December TBR

I know this post is a little late, but I've finally managed to figure out which books I want to read for the last month of not only the year, but also the decade. I decided not to put too much pressure on picking the 'right' book for the end of the year and to just read fun books that will make me feel warm inside during possibly the coldest of winter months.

Christmas at the Cupcake Cafe by Jenny Colgan
Book Depository丨Goodreads

The Cosy Christmas Chocolate Shop by Caroline Roberts
Book Depository丨Goodreads

Calling Mrs Christmas by Carole Matthews
Book Depository丨Goodreads

The Chocolate Lovers Christmas by Carole Matthews
Book Depository丨Goodreads

Christmas on the Little Cornish Isles by Phillipa Ashley
Book Depository丨Goodreads

I'm also taking part in the Winter Harry Potter Readathon (link here) but you don't get all the prompts at the start of the month (you kind of work through the prompts, it's really cool), so I can only tell you the first book that I've chosen which is:

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
Book Depository丨Goodreads

What are you reading this month? Are you reading any Christmassy books?

Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time, keep reading!

Favourite Christmas books I've read in my life

Top Ten Tuesday: Holiday Reads

I love reading Christmas books in the build up to Christmas Day, reading four or five every December. For me, Christmas books are what Christmas movies are to most people: a way to get excited about the Christmas season whilst feeling warm and cosy inside. As a result, I have read a huge amount of Christmas books in my life and I have decided to use this prompt to list my favourites (so far).

This list is in no way ordered because I love all of them equally!

Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle
Book Depository # Goodreads

Angels at the Table by Debbie Macomber
Book Depository丨Goodreads

The Twelve Days of Dash and Lily by David Leviathan and Rachel Cohn
Book Depository丨Goodreads

Christmas at the Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan
Book Depository丨Goodreads

...And a Happy New Year? by Holly Bourne
Book Depository丨Goodreads

Mistletoe and Murder by Robin Stevens
Book Depository丨Goodreads

My True Love Gave To Me edited by Stephanie Perkins
Book Depository丨Goodreads

And obviously... How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr Seuss
Book Depository 丨Goodreads

Do you read certain books at certain times of the year? Have you read any of these books?
Let me know in the comments below!

And until next time, keep reading!

Autumn Book Haul

Wow! I'm back on this blog again, and just in time for blogmas! The festive season is now upon us and I though it would be good to kick it off with a final farewell to the Autumn season aka an extremely long book haul. I've been trying really hard to only buy two books a month, but as you can tell I went a little bit crazy last month and ended up buying 6 books! Whoops!

Anyways, all the books that are in red are ones I've read (see the play on words...) and all the ones in green are ones I still have to read, so you can see how balanced I've tried to keep it. Also, the ones in blue are the ones that my mum gave me (so at least it wasn't my money I was spending).

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

The Boy Who Steals Houses by C.G Drews

Someone Gives This Heart A Pen by Sophia Thanker

Panic by Lauren Oliver

Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer

The Shadowhunter Codex by Cassandra Clare

Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera

The Places I've Cried in Public by Holly Bourne

Songs about a Boy by Chris Russell

The Red Scrolls of Magic by Cassandra Clare

Lost Dogs and Lonely Hearts by Lucy Dillion

The Lido by Libby Page

Christmas on the Little Cornish Isles by Phillipa Ashley

Hygge and Kisses by Clara Christensen

The Cornish Cream Tea Bus by Cressida McLaughlin

So yeah, I ended up collecting 16 books over 3 months which is honestly more than I thought I was going to end up with. I'm desperately trying to get my TBR under 300 books but at this point it seems to be a losing battle!

How many books did you buy this Autumn? Have you read any of the books on my list?

Let me know in the comments below!

And until next time, keep reading!

Extraordinary(ly long) book titles

Top Ten Tuesday: Extraordinary Book Titles

For this weeks Top Ten Tuesday I decided to have a look at the increasing trend in books to have the most ridiculously long title possible, making it very difficult to talk about these books without needing to take a break and catch my breath. As annoying as it is, I do love the long titles that take us away from the YA dystopia trend of using a single word to describe the entire story!

I've ordered the books from shortest title to longest, so watch as they slowly get more and more ridiculous as the list goes on.

The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir

Goodreads | Book Depository

Starting off small with a title that is only 6 six words, I always feel ridiculous when I tell people the title of this book, and often end up shortening it to just Biddy Weir. Compared to the rest of the books on this list, maybe I shouldn't feel so ridiculous!

The Curious Incident of Dog in the Night-Time

Goodreads | Book Depository

Another short, long title that comes in at 9 words (depending how you split night-time), this books is well-loved and can only be said as a full title. How would you split it to make it shorter? Who knows? But I do know it takes up enough time to earn a place on this list.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Goodreads | Book Depository

I read this book over the Summer and though it was absolutely incredible. For a book so short it sure does make up for it with the length of its title, although we still haven't hit double digits yet!

