Weekly Wrap-Up (18/1/15)

The Sunday Post hosted @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. 

It's Monday! hosted @ Book Journey

How was everyone's week? Did you get in some good reading?

My week was OK, it was actually nice to be back at school, catching up with my classmates and having intellectual discussions about books :-)

THIS PAST WEEK ON MY BLOG

Top Ten 2014 debuts I didn't get around to reading
Waiting on The Bookseller
Chatty Saturday: Are you the only bookish person you know?

NEXT WEEK ON MY BLOG

Aside from Chatty Saturday, I have nothing planned for next week. So watch this space!

RECENT READS

 

CURRENT READ

READING NEXT

I haven't decided yet!

ADDITIONS TO MY TBR

The only new books I got this past week are school books, but some of them look really interesting.

I STILL have Golden Son on hold at the library and the wait is not only killing me, it is starting to piss me off.

Oh! I also got a really beautiful colouring book for adults and I am having so much fun with it.

Stacking the Shevles hosted @ Tynga's Reviews

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I hope you all have a fabulous week and read some very excellent books. 

Chatty Saturdays: Are you the only bookish person you know?

Until I started college, my sister was the only person I knew who read for pleasure, but now all she reads is fanfiction, does that count?

Now I am in university studying English literature one would think I would be surrounded by book geeks, but most of my classmates only read the required books (if that!). They say they don't have time for pleasure reading. Don't have time Pfft! It's just not that important to them, no matter how busy or tired I am, I read something for ME, nearly everynight before I turn out the lights, even if its only for 10 minutes. Of course, there are a small number of my classmates who do still read for pleasure and we even recommend books to each other, which is nice.

My friend's husband thinks that any reading that isn't for learning is just a waste of time - this is a person who will spend hours upon hours watching TV. This just boggles my mind. I love watching TV and movies as much as the next person and there are times when I would much rather veg out in front of the TV instead of reading, these are times when even thinking is too much effort, let alone reading. But books are always better and definitely not a waste of time.

It is weird to me that there are people who don't like reading, what's not to like? Seriously.

How many bookish people do you have in your life? 

Do any of your friends or family think you are weird for loving books and reading?

Are book blogs the only place you get to fangirl/fanboy about the books you read?

Waiting on The Bookseller

WHAT I AM EAGERLY ANTICIPATING:

Title: The Bookseller
Author: Cynthia Swanson
Expected Release Date: 3rd March 2015 by Harper

From Goodreads: A provocative and hauntingly powerful debut novel reminiscent of Sliding Doors, The Bookseller follows a woman in the 1960s who must reconcile her reality with the tantalizing alternate world of her dreams

Nothing is as permanent as it appears . . .

Denver, 1962: Kitty Miller has come to terms with her unconventional single life. She loves the bookshop she runs with her best friend, Frieda, and enjoys complete control over her day-to-day existence. She can come and go as she pleases, answering to no one. There was a man once, a doctor named Kevin, but it didn’t quite work out the way Kitty had hoped.

Then the dreams begin.

Denver, 1963: Katharyn Andersson is married to Lars, the love of her life. They have beautiful children, an elegant home, and good friends. It's everything Kitty Miller once believed she wanted—but it only exists when she sleeps.

Convinced that these dreams are simply due to her overactive imagination, Kitty enjoys her nighttime forays into this alternate world. But with each visit, the more irresistibly real Katharyn’s life becomes. Can she choose which life she wants? If so, what is the cost of staying Kitty, or becoming Katharyn?

As the lines between her worlds begin to blur, Kitty must figure out what is real and what is imagined. And how do we know where that boundary lies in our own lives? 

WHY I AM EAGERLY ANTICIPATING IT:

It was the title of this one that made me check it out, I mean the word "book" is in the title. And after reading that synopsis, well. A young woman in the 60s running a bookstore, who every night dreams of another life. I just have to read it.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. 

Weekly Wrap-Up (11/1/2015)

The Sunday Post hosted @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. 

It's Monday! hosted @ Book Journey

How was everyone's week? Did you get in some good reading?

I was so stressed out this week, dealing with family issues and having three papers for school due within days of each other, that my brain was turning to mush and I could feel a nervous breakdown a coming on. So, I asked, and luckily, got approved, for extensions on two of those papers, Phew! That relieved some of the stress.

