Series I Absolutely Need To Finish This Year

Hello everyone! 

Who am I? I've been posting so much recently that I bet you're wondering if I've secretly been replaced by an alien. I have been on such a blogging kick so here's hoping it'll carry on all through the year. *Shrugs*. We'll see...

One of my resolutions for this year is to finish at least 5 series I have already started. I am awful at getting stuck into series and then getting bogged down by other series. It's a vicious spiral. I end up not knowing what to read next and getting overwhelmed by choices. Aaaannnnddd voila, the reading slump! You feeling stressed yet? I sure am! 

Fingers crossed if I make a list of 5 series then I'll manage to stick to it and finish that resolution fairly easily :-) 

The first series I want to finish is the Shades of Magic series by V. E. Schwab. I read the first two books last year and really enjoyed the world building. I liked the characters so much that I even named on our kittens Kell! This series follows Kell and Lila as they fight for survival across the four worlds and the four Londons. Each London is deadly in its own way with Black London being the worst. The second book ended on a huge cliffhanger and I swore I would pick up the third book straight away, but instead it has been sat on my shelf gathering dust for the last 6 months! 

This next one should be fairly easy, *she prays*. Katherine Arden's Bear and the Nightingale blew me away last year and the sequel just took it to a whole new level of brilliant. The third, and final book Winter of the Witch came out yesterday so I raced off to pick up my pre-ordered copy. It is the next book I'm picking up as I am really feeling the wintry Russian vibes!

Finale by Stephanie Garber is a final book on a lot of people's lists this year. Sadly we do have to wait a few months before this final follow-up in the whimsical Caraval series is released. This series features circus like magic, plot-twists, gorgeous love interests and some serious darkness. If that doesn't sell it to you then I don't know what will. 

I have been reading Rachel Caine's Great Library series since it first came out, which has made the wait for the final book agonising. This series follows a group of young students as they become ever more entangled in the dark web of the library of Alexandria. For centuries the library has been the highest power in the world, but now it is falling to corruption and fanaticism. Jess and his friends are trying to change that. Sword and Pen comes out later this year and I can guarantee I will be reading it as soon as it comes out! 

If anyone knows the artist for this please give them credit, because it is amazing :-) 

So this one may be a cheat because technically the series isn't really finished as more books are coming, but I have 5 books to catch up on so I'm including it to the challenge. That's right, I'm talking about the Shadowhunters series by Cassandra Clare. I still have The Dark Artifices to read, The Bane Chronicles and Tales From the Shadowhunter academy to catch up! 

What series are you planning on wrapping up this year? Let me know in the comments below :-) 

xoxo

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January 2019 TBR

Hello everyone,

Happy New Year! I hope you have all recovered from the celebrations and are basking in all the hope of a new year before the dullness of January really starts. I always find January the hardest month of the year, it seems to drag by and just be dreary and cold without all the jolly festive cheer of December. To cheer myself up i’m planning on reading some amazing books this month!

The first one I need to prioritise is Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor. I’m doing this as a buddy read with my friend Jonny over at Jonnyslibrary. We have both had this book sitting on our tbr shelves for a while and as this is the year of the tbr takedown we decided to join forces for this one! This book follows a group of time travelling historians as they try to document history, but instead cataclysmiacally alter events that could threaten the very fabric of time itself. So dramatic! I’m all for time travel and sci-fi so I can’t wait to get lost in this one.

I’m hoping to carry on my Sebastien de Castell binge by reading Charmcaster, the third book in the Spellslinger series. I adore this series and it sweeps me off my feet every time. The last book had me startling Mr. Gingersnap out of his chair as I laughed raucously for whole pages at a time. The third book features Ferius and Kellen as they follow the Shadowblack epidemic further into hostile territory. When you pick up these books think of them as a cocktail of the Wild Wild West, magic and sarcasm!

Next on my list is The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare. Magnus is one of my favourite characters of all time. I love his flamboyancy and care-free attitude combined with his deadly seriousness if his loved ones are threatened. I am very excited to read this set of short stories about his life as it will help me understand him so much better ready for the imminent release of The Red Scrolls Of Magic later this year.

