Matched by Ally Condie

I did not expect to like this book as much as I did! The beginning wasn't particularly hooking for me but after the first fifty pages I really got into it. The title fits well with the book for more than just the matching ceremony, if that was putting anyone off reading it. I gave it 3.75 stars on goodreads c:

As I've already said, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I went into it expecting to like it but think woOW OMG KFGVNDKJVN which happened.

I knew from what I've heard on booktube that she would be paired with Xander although I assumed it would be more of a love triangle. Cassia was pretty obvious about loving Xander because they'd been friends for years and loving Ky because he was a splash of colour in a scheduled life, he popped up out of nowhere and excited her which I don't imagine to be difficult when everything planned out for you.

I liked how at the end Cassia didn't kiss Xander because she was right, he would hold onto it and forever be upset over her. I suppose it is such an awful thing to happen, considering that Xander expects the Match to be perfect, as everyone else does, it's worse because you don't choose anything, let alone your life long partner.

I hate the Society, it's so invading, Cassia in the bubble on the cover shows how truly trapper she is. There is nothing left to decide for yourself, you are completely dependant on the Society so that the people can never rise up against them, Nobody knows how to do anything except their jobs.

The 'I will not go gentle' was a lovely thing to tie everything together, her Grandfather would not comply with the rules so neither will Cassia, same with Ky and her father. They are rebellious for the good of everyone, not for themselves.


Right that;s all I think! Off to read The Darkest Minds,


-Emilia

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

I finished reading this about two minutes ago so be prepared for ramblings of a lunatic disorganised thoughts. (did you see what I did there?)  Not what I was expecting, and I was expecting great things. It took me by surprise that it was so different and not in any way disappointing. I loved the writing, the protagonist, the antagonist and just everything.

I gave it five stars on goodreads!

The reason for the five stars is that this book ticked all the boxes.

REASONS FOR THINKING THIS:

1) Tahereh Mafi's writing style is poetic yet not fanciful, you are not lost and confused with her astounding metaphors but are enchanted by them instead. They have a connection to the world that you understand which is where some poetic writers go wrong. 

2) Juliette is probably one of my favourite protagonists ever because she is strong even though she has been oppressed her whole life and still doesn't feel the need to unleash her gift onto others like Warner wanted her to. That is an example of her good nature and strength, it's easy for a lot of protagonists to fall into a world of revenge and destruction, thankfully Juliette is strong enough not to forget her morales and her beliefs despite her cruel world. Well, I say 'her cruel world' but it is ours, we would run and hide if we came across someone who could kill you with the merest touch. 

3)There was a clear antagonist. I hate it when books just flit from one feeble antagonist to another for no reason, it's tiresome COUGH twilight COUGH. Warner reminded me of Klaus from the Vampire Diaries. His intentions were clear, evil but clear. I want to know more about his back story, (I do plan on reading Destroy Me), I wanted more of him in this book, he was clever and calculated and didn't miss anything. As much as I liked him as a character I liked that Juliette shot him. Far too often the main character is too timid to try and pretend that they like the person standing in their way to get what they want. It only reinforced my love for Juliette's character.

4) Plot wasn't overly complicated, it had a balance between 'stuff reader nEEDS to know' and unnecessary information. Okay, I wasn't entirely sure how the book was going to progress at certain points, it didn't bother me much because I was so engrossed. Either way, it was not predictable which is probably the most detestable thing a book can be. You want to try to finish it in case you're wrong but you just waste your time, this was NOT like that at all.

Hope you enjoyed, until next time,

goodnight, 

-Emilia c:

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

I've been waiting so long to read this and I was not disappointed! I didn't have much idea about the plot, only what people have said about the characters and what I saw in the film trailer. Rose and Lissa are great friends and they are so well suited to each other which was really enjoyable to read. The plot was not too complicated, gentle in yet exciting, the kind of book that makes you forget the real world and whizz through a hundred pages without even noticing!
I gave it four stars on goodreads c:

Rose is one of the rare female protagonists who actually knew she was pretty and wasn't afraid to let others see it/ too. I hope that the whole 'girl doesn't know how beautiful she was' thing dies out because it doesn't encourage people to appreciate that they are pretty and beautiful. 

Natalie and Victor were very surprising villains, I liked that I didn't even suspect them. I really should have, I mean, who else had access to Lissa's room?? Ah well, I have learnt that lesson. I certainly didn't expect Natalie to become a Strigoi until a few pages before it actually did. Speaking of which, all the Russian/Romanian/anything else added something special to the whole Vampire element. After all there are so many vampire books out there it's difficult to bring something new to the theme. The Moroi and dhampirs and whatnot achieved this really well.

