Judge This Book by its Cover: I'll Give You The Sun

So, while I absolutely adore what's on the pages of books, I also have deep love of the covers. They are works of art, and while the phrase never judge a book by its cover sends an important message, it doesn't really apply to books anymore. In an age where book reviewers – of the blogger and vlogger variety – are contributing to the success of books, covers are what sell books. 

I remember seeing The Selection all over the internet and fell in love with the covers, the pretty dresses and perfect colours. If I hadn't seen the covers everywhere, it could have taken a lot longer for me to pick the series up. 

I appreciate books that are beautiful inside and out. With this series "Judge This Book by its Cover" I want to basically fangirl at the work of book cover designers everywhere. 

I'm going to kick it off with I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson. This book is without a doubt one of the most beautifully written books I've ever read. I had high expectations after The Sky is Everywhere and it exceeded them. So, let's take a look at the cover.

UK

This is the cover on my copy, the UK version. I think my favourite thing about this cover is the way it looks like paint. With both narrators being artistic, it represents them both. Throughout, there are paint splatters and strokes, as well as the full page quotes. Having not read the US version, I don't know if those inside pages are styled the same way but the fact that they match in the UK version is perhaps one of my favourite things about this cover. Plus, it looks great with my copy of The Sky is Everywhere.

US

As much as I love my copy, I do really like the US cover. It's got the same sun-like design but less obvious. It doesn't hint at the huge part art plays in the novel as much, but the colours do a good job of indicating how vibrant the novel is in terms of characters and emotions. I also really like the font. Researching the cover of The Sky is Everywhere, there is a US version that goes with this one, with the same brightly coloured stripes and a similar font. 

I'm struggling to pick a favourite. The colours on the US cover are something I'm more drawn to than the boldness of the UK copy. Having said that, I absolutely love my copy and would feel like I was betraying it to say I preferred the other cover. 

Which one do you prefer?

My Adventures in Writing: Inspirations

They say inspiration is everywhere and for me that is true. Here are just a few of the things that really get my imagination going.

Music

I find inspiration in songs because often they tell a tiny snippet of a larger story. Listening to music, I just start to fill in the gaps, imagining the before and after the moment of the song. I also like songs that tell a more complete story. One that I'm really intrigued about is Taylor Swift's The Moment I Knew.

Films

I suppose in some ways, films and books inspire me in the same way. It's about the stories. By watching films, despite them being fiction, I learn about situations that I haven't experienced first (or second) hand, but could be interesting to explore. In a similar way, I meet characters with personality traits that hadn't ever crossed my mind.

Books

While books offer stories and characters, they also offer something more than films: the words. My love for words means that not only do I find inspiration when they are perfectly strung together into a novel length story, I am sometimes inspired simply by one word and it's definition. I've written a short story before simply because I wanted to write about wanderlust. I think wanderlust is one of my favourite words in the world.

People Watching

I find people watching to be a great way to get my imagination going. We often don't think about how the strangers that are background characters in our own stories have lives on their own; lives in which we play the background part. I like to imagine the lives that other people lead.

Photos

I like scrolling through sites like Pinterest and Tumblr. If I see a photo I like, I'm instantly thinking about why I like it, and often it's because I can see a story in it.

So, there it is. Inspiration is everywhere. It's a common thread through all artistic and creative outlets; creativity feeds creativity. Where does everyone else find their inspiration?

My Adventures in Writing: Mary Kole

One of the most infuriating things about writing an essay on a subject you know, is not being able to say things without referencing them. Even if you know it's a fact, you have to find somewhere official that states it. Even worse than that is having your own opinion on the subject but unless someone else has already had the same thought, you can't say it.

When I was writing an essay about relationships in YA, my tutor recommended Mary Kole's Writing Irresistible Kidlit. I flicked through it, looking for quotes to back myself up, and I found them. In abundance. And not just quotes to back me up, quotes that stated perfectly things that I already knew just from reading and writing YA.

Mary Kole has such great insights into how young people feel and what they want to read about. So many of the pages I marked were because she managed to sum up everything I've ever felt about my teenage years and YA books. 

