Hauling More eBooks

 I haven't hauled any eBooks since November and it's no secret that I tend to acquire a fair amount of them. I did get a Kindle Unlimited subscription so I have cut back a bit on buying or downloading free ebooks outwith KU, but I have still picked up some. I'm not including any KU books in this haul, mainly because I tend to just download them as I want to read them. I did still get my hands on almost 30 books that were either free or on sale in the last few months.

1. Paper Princess by Erin Watt - A girl moves in to a posh mansion with a bunch of rich brothers after her mother dies. I've heard a lot of mixed things.

2. Hero by Lauren Rowe - A romance between a firefighter and a physical therapist. The first book in the Morgan Brothers series.

3. Duty Of Care by Dr Dominic Pimenta - A memoir of a doctor during the Covid pandemic.

4. Deep In The Heart by Alexa Padgett - A romance with an up-and-coming country star.

5. Send Me Crazy by T Gephart - A romcom involving a firefighter and a pair of panties sent to the wrong address.

6. Wicked In Winter by Jennifer Bernard - A romance set in Alaska that sounds like enemies-to-lovers.

7. Drive Me Wild by Julie Kriss - A second chance romance with a bad boy hero and lots of secrets.

8. You're The One by Layla Hagen - A friends-to-lovers, marriage of convenience romance.

9. Royal Player by Katie McCoy - A sports romance featuring a tennis player who is also a Royal.

10. The Wedding Game by Meghan Quinn - An enemies-to-lovers romance featuring a DIY wedding reality TV show.

11. Columbine by Dave Cullen - A non-fiction discussing the events of the school shooting at Columbine High School.

12. The 24-Hour Cafe by Libby Page - A story following two best friends over the span of 24 hours in the 24-hour cafe they work in.

13. The Roommate by Rosie Danan - A forced proximity romance between a good girl heroine and the stranger she ends up with as her roommate.

14. The Only Plane In The Sky by Garrett M Graff - A non-fiction discussing the events of 9/11.

15. Shipped by Angie Hockman - An enemies-to-lovers romance between two colleagues who are forced to go on a cruise together.

16. Like A Boss by Logan Chance - A romance in which the heroine discovers her one night stand is her new boss.

17. Resisting Roots by Audrey Carlan - A sports romance between a baseball player and a yoga instructor.

18. Push The Envelope by Rochelle Page - A NA sports romance with a rugby player hero.

19. Weekend Wife by Erin McCarthy - A fake engagement romcom with a billionaire hero.

20. My Twisted Fortune by Piper Rayne - A small town, second chance romance set in Alaska.

21. My Best Friend's Mardi Gras Wedding by Erin Nicholas - A small town, fake dating romance.

22. One Night Only by Lauren Blakely - A MFM menage between an heiress, her bodyguard and a rockstar.

23. Shutout by Jami Davenport - A second chance sports romance with a hockey player hero.

24. Chicago Blaze Books 1-2 by Brenda Rothert - A bind-up of the first two books in a sports romance series following a hockey team.

25. Baby Mine by Kennedy Fox - A roommate romance between the hero, who's best friend recently died in an accident, and the best friend's girlfriend.

26. Say You'll Stay by Corinne Michaels - A second chance romance between a struggling single mother and the man who broke her heart.

27. Co-Ed by Rachel Van Dyken - A NA reverse harem romance.

28. Exes & Goals by Heather C Myers - The first book in a sports romance series following a hockey team.

My eBook library is never ending. As always, I have no idea when I'll get around to picking these up but hopefully I'll get to some of them soon. 

Do you recommend any of these? What should I read first?

Sophie :)

January 2021 Wrap Up

 How are we already wrapping up the first month of 2021? As is often the case at the beginning of a new year, I found my love of reading was rejuvenated in January and I just wanted to read all the books. However, I was still working full time and work, as always, has been crazy, so I didn't quite manage to read as many books as I would have liked. 

I read a total of 9 books in January, which is more than I read in any month of 2020. I read predominantly adult or new adult romance, with a couple of adult and YA contemporary fiction books thrown in, and one non-fiction. I didn't rate anything lower than 3 stars, which is always good, and even had a 5 star read.

The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary -

My first read of 2021 was one I had every intention of reading at the beginning of last year, but just never did. It was incredibly popular when it was first published, so I'm probably one of the last people to get to it. It follows Tiffy and Leon who share a flat, and a bed, but have never actually met, due to their opposite work schedules. The two develop a friendship through notes, which of course develops into a really adorable relationship. I loved these characters, their relationship and how it develops, and their friendships and family relationships. I enjoyed that there were some more serious topics dealt with in the story, including Tiffy's toxic past relationship and Leon's brother's imprisonment, which added another layer to the story. My only issue was the way Leon's chapters were written. I just didn't click with the unusual writing style, it kept pulling me out of the story. I have a full review for this book where you can find out my more in depth thoughts.

Rating: 4/5

Only When It's Us by Chloe Liese -

This is a new adult sports romance, featuring the best frenemies to lovers slow burn relationship. We follow Willa, a college soccer star who is struggling with a Professor not accommodating her athletic schedule. Instead, he encourages her to ask Ryder, a fellow student, for help. However, when he ignores her in class, Willa can't believe he could be so rude. Their banter-filled battle ensues from there, but when Willa discovers Ryder is actually deaf, their relationship dynamic changes. I really enjoyed this book. I loved how sassy Willa was, but also the fact she struggled to address certain situations due to her anxiety. That was an aspect I very strongly related to and I really saw myself in her. Ryder was a really great hero, he was so sweet, but snarky, and just adored Willa so much. I loved that we got a deaf main character, I can't speak to the representation but it was a very interesting aspect of the story. Basically, I just loved these characters and their relationship. I was let down by the fact a lot of the conflict could have been avoided with communication, which is something that gets on my nerves a bit in books. I did really like this book though, and can't wait to read more from this author.

