Bout of Books 11 | TBR

I'm going to be participating in the Bout of Books readathon again! Woo!

Here is my TBR for the Bout of Books 11

I'm going to start with Geek Girl by Holly Smale because I need a light, funny girly read as I have fallen into a little reading slump and I have a feeling it'll pull me out of it!

I've also put in the Clockwork Princess Manga because I can zoom through it! I'm also really excited because the previous two were amazing and I love the art inside.

I'm also going to be picking up The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern and Landline by Rainbow Rowell. TNC because it is the Booksplosion BOTM and Landline because it is Rainbow's most recent release and I am beyond excited to read another one of her novels because Fangirl was perfect!

Want to enter? Click here: http://boutofbooks.blogspot.co.uk/

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lola Nolan is a budding costume designer, and for her, the more outrageous, sparkly, and fun the outfit, the better. And everything is pretty perfect in her life (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the negihborhood. When Cricket, a gifted inventor, steps out from his twin sister's shadow and back into Lola's life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.





Another great read from Stephanie Perkins!
Lola and the Boy Next Door, like Anna, was such a quick read and it fills you up with the excitement of love and friendship and of course, the fictional boy to die for.

I loved Lola, her individuality and her passion for creating quirky costumes.
CRICKET BELL OH MY LORD.
He is such a nice and genuine guy! What I love about this story is that it isn't a "girl loves boy, girl gets hurt" and it shows that guys can be hurt too.

The plot was amazing and I loved the pacing and the ending...so perfect.

Reasons to love Cricket Bell:
*He's tall
*He's nerdy
*His bar soap smell
*His hair
*His gentleness and politeness
*His name

I do prefer Anna&the French Kiss a tad bit more but this book is still epic.
READREADREAD NOW.

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House Trap by Mike Mauthor

House Trap by Mike Mauthor

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Rachel Evans is a sixteen year old overachiever who would take nothing less than to achieve her goal of getting into Dartmouth College. But Rachel’s life would never be the same once she stepped into the house of Alicia Hausefalle, the most popular girl in Wedds High School. Rachel was there to tutor her. She never expected to meet two strangers who were ready to end her life.

I used to love horror and thriller stories when I was younger: Goosebumps, Shivers, Point Horror... but I haven't read one in a long time.
This book gripped me right away. It is a very fast paced book with a lot of action and the plot was very unique. The whole 'House Trap' concept intrigued me and I was already trying to figure out what would happen because I knew something would go terrible wrong!
The climax of the story was so exciting and also a little scary! There is a lot of description in this book and it helped a lot in some parts but I felt that it was unnecessary to have loads of description all the time.
The ending was a little too rushed and there was very little character development, but I think that is due to it being a short story and not a full novel.
There were a few mistakes here and there and the dialogue was a little to unrealistic at times. When I read them they didn't fit with the character's personality or age.
If adapted correctly, I think the concept of the 'House Trap' invention itself could make a quite scary horror movie.
I think that Mike did a very good job and I enjoyed this book a lot:)

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A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks

A Walk to Remember by Nicholas SparksMy rating: 5 of 5 stars

Every April, when the wind blows from the sea and mingles with the scent of lilacs, Landon Carter remembers his last year at Beaufort High. It was 1958, and Landon had already dated a girl or two. He even swore that he had once been in love. Certainly the last person in town he thought he'd fall for was Jamie Sullivan, the daughter of the town's Baptist minister. 

A quiet girl who always carried a Bible with her schoolbooks, Jamie seemed content living in a world apart from the other teens. She took care of her widowed father, rescued hurt animals, and helped out at the local orphanage. No boy had ever asked her out. Landon would never have dreamed of it. 

Then a twist of fate made Jamie his partner for the homecoming dance, and Landon Carter's life would never be the same. Being with Jamie would show him the depths of the human heart and lead him to a decision so stunning it would send him irrevocably on the road to manhood...

A Walk to Remember is a story about how strong love is and how much influence a single person can have on you. It's also a journey of hope, faith, learning and miracles.

My friends started hyping about the movie and I had seen the cover many times on IMBD suggestions and such, but never really felt inclined to watch it.
But when I did. Oh my god. One of the best movies I've ever seen.
I watched the film twice in one sitting. That's how good it was.
Anyway, I found out that it was a novel my Nicholas. I'd tried to read Dear John before and I just couldnt get into it. HOWEVER, this book took, me a day and a half to read. I just couldn't stop thinking about the story and I couldn't stop reading it.
The movie adaptation had some really cute aspects added to it that I wished could have been in the book like Jamie's bucket list and the kiss in the play.
But the book had so many beautiful quotes that weren't in the film. Both were perfect.
I just, ahh. Jamdon feeeelss♥♡
The strenght of true love, faith and hope were overwhelming in this book and I cry every time I watch the film and I cried whilst reading the book.
I think I should get to bed, schol tomorrow oopsss.
Read it if you like sad stories and romance (no cheesy love triangles). Heck, read it if you hate reading. You need to.

