BLOGMAS DAY 20 : Currently-Reading (20/12/2017) Hey Guys! I was really struggling on deciding what to do for the post today as I've run out of ideas. I thought I'd do a currently reading update like I used to. The last one I did was over two years ago now, but in 2018 I want to do it as a weekly thing, so I thought it'd be good practice. If you haven't read one of my currently reading posts before, I basically just show you what I'm currently reading and talk about how I'm finding it and how many pages I am through. Carry on reading! Truly Madly Awkward (#2) by Beth Garrod Currently on p170 of 320. I'm really enjoying this, but just haven't had much time to read lately, but now I've finished school for Christmas I'm hoping to finish it by the end of the week. Synopsis: Bella Fisher is back - and is cool, calm and collected as ever. So: NOT EVEN REMOTELY. Her fledgling relationship with Hot Adam seems to have stalled mid-flight (he isn't really speaking to her), her big sister Jo has gone off to university leaving Bella to deal with ditzy Mum on her own, something is up with her best-friend-dynamic with Tegan and Rachel and horror of horrors, horrendous ex-boyfriend Luke has an ACTUAL MODEL as his new girlfriend. Mum opens up a doggy ice cream parlour - Give a Dog a Cone - which Bella is forced to help out at on Saturdays. Yes, dressed up as a dog. For some light relief she enters a radio competition to secure a performance from hot band of the moment The Helicans at her school - but another contestant begins turning into her sabotaging nemesis. Throw in a suspicious new lodger and the world's most chaotic dog agility course and you've got another truly hilarious, truly relatable and truly madly awkward story! GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36156865-truly-madly-awkward?ac=1&from_search=true BD - https://www.bookdepository.com/Truly-Madly-Awkward/9781407166414 How I Magically Messed Up My Life In Four Freakin' Days by Megan O'Russell Currently on p87 of X Pages. This is a review book that I requested and I should have already read and reviewed it, but I was struggling to get into. Hopefully over the next week or so I can get a good amount of it read and maybe get more invested in the story. Synopsis: Ever wanted to grow a five-story tall flower in central park? How about fight a deadly battle under the subway tunnels of Manhattan? Don't worry. I never wanted to either. But if you're ever being chased by ladies made of mist and you have to save the girl with the sparkly eyes you've never had the guts to say actual words to, there's an app for that. I found a magic cell phone, opened an app I shouldn't have, burned down the set shop for my high school's theatre, and it was all downhill from there. A drag queen seer who lives under a bridge is my only hope for keeping my mom alive, and I think the cops might be after me for destroying my dad's penthouse. But it gets better! Now I'm stuck being the sidekick to the guy who got me into this mess in the first place. It'll be a miracle if I survive until Monday. GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32231955-how-i-magically-messed-up-my-life-in-four-freakin-days?ac=1&from_search=true BD - https://www.bookdepository.com/How-I-Magically-Messed-Up-My-Life-in-Four-Freakin-Days-Megan-ORussell/9781976416293 BYE!
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BLOGMAS DAY 19: My Favourite Christmas Movies Hey Guys! It's the 19th of December and I've finally broken up from school for Christmas! Woo! I'll finally have some more time to read, blog and hopefully restart up my bookstagram over the next 2 weeks or so. I've mentioned a couple of times over these BLOGMAS posts that I was going to do a post dedicated to some of my favourite Christmas movies and it's finally here. Most of these films will be actual Christmas movies but some others that I include are just movies that I personally love to watch at this time of year. I was going to try an do a top 10 or top 5, but there are so many that I wanted to include that I thought it was easier to do without that. As I go through I'll sort of say how much I love certain films so you get a feel for my very top favourites. Carry on reading! Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone/Any of the Harry Potter films I know this isn't a Christmas film, but there is something that watching a Harry Potter film at this time of year makes me feel all wintery and cosy. I tend to watch these after Christmas heading into the new year, but really I'll watch a Harry Potter film any time of the year. About : Harry Potter has learned to live with his bullying Uncle Vernon, his callous Aunt Petunia and the constant whining of his greedy, spoiled cousin Dudley. He's even learned to live with sleeping in the cupboard under the stairs. Harry's relatives have just as reluctantly learned to live with the unwelcome presence of their orphaned relation, a constant reminder of Petunia's "wayward" sister and brother-in-law and their mysterious and untimely demise. Even the impending arrival of his 11th birthday offers no excitement for Harry- as usual, there's little chance of cards, presents or any kind of birthday treat. This year, however, is different. On his 11th birthday, Harry learns that he is the orphaned son of two powerful wizards and possesses unique magical powers of his own. Invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry embarks on the adventure of a lifetime. At Hogwarts, he finds the home and family he has never had. Home Alone I'm sure this is a favourite for most people, but I just had to include it. I tend to watch Home Alone 2: Lost in New York more than the original, but it's also a great one. I haven't watched the original in a couple of years, so I must find time to watch it this year. About: Home Alone is the highly successful and beloved family comedy about a young boy named Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) who is accidentally left behind when his family takes off for a vacation in France over the holiday season. Once he realizes they've left him "home alone," he learns to fend for himself and, eventually has to protect his house against two bumbling burglars (Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern) who are planning to rob every house in Kevin's suburban Chicago neighborhood. Though the film's slapstick ending may be somewhat violent, Culkin's charming presence helped the film become one of the most successful ever at the time of its release. The Grinch I'm sure everyone has heard of the Grinch and though it's not right at the top of my favourites list, it is still one of those ones that makes me feel all cosy and festive inside. About: The curmudgeonly recluse Grinch, who hates Christmas, becomes annoyed with the out-of-control Christmas festivities in Whoville, the town lying below his cave dwelling on Mt. Crumpit. But after the Grinch conspires to deprive the Who's of their favorite holiday by sneaking into town on Christmas eve to steal everything associated with the holiday, he learns that the spirit of Christmas goes much deeper than tinsel and toys. Jingle All The Way I used to love this one when I was younger. I haven't watched this in a couple of years, but the other day I was scrolling through Netflix and saw it had been added, so it's definitely on my to watch list before Christmas. About: Howard is a work-a-holic who is so self-absorbed that he forgets to buy his son's Christmas present -- Turbo Man. When Christmas Eve finally comes, he must go on a mad dash to find it, letting nothing, not even maniac mailman Myron, cool his jets. Christmas With The Kranks This is a new favourite for me as I watched it for the first time at the start of this month. I'd never seen it before, but I really loved it and know I'm just going to have to watch it again before Christmas. About: Based on John Grisham's novel Skipping Christmas, Christmas With the Kranks revolves around Nora (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Luther Krank's (Tim Allen) decision to put their normally fanatical enthusiasm for the holidays aside for a tropical cruise. With their daughter in Peru with the Peace Corps, the Kranks believe it just isn't worth it; thus, no presents, Christmas trees, or decorations of any kind will adorn their house to the great consternation of their neighbor Vic (Dan Aykroyd). Just as it looks like Christmas will be successfully skipped, Blair (Julie Gonzalo) throws a major kink into her plans when she suddenly has a change of heart and announces she'll be coming home for Christmas after all. The film ran into troubles early on in production when Ben Affleck's similar sounding bomb Surviving Christmas won the race to the theaters, forcing the filmmakers to depart from the book title in favor of the catchy Kranks one. Nativity! I watched this for the first time about 2 years ago and it just makes me smile. I haven't yet watched the 2nd or 3rd ones, but I hope to this year. About : In this British feel-good Christmas film, primary school teacher Paul Maddens (Martin Freeman) is given the biggest challenge of his life -- staging the school's musical version of the Nativity. As competition with the posh local school heats up, Paul idly raises the stakes to an insurmountable level, claiming that his ex-girlfriend Jennifer (Ashley Jenson), a Hollywood Producer, is coming to see his show with the intent to turn it into a film -- massive dilemma, since they haven't spoken in years! To make matters worse Paul's newly appointed assistant (Mark Wootton) has taken strides in fuelling his "little white lie," making matters a whole lot more complicated as Maddens finds himself in the midst of much unwanted attention. Squabbling parents and over-excited children will join forces in their bid for fame and fortune. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation I've saved the best till last! This is probably my all-time favourite Christmas film as it just makes me laugh and smile every time. I've watched it every year ever since I can remember and for me it makes my Christmas build-up even more special. About : Chevy Chase, star of National Lampoon's Vacation and its sequel, is back as the paterfamilias of the Griswold family (including Beverly D'Angelo as his missus) to skewer the Yuletide season. Chevy mugs, trips, falls, mashes his fingers and stubs his toes as he prepares to invite numerous dysfunctional relatives to his household to celebrate Christmas. Amidst the more outrageous sight gags (including the electrocution of a cat as the Christmas tree is lit) the film betrays a sentimental streak, with old wounds healing and long-estranged relatives reuniting in the Griswold living room. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation was still capable of attracting an audience five years after its release -- it was one of the top-rated seasonal TV specials of 1994, outrating even the first network telecast of It's a Wonderful Life. That was 7 of my favourite films to watch at Christmas. I could've probably included more, but my mind sort of went blank and I couldn't think of anymore. I hope you guys enjoyed and make sure to let me know your favourite Christmas films in the comments below and maybe I'll hear of some new ones.
