NaNoWriMo Week Two - Wrap Up

So we're halfway through November, and that means 25,000 words and hopefully the midpoint of your novel's plot. If you missed the wrap up for my first week, you can see how well I did here. If you somehow have stumbled upon this post and you have no idea what NaNoWriMo is, you should check out that post, and maybe the website as well. Here's how I did in the second week of NaNoWriMo.

Day Eight
Words Written: 2,057
Word Goal (total): 13,336
Total Word Count: 17,374

Day Nine
Words Written: 2,213
Word Goal (total): 15,00
Total Word Count: 19,587

Day Ten
Words Written: 0
Word Goal (total): 16,670
Total Word Count: 19,587

Day Eleven
Words Written: 3,537
Word Goal (total): 18,337
Total Word Count: 23,124

Day Twelve
Words Written: 0
Word Goal (total): 20,000
Total Word Count: 23,124

Day Thirteen
Words Written: 1,007
Word Goal (total): 21,671
Total Word Count: 24,131

Day Fourteen
Words Written: 413
Word Goal (total): 23,338
Total Word Count: 24,562

Day Fifteen
Words Written: 5,818
Word Goal (total): 25,000
Total Word Count: 30,380

This week had some pretty average moments, and a few really amazing moments. Currently, I'm 5,000 words over the word count goal, which I'm very happy with. I hope that your NaNoWriMo is going splendidly and you're reaching your own personal goals.

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NaNoWriMo 2014 - Week One Wrap Up

A week ago now, I embarked on a journey that has so far, been really amazing:

NaNoWriMo 2014

If you don't know what NaNoWriMo is, you can visit their website or you can check out my announcement post about it. But I'm fairly sure that all you know something about the month of which thousands of people write novels (and if you didn't, that's a brief synopsis). If you want to see some more detailed information about how I've gone each day, then you should head over here and watch my daily vlogs, which I'll continue to do for the rest of November. This post is the wrap up for my first week of NaNoWriMo. 

Day One 

Word Count: 0

Daily Goal (total): 1,666

Total Words: 0

Day Two

Word Count: 2,404

Daily Goal (total): 3,333

Total Words: 

Day Three

Word Count: 4,363

Daily Goal (total): 5,000

Total Words: 6,855

Day Four

Word Count: 2,372

Daily Goal (total): 6,666

Total Words: 9,227

Day Five

Word Count: 2,981

Daily Goal (total): 8,333

Total Words: 12,208

Day Six

Word Count: 1,139

Daily Goal (total): 10,002

Total Words: 13,347

Day Seven

Word Count: 1,970

Daily Goal (total): 11,669

Total Words: 15,317

So far, NaNoWriMo has been an amazing experience and I'm so glad that I've done as well as I have so far. I'm really happy with my results, and I'm still really ahead which has made the whole experience a lot more enjoyable. If you're doing NaNoWriMo this year, add me as a writing buddy!!! I hope all of your word counts have gone well so far. Good luck and happy writing. 

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NaNoWriMo 2014 - Announcement

As you can probably tell from the title, I have an important announcement to make today...

I'm participating in NaNoWriMo this year! 

I'm sure that most of you know what NaNoWriMo is, but if you don't, here's a brief summary. For the month of November, you try and write a 50,000 word novel. Yep, that's right. A novel. In 30 days. It sounds crazy, but so many people all over the world participate each year, and in 2014, I'm going to be one of those people. If you're interested in this super crazy idea, there's a link at the end of this post. 

So for obvious reasons, I'm not going to be sticking to my usual posting schedule during the month of November. Instead, I'll be making one post a week (every Friday) all about the progress I've made during that week. If you're not interested in NaNoWriMo, then I'm sorry, and things will go back to normal from the start of December. 

I'm not going to be giving you any details about my idea, because I don't like to do that. But I will be giving you updates about my word count and those kinds of things. I'm also going to be daily vlogging on my YouTube channel, so if that sounds like something you'd be interested in, there's a link at the end of this video like always. 

Let me know if you're participating in NaNoWriMo, and you can add me as a writing buddy here. Good luck to everyone who's participating!! 

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Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas - Review

**A note on my notes: This review will be spoiler free if you have read Throne of Glass and Crown of Midnight.**

"Queen of Traitor? Only she can decide."

Heir of Fire starts off with Celaena in Wendlyn. She's desperate to find some answers regarding the Wrydkeys and how to stop the King from using them. In order to do so, she's forced to spend several months training with a Fae warrior called Rowan, and Celaena is not very keen on this at all. The novel also follows Chaol and Dorian back in Adarlan, as well as introducing some new perspectives.

The Good
This book introduces a lot of new characters, and I loved all of them. All of their voices were different, and it was very easy to tell when the perspective changed, which is always a sign of a talented author. Heir of Fire brings a lot (and I mean a lot) more information about the world the story is set in. There's a lot more backstory and a lot of new discoveries that answered some of the many questions I had after reading Crown of Midnight. The last 100 or so pages of this book just take it to a whole new level, and I read the end section probably twice as fast as I read the beginning.