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Goodreads | Book Depository

Last one in the single digits, and a beautiful one to end with. The story and writing style is as poetic as the people that inspired the character's names and I always get distracted by the cover when I see it on the shelves in bookshops.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Goodreads | Amazon

Our first book that is in the double digits and what an iconic one! I haven't actually read this book but I do know all about it (which I think is true to most book lovers around the world). Compared to the rest of the books on this list its title is still short, only just making it to 10 words.

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

Goodreads | Book Depository

Who else remembers when this book came out and all the booktubers were trying to find a way to shorten the title? The entire series has crazy long titles, but this one is the longest (12 words) and the most intriguing, in my opinion. Also, the covers of this series are gorgeous so that makes up for the extraordinarily long title!

The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared

Goodreads | Book Depository

Admittedly not the longest title that Jonas Jonasson has come up with in his time as a writer, it is the most memorable and the book I talk about the most. This is another one that I have troubles shortening because 'The Hundred Year Old Man' just doesn't sound right but I don't want to say the whole title all the time.

The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure

Goodreads | Book Depository

Did anyone know that this was the full title of The Princess Bride? I quite like the full title actually because it adds an extra layer of excitement and adventure to this story. Also, it makes it sound more like a classical Medieval story that has been passed down the generations (which is fitting for a story this timeless).

The Boyfriend List: 15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and Me, Ruby Oliver

Goodreads | Book Depository

The Ruby Oliver series was actually the first set of books I read by E. Lockhart, so I had no idea that she wrote thrillers. Although I love her thriller stories there will always be a special place in my heart for her ridiculously names Ruby Oliver series 

Captain Underpants and the Invasion of the Incredibly Naughty Cafeteria Ladies from Outer Space and the Subsequent Assault of the Equally Evil Lunchroom Zombie Nerds 

Goodreads | Book Depository

o all Captain Underpants books have ridiculous book titles, but this one definitely wins for most ridiculous. Coming it at 25 words it is the longest title I've ever seen, and I didn't even realise when I read it! Luckily most people just to refer to this series as the Captain Underpants books so I don't have to recite this monster every time I talk about it.

And bonus one: the longest title in the world which is 1022 words long!

I honestly didn't believe this when I looked it up, but the title is actually that long (and obviously it is about Harry Potter)!

What is the longest title of a book you've read? Have you read any of the books on this list?

Let me know in the comments below!

And until next time, keep reading!

Bookish people I watch when I'm not reading

A couple of years ago I did a Top Ten Tuesday post about my favourite booktubers, and I realised that my list has changed a little since then (mainly I watch a lot more booktubers now then I did then). So I decided to take the opportunity today to share my new list of booktubers you need to watch.

Codie's Book Corner (Codie)

I've only just started watching Codie's videos but I love her Wheel of TBR series! It's such a creative way to try and get through her TBR, and a lot of fun to watch her panic as the big book prompt comes up! She also does weekly reading vlogs so you can see her progress as she works through the TBR.

A Clockwork Reader (Hannah)

She hasn't been uploading as much lately, but the videos that she does upload are the softest things on Youtube and always fill me with a warm feeling. I love that she has started doing her own thing, rather than only focusing on book related videos because it seems to make her happier.

Read by Zoe (Zoe)

I think I can safely say that of all the people on this list, Zoe is my favourite. I watch every single video by her, love everything she puts out and will always watch her videos. She is like a little ray of sunshine coming through your screen and always makes me feel better.

Peruse Project (Regan)

I've only just started watching Regan's videos (literally last week) but I really love her book haul videos that she does, so she deserved a place on this list! She reads a mixture of new releases and older books, so I'm always guaranteed to see a book in her haul that I've heard of!

Books and Lala (Kayla)

The Queen of Readathons, Kayla has become my new obsession this year. She vlogs about books that she is reading, readathons that she is competing in and challenges that she has set herself. On top of that she always puts out fun ans unique videos, which leave me in awe of her mental power.

 Books With Emily Fox (Emily)

Emily's videos are different from the other youtubers on this list because she's not afraid to talk about her negative opinions and it is absolutely hilarious. Also she has a snow globe of herself that the camera always focuses on, which has resulted in a love/hate relationship between Emily and her snow globe.

Merphy Napier (Merphy)

Merphy has been doing a series on her channel recently of the best and worst books in certain categories (like series finales or starters) and I've found them really interesting. In all her wrap-ups (as well as these videos) she goes into detail about why she didn't enjoy a certain book, so that you know to avoid it if it doesn't sound like your cup of tea, and it makes her wrap-ups good fun to watch.

Which booktubers are your favourites? Are any of them on this list?
Let me know in the comments below!

And until next time, keep reading!

Character traits I love

Top Ten Tuesday: Character Traits I love

This was hard because all I could think of was characters that I love, but not why I love them. After about three hours of brainstorming (and a lot of staring at my bookshelf) I finally managed to compile a list of character traits that seem to be common in all of the characters that I love.

