Mini Reviews | Books Of 2014 Part 2

I decided to to some mini reviews of the books I read in 2014 that I didn't want to do a full review of for whatever reason. I have a Part 1 here in which I did mini reviews for The Fault In Our Stars by John Green, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by JK Rowling, Our Story by Union J and the Katie Parker Productions Series by Jenny B Jones.

 

Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging (#1), It's Ok, I'm Wearing Really Big Knickers (#2), Knocked Out By My Nunga-Nungas (#3) and Dancing In My Nuddy-Pants (#4) by Louise Rennison

Series: Confessions Of Georgia Nicholson series

Published By: Harper Collins

Published On: May 31, 2000 (#1)

Genre: Contemporary

Pages: 247 (#1)

Format: Paperback

Source: Bought

Amazon | Goodreads

What I Liked: These books are such fun, easy reads. The characters, especially the main character Georgia, are all a little bit mad which makes for some interesting reading. While these are aimed at younger teens, reading as an 20 year old is nostalgic in way as I often find myself relating to these characters and remembering, though not fondly, my similar antics at that age.
What I Disliked: Like I mentioned, these books are aimed at younger readers than myself so I often find some parts to be a little immature. Though this doesn't affect my overall enjoyment of the books too much, it can be a little annoying sometimes.
Rating: ★★★

Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Series: Divergent #2
Published By: Harper Collins
Published On: May 1, 2012
Genre: Dystopian
Pages: 525
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Amazon | Goodreads

What I Liked: The best part about a second book in a series, for me anyway, is returning to characters you have made a connection with but still have more of a connection to make. I enjoyed returning to these characters and the society, and of course, Four.
What I Disliked: I hate to say this but I found this book to be a little boring. After so much happened in the first book I was disappointed that Insurgent seemed to go round in circles with not a lot of new excitement. I also didn't enjoy the Tris and Four relationship as much as I had in Divergent.
Rating: ★★★★ (honestly, that is pretty generous!)

Weird Things Customers Say In Bookshops by Jen Campbell

Published By: Constable

Published On: March 27, 2012

Genre: Non-Fiction

Pages: 128

Format: eBook

Source: Bought

Amazon | Goodreads

What I Liked: This is a really quick read and perfect for the times where you just want something really light. The stories are funny and often have you questioning the intelligence of society, so it is overall very enjoyable.

What I Disliked: I was expecting the stories to be funnier than they were due to the hype and ended up left a little disappointed. There were some hilarious stories but others were not that great and some I didn't even understand.

Rating: ★★★

Please, Nurse! by Joan Lock
Published By: Orion
Published On: November 4, 2013
Genre: Non-Fiction
Pages: 145
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Amazon | Goodreads

What I Liked: As I am hoping to go into the nursing/midwifery field, I like reading about the training process, both currently and historically. I find this type of book very interesting.
What I Disliked: I found this book very confusing. The tales of her training were all very scattered and it was as though a different story began in the middle of whatever story was already being told. Everything was very scattered and it seemed to be more of a complaint about every aspect of the training and while I understand it may not have been enjoyable, there is no need to write a book complaining about it!
Rating: ★★ 3/4

Those are the last of my mini reviews of books I read in 2014. Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them?

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 :)

2014 | Challenge Wrap Up

With 2014 being my first year of book blogging, I had my first experience of reading challenges. Though I only took part in a few, and didn't do a very good job, I enjoyed taking part in these challenges and will definitely be taking part in some more this year. Like I said, I didn't do very well, but this is what I did do.

Goodreads Challenge
I had an original goal of 25 books which I had completed by July so I decided to challenge myself with 40 books, which I managed to complete. I read these books.

TBR Pile Reading Challenge
This challenge is hosted by Evie Bookish. I had great plans to complete the level First Kiss: 21-30 books and failed miserably by reading a grand total of 3. These were:
1. The Beach House by Jane Green
2. Naked In Knightsbridge by Nicky Schmidt
3. Easily Amused by Karen McQuestion

Book Bingo Reading Challenge
This challenge is hosted by Reading In Winter and Creativity's Corner.