Rating: 4/5

The Duke And I by Julia Quinn -

I picked this up after bingeing, and loving, the Bridgerton Netflix series. This was my first ever historical romance and will not be my last. For anyone that hasn't experienced the Bridgerton hype yet, The Duke and I follows Daphne, the middle child and oldest daughter in the Bridgerton family, who embarks on a fake courtship with The Duke Of Hastings, one of London's most eligible bachelor's and the best friend of her eldest brother. There is a lot of negativity surrounding this book, and a specific scene, which I will get to. That aside, I did enjoy this book. My feelings on the book and TV series are mixing together, as I read the book immediately after finishing the show, so I can't get into too much detail. I liked the characters, especially the Bridgerton family as a whole, and enjoyed the relationship between Daphne and Simon. This would have been a solid 4 star, maybe even 5 star read has it not been for that one scene. I won't go into detail in case anyone feels this is a 'spoiler' but there is a rape scene within this book. That scene in itself, though obviously not enjoyable, was not where I had an issue. My issue was the repercussions, or lack of, of what happened. I don't feel like it was dealt with well, or even really addressed, which was where my issues lie. I will still continue with this series and hopefully have a better experience going forward.

Rating: 3/5

One To Watch by Kate Stayman-London -

I talk about this book in quite a lot of detail in my last post, in which I read some of my favourite Booktuber's favourite romances of 2020, so I'll not say too much here. This follows Bea, a plus size fashion blogger who is approached by the producer of Main Squeeze, a bachelorette style reality show, and asked to be the show's first plus size 'main squeeze'. I really enjoyed this initially. Despite a small issue I had in the beginning, I loved Bea as a main character. She is so real and this book focuses a lot on her struggles and fears, and we follow her journey as she begins to overcome them. I really enjoy fiction about reality TV, so found that aspect a lot of fun. Unfortunately, I ended up getting quite bored towards the end. I didn't care enough about the men to be bothered about who Bea ended up with and I found the ending a bit dull. I did have a few other issues, which I discuss in that post I mentioned previously, but this was an OK read.

Rating: 3/5

Holding Up The Universe by Jennifer Niven -

This was the only YA book I read in January, which seems so strange to me as someone who used to read almost exclusively YA. It is a YA contemporary following Libby, who is infamous for being 'America's Fattest Teen', and Jack, who can't recognise faces and is keeping that a secret from his family and friends. The two develop a friendship after Jack essentially bullies Libby quite horrifically and the two end up in group counselling together. I felt pretty much the same about this one as I did about the previous book I have read from Jennifer Niven. I liked some aspects of it and really disliked other aspects, so it ended up just being pretty average. I liked the friendship between the characters and how that develops despite the not so great way it starts. I didn't like the fatphobia and bullying that is really prevalent. It has some good messages but is generally quite forgettable.

Rating: 3/5

Inevitable Conclusions by Christina C Jones -

This is another one that I read as part of my reading booktuber's favourite romances of 2020 post, so again I wont go into too much detail. This is a friends to lovers second chance romance. It follows Kora and Tariq who have been best friends since childhood and remained friends after a previous attempt at a relationship that didn't work out. The pair have a friends with benefits arrangement but neither of them want to take things further and risk their friendship. This was such a sweet romance. It is clear to see how important this friendship is to both of them and why they are so scared to risk ruining it with a relationship. I loved seeing how much they cared for each other, and how they helped each other to deal with their traumatic pasts and difficult family lives. It was just beautiful to see the way that lovely friendship developed into something more. I also really enjoyed the relationships with other characters, in particular both main characters' relationships with Kora's teenage daughter. I can't wait to read more from Christina C Jones in the future.

Rating: 4/5

Dream A Little Dream by Giovanna Fletcher -

This is my third Giovanna Fletcher book and, unfortunately, my least favourite so far. It follows Sarah who has been having dreams involving a handsome man, but things get awkward when he makes an appearance in her real life. I love Giovanna as a person so it pains me to say I was disappointed by this book. It felt quite juvenile. Sarah, our main character, is still a part of the same friendship group as the ex-boyfriend who left her several years ago and is struggling with the fact she has to see him be so happy with the woman he left her for. The way she treated his girlfriend just felt very immature, although this was addressed later on in the book. I really loved Sarah's friend group and particularly her friendships with her best girl friends. The way they all support each other through the difficulties that arise throughout the story was really great. Everything else was just really average for me. I don't even have much to say about this - it was fine. 

Rating: 3/5

Sounds Like Me: My Life (So Far) In Song by Sara Bareilles -

This was my one non-fiction read of the month. It is a collection of essays written by Sara Bareilles about her life. They cover her childhood, discovering her love of music and songwriting and her journey throughout her career. I really like Sara Bareilles, mostly because I am a huge musical theatre fan and she is the person behind the music in one of the best musicals. I didn't really know much about her personal life before reading this so I was very surprised by how much I got from this book. This talks a lot about Sara's personal struggles, a lot of which are things I have struggled with on some level. Each of the essays are related to one of Sara's songs, which I really loved as it gave the songs an even greater meaning. My favourite part of this book was the section in which Sara reads letters to her younger self. As someone who has been, and still is, struggling with a lot of the same things she struggled with, it was as if she was talking directly to me. I really didn't expect this book to have such an impact on me, but I loved it so much and it was exactly what I needed to hear when I read it.

Rating: 5/5

Dear Ava by Ilsa Madden-Mills -

Again, I read this as part of my reading booktuber's favourites romances of 2020 post. It is a high school NA romance involving a girl, Ava, who is sexually assaulted at a party by one of the 'Sharks', the most popular people at her prestigious school. Upon returning to the school a year later, Ava is paired up with the head of the 'Sharks', Knox, for a class project. She also finds a letter from a secret admirer in her locker. There is a lot of background plot in this book, but the main story is a 'enemies' to lovers romance between Ava and Knox. I say 'enemies' as the enemies aspect was just not there for me. They 'hate' each other for all of about ten seconds before realising they both like each other. I liked the two of them together, I really enjoyed their banter and the fact they could be vulnerable and be themselves around each other. Everything else seemed very background. The secret admirer aspect, that seemed from the synopsis to be the main plot, was hardly touched on at all. This was another one that I got a bit bored of towards the end and really didn't like how many epilogues we had. I really thought I would love this but it ended up being a bit disappointing.

Rating: 3/5

I thought it might be good to check in on my goals in my wrap ups to stop me from forgetting about them until the end of the year. You can see what my 2021 goals are here.

So:

I am currently 5 books ahead on my Goodreads challenge, which makes me happy. 

I did read January's buzzword with Dream A Little Dream.

I completed 5 of the Year Of Smut prompts.

I read 3 books from my physical TBR, which is the most I have read in a while.