The balance between high schooly-ness with boyfriends and revenge and the dark politics of the Moroi was very good. They mingled together creating this beautiful world that was both old fashioned and contemporary.

I look forward to reading the other five, I'm told they really pick up after book two!

Until next time (probably tomorrow),
-Emilia  c:

Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson & Lauren Myracle

My first Post-Christmas read.

This is the first book in a while that has just made me happy to read because it was warm and fluffy, perfect for christmas time. The three romances were totally different and equally as heartwarming. The three romances were very different, where they crossed paths was smooth and made sense. The characters were well developed even though they each had about 120 pages (except the last one). 

I gave it five stars on goodreads.

The Jubilee Express by Maureen Johnson

I liked the way that it was gentle, slow almost but in the kind of easing you into the story and setting everything up kind of way. Jubilee and Stuart was the simple beginning, not too much thrown at you right from the word go. That's why it's so nice to have a book where it sets your mind at ease, it doesn't drive you insane by leaving tiny clues everywhere. It's like a restful sleep to calm you down. 

Nothing seemed particularly generic about these stories which was absolutely wonderful, I was afraid they'd all be a bit samey, alas I should've had more faith in one of my favourite authors! (john green, in case you were wondering.)

I have yet to read any of Maureen Johnson's or Lauren Myracle's books, after this I expect I will soon.

A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle by John Green

Something I really enjoyed about this story was (deliberately or not) the characters (to me) felt reminiscent of Pudge, the Colonel and Alaska which was nice, if you've read Looking for Alaska you'll know why. John Green has a very obvious writing style which somehow manages to translate thoughts into text really well, it's one of the reasons I enjoy his books so much. 

This section of the whole book felt like a snipet from one of his other books rather than a short story like the others, perhaps because he's the only one that has other stuff I've read/  As always I laughed aloud when I was supposed to be asleep!  There's always one character in his books that hold the bulk of the humour, in this case it was JP, in others it was Ben/the Colonel/Isaac/ect. (PS John Green is really good at building sexual tension, (PPS I felt weird writing that on somewhere other than tumblr).

Ah how I have missed John Green's books.

The Patron Saint of Pigs by Lauren Myracle

If I had to pick a favourite of the three this is the one I would choose. I liked how Addie was self-absorbed, it's refreshing to have a character with really obvious and common flaws.  (It's kind of strange how few self absorbed protagonists there are considering the staggering amount of people who are.) 

I thought Lauren Myracle handled the character flaws well and the whole guardian angel thing could've gotten really cheesy but thankfully it did not. 

Addie is one of the most real contemporary protagonists I've ever read, although I have not read many. She had a playlist of sad songs and uplifting songs and, in my mind, that felt real.

Also, who doesn't love stories that involve teacup pigs? 

I can't wait to start reading more of all of their books in the future!

s'laters,

-Emilia

PS. Christmas Books Haul-thing coming soon. (AKA when there is natural light around, ten thirty at night, shockingly, provides none)

BookTubeAThon Update #2

Where to begin? 

I read one of the books I said I would, however I enjoyed it immensely. The book I read was Skulduggery Pleasant. cKHFGKJFG I FORGOT HOW AMAZING IT IS. Derek Landy's writing is so beautiful and Skulduggery himself is so much like the Doctor! How did I not see this before? The characters are alive in my mind, they are so well crafted that I can see them in my head saying things in their own voice that never wavers. If you like sassy/witty characters, welcome to Skulduggery Pleasant's world of sass!

I do plan to read Monsters of Men at least because everyone raves about it and I really enjoyed the first two.

gUYS CHRISTMAS IS SO SOON AND YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS?? NEW BOOKS, I AM SO EXCITED! ARE YOU?? UNLESS YOU ARE CELEBRATING ANOTHER FESTIVAL WHICH I WILL NOT ATTEMPT TO WRITE FOR FEAR OF OFFENDING PEOPLE.

ahhhhhh I'm sorry, it's half one in the morning.


i will return tomorrow with more coherent babblings


Emilia

BookTubeAThon Update

So I have not being doing well this booktubeathon, partly because I want to finish the book thief before I read anything else and partly because I've been lazy.

I am enjoying the Book Thief but my interest in the story fades in and out. The narrative is quite jumpy because Death (narrator) is always telling you little snippets of new information and breaking up the story. Four years have passed since the beginning, I think, and Liesel is now thirteen which is quite confusing to read, I've found. I like it better when stories flow nicely, this one feels a little disjointed.

Anyway, I intend to finish it soon, if not I'll just read one of my other reads like Uglies or Skulduggery Pleasant because I know I'll enjoy them. Perhaps I'll pick up 'I am number four' by Pittacus Lore which I am borrowing from the library. I also want to read Artemis Fowl at some point but I could not for the life of me find the first one in the library, only the other million books!