The Bad Slightly Less Than Good 
It took me a lot longer to get into this book that it did for the first two. But the ending really made up for it, so I wasn't bothered at all by the extra time it took me. This book is also a lot longer than the first two, which again, isn't a bad thing at all... It just means that it takes a little longer to get through. Other than that, I can't really fault this book at all.

The Recommendation
Obviously, if you've read the first two books, then you should 100% continue on with the series. If you haven't read the first two books, you really need to. They're amazing. I've done reviews for them here and here. I've also done video review for all three books on my YouTube channel, which is linked at the end of each post. I've you're into any kind of fantasy, then you will really love this series.

You can find out more about Heir of Fire here. 

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Dewey's 24 Hour ReadAThon - Wrap Up!!

It's done!! The past 24 hours (32, by the time this goes live) have been completely hectic, and I'm now very, very tired. I will be uploading a video where I talk in more detail about my readathon experience, but in the meantime, you can all read a quick review about the books I read here. Also, if you want to find out more about any of these books, click the book title to visit their Goodreads pages (I know, I'm a technology whiz).

MAUS - The Complete Volumes by Art Spiegelelman
I'm not going to talk about these separately because I read them right after each other, with only a few hours sleep in between. This was my first experience with a graphic novel, and it was a good one. The story was told in a way that really suited the content, and I was really engaged in the narrative. I'm so glad that I read this story, and it's sticking in my mind still, which is always a good sign! I would really recommend this graphic novel to everyone, because it deals with really important historical content and themes.


Slaugherhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut
I picked this book up for the weekend because it was really short (only 175 pages) so I knew I would easily be able to get through it in the 24 hours. It did take me a lot longer than I thought it would, because the content of this book is somewhat strange... But I loved this story and it contained so many amazing quotes that I couldn't help but highlight. It's hard to tell you what genre this book is in, and I can only describe it as a mixture between dystopian, science fiction and historical fiction, as well as a reflective piece about a character's life... If that sounds like your kind of book, then for sure read this.


Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
I only read 51 pages of this before the 10pm cut off, but I really love it so far. The world is so interesting and I'm very invested in the story at the moment. I'll be sure to post a full non-spoiler review on my blog when I finish it, and if I have anything somewhat interesting (and spoilerly) to say about it then I might post a video as well.

Make sure you all let me know how your readathon went if you participated. As always, happy reading!!

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Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins - Review

**A note on my notes: This review is spoiler free.**

"A blank canvas...has unlimited possibilities."

Isla and the Happily Ever After is the second and final companion novel in the Anna and the French Kiss trilogy. The story is once again set in the School of America in Paris; however, this time it follows Isla, her best friend Kurt and her love interest Josh, as they try to navigate through their senior years.

The Good 
I loved this book. I flew through it so quickly because it was just so adorable and easy to read. The plot was very interesting and I felt like the problems Isla and Josh faced were a lot more realistic than the problems Lola and Anna faced in the previous books. The romance is adorable. Isla as a character is going to be very relatable to some people because she has absolutely no idea what she wants to do with her life and is extremely jealous of those who are passionate about something.

The Bad
First of all, I really enjoyed this book. In saying that, I've seen a few other reviews where people haven't enjoyed this book that much at all, and it's all because of the characters. Some have said they thought the characters were a little flat, that they had no substance. On the other hand, I didn't think that at all. Isla is completely consumed in Josh; all she thinks about is him, all she wants to do is be with him, and that can get a little annoying sometimes.

The Recommendation
If you read the previous two books, then I would recommend looking into this one. The love story isn't as developed, but it's still a really good read. If you haven't read the other two books, then I strongly suggest that you read them first! While it's not critical, you will be spoiled about some major details at the end of Isla, and you'll for sure regret not reading the other books first. I've done reviews on them here and here.

Happy Reading!

You can find out more about Isla and the Happily Ever After here. 

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Dewey's 24 Hour ReadAThon!!

First of all, I know! It's Thursday and I'm posting something. Don't worry, a review will be up tomorrow like usual... This is just a little something extra, because the Dewey's 24 Hour ReadAThon is happening this weekend!!!

If you've never participated in this readathon before (don't worry, neither have I), then you can find out more information here. But basically, it starts on the 18th of October and finishes 24 hours later on the 19th, and in that time you just read as many books as you can. Depending on where you live, your starting time on the 18th will be different, so you can check out a list of different start times here.

If you're interested in seeing my TBR list for the 24 hours, you can watch me talk about it in this video:

I'll also be doing a little week-long readathon that follows immediately on from this one, that is being hosted by Cat from Little Book Owl. This isn't anything official, just something that she's doing for fun and I decided to join in too. If you want to see the video where she talks about it or to see her TBR list, click here. 

