Top Ten Tuesday Eight

Top ten goals/ resolutions

Top ten Tuesday is a weekly feature/meme by The Broke and Bookish.  For this weeks topic, I could only come up with six main book and blog related resolutions for 2015, but I thought I'd share them with you anyway, so here they are:

1) Read 50 books/ 50 book challenge - This whole year I have had a massive reading lapse, so i figured that if I have an aim to read 50 books, then I might start reading more frequently and hopefully next year will be a better one for reading!

2) Keep up with my blogging - Since I started this blog in August, I have not been the best at uploading regular posts, particularly in the very beginning.  I'm also scared that I will completely forgot about this in the months to come, so my big aim is to keep this up and to post more regularly.

3) Read more books on my TBR list - This is definitely one which I desperately need to do next year, as I currently have so many books on my shelf that I have yet to read, some which have been up there for far too long, so next year I plan to drastically decrease the list of books I need to read.  

4) Read more classics - I feel so bad for having to admit this, but I have never actually read any classics outside of the ones we read in school, so this is a definite goal for next year in terms of reading.

5) Read more bookish blogs - Despite having a blog dedicated to books and all things related to them, I am so bad at actually reading other blogs, and I'm starting to feel like I need to begin doing this, to support other bloggers like me, so next year I aim to start reading many more bookish blogs.

6) Finish all the series I started this year - Over the last year, I have started so many different series, such as the Percy Jackson and The Mortal Instruments books, but I have yet to finish a lot of them, so I would definitely like to read the rest of the books in these series before the end of 2015.

7) Discover and read new authors - This isn't really something that I haven't done this year, but more something that I would like to continue to do next year, as I love it when I discover a new author that I love and can dive into their treasure cove of books! 

My True Love Gave To Me by Various Authors

Just a short review today as this is a Christmassy book, so that means there also won't be any songs, as these would be festive, but I will still add in books as some of them may work all year round.

Review: 

As you may have guessed, I recently read this in the run up to Christmas, to get me in more of a festive mood.  This added to the fact that it contained 12 short stories, it was almost a given that I would enjoy this - which I did.

I loved pretty much all of these short stories, with myself only truly disliking one, and they really filled me with even more Christmas spirit! I loved the style of writing of most of the stories again, and I have definitely discovered some new authors who I will make sure to check out soon. My personal favourites were The Lady and The Fox by Kelly Link, Its a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown by Stephanie Perkins, and Welcome to Christmas, CA by Kiersten White, although it was a very close call!

I actually haven't read all of the stories in here yet, as two of them centered around New Years Eve but I have no problem with this  as it will give me something extra to read to get me in the spirit for that.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book for next year, as it's great for busy festive seasons and will keep you entertained on cold winter nights! 

Quotes:

"There are two types of children.  The kind who believe and the kind who don't.  Every year, it seems there are fewer in the world who do.  Papa says it's not an easy thing to ask a child to believe in what they can't see; he says it's its own magic.  He says that if you have that magic inside you, you should protect it all your life and never let it go, because once it's gone, it's gone forever.""Tomorrow would be different, Sophie understood this.

There really was no such thing as a minor miracle.""Rules make people feel safe.  But they can turn into judgments.  Condemnation is easy, Vaughn.  The harder choice is love..." "I'm of the opinion that," she said, tucking her arm around mine, "that if you let a single life event define you, then all you need to change things - if you want them to change - is another." "But people don't need to remember how it felt to be happy and safe in the past. They need to have hope that they can get there again in the future."

Other Books: 

Let It Snow by Various Authors - These three interconnected Christmas short stories will make you believe that Christmas Eve is truly magical!How They Met and Other Short Stories  by David Levithan - These short stories are ones that can be read at any point in the year when you need a little reading push or are simply a little short of time for a full book. Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn - (review here)  Another Christmas read, this tale is about two teenagers who spend their Christmas completing tasks set by the other, all whilst they only communicate through family, friends and a small red notebook... 

Top Ten Tuesday Seven

Top Ten Books I wouldn't mind Santa bringing me this year

Top ten tuesday is a weekly feature/meme by The Broke and Bookish.  This topic was definitely not one that I found at all difficult, seeing as most of these have been on my wishlist on my phone for a while now.  So here are my top ten books that I wouldn't mind Santa bringing me this year: 

1) Cinder by Marissa Meyer - This book is one I have only heard of through book tubers, but the concept has now grown on me so much that I am quite happy with Santa bringing me this.