I read my minimum of one book by an author of colour with Inevitable Conclusions. I'm disappointed I didn't read more than that.

I tried a reading something new with The Duke And I, which was my first historical romance.

I kind of participated in a readathon as I read The Duke And I during the Historical Romance Readathon.

I'm so glad I'm doing okay with my goals so far, although we are still only in the first month of the year. January was a pretty good reading month, both in quality and quantity. I'm hoping for an even better reading month in February.

What was the best book you read in January? 

Sophie :)

January 2020 Wrap Up

I read some books in January! It's looking that I might hopefully now be out of this reading slump that I was in for the second half of last year. I didn't quite read as much as I would have liked, but I did manage to red 6 books in January.

Patient Care: Death and Life in the Emergency Room by Paul Seward -

This is a memoir of an ER doctor who shares many interesting, and sometimes amusing, stories of the things he has seen throughout his time as a doctor. I've mentioned many times before that I really enjoy reading these kinds of books. I have read quite a few medical memoirs in recent years and this is one of the more average ones I have picked up. I have noticed recently that I tend to enjoy these kinds of memoirs more if they are set in the UK, probably as I know that system pretty well and know how things work, and this was set in the US. Other than that aspect, which I knew going into the book anyway, I found myself getting bored while reading this and I wasn't fully invested in all of the stories. While the stories were interesting, especially to someone with some medical knowledge who loves to hear about unusual cases, there wasn't any kind of reasoning to their order and this made the book seem kind of thrown together. I did enjoy it and was able to learn some interesting things from the stories told, but it wasn't as good as some of the other medical memoirs I have read.
Rating: 3/5

Unwind by Neal Shusterman -
Oh yes, I finally started my reread of this series! I read the first two books in the series years ago and have been wanting to reread them in order to finish the series for the longest time. I finally picked Unwind up again at the beginning of the year and I am making it a goal for 2020 to finish this series. This is the first book in a dystopian series in which children between the ages of 13 and 18 can be sent by their parents to be 'unwound' meaning every part of their body is obtained for transplant. The first book follows three unwinds who have run away and have to try to survive while being hunted down. I absolutely loved the first book in this series on first read but found on reread that I didn't enjoy it as much. I think this is just down to the fact that I have read a lot more books now and so have a lot more to compare it to. I still enjoyed it, I think the concept is really clever and the story is incredibly well-written, and at some times a bit too vivid. However, I just wasn't as invested in the characters this time around and didn't find the story quite as engaging.
Rating: 3.5/5

Girl Made Of Stars by Ashley Herring Blake -
After seeing so many rave reviews of this book, I finally decided to pick it up for myself. It follows a girl who's twin brother is accused of rape by one of her best friends and while she knows her friend would never lie about it, she struggles with the idea that her brother could ever do something like that. This book was a lot! Obviously from the topic I knew it would be a tough read, but this was so raw and honest that it was heartbreaking. I will say I didn't love this book quite as much as everyone else seems to have, which makes me sad. I found the main character to be really annoying at times and thought the relationship drama between Mara and Charlie was a little unnecessary, or at least it could have taken more of a back seat as I felt at times that their relationship was more of a focus than her friend being sexually assaulted. Those problems aside, I thought this book was incredibly well written, with the topic of rape handled well. I was also very impressed with how Mara's unimaginably hard situation was written as her struggle is portrayed so vividly that I was almost feeling her inner turmoil right there with her. This is not a book for everyone, there is definitely a risk to those who are sensitive to or triggered by such topics, but it is definitely one I would recommend to anyone who feels they can read it.
Rating: 4/5

Our Stop by Laura Jane Williams -
Sadly, this was my biggest disappointment of the month. This follows a man and woman who regularly take the same train and one day the man decides to put a missed connections note in the paper for the woman, which of course starts a near miss love story developed through notes in the paper. I would have put much more effort into that synopsis if I had actually like this book but just thinking about it makes me disappointed. I really wanted to love this book! It sounded like a super cute rom-com style book, which was exactly what I was in the mood for. It turns out I should have just DNFed it when I first wanted to. I found the characters incredibly annoying, with many of the side characters seeming totally irrelevant and as though they didn't actually need to be there. I think the idea could have been cute but I found the fact Daniel actually knew a bit about Nadia while she didn't even know who the notes were from just made it a little creepy. However, my main problem with this book was how long the 'near miss' aspect was dragged out for. I fully understand that with a plot like this you are going to have that almost meeting but just getting somewhere too late or similar scenarios, but it just went on for far too long. I found that it stopped becoming frustrating but cute and just turned into plain boring. The end was okay and redeemed it for me slightly but I guess this book just wasn't for me.
Rating: 2/5

UnWholly by Neal Shusterman -
This is book two in the Unwind series and my second reread of the month. I really wanted to carry on with this series while the previous book was still fresh in my mind since I am terrible at remembering the plot of books. I liked this a lot less than the first book when I first read the series and my thoughts for this one were pretty similar the second time around. This was a reread but it felt like I was reading it for the first time, there was maybe two things in the whole book that I remembered, which I think is what made it a more enjoyable experience than rereading book one. This book had a whole different vibe to the first, new characters were introduced and we got their perspectives, and our main characters from the first book are in much different situations than those they were in during book one. I still really enjoyed the writing and found the plot to be engaging, it definitely has a plot of it's own rather than just setting up the next book. I'm excited to carry on with the series, especially now that I have reached the books I have not already read before.
Rating: 3/5

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty -
I have had this book on my shelf for years and have borrowed the audiobook from the library at least 4 times, but I have finally gotten around to reading this book. From the synopsis, this is about a woman who finds a letter from her husband for her to open in the event of his death, but while he is still alive. While that is the focus of the main plot twist or conflict, this book is actually a lot more than that. It focuses on three women, each with something big happening in their own lives, whose paths cross and lives become intertwined. I really love the way Liane Moriarty writes so cleverly that the mysteries in her books become like a quiet background while the characters lives are in the forefront, until suddenly the mystery seeps through and affects everything. They're almost like slice of life stories with a little extra something going on. That is exactly how this book was written and it was done brilliantly. I really enjoyed all three women and their stories. They were all such different characters and were each dealing with their life situations in their own ways that just seemed so fitting to their personalities. I also found the mystery to be quite interesting and though it wasn't a bit shocking moment, it wasn't something I had guessed, and the way it was resolved was quite unique. My only issues with this book were that I got bit bored in the middle so would have liked the pacing to be a bit better and I would have liked the twist to have been a bit more shocking.
Rating: 3/5

Those were the six books I read in January. No 5 star ratings, but looking back I think I've been pretty harsh with my ratings last month. Maybe I'll find a new favourite read in February.