TBR Pile:
1. Naked In Knightsbridge by Nicky Schmidt
2. The Beach House by Jane Green
3. Easily Amused by Karen McQuestion

Mix It Up:
Non-Fiction: Our Story by Union J
Classic: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Reread: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Contemporary: No-One Ever Has Sex On A Tuesday by Tracy Bloom

Series:
1. Divergent by Veronica Roth
2. The Transfer by Veronica Roth
3. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by JK Rowling
4. Summer Unplugged by Amy Sparling
5. In Between by Jenny B Jones
6. On The Loose by Jenny B Jones
7. The Big Picture by Jenny B Jones
8. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
9. Insurgent by Veronica Roth
10. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
11. If I Stay by Gayle Forman
12. Angus, Thongs & Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison
13. It’s OK, I’m Wearing Really Big Knickers by Louise Rennison
14. Knocked Out By My Nunga-Nungas by Louise Rennison
15. Dancing In My Nuddy Pants by Louise Rennison

Genres:
Fantasy: Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief by Rick Riordan
Mystery: Before I Go To Sleep by SJ Watson

New Releases:
1. We Were Liars by E Lockhart
2. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
3. My True Love Gave To Me by various authors

How did you do in your 2014 challenges?

Sophie :)

December 2014 | Wrap Up

December may be my favourite month of the year but it is also the busiest, and this year was pretty stressful.

My Life In December...

- I did a whole lot of Christmas carolling with my church.

- My uni classes finally finished but I had two horrible essays to write.

- I turned my house into Santa's grotto, I love decorating for Christmas!

- I got to spend a lot of time with my family which is my favourite thing about Christmas.

- I had my one and only final exam of the semester and it was terrible.

- I watched a whole lot of Christmas movies.

- I finally got completely caught up with Grey's Anatomy.

- I was ill for the majority of December, and still am now, boo!

- There was Christmas, of course, and my birthday a few days after.

Read In December...

Dancing In My Nuddy-Pants by Louise Rennison -

This is the fourth book in the Georgia Nicholson series, and the first that was not a reread for me. The thing I really like about these books are how quick they are to read. This one was super short, I think the shortest of the series, at just over 200 pages so it didn't take long to read. I enjoyed this book but had the same problem as with the previous books in that it is a little too immature for my liking. 3/5

My True Love Gave To Me by various authors - 

My True Love Gave To Me is a collection of short holiday stories written by various authors, edited by Stephanie Perkins. I read this as part of a read-a-long and so was reading one story over two days. I loved reading it this way as it meant I took my time to read the stories and they didn't all merge into one. Overall, I enjoyed this book but I did love some stories more than others. 4/5

Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief by Rick Riordan -

A couple of my friends have been pressuring me to read this series and I finally got around to reading it. Having studied Latin and Classical Studies for 6 years, I wanted to read this due to the Greek Mythology aspect and that was my favourite thing about this book. I really enjoyed the Greek mythology but also the characters and the action packed story. 4.5/5

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens -

Due to my love of Christmas I wanted to read some Christmas books and this seemed like the obvious choice. With this being the first classic I have read, not including those for school, I had a bit of a struggle with the language and had to concentrate quite a lot while reading it. Despite this, I enjoyed the story, even though I have seen the various film adaptations so know it well, and did like the writing style. 3/5

Please, Nurse! by Joan Lock -

This is one of the books I have just recently hauled in my December Haul. I bought this because I am looking to study nursing or midwifery in the near future and this is the memoir of a student nurse in the 1950s. I picked this up as my last book of 2014 as I needed something small to reach my Goodreads  goal in time. Unfortunately, I didn't love this book. I found it to be very scattered and confusing. 2.75/5

What have you been reading in December?

Sophie :)

December 2014 | Book Haul

With Christmas and my birthday in December, there was definitely going to be a lot of books coming into my possession this month. A few of these books were ones I asked for for Christmas, a couple were surprises and the rest were bought with some Christmas/Birthday money.

Medical Terminology For Dummies by Beverley Henderson & Jennifer Dorsey - I am very interested in all things medical and as I am hoping to go on to study either Nursing or Midwifery, I am trying to get a bit of basic knowledge. For that reason, I asked for this book for Christmas. I haven't looked at it yet but I find the 'For Dummies' books to be very helpful.

Anatomy & Physiology For Dummies by Donna Rae Siegfried - This book is along the same lines as the last. I asked for this for some basic medical knowledge.

New York City For Dummies by Myka Carroll - My main gift for Christmas was a trip to New York so my mum also got me this to help us plan the trip. Since we are only going for 5 days, we want to make the most of the trip and this book is very helpful for giving advice on what attractions can be avoided, for example.