2) Just Like Fate by Cat Patrick - I love Cat Patrick, but for some unknown reason I have yet to pick up this, so, particularly after not reading her for a long time, this book is certainly one high up on my wish list!

3) The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater- I have attempted to read this book once before, but gave up after a mere 40 pages.  But after hearing that this is just a book that takes a while to get into, I would be quite pleased if I discovered this in my stocking on Christmas morning.

4) Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell - I have heard so many good things about this book and after reading Eleanor and Park earlier this year, I would be more than happy to receive this this year.

5) Numbers 3: Infinity by Rachel Ward - After reading the first two books, I only discovered there was a third recently, so for me this would finally complete a trilogy I have grown to love.

6) Girl of Nightmares by Kendrae Blake - I  read Anna Dressed in Blood only about a month ago and so this has been on my wish list ever since!

7) The Midnight Palace by Carlos Ruiz Zafon - As you may know, The Prince of Mist is likely one of my favourite books of all time, so I am more than eager to read another book by this author, something I can't believe I haven't done already!

8) Across the Universe by Beth Revis - I have heard so much about this book that I feel the need to read it and see what all the fuss is about.  Plus, it's sci-fi, a genre I am keen to read more off...

9) Long Lankin by Lindsey Barraclough - I honestly found about this book only this morning, but it drew me in so much, (being horror and ghostly and all) that this has become a late addition to my list!

10) I ll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson - Finally, this is another book I only very recently heard about, but soon found myself really intrigued to know more, so this contemporary would be one that would be very welcome underneath my tree!

Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn

Review:

This is the first Christmassy book I have read, despite only realizing it was set over  Christmas last week, and I honestly loved it! I know I say this about sooo many books, but this time I truly mean it.  This quirky book made me laugh out loud whilst still causing me to think, all the while getting me even more festive than I was before!

Firstly, the concept: it is so unique and nothing like I've read before, but it works so well! It takes the cliche way of falling in love through letters and completely turns it on its head, making it funnier and more realistic than you ever could have guessed.  The storyline also allows you not only to know them through words, but as people, something even the main characters are behind you on.  It lets you peek into both of their lives and watch as they intertwine throughout the book.

Now, no book is complete without good characters; and, personally, I loved all of these! I liked how different all the characters were, particularly Dash and Lily, who weren't the classic 'meant to be' type.  They all seemed so real that I often found myself relating to Lily, a girl who was nothing like I expected her to be, and sometimes even Dash, whose love of words really connects to a reader.  

Another element that unusually drew me in was the setting.  I loved the references to book shops and overall just the entire location of New York over Christmas and New Year.  The many everyday places that creep up through the story also keep it close to normality, just with a few magical touches! 

So, if you haven't already guessed, I adore this book!  It's just so quirky and unique that I couldn't help but love it.  If your looking for a book to read, then definitely pick it up, before Christmas passes, because this is certainly worth a read! 

Quotes (Again, way too in this book for me to just write down three):

It's that leap, that understanding that leads to meaning.  A lot of the time in life we're still just sounding things out.  We know the sentences and how to say them.  we know the ideas and how to present them.  We know the prayers and which words to say in what order.  But that's only spelling.  
 The notebook is a strange instrument - the player doesn't know the music until it's being played.
Yes, girls want their princes, but boys want their princesses just as much... Be careful what you're doing, because no one is ever who you want them to be.  And the less you really know them, you more likely you are to confuse them with the girl or boy in your head.
We all just took the bookshop at its word, because if you couldn't trust a bookshop, what could you trust?
Fate has a strange way of making plans.

Songs:

Somebody Out There - A Rocket to the Moon - I feel as though a lot of this book is about the person in your head, and finding them, and so this song fits quite well with this.

Happily Ever After - He is We - I think this relates mostly to the end, but also kind of the beginning, as it talks about going for something out of your comfort zone, plus the bridge fits perfectly with the book.

Everybody - Ingrid Michaelson - This is just so quirky and fits sooo well to the story.

Other books:

Let it Snow by Various Authors - Another Christmassy book containing three short stories that all intertwine...

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith - Another short romantic story about two people who meet in an unexpected way. 

How They Met by David Levithan - A collection of romantic short stories, some which are quite quirky.  

