Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the Broke and Bookish

Hey guys! It is time for another TTT and this week is it top ten books I read in one sitting! I’m going to show off the books that I read relatively quickly – because reading in one sitting is almost impossible with a 1 year old! 😛

10.  This is Where is Ends by Marieke Nijkamp – This I actually did read in one sitting and it was AWESOME!!

9.  Follow me Back by A. V. Geiger – I actually read an ARC of this because it doesn’t release until June and it was just so addictive! I just HAD to find out what happened… and the very last page was worth everything!!

8.  A Bond of Venom and Magic by Karen Tomlinson – This book… Just… THIS BOOK!!!

7.  The One by Kiera Cass – I actually read this in one sitting on the day that it released! I waited a really long time for this book and it was just everything I wanted!

6.  Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas – I was actually in hospital when I read this and I basically didn’t move until I had finished… It was AMAZING!

5.  Spelled by Betsy Schow – This was a major laugh out loud for me and one that I am constantly recommending!

4.  Only Ever Yours by Louise O’Neill – I think for anyone who has read this book, it’s an obvious choice. If you haven’t … WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN HIDING!!

3.  Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma – I was so worried going into this because of the taboo subject matter… but I read it extremely quickly and it was done so well!

2.  Rites of Passage by Joy. N. Hensley – I normally would never have picked this up based on the cover! I absolutely hate most things to do with the army/war when it comes to books and film… however,I am so thankful to the blog (I can’t remember who it was anymore it was so long ago) who wrote a glowing review of this because I ADORED IT!!

1.  Asking For It by Louise O’Neill – This author again! This book was also absolutely amazing and thought provoking and I just want more from this author!

That’s it! These are the books that I read in one sitting or relatively quickly! Have you read any of these?

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the Broke and Bookish

Hey guys! It is time for another TTT! This weeks topic is top ten books I liked/disliked more than I thought I would. I decided to go with book that I liked more than I thought I would! Without further ado and in no particular order…

10. Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma – If you read the blurb… I think most people automatically go NOPE based purely on the subject matter. However, I had heard some amazing things about this book, and I went into thinking that they can’t even be remotely right because…incest?!? However, this book broke me and my poor little feelings in all the right places and I would definitely recommend it!

9.  Rites of Passage by Joy N. Hensley – I really detest this cover and it is a book that I really would never have even considered if I hadn’t seen a glowing review first. I still went into this book thinking I wasn’t going to get along with it and I absolutely loved it!

8.  Only Ever Yours by Louise O’Neill – I was expecting to like this book, but I was not expecting it to blow me away the way that it did! I was left speechless and I had no idea how to even form words – let alone write a review!

7.  Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas – Anyone who knows me knows that I love myself a good whodunnit. I think this one is absolutely my favourite and I think after everything that happened and the feelings etc. If you’ve read it, you’ll understand – I loved this book more than I ever thought I would!

6.  Follow me Back by A. V. Geiger – Admittedly, I finished reading this on Saturday… I went into this book with the usual expectations of a book of this nature… but I was left reeling by the end and I just NEED THE SEQUEL!

5.  Pretty Wicked by Kelly Charron – I actually lowered my expectations for this one because it’s really difficult to get the perspective right from which this book is written – and usually it’s done completely wrong! However, I was absolutely blown away by this and I can’t wait to read more from this author!

4.  This is Where it Ends by Marieke Niejkamp – I am always on the search for books of this nature, however, half the time, I’m left disappointed. This book, however, exceeded my expectations and I cried for so long afterward!

3.  Spelled by Betsy Schow – I have definitely read my fair share of Fairytale retellings, so I wasn’t expecting much different from this book. However, my poor ribs!!! I’m pretty sure I cracked one laughing!

2.  Everlasting Flame by Katelyn Anderson – I went into this expecting to like it because the blurb has everything I look for. However, Joan and Dane definitely have a special place inside of me and I could re read this 1,000 times over and never get bored!

1.  The Girl with All the Gifts by M. R. Carey – I was unsure about zombies in this. I doubted how well it could be portrayed considering all of the zombie films/ programmes there are out there. However, the way in which this is written etc. was absolutely amazing!

That’s it! I loved all of these books more than I was really expecting to and I am so glad that I picked these up! Have you read any of these? Did you enjoy them?