What was the best book you read in January?

Sophie :)

What I've Been Watching | January 2019

'What I've Been Watching' is a feature I started back in 2017 to discuss all of the movies and TV shows I had been watching. I gave up on it around mid-2017, but I think it's time to bring it back. I obviously love to read, but I also love to watch TV and movies, so I want to share my thoughts on them too.

Taylor Swift Reputation Stadium Tour - I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved this. I've watched it multiple times and I never get over how good it is. I missed out on seeing Taylor's Reputation tour so I was very excited to find out it was coming to Netflix. This tour was amazing, everything, from the stage to the lighting to the outfits, is so impressive. I could watch it over and over and never get bored.

Scandal Season 7 - I put off finishing Scandal because I just didn't want it to end. I finally decided to go for it and I really loved the final season. I have been obsessed with this show since I first started watching it. I love the political drama and all the crazy twists and turns. I'm so sad it is over, especially as parts of that final episode killed me. It's just such a good show.

Friends Season 2 - I have seen every episode of Friends but I have never watched it from start to finish in order. So I am now rewatching Friends in order, like how normal people watch shows. I finished season 2 in January and it was a lot of fun. I prefer the later seasons but I love this show so I'm going to enjoy watching it no matter what season I'm on. I have grown up watching Friends, it's like my comfort show.

The Good Place Season 1 - After hearing a lot of great things from friends about this show, I finally decided to try it out. It took me a few episodes to get into but now I am hooked. It's hilarious, quick to get through and really cleverly done. I love Kristen Bell but the rest of the cast are equally great. I think this could become a new favourite.

Fyre: The Greatest Part That Never Happened - A little known fact about me: I love a documentary. This Netflix documentary has been all anyone has been talking about recently so I had to check it out. I think I was living under a rock because I had never heard of Fyre and has no knowledge of this festival before watching the documentary. It was all totally crazy to me, I couldn't believe what I was watching. The documentary itself was a little disjointed and confusing at times, it jumped around a bit. However, I did think it was pretty well done and I did find it interesting to watch.

I didn't watch a whole lot in January but I definitely seem to be making up for that in February if the first week of the month is anything to go by. I am always looking for recommendations so please let me know anything you think I might like based on what I watched in January. 

Did you watch anything great in January?

Sophie :)

Haul | January 2019

I'm trying to do better at keeping track of the books I buy in 2019, so what better way to do that than to go back to posting monthly book hauls. I'm hoping I can stick to my not buying many books goals and these won't feature too many books, but that hasn't really happened in the past. I only bought 5 books in January and all were on audiobook. I decided to cancel my audible account, at least for a little while, and had 5 credits remaining. As you lose any credits when you cancel your account, I had to treat myself to some new books since I wasn't letting them go to waste.

As Long As You Love Me by Ann Aguirre - This is the second book in the 2B trilogy, the first book being I Want It That Way, which I read back in 2016. The sequel follows a side character from the first book, but I remember so little about it that I can't remember her at all. It is a NA romance about a girl who moves back to her home town and, I believe, gets pretty close to her best friend's older brother.

Becoming by Michelle Obama - This is Michelle Obama's memoir and I have been dying to read it since it was published last year. I have heard so many amazing things about it, and it has a CRAZY high average rating on Goodreads. She narrates the audiobook herself, which I always find adds so much to the book.

Billy and Me by Giovanna Fletcher - I read this one in January and really enjoyed listening to the audiobook and reading the physical book together. This is Giovanna's debut novel and is about a woman from a small English town who meets a famous actor and her life completely changes. 

Seven Ways We Lie by Riley Redgate - This is another one I read in January so I'm not doing too badly with reading books soon after buying them. This follows seven high school students as a scandal takes place in their school. Each of the seven students represents each of the seven deadly sins, which is a really interesting concept.

Talking As Fast As I Can by Lauren Graham - Another memoir, apparently I'm in the mood for them just now. This is the memoir of Lauren Graham, probably best known from Gilmore Girls. This is also narrated by Lauren herself, which I think will be great because she is hilarious.

That is everything I bought in January. I even managed to not add to my physical TBR this month, which is always the goal. 

Have you read any of these books? What should I pick up soon?

Sophie :)

Wrap Up | January 2019

Everyone complains that January goes so slowly but I can't believe it is time for the first monthly wrap up of 2019. I managed to kick of the year with a pretty decent reading month. I read 10 books in January, which is really good for me! I also really enjoyed everything I read, with my lowest rating being 3 stars, and even found my first 5 star book of the year. I'm really hoping I can keep this up in February.

The Potion Diaries by Amy Alward - 

This is the first book in a YA fantasy series about a princess who accidentally drinks a love potion and falls in love with herself, and a young alchemist involved in the competition to find her a cure. I was going to unhaul this as I lost interest, but decided to try the first chapter before making up my mind. I am so glad I did this as I ended up desperate to read it. I picked it up for my first read of 2019 and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was so much fun, I flew through it. It is not a literary masterpiece - the world-building and character development are a little lacking - but it is a really enjoyable read with some fun adventures and a lot going on. I will definitely be carrying on with the series.

Rating: 4/5

A Quiet Kind Of Thunder by Sara Barnard -

After reading and enjoying Beautiful Broken Things by Sara Barnard last year, I decided to pick up another of her books. This follows a girl with selective mutism & social anxiety and a boy who is deaf as they meet and get to know each other. I thought this was so insanely adorable, I loved both main characters and how their relationship developed as they got to know each other more. I can't speak to the representation of selective mutism or deafness, although I did find the insight into both very interesting, but I can speak for the anxiety representation, which was some of the best I have ever read. My only small issue with this book was that things got a little over dramatic towards the end. I love Sara Barnard and will read everything she writes.

