I loved this. I loved this. I loved this. It was funny, exciting, page turning, unique and easy to follow! The art style is fantastic, the characters I loved this. I loved this. I loved this. It was funny, exciting, page turning, unique and easy to follow! The art style is fantastic, the characters were fantastic, the plot was fantastic. f.a.n.t.a.s.t.i.c. Ms Marvel needs her own movie please......more
Into White was one of my highly anticipated releases of 2016 but sadly I was a little disappointed. I wasn't the biggest fan of the writing style but fInto White was one of my highly anticipated releases of 2016 but sadly I was a little disappointed. I wasn't the biggest fan of the writing style but for me, the main thing that I didn't enjoy was that I felt as though it perpetuated and reinforced some harmful stereotypes and stigmas surrounding topics such as eating disorders and sexual harassment. Once I read these aspects, amongst other things I didn't love too much, I found it hard to enjoy the reading experience!
I did think certain aspects of it were really interesting to read and I think a lot of people will take a lot of different things away from this book, both positive and negative, as there are many levels to it, but unfortunately it wasn't really for me. That being said, I'm extremely interested and intrigued to read/hear what others think of it, more so than what I thought of it myself, as I do think the premise of it was very interesting and something I think a lot of people will have varying opinions on! As of right now, I'm still undecided on how to rate this, as I don't want to influence anyone not to buy it, since I do think it there are elements to it that could be something a lot of people might be able to relate to and find very interesting and enlightening to read!...more
The Hate U Give is a book that has been highly praised since it was released and rightly so, it is utterly brilliant. I'm not sure what more I can addThe Hate U Give is a book that has been highly praised since it was released and rightly so, it is utterly brilliant. I'm not sure what more I can add to the discussion and praise surrounding this book, that hasn't already been said by people much better equipped to discuss it than I am, so I highly, highly recommend that you please search for and read the excellent own reviews reviews out there for this book. I'll simply say this, the hype surrounding The Hate U Give is undeniably deserving. It's insightful, wonderfully written and incredibly impactful. I loved every single moment of it, from the uncomfortable and painful parts, to the funny, light hearted moments. This is exactly the kind of accessible book that should be required reading in schools to help expand people's minds and understanding of this part of our society. I absolutely loved Angie Thomas's writing style, she could make me smile whilst reading one page and feel like I'd been punched in the gut on the next. I cannot wait to see what comes next for her, her writing and the success I'm sure The Hate U Give movie will be....more
I absolutely loved this. It was utterly adorable, incredibly easy to read and although the romance was definitely instalove (which I usually don’t warI absolutely loved this. It was utterly adorable, incredibly easy to read and although the romance was definitely instalove (which I usually don’t warm to) it didn’t bother me at all. In fact, I thoroughly enjoyed the romance. Both of the main characters were wonderfully cute and both dealing with their own issues and wanted to escape them for one night and I loved it. I absolutely adored the descriptions of Mardi Gras and New Orleans. It was fun, immersive, captivating and made me want to go there even more than I already do. It also had a really diverse cast of characters, with Julie being Puerto Rican and other than maybe two or three characters, the rest of the cast were POC. with two characters in or having been in M/M relationships. Even If The Sky Falls was an utterly cute, quick and easy read, with adorably witty characters, an equally adorable romance and an added depth bought to it through discussion of money and mental illness. This is a thoroughly enjoyable, adorable contemporary and one I’d definitely recommend. ...more
3.5* I'm conflicted about my feelings for this book. On the one hand, I enjoyed the plot and I was constantly intrigued by the world and the magic. Ho3.5* I'm conflicted about my feelings for this book. On the one hand, I enjoyed the plot and I was constantly intrigued by the world and the magic. However, although beautiful, the writing style was so heavily descriptive that I feel as though so much of the story was lost in it. I really enjoyed the world but found myself getting more and more confused by it as the story went on and the same went for the magic system. I also felt as though all the flowery prose didn't leave for much character growth or depth. With that being said, I still did enjoy my read of this book! It grabbed my attention from the first page (although admittedly I was a little lost as to what was going on towards the end.) I liked the elements of reincarnation, mythology, horoscopes and the imagery of the world. And from what I did get to know of the characters, I really enjoyed them. I just wish these things had held centre stage, without being cloaked by paragraphs of flowery writing....more
Going into this, I wasn't sure what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised. The thriller element wasn't as stone as I'd hoped it would be but that eGoing into this, I wasn't sure what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised. The thriller element wasn't as stone as I'd hoped it would be but that ended up not to matter. It was the characters, their relationships, their private lives and uncertainty of it all that had me totally hooked. I really enjoy each character and thought the different levels of relationships portrayed throughout were so interesting to follow and to be a part of. I loved the scope of different topics this book discussed. From race, to love, to family, murder, to friendships, to poverty, it had it all and more and neither subject was neglected or smoothed over. Overall this was an enjoyable reading experience of a story I hadn't expected....more
I love it when I finish a book feeling like I've learnt something new and that's exactly how I felt after finishing Written in the Stars.
