Top Ten Tuesday | Top Ten Books Recently Added To My TBR List

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 books I have recently added to my TBR list. For this, I am referring to the books I have recently added to my Goodreads to-read shelf, as that's where I keep track of the books I want to read.

1. The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan
I saw this book featured in a blog post and the premise intrigued me. All I know about this book is that it is a love story told in the form of dictionary-style entries. I have no idea what that could entail but I love books that are written in unique ways like this. This is definitely one I want to check out.

2. All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
I have heard so many great things about this book that when I saw it on the 'Buy One Get One Half Price' table in Waterstones, I decided to pick it up. I had not initially added this to by TBR list, and it is a bit of a rule of mine not to buy books that were not initially on my TBR list, but it has been added now. I know very little about this book other than it appears to be a love story between two characters who are going through very difficult times in there lives. I am looking forward to getting to this one.

3. The List by Siobhan Vivian
Goodreads recommended this book to me and while I often ignore those recommendations, I was intrigued by this one. This is about a high school in which a list is posted each year labelling the prettiest and ugliest girl from each grade. This sounds to me to have a bit of a Mean Girls feel to it and is one that I am looking forward to reading in the future.

4. The Coincidence Of Callie And Kayden by Jessica Sorensen
I have no idea what this book is about but I saw it mentioned on a blog and all of a sudden I had to read it. In fact, I have already ordered it online based purely on the mention of it, the cover, and a brief glance at the Goodreads synopsis. This is why I own too many books!

5. Heat Of The Moment by Lauren Barnholdt
This is another book that I know very little about. It will be released in May and is the first in a series following three former best friends. I believe the girls write emails to their future selves and upon receiving these emails they begin to question the lives their leading. All three books in this series are being released this summer so hopefully I can get around to this series, or at least the first book.

6. Paperweight by Meg Haston
This is another 2015 release, although this one won't be published until July. This is about a girl suffering from an eating disorder and her time inside a treatment facility, where she is also dealing with the aftermath of her brother's death. I have been really into reading more serious contemporary novels recently and this sounds like something a little different but very thought-provoking.

7. Extraordinary Measures by Robyn Schneider
Here we have yet another 2015 release, and another one covering a more serious topic. This book follows two teenagers who are both suffering from an incurable disease and fall in love while in a treatment centre. This seems to be another of the books that is likely to be compared to The Fault In Our Stars but I am definitely interested in this one.

8. Between Us And The Moon by Rebecca Maizel
And onto another 2015 release. This sounds to me like you're typical contemporary 'summer love story with a twist' but who doesn't love those kinds of books. The Goodreads synopsis states that fans of Stephanie Perkins will love this so I am holding out hope that this will be a good read.

9. How (Not) To Fall In Love by Lisa Brown Roberts
There is a good possibility that I only added this to my TBR list because he cover is stunning. This is about a girl whose father abandons the family after his company goes out of business. In order to make money, she must work in her Uncle's thrift shop where, I believe, she meets a boy. This is a debut novel so hopefully I will get around to reading this for the Debut Author Challenge.

10. Near & Far by Nicole Williams
After reading Lost & Found by Nicole Williams back in February, I wanted to read the second book in the series, Near & Far, and so it got added to the TBR list. I can't say much about this book as it is a sequel but this book tells Jesse's story, which excites me as I am a little in love with him.

What books have you added to your TBR list recently?

Sophie :)

Review | The Statistical Probability Of Love At First Sight by Jennifer E Smith

The Statistical Probability Of Love At First Sight by Jennifer E Smith
Published By: Headline
Published On: May 24, 2012
Genre: Contemporary
Pages: 215
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Rating: ★★★★

Amazon | Goodreads

Four minutes changes everything. Hadley Sullivan 17 misses her flight at JFK airport, is late to her father's second wedding in London with never-met stepmother. Hadley meets the perfect boy. Oliver is British, sits in her row. A long night on the plane passes in a blink, but the two lose track in arrival chaos. Can fate bring them together again?