Rating: 4/5

Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick -

I have loved Anna Kendrick since before she was the crazy big deal she is now, so of course I had to read her memoir. I have had this on my shelves for ages but, for whatever reason, didn't pick it up until now. I found it very entertaining with a lot of laugh out loud moments, as you would expect from Anna Kendrick. However, I did find it was a bit dry at times and I got a little bored. I think that is just the nature of this kind of book, it can't all be exciting. I did enjoy it and would definitely recommend listening to the audiobook as she narrates it herself.

Rating: 3.5/5

Fierce Fragile Hearts by Sara Barnard - 

This is the sequel/companion to Beautiful Broken Things, one of my favourite reads of 2018. It follows Suzanne two years after the events of the first book. I absolutely loved this book! The characters are some of my favourites ever, and the friendships, both new and old, are amazing. The plot is not full of crazy twists and turns and a lot of drama, but it is such a beautiful story. It is not slow-paced, despite being very character focused, and is so well written. I could rave about this book all day.
Rating: 5/5

Billy and Me by Giovanna Fletcher -
I don't know how many TBR lists this has been on over the last few years but I have finally read it. This follows a woman who meets a famous actor and is taken out of her comfortable small town world and thrust into his. This was a nice, enjoyable read, but it wasn't anything special. I have read one of Giovanna Fletcher's more recent novels, which I enjoyed much more, and this made it very apparent that this was her first published work. It wasn't bad, it was a sweet romance with nice characters and a steady moving plot, but I just found that there was nothing particularly unique or memorable about it.
Rating: 3.5/5

Giant Days Volume 1 by John Allison, Lissa Treiman & Whitney Cogar -
I discovered that graphic novels are available on Scribd so decided it was the perfect excuse to try out some that I have heard great things about. This is one series that I have heard a lot of people rave about. It is about a group of friends navigating university life. As I am coming to the end of my university life, I really enjoyed following characters just getting started and found it quite nostalgic. The plot wasn't the most exciting and it felt a bit disjointed as we jumped from one storyline to the next. However, the characters are great and the art is beautiful so I will definitely keep reading.
Rating: 3/5

Giant Days Volume 2 by John Allison, Lissa Treiman, Max Sarin & Whitney Cogar -
My thoughts on this are basically the same as the first volume. I did enjoy this a little bit more and I think that will continue to be the case as I get to know these characters more throughout the volumes.
Rating: 3/5

Seven Ways We Lie by Riley Redgate -
I picked this up one audiobook on a whim after hearing some good things about it in the past. It follows seven students as a scandal breaks in their high school. They are all very different, with their own issues going on, but are brought together as the scandal drama ensues. I didn't enjoy this as much as I expected to. I struggled to differentiate between the characters as I struggled to work out which narrator was who, but also as the character's written voices were all pretty similar. I also found it a bit boring and don't remember a lot of what happened already. It did get better towards the end as the story picked up and I enjoyed the last quarter a lot more.
Rating: 3/5

Roar by Cecelia Ahern -
This is something quite different from one of my favourite authors. It is thirty short stories of thirty women, all sharing messages of issues facing women in the world today. Each story is incredibly unique and they all feature a very interesting take on these issues. It is so hard to explain, I'm sure there are reviewers on Goodreads who have done a much better job than me. I really enjoyed this, I thought the stories were very clever and written well. I did lose interest at times as some stories felt very similar to others and thirty stories is quite a lot. Overall, I think it was very well done.
Rating: 4/5

Pivot Point by Kasie West -
Kasie West is one of my favourite authors but I have only ever read her contemporary books. I wanted to give her paranormal duology a go to see if I enjoyed it just as much. Pivot Point is the first book in the duology, which follows a girl who has the power to see both outcomes when faced with a choice. When her parents divorce she is faced with the choice of staying with her mother or moving with her father and uses her power to determine which option to take. This was a very interesting concept and I really enjoyed reading both outcomes. Despite being paranormal, it read much like a regular Kasie West contemporary, with a lot of focus on love interests and friendship. I would have liked a little more information on the Compound and the powers of those who lived there, the story lacked world building. Although I enjoyed it, it took me forever to get through. I wanted to not be able to put it down but ended up not finding the desire to pick it up a lot of the time. Perhaps I just wasn't in the right mood for it. However, like I said, I did really enjoy it and definitely want to pick up the sequel some time soon.
Rating: 4/5

Those are the ten books I read in January. I'm so glad I got 2019 off to a good start, I just hope it continues.

What did you read in January? Did you find your first 5 star read of the year?

Sophie :)

Haul | January 2018

Despite one of my 2018 goals being to cut back on my book buying, I bought some books in January. While I did manage to stick to my read 5 books before buying any physical books rule, I did purchase quite the selection of eBooks.

Your Life In My Hands by Rachel Clarke - Any kind of medical non-fiction is my kind of thing. This is the story of a junior doctor working within the NHS in England.

They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera - It's about time I read some Adam Silvera and the premise of this sounds really interesting. Two complete strangers brought together by an app spending their last day together, it sounds like it could be pretty heartbreaking.

I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh - This is an adult thriller that I have heard really great things about it and it was on offer on Kindle, obviously I picked it up and obviously I know nothing about it.

Did I Mention I Need You? and Did I Mention I Miss You? by Estelle Maskame - I started this series last year and really enjoyed the first book. I'm desperate to finish the series and since the final two books were on offer, I snatched them up.

More Than This by Jay McLean - I know nothing about this book but for some reason I added it to the top of my Goodreads TBR at one point, so I must have known at some point. Again, this was on offer so I bought it.

I don't think I did too badly, I haven't thrown my cut back on book buying goal completely out the window just yet. I need to stop looking at Kindle deals, I can't resist a good £0.99 book! 

Have you read any of these books? Which ones should I read first?

Sophie :)

Wrap Up | January 2018

As hard as it is to accept the fact we are already a month into 2018, it is time for the first wrap up of the year. I had a pretty good start to the year, reading 6 books, despite having a lot going on, and rating all of them above 3 stars! I had hoped to read more but I am more than happy to read less books but enjoy every one of them.

Unboxed by Non Pratt -

I picked this up completely on a whim as I wanted to read more UK YA and Non Pratt is name mentioned a lot in the UK YA world. Unboxed is a very short book following four friends who reunite years after hiding a box within the grounds of their school and open in together as the fifth member of the group, who died a few months previously, had wished. This was such an emotional, impactful read that covered a whole range of topics and featured some great characters. My only complaint is that I wanted more so I will definitely be reading more from Non Pratt in the future.

