colliding; Russian countess-ship and English working class. It was interesting to see her ideas of hygiene and cleaning, and how they compared to English standards, because in general she was much more picky than the English (yep, we're all filthy pigs in England).

Anna was the most innocent character that I've ever seen but she didn't become annoying. She had all the makings of being a "Mary-Sue" but somehow she managed to avoid that trope completely. Her interest in learning was inspiring really, and I'm surprised that no one was impressed that she literally memorises an entire book! One thing I loved about Anna was that she wasn't beautiful, but she was pretty. Even then people couldn't tell what was pretty about her, she just had this aura around her. It was nice to see a character who wasn't perfect in every way, which seems to becoming rarer with ever book published.

I also loved Rupert, the main male character in this book, because he was an absolute sweetheart. I must admit, when I first heard his name I laughed a little bit because that name always reminds me of Rupert the Bear. However I soon fell in love him and he has definitely become a strong contender on my list of fictional crushes.

The funny thing about The Secret Countess is that whilst reading there is no clear villain. There are good characters who I rooted for but then there are several people who I ended up hating, even if I liked them at first. It was this blurriness between good and bad that made the book so compelling because it made all the characters seem real. There was no one in this book who was 100% perfect but you were able to root for people because they had other redeeming qualities.

My only problem with this book was how many commas were used. I've always loved Eva Ibbotson's writing style but in this book it felt like her computer had broken, causing commas to explode everywhere. There were several paragraphs where I literally had to read it aloud to make sense of what was being said. It was lovely to have such and immersive and descriptive book but I would have preferred it if there weren't 12 commas in one sentence.

Overall I loved this book. It was a beautiful historical romance set within a culture I know very little about. As soon as I finished reading it I began looking for more Russian-based historical fiction because this story was so compelling. I would recommend this to people who love historical fiction, or people who want a more subtle romance story.


Booktube-a-thon: Day 1

See my TBR here
Challenges Complete: 1
Book Count: 1
Page Count: 344

And so the readathon begins!

For me the readathon started at exactly midnight today when I gave up pretending to get to sleep and just started reading The Secret Countess. I actually managed to finish it in about 3 hours before collapsing of exhaustion and sleeping for 8 hours.

I meant to start reading Attachments after I woke up but I had no motivation at all to read during the day, so the rest of today was reading free. Hopefully I'll get about half an hour of reading done tonight before I go to sleep, so I don't fall behind!

Anyway...on to the challenge for today!

Today's challenge was picked by Jesse from Jesse the reader and I'm a little worried going into it. I leave a link to the video here but basically you have to create a monster using the book you are currently reading. 

Here we go!


My monster's name: Breakfast Tiger
My monster's personality: He hides in your juice so when you go to drink it he leaps out and tickles your throat. His mission is to make everyone laugh.
My monster:

If you are doing these challenges then please a link down below and I'll come check them out!

And until next time, keep reading!

Sunday, July 23, 2017

Blogging through Booktube-a-thon

I didn't intend to take part in the booktube-a-thon this year because I honestly didn't think I'd have enough time to take part because I set myself a pretty ambitious TBR (10 books in one month!), but apparently I like a challenge!


This read-a-thon is quite challenging but I think I'll be able to manage it. I am the absolute worst at explaining things so I'll leave a link to the channel here. There are several videos explaining what the read-a-thon is and all the little details you need to know. There's also a list of challenges which are compulsory, but fun to try and complete.

I'll be blogging everyday the week of the read-a-thon, talking about how it's going and just having a general chat. There are also photo and video challenges that I'll try to complete (in blog form, of course!) so I'd love if you would come and check the posts out!

Okay, after a very long introduction, on to the books!




1- A book with a person on the cover: 


I mean the cover kind of explains  itself. Her face is the only thing on this cover so there is definitely a person on this cover. 

This would also tick off the challenge "read a book with a character who is very different from you" but because I love a challenge I have a different book for that challenge.


2- A book that has received a lot of hype


Everyone has heard of this book. Even people who don't read much have heard about this book because the hype surrounding this book was huge.