Top Ten Tuesday Six

Top Ten Books I Read in 2014

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature/meme by The Broke and Bookish and this weeks topic is top ten books I have read in the last year.  I'll admit - I haven't been the best at reading this year... I don't know why, but looking back, I seem to not have read as much as I thought I have.  Despite this though, I did still read quite a few good books, so here are my top ten from the last 12 months:

1) Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins - I only recently read this, but I really enjoyed it, as it gave me a lighter romantic read, but whilst still being a good one!

2) Insurgent by Veronica Roth - I read all three books in the Divergent trilogy before the first movie came out in April, and, despite a lot of people disagreeing, Insurgent was my favourite book out of all of them.

3) Numbers 2: The Chaos by Rachel Ward - I read Numbers last year, and loved it, but somehow this, the sequel, was better.  I loved the storylines of both the characters and liked how they intertwined at major moments, so this was a must for the list.

4) Looking For Alaska by John Green - This is my favourite John Green book that I have read so far (I have yet to read both Will Grayson, Will Grayson and An Abundance of Katherines).

5) Light By Michael Grant - I finally finished the Gone series very early this year, this being the first book I read in 2014, and, seeing as this is one of, if not my all time favourite series, so I had to put this one in.

6) We Were Liars by E. Lockhart - I picked this up as a 'light summer read' and soon found out that there was a lot more to this book than I first thought.  I loved the style of writing and deep storyline, and this was definitely my favourite read from the summer.

7) City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare - I know I'm a bit late to this series (I've still only read the first two!) but I'm loving the series so far, and this, the second book in the series, was my favourite out of the first two.

8) How They Met by David Levithan - This collection of short stories is one book which I keep coming back to whenever I want a short read, and I know it has and will keep me entertained, so I felt as though it deserved a place.

9) Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendrae Blake - I only finished this around a week ago, but I really enjoyed it, particularly the slight horror element, so I wanted to add in this one.

10) The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - This is likely my favourite book that i have ever read, so I didn't really have a choice in putting this one in.

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Review - 

This book took me so long to read, seeing as it has taken me over 3 weeks to read, and I don't even know why!  I really enjoyed this book, particularly when it got to the end, and so I can only guess at why I kept putting off reading it.

Firstly, I really liked the characters.  When I first started this, I got the sense that there would be very few characters involved in the story-line, the author instead deciding to focus solely on the main character; this, however, was not the case.  Quickly characters were introduced and I soon found myself beginning to like them.  I particularly liked Anna, and very quickly felt myself sympathizing with her, and her story was an aspect that I felt was written very well.  

Another thing I loved was the plot.  I liked how the story was not as simple as it first looked, although this did mean it sometimes dragged on.  However, overall I really enjoyed the various plot twists and definitely didn't see them coming.  

Now onto the few bad comments I have, one of which is the lack of horror.  When I picked this up, I honestly was mainly looking for a horror book with bite, but I feel as though this didn't deliver this.  This may have been my fault, however I still would have liked for the book to have played more onto the scary element.

The other feature I would have liked to have seen more of was the romance.  I am aware that horror and romance don't really work well together, but I still think this should have been played on more.

So to end, I would likely recommend this book, but it was not one of my favourites, but I am still keen to read Girl of Nightmares in the future to see if my wishes are granted!

Quotes:

"Anna is nothing like I've ever seen before.... She's death itself, gruesome and senseless, and even when she's dressed in blood and veins I can't help but stare."
"And the game is a whole lot more dangerous this time around."
“I’ve seen most of what there is to be afraid of in this world, and to tell you the truth,
the worst of them are the ones that make you afraid in the light. The things that your eyes see plainly and can’t forget are worse than huddled black figures left to the imagination. Imagination has a poor memory; it slinks away and goes blurry. Eyes remember for much longer.” 
We’re not children, neither of us. We don’t believe in fairy tales. And if we did, who would we be? Not Prince Charming and Sleeping Beauty. I slice murder victims’ heads off and Anna stretches skin until it rips, she snaps bones like green branches into smaller and smaller pieces. We’d be the fricking dragon and the wicked fairy. I know that. But I still have to tell her.” 

Songs:

Alone Together - Fall Out Boy 
City of Angels - Thirty Seconds to Mars 
Cosmic Love - Florence and the Machine 

Other Books:

The Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafon - This is one of my favourite books that I have ever read, and it 's a horror book, so I definitely suggest giving it a go!
Invisibility by David Levithan and Andrea Cremer - Despite the negative reviews, I quite liked this, and it kind of incorporates ghosts as the main character is invisible (as you can tell by the title) and impossible romance, so give it a try.
Looking for Alaska by John Green - I know this doesn't tackle ghosts as much, but it does deal with discovering how and why someone died, and it's a really good book! 