When Hadley misses her plane to London for her father’s wedding, she is stuck in JFK airport where she meets cute, British boy Oliver. Though Hadley is not a believer in fate, it is quite the coincidence when Oliver is not only on her new flight, but sitting next to her, thanks to the nice old lady who moved. Over the course of 24 hours, Hadley and Oliver write their story.

I absolutely love airport and airplane settings so this book was perfect for me. I don’t know why but I really enjoy reading about airports and airplanes, probably because I enjoy being in them. In fact, the setting of this book was the main reason I wanted to read it in the first place.

I loved that it was set over just 24 hours. It is a very unique thing for a book to be set over just 24 hours; at least this is the first time I have read it. It really shows just how much can happen in that small period of time, that connections can form and things can change in just a matter of hours. 

Hadley and Oliver make a great couple. I love a bit of flirty banter, both in real life and in books, and these two have a fair bit of it, which makes me love them. They were such a fun couple to read about but the real connection was clear in the tough, serious moments as well.

This plot screams instalove but there were no declarations of love after 5 minutes. Instalove is one thing I am not a huge fan of and I was worried there may be a lot of it in this book. Luckily, while there is a clear connection made, no one is declaring there undying love to someone they have known for all of an hour.

While this book was very much about Hadley and Oliver’s relationship, I loved the inclusion of the family aspect. This could easily have been a light and fluffy read about two people who meet on a plane, and in a sense it is, but both Hadley and Oliver have important stories regarding their family. I think this aspect of the book is very important.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and found myself wanting to stay up all night to read it, which I didn’t but I did end up reading it in just two sittings. I really enjoyed the setting, plot and characters and found it to be a fun, easy read, but with some more serious aspects mixed in.

TBR | March 2015

I'm a bit late on the TBR boat again this month but it seems I am consistently posting my TBR on the 13th so at least that's some kind of schedule. I have been managing to read about six books a month this year so I am continuing to be ambitious with my TBR list. However, with two essays due this month I think six books may be pushing it slightly, especially when I have only just finished my first book of the month.

Before We Met by Lucie Whitehouse -

I had this book on my TBR list for a couple of months towards the end of last year and never got around to it. I pulled this one out of my TBR jar for this month so I am hoping that I will finally get around to it this month. I don't know much about this book, which I gather to be intentional from the very vague synopsis, but I do know that it is about a woman whose husband doesn't come home one night and from there his secrets begin to unravel. It had been compared to Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl and while I didn't love that book, I did like the idea of it, so hopefully this one will be like that but better.

Startled By His Furry Shorts by Louise Rennison -

I am still making my way through the Georgia Nicholson series with a book a month so for March we have book 7 in the series. I didn't enjoy book 6 as much as I have the previous books in the series so I am hoping this will be back to the same standard as the first five books or it might end up being a difficult one to get through.

I Was Here by Gayle Forman - 

I was in the mood for some Gayle Forman this month and, as you can maybe tell from some of my other TBR books, some slightly darker reads. This is another book I don't know too much about but I do know it is about a girl whose best friend commits suicide and she is trying to work out why. It isn't the cheeriest of topics but when it is done well, and I have faith in Gayle Forman, these kinds of stories can make great, very touching reads.

The One by Keira Cass -

This one should be no surprise as I have been reading and loving this series over the past couple of months. I have been trying to space these books out a little so that I don't have to wait quite as long for book four to come out but I don't want to wait any longer to read the third book in the series. I gave both the first and second book 5 stars so I have high hopes for this one.

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult - 

For my eBook this month, I was in the mood to read something by Jodi Picoult as I wanted something a bit darker. This is one of her books I have been wanting to read for a while and the topic, though not at all light-hearted or happy, is very interesting to me. This is about a school shooting and the events surrounding it. This is actually the one book I have already read and - Wrap Up spoiler - I was so disappointed.

Other than those five books, I am currently listening to Playlist For The Dead by Michelle Falkoff as an audiobook and it seems to be taking me some time to get through but I can hopefully get it finished this month.

What books are on your TBR for March?