As an aspiring writer, there's some invaluable advice, ranging from things as simple as word-count to the tricky business of writing a novel that young readers will believe in.

I haven't managed to read it cover to cover yet, but I'm excited to. More than that, I'm excited to apply her ideas to my own writing and see where it takes me. 

Review: Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

Title: Glass Sword

Author: Victoria Aveyard

Edition: Orion, 2016

Rating: ★★★★★

Synopsis

If there's one thing Mare Barrow knows, it's that she's different. Mare's blood is red - the colour of common folk - but her Silver ability, the power to control lightning, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court wants to control. Pursued by the vengeful Silver king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red-and-Silver fighters to join the rebellion. But Mare finds herself on a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat. Will she shatter under the weight of the lives that are the cost of rebellion? Or have treachery and betrayal hardened her forever?

DISCLAIMER. THIS REVIEW WILL HAVE SPOILERS.

It's been a while, but my lovely friend over at booksandclevernxss.blogspot.co.uk has finally finished Glass Sword and now we're going to talk about it together like we do with so many books.

My Love Affair with YA

Anyone who knows anything about me, should know two things…Disney is everything and books are everything else. Specifically YA. I don’t know if I can pinpoint why YA resonates with so much, why I can’t and won’t let it go, but I’m going to try.

It could be because I have a thing about the idea of teenagehood(?) It’s a whirlwind of freedom, love, hate, stress, summers, friends, endless possibilities. I will always regret how fast I grew out of it. Not that I could have changed that. It could be because I still feel 17. I like to think I’ve grown since then. I certainly have a clearer idea of where my life is heading now than I did at 17. But I don’t feel as though I’ve changed. I still understand all those feelings that teenagers experience.

It could be because I’m not interested in reading about grown-up things. I wanna read about first love and first kisses and friendships that build and break and build back up again. I wanna read about people who have their whole lives right in front of them. It could be because, looking back, that time of my life was good. It was better than good. It was fun, despite all the times I might have cried or got hurt, and I will always remember the way I felt.

My Adventures in Writing: How I Write Best

“What is your writing routine?” and other similar questions are often asked of authors. And a lot of the time they have a definitive answer; a place they write, a time, things that they need on the desk to do it. As an aspiring writer I sometimes feel like I need to develop my own routine. As I am now, it’s an, ‘I write when I write’ kind of situation. There are a few things I’ve noticed that get me writing more than my when-it-happens-it-happens outlook.

Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Title: Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles, Book #1)
Author: Marissa Meyer
Edition: Penguin, 2012

Rating: ★★★★★

Synopsis

A forbidden romance. A deadly plague. Earth's fate hinges on one girl...CINDER, a gifted mechanic in New Beijing, is also a cyborg. She's reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's sudden illness. But when her life becomes entwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she finds herself at the centre of a violent struggle between the desires of an evil queen - and a dangerous temptation. Cinder is caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal. Now she must uncover secrets about her mysterious past in order to protect Earth's future. This is not the fairytale you remember. But it's one you won't forget.

Review

Ever since I first saw and heard about this series, I’ve been intrigued and I finally bought it at Christmas, only just now finding the time to read it.

I’ve always been a lover of fairytales. I’m enchanted by the notion of true love, of royalty, of magic, and more recently I’ve fallen in love with the way princesses are being rewritten into warriors, no longer damsels in distress, stuck in high towers. I love how timeless they are and how they are so easily rewritten. I don’t know how Marissa Meyer came to a point where throwing fairytales into a steampunk dystopia sounded like a good idea, but I'm glad she did.

One of the things I loved about reading Cinder was finding and recognising the elements from the original Cinderella. The prince, the stepsisters, the ball, but also the little things, like the foot that replaces the glass slipper and the car that acts as the pumpkin coach. 

My Adventures in Writing: Things I've Learnt at University

Deciding to study creative writing is probably one of the best decisions I've ever made. After years of plodding through school and college not knowing what I wanted to do, or even being sure what it was that I was really good at, finally arriving at that decision was a huge relief. Since starting, my belief in myself as a writer has gone from strength to strength. Below is a list of the most important things I've learnt since being at university.

