Characters I could dress up as tomorrow

Top Ten Tuesday is run by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl so go check her out!

My boarding house isn't doing anything for Halloween this year, which is a little disappointing because I was so ready to dress up. Today I'm going to share with you the list of characters that I might have dressed up this year, if my school didn't value education over entertainment.

1- Hermione Granger

I know this is a pretty generic answer for a book lover but I think it would be super fun to dress up as Hermione. I've dressed up Bellatrix before (which was awesome) so I think I should dress up as a good guy at some point. Also...I want to make my hair as big as Hermione's.

2- A camper from Camp Half Blood

Dd you see what I did with the orange font for Camp Half Blood? Did you...did you see?
My friend is actually going as a camper this year and her costume is so cool. This costume wouldn't actually be too hard to put together because basically all you need is an orange jumper, but I think it would look really awesome. Maybe I'll just buy an orange jumper and wear it on Halloween anyway...

3- Mary Poppins

This costume is practically perfect in every way. I was looking at pictures of Mary Poppins and I started constructing the costume in my head, pulling different items of clothing out of my cupboard (still in my mind). It was my Beautiful Mind moment, so I imagine my roommates thought I looked slightly mental.

4- Coraline

This costume is perfect because it is both bookish and scary. I love Coraline's clothes, with the bright colours and multiple layers making a bold statement anywhere. It would be kind of fun to dress up in such bright colours for the day, considering I usually just stick to blues and blacks.

5- Ophelia

Ophelia is my favourite Shakespeare character of all the plays that I've read. She is a sweet and gentle character who is corrupted by Hamlet and his neglectful nature and I love her entire arc. She is an incredible character and would super easy to dress up as.

6- Lou

Even though I didn't enjoy Me Before You I would love to wear some bumblebee socks. I actually dress in a very similar way to Lou already so all I'd have to do is find some stripy socks.

7- Alice

Alice from Alice in Wonderland has the most beautiful blue dress and I'm super jealous of her. If I did dress up as Alice I would finally be able to justify buying another dress, especially one as pretty as hers.

Are you dressing up for Halloween this year? If you are, what are you going as?

Let me know in the comments below!

And until next time, keep reading!

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
Release Date: August 8, 2000
Pages:192
Rating: 💜💜💜💜
Buy it: Amazon | Book Depository

Leo always follows the unspoken rules at Mica Area High School. Then Stargirl arrives at Mica High and everything changes-for Leo and for the entire school. After 15 years of home schooling, Stargirl bursts into tenth grade in an explosion of colour and a clatter of ukulele music, enchanting the Mica student body.
Somewhere in the midst of Stargirl's arrival and rise and fall, Leo has tumbled into love with her.

This book is a beautiful tale of conformity, first love and friendships. It deals with all topics; from bullying to friendship, from conformity to individual identity. It is one of those books that you can imagine becoming a children's classic, even though it is so new.

I loved the characterisation in this story. Even though Jerry Spinelli marketed this towards young teenagers, I think we can all learn something from Stargirl and Leo. Leo is the stereotypical teen boy, who just wants to get through high school without sticking out. He sticks to the crowd, and when Stargirl breaks the rules he is in shock. I think Leo is a representation of mankind these days, sticking to the rules and not daring to stick out. But Stargirl. Oh man, Stargirl. She was the character that we all aspire to be, so free and happy with who she is. She  doesn't care about what other people think about her, and is happy just doing her own thing. She is the inner 5-year old that we all have and I loved her so much.

It does have an open end, which is fine, but I WANT MORE! Spinelli manages to create this plot and world that you just want to stay in forever. Even though it is based off the real world, the people and places that he created leave an imprint on your heart that leaves you wanting more. The world building in this book is so beautiful and enthralling, leaving me feeling homesick for a world I'd never been in.

This book was such a boost of self-confidence, and made me feel like I could take on the world. I highly recommend that you read this book if you're going through a hard time and need a little pick-me-up. It is a book with simple language but a complex message. But overall it is a book that teaches you that being your own person is good, and should be accepted by society.

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Stardust by Neil Gaiman
Release Date: February 1, 1999
Pages: 196
Rating:💜💜💜
Buy it: Amazon | Book Depository

At the dawn of the Victorian era, life moves at a leisurely pace in the tiny town of Wall. Tristran Thorn has lost his heart to the beautiful Victoria Forester, but Victoria is as cold and distant as the star she and Tristran see fall from the sky one evening. For Victoria's hand, Tristran vows to retrieve the star for her. It is an oath that sends the lovelorn boy over the town's ancient wall and into a world that is dangerous and strange beyond imagining...