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the Broke and Bookish

Hey guys! It is time for another TTT and this weeks topic is new-to.us authors we read in 2016! I have so many different authors in mind for this it is crazy! Without further ado, and in no particular order:

10.  Leigh Bardugo – So, I recently read the Grisha trilogy and I absolutely loved it! I cannot even believe that it took me so long to jump on that bandwagon. Now, I am all set to read Six of Crows when my copy turns up from The Book Depository…

9.  Merrie DeStefano – I recently read her upcoming Lost Girls (approved via Netgalley) and I just can’t even describe the feels I had for this book… You guys all need to be adding it to your TBR’s and I need to be checking out more of her books!

8.  Candy Atkins – I adored The Lost Knight and to say I am excited for book 2 would be an understatement…

7.  Louise O’Neill – I gobbled up both Asking For It and Only Ever Yours and I need more from this author!! Please, someone tell me she is planning something fantastic!

6.  Elise Kova – I actually only read the AA series this year and I absolutely loved it. Whilst I did enjoy her upcoming The Alchemists of Loom, I wasn’t as blown away as I was by her first series!

5.  M. R. Carey – Because who doesn’t love themselves some zombies?? I am so glad I decided to read The Girl With All the Gifts!

4.  Luke Taylor – This author is extremely friendly and I am so glad I requested an ARC copy of his Vault of Dreams because I fell in love with it immediately!! I cannot wait for more of his upcoming books and to check out the ones that he has already released!

3.  Morgan Rhodes – After seeing all the hype, I obviously had to check out Falling Kingdoms! I am so glad I did because I loved it! I have the second book waiting on my shelf for me to read as well! 😀

2.  Betsy Schow – Spelled is one of my all time favourite retellings! I was crying, it was just that funny and I cannot even begin to tell you guys my excitement over Wanted!

1.  Karen Tomlinson – Ok, so technically she is a debut author, however, A Bond of Venom and Magic was my favourite read of 2016, so I just had to include her! I absolutely love this author, plus she is extremely friendly! 😀

That’s it from me! These were all new to me authors this year and I am so glad I picked up books from all of these authors! I look forward to reading more from them!

Which authors are new to you? Feel free to let me know in the comments below!

Fall Activities Book Tag

Hey guys! So I was tagged by Kat @ Life and Other Disasters and, like her, I really should complete this tag before the end of Autumn! So, Without Further Ado…

Apple Picking – A book on your TBR that looks so great, you can’t wait to get into it!

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

So, I have all three books and I love all of the covers – I just need to get around to reading them!

Corn Maze – A book to get lost in

A Bond of Venom and Magic by Karen Tomlinson

From the very first page, this book had me hooked and I found myself lost in it!

Haunted Houses – A book that Scared you

The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich

This book had me up at one in the morning, refusing to go to bed, with all the lights on in the house and my husband on the phone asking when he is going to be back!

Pumpkin Patch – The latest book you picked up/putchased

The Sin Eater’s Daughter by Melinda Salisbury

This was my very recent purchase from Amazon and I cannot wait to get into it!

Scenic Drives – a book that is lyrically beautiful

Vault of Dreams by Luke Taylor

This book is so lyrical, I found myself lost in it really quickly!! I loved it!

Pumpkin Carving – A book you didn’t like and wouldn’t mind cutting up

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

Insert unpopular opinion here. I really detested this book…

Drinking Apple Cider – A sweet book to curl up with

Futhermore by Tahereh Mafi

This is a great book to curl up with and to just follow the adventures of the MC 😀

Jumping in a Leaf Pile – A book that reminds you of your childhood

Harry Potter series

I think it goes without saying that this is my all time childhood book memory. *Joins the masses*

Scary Movie Night – Your favourite spooky read

Only Ever Yours by Louise O’Neill

This isn’t spooky in the traditional sense of spooky… but it is definitely a book that will leave you tingling and creeped out by the end!

Costume Party – A book with an eclectic cast of characters

Everlasting Flame by Katelyn Anderson

This book has a great mix of characters!

Nominations:

Jamie @ Watch Game Read

Beth @ Reading Every Night

Sam @ Sam’s Little Corner

And everyone else who wants to do this tag is welcome!

