August Wrap-Up (Part 1)! Hey Guys, It feels like August has just gone on forever, but I'm back with my reading wrap-up for the month. I don't know what happened this month, but somehow I ended up reading quite a lot. I finished a lot more books that I have been in previous months and I'm really happy with the progress I'm starting to make through my TBR pile. This month I also unhauled a stack of books and took them to my local charity shop to try and clear a bit of space and it was honestly quite refreshing. So, overall August has been a pretty good month for my reading. Anyway, for a few of the books in this wrap-up I have posted or am going to post reviews, so I'll be leaving links to all the reviews below as always. I started writing this post and got about halfway through and figure it's probably going to be way to long by the time I've finished, so this will be split into two parts. So, here's the first part of my August Wrap-Up! Remix by Non Pratt Date Started - 30/7/2017 Date Finished - 1/8/2017 Synopsis: From the author of Trouble comes a new novel about boys, bands and best mates. Kaz is still reeling from being dumped by the love of her life... Ruby is bored of hearing about it. Time to change the record. Three days. Two best mates. One music festival. Zero chance of everything working out. I have got a mini-review up for this in a short post about some of the contemporary books I've read recently. I'll have it linked below. Basically, I've heard so many amazing things about Non and her books and have always wanted to give one of the books a go. I decided to try Remix first and I went into it with sort of high expectations. In the end, I was left disappointed and just found that I wasn't that invested in the story or the characters and found the two main characters to get a bit whiny and irritating. I am going to try some of Non's other books in the future and hopefully I'll enjoy them more. Rate - 3/5 GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21472663-remix?ac=1&from_search=true BD - https://www.bookdepository.com/Remix-Non-Pratt/9781406371444?ref=grid-view&qid=1504362851007&sr=1-1 Mini Review - http://sprinkleofbooks.weebly.com/blog/mini-reviews-recent-contemporary-reads1651315 The Square Root of Summer by Harriet Reuter Hapgood Date Started - 2/8/2017 Date Finished - 3/8/2017 Synopsis: This is what it means to love someone. This is what it means to grieve someone. It's a little bit like a black hole. It's a little bit like infinity. Gottie H. Oppenheimer is losing time. Literally. When the fabric of the universe around her seaside town begins to fray, she's hurtled through wormholes to her past: To last summer, when her grandfather Grey died. To the afternoon she fell in love with Jason, who wouldn't even hold her hand at the funeral. To the day her best friend Thomas moved away and left her behind with a scar on her hand and a black hole in her memory. Although Grey is still gone, Jason and Thomas are back, and Gottie's past, present, and future are about to collide—and someone's heart is about to be broken. With time travel, quantum physics, and sweeping romance, The Square Root of Summer is an exponentially enthralling story about love, loss, and trying to figure it all out, from stunning debut YA voice, Harriet Reuter Hapgood. I have a mini-review up for this! I won an arc of this last year sometime and it ended up just sitting on my TBR up to now. I was really excited to read this and thought it'd be an interesting read, however I ended up really not enjoying it. One of the main things that I was excited about in this book was the idea of the wormholes and how that was going to connect into the story. I was really disappointed and found it to be really quite confusing, especially towards the end where everything kept changing, There was a lot to do with physics etc in this book and I couldn't get my head around most of it, but maybe someone who has more knowledge on it would. It was also quite a slow-paced read and I struggled to get into it. The ending was alright, but overall I was quite disappointed. Rate - 2/5 GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25991081-the-square-root-of-summer?ac=1&from_search=true BD - https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Square-Root-of-Summer/9781509808281 Mini Review - http://sprinkleofbooks.weebly.com/blog/mini-reviews-recent-contemporary-reads1651315 The Maddie Diaries by Maddie Ziegler Date Started - 3/8/2017 Date Finished - 4/8/2017 Synopsis: THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Teen dance prodigy, breakout Dance Moms star, and judge on So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation presents her uplifting coming-of-age memoir about following her dreams and working hard to achieve success in both the dance world and in life. Maddie Ziegler had hoped to become a star—she just didn’t know how soon that day would come. At just eight years old, she was cast on Lifetime’s hit reality show Dance Moms and quickly won the hearts of fans everywhere with her natural talent and determination. Soon, she was catching eyes all over—including those of pop superstar Sia, who handpicked her to star in the incredibly popular music video “Chandelier.” The rest, as they say, was history. In this inspirational memoir, Maddie explains the hard work she put into her rise to stardom and how she keeps her balance along the way—starring in music videos, going on tour, and becoming an actress in The Book of Henry with Naomi Watts and Jacob Tremblay. She also answers her fans’ burning questions with wise advice she’s learned on her journey. With honesty, charm, and humor, Maddie offers her unique perspective on making her way in the world as a young teenager, reflecting on the lessons she’s learned—and preparing for the exciting road ahead. I originally wasn't sure whether to buy this or not, as I do like Maddie and do watch Dance Moms. I ended up seeing it at