I wanted to love this book so much. I wanted it to sweep me off my feet, and lift me up to the stars, but it didn't.

I grew up obsessing over the film that came out of this movie. Every year I would watch it on my birthday, mouthing along to the characters lines. I loved every single one of the characters, and they became like a second family to me. If I had a bad day, Stardust would go on. If it was raining outside, Stardust would come out. No matter what, my film of choice was always Stardust.

So when I discovered it was a book I was over the moon. My favourite film in book form? I could hardly wait to read it.

But then it just didn't deliver. And it most certainly wasn't the books fault. There was piracy and intrigue, adventure and witchcraft, daring and cunning. For the most part, it was actually a pretty great story. It's quite short so you'd be able to fly through it in no time, and there is enough humour to keep you entertained when there is no action going on.

So why did I only give it 3 stars? Well, it wasn't my film. The entire time I was just waiting for certain bits of the story to happen. I was waiting for the pirates, or the witches, or the fight scene and because I knew everything that was about to happen, the suspense was lost on me. I kept on looking for bits of the film which didn't happen in the book and getting confused when there were scenes happening that didn't happen in the film.

Yes, my love for the film did ruin my  reading experience a little bit. But I still had a great time reading it, and Neil Gaiman's writing was able to teleport me straight to the world where Wall is. I just wish I'd discover the book before the film.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy, or wants a simple introduction to fantasy. I also think it would make a great bedtime story, and I wish I'd been read to sleep with this book. Just make sure to read it before you watch the film! (although definitely watch the film)

The Candy Book Tag

One of the main aspects of the new Westernised Halloween is the sweets that you collect whilst trick or treating. There are so many different types of sweets out there these days, and fortunately there are also a lot of different types of books. I always love matching food to books, so hopefully this tag will be just as fun.

I don't actually know who created this tag, but if you do please leave it in the comments. 

Apples: 

Ah. Healthy food. It is deep, meaningful and has probably won loads of awards but it isn't your thing.

 I actually love apples, and in a similar way I love deep and meaningful books. One book that did fall a little short for me was The Martian by Andy Wier. I really enjoyed the book as a whole, but there were several moments in the book where I truly believed I was going to have to DNF it. Maybe it is my absolute refusal to read sci-fi but there was something about the book that  made it less enjoyable.

Milk Chocolate:

A book you would recommend to everyone

I think The Book Thief by Markus Zuzak  is a great book to recommend to anyone. Although the book is about a girl, Leslie, the narrator is Death so anyone can enjoy it. It is a perfect introduction to the young adult genre for any reader, no matter what age or gender.

Black Jellybeans:

Why does these exist?

I think I have weird food tastes because I love the black jellybeans aka liquorice. However, a book that I wish was zapped out of existence is Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. I didn't enjoy this book at all and had so many problems with so much of this book.

Chocolate Kisses:

Awww this book has the cutest romance

The love triangle in The Infernal Devices trilogy is the cutest romance I've read in a while. Every single romance in this novel was adorable and I wish they could all be friends with me.

Gummy Spiders:

Eek! You made sure to check under your bed every night for a week after reading this scary one

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs terrified me and I actually had to sleep with the lights on for several nights because I was so scared. I would not recommend reading it at night!

Jumbo Lollipops:
This took you forever to get through but hey! You did it!

Most of the books I read for GCSE English took me forever to get through, but the one I remember taking me several months to get through was Spies by Michael Frayn. I spent about two months on this book and would have definitely put it down if my grade didn't depend on it.

Cotton Candy:
Admit it! You loved it when you were a child.

As a child I read every single book by Enid Blyton with Malory Towers and the Famous Five holding special places in my heart.I loved them so much as a child that I will probably read them to my children in the future.

Which book took you forever to get through? And which sweet is your favourite sweet?
Let me know in the comments below!

And until next time, keep reading!

November TBR with a reading challenge all lined up

I haven't taken part in any reading challenges this year so it was surprising when my brain decided it wanted to pick one up in the penultimate month of the year. The challenge I'm going to do actually sounds super cool readathon and is called the Mythothon.

The Mythothon is run by Louise over at Foxes And Fairy tales, and takes place over the entire month of November. There are 24 challenges for you to try to complete, with each challenge being based off of a different Greek God.  I'm going to try and do as many of the challenges as possible, although I'm not sure if I'll be able to read 24 books this month.

Onto the books!