Rating: 4/5 | Review

The Selection by Kiera Cass -

If you have seen my 2018 goals post you will know I want to reread more books this year, with 5 being my goals, so what better way to make a start on that goal than with one of my favourite series. I have been wanting to reread this series for a while now and this just seemed like the perfect time. I picked up the first book in January and loved it just as much the second time around. I cannot wait to continue this reread.

Rating: 5/5 | Review

Lucky Girl by Amanda Maciel -

Despite being a 2017 release, I hadn't heard anything about this book until I saw it on Netgalley at the beginning of this year and read the synopsis, which immediately intrigued me. This book follows a girl who is known for being the 'pretty girl' and has a bit of a reputation for being with a lot of guys. One night at a party she is sexually assaulted and has to come to terms with that and try to deal with the situation she finds herself in. There is also a strong friendship theme running through the story. I ended up loving this book and I think it deserves so much more hype surrounding it. It has such an important message that is incredibly relevant to today's society and it really gets you thinking.

Rating 5/5 | Review To Come

My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton & Jodi Meadows -

Speaking of hype surrounding books, this one has loads of it! I wasn't really interested in reading this at all until everyone stared raving about it and then I had to know what all the fuss was about. This is the almost but not quite true story of Lady Jane Grey who was queen of England for 9 days. However, in this version of the story her husband turns into a horse, so it's not really all that close to the true history. It's a very unique, hilarious take on history and I admire these authors for what they managed to do with this story. I did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did, particularly as it is not my genre at all, but I had so much fun reading this and it is one of the most unique books I have read.

Rating: 3.5/5 | Review To Come

By Your Side by Kasie West -

I'm making my way through Kasie West's many books and managed to tick another one of the list in January. This one is about a girl who gets stuck in a library over a long weekend with the school's mysterious bad boy. It may not sound like much but there is so much more to this book than I anticipated. Everything that happens after the library I was not expecting but really loved. It was Kasie West, of course I loved it.

Rating: 4/5 | Review To Come

City Of Bones by Cassandra Clare -

I did really well with the rereads in January! This one wasn't planned but when I picked up City Of Ashes and realised I didn't have a clue what was going on as I couldn't remember much of what went down in the first book, I realised I would have to reread book one before continuing. I decided to get this one on audiobook for the reread and that was definitely a good idea. I really enjoyed reading this again but reading it in a different format was even better, I think I even enjoyed it more on audiobook. 

Rating: 4/5 | Review

I would say that was a pretty good way to start the year. Having a 5 star read already this year is especially great for me as I am very particular when it comes to giving out 5 stars, it doesn't happen often. Here's hoping the rest of the year can be just as good as January.

How was your reading month? Is your year off to a good start?

Sophie :)

Wrap Up & Haul | January 2017

I can't believe it's already time for the first wrap up of the year. I have had a great reading month in January, so I'm already liking 2017 better than 2016, and have found myself enjoying reading much more than I have done for the last while. I've decided since I'm hopefully going to be reading more in a month, and not buying enough books to do a separate haul, I won't be continuing with my 'life' and 'watched' sections, just because I don't want this post to be too long. I have an idea for a separate film/TV related series I would like to do so you can let me know what you think of that when the first one appears soon. For now though, lets get to the books I read and bought in January.

The Book Thief by Marcus Zusack -

I have finally read this book! It has been on my TBR for longest time and was one of those books that I felt bad about having not read so I decided to finally pick it up. This definitely lived up to the hype. I thought it was a very unique, impactful book that discussed some very thought-provoking and important issues, specifically what life was like as a German during the Second World War. I don't read historical fiction, this was my first, but it is not a genre I'm looking into more because of this book. I thought the idea of having Death as the narrator was very interesting but I did have a few very minor issues with this book, which you can read about in my review.

Rating: 4.5/5 | Review | ATY Challenge: #5 A historical fiction

Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry -

This is another one I have been meaning to read for a while and finally got around to it. This is the first book in the contemporary companion series and this first book follows Echo and Noah, two high school students with some difficult personal issues to work through. I enjoyed this way more than I expected to. I loved the characters as well as the various layers to the plot. I liked that there was a lot more to this story than the romance and really enjoyed reading about those other aspects. You can find out more of my thoughts in my review.

Rating: 4/5 | Review | ATY Challenge: #30 From Goodreads Top 100 YA Books

No-One Ever Has Sex In The Suburbs by Tracy Bloom -

This is the sequel to No-One Ever Has Sex On A Tuesday, a book which I read back in 2014 and really enjoyed. Unfortunately, the sequel was a disappointment for me. It follows the characters from the first book after they have had their babies, and the problems that come with being first time parents. I just had too many problems with this book, which I discuss in detail in my review, to really enjoy it. It was a quick read and did have the same humour as the first book but I just didn't like the characters or the plot.

Rating: 2.5/5 | Review 

Crossing The Line by Katie McGarry -

As soon as I finished Pushing The Limits I wanted to continue on with this series so I bought the first novella in the series as soon as I could. This is the story of Lila, Echo's best friend, and a boy called Lincoln, who she has been writing letters back and forth with for a couple of years. I liked this, I thought it was a decent novella. It wasn't really anything special and didn't add much to the series, but it was fun. I had a few problems with the plot - it was a bit immature and didn't focus on what I would have liked it to - but nothing major.

Rating: 3/5 | Review To Come

PS I Love You by Cecelia Ahern -

I have been listening to this on audiobook since June 2016! It's ridiculous that it has taken me this long but I kept having to start again with it because I had forgotten to listen to it. Cecelia Ahern is one of my favourite authors and this is her first published novel. It's about Holly whose husband Gerry has recently died but has left her letters to help her through her grieving process. I have watched this film so many times that I knew the story well but I did still enjoy the book, though possible not as much as if I had read the book first. I really like the story and the unique take on losing a loved one and dealing with grief. I had a few problems with some of the characters at times but overall I enjoyed it. It is probably my least favourite of Cecelia Ahern's books that I have read so far.