If you're interested in participating in Dewey's readathon, then you can sign up here. If you're participating in the readathon, make sure you keep an eye on my YouTube channel and my Twitter for my reading updates, and if you're going to keep readathoning after the 24 hours with Cat, then make sure you watch her video and let her know in the comments. 

 Happy Reading!!

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Reign Season One - Review

**A note on my notes: This review is spoiler free.**

Reign tells the story of Mary Queen of Scots' rise to power. The series begins with Mary returning to the French castle at age fifteen, and follows her as she tries to navigate her way through French Court with her four best friends and ladies in waiting. The show is very much a drama with many romances and betrayals.

The Good
I saw this show advertised on social media as Gossip Girl in the medieval era, which is why I started watching it. And I absolutely love this show! There is always so much going on; there are so many plot lines that begin before its preceding one concludes. I really enjoyed the acting for every character. The setting is always beautiful, as is the costumes (the dresses the girls get to wear are always so gorgeous). The episodes are easy to watch and the storylines are very easy to follow. This show is so addicting and the cliffhangers immediately made me want to watch the next episode.

The Bad
Like all good dramas, there is obviously a lot of dramatic elements to the show. There are so many betrayals, so many problems to be dealt with that sometimes the show can seem to be a bit repetitive. Characters sometimes make the same mistakes more than once, which can be frustrating for the audience.

The Recommendation 
If you're a fan of Gossip Girl or any drama that's similar, then I recommend that you watch this show. It's very addictive, so make sure you start it at a time where you can binge watch it if necessary.

Happy Watching

You can find out more about Reign here. 

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Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas - Review

**A note on my notes: If you haven't read Throne of Glass, then you might be spoiled. If you have, there are no spoilers.**

"Before she was deadly. Now she is unstoppable." 

Crown of Midnight is the second book in the Throne of Glass series. I posted my review of the first book here, and a further discussion of my thoughts here. Crown of Midnight follows Celaena, the newly appointed King's Champion, as she does whatever she can to save the lives of those she's been ordered to kill. In doing so, she falls further and further into troubles and alliances that she never wanted to be a part of.

The Good
I loved this book a lot more than I loved Throne of Glass, which really is saying something because I gave them both five stars. Crown of Midnight really is a step up from the first book: there's a lot more action, a lot more Chaol and a lot more intensely interesting discoveries. The magic of the world and what happened to it is a lot more foregrounded in this book, which I really liked. I also loved the ending. And, Celaena is a lot more kickass in this one.

The Bad Not as Good
If you're team Dorian, then you might not enjoy this as much because it's Choal's time to shine. This book is also a lot more emotional than Throne of Glass, which really isn't a bad thing but it really does tug on your heart strings.

The Recommendation
Obviously, if you read Throne of Glass and you loved it, then you should for sure pick of this book. If you read Throne of Glass and you didn't think it lived up to the hype, then you should still give this book a go, because I think this one really steps up.

Happy Reading!! 

You can find out more about Crown of Midnight here. 

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The Giver - Movie Review

**A note on my notes: This review is spoiler free**


"The worse part of holding the memories is not the pain. It's the loneliness of it. Memories need to be shared."

The Giver was originally a book published in 1993 (which I've posted a review on here). The story follows a young boy called Jonas who lives in a perfect world where everything is the same and everyone is equal. There's no war, no famine, no hunger and no hatred; yet, Jonas knows something is still missing. This film is a beautiful commentary on the importance of the freedom of choice and the value of love. 

The Good 

If you've read the book before going into this movie, then you won't be disappointed. There are several changes and a lot of things were added in, but I felt that these things only added to the story rather than taking away from it. I thought the acting was really good; even Taylor Swift did an alright job in this regard. The world building was done pretty well. The ending was so beautiful and it made me feel so warm and fuzzy inside. I also really enjoyed the soundtrack.

The Bad 

I didn't like the beginning of this movie. I found it boring and dragged on for a little too long. The same goes for the whole black and white thing... If you go to see this movie, don't stress!! Eventually things do become in colour, but I wish that there was some illusion to this in the beginning. The only other thing I didn't like was the characterisation of the Elder. In saying this though, it didn't take away from the movie's message. 

The Recommendation

If you read this book, no matter how many years ago it was, then I think you will enjoy this adaptation. If you haven't read this book, then you're not at a disadvantage because for the most part, everything is clearly explained. If you're a dystopian fan, then this world would be really interesting for you as well! 

You can find out more about The Giver (book) here. 

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The Giver by Lois Lowry - Review

**A note on my notes: This review is spoiler free.**

"The worse part of holding the memories is not the pain. It's the loneliness of it. Memories need to be shared."

The Giver is a young adult dystopian novel that seeks to question the importance of choice and freedom. The story follows Jonas, a young boy who lives within a perfect community, a community with no war, no hunger and no pain, and Jonas couldn't imagine it any other way. Until, of course, he can.

