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 :)

Unhaul | Christmas Clearout

Just after Christmas I decided it would be a good time to have a bit of a bookshelf clearout to make space for the few books I got for and after Christmas. As the majority of books on my shelves are either unread books of favourites, I don't have a huge amount of books to get rid of but I do have a few.

Before I Go To Sleep by SJ Watson - I read this in September of last year and enjoyed it but didn't love it. I gave it 3.5 stars and have a full review here. As much as I enjoyed it the first time through, I doubt I will want to read it again so it will just be taking up space on my shelves.

No-One Ever Has Sex On A Tuesday by Tracy Bloom - This is another one I read last year and have reviewed (here). Similar to Before I Go To Sleep, I enjoyed it, giving it 3.5 stars, but I will not be rereading it any time soon.

I Am The Secret WAG by The Secret WAG - I have yet to read this one but I stupidly have two copies of it. This one I bought, forgetting I had entered a giveaway for it and then won the giveaway. Rather than having two copies, I am getting rid of the copy I bought.

The Beach House by Jane Green - This is another case of a book I read last year but won't be reading again. I rated it 3 stars and will have a full review soon.

Dancing In My Nuddy-Pants by Louise Rennison - Just like I Am The Secret WAG, I also have two copies of this book. I bid for this one on eBay, not realising that the collection of this series I had also bid on contained this one. I ended up winning both copies so have one to get rid of.

Those are the books I am getting rid of this time around. I am not a book hoarder so I don't keep a whole lot of books that I have read unless they are ones that I think I will read again. I like to have regular clearouts so there may be more unhauls in the future.

Have you read any of the books I am getting rid of? What are your thoughts on them?

Sophie :)

Top Ten Tuesday | Top Ten Book To Movie Adaptations I Want To Read/Watch

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke And The Bookish. Lists galore, I can think of nothing better!

This week was a Freebie so I can choose whatever topic I want to make a list about. For this I decided to make my list of Top Ten Book To Movie Adaptations I Want To Read/Watch. I love a good book to movie adaptation, although lets be honest they are not always good, but there are a few that I really want to get to that I haven't yet.

1. The Fault In Our Stars (Goodreads | IMDB)
I read the book in 2014 and got the DVD for Christmas but I have yet to watch the movie adaptation of John Green's The Fault In Our Stars. I really loved the book and so man of my friends have raved about the film, even my mum loved it and she usually hates this kind of movie, so I really need to get to this soon.

2. If I Stay (Goodreads | IMDB)
Gayle Forman's If I Stay is another book I read in 2014, and even read it for the purpose of going to see the movie, but have yet so watch the adaptation. I really enjoyed the book, though not as much as I had hoped to, but I think the movie will have much more of an impact on me as even the trailer made me cry. The DVD is coming out in the UK in a couple of weeks so hopefully I will get to see if soon.

3. Love, Rosie (Goodreads | IMDB)
I adore Sam Claflin so as soon as I found out he was going to be in this movie I immediately had to read Cecilia Ahern's Love, Rosie/Where Rainbows End. This book actually turned out to be one of my favourite reads of 2014, full review here, but I never got around to seeing the movie. Unfortunately I have to wait until March for this to come out on DVD so it may be a while before I get to see it.

4. The Lightening Thief (Goodreads | IMDB)
I read the first book in Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series in December of 2014 and as soon as I finished the book I went out and bought the DVD. However, I have yet to get the time to watch it. I haven't heard much about this adaptation so hopefully it will not be too disappointing when I get around to watching it.

5. Before I Go To Sleep (Goodreads | IMDB)
This is another book I read in order to see the movie but unfortunately I didn't finish reading SJ Watson's before I go to sleep before the movie finished in cinemas, so I never got a chance to read it. The DVD for this movie came out in the UK just last week but I have not been able to pick up a copy yet. Hopefully I will get to watching this one soon. I have a full review of this book here.

6. Dark Places (Goodreads | IMDB)
Ok, so this one hasn't even been released yet but I am including it in the list. I read Gillian Flynn's Dark Places last year also and absolutely loved it so I am very excited that it is being made into a movie. As much as I didn't love Gone Girl, it was a good book to movie adaptation so I am hoping for this same with movie.

7. The Maze Runner (Goodreads | IMDB)
I tried to read James Dashner's The Maze Runner in 2014 but got around 30 pages in before I had to give up on it as I just was not in the mood. I am hoping to give this another go soon because I really want to watch the movie since I freaking love Dylan O'Brien. It may be the case that if I can't get into this book the second time around I commit the reader's sin of watching the movie before reading the book.

8. The Host (Goodreads | IMDB)
I have been wanting to read this book since it came out, simply for the fact it was written by Stephenie Meyer. Then, when the movie came out I was determined to read it in time to go and see the movie but I was too intimidated by the size (at this point I found books longer than 300 pages intimidating) so never got around to it. Now that I am more used to reading larger books I want to finally give the book a go and watch the movie.

