monthly wrap up

April Wrap Up

19:43

So the month of April is coming to an end (well, practically is at an end...), so I thought I’d do my first ever monthly wrap up! I’ve seen loads of other blogs do this, and I did a picture on Instagram, so I just thought why not?

Books read this month:


In total I read 13 books, and I’m really pleased with myself!

The Evolution of Mara Dyer - 5/5 - This was one amazing. The series is one of my all-time favourites, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.  

The Retribution of Mara Dyer - 5/5 - Wow. Just wow. This series made me utterly speechless.

The Death House - 4/5 - This was a really great book. The majority was just okay, but the ending was amazing and really made the book for me.

Atlantia - 4/5 - I enjoyed this book, and it was really short and cute. It had an original concept, and I read it as an eBook.

The Manifesto on How to be Interesting - 4/5 - I really enjoyed this book, and it captured the essence of school life really well. The cover is really cool, and the characters are really interesting to read about.

All the Bright Places - 2/5 - This book failed to meet up to my expectations. I was really excited to read it, but it turned out to be just a copy of The Fault in our Stars.

Half Bad - 4.5/5 - I enjoyed this so much! It was definitely a cover buy, yet the content did not disappoint! I really recommend it.

Half Wild - 4.5/5 - This was just as good as the last book in the series. I enjoyed it so much, and am now really excited for Half Lost!

We all Looked Up - 4/5 - This book really made me think. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to have a good ponder on life.

Scintillate - 4/5 - I received a free e-copy of this through the publisher, and I’m really glad I did. I liked the plot, and although the insta-love was annoying, it was explained at the end which thought was original.

The Assassin’s Blade - 5/5 - Ohmygod this was amazing! I just fell in love with the Throne of Glass series all over again...

Don’t Look Back - 4/5 - This was my first Jennifer L. Armentrout book, and I’m really happy I read it. It was really interesting, and I read it in under a day!

The Winner’s Curse - 2.5/5 - This was a total flop. I was expecting it to be amazing, but instead I was left bored and disappointed.

Book Haul


In total, I bought 7 books, which I’m really pleased with!

  1. Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi
  2. Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi
  3. Half Bad by Sally Green
  4. Half Wild by Sally Green
  5. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
  6. We all Looked Up by Tommy Wallach
  7. The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski

Other notable things:

  • Sally Green tweeted me!
Nothing really happened this month. I did a few blog posts, but apart from that, it was a pretty uneventful month (which I don’t mind about because it means I can do more reading!).

Did you read / buy any of the same books as me? Let me know below!

4 stars

Review: We all Looked Up

16:00

We all Looked Up
By Tommy Wallach

 Source: Personal purchase, paperback
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Realism, Romance

 Goodreads Synopsis:
Before the asteroid we let ourselves be defined by labels:The athlete, the outcast, the slacker, the overachiever. 
But then we all looked up and everything changed. 
They said it would be here in two months. That gave us two months to leave our labels behind. Two months to become something bigger than what we'd been, something that would last even after the end. 
Two months to really live.
This book was so unexpectedly good! I definitely didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did. It’s fair to say I liked the first half a lot more than the second, but nevertheless I enjoyed the whole book. It was really inspirational, and gave me something to think about. I know I will still be thinking about it for a long time.
One of the main reasons I enjoyed the first half the most was because there wasn’t as much romance. In the second half, everyone seemed to pair off, and I didn’t like that as much. Also, I didn’t enjoy the romance at all, and on the whole, it felt a bit cringey.


Also, there was much more drama in the second half. There were lots of ‘plot twists’, which made things feel a bit rushed (especially because it’s quite a short book). The thing that I felt was hurried the most was the ending. It wasn’t rounded off well, and I would have much preferred it if the book was just a few pages longer. It didn’t give me closure, and I found myself actually wondering if my copy was missing a page!


Another thing I liked about this book was the writing style. Usually I don’t like multiple POV, but in this I really did. It was really interesting to see everyone’s story intertwine. Also, it was really well written, and there were no plot holes. Tommy Wallach is a really talented writer.

Overall, this is a great book. It really gave me something to take away, and I would definitely recommend it to fans of The Perks of Being a Wallflower or Eleanor and Park (it just kind of reminded me of EaP). Although, I would recommend it to everyone.