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the Broke and Bookish

Hey guys! It is time for another TTT! This week is it a Halloween freebie! So, I am going to go with top ten scary/creepy books the read around this time for year! Without further ado and in no particular order:

10.  The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich – This book had me wide awake in the middle of the night, with all the lights on in the house, on the phone to my husband asking when he is going to be home. To say it creeped me out would be an understatement!

9.  The Merciless by Danielle Vega – This book was creepy in the sense that it was gross and had my body tingling all over from what they did to that poor girl. Definitely Halloween material…

8.  The Girl with all the Gifts by M. R. Carey – Zombies and Halloween go hand in hand!

7.  Unnatural Deeds by Cyn Balog – Ok, so technically this book is being released November 1st… but, it is definitely a creepy read and the ending!!!

6.  Only Ever Yours by Louise O’Neill – This is not your traditional Halloween creepy, but I think everyone who has read this book will agree with me that it deserves to be up here!

5.  Wink Poppy Midnight by April Genevieve Tucholke – Three screwed up teens, what could go wrong? A lot… that’s your answer!

4.  Ten by Gretchen McNeil – A fast paced, whodunnit…

3.  Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn  – Do I really need to explain this one?!? Let’s go with one word: Amy.

2.  Say Her Name by James Dawson – Bloody Mary is tradition on Halloween…

1.  Don’t Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout – I really enjoyed this book and I was not expecting the ending!!

That’s it! These are my TT scary/creepy books to read around this time of year!

Have any of you read these? Do you agree? Are there any others I should read? Feel free to drop comments and links and I will check them all out!

September Wrap Up

Hey guys! It is time to wrap up the month of September! I managed to read a total of 9 books this month! Which is more than I thought I had read. One of those books did not get reviewed on my blog because I was so angry with it. It was insulting. Anyway, lets do this!

Read:

• Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova – I received an ARC of this via Sourcebooks Fire, 4/5 stars
• Dear Charlie by N. D. Gomes – I received an ARC of this via Netgalley, 5/5 Stars
• With Malice by Eileen Cook – 2.5/5 stars
• Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi, 4/5 stars
• The Lost Knight by Candy Atkins – I received a review copy of this book via Xpresso Book Tours, 4/5 stars.
• Pretty Wicked by Kelly Charron – I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley, 5/5 stars
• Winning by Lara Deloza, 3/5 stars.
• The Girl With All the Gifts by M. R. Carey, 4/5 stars, review to come!
• Jenna’s Truth by Nadia L. King, 1/5 stars (If I could give it 0, I would!). I feel like I need to explain this book. This book was never reviewed on my blog – I received an ARC of this via Netgalley. However, it was 34 pages long, and it was insulting to anyone who had ever been the victim of bullying, cyber bullying and sexual assault. If you really want to read the review I wrote for Goodreads’ sake, you can find it here.

Books I acquired in the month of September:

Physical:

• Only Ever Yours by Louise O’Neill
• Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi
• Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas
• Spelled by Betsy Schow
• Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
• Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
• Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare
• Winning by Lara Deloza
• The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee
• The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich
• Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas
• The Assassin’s Blade by Sarah J. Maas
• The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson

Kindle:

• Pretty Wicked by Kelly Charron – ARC
• A Mortal Song by Megan Crewe – I won this at her release day party on Facebook
• These Great Affects by Andrew Toy – This book doesn’t actually have a Goodreads Page. It is also an ARC.
• Consurge by D. T. Dylan – ARC Provided from the author.
• Jenna’s Truth by Nadia. L. King
• Escape from Witchwood Hollow by Jordan Elizabeth Mierek – Review copy provided by the author.
• Everlasting Flame by Katelyn Anderson – Review copy provided by the author
• Oak and Mistletoe by J. Z. N. McCauley – ARC provided by the author

Special posts:

Spotlight: Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova

Cover Reveal: Emerge: The Judgement by Melissa A. Craven

That’s it for me this month!! *Phew* I thought this post was never going to end!

How was September for you guys?

Find me here:

Instagram/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads

 

The Mid Year Book Freak Out Tag

Hey guys! So, I was tagged by Beth @ Reading Every Night for this tag – so thanks for that! So, I guess without further ado, let’s start!