Zeus (King of Gods, God of Sky): Read a book that 400+ pages long

Just One Day by Gayle Foreman

Hera (Queen of Gods, Goddess of Marriage, Mothers + Families): Read a book about royalty
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Hebe (Goddess of Eternal Youth): Read a Middle Grad book
Catching Falling Stars by Karen McCombie

Poseidon (God of the Sea): Read a book which features the sea
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis

Hermes (God of Travellers and Thieves): Read a book set in a country not you own
Destination:Chile by Katy Collins

Aphrodite (Goddess of Love and Beauty): Read a book with a beautiful cover
Beautiful Broken Things by Sara Barnard

The Hydra (Multiheaded Serpent): Read a book with multiple POVs
Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Iris (Goddess of Rainbows): Read a book with your favourite colour on the cover or in the title
Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer

Ancient Greece: Read a book set in the past
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

Hestia (Goddess of the Hearth): Read the first book in a series
Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

Dionysus (God of Wine): Celebrate this year by reading a 2018 release
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Achilles and Patroclus: Read a book with a LGBT+ protagonist
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green

Homer: Read a retelling
Cress by Marissa Meyer

Hephaestus (God of Fire and Smiths): Read a book with a disabled character
The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee

Ares (God of War): Read a book written from the villain's POV
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

Echidna (Mother of Monsters): Read a book about monsters
The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

Herakles: Read a popular book
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Gaia (Primordial Earth Goddess): Read a book published 5+ years go
Sunlit Stage by Simonetta Wenkert

Artemis (Goddess of the Moon and Hunt): Read a book with an animal on the cover/ in the title
Sunset by Erin Hunter

Athena (Goddess of Widsom, Strategy + Crafts): Read a book that isn't first in a series
City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

Persephone (Goddess of the Underworld and Springtime): Read a book under 200 pages
The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

Apollo (God of Prophesy, Plague and Poetry): Read a collection of poetry
Everyday Poetry: Emily Dickinson anthology

Hades (God of the Underworld and Riches): Read a book you got for free
How To Be Happy by Eva Woods

Demeter (Goddess of Agriculture): Read a book with a nature word in the title
Sunshine over Wildflower Cottage by Milly Johnson

I don't think I'm going to get through every book on this list but I'm to try and get through at least half of this list. Who knows how much reading I'll get done?

The villains that terrified (and fascinated) me most

I love villains. They are so interesting, with each villain having a different reason for doing what they are doing. Most heroes are exactly the same, wanting to fight for the greater good of the world with some personal vendetta against the villain. But every single  villain has a different backstory, a different motivation, a different goal. Every villain is unique.

As a reader I mainly stick to the contemporary genre, meaning I don't read a lot of books with villains in them. However, occasionally I feel brave and decide to read a book from another genre which, invariably, has a villain in it. And I love it.

Onto the villains!

1- Johnathan Morgenstern from The Mortal Instruments

How could you not love Johnathan? He is so completely evil and psychotic that he is the perfect villain. Although he doesn't start all the drama that carries through the last three books of the Mortal Instrument series he is the one who carries it all out and adds to the drama. I know we're meant to hate him because he is a villain, but I can't help but love him.

2- The Grand Witch from The Witches

This woman was evil. There was not a single strand of good in her, she was just evil in the purest form. She was prepared to do anything to take over the world, even turn two children into mice. Not only were her plans evil, they were incredibly well though out. She was so smart and cunning that she became twice as terrifying.

3- Big Brother from 1984

Even though Big Brother isn't present in the book the concept of Big Brother is what keeps people in line. Without Big Brother the world would be less controlled, less strict and the government would be easily overthrown. And the scariest thing about Big Brother? He isn't really a foreign concept. 

4- The White Witch from The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe

The White Witch terrified me as a child. I remember the first time I watched the film and I had to sleep with the light on because she scared me so much. She managed to break up the Pensive family, and came so close to victory that it felt like she was certain to win. I can't imagine anything more terrifying than permanent Winter under her reign.

5- Mephistopheles from Dr Faustus

Although we can never be sure if he was truly a villain, Mephistopheles definitely does some morally grey things during his time on Earth. He convinces Faustus to do things that mean he would never be able to be redeemed and generally pushes Faustus to exploit his new found powers in the wrong 

ways.

6- Count Olaf from A Series of Unfortunate Events

An evil and cunning man, Olaf will stop at nothing to get his hands on the Baudelaire fortune. I loved Neil Patrick Harris' interpretation of Olaf: a funny but evil man who is willing to kill three children so that he get his hands on the money. He is one of my favourite villains of all time because of how ridiculous he is.