Throne Of Glass by Sarah J Maas - I have heard so many great things about the Throne Of Glass series and had planned on getting around to it eventually so when my best friend got me it for Christmas I was so excited. It's one that she has also been wanting to read so I think we will be reading it together at some point this year.

The Selection series by Kiera Cass - The first book in the series, The Selection, was on my Christmas list this year as I was intrigued by the plot and had heard some good things about it. My mum decided to get me the box set for Christmas, which also includes The Elite, The One and The Selection Stories, a collection of novellas.

Please, Nurse! by Joan Lock - Amazon had a 3 for £10 offer on paperbacks so I took advantage of that and picked up a few books. One of those was Please, Nurse!, the memoir of a student nurse in the 1950s. Like I said, I am looking to go into Nursing or Midwifery so I am interested in books like this one.

One Born Every Minute by Maria Dore and Ros Bradbury - Along similar lines, and also from Amazon, I got the book tie-in to the Channel 4 TV series, One Born Every Minute. This book includes several stories memories from the Maternity Ward. I absolutely love the TV show so I am looking forward to reading this.

The New Arrival by Sarah Beeson - This is another book along the same lines as the last two. This is another memoir of a student nurse, this time in the 1970s. 

You're The One That I Want by Giovanna Fletcher - This was another Amazon purchase in their 3 for £10 offer. I have been wanting to read Giovanna's books for ages but just haven't got around to it. I had hoped to read them in order of publication but Billy And Me was, unfortunately, not included in the offer.

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty - Another in the 3 for £10 was one that I have been after for a while. I have been really getting into thriller type books recently and this is another of them. I don't know a lot about this book but I have heard some great things about it.

Until You're Mine by Samantha Hayes - This is the last of the books I got in the Amazon 3 for £10 deal and it is another thriller type book. This is another one I have been wanting to read for a while but I know very little about it, other than it is about a pregnant woman who hires someone to help her after her baby is born.

Ignite by Lily Paradis - For some reason I have been wanting to read this book ever since I first heard people talking about it. The synopsis intrigued me so I decided to go ahead and buy the ebook for my Kindle. 

Have you read any of these books? What one should I read first?

Sophie :)

2014 | End Of Year Book Survey

This survey is created and hosted by Jamie at The Perpetual Page Turner.

Number of books you read: 40

Number of rereads: 5

Genre you read the most from: Probably contemporary romance.

1. Best books you read in 2014?

I guess I'll have to go with the four books I gave 5 stars to in 2014. They were Where Rainbows End by Cecilia Ahern (review), Divergent by Veronica Roth (review), Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins (review) and The Fault In Our Stars by John Green.

2. Book you were excited about & thought you were going to love more but didn't?

I have to say Insurgent by Veronica Roth. I absolutely loved Divergent and was so excited to read the second book in the series but unfortunately I didn't love it.

3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2014?
Even though it was a reread, I'm going to say Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. I reread this before going to see the movie and was very surprised by how much my opinion of this book changed the second time around. On first read I did not like this book and was disappointed with the ending to the series. However, second time around I really enjoyed the book.

4. Book you pushed the most people to read (and they did) in 2014?
I don't have a whole lot of book loving friends to push books to but I did force my best friend to read Divergent (I even bought the book for her) and she loved it.

5. Best series you started in 2014? Best sequel of 2014? Best series ender of 2014?
Series Started: Divergent by Veronica Roth (review)
Sequel: On The Loose by Jenny B Jones
Series Ender: Isla And The Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins (review)

6. Favourite new author you discovered in 2014?
I've discovered so many new authors this year so it is difficult to choose just one. I would definitely say Stephanie Perkins has become one of my authors.

7. Best book from a genre you don't typically read/was out of your comfort zone?
I don't typically read a lot of fantasy but a couple of my friends were pressuring me to read The Lightening Thief by Rick Riordan and I really enjoyed it.

8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?
This definitely has to be Dark Places by Gillian Flynn. If I hadn't read this during one of the busiest times in my uni semester and had more time to read, I would have read this in one sitting. It's very twisted and thrilling, I really enjoyed it.

9. Book you read in 2014 that you are most likely to reread next year?
Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern (review). I loved this book and will probably reread it in the near future.