Review: How Hard Can Love Be? by Holly Bourne

Title: How Hard Can Love Be?
Author: Holly Bourne
Edition: Usborne Publishing Ltd. 2016

Rating: ★★★★★ ★

Synopsis

All Amber wants is a bit of love from her estranged mum. And she's hoping that a summer together at Mum's Californian kids' camp will help patch up her shattered heart. But then she meets Prom King Kyle - and offers her heart up for breaking all over again. Even with BFFs Evie and Lottie's advice, Amber's finding love hard. Is it worth the fight? (Taken from Waterstones.com)

Review

Well. I was slow starting it but I flew through the last half. I really think I must just be falling in love with Holly Bourne books in general as this was just as amazing as Am I Normal Yet? (which for some reason I always want to call How to be Normal???) 

For starters, I loved the setting. If I had the guts and the time and the money, I would definitely have to give the counselling thing a go. Maybe I'll settle for writing a book about it (shamelessly using a friend who has done it as a sort of research guinea pig). I loved the cabins and the woods and the lake, the sun and the campfires. It was a summery read, but so different to the summer books I normally read, where the characters are just spending summer in their not-so-dreary home towns. In my head, I think I pictured it as a mix-up of Camp Rock and the camp from The Parent Trap, which shows you the sort of things I like to watch. 

I'm a sucker for a road trip, so when I realised this book included not one, but TWO, I was ecstatic. And can I just say, I really want to go to Yosemite now, if Holly Bourne's descriptions of it are accurate. Even if they aren't, the chapters set there were perhaps my favourite, being someone who loves writing descriptions as well as reading them.

I liked that Lottie and Evie took a back seat. While I feel this series is about their friendship as much as anything else, it was nice to have them come to the foreground when they had something really important to contribute, not only to support Amber, but to push the plot along. I really loved the Skype scenes where Lottie was shoving her face in the camera, and the emails where she would take over the keyboard. Those moments felt so realistic to me as I remember that horrifying yet hysterical feeling when your best friend hijacked your phone or email. 

I also really enjoyed the introduction of Whinnie and her knowledge of Winnie the Pooh's philosophy. I love Winnie the Pooh and his little ramblings on love and friendship, which at first you might dismiss (I mean, he's a fictional bear) but if you read them a little closer they have a subtle but profound wisdom in them.

While the title suggested otherwise, I didn't find this book to be all about love. To me, it was more about Amber's relationship with her mother and how that had affected other parts of her life. The moment Amber finally stood up for herself was great, and I could almost feel the same relief she must have felt at that moment, like she'd been set free. 

And, I can't forget to mention, that gold star, up there. While the love story didn't take the spotlight, it's simplicity and the chemistry between Amber and Kyle, did make me want to write, and that's what the gold star is all about: words that inspire me to write my own. There was one moment in the most dramatic part of their relationship, which is my favourite quote, that really made me want to grab my notebook (old school, I know) and get writing. 

I don't have a bad word to say about this book and I highly recommend it, to everyone. This book, and in fact, Holly Bourne herself, are just one example of why I get so angry at people who dismiss and look down on YA fiction. 

Favourite Quote

"There was the love in life you couldn't choose. The love you just felt, that you couldn't let go of, that tortured you and messed you up and made you sometimes too screwed up to let the other kind of love in. The other kind of love, was the love you did choose. The love you didn't have give, but you gave anyway." 

May TBR

May has come round so quickly, I can't quite believe it. But there's no time to slow down. I've got more deadlines, more visitors, more reading to do. So here's what I have planned for this month.

How Hard Can Love Be? by Holly Bourne

I'm already coming up to a third of the way through this book, and I'm enjoying it so far. Work and uni, and all those fun things, have got in the way of me really getting into it, but I hope I'll find a few hours somewhere to finish it in one go...a girl can dream...