Photo from Penguin

My final book of the month is the much anticipated Winter Of The Witch by Katherine Arden. Now if you read my most anticipated released of 2019 post you will know this was right at the top of the list. This is the third, and final book, in this amazing series set in ancient Russia. It has strong feminist elements and features a truly fantastic range of characters. The Russian folk-lore is fascinating and really adds depth to the story. I am super excited to see where this story goes! 

I may add a couple of books to the list as I finish these ones, but for now that's it! What do you plan to read this month? Let me know in the comments below :-) 

xoxo

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2018 Reading Wrap-Up

Hello everyone!

It's the last day of 2018 and wow is it a grey day! I was hoping for a sunny, wintry day where I could reflect on all my resolutions for next year, but no we have a cloudy, dull and dark day where it's not even that cold. *Sigh* The UK winter is a bit disappointing so far. I do love a crisp winter! 

It's the time of year for wrap-ups so today I wanted to do a review of my resolutions and goals for 2018. I always start the year with grand plans, then I inevitably fall short. Let's see how I did :-) 

2018 Reading Goals: 

1. Only achievable challenges ✓ I only did Mr. GingerSnap's challenge so this was easy! 

1. Read 5 big books ✓ Yes! I did so well at this challenge, I read waaaay more than 5 books.

1. Over 10 Penguin English Library titles ✗ Failed utterly at this, I think I read 6...

1. Finish Sherlock Holmes ✗ Again, totally failed this one. I read no Sherlock this year.

1. 5 books by new authors ✓ Yes! Smashed this one.

Mr. GingerSnap Challenge: 

My partner, Mr. GingerSnap loves to set me a good reading challenge and this year he set me 120 books to read! I actually managed to top this at 121 books so I feel very proud of myself. Especially as my Goodreads goal was only 60 books. 

Top 5 Books: 

Okay guys, these won't be in order because it was tough enough picking just 5, so bask in that moment and if you want a top 1 - Forget It!! 

• Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare 
• The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden 
• Spellslinger by Sebastien de Castell 
• Caraval by Stephanie Garber 
• The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar 

2019 Reading Goals:

1. Finish 5 book series I've already started 
2. Read more Brandon Sanderson 
3. Read 5 books over 700 pages 
4. Complete a 60 books Goodreads challenge 
5. Finally read Emma by Jane Austen 

Mr. GingerSnap Challenge:

Mr. GingerSnap is setting me a devilishly difficult challenge for next year. He has challenged me to clear my 35 book TBR with the only new books purchased being important new releases I want to blog about! Wish me luck guys, I'm going to need it :-) 

How did you get on with your reading goals this year? Got any good resolutions? Let me know your highlights in the comments below :-)

xoxo

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Credit to flower divider here! 

Mini August Book Haul

Hello everyone! 

It has been a very long time since I last did a book haul, which is such a shame because they are some of my favourite posts to read and write. Now, I was on a more or less successful book ban for quite some time so I ended up trickling books onto my shelves instead of actually going out and buying a whole bunch. Technically I am still on a book ban (my tbr is so beyond out of control that it is threatening to overtake me in height), but I was left unattended in the book shop on Saturday. Big mistake Mr. Gingersnap!! Of course this led to a bit of a splurge, but as far as hauls go this is a modest one :-) 

The first book I picked up was The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare. I have been excited to read this one for ages as Magnus Bane is one of my all time favourite characters. As a bit of back-ground, for those who live under a rock, The Bane Chronicles is a series of 11 short stories following the warlock, Magnus Bane, throughout various anecdotes of his life. He has been alive for hundreds of years (I forget exactly how long) and so has had a wide range of wacky adventures. Magnus is a key character in Cassandra Clare's Shadowhunters series, following a group of warriors fighting demons to protect both the mundane and Downworld. Sounds pretty cool right? Magnus is one of the most flamboyant, extravagant and witty characters I have read and I can't wait to learn more about his past! 