My reaction:

My rating:

4.5 stars

Review: Half Wild (Half Bad #2)

17:07

Half Wild
By Sally Green

 Source: Bought the physical copy
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, 

 Goodreads Synopsis:
In a modern-day England where two warring factions of witches live amongst humans, seventeen-year-old Nathan is an abomination, the illegitimate son of the world's most powerful and violent witch. Nathan is hunted from all sides: nowhere is safe and no one can be trusted. Now, Nathan has come into his own unique magical Gift, and he's on the run--but the Hunters are close behind, and they will stop at nothing until they have captured Nathan and destroyed his father.
This book was amazing! Sally Green is a really talented author, and this book definitely did not disappoint. I liked it equally as much as I liked Half Bad, but this one had some more varied moments (there were some bits that I liked more, but some that I enjoyed a less).


The beginning of this book was slow-moving. I didn’t feel invested, because everyone was going to find Annalise - and I really dislike Annalise. I really had to persevere because I just knew that there was going to be some amazing action scenes later on in the book (and I wasn’t disappointed!).
It was action-packed and very gory, which some people might not enjoy (though I certainly did!). I really liked how fast paced most of the book was - it kept me excited, and definitely wanting to read on. The chapters were the perfect length, and everything was just long enough to keep me interested.
All of the characters felt very real and complex. Seeing more of Nathan’s darker side was something I enjoyed too. I especially liked Gabriel (but you know that from my review of Half Bad!), but all of the characters were really original, just like the whole book. I enjoyed reading about all of them (except for Annalise), and they were all really interesting.


Another thing I enjoyed was seeing development of Nathan’s relationships with his father and Gabriel. We didn’t see much of Marcus in Half Bad, but he was in Half Wild much more. He and Nathan had a really unique relationship which was refreshing to see.
Gabriel was definitely my favourite part of this book. I liked seeing more of his relationship with Nathan in this book, and if they aren’t together in Half Lost I will actually cry. This book would have been even better for me if all of the Annalise scenes were with him instead!

This book was left on such a cliffhanger! I don’t know if I can wait for next March, it just seems so long away...! Overall it was a great fast paced story, and I would recommend it to fans of Red Queen (though Red Queen is nothing compared to this) or The Mortal Instruments.

My reaction to this book:

My rating:


Top Five Friday

Top Five Friday #6: Worst Book Endings

20:04


Top Five Friday is a meme hosted at Katieemay which lists our top 5 choices based on a bookish theme

*****

Today’s theme is going to be worst book endings. As you probably know, I can’t stand a terrible ending (but can anyone, really?), and this list will only be endings at the end of a series. It will be in no particular order!

1. We all Looked Up by Tommy Wallach

I actually really enjoyed this book (review to come), but the ending was awful. It didn’t give me any closure, and the whole book was building up to the ending, so I expected it to be really good. Sadly, it was really disappointing. I don’t want a sequel, I just want the book to be 5 pages longer. *sigh*





2. Looking for Alaska by John Green

The first part of this book was really good, but the last part was so bad. I found it unnecessarily long, and really boring. It definitely could have been cut out because it made the book so much worse for me.






3. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

You know my opinions on this book (if not, my review is here) ... I didn’t like the main part, but I especially didn’t enjoy the ending. I felt it was too dragged-out, and just bored me. It wasn’t important, and just made the book worse for me.





4. Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Again, this was just boring. Although the main event that happened in the ending felt necessary, I think that the bit after that was just a bit too long. I would have preferred for the story to be wrapped up a bit quicker.






5. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Notice a theme here with the John Green books? This ending was pretty similar to some others mentioned before - it was again too long and made me bored. I understand that it was meant to make people cry, but that just didn’t happen for me. Instead I was just bored, and it took me a long time to finish because of this.




That’s it for this week’s Top Five Friday? Do you agree with my choices? Let me know in the comments! :)

4 stars

Review: Atlantia

17:33

Atlantia
by Ally Condie

 Source: Personal purchase, e-book
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Dystopian, Romance, Mythology, Mermaids

 Goodreads Synopsis:
Can you hear Atlantia breathing?
For as long as she can remember, Rio has dreamt of the sand and sky Above—of life beyond her underwater city of Atlantia. But in a single moment, all her plans for the future are thwarted when her twin sister, Bay, makes an unexpected decision, stranding Rio Below. Alone, ripped away from the last person who knew Rio’s true self—and the powerful siren voice she has long hidden—she has nothing left to lose.
Guided by a dangerous and unlikely mentor, Rio formulates a plan that leads to increasingly treacherous questions about her mother’s death, her own destiny, and the complex system constructed to govern the divide between land and sea. Her life and her city depend on Rio to listen to the voices of the past and to speak long-hidden truths. 


This was a really pleasant read. All of Ally Condie’s books are really enjoyable reads - I feel that I can just breeze through them. This was a really cute book, and it made a perfect holiday read, as I read it while I was camping.