10. Favourite cover of a book you read in 2014?
I absolutely love the cover of My True Love Gave To Me by various authors.

11. Most memorable character of 2014?
Josh! I love Josh! Josh of Isla And The Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins (review), of course.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2014?
We Were Liars by E Lockhart (review).

13. Most thought provoking/life-changing book of 2014?
I can't say I read anything I found life-changing in 2014 but The Fault In Our Stars by John Green was definitely thought provoking.

14. Book you can't believe you waited until 2014 to finally read?
Anna And The French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins (review).

15. Favourite passage/quote from a book you read in 2014?
For some reason, I haven't made a note of any of my favourite quotes I have read this year.

16. Shortest and longest book you read in 2014?
Shortest: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens 104 Pages
Longest: Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern (review) 558 Pages

17. Book that shocked you the most?
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (review).

18. OTP of the year?
Josh & Isla from Isla And The Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins (review).

19. Favourite non-romantic relationship of the year?
Anna & Meredith from Anna And The French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins (review).

20. Favourite book you read in 2014 from an author you've read previously?
I have only read a few books this year by authors I have read previously, I would say maybe three at the most. Of those, I would probably say Reached by Ally Condie (review) was my favourite.

21. Best book you read in 2014 that you read based solely on a recommendation from somebody else/peer pressure?
Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief by Rick Riordan.

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2014?
I have said Josh for about three answers already so I will go with Four from Divergent by Veronica Roth (review) this time.

23. Best 2014 debut you read?
I did not read any 2014 debuts this year.

24. Best worldbuilding/most vivid setting you read this year?
Stephanie Perkins' Paris setting in Anna And The French Kiss (review) is one of my favourites of the year.

25. Book that put a smile on your face/was the most fun to read?
The Statistical Probability Of Love At First Sight by Jennifer E Smith.

26. Book that made you cry or nearly cry in 2014?
Friends Forever by Danielle Steele (review) made my cry like a baby several times.

27. Hidden gem of the year?
The Katie Parker Productions series by Jenny B Jones. I have heard nothing about this series but I loved it.

28. Book that crushed  your soul?
I really don't know for this question.

29. Most unique book you read in 2014?
Before I Go To Sleep by SJ Watson (review).

30. Book that made you the most mad?
Naked In Knightsbridge by Nicky Schmidt (review). And not for good reasons.

1. New favourite book blog you discovered in 2014?

I discovered almost all of the book blogs I like this year so I can't pick one favourite.

2. Favourite review that you wrote in 2014?

I really don't think that any of my reviews have anything special this year, I'm still getting the hang of it.

3. Best discussion/non-review post on your blog?

I'm still new to the blogging world so have not branched out much into non-review posts. 

4. Best event that you participated in?

Again, because I'm new to the blogging world I haven't participated in any events. I should really have missed these questions out.

5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2014?

I suppose it must be starting the blog in the first place.

7. Most popular post this year on your blog?

By views it is my review of Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern. By comments it is the Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Were Hard For Me To Read.

8. Post you wish got a little more love?

As my blog is so new, I'm just happy with any love on any posts.

9. Best bookish discover?

The Book People! Nothing beats super cheap books.

10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of the year?

I didn't do great with most of my 2014 challenges but I did complete my first Goodreads goal of 25 and the second of 40.

1. One book you didn't get to in 2014 but will be your number 1 priority in 2015?

I would probably have to say Allegiant by Veronica Roth.

2. Book you are most anticipating for 2015?

The Start Of Me And You by Emery Lord. I have heard such great things about Open Road Summer so I can't wait to read both that and her second novel.

3. 2015 debut you are most anticipating?

One that I have seen on Goodreads and liked the look of was The Night We Said Yes by Lauren Gibaldi.

4. Series ending/a sequel you are most anticipating in 2015?

I am not in the middle of any series with and ending of sequel releasing in 2015.

5. One thing you hope to accomplish or do in your reading/blogging life?

I am planning to make a list of blogging/reading related resolutions for 2015 but one thing I do hope to accomplish is to complete as many of my challenges as possible.

