tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37181907014199024462024-03-13T13:48:32.354-07:00Clair ReadsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357161873030300279noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718190701419902446.post-11699675593496061532016-08-31T11:28:00.003-07:002016-08-31T11:28:56.329-07:00August Wrap Up<div style="text-align: center;">
I opened my GoodReads account today, preparing myself to feel guilty. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised! This month I've managed to complete seven books, plus there are two books that weren't included on my June/July wrap up, even though I finished them at the end of July.</div>
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<img alt="Sweep in Peace (Innkeeper Chronicles, #2)" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1428084310l/19504964.jpg" /></div>
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Sweep in Peace (Book 2 of the Innkeeper Chronicles) by Ilona Andrews</div>
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3/5 Stars on GoodReads</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><b><i>Dina DeMille doesn’t run your typical Bed and Breakfast. Her inn defies laws of physics, her fluffy dog is secretly a monster, and the only paying guest is a former Galactic tyrant with a price on her head. But the inn needs guests to thrive, and guests have been scarce, so when an Arbitrator shows up at Dina's door and asks her to host a peace summit between three warring species, she jumps on the chance.</i></b></span></div>
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This is a sequel story, and was reasonably good. It didn't blow me away, and in parts just felt like a filler until the next story. However, how these books is written is v cool. Ilona Andrew's releases this series chapter by chapter on their website, so technically, if you kept on top of things, you could read along at the same time. The genre is half fantasy, half sci-fi.</div>
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<img alt="Marked in Flesh (The Others, #4)" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1438874868l/22062202.jpg" /></div>
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Marked in Flesh (The Others book 4) by Anne Bishop</div>
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3/5 Stars on GoodReads</div>
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<i>'<strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">For centuries, the Others and humans have lived side by side in uneasy peace. But when humankind oversteps its bounds, the Others will have to decide how much humanity they’re willing to tolerate—both within themselves and within their community...'</strong></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">There are many parts of this book series I find it really hard to wrap my head around. The 'Others' characters just seem really simple at times, and the main character can be a bit wishy-washy. I know the point is that the world is <i>extremely</i> different from our world, but it seemed a bit too much at times. I will keep reading the series, but it's not one of my favourites.</span></div>
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The Guest Cat by Tikashe Hiraide</div>
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4/5 Stars on GoodReads</div>
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<i><b>'<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">The Guest Cat</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">, by the acclaimed poet Takashi Hiraide, is a subtly moving and exceptionally beautiful novel about the transient nature of life and idiosyncratic but deeply felt ways of living. A couple in their thirties live in a small rented cottage in a quiet part of Tokyo; they work at home, freelance copy-editing; they no longer have very much to say to one another. But one day a cat invites itself into their small kitchen.'</span></b></i></div>
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Such an interesting read! I loved the writing style, and obviously, I'm a big fan of cats!</div>
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<img alt="The Bride (The Boss, #3)" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1391985789l/18850141.jpg" /></div>
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The Bride (The Boss book 3) by Abigail Barnette</div>
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4/5 Stars on GoodReads</div>
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<img alt="The Stranger (The Boss, #0.5)" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1470678065l/31373730.jpg" /></div>
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The Stranger (The Boss book 0.5) by Abigail Barnette</div>
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4/5 Stars on GoodReads</div>
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And I Darken by Kiersten White</div>
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5/5 Stars on GoodReads</div>
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What if Vlad the Impaler was a girl?</div>
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<b><i>'<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">No one expects a princess to be brutal. And Lada Dragwlya likes it that way. Ever since she and her gentle younger brother, Radu, were wrenched from their homeland of Wallachia and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman courts, Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and Radu are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets.'</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">This book was so interesting to read. A great plot, interesting characters with great development, and a historical basis as well! Loved it.</span></div>
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Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harrari</div>
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5/5 Stars on GoodReads</div>
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<i><b>'<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">100,000 years ago, at least six human species inhabited the earth. Today there is just one. Us. Homo sapiens. How did our species succeed in the battle for dominance? Why did our foraging ancestors come together to create cities and kingdoms? How did we come to believe in gods, nations and human rights; to trust money, books and laws; and to be enslaved by bureaucracy, timetables and consumerism? And what will our world be like in the millennia to come?'</span></b></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">A very interesting non-fiction book about the evolution and development of the human race.</span></div>
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<img alt="The Ex (The Boss, #4)" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1412870613l/18850150.jpg" /></div>
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The Ex (The Boss book 4) by Abigail Barnette</div>
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4/5 Stars</div>
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<img alt="The Baby (The Boss, #5)" src="https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1444052089l/21800443.jpg" /></div>
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The Baby (The Boss book 5) by Abigail Barnette</div>
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4/5 Stars on GoodReads</div>
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AN EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER</div>
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GoodReads Update: 63/100 read</div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">2016 Reading Challenge:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: blue;">A book and it's prequel - Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas (January) Assassin's Blade tbr soon!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: blue;">A Book Written by a Celebrity - Gangsta Granny by David Walliams (January)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: blue;">A Graphic Novel - River's of London: Body Work by Ben Aaronovitch (January)</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: lime;">A Book Set in Europe - My Sword Hand is Singing by Marcus Sedgwick (February)</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: lime;">A Book Set in the Summer - Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour (February)</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: lime;">A Book Based on a Fairytale - The October Daye Series by Seanan McGuire (February)</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: magenta;">A Political Memoir - I am Malala (I think this counts!) by Malala Yousafzai (March)</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: magenta;">A Book With a Blue Cover - Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare (March)</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: magenta;">A Book Set on an Island - Feverborn by Karen Marie Moning (March)</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: magenta;">A Book Published in 2016 - Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs (March)</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: red;">An Autobiography - How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran (April)</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: red;">A Book Under 150 pages - Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell (April)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;">A Book Finished in the Day - Into the Woods by Kim Harrison (April)</span><br />
<span style="color: red;">A Book With an Unfamiliar Culture - Ms Marvel by G Willow Wilson (April)</span><br />
<span style="color: red;">A Book You Haven't Read Since High School - The Crysalids by John Wyndham (April)</span><br />
<span style="color: red;">A YA Best seller - The Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard (April)</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75;">A Science-Fiction Novel - Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman (May)</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75;">A Dystopian Novel - The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancy (May)</span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">A Book Written by a Comedian - Moranifesto by Caitlin Moran (June)</span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">A Book of Poetry - The Princess Saves Herself in This One by Amanda Lovelace (June)</span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">A Book Set in your Home State - A Darker Shade of Magic by VE Schwabb (June)</span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">A Romance Set in the Future - Saga Volume 1 (June)</span><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">A Book that's guaranteed to bring yoy joy - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (July)</span><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">A New York Times Best Seller - Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (July)</span><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">A Murder Mystery - The Curse of Tenth Grave by Darynda Jones (July)</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">A Book translated to English - The Guest Cat by Takashi Hiraide (August)</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">2015 challenge continuation...</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A Book I </span><strike>was Supposed to </strike><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Read in School (</span><i>I read all the books I was supposed to when I was a student in school - I've now read this as a teacher) </i><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">- Gangsta Granny by David Walliams (January)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: magenta;">A Book Based on a True Story - Burial Rites by Hannah Kent (March)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"></span>A Book that made me cry - The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater (May)</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357161873030300279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718190701419902446.post-13911270990659287372016-08-01T07:09:00.000-07:002016-08-24T07:36:31.544-07:00My Addiction to Subscription Boxes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
If you haven't heard of subscription boxes, at this point, you must have been living under a rock. Subscription boxes are monthly, quarterly, however-often-you-want-ly boxes, packages or deliveries that you can receive, that revolve around a certain topic, item or theme. You may have heard of the Beauty boxes, like Birchbox or Glossybox - these were certainly the first I heard about, years ago. In these cases, subscribers receive monthly boxes with a certain number of sample or full sized beauty products to try out. I've never signed up for any of these, but they certainly intrigue me.</div>
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About a year ago (or possibly a little longer) I first heard about Book Boxes. I can't remember the first book box I heard about, but I know that OwlCrate was one of the first. Now, the market for book boxes has truly exploded, and in fact the market for subscription boxes in general has grown exponentially; there are cat-lady boxes (I of course follow their instagram), jewellery boxes, comic book hero boxes, tea boxes and the list continues. My housemate was only yesterday telling me about a geeky tee shirt and book box he subscribes to.<br />
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I ordered and received my first book boxes in May, and I haven't been able to stop. Three OwlCrates, two FairyLoots, two Nerdy Posts and one My Nerdy Book Box later, and I can definitely say I'm addicted. I would have bought all of these boxes every month, plus many more, if it hadn't used all of my money up (sad times).<br />
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What is it about these boxes that I love? Well, I obviously love books, but I have to say that isn't the reason why I adore these. In fact, I haven't yet read any of the books that came with the boxes! My love for these boxes comes from the themes and the geeky gifts that come with them. The funkos, stickers, book marks and jewellery.<br />
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What have I received so far? Well, like many book readers with an instagram (clairreads! Follow me there!) I have taken a few photos along the way...<br />
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<b><u>OwlCrate ($29.99 a month) </u></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/13181263_1196878727013478_1693037736_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/13181263_1196878727013478_1693037736_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">May's box - Steampunk</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/13534271_1781910562028414_1533662335_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/13534271_1781910562028414_1533662335_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">June's box - Royalty</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/13774469_1744911369119518_141014217_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/13774469_1744911369119518_141014217_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">July's box - Good vs. Evil (this is the evil box)</td></tr>
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This is the box I've received the most, and one of my favourites. It's shipped from the US, so it can be a bit pricey. Altogether, it's around £38.00. I'm probably going to cancel this 'rolling subscription' soon, as I can't justify the expense; however, I will keep an eye on it so that I can sign up for boxes I am interested in, The great thing is that you can also order past boxes, if there's one you really fancy. My favourite items so far include the VE Schwabb book, the Malfoy funko, and the steampunk snitch badge. Next months theme, which I am signed up for, is 'YA High'.</div>
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<b><u>Nerdy Post ($21.99 a month, no book included)</u></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/13531959_1031342640280576_1601986790_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/13531959_1031342640280576_1601986790_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">June - Harry Potter</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/13707189_228502364212577_1072806508_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/13707189_228502364212577_1072806508_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">July - Game of Thrones</td></tr>
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Another package I have to unsubscribe from, as I cannot justify the price :( I love these little packages; simpler and more homemade than the other ones, they really showcase the makers talent. My favourite thing about this subscription is that they are all themed around one area; as you can see these are Harry Potter and Game of Thrones themed. My favourite items have been the Harry Potter poster and book mark, and the same items from the Game of Thrones box.</div>
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<u><b>Nerdy Bookworm Box (£29.99 a month)</b></u></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/13413246_1038259696249950_624210651_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/13413246_1038259696249950_624210651_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">June</td></tr>
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As this is a local 'homegrown' UK box, it makes more sense for me to sign up to this one, and luckily it did not disappoint. I like how you can only order one box at a time - perfect for me as not all of the themes suit me. This box was kind of perfect - I loved the candle, the poster, the notebook, the book...it was all great!</div>
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<b><u>Fairyloot (£26.00 a month)</u></b></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/13256620_573343742827658_281117424_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/13256620_573343742827658_281117424_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">May - High Fantasy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/13549478_1118794201492884_1796359628_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/13549478_1118794201492884_1796359628_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">June - classic twist</td></tr>
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Another UK box, which I love. I very briefly met the creator at YALC (she probably doesn't realise) and she was lovely. She was also really helpful in the past when I accidentally put the wrong address down (I'm an idiot). My favourite items have been both the figures (Brienne of Tarth and Pride & Prejudice & Zombies Mr Darcy), the candle, the posters and the book marks. Next months theme is Magic and Mayhem, which I have most definitely signed up for!</div>
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As you can see, there are some great items available in these boxes, but I am always on the hunt for more. In August I should receive another OwlCrate and NerdyPost (they'll be my last for a while, from these guys, unless I'm obsessed with a future theme). In September I'll be getting a FairyLoot, and perhaps a Nerdy BookWorm Box, if the theme suits me. I'm always on the hunt for more, though, On instagram alone I follow:</div>
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<ul>
<li>Spellbound - https://spellboundbox.cratejoy.com/shop/listing - $25.00 - None UK based</li>
<li>Nerdy BookWorm - https://nerdybookwormbox.cratejoy.com/ - £29.99 - UK based</li>
<li>Lit Joy - http://litjoycrate.com/ - $29.99 - None UK based</li>
<li>Once Upon A Bookcase - https://www.cratejoy.com/once-upon-a-bookcase/ - $26.00 - None UK based</li>
<li>The Monthly Prophet - https://themonthlyprophet.cratejoy.com/ - $26.00 - None UK based</li>
<li>The YA Chronicles - http://theyachronicles.com.au/ - $29.99 - None UK based</li>
<li>Illumicrate - http://www.illumicrate.com/ - £29.99 - UK based - quarterly</li>
<li>Flitwicks (a jewellery subscription) - https://flitwicks.cratejoy.com/ - $12.00 - None UK based</li>
<li>Parnassus Next - http://www.parnassusbooks.net/ParnassusNext - $100 for three months - None UK based - frst editions</li>
<li>Novel Tea Club - http://noveltea.club/ - $27.50 - None UK based</li>
<li>Fantasy and Sci Fi Books - http://www.fantasyandscifibooks.com/ - $27.99 - None UK based</li>
<li>The Best Damn Book Box - https://www.cratejoy.com/the-best-damn-book-box/ - $39.99 - None UK based</li>
<li>Uppercase Box - https://www.uppercasebox.com/ - $29.00 - None UK Based</li>
<li>The Bookish Box - https://thebookishbox.cratejoy.com/ - $25.00 - None UK Based</li>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357161873030300279noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718190701419902446.post-69285284360676068072016-07-31T09:29:00.000-07:002016-07-31T09:29:05.128-07:00June and July wrap up, August TBR<div>
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In June I hoped to read:</div>
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<li>Tell the Wind and Fire by Sarah Rees Brennan FAIL</li>
<li>Ruined by Amy Tintera FAIL</li>
<li>Flawed by Cecilia Ahern READ - Give me a cheer!</li>
<li>Everland by Wendy Spinale FAIL</li>
<li>An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir FAIL</li>
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Oops. Sometimes you can be really ambitious with what you want to read, but in this case I actually read 14 books over the two months, so that wasn't why I couldn't get through the books on my TBR list. I suppose I just wasn't feeling in the mood for them? A lot was going on during these months, and I think I just need more 'oomph' or commitment than I had.</div>
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But what <i>did</i> I manage to read? Well...</div>
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<a href="https://scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/13767648_1192565950788359_1858226244_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/13767648_1192565950788359_1858226244_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<img alt="Flawed (Flawed, #1)" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1433842801l/23438288.jpg" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Flawed by Cecilia Ahern</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">(</span>4 stars on GoodReads)<br />
<i>"<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">In her breathtaking young adult debut, bestselling author Cecelia Ahern depicts a society where perfection is paramount and flaws lead to punishment. And where one young woman decides to take a stand that could cost her everything."</span></i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">I enjoyed this book a lot more than I expected. I've read some of CA's books before, and whilst they weren't bad, I didn't love them. This book caught me up and left me wanting more.</span><br />
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<img alt="Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #1)" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388207930l/30281.jpg" /></div>
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Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake 1) by Laurell K Hamilton</div>
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(4 stars on GoodReads)</div>
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<i>"<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">Readers will learn how Anita Blake started raising the dead-and killing the undead."</span></i></div>