The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater

I am both hugely excited and utterly terrified to read this book. There are so many questions to be answered and I am trying very hard to prepare myself for how this epic series is going to end. I'll also be extremely sad to leave these characters behind.

Cruel Crown by Victoria Aveyard

Yes, I know, I know, my special Glass Sword review isn't up yet. You can blame that on my partner in reading crime who STILL hasn't finished it yet! (Edit: She finished, finally!)
Having seen a lot of Farley already, I'm most excited to learn more about Queen Coriane.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Since this series is now five books long, I am fully aware how late I am to jump on this train. It's shocking, really, given my love for fairytales, that I haven't read this sooner. Better late than never, right?
(Edit: Winter is 700 odd pages. What have I got myself in to?)

Reading Roundup

I was very disappointed in myself last month and I made a promise that April would be better. It had to be if I wanted to keep on track with my Goodreads challenge. April has been a fantastic month for reading, despite having more deadlines looming, people visiting and starting a new job. So, here it is, my roundup for April, a record breaking month (for me, at least).

 My Life Next Door

Rating: ★★★★

I was expecting some Sarah Dessen-esque vibes, and I definitely got that. It was summer, it was romance, it was dramatic. It was everything I love in a book, with a gorgeous cover to match. 



Peter Pan

Rating: ★★★★★

I completely understand why my friend is so enchanted by this book. It's the kind of magic that isn't in your face. It's easy to accept and it pulls you in to a world that holds so much potential. It's an adventure you want to go on time and time again. I really enjoyed it, and can't believe I've only just got around to reading it properly.


Think Twice

Rating: ★★★★

I waited so. Long. For this book. And it snuck ahead of the next books in my TBR list. It was always going to be hard for Think Twice to live up to Don't Even Think About It. The initial experience of the unusual point of view and intriguing premise was gone, lowering the impact of this sequel. Despite that, I still thoroughly enjoyed revisiting all the characters. 




Am I Normal Yet?

Rating: ★★★★★

I'd heard very good things about this book, and can honestly say that it really deserves every good review it gets. If you're a fan of YA fiction this is a must-read. 





Those are all the books that got reviews this month, but for uni, I also got through Millions by Frank Cottrell Boyce, and Coraline by Neil Gaiman, both in one day I might add *beams with self pride*. And the quickest read of the month was The Sleeper and the Spindle, also by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Chris Riddell (who, fun fact, I've been told is the first Children's Laureate to be both a writer and an illustrator). It's a beautiful little fairytale, a very subtle retelling of Sleeping Beauty and Snow White. 

So that brings my total this month to seven. SEVEN books in a month...not to mention the quarter I've already read of How Hard Can Love Be? 

My Adventures in Writing: Sarah Dessen

My love for Sarah Dessen will never falter. I will always be waiting for her next book. And, if a day comes when my writing is as inspiring as hers, it will be a dream come true. 

I've read all her books (bar one, I think), some of them multiple times.

My absolute favourite thing about Sarah's books starts with the way they all occur in the same few locations. Colby, for example, is a seaside town that will stay with me forever. Every book builds more of it in my mind. Even sitting here, writing about it now, I can see it: the shops, and the houses, and the beach, and the boardwalk. There are a few different schools, and different towns, but there's always at least one location that's been mentioned in another book.

Which leads me nicely to my absolute, absolute, favourite thing. I'll be sat there reading the newest book, and suddenly, subtly, there's a cameo from the main character of a previous book. There are so many reasons why I love this.

Review: Am I Normal Yet? by Holly Bourne

Title: Am I Normal Yet?
Author: Holly Bourne
Edition: Usborne Publishing Ltd. 2015, UK

Rating: ★★★★★

Synopsis

All Evie wants is to be normal. And now that she's almost off her meds and at a new college where no one knows her as the-girl-who-went-nuts, there's only one thing left to tick off her list...But relationships can mess with anyone's head - something Evie's new friends Amber and Lottie know only too well. The trouble is, if Evie won't tell them her secrets, how can they stop her making a huge mistake?