a local supermarket and decided to buy it. One of the reasons I wanted to buy this was to see more of what Maddie's like, which you don't get to see on Dance Moms. In that aspect I really enjoyed it as it goes into more about touring with Sia, acting etc, but other things really show that she is just a normal teenage girl. There were also comments from some of Maddie's friends as well as little extra lists of Maddie's advice. It was cool to see some more pictures of her time on tour with Sia as well as ones of her and Kenzie when they were younger. Overall, I thought it was good, but I didn't find it to be anything that special. Rate - 2.5/5 GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31572170-the-maddie-diaries?ac=1&from_search=true BD - https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Maddie-Diaries/9781471164965 The List by Patricia Forde Date Started - 4/8/2017 Date Finished - 6/8/2017 Synopsis: In the city of Ark, speech is constrained to five hundred sanctioned words. Speak outside the approved lexicon and face banishment. The exceptions are the Wordsmith and his apprentice Letta, the keepers and archivists of all language in their post-apocalyptic, neo-medieval world. On the death of her master, Letta is suddenly promoted to Wordsmith, charged with collecting and saving words. But when she uncovers a sinister plan to suppress language and rob Ark’s citizens of their power of speech, she realizes that it’s up to her to save not only words, but culture itself. I was accepted to read this on Netgalley, so I have already posted a full review, which I'll link below. The List includes some quite typical dystopian tropes, such as war, rebellion etc. I found the idea of the world to be pretty cool and I enjoyed that they restricted the language to try and control people because I haven't read a dystopian with that before. I did find this pretty hard to get into and I feel like the plot didn't really start moving till about halfway through. However, once I got to that point, I was completely sucked into the story and couldn't put it down. The ending was good and I definitely wasn't expecting some of the surprises. If there's going to be a sequel, which I'm not sure whether it will, I will definitely be continuing on. I really enjoyed it, but the only thing that did let it down for me was the beginning. Rate - 3.5/5 GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33846933-the-list?from_search=true BD - https://www.bookdepository.com/The-List-Patrici-Forde/9781492647966?ref=grid-view&qid=1504431982243&sr=1-1 Spoiler-Free Review - http://sprinkleofbooks.weebly.com/blog/spoiler-free-review-the-list-by-patricia-forde The Manifesto On How To Be Interesting by Holly Bourne Date Started - 7/8/2017 Date Finished - 9/8/2017 Synopsis: Apparently I'm boring. A nobody. But that's all about to change. Because I am starting a project. Here. Now. For myself. And if you want to come along for the ride then you're very welcome. Bree is a loser, a wannabe author who hides behind words. Most of the time she hates her life, her school, her never-there parents. So she writes. But when she’s told she needs to start living a life worth writing about, The Manifesto on How to Be Interesting is born. Six steps on how to be interesting. Six steps that will see her infiltrate the popular set, fall in love with someone forbidden and make the biggest mistake of her life. From the bestselling author of Soulmates comes a fearlessly frank take on school, cliques and crushes. This book does contains scenes featuring self-harm, so just bare that in mind before you read it. I've read the first two books in Holly's 'Normal' series (I haven't yet finished it) and absolutely loved them and this one had been sat on my shelves for quite a long time. I decided to pick it up and I was hoping that I'd enjoy it and luckily enough, I did. It's sort of a bit like Mean Girls with the popular girls and the different high school groups. Bree is trying to enter this group to make her life more exciting, so she can write a more exciting book to get published. I did like the idea of Bree being a "failed" writer and how she then started a blog and this project idea. One of the things that slightly annoyed me was that it was like Bree didn't know where to stop with this project and kept doing stupid things, but I guess she had to to get to the ending. I think Holly dealt with self-harm really well in this book and I'm really happy that she decided to include that in as it's something that I don't think is talked about enough. Overall, I did enjoy it, but I did find some parts a bit slow and Bree did annoy me a bit. I'm really looking forward to reading more of Holly's books. Rate - 4.5/5 GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22533460-the-manifesto-on-how-to-be-interesting?ac=1&from_search=true BD - https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Manifesto-on-How-to-be-Interesting/9781409562184 Mini-Review - http://sprinkleofbooks.weebly.com/blog/mini-reviews-recent-contemporary-reads1651315 The Sleeping Prince (The Sin Eater's Daughter #2) by Melinda Salisbury Date Started - 12/8/2017 Date Finished - 13/8/2017 Synopsis: Return to the darkly beautiful world of The Sin Eater's Daughter with a sequel that will leave you awed, terrified . . . and desperate for more. Ever since her brother Lief disappeared, Errin's life has gone from bad to worse. Not only must she care for her sick mother, she has to scrape together rent money by selling illegal herbal cures. But none of that compares to the threat of the vengeful Sleeping Prince whom the Queen just awoke from his enchanted sleep. When her village is evacuated as part of the war against the Sleeping Prince, Errin is left desperate and homeless. The only person she can turn to is the mysterious Silas, a young man who buys deadly poisons from Errin, but won't reveal why he needs them. Silas promises to help her, but when he