I've actually never read this book. At my first school we didn't have required reading and I joined my second school just after they finished so I didn't have to any motivation to read it (even though I really want to!). Now I'll finally be able to get round it, and hopefully love it!



3- Finish a book in one day.


Not going to lie, this challenge doesn't sound that hard. I regularly finish books in one day, especially if I'm really loving the book. 

I decided to pick 1984 because a) it's another book I should have read but haven't and b) it is quite long. My copy is 326 pages long with quite small text so it could take me quite a while to read. If I don't manage it I do have a couple of fall backs so I can complete this challenge. 



4- Read a book where the main character is very different from you


August is extremely different from me. He is younger than me, he has a facial deformity and...well...he is a he.

I'm worried that I won't like this book. You know when you let the hype grow bigger and bigger until you think the book is going to be amazing...and then it isn't? I'm worried that will happen with this book. (I guess we'll see!)




5- Read a book completely outdoors


I love this book; it's one of the few I've reread. I actually read it last year with my friend (she loved it as well) so this story is pretty fresh in my mind However I'm super excited to be reading this book again!

This book is set in a butterfly house during a summer holiday, so reading it outside might add to the mood of the book. Hopefully it won't be too hot in Belgium, otherwise I may die of heat!



6- Read a book you brought because of the cover


I didn't buy Attachments because the cover was pretty; I brought it because I wanted to read it (obviously). However I did buy this version of Attachments instead of the other one because it is absolutely gorgeous and I like it a lot more.

The only problem with this cover is that the spine isn't one colour so it doesn't really fit in with my rainbow bookshelves. 



7- Read 7 books in a week

I actually picked out two books for this challenge, although they are both quite short and quick reads. I also made sure that both these books could check off several different challenges just in case something happens throughout the week (like I run out of time).


Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

I tried reading this 2 or 3 years ago and couldn't get into it. I read the first 5 pages over and over again for a week before giving up.

However I haven't given up hope and because it is so tiny (only 110 pages) I should be able to get through this book really quickly. If I finish it in a day, which will most probably happen, then I'll tick off that challenge.

I'll also be reading about a character who is very different from me so that ticks off another challenge!



Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Another book I've been wanting to reread since I finished and another one that can check off several challenges at once. I also want to reread this book so that I watch the film soon. I remember very little from this book so it would basically be like reading it for the first time all over again.

I'm planning on reading this book outside because so much of this book happens outside. There is actually a forest just across the road from my house so I'll be spending many shady hours in the trees.


Are you taking part in this read-a-thon? What books are you reading? Have you read any of the books on my TBR?

Until next time, keep reading!

Summer of Love by Katie Fforde

Summer of Love by Katie Fforde
Release Date: March 17, 2011
Pages: 376
Rating: 💜💜💜
Buy it:
Amazon | Book Depository

Sian Bishop has only ever experienced one moment of recklessness – a moment that resulted in her beloved son Rory.  When dependable, devoted Richard suggests a move to the beautiful English countryside, she leaves the hustle and bustle of the city, and throws herself into the cottage garden, her furniture restoration business, and a new life in the country. But who knows what can happen in a summer of love…


I liked this book and felt it was the perfect book to read at the start of summer. It was the sort of book that you read in the bath or sitting curled up in a chair with a cup of tea. It was a sweet and simple read that was lots of fun.

The characters were all interesting and unique in their own ways. There were points in the book where their actions were a little predictable, and basically all of the major plot twists weren't very shocking. I guess this book isn't meant to be that mind-blowing, just exciting enough to keep you reading.


The plot was your average chick-lit kind of plot; a secret that has to be kept, a woman who has several love interests and an older woman who acts as a guiding figure. There were no surprises in the plot progression; it literally goes the way you expect it go. There was a love triangle that became a major plot device but a lot of the conflict is actually in other topics: 'love vs money' and 'security vs uncertainty'.

I liked this and would recommend it to people who love chick-lit and cute stories set in small English villages. It is a guilty pleasure book for sure, and will be good as a pick-me up.