1- Smart characters who aren't afraid to be smart...

I love characters that are smart. I love it even more when these characters don't shy away from their intellect but proudly use it to help progress the plot and assist the other characters. Obviously the main character who fits this category is Hermione from the Harry Potter series, who is an icon for smart people everywhere.

2- and characters who have a thing. 

On top of smart characters, I love characters that have a thing that they are obsessed with. The first character that comes to mind is Gansey from The Raven Cycle. He doesn't necessarily excel at school (he can't understand Latin) but he can recite any amount of information about ley lines and Welsh history, which I loved. 

3- Characters who are proud of their families

Maybe it's because I read a lot of YA books but I always find it to be a nice surprise when characters proudly talk about their families to the people they are with. Anytime a character has a living family it is a miracle, and if the character actively talks to their family I fall in love with them immediately. A good example of this is Starr from THUG, who has a very realistic relationship with her family.

4- Characters who are romantic

 I love characters who are obviously in love with someone else, even if that person  doesn't realise, but it also tortures me because why can't they just be happy and in love together!! I'm currently reading Outlander and Jamie is stealing my heart. Although he's a little rough and tough at times he has the most beautiful things to say about Claire and it makes my heart melt a little.

 5- Characters that are sarcastic

How many people thought of Magnus Bane when I said that? As a British person I thrive off of sarcasm so when a character is well-written as a sarcastic little bean they instantly become my new favourite character.

6- Characters who thrive in isolation

Not really a character trait, but I've recently loved the rise in literature of people who have been social outcasts for most of their life and are now trying to reconnect with society. The first book I read like this was The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir (about three years ago)  and it has stuck with me.

7- Characters who are a good laugh

I think everyone can agree that funny characters who add some sort of comic relief to a story are always welcome. In general people who can make me laugh are my favourite people, so when a book character does it I feel warm inside.

8- Characters who stay positive in a bad world

Admittedly this can go one of two ways: I love them and they become my new favourite character or I can't stand them and they ruin the book for me. When this character is written right I love them with all my heart because they inspire me to keep my head up, even when times are hard.

9- Characters who are vulnerable (especially villains)

I love it when characters show their weak side, be it on purpose or because they thought they were alone. I especially love it when the person being vulnerable is a villain (think Loki) as it shows people that everyone has it in them to show their insecurities.

10- And finally, bookworms!

How could I make this post and not talk about characters that love books?! There are so many characters that fit into this category that I couldn't possibly list them all here, but I love them all. I especially love reading the books that are mentioned to try and figure out why these characters love the books so much!

What character traits do you love? Are any of them on this list?
Let me know in the comments below!

And until next time, keep reading!

On the Come Up by Angie Thomas

On The Come Up by Angie Thomas
Release Date: February 5, 2019
Pages: 435
Rating: 💜💜💜💜💜
Buy it: Amazon |  Book Depository

As the daughter of an underground hip hop legend who died right before he hit big, Bri's got massive shoes to fill. But Bri soon finds herself at the centre of controversy and portrayed by the media as more menace than MC. And with an eviction notice staring her family down, Bri no longer just wants to make it - she has to. Even if it means becoming the very thing the public has made her out to be.

I know you shouldn't compare an author's books, especially two stories that are so important. However, I feel the only way I can truly talk about how many emotions this book made me feel is by relating it to how many emotions THUG made me feel.

This story felt so different from THUG, and yet so similar. I felt like we got to see more of Garden Heights in this book, from the gang life to the drug problems that held the Heights in its grips. I know THUG showed police brutality and the whole black rights movement, but this book felt more gritty... and scary. For some reason I felt more connected to Bri than I did to Starr, maybe because her story was more rooted in family dynamics and trying to overcome other people's perceptions of you (even if it has terrible consequences).

Bri wasn't as instantly likeable as Starr (she was more argumentative for one) and I spent a lot of the book mentally trying to telepathically make her shut up, but you can't help but love her by the end of the book. She stands up for herself when she feels that people are trying to push her into a certain box and doesn't let anyone control her. This is especially evident when she starts to rap more, as she wants to be successful but doesn't want to lose her identity as a rapper. She is especially strong when everyone starts trying to tell her what to rap about, and decides it is best if she decides what goes into her raps, rather than listen to other people. Talking about her raps, they were incredible (you can tell Angie Thomas used to be a rapper), and I honestly think that those raps would have the power to reach out to hundreds of unrepresented people if they were actually released. You could feel the pain behind her lyrics, and I found myself cheering along at some of the burns that she created during her battles.