vanishes, Errin must journey across a kingdom on the brink of war to seek another way to save her mother and herself. But what she finds shatters everything she believed about her world, and with the Sleeping Prince drawing nearer, Errin must make a heartbreaking choice that could affect the whole kingdom. I read The Sin Eater's Daughter quite a while ago and purchased The Sleeping Prince as soon as it was released. I even re-read The Sin Eater's Daughter, so I could read the sequel straight away and then I never started it. I decided to this month and I'm o annoyed that I didn't read it sooner. I loved getting back into this world and following different characters , but also how they connected to the characters from the first one and how they were involved later on. I found it surprisingly easy to get into and I was hooked from start to finish. I ended up really loving and am desperate for The Scarecrow Queen, so I'm probably going to have to buy that very soon. There were so many twists and turns in The Sleeping Prince and I can't wait to see what Melinda does with the rest of the series. Rate - 5/5 GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26625494-the-sleeping-prince?ac=1&from_search=true BD - https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Sleeping-Prince/9781407147642 The World's Worst Children by David Walliams Date Started - 14/8/2017 Date Finished - 14/8/2017 Synopsis: From the world’s favourite author, David Walliams – ten cautionary tales and a delightfully dreadful cast of characters; all in glorious FULL COLOUR! Are you ready to meet the World’s Worst Children? Five beastly boys and five gruesome girls! • Like Sofia Sofa – a TV super-fan so stuck to the sofa that she’s turning into one! • Or Dribbling Drew – a boy whose drool gets him into trouble on a school trip! • And not forgetting Blubbering Bertha – a girl who bawls and tells terrible tales! Also featuring a special appearance from fan-favourite Raj! From Number One bestselling author David Walliams comes this collection of wickedly funny, deliciously mischievous tales, illustrated in glorious colour by the artistic genius Tony Ross. I was attempting to participate in the #7in7readathon this month (14th - 20th Aug), but at a more relaxed level. I didn't complete 7 books, but I'm still happy with the amount I managed to read. I didn't set out an official TBR, but I did have an idea of some of the books I was planning to read and this was one of them. The World's Worst Children was my first read as it's been on my TBR since it was released. I've always loved David's books and I knew this would be a quick read. I ended up really loving these gruesome, but fun-filled tales and found myself bursting out with laughter at various points throughout. The illustrations by Tony Ross were amazing and definitely added a lot to the stories. I was able to fly through it and knew that I needed to read the sequel ASAP. Rate - 5/5 GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29756824-the-world-s-worst-children?ac=1&from_search=true BD - https://www.bookdepository.com/The-World-s-Worst-Children-/9780008197032 Anyway, that was Part 1 of my August Wrap-Up! My Part 2 will be up soon if it's not up already and I'll link it below when it's up.
Thanks for reading! BYE x Part 2 -
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July Wrap-Up! (#BTAT17 +) Hi Guys! I suddenly decided this month to participate in Booktube-A-Thon (#BTAT17). I didn't plan a TBR in advance as it was a sudden decision. I was planning on doing a separate wrap-up for BTAT, but before BTAT started I'd only managed to read a couple of books, so I though I may as well combine them. I'm going to start off with the books I read before and then I'll go into the books I read during. I am planning on doing reviews on most of these books, so most of this will be quite brief, also as in the end this did turn out to be quite a successful reading month. Anyway, without further ado, let's get into my July wrap-up! City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments #6) by Cassandra Clare Date Started - 9/7/2017 ? Date Finished - 15/7/2017 Synopsis: Sebastian Morgenstern is on the move, systematically turning Shadowhunter against Shadowhunter. Bearing the Infernal Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures out of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his Endarkened army swell. The embattled Shadowhunters withdraw to Idris - but not even the famed demon towers of Alicante can keep Sebastian at bay. And with the Nephilim trapped in Idris, who will guard the world against demons? When one of the greatest betrayals the Nephilim have ever known is revealed, Clary, Jace, Isabelle, Simon, and Alec must flee - even if their journey takes them deep into the demon realms, where no Shadowhunter has set foot before, and from which no human being has ever returned... As most of you will know if you've read my previous monthly wrap-ups, I've been reading The Mortal Instruments & The Infernal Devices for the first time and I've been absolutely loving it. I've been so sucked into the Shadowhunter world and I'm sad to say I've finished TMI, but I am looking forward to reading The Dark Artifices now as well. City of Heavenly Fire was no exception, so just like the others, I loved it. The story in this one was so much more complex and there was a lot more going on. I enjoyed getting to know some new characters (Emma and the others), but also learning more about characters I already knew of. My emotions were changing every minute while reading this and I'm pretty sure I remember crying towards the end of it. Overall, I'm glad to say that this series as well as TID have become some of my new favourites and I can't wait to follow this world further. Rate - 5/5 GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8755785-city-of-heavenly-fire?ac=1&from_search=true BD - https://www.bookdepository.com/City-of-Heavenly-Fire/9781442416895 Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan Date Started - 16/7/2017 Date Finished - 20/7/2017 Synopsis: One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two strangers cross paths. Two teens with the same name, running in two very different circles, suddenly find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, culminating in heroic turns-of-heart and the most epic musical ever to grace the high-school stage. This book has been on my TBR for over 2 years now I think and I finally decided that it was time for me to read it. I went into it with quite low expectations as John Green's books are normally a hit or miss with me. I loved Paper Towns back when I read that, but I really didn't like Looking For Alaska and seriously can't remember what I though of The Fault In Our Stars. However, this really surprised me and I ended up really bloody loving it! I actually don't know how I loved it so much, but I did. It made me genuinely excited every time I picked it up to continue reading and re-sparked that feeling that I'd been missing for quite a while. I felt really involved with the characters and the decisions they were making as well as the feelings they were feeling. Overall, this has given me more faith in John Green's book and maybe I'll pick up An Abundance of Katherines, I'll have to see. I also hope to read more of David Levithan, whilst I'm at it too. Rate - 5/5 GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17208924-will-grayson-will-grayson BD - https://www.bookdepository.com/Will-Grayson--Will-Grayson/9780142418475 Booktube-A-Thon Wrap-Up! This was my first year participating in BTAT and it was actually my first readathon ever as well. I really enjoyed myself and am really looking forward to next years. I managed to read quite a bit and complete all the reading challenges so I'm really happy with what I've achieved. I did daily updates and wrap-ups on twitter (@sprinkleofbooks) and participated in a couple of the reading sprints, which I think really helped me. I'll go through each book and list the challenges (if there were any) that each book applied to. My totals for BTAT were: Books completely read - 9 Books partly read - 2 Pages - 2,732 Challenges completed - 7 Wilde Like Me by Louise Pentland Date Started -21/7/2017 Date Finished - 24/7/2017 Synopsis: Meet Robin Wilde! You'll make a friend for life and she'll take you on a journey you'll never forget ... Single mum Robin Wilde adores her six-year-old daughter and loves her job as a make up artist's assistant. She has a wonderful best friend and an auntie who is bonkers, yes, but loves her to the moon and back. But Robin has a secret. Behind the mask she carefully applies every day, things just feel ... grey. And lonely. She struggles to fit in with the school mum crew. Online dating is totally despair-inducing, and she worries every day about raising her little girl with self-confidence, courage and joy. What Robin longs for is someone (over the age of six) to share with - someone who's always on her team. After 4 years (2 months, and 15 days!) of single-mum-dom, it's time for Robin Wilde to Change. Her. Life. Exciting new opportunities are about to come Robin's way ... Perhaps a man, perhaps the chance of a lifetime ... What will Robin do with the possibilities she creates for herself? And what potential will she unlock if she takes the leap? I did start reading this before the Booktubeathon, but I read about the last half of it in BTAT, so I'm counting it as a partly read book. I used this to complete the challenge to Read A Book With A Person On The Cover and also to Read A Book With A Character That Is Different To You. I am planning on doing a full review for this book, but I did really enjoy it. I went into not knowing too much, but found it such an easy book to get into and despite the differences between me and Robin, I still felt really involved in the story. Though some of Robin's decisions did annoy me sometimes as well as the way she acted in different situations. Rate - 4/5 GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32498973-wilde-like-me?ac=1&from_search=true BD - https://www.bookdepository.com/Wilde-Like-Me/9781785762932 Goth Girl and the Pirate Queen by Chris Riddell Date Started - 25/7/2017 Date Finished - 25/7/2017 Synopsis: When Ada travels to the seaside resort of Brighton on holiday, she is very excited to meet leading followers of fashion Lady Vivienne Dashwood and her rival, the fashionable shepherd, Beau Peeps. They are there preparing for World Frock Night - a lavish ball where everyone dresses up in their finest costumes to compete for the grand prize. Ada has been given money by her father to buy a spectacular outfit for the ball, and she's excited to be in with a chance of winning the prize. But, as usual, nothing goes to plan, and becoming the belle of the ball will prove to be Ada's biggest challenge yet . . . I read this to complete the challenge to Read A Book In One Day. I don't think I've read any of the other books in this series before, but it didn't take anything away from my understanding of what was going on. I thought it was alright, but maybe that I wasn't really in the mood for it. Maybe in the future I'll give the series a go. Rate - 3/5 GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25087867-goth-girl-and-the-pirate-queen?ac=1&from_search=true BD - https://www.bookdepository.com/Goth-Girl-and-the-Pirate-Queen---World-Book-Day-Pack-2015-Chris-Riddell/9781447287704 Butterfly Beach by Jacqueline Wilson Date Started - 25/7/2017 Date Finished - 25/7/2017 Synopsis: A brand-new story starring the unlikely best friends of The Butterfly Club, published specially for World Book Day 2017, from much-loved and bestselling author Jacqueline Wilson. Selma can't wait to go on holiday with her best friend forever, Tina. But a holiday with Tina means a holiday with her triplet sisters, too - and it's