BYE! BLOGMAS DAY 18: Blitz - HeartBREAKER by Lila Felix Hey Guys! It's the 18th of December today. It feels like this month has flew past and tomorrow I break up from school for Christmas break! This post is going to be for the book blitz of HeartBREAKER by Lila Felix, which is the second book in the AnguiSH series. The series is a YA Contemporary Romance and HeartBREAKER has been released today (18th). I get to share with you some teaser quotes as well as an international giveaway at the end. Carry on reading! HeartBREAKER by Lila Felix (AnguiSH, #2) Published by: Clean Teen Publishing Publication date: December 18th 2017 Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult Synopsis: Breaker James is no longer the boy locked in a prison of his own making. He’s not afraid to leave his house, and he doesn’t need Ash twenty-four hours a day, just to function—just to breathe. Hell, lately it feels like he might not need her much at all anymore. He’s a heart breaker, pure and simple. Turns out love is easy when you’re secluded from the outside world. Maybe Ash is the one who is afraid now…afraid she’s done her job a little too well. Can she learn how to let Breaker love her, now that he doesn’t need her to be his crutch? HeartBREAKER is the endearing companion story to Lila Felix’s best-selling AnguiSH novel. Fall in love with Breaker James all over again! Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36469829-heartbreaker Purchase: Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Heartbreaker-AnguiSH-novels-Book-2-ebook/dp/B076NVYSRF B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/heart-breaker-lila-felix/1118624565?ean=2940154596081 iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/heartbreaker/id1299748850?mt=11 Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/heartbreaker-56 Get book 1 for 99¢ for a limited time: Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/AnguiSH-novels-Book-1-ebook/dp/B07688KLQD/ B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/anguish-lila-felix/1115664373?ean=2940154515921 Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/anguish-4 iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/anguish/id1273748320?mt=11 “Everyone is afraid of orchids. They think they’ll give them too much water, or not enough. So they pass them by. Ash never passed me by. The rest of the world thought I was fickle and out of reach. She never did. And everything she does is just right for me.” Lila Felix is full of antics and stories. She refused to go to Kindergarten after the teacher made her take a nap on the first day of school. She staged her first protest in middle school. She almost flunked out of her first semester at Pepperdine University because she was enthralled with their library and frequently was locked in. Now her husband and three children have to put up with her rebel nature in Louisiana where her days are filled with cypress trees, crawfish, and of course her books and writing. She writes about the ordinary people who fall extraordinarily in wild, true love. Author links: https://twitter.com/authorlilafelix http://www.lilafelix.com/ https://www.facebook.com/lila.felix.96 https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6519682.Lila_Felix "In most instances, I was strong—I could handle anything. But something about Breaker James—well, broke me. I guess that’s the other tough thing about love—it exposes your weaknesses and shines a spotlight on them. Apparently one of my weaknesses was feeling like Breaker didn’t need me anymore. That his need for me in his life had come and gone. Expired. Fizzled to nothing. Breaker was breaking me again. God, it felt beautiful to be broken. " GIVEAWAY - ENDS JANUARY 7TH 2018
Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)
BYE! Spoiler-Free Review: The Girl In The Glass Box by Andi Adams Hey Guys! I'm finally back with another review! This time it's for a review book that I requested, The Girl In The Glass Box by Andi Adams. I read this back in November and have been meaning to write my review for it ever since. It's a YA Snow White fairy retelling with some twists. Carry on reading! The Girl In The Glass Box by Andi Adams Synopsis: A witch. An apple. A mirror. That’s all most people think of when they recall the story of Snow White. But the truth is rarely so simple. What if the Queen wasn’t born evil and the princess wasn’t always so pure of heart? Is it possible that these two women could have ended up in one another’s place? The Girl in the Glass Box tells the story of Agrippine and Genevieve, two women who are not all that different, but who quickly learn through a series of choices, encounters, and devastating losses that the course of their fates can change in an instant. Through the influences of the people they love and lose, both are redefined as their stories head for a different sort of happily-ever-after. Review
*I requested to review this book through XpressoTours. My review is honest and my own opinion.* When I requested this, I was really in the mood for it, but I thought I'd leave starting it till it was a bit closer to the review deadline. I do this often and I should know by now that this is a pretty bad thing to do. I ended up losing interest as I normally do and ended up sort of forcing myself to pick it up to just try and start it. I'm so happy that this book captured me from the start and it was easy to get into as I ended up really wanting to read it. It was easy to settle into and I found the story so interesting, I struggled to put it down at times. I know the story of Snow White well as I used to love it as a child and I was slightly worried on how Andi would interpret/use the fairy tale. I was apprehensive starting it, but I really wish I had done sooner. In The Girl In The Glass Box, Agrippine is the evil Stepmother and Genevieve is the character Snow White. I thought Agrippine was brilliantly written as she definitely lived up to her evil self and I liked how we got to see some of her childhood to begin with and the reasons behind why she grew up to be who she is. I couldn't help but feel sympathy towards her even though she was quite evil. Genevieve was another great character and I loved how she tried to be a strong female character. I was hooked to the storyline and there was never a dull moment. I enjoyed how we got to see from Agrippine and Genevieve's POVs and it was cool to see how the two characters differ from each other. There were some emotional bits and I felt as if a bond had grown between me and these characters and I really didn't want it to end. The ending was good, but I feel it was rushed a bit. I also feel as if I didn't get to see as big of a reaction from certain characters as I hoped. I thought it was going to be quite emotional and dramatic, but I was left slightly disappointed. Overall, I enjoyed this book for the most part and I'm glad I read it. I'd definitely recommend if you're looking for a new fairy tale retelling. Rate - 4.5/5 GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30368932-the-girl-in-the-glass-box?ac=1&from_search=true BD - https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Girl-in-the-Glass-Box-Andi-Adams/9781945495014?ref=grid-view&qid=1513538094400&sr=1-1 If you guys know of any good fairy tale retellings, leave them in the comments below and I'll add them to my list to give a go. BYE! |
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