Sophie :)

Wrap Up & Haul | February 2015

Despite being a short month, February has actually been a pretty good month for me, both in reading and in life in general. I read a total of 6 books, just as I did in January, which has me 4 books ahead of schedule on my Goodreads goal.

My Life In February...

- I went on a weekend away with some of my best friends.

- I struggled through my first essay of this semester of uni.

- I got a nice little two week holiday from uni.

- During that two week holiday I got to spend 5 days in Dubai, one of my favourite places in the world.

- Most importantly, Grey's Anatomy started back! I am obsessed with this show!

Read In February...

(you know its been a decent reading month when you can use the same picture for both your TBR and Wrap Up. Yes, I am that lazy!)

Can't Let You Go by Jenny B Jones -

This is the fourth, and I believe last, book in the Katie Parker Productions series, which I have a mini review of here, by Jenny B Jones. I absolutely loved the first three books in the series so as soon as I found out there was a fourth, I had to buy it and read it straight away. I flew through this instalment and loved it just as much as the rest of the books in the series. It was nice to see Katie in her adulthood - she is in her twenties in this book - rather than her teenage years like the first books. These books have all been hilarious so it was no surprise that Katie's antics in the fourth book had me laughing and it was good to see how each characters' lives had moved on. 4/5

Four by Veronica Roth -

After reading Allegiant in January, I was anxious to read the novella bind up as I was not ready for the series to be over. While I had read one of the novellas already, it was good to read them with the knowledge of the characters I didn't have before reading all three books. I enjoyed all of the novellas and especially enjoyed the extra scenes from Divergent added at the end of the book from Four's point of view as it was interesting to see his side of things from the first book. 4/5

Then He Ate My Boy Entrancers by Louise Rennison -

This is the sixth book in the Confessions of Georgia Nicholson series, of which I have been trying to read one a month. I have mentioned before that this series is not the best but the book are quick, fun reads so they are an enjoyable little read between more serious books. This one I enjoyed a little less than the others in the series so far. I found a lot of it to be quite boring and so it took me longer to read. I still enjoyed the book overall but just not as much as the previous books. 2.5/5

Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets by JK Rowling -

Having read the Philosopher's Stone back in July 2014, it is shameful than it has taken me so long to read the second book in the series, though not as shameful as the fact I am only just reading it for the first time at 20. I enjoyed the second book in the series more than the first as I have only seen the movie once so couldn't remember much of what happened. These books are so action packed that they are really easy reads and they are very enjoyable. 4/5

The Elite by Kiera Cass -

I read the first book in the series, The Selection, last month and as soon as I finished it I wanted to continue with the series. I didn't as I had other books to read but when I finally got around to it I flew through this book. I loved the first book and the second was no different. I love the storyline, the setting in the palace, the characters, and even the love triangle. I cannot wait to continue with the series and if the third book is as good as the first two, this will become one of my favourite series, I already can't wait for the fourth book to come out this year. 5/5

Lost and Found by Nicole Williams -

I picked this one up for free from the Kindle Store so I wasn't expecting a whole lot from it. It is about a girl who is sent by her mother to a ranch for the Summer where, big surprise, she meets a guy. As I had such low expectations, I was quite pleasantly surprised. I can't say it's the best book I have ever read but I definitely enjoyed the story and really liked the characters, especially the love interest. 3/5

Bought In February...

The Queen by Kiera Cass -
I have already mentioned that I am loving The Selection series by Kiera Cass and since I already own two of the novellas, The Prince and The Guard, I decided to get the next, The Queen. This is 0.4 in the series and I believe it follows Queen Amberly.

Playlist For The Dead by Michelle Falkoff -
I have recently discovered audiobooks so with my audible credit for the month of February I decided to get tick off book one in my Debut Author Challenge by getting the audiobook of Playlist For The Dead. This is about a boy whose best friend commits suicide and he has to try and understand why he did it.

Those are all of the books I read and bought in the month of February? Have you read any of the books I did? What did you think of the books I have bought, if you have read them already?