My favourite part of this book was the fact that Bri didn't want to be used as a symbol of hope. She didn't want people to use her story as a story to inspire her movement; she just wanted people to forget what happened and leave her alone. She wanted her family to have money. She wanted her dad back. It was so different from what Starr went through in THUG and it was nice to see that side of humanity that doesn't want to make a deal out of things (especially if they think it will make things worse for themselves). There are even scenes in the book where Bri argues with people who want her to use her story to promote black rights in her school, and she straight up refuses, which I think is important for people to see.

I also loved that Bri didn't end the story with her ideal happy ending. Much like the ending of any Pixar film, everything went the opposite way from what was expected. But by writing it this way Angie Thomas made the story feel more realistic, because even though Bri didn't get what she wanted she ended up with a happy ending. This story was as much about black rights as it was about Bri's journey to figure out what was right for her

So all in all, a very moving book with plenty of fun moments meshed into the story line. Angie Thomas has once again shown her pure talent as an author, and I can't wait to read more stories from her (no matter how much they break my heart).

September Wrap-up

Autumn is officially here, school has started again and the holiday season is about to begin. If you have seen any of my posts from this month then you will know that Autumn is my favourite time of the year. The weather turns cold and it becomes socially acceptable to sit inside with a warm drink and a book. Also I'm one of those odd people who enjoys the feeling of being cold, when the wind pinch your face and numbs your fingers, because it makes your body feel alive (plus going inside afterwards always feels better). Anyway, onto my month!

What I read:

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black- I'm late to this book, but I'm glad I waited until I was in a fantasy mood, rather than forcing myself through it. I've already reviewed it as well!

Happiness for Beginners by Carole Matthews-I wanted to get a romance kick (especially after reading so many fantasy books) but sadly this book didn't deliver for me. (I've written a review so you can see all of my thoughts).

From Twinkle, With Love by Sandhya Menon-this book was what I was looking for when I wanted romance, but it gave me so much more. Of course, I had to review it straight away because I loved it so much.

On the Come Up by Angie Thomas- Obviously this book was amazing and made you really think about society and the treatment of African-Americans. I can't wait for Angie Thomas to release more books.

Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne- this book took me so long to get through (especially for how short it is) but I'm glad I pushed through it because it was the best travel book I've read in a while.

Zenith: Phase One by Grant Morrison- my only graphic novel of the month, the concept of this book was so different from any other stories I've read. Think Captain America mixed with Maus.

They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera- reading this on the last day of the month was both a great and an awful decision. It hurt my heart to read it and I'm going to try read more Adam Silvera by the end of the year.

What I watched:

Unbelievable- this was incredible and possibly the best thing I've watched all year. I will admit, I stayed up all night watching the entire thing in one night, but it has stuck with me and I'm definitely going to have to watch it again at some point.

Outlander (season 1)- I'm very late to the bandwagon here but I finally get all the hype around this series. I used to watch a lot of Sasha's videos and she was obsessed with this book, and now I've started watching the series I can understand why! One of my first reads of October is going to have to be Outlander, just to see the similarities and differences.

The Good Place (season 4)- it's back! It's a bittersweet moment, because this is going to be the last season of the Good Place, but it is the kind of series that I can watch over and over again so I'll be able to watch the show again once it's over.

What I wrote:

Books I'm reading this Autumn- coming back to Top Ten Tuesday with this post was good fun, although I've already changed my plans at least twice since writing this post!

The Autumn Book Tag - I thought I'd kick of the new season with a tag about all things Autumn, and let me tell you, I had a lot of fun looking through my bookshelves for the most Autumny book I could find.

Series Review: Shadowhunters- I have a series on this blog where I review popular series collectively, and  this month was the Shadowhunter series. I've finally caught up with the series (after 4 years of reading them!) and am so excited for the books that are getting released next year!

What I did:

Started university- I am officially a university student now so I have no money and a lot of work. But all jokes aside, I've loved my first month here and I'm really excited for the rest of my course. 

Started writing again - I've been meaning to get back into writing for a long time now and I decided to finally get back into. I'm uploading the chapters onto Wattpad, so if you want to check it out feel free!

Revived my instagram- seems like I spent most of this month starting things but towards the end of the month I started paying more attention to my instagram account (which you can check out for more bookish stuff)

Sang karaoke for the first time- yes, I have gone 18 years without singing karaoke and I finally broke that this month. Obviously I had to sing Bohemian Rhapsody which was an incredibly powerful moment (and I lived off the buzz for days).

What did you do this September? And what are your plans for October? 

Let me know in the comments below!

And until next time, keep reading!

The only maths I will do (aka numbers in titles)

Top Ten Tuesday: Book Titles with Numbers in Them

Until I saw this topic I hadn't really given a second thought to how many books have numbers in the title, but now it is all I can think of. When I went into the bookshop the other day every single book I looked at seemed to have a number in the title and now I can't escape this trend. 

I wonder why so many books have numbers in the title; is it because people are attracted to numbers or is it because it adds an air of mystery? Who knows. I definitely don't.