This book wasI love it when I finish a book feeling like I've learnt something new and that's exactly how I felt after finishing Written in the Stars.
This book was insightful, shocking, educational and heartbreaking. I highly recommend this to anyone wanting to expand their knowledge of different cultures and learn something new, whilst also reading a fantastic book!
This was fantastic and without a doubt one of my favourite anthologies I have now read. I loved the diversity within it. There was not only a 4.75/5*
This was fantastic and without a doubt one of my favourite anthologies I have now read. I loved the diversity within it. There was not only a diverse collection of stories and settings but also races, cultures and sexualities, it was so refreshing to read! I enjoyed each and every story and the little pieces of insight into the characters and lives whose stories were told. I hadn't previously read anything from many of the authors included in this collection but after reading it, I am very excited to check out more of their work!
There wasn't really a single story I didn't enjoy but I think my top favourites were: 'Pearls' by Beth Revis, 'The Legendary Garrett Sisters' by Y.S. Lee, 'The Colour of the Sky' by Elizabeth Wein and 'Bonnie and Clyde' by Saundra Mitchell.
My only 'criticism' of this, which I honestly mean mostly as a compliment, is that a lot of these stories felt like tasters for a novel. I finished a large majority of them simply wanting more because they were fantastic, the characters were great and the stories captivated me. I would absolutely love to be able to see a lot of these stories made into full length novels, they were all so different from the books I've seen being released recently! If any of these stories ever did get made into novels, I have no doubt I would run to my nearest bookshop to buy it asap!!
Here are my mini reviews for each individual story...
3.5/5* - 'Mother Carey's Table' by J. Anderson Coats ~ A great start to the anthology. A story about a women of colour, pirates and magical realism elements, what more could you want?! This was fast paced and interesting, although a little *too* short. I felt the ending was slightly rushed and confusing but other than that, this was a fun read and made me so excited to continue reading more of the stories in this anthology!
4/5* 'The Journey' by Marie Lu. This was fantastic. I've not read anything featuring Inuit culture or folklore before and I now really want to find some. It was interesting, captivating, magical and intriguing all at the same time. I loved the cold, icy Alaskan setting. It was painted beautifully and so clearly in such a short amount of time! I really enjoyed how different it was to the usual settings for books I've read! I would have loved this to have been a full length novel! This is the first I've read from Marie Lu but I'm now even more excited to read more from her, as I've wanted to for a long time!
3.75/5* 'Madeline's Choice' by Jessica Spotswood. I really loved the setting and time period for this story and I learnt something as well which is always a wonderful bonus after reading! Although I liked the ending, it was a little rushed (although I've found that's often common in the short stories I've read!) I would have loved to have found out what happened before and after and delved deeper into the setting and story but overall this was definitely a really enjoyable read!
3.5/5* 'El Destinos' by Leslye Walton. A really interesting concept, with beautifully descriptive writing.
3/5* 'High Stakes' by Andrea Cremer ~ I feel as though there was possibly a little too much going on in this for such a short story as it was quite confusing at times but nonetheless a fun read! I think this could have been such an awesome full length novel, as I think I needed a little more explanation!
3.75/5* 'The Red Raven Ball' by Caroline Tung Richmond ~ I really enjoyed the setting of this, it definitely had a Downton Abby feel to it and I love anything to do with spies, so it's definitely made me realise I need to read more books featuring spies. :') The ending felt a little dramatic and rushed but it was definitely a fun read!
4.75/5* 'Pearls' by Beth Revis ~ I loved this so much. The pacing was brilliant, with a fully rounded story in such a short amount of time. I loved the plot and setting and the fact that it was largely inspired by Annie Oakley. Once again, I would love to have read this as a full length novel, it was fantastic. Definitely the kind of story I was hoping to read when I picked this anthology up.