The second book is actually an exception to the book ban rules. Three authors are exempt from the ban, they are Terry Pratchett, Tolkien and Neil Gaiman. I have been super into Neil Gaiman recently and absolutely love his short fiction so I picked up Smoke And Mirrors. Seriously, this cover is so gorgeous! I love the tree design on most of his books, and I actually found out the other day that if you put them all together they make a picture. Go on, try it! You know you want to! *Pictures readers frantically pulling Gaiman off their shelves*. Anyway, this set of short fiction sounds amazing. Neil's selections are always dark, gothic, sarky and eccentric so are perfect to be read as 1 story each day to add a little colour! This set varies between an old woman finding the Holy Grail under an old coat in a thrift shop, a boy under a bridge arguing with a troll and a stray cat locked in a fierce battle to protect his adoptive family. So excited to get into these! 

The third, and final book, is Hollow City by Ransom Riggs. I know, I know, why haven't I read this series yet? Well, I'm sorry, but I missed all the hype! I am planning to hop onto this bandwagon as soon as possible as I have heard rumour of a fourth book hitting shelves later in the year. Hollow City follows Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children after they have fled their safe haven to hopefully save themselves and others like them. Equipped with their unique powers and as much information as they can gather they must set out on a life or death quest. This book has magic, monsters and of course a cracking romance so it really is a must-read! 

What have you guys been picking up this month? Let me know in the comments below and I will be sure to update y'all soon on what I thought of these books! 

xoxo

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April Reading Wrap Up

Hello everyone! 

May is here! That means it should be Spring right? So where is the warm weather? Did I sleep through Spring and Summer or something? Well hopefully it'll be warm soon so we can bring on the summer contemporary romance books :-) 

April was an amazing reading month for me, I read a whole ton of books! If I'm honest I did cheat a little, by reading some short stories and graphic novels, but they were all part of series I needed to catch up on I swear. You might notice I did binge a lot of books by the same authors, I find it much easier to immerse myself in a fantasy world if I read all the books very close together. I like to live and breathe the world and its characters, it helps me connect with the story. 

My favourite of the month has to be Katherine Arden's The Girl In The Tower, which makes her my favourite author two months running. This book is the much anticipated sequel to The Bear And The Nightingale. It follows Vasya as she journeys across Russia trying to find her place in the world. Along the way she gets embroiled with savage bandits, treacherous politics and daring horse races. This would all be simply exciting, if there wasn't the added element of fear of discovery. Vasya has to masquerade as a man to survive. What will happen when her identity is revealed? And what is the gathering darkness in Moscow? Vasya will have to dig even deeper into her soul if she wants to save her people.

Now I hear you all shouting "Stop rambling and get on with the ratings", so without further ado here they are: 

1. In The Village Where Brightwine Flows by Bradley Beaulieu - 4 Stars 
2. The Doors At Dusk And Dawn by Bradley Beaulieu - 5 Stars 
3. The Tattered Prince And The Demon Veiled by Bradley Beaulieu - 4.5 Stars 
4. City Of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare - 5 Stars 
5. Of Sand And Malice Made by Bradley Beaulieu - 5 Stars 
6. City Of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare - 5 Stars 
7. The Girl In The Tower by Katherine Arden - 5 Stars 
8. Snotgirl #3 by Bryan Lee O'Malley - 3 Stars 
9. Snotgirl #4 by Bryan Lee O'Malley - 3 Stars 
10. Snotgirl #5 by Bryan Lee O'Malley - 3.5 Stars 
11. Lumberjanes Vol. 1 by Noelle Stevenson - 4 Stars  

11 books you guys! How did I even achieve that?! I am beginning to think I might be a little too generous with my ratings or maybe I'm just lucky with the books I choose? Let me know what you think in the comments below, and don't forget to tell me what you read in April :-) 

xoxo

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March Reading Wrap Up

Hello everyone! 

I think, *crosses fingers*, that Spring is finally here in the UK to stay. We didn't get any of the snow forecast for the bank holiday weekend and it's finally starting to get sunny! I love Spring and summer, and not just for the warmth, flowers and outdoor activities, but because I find that I am much more productive in the lighter months. I read more and tend to do more re-organising, which is especially good this year as Mr. GingerSnap and I have some exciting changes coming up, but I'll talk about those at a later date :-) 

Staying true to my usual habit of wanting to read more in Spring, I read 10 books in the month of March. Now for some of you that sounds like quite a reasonable number, but I work very long hours so for me that is a huge number! 