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<img alt="The Laughing Corpse (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #2)" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388183342l/15309.jpg" /></div>
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The Laughing Corpse (Anita Blake 2) by Laurell K Hamilton</div>
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(4 stars on GoodReads)</div>
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<img alt="Circus of the Damned (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #3)" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388183340l/30274.jpg" /></div>
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Circus of the Damned (Anita Blake 3) by Laurell K Hamilton</div>
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(4 stars on GoodReads)</div>
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I enjoyed these three books, but after reading them I decided to stop. I have done some research on this series, and it seems to be the general consensus that they get ridiculous from about this point onwards. As I wasn't feeling hugely addicted, I thought this was a good place to stop.</div>
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<img alt="Rivers of London (Peter Grant, #1)" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1401385034l/9317452.jpg" /></div>
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Reread: Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch<br />
(always 5 stars)<br />
<i>"What would happen if Harry Potter grew up and joined the Fuzz" - Diana Gabaldon</i><br />
I love this series so much! Seriously, read them already!<br />
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<img alt="Moranifesto" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1449843213l/25705800.jpg" /></div>
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Moranifesto by Caitlin Moran<br />
(4.5 stars, 5 on GoodReads)<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><i>‘I’ve lived through ten iOS upgrades on my Mac – and that’s just something I use to muck about on Twitter. Surely capitalism is due an upgrade or two?’</i></span><br />
Oh Caitlin! I loved this book - it made me laugh in some parts, and was very serious in others. Definitely read Moranthology alongside this.<br />
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<a href="https://scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/s750x750/sh0.08/e35/13398650_1558822081079726_1400831190_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/s750x750/sh0.08/e35/13398650_1558822081079726_1400831190_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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The Last Star by Rick Yancey<br />
(3.5 stars, 4 stars on GoodReads)<br />
<i>"<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">They’re down here, they’re up there, they’re nowhere. They want the Earth, they want us to have it. They came to wipe us out, they came to save us."</span></i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">I've got to say, this book was a bit of a let down. It is the final piece of the 5th Wave trilogy - I loved book 1 but 2 and 3 just didn't live up.</span><br />
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The princess saves herself in this one by Amanda Lovelace<br />
(5 stars on GoodReads)<br />
<i>"<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">a poetry collection divided into four different parts: the princess, the damsel, the queen, & you."</span></i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">I loved this, <i>and</i> it's a book of poetry. I never read poetry!</span></div>
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<a href="https://scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/13557338_1566635256965452_1360362773_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/13557338_1566635256965452_1360362773_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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A Darker Shade of Magic by VE Schwabb<br />
(4 stars on GoodReads)<br />
"<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">Kell is one of the last Antari: hopping from Grey London — dirty, boring, lacking magic, and ruled by mad King George — to Red London — where life and magic are revered — to White London — ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne — and back, but never Black London, because travelling to Black London is forbidden."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">I really enjoyed this first book (in a series or trilogy? I'm not sure yet) - I love books that are set in London, plus those that have supernatural elements, so it was perfect.</span></div>
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<a href="https://scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/13557338_1566635256965452_1360362773_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/13557338_1566635256965452_1360362773_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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Saga Volume 1<br />
(4 stars on GoodReads)<br />
<i>"<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">Star Wars-style action collides with Game of Thrones-esque drama in this original sci-fi/fantasy epic for mature readers, as new parents Marko and Alana risk everything to raise their child amidst a never-ending galactic war."</span></i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">I'm not a graphic novel/ comic expert, and have read hardly any, but I really enjoyed this. Can't get my head around some of the lifeforms though!</span></div>
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<a href="https://scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/13651814_1735118813436629_2000094661_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/13651814_1735118813436629_2000094661_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo<br />
(5 stars on GoodReads)<br />
<i>"<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first."</span></i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">This is a type of 'spin-off' series from Leigh's Grisha Trilogy. I loved the world of the Grisha series, but not the stories or characters themselves. This book was perfect; set in the same universe, but new characters and a new plotline. </span></div>
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<img 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" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The Boss by Abigail Barnette (AKA Jennifer Armintrout)<br />
(4 stars on GoodReads)<br />
<i>Jennifer Armintrout's answer to (and attempt to improve) the Fifty Shades of Grey disaster.</i><br />
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<img height="320" src="https://dwtr67e3ikfml.cloudfront.net/bookCovers/ddaa2ee1f0279425efcc9c22d86c015455754f96" width="210" /></div>
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The Girlfriend by Abigail Barnette (AKA Jennifer Armintrout)<br />
(4 Stars on GoodReads)<br />
I really enjoyed these 'new' / 'alternative' versions of Fifty Shades of Grey. From my understanding AB/ JA set out to prove that books along the same lines as FSoG didn't have to be so horrendous, and she succeeded.</div>
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Curse of Tenth Grave (Charley Davidson 10) by Darynda Jones<br />
(5 Stars on GoodReads)<br />
<i>"<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">As a Part-time PI and fulltime grim reaper, Charley Davidson has asked a lot of questions throughout her life: Why can I see dead people? Who is the hot supernatural entity following me? How do I get gum out of my sister’s hair before she wakes up?</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;"> "</span></i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">I love Charley, what more can I say? I love saracastic, hyperactive, funny protags who have hot supernatural boyfriends and dramatic, interesting plot lines.</span><br />
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Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by JK Rowling, John Tiffany and Jack Thorne<br />
(5 Stars on GoodReads)</div>
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<i>"<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes darkness comes from unexpected places."</span></i></div>
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AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH</div>
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(please see my dedicated post for my opinion on Harry Potter and the Cursed Child)</div>
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Here's my<b> <u>haul</u></b> for both the months...</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1 ARC from YALC, 4 books from Subscription boxes, 4 gifts, plus 9 I bought myself</td></tr>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>August TBR Pile</b></span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">To make sure I don't get stuck feeling under pressure to read my TBR books from last month, I've decided I'll take them all off August's TBR. This would be different if I'd been half way through, or on a roll reading them, but as it is, I don't.</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">My August TBR books are...</span><br />
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<li>The Court of Mist and Fury (I'm finally feeling inspired to read this!)</li>
<li>The Jungle Book (we read some of this with our classes at school last term but it was too intense and hard work to finish)</li>
<li>The Sin Eaters Daughter</li>
<li>My Lady Jane</li>
<li>This Savage Song (I now have two copies, both from subscription boxes</li>
<li>The Magicians (I've started this so need to finish)</li>
<li>A Gathering of Shadows (started this at YALC, need to finish!)</li>
<li>Some kindle reads - I'm going away and will definitely be packing my Kindle!</li>
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GoodReads Update: 54/100 read</div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">2016 Reading Challenge:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: blue;">A book and it's prequel - Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas (January) Assassin's Blade tbr soon!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: blue;">A Book Written by a Celebrity - Gangsta Granny by David Walliams (January)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: blue;">A Graphic Novel - River's of London: Body Work by Ben Aaronovitch (January)</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: lime;">A Book Set in Europe - My Sword Hand is Singing by Marcus Sedgwick (February)</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: lime;">A Book Set in the Summer - Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour (February)</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: lime;">A Book Based on a Fairytale - The October Daye Series by Seanan McGuire (February)</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: magenta;">A Political Memoir - I am Malala (I think this counts!) by Malala Yousafzai (March)</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: magenta;">A Book With a Blue Cover - Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare (March)</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: magenta;">A Book Set on an Island - Feverborn by Karen Marie Moning (March)</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: magenta;">A Book Published in 2016 - Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs (March)</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: red;">An Autobiography - How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran (April)</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: red;">A Book Under 150 pages - Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell (April)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;">A Book Finished in the Day - Into the Woods by Kim Harrison (April)</span><br />
<span style="color: red;">A Book With an Unfamiliar Culture - Ms Marvel by G Willow Wilson (April)</span><br />
<span style="color: red;">A Book You Haven't Read Since High School - The Crysalids by John Wyndham (April)</span><br />
<span style="color: red;">A YA Best seller - The Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard (April)</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75;">A Science-Fiction Novel - Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman (May)</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75;">A Dystopian Novel - The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancy (May)</span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">A Book Written by a Comedian - Moranifesto by Caitlin Moran (June)</span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">A Book of Poetry - The Princess Saves Herself in This One by Amanda Lovelace (June)</span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">A Book Set in your Home State - A Darker Shade of Magic by VE Schwabb (June)</span><br />
<span style="color: orange;">A Romance Set in the Future - Saga Volume 1 (June)</span><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">A Book that's guaranteed to bring yoy joy - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (July)</span><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">A New York Times Best Seller - Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (July)</span><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;">A Murder Mystery - The Curse of Tenth Grave by Darynda Jones (July)</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">2015 challenge continuation...</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A Book I </span><strike>was Supposed to </strike><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Read in School (</span><i>I read all the books I was supposed to when I was a student in school - I've now read this as a teacher) </i><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">- Gangsta Granny by David Walliams (January)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: magenta;">A Book Based on a True Story - Burial Rites by Hannah Kent (March)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"></span>A Book that made me cry - The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater (May)</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357161873030300279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718190701419902446.post-17039873018103502022016-07-30T17:03:00.001-07:002016-07-30T17:03:14.196-07:00Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Spoiler Free Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I have, this minute, returned from a Waterstones Midnight Release Party for the play script of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, so it feels like perfect timing to release this review of the play. Do not worry, it is spoiler free. As it has gone midnight, I'm going to hug the book and go to bed, but tomorrow I <strike>may</strike> will edit this post to include some of my favourite quotes. But have no fear! They will be signposted and hidden, so that you can choose whether to read them. If you've just recieved your copy - enjoy!</div>
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On the 1st and 2nd of July I was so unbelievably lucky to be able to attend previews of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. I know I am very lucky to have been able to go, for lots of different reasons. Firstly, I know that only a limited number of people can even think about getting tickets; I live in London so am blessed when it comes to being able to stroll into a new Harry Potter story. However, even for people who live here, it's not that easy. This comes into 'reasons for being grateful' number two. Back when the tickets were released, my group of University friends were all together; we were at a friends house and weren't really able to try to get tickets. We'd all resigned ourselves to this fact, but were hopeful that the play would be successful enough for more tickets to be released in the future. Well, one friend actually postponed coming to meet us because she tried to get us all tickets. Twice she got to the paying section (after queueing online for hours), and twice the internet crashed. By the time she met us, she was a wreck and hadn't been able to get tickets.<br />
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Then, two months later, when I was actually abroad with another friend, another, completely separate friend Whatsapped me to tell me she had a spare ticket and would I like it. Of course, I said yes, whilst screaming in the streets of Budapest. Many weird looks were given. Amazingly, another ticket became available, so I was able to also invite the friend who tried so hard to get me a ticket on the release date.<br />
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Fast forward two and a half more months, and I cannot tell you how excited I was. A child in my class had unbelievably gone to the first preview performances, and loved it. He was dedicated to 'keeping the secret', and didn't even tell me that he'd enjoyed it until I had finally been (we then had a lengthy discussion about the show, and considering the child was nine, it was pretty detailed!).<br />
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So...I have seen the show. It's in fact now one month since I saw the show, but I could not write the review until now. Even though this is a spoiler free review, I didn't want to say anything until the script was at least available.<br />
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First things first, what did I think of <b>the plot</b>? Well, I loved it. I can't really say much without giving spoilers, obviously, but I <i>can</i> tell you, it begins exactly where The Deathly Hallows leaves off. Most closely linked to the plot is <b>the script</b>. This is the reason I couldn't really post this review until today. Having seen the play during the preview stage, there are still parts that could change. I also need to be able to look at the script to recall favourite lines, although I did jot things down on my phone at the end of the play. I'll try to link to some of my favourite quotes once I know the page numbers, or perhaps they'll be written below in white font, so you have to highlight them to read them? We'll see!<br />
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Now, this play wouldn't be half as amazing if it wasn't for <b>the actors. </b>I can tell you right now that Noma, Jamie and Paul <i>are</i> Hermione, Harry and Ron. They are truly incredible, and play their roles so well. Poppy and Alex are also incredible as Ginny and Draco, with Poppy holding onto all of book Ginny's fiery personality, and Alex playing Draco exactly how we'd imagine him to be 19 years later. When it comes to 'the next generation', Anthony and Sam are true stars as Scorpius and Albus. They are incredibly talented, and I have to say I left the play loving them. I don't know how much more I can say without spoiling the plot, but all the cast were incredible.<br />
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The <b>set </b>was simplistic and amazing. Down to the tiniest on-stage items, to the staircases and beds, up to the frame around the stage and the decor in The Palace theatre, everything screamed Hogwarts but wasn't over the top. There is a special moment in Part Two when you release just how seriously amazing the set designers are. Actually, these moments happen throughout both parts but aaaaaaah <i>no spoilers!!</i><br />
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I think some people were concerned as to how the magic of Hogwarts could be bought to the stage without CGI, or the play feeling like a cheesy magician magic show. Well, I don't know how they did it (quite literally) but watching the play was actually like seeing Harry Potter magic in real life. I've had so many chats with friends who have also seen the play, and I can't work it out how they made certain things happen. Obviously, there is great set design and lighting, which really helped with the atmosphere, but <i>holy moly, </i>I think the <b>special effects</b> were some of the most amazing parts of the show.<br />
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Finally, the <b>music. </b>Imogen Heap led this, and she is one of my favourite musicians so I was very excited. Don't worry, it's not a musical! Imogen lends her brilliant, hypnotic notes to the play, making it atmospheric, and causing me to nearly cry whenever her songs came onto my spotify playlist. To truly get a vibe of the music, I recommend listening to the instrumental versions of 'The Walk', 'Closing in and, 'Just for now'. When you watch some of the videos from the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child website, you can hear a few of the tunes playing in the background.<br />
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As you can probably tell, I absolutely loved the play, and therefore rate it 1000000/ 10 ! I'm going to attempt to queue up to see it again, as apparently last minute returns are sometimes released on the night. Wish me luck! And remember, Keep the Secrets!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A final comment...</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357161873030300279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718190701419902446.post-20597571258236488952016-05-31T04:17:00.000-07:002016-05-31T04:17:46.097-07:00May Wrap Up and June TBR<div style="text-align: start;">
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Hello and welcome to my giant May wrap up / June to be read post! A lot of bookish things happened this month, so lets get started.</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">At the end of April I decided this would be my May tbr...</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> Not overly ambitious, but I will admit, I didn't complete it. Moranifesto was (is - I haven't finished it yet!) a lot denser than I thought it would be, so I haven't plowed through it as quickly as I anticipated. Additionally, I haven't even started Fangirl yet. This book has become really overhyped in my mind, and I'm not an enthusiastic contemporary reader at the best of times, so I couldn;t make myself pick it up. However, I also read two Novellas on my Kindle, and they are in the list of successful reads below...</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">5/5 Stars on GoodReads</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">2015 - a book that made me cry</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fqM6Fz-6JSs/V01tZXtsiBI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/7JknHeuOvRoQZKs5KR_G-BfNEdvI7asiACKgB/s1600/the%2Bfifth%2Bwave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fqM6Fz-6JSs/V01tZXtsiBI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/7JknHeuOvRoQZKs5KR_G-BfNEdvI7asiACKgB/s320/the%2Bfifth%2Bwave.jpg" width="320" /></a></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey (reread)</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">5/5 Stars on GoodReads</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pZz_IAx7t5A/V01tZkNUOVI/AAAAAAAAAjU/XyXlmyrk_eQbGCbqZVOYKMEh88qzbjvvwCKgB/s1600/the%2Binfinite%2Bsea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pZz_IAx7t5A/V01tZkNUOVI/AAAAAAAAAjU/XyXlmyrk_eQbGCbqZVOYKMEh88qzbjvvwCKgB/s320/the%2Binfinite%2Bsea.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">4/5 Stars on GoodReads</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Dystopian</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">5/5 on GoodReads (4 stars for plot, 1 extra star for layout)</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Science fiction</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-al1AX2w57P8/V01tZU2Xk3I/AAAAAAAAAjc/5P_aQhDw-hUC36k9jWS_zexUfOSfmqMfwCKgB/s1600/room%2B13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-al1AX2w57P8/V01tZU2Xk3I/AAAAAAAAAjc/5P_aQhDw-hUC36k9jWS_zexUfOSfmqMfwCKgB/s320/room%2B13.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Room 13 by Robert Swindells</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">4/5 on GoodReads</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">(I read this with my class at school)</span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qjg8qmfWY2o/V01tX6WGG8I/AAAAAAAAAjc/UP1loms2s6YxI1WaJ9pMbM9TMY99CGKfwCKgB/s1600/for%2Bi%2Bhave%2Bsinned.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qjg8qmfWY2o/V01tX6WGG8I/AAAAAAAAAjc/UP1loms2s6YxI1WaJ9pMbM9TMY99CGKfwCKgB/s1600/for%2Bi%2Bhave%2Bsinned.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">For I Have Sinned (a Charley Davidson novella) by Darynda Jones</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">3/5 stars on GoodReads</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Brighter than the Sun (a Charley Davidson novella) by Darynda Jones</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">5/5 Stars on GoodReads</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Moranifesto by Caitlin Moran</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">5/5 stars on GoodReads</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">(I will have finished this book by midnight!!)</span><br />