The plot and concept of this book was really good. It’s really original, and I haven’t heard of anything like it before. The themes were great too - I especially liked the themes of family and sisters because I have a sister, who I feel the same way to as Rio does to Bay.


In my opinion, this book should have been paced a bit quicker. The beginning dragged a little, and I did have to persevere, but I had a break after reading about the first 10%, so when I jumped back into the world it felt new again and wasn’t slow.


The romance in this book was perfect. There wasn’t much of it, which I liked, but the bit that was there was not cheesy or cringey at all. It fitted well with the main story line, and it didn’t distract at all. Rio and True fitted together so well - I can actually see why they like each other, which is unusual.

Overall, this was a good book. Although Rio got a bit annoying at times, she was a great lead. All aspects of the book fitted together so well - it was really polished and well constructed.

My reaction:

Can someone please tell me if this book is in a series? When I first added it to Goodreads, it said that it was, but then when I went on today it said it wasn't part of a series. This book would make a great stand-alone if it was wrapped up a bit better, but I also don't think I need a series. Does anyone know more on this? Please tell me below!

My rating:


4.5 stars

Review: Half Bad

16:53

Half Bad
By Sally Green

 Source: Personal purchase, paperback
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal

 Goodreads Synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old Nathan lives in a cage: beaten, shackled, trained to kill. In a modern-day England where two warring factions of witches live amongst humans, Nathan is an abomination, the illegitimate son of the world's most terrifying and violent witch, Marcus. Nathan's only hope for survival is to escape his captors, track down Marcus, and receive the three gifts that will bring him into his own magical powers—before it's too late. But how can Nathan find his father when there is no one safe to trust, not even family, not even the girl he loves?
I was not expecting to love this book as much as I did! I fell in love with the cover instantly at Waterstones (so much that I knew I had to get it), but I wasn’t really sure what it was about (one reason for this is that my copy doesn’t have a blurb!), apart from it was about witches, but I heard great things from it, so I just thought why not? Half Bad turned out to be an amazing book, which I enjoyed immensely.


The style of writing really gripped me. I wanted to read more, and most of this is probably down to the writing - it was so unique, and made the story stand out from all the others at the moment. It was really well paced too. At times it was a little slow, but it soon picked up, and the slow bits were always followed by a really exciting action scene.


Probably the thing I enjoyed most about this book was the plot. It was so original, which meant I had no idea what was going to happen. There was lots of gruesome moments, but I quite like things like that, so it made me enjoy the book even more.


Another thing that made me love this book was the characters. They were so well developed, so felt even more real, and all had depth, meaning they were interesting to read about. Gabriel was definitely my favourite character (Team Gabriel forever!) - he was such a kind person, yet he really made me smile. He had much more to him than you could first see, so as he and Nathan got to know each other, my love for him grew.


I especially enjoyed the romance (or lack of). It also didn’t distract from the main storyline which I thought was good. I didn’t like Annalise, but there weren’t many scenes with her in, so I could tolerate her presence. But the thing I did like was Gabriel. He is just so cute, and he and Nathan together are just the cutest! I actually ship them so much, they just need to get together in the rest of the series...
All the characters in this book were really well developed, but Nathan stood out for me. I loved his dark side, and he was really interesting to read about as well. He didn’t moan at all - which I was really thankful for - and didn’t make stupid decisions, like lots of protagonists do nowadays.

Overall, I enjoyed this book lots. It had everything I enjoy - action, gore, a stunning cover, humour and a touch of romance. I would recommend it to fans of The Mortal Instruments or Red Queen.

 My reaction:

My rating:

Blog Tour

YA Epic Reads Blog Tour Schedule Hosted by YA Bookish News

12:18


YA Bookish News will be hosting their first blog tour called YA Epic Reads Blog Tour, featuring some of their epic reads from the YA genre. This tour will be hosted from May 25th to May 31st. Check out the full blog tour schedule below!