If I go into detail on all the books I read then you will be here forever... So I'm just going to give you my star ratings and talk about my two favourite books of the month: 

1. The Bear And The Nightingale by Katherine Arden - 5 Stars
2. The Wicked Cometh by Laura Carlin - 3 Stars
3. Call The Midwife by Jennifer worth - 4.5 Stars
4. Blood Upon The Sand by Bradley Beaulieu - 5 Stars
5. Caraval by Stephanie Garber - 5 Stars 
6. Lady Susan by Jane Austen - 4 Stars
7. The Old Nurse's Story by Elizabeth Gaskell - 5 Stars
8. Daphnis And Chloe by Longus - 4.5 Stars
9. Happily by Chauncey Rogers - 4 Stars ( full review here! )
10. Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare - 5 Stars

My two favourites were Clockwork Princess and The Bear And The Nightingale. Clockwork Princess is the final book in The Infernal Devices trilogy and oh my lord did I cry at the end! I probably cried solidly for the last 150 pages, it was so heart wrenching and beautifully written. Cassandra Clare crafts such stunning prose that it really gets under your skin. In this book Tessa is getting ready for her wedding to her dying fiance Jem, but they might not make it that far. The army of automatons is on the move and they want Tessa at all costs! 

Look at this spine!! <3 

The Bear And The Nightingale was arguably one of the biggest debut fantasy releases of last year. As a big fan of Russian literature I was super excited to get into this one. It is strongly interwoven with Russian fairytales and mythology, creating an ethereal and spellbinding world. It follows Vasya as she grows from a child to an adult woman in the countryside. After her mother died giving birth to her, he father remarries a very pious woman. Her stepmother gradually beats out all the old superstitions of the village and imposes her own strict religion. Nobody realises how dangerous this really is, only Vasya can see the decline of the local spirits protecting the house. As their spirits fail, an old evil creeps into the village and only Vasya can do anything about it. 

If that intro for The Bear And The Nightingale doesn't tickle your fancy, nothing will! For the next month I am going to continue Wild Reading and just pick up whatever I fancy reading next :-) At the moment I am reading City Of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare and Matilda by Mary Shelley. What did you enjoy reading last month and do you have any books you want to get to next month? Let me know in the comments below :-) 

xoxo

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Sequels I Can't Wait To Read

Hello everyone! 

How are you all doing? Enjoying Spring so far? I certainly am looking forward to some sunshine :-) Today I thought I'd tell you all about the sequels I am most excited about! As many of you know, I am thoroughly addicted to series as they allow so much more character development and let me stay immersed in a particular world that much longer! So here they are in all their glory:

1. The Girl In The Tower by Katherine Arden

This is the much anticipated sequel to The Bear And The Nightingale. This story follows Vasya after she flees her village branded as a witch. She rejects the two choices for women, convent or marriage, and instead dresses as a man and seeks freedom. All I know about this one is that it delves deeper into  the old magic coursing through Vasya's veins as she figures out who and what she is. 

2. Legendary by Stephanie Garber

This is the follow up to Caraval, which took the world by storm over a year ago. Caraval is an enchanting book and thoroughly stole my soul! The end of Caraval leaves us with Scarlett and Tella free from their father's grip and enmeshed in the world of Master Legend, the leader of Caraval. This series is spellbinding, filled with magic and danger. Legendary follows Tella as she embarks on a dangerous quest to revel Legend's true name, but if she does it will mean the magic of Caraval dies forever... Excited much? Hell yes I am!! 

3. Veil Of Spears by Bradley Beaulieu 

Words cannot describe how excited I am for this one! This is the third book in Bradley Beaulieu's series following Ceda as she tries to assassinate as many of the twelve kings of Sharakhai as possible. The last book, Blood Upon The Sand, left us with a major cliff hanger and I can't wait to see where Ceda will go next! Will her and Emre find each other? Will she survive? Will anything be salvageable from the ashes of a city burned by a war? We'll see :-) 

4. Smoke And Iron by Rachel Caine

I have been waiting for a year for this book to come out! The Great Library series is one of my favourite YA fantasy series of all time and this is going to be the fourth instalment. In the world of The Great Library all the knowledge in the world is controlled by library branches. However, some people want to fight against this. The smugglers do this covertly, as the name implies, but the Burners want to set the world on fire and rebuild it differently. They are radical and dangerous, but they might just be in the right... 