On a lighter note, I read some good books and the weather wasn't crap this week, so there's that :-)

THIS PAST WEEK ON MY BLOG

Review: Day 21
Top Ten Anticipted Debuts
Review: Obsidian
Review: The Witch of Salt & Storm
Chatty Saturday: Libraries

NEXT WEEK ON MY BLOG

2014 Releases I Meant to Read but Never Got to
Waiting on The Bookseller by Cynthia Swanson
Review: All the Bright Places
Chatty Saturday

RECENT READS

Both of these books took me totally by surprise and I enjoyed them both, immensely.

I went into this book not knowing anything about it and I think that added to my enjoyment of it, as I was asking "what the hell is going on?" the whole time. And that ending, I need the next installment, STAT.

CURRENT READ

Really enjoying this one, it's very unigue. Although, it does remind me a little bit of Justin Cronin's The Passage.

READING NEXT

I haven't read any of the books I have been planning too for the past few weeks, so for next week , I am just going to read whatever takes my fancy. And of course, I will be working my way through my second term reading list for university.

ADDITIONS TO MY TBR

After reading Obsidian I just had to get the next book in the series. I bought Never Never because I needed a very quick read and it is only 140 pages long, and by two authors I have never read, but want to.

I have Golden Son on hold at the library, and even though it was released on Thursday, they still haven't added it to their catalogue. The wait is killing me, I need it now.

Stacking the Shevles hosted @ Tynga's Reviews

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I hope you all have a fabulous week and read some very excellent books. 

Chatty Saturday: Tell me about your local library

When I lived in America the library system there was fanatstic, I practically lived in the library. They had everybook, movie or CD that I could possibly want, and if they didn't I would simply fill in a form and 9 times out of 10 the library would get it. It also cost me next to nothing, the only time I spent money there was on over due fines, printing and the buying of used books. I used have around 40 items on hold at any one time and I would be in the library nearly everyday picking up new goodies. I was in there so often, I would get to know the librarians on a first name basis and we would chat about the items I was picking up or returning and other book related chit chat.

The libraries here in England are vastly different, you have to pay for everything besides checking out books - It costs £1.30 to put an item on hold, £1.80 for an audiobook, £1.00 for a CD, £2.50 to rent a dvd, and £1 for 20 minutes on the internet. My particular library system very rarely have the books I want to read, hence one of the reasons I buy so many books, and if  I do see a book I want to read at the library, I get very excited about it, because it happens so rarely.

I don't get me wrong, I love libraries, I think they are wonderful and I will support them no matter what. I simply just miss the wonderful amazingness that is the Virginia Beach public library system.

Enough of my ranting ;-) 

How about you, do you use your local libray? If so, how is the selection and what if anything do you have to pay for?

Review: Witch of Salt and Storm

Title: The Witch of Salt & Storm

Author: Kendall Kulper

Published by: Hachette Children's Books on 4th September 2014

Genre: Fantasy

Format: eARC
Source: Publisher

Buy it from Amazon or Book Depository

Check it out on Goodreads

*I received a copy of this book free from the publisher via Netgalley for review consideration, this in no way affects my opinion of the book.*

Goodreads Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Avery Roe wants only to take her rightful place as the sea witch of Prince Island, making the charms that keep the island's whalers safe and prosperous at sea. But before she could learn how to control her power, her mother - the first Roe woman in centuries to turn her back on magic - steals Avery away from her grandmother. Avery must escape before her grandmother dies, taking with her the secrets of the Roe's power. 

The one magical remnant left to Avery is the ability to read dreams, and one night she foresees her own murder. Time is running short, both for her and for the people of her island who need the witches' help to thrive.

Avery has never read a dream that hasn't come true, but a tattooed harpoon boy named Tane tells her he can help her change her fate. Becoming a witch may prevent her murder and save her island from ruin, but Avery discovers it will also require a sacrifice she never expected. And as she falls in love with Tane, she learns it is his life and hers that hang in the balance.

My Thoughts: This book is beautifully written and is very atmospheric, almost magical, but the story itself I found lacking. As it is a story about witches, I expected more actual magic, I expected it to be more dramatic and exciting, but there is hardly any magic at all and when it does happen, it is very anti-climactic.

I couldn't really connect to any of the characters, in fact, they all annoyed me a little, I did sympathise with Avery over having her choices taken from her and for not being able to see her grandmother, but otherwise I just couldn't bring myself to care about her fate. The romance between Avery and Tane is sweet, but, again, I just didn't care.