The Good

This world was fantastic! I was so intrigued about the world that I could read books upon books that just described it, because I'm still desperate to know more. The story was also extremely fast paced, and the book is short so I got through it very quickly. The overall concept of this novel is extremely interesting and thought-provoking. I really enjoyed this read!

The Bad

I loved this world so much that I wanted to hear more about it, and there was just so much left unexplained. I also think the ending was a little too ambiguous; however, there are two companion novels and one direct sequel which were written over a decade after The Giver's first publication. I found that the novel did jump ahead in time a lot more than I liked, especially towards the middle and ending... The first third of the novel follows almost every day of Jonas' life, but from the middle onwards chapters sometimes jumped weeks ahead, which I found annoying because I just wanted to know more.

The Recommendation 

Everyone should read this book. Absolutely everyone, because it raises important questions and values that everyone can learn from. I would especially recommend this book to someone who was new to the dystopian genre, or if you've been reading a lot of dystopians and you want something from that genre that is a lot less violent. 

Happy Reading! 

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Book Buying Bans

**A note on my notes: These are my opinions only.**

I'm currently on a book-buying ban, and I hate it. But I also think it's necessary, and here's why.

Recently, I cleaned out my bookshelves. Mainly because I was running out of room and I had a whole pile of books on my desk that just didn't fit on my shelves, but also because I felt a bit overwhelmed. I had so many books that I hadn't read and the thought of having to get through them all made me feel pretty stressed. So I decided to clean them out and I now have one and a half completely blank shelves.

In total, I got rid of over sixty books. A lot of them I had read, but if I didn't love it or didn't think I'd read it again, I decided to get rid of it. A lot of the books, however, were books that I haven't read and now probably never will. In saying that though, I still have over thirty books that I haven't read. Thirty+ books probably doesn't even seem like that much to a lot of you, and I know so many book fanatics have wayyyyyyyy more books on their TBR pile, but I'm still placing myself on a book buying ban.

The reason is, I don't want to ever have to feel stressed about all the books that I haven't read yet. I don't want it to overwhelm me and I don't want it to get so far where I'm put off reading. The ultimate goal here is to read every single book I currently own so that eventually, the only books I haven't read will be the ones that I just bought from the bookstore that very day.

Obviously, that's going to take some time; it's taken me nine months of this year to get through 38 books. And my TBR list is going to continue to grow, because I'm not banning book buying completely. If I was to do that, I would fail and feel terrible about it. So my goal is to read three books from the list of books that I already own before I buy a new one. This list only includes books that I kept from when I cleaned out my bookshelves, so if I buy a new book and read it instantly, that book doesn't count towards the three I have to read. This way, my TBR list hopefully won't grow much larger than it currently is and I can slowly get through it.

If you're thinking you need to restrict yourself with a book-buying ban, then I have some tips for you:

1. Go through your books and get rid of the ones you don't want to read any more. 
2. Write an actual list of all the books you have to read and put it somewhere where you can see it easily to encourage you to actually read the books on it.
3. Don't completely ban yourself unless you have a will of steel (which you probably don't, because otherwise you wouldn't be in this situation). 
4. Get a library card and when you feel like buying a book, go there instead of the bookstore. 
5. If you buy a book, who cares! Just read it. 

Happy Reading!!

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Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas - Review

**A note on my notes: This review is spoiler free.**

"Libraries were full of ideas - perhaps the most dangerous and powerful of all weapons."

Throne of Glass is a new(ish) young adult fantasy series that follows the life of Celaena Sardothien, an 18-year-old girl who was the very best assassin in the kingdom. That is, until she was captured. After spending a year in a salt-mine death camp, the Crown Prince of Adarlan, presents her with an offer she can't refuse: serve as the King's Champion for four years and she can earn her freedom. To become King's Champion, Celaena must compete for the position against twenty-three of the land's most accomplished soldiers and infamous criminals. Along the way, she forms unlikely alliances and interesting friendships and begins to notice that not everything in the castle is as it seems...

The Good
This book is absolutely fantastic! I loved the characters and thought they were all really well developed. Celaena is such a great heroine and I loved reading about her and learning about her life. I also loved this world! I've haven't been so invested in a fictional world in such a long time and I just found this world so interesting. The world-building was also really subtlety written so there aren't sections where you feel overwhelmed by the world-building. The plot is so fast paced that I could easily have read this book all in one sitting.

The Bad Not as Good
I didn't really have any problems with this book at all. The only thing that I wish I could change would be the detail that we're given about the tests that the contestants have to do to stay in the competition; however, in order for this to happen the book would have had to take place over a shorter period of time.

The Recommendation
If you're looking for a book that you know you'll love, then you should read this. I loved this book so much that I am recommending it to everyone, because I seriously think everyone will love it.