7- Celeste Newsome from the Selection Series

Not everyone would count her as a villain, and she definitely isn't the most nefarious person on this list, but Celeste is cunning and evil which is enough to earn her a spot on this list. From the start of the Selection she is determined to beat America and the other contestants, and will stop at nothing to marry Prince Maxon. She is hilarious, dramatic and cunning; making her a perfect villain.

Who is your favourite villain? Are they on this list?

Let me know in the comments below!

And until next time, keep reading!

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Release Date: October 18, 2007
Pages: 288
Rating:💜💜💜💜💜
Buy it: Amazon | Book Depository

Clay Jensen returns home to find a strange package with his name on it. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker – his classmate and first love – who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah's voice explains there are thirteen reasons why she killed herself. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out why. All through the night, Clay keeps listening – and what he discovers changes his life... forever.

I was writing this review when I started reading other people's thoughts and feelings about the book. 

Now, instead of a review, I'm going to write a ramble. I'm not going to explain why I gave this book 5 stars.

Instead, I'm going to take up this space to talk about suicide.

*this is not a pity post. seriously. I am not looking for attention, just trying to express my opinions*

I'm going to leave a series of reviews throughout this post that I think you should go read. I enjoyed reading all of them, and I think they all raised valid points.

Review 1 : Emma

This book was always going to get hate. It deals with suicide, rape, abuse and so many other sensitive topics. However, I think the main hate came from the Netflix show.

That show. I have no words to describe how much I hate it. I started watching but gave up because it was too hard to get through. 

I refused to watch it until I read this book because I'd heard how graphic and insensitive it was. But man, I did not expect it to be that bad.

Yes, the book is graphic. The book goes into details. But the book does not carry on when it is not necessary. The TV show does. 

When I was watching the TV show, my main problem was that they dramatised the book. They added more drama, more action, more things to go wrong. 

You know what I would have liked. An adaptation that stuck to the book. An adaptation that didn't add a court case, a lets-hate-Clay-club and a million other things.

An adaptation that didn't make the suicide more dramatic.

Can you believe that?

They made a suicide more dramatic. They literally  looked at a young girl killing herself and thought 'you know what this needs? Drama!' 

Review 2: Another Emma

I loved this review. I really did. It says everything I want to say about this book.

I think the TV show did this book wrong. If the TV show had never existed this book could have been a suicide story that had no stigma around. But because Hollywood can't leave anything alone, they ruined this book as well.

Onto the most important part of this review.

Do not read this book if you are depressed or suicidal. I've been struggling with depressive tendencies for 8 years now, and this book almost sent me to a darker place. (And when I say depressive tendencies, I don't just mean pretty-girl-crying-in-bathroom. I mean can't look in mirrors, hiding at home and skipping school, self-harming, pulling away from friends). This book is a suicide success story (how sick is that to say) and if you might relapse don't read it.

If you have suffered from abuse of any sort please get help. Seriously. Don't hide or wait another day because things might be better. Get help now. I know the media makes talking out hard these days, and you don't know what consequences might occur but you need to speak out. Here are some places to go:
* www.thehotline.org
*1-800-799-7233

If you are having suicidal thoughts, talk to someone. Your mum, dad, auntie, uncle, grandparents, friends, neighbours, teacher, counsellor, boss, even your cat. Talk it out might seem hard at first, but eventually it will get easier and they will help you through it. Even if it is just talking to your pet or your reflection, talking it through helps your brain put everything in order and try to come up with a solution. If you don't want to talk to someone you know here are some links:
*List of international suicide hotlines
*http://afsp.org

If you want to self harm, do something to take your mind off it. I have so many tips and tricks that I do, but every person is different. For example, I can't listen to music through headphones when trying to resist the urge, but that's what helps my friend. However here is list of things that might help:
*visit www.harmless.org.uk 
*talk to a friend
*listen to music
*do something with your hands that requires attention (tidy your room!)
*hold an ice cube, or rub it on the area you self-harm on
*get out and go to a local cafe/ Starbucks/ Costa

Final bit of advice: message me on Instagram. I have a mental health Instagram which I use to document my recovery. I'm literally always on it, so please, if worst comes to worst (or you just want to chat, message me on it.) I'll leave a link here.

So there we go. Good book, bad TV show, lots of advice. I'll see you next time!

Rapid Book Tag

A quick book tag this week because my life is a little hectic and I thought this tag would reflect the general tone of my life at the moment. Definitely not because I completely forgot I hadn't written a post yet so I'm doing this last minute instead of homework. 

Nope.

Anyways...onto the tag!

E-Book or Physical Book?

Physical 100%. I can't concentrate on e-books because I get distracted very easily and like being able to see what is on the next page before I read it.