Rating: 4/5 | Review To Come | ATY Challenge: #27 By a favourite author

PS I Like You by Kasie West -

There seems to be a letter theme running through my January reads, it wasn't intentional. Kasie West is another of my favourite authors so I knew I was going to love this book. This is about Lily who writes the lyrics to a song on her desk while bored in Chemistry one day and the next day realises someone has written the next line of lyrics, which starts an anonymous pen pal relationship. This was just as cute as I would expect from a Kasie West book. I loved the characters and the relationship was adorable. It took me a little while to get invested in the story, especially as I had worked out who the letter writer was really early on. Once I got into the story, though, I was completely obsessed.

Rating: 4/5 | Review To Come | ATY Challenge: #1 From the Goodreads Choice Awards 2016

F In Exams: The Big Book Of Test Paper Blunders by Richard Benson -

This was just a fun little book that I picked up on a whim. It's full of funny exam answers and it was so much fun to read. I love finding these kinds of things online so to have a whole lot of them in one book was great. I really enjoyed just picking this up when I wanted a laugh.

Rating: 3/5 | ATY Challenge: #17 Book with illustrations

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell -
I wanted so badly to love this book. Everyone seems to love it and I have really enjoyed everything else I have read by Rainbow Rowell but unfortunately I really didn't like this book. I thought it was quite boring and I didn't connect with any of the characters. Everyone raves about the characters and their relationship and I disliked the relationship so much that I started to wonder if I was reading a different book from the rest of the world. I have definitely read worse books, but I expected so much more from this and ended up disappointed.
Rating: 2/5 | Review To Come | ATY Challenge: #2 With at least 2 perspectives

If you have seen my 2017 goals post, you will know that I am challenging myself to read 5 books before buying any physical books. I am allowing myself to buy ebooks but only if they are on offer or I know I will read it immediately. In the month of January I read 7 books and one novella, meaning I was able to do some book buying. I was very good and only bought two physical books! However, I did treat myself to a few ebooks as well.

The Sun Is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon - Highly anticipated release and one of my Around The Year challenge picks so I needed to pick it up at some point.

A Quiet Kind Of Thunder by Sara Barnard - Another new release I have heard great things about. I own Sara Barnard's debut novel but have yet to read it, hopefully I can read them both soon.

Confess & It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover - I know I want to finally read a Colleen Hoover book this year so when I saw these two on offer on Kindle for 99p, I couldn't pass them up. I now have 4 Colleen Hoover books to choose from this year so I have no excuse not to read one.

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire - I saw this one on offer on Kindle for 99p as well so I decided to pick it up. I want to read more New Adult this year and this is a pretty popular one, although I don't know much else about it.

What was your favourite thing you read in January? Did you get your hands on any exciting books?

Sophie :)

Wrap Up & Haul | January 2016

The first month of 2016 has been a strange one. It has seemed to both fly by and drag at the same time. The year hasn't gotten off to the best start in both my reading and blogging life and in my personal life. Both myself and my mum have been ill throughout the month which has resulted in a few sick days and a lot of time playing nurse. Unfortunately, we got some pretty bad news about my mums health a few days ago, which may result in this blog taking a bit of a back seat in the near future. For now though, I am hoping that February will at least be a better reading month.

My Life In January...
- I spent my New Year with some great friends and family.
- I finally submitted my application for my second university degree.
- My beautiful nephew was born, making me an auntie for the first time.
- I got my results for the semester of uni, which allowed me to leave a semester early.

Watched In January...
- How Did We End Up Here - 4/5
- Private Practice Season 1 (rewatch) - 4/5
- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 - 5/5
- Private Practice Season 2 (rewatch) - 4/5
- Private Practice Season 3 (rewatch) - 3/5
- Private Practice Season 4 - 4/5
- Private Practice Season 5 - 4/5
- Private Practice Season 6 - 4/5
- The Other Woman - 3.5/5
- Into The Woods - 2.5/5

Read In January...

Ignite by Lily Paradis -
My first read of 2016, and only read of January, was a reread of one of my favourite books I read last year. I read Ignite for the first time on the plane to New York back in January of 2015 and I couldn't stop thinking about it for the whole trip. Rereading this book not only brought back great memories of New York, it made me fall in love with it all over again. I adore the characters and the story in general and I know it is one I will reread many more times. I rarely change my ratings after rereads but I couldn't resists giving this an extra star upon second reading. I have a full rating of this which you can check out here. 5/5

Bought In January...



Room by Emma Donoghue -
I had no desire to read this book despite having heard great things, however I seen the movie trailer while at the cinema and it intrigued me. I decided that since the movie looked pretty good I should probably read the book before going to see it. I know very little about this book but I get the impression this is the kind of book that you should go into blind. This is one I'm very curious about.

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes - 
This is another one that has a movie adaptation releasing this year and the fact that it is staring Sam Claflin is the main reason I want to read this book. I have heard great things about this, and did try to listen to it on audiobook a little while ago but didn't enjoy the narration. This is another I know little about but I believe from what I have heard it is a very inspirational, heart-warming story.

Love Is The Higher Law by David Levithan -
This is probably the book from this month that I am the most looking forward to reading. I have been wanting to read this for so long, even more so after my visit to Ground Zero in January of last year. This book is based around the events of 9/11 and follows three characters whose lives become connected through the tragedy. This is only around 180 pages, which is much shorter than I expected, so should be a quick read.

Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy -
This is another book I have been wanting to read for a while now. I think this is such a unique story and have heard some great things about it. It follow a girl who is diagnosed with leukaemia so makes a revenge centred bucket-list, only to go into remission and have to deal with the consequences of her actions. This just sounds like such an interesting idea so I am intrigued by it.

Blogged In January...
- I wrapped up the month of December.
- I wrapped up my 2015 and shared my years stats.
- I shared the books I got for Christmas in my December haul.
- I shared my favourites of the year, and more, in the End Of Year Book Survey.
- I wrapped up my 2015 reading challenges and shared my goals for 2016.

That is how I started off my 2016. Hopefully the rest of the year will improve, both in terms of reading/blogging and in my personal life.

How did your reading year start off?

Sophie :)

Haul | January 2015

I was trying to cut down on my book buying in 2015 and read the books that I already own but since I was in New York I couldn't resists visiting a few bookstores. While I didn't resists completely, I did manage to control myself a lot, which I am glad of considering I had to carry all of the books I bought in my hand luggage on the way home.