You can find out more about Throne of Glass here. 

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A Subjective Guide to Genre - Choosing Your Next Book

**A note on my notes: This post is of my opinion only, and I'm not an expect.**

Choosing your next book is hard. 

We've all been there - when you have so many books that you haven't read, but you have no idea how to choose which one to read next. When this happens to me, I tend to choose a genre that I'm in the mood for and pick a book from it. These are the genres that I usually feel in the mood to read.

Contemporary
If you're searching for a light, easy read, then the contemporary genre is where you need to look. Often featuring cute romances and beautiful friendships, good books from this genre can easily make you laugh and cry within a few pages. If you're in a reading slump, then contemporary is usually a good genre to dive into because they're often short, stand-alone books that you can get through quickly. Some of my favourite contemporary author's are Rainbow Rowell, Nicholas Sparks, and I'd also 100% recommend Wonder by R.J. Palacio and The Simple Gift by Steven Herrick.

Fantasy
Fantasy books are often a commitment because they usually come in a huge series. Fantasy is split into two sections (that I read, anyway): urban fantasy and epic fantasy. If you're new to the fantasy genre or if you don't really feel like learning a whole new world, stick to urban fantasy (which is set in the world as we know it, but with fantastical elements, while epic fantasy is in an entirely different world). Some fantasy series that I love are the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, the Obernewtyn chronicles by Isobelle Carmody and the Infernal Devices trilogy by Cassandra Clare. If you're looking for some fantasy stand-alones, then I would recommend Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta or Stardust by Neil Gaiman.

Dystopian 
This is one of my favourite genres, and I think that it always is the most enjoyable when you hate the world. If you're feeling depressed about something that's happening in the world that you can't change it, or if you're reflecting on how shit people are or how nothing is fair, then you need a dystopian book. These books often come in trilogies, although there are several classic dystopian stand-alones that I really enjoyed. Of this genre, I would recommend The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, the Divergent trilogy by Veronica Roth and any dystopian I mention in the classics section.

Science Fiction
I love science fiction a lot, but it's not a genre that I read that often. I often find that sci-fi is a good cross between fantasy and dystopian, so if you're feeling like one of those genres but can't quick pick something, try looking in the science fiction genre. Some of my favourites include Ender's Game and Pathfinder, both by Orson Scott-Card, as well as The Host by Stephanie Meyer. 

Classics
It's not often that I'm in the mood for a classic, but when I'm feeling really smart (or that I need to be more well-read), I usually quite enjoy them. Most classics are a challenge, so don't pick them up when you're looking for something to read quickly. For me, classic dystopians are my favourite, and I'd recommend reading Nineteen Eighty-Four and Animal Farm by George Orwell, as well as A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess. Other classics that I've enjoyed have been Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (although don't expect to get through this quickly), To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee and The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

Historical Fiction
I don't read much of this genre either, but the books that I have read from it have been really good. Books from this genre often tug at your heart strings, so if you want an emotional book, something from this genre will give you that (especially some World War II fiction). My favourite historical fiction books are The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.

Hopefully, the next time you're stuck trying to choose your next book, you can come back to this list and make an informed decision. Happy reading!

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Attachments by Rainbow Rowell - Review

**A note on my notes: This review is spoiler free.**

"Every woman wants a man who'll fall in love with her soul as well as her body."

Set in 1999 - a time where the Internet isn't the centrality it is today - Attachments follows three characters who work in various sections of The Courier newspaper. Beth and Jennifer are two friends who constantly email each other back and forth using their work emails and it's Lincoln's job to monitor everyone's work emails to ensure they aren't sending personal messages. Lincoln quickly becomes engrossed in the personal lives of Beth and Jennifer and the novel follows Lincoln as he embarks on a journey to finally get his life together.

The Good
I enjoyed this book a lot, but it's not my favourite Rainbow Rowell book. Attachments is so easy to read. There are sections of the text that are written as the emails that Beth and Jennifer send to each other and I found these sections to be hilarious and very interesting. I loved the two females characters despite hardly seeing them interact other than through their emails. The three main characters all deal with very mature issues that real-life people will all probably face at some point in their lives. I found the final third of the book really picked up and I flew through it so easily.

The Bad
If you don't connect with Lincoln, or are completely opposed to what he has to do for his job, then you won't relate to him as the protagonist, which is obviously an issue. I found the first two thirds of the book to drag on a little bit (and I really mean a tiny bit; I still read it very fast) because Lincoln was thinking about the same problems over and over again. I didn't connect to any of these characters as much as I did in Fangirl and Eleanor and Park, but that's probably only because I'm closer in age to the latter characters.

The Recommendation
If you've read another book by Rainbow Rowell, then you will love this book. If you primarily read YA fiction and are looking to branch into adult books, then this would be a good book to start you off with. If you're looking for a quick, easy read then this is the book for you.

You can find out more about Attachments here. 