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In May I recieved two book subscription boxes, that I loved...<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HVY_VQZZQA4/V01tZc5jltI/AAAAAAAAAjc/0uAcwOW_BrUJxbpOE7wH67lLfsepRxO7QCKgB/s1600/owlcrate%2Bmay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HVY_VQZZQA4/V01tZc5jltI/AAAAAAAAAjc/0uAcwOW_BrUJxbpOE7wH67lLfsepRxO7QCKgB/s320/owlcrate%2Bmay.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Owlcrate arrived earlier in the month, and had a steampunk/ fantasy theme. </div>
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Fairyloot arrived later in the month and had a high fantasy theme. I've reorderd both boxes for June and I can't wait!</div>
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I bought/ recieved quite a few books in May, so here is a photo of my May 'haul'</div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-umedJBXlt0k/V01tYmU2_5I/AAAAAAAAAjc/7tuOyDdzfkI6FE30sSM0PQQ--LKvgaAWgCKgB/s1600/may%2Bhaul.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-umedJBXlt0k/V01tYmU2_5I/AAAAAAAAAjc/7tuOyDdzfkI6FE30sSM0PQQ--LKvgaAWgCKgB/s320/may%2Bhaul.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b><u>June To Be Read</u></b></span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SFacJIH8eT0/V01tYR13bfI/AAAAAAAAAjc/KgnnJ9ovWeUCVrIDRFeyEnSWUYp6QEfDgCKgB/s1600/june%2Btbr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SFacJIH8eT0/V01tYR13bfI/AAAAAAAAAjc/KgnnJ9ovWeUCVrIDRFeyEnSWUYp6QEfDgCKgB/s320/june%2Btbr.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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In June I hope to read:</div>
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<li>Tell the Wind and Fire by Sarah Rees Brennan</li>
<li>Ruined by Amy Tintera</li>
<li>Flawed by Cecilia Ahern</li>
<li>Everland by Wendy Spinale</li>
<li>An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir</li>
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GoodReads Update: 40/100 read</div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">2016 Reading Challenge:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: blue;">A book and it's prequel - Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas (January) Assassin's Blade tbr soon!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: blue;">A Book Written by a Celebrity - Gangsta Granny by David Walliams (January)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: blue;">A Graphic Novel - River's of London: Body Work by Ben Aaronovitch (January)</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: lime;">A Book Set in Europe - My Sword Hand is Singing by Marcus Sedgwick (February)</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: lime;">A Book Set in the Summer - Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour (February)</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: lime;">A Book Based on a Fairytale - The October Daye Series by Seanan McGuire (February)</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: magenta;">A Political Memoir - I am Malala (I think this counts!) by Malala Yousafzai (March)</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: magenta;">A Book With a Blue Cover - Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare (March)</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: magenta;">A Book Set on an Island - Feverborn by Karen Marie Moning (March)</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: magenta;">A Book Published in 2016 - Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs (March)</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: red;">An Autobiography - How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran (April)</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: red;">A Book Under 150 pages - Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell (April)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;">A Book Finished in the Day - Into the Woods by Kim Harrison (April)</span><br />
<span style="color: red;">A Book With an Unfamiliar Culture - Ms Marvel by G Willow Wilson (April)</span><br />
<span style="color: red;">A Book You Haven't Read Since High School - The Crysalids by John Wyndham (April)</span><br />
<span style="color: red;">A YA Best seller - The Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard (April)</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75;">A Science-Fiction Novel - Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman (May)</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75;">A Dystopian Novel - The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancy (May)</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">2015 challenge continuation...</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A Book I </span><strike>was Supposed to </strike><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Read in School (</span><i>I read all the books I was supposed to when I was a student in school - I've now read this as a teacher) </i><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">- Gangsta Granny by David Walliams (January)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: magenta;">A Book Based on a True Story - Burial Rites by Hannah Kent (March)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"></span>A Book that made me cry - The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater (May)</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357161873030300279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718190701419902446.post-17752057820277229032016-05-02T12:15:00.000-07:002016-05-02T12:15:26.280-07:00April Wrap Up and May TBR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran</div>
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5/5 Stars<br />
Caitlin Moran always makes me laugh. Her articles and tweets have always made me laugh, and this book did the same whilst also discussing feminism and modern 'womanhood'.</div>
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Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell </div>
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4/5 Stars</div>
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This is actually the first Rainbow Rowell I've read and was really sweet. Loved how it was about Star Wars 7 too!</div>
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Into the Woods by Kim Harrison</div>
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4/5 Stars</div>
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Lots of short stories, mostly from the Hollows universe.</div>
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Dollar Signs by Manning Wolfe</div>
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3/5 Stars</div>
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I was sent this book to review, and you can read this review here on this blog.</div>
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Ms Marvel by G Willow Wilson</div>
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4/5 Stars</div>
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My first proper comic book! I really enjoyed it, I just wish it had been longer. I can't afford to buy such short stories when they're so pricey!<br />
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Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard</div>
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I enjoyed this first book by Victoria Aveyard - a strong fantasy world with interesting characters.</div>
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4/5 Stars</div>
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The Crysalids by John Wyndham</div>
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A reread, but still 5/5 Stars</div>
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This book ALWAYS intrigues me. An interesting look at how our world could end up...</div>
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<b>May To Be Read...</b></div>
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I have 5 books planned to read in May:</div>
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The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater</div>
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The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey (I might have to reread The Fifth Wave)</div>
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Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff</div>
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Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell</div>
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Moranthology by Caitlin Moran</div>
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GoodReads Update: 34/100 read</div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">2016 Reading Challenge:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: blue;">A book and it's prequel - Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas (January) Assassin's Blade tbr soon!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: blue;">A Book Written by a Celebrity - Gangsta Granny by David Walliams (January)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: blue;">A Graphic Novel - River's of London: Body Work by Ben Aaronovitch (January)</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: lime;">A Book Set in Europe - My Sword Hand is Singing by Marcus Sedgwick (February)</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: lime;">A Book Set in the Summer - Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour (February)</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: lime;">A Book Based on a Fairytale - The October Daye Series by Seanan McGuire (February)</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: magenta;">A Political Memoir - I am Malala (I think this counts!) by Malala Yousafzai (March)</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: magenta;">A Book With a Blue Cover - Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare (March)</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: magenta;">A Book Set on an Island - Feverborn by Karen Marie Moning (March)</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: magenta;">A Book Published in 2016 - Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs (March)</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: red;">An Autobiography - How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran (April)</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: red;">A Book Under 150 pages - Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell (April)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;">A Book Finished in the Day - Into the Woods by Kim Harrison (April)</span><br />
<span style="color: red;">A Book With an Unfamiliar Culture - Ms Marvel by G Willow Wilson (April)</span><br />
<span style="color: red;">A Book You Haven't Read Since High School - The Crysalids by John Wyndham (April)</span><br />
<span style="color: red;">A YA Best seller - The Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard (April)</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">2015 challenge continuation...</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A Book I </span><strike>was Supposed to </strike><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Read in School (</span><i>I read all the books I was supposed to when I was a student in school - I've now read this as a teacher) </i><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">- Gangsta Granny by David Walliams (January)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: magenta;">A Book Based on a True Story - Burial Rites by Hannah Kent (March)</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357161873030300279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718190701419902446.post-85109409795058669512016-04-22T13:45:00.001-07:002016-04-22T13:50:04.386-07:00Dollar Signs by Manning Wolfe<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-R-1IioU_-MY/VxqNb167VuI/AAAAAAAAAhE/RKylcw31dt8/s640/blogger-image-1926852157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-R-1IioU_-MY/VxqNb167VuI/AAAAAAAAAhE/RKylcw31dt8/s640/blogger-image-1926852157.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Thank you to the author for sending me a signed copy of the book in return for an honest review.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Dollar Signs is the first book in a future series about Merit Bridges, an attorney and widowed mother in Austin, Texas. In the story Merit and her legal team take on a corporation with corrupt methods. With their lives threatened, the team race against the clock to win their case. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">My first impression was hugely positive. The book was of good quality and the front cover was intriguing. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>Writing</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><br></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I knew from the start that I might find it hard to follow the story as it's not the genre I usually read, however I was pleasantly surprised. The author had obviously put a lot of effort into her writing. I think had this book been a little faster paced, I would have been sucked in more, but I certainly wasn't reluctant to carry on reading it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I found the legal jargon and details a little too much as it made it harder for me, someone who has not trained in the law, to understand. Obviously, for someone who understands the terms and vocabulary, this would not be an issue. Perhaps if I read this genre more I'd have understood more, but I also believe this level of detail was unnecessary for the plot. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I also found some areas of writing a little choppy - they made sense to read but didn't flow so well. As a primary school teacher who is constantly attempting to help her year fours improve their writing, I am possibly wearing my teachers hat here but I do believe flow is important! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">This definitely wasn't a badly written book. Authors improve with experience, and this is the authors first book, so I can appreciate that her style of writing will evolve.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>Characters and story</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><br></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Whilst Merit was an interesting character (with a back story and future potential) but I have to say I didn't connect with her or the other characters. I just couldn't work out what was 'bad ass' about her team, or why Merit kept saying 'coolio!'. Lots of the characters didn't seem to play a part in the larger plot.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The plot was interesting, although I generally find legal matters hard to follow. A lot of my lack of understanding probabl not only came from the legal genre but from the location - Texas. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I have never been to the U.S. and Texas probably wouldn't be the first place if head. I'd like to go there, but it's a bit further down the list. Anyway, this is relevant because I feel some plot points, statements and jokes were ones that would only make sense to Americans or perhaps even only Texans. I also felt that at some points the book was getting dangerously close to being a pro- gun advert. I mean, everyone has their own opinions and they are allowed them, but I didn't think it was necessary. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>Overall</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><br></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Overall I gave this book 3 stars on GoodReads, but it's probably closer to 3.5 stars. Easy to read but could have been more adventurous with the writing. Good plot line but not an addictive read.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357161873030300279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718190701419902446.post-28771500536877272052016-04-01T08:57:00.001-07:002016-04-07T13:15:08.790-07:00March Wrap Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here we are, my reads from this March. I'm very impressed with myself, actually, as I read a lot and because 2 of those books have been gathering dust on my To Be Read shelf. The other 4 were all brand new releases, so we definitely got off the press! </div>
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What did I think of these? Well...very good things!</div>
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Feverborn by Karen Marie Moning</div>
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GoodReads rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</div>
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I was eagerly awaiting the release of this book, a continuation of the Fever series, but it actually took me a while to pick it up. I just wasn't in the mood. However, once I did pick it up I pliers through it quickly. If you haven't heard of the series, they are an urban fantasy series set in Dublin. The main character, Mac, is an American in her early twenties who flies to Ireland to try to investigate her elder sister's murder. This book is book 8 (I think) so to reveal the plot would be very spoilery. However, I was delighted by the appearance of a certain character, as I had imagined that happening many times, whilst daydreaming! I am still slightly frustrated by Mac's relationship with another couple of main characters, but I am hopeful these annoyances will either be plot points further along in the series or will get sorted soon! </div>
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Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs</div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Mercy Thompson books were the first ever Urban Fantasy I read. Or at least, books that I classified as such. I love Mercy's wit, bravery and attitude towards her life. I can't give much of this plot away, but I can say it's continuing Mercy's story in a world where werewolves and the fae are 'out of the closet'. War is brewing and Mercy is stuck in the middle.</span></div>
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I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai</div>
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I've wanted to read this book for a long time, but I've never really read memoirs before. I knew I'd want to read it without anynother books distracting me, but I'm rarely in a 'read an entire non-fiction book in one go' mood (I tend to dip in and out). So I'm very glad I made time for this! You can tell this is written by a young person, as the writing style is less established and polished. However, that almost makes it even more inspiring as it reminds you of how young Malala is and how English is not her first language. As a teacher, I found all the information about education and learning very interesting as well. Malala is very inspirational, and this book reminded me why learning is so vital.</div>
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Burial Rites by Hannah Kent </div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">GoodReads rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</span></div>
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Based on real life events, this book tells the story of a woman in Iceland who is sentenced to be executed for her part in a murder. She is sent to live with a family whilst waiting for the date of her death to be finalised. I was surprised by this book - the emotions and attachment really creep up on the reader AND the characters in the story. It was really interesting to read something based on a true story, because obviously we can never truly know the motives and feelings behind crimes that happened so long ago. I would recommend this to both fiction and history fans!</div>
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Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare</div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">GoodReads rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I can still remember the day that I first picked up City of Bones. It was literally the day it arrived in my local Waterstones - with the original UK covers! I actually ended up giving the book away (after devouring it in one sitting) because I was so horrified with the well known plot twist. Luckily, I still picked up book two when it was released and LOVED it. I resisted picking up this book for as long as I could - I know the pain of waiting for the next book in a Cassandra Clare series and I was trying to reduce that a little bit! It didn't last though :P I read this book either sat in a chair looking out over a beautiful Cornish beach, or on the 5 hour train journey back from Cornwall to London, and the time flew! </span></div>
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Seven Black Diamonds by Melissa Marr</div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">GoodReads rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">It's been years now since I first read and fell in love with the Wicked Lovely series, and I've got to say I've yet to find a Melissa Marr series that I obsess over as much. I love those books! I really enjoyed this, but it didn't hit the same spot the WL books did. Perhaps it's because I was 16 when I read WL? I'll have to re read them and see if they have the same effect!</span></div>