Saturday, July 22, 2017

Champion by Marie Lu

Champion by Marie Lu
Release Date: November 5, 2013
Pages: 353
Rating: 💜💜
Buy it: Amazon | Book Depository
June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them: just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense but saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything. 

Be prepared for a long and ranty review. (Also I'm sorry if this is one of your favourite books. You might not want to read this review).

Honestly I was a little disappointed with this book. I loved the first two books and this one just didn't have the same spark. I couldn't get as wrapped up in the world and didn't care as much about the characters. The ending, which seems to be killing everyone, had no effect on me and I got over the book pretty quickly. I feel like I have to re-read this book now (maybe even the whole trilogy!) because I have so much more free time to get wrapped up in the story.

In Prodigy and Legend I was in love with Day and June. They were funny, strong, brave and powerful; exactly what I want from the protagonists. They got stuff done no matter what happened and stuck together. They were an unstoppable team who were together from the start. But I didn't see it in this book. Day wouldn't tell June about his personal life, slowly keeping more and more secrets from her. June isn't much better to be honest, not completely trusting Day with the entire plan. As why haven't they talked to each other in...what...6 months or so? If they really cared about each other they would have broken that silence.

The pacing of this book was kind of boring. There was a lot of sitting around and talking in the first half of the book before anything seemed to happen. However the writing style was gripping enough to keep me reading and was actually quite beautiful in some places. The writing style is the reason why I want to give The Young Elites a try.

Overall I wasn't happy with third book. I might have enjoyed it more if I wasn't reading it during exam season but I highly doubt it. I would recommend reading this book if you've started the series, just so you can wrap up Day and June's lives. I'm going to discuss what I wanted to happen below so if you haven't read Champion yet, leave now! 

**Spoiler Warning**

So I was on Goodreads (as always) and I stumbled across this review of Champion which basically says what I'm feeling. It also has an awesome alternative ending which I think should become canon.

I shipped Aden and June so hard. Seriously, so hard. He was sweet and charming and respected that June still had feelings for Day. He didn't try to force her to fall in love with him, but formed a friendship with her. I actually thought that June was falling for him but then SHE SHOT HIM DOWN! What?!

Obviously I realise that June and Day are close and in love and I was totally fine with them having their last hurrah before Day dies. They were each others first love and that bond holds a special place in your heart. So they kissed and I endured that but then Day goes and visits his family house. And something terrible happens. He admits he still blames June for killing his family and that he might not be able to ever forgive her. What?! And then Marie Lu makes them stay together! What?! Why?! If someone came in and killed my family I wouldn't stay with them, no matter how in love I am with them!

Also Day was dying. That was a pretty major plot device throughout the entire story so it was almost certain that he was going to die. Then you get to the end of the book and he is fainting every ten minutes and he has brain splitting headaches and he can't stop shaking so it is certain he is going to die. He is dead for sure. Then Day helps out with the whole uprising, resistance movement and he gets shot. Twice. Not once, twice! Now you know he is dead. Dig him a grave, Day is dead.

But no. Somehow the gods from above answer June's prayers and grant Day the gift of life in the form of a surgery and a coma. At this point I was mad. Why?! In the real world Day would be dead having suffered from bullet wounds and a DEADLY ILLNESS. He is dead. He should be dead. Why isn't he dead?

Don't get me wrong, I loved Day. He was a cool street rat who stuck up for what he believed in and continued fighting to the death. But he should have died.

Here is what I wanted to happen:

  • Day would die a hero's death, having saved the Republic whilst battling a deadly illness.
  • June would have been heartbroken after losing the love of her life.
  • Aden would have comforted her but never made a move because he is a charming gentleman who respects the women he loves.
  • June would have eventually realised that Aden is a sweetheart and would start dating him.
  • She would also become Princeps and eventually marry Aden.
Boom! Much better and more realistic for a dystopian novel.