Paperback or Hardback?

I want to be able to afford hardback books but I don't have the money for it. Plus paperback books take up less space which means I can justify buying more of them.

Online or in-store book shopping?

About 70% of my books are from charity shops so I don't really lean one way or the other. If I had to I would chose in-store book shopping because it feels more personal and the book seems to have more love in it.

Trilogies or series?

Trilogies. I get bored when reading series, or need a break from the world which leads to me putting down the book and then forgetting what happened, but that never happens with trilogies.

Heroes or villains? 

Morally, heroes. For fun factor, villains. Heroes are all a bit samey these days whereas all the villains I've read about are different, making the story more interesting.

A book you want everyone to read?

The Sign of One trilogy because it deserves more love than it gets.

Recommend an underrated book

I guess I did this in the last question but another underrated book that deserves more love is Listen to the Nightingale by Rumer Godden. It is a beautiful book that only has 126 ratings on Goodreads. Go read it! 

Last book you finished

Marly's Ghost by David Levithan. Would not recommend.

Last book you bought

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

Weirdest thing you've used as a bookmark

Not the weirdest thing but I am currently using the price tag from my skirt.

Used books: yes or no?

YES! 

As I've already said, about 70% of my books are second-hand and they're still in good quality. I love seeing what is left in the books from the previous owner.

Top 3 favourite genres?

Historical fiction, dystopian, realistic novels.

Borrow or buy?

Borrow. 

If I'm not sure about a book I always borrow it from the library instead of buying it, just to be on the safe side.

Characters or plot?

Characters because they drive the plot, so bad characters = bad plot.

Long or short books?

At the moment, short. Over 300 pages is a struggle for me currently.

Long or short chapters?

Short! 

I motivate myself to do homework by letting myself read a chapter between tasks and if the chapters are too long I end up not doing my homework.

Name the first 3 books you can think of

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Peter Pan by J.M.Barrie 

Secrets for the Mad by dodie

Books that make you cry or laugh?

Can I choose both? I love books that make me feel devastated about the characters misfortunes on one page and laughing about how they deal with their troubles the next page.

Our world or fictional worlds?

Both. Depends on the world.

Audiobooks: yes or no?

Okay, confession time. I've never listened to an audiobook.  I just can't get hooked in the same as when I'm physically reading a book. If you leave recommendation below maybe I'll find one that hooks me.

Do you judge a book by its cover?

Yes! Whoever says they don't is lying because we all do.

Book to Movie or Book to TV?

TV. That way the plot can be developed better and they don't have to cut out as many things.

A movie or TV show you preferred more?

P.S I Love You. I love both the book and the movie but I have happier memories of the movie than the book.

Series of stand-alones?

For contemporaries, stand-alones. Otherwise, series.

What is the last book you bought? And the last book you read?

Let me know in the comments below?

And until next time, keep reading!

The most beautiful bookish places I know

There are some beautiful book havens in the world and obviously they are all miles away from me. This week is sort of like a bucket list for me, of all the places I want to go when I have enough time (and money). The majority of these placces are in Europe so maybe I'll plan an epic road trip and visit them all one summer.

Libreria Acqua Alta in Venice, Italy

My family actually went here last year, but I was still in school so I didn't get to go. The idea of a floating bookshop is magical and the decorations are all nautical so it looks like you are inside a boat. My favourite picture from this shop is the one of the boat that is full of books of all shapes and sizes, which is a book lovers dream (or at least my dream). Sometimes stray cats wander in off the streets so you might get to see a fluffy friend when you go there.

Boekhandel Dominicanen (Polare Maastricht) in Maastricht, The Netherlands

I actually only live about an hour away from this  bookshop so I could very easily get here. The book shop itself isn't spectacular, especially not for English readers, but the building itself is gorgeous. The church is a Medieval Dominican church that has been converted into a bookshop and the beautiful, swooping arches are enough to distract anyone form the books.

Shakespeare and Company in Paris, France

Arguably the most famous bookshop in Paris, I've always dreamt of visiting this bookshop. It looks like the definition of organised chaos, utterly beautiful but also frantic. One day I'm going to live in Paris and spend as much time as possible visiting this bookshop.

Word on the Water in London, England

This bookshop is a lovely 1920s Dutch barge that floats around the Thames all year round. Apparently there is a wood burning stove for the winter months which is a) dangerous b) absolutely adorable. I'll have to hunt it down next time I'm in London and have a look around.

Cărturești Carusel Bookstore in Bucharest, Romania

This is the fanciest bookshop I think I have ever seen, with ornate staircases and white...everything. It looks clean, fancy and modern with light pouring in from the ceiling windows that cover the roof. I think I'd be intimidated by how many books are held in this shop.