Top Ten Tuesday Five

Top ten new-to-me authors I read in 2014

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly event/meme hosted by The Broke and Bookish.  This year I found myself reading a whole range of new authors and series that I fell in love with, so here are my top picks from 2014:

1)E. Lockhart  - I read We were Liars in the summer and it is by far one of my favourite books I have read this year, so she needed to be here. 

2) Cassandra Clare - This year i finally picked up the mortal instruments series and, although I'm still only on book three, I am loving them, so she had to be on the list.

3) David Levithan - Everyday was pretty much the first book I read this year and, despite a disappointing ending, I enjoyed it.  Seeing as i have also read and enjoyed both Invisibility (co-written by him) and How They Met (a collection of short stories which i often find myself coming back to) i wanted to give him a spot on my top ten.

4) Stephanie Perkins - I love Stephanie Perkins books so much that it seems weird to think I have only read two of her books (I have yet to read Isla and the Happily Ever After) so it would be stupid to leave her off the list.

5)  John Green - I can't believe i only discovered John Green this year, but I am so glad that i did! He has been one of my favourite authors from this entire year and I am so excited to read the two books that i have not yet read of his.

6) Rainbow Rowell - I have only read Eleanor and Park so far from her, but ended up really enjoying it! It also got me very excited to read other books such as Fangirl and Attachments, books which i hope to read some time next year. 

7) Markus Zusak - Again, despite only reading one of his books, The Book Thief is one of my favourite books of all time, let alone this year, so it was an easy decision to place him on the list.

8) Rick Riordan - Again the Percy Jackson series is another that only this year began to read and, despite having my initial doubts, have found myself wanting to continue the series and hope to read the third one very soon! 

9) Veronica Roth - I have very mixed feelings for Veronica Roth and the Divergent trilogy after loving the first two books but disliking Allegiant.  However, it is still a series which gripped me, even when i hated it, and so Veronica Roth had to make a place on the list.

Forgotten Friday Three

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins 

Another Forgotten Friday, as i have been really behind on reading lately, but hopefully I will get back into the swing of things soon. Like We Were Liars, this was one i read and reviewed in the summer, and i thought it would be appropriate seeing as i recently reviewed Lola and the Boy Next Door(review here), so here it is:

Review: 

Another one of my summer reads here!  Firstly, I really enjoyed this and may even go as far as to say I loved it; I definitely like it enough to want to read Lola and the boy next door at least!

I think everyone can in some way relate to liking a friend as more than a friend and I think this element is played really well in this book.  I loved how it kept me on my toes, with a twist of the plot just around the corner.  I really felt for Anna through most of the book and was only really against her at one or two points.  I liked I could relate to her and liked how she stood up for her friends as well.

As for the other characters:  I think we all guess can guess that I did like St. Clair and fell for him through most of the book.  But I have to admit that at times I just wanted to shout into my book at him.  He definitely annoyed me at times but I’m glad that I didn’t end the book hating him.   I also really liked the character of Rashmi, even at the beginning I wasn’t sure about her (I don’t know why!).  I think it might have been how she and Anna slowly became better friends and how we learnt more about her character throughout the book.

I think that my favourite part of this book has to be the ending.  I loved how it resolved everything (something I believe a good ending should do) and still gave me something that I didn’t see coming.  I think this was also the section that made my heart swoon the most!

Overall, I really enjoyed it, a great summer read and has got me very excited to read more Stephanie Perkins.

Quotes:

“I wish friends held hands more often, like the children I see on the streets sometimes. I'm not sure why we have to grow up and get embarrassed about it.” “For the two of us, home isn't a place. It is a person. And we are finally home.”“I mean, really. Who sends their kid to boarding school? It's so Hogwarts. Only mine doesn't have cute boy wizards or magic candy or flying lessons.” 

Songs:

What means the most –Colbie CaillatTreacherous – Taylor SwiftThe Writer - Ellie Goulding 

Other books:  

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins - I couldn’t not recommend this, especially since some of the characters from this one crop up in Lola as well.Jasmine Skies by Sita Brahmachari- If you liked the aspect of travel or finding love in a different country then read this – it’s set in India.

Looking For Alaska by John Green - Set in a boarding school but with a deeper story line.