Sophie :)

Review | Summer Unplugged by Amy Sparling

Summer Unplugged by Amy Sparling
Series: Summer Unplugged #1
Published By: 336Love
Published On: December 18, 2013
Genre: Contemporary
Pages: 128
Format: eBook
Source: Free From Amazon
Rating: ★★★

Amazon | Goodreads


Bayleigh is addicted to her cell phone and her mom has had enough. After catching her sending a less than lady-like photo to a boy who barely knows her, Bayleigh's mom sends her away to her grandparent's house for the summer--sans cell phone, laptop and Ipod. Bayleigh thinks the summer will be torture without social media...that is until she meets the boy next door.


After her mother catches her sending a picture, and not the kind you want your mother to see, to a boy, Bayleigh’s difficult behaviour is finally too much for her mother. As punishment, Bayleigh is sent to stay with her grandparents for the summer, in the middle of nowhere, without any of her beloved technology.

This book definitely exceeded by expectations. I found this book for free on the Kindle store so I really was not expecting much from it. It seemed to me like it was going to be the typical, overdone story of the girl who gets sent away as punishments and she meets a boy so it isn’t all bad. Technically, that is exactly what it was, but it was done in a much more enjoyable way than I had anticipated.

I liked Bayleigh and Jace, both as a couple and as individual characters. Bayleigh is your average teenage girl, struggling with her feelings for a boy who’s a bit of an idiot, and so is a very relatable character. Jace is a bit of a mystery, but who doesn’t love an attractive mystery man? Together, they make quite a good couple, even if there was a hint of instalove.

The one thing I didn’t like about Bayleigh was her depression over being separate from technology. I know I wouldn’t be thrilled about being away from all of my technology but she was constantly complaining about it. It really started to annoy me, to the point where I was close to shouting at my kindle. Surely she could have found something else to do instead of complain about how bored she was without her phone.

I really did not like the situation with Ian. Though it may be relatable for many young girls, it showed Bayleigh to be very naïve and easily controlled by the boy who was treating her badly. I know this may be a common real life scenario but I really hate when this type of behaviour is portrayed as typical from young girls and in this book it is seen to be the norm, and somewhat acceptable in the beginning.

While I love a bit of a mystery man, I would have liked a bit more information on Jace. I know this was only a short story and is the first in a series but it would have been good to know a bit more about Jace before the last few chapters. This not knowing about his background made it more difficult to connect with his character.

Overall, I enjoyed this book but it is not something I would read again or recommend to friends. I may continue on with the series to see if it improves but with each book being around the 100 page mark, I don’t hold much hope.

Review | Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn
Published By: Phoenix
Published On: June 10, 2010
Genre: Mystery
Pages: 424
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Rating: ★★★★½

Amazon | Goodreads

Libby Day was just seven years old when her evidence put her fifteen-year-old brother behind bars. 
Since then, she has been drifting. But when she is contacted by a group who are convinced of Ben's innocence, Libby starts to ask questions she never dared to before. Was the voice she heard her brother's? Ben was a misfit in their small town, but was he capable of murder? Are there secrets to uncover at the family farm or is Libby deluding herself because she wants her brother back? 
She begins to realise that everyone in her family had something to hide that day... especially Ben. Now, twenty-four years later, the truth is going to be even harder to find. 
Who did massacre the Day family?


When Libby Day’s family was murdered, the seven year old testified against her brother, putting him behind bars. Twenty-four years later, Libby is contacted by a group who believe her brother to be innocent and she begins to doubt her memories of that night. With so many unanswered questions, Libby is determined to finally uncover the truth about the Day Massacre.

This book, as is to be expected from Flynn’s work, is insanely messed up. This was the first point I made in my review of Gone Girl so I was expecting this book to be a very strange read but I wasn’t expecting this. Flynn really says it all in the acknowledgements for this book when she says, when thanking her husband, “What do I say to a man who knows how I think and still sleeps next to me with the lights off?”

