Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Booking Through Thursday and a different question is posted every week.

1. What do you think of reading aloud/being read to? Does it bring back memories of your childhood? Your children’s childhood?

It does kind of bring memories back of when my parents would read to me before I went to bed, or when teachers used to read aloud in class.

2. Does this affect the way you feel about audio books?

I haven't listened to an audio book in some time, the last time I did it was a collection of children's stories such as The Little Match Girl, but I always preferred reading the actual book for myself, I just seem to take it in better that way, and go at my own pace.

3. Do you now have times when you read aloud or are read to?

At the moment yes I have both.  At college we're studying Hamlet and so the tutor will assign students parts to read out loud but also sometimes through difficult parts she will read aloud to help us understand.

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is all about sharing the books that I'm eagerly waiting to be released.

This week's book is Angel Fire by L.A. Weatherley released 1st October.

I loved Angel so much, it's still currently my favourite book.  I read it in a day because I could not put it down.  For me, I loved every single thing about it and have been waiting for the sequel ever since.

Check out my review for Angel here.

Giveaway on Bestbooks

Be sure to check out the giveaway on Best Books right now, to be in for a chance to win Between the Sea and the Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore.

Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Booking Through Thursday and a different question is posted every week.
Do you carry books with you when you’re out and about in the world? And, do you ever try to hide the covers?

Yes I do carry a book with me most of the time.  Sometimes they're college books, but other times it's my current read that I cant put down that needs to go with me.  And yes...guilty...sometimes I try and hide the covers because sometimes they're soppy romantic covers and people will judge, wrongly, but still.

100 Most Popular YA Books- How many have you read?

So i had seen this pop up on a few of my favourite blogs and decided to do it myself.

The books:

• I've read will be in red
• I own but haven't read will be in italics
• I haven't read will remain in black