Forgotten Friday Two

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart 

I read and reviewed this book in the summer, but never actually posted it, so here is my second Forgotten Friday post:

Review:

I loved this!  I swear when I first picked this up, I had no idea how much I would love.  It was another one of those books that I brought purely for a light, easy summer read but I cannot express how wrong I was. 

Without giving too much away (I think it’s a book to go into without knowing a thing beforehand) it tells the story of Cadence Sinclair and her family; I don’t think I should say anymore without ruining anything.

I think all I say is don’t be deceived as I was!  Although I did enjoy reading it over the summer, I wouldn’t read it if you are not open to reading a smart book with a tragic centre to its story.  That said, I did love this book, particularly the writing which reminded me of a lyrical or poetic style at times.  I adored the journey I went on with it as you do learn more and more as the book continues.  Finally, no matter how well you think you know the story, be prepared for a shocker of an ending as it truly is one that I don’t think anyone could guess.  It leaves a final blow that left me both confused and surprised. 

Quotes: 

“They took the matches from her and they struck them.  The witch watched their beauty burn, their bounce, their intelligence, their wit, their open hearts, their charm, their dreams for the future.She watched it all disappear in smoke.”“Tragedy is ugly and tangled, stupid and confusing.That is what the children know.And they know that the storiesAbout their familyAre both true and untrue.There are endless variations.And people will continue to tell them.”"He was contemplation and enthusiasm. Ambition and strong coffee. I could have looked at him forever.”

Songs:

White Teeth Teens - Lorde This Love - Taylor Swift Skeletons - Nina Nesbitt 

Other Books: 

Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson- another story about friendship, but with a much lighter story lineYou Against Me by Jenny Downham (older read)The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky – I feel as though this is a similar book, likely down to the friendship element and darker background…          

Top Ten Tuesday Four

Top Ten books on my winter TBR list

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme/ feature created by The Broke and the Bookish.  This weeks topic is top ten books on my winter TBR list.  I know that this contains many books that are not new releases or particularly wintery, but i wanted to add them in anyway as they are still the ones i will hoping to read this winter:

1) My True Love Gave to Me (Twelve holiday stories) by Various Authors - This book has so many of my favourite authors in it, so i can't wait to read this!

2) How They Met by David Levithan - I love this book and think it's great for Christmas where you may not have time to read a whole book, so I will definitely be reading some of these short stories this winter!

3) Where She Went by Gayle Forman - After reading If I Stay in the summer, I don't know why or if it was just me, but i felt as though it was a wintery book, so i would love to read this soon.

4) Let it Snow by Various Authors  - I actually read this one last year, but loved it so much that I will definitely be picking it up again this year.

5) Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn - I know this is neither Christmasy or wintery, but i still really want to read this one soon, so i figured i'd still add it in

6)Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan - This book is written by two of my favourite authors, and has been on my shelf for soo loong, so i think it's about time I read this one.

7) Boyfriend Shopping by Various authors  - Again, another Christmas read, but i love getting in the spirit with books, so why not?

8)The Iron King by Julie Kagawa - I have this whole series on my book shelf, but have never even read one, so i think the new year/ Christmas would be a good time to do so.

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Review:

I have been wanting to read this for so long, after reading Anna and the French Kiss in the summer, but have only just got round to reading it.  But now I'm so glad i decided to!  I loved Anna and the French Kiss, so it was inevitable that I would have the same reaction to this; in fact, i may have loved this even more!  I like the way it's written, the story- line and adore all of the characters, and i now can't wait to read Isla and the happily ever after.

Firstly, for some reason i loved the realistic setting of this book.  Paris was such a beautiful place for the first book to be set, and i think it really helped the romance, but the typical and very everyday atmosphere here allowed this to be so much more realistic and show romance in a very normal setting.   Plus I think the next door neighbour window thing kind of created a romantic setting in itself!

I also loved the story-line.  I liked the simplicity of it and the lack of life-changing events.  I think it fitted well with the setting, and allowed everyday problems and romance to be shown well.  I liked how what might be seen as a small fight in this book affects the whole story-line in this book - it makes everything a whole lot more realistic.  I also liked the falling for a friend thing again, as i found this relatable in Anna and the French Kiss, so liked this coming back.

And the characters - i loved them!  I fell in love with Lola's originality and loved how individual she was.  I also found myself liking Lindsey as well, as she balanced Lola's boldness quite well and was always the voice of reason when it came to Max (the only character i didn't like).  I liked how involved Anna and St Clair were in the story  and thought it was clever how they fitted into this story as well.  Finally, Cricket.  As you could probably guess, i loved him.  His individual and intelligent nature worked so well with Lola's personality, and his shyness definitely helped!  I even liked how he stood up for his sister and supported her.