not long before Selma feels like the odd one out. Can their shared love of butterflies bring Selma and Tina together again? I didn't read this to complete any challenges, but it did apply to quite a few. This is a WBD Book that relates to The Butterfly Club by Jaqueline Wilson. I haven't actually read The Butterfly Club nor own it, but I was still able to understand and enjoy this short story. It was a really quick read that really just added to my pages read and books complete. I have to admit that I did find Selma to be a bit annoying and frustrating, but other than that it was alright. Rate - 3/5 GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32604238-butterfly-beach BD - NOT AVALIABLE Lucy Longwhiskers Finds a Friend by Daisy Meadows Date Started - 25/7/2017 Date Finished - 25/7/2017 Synopsis: It's Story Day in Friendship Forest, and Jess and Lily are invited to join in the fun! But when wicked witch Grizelda tries to destroy Mrs Taptree's library, they need the help of Lucy Longwhiskers and her new friend Sophie Flufftail. Can they save Story Day? I don't actually really know how this came to be on my TBR shelf, but it did and I decided it would be another quick read. I used this book to complete the challenge to Read A Book Outside. I didn't really like or dislike this, it was just okay. I wasn't really in the mood for it and I don't want to give it a really low rating because of that, so I'm just going to leave it blank. It was a fun quick read, but I did like the fact how it was all based around books and stories. I did end up donating this to charity afterwards though as I didn't really feel a need to have it on my shelves. Rate - X/5 GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25086653-lucy-longwhiskers-finds-a-friend?ac=1&from_search=true BD - https://www.bookdepository.com/Lucy-Longwhiskers-Finds-a-Friend---World-Book-Day-Pack/9781408337431 The Super-Sonic Submarine (Danny Dingle's Fantastic Finds #2) by Angie Lake Date Started - 25/7/2017 Date Finished - 25/7/2017 Synopsis: Danny Dingle, our favourite AMAZING super-inventor, is back and this time he's joining the SCOUTS! (Everyone knows that stands for Spy Club Only for Ultra-Terrific Spies, don't they?) Faced with the perilous prospect of a camping trip in 'Sunny' Scotland, can Danny and Percy save the day? And more importantly, could Danny be building the coolest super-sonic submarine EVER? Read this action packed book to find out! Keep your eyes peeled for book number three: The Jet of Justice! *This is a review copy via Netgalley* I've been meaning to read this recently because I'm due to have a review up for it via Netgalley, so I thought I may as well read it as part of BTAT. I will have a review up for it soon, so briefly I'll just sum up my thoughts. I found it to be a really quick, fun read and that I definitely would've loved as a child. The characters and the things that happen are all a bit weird and gross, but it was a fun story to get sucked into. Rate - 4.5/5 GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33010035-danny-dingle-s-fantastic-finds BD - https://www.bookdepository.com/Danny-Dingles-Fantastic-Finds-The-Super-Sonic-Submarine-2016-Angie-Lake/9781782262602 Caraval by Stephanie Garber Date Started - 26/7/2017 Date Finished - 27/7/2017 Synopsis: Remember, it’s only a game… Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show—are over. But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner. Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic. And whether Caraval is real or not, Scarlett must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over or a dangerous domino effect of consequences will be set off, and her beloved sister will disappear forever. Welcome, welcome to Caraval…beware of getting swept too far away. I read this to complete two challenges; To Read A Hyped Book and To Read A Book You Brought Because Of The Cover. I am thinking of doing a review or mini-review for this as I did enjoy it. I loved the idea of Caraval and the repeated idea of that it's only a game and to not get too swept away and how that relates to the ending. However, I did find the ending to be a bit rushed and confusing. I also find Scarlett to be a bit annoying at times and how she kept doing stupid things. I also don't get how she reacted so well to the ending after what had just happened. I am curious to see what will happen in the sequel though, so I will definitely be getting my hands on that one as soon as it's released. Rate - 4.5/5 GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27883214-caraval?ac=1&from_search=true BD - https://www.bookdepository.com/Caraval/9781473629141 M is for Magic by Neil Gaiman Date Started - 21/1/2016 Date Finished - 28/7/2017 Synopsis: Stories to delight, enchant, and surprise you. Bestselling author and master storyteller Neil Gaiman here presents a breathtaking collection of tales that may chill or amuse readers - but always embrace the unexpected. Collection includes: "The Case of the Four and Twenty Blackbirds," "Troll Bridge," "Don't Ask Jack," "How to Sell the Ponti Bridge," "October in the Chair," "Chivalry," "The Price," "How to Talk to Girls at Parties," "Sunbird," "The Witch's Headstone," "Instructions" I started this a long, long time ago and just read a bit every now and again. The reason I decided to finish this during BTAT was that I was just sick of it being partly-read and wanted it gone off my TBR. I ended up just scan reading the last couple of pages as I just wasn't interested and overall, really didn't enjoy this book. I'll probably give Neil Gaiman's other books a go in the future and see if I like them. I did end up unhauling this after finishing it, so maybe someone else will find it and enjoy it more than I did. Rate - 1/5 GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47699.M_Is_for_Magic?ac=1&from_search=true BD - https://www.bookdepository.com/M-Is-for-Magic/9780061186479 