I'm sorry for the long review and if you've stuck around for this long then thank you. Enjoy this panda falling off a slide. 😃




Thursday, July 20, 2017

Library Lovers Tag

This tag was originally created by Josie over at PiandBooks. I wasn't tagged by anyone but I love the library so I'm going to do it anyway. (#rebel)


How often do you visit your local library?
I generally visit my local library once a week, and the bigger library in a nearby town every month. (although this varies depending on how much I read!)

Do you check out more books than you can read or just enough books?
I honestly have no idea. I borrow a certain amount of books and then I either read them or I don't. Sometimes I challenge myself by borrowing 5 or 6 books at once.

How old were you when you got your library card?
I've had a library card since I was born.

Do you go for the library looking for a specific book or not?
Again this varies. Usually I don't go looking for a specific book but if I'm reading a series then I know which book I'm looking for.

Do you use your library to check out DVDs or audio books?
In England I would check out audio books and DVDs but the Belgian libraries I live near don't have many English discs.

From what section do you borrow the most books?
Obviously it means YA or adult, but for me I'll have to say the English section.

What is your favourite part of using your local library?
Getting to see all the different books I might have not heard about otherwise.


Do you like using your local library? Have you done this tag? Please tell me in the comments below!

And until next time, keep reading!

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Five fictional characters I'd love to be friends with

Everyone knows that book characters are the best people in the world. They are inspiring, kind, caring and all around awesome human beings. And we want to be best friends with all of them.

I have chosen five characters that I most want to be friends with, although honestly this list could have 20+ characters on it. As usual this list is in no particular order as I love them all equally.


1- The Golden Trio (Harry, Hermione and Ron)

So technically they are three people, but I feel like if you choose one you get the other two. Honestly I do feel like I am already friends with them because they have helped me through difficult times, and we grew up together.


2- Maisie Winters from Faceless: If you haven't read this book yet, go do  it  NOW! Faceless is my favourite book of 2017 and I love Maisie with all my heart. She is so lost for the majority of her book and I just want to hug her and tell her everything will be okay.

3- Percy Jackson from the Percy Jackson Series: Percy is such a down-to-earth kid, even after everything he has gone through. He cares about his friends and will risk literally everything to go ave them. With Percy as my friend I wouldn't have to scared of anything ever again.

4- Jo March from Little Women: Jo is a feisty and fierce girl who stands up for she believes is right and doesn't let her gender stop her from being awesome. She is my favourite of the four sisters, although I've always had a bit of a soft spot for Beth. If we were friends we would be able to go on adventures together. 

5- Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter: I recently re-read Order of the Phoenix and fell in love with Luna. I never realised how much I connect with Luna but now that I've seen the connections I know I would love to be best friends with her.

*Bonus Character*: Klaus Baudelaire from A Series of Unfortunate Events: I would be able to talk to him about books which would be awesome!


Who would you have in your top five? Would you want anyone on my list to be your friend? Let me know in the comments below!

And until next time, keep reading!

Saturday, July 15, 2017

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Mass

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Mass
Release Date: August 2, 2012
Pages: 404
Rating: 💜💜💜
Buy it: Amazon | Book Depository
In the dark, filthy salt mines of Endovier, an eighteen-year-old girl is serving a life sentence. She is a trained assassin, the best of her kind, but she made a fatal mistake. She got caught. Young Captain Westfall offers her a deal: her freedom in return for one huge sacrifice. Celaena must represent the prince in a to-the-death tournament—fighting the most gifted thieves and assassins in the land. Live or die, Celaena will be free. Win or lose, she is about to discover her true destiny. 


Well this was an emotional roller coaster. I actually had to rewrite this review because my opinion of this book has changed since I first read it.

When I first finished this book I was annoyed at how different it was from the blurb. I expected an awesome young girl to go round killing people but I was given a girl who was in love with two people and pretended to be a Lady in the King's court. The lack of assassination is this book disappointed me because that was what I came for.