Review

When I finished this book, I logged straight into Goodreads – it's like a ritual now. I sat there, Goodreads in one hand, this book in the other, being asked what rating I would give it. Initially, I was thinking four stars, but then, out loud, I asked myself "what's wrong with this book?" The answer? Nothing. So five stars is what it gets. 

My Adventures in Writing: NEW SERIES

I've been toying with a series of writing posts for a while now, but I didn't know quite where to start. The logical thing to do would be to use the series as a journal, dedicated to documenting my journey as I attempt to write a novel. However, being over 40,000 words into my novel already, that just doesn't work. 

Today has been a good day. I've just been given my mark for my creative portfolio (which consisted of three short pieces – middle grade, clean teen, and YA) which gave me 45% of my overall grade for my Writing for Young People module. I got a first. Add that to the first I got for my essay (on love, family and friendship in YA fiction) in the same module, plus the first in attendance and participation, I've only gone and earned myself a first in that whole module. Something that I am incredibly proud and happy about. 

I've been telling my friends about just why this has made me so happy. It's not because I set high expectations for myself and love it when I actually achieve them. It's because, when you do well in something that you have little or no passion for it's good, it's fine, well done me. But when you love something, there's a strange and powerful urge, a desperation, to do well. And for me, doing well in this module, both the creative and the analytical side, means more than just a brilliant grade. It means, finally, I'm good at the thing I've found the most passion for. 

Review: Think Twice by Sarah Mlynowski

Title: Think Twice (Don't Even Think About It #2)
Author: Sarah Mlynowski
Edition: Orchard Books, 2016

Rating: ★★★★

Synopsis

What's worse than having telepathy in high school? Having telepathy in high school, and then losing it. When class 10B got their flu shots and developed the unexpected side effect of telepathy, it seemed like the worse thing ever. But two years later, they've got used to their powers. They've even come to like them. And as they prepare to leave school, they're all making exciting plans - plans that involve them being Espies. So when one by one they suddenly begin to lose their powers, they know they can't let it happen. Can they save their telepathy before it's too late? Or will they have to learn how to survive without them once again?

Review

I first read Sarah Mlynowski when I picked up her book Ten Things We Shouldn't Have Done (which I recommend to fans of Kody Keplinger). After that I picked up Don't Even Think About It. And, boy am I glad I did. 

This two-book series has the most incredibly premise, and the voice is even more amazing. I have never read a book with this perspective before; I'm not even sure what to call it. It's first person (third person?!?), past tense...but plural. As in, not 'I' but 'we'. When the group is all together it reads as first person. But when the focus shifts between individual characters it's third person. Whatever you want to call it, as a writer, I find it incredible. It elevates the entire novel's theme of friendship and intimacy. I may write a review in the future dedicated to Don't Even Think About It, but for now I'll focus on Think Twice. 

Review: Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie

Title: Peter Pan
Author: J. M. Barrie
Edition: Parragon, 1994

Rating: ★★★★★

Synopsis
Peter Pan and Tinkerbell lead the three Darling children over the rooftops of London and away to Neverland - the island where the lost boys play. Magic and mischief is in the air but if villainous Captain Hook has his way, before long someone will be swimming with the crocodiles... (Taken from Waterstones.com)

Review

Peter Pan in a single word? Charming.

I thought that the Disney adaptation I know best was about as magical as it could get. Turns out I was wrong. *gasps of horror from me, the huge fan of Disney*. I realise that it wasn't exactly a literary choice, but the early 20th century language brings its own kind of magic, reading the story today. 

I was shocked for some reason, by how well all the adaptations I've seen have stuck to the original story. I loved reading lines and realising I'd heard it before, exactly the same way. 

Review: My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Title: My Life Next Door
Author: Huntley Fitzpatrick
Edition: Electric Monkey (Egmont), 2016

Rating: ★★★★

Synopsis

Addictive, dreamy and contemporary YA romance at its very best! It is perfect for fans of Morgan Matson, Stephanie Perkins and Rainbow Rowell. The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy, affectionate. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen-year-old Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them...until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs the trellis to sit by her and changes everything.