I have decided to read Skulduggery Pleasant now instead of tbt because I want to eNJOY READING IT!

s'laters,
Emilia

Top Five Books to Re-read

Before Christmas I like to re-read many of my favourites and these are the ones I plan to at least skim through:

Heist Society by Ally Carter

Ahhhh, I just love reading any of Ally Carter's books again and again because they remind how good books can be without dragons and sorcerers and epic romances. Kat and her band of criminals are such wonderfully real characters, they are the kind of people you could actually hope to be (Sadly we can't all be the Chosen One). Kat is clever and funny and interesting. Anyone can be all those things, without needing to acquire the power of some ancient gods. The plot tricks you into thinking it's simple when really there is a maze of background info buzzing behind closed doors. The best part is that it never becomes same-y. 

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (spoilers)

In light of the film being released my love for this trilogy has been reignited (get it??). Catching Fire is my favourite of the three because the rebellion has started but there is still the Hunger Games which is always my favourite part. The character development between HG and CF is so amazing, you can see it especially well when she is going up in the tube into the arena for the countdown and in HG she is panicking and terrified even though she has a chance, in CF she knows she has a chance and she will use it. Oooh I'm excited.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by JK Rowling

Just like everyone else I want to read about Harry's first proper Christmas. I will be watching the film too because Hogwarts in the snow is my favourite landscape.

Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison

The Confessions of Georgia Nicolson books are easily the funniest books I have ever read. The main character is so utterly hilarious and silly and girly. Occasionally, it's nice to have someone who doesn't have the world resting on her shoulders, just the weight of getting a boyfriend. These books helped me through a sad time, if you could see the dog-eared-ness of my copies you could tell I have read them over and over and over. 

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak 

I am currently reading TBT and I have strong suspicion I shall be reading it again soon.

(BOOK REVIEW COMING SOON)

Until next time, 

-E x

CHRISTMAS BOOKTUBEATHON!

During the summer there was a reading event called Booktubeathon, created by Ariel Bissett on her youtube channel, there were many challenges that were made to encourage people to read as much as they could in the space of a week! This time round there aren't any challenges other than to read as much as you possibly can in three days. Christmas Booktubeathon takes place between the Friday 20th December - Sunday 22nd December to finish all those books that have been put aside for other books you're more excited for before we get loads of new books at Christmas!

If you want to get all the details watch Ariel's video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIXfCFN6qss

My BookTubeAThon reads are:

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

I read this at about the same time last year and completely loved it. Just like the Hunger Games not only was it entertaining but it had some very key messages about society's view on the way we look.  

Everybody gets to be supermodel gorgeous. What could be wrong with that? 
Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait. Not for her license - for turning pretty. In Tally's world, your sixteenth birthday brings an operation that turns you from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. In just a few weeks Tally will be there.

But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to be pretty. She'd rather risk life on the outside. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. 

The choice Tally makes changes her world forever...

-GOODREADS

Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy

I absolutely adored this book when I first read it at age 11. The world is so well created, every character feels real even if they're only in a chapter. Derek Landy is the king of foreshadowing, he foreshadowed eIGHT FREAKING BOOKS AHEAD AND YOU DIDN'T EVEN REALISE 'TIL BAM! IT HITS YOU IN THE FACE AT A MILLION MILES PER HOUR.  (Please excuse the caps, there are many feelings attatched to this series). I am very much looking forward to reading this again because in the same way people actually grew up with Harry Potter like actually being the same age as Harry as the books were released, I grew with Valkyrie Cain. Of course Harry Potter was a large part of my childhood even though I wasn't even born when the first book was released!

Skulduggery and Valkyrie are facing a new enemy: Baron Vengeous, who is determined to bring back the terrifying Faceless Ones and is crafting an army of evil to help him. Added to that, Vengeous is about to enlist a new ally ("if" he can raise it from the dead): the horrible Grotesquery, a "very" unlikable monster of legend.

Once Vengeous is on the loose, dead bodies and vampires start showing up all over Ireland. Now pretty much everybody is out to kill Valkyrie, and the daring detective duo faces its biggest challenge yet.

But what if the greatest threat to Valkyrie is just a little closer to home?

Look for Scepter of the Ancients

-GOODREADS

And finally,

Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness

Now this is one I have not yet read. This is the last book in the Chaos Walking Trilogy.The Ask and the Answer is my favourite one so far which made me hesitant to read this one. I read about 30 pages into it then read something else because the violence at the beginning didn't hook me then I think the last book in the Gallagher Girls series came out and i just HAD to read that one and it's been sat on my shelf ever since. 