5. City Of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare 

Okay this is an old book, hardly news, but I still haven't finished this series. To be perfectly honest, I have been putting it off because I don't want it to end :-( That being said I am in a massive Shadowhunters phase at the moment and really want to read the rest and catch up before Queen Of Air And Darkness comes out :-) The Mortal Instruments series is such an amazing series, all the characters really suck you in and make you wish you were a part of their world. This series follows Clary and her friends as they battle demons and the shadow world to protect not just themselves but all the humans blind to the evil that stalks the world! Very dramatic right? 

So that's it, the top 5 sequels I can't wait to read! The real list is as long as my arm, so I thought I'd just give you the shortlist :-) What sequels are you excited for? Let me know in the comments below :-) 

xoxo

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Happily by Chauncey Rogers - Review

Hello everyone, 

It's once again time for a book review :-) I was lucky enough to be sent an ARC (advance reader copy) of Chauncey Rogers' newest novel Happily. Chauncey Rogers is an American author and this will be his third published novel. I was really excited to get my teeth into this one as I love fairytale retellings. 

No bonus points for guessing which fairytale inspire this one :-P

Happily follows Laure, a sassy street urchin, as she tries to gather enough money to escape a country she has grown to hate. She lies, she steals and has very few morals left, but then an opportunity presents itself. The King has decreed that the young woman who fits the ridiculously large glass slipper can marry the Prince and have access to the crown's money. Sounds like a dream come true for Laure! Teeming up with her new friend Luc, all she needs is a tiny glass slipper, one huge foot and enough time to reach the shoe. Sounds like a piece of cake right? Well fairytales are never that easy! 

Rating: 4 Stars 

Positives: witty characters, funny plot twists and fairytale logic 

For lover of: Amy Alward's The Potion Diaries, Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland

I found this story very engaging and easy to read, I read it across 2 days and was actually a bit sad when it ended. The narrative was very fast paced and clever. It featured every essential fairytale element: star crossed lovers, kingdoms at war, bandits and near misses. I particularly enjoyed the fairytale logic, switching from plot twist to plot twist at a ridiculous rate! It was great! 

The characters are well developed and full, there was definitely no rushing in writing them. There were no insignificant or filler roles, giving the story much more depth. I loved Laure's sassiness in contrast to Luc's open heart and generosity. This book was lighthearted and funny, making it the perfect spring read!

I would recommend this book to any fairytale lover or YA fantasy fan! It publishes on April 3rd so check it out! Let me know in the comments below if you have any retelling recommendations :-) 

xoxo

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The Mermaid And Mrs Hancock - Review

Hello everyone! 

I'm back again with a book review, today let's talk about Imogen Hermes Gowar's debut novel The Mermaid And Mrs Hancock. This book has been massively hyped so I was equal parts nervous and excited to read it :-) 

The story follows the lives of Mr. Hancock and Angelica Neal as their stories intertwine. Jonah Hancock is an ordinary merchant until his Captain rushes to him in the middle of the night telling tales of mermaids and fortune. He has sold Jonah's ship and exchanged it for a mermaid. This mermaid is a far cry from the beautiful sirens of legend, it is ugly and deformed, yet captivates the senses. This mermaid fascinates the people of London, catching the eye of high society. Among them is the most infamous brothel mistress. She throws Mr. Hancock a party, with Angelica Neal, celebrated courtesan, as the sparkling jewel of the ball. Mr. Hancock becomes more fascinated with her than all the mermaids in the world, promising to acquire one for her very own...

The narrative of this story is stunning, the way it switches between the two protagonists is clever and spell-binding. I struggled to put this book down and found myself thinking about it all the time that I wasn't reading it. It's clear that Imogen did a lot of research into the mermaid phenomenon that swept through Victorian society. There are clear influences from the Fiji mermaid story, which if anything made this story more original. 

Jonah Hancock is silly and pompous, but relatable in his desire to impress the woman he cares for. The more you read about him the more you see he is sweet and kind, the sort of man you should choose over the attractive, but devious younger men of society. Angelica, though experienced in the art of love and sex, is naive and juvenile in her decisions, making all the wrong ones. She ignores her better sense and you begin to get frustrated with her at times. However, you grow to see she has a core of steel and can overcome situations which make others tremble. 