Best Book you’ve Read So Far in 2016:

 Unnatural Deeds by Cyn Balog

 A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Ok, I couldn’t pick one, so it’s a tie! I loved Unnatural Deeds by Cyn Balog (which is being released later this year), and ACOMAF… well, I don’t think there is any explanation necessary!

Best sequel you have read so far in 2016:

 ACOMAF

Yes, this book again! But it truly was beautiful!!

New release you haven’t read yet but want to:

 Shiny Broken Pieces by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton.

Ok, so, technically this only came out today, but I still need this book in my life!

Most anticipated release for the second half of the year:

 Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas.

I know, Maas again! But seriously, I love this series and I cannot wait to find out what happens next!

Biggest Disappointment:

 Never Never: Part Three by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher

Ok, this series had an amazing strong start and I was loving everything about it! However, the ending and the explanation given were weak and it ruined everything for me!

Biggest Surprise:

 Only Ever Yours by Louise O’Neill

I was surprised at how things went down in this book! I was not expecting to feel the emotions I did and so strongly! I think everyone who has read this book will agree, there are literally no words to describe how you feel when reading this book and how you feel when you finish this book! I finished it and I was gob smacked it took me forever to actually write a review because I no idea how to formulate what I was feeling into words! It is that good! If you haven’t read this book… then why the heck not?!?

Favourite New Author (Debut or New to you):

 This is Betsy Schow! She was a new to me author when I read her book Spelled and I loved it! I was snorting and earning weird looks from my dad, but it was all so worth it! i look forward to more of her writing! She is currently writing the sequel (I Believe) to Spelled and I cannot wait!!

Newest Fictional Crush:

 Rhysand from ACOMAF.

Ummm… hello!! Rhys! Do I seriously need to explain this amazing specimen of a character???

Newest Favourite Character:

 Lada from And I Darken by Kierstin White

Well, she scares me and she is not a character that I would want to cross… but, she isn’t your everyday, wishy washy damsel in distress turned amazing hero. She was strong and stubborn and strong willed from the very beginning and I feel like she is a step above every other strong female character that I love because of this fact. She has never needed saving and I love the about her!

Book that made you cry:

 If He Had Been With Me by Laura Nowlin.

Quite a few books have made me cry recently, but I think this book hit me the strongest! There you sit, watching these two characters fall in love and it is cutesy and feels full and bam! That ending… Box of tissues needed if you are going to brave this book! The worst thing is, you know from the very beginning what is going to happen, but that does not stop you hoping that it doesn’t!

Book that made you happy:

 Wrecked by Maria Padian

So, if you clicked the link, you’re probably thinking that I some kind of really weird psycho for thinking that this kind of book could ever make me happy… BUT… the outcome made me happy! I was rooting and I rooted right! Again, this book is being released later this year!

Favourite book to film adaptation:

Technically, tv show… but they are so epic!! I haven’t actually read all of the GoT books, but I am getting there! I love this show!

Favourite post you have done this year:

I don’t actually have a favourite post that I have done this year, but I did like sharing random facts about myself in TTT this week!

Most beautiful book you’ve bought this year:

 Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi.

I bought a physical copy of this book not too long ago with this cover and it still makes me drool every time I clap eyes on it!

What book do you need to read by the end of the year:

 Winter by Marissa Meyer

There are so many books, but I would have to say the ultimate goal is this one! I have had it on my nightstand for ages now, but for some reason I keep procrastinating!

My tags:

Jamie @ Watch Game Read

Jesse @ Books at Dawn

Olivia @ Heir of Glitter

Kat @ Kat Impossible

Marie @ Drizzle and Hurricane Books

and you! If you want to do this tag feel free! Link me up so that I can see your answers!

Only Ever Yours by Louise O’Neill

In a world in which baby girls are no longer born naturally, women are bred in schools, trained in the arts of pleasing men until they are ready for the outside world. At graduation, the most highly rated girls become “companions”, permitted to live with their husbands and breed sons until they are no longer useful.

For the girls left behind, the future – as a concubine or a teacher – is grim.

Best friends Freida and Isabel are sure they’ll be chosen as companions – they are among the most highly rated girls in their year.

But as the intensity of final year takes hold, Isabel does the unthinkable and starts to put on weight. ..
And then, into this sealed female environment, the boys arrive, eager to choose a bride.