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GoodReads Update: 27/100 read</div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">2016 Reading Challenge:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: blue;">A book and it's prequel - Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas (January) Assassin's Blade tbr soon!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: blue;">A Book Written by a Celebrity - Gangsta Granny by David Walliams (January)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: blue;">A Graphic Novel - River's of London: Body Work by Ben Aaronovitch (January)</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: lime;">A Book Set in Europe - My Sword Hand is Singing by Marcus Sedgwick (February)</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: lime;">A Book Set in the Summer - Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour (February)</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: lime;">A Book Based on a Fairytale - The October Daye Series by Seanan McGuire (February)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: magenta;">A Political Memoir - I am Malala (I think this counts!) by Malala Yousafzai (March)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: magenta;">A Book With a Blue Cover - Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare (March)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: magenta;">A Book Set on an Island - Feverborn by Karen Marie Moning (March)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: magenta;">A Book Published in 2016 - Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs (March)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">2015 challenge continuation...</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A Book I </span><strike>was Supposed to </strike><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Read in School (</span><i>I read all the books I was supposed to when I was a student in school - I've now read this as a teacher) </i><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">- Gangsta Granny by David Walliams (January)</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); color: magenta;">A Book Based on a True Story - Burial Rites by Hannah Kent (March)</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Books from 2015 that I didn't read:</span></div>
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<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px; text-align: start;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A classic Romance</span></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px; text-align: start;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A book that became a movie</span></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px; text-align: start;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A Pullitzer prize winner</span></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px; text-align: start;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Antonyms</span></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px; text-align: start;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Published in the year I was born</span></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px; text-align: start;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A book that made me cry</span></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px; text-align: start;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Originally in a different language</span></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px; text-align: start;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A book that was once a play</span></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px; text-align: start;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A banned book</span></li>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357161873030300279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718190701419902446.post-61838115323995192212016-03-19T13:41:00.001-07:002016-03-19T13:43:58.931-07:00A year in books......or I take too many pictures.<br />
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I thought it would be cool to gather all my book related photos from 2015 together in to one blog post...and then I realised it was many many photos. Oh well! As the year went on, I definitely improved my placement in photos...<br />
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The beautiful Foyles bookstore.<br />
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A collection of quotes from GoodReads that I enjoyed.<br />
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My wonderful signed His Dark Materials from when Alice and I met Philip Pullman<br />
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Rereading Northern Lights.<br />
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Alex reading a book!<br />
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Drinking tea surrounded by books.<br />
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Teacher enthusiasm, followed by many piles of books...<br />
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Followed by many shelfies...<br />
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Heaps of books...<br />
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And then the individual books...<br />
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Thank goodness for pretty books, right?<br />
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If you want to see more book photos, as well as many other photos of things in my life, my instagram is Clairbear1989 :)<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357161873030300279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718190701419902446.post-54803055953265558982016-03-19T09:18:00.000-07:002016-03-19T09:18:11.187-07:00February Wrap Up!Yes, it's well in to March at this point, but (as always) better late than never.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Rosemary and Rue (October Daye #1)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1406866868l/6294549.jpg" width="198" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Rosemary and Rue (An October Daye Novel) by Seanan McGuire</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
3.5/5 Stars (4 stars on GoodReads)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I completely forgot, until I began reading this again, that I had attempted to read this once before. I remember, and agreed, that it was a very slow start. In fact, whilst the book improves once you get past half way, it's also true that the series really only gathers pace a few books in. This wasn't the most exciting first book in an Urban Fantasy series, hence the 3.5 stars, but I'm glad I persevered, as February ended up being a month of Toby Daye...</div>
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<img alt="A Local Habitation (October Daye #2)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1309537085l/6782465.jpg" width="198" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
A Local Habitation (An October Daye Novel) by Seanan McGuire</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
4/5 stars</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The series was still slow at this point, although the pace and plot were still good. I just couldn't really immerse myself properly; I liked the characters and from other reviews knew that it would get better, so I was happy to give this book a better rating than number 1.</div>
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<img alt="An Artificial Night (October Daye #3)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1441832440l/6782468.jpg" width="200" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
An Artificial Night (An October Daye Novel) by Seanan McGuire</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
4.5/5 stars (5 stars on GoodReads)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
This is where I felt the series began to properly pick up steam. I felt much more immersed, other characters played a larger part and Toby herself was beginning to feel more familiar,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I do also have to say, now that I'm reminding myself, I really like these covers. They don't have that 'tacky' appearance that some UF books have, with half naked people everywhere. They're interesting to look at whilst leaving everything vague enough, so that your personal image of the character isn't altered (or, if you're like me and never really picture their faces properly, the random blur isn't replaced by a weirdly lifelike book model).</div>
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<img alt="Late Eclipses (October Daye #4)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1407034703l/8496901.jpg" width="198" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Late Eclipses (An October Daye Novel) by Seanan McGuire</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
5/5 stars</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="One Salt Sea (October Daye #5)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1312045992l/10783217.jpg" width="198" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
One Salt Sea (An October Daye Novel) by Seanan McGuire</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
5/5 stars</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Ashes of Honor (October Daye, #6)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1333382143l/10184345.jpg" width="198" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Ashes of Honor (An October Daye Novel) by Seanan McGuire</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
5/5 stars</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Chimes at Midnight (October Daye, #7)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1363206331l/10184403.jpg" width="198" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Chimes at Midnight (An October Daye Novel) by Seanan McGuire</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
5/5 Stars</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Everything Leads to You" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1389744233l/18667779.jpg" width="212" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
3.75/5 stars (4 stars on GoodReads)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
SUCH A BEAUTIFUL COVER. A lovely little book to read. Not 100% obsessed with the plot or the characters, but I enjoyed it. This may have been a book I read once then gave away, but the cover looks too damn good on my bookshelf. That's where the extra 0.25 of a star came from, as well!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="An Utterly Impartial History of Britain or 2000 Years of Upper Class Idiots In Charge" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1190562939l/1935045.jpg" width="208" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
An Utterly Impartial History of Britain, or 2000 years of Upper Class Idiots in Charge by John O'Farrell</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
4/5 Stars</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
A lot of reading in this book, but most parts are delivered with a sarcastic humour that made me snort a LOT when reading it. Typically, once it got to 'recent' history (and for some reason my brain thinks late 17th century is a part of this) I started to get less interested in carrying on, but worth the read as I learnt a few random facts!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SOWVJIANRKs/TWKxjimgceI/AAAAAAAABYM/tpJRhZifQdM/s320/swordhand.jpg" width="207" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
My Sword Hand is Singing by Marcus Sedgwick</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
3.5/5 stars (4 stars on GoodReads)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
A book bought for my sister years ago, as she is/was obsessed with Russia, and didn't read enough (in our opinion :P) I don't think she ever picked it up. I enjoyed it! Not a book I'd read again, but a nice twist on Eastern European folklore.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="The Winter Long (October Daye, #8)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1397500522l/15748529.jpg" width="198" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The Winter Long (An October Daye Novel) by Seanan McGuire</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
5/5 stars</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="A Red-Rose Chain (October Daye, #9)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1435194022l/15748535.jpg" width="198" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
A Red-Rose Chain (An October Daye Novel) by Seanan McGuire</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
5/5 stars</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="An Abundance of Katherines" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1360206426l/49750.jpg" width="207" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
An Abundance of Katherines by John Green </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(DID NOT FINISH)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I'm a big John Green fan, but that's always been because of vlogbrothers, rather than his books. TFIOS made me sob, and convinced me to try more of his books, but I've never quite <i>got</i> his writing style. It's never managed to keep me engaged. This was the same. Well written, but not the genre I normally read, and not a style that intrigued me. I tried, John, sorry. I still have a couple more of your books to have a look at, but I think you'll always be a Youtuber before an author in my mind.</div>
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<div style="text-align: start;">
2016 Reading Challenge:</div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="https://booksnooks.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/10644863_10205726742748521_4801425545387774445_n.jpg?w=467&h=404" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: blue;">A YA Bestseller - Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas (January)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: blue;">A Book Written by a Celebrity - Gangsta Granny by David Walliams (January)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: blue;">A Graphic Novel - River's of London: Body Work by Ben Aaronovitch (January)</span><br />
<span style="color: lime;">A Book Set in Europe - My Sword Hand is Singing by Marcus Desgwick (February)</span><br />
<span style="color: lime;">A Book Set in the Summer - Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour (February)</span><br />
<span style="color: lime;">A Book Based on a Fairytale - The October Daye Series by Seanan McGuire (February)</span><br />
<br />
2015 challenge continuation...<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">A Book I <strike>was Supposed to </strike>Read in School (<i>I read all the books I was supposed to when I was a student in school - I've now read this as a teacher) </i>- Gangsta Granny by David Walliams (January)</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: start;">
Books from 2015 that I didn't read:</div>
<ul style="color: #666666; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.5455px; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em; text-align: start;">
<li style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;">A classic Romance</span></li>
<li style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;">A book that became a movie</span></li>
<li style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;">A Pullitzer prize winner</span></li>
<li style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;">A book based on a true story</span></li>
<li style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;">Antonyms</span></li>
<li style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;">Published in the year I was born</span></li>
<li style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;">A book that made me cry</span></li>
<li style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;">Originally in a different language</span></li>
<li style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;">A book that was once a play</span></li>
<li style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;">A banned book</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357161873030300279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718190701419902446.post-70498510335764350432016-02-22T13:27:00.000-08:002016-02-22T13:27:37.717-08:00January Wrap Up!Books read:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="The Undead Pool (The Hollows, #12)" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1379687538l/17285883.jpg" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The Undead Pool (The Hollows book 12) by Kim Harrison</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
5/5 Stars</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<img alt="The Witch With No Name (The Hollows, #13)" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1398700782l/20426917.jpg" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The Witch With No Name (The Hollows book 13) by Kim Harrison</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
5/5 Stars<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Gangsta Granny" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328081492l/12727215.jpg" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Gangsta Granny by David Walliams</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
4/5 Stars</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<img alt="Rivers of London: Body Work" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1414252892l/23387877.jpg" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
River's of London: Body Work (Rivers of London graphic novel) by Ben Aaronovitch</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
4/5 Stars<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="The Dirt on Ninth Grave (Charley Davidson, #9)" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1433877825l/23848452.jpg" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The Dirt on Ninth Grave (Charley Davidson series) by Darynda Jones</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
4.5/5 Stars<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass, #4)" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1441230104l/18006496.jpg" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass book 4) by Sarah J Maas</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
3/5 Stars<br />
<i>Yes, unpopular opinion. I gave a book with a 4.6 star rating on GoodReads 3 stars. I just, meh. My biggest problem was the personality change of Celaena/ Aelin, her insane hatred of Chaol (who has already paid for and apologise for the errors he has made - errors which I always thought were mostly out of his control in the first place) and C/A's obsessions with Rowan. I just thought it was very out of character. Not only that, but a large chunk of the book was insanely boring.Many other people gave better reviews than me on GoodReads - check out another 3 star review there so get the gist. I will not give up on the series, because there has always been a lot of potential, but I am sad this was not enjoyable and I won't be rushing out to buy the next book.</i></div>
<br />
<br />
<u>Books bought:</u><br />
<br />
<span style="text-align: center;">River's of London: Body Work (Rivers of London graphic novel) by Ben Aaronovitch - Kindle</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">The Dirt on Ninth Grave (Charley Davidson series) by Darynda Jones</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Random Riggs</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">Heartless (The Parasol Protectorate series) by Gail Carriger (already read, wanted to own the full set)</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">The Sin Eater's Daughter by Melinda Salisbury</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">Illuminae by Amie Kaufman</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">Infographic Guide to Literature by Joanna Eliot</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">Cursed (The Thorne Trilogy) by R K Ryals - Kindle</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">Lean in 15 by Joe Wicks (Yep, a healthy cookbook which is AWESOME)</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater (already read, somehow do not own this one)</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">Feverborn by Karen Marie Moning</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">Lonely Planet Guide to Budapest (WOOOOOO)</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">World After and End of Days by Susan Ee (to complete the set as I have already read them)</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Reading Challenge:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="https://booksnooks.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/10644863_10205726742748521_4801425545387774445_n.jpg?w=467&h=404" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: blue;">A YA Bestseller - Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas (January)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: blue;">A Book Written by a Celebrity - Gangsta Granny by David Walliams (January)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: blue;">A Graphic Novel - River's of London: Body Work by Ben Aaronovitch (January)</span><br />
<br />
2015 challenge continuation...<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">A Book I <strike>was Supposed to </strike>Read in School (<i>I read all the books I was supposed to when I was a student in school - I've now read this as a teacher) </i>- Gangsta Granny by David Walliams (January)</span></div>
<br />
Books from 2015 that I didn't read:<br />
<ul style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.5455px; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;">A classic Romance</span></li>
<li style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;">A book that became a movie</span></li>
<li style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;">A Pullitzer prize winner</span></li>
<li style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;">A book based on a true story</span></li>
<li style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;">Antonyms</span></li>
<li style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;">Published in the year I was born</span></li>
<li style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;">A book that made me cry</span></li>
<li style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;">Originally in a different language</span></li>
<li style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;">A book that was once a play</span></li>
<li style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;">A banned book</span></li>
</ul>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357161873030300279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718190701419902446.post-78292793162759143202016-01-24T09:14:00.000-08:002016-01-24T09:14:58.512-08:00My Top 'Ten' of 2015After looking at all the books I read in 2015, that I rated at 4.5-5 stars (I wish Goodreads had a distinction)...I found out I've read a LOT of Fantasy. I shouldn't have been surprised by that, but I thought I'd have rated some other genre's as highly. It has been a case to sticking to what I know I love.<br />
<br />
This year I read three new Urban Fantasy series; one may only have had three books compared to another's thirteen, but I read them all. Two of these series made it to my Top Ten, and I am counting books that follow the story of the same main character as one spot on the list. This actually applies to three other book series on the list. In one case, a trilogy I read in the Summer, plus the first three books in a Young Adult High Fantasy I began this year (there have been two more books in this series released but I haven't read them yet).<br />
<br />
These books aren't in any particular order, but I will start with the stand alone's or books that may be part of a series, but I have only read one book of this year.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Unmade (The Lynburn Legacy, #3)" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1392937998l/18309803.jpg" /></div>