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The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Mara Dyer doesn’t think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love.

She’s wrong.


WHAT?!
THAT ENDING!
I still have chills running down my arm.

This book surprised me a lot! First of, I didn't expect there to be a paranormal side to it and secondly, I did not realise how creepy this would turn out to be.

It is a very thrilling and mysterious story. It was captivating and the writing was absolutely beautiful. Also, it left you wondering what was real and what was just made up by Mara's mind.

I though most of the characters were great. I LOVED Jamie though, his jokes and his sarcasm. Daniel was another favourite. He was a great brotherly figure and he helped Mara out so much in the book.
Noah Shaw. Dear god, my ovaries.
Mysterious, hot, strong, caring.

The only couple of things that threw me off a little was Mara and Noah's relationship. It felt cringy and uncomfortable at times and there were definitely some cliche moments there. However, I loved how they are so similar to each other and I also really liked how their relationship started out with the whole 'you're too arrogant for me' thing and the banter between them.
Another thing that threw me off was how hard the story was to follow. I loved the mystery and the creepy thrill but there were times that I just had no idea what was going on and how they got there. Mara's 'PTSD'state was so interesting and having her narrate the story was awesome.

I am so excited to read the next book and find out what happens and also find some answers to some of my questions!
Great read! I definitely recommend it:)

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Around The World In 5 Days Readathon!

Hey guys!
It's been a while since I've posted anything on this blog, but I'm here with an exciting announcement!

Pack your bags, we're going travelling!

We're excited to bring you the Around The World Readathon!:D

Deetss:
~ Monday 4th August - Friday 8th August 
~World/travelling themed 
~You can choose books which:
1. Has ethically diverse characters 
2. Is set in a different country
3. Is written in another language
4. Is written by an author from a different country
5. Is about travelling (or has an aspect of travelling in it)

~ CHALLENGE: Read books that represent each of the 6 continents (not including Antarctica) {You don't have to read 6 books, you can combine different continents within one book}
~Reading sprints will be held individually on our Twitter pages:)
~USE THE HASHTAG #ATWI5D ON TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM

GIVEAWAY!

Hey guys!
So I have recently reached 1,000 subscribers, which is AWESOME!
I love you all sosososo much and I just want to thank you for your support and amazing-ness :D

Giveaway Rules:
1) Must be a subscriber.
2) Have parental permission if you are under the age of 18.
3) Make sure that the Book Depository ships to your country. 
If you're unsure just check here: http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/help/topic/HelpId/27/Countries-we-ship-to-with-free-delivery#helpContent
4) Finally, leave a comment down below with a topic you would like me to talk about in a new discussion series I have decided to start on my channel.
 It can be anything book related, booktube related or anything general.

This giveaway is open until 15th March, 7pm GMT. I will pick the winner and announce it in a video!:D

Good luck and may the odds be ever in you favor!

Bout of Books 9.0: Book Buying Spree!

The Challenge

Imagine if you will: you’ve just received some FANTASTIC news! You have won a $100 book buying spree! Now comes the hard part though: what books will you buy?! For this challenge, you’ll be creating your book buying spree wishlist, and sharing it in the comments.

The Prize

Book(s) from your wishlist worth up to $15 from The Book Depository!

How to Enter

- Using The Book Depository fill your cart full of books (no actual purchase necessary)!

- Your books must not come to more than $100 US dollars. You don’t have to factor in taxes.- You may include pre-orders in your list.

- Take screenshots or make a list  by writing out the books, author and prices, including the total (see my example below).
- Comment with your screen shot, list, or a link to your blog post.
- Enter the Rafflecopter!

This was such a fun challenge. The joy of just putting books into your basket without a small budget.

If buying books was a job, I would apply any day.

Anyway, here are the books I would love to buy!

Bout of Books 9.0 & Read Your Bookshelf-a-thon TBR

Ten Books to Read During 2014

As I said in my last post, 2013 was an amazing reading year for me and I read so many fantastic books. However, my TBR list is still full of books that I really want to read. So to end the year I am going to be doing my ten books to read during 2014!