There is so much depth to this book. I completely understand the hype around it and have since found myself recommending it to people left, right and centre. Not only is the inside decadent and beautiful,  but the cover matches it! Just look at the cover design and those endpapers! I applaud not only the writer, but the publisher and illustrator too. 

I cannot recommend this book highly enough and it was a no-brainer 5 star read. I would say this is one for lovers of fairy tales, the Brontes and Philippa Gregory! Who else has read this? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below :-) 

xoxo

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March Madness - Wild Reading

Hello everyone! 

How are you all doing and, most importantly, what have you been reading? As my regular readers will know, I set myself quite a few hefty books to read in February and, predictably, it pushed me into a slump. Now we are talking a big slump, not just a reading slump, but a Blog, Twitter and Instagram slump! Mr. Gingersnap always gets quite anxious when I stop reading, he knows how important it is to keep me happy :-) 

He then had the brightest idea ever and suggested that for March Madness I should do a reading safari that we will call Wild Reading! This involves picking books off my shelf at random and reading whatever I feel like reading whenever I feel like it. So far this is working out excellently and I am onto my fourth book of the month already! Which is already more than I achieved last month. 

In the end, I only read half my TBR last month: 

1. The Mermaid And Mrs Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar - 5 Stars
2. Thief Of Time by Terry Pratchett - 5 Stars 
3. Two On A Tower by Thomas Hardy - 5 Stars
4. Turtles All The Way Down by John Green - 3 Stars 

I won't yet tell you what I have been reading this month, if I do then who will even read my wrap up at the end of the month?!? However, I am open to suggestions, that is the joy of Wild Reading :-) Let's make this a thing and tell me what your impulse reads have been in the comments below! 

xoxo

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Zoella Book Club 2017

Hello everyone! 

I'm back again with some more book reviews. This time I wanted to talk to you about the Zoella and Friends Book Club 2017 with WHSmith. I have always been a big fan of Zoella and I have loved her previous two book clubs, so it will come as no surprise that I was very excited about this one. As soon as it was announced I hopped online and ordered the box set. Then I had to wait 2 months for my exams to be over before I could binge read them all! 

Yes I know, I read them at the end of August and it is now February, but I thought that this collection of books would be a perfect way for you all to get a scent of summer in your reading. That way you can escape from all this horrible weather we're having in the UK. Let me tell you a little about each book.

Letters To The Lost by Brigid Kemmerer 

This story runs in parallel lines between Juliet Young and Declan Murphy as they fall in love through letters and messages all the while not knowing who the other person is. Juliet is the perfect dutiful student, prim and preppy, but destroyed on the inside by the recent death of her mother. Declan is your typical bad kid, he has a bad reputation and a bad attitude to match. Their worlds collide when Declan finds a letter Juliet has written to her mother in the graveyard where he does his community service. This book is heart-wrenching and hard to read, but will take you right back to that person who everyone disapproved of, but turned out to be the best thing for you at the time. 

After The Fire by Will Hill 

I was so excited to see this book on the list and it definitely lived up to my expectations. It is loosely based on the Waco scandal in America and I remember reading about that happening so was very intrigued. The story tells the life of Moonbeam both before and after the fire that started her life. She grew up in a religious cult in the American desert ruled by the disgusting and ruthless Father John. Moonbeam knows the world she lives in is wrong so she starts a fire to break out and change it all for the better. This is a gripping 5 star read through and through! 

Girlhood by Cat Clarke 

Sadly this one was a little bit of a let down, I wanted it to be a much darker thriller than it actually was. It follows Harper trying to escape her past and the loss of her sister by throwing herself into her new school life, but then a new girl arrives and her story is scarily similar to Harper's. After her arrival Harper's world starts to fall apart, leaving Kirsty as her only connection to her old life. The ending was much fluffier than I wanted it to be, but it is a good example of how forgiveness and understanding can go a long way in improving a situation. Definitely still worth a read if you like light thrillers. 