Review

April is off to a flying start; book one done in 5 days. And I totally called it on this one. My Life Next Door definitely channels some Sarah Dessen vibes, but it reminds me of Morgan Matson and Stephanie Perkins too. All of whom, I LOVE. 

I'm going to start with the Garretts, because, wow, I love them all. I've always wanted to write a story that involved a big family, and I almost did. But I ended up feeling like there were too many unnecessary characters. Having read about the Garretts though, I'm thinking I should try again. Each member of this family is so distinctive and I didn't lose track of who was who. I think it worked so well because some of them played bigger roles than others but still all had a purpose. I think my favourite Garrett was probably George. He was adorable and I loved his interactions with Samantha. 

Jase. I loved how down to earth he was, and how hard he worked. The way that he and Samantha got to know one another felt really easy and seamless; they felt like friends as well as more than that. I thought the scenes that handled the sex part of their relationship were written so well. They were realistic and honest, with just the right amount of detail. 

I loved the summery feel of the whole book, the descriptions, the summer jobs, the romance, and, to a point, the slow sort of pace. However, the last third or so was full to the brim with emotion and intensity, which was great, and kept me up half the night reading, and I wish there'd been a little more of that a bit sooner. 

There were also a few strings that weren't really tied up for me. Like, Nan? (I don't want to spoil it so I won't say anymore) I would have liked a bit more of a wrap up at the end in terms of what happens to Sam's mum and Jase's dad. 

This book was so close to getting 5 stars, but those few things brought it down. Having said that, I would definitely read this book again and look forward to picking up more of Huntley Fitzpatrick books in the future, and not just because of the pretty, stripy spines.

Favourite Quote
"All around me are summer voices. The lap of the shore far away, the roar of a motorcycle coming up the street, the shhhh of the wind in the dogwood trees."

Review: The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: The Raven Cycle: The Raven Boys, The Dream Thieves, Blue Lily, Lily Blue, The Raven KingAuthor: Maggie StiefvaterRating: ★★★★★ ★

Review

Okay, so, I know The Raven King isn't out yet which means I can't review it but I've just finished reading Blue Lily, Lily Blue and I want to review that, as well as the first two in the series. Since I read them a while ago, I thought I'd do a review of the series as a whole rather than the individual books. So, here goes.

I didn't actually come across this series until my friend read it and adored it (this is the Peter Pan friend I keep referring to). She then went on and on, telling me I had to read it. I read the blurb and wasn't sure it'd be my thing. My friend and I have a pretty good relationship about reading. A lot of the time we read and love the books we recommend to one another but we're just as happy to read a book and disagree about it, or even not read a book recommended y the other. And, like I said, I wasn't going for it, but she seemed so enthusiastic and passionate about it that I guess I was curious. So, I borrowed it, and I am SO GLAD I did. 

April TBR

1st of April is here. Which means, obviously, a new TBR! Well, half a new one anyway. Since March didn't go as planned, the last two books of my March TBR are now the first two books of my April TBR. Does that make sense? Well, take a look and maybe it'll be a little clearer. 

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

I've actually already started this one – see? Didn't I say April would be better? – and it's going pretty much as I expected. It feels a little Sarah Dessen, which is great, because she's my all-time favourite author. I have a feeling it'll remind me of the sort of stories I want to write, and hopefully inspire me.

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

On my March TBR I said not to google Peter Pan book covers. But, I did it again. And found this one. Fun Fact: since then, the friend in last months TBR has purchased this edition. I don't even know how many copies she has now. Fun Fact #2: A different friend has also received a fancy edition of Peter Pan. I really need to read this. 

Am I Normal Yet? by Holly Bourne

Because I am weak and have no self control, I bought more books which means my TBR pile is getting bigger, rather than smaller. This was one of them. I have a good reason though. I bought How Hard Can Love Be? a while ago without realising it was the second book in a series of sorts. I couldn't bring myself to read it before the first. 

How Hard Can Love Be? by Holly Bourne

And here it is! That 'second book in a series of sorts'. And I shall be reading it in the appropriate order. I've seen so much about this book