Overall, I just love this book!  It's such a beautiful romance, yet still realistic, and i can't wait to finish off the series!

Quotes:

(Due to the number of quotes i loved, i had to put more than three in, so sorry there's so many!)"When two people are in love, it's supposed to work.  It has to work.  No matter how difficult the circumstances are... We'll both be a success, and it'll be because of each other.                       Our love should make us a success.""Need. What a powerful, frightening word. It represented my feelings towards him but every night, my dreams placed it inside his mouth.""Our hearts beat the same wild rhythm.  They're playing the same song.""Life isn't about what you get.  It's about what you DO with what you get.""Just because something isn't practical doesn't mean it's not worth creating.  Sometimes beauty and real-life magic are enough.""I'm a child playing dress-up who can't even recognize herself under her own costume.""I know you aren't perfect.  But it's a person's imperfections that make them perfect for someone else."

Songs: 

She Will Stay Beneath the Moon - Adam Barnes How You Get the Girl  - Taylor SwiftTalking to the Moon (acoustic piano version) - Bruno Mars 

Other Books:

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith - Another romantic one that i feel relates to Stephanie Perkins books, as it centers around travel.Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell - A story about two teenage with very unique personalities so i feel it relates well to this.Forgotten by Cat Patrick  - I'm afraid I can't say why i recommend this, as I would give away major spoilers - but trust me it's romantic, mysterious and just overall amazing!

Top Ten Tuesday Three

Top ten Sequels I can't wait to get 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme/ feature created by The Broke and the Bookish.  This weeks topic is Top Ten sequels I can't wait to get.  As most of the series I am reading are finished or am not the whole way through yet, a lot of these books are already out/ mid way through a series, but i thought I'd still share my choices anyway:

1) Swear by Amanda Hocking  - As I have said so many times before, I love Amanda Hocking and her books.  I only recently discovered that there was going to be a another book in the My Blood Approves series, so I'm really excited for this one when it get's published!

2) Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins - I just finished Lola and the Boy Next Door , so I am actually planning on waiting before getting this, but that doesn't mean I'm not excited about it!

3) Numbers 3 by Rachel Ward - I love this series (particularly the second one) and again never realized that there was another book, so this is definitely one I will be picking up soon.

4) The Scorch Trials by James Dashner - Although I didn't love The Maze Runner (review here), I would still like to see where the story goes and give this series another shot.

5) The Mortal Instruments : City of Glass by Cassandra Clare  - I have read the first two of this series and desperately need to read this one!

6) Percy Jackson  and the Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan - Again, I have read the first two, but feel as though I am late to this series, so I need to continue making my way through it.

Forgotten Friday One

Revived by Cat Patrick 

Hey, so I was actually planning on reviewing the book I am currently reading today, but I haven't finished it yet, so i thought I'd try something else instead.  I got the idea for this recently after finding book reviews that I never posted, and so decided to try something new - Forgotten Friday.  This is just an idea I thought of to allow all those books I either forgot to review or that I read before blogging, be reviewed, as it not only lets me post even when I haven't finished a book, but also allows me to go back and relive some of my favourite books.  I hoping it will also be a bit of a break from usual reviews, as I will be looking back on what I remember, not talking about a book I just read.

So here is my first (and hopefully not my last!) Forgotten Friday post:

Review:

Revived is one of my all time favourite books; it is one that I constantly reread and every time I fall in love with it even more.  I love the story-line, characters and somehow, every single time I read it, the ending still gives me chills.

First off, I love the concept of the book.  Even this questions human nature and death, topics which are dealt with throughout the book.  Every plot twist makes the reader more aware of their mortality, a clever trick which wells in Patrick's favour.  I think that the concept of being brought back to life is one that can either be written very badly, or written very well, and this is one book which definitely plays it particularly well.

But what is a good story-line without good characters - something this book has a ton of.  I recently said in a top ten tuesday post that I would love to see Audrey get her own book (Top Ten Tuesday link here), and this just reflects how much I love both her and Daisy.  I like how their friendship evolves and love Audrey's carefree attitude.

Finally, I have to say that I loved the secretive atmosphere which loomed throughout the whole book.  I enjoy books where you are constantly discovering new things with the character, and with Revived this is certainly the case.  I never expected or saw any of the plot twists coming and ,despite it not being a scary book, sometimes found myself a little frightened due to some later creepy discoveries...