History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera

I was a bit dubious about this one as I had read quite a few mixed reviews and I don't think it was really the right book for me. It has great representation and deals with loss and LGBTQ+ relationships very well, but I found it difficult to connect with Griffin as a character. Griffin needs to come to terms with the sudden death of his ex-boyfriend Theo and rebuild his life and friendships on new ground. He turns to Theo's new boyfriend and for answers and comfort, but it doesn't turn out quite how he was expecting. It is a well written story of life after death and new starts, worth a read if you are a fan of David Levithan. 

Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu

Aaaaah this book! Every woman and girl on the planet should read this book at the age of 12-16 and take home its very important message. Women are not disposable, we are not the weaker sex and we can stand on equal footing with men. Feminism is not about pushing men down to let us women rise, it is about finding a place to stand next to them as equals and working together. This book is everything I wanted The Power to be. Vivian Carter is the woman we should all be. She is fed up with being downtrodden by her male teachers, subject to chauvinistic remarks that go un-reprimanded. She creates a feminist zine and takes her school, her town and the world by storm! 

Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt

This book ripped my heart out, shredded it like confetti and threw the bits to the wind. Jack's family have taken in 14 year old Joseph as a foster child. Joseph has come straight out of juvenile detention after a very troubled back-ground lands him in serious trouble. Joseph isn't what Jack expected, Joseph is sensitive, kind and completely heart-broken. As he opens up to Jack, he tells him how he fell in love and how that love resulted in a little girl called Jupiter. Joseph has never even seen her, but his longing for his daughter is so strong that he enlists the help of sensible Jack in his quest to find her. Read this book, it will break you, but it is worth it. 

The Start Of Me And You by Emery Lord

This story is super cute and quite fluffy, probably the only fluffy book in this selection. My Mam is actually afraid of water so I enjoyed how the author dealt with the protagonist Paige's new found phobia. This phobia sprung to life after her boyfriend drowned. Now Paige is not only dealing with a very real fear, but with the new label of "dead guy's girlfriend". What Paige struggles with most isn't the loss of her boyfriend, but the loss of their potential. They weren't together very long and now their chance of a future has gone. This inspires Paige to make a list of goals in the hope that it will bring her back to life. This brings her into Max's world. Max is everything a nerd love interest should be, he is geeky, kind and really funny. I fell in love with him on the first page he featured. Read this book if you want to feel uplifted by new chances and teenage friendships! 

The One Memory Of Flora Banks by Emily Barr

My Mam reckons this book will be a classic one day. Flora has short term retrograde amnesia, meaning she loses her memory several times throughout the day and has to have lists and post-its at the ready to remind herself who she is. Then one night she kisses Drake at a party and remembers it. She goes on a quest to find Drake, but he has moved to The North Pole. Defying everything anyone expects Flora follows him there, all the while trying to remember how she got there! This story is gripping, funny and very difficult to not get attached to. Flora's struggle is inspiring and I wish more people would read this book. 

Wow, that's it! All 8 books from the selection. As you can see they cover a really wide array of topics and genres within the YA heading. There is definitely something in there for everyone and if you ever thought Zoella's book club would be full of fluffy insubstantial romances I hope I have changed your mind! 

Have you read any of these? What were your thoughts on them? Let me know in the comments below :-) 

xoxo

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February TBR

Hello everyone! 

How are you all doing today? Have you got any interesting plans for the weekend? I am working this weekend, so I'll just be doing some reading and hanging out with Mr. GingerSnap in the evenings. Fingers crossed he will have finished the bookcase he is building for our house. If my February TBR goes to plan there will be quite a few additions!

Some may say I am being ambitious with what I want to read in Feb, but I like a challenge :-) 

1. Dubliners by James Joyce 

I don't know too much about this one beyond it following 15 Irish people and their every day lives in Dublin. I believe it shows different aspects of middle class Irish life. I'm quite excited to read this one because my Mam hated it and we have very different tastes in books. Generally if she disliked it, I will probably love it. 

2. Two On A Tower by Thomas Hardy 

I'm so excited about this one as Thomas Hardy is one of my favourite authors. This story follows two star crossed lovers as the try to navigate their feelings and avoid the minefield that is social class. The astronomy aspect of this novel also appeals to my inner scientist and I can't wait to get my teeth into this classic! 

3. The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar

I have been trying like crazy to avoid spoilers in the massive hype around this book. By the looks of things it is set to become a modern classic, taking the world by storm, but to be honest they had me at the word "mermaid". 