Today we are going to be counting as high as possible using book titles. The basic rules are: I can't skip numbers, I can use fractions (like 9 3/4 or 7 1/2) and obviously they have to be real books.

Let's go!

Ready Player One- Ernest Cline

Two Can Keep a Secret- Karen M. McNamus

Life of Pi- Yann Martel

Four- Veronica Roth

The Five People You Meet in Heaven- Mitch Albom

Six of Crows- Leigh Bardugo

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle- Stuart Turton

Fox 8- George Saunders

Ninth House- Leigh Bardugo

Ten Things We Did- Sarah Mlynoski

Station Eleven- Emily St John Mandel

Twelfth Night- William Shakespeare

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4- Sue Townsend

That's as far as I could get to, but if you can think of anymore please comment below! Just remember that you can't skip numbers (sorry, no 1984) but you can use fractions.

And until next time, keep reading!

Happiness for Beginners by Carole Matthews

Happiness for Beginners by Carole Matthews
Pages: 464
Release Date: February 21, 2019 
Rating:💜💜💜
Buy it: Amazon | Book Depository

Molly runs her farm as an alternative school for kids who haven't thrived in mainstream education. It's full on, but she wouldn't have it any other way. So when Shelby Dacre turns up asking to enrol his son Lucas, Molly isn't fazed. But Lucas is distant and soon Molly realises he might be more of a handful than she anticipated. And there's the problem that his dad is distractingly handsome. With all this excitement can she find her happy ending?

This book wasn't my cup of tea. I went into the book expecting a sweet romance about a woman trying to find her way in life and also get her man. And ultimately I did get that out of this book, give or take a few expectations, so really I should be satisfied.

But the writing style! Oh my god this writing style. I want to say that I'm sure it isn't Carole Matthews fault (at least not entirely) but this book was awful. There were spelling mistakes and typos and sentences that made no sense and it. drove. me. mad. I know I am in no place to comment critically on adult books, being a teenager who is in her first year of university, but man alive, the editor for this book sucked. I spent so much time mentally correcting mistakes in the book that I think I actually managed to miss sections of the book

Let's talk about characters. For the most part I liked the characters the appropriate amount; it was obvious who we were meant to dislike, who we were meant to like and who was going to go through some character growth. I did spend a lot of time being annoyed at Molly because she was made too perfect and I really needed her to be a little more selfish to be more likeable. (Weird criticism but just let me have it). All the children she looked after were charmingly broken in their own ways, and her friend (yes singular) was your stereotypical party friend that you find in all books like this.

So why give it three stars? It was a fun read, I enjoyed the story and I think that if the writing style was better I might have given it a higher rating. It's a same that the publishers decided to pull the publication date forward a year because if they'd taken that time to check through the book a little more they would have been able to edit it in a more successful way.

Series review: The Shadowhunters series (part 1 because it hasn't ended yet)

I did a post like this a while ago after I completed the Harry Potter series for the gazillionth time and I thought it could become a series on this blog. So I thought what better place to start than The Shadowhunters Series?!

Full reviews to all these books will be on my Goodreads, so if you want to find out more about my thoughts and feelings on each individual book you can check them out there.

City of Bones (Mortal Instruments 1)

I've read this book four times now and every single time I've had the same thought: Clary is such a bad heroine. I know that this book is only the introduction to her character but she could be a little stronger and less wishy-washy.

However I do love this book; obviously I loved it enough to want to continue on with the series. There was enough tension and plot-twisting that I feel like it was the perfect start to this story. 

City of Ashes (Mortal Instruments 2)

This book is probably going to be one of my least favourites. Just saying.

I do not approve of the incest in this book. I don't care that it was only one or two kisses and that they called it off because honestly incest is incest. No arguments.
Also, of course Simon has to become a special vampire who isn't like the other vampires is legit enough to be able to hang out with the gang. Of course.
In conclusion, not a fan.




City of Glass (Mortal Instruments 3)

I actually enjoyed this book the most out of the trilogy; it was action packed and explored Shadowhunter politics (which I loved)!

It was a little boring at times but I think that was down to the fact that I had already read this book before, so I knew what was going to happen next. I was so relieved when Jace and Clary found out they aren't related because it meant the end of incest. Yay!




Clockwork Angel (Infernal Devices 1)

I loved this book so much! It is set in my home country, which is a plus, it has shape shifting and it has a really cute romance. It was such a breath of fresh air from the original trilogy and I absolutely adored it.

It was a little boring in places but it was only because Cassie was re-introducing the Shadowhunter world to Tessa. However she also added lots of new information to keep the story going, which kept old readers entertained.




City of Fallen Angels (Mortal Instruments 4)

This series is definitely picking up a bit, but I'm still not 100% impressed with it. There were parts of this book that I really enjoyed and other parts that I found boring or annoying.

I can never get behind people cheating so Simon is not my favourite currently. However his relationships were not as disastrous as the mess that is Clary and Jace. Could they please just calm down and be together? Please?
Also I'm annoyed that Clary hasn't been allowed any character development. Seriously Cassie, stop making her so weak. She's a big girl now.