Livraria Lello in Porto, Portugal

I understand why JKR used this bookshop as inspiration for Harry Potter because it is the most beautiful place I have ever seen. It is this fancy place that has beautiful staircases, lots of dark wood everywhere, and ceiling to floor bookshelves.

Admont Abbey Library in Admont, Austria

So technically Admont Abbey Library is not a bookshop, but it is too beautiful to leave off this list. The ceilings are decorated like the Sistine Chapel with the same extravagant, stunning paintings.

Which of these beautiful bookshops have you been to? Which do you want to go to?

Let me know in the comments below!

And until next time, keep reading!

Autoboyography by Christina Lauren

Autoboyography by Christina Lauren
Release Date: September 12, 2017
Pages: 416
Rating: 💜💜💜💜
Buy it: Amazon | Book Depository

Three years ago, Tanner Scott was nudged  temporarily back into the closet. Now, with one semester of high school to go, Tanner plans to coast through his remaining classes and clear out of Utah. Writing a book in four months sounds simple. Four months is an eternity. It turns out, Tanner is only partly right: four months is a long time. After all, it takes only one second for him to notice Sebastian Brother, the Mormon prodigy who sold his own Seminar novel . And it takes less than a month for Tanner to fall completely in love with him. 


I adored this book. Not only is it GORGEOUS, but it is such a heart-warming story that made me feel so good inside.

Autoboyography is a typical, coming-of-age story, and I am here for it. I loved the fact that everything felt like a 'stereotypical' high school contemporary because the fact that they are both on the spectrum isn't forced on you. Obviously the book does talk about them being gay/bi but it is more an exploration of the Mormon religion and having a relationship when you're young. It was a coming-of-age story that warmed my heart to the core.

I loved the way that the Mormon religion wasn't portrayed as some sort of evil overbearing force. Of course there were moments when the religion seemed (kicking gay children out of their households), but the book also explored the sweeter sides of the Mormon belief system. I knew nothing about the Mormons before reading this book, apart from the fact that they are very strict and very religious, but after reading Autoboyography I just wanted to learn more and more about the Mormons. I don't know how accurate the representation in this book was (I can't remember if it is own voices or not), but every topic that was 'explored' in this novel seemed explored well.

There was definite insta-love in this book which irked me a little (and is literally the only reason why I gave it 4 stars, not 5). I am all for love at first sight, and think it is one of the cutest things in this world. But when a character won't stop talking about how 'fit' their boyfriend is, I get annoyed. Talk about their personality! Don't be shallow!

Overall I loved this book. It was a cute and beautiful coming-of-age book that had great representation for some under-represented topics. I want everyone to read this book because it filled my heart with so much hope for the world, and I think we need some hope these days.

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Release Date: October 20, 2015
Pages: 624
Rating:💜💜
Buy it: Amazon | Book Depository

Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the worst thing she'd ever been through. That was before her planet was invaded. Now, with enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra are forced to fight their way onto one of the evacuating craft, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their biggest threat; and nobody in charge will say what's really going on. As Kady plunges into a web of data hacking to get to the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: Ezra. 

I was surprisingly let down by this book. After all the hype that had surrounded it I was expecting an incredible master piece, but I just didn't get find what was so incredible about this book.

This book is  definitely beautiful; anyone could see that. The diagrams and pictures that make up the majority of this book were what kept me reading. I loved the format of the book because it was so different from every other book I ever read. There were interviews, messenger chats, files and logs that had been collected together to make this book and tell the story of what happened on these spaceships. It was different and intriguing and, honestly, the only reason why I picked up the book.

Where this book fell short was with the characters. Personally, I am a character reader. I need to know what they look like, what their dreams are, what they like to eat for breakfast, everything about the character. I just love to be able picture the characters and what they are doing. Even if the book only has a tiny description of what they look like, I'm able to picture their voice talking and it makes my reading experience so much more enjoyable. But with this book, there was none of that. I had no idea what the characters were like, and the little bits of information we did get I didn't like. Both the main characters were whiny and annoying which made me feel detached from them. I wasn't invested in them, and I didn't really care what happened next.

I might be willing to give this book another chance in the future, especially if I listen to the audiobook. I had no problems with the plot of the book, but because I couldn't imagine the characters voices I couldn't enjoy the story.

So there we go. I would recommend that you read this book, but maybe chose the audiobook version over the physical version (or do both, go crazy!).