I can’t say I liked these characters, as they are very difficult to like, but they were fantastic, intriguing characters. Our main character, Libby, is one of the strangest and most difficult to like characters I have ever read, rivalling Gone Girl’s Amy Dunne, but she was so interesting. I must admit, Flynn is incredible at writing characters.

I spent the majority of the book not knowing what to feel. I had such mixed emotions while reading this that I was so confused about how I felt about characters or plot twists. This book seriously screwed with my head, in the best way possible.

One thing that contributed to the screwing of my head was the intriguing mystery. While reading, as you do with this kind of book, I was developing my own theories about what happened and those theories were forever changing. The mystery element to this book was not at all predictable and I never once felt as though I had it all worked out, it was a continuous guessing game.

The multiple points of view and the jump between past and present were very well written. I am not usually a fan of jumping between people and times throughout the story but I really enjoyed the way Flynn did this. The jumping about of the story really emphasised how messed up this plot and the characters were. It didn’t feel in any way disjointed but more like everything was slightly jumbled, which complemented the story perfectly.

Unlike with Gone Girl, I really liked this ending. I know it has had some criticism but I thought it was a great final twist. I was not expecting it to end the way it did and could never have guessed that outcome.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I went into it looking for Flynn to redeem herself after not loving Gone Girl, which I can’t help but compare it to, and she definitely did. So why didn’t I give it 5 stars? For me, there was a little too much animal killing and I can’t condone that. However, Flynn has most definitely become an auto buy author for me. Having both loved and not really loved her books, I will always be intrigued to see what she can come up with next.

Review | The Beach House by Jane Green

The Beach House by Jane Green
Published By: Penguin
Published On: August 1, 2009
Genre: Chick Lit
Pages: 441
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Rating: ★★★

Amazon | Goodreads

Nan Powell is a free-spirited, sixty-five-year-old widow who's not above skinny-dipping in her neighbors' pools when they're away and who dearly loves her Nantucket home. But when she discovers that the money she thought would last forever is dwindling, she realizes she must make drastic changes to save her beloved house. So Nan takes out an ad: Rooms to rent for the summer in a beautiful old Nantucket home with water views and direct access to the beach. 
 Slowly people start moving in to the house, filling it with noise, laughter, and with tears. As the house comes alive again, Nan finds her family and friends expanding. Her son comes home for the summer, and then an unexpected visitor turns all their lives upside down.


With plenty of changes and misfortunes in the lives of a group of strangers, they each decide to escape their day-to-day lives for a summer on the island of Nantucket where infamous resident Nan is renting her home as a house share. When the group are thrown together in Nan’s home, friendships form and the group must help each other through the trials in their lives.

For me, this was just an okay read. I found it to be a fun read but nothing particularly special. It is the kind of book I wouldn’t mind reading while laying on a beach or by the pool during the summer while not wanting to do too much thinking. However, it is not something I would go out of my way to read.

One of my main issues with this book was the very slow first half. From the synopsis I had understood that this book was about a group of people who had gone to the island of Nantucket for the summer. Half way through the book, not one person had made it to the island, except Nan who lived there. I felt like far too much time was spent introducing the characters and their stories, which made for a very slow read.

Despite the amount of time taken to introduce the characters, I didn’t connect with any of them. The characters were likable and fun to read about but there were just too many to properly connect with. I found myself getting confused between the people and their stories and connecting the wrong couples as they all blended together.

Just as the first half of the book was very slow, the last half went way too fast. So much time was taken up by introducing the characters that everything that happened when they reached the island felt very rushed. Relationships were formed within days of the characters meeting and the instalove aspect made it seem like a badly written YA book.

It may have something to do with the rushed second half of the book but the big plot twists felt very forced. I was reading the book, getting annoyed at the romance but a little bored and then suddenly a not very realistic huge plot twist was forced onto me. It was as though Green was trying too hard to shock the reader but the result was more confusion.

Overall, I like this book and found it an enjoyable read but I was not impressed by the writing or the character development. It is the kind of book I would not mind reading on a summers day while trying not to make my brain work too hard but it is definitely not the best chick lit I have read.