1. Alex Flinn- Beastly
2. Alice Sebold- The Lovely Bones
3. Ally Carter- Callagher Girls (1,2,3,4)
4. Ally Condie- Matched
5. Alyson Noel- The Immortals (1,2,3,4,5,6)
6. Anastasia Hopcus- Shadow Hills
7. Angie Sage- Septimus Heap (1,2,3,4,5,6)
8. Ann Brashers- The Sisterhood of The Travelling Pants (1,2,3,4)
9. Anna Godbersen- Luxe (1,2,3,4)
10. Anthony Horowitz- Alex Rider (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9)
11. Aprilynne Pike- Wings (1,2,3)
12. Becca Fitxpatrick- Hush Hush (1,2)
13. Brandon Mull- Fableheaven (1,2,3,4,5)
14. Brian Selznick- The Invention of Hugo Cabret
15. Cassandra Clare- The Mortal Instruments (1,2,3,4)
16. Carrie Jones- Need (1,2,3)
17. Carrie Ryan- The Forest of Hands and Teeth (1,2,3,4)
18. Christopher Paolini- Inheritance (1,2,3,4)
19. Cinda Williams Chima- The Heir Chronicles (1,2,3)
20. Colleen Houck- Tigers Saga (1,2)
21. Cornelia Funke- Inkheart (1,2,3)
22. Ellen Hopkins- Impulse
23. Eoin Colfer- Artemis Fowl (1,2,3,4,5,6,7)
24. Faraaz Kazi- Truly, Madly, Deeply
25. Frank Beddor- The Looking Glass Wars (1,2,3)
26. Gabrielle Zevin- Elsewhere
27. Gail Carson Levine- Fairest
28. Holly Black- Tithe (1,2,3)
29. J.K. Rowling- Harry Potter (1,2,3,4,5,6,7)
30. James Dashner- The Maze Runner (1,2)
31. James Patterson- Maximum Ride (1,2,3,4,5,6,7)
32. Jay Asher- 13 Reasons Why
33. Jeanne DuPrau- Books of Ember (1,2,3,4)
34. Jeff Kinney- Diary Of a Wimpy Kid (1,2,3,4,5,6)
35. John Boyne- The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas
36. John Green- An Abundance of Katherines
37. John Green- Looking For Alaska
38. John Green- Paper Towns
39. Jonathan Stroud- Bartimaeus (1,2,3,4)
40. Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl- Caster Chronicles (1,2)
41. Kelley Armstrong- Darkest Powers (1,2,3)
42. Kristin Cashore- The Seven Kingdoms (1,2)
43. Lauren Kate- Fallen (1,2,3)
44. Lemony Snicket- Series of Unfortunate Events (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13)
45. Libba Bray- Gemma Doyle (1,2,3)
46. Lisa McMann- Dream Catcher (1,2,3)
47. Louise Rennison- Confessions of Georgia Nicolson (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10)
48. M.T. Anderson- Feed
49. Maggie Stiefvater- The Wolves of Mercy Falls (1,2,3)
50. Margaret Peterson Haddix- Shadow Children (1,2,3,4,5,6,7)
51. Maria V. Snyder- Study (1,2,3)
52. Markus Zusak- The Book Thief
53. Markus Zusak- I am The Messenger
54. Mark Haddon- The Curious Incident of The Dog In The Night-time
55. Mary Ting- Crossroads
56. Maureen Johnson- Little Blue Envelope (1,2)
57. Meb Cabot- All-American Girl (1,2)
58. Meg Cabot- The Mediator (1,2,3,4,5,6)
59. Meg Cabot- The Princess Diaries (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10)
60. Meg Rosoff- How I Live Now
61. Megan McCafferty- Jessica Darling (1,2,3,4,5)
62. Megan Whalen Turner- The Queen's Thief (1,2,3,4)
63. Melina Marchetta- On The Jellicoe Road
64. Melissa de la Cruz- Blue Bloods (1,2,3,4,5)
65. Melissa Marr- Wicked Lovely (1,2,3,4,5)
66. Michael Grant- Gone (1,2,3,4)
67. Nancy Farmer- The House of The Scorpion
68. Neal Shusterman- Unwind
69. Neil Gaiman- Coraline
70. Neil Gaiman- Stardust
71. Nail Gaiman- The Graveyard Book
72. P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast- House of Night (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8)
73. Philip Pullman- His Dark Materials (1,2,3)
74. Rachel Caine- The Morganville Morganville Vampires (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10)
75. Rachel Cohn & David Levithan- Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist
76. Richelle Mead- Vampire Academy (1,2,3,4,5,6)
77. Rick Riordon- Percy Jackson and the Olypians (1,2,3,4,5)
78. Rom LcO'Feer- Somewhere Carnal Over 40 Winks
79. S.L Naeole- Grace (1,2,3,4)
80. Sabrina Bryan & Julia DeVillers- Princess of Gossip
81. Sarah Dessen- Along For The Ride
82. Sarah Dessen- Lock and Key
83. Sarah Dessen- The Truth About Forever
84. Sara Shepard- Pretty Little Liars (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9)
85. Scott Westerfeld- Leviathan (1,2)
86. Scott Westerfeld- Uglies (1,2,3)
87. Shannon Hale- Books of a Thousand Days
88. Shannon Hale- Princess Academy
89. Shannon Hale- The Books of Bayern (1,2,3,4)
90. Sherman Alexie & Ellen Forney- The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
91. Simone Elkeles- Perfect Chemistry (1,2,3)
92. Stephanie Meyer- The Host
93. Stephanie Meyer- The Twilight Saga (1,2,3,4)
94. Sue Monk Kidd- The Secret Life of Bees
95. Susan Beth Pfeffer- Last Survivors (1,2,3)
96. Suzanne Collins- The Hunger Games (1,2,3)
97. Suzanne Collins- Underland Chronicles (1,2,3,4,5)
98. Terry Pratchett- Tiffany Aching (1,2,3,4)
99. Tonya Hurley- Ghost Girl (1,2,3)
100. Wendelin Van Draanen- Flipped


I was quite surprised by this list.  As you can see most of mine are black...I thought a good few of the best ones were missing.
What do you think?