That is all I have to talk about today so goodnight and merry Christmas c:

-E x

PS I'm reading the Book Thief after being heistant for a few years but I'm actually really liking it, expect a full length review soon. Probably will do a review for 'Monsters of Men' but not the other two. c:

RECENT READS! #1

So these are the books that I didn't have enough time or thoughts to do an entire review on but I still wanted to talk about them so here they are!

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

Firstly, I really did like this book, I gave it four stars on goodreads. I read very few contemporaries because I, personally, don't feel as immersed in the story, especially with books that do not have a plot outside the romance. This book was a lovely afternoon read which I sped through in a few hours and felt satisfied upon finishing. I would recommend it if you enjoy contemporaries or young adult fiction. 

A bitter sweet story with lovable characters.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

This is the way to write a fantasy stand alone. The plot was wonderful, flowing nicely throughout. It had a very well developed world despite it only being one book. For once a stand alone didn't offer any other details that we missed out on knowing about because they didn't matter to the plot. Everything included was there for a reason, served a purpose which many stand alones fail to do, in my opinion. The vampire aspect is completely new, even for someone who has read a lot of vampire books. Very often in books where one character can live forever there is a lot of 'what about when I'm old and wrinkly and you're still young and beautiful' stuff which gets a little repetitive. Thankfully there was none of that in this book. I think I gave it five stars on good reads!

I would recommend this to anyone, even if they're sick of vampires!

 World After by Susan Ee (Spoilers)

I so so wanted to write an entire review of this book but I was so busy I didn't get round to unfortunately. I absolutely adored the first book Angelfall which I have done a review on  because the balance between horror and humour was perfect. I hate horror but this book needed the horror because it was representing what awful creatures the angels were, the humour made it more enjoyable for people like me who'd rather not read pages and pages of bloody deaths and scorpion monsters. I felt that there was a little too much gruesomeness in this book which made me give it three stars on goodreads. The grotesqueness made me uncomfortable a lot which was really annoying because I wanted to like it as much as I liked Angelfall so badly that I felt a bit let down. 

Nevertheless, I know many many people who have enjoyed this one as much as the first so don't start thinking 'it's terrible, i might as well not read it' because this is just my opinion.

Obsidian by Jennifer Armentrout

This is the book I've read most recently cover to cover in one sitting. It's been a while since I've read a relatively light hearted book that just makes you feel happy while you're reading. Don't get me wrong, I love reading books that start your heart pounding and your thoughts racing. It's nice to just have a relaxing book once in a while.

The Twilight parallels were somewhat irritating sometimes but I like Twilight so ehhh. I wasn't furious. I wasn't excited either. Various people have said that the second book feels more original so I'm looking forward to reading that!

Don't forget to check out my Goodreads for little updates and the like!

Until next time, 

-E x

CHRISTMAS LIST BOOKS!

Every book I have asked for/ intend to buy for Christmas:

1)The Darkest Minds and Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken- I have heard so many good things about this series that I just cannot wait to read!

2) Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi-
I am very intrigued by this series and Tahereh Mafi is just fab on twitter.

3) Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead-A booktube classic!

4) Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle-

I am huge fan of John Green but have not read anything by the other two authors. I need a good Christmas read!

5) Me, Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews-

Reccomended by Raeleen from PadfootandProngs07  on youtube c:

6) Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas-

Recommended by Regan from PeruseProject, Looks very intriguing as I am writing a book with an assassin as the main character. (Am so very excited about this one because who doesn't love kickass female leads?)

7) Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor-Another booktube classic!

8) Bloodlines by Richelle Mead-Spin off from Vampire Academy. (THE WORLD NEEDS MORE SPIN OFF SERIES!)

9) Matched by Ally Condie-
My lovely friend Amy recommended this to me about six months ago. I think it's about time I read it, don't you?

10) Tallulah Casey: The Taming of the Tights by Louise Rennison- These books always make me laugh out loud in the middle of the night when I should be asleep! All Louise's books make me so happy that I just can't resist reading them again and again.

11) Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell-I read Eleanor and Park a couple of weeks ago which I adored and have been waiting for the real copy of Fangirl to arrive in the UK. (on Amazon it comes out on the 1st Jan, if anyone's interested!)

12) Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi-I didn't put this on my list just in case I hated the first one, though I doubt I will. I see myself nEEDING  the second book instantly after finishing the first so here it is!

I think that's all the books for now but I will keep you posted should I get any books in the mean time! If you have reached this far that might mean you're interested in reading some more of my posts! Hurrah!

See you next time,

-E

PS. I know I haven't done many posts recently, but jfc HOMEWORK IS TAKING UP ALL OF MY TIME ;-;