However I realised that Celaena was awesome without killing anyone. She helped her friends to get through the trials, she managed to build her strength up after suffering so much and she didn't put up with any complaining. She was charming when she had to be and deadly when she needed to be. Any obstacle that came up she avoided with grace and she was determined to win the competition. I also loved how realistic she was; she was a normal girl after all.

The writing style in this book was beautiful and emotion-provoking. Even though this is only the first book I have already fallen in love with all the 'good guys' and hate all the 'bad guys'. Sarah J. Mass manages to make you connect with anyone in such a successful way that I felt like I'd lost a group of friends when I closed the book. The world building was also incredible and made it easier to fall into. Although this book is a high fantasy, it was easy to get into and didn't have to typical high fantasy feel.

The main reason why I changed my mind about this book is that I can't stop thinking about it. I would be trying to go to sleep and suddenly my brain would start wondering what Celaena was going to do next. I seriously couldn't stop thinking about this book and what will happen next, which is always a good sign.

Overall I think I enjoyed this book. As annoyed as I got throughout the story, I did fly through it and couldn't put it down. Obviously I'll be reading Crown of Midnight to find out what happens next, and see if there is more assassination! 

Thursday, July 6, 2017

July TBR!

This July is going to be a little crazy for me. I get back from on England on the first then have a week until I leave to go to France. I'll then be France for a week(!) camping, so I'm going to be AFK for a while. Then I'll get back and have to start packing again to be ready to go to boarding school!


The one good thing about this month is that the journey to France is 9 hours long so I'll have a good 18 hours to read books. I was only able to find one readathon to take part in this month, and I've even changed the rules a little bit! If you've found (or created!) any interesting readathons please let me know in the comments!

Apart from the Harry Potter Readathon that I've been taking part in, I'm also going to be joining in with the Fairy-A-Thon this month. I've changed a couple of the challenges to try and help my reach my goal of only having 100 books on my TBR by the end of the year, but I've stuck to the fairy tale theme.

On to the books!

  1. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
  2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
  3. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child 
  4. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer 
  5. Mary Poppins Opens the Door by P. L Travers 
  6. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
  7. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
  8. Frozen in Time by Ali Sparkes
  9. The Heir by Kiera Cass
  10. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern  

I'm feeling ambitious this month; not only am I reading 10 books, I'll also be knocking 7 books off my TBR! Look out for reviews on all these books on here and also over on Goodreads (where I am always open to chat). 

If you've read any of these books, please let me know your thoughts down below!

And until next time, keep reading!

Tuesday, July 4, 2017

June Book Haul!

I finally reined in my book buying spree this month and only bought 4 books this whole month! Even better I read 10 books this month, so I'm cutting my TBR list down (very slowly!).




Countless by Karen Gregory
When Hedda discovers she is pregnant, she doesn’t believe she could ever look after a baby. The numbers just don’t add up. She is young, and still in the grip of an eating disorder that controls every aspect of how she goes about her daily life. She’s even given her eating disorder a name – Nia. But as the days tick by, Hedda comes to a decision: she and Nia will call a truce, just until the baby is born. 17 weeks, 119 days, 357 meals. She can do it, if she takes it one day at a time.

I honestly know nothing else about this book, but the concept sounds so different from anything else I've read.



Just One Day by Gayle Forman
Allyson Healey's life is exactly like her suitcase—packed, planned, ordered. Then on the last day of her three-week post-graduation European tour, she meets Willem. A free-spirited, roving actor, Willem is everything she’s not, and when he invites her to abandon her plans and come to Paris with him, Allyson says yes. This uncharacteristic decision leads to a day of risk and romance, liberation and intimacy: 24 hours that will transform Allyson’s life.

I'm on a French-high right now (I just in love with everything French), and I adored If I stay so naturally I had to pick up this book. Also look at this cover!




One of us is lying by Karen M. McManus

Five students walk into detention. Only four leave alive.
Everyone has secrets, right?

If that doesn't get you excited I don't know what will. It has a Breakfast Club vibe, except  more mysterious. There are five different people who fit into the different cliques but are forced to go into detention together. Also the pages are blood red!





Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J. K. Rowling

Everyone knows the plot so I won't put it here. These new editions are absolutely beautiful, and I love every single version. Of course I had to choose the Hufflepuff edition because of house pride! Another thing I loved was the  fact that there were three adjectives on the covers to describe each house.

I will mention that I got this Hufflepuff hardcover from Waitrose for only £7! ($9.22 | €8)





After buying these books I actually received 3 more books from my school library. These books were completely free but I'm still going to share them with you!



It has to be you by Sarah Webb

Welcome to modern life and love in tiny Burnaby, Ireland, where three very different women with big dreams, the closest of friends, are about to discover that"happily ever after" could be only a heartbeat-or a heartbreak-away.

Sometimes you just need a guilty pleasure book to read whilst curled up under a warm blanket with a cup of tea. Due to the large amount of days I've had like this I've run out of books to read, so this is for my next treat-myself day.






The Secret Countess by Eva Ibbotson
Anna, a young countess, has lived in the glittering city of St Petersburg all her life in an ice-blue palace overlooking the River Neva. But when revolution tears Russia apart, her now-penniless family is forced to flee to England. Armed with an out-of-date book on housekeeping, Anna determines to become a housemaid and she finds work at the Earl of Westerholme's crumbling but magnificent mansion. The staff and the family are sure there is something not quite right about their new maid - but she soon wins them over with her warmth and dedication.

As some of you may know I love historical fiction so when I found out my school was throwing this book out I knew I had to save it. 




The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory


When Mary Boleyn comes to court as an innocent girl of fourteen, she catches the eye of Henry VIII. Dazzled, Mary falls in love with both her golden prince and her growing role as unofficial queen. However, she soon realises just how much she is a pawn in her family's ambitious plots as the king's interest begins to wane and she is forced to step aside for her best friend and rival: her sister, Anne. Then Mary knows that she must defy her family and her king and take fate into her own hands.

Hey look. More historical fiction!




Have you read any of these books? Or do you want to read any of these books? Did you buy more books than me this month? Let me know in the comments!

And until next time, keep reading!

Five brilliant booktubers

As many book lovers will know it isn't just about reading books. It's also about the online community, the friends you make, the Goodreads groups you join and the youtubers you watch. Today I thought I'd share with you my top five favourite booktubers. These aren't in any particular order because I love them all equally.

*All the links lead to the channels so you can binge watch their videos*


1- Booksplosion (Kat, Christine and Jesse)

Honestly, if you don't know who these people are you have either a) never been on YouTube (in which case, how?!) or b) have never been to the booktube side of the internet (in which case, go there now!). These people are possibly the biggest booktubers there are and have even formed a book club together. I grouped them together because they are the modern Golden Trio and it leaves space for other booktubers I love!

2- Go with flick (Felicity)

I only discovered Felicity this year but I have fallen in love with her channel. She is calm and gentle and has an almost motherly tone to her that makes me feel safe. I especially love watching her book hauls, and her editing is absolutely hilarious. Each video is unique and special in its own way, and there is a new adventure around ever corner.

3- EmmmaBooks (Emma)

Emma is another big youtuber who I've only just discovered. I love how honest and happy she is and it is honestly just like having a big sister. She talks about more diverse books and doesn't always stick to the more popular books. And I don't think you'll find a person who loves TMI more than Emma!

4- A Clockwork Reader (Hannah)

The main reason why I watch Hannah's videos is because she also recommends the best books. My favourite video is the Hogwarts House recommendations that she recently uploaded and I've actually found some of my new favourite books from these videos. I also love how truthful she is; if she doesn't like a popular book, she won't shy away from that opinion.

5- A Dash of Ash (Ashley)

I mostly watch Ashley when I want a pick-me up or to find out about a brand new tag. Although she doesn't do hundreds of tags, the ones she does do are high quality and entertaining. I also love her book hauls because she always seems so excited about every book she buys.



Who are on your top 5 booktuber list? Do you watch any of the people on my list? Please let me know in the comments below!

And until next time, keep reading!