Overall (as i keep saying!) I adore this book and never get old of reliving it's characters, even if some scenes still give me chills!

Quotes:

“Somehow I know that eventually we'll fall back into step, so the pain is the low hum of detachment rather than the screaming stab of the end.” 

"But I've found a way to be happy with this new version of myself, the version with a missing piece but also with a better understanding of the value of friendship.

Of the value of life."

"Anger is manageable; sadness is heart-breaking."

Songs:

Fix You - Coldplay 

A World Alone - Lorde 

Worth Wondering - Bronze Radio Return

Other Books:

Forgotten by Cat Patrick - Another one I love, and it's also by Cat Patrick!

Noble Conflict by Malorie Blackman  - Also deals with secrets and conspiracy (review here)

By Any Other Name by Laura Jarrat - Another book that deals with a witness protection agency 

Top Ten Tuesday Two

Top Ten Characters you wish would get their own book

Top ten tuesday is a original feature/meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.  This weeks topic is Top ten characters you wish would get there own book.  I found this quite an interesting topic to create a list for, as I found myself looking back at characters I loved and wanted to hear more from, so here is my list:  

1) Loki from The Trylle trilogy by Amanda Hocking - I'd love to be able to read a book from his point of view, as well as being able to explore the Trylle world more!

2) Rudy from The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - I think it would just be nice to see his side of things as I feel like he also goes through a lot in the book, and being able to delve into his character more would be fun.

3) Caleb from Divergent trilogy by Veronica Roth - I know most people really hate Caleb, but for some reason I don't actually mind him, and I may even go as far as to say that I like him, so I'd quite like to learn about the reasons behind his actions to perhaps show that he is still good at heart.

4) Audrey from Revived by Cat Patrick - I love this book, but we never truly get to look too far into Audrey's back-story, so i think that it would be really good to look back on her life before she met Daisy, as this would also allow us to see more of Matt as well. 

5) Milo from My Blood Approves series by Amanda Hocking - Being Alice's brother, i'd quite like to see his view of her life and her choices, as I think it would be interesting to see his side of things rather than just hers. 

6) Alice from The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky - I feel as though Alice is perhaps a forgotten character, as she doesn't have a huge role in the book (if I remember correctly), so I think that her character could, and maybe even should, be explored so much more than it is.

7) Tyson from Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan  - Honestly, this is just because he is my favourite character from what I've read of the series so far (I've only read the first two!) and so would definitely like to see more of him.

8) Effie from the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins - Being from the capitol, Effie's view would be a very interesting one to read.  I don't believe that through the books her opinions are heard as much, so a book from her POV would be one i would be eager to pick up.

9) Alec from The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare - Again, so far (I've only read the first two books), Alec seems to be a very quiet characters, whose emotions aren't shared often, so it would be unusual to be able to get inside his head and delve deeper into his thoughts and feelings.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Review: 

I’ll be honest - I didn't love this book.  Maybe I had high expectations (after hearing good reviews and it being made into a film and all) but it didn't hook me as I would have hoped and it took me far longer than I thought to read it.  Overall I really liked, but unfortunately not enough to say i loved it (if that makes any sense..)

Firstly, i loved the characters.  I loved the contrast and range of personalities, and the names really stay in your head.  I have to admit that, as i think most people will have, i really felt for Chuck and liked seeing him throughout the book, and learning more and more about him.

I also loved the atmosphere of the book, as i feel it really added to the overall experience of reading it, particularly at the beginning.  I liked how both Thomas and us as readers were in similar situations, not knowing anything and having to learn lots of information quickly.  Although i think it was well-written like this, it did get confusing at times, even towards the end; I think this is one of the reasons why this is probably better read over a short amount of time.

Unfortunately though, i did find that i wasn't always eager to read on.  I think that at at points the writing was so detailed and the story line so complex that as the reader i wasn't as hooked as i would have liked to have been.  I sometimes found myself confused and so didn't want to pick it up and have to figure it out, but i think if i continued with the series, or hadn't taken so long to read it, it may be a different story.

So, i would say this was definitely another technical book, and so at times can be confusing, but I'd say it worth a go!

Quotes: 

"If you ain't scared," Alby said, "You ain't human.""If your going to decipher a hidden code from a complex set of different mazes, I'm pretty sure you need a girl's brain running the show.""You're the shuckiest shuck-faced shuck there ever was."