Clockwork Prince (Infernal Devices 2)

This book is my favourite one so far, although I'm sure that will change when I read Clockwork Princess. I'm so glad that this series intertwines with The Mortal Instruments otherwise I would have given up on Cassie a long time ago.

I have so many emotions about Tessa ending up with Jem because I want her to but I also want her to end up with Will and I just can't human at the moment so I'm going to go curl up in a ball and think about everything Cassie is putting me through.


City of Lost Souls (Mortal Instruments 5)

I definitely rushed through this book, but that's only because I want to get my hands on Clockwork Princess. Due to the fact that I've never really enjoyed this series I was pleasantly surprised by this
book. Everything that I disliked about book 4 was fixed in this novel; all the characters seemed to gain common sense and basic human decency so they became almost likeable.

My one problem with this book was Maia and Jordan, not because I didn't like them together but because I honestly couldn't care less about them and they played such a major role in the story that it made the book less likeable.


Clockwork Princess (Infernal Devices 3)
Yep, this series is officially the greatest thing that has ever happened. I adored all the characters, was invested in every single story line and was heart-broken by everything that happened.

Any faith that I'd lost in Cassie Clare throughout the Mortal Instruments was restored by this book alone. You can see how she has grown as a writer, especially as the trio in this book are basically the trio in her other book. One complaint- the ending seemed like Cassie tried to find an easy escape from upsetting anyone love-triangle wise. Don't get me wrong, I loved it and am so glad she did!


After reading Clockwork Princess I went into a Shadowhunter reading slump and didn't read any books from this universe for a while. During this time I started to watch the Shadowhunter TV series on Netflix (which I love) so my opinions about characters have developed and changed as the TV series portrays all the characters under different lights.  As a result my old opinions about the characters from the Mortal Instruments have changed somewhat dramatically.

The Bane Chronicles (novella bind-up)
I have always loved Magnus. He is witty and compassionate, with fabulous dress sense and the best cat names ever. It was always a bit of a let down that we hadn't seen more of his backstory, but being a however many hundreds of year old warlock it would have been hard to see his full story, especially when the focus of Cassie's books have been on the main bad stuff.

From this book we find out that Magnus has always been the dramatic party-lover that we know him as. It also explained so many of his actions in both series, especially when we discover how entangled he is with both downworlder and mundane politics. Honestly, these novellas only made me love Magnus more.



City of Heavenly Fire (Mortal Instruments 6)


This book was incredible, and definitely my favourite of the Mortal Instruments series. The character development from book one to this book was just phenomenal; in this book you could see the way that this group relies on each other and has begun to use each other's strengths in their own battle plans.

Everything that I didn't like from book 4 and 5 was now completely resolved, making this book by far the most enjoyable to read. It was clear where this story overlapped with others (especially TDA series, which I am reading next) Honestly, I couldn't have asked for a better series conclusion.



Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy (novella bind-up)

This book was massive and took me about 5 months to read, but I'm glad I pushed myself through it. I loved finding out more about the trials wannabe Shadowhunters have to go through and the place where they live until they graduate. It was also really cool to see the characters from TMI and TID and TDA interact with each other throughout this bind-up, and there were definitely clear indications of how Cassie was preparing herself to set up the next series.



And thus concludes my reviews. I'll be doing another one of these soon for TDA because I just read them but I have a LOT of thoughts about them so I think it would be best for me to do that in a seperate post.

Thank you so much for reading this far and listening to all my crazy thoughts. It took me about a year and a half to read all the Shadowhunter books but I've really enjoyed reading them all and I can't wait for the new books that are coming out NEXT YEAR!

So, yes, thank you once again for reading all of this and until next time, keep reading!

The Autumn Book Tag

Autumn is official here and I for one am so excited! It is my favourite season of the year, because everything becomes cosy again and people start getting excited for the Holiday season. I'm one of those people who enjoys the buildup to celebrations almost as much as the day itself so the Autumn season is the time that I thrive.

I decided to celebrate the start of the season with a book tag (as all good people do). I've done tags like this before, once in 2017 and once in 2018, so feel free to check them out as well. Also check out The Quirky Book Nerd because I saw this tag over on her blog.

1- What are your favourite things about Autumn?

I love everything about Autumn, from the hot drinks to the cold weather because it is perfect reading weather. When you're trapped inside from the rain what more is there to do than sit down with a good book and a cosy jumper?

2- What book reminds you of your school days?

I think a lot of people will agree with me when I say Romeo and Juliet because it seems to be required reading for almost everyone! I've lost counts of the amount of times I've read the play, acted out scenes or watched the movie adaptation but I do know it is far too many.

3- What cover reminds you of Autumn?

4- What is your favourite horror or Halloween story?