4/5* 'Gold in the Roots of the Grass' by Marissa Meyer ~ I really enjoyed the 'Wild West' setting for this and the concept for the plot was so interesting. I've not read many books or stories featuring medium's, so this was very intriguing. Marissa Meyer creates fantastic characters and this was no exception to that. I just want to know what happens next. :')
4.75/5* 'The Legendary Garrett Sisters' by Y.S. Lee ~ I loved this a lot, it was so much fun! The story was perfectly paced and the ending wasn't rushed (which I've found quite common in short stories?) I found the setting really interesting and loved the characters. I'm definitely going to have to check out more of Y.S. Lee's writing! Once again, I'd love a full length novel of this!
5/5* 'The Colour of the Sky' by Elizabeth Wein ~ I absolutely adored this. The story was gorgeous, I warmed to the characters instantly and essentially loved everything about it. I want to know what happened next, what happens in Tony's future?! I loved that it was based on real people from history, and people I haven't heard of (but feel like I definitely should have?!) I've heard so many amazing things about Elizabeth Wein's books and have wanted to read them for so long and am now even more excited to do so. This was utterly fantastic.
4.5/5* 'Bonnie and Clyde' by Saundra Mitchell ~ This was SO much fun!! It had an awesome 'Mulan' mixed with 'Robin Hood' kind of vibe to it which I LOVED! It was fast paced with an awesome main character, I loved it! I'm struggling so much with these stories and simply wanting more from them, I'd LOVE a full length novel of this, it was brilliant!!
3.75/5* 'Hard Times' by Katherine Longshore ~ This was a quick, interesting read! I enjoyed the characters, Rosie and Billy slightly more so than Lloyd. I liked the plot, although the characters and storyline could have done with a little more depth as it felt a tad rushed but it's definitely made me want to learn more about the time period. I'm going to have to check out the movies and documentaries the author recommended!
3.5/5* 'City of Angels' by Lindsay Smith. ~ I love reading about Hollywood in historical settings, it fascinates me and this story was no exception! City of Angels was an interesting story exploring women's rights, sexuality and women's roles during WW2 in Hollywood!
3.75/5* 'Pulse of the Panthers' by Kekla Magoon ~ this was really interesting! I would have loved it to have gone into a little more depth and I wasn't too satisfied with the ending but I think that's simply because I was so intrigued and pulled into the story, that I just wanted more!!
3.75/5* 'The World Is Watching' by Robin Talley ~ This was both heartbreaking and heartwarming. I really want to read more about this time, it always interests me so much. This was such an interesting read, terrifying in many ways due to the violence and how truthful it was to the time, but so interesting. It's definitely reminded me that I need to read more into this time in history!...more
This was the perfect festive read. Such a lovely collection of short stories. I thought I would give each story its own individual rating as there werThis was the perfect festive read. Such a lovely collection of short stories. I thought I would give each story its own individual rating as there were definitely some I enjoyed more than others.
5/5* Midnight by Rainbow Rowell. SO CUTE! I just wanted to keep reading more and more. Further proof that Rainbow Rowell is utterly brilliant.
2.5/5* The Lady and the Fox by Kelly Link. I didn't love this. I think it was all a bit much. :')
3.5/5* Angels in the Snow by Matt de la Pena. This was so lovely. I didn't know what I thought about it at first but ended up really enjoying it.
3.5/5* Polaris is Where You'll Find Me by Jenny Han. Super cute. It kind of reminded me of the movie Elf. :')
5/5* It's a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown by Stephanie Perkins. I adored this. I wish it could have been longer. Stephanie Perkins's books always manages to make me fall in love.
3.75/5* Your Temporary Santa by David Levithan. A really adorable story. It's made me want to read more from David Levithan.
2.5/5* Krampuslauf by Holly Black. I'm still not sure how I think about this. It was all just a bit odd.
4/5* What the Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth by Gayle Forman. Super cute. Really enjoyed the plot and the characters were great.
3.5/5* Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus by Myra McEntire. So Christmassy!!
4.5/5* Welcome to Christmas, CA by Kiersten White. Loved this a lot!! I loved the characters and the storyline was so intriguingly lovely.
4.5/5* Star of Bethlehem by Ally Carter. I really, really enjoyed this story. It had such an original storyline which I think worked really well. The characters were great. Another short story I almost wish had been a full length novel.