<b>1. Unmade (The Lyburn Legacy book 3) by Sarah Rees Brennan</b><br />
<b>Genre: Young Adult Fantasy</b><br />
<br />
Sarah is a hilarious author. There has not been a single book that she's written that I have not laughed out loud reading. I guess our sense of humours kind of match (think Cassandra Clare - who she is good friends with - plus British sarcasm). However, these books are not comedies. They are Young Adult fantasy set in the village of Sorry-in-the-Vale, in the Cotswolds (a very traditional, idyllic area of England). One of the things that drew me to this trilogy (because obviously I have read the two in the series before this), apart from the fact I know I enjoy Sarah's writing style, is the fact it has been set in England. There are more and more 'British' YA fantasy books on the shelves than their used to be, but they still are less common than the US based ones...which is fine because obviously more people in the US, and therefore more authors. I do enjoy, though, actually <i>knowing</i> where a book is set, even if it is a fictional village. I get the quaint, sleepy village life, because I have lived it.<br />
<br />
What also makes this trilogy great (*no spoilers*) is that fact that the characters aren't all straight and white. Kami, the main character, is half Japanese. I can't recall anyone outside of Kami's family who are non-white, however Kami's family are hugely important and involved in the entire story. I don't want to give <i>too </i>much away as I don't want to post spoilers, but there are also non-straight characters. I'll leave it at that.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I loved all the sass and the drama and the teen angst in this trilogy. I finished reading it a very happy bunny indeed.<br />
<br />
<u>Quotes that I enjoyed (I found them all on Goodreads because I do not graffiti my books):</u><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">“I hear girls like bad boys. I hope that's true. Because, baby, I'm bad at practically everything.” </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">“Bros before hoes," said Jared. "By which of course I mean gardening tools, because I hold all the fine ladies of Sorry-in-the-Vale in the highest regard.”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">“Lucky for you, I have another scheme. First I need a hundred ducks, but after that it will be pretty simple."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">"What do you need the ducks for?"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">"I´m going to put a whole bunch of them in a giant catapult and launch them over Aurimere," Kami said. "This will create a distraction. My message will be: Look at all the ducks I give.”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Frost Burned (Mercy Thompson, #7)" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1344299919l/13413589.jpg" /></div>
<b>2. Frost Burned (Mercy Thompson book 7) by Patricia Briggs</b><br />
<b>Genre: Urban Fantasy</b><br />
<br />
Quick note on the covers - why do they keep giving Mercy so many tattoos, that change with every cover? Mercy does have a tattoo, but not an entire sleeve? It would be cool if she did, but some book-to-cover continuity would be nice.<br />
<br />
I am a big fan of the Mercy Thompson series, which is why it's so funny to me that this is only book 7. Compared to lots of other UF series (that I have read some of this year) that's a relatively small amount. Anyway, I love Mercy and I love the route this series has taken. I can't reveal too much, because it <b>is </b>book seven, so that would involve giving away the previous 6 books. Mercy is witty and funny, and I love the other characters in this series. There is a certain something I am waiting to happen in this series (I may not be the only person) that could change how much everyone enjoys reading it, but I am crossing my fingers that it will be fab. There isn't much more to write here, without giving the plot away, but I can say, like with The Lyburn Legacy, that I like how this isn't focusing on the stereotypical white, straight characters. Yes, a lot of the characters are white and straight, but the issues of discrimination against others are addressed in the books, and Mercy herself is Native American.<br />
<br />
<u>Quotes: </u><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">“I was going to fight vampires, and my name wasn't Buffy--I was so screwed.”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">“We're the good guys. That we're scary doesn't mean we're the villains.”</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="5364" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1451446182l/5364.jpg" /></div>
<b>3. Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander book 2) by Diana Gabaldon</b><br />
<b>Genre: Who knows. Time travel fantasy?</b><br />
<br />
Yup, I plowed through all bar the most recent of the Outlander books last year. The original book (which I read in 2014) is still my favourite but book 2 comes up in second place. I think I like these books more when there are less point-of-view characters? I also like it when Claire and Jamie are younger, as I have less dread of them suddenly dying horrifically, or, shock horror, of old age. I'm not going to waffle on too much about this book, as, to be honest, I read it so long ago, and then followed that reading up with the 10,000 other pages of books in the Outlander series, that it's a bit of a blur. I enjoy Jamie and Claire, I enjoy historical fiction, and I enjoy time travel. Winner.<br />
<br />
<u>Quotes:</u><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">“...sitting and waiting is one of the most miserable occupations known to man - not that it usually is known to men; women do it much more often.” </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">“Jamie," I said, "how, exactly, do you decide whether you're drunk?"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Aroused by my voice, he swayed alarmingly to one side, but caught himself on the edge of the mantelpiece. His eyes drifted around the room, then fixed on my face. For an instant, they blazed clear and pellucid with intelligence.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">"Och, easy, Sassenach, If ye can stand up, you're not drunk." He let go of the mantelpiece, took a step toward me, and crumpled slowly onto the hearth, eyes blank, and a wide, sweet smile on his dreaming face.” </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England: A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328167619l/4936457.jpg" /></div>
<b>4. The Time Travellers Guide to Medieval England by Ian Mortimer</b><br />
<b>Genre: Non-fiction, historical, humour</b><br />
<br />
Oh look a non-fiction book! Ian Mortimer had me snorting at his retelling of the lives of people in the fourteenth century. Looking at history from the perspective of a time travelling tourist is cool, and I like being able to compare <i>then</i><b style="font-style: italic;"> </b>with <i>now. </i>I was made happy because lots of towns and places he used as examples are places I have been and know well, so the revelation of what street names meant and just how old the town I studied in was, was brilliant. If you're a fan of history, with a lump of humour thrown in, you'll enjoy this.<br />
<br />
<u>Quotes:</u><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">“While the traditional image of knights in armour is accurate and widely accepted, the equally representative image of knights wearing corsets and suspender belts is perhaps less well known.” </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">“W H. Auden once suggested that to understand your own country you need to have lived in at least two others. One can say something similar for periods of time: to understand your own century you need to have come to terms with at least two others. The key to learning something about the past might be a ruin or an archive but the means whereby we may understand it is—and always will be—ourselves.”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">“As you travel around medieval England you will come across a sport described by some contemporaries as 'abominable ... more common, undignified and worthless than any other game, rarely ending but with some loss, accident or disadvantage to the players themselves'. This is football.” </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle, #1)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1415182016l/17675462.jpg" width="211" /><img alt="The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle, #2)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1418213037l/17347389.jpg" width="211" /><img alt="Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Cycle, #3)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1398366292l/17378508.jpg" width="211" /></div>
<b>5. The Raven Cycle current releases (The Raven Boys, The Dream Thieves, Blue Lily Lily Blue) by Maggie Stiefvater</b><br />
<b>Genre: Young Adult Fantasy</b><br />
<br />
Uuuuuuuuuugh this series. THIS SERIES. If you have a tumblr, I'm sure you've seen thousands of edits and quotes from The Raven Cycle, and know it has a bit of a cult following. I was a bit hesitant when I started, because I had read Maggie's other series a few years ago, and whilst I enjoyed her writing I didn't care much for the stories themselves. I needn't have worried because <b>THIS SERIES.</b><br />
<br />
The plot itself is definite fantasy, but that is not why I love it (although I probably wouldn't have gotten round to reading it yet). It is the atmosphere that gets you. The plot revolves around Blue, a non-psychic teen from a family of psychic ladies, so she feels a bit like the odd one out (understandably). Early on in the first book she meets 'The Raven Boys'. No they are not shapeshifters. They are a group of 4 teens the same age as Blue who attend the towns private school, and the emblem of their school is what has given all the boys that nickname. Throughout the books, the plot follows ley lines and dead welsh kings, and dreams, and latin magic, but it doesn't rush. To be honest, if there wasn't so much atmosphere I imagine the plot could be done in two books. The thing is, you don't want the plot to be done. At no point was I bored. Reading these books I felt like I knew the characters so well, which is why it is so fantastic, and is why tumblr is covered in images of Blue, Gansey, Ronan, Adam and Noah. It is their friendship and personalities that really make this book incredible, and the dreamy, relaxed atmosphere the writing creates.<br />
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<u>Quotes:</u><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">“She wasn't interested in telling other people's futures. She was interested in going out and finding her own.” </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">“My words are unerring tools of </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">destruction, and I’ve come unequipped with the ability to disarm them.”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">“Aglionby Academy was the number one reason Blue had developed her two rules: One, stay away from boys because they were trouble. And two, stay away from Aglionby boys, because they were bastards.”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">“In that moment, Blue was a little in love with all of them. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Their magic. Their quest. Their awfulness and strangeness. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Her raven boys.”</span><br />
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<img alt="Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days, #1)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1381264956l/15863832.jpg" width="212" /><img alt="World After (Penryn & the End of Days, #2)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1423238855l/17849112.jpg" width="213" /><img alt="End of Days (Penryn and the End of Days, #3)" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1423384676l/18500665.jpg" width="213" /></div>
<b>6. Penryn and the End of Days Trilogy (Angelfall, World After, End of Days) by Susan Ee</b><br />
<b>Genre: Young Adult Fantasy</b><br />
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I had been intrigued by this trilogy for a while, but also a little reluctant. Mainly, I suppose, because the idea of Angels being in a fantasy book was a little odd. Not the fairy tale creatures that you normally find. But after loving the Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy, I added these to my to read list.<br />
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The story starts with the 'Apocalypse' having already happened. Angels turned up and everything went batshit. Penryn is somewhat trapped with her mentally ill mother (who's medication has of course run out, as there are no longer doctors) and her disabled sister, and is desperately looking for a way to get to safety. The story is action packed and also packed full of sarcastic humour. Penryn is, understandably, extremely pissed by her situation and the way events have affected her life, and that makes her a brilliant protagonist for this story.<br />
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<u>Quotes:</u><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">“I never thought about it before, but I'm proud to be human. We're ever so flawed. We're frail, confused, violent, and we struggle with so many issues. But all in all, I'm proud to be a Daughter of Man.” </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">“I never kid about my warrior demigod status." </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">"Oh. My. God." I lower my voice, having forgotten to whisper. "You are nothing but a bird with an attitude. Okay, so you have a few muscles, I’ll grant you that. But you know, a bird is nothing but a barely evolved lizard. That’s what you are.” </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">“I look up to say something but he puts his finger to my lips and whispers, “Don’t talk. You’ll just spoil my fantasy of rescuing an innocent damsel in distress as soon as you open your mouth.” </span><br />
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<img height="320" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51KcOI2gmwL._SX316_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="203" /><img height="320" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5186jub-EDL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="204" /><img height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1430746835l/25479125.jpg" width="203" /></div>
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<b>7. Charley Davidson series books 6,7 and 8 (Sixth Grave on the Edge, Seventh Grave and No Body, Eight Grave After Dark</b><br />
<b>Genre: Urban Fantasy</b><br />
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Oh Charley, you sassy sassy kick ass queen. Another set of books I can't review properly because they are not at the beginning of the series, and that would definitely give you spoilers. I will say that I still love Charley's come backs, and the plot is very entertaining. She is a great protag, with flaws but not annoying. Relatable, funny, and kick ass. She is a Private Investigator who's jobs vary between those involving missing people, and the supernatural.</div>
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<u>Quotes:</u></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">“On a scale of one to stepping on a LEGO, how much pain are you in?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">“He turned the corner and flipped me off at the same time. See? Men could multitask. I was so proud of him.” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">“Why can’t we have one of those quick pregnancies like Bella and Edward? Gwen from Torchwood. Scully. Deanna Troi. Or even Cordelia when that demon impregnated her. Twenty-four hours later bam! Demon child.” </span></div>
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<img height="320" src="http://m5.paperblog.com/i/102/1024978/book-review-magic-bites-by-ilona-andrews-kate-L-p7ISll.jpeg" width="215" /><img height="320" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1414091260l/17333171.jpg" width="212" /></div>
<b>8. Kate Daniels series currently released books(8 books) by Ilona Andrews</b><br />
<b>Genre: Urban Fantasy</b><br />
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Another Urban Fantasy I can't review because I read the entire thing. Another Urban Fantasy with a kick ass, smart mouthed, bit of a menace protagonist. And, coincidentally, another one were she is a Private Investigator, of sorts. However, Kate is living in a world where the supernatural is very much 'out of the closet'. Following an explosive revelation of magic a generation ago, this is a world were a type of apocalypse has already taken place. Magical 'waves' hit the world semiregularly, disrupting life and causing chaos. Kate is one of many individuals who investigate and 'deal with' supernatural problems. Kate is slightly more arsey, and seems slightly more dangerous (at least to begin with) than the other UF ladies I love, but she is awesome.<br />
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<u>Quotes:</u><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">“You know anything about investigative work?"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">"Sure. Annoy the people involved until the guilt party tries to make you go away.” </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">“Please, Kate. Suspend your dislike of me for a few moments and listen to what I have to say. It makes sense."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">"I don't dislike you. It's an oversimplification.” </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">“Oh, it's you," Curran's voice said quietly. "I thought it was an elephant.” </span><br />
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<img height="320" src="http://covers.booktopia.com.au/big/9780007459759/dead-witch-walking.jpg" width="209" /><img height="320" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1345396768l/13241659.jpg" width="211" /></div>
9. The Hollows series (I read 11 of the 13 books) by Kim Harrison<br />
Genre: Urban Fantasy<br />
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Okay I too am definitely convinced of a theme. Urban Fantasy. Lady protag who is sarcastic, acts before she thinks and involved in the supernatural. This lady is also a form of Private Investigator - at least we can see which jobs will still be popular when the world has ended. Rachel is a witch in a world where witches, vampires, fey and demons are all known to exist. In the 1950s a genetically engineered tomato released a virus into the world that killed a huge proportion of the population. This 'end of the world' scenario was only halted by the emergence of those who had been secretly supernatural, and since then the world has been at an uneasy truce. The two 'sides' (human and non-human) work alongside each other, but the truce is often uneasy. Humans can study magic, but there is still a fear that one side will harm the other. In this series, I loved the character development and the relationships, especially between Rachel (a witch), Ivy (a living vamp) and Jenks (a pixie).<br />
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<u>Quotes:</u><br />
<u><br /></u>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">“What are you?" I rasped.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">It smiled. "Whatever scares you.”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">“I really didn’t have a choice. It wasn’t as if Kotex made a pad for this kind of a thing.” </span><br />
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10. Erm ok I lied. This is my top nine. I spent so long making this post, and so long thinking about the number of ten, that finally I gave up. I read a lot of books in 2015, but these are my top nine. I enjoyed many more books, but none of them stood out above the rest, so I am going to leave it here :)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357161873030300279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718190701419902446.post-10629065552178055072016-01-23T11:39:00.000-08:002016-01-23T11:39:11.459-08:00November, December and 2015 Wrap UpBetter late than never I suppose :) In November and December I read 20 books. Yes, 20. That is what happens when you stumble into a Urban Fantasy series of 13 books that you absolutely love. I only managed 11 (only :P) in December, so the final 2 are in my January reads.<br />
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Read:<br />
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<img alt="Jackaby (Jackaby, #1)" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1410170969l/20312462.jpg" /></div>
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Jackaby by William Ritter</div>
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3.5/5 stars</div>
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<img alt="18798983" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1417956963l/18798983.jpg" /></div>
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The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh</div>
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4.5/5</div>
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<img alt="26874617" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1444192461l/26874617.jpg" /></div>
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Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined by Stephenie Meyer</div>
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3/5 stars</div>
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<img alt="15711341" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1411439502l/15711341.jpg" /></div>
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Written in Red (The Others 1)</div>
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4/5 Stars</div>
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<img alt="17563080" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1371752568l/17563080.jpg" /></div>
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Murder of Crows (The Others 2)</div>
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4/5 Stars</div>
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<img alt="21457243" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1404354570l/21457243.jpg" /></div>
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Vision in Silver (The Others 3)</div>
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4/5 Stars</div>
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<img src="http://covers.booktopia.com.au/big/9780007459759/dead-witch-walking.jpg" /> <img src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1345396768l/13241659.jpg" /></div>
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The Hollows Series (Yes, all of them! Well, actually just 11 of them) by Kim Harrison</div>
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Here are the covers of book number 1 and book number 11 (the last one I read in December)</div>
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5/5 Stars</div>
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<br /></div>
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<img src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51VHe12RxJL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" /></div>
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The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood</div>
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5/5 Stars </div>