• Legend by Marie Lu - This has been a favourite in the booktube community and I am so pumped to read it! I'm thinking of getting the hardcover box set because the covers are really neat.
• Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas- Another very popular YA book this year. I've heard that there is a kick-ass protagonist in this book so I am really excited to start the series. Fortunately, I was given a copy of this for Christmas. *dances*
• Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry- I love me a bad boy romance. I use to read quite a lot of them on Wattpad and I just love the tension and the thrill. 
• Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi- MUST READ. MUST. I don't own this book yet but I will read it during 2014. I just have to!
• Cinder by Marissa Meyer- I use to love princesses when I was younger and I've heard that this is a really unique series of fairytale retellings. 
• Allegiant by Veronica Roth- I love love love the Divergent series! I tried to read this book but I couldn't get very far because it's been a while since I've read Insurgent but I'm planning to reread Divergent and Insurgent during the readathon so that I can finally read Allegiant!
• Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell- Rainbow Rowell has been the author recommended the most to me this year. I've heard so any amazing things about her writing and I have not yet picked up a book written by her. I think it's tie to change that! Also, the title describes me perfectly.
• The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black- Vampires. Just say that word and I'll pick it up. I've heard that this is a really unique approach to vampires so I'm definitely going to pick it up!
• The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken- I am so behind! I was meaning to pick this book up this month but I guess I didn't. *hides* I have read and watched so many reviews for this book and I have a feeling that it's going to be in my Top Books of 2014 list.
• The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin- Another series I have been seeing a lot around booktube and other blogs. Romance, thrill, fantasy, paranormal. I think this book has it all!

So that is all from me for this year! It has truly been an amazing year and I can't wait to see what 2014 has to offer. I'm not going to do the whole 'new year, new me' lark, but I am setting myself some goals for 2014, on of which is to post more regularly on this blog!

I hope you all had a fab 2013 and have a great start to 2014!

2013 End of Year Book Survey!

2013 has been my best reading year so far and I've read so many amazing books this year! 2014 is so close and I wanted to spend some time looking back on all the books I read in 2013, so here I am doing the 2013 End of Year Book Survey, which was created by Jamie from The Perpetual Page-Turner. 

1. Best Book You Read In 2013? (If you have to cheat — you can break it down by genre if you want or 2013 release vs. backlist)

This is going to be difficult as I read some of the most popular and best books in the YA genre this year. I guess I'm going to cheat and break it down by genre!

Here goes:

1) Contemporary: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

     During the summer booktubeathon, I decided to reread this amazing book and like the first time, I cried and laughed. It is one of the most inspiring books in the YA genre and whenever I read it, I fall in love with the story and characters all over again.  

2) Romance: The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

     I guess I am cheating again as this book could easily fall in the contemporary genre, but I had to include it. My friend picked this book out from my school library and she read all three books in the series and told me that I had to read it. So I did. It is such a light summer read and made me all warm and girlish. The second book was disappointing but I really loved the first book! After reading it I was like, 'BRING ON SUMMER!'.

3) Fantasy: Clockwork Princess and City of Glass by Cassandra Clare 

     Clockwork Princess is the third and final book in The Infernal Devices series and City of Glass is the third book in the Mortal Instruments series. Both books are the best ones from the series and I had to mention both of them. Clockwork Princess hit my heart like a thousand arrows. After read it, I had cried the equivalent of rain in England. The feels and the heartache. You could say that I had a book hangover for weeks and could not pick up another book. Although City of Glass wasn't as emotionally heart wrenching, it was full of action and tension and all the ropes were tied. Both are epic and I would reread them any day!

4) Dystopian: The Selection by Kiera Cass
      I love the idea of the Selection and it was, surprisingly, a really light read. 

5)Historical Fiction: Between Shades of Grey by Ruta Sepetys
    A beautiful story set in 1941 about a Lithuanian girl, whose family was captured by Soviet guards. The book takes you wit her as she faces the worst time of her life.
6) Humour: Adrian Mole diaries
     Hilarious, whitty and really light reads!

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

 This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

Everyone told me how amazing Sarah Dessen's writing was so I was super pumped to read This Lullaby. It started off pretty well, but started to go downhill pretty fast. I thought the characters were pretty lame and the plot was two dimensional with no clear path. I pushed myself to finish it and when i did I felt relieved. I will try another one of Sarah Dessen's book but maybe not soon because this was a huge disappointment to me.

 3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2013? 

I have to say 172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad. From the reviews I have watched and read, I knew this book was going to be pretty creepy but I did not expect it to be super scary and unique! It was a great book with a huge plot twist and many surprises. Definitely shamed the monsters under the bed. 