Freida must fight for her future – even if it means betraying the only friend, the only love, she has ever known. . .  (Goodreads)

It has taken me a while to review this book. Not only because I haven’t had time until now, but also because I don’t actually know how to review this book. This book basically took todays society and presented in one of the most shocking ways possible, that it really highlights the flaws in today’s society, which may be noticed, but are normally brushed away.

Women are no longer born, in this book, they are bred. They are bred for the sole purpose of pleasing men – whether as a companion, a concubine, or a chastity. They spend their entire lives worrying about the way they look. They have to keep to a certain weight, look a certain way, act a certain way – otherwise they are not considered to be attractive. I guess, this is how women act today. Most women do watch their weights, make sure they look presentable, don’t go out without hair and make up done, do act ‘ladylike’. All because we aren’t considered to be attractive if we don’t. It’s pretty crazy. O’Neill really does create a world that we should be scared of. Whilst we (women) may still be born naturally, we are heading in the direction of being this extreme in how we look.

The characters were people who I would run a mile from. They follow the crowds, swarm around the popular people, and will ditch you if you make a wrong move or if you are no longer popular enough. They are bitchy, typical girls in competition! I found it difficult to like any of the characters, including the main character, because there was just no characteristic shown that I would look for in a normal everyday person. Hell, even most of the chastities were horrible!! Thank goodness they weren’t my teachers!

Can I just say that ending?? O’Neill already broke me once with the ending from Asking for It and she went and did it again so soon afterwards in this! Whilst, I didn’t really like the MC all that much, I was still rooting for her a little bit, based purely on the society she is in and the amount of pressure she is under. I felt really sorry for her and I just… hated that ending!! She went through all of that, endured everything she did, just to get was she did. So unjust!

I really enjoyed this book. It was a scary, over exaggerated version of today’s society! The ending killed me, just like she did before and I look forward to more from this author. I gave this book 4/5 stars.

Asking for It by Louise O’Neill

It’s the beginning of the summer in a small town in Ireland. Emma O’Donovan is eighteen years old, beautiful, happy, confident. One night, there’s a party. Everyone is there. All eyes are on Emma.

The next morning, she wakes on the front porch of her house. She can’t remember what happened, she doesn’t know how she got there. She doesn’t know why she’s in pain. But everyone else does.

Photographs taken at the party show, in explicit detail, what happened to Emma that night. But sometimes people don’t want to believe what is right in front of them, especially when the truth concerns the town’s heroes… (Goodreads)

I added this to my TBR after seeing it on Penguin’s recommended list for books featuring sexual assault. Of course, I had to add it after reading quite a few reviews about it! I have mixed feelings about this book.

I liked the way the book was written. It was split between the before and the after. The during is not featured because Emma can’t remember what happened. During the before, I found Emma to be a very annoying and self centred character. She was good looking and she knew it. Normally, I would run a thousand miles from girls like this, because they are normally the bitchiest. She was a flirt, she wore revealing clothes, because she knew she could get away with it and she did tend to lead and string men along.

The after were the effects on her after she admitted to herself that she had been raped. She struggled to deal with it. She no longer found herself attractive, instead finding herself to be dirty and unwanted. She withdrew from everyone else and became depressed and a recluse. This is also the consequence of the social media aspect.

I think this book sends a very strong message about rape culture amongst teenagers or young people in today’s society. A girl who was passed out because of too much alcohol or because she took something she shouldn’t have taken, who then gets raped, is branded as a slut or a whore on social media, and she told time and time again that she was asking for it. Why would she go out wearing revealing clothing and drink that much, when she didn’t want something to happen to her? I hate this opinion. I am someone who wears (or used to wear before I had a baby and now have baby fat) revealing clothes – does that mean I am asking to be raped because the man can’t handle himself?? *Breathe* This book riled me up.

I was also miffed with the ending. I can understand why the author would write the ending this way, after reading the afterwords, but it still upset me. She got no justice for what had happened to her and she had to act like everything was alright and returning back to normal. I just wanted to throw something when I finished this book!

Overall, I enjoyed this book in the sense that it sent a pretty strong message about rape culture. I thought the beginning was a little bit slow, but when I got into the book, it was a pretty quick read. I gave this book 4/5 stars.