The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan and Maureen Johnson Date Started - 28/7/2017 Date Finished - 29/7/2017 Synopsis: Fans of The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices can get to know warlock Magnus Bane like never before in this collection of New York Times bestselling tales, in print for the first time with an exclusive new story and illustrated material. This collection of eleven short stories illuminates the life of the enigmatic Magnus Bane, whose alluring personality, flamboyant style, and sharp wit populate the pages of the #1 New York Times bestselling series, The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices. Originally released one-by-one as e-only short stories by Cassandra Clare, Maureen Johnson, and Sarah Rees Brennan, this compilation presents all ten together in print for the first time and includes a never-before-seen eleventh tale, as well as new illustrated material. After finishing TMI, I needed a bit more of the Shadowhunter world, so I just had to read this. I loved most of the stories though there one or two that I didn't enjoy as much. It was really cool to see a bit more into Magnus' life and experiences. My favourites definitely have to be the ones that involved him and Alec as well as the one with Jocelyn, baby Clare and Tessa. Overall, really enjoyed just one or two that I didn't like as much. Rate - 4.75/5 GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16303287-the-bane-chronicles?ac=1&from_search=true BD - https://www.bookdepository.com/author/Maureen-Johnson Shadow House: The Gathering (#1) by Dan Poblocki Date Started - 30/7/2017 Date Finished - 30/7/2017 Synopsis: Some houses are more than just haunted... they're hungry. Dash, Dylan, Poppy, Marcus, and Azumi don't know this at first. They each think they've been summoned to Shadow House for innocent reasons. But there's nothing innocent about Shadow House. Something within its walls is wickedly wrong. Nothing -- and nobody -- can be trusted. Hallways move. Doors vanish. Ghosts appear. Children disappear. And the way out? That's disappeared, too... Enter Shadow House... if you dare. I don't normally read creepy/scary books and I know it's not really the right time of the year to, but I had a sudden urge to read this so I did. I actually really enjoy the creepiness and it definitely lived up to my expectations. Though, I think maybe the end might have been a bit rushed, but maybe that's just me. I am really looking forward to reading the sequel and see what else is in store for the Shadow House series. Rate - 4/5 GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28691933-the-gathering?ac=1&from_search=true BD - https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Shadow-House-The-Gathering-Dan-Poblocki/9780545925501?ref=grid-view&qid=1501514171092&sr=1-1 The IT Girl (#1) by Katy Birchall Date Started - 30/7/2017 Date Finished - 30/7/2017 Synopsis: Everybody wants to be a famous It Girl. Don't they? Anna Huntley's aims in life: 1) Must keep my two lovely new (and only) school friends by not doing anything in usual manner of socially inept dork and outcast. 2) Train Dog (my labrador) to high-five. This is probably the most ambitious life goal on this list. 3) Do not set the school's Deputy Queen Bee mean girl's hair on fire (again). 4) Work out whether 2) and 3) constitute being socially inept or outcastish. 5) Go to Africa and give out rice. 6) To hide in a cupboard FOR LIFE with Dog now Dad is engaged to one of the most famous actresses EVER, the paparazzi want to spash my face all over the papers and everyone in school (and The World) is soon to discover the level of my social ineptitude. 7) Is rice a bit done now? Maybe I can give out chocolate in Africa too. I do like chocolate. Must work out how to do it from the cupboard... I ended up absolutely loving this book! It definitely gave me vibes of the Geek Girl series by Holly Smale and also Super Awkward by Beth Garrod. Basically, Anna is just one of those people that nothing ever goes right for and she gets in some of the funniest situations. Well, seeing as I'm a big fan of the books I mentioned above, it's really no surprise that I loved this so much. I ended up bursting into laughter at so many points in this book and overall it's just a quick, fun read. I'm thinking of doing a series review when I've read all the books. If that's something you guys would want, let me know and I'll definitely do that. Rate - 5/5 GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23201793-the-it-girl?ac=1&from_search=true BD - https://www.bookdepository.com/The-It-Girl-Superstar-Geek-Katy-Birchall/9781405278171?ref=grid-view&qid=1501515088354&sr=1-1 The IT Girl: Team Awkward (#2) by Katy Birchall Date Started - 30/7/2017 Date Finished - 30/7/2017 Synopsis: The brilliant sequel to The It Girl. Hilariously funny and deliciously romantic - perfect for fans of Geek Girl and Louise Rennison. If everything Anna does is going to be seen by more than 10 million people, then she's determined to find something that she's really good at. Everyone else seems to have a 'thing' - especially the new girl at school, who's been distracting Connor with their shared love of art. Luckily the school sports day is looming, and Anna is limbering up! What could go wrong? This is the sequel to The IT Girl and there really isn't much to say other than I loved it just the same, if not more. Somehow, this one was even more funny and it was more relatable to me with the sports stuff etc. Overall, I'm really excited to buy the third book and read it straight away. Rate - 5/5 GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26246518-team-awkward BD - https://www.bookdepository.com/The-It-Girl-Team-Awkward-Katy-Birchall/9781405278263?ref=pd_detail_1_sims_b_p2p_1 Anyway, that was my overall very successful July wrap-up! I really enjoyed participating in BTAT and can't wait to join in more of the fun next year as well.