 4. Book you read in 2013 that you recommended to people most in 2013?

Again, I have to say The Fault in Our Stars. I have been telling everyone how much I love it and so many of my friends have read it/want to read it. They, too, have ended up crying a river. I'm just spreading the love;)

 5. Best series you discovered in 2013?

I read so many amazing series this year and this is is a really hard decision to make. So...I am going to choose two. Both are written by Cassandra Clare and they are phenomenal: The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices. 

 6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2013?

Cassandra Clare! Yes! Yes!

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?

I don't read classics that often and I don't really enjoy them when I do. I started to read Pride and Prejudice a few months ago and did not finish it because of my distaste for classics. However, I had to pick it up again for English class and I am still currently reading it. I am finding it way more enjoyable than my first attempt and I am starting to become familiar with the language and style of the time that this book was written in.

 8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2013?

Clockwork Princess, City of Glass and The 5th Wave! I read all of them really quickly and they all received 5 stars!

 9. Book You Read In 2013 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

I will probably reread The Infernal Devices again next year, but probably towards the end because I still remember quite a lot from the series. Also, Between Shades of Grey by Ruta Sepetys because it was such a great historical fiction!

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2013?

11. Most memorable character in 2013? 

So many! Ahhh! I'm just going to do a list:

Will Herondale

Jem Carstairs

Tessa Gray

Magnus Bane

Augustus Waters

Charlie - The Perks of Being a Wallflower

R - Warm Bodies

& so many more! 

 12. Most beautifully written book read in 2013?

Definitely Between Shades of Grey!  It is such a heartbreaking novel and I learnt so much from it. It made me look at the world from a different perspective and be thankful for what I have!

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2013? 

Refer to question 12. 

 14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2013 to finally read? 

All of Cassandra Clare's books. They literally made my year and I can't believe I never picked them up sooner!

 15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2013?

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?

The shortest book I read in 2013 is Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. I literally read this book in an hour.

Longest book I read in 2013 is probably The Host by Stephenie Meyer. It is 619 pages long but definitely worth it!

 17. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc. etc.) Be careful of spoilers!

I'm not going to say much because of spoilers but there were many scenes that I went, "OMG WTF! WHAT JUST HAPPENED! WHAT!" in Clockwork Princess! As seen here! 

18. Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2013 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).

You're probably tired of hearing this but all of the relationships in The Infernal Devices! Especially Jem and Will's. I have never read a book where one of the strongest relationship was between two boy best friends (parabatai, brother etc). I also loved the relationship between Magnus and Alec in The Mortal Instruments. 

Also, this question would not be complete without mentioning Peeta and Katniss and Augustus and Hazel, even though they were both rereads.

19. Favorite Book You Read in 2013 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

Looking for Alaska! I read The Fault in Our Stars last year (and also this year) and loved it. John Green is an amazing author and Looking for Alaska is a unique and fun novel!

20. Best Book You Read In 2013 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else:

The Summer trilogy by Jenny Han. It was recommended to me by a friend and I really enjoyed the books!

21. Genre You Read The Most From in 2013?

Obviously, as you can tell from the books mentioned above, the YA genre. If I was to break it down I would probably say fantasy and contemporary.

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2013?

Do I have to start a list? Do I?  

23. Book That Was The Most Fun To Read in 2013?

The books in the Adrian Mole series. They were hilarious and such quick reads! 

24. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2013?

I am the biggest crybaby when it comes to books! The ones that made me cry the most were The Fault in Our Stars, Between Shades of Grey and Clockwork Princess.

25. Book You Read in 2013 That You Think Got Overlooked This Year Or When It Came Out?

Pieces of Us by Margie Gelbwasser. I haven't heard anyone else talk about this book and I never knew it existed until I found it in my school library. It's a contemporary summer novel but it is not your typical summer romance novel. It is relatable and kind of weird and messed up but it was still really enjoyable.

So that is it for the 2013 End of Year Survey. I actually missed out two questions because I really didn't know which book I would choose for them. 

I hope you all had a fantastic 2013 and may 2014 be another great year! 

Marry, Kiss, Cliff TAG

September Wrap Up & October Viewer's Choice

September Wrap Up

 Clockwork Angel & Clockwork Prince
by Cassandra Clare

Coraline: Graphic Novel
by Neil Gailman
Illustrated by Craig Russell 

 Warm Bodies 
by Isaac Marion

October Viewer's Choice 

Let me know down below the 2 books I should read for this month:D