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Things I Hate - Book Edition Part Two

**A note on my notes: These are my opinions only.**

I still hate a lot of things. 

A few weeks ago now I made a post that listed all the things that I hate in regards to books. As soon as I posted it, I thought of a couple more things that really just get on my nerves. So this is part two of Things I Hate - Book Edition. 

1. Big font

I will often not buy a copy of a book that I really really want if the font in it is huge. And I'm not talking about books that are specifically designed for those with poor eyesight, I'm just talking about normal books on the shelves that have huge font. It makes me so angry because it makes the book appears so much longer than it actually is, which I really don't understand because people are drawn to shorter books, right? So why don't you make the book look shorter by giving it a normal font size!!

2. Books that are really tall or really short

I don't understand why publishers make books all sorts of different sizes. I really don't like reading from books that are really tall because it feels weird, and the same goes for those mass produced paperbacks that are really short. Books should all be the same size and it's really not that hard to make them that way. 

3. People who don't read certain kinds of books

If you're the kind of person who turns your nose up at people who read anything other than classic literature, PLEASE GET OVER YOURSELF. You're not any better than any other person based on the fact that you exclusively read classics. Also, people who look down upon YA and children's books. Seriously?

4. Stickers

If you want to ruin a book quickly, put a sticker on it. If you want to really make me angry, put the price sticker over the synopsis so I have no idea whether I want this book or not. If you want to further piss me off, put a sticker telling me this book will soon be a movie smack bang in the middle of the front cover. WHAT ARE YOU DOING!

5. Series that aren't numbered

Is it really that hard to put a tiny number on the spine of a book that tells you what book in a series it is? Really? Is that actually too much to ask for? 

6. Character names

Authors know that their readers can't listen to how their character names are pronounced. That's not a thing yet. SO WHY DO THEY STILL GIVE THEIR CHARACTERS NAMES THAT NO ONE HAS ANY IDEA HOW TO PRONOUNCE?  

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Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins - Review

First of all, I'm sorry that I didn't post anything on Monday, and I'm sorry there haven't been any YouTube videos up lately... I've just been super busy with university and I had some other stuff going on so I just needed to take a break. But hopefully, within the next couple of weeks I'll be back on track.

**A note on my notes: This review is spoiler free.**

"There are some people in life that you can't get over."

Lola and the Boy Next Door is the first of two companion novels to Anna and the French Kiss, which I posted a review for here. The story follows Lola, a budding fashion designer who likes to express herself through her outrageous clothes. Lola thinks her life is pretty good: she has a hot boyfriend, a great bestfriend and an amazing job at the movie theatre. Things are going well, that is, until the Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, move back in next door. Lola finds herself flooded with old feelings that she has to deal with before her perfect world comes crashing down around her.

The Good
Like Anna and the French Kiss, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The plot moves fairly quickly and is pretty engaging, making the novel very easy to read. The characters were extremely unique, and I had never read anything like them before. I loved how Lola was a fashion designer and this made her a more interesting character. Cricket was the perfect love interest and I enjoyed his little quirks. I think Calliope was an interesting character as well. Lola's dads (yes, plural) were also great characters. I also loved the small appearances of Anna and her boyfriend.

The Bad
I didn't enjoy this story as much as Anna and the French Kiss; however, that has nothing to do with the actual book, I just personally connected with Anna more than I did with Lola. The only problem I had with this book is that it's very predictable, but that just comes with reading a Stephanie Perkins novel - you're not reading it for the surprises, you're reading it because you know exactly what's going to happen.

The Recommendation
If you're looking for a cute and easy read, then you will enjoy Lola and the Boy Next Door. If you haven't read Anna and the French Kiss, then I would suggest you do actually read that one first; it just makes seeing Anna in this book more satisfying.

You can find out more about Lola and the Boy Next Door here. 

You can find out more about Anna and the French Kiss here. 

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Anna and the French Kiss by Stehpanie Perkins - Review

**A note on my notes: This review is spoiler free.**

"The more you know who you are, and what you want, the less you let things upset you." 

Anna and the French Kiss follows Anna, a 17-year-old girl who is about to enter her senior year in high school. She's very excited to spend the year with her best friend and potential boyfriend. Instead, however, her father decides that Anna will finish out her schooling at The School of America, a boarding school in Paris. The novel follows Anna throughout the year as her relationships with all those close to her develop for the better of the worse.

The Good
I absolutely adored this book. It's so easy to read and I flew through it so quickly. As the main character, Anna is pretty interesting and her values, ideas and beliefs are pretty relatable to the average female reader. The other characters are fairly interesting as well and they all function nicely together as a group of friends. The plot moves along fairly quickly and is very easy to follow. The romantic relationships that develop between various characters are also pretty believable, as are the issues they all face.