9. & 10. The Best Of Me & Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks (Goodreads | IMDB) (Goodreads | IMDB)
I have put these books together as I have the same reasoning behind wanting to read the books and watch the movies. I love all of the Nicholas Sparks books I have read so far but one thing I love possibly even more than a Nicholas Sparks book is a Nicholas Sparks book to move adaptation. There is not one movie based on a Nicholas Sparks book that I have watched (and some I have watched without reading the book) that I have not liked. Obviously, for this reason, I would like to read and watch some more of these books and movies.

What are your favourite book to movie adaptations that you think I should add to the list?

Sophie :)

Review | This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales
Published By: Macmillan
Published On: October 10, 2013
Genre: Contemporary
Pages: 274
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Rating: ★★★★

Amazon | Goodreads

Making friends has never been Elise Dembowski’s strong suit. All throughout her life, she’s been the butt of every joke and the outsider in every conversation. When a final attempt at popularity fails, Elise nearly gives up. Then she stumbles upon a warehouse party where she meets Vicky, a girl in a band who accepts her; Char, a cute, yet mysterious disc jockey; Pippa, a carefree spirit from England; and most importantly, a love for DJing.

Elise Dembowski wants nothing more than to be liked by her classmates and embarks on her next big project; to make herself ‘cool’ enough to get some friends. When her plan doesn’t go to plan, Elise decides it is time to give up. However, once she accidentally finds the best underground dance party ever, things begin to change for Elise.

This is the typical, some may say overdone, story of the unpopular girl in high school who just wants some friends. It is something that many people can relate to, which is possibly why it is such a common premise for a novel. When I first realised this was the story I was reading, I began to doubt this book but I soon discovered I was wrong to do so.

While the storyline may have been done to death, this was not your average take on the unpopular girl wants some friends plot. Leila Sales somehow found a way to take the story everyone knows, and can likely relate to, and put a unique twist on it to make it all the more enjoyable.

The warehouse party scene is not one I have read about before but it made for a great backdrop for this story. Start may simply be the setting but as the plot develops you see it become so much more than that. It is the place where everything changes for Elise and plays such a vital role. I loved the significance of this unique setting, and it’s overall significance.

Our main character is as relatable as her story, the girl who wants nothing more than a friend to sit with at lunch. Elise may have done plenty of things to frustrate me throughout this book but you cannot deny that this girl is likeable. Despite all of her struggles, she remained far stronger than the average sixteen-year-old girl, and still managed to make it to school after her late nights. There are also some really great side characters in this book, Vicky for example, who I really enjoyed reading about. I must admit, though, that Alex was an adorable character and definitely my favourite.

There are two aspects of this book that really stood out to me, the first being the way the very serious issues were handled. The title itself hints that this may not be the most light-hearted read and that is a fair assumption to make. There are some dark issues dealt with in the book, suicide and self-harm being the most prominent. I think Leila Sales incorporated and addressed these issues perfectly. While Elise’s struggle was clear, and the severity of the situation also clear, there was no dwelling on these points. There is a fine line between brushing over these topics and discussing them too much but I think this balance was just right.

The second aspect of this book that stood out to me was the strong focus on music. Again, this is clear from the title but what is not clear is just how important a role music plays. While Elise being a DJ is a strong focus in this book, making music an obviously important aspect, the main point I picked up from reading this book is how music can bring people together and create lasting bonds. This is illustrated through the relationships in this book and the fact that, in most cases, it is music that has brought the characters together and created that important bond.

Overall, despite having a few issues with the main character being a little frustrating at times, I really enjoyed this book. It is not only an enjoyable read but an inspiring one. With an main character like Elise, who has been through so much, it is hard not to be inspired by her story and realise that whatever is happening in your life, you can get through it.

Top Ten Tuesday | Top Ten 2014 Releases I Didn't Get To

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke And The Bookish. Lists galore, I can think of nothing better!

This week's theme is Top Ten 2014 Releases I Meant To Read But Didn't Get To. I was making a list of the 2014 releases I had wanted to read but never got the chance to and realised that there was a whole lot more than ten book on the list but I have narrowed it down.

1. Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson - Goodreads
When I first heard about this book the idea of it really interested me, as someone who loves a good friendship story. I heard so many great things throughout the year about this book and was desperate to read it but by the time I finally picked it up it was no longer Summer and this feels like the kind of book to read in the summertime. Hopefully I will get to it this Summer.

2. Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge - Goodreads
This was one of the books I heard about early on in 2014 and was desperate to read it but just never got a chance to even pick it up. I am so intrigued by this book, especially since it is based on Beauty and the Beast, which is something I have not read before as I have yet to read any kind of fairytale retellings. I am really hoping to get to this one some time soon.

3. To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han - Goodreads
I have heard so many great things about this book and that is the main reason I wanted to read this one. The idea of letters being sent to your ex-boyfriends telling them you still love them definitely sound like a good contemporary read. The sequel to this book is coming out this year so maybe I will be able to marathon the two of them.

4. Don't Look Back by Jennifer L Armentrout - Goodreads
I first heard about this book before I had any idea who Jennifer L Armetrout was, I just found the synopsis interesting and wanted to read the book. Since then, I have heard so many amazing things about Jennifer L Armentrout's books, though I have not read any. As I have heard such great things about her books, and I was originally interested in the book anyway, I am hoping to get to this book in 2015, maybe around October as it sounds like a Halloween read.