The Fall Book Tag

It is finally Autumn again and I couldn't be happier. I love Autumn so much, it is colder, cosier and the world just becomes so pretty.

This tag, created by the Bionic Bookworm, is the Fall Book Tag which suggests it is created by someone American. I actually researched why it is Autumn in English and Fall in America, because I'm a word nerd and love to learn (I know, ultimate nerd). In short, autumn and fall were both used in England but because autumn is from Latin and English people spoke Latin for a lot longer than those who lived in America. 

Anyway...onto the tag!

Crisp Fall Leaves - A book that felt fresh and new

I generally read the same style and genre of book (because I'm not very adventurous) but one book that did feel new was  Daughter of Smoke and Bones by Laini Taylor. I don't read fantasy very often because I struggle to stay focused, but this book had me hooked.

Howling Winds - An ending that blew you away

This might not be very original but I'm going to say Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare. This book, and indeed the whole series, had so many twists and turns that everything in this book was surprising. I honestly was expecting the ending that came with this book and I spent a solid fortnight getting over the ending.

Comfy sweater - A book that gave you warm, fuzzy feelings

To All The Boys I Loved Before by Jenny Han is the warmest and fuzziest book I've ever read. Although Harry Potter makes me feel warm and fuzzy, TATBILB is loveliness in a book.

Bright colours - A book cover with yellow, red or orange on it

The most obvious book for this one is Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. It has all three of these colours on it and does scream autumn. Although the story doesn't have anything to do with autumn, being set predominantly in space, it is all the colours of autumn.

Leaf Fight - A book with non-stop action

Definitely The Sign of One by Eugene Lambert, the one book series I can't stop raving about. This whole series is jammed full of action and adventure which kept me gripped to the very end.

Pumpkin Spice - Your most anticipated read

I don't have too many new releases on my radar at the moment but one that I am very excited about is Broken Things by Lauren Oliver. I love Lauren Oliver's writing style and this book sounds so intriguing. I've been really into mystery books at the moment so this is right up my alley.

Which books remind you of Autumn? Which genre do you read the most at this time? 

Let me know in the comments below!

And until next time, keep reading!

Books that take up too much space on my shelf

Top Ten Tuesday: Longest Books I’ve Ever Read

I don't read long books very often, mainly because I love sitting down and reading a book in one sitting (although they do also intimidate me a little). Another problem I have with long books is the fact that I'm a chapter reader: I read one chapter, do some work, then read another chapter until I've done all my work. Longer books mean longer chapters and that just doesn't work for me.

HOWEVER, I have read a couple of long books in my life. Most of these books took me weeks to read and still intimidate me, even though I've read them. I still can't believe I've actually read them, and can't imagine ever reading them again.

The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

Amazon - Book Depository - Goodreads

Total page count: 4,911

This book series is famous for being incredibly long, with the longest book being 870 pages (Order of the Phoenix). Surprisingly enough this book is actually my favourite book of the entire series, even though it is the longest. And even though the series is 4,911 pages in total I've read it 5 times in my life. I guess that is just the magic of Harry Potter.

Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer 

Amazon - Book Depository - Goodreads

Total page count: 629

The third, and arguably best, book in the Twilight series is actually a lot longer than I remembered. The book series was actually fairly good up until the fourth book, so I guess you could say that this book was Stephanie Meyer's last triumph. 

Dreams of Gods and Monster by Laini Taylor

Amazon - Book Depository - Goodreads

Total page count: 613

This series killed me. I read the entire thing in two weeks, which was far too fast I'll admit, but I couldn't put it down. I don't often read fantasy but this was entirely captivating. The funniest thing is that now I look at this and can only feel dread at how long it is. I don't know how long it would take me to read it now, but it is definitely going to be longer than two weeks!

Illuminae by Amie Kaufmann
Amazon - Book Depository - Goodreads
Total page count: 608

I didn't actually enjoy this book when I read it. I felt awful about disliking this book when everyone else was raving about it but I just couldn't get into the story. It was so long and the writing style was so different from what I'm used to that I ended up getting bored. I guess this is what happens when you go into a book with such high expectations.

The House of Hades by Rick Riordan
Amazon - Book Depository - Goodreads
Total page count: 597

I will read literally any Rick Riordan no matter how long it is. I remember reading this book, putting it down, and wishing it was longer. It was over too fast and I wasn't prepared for the story to end. Maybe it is just Rick's utterly captivating writing style that kept me hooked, or maybe it is my total adoration for these book characters that kept me reading; either way I loved the story.