4. Nevernight by Jay Kristoff 

I'm a little late to the party on this book, so when I heard that the author was working on book 3 I decided it was time to tackle the first two. This one is quite a gruesome high fantasy novel. It tells the story of Mia Corvere, trained assassin and ruthless killer. She is determined to avenge her father's death, but first she must survive the rigorous training of the mysterious Red Church. I'm so excited to get to this one as it has been ages since I read anything like it. 

5. Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare 

I have been eking out this trilogy for as long as possible because of how much I love these characters. I never want to leave them behind, but it is time. My curiosity over how the story ends has won out over my dismay at finishing the story arc. This one follows the end of Tessa, Will and Jem's fight against the destructive Magister's automatons. The automatons are set to destroy the Shadowhunter world, the world they fight so hard to protect. I have a feeling this will break my heart, but I am feeling ready for it! 

Finally... 6. Thief Of Time by Terry Pratchett

This one is a bit of a cheat as I am already 1/4 of the way through this, but I'll count it nonetheless. Mr. GingerSnap has been building up my collection of Discworld Collector's Library editions as they come out and he bought the next four for Christmas. I have to wait for next year for the next 4 so I'll be dragging these ones out across the year to try to avoid too many withdrawals. Thief Of Time is the final book in the Death story arc and follows Time's son as he creates a clock which threatens to destroy time itself. So far I am loving this and can't wait to see what wonderful twists of plot this brings. 

What are you guys reading? Do you think this is over-ambitious? Let me know in the comments below :-) 

xoxo

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January Favourites and Reading Wrap-up

Hello everyone, 

Dreary January is over and it is time to move onto the most romantic month of the year - February. For the next few days the internet will be over-flowing with people's thoughts for January and I thought I would join the throng by sharing the books I read this month and all the things I have been loving :-) 

I did read 2 more books, but they were on my Kindle

In terms of books, I read 7 books last month. Quite a tidy number if I do say so myself! Here are some brief thoughts and star ratings:

1. Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton - thought provoking, but a bit depressing! 4 Stars

2. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen - stunning, soothing and funny! 5 Stars

3. The Invisible Man by H. G. Wells - gruesome and chilling, an ideal winter read. 5 Stars 

4. The Truth And Lies Of Ella Black by Emily Barr - fast paced, but a little bit disappointing! 3 Stars

5. Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare - as always her urban fantasy setting is incredibly vivid and her relatable characters made me cry like a baby! 5 Stars 

6. Silas Marner by George Eliot - slow to get into, but a lovely tale of family love and the simpler things in life. 5 Stars 

7. The Man Who Was Thursday by G. K. Chesterton - loved it at first as I thought it was going to be a thrilling spy novel, but then it turned biblical and it all turned out to have been a dream. Bit of a weird let down! 3 Stars 

Now it's time to talk you through my favourites! Are you ready? There are quite a few. 

Mr. GingerSnap and I have been re-watching Game Of Thrones ready for season 8 coming out next year. It's so strange watching it and now knowing what is coming. We noticed so many plot twists which when we first watched we thought "wtf, that's a bit odd", but now it makes so much more sense!! Seriously guys, go back and re-watch. 

I always get a little bit sad in January, it's probably a mixture of the cold wet weather and not having the festive period to look forward to. This year we decided to brighten up January by doing lots of interesting things out and about. To that end we had a load of friends down for the New Year's weekend, which was so lovely and cosy! We went to Stafford to see Tower Players put on Mort by Terry Pratchett in the theatre. They were absolutely fantastic and if they ever perform near you, please go and see them. Then to end January in the best way, we drove off to London last night with another friend to see Hollywood Undead live in Koko London. Last night was phenomenal and I would go and see them every night of the week if possible! 

I have also been loving being cosy and watching comfort shows this month, which includes My Name Is Earl and Friends :-) To make it even cosier Mr. GingerSnap has been making me a great many hot chocolates! 

So that's me for the last month! I'm currently reading Thief Of Time by Terry Pratchett and am hoping to finish that soon and move on to some very exciting new releases. Keep your eyes peeled for my February TBR! 

What have you guys been reading/loving this month? Let me know in the comments below :-) 

xoxo

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