The Bad
At the beginning of the book, it's possible to get quite frustrated at Anna because she's presented with an incredible opportunity and she can only see the negatives for a short period of time; however, I think Anna's reactions were quite realistic because no teenage girl wants to be isolated from her life and friends during high school, let alone her senior year. Another thing that some readers might find frustrating is that every single romantic near-miss that occurs focuses on the same issue every single time and there is a lack of depth behind the reasoning.

The Recommendation
If you love contemporary novels, then you will love this book. I would recommend Anna and the French Kiss to anyone who is looking for a quick and easy read. I would also recommend reading this book if you're in a reading slump, because the ease of reading this book will probably help you get out of it.

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Top 5 Book Casts

Character development is essential for a novel to be successful. Often, I'll continue reading a book that I think is weak in terms of plot in order to discover what happens to the characters. As a reader, I love when a book has characters that I can invest emotionally in, because it only adds to the story. This post lists the books or series of books that have my favourite cast of characters.

5. Wonder by R.J. Palacio
This book is one that I've read in 2014 and I absolutely loved it. The characters in this book are just so perfectly developed and they are so realistic. If you haven't read this book, I would definitely read it (and I've done a review of it here if you're interested). This book has multiple perspectives, which enhances each character so much and hearing a different perspective on certain issues always manages to change your opinions somehow.

4. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Not only is this book narrated by an interesting character (Death), but it's filled with so many more complex characters that interact so well with each other. Mama and Papa are just beautiful human beings that are so realistically described and Liesel and Rudy are both incredibly accurate characters in terms of them both being children. These characters are just beautiful and I would read this book if you haven't already (and I've done a review of it here).

3. The Infernal Devices trilogy by Cassandra Clare
If you haven't read this series, you really should (I haven't done a review, but Google these books and you'll fall in love). It contains some of the most brilliant characters I've ever read. Magnus Bane is a hilarious gay warlock (which definitely makes him sound as awesome as he is) who brings a unique perspective to life due to his insane age (he's very, very old.). Then there's Will Herondale and Jem Carstairs, who have the most beautiful friendship and interact so well together. And of course, Tessa, who isn't my favourite character, but she works so well in this trilogy.

2. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
This book is easily one  of my all-time favourites (review), and the incredible characters play a huge part in this. Cath is so easy to relate to and has a million qualities that so many people can identify with. The same goes for all of the characters. The issues and struggles that each character has to overcome are so realistic. They all feel so personal. And they're all so loveable.

1. The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
(If you haven't read these books... what are you doing with your life?). I believe that part of the reason for the success of these books is the characters. Although they're all so unreal in that they are witches/wizards that are from a world that we know we can never visit or relate to, they are so easy to understand as human beings. Children from all over the world were able to identify with these characters because not only do they have to save the world, but they also have to deal with real-world issues, like being outshone by your best friend, falling in love and growing up.

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Fight Club - Review

**A note on my notes: This review is spoiler free.**

"The first rule about fight club is you don't talk about fight club."

Flight Club by Chuck Palahniuk is a very interesting novel and I can assure you that you've probably never read anything like it at all. This book is narrated by a young man who isn't satisfied with his life. He finds everything pointless and is upset with the lack of connection he has with other people and that people in general have with each other. He then meets Tyler Durden who completely changes his life, and the story follows their journey together. 

The Good

I enjoyed this book. I found a lot of really great quotes that I can easily apply to my own life and life in general, which is always a sign I connected with a book. Fight Club is filled with extremely unique and unusual characters and they are so realistic. I found the plot relatively easy to follow; HOWEVER, I had previously seen the movie, which definitely helped me to keep up. The novel is also littered with little interesting facts, that I'm not sure are true or not, but they were fun to read and learn about. 

The Bad

Now, these things aren't necessarily bad... They are just things that might be a problem for some people. The plot is quite intricate, and if you haven't seen the movie, then you might not have any idea what's going on. The writing style is 100% unique, and it took several chapters before I was able to immerse myself in the story, and even then, it took me quite long to read considering how short it is. Like I said before, I am also certain that I would not have followed the plot easily if I hadn't already seen the film and therefore known what was happening.

The Recommendation

This is very unorthodox for me, but if you know nothing about Fight Club, I am actually going to recommend that you go and watch the movie first before you read this book. I know, it's a strange recommendation, but the movie is fantastic and a lot easier to follow, and it doesn't take away form my impressions of the book either. Don't be fooled by the shortness of this novel; don't go into it looking for a light, easy read, because you certainly won't get one. This book is hard work (as far as reading goes), so I would recommend reading it when you're in the mood for something that really makes you think. 

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Things I Hate - Book Edition

**A note on my notes: These are my opinions only.**

I hate a lot of things.

People in real life get sick of me complaining about everything. And by everything, I really mean everything. There are some issues that real life people will rant about with me for a few minutes because they understand. Books, however, are not one of those topics. So you're going to be subject to these complaints, and I'm not sorry for it.