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<br /></div>
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<img src="http://www.loot.co.za/images/x400/727769576513179215.jpg" /></div>
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My True Love Gave to Me by many authors, but edited by Stephanie Perkins</div>
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4/5 Stars</div>
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So, I read a lot, but how does this mesh with my 2015 Reading Challenge. I suppose it depends on which one. On Goodreads I kept extended my reading challenge, regarding how many books I would read. I ended the year on 108 books.<br />
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Goodreads has this pretty awesome 'Your Year in Books' page, and I have desperately tried to post screenshots here. Unfortunately, I can't :(<br />
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<ul>
<li>108 books</li>
<li>45931 pages</li>
<li>Shortest read: Carmilla (108 pages)</li>
<li>Longest Read: The Fiery Cross (1443 pages)</li>
<li>Average length: 429 pages</li>
<li>Most popular on Goodreads: Ender's Game (776,651 other people read)</li>
<li>Least popular: The Crossing (254 other people read)</li>
<li>Average rating: 4.1</li>
<li>Highest rated on Goodreads: Heir of Fire (4.59 rating)</li>
</ul>
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Now how, did I do on my signature challenge, the PopSugar one?</div>
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<b><u>Clair's 2015 Reading Challenge:</u></b></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: blue;">A book you read in a day - Dreamfever/ Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning (3rd January 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue;">An Author with my initials - The Bane Chronicles by <b>Cassandra Clare</b>, Maureen Johnson and Sarah Rees Brennan (9th January 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;">A book written by someone under 30 - The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon (21st February 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;">A book with a colour in the title - The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory (18th February 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;">A book that takes place in your hometown - The Darkest London series by Kristen Callihan (February 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;">A book set in a different country - Delilah by Eleanor Jong (15th February 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;">A book with nonhuman characters - Burned by Karen Marie Moning (February 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;">A book with a female author - A Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas (10th February 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">A book published this year - Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs (2nd March 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">A book set in high school (well, they're all high school age and some parts mention their school - that counts right) - The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (2nd March)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">A book with more than 500 pages - Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon (10th March 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">A book a friend recommended - Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas (12th March)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">A book by an author you've never read before - The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson (17th March)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">A book with a one word title - Doon by Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon (30th March)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;">A book with a number in the title - Eight Grave After Dark by Darynda Jones (31st May)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;">A book with magic in it - The Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews (May 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;">A funny book - The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion (15th August)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;">A book of short stories - Teeth by various authors (June)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;">A nonfiction book - The Time Travellers Guide to Medieval England by Ian Mortimer (July 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;">A book from an author you love but haven't read yet - Masques by Patricia Briggs (June 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;">A book at the bottom of your to read list - Mistwood by Leah Cyprus (7th June 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;">A book based entirely on the front cover - The Paper Magician by Charlie N Holmberg (August 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;">A memoir - The Crossing by James Cracknell and Ben Fogle (August 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;">A trilogy - Penryn and the End of Days trilogy by Susan Ee (August 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;">A book set in the future - The Girl With All the Gifts by MR Carey (April 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;">A mystery or thriller - Inferno by Dan Brown (August 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #38761d;">A graphic novel - Mercy Thompson: Homecoming by Patricia Briggs, artwork by <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 19.8px;">Francis Tsai, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 19.8px;">David Lawrence and</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 19.8px;">Amelia Woo (September 2015)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.8px;">A book more than 100 years old - Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu (September 2015)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.8px;">A book from your childhood - The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (I figure this is the only book you can really be allowed to reread, and as I am reading it to my class, the 20 of them that have never read it make up for it)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.8px;">A book that made me cry - </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #38761d; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 19.8px;">The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (September 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #38761d; line-height: 19.8px;">A book I started but never finished - 666 Park Avenue by Gabriella Pierce (September 2015)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #b45f06; line-height: 19.8px;">A book with bad reviews - The Resurrectionist by James Bradley (October 2015)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #a64d79; line-height: 19.8px;">A book my mom loves - The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (December 2015)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #a64d79; line-height: 19.8px;">A book that scares me (teeheehee) - Life and Death by Stephenie Meyer (November 2015)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #a64d79; line-height: 19.8px;">Love triangle - all of The Hollows series by Kim Harrison (December 2015)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #a64d79; line-height: 19.8px;">A Christmas story - My True Love Gave To Me by Stephenie Perkins (December 2015)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #a64d79; line-height: 19.8px;">A popular authors first book - The Wrath and The Dawn by Renee Ahdieh (November 2015)</span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.8px;">So yeah, I read a lot of books this year but unfortunately they didn't fulfill the challenge :(</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.8px;">I didn't read these, and now I'll have to add them to next year:</span></span></div>
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<li>A classic Romance</li>
<li>A book that became a movie</li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">A Pullitzer prize winner</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">A book based on a true story</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Supposed to read in school</span></li>
<li>Anton<span style="background-color: white;">yms</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Published in the year I was born</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">A book that made me cry</span></li>
<li>Originally in a different language</li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">A book that was once a play</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">A banned book</span></li>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357161873030300279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718190701419902446.post-29839408390083146952015-11-14T12:48:00.000-08:002015-11-14T12:48:39.894-08:00Live blogging Life and Death: Chapter NineCan I write this before my takeaway arrives? We shall see!<br />
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<b><u>Chapter Nine: Theory</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
I have a theory, it must be bunnies...<br />
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<i>'"How old are you?" "Seventeen." ... "How long have you been seventeen?" "A while."</i> ' I am having such a sense of de ja vu right now. Oh my goodness. I also caught myself with a cheesy grin on my face, and had to get up to do something because I was creeped out by the fact I felt like I was 18 again, reading Twilight and giggling to myself about the awkward car conversation. I keep giggling now, because BeauBella keeps stroking LadyEd's hand and thinking about how soft her skin is. Trolololol I need a slap.<br />
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<i>'I held her gaze, my eyes getting trapped in her golden stare.'</i> I don't know if I'm just really hungry, but this made me experience de ja vu again. Oh god I was so obsessed with Edward Cullen.<br />
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Aw bless, BeauBella just went in for a kiss and got totally rejected. :( Total second hand fictional character embarrassment happening here.<br />
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~MY TAKEAWAY JUST ARRIVED~<br />
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Oh my god if this joy of food is the same as the joy vampires feel drinking human bood...I would definitely be a bad guy. This black bean beef is SO good.<br />
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This chapter is over surprisingly quickly. Perhaps because so much is similar to Twilight? They have changed one thing - the final paragraph. No more is it the paragraph that is normally the Twilight blurb. About irreversibly falling in love. It is still about love, but a new version:<br />
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<i>'There were only a few things I knew for sure. Fore one, Edythe was an actual vampire. For another, there was a part of her that saw me as food. But in the end, none of that mattered. All that mattered was that I loved her, more than I'd ever imagined it was possible to love anything. She was everything I wanted, the only thing I would ever want.'</i></div>
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I remember the first time I read Twilight (and probably the times afterwards too) thinking this was WAY too quickly to fall in love. I've always loved romance in books, but I'm a bit of a cynic. I wish I believed in love at first sight, but I don't. These days, I don't know if I even believe in true love :P At eighteen, I definitely thought that love took time and that what Bella was feeling was just a hormone cocktail. I still agree :P<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357161873030300279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718190701419902446.post-11184444474837523412015-11-14T12:07:00.001-08:002015-11-14T13:02:00.610-08:00Life and Death Liveblogging: Chapter Seven and Eight<b><u>Nightmare</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
'<i>I plugged them [headphones] into my little CD player.' </i>God Stephenie, no one uses CD players anymore!<br />
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'<i>They were a little heavy for me</i>' I love that this is Linkin Park he is talking about.<br />
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<i>'I listened to the CD again...until, finally , I fell asleep</i>.' As someone who needs silence to sleep, this impressed me.<br />
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<i>'I was sitting in my room researching vampires. What was wrong with me?'</i> Don't worry, BeauBella, we've all been there...I used to spend hours on the Twilight Lexicon website. I am definitely cringing at the memory of that.<br />
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<i>'It didn't take too much effort to concentrate on my task for the day, a paper on Macbeth that was due on Wednesday.' </i>This is why you're an odd character, BeauBella. Not because you are a bit of an outside, are clumsy or like classic literature. Because, on a weekend, you find this an easy task to concentrate on.<br />
<br />
Apparently that was all for Chapter Seven...<br />
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<b><u>Chapter Eight: Port Angeles</u></b><br />
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<i>'The sales woman made it sound like all the details would be important to the girls'. </i>They're talking about the flowers the guys give the girls at dances. Listen guys, if it's alive, the girls will like it. We don't follow the Victorian flower language anymore.<br />
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I'm at the part where Bella gets rescued from her would-be attackers. I'm not sure how this'll work with BeauBella, but I'm fairly certain one of the 'attackers' just implied he was a cop? I'm not sure how a seventeen year old could be mistaken for a cop, but then again the US police system sounds a little dodgy so who knows. (By the way, I am in no way implying all American cops are dodge, it's just many reports recently haven't given them a good reputation).<br />
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<i>'Hey, pig' a woman's voice called from behind me</i>.' Is 'pig' a widespread insult for cops then? For some reason I thought it was a British one.<br />
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OH OK! The people he's walked past are the people he knocked with his bag at the airport, when he was getting into Charlie's cop car! They've remembered him! I knew that random added snippet of information had to mean something.<br />
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They have a gun. Of course they do. What the fuck?! Over reaction much, couple who think a gangly seventeen year old is a police officer.<br />
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<i>'Get in' a furious voice hissed.'</i> YES go LadyEd! First time you've appeared in while! Thank goodness you are spending your free time stalking BeauBella.<br />
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<i>'Keep your head down.' She ordered, and I heard the drivers door open.</i>' OMG LadyEd is actually about to get out of the car and lose some shit on these people. I wish this would actually happen!<br />
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LadyEd looks <i>'super super pissed.' </i>So would I if someone was about to steal my chicken nuggets.<br />
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<i>'No.' My voice was still rough. I tried to clear my throat quickly.'</i> I feel like in this situation fear should have made BeauBella's voice squeaky and high pitched.<br />
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<i>'Her skin was so smooth.' </i>Why are you noticing this before you notice the temperature?! Are you really used to hairy skin?!<br />
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<i>'Unwillingly, I pulled my hand from hers. It felt like I'd been holding a bag of ice cubes.'</i> Ok is this was what touching Edward felt like to Bella...?!?! It was never described as <i>that </i>cold (I don't think?) And Bella was pretty obsessed with having sex with Ed. Surely that would be like having sex with an ice lolly? Does BeauBella really want to get frostbite there?! Jesus these are not questions I asked myself when I was 18.<br />
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<i>'It was strange how her silky voice sounded so...menacing.</i>' I'm really noticing that SMeyer uses a lot of ellipses.<br />
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<i>'The </i><b><i>hell?</i>' </b>I agree, Jeremy.<br />
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AHA rather than give BeauBella her coat, LadyEd gives him her scarf?! I really hope its a flowery one.<br />
Damn, it's not. It's Archie's.<br />
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They're in the restaurant. They're asking and answering questions. There is no point quoting, because it's so similar to the original. But LadyEd's answers seem a lot simpler and less cryptic than Edward's.<br />
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~I just ordered takeaway to get me through this~<br />
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<i>'Try not to get caught up in antiquated gender roles.</i>' You tell him LadyEd (BeauBella tried to pay for the food he had eaten...although he was the only one who ate, LadyEd is an immortal creature with a good sum of money. Jealous).<br />
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Oh and the chapter is over! I've only just ordered my takeaway! I might post another chapter if I can finish it before food :)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357161873030300279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718190701419902446.post-28105632228908736792015-11-14T10:15:00.000-08:002015-11-14T10:15:02.326-08:00Life and Death Liveblogging: Chapter SixLong time no see. I've been very busy/ tired and lazy from being busy, so this has been a bit delayed. But! I am here now!<br />
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<b><u>Chapter Six - Scary Stories</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
If I remember rightly, this is the scene where Bella met Jacob, so I guess we're meeting Jacobina today! Except I bet her name is even worse than that because this gender bent universe is made up of parents who have no taste or consideration of their children becoming adults who have to live with their names,<br />
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<i>'McKayla was animated again, putting a lot more faith in the weatherman than I thought he deserved.' </i> - I cant remember this tiny, insignificant fact but please tell me the weatherman was a woman in Twilight. EVERYTHING (except Charlie) must be gender bent.<br />
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I keep getting really confused about all these switched characters though. Just for clarification:<br />
McKayla = Mike<br />
Jeremy = Jessica<br />
Logan = Lauren<br />
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'<i>He [Logan] ran his hands through his slicked back, silver-blond hair.'</i> - Ok who bought Draco?<br />
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'<i>He said my name with a sneer' </i>I cant say I blame him, your name is ridiculous.<br />
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I can't type it all out, but I love the description of First Beach, and it's pretty accurate, too...<br />
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Look at the size of that tree!!!<br />
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'<i>most of the guys wanted to head to the one shop in the village for food.'- </i><b style="font-style: italic;"> </b>because boys always want more food. Girls never.<br />
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JULIE! Jacob is Julie! She avoided a horrific name!<br />
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'<i>She looked fourteen, maybe fifteen.' </i>I am cringing at how young she is. How young Jacob was. Oh god how young they all were. Why would anyone want to be an immortal 17 year old ooooooh jeeeeeez I am OLD.<br />
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'...<i>long glossy black hair pulled back with a rubber band.' </i>It wont stay glossy for long if you keep using rubber bands. GOD YOU ARE SUCH A CHILD.<br />
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'<i>Her husky voiced dropped a little lower.' </i>In my head, she's now growling.<br />
<i>'"Do you like scary storied Beau?"' </i>Good, let me tell you one about a sparkling family of tormented teenagers.<br />
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Sadly, there isn't much to report from chapter 6. But that means I am going straight on to Chapter 7 :)<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357161873030300279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718190701419902446.post-84411427271832941962015-11-01T06:16:00.000-08:002015-11-01T06:16:42.774-08:00October Wrap Up and November TBR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><u>October Wrap Up</u></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">Oh dear. I have to confess, October was a bad reading month for me. Despite the fact I had half term, the number of books I read was abyssmal. In fact, I only completed </span><b>one</b><span style="background-color: white;"> first time read. I tried to read a couple more, but just couldn't manage it.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">The one book I completed was ...</span><br />
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" 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<span style="background-color: white;">Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">I really enjoyed this read, and gave it 4/5 stars. I liked the plot, and the mysterious alternate London setting. As I mentioned before (I think in my vlog), lots of people have said that they find the main character boring. I think that is partly the point? He is a guy who is living a dull, pointless life until he gets exposed to this world, and that is when he begins to become more interesting. I especially enjoyed the different settings in London that were mentioned and described.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">I tried to read..</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">The Resurrectionist by James Bradley</span></div>
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I couldn't do this. I found it exceptionally dull, and the scenes/events didn't fit well together. I learnt next to nothing about any of the characters, and gave up. As I was definitely 2/3 of the way through when I quit, I am counting this as my 'book with bad reviews' for my reading challenge. The fact I quit shows that I agree!</div>