Hunger by Michael Grant
Amazon - Book Depository - Goodreads
Total page count: 590

I don't know whether I talk about this series enough on here but it my favourite series in the world. My first YA series and my first dystopian...anything. It is one of the only series I've read where I had to wait for the next book to be released before I could read it and it was absolute torture. Surprisingly the second book in this series was the longest, which (in my mind) makes no sense.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Amazon - Book Depository - Goodreads
Total page count: 584

This book! This book! It may be long but it only takes one page to destroy you. I loved this book when I read it about 4 years ago, and ever since then I've wanted to re-read it. When you look at this book it really doesn't feel like it is almost 600 pages long, but I guess it has very thin pages that makes it this long.

What is  the longest book you've ever read? Which book on your shelf is the longest?
Let me know in the comments below!

And until next time, keep reading!

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle
Release Date: January 1,  1962
Pages: 211
Rating: 💜💜💜
Buy it: Amazon | Book Depository

It was a dark and stormy night; Meg Murry, her small brother Charles Wallace, and her mother are visited by a most disturbing stranger who is connected to Meg's father, who had been experimenting with a fifth dimension of time travel, when he mysteriously disappeared. Now the time has come for Meg, her friend Calvin, and Charles Wallace to rescue him. But can they outwit the forces of evil they will encounter on their journey?


This classic is such a great introduction to the sci-fi genre. As someone who doesn't particularly enjoy sci-fi I loved this story, and really enjoyed reading this story. It seems to go quite fast because of how short  it is, meaning you can fly through it.

To be honest, I don't know if I would have read this book if I wasn't so interested in the movie. It looked so interesting and peculiar that I knew I had to read the book as soon as possible. I didn't even realise it was so short; I thought it was going to be a 500-page classic that would send me to sleep. But this book did the opposite to me. It made me interested in the sci-fi worlds that people create, and the idea of time travel, so I'm glad it opened up my eyes to this genre.

The book did seem to drag on a bit, and I even considered DNF-ing it a couple of times. There just seemed to be a lot of talking and not a lot of doing anything. It wasn't until the last chapter or two that any action really happened, and even then it wasn't that dramatic. I guess it was more of an exploration of the sci-fi genre (considering when it was written) rather than a sci-fi book, but it did make it harder to get through. And the ending was so vague that I couldn't believe that was how it ended!It just sort of ended, like many books from that time do, with little to no explanation. It just...stopped.

Overall, I did enjoy the book and I'm super excited for the film (which has just come out!). However I did feel a little let down by the book, especially after how much everyone has been raving about it, so I'll have to see if I enjoy the film more!

The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord

The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord
Release Date: May 16, 2017
Pages: 380
Rating: 💜💜💜
Buy it: Amazon | Book Depository

Everything is going right for Lucy Hansson, until her mom’s cancer reappears. Just like that, Lucy breaks with all the constants in her life and lands at a camp for kids who have been through tough times. As a counsellor, Lucy is in over her head and longs to be with her parents across the lake. But that’s before she gets to know her coworkers, who are as loving and unafraid as she so desperately wants to be.

This book was a fun contemporary book and I'm glad it was one of my first reads of the year. Sure, it had some problems but I did enjoy reading it.

My main problem with this book is that I didn't feel attached to any of the characters. When something bad happened to one of them I just went "Okay then" instead of truly empathise with them. Alongside that, I did not enjoy reading from Lucy's point of view. I found her whiny and dramatic, something I highly doubt a girl of her age would be (not to that level anyway). I understood that yes, her mum had cancer, but the fact that she didn't put any effort into the camp and it wasn't until hot boy starts liking her that she really wanted to stay. It just...irked me.

Apart from that, this book was enjoyable. I loved reading about the teens and what they got up to over the summer. Going to camp has always fascinated me, so this book was a brilliant learning experience me. I loved the amount of freedom they all seemed to have, being allowed to go do whatever they wanted on their days off. I especially loved their Friday meet-ups, with the one good thing and one bad thing that happened that week. It was such a beautiful way to get to know each of the characters, and discover what made them happy and sad.

The LGBTQ+ representation in this book was subtle, but it was there. I don't know much about the community that was represented (trying not to spoil anything here!) so I can't really judge how accurate the representation was, but I felt that it was dealt with well. There was no point where the character's position was shoved in the your face or used just as a plot device. It was quite nice to read about, especially in a book where religion obviously plays a major role. So, yes...very pleased.

Overall I think this book was enjoyable but nothing special. (no offence, Emery Lord). It was fun to read but now I've finished it I won't think about about again (unless I'm forced to).  If you're looking for a light-hearted summer contemporary to read, give this book a try. It is a nice book and put me in a good mood for the start of the year.