Waiting On Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is all about sharing the books that I'm eagerly waiting to be released.

This week the book I can't wait to be released is Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins out on the 29th September.

I loved Anna and the French Kiss, I couldn't put it down.  Stephanie Perkins has such a great writing style that I can't wait to read her next.

Click here for my review on Anna and the French Kiss.

Best Books Giveaway- SHIFTING by Bethany Wiggins

Check out the great giveaway at Best Books right now to win a copy of Shifting by Bethany Wiggins.

Spotlight Saturday

Spotlight Saturday is all about sharing my favourite authors or fellow reviewers putting them in the spotlight for the day!

In the spotlight today is Annmarie from the great blog Best Books.  

Not only is she a lovely person book also a great and passionate book reviewer, that reads a wide range of interesting books as well as YA.

Be sure to check out her awesome IMM videos on her YouTube Channel as well.

Friday Fight Off!

It's VS day!  It can be anything from covers:US or UK? Book or Movie Adaptaion?  Genres...etc and I want to read your thoughts on them so please drop a comment below.


Today it's book covers.


Moira Young's Blood Red Road.

UK COVER

US COVER










For me the US cover has to be the winner,  while the UK cover is significant I just think it looks tacky and horrible, whereas the US cover is still relevant but looks realistic.


What are your thought on this weeks covers?
Please say below.

Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Booking Through Thursday and a different question is posted every week.

Have you ever finished a book and loved it so much you went right back and started re-reading it again?

(And obviously, if so, we want titles!)

When I saw this question I thought immediately of two books.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine.

Which I read about 5-6 years ago now.  I took it out of the library and devoured it, loved it so much I had my Mum hunting for a copy, and as soon as we found it, bought it and read it straight away, and have re-read so many times since I have lost count.  One of the best fairy tale re-tellings ever.

And...

Boy Meets Girl by Meg Cabot.

I love Meg Cabot and this was the first of her adult books that I read and I found Meg's unique writing style coupled with the great email layout as well as her great sense of humour and well...hilarious, fast paced read that demanded to be read again and again

Best Books Giveaway!

Be sure to check out the great giveaway at Best Books right now for the book Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic; (5 Jan 2009)
• Language English
• ISBN-10: 1407109081
• ISBN-13: 978-1407109084

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.


I'm sure I'm one of the last YA reviewers to read this book, and why didn't someone get hold of me and shake me while yelling 'READ THE HUNGER GAMES' at me?!?!?! WHY!


Cover:  The cover doesn't wow me, but I do like the small girl and boy (Katniss and Peeta) in the R and A of the title and the significane of the Mockingjay and arrow on the cover.


Plot: The games are inevitable.  The capitol makes sure no rebels again- the games keep all 12 districts in their place.  There used to be a 13, but no more.  Every year 'tributes' are chosen at random, one boy and one girl from each district must compete in The Hunger Games.  An arena designed by Capitol gamemakers-and the contestants need to not only surive the harsh conditions made by the gamemakers but also each other as there can be only one winner, so it's kill or be killed.
Katniss Everdeen knows the system is unfair, more so when her 12 year old younger sister is picked against massive odds.  Katniss does the only thing she can do and takes her sisters place.  Katniss has survived harshness imposed by the Capitol before and now she must do it again not only for herself but for her siser, her mother, her friend and all the other victims of the capitol, in The Hunger Games, broadcast around the districts.
In amongst this, is there a chance that romance with Peeta is real or is that an act to win the games?  And can she afford to care?
 Characters:

Katniss- Years of hunting to keep herself and family alive has provided her with strength, stealth and skill with a bow and arrow.  She promises her little sister Prim, that she will win the games but really doesn't rate her chances.