Let me know below how July was for you! (ooh, it rhymes!) BYE! x June Wrap-Up! Hey Guys! It's coming to the end of June as I'm writing this, so it's time for my wrap-up! June really wasn't a successful reading month. I only finished reading two books as things were a bit busy It is only the 25th as I'm writing this, so this could change, but it probably won't. I've had a lot going on this month and I just haven't been in the mood to read. Basically, this is going to be quite a quick wrap-up, haha. Let's get into it! Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices #3) by Cassandra Clare Date Started - 9/6/2017 Date Finished - 16/6/2017 Synopsis: If the only way to save the world was to destroy what you loved most, would you do it? The clock is ticking. Everyone must choose. Passion. Power. Secrets. Enchantment. Danger closes in around the Shadowhunters in the final installment of the bestselling Infernal Devices trilogy. This month I finally finished TID and woah. this trilogy has got to be my all time favourite. I love everything about this series from the writing to the characters. I was on the verge of tears throughout reading this and I did finally cry at the ending. It now means so much to me and I don't really care how late I am to reading this. I can't wait to read CoHF and see what else this world has in store. Rate - 5/5 GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24885506-clockwork-princess BD - https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Infernal-Devices---Clockwork-Princess/9781406321340 The Girl of Ink and Stars by Kiran Millwood Hargrave Date Started - 17/6/2017 Date Finished - 17/6/2017 Synopsis: Forbidden to leave her island, Isabella Riosse dreams of the faraway lands her father once mapped. When her closest friend disappears into the island’s Forgotten Territories, she volunteers to guide the search. As a cartographer’s daughter, she’s equipped with elaborate ink maps and knowledge of the stars, and is eager to navigate the island’s forgotten heart. But the world beyond the walls is a monster-filled wasteland – and beneath the dry rivers and smoking mountains, a legendary fire demon is stirring from its sleep. Soon, following her map, her heart and an ancient myth, Isabella discovers the true end of her journey: to save the island itself. My Mum actually picked this up for me when she was in Waterstones as she saw it was the winner of the Waterstones Children's Book Prize for 2017. I went in to this without knowing too much and I honestly think that made me enjoy it more. I loved the story and how it was such a journey, physically but also the journey you see Isabella go on as she tries to deal with everything going on. She has to overcome a lot and has to face up to a lot of things. Overall, I really enjoyed the storyline and the depth to it and I'd definitely recommend it Rate - 4/5 GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27973757-the-girl-of-ink-and-stars?ac=1&from_search=true BD - .https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Girl-of-Ink---Stars/9781910002742 Anyway, that was my late June Wrap-Up and honestly it was a rather disappointing month and I hope July goes a lot better. Let me know how June went for you.
BYE! x March Wrap-Up! Hey guys! In March, I read a total of 6 books. To me it's been quite a successful reading month as I also continued on with a series that I started ages ago and kept putting off continuing. I'm also pretty happy with what I read as I read quite a few great books (some more okay ones as well) that I can't wait to talk about. Anyway, let's get into my (quite late) March wrap-up! Auggie & Me by R.J. Palacio Date Started - 28/2/2017 Date Finished - 4/3/2017 Synopsis: WONDER tells the story of Auggie Pullman: an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face, whose first year at school changed the lives and the perspectives of everyone around him. AUGGIE & ME is a new side to the WONDER story: three new chapters from three different characters - bully Julian, oldest friend Christopher and classmate Charlotte - giving an insight into how Auggie has touched their own lives. Thought-provoking, surprising, infuriating, heartbreaking and heartwarming, AUGGIE & ME is a must-read for the thousands of readers who loved WONDER. I read Wonder such a long time ago and absolutely loved it. I ended up loving it so much that as soon as I found out this existed, I just had to pick it up, however it ended up just sitting on my shelves for months until now when I got sick of it sat there unread. So, I finally ended up picking it up this month. I did enjoy it, just not as much as I enjoyed Wonder or hoped that I would this. I had previously read Julian's chapter as it was part of my copy of Wonder, but I decided to read it again anyways. It was okay, but I felt it was quite slow to get through to get into the other two. I think that was down to that I wasn't really in the mood to read something I'd already read. Anyway, I enjoyed the other two stories a bit more. Overall, it was good but just not as good as I hoped it'd be. If you loved Wonder then I'd recommend if you want to know a bit more about some of the other characters (Julian, Christopher, Charlotte) and how they think/met Auggie. Rate - 3/5 GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25324132-auggie-me?ac=1&from_search=true BD - https://www.bookdepository.com/Auggie---Me--Three-Wonder-Stories/9780552574778 Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare Date Started - 4/3/2017 Date Finished - 5/3/2017 Synopsis: In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series. The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them... I know most people have already read this trilogy as well as the TMI series, but I'm currently reading them for the first time and I'm loving them. I've wanted to read them for the longest time and I'm glad I finally am and that I'm enjoying them. I'm think I may prefer TID to TMI, but I still have a lot more to read from this world so I guess I'll have to see if that continues. I love the humour and the characters and ugh, basically I can't wait to get further into this world. Rate - 5/5 GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7171637-clockwork-angel?ac=1&from_search=true BD - https://www.bookdepository.com/Clockwork-Angel--Clockwork-Angel-Bk--1/9781406330342 City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare Date Started - ? Date Finished - 9/3/2017 Synopsis: The Mortal War is over, and sixteen-year-old Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She’s training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. Downworlders and Shadowhunters are at peace at last. And—most importantly of all—she can finally call Jace her boyfriend. But nothing comes without a price. Someone is murdering