I don't read a lot of horror books (maybe it's a genre to get into?) but I recently read Lost Boy by Christina Henry and absolutely loved it. It is more of a retelling then a horror but there are definitely parts of that book that still haunt me now!

5- What is your favourite horror or Halloween movie?

The Nightmare before Christmas! I've been waiting for the Halloween season since about February so that I can watch it and get into the festive mood. 

Also confession: I've never seen Hocus Pocus.

6- What Autumn releases are you looking forward to?

Top of the list is The Starless Sea (which I think is at the top of a lot of people's list), closely followed by The Places I've Cried in Public. Both of these authors are in my top ten favourite writers so of course I am very excited that they are releasing books in the same month.

7- What Autumn movie release are you looking forward to?

I don't actually know too much about the movies that are coming out this Autumn, but I am looking forward to Joker. I love any story about a villain's background and the Joker is one of my favourite villains of all time.

8- What three books are you planning on reading this Autumn?

I just did a post about the top books I am planning to read this Autumn (which I'll link here), but three that I didn't mention on that post are Tess of the D'Urbervilles, Never Let Me Go and Just One Day.

What are you planning on reading this Autumn? What is your favourite horror story?

Let me know in the comments below!

And until next time, keep reading!

Books I'm reading this Autumn

Top Ten Tuesday: Books on my Fall 2019 TBR

Autumn is my favourite time of the year so I am very excited at the moment! I love the reds and oranges of the leaves changing colour, I love the warm drinks and big jumpers, and if you're English you'll know that Bonfire Night is coming up soon, which I am eagerly anticipating. But my favourite part of this time of year is that it is socially acceptable to stay in and read books when it's raining and cold outside.

I try not to make plans for TBRs anymore because I never stick to them and then I feel guilty about the fact that I didn't read those books and it becomes a whole mess. However (!), I have decided on a few books that I want to read this season, mainly because I'm trying to complete a Halloweenathon, but also because I need to plan which books to bring back to university with me. 

Now after that very long explanation, onto the books!

Genre 1- Murder Mystery and Detective Books

A Game of Ghosts by John Connolly

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Genre 2- Horror Books

Mother, Mother by Koren Zailckas

Purge by Sofi Oksanen

Genre 3- Fantasy Books

Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater

Genre 4- Halloweenathon

The Circus of Adventure by Enid Blyton

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

The Hobbet by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

That's 12 books in total, but I'll probably end up switching them around and reading other books because I am so indecisive and get distracted by other books on my shelf. 

What books are you reading this season? Have you read any of the books on my list?

Let me know in the comments below!

And until next time, keep reading!

From Twinkle, with Love by Sandhya Menon

From Twinkle, with Love by Sandhya Menon
Pages: 330
Release Date: May 22, 2018
Rating: 💜💜💜💜
Buy it: Amazon | Book Depository

Aspiring filmmaker Twinkle Mehra has stories she wants to tell and universes she wants to explore, if only the world would listen. So when fellow film geek Sahil Roy approaches her to direct a movie, Twinkle is all over it. The chance to publicly showcase her voice as a director? Dream come true. The fact that it gets her closer to her longtime crush, Neil Roy-a.k.a. Sahil's twin brother? Dream come true x 2.


I've been reading a lot of fantasy books lately (which is weird for me because I used to hate fantasy stories) but with summer coming to an end I decided to pick up a couple of cute romances to see off the sun once and for all. I was lucky enough to get this book in an Owlcrate box so not only is it gorgeous, but it's also signed!

The story follows a girl called Twinkle as she films her debut film, whilst navigating her way through high school. There was plenty of drama, romance and film stuff which filled my heart with so much joy. It was nice to see that even with all the drama that was going on in her life she stuck to her dream of becoming a famous director, but it is too commonly in books like these for the main character to 'forget' about their passion for the boy drama that is going on (*cough* Anna and the French Kiss *cough*). Luckily Twinkle was so hopeless at seeing the signs from the boys in her love square (?) that she didn't get too distracted by the boys who were clearly pining after her.

The writing style of this book is quite unique as it is told through diary entries, emails, letters and text messages. I LOVED that we got to see what other characters were talking about, so we had other people's perspectives on everything that was happening. The mixed-media approach was fun to read (although the handwriting of the letters was a little hard to read) and I really enjoyed the fact that Twinkle's diary was written to various different famous female directors. It gave an extra layer to her personality that, although it didn't add too much to the story, reinforced the fact that she truly loves film and everything surrounding it.

The representation in this book was quietly magnificent, with all different races and sexualities getting a spotlight in this novel. Apart from the Indian-American representation all of the  other representation was quietly bubbling along in the background, much like it does in real life. There were several black characters, a gay couple, a healthy look at grief and many, many looks at feminism and the need for women in certain fields. All of these topics, races and sexualities were given their moments in the book, but none of it felt forced. Too often representation like this feels forced (*cough* Marvel Endgame *cough*) but this felt natural. So good job, Sandhya Menon!