Kulper has created a rich history for the setting - Prince island, and for the lineage of the Roe witches. That being said, I felt confused as to when this was actually set, there is some mentioning of the civil war, so I am guessing sometime after.

So yeah, I liked the writing and atmosphere of this book, but unfortunately, not the story itself.

Review: Obsidian

Title: Obsidian

Series: The Lux #1

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Published by: Entangled Teen on 8th May 2012

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Format: Kindle
Source: Me

Check it out on Goodreads

Goodreads Synopsis: Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something... unexpected happens. 

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. 

If I don't kill him first, that is.

My Thoughts: This is my first Jennifer L. Armentrout book and I dont know why I waited so long to read one of her books, because it seems everybody and their cat loves her. And now I do too, I may only have read the one book, but I loved it. I loved the characters, they were so real, and the writing (right along with the story) just kept me reading.

Katy just may be one of my favourite book characters, I really could relate to her; we are both the shy, quiet, good girl types, who love books and hiding out on the internet, but if you push too far, and especially if you hurt someone we care about, you had better find shelter because storm coming through. What can I say about Daemon? I kinda have a thing for hot, cocky bastards and Daemon just might be the king of them. I just adored how much he cared for his sister and how despite himself he cared for kat, too.

The relationship between Katy and Daemon just sizzled from the get go, the chemistry between them made me hot under the collar. I liked how theirs wasn't an instalove, although it was obviously instalust, especially for Kat. The two of them were barely friends throughout the entire book, but you just know that no matter how much they both protest, that they are totally hot for each other and actually, deep down, they want to be together. I can't wait to see how their relationship progresses in the other books.

I also loved Dee, she is such a sweet, genuine girl, that you can't help, but like her. I liked Kat's school friends, Lesa and Carissa, and how different they are from each other, totally complementing each other. Kat's mum is great, not pushy or controlling, but was there for kat and obviously loves her, she makes me miss my mum.

As for the Luxens and the Arum, they made me so mad with all there "stupid human" crap, I was like "excuse me, you are a guess in our home, show some damn respect", Katy did actually say that to Daemon at one point and he apologised, but the rest of them Argh!!! When I started reading I was really intrigued about what kind of aliens they would be and you what? I think they are pretty damn cool.

I am going to stop babbling now ;-) If you haven't read this yet, then you definitely should, don't wait any longer, Get Reading!

Top Ten Most Anticipated Debuts

Weekly event hosted @ The Broke and the Bookish

These are just a few of the new releases I am looking forward to this year.

In no particular order...

26th February

13th January

9th June

18th August

28th April

24th February

12th May

28th April

31st March

24th February

Are you looking forward to any of these books?

Are you lucky and have already read one (or more) of these books? What did you think?

Review: Day 21

Title: Day 21

Series: The Hundred #2

Author: Kass Morgan

Published by: Little Brown, Books on 16th September 2014

Genre: Post-apocalyptic

Format: eARC
Source: Publisher

Check it out on Goodreads

*I received a copy of this book free from the publisher via Netgalley  for review consideration, this in no way affects my opinion of the book.*

Goodreads Synopsis: No one has set foot on Earth in centuries -- until now.

It's been 21 days since the hundred landed on Earth. They're the only humans to set foot on the planet in centuries...or so they thought. Facing an unknown enemy, Wells attempts to keep the group together. Clarke strikes out for Mount Weather, in search of other Colonists, while Bellamy is determined to rescue his sister, no matter the cost. And back on the ship, Glass faces an unthinkable choice between the love of her life and life itself.

In this pulse-pounding sequel to Kass Morgan's The 100, secrets are revealed, beliefs are challenged, and relationships are tested. And the hundred will struggle to survive the only way they can -- together.

My Thoughts: I enjoyed this one just as much as the first, in fact, I read this straight after book one, so they both kind of mingle together. It is slightly more fast paced that the first one, but just as fun.

On Earth, we are introduced to some new characters and some of them are actually nice. People at the camp run into a little trouble with the local flora, but luckily one of these new friends saves the day. Up on The Colony tensions run high, not only with the relationships between Glass and Luke, Glass and her mother, but also between the different classes, especially as the oxygen gets low.

As with the first book, the story is told in multiple viewpoints and in flashbacks. I really enjoyed watching some of the characters grow into strong and resourceful people, and the flashbacks shed a whole new light on some of the character dynamics.

If you enjoyed the first book then you are definitely going to want to read this one, especially as book three The Homecoming is coming out next month.