1. Cover Changes
Sometimes, I really don't understand cover changes. How can anyone possibly think that a picture of a girls face will make a better cover than one of the most beautiful illustrations I've ever seen? I'm talking about the Delirium trilogy right here, if you're unaware. I seriously have no idea why a publisher will decide to change the cover of a book series halfway through... What on earth would make you decide that forcing people to have non-matching editions a good idea? What is wrong with you?

2. Covers with faces on them
Why do you think that people would want to own a book that has a huge face on the cover? You know that people judge books by their covers. You know that people will not buy a book they know nothing about if the cover doesn't catch their attention. You know all this. SO WHY DID YOU JUST PUT A GIRL'S FACE ON THIS COVER THAT IS ABOUT WAR AND REBELLION. Yes, I'm talking about Delirium again.

3. Huge copies before small copies
If you've ever followed a series from a time before the final book is released, then you probably know what I'm talking about. What I mean here is that, for example, the first two books in a trilogy are both a normal book size, but when the final instalment is released, the only copy I can buy is HUGE, and it's not until months later that a normal size edition is published. WHY. This happened to me both with Clockwork Princess and City of Heavenly Fire, and it seriously makes me so angry. I don't understand why anyone would think this was a good idea.

4. Not having books on the release date
If a book has been advertised as being released on a certain date, RELEASE IT ON THAT DATE! You don't get to allow people to buy it earlier. You should have the book on the shelves ready to be purchased on THE DATE THAT THE BOOK IS SUPPOSED TO BE RELEASED. People shouldn't be frustrated by driving all the way to whatever store just to buy a book on the day that it's released, and to be turned away because they don't have it. GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER AND FOLLOW SIMPLE INSTRUCTIONS, LIKE THE DATE.

5. Prices
I live in Australia. Books are more expensive than everything. You can expect to pay around $25 for a paperback. A PAPERBACK. If you want a hardback copy, you'll probably have to search every book store for weeks before you find one, and you can expect to pay around $30-$40 for it. If you to buy books online, you better hope they're coming from Australia, because international shipping will set you back about $30 too. Think you're saving money by buying books from the Book Outlet online? Nope, because the shipping will cost you more than the books did.

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Delirium Trilogy - Review

**A note on my notes: This review is spoiler free. If you don't agree with me, that's okay too!**

"What if love was a disease?"

"Life can change in an instant."

"Can the truth set you free?"

The Delirium trilogy is a YA dystopian series written by Lauren Oliver that is set in America somewhere in the future. In this world, love has been classed as a disease and at the age of 18, all citizens are forced to get a 'cure'. This cure stops allowing them to feel any significantly strong emotion, such as love or hate. Those who disagree with the cure illegally live within and outside the major cities borders.

While I did enjoy this series, I didn't love it. I had a few of problems with it, particularly with the second and third books. In saying that though, I enjoyed all three books and I was compelled and invested in them enough to complete the trilogy easily.

Delirium
Delirium is a solid start to the trilogy and I obviously liked it enough to finish the rest of the series. The story moves along at a good pace, making the novel super easy to get into and to get through. The characters are established well and are pretty interesting; however, sometimes Lena, the protagonist, makes stupid decisions. And the cliffhanger is really exciting, and by exciting I mean makes you want to read more.
Like most dystopian series, the first book is bigger because it has a lot of world building, which is something that I also really enjoy. However, the world building in Delirium leaves a lot to be desired, and this goes for the trilogy as a whole. There is so much information that you're not told, and I think this is something that really let me down as a reader.

Pandemonium
I enjoyed the second book, but no where near as much as the first one. The second book isn't told in chronological order and it switches from the past to present, which I think worked really well in terms of the plot.
Pandemonium introduces a lot of new characters, and really the only character from the first book that is prominently featured in this one is Lena. I found the new characters a lot more interesting and I was able to connect with them a lot more. The cliffhanger at the end of this book is incredible... It's probably the most adrenaline-pumping cliffhanger in the history of cliffhangers.

No matter how many issues I have with this series, one thing Lauren Oliver did right was cliffhangers, and these books have the most cliffhangery cliffhangers I've ever read in my entire life. 

Requiem
As soon as I finished the second novel, I knew I had to read the final one just because of the cliffhanger. I enjoyed this book as well, but it's definitely my least favourite of the trilogy.
This book is told from the dual perspective of both Lena and Hana, Lena's best friend from the first book, and I also think this style worked well with the plot. The only thing that I really didn't like about Requiem was the ending! It's extremely ambiguous, which I know would be something that a lot of other readers would really enjoy.

Recommendation
If you mostly read contemporary fiction and are new to dystopian books, then this trilogy is for you. I would also recommend this book to anyone who's a fan of dystopian series' and trilogies, because while these books are not my favourites, I did enjoy them and I think the concept and ideas they raise are important ones.

You can find out more about the first book here. 

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