Shadowhunters, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second, bloody war. Clary’s best friend, Simon, can’t help her—his mother just found out that he’s a vampire, and now he’s homeless. When Jace begins to pull away from her without explaining why, Clary is forced to delve into the heart of a mystery whose solution reveals her worst nightmare: she herself has set in motion a terrible chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves. Even Jace. I decided I needed more of the Shadowhunter world after finishing Clockwork Angel, so I decided to jump straight into this. I did enjoy this but I wish I hadn't left such a large gap between reading City of Glass and City of Fallen Angels as I had a bit of trouble getting into CoFA and I think that's what took away a bit of my enjoyment and excitement. Once I got a bit further in, I was able to get into it a bit more and I'm looking forward to seeing what the rest of this series has in store. Rate - 4.5/5 GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6752378-city-of-fallen-angels?ac=1&from_search=true BD - https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Mortal-Instruments--City-of-Fallen-Angels/9781406330335 Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts 1&2 by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany & Jack Thorne Date Started - 12/3/2017 Date Finished - 12/3/2017 Synopsis: The Eighth Story. Nineteen Years Later. Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, a new play by Jack Thorne, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. The play will receive its world premiere in London’s West End on July 30, 2016. It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children. While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places. I was nervous about starting this as I'd heard quite mixed things, but I decided to bite the bullet and give it a go. One definite thing is that this is a super quick read and I managed to get through it in a couple of hours. I did like it and I liked to see how the characters from the original Harry Potter books acted with each other once they'd grown up. However, there were certain parts of the plot that I didn't think really worked or liked. I'm not going to say what those parts are because I can't without spoiling people. I do know people that did like the parts I didn't so, I guess it just depends on how you wanted the story to continue. Overall, I did really enjoy HP&TCC despite the small things in the plot that I didn't like and it was great to see a new book/play script added to the series/world. Rate - 4/5 GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29069989-harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child-parts-1-2?ac=1&from_search=true BD - https://www.bookdepository.com/Harry-Potter-and-the-Cursed-Child---Parts-I---II/9780751565355 Gormless Gods and Hapless Heroes: Tim Baker and the Ancient Curse by Stella Tarakson Date Started - 15/3/2017 Date Finished - 16/3/2017 Synopsis: Life hasn’t been easy since Tim’s dad died – the kids at school call him Cinderella because he’s always stuck at home doing the housework while his mum’s at work. But when Hercules unexpectedly turns up in his living room, life starts to get a whole lot more interesting! Super-strong, but not so super-smart, when Hercules sets out to help him Tim is left picking up the pieces. How do you convince a hero that you don’t need his help? *I was sent a copy of this book in trade of an honest review via Netgalley* I do have a review written already that should be up soon if not already. If/when it's up, I'll try and remember to link it below. Overall, it was a funny, quick read. but there wasn't anything that stood out for me to make it amazing. I do think that people who read more middle grade/children books would definitely enjoy it a bit more. Rate - 3.5/5 GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34089821-tim-baker-and-the-ancient-curse?from_search=true BD - https://www.bookdepository.com/Tim-Baker-and-the-Ancient-Curse/9781782263456 The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton Date Started - ?/3/2017 Date Finished - 19/3/2017 Synopsis: Magical realism, lyrical prose, and the pain and passion of human love haunt this hypnotic generational saga. Foolish love appears to be the Roux family birthright, an ominous forecast for its most recent progeny, Ava Lavender. Ava—in all other ways a normal girl—is born with the wings of a bird. In a quest to understand her peculiar disposition and a growing desire to fit in with her peers, sixteen-year old Ava ventures into the wider world, ill-prepared for what she might discover and naïve to the twisted motives of others. Others like the pious Nathaniel Sorrows, who mistakes Ava for an angel and whose obsession with her grows until the night of the Summer Solstice celebration. That night, the skies open up, rain and feathers fill the air, and Ava’s quest and her family’s saga build to a devastating crescendo. This book had been on my TBR for the longest time and I don't really know why. I'd heard so many great things about it, so I finally decided to pick it up this month. I went into it hoping to love it, but ended being rather disappointed. I enjoyed it, but it didn't live up to what I'd heard from other people and overall it was just okay. There were aspects which I really loved though. The writing was beautiful and I think there was a lot of potential in the storyline, but I don't think it was for me. The synopsis sounded really intriguing to me but was a bit confused to why only about a 1/3 of the book is about Ava Lavender and her story. Though I do understand why some of the story about her mother etc was needed, but I felt either that part could've been shortened or that Ava's story could've been lengthened. I did really enjoy the last half of it because that was where the story finally started to get really interesting. Also, just a warning to anyone, but in this book there are mentions of scenes of sexual assault/rape, so if you are sensitive to these issues then please do keep that in mind if you're interested in reading this book. Overall, I did enjoy it and loved the writing, but was just hoping for more. Rate - 3/5 GR - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18166936-the-strange-and-beautiful-sorrows-of-ava-lavender?ac=1&from_search=true BD - https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Strange-and-Beautiful-Sorrows-of-Ava-Lavender/9781406357738 Anyway, those were all of the book I read in March. If you've read any of the books I've mentioned, let me know your thoughts below. Let me know what book you read in March also!
BYE! |
AuthorHello and welcome to Books With Beth! I'm Beth and on this blog I share a mix of all my bookish thoughts through reviews, book tours and hauls. Have fun! Categories
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