Overall, I loved this book. I'd been hesitant about reading it because I'd heard some negative things about When Dimple met Rishi and wasn't sure if this book had the same problems. I wish that I hadn't been so worried about other people's negative reviews and just read it as soon as I'd got it because it is such a happy and inspiring book.

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
Pages: 370
Release Date: January 2, 2018
Rating: 💜💜💜💜
Buy it: Amazon | Book Depository

Jude was seven when she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King. To win a place at the Court, she must defy him—and face the consequences.

I have been in a bit of a fantasy kick at the moment, which may or may not have been caused by reading the entire TDA trilogy in two months, but I've decided to just ride it out and read as many of my backlist fantasy books as possible. I got this book in an Owlcrate box a couple of months ago, so I've definitely taken my time getting round to reading this, but I'm glad I waited until now because I don't think I'd have enjoyed it as much as I did.

This book had a lot of classic YA fantasy tropes in it so be warned! I'd recently read A Court of Thorns and Roses, and it there were definitely aspects of this book that was very similar to this book. There was a young girl who was taken to the land of the Faerie, a ruthless hunter figure, a mysterious faerie prince and a challenge that to be completed. However (!!), don't let that put you off. Holly Black has a way of twisting the expected into something completely unexpected, and this book was no exception.

Jude was the most likeable unlikable character I have ever seen, but I LIVED for it.  She was so focused on protecting those she cared about that she didn't stop to think about what impacts her actions would have. I feel like I have to go back and read the book again, knowing how it ended, to see if  Jude is actually likeable. You could tell that she is the kind of person who would do well in politics, because she does seem to be constantly scheming against people, and collecting information about all the people around her. Surprisingly, I actually quite liked her for most of the book because there didn't seem to be anything inherently wrong about her. Sure, she was a little grouchy and didn't always think about her sisters and what they felt, but overall she didn't seem too bad. And then everything went down.

The book is quite slow, so if you prefer your fantasy to be completely action-packed you may have troubles getting into this story. The main action scenes probably happen in the last 10 chapters of the book, but what really drew me in was the focus on constructing a court that would interest the reader. There were so many different rules and regulations that thrown at us in the first half of the story, and with all the different princes each getting a mention it was easy to see how complicated the court dynamics truly are. Luckily, there was no point in the story where I felt lost or intimidated by all the information that was getting thrown at me because Holly Black was able to construct a world that was simple enough for anyone to understand, but complex enough to be interesting.

Maybe it's because I'm new to the fantasy genre, or maybe it's genuinely because this book is so good but I had such a great time reading. I'd have to say that it is in my top 5 fantasy books (which isn't saying much but still) and I'm actually really excited to read the next two books in the trilogy!

Paperweight by Meg Haston

Paperweight by Meg Haston
Pages: 288
Release Date: 2 July, 2015
Rating:💜💜💜💜💜
Buy it: Amazon | Book Depository
Stevie is trapped. In her life, in her body, and now in an eating-disorder treatment center. Life in the center is regimented and intrusive, a nightmare come true. But what no one knows is that Stevie doesn’t plan to stay that long. There are only twenty-seven days until the anniversary of her brother Josh’s death—the death she caused. And if Stevie gets her way, there are only twenty-seven days until she, too, will end her life.


A major trigger warning for this book: there are in depth descriptions of therapy, multiple people with eating disorders, assault and slight homophobia.

This book was ugly in a beautiful way; it took a broken girl and tried to fix her even though we knew she had limited time left. You couldn't help but get attached to Stevie from the start because you can feel how broken she is and I spent the whole book wanting to protect her.

The characterisation of Stevie was so perfect fro this story because it didn't present her as a skinny girl who was shy and bullied and didn't eat to lose weight. Instead Haston showed another side of people who have eating disorders, as a person who had started to control their eating due to the lack of control she had over the rest of her life. The descriptions of Stevie's life were so raw and graphic that there were times where I felt truly exhausted as I felt like I was going through what Stevie was going through. The descriptions of her therapy were especially hard to read, and there is one scene in particular that still haunts me. I'm not sure if this is an own voices novel, and if it isn't then Haston has an incredible way with words.

My favourite part of Paperweight was the focus on relationships and its impact on Stevie's eating disorder. She developed wonderful relationships with both Ashley and Anna, showing people who are in this situation that not everyone is against them. I especially loved that there was such a positive relationship between Stevie and Anna because so much of teenage media has a negative outlook on therapy, which is not healthy for our current society.

The ending caught me off guard, even though you pretty much know what is going to happen from the start, and it made me bawl for several hours. Maybe it was Stevie's actions or the reactions of everyone around her that got to me but I was really hit hard by the last chapter of this book, and fell into a semi reading slump for a week or two. I wish I could go back in time and read this book for the first time all over again because it was honestly so incredible and one of my favourite reads of the year.