May 25th- YA Bookish News
Q & A Liveshow TBA
May 27th: Forever Lost in Other Worlds – Review

Summary from Goodreads:
Penelope never dreamed she’d become a superhuman experiment masquerading as a puppet.
She never dreamed everything would be taken from her; even her ability to lie.
Nor did she ever dream that she would become something so unreal.
Penelope lives in a world of advanced technology. Marionettes have advanced in the form of robots; lifelike creations remote controlled to perform super human tasks.
When Penelope makes a deal with Jed, a marionette-obsessed scientist, she doesn’t fully realize what she’s getting herself into. In order for Jed to take her away from the orphanage she lives in, she must first agree to undergo his experiments and tests, ultimately creating something no one ever dreamed possible; the first living marionette.
As Jed shows off his scientific creation to the world, concerns arise surrounding Penelope’s abilities and what she’s capable of doing. Ordered to somehow lessen her abilities, Jed makes a desperate attempt to change Penelope to make her more human, more vulnerable. After Penelope lies to the officials about her past, Jed makes sure it’s the last one she’ll ever utter. The truth is now the only thing she is capable of telling.
As Penelope struggles with her past, her disturbingly new present, and her uncertain future, she is thrust into a magically twisted world of mayhem in search of the one thing she wants, but knows she can never have. The chance to be just a girl again. To be normal. To be real.
Links to Puppet: Goodreads, Amazon
                                                    May 28th: Captain Swan Bookishh  – Interview

Summary from the Goodreads:
With short, fast-paced, alternating point-of-view chapters, The Death Code starts several weeks after The Murder Complex ended. Zephyr keeps the secret about Meadow close—that if she dies, The Murder Complex will be destroyed, too. Meadow, desperate to find her brother, father, and little sister, is determined to fearlessly fight to the end, even if it means sacrificing herself and her friends, new and old. The Death Code introduces a memorable cast of secondary characters and delivers a vivid and scary thrill ride read.
Links to The Death Code: Goodreads, Amazon
May 28th: The Book Bratz– Review

Summary from the Goodreads:
High school senior, Claire Reilly’s world revolves around All-Star cheerleading. The Diamond Girls, are gearing up for a major competition, which, if they win will allow them to compete at Worlds for the first time. But the unimaginable happens, and both Claire and her team are rocked by a devastating loss. Determined to get to Worlds any way she can, Claire finds help from the last person she imagined would give it—up and coming UFC fighter and notorious bad boy, Ryker Vaughn.
Fouled out of the octagon by a dirty opponent and a vicious kick to the head, Ryker loses control when he learns he may never fight again. Angry over the loss of his mother, an unsupportive family, and the world in general, he gives up, gives in, and unleashes his rage—destroying part of his cousin’s cheer gym in the process. Things go from bad to worse when Ryker is given an ultimatum: help the Diamond Girls compete for a bid to Worlds, or go to jail.
Overwhelmed with anger, sadness, and grief, the unlikely pair learn that what you see is not always what you get, and that the most difficult losses sometimes open the door to a frightening, yet amazing new future.
“Defenseless is a story of hope, of loss, of friendships, and of fighting to the end.[…] Defenseless was an unputdownable read, it made me cry, it made me laugh, and it made me gasp in sock over some revelations.” – Michelle @ Much Loved Books
Links to Defenseless: Goodreads, Amazon
 May 29th: Queekie Girl Reads – Promotion

Summary of the Goodreads:
Seventeen-year-old Mira works on a farm in the ruins of Texas, along with all of the other descendants of the defeated rebels. Though she’s given her heart to Tanner, their lives are not their own.
When Socrates, a powerful First, chooses Mira as his Second, she is thrust into the bewildering world of the rich and influential. Will, a servant assigned to assist her, whispers of rebellion, love, and of a darker fate than she’s ever imagined.
With time running out, Mira must decide whether to run to the boy she left behind, the boy who wants her to live, or the man who wants her dead.
Links to First: Goodreads, Amazon
May 30th: Booktube Net Magazine– Interview

Summary of the Goodreads:
It’s Friday the Thirteenth and it’s Sasha Hunter’s birthday. It’s also the anniversary of Dystopia day; a catastrophic world-wide blackout, and the day Sasha’s mother disappeared. Three years on, the world has started to recover. But for Sasha, everything is falling apart…
Links to Dystopia: Goodreads, Amazon
May 30th: Confessions of a Book Addict – Review

Summary of the Goodreads:
Tormented after a daring escape, Cora Sandoval must find a way to stop the Arrazi from murdering innocent people and from violating, using, and killing the Scintilla for their powers. She must also accept one bitter betrayal: Finn Doyle—the Irish boy who has both a piece of Cora’s heart and soul—is Arrazi…
On the verge of extinction and sought by those who would either consume or destroy them, Cora and the remaining Scintilla survivors must solve the mystery of The Light Key. If they fail, the truth will stay buried forever and mankind will pay the ultimate price.
No longer will she hide.
No longer will her loved ones be hunted.
And she will have her vengeance…even if she shatters her heart in the process
Links to Deviate: Goodreads, Amazon
I hope you are all as excited about the tour as I am! Have you read any of the books featured in the tour? Let me know in the comments! :)