I Was Here by Gayle Forman - Having read, and enjoyed, If I Stay by Gayle Forman, when I heard about her newest book, I Was Here, I decided to check it out on Goodreads. I enjoy reading darker books so when I read that it was about suicide I was pretty intrigued and picked it up when I found it for under £4 in Tesco.

Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott - I have heard so many great things about this book around the blogging and youtube world. The synopsis sounds very much like The Hunger Games, which many people have complained about, but I have also heard it describes at The Hunger Games meets Pokemon and how amazing does that sounds?! Having heard such good things, when I saw it in Barnes & Noble while in New York I picked it up.

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell - This is another book that I picked up in Barnes & Noble while in New York. I have been wanting to read this for a while but I am not a fan of the UK cover so when I found out I was going to New York this went straight onto my shopping list.

Lux: Beginnings by Jennifer L Armentrout - We paid a visit to The Strand Bookstore while in New York, which I didn't love to be honest, and I found a couple of books I have been wanting for a while. The Lux series is one I have been wanting to start for ages so when I saw the bind up of the first two books, Obsidian and Onyx.

The Program by Suzanne Young - Suicide appears to be a theme for this haul as this is about suicide as an epidemic. I have heard some great things about it so when I saw it in The Strand I decided to pick it up. It is a much thicker book than I had initially thought, and it is the first book in a duology which I am excited to get around to.

Can't Let You Go by Jenny B Jones - I read the first three books in the Katie Parker Productions series by Jenny B Jones back in July of 2014 and when the fourth book was released later in 2014, I didn't even know about it. After writing my mini review of the series (here), I came across the fourth book, Can't Let You Go, on Goodreads and instantly bought it on my kindle.

Have you read any of these books? What are your thoughts?

Sophie :)

Wrap Up | January 2015

It seems so crazy to be doing my first wrap up of 2015 already but it's somehow February already! January was a pretty good reading month for me as I read a total of 6 books, which I know is not a lot for some but it is good for me, and most of them were really good reads.

My Life In January...

- I kick started the year with a great New Years' Day spent with my family.

- I got to spend a couple of days with one of my closest friends who lives about two hours away.

- I started rewatching Gossip Girl, which is possibly my favourite TV show of all time.

- I started back at uni and it still sucks just as much as it did before Christmas.

- I WENT TO NEW YORK! I have wanted to visit New York for years and I finally went in January!

Watched In January...

(I have decided to introduce a 'watched in' section as I am a huge movie and TV junkie)

- How To Get Away With Murder Season 1 (Part 1) - 5/5

- Angus, Thongs & Perfect Snogging (rewatch) - 4/5

- Nurse Jackie Season 1 - 3/5

- Mamma Mia! (rewatch) - 4.5/5

- Geordie Shore Season 8 & 9 - 5/5

- If I Stay - 5/5

- Men, Women & Children - 4.5/5

- Dolphin Tale 2 - 4/5

Read In January...

This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales -

I pulled this book out of my TBR jar way back in November and finally got around to reading it in January and I am glad that I did. I really enjoyed this book. I loved the setting and the characters and while the story has been done to death, I really enjoyed this unique take on it. I have a full review on this book which you can take a look at here. 4/5

Allegiant by Veronica Roth -

After my disappointment with Insurgent, I put off finishing the Divergent series. This was partly because I had heard negative views about it and worried that it would be like Insurgent, and partly because I didn't want the series to end. However, I am so glad I finally decided to pick this up as I absolutely loved it. I think it was the perfect ending to the series, even though it completely destroyed my emotions. 5/5

And That's When It Fell Off In My Hand by Louise Rennison -

This is the fifth book in the Confessions of Georgia Nicholson series, of which I have been reading one each month. Like I have said several times before, these are super fast, enjoyable reads and the only issue I have with these is the fact that they are a little immature. Obviously, as these books are aimed at a younger audience, being a 20 year old I find it a little difficult to relate a lot of the time. 3/5

The Selection by Kiera Cass -

After getting The Selection box set for Christmas, I couldn't wait to get started with the series. I was a little unsure as I had heard some mixed things about the series but I really enjoyed the first book. I loved the premise of the book, I loved the characters and I enjoyed reading about the society. I can't wait to get to the rest of the series. 5/5

That Summer by Sarah Dessen -

I decided to give audiobooks a try in 2015 and the first one I listened to was Sarah Dessen's first book, That Summer. While I loved the audiobook experience, this was just an OK book. I have heard such amazing things about Sarah Dessen's novels, however I feel that it is quite obvious that this is her first novel. 3/5

Ignite by Lily Paradis -

I have wanted to read this since I first heard about it so as soon as I had the chance to pick it up, I devoured it. I really enjoyed this book, reading it in just one sitting. The characters were my favourite thing about this book by far and I loved the family aspect. I cannot wait to the sequel, Arclight, as soon as it is published. 4/5

What have you been reading in January?

Sophie :)

TBR | January 2015

I have no idea how busy January is going to be but as I still have another week before I am back to uni, I should be able to get a bit of reading in. I'm not convinced that I will get through all of the books but these are the ones I hope to get to.

Allegiant by Veronica Roth -

I have been delaying reading this for a few months now because I was not at all ready for the series to end. However, I think it is about time I get this series finished so I am kicking off the year with this beast of a book. This one, at somewhere around 520 pages, may take me some time but I will definitely be starting it this month.

And That's When I Fell Off In My Hand by Louise Rennison -

I am continuing to read one book in this series a month, as I started to do at the end of last year, with the fifth in the series. These books are super quick reads, although this is a bit longer than the previous ones, so it shouldn't take me long to get through this one.

The Selection by Kiera Cass - 

The Selection series is one I have wanted to read for a while now as the premise intrigues me. After receiving the box set for Christmas, I can't wait to make a start on the series so I thought January was the best time to start.

This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales -
This book has been on my TBR for a few months now after pulling it out my TBR jar but I have yet to get around to reading it. I plan to read this early on in the month to finally get it read. I don't know much about this book other than the fact it is about a girl who becomes a DJ.

Ignite by Lily Paradis - 
It is one of my 2015 resolutions to read at least one ebook a month so I have chosen this one for January. I know very little about this book but for some reason I wanted to read it as soon as I heard it being talked about.

These are the books I hope to read this month and hopefully I will at least get them all read, especially as I have a lot of travelling time at the end of the month to read in. What will you be reading this month?

Sophie :)