Sophie :)

Review | Isla And The Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

Isla And The Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
Series: Anna And The French Kiss #3
Published By: Usborne Publishing
Published On: August 14, 2014
Genre: Contemporary
Pages: 375
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Rating: ★★★★★

Amazon | Goodreads

The café is boiling. The atmosphere is clouded with bittersweet coffee. Three years of desire rip through my body and burst from my lips: “Josh!” His head jolts up. For a long time, a very long time, he just stares at me. And then…he blinks. “Isla?” 
Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on brooding artist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And, after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer break, romance might be closer than Isla imagined. But as they begin their senior year back in France, Isla and Josh are forced to face uncertainty about their futures, and the very real possibility of being apart.

In the third and final instalment in Stephanie Perkins’ Anna and the French Kiss series, we return to the School of America in Paris as Isla and Josh complete their senior year. After a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer, Isla, who has had a crush on Josh since they first met, discovers Josh may feel the same way about her.

This is by far my favourite of the series. Everything about this book is perfect to me. The plot, the characters, the settings, the writing, I love everything! The best book in the series, in my opinion.

Isla is a very relatable character. In fact, I relate to Isla more than I care to admit. I spent the first few chapters of the book complaining about how annoying she was before realising I had done all of these annoying things at some point. She is just your typical high school girl with a crush.

I love Josh. I must have expressed my love for him at least a hundred times while reading this book. He is the perfect quiet, artsy guy that not everyone understands and I love it. I think him and Isla make a perfect couple and it is clear that he cares just as much for her as she does for him.

This relationship was not instantaneous. Although the relationship first started at the beginning of the book, which I thought was an interesting change from the norm, this was not an insta-love story. The retelling of their small encounters throughout their school life made it clear that the two had at least some feelings for each other for quite a while but had not realised the feelings were mutual.

The settings were great. Stephanie Perkins is great at writing the perfect settings and she did it again in Isla. I loved returning to Paris, where it all started, for the ending of the series. The scenes in Barcelona were written so beautifully I could have been there myself. And of course, New York! I love anything to do with New York so having this book partly set there was amazing.

The cameo from the previous books’ characters was perfect. The other characters making an appearance in this book was the perfect way to end the series. To have them all back where out journey began with Anna felt as though we had come full circle and I could not be happier with the way things wrapped up for all of the characters. It was definitely the perfect ending to the series.

Overall, I adore this book! Everything is just so perfect and I have absolutely fallen in love with Stephanie Perkins more than I knew was possible after reading this last book in the series. It was a great conclusion to the series and everything ended so perfectly. The amount of times I have used the word 'perfect' just sums up my thoughts on this book.

Sophie :)

Top Ten Tuesday | Top Ten Books I Read In 2014

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 Books I Read In 2014 and with 2014 being the year I really got into reading, I have read the most books this year that I ever have. Since I read so many great books, I have included series as one book.

1. The Anna and the French Kiss series by Stephanie Perkins

  

Isla and the Happily Ever After is a contender for my favourite book I read in 2014, which tells you quite how much I loved it. In case that doesn't, my review (coming this week) includes the word 'perfect' 9 times! I absolutely loved this series and I can't wait to read more from Stephanie Perkins. You can check out my reviews from Anna and Lola to find out my thoughts on the books individually.

2. Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

I picked up Dark Places after Gone Girl had ended disappointed me so badly with it's ending and I needed to read something to redeem Gillian Flynn. I absolutely loved this book, despite how insanely messed up it was. I spent the whole book hoping that the ending was good so that I could say I loved it most definitely did not disappoint this time. I even want to read Sharp Objects now.

3. Where Rainbows End by Cecilia Ahern

This book is up there with Isla as a contender for favourite book of 2014. I absolutely loved this book. It is one of those books that I just can't express my thoughts about it because I loved it so much. However, I do have a review if you would like a more structured, informative account of my thoughts on Where Rainbows End.

4. The Statistical Probability Of Love At First Sight by Jennifer E Smith

I wanted to read this book for so long and when I eventually got around to it I was worried that I would have hyped it up so much in my head that I wouldn't like it. Thankfully, that did not happen and I really enjoyed this book. I loved the setting, anything that takes place in airports or on planes I really like so that aspect was perfect for me. The romance didn't disappoint either.

5. The Katie Parker Productions series by Jenny B Jones

  

This series was both my introduction to Jenny B Jones and my first venture into the world of Christian fiction. I was a bit worried about reading this series as although I am a Christian, I do not appreciate religion being shoved down a person's throat. I had my doubts that these types of novels were a bit like that but I was very pleasantly surprised. I loved this series and I appreciated the 'Christian' aspect of the novel being more subtle than I expected it to be. I am definitely interested in reading some more Christian fiction in future.