Songs: 

The Great Escape - Boys like Girls Further On  - Bronze Radio Return Laura Palmer - Bastille 

Other Books: 

Gone by Michael Grant  - I know i suggested this last time as well, but it just shows how much i love this series!  Also this has similar elements, such as no adults, a problem to solve and can be technical and confusing. Revived by Cat Patrick - although this is quite a different style of book, i do think they are similar, but i can't say anymore without ruining either book!How I Live Now by Meg Rosof  - Another one that is quite different, but with similar ideas such as survival, and escape, but in completely different circumstances.

Top Ten Tuesday One

Top ten books I want to reread

Top ten tuesday is a original feature/meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.  This weeks topic is ten books I want to reread.  This was a topic I didn't find very hard to make a list for, so here it is:

1) The Originals by Cat Patrick -  I love Cat Patrick books, and have read both Revived and Forgotten several times, so this is a story I would like to remember and love as much as I do with the other two.

2) Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman - This was the book that really made me love reading, so it's only natural that I'd love to revisit the characters and the story once more.

3) Switched by Amanda Hocking - Amanda Hocking is one of my favourite authors; I love the supernatural aspect that she puts in each of her books and adore the characters she creates.  This is the first book in the Trylle trilogy, the first series I ever read of hers and I would love to go back and reread the whole trilogy again.

4)Gone by Michael Grant - I adore this series and this is honestly my favourite book out of all them; it would be nice to go back to the start and live in the world all over again.

5)Ruby Red by Linzi Glass - I read this whilst on holiday a couple of years ago.  I don't remember much about the book and it would be nice to reread and refresh my memory of this ,as I only remember really enjoying it!

6) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins -  I read this before any of the movies came out, so I would like to go back and picture my version of it again.

7) The Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafon - This is honestly one of my all time favourite books,so rereading is a must for me.  I need to pick this up again and fall in love with the story all over again.

8) The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne - I only really remember the film adaptation of this, so I would love to reread it and follow the story through words instead of pictures.

9) Looking for Alaska by John Green - Like anyone else, I love John Green and this is my favourite of his, so I would like to go back and revisit it.

10) Numbers by Rachel Ward-  The concept of this book is like nothing I've ever read before and since I have just read the sequel it would be nice to remember the original story.

Noble Conflict By Malorie Blackman

Review - 

After not reading for a while, I decided to pick up this book as it has been sitting on my bookshelf for far too long.  Even before reading it, I had high expectations after reading Noughts and crosses, so I was hoping this was to be a good read!

Personally, I enjoyed it, but not any more than that.  It wasn’t the kind of book that I couldn’t put down, as it took a fair few weeks to finish it.  I do partly believe that it would be far better enjoyed if you are looking for an intelligent read or one that needs a bit more thought, something that I was not particularly in the mood for.  The language and plot can, at times, be very technical and perhaps hard to follow if you’re taking days between reads, so it’s definitely one better read quickly (otherwise it gets confusing).

Having said that, I did like the overall storyline and plot; it was quite slow to get going, but the last few chapters certainly made up for it.  Although the main storyline can be hard to wrap your head around, when the main questions are answered I assure you it will all make sense.  The plot twists are surprising and I definitely didn’t see them coming!

Overall, I liked this book, but read it the completely wrong time!  I would recommend it to some, but only those who want something with a complex  storyline or who can understand all the technical stuff.

 Quotes: 

·         "He felt relived, like he wasn’t actually playing the game anymore, but watching from the stands and able to enjoy the spectacle.

              He was past and present, everyone and no one.

           He was both Guardian and Insurgent."

·         "It was as if the pieces of the puzzle were starting to slot into place, but he was too far away – or maybe too close – to see the full picture."

·         "Life is about change.  And change will arrive whether we want it to or not."

Songs: 

·         I’ve got all this ringing in my ears and none on my fingers – Fall Out Boy

·         Stuck in the middle – Boys Like Girls

A love like war – All Time Low feat. Vic Fuentes

Other books:

Noughts and crosses by Malorie Blackman – I know a lot of people will have read this, but seeing as it was also by Malorie Blackman, it only seemed right to put it here.

Divergent by Veronica Roth – I don’t really know why, but I feel as though these are similar in some way, probably due to the slight technical aspect in this one; another one to read if you haven’t already.

Gone by Michael Grant – Another book that is perhaps hard to follow if you read it too slowly; a third book that is definitely worth a read, although you might have to read the whole series afterwards!