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I am <i>slowly</i> getting through...</div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Life and Death by Stephenie Meyer</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">And I am liveblogging the experience here on this blog! I've just posted chapter five. I used to be a huge Twilight fan (also mentioned in another blog post) so rereading it in this form is hilarious. It's taking me a while because typing up my comments, although funny for me to do, is rather time consuming.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><u>November TBR</u></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">After failing at reading so many books in October, my TBR pile is looking huge. And they are all on this TBR pile up to help me complete the reading challenge! Help!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">These are the books that I am hoping to get through, with the most likely at the top, all the way down to the least likely...</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Salem's Lot (a book that scares me)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">The Wrath and the Dawn (a book with a love triangle)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Burial Rites (a book based on a true story)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">The Handmaids Tale (a book my mother loves)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">To Kill A Mockingbird (a popular authors first book)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">All the Light we Cannot See (a Pullitzer prize winner)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Little Women (a book that became a movie)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">North and South (a book with antonyms in the title)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">The Pillars of the Earth (a book published in the year I was born)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">This is definitely more than I had planned, and in all honesty I cannot see it happening. My aim, realistically, is 3 books. However, the more I put off, the more on my 2015 reading challenge I have to make in December!</span><br />
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If you have any recommendations for books that could help me meet my 2015 challenge, please comment below!<br />
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<b><u>Clair's 2015 Reading Challenge:</u></b></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: blue;">A book you read in a day - Dreamfever/ Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning (3rd January 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue;">An Author with my initials - The Bane Chronicles by <b>Cassandra Clare</b>, Maureen Johnson and Sarah Rees Brennan (9th January 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;">A book written by someone under 30 - The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon (21st February 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;">A book with a colour in the title - The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory (18th February 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;">A book that takes place in your hometown - The Darkest London series by Kristen Callihan (February 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;">A book set in a different country - Delilah by Eleanor Jong (15th February 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;">A book with nonhuman characters - Burned by Karen Marie Moning (February 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;">A book with a female author - A Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas (10th February 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">A book published this year - Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs (2nd March 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">A book set in high school (well, they're all high school age and some parts mention their school - that counts right) - The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (2nd March)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">A book with more than 500 pages - Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon (10th March 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">A book a friend recommended - Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas (12th March)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">A book by an author you've never read before - The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson (17th March)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">A book with a one word title - Doon by Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon (30th March)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;">A book with a number in the title - Eight Grave After Dark by Darynda Jones (31st May)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;">A book with magic in it - The Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews (May 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;">A funny book - The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion (15th August)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;">A book of short stories - Teeth by various authors (June)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;">A nonfiction book - The Time Travellers Guide to Medieval England by Ian Mortimer (July 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;">A book from an author you love but haven't read yet - Masques by Patricia Briggs (June 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;">A book at the bottom of your to read list - Mistwood by Leah Cyprus (7th June 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;">A book based entirely on the front cover - The Paper Magician by Charlie N Holmberg (August 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;">A memoir - The Crossing by James Cracknell and Ben Fogle (August 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;">A trilogy - Penryn and the End of Days trilogy by Susan Ee (August 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;">A book set in the future - The Girl With All the Gifts by MR Carey (April 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: orange;">A mystery or thriller - Inferno by Dan Brown (August 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #38761d;">A graphic novel - Mercy Thompson: Homecoming by Patricia Briggs, artwork by <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.8px;">Francis Tsai, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.8px;">David Lawrence and</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.8px;">Amelia Woo (September 2015)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.8px;">A book more than 100 years old - Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu (September 2015)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.8px;">A book from your childhood - The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (I figure this is the only book you can really be allowed to reread, and as I am reading it to my class, the 20 of them that have never read it make up for it)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.8px;">A book that made me cry - </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.8px;">The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (September 2015)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #38761d; line-height: 19.8px;">A book I started but never finished - 666 Park Avenue by Gabriella Pierce (September 2015)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #b45f06; line-height: 19.8px;">A book with bad reviews - The Resurrectionist by James Bradley (October 2015)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #b45f06; line-height: 19.8px;"><br /></span></span></li>
</ul>
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~to be added to as time passes~</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357161873030300279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718190701419902446.post-31723140067449118292015-11-01T05:37:00.000-08:002015-11-01T05:37:38.234-08:00Life a Death Live Blogging: Chapter FiveEvening! (Or morning, or afternoon)<br />
<br />
So I got a little carried away in the bath last night and read 3 chapters of Life and Death. Help, what if this is a spiral into the Twilight universe that I have to escape a second time? I was too tired (and warm) to be productive and write about any of the chapters, so I'll write up Chapter Five now!<br />
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<b><u>Chapter Five - Blood Type</u></b><br />
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'Yesyesyesyes! I want to see LadyEd carry BeauBella!! I cannot wait to read this'- a quote taken directly from my brain last night.<br />
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'<i>Patches of red formed on my face as I hurried to my seat.' </i>That doesn't sound healthy.<br />
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'<i>It wasn't until class was over that I noticed that McKayla wasn't sitting next to me like she usually did</i>'. I'm sorry BeauBella, but this may be why you had no friends in Phoenix. How can you not notice someone isn't sat next to you for an entire lesson, even if you don't care too much about them?<br />
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<i>'Would she ignore me like usual</i>?' I don't think you can be too offended if she does, seeing as you just forgot about the existence of a perfectly normal human being for a whole lesson.<br />
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<i>'I think I grunted in the right places</i>' - I'm imagining an acapella group made up entirely of grunting teenage boys.<br />
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<i>'Disappointment hit like a punch in the gut. There were only four people there</i>' - you know, it must be so freaking annoying to be Jasper (or Jessamine) when this kind of thing happens. Not only are you holding yourself back from massacring the entire year group (tell me again why the Cullens risk every human life in the school so that they can blend in?), but, probably on a regular basis, random teenagers suddenly explode with emotion. Whether it's linked to you or not, if you are Jasper, you can feel it all. God damn. Or perhaps he enjoys himself by making experiences like this feel like a <i>literal </i>punch in the gut? How hilarious would it be to hear a kid say 'I'm so scared I'm going to piss myself'...and then have the power to actually make that happen. Mwahaha.<br />
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Don't worry BeauBella, LadyEd is there after all.<br />
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<i>'Her dimples flashed as soon as she knew I'd seen her.</i>' Ok, I get that dimples are cute but how do they flash? Also, not making her seem like a dangerous monster right now.<br />
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<i>'She raised one hand and motioned with her index finger for me to join her</i>.' Aha, I pretended to do this in the bath last night. I know it means that she beckoned, but in my head (and re-enactment) it looks stupid.<br />
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<i>'As I stared, she winked.</i>' I'm sorry but the image of this scary girl (with dimples) with her arm in the air, using once finger to beckon and then also winking, makes me laugh. I don't know why.<br />
<br />
<i>'"Does she mean <u>you</u>?" Jeremy asked</i>.' I know right, Jeremy. There is nothing interesting about BeauBella. Apart from the fact he smells like a good meal and his boring thoughts are quieter than other peoples. THAT IS LITERALLY THE BASIS OF THE ATTRACTION.<br />
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<i>'"Your friends are upset that I've stolen you." Suddenly I could feel all their eyes boring into my back.'</i> That sounds incredibly painful :/<br />
<br />
<i>'"I always say too much when I'm talking to you, that's one of the problems.</i>"' LadyEd, you have said barely anything to him all book. I know it feels like you've been there a lot, because BeauBella is a little obsessed, but the majority of the time has been spent in his head, where he has been judging every person he has ever met - including you.<br />
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<i>'Funny how my stomach was rolling. Was it because I was hungry after all?'</i> Well you've only had a lemonade all day, I'm going to guess the answer is yes. Or maybe your instincts are telling you to RUN AWAY from the weird girl who doesn't eat, says she's dangerous and avoids sunlight.<br />
<br />
<i>'"I'm wondering what you are"'.</i> I know we all know what she is, but if you suspected someone in your life was not a human, would you tell them that?! You aren't friends, you're a bit scared of them and you already for certain know that they are very strong. She's already told you she'd dangerous! This does not seem like the logical thing to say, is all I'm trying to express here.<br />
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'<i>My neck got hot, and I assumed - unattractively blotchy</i>.' So basically all your blood has rushed to the surface of your skin. This is like waving a bacon sandwich in front of a hungover Clair, and attaching a big flashing sign to it. I feel really sorry for LadyEd - perhaps she should just have bitten him here and ended the book?<br />
<br />
'<i>Her lips pouting out in a distracting way'</i> all I can see reading some of the descriptions of LadyEd's facial movements is Robert Pattinson pulling ridiculous faces of disgust.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>'"No, I'm not hungry." She smiled as if I was missing some inside joke.</i>' SHE WANTS TO EAT YOU.<br />
<br />
I like that in this book, when BeauBella starts to guess, LadyEd genuinely seems concerned he might get it right. But lets be honest, why the hell would someone think there was an actual vampire in the school? Such a ridiculous use of immortality.<br />
<br />
'<i>The incongruity of the word dangerous applied to her slim and perfect body.' </i>One, she is wearing a lot of clothes, she may not be 'perfect'. Two, please don't put perfect and slim in the same sentence it freaks my sensitive ego out.<br />
<br />
<b>This is a really long chapter. I thought the blood typing and the lunch were separate. AAH.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
So yeah, the coming scene was one of my favourite in the original book. I can't wait to see how it plays out here...<br />
<br />
The teacher totally stabs McKayla with the prongs, making her bleed with completely zero consent gained.<br />
<br />
One issue that instantly arises from BeauBella feeling faint, is that McKayla has to help him out of class. In Twilight, Mike had Bella leaning against him, and I bet that made him feel v manly and strong. Mckayla is obviously shorter than the tall (as we have been told many times) BeauBella, so it doesn't work as well.<br />
<br />
<i>'Please let me not vomit on her'. </i> AHAHA can you imagine?! I threw up on a work colleague's arm when he was taking an extremely drunken me home safely. The poor guy. Luckily, I cannot remember it.<br />
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'"<i>I have a weak vasovagal system" I muttered. "It's just a neurally mediated syncope."' </i>Says the boy who has obviously had to explain his none-manly phobia of blood for a while. Also, I have a slight medical training background and I do not know what the last three words mean.<br />
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'<i>I wished I felt more normal so I can could appreciate that more - her body touching mine. I knew that under normal circumstances I would be enjoying this.' </i>I bet you would,<br />
<br />
'"<i>Oh my" a male voice gasped.'</i> Teeheehee<br />
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LadyEd stands a little away from BeauBella when he's in the medical room. <i>'Her eyes were bright, excited.'</i> She wants to eat you!!!!!!!!<br />
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'"<i>People can't smell blood" Edythe contradicted.' </i>There are many people who would like to disagree with you about this. So many people.<br />
<br />
<i>'"It warms my cold heart to see you learning so quickly.</i>"' In which LadyEd is all of us.<br />
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<i>'The smooth roll of her hips was just as hypnotic as her eyes.</i>' I WISH THIS HAD BEEN USED TO DESCRIBE EDWARDS WALK OH MY GOD. Strut, Edward!<br />
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CARINE AND ERNEST. I can't remember if their names have already been mentioned (or even if I have already mentioned their names in this post - I wrote half of it 2 week ago) but CARINE AND ERNEST are Carlisle and Esme...<br />
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And this ends this chapter. Not quite as dramatic as I was hoping. I wanted LadyEd to sweep BeauBella off his feet, but oh well!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357161873030300279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718190701419902446.post-5963932961142337882015-10-25T14:37:00.000-07:002015-10-25T14:37:37.597-07:00Book Shelf TourThis weekend I have been home to visit my family. I found time to make a quick (low quality) video showing you all the books that I have at my mums house. Well, the ones that have been kept out of the loft since we moved 3 years ago!<br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/PuuHonmF6aE/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PuuHonmF6aE?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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Click on the video and have a watch. Subscribe to my channel on youtube, if you like! I'd definitely appreciate it!<br />
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Sorry for a lack of Life and Death Liveblog updates - those will come soon. I am half way through Chapter Five!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357161873030300279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718190701419902446.post-88317171498474202982015-10-11T11:17:00.000-07:002015-10-11T11:17:19.332-07:00My first video! Aaaaah!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/UyhiLXBB0-0/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UyhiLXBB0-0?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
Head over to youtube to leave a comment.<br />
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I filmed it on my iPhone; which is why it isn't top quality and the volume isn't great.<br />
I love feedback, but please be kind :P<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357161873030300279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718190701419902446.post-6476312178773930392015-10-11T05:53:00.000-07:002015-10-11T05:53:16.595-07:00Life and Death Liveblog: Chapter Four<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Chapter 4 –
Invitations<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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‘<i>No one else followed
her around the same way I did. It was pathetic, and kind of stalkerish.</i>’ No
no no BeauBella! It’s Edythe’s job to stalk you soon, don’t worry!<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’ve just noticed, apparently they have biology every day in
this school. Is this a normal thing? Is it a science specialised high school? <o:p></o:p></div>
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‘<i>Her dimples flashing’</i>
– alert alert, LadyEd has dimples!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>‘She must know how
obsessed I was with her. It wasn’t like I was hiding it very well.’</i> Dude
you haven’t spoken to the girl in 6 weeks, and then you had an angry two minute
conversation. I’d say you are definitely hiding an obsession well.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>‘Which made perfect
sense, because obviously I wasn’t interesting.</i>’ You got that right. It’s
seeing this from a female perspective, looking at BeauBella’s life, that I
realise how odd it is Edward went for Bella. Sure, she smelled great. But…that
is not something to build a relationship on, especially with such a huge age
difference. Both Bella and BeauBella are a little too bland.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>‘Edythe was the
opposite of boring.</i>’ HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS. She has spoken to you maybe
twice. Sure, she stopped a truck hitting you but even you aren’t sure if that
happened. She’s mysteriously pissed off at you – weird, sure. But I don’t think
the tiny amount of interactions you’ve had can classify her as the opposite of
boring.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>‘Her long, bronze-y
hair.</i>’ Bronze is a colour, so please stop saying bronze-y. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>‘She stared up at me,
seeming oblivious to the drizzling rain that was falling. She was apparently
wearing no make-up at all – nothing smudged or ran. Of course, her face was
that perfect naturally.’</i> I don’t know why this annoys me. Maybe because a
17 year old boy would not think this? Maybe because it doesn’t need to be said?
Maybe because at 26 I still have a stereotypical teenage complexion (I THOUGHT
I WAS MEANT TO GROW OUT OF ACNE) whilst also having the first signs of ageing?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>‘I looked down at her
rain washed face, clean and perfect.</i>’ Ah yes, that is the first thing I
think of when I see a face in the rain. How clean it is.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Another really short chapter. I don’t know if my live blogs
are so short because I’m doing it wrong? I’m only really commenting on the
things that are different to the original Twilight, which is not much at all,
considering Bella now has a dick. Should I be commenting on <i>everything</i>, whether it was present in
the original or not?<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357161873030300279noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718190701419902446.post-62761184155162908332015-10-10T13:53:00.000-07:002015-10-10T14:02:46.871-07:00Life and Death Live Blog: Chapter Three<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I seem to be on a roll, but this isn't going to last. It is the weekend, and my week is going to be chocabloc again. Enjoy this while it lasts. And please, feel free to post comments! I love comments!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chapter 3 – Phenomenon</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So here I am casually reading the third chapter and I
realise this is the chapter with the almost truck accident! I loved this
chapter in Twilight, and I am actually completely down with LadyEd saving
BeauBella! Awesome lady vampire saves cute boy! I <i>want</i> to read this!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let me refresh my cup of tea before I continue…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">~slurp~<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You know what, Charlie is an absolute gem. He bought both
his children matching trucks (which can’t have been cheap) and then woke up one
morning to silently put chains on their wheels so they avoid a traffic
accident. My mum used to laugh at me out of the window as I set off for school
(walking) in the snow and rain. Charlie is a legend.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Aaaaaaand the next paragraph is BeauBella feeling bad, because
looking after Charlie should be his job – oh wait no it is just that his mother
is incapable. BeauBella if your mum was that bad you probably should have
called Charlie years ago. Your mum being so rubbish freaks me out, why weren't social services involved in this tiny baby having to look after his mum?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now, I haven’t reread Twilight in years. So, even though I
probably read them about 100 times, I can’t remember the <i>exact</i> wording of this scene when it is
Edward rescuing Bella. But if my memory is correct, this scene plays out pretty
much identically to the one in Twilight. And this is a
good thing, because I used to love the scene. It is completely believable
(well, as believable as it was in the original books) that LadyEd saved BeauBella.