2.5/5* The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer by Laini Taylor. I can't quite work out exactly what I didn't love about this. The writing was lovely and the plot was interesting but I just don't think it quite worked for me unfortunately. ...more
These books are SO CUTE! The family dynamic in this series is delightfully refreshing. I love Kitty's character, I also think I've slightly fallen forThese books are SO CUTE! The family dynamic in this series is delightfully refreshing. I love Kitty's character, I also think I've slightly fallen for John, what a cutie! Although the ending wasn't exactly what I hoped for, I thought it was lovely nonetheless. I really enjoyed both books in this series. If Jenny Han ever decides to write another book for this series I will definitely be picking it up! ...more
This was by no means a light hearted read. It was heartbreaking, heavy and at times, incredible difficult and painful to read but it was also fantastiThis was by no means a light hearted read. It was heartbreaking, heavy and at times, incredible difficult and painful to read but it was also fantastic. So much was dealt with in this book and even after finishing it, I feel as though I'm continuing to pick up on even more each time I think about it. The insight into life in 50's-70's America for POC (specifically Lydia's family in which their father was Chinese having moved to American and they mother was white) was incredibly enlightening and dealt with in a subtle but incredibly eye opening way.
Ng portrayed the impact direct and indirect of living as a POC in the US through the family members, in a way that flowed beautifully. I think this may be one of the best examples of a book written with multiple perspectives I've read. There was no confusion, no sudden jumps or choppiness. Instead, it seamlessly flowed from one point of view to the other, never once leaving me muddled or lost.
I think, for me, what hit me so hard about this was the different ways each individual dealt with the tragic loss of a family member. It affected and impacted them all in such a different and deviating ways. It broke my heart to watch these people desperately trying to learn how to carry on with their lives, whilst coming to terms with the loss of a daughter and sister. I think the grief for this kind of loss was represented in a sensitively, yet candid way, in which was incredibly difficult to read at times but also, by the end, somewhat cathartic.
Everything I Never Told You is a fantastically written book covering love, loss, race, societal and patently expectations and so much more. It's insightful and one that sticks in your mind, even after you've finished the last page....more
4.75* I'd heard mixed things before going into There's Someone Inside Your House, so I was a little apprehensive before reading. I've adored everythin4.75* I'd heard mixed things before going into There's Someone Inside Your House, so I was a little apprehensive before reading. I've adored everything I've previously read from Stephanie Perkins' and didn't want to be disappointed. Thankfully, I'm very happy to say this book was no different, I wasn't disappointed at all. In fact, I absolutely loved it. There's just something about Stephanie Perkins' writing that never fails to pull me in from the get go. It's simple yet lovely, to the point and gripping. She has an ability to make me instantly care about the people she writes and stories she tells.
There's Someone Inside Your House was fast paced, gruesome and disturbing. Yet, at the same time, also adorable, funny and heart warming?! We were dropped right into the first action, with the first gory murder happening in the first chapter and the pace and excitement didn't slow from there. I was instantly gripped, causing me to finish this book in just two sittings (which is something I haven't done in a very long time!) I was surprised by just how graphic and gruesome the murders were but, although disturbing, I kind of loved it and loved that they appeared in an other wise seemingly cute contemporary.
If you're looking for a light hearted, fluffy contemporary or a nail bitingly terrifying horror, that's not what you'll get with this book. However, what you do get is a brilliant mix of the two and I would 100% recommend it.
With its diverse cast of loveable characters, grisly murders and heart warming relationships, There's Someone Inside Your House is a book I didn't realise I needed but most certainly did....more
This collection included a few gorgeous gems of stories which I utterly loved but on the whole I didn't enjoy this short story collection quite a3.5*
This collection included a few gorgeous gems of stories which I utterly loved but on the whole I didn't enjoy this short story collection quite as much as I did the winter edition, 'My True Love Gave To Me'.
As I did with 'My True Love Gave To Me', I haven given each story its own individual rating and mini review!
3/5* 'Head, Scales, Tongue, Tail by Leigh Bardugo'. This was so bizarre but also kind of lovely. This was a summer romance over numerous years with an element of magical realism which kind of creeps up on you as you read. I've not read anything by Leigh Bardugo before (although I keep meaning to), this wasn't what I expected from her writing for some reason? I'm not sure if her writing style in this is similar to her novels but it has definitely intrigued me!
'She pulled the pot of apple lip balm from her pocket. // Eli snatched it from her palm and hurled it into the darkness, into the lake. "Hey' Gracie protested. "Why would you do that?" He took a deep breath. His shoulders lifted, fell. "Because I've spent nine months thinking of apples."
3.5* 'The End of Love' by Nina LaCour This was so cute! It had a somewhat melancholy tone to it but also really uplifting and fun and I really enjoyed that there was a focus on friendship as well as romance.
4* 'Last Stand at the Cinegore' by Libba Bray Not at all what I expected from a 'Summer Romance' story but this was so.much.fun! I loved it. It was odd, slightly creepy, funny, cute and a lot of fun to read.