Peeta- The baker's son.  He is the boy tribute for Distraict 12, Katniss's district.  Straight away he think he's going to die.  When they were younger he once saved Katniss's life by giving her bread, without it she would have died.

Gale- Katniss's best friend and hunting partner.


Haymitch- District 12's last winner of The Hunger Games.  Known for being drunk almost constantly.  It falls to him to mentor Katniss and Peeta.

Prim (Primrose)- Katniss's younger sister.

Rue- A little girl competeing in the Games that reminds Katniss of her sister.


Rating: 5/5 stars.  Once I got into The Hunger Games I couldn't put it down, and it was a really fast paced dystopian that I read in a couple of days.  It's action packed and there is a little romance if you look for that in a story.  It's also very thought provoking- this unfair Capitol carelessly sending kids into an arena to kill each other for entertainment is really hard hitting and I'm not gonna lie, I cried at one particular scene that I just couldn't believe.  Overall is you like the dystopian genre this is one to definitely check out. 

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is all about sharing the books that I'm eagerly waiting to be released.

This week the book that I am eagerly awaiting it's release is Dearly Departed by Lia Habel released September 29th.

I'm not normally drawn to zombie novels but this one sounds great.  Can't wait!

Book Haul/In My Mailbox

The Subber Tag

Dark Parties by Sara Grant

UK Paperback edition

 Received from publisher

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Indigo (22 Dec 2011)
• ISBN-10: 1780620101
• ISBN-13: 978-1780620107

Sixteen-year-old Neva has been trapped since birth. She was born and raised under the Protectosphere, in an isolated nation ruled by fear, lies, and xenophobia. A shield "protects" them from the outside world, but also locks the citizens inside. But there's nothing left on the outside, ever since the world collapsed from violent warfare. Or so the government says...

US Hardback edition

Neva and her best friend Sanna believe the government is lying and stage a "dark party" to recruit members for their underground rebellion. But as Neva begins to uncover the truth, she realizes she must question everything she's ever known, including the people she loves the most.

Thanks so much to publisher for allowing me to have this for review.

The copy that I received from the publisher said the release date was October 20th, but now Amazon says the release date is December 22nd.

Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Booking Through Thursday and a different question is posted every week.

What are you reading now?

Would you recommend it?

And what’s next?

I've just started The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

I'm not far in enough to say if I would recommend it or not.

And I hope to read Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergen next.

Waiting on Wedneesday

Waiting on Wednesday is all about sharing the books that I'm eagerly waiting to be released.




This week the book I am anticipating is:
The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter.

This has been available in the US for some time now and I have wanted to read it since it was released but it hasn't been available in the UK until the 16th of September.
A modern re-telling of the story of Hades and Persephone...perfect for me, I love re-tellings, Greek myths and romance. 
It sounds similar to Meg Cabot's Abandon which was my Waiting on Wednesday last week.
I am really excited to read this book.
Super, super excited.
Can't wait.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

• 
  
• 
  
• Hardcover: 372 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Books (2 Dec 2010)
• Language English
• ISBN-10: 0525423273
• ISBN-13: 978-0525423270

Anna was looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. So she's less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris—until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all . . . including a serious girlfriend.

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss? Stephanie Perkins keeps the romantic tension crackling and the attraction high in a debut guaranteed to make toes tingle and hearts melt.

Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Booking Through Thursday and a different question is posted every week.


What’s your book with weather events? Hurricanes? Tornadoes? Blizzards? Real? Fiction? Doesn’t matter … weather comes up a lot in books, so there’s got to be a favorite somewhere, huh?


Hmmm....I drew a total blank as to books I've read where the weather plays a large role in.  There has to be some but I just can't think of any.  I do have the first two books in Rachel Caine's Weather Warden series on my bookshelf and hope to start them soon and as you can tell by their titles the weather plays a vital part in the stories.