I was a bit worried that BeauBella would disbelieve it more because LadyEd was
a girl, than because the car was heavy, but that didn't happen. Phew.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh! It took me a while to notice that Tyler (the driver of
the van) was now Taylor – let us all imagine that Taylor Swift was attempting
to do us all a favour and wipe out BeauBella in the third chapter of the book. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thanks for trying, Taylor.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>‘Then a Doctor walked
round the corner and my mouth fell open. She was young, she was blond</i> [I’m
gonna poke my annoying head up here and say shouldn’t blonde have an e<i>?]…and she was more beautiful than any movie
star I’d ever seen. Like someone sliced up Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly and
Marilyn Monroe, took the best parts, then glued them together to form one
goddess.’ </i>I can tell that I just (finnnaaaallly) got round to watching the
finale of Hannibal, because in my head I pictured that literally, and it wasn’t
as pretty as the final result should probably have been. I mean these ladies
are stunning<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9VA7vKgrOoY/Vhl2-jmQiMI/AAAAAAAAAbY/TP6_j5RDY5U/s1600/audrey%2Bhepburn%2B1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9VA7vKgrOoY/Vhl2-jmQiMI/AAAAAAAAAbY/TP6_j5RDY5U/s320/audrey%2Bhepburn%2B1.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-StMKXXc-geU/Vhl3BzQ1LbI/AAAAAAAAAcE/rAmYocvSWEM/s1600/marilyn%2Bmonroe%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-StMKXXc-geU/Vhl3BzQ1LbI/AAAAAAAAAcE/rAmYocvSWEM/s320/marilyn%2Bmonroe%2B1.jpg" width="232" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_kIoQArUPKg/Vhl3AwML-bI/AAAAAAAAAbo/CxC8RS7JHGg/s1600/grace%2Bkelly%2B1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_kIoQArUPKg/Vhl3AwML-bI/AAAAAAAAAbo/CxC8RS7JHGg/s320/grace%2Bkelly%2B1.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So I morphed these…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MoNb8kLw5W4/Vhl3B2Qln-I/AAAAAAAAAcI/qMg-1DdWoBI/s1600/grace%2Bkelly%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MoNb8kLw5W4/Vhl3B2Qln-I/AAAAAAAAAcI/qMg-1DdWoBI/s320/grace%2Bkelly%2B2.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DushcR7x9cY/Vhl3CyNY-8I/AAAAAAAAAcM/xt28MUZrDSI/s1600/marilyn%2Bmonroe%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DushcR7x9cY/Vhl3CyNY-8I/AAAAAAAAAcM/xt28MUZrDSI/s320/marilyn%2Bmonroe%2B2.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jjMgM-2Gi0s/Vhl2-T8yL0I/AAAAAAAAAbM/hRH73Ha3WhU/s1600/audrey%2Bhepburn%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jjMgM-2Gi0s/Vhl2-T8yL0I/AAAAAAAAAbM/hRH73Ha3WhU/s320/audrey%2Bhepburn%2B2.jpg" width="247" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And got<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not bad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I can’t remember, did we know who Carlisle looked like? I
want to know which 3 men to morph to get Carlisle!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>‘She scowled at me,
and I stared back, thoughts scattered by how beautiful she was’.</i> Oh my
goodness I remember reading this about Edward and being, just, <i>so</i> in love. Now I think I would just be terrified if my thoughts scattered just looking at someone. I mean, it still happens. Not because they are stunning but because I am awful at forced conversation in social situations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">‘<i>That was the first
night I dreamed about Edythe Cullen’. </i> Ooo errrr what kind of dream was it? <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.00784314); color: #444444; line-height: 21px;">Is LadyEd going to be creepily watching you sleep? Tune in next time for another episode of the same bloody story we read 10 years ago...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i></i>So, the end of chapter 3. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’ve got to say, I know Stephenie Meyer isn’t a fantastic
writer. I <b>know</b> this. But I still
feel like this chapter didn’t go too badly? Maybe it’s my suppressed past love
of Twilight, masking some of the subtler issues in the writing. I do love the
idea of this gangly streak of a teenager (I really have just mentally
transferred my brother into this role, sorry Joseph) being rescued by an
inexplicably angry superhuman. Like, she’s so annoyed at having to save him. I
can almost feel my inner fan girl planning a spin off fanfiction…REIGN IT BACK
CLAIR. Anyway, I enjoy BeauBella being the damsel in distress. I really wanted to write damson in
distress there, but I realise that isn’t a thing. Is it a thing? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I
have googled it, it IS a thing. Three things. Things being a lipstick shade, an
alcoholic shot and the image below. May I present…BeauBella</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357161873030300279noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718190701419902446.post-22117884610375643262015-10-10T10:02:00.001-07:002015-10-10T10:02:30.412-07:00Life and Death Chapter Two<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chapter Two – Open Book<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>‘McKayla was beginning
to seem weirdly, I don’t know, territorial about me’ </i>– does Mike ever feel
territorial of Bella or is this just because Mike is now a girl? Something else
to check…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>‘She was super, mega
hot, but not…approachable’</i>. Your way with words astounds me, BeauBella.
Also know I feel like watching Darren Criss on A Very Potter Musical.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is completely random, and not really at all related to
the plot, but BeauBella is cooking steak and potatoes, and while the steak is
cooking he has time to make a salad. That is not how long you cook steak for.
What is wrong with you? Plus now I want a steak.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>‘”It’s a good thing she’s
happily married</i>”’ This seems so much more ominous when it’s about a female
Dr Cullen as opposed to a male one. Not Smeyers fault, blame this on society.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>‘But her long eyes
were careful’</i>. How does a person have long eyes? I feel this must be an editing
error, right? All I can see are the eyes cartoon characters get when they’re
stretched in surprise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-grAj6vEJlZQ/VhlEgSeAJKI/AAAAAAAAAaw/QOnlVzD6oBU/s1600/long%2Beyes.jpe" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-grAj6vEJlZQ/VhlEgSeAJKI/AAAAAAAAAaw/QOnlVzD6oBU/s1600/long%2Beyes.jpe" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Strangely, that’s all that was really worth mentioning in
this chapter. Not a highly funny, weird or different one. I’m hoping this isn’t
going to be the same for the rest of the book? Perhaps when BeauBella faints
and Edythe has to carry him it’ll pick up again. That’s soon, right?</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357161873030300279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718190701419902446.post-3287823529474222952015-10-09T15:47:00.001-07:002015-10-09T15:47:56.324-07:00Life and Death Live Blog Chapter One<div style="background-color: #fffcf5; color: #211f1f; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 25.2px;">
Here it goes. I have never liveblogged anything before so please don’t be too mean about my writing quality. </div>
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Before we even get to the story, we have a prelude from SMeyer herself. Smeyer talks about how fun it was to write this with a male lead rather than a female, and basically all the other stuff that has been mentioned in all the online articles about this release. In a nutshell, 5% of the changes were because Beau is a boy, 5% because his personality developed differently to Bella’s, 70% of the change was editing (I’m starting to feel like this is definitely going to be fanfiction I could have written), 10% is things she wished she had included, 5% mythology issues, and 5% ‘miscellaneous’. This whole thing seems miscellaneous, but never mind.</div>
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<b>Preface – (the flashforward part).</b></div>
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First change spotted: <i>‘I stared across the long room, into the dark eyes of the hunter, and she looked pleasantly back at me’.</i></div>
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Already this doesn’t seem to work, but maybe that’s just because I reread Twilight about 8 zillion times. Is this going to be like de ja vu, but where things are slightly different? Groundhog Day?</div>
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<b>Chapter One – First Sight</b></div>
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Lol guys so the main guy (we haven’t been officially introduced yet so lets call him Mr Protagonist) is wearing a Monty Python tee shirt (‘the one with the swallows and the coconut on’). Why is a teenage boy in 2005 wearing a Monty Python tee shirt? And why do we need to know about the coconut? AND HANG ON…he is calling Renee (oh shit I remembered her name) mom? Didn’t Bella have this odd ‘equals’ relationship where she called Renee by her name? Or was that just Charlie?</div>
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‘<i>My mom says we look so much alike that I could use her for a shaving mirror’</i>Pfffffffffffffffffffffffffft. No mom would ever shame herself so bad as to say she looked like a male teenager going through puberty.</div>
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‘<i>On me the pale blue is less youthful and more…unresolved</i>’. Ok, I may be picking this up from the liveblog I read on tumblr earlier, but WHAT THE HELL does ‘unresolved’ mean? Like, are they pixelated, like when a computer image hasn’t loaded properly? And also…Mr Protagonist has blue eyes. I guess losing Bella’s gorgeous brown eyes doesn’t matter too much as there definitely can’t be an evil demon baby this time round (every cloud has a silver lining).</div>
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When Mr Protagonist talks about leaving his mom to ‘fend for herself’ seems a tad more sexist this time round. I don’t know if it’s worded differently to Twilight, but when Bella left her mom with Phil, it felt like she was just scatty. With her son implying he’s worried for her survival, but might be ok with her bloke, it doesn’t seem the same.</div>
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Mr Protagonist has arrived in Forks, and is met by his dad. His name is revealed…dun dun dun…Beau. We all knew this, obviously. But what is not obvious is why Smeyer chose a name that no one has been called since Edward died of Spanish Influenza.</div>
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Beau isn’t allowed to call his dad Charlie.</div>
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Somethingsomethingsomething…’<i>It was about whether I was shirking my responsibility to look after her.’ </i></div>
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WTF WHY IS A 17 YEAR OLD LOOKING AFTER HIS MOTHER WHY IS SHE SO INCAPABLE?</div>
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<i>‘This was the reason Charlie’d never fought mom about custody, he knew she needed me.’</i></div>
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WHAT. I’m fairly certain your parents split up WHEN YOU WERE A BABY. WHAT KIND OF FATHER WOULD NOT SEEK CUSTODY WHEN THE MOTHER IS AS APPARENTLY INCAPABLE AS BEAU’S?!</div>
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Weird interaction with a man covered in tattoos and an angry lady…not sure on the point…except to show that Charlie is an intimidating cop? I’m going to have to make sure this isn’t foreshadowing something. Or perhaps Smeyer was trying to make Charlie seem more dominant that he was in Twilight?</div>
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But Twilight Charlie was the best…</div>
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HAHAHAHA BONNIE BLACK. I hope Jacob’s (Jacqueline’s? Jacie’s? Jacobannie’s?) mom is a pirate. Oh hang on wait…Billy Black used to go fishing with Bella and Charlie right? Well, apparently Bonnie AND her husband came along in Beaufort’s world. Guess a lady can’t fish with a cop without a chaperone…</div>
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In this version, it seems like Beau was actively bullied at school, until his growth spurt. He apparently also is not ‘like other guys’, in that he appears to have no interests whatsoever. Also, he spent his spare time snaking drains, and I have no idea what this is. Climbing in drains like a snake? Is it a euphemism? What for?!</div>
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But he is pale, and had no friends. So far so Bella.</div>
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The only person he was friends with was his mom…what a nice guy.</div>
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Ok I think maybe I missed something. Has literally every character in this book been gender bent? Except Charlie? I thought it was only going to be the main characters, but even the receptionist is a male now, and he was definitely a lady before.</div>
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Hahahaha Beaufort is such a crap name. Sorry if this is your name.</div>
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I SPY EDWARDINAS SILVER VOLVO. I very nearly typed Vulva there. Argh please no.</div>
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<i>‘I pulled my hood down over my face</i>’ – yes because that will keep you anonymous, and wont at all make you look like a 2005 era emo. I think Bella does this too? Oh well. Still made me giggle. I’m imaging my little brother (who is by the way a scarily tall, gangly and popular 17 year old shoot me - how did I ever think Edward Cullen was cool) doing this and it’s like when he’s sulking or being forced to take the rubbish out.</div>
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OMG Eric is now a skinny girl with skin problems. When Smeyer mentioned she’d cut two characters out entirely, I think I thought Eric would be one of them. Oh and she’s called Erica. Smooth.</div>
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<i>‘They didn’t look anything alike. There were three girls…</i>’ Oh lets guess them.</div>
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Number one: <i>‘super tall’, ‘legs that went on forever’, ‘dark curly hair</i>’ – SHE EMMETT. SHEMMETT – did I steal this from the other liveblog? Whatever. It works.</div>
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Number two: <i>‘hair the colour of honey’, ‘something intense about her, edgy.’</i>Random Segway about an actress in a film cutting people with a machete (Uma Thurman?). Jasper! Jas…her? Jasher!</div>
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Number three: Of course, we all know who this is going to be. She’s smaller (even though Edward was basically as tall as the other two, right?) because no one wants a girl who’s as tall as the guy. Her hair is <i>‘a bronze-y colour’</i> (so, bronze…).</div>
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Rosa-he has a man bun, which of course, I quote, doesn’t make him look feminine but ‘<i>somehow makes him look more like a man</i>’. MOVE TO LONDON AND TELL ME ALL THESE GUYS WHO HAVE DUMB MAN BUNS LOOK MANLY. Why couldn’t Rosa-he have an amazing beard or something.</div>
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<i>‘He was clearly too cool for this schoo</i>l’ – lol jealous BeauBella?</div>
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WTF Malice’s only description is that he is wirey and has a buzz cut. Let down. Although the description of him having a <i>‘quick, graceful lope</i>’ does make me laugh.</div>
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DAMN ALL MY NAME PREDICTIONS WERE WRONG</div>
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Edward we all know is Edythe. Emmett = Eleanor. Alice = Archie. Jasper = Jessamine. Rosalie = Royal.</div>
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The little paragraph here about their names being weird doesn’t really fit this version because YO BEAUFORT. Jessica has become Jeremy why has that happened? I swear Jeremy is pretty old fashioned too? Maybe not as old, but still not exactly the male equivalent of Jessica.</div>
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<i>‘The doctor and her husband</i>’ YES CARLISLE IS A SHE! Although for a second I imagined Esme as a doctor and I loved it.</div>
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The scene when they first meet in biology is exactly the same, exact for the obvious changes…plus…</div>
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<i>‘I had been spelling her name wrongly in my head. It was Edythe, not Edith. It fit her better’.</i> WTF why?</div>
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Mike is McKayla. I didn’t think it was spelt that way unless it was a surname, so I’ve learnt something today. Shall I stop updating on name changes?</div>
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URGH FINISHED. I need to reread Twilight…I don’t remember it being such a drag. I liked reading Twilight. Have I really grown up that much?</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357161873030300279noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718190701419902446.post-57899242052167603072015-10-09T13:49:00.001-07:002015-10-09T13:49:57.541-07:00A disclaimer before I beginThis weekend I am going to liveblog my reading of Life and Death, the new gender bent (and apparently awful) retelling of Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. Before I started, I wanted to make sure people knew that...<br />
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I don't hate Twilight. I may mock it, be a little ashamed to be rereading it, and I may cringe many times at it over the next few weeks but once upon a time I was Twilight obsessed. I went to release parties for the final book, I went to fan conventions for the films (and met a lot of the lovely cast, who I now feel quite sorry for, in hindsight) and have signed copies of the first 3 books in the series. Only the first 3, because after Breaking Dawn was released I lost a large amount of my love for the series. It's not really worth talking about why, because if you've read it you probably understand.<br />
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So, yes, I loved Twilight. And things changed. I look back on that part of my life a <i>little</i> bit ashamed. I certainly don't often admit I went to fan events for it. But that isn't to say some good things didn't come out of Twilight for me.<br />
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<li>I had been in a rather large reading slump, probably the second one of my life ever (I was 18). The first one was beaten through discovering Cate Tiernan and Holly Black. This one was broken by Twilight, and my renewed confidence in the YA section of my local Waterstones. </li>
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<li>It was my first introduction to online fan culture...and this probably explains why I became such a hardcore fan girl. I don't think I would have been nearly so obsessed if there wasn't so much conversation and extra material available online.</li>
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<li>I have friends, who I had never seen read for pleasure, that I introduced the book to (through pure peer pressure) who went on to become bookworms, with bookshelves to rival my own.</li>
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<li>I met some amazing people. These girls all know who they are. A group of us started a conversation on a Twilight facebook group (remember how good facebook groups used to be for this type of thing?) and then created our own group chat. That was in (I'm guessing) March...2008? The chat lives on, and the majority of us are still friends. One of the girls now lives minutes down the road from me (in London terms), and I have friends who live in Canada, the US and France who I would not have had if not for this group...and therefore Twilight. It's because of these ladies that I am even contemplating this liveblogging...so I am going to dedicate it to them! I'm sure if no one else finds it entertaining, they at least will!</li>
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So for me, although it is a cringy awkward remnant of my teenage self, Twilight is not all bad. Life and Death, however, is promising to be a truely horrific ride.</div>
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I'll keep you all posted.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357161873030300279noreply@blogger.com0