2* 'Sick Pleasure' by Francesca Lia Block Couldn't get into this story and unfortunately, didn't find myself enjoying it very much.
5* 'In Ninety Minutes, Turn North' by Stephanie Perkins. I LOVED THIS SO MUCH. I love this story, I love these characters and all I want is more from them. :') This was utterly adorable, heart wrenching and gorgeous. I loved that Marigold was doing the saving this time, rather than the guy saving the girl. Just, eurgh, I need more please... I would have loved for these characters to have starred in their own full length novel, I adore them.
2.75* 'Souvenirs' by Tim Federle This was cute and kind of sad but I wasn't a huge fan. Although the I did love this nugget of truth. :') "What is life without the occasional risk of pizza?"
4.75* 'Inertia' by Veronica Roth I loved this a lot. It was unique, heart breaking, heart warming and tackled issues in such a fantastic way I wouldn't have expected possible in a short story. Fantastic.
3* 'Love is the Last Resort' by Jon Skovron Not 100% on how I feel about this one, it was a little odd. I felt as though there were just too many characters for a short story, it was hard to keep up. I also found the exaggerated, dramatic style of voice/dialogue strange to connect with. Still, it was light and fun and definitely suited the summer theme.
3* 'Good Luck and Farewell' by Brandy Colbert A lovely story about love, loss and grief. Although this romance happened too quickly for me, (I guess due to the nature and length of it being a short story). I enjoyed the different forms of love portrayed in this, both family and romance.
2* 'Brand New Attraction' by Cassandra Clare This didn't do much for me unfortunately. Too much happened in too little time, leaving it to feel extremely rushed and just a bit odd. I also just feel weird about a romance between relations, even if they're only cousins by marriage and not blood relations, I don't know, I just feel strange about it... I did like the description of the carnival itself but overall I wasn't a fan of this story.
3* 'A Thousand Ways This Could Go Wrong' by Jennifer E. Smith This was so lovely. A cute summery romance with elements to it I haven't read before, which was so refreshing to see. This epitome of a summery read yet it had an added depth, moving it away from being 'fluffy'.
4/5* 'The Map of Tiny Perfect Things' by Lev Grossman I enjoyed this story a lot. Despite giving the anthology a somewhat melancholy end, it was such a lovely read. It was interesting, heartwarming, heartbreaking and thought provoking. I thought the premise and idea of the story was carried out fantastically well as a short story!
Overall, this was a fun, summery book to read throughout this time of the year! For me, the standout stories were 'In Ninety Minutes, Turn North' by Stephanie Perkins, 'Inertia' by Veronica Roth, 'The Map of Tiny Perfect Things' by Lev Grossman and 'Last Stand at the Cinegore' by Libba Bray! ...more
A wonderfully written, gently paced detective novel. I loved the way Mumbai and Indian culture was portrayed, since I've not read many books set in InA wonderfully written, gently paced detective novel. I loved the way Mumbai and Indian culture was portrayed, since I've not read many books set in India, I really enjoyed the imagery in this book. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the gentle pace of the story, it was such a lovely read. Great characters with a brilliant plot and the added bonus of an adorable baby elephant....more
4.25* It's official, I totally understand why this book is so universally loved. The characters, the plot, the relationship dynamics, everything. It's4.25* It's official, I totally understand why this book is so universally loved. The characters, the plot, the relationship dynamics, everything. It's brilliant. I adored the cast of characters, there wasn't a single POV I didn't enjoy reading. Jesper and Wylan are cuties. Nina is everything. I want to be as cool as Inej when I grow up. Kaz is a precious evil genius and I love him. Matthias I want to dislike but can't seem to bring myself to do so. Essentially, they're all fab and I want to join their group please and thank you. The relationships were wonderful and complex yet easy to empathise with and warm to. The plot was fast paced in all the right places but didn't take away from the characters and my ability as a reader to connect to them. I'm a sucker for the whole gang of outcasts, Oliver Twist dynamic, so this was a huge win for me. I also got some major Peaky Blinders vibes, especially from Kaz (the barrels very own tommy shelby...) I also really appreciated the limited magic elements. Don't get me wrong, I love all things fantasy and magic but I loved the wavering line between reality and fantasy Six of Crows was sitting on. I'm definitely intrigued to see where the next book takes this story....more
To All The Boys I've Loved Before is a sweet, easy, fun read. I loved the family dynamic in this book especially and the different relationships throuTo All The Boys I've Loved Before is a sweet, easy, fun read. I loved the family dynamic in this book especially and the different relationships throughout. I ended up reading this in one sitting. I now know I need to read the rest in the series asap! ...more
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