6. Divergent by Veronica Roth

I finally gave into the hype and picked up Divergent this year and I absolutely loved it. I would say this is another possibility for my favourite book of the year. I devoured this book and loved every second of it. I can't quite say the same for Insurgent but the first in the series is definitely a favourite of mine. I have a full review of this book here.

7. We Were Liars by E Lockhart

I was not expecting great things from this book but the vague synopsis intrigued me so I decided to give it a go. For the first half of the book I still wasn't sure but suddenly I fell in love and this book became really great. It was not at all what I expected it to be but I will agree with John Green when he describes this book as "unforgettable". I have a full review of We Were Liars here.

8. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

Speaking of John Green, I was one of the many who read The Fault In Our Stars in 2014. I feel like it is not even necessary to say anything about this book as everyone knows about it. I, along with the majority of people, loved it.

9. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

I am probably the last one on this bandwagon but I finally started the Harry Potter series this year. Technically, my mum read the first two books to me as a child but this is the first time I have read it myself. It didn't quite have the impact I expected as I have seen the movie so many times that I knew what was happening but I still really enjoyed it.

10. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

This was technically a reread but I felt the need to include this in my top 10 as the second time reading this was the first time I really appreciated it for what it was. On the first read, I think I read it too fast and was too young to fully understand the important war aspects of the book and Katniss' struggle with PTSD. Reading it for the second time meant I could fully understand and appreciate what was happening and really loved it.

Those are my top ten books I read this year. What were your favourite books of 2014? What books would you suggest I pick up in 2015?

Sophie :)

December 2014 | TBR

It's almost the middle of December and I am only now getting to my TBR for the month but the first week of this month was so crazy it took another week to recover. I am ambitious for this month considering the first week was taken up with essays and I have an exam on the 22nd that I need to study A LOT for but if I read all 5 books on my TBR, I will reach my Goodreads goal of 45 books.

Dancing In My Nuddy-Pants by Louise Rennison - 

This was in my November TBR but I never got around to reading it so I have carried it over to this month. I am in the process of rereading and then finishing this series and this is the fourth book of the ten. This is a really quick read and it has taken me so long to get around to doing my TBR post that I have already read this, so that's at least one book down so far.

Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief by Rick Riordan -

This is another one that I have carried over from last month after I didn't get to it. My friends have been getting at me to read this for ages now and it is finally happening. I have started this book and I am loving it so far. I'm only about a quarter of the way through it so far but as soon as I get a chance to sit down and read for a decent amount of time I think I will fly through it.

This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales - 

Again I didn't get the chance to read this last month so I am going to try and get it read this month. I know very little about it but it is quite a short book so hopefully I can get to it and get through it quite quickly.

My True Love Gave To Me by various authors edited by Stephanie Perkins -

I could not wait to get my hands on this as soon as I found out it was happening and now I have it there is no way I am waiting to read this. I am reading this amazing collection of Christmassy short stories at the moment and I am taking part in the read-a-long hosted by Megan and Signe (goodreads group here) so I am reading one story over two days from the 1st of December to the 24th. I am really loving it so far.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens -

I wanted to read some Christmas books this month and A Christmas Carol is one of my favourite things to watch around Christmas so I thought I would read it this year. It is pretty short and I got it for free on the Kindle store so I am definitely going to be reading this at some point, even if it has to be Christmas Eve.

Those are the books that I plan to read this month although there is a very good chance this may change after Christmas as there are a few books on my Christmas list this year that I am really looking forward to reading. What will you be reading this month?

Sophie :)

Review | We Were Liars by E Lockhart

We Were Liars by E Lockhart
Published By: Hot Key Books
Published On: May 15, 2014
Genre: Contemporary
Pages: 227
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Rating: ★★★★

We are the Liars. 
We are beautiful, privileged and live a life of carefree luxury. 
 We are cracked and broken. 
A story of love and romance. 
A tale of tragedy. 
Which are lies? 
Which is truth?


I would usually give a short synopsis of the book before I begin my review but I can’t do that for this book without ruining the reading experience for those who have not read it. All I would say is to go into this book completely blind, just as I did, for the full impact.