5. Open Road Summer by Emery Lord - Goodreads
Open Road Summer was a 2014 debut and I had hoped that it would be my first ever debut read in 2014. The plot sounds like such a fun, summery read and, like I mentioned already, I'm a sucker for a good friendship story. I am hoping I will get around to this in 2015 as Emery Lord's second novel is being released this year and is one I am also hoping to get to.

6. Love Letters To The Dead by Ava Dellaira - Goodreads
I love books written in letter form so as soon as I read the synopsis of this book I was interested. I find these kinds of books to be very quick and enjoyable reads but as this was covering a more serious topic. dealing with death, I was very intrigued. I have heard mixed things about this book so I am a little less desperate to read this book but I do still hope to get to it.

7. Far From You by Tess Sharpe - Goodreads
I know very little about this book but I have heard Amber from Books Of Amber rave about it and as I was getting really into mystery and thriller type books toward the end of 2014, this is the kind of book that is right up my street. This is another one that I hope to get to at some point.

8. A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall - Goodreads
This book was so intriguing to me as it seems, as the title suggests, to be different to the usual chick-lit book. I really like the idea of everyone wanting the main characters to get together apart from the main characters. I have not read anything like that in the past.

9. The Kiss Of Deception by Mary E Pearson - Goodreads
This is probably the 2014 release that I am most disappointed not to have read last year. The synopsis originally intrigued me and then having heard so many great things I really wanted to read it. I have not read a lot of fantasy but this sounds like a really exciting and interesting read. I am definitely going to try and get to this in 2015.

10. Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott - Goodreads
I am also very disappointed to have not got around to this one in 2014. I have heard such amazing things about this book and having heard it described as The Hunger Games meets Pokemon, I want to read it so badly! I will definitely try hard to get to it this year.

Those are my top ten 2014 releases that I never got around to reading. What books are on your list?

Sophie :)

Mini Reviews | Books Of 2014 Part 1

There are a few books that I read in 2014 that, for whatever reason, I have decided not to review fully. In some cases there are so many reviews already that I would not be adding anything new, in others I just don't have enough to say about the book to write a full review. However, I would like to give these books some recognition, which is why I have decided to write 'mini reviews' of the books I have read in 2014 but will not be writing a full review about. As these are mini reviews, don't be expecting any in depth views, I will simply be stating what I liked, disliked and my rating.

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green
Published By: Penguin
Published On: January 10, 2012
Genre: Contemporary
Pages: 313
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Amazon | Goodreads

What I Liked: This is one of the most talked about books of the past couple of years and I can understand why. The story, though heartbreaking, is enjoyable to read and the characters are incredibly inspiring.
What I Disliked: There is so much hype surrounding this book that I was very intimidated by it. I felt so much pressure to love this book that I was honestly scared to pick it up.
Rating: ★★★★★

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by JK Rowling

Series: Harry Potter #1

Published By: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published On: June 30, 1997

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 223

Format: Paperback

Source: Bought

Amazon | Goodreads

What I Liked: In my opinion, it is very difficult not to like this book. The plot, characters and setting are all so well written. I felt as though the characters were my personal friends and I, like many others, adore the Hogwarts setting. 

What I Disliked: My one issue with this book is the fact that I have seen the movie so many times that nothing was a surprise to me. I know the story well and so I expected all of the main events.

Rating: ★★★★

Our Story by Union J
Published By: Michael Joseph
Published On: September 26, 2013
Genre: Memoir/Autobiography
Pages: 256
Format: Hardcover
Source: Gift
Amazon | Goodreads

What I Liked: I absolutely love Union J (yes, boybands are my weakness) and this book gives a very interesting insight into the boys' lives before X Factor and then their X Factor journey. It is very informative and a good, fun read for those who want to know more about the boys. There are also a lot of really great pictures throughout the book.
What I Disliked: Obviously this was not the kind of book that takes a lot of thought or effort to read. However, there is not really anything I disliked about this book.
Rating: ★★★★

  

In Between (#1), On The Loose (#2) and The Big Picture (#3) by Jenny B Jones

Series: Katie Parker Productions

Published By: NavPress

Published On: April 15, 2007 (#1)

Genre: Contemporary/Christian Fiction

Pages: 352

Format: eBook

Source: Bought

Amazon | Goodreads

What I Liked: This series is a perfect introduction to the Christian Fiction genre. I loved the main character, Katie, and her story. Her growth throughout the series, specifically in relation to her faith, is inspiring, as are many of the background stories throughout the books. I was very pleased that the Christian aspect was more subtle than I had expected. While it still played a very important part in the story, there was no shoving religion in the readers' face. I am so excited to read the fourth, which I think is the last, book in the series

What I Disliked: I found Katie to be a little immature in the first book in the series, In Between, and for that reason found it a little difficult to get into at first. Other than that, I had very little issue with these books.

Rating:

In Between - ★★★

On The Loose - ★★★★

The Big Picture - ★★★★

That is the first half of my mini reviews of my 2014 reads. Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them?

Sophie :)