The most unique thing about this book is the beautiful yet very confusing writing style. I am still very mixed about the writing style of this book. It works very well with the story but the extensive use of metaphors really confused me. I found it very difficult to work out what was real and what was not. Though this plays a very important role in the book, especially in the later parts, I found it especially confusing at the beginning.

It is possibly due to the writing style that I found it very difficult to get into. I really struggled with Part One and Part Two of the book and I am unsure why. It may be to do with my getting used to the writing style or possibly because the action doesn’t really start until Part Three.

The characters in this book were so interesting. For me, the characters made this book. The Sinclair’s are so unlike any family I have read about and though I found most of the very unlikeable, they were so interesting to me. The main character, Cadence, I did not like that much but that is possibly due to her being such an unreliable narrator. I did, however, really like Gat as a character. 

All I knew about this book going into it was that a plot twist was involved, one that would shock you. Well, the ending of this book broke me. I was not expecting it to affect me so much but I was very emotional while reading the last part of the book.

However, I did manage to guess the plot twist. I did not affect my response to the ending but having a good idea of what was to come did mean that it was not the shock it could have been. I almost felt that I had seen a spoiler for the ending, even though it was just my guess.

Overall, I really liked this book but the beginning let me down a little. The writing style took a while to get used to and the mystery was ruined slightly by my guessing. However, I would absolutely recommend this to anyone and I even hope to reread it in the future.

Top Ten Tuesday | Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2014

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 New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2014 and for this I had plenty of choice. I have read much more in 2014 than I have in previous years and so the majority of my reading was books by authors I have not read before.

1. Stephanie Perkins

I finally got around to reading Anna And The French Kiss this year and this trilogy has very quickly become a favourite. I absolutely love Stephanie Perkins' writing and I am certain she will become an 'auto-buy' author for me. Check out my reviews of Anna & Lola.

2. Veronica Roth

I gave into the hype earlier this year and picked up Divergent by Veronica Roth and fell in love with it. I wasn't as in love with Insurgent and have yet to pick up Allegiant but I am definitely a fan of Veronica Roth's writing. I have a full review of Divergent here.

3. Gillian Flynn

Gillian Flynn is one of those authors that everyone seems to be talking about this year. I read Gone Girl early this year before I knew it was to be made into a movie and wasn't a huge fan of it. However, since reading Dark Places in November I have definitely become a fan of her writing. I have a review of Gone Girl here.

4. Cecilia Ahern

Ever since I fell in love with the movie PS I Love You I have been wanting to read Cecelia Ahern's books but it wasn't until this year that I got around to it. Where Rainbows End is one of my favourite books that I have read this year and because of that I cannot wait to read some more of her works. You can have a look at my review of Where Rainbows End here.

5. Gayle Forman

I picked up If I Stay in order to read it before seeing the movie. I am a fan of Chloe Grace Moretz so when I found out she was in the movie, and when I saw the trailer, I really wanted to give the book a go. I did really like the book but I feel like I need to give Gayle Forman another chance to completely win me over.

6. Jenny B Jones

The Katie Parker Productions series was not only my first read from Jenny B Jones but was also my first venture into the world of Christian Fiction. I absolutely loved this series, especially the writing, and I will definitely be reading more from Jenny B Jones next year.

7. Jennifer E Smith

The Statistical Probability Of Love At First Sight is another book that I had wanted to read for a while but never got around to it until this year. I absolutely loved this book and I really hope to read more by Jennifer E Smith in 2015. 

8. John Green

I am probably one of the last people to read a book by John Green but I eventually read The Fault In Our Stars this year. I loved it, of course, and as much as I have heard mixed reviews about his other books I do plan to read some of his other works in 2015.

9. Tracy Bloom

I picked up Tracy Bloom's book on a complete whim and was very pleasantly surprised. Her writing is very funny and I loved the story. There is a good chance I will be reading some more from her in the future. I have a review of No-One Ever Has Sex On A Tuesday here.

10. Danielle Steel

I can't say I ever expected to read a Danielle Steel book. My gran loves her books and so when she gave me a copy of Friends Forever I decided to give it a read and I was extremely surprised when I really enjoyed it. I am not sure if I will be reading any more books from her but if my gran were to lend me another I would most likely give it a go. My full review of Friends Forever is here.

So that is my list of the top ten new-to-me authors I have read this year. I have read some great books by new-to-me authors this year and I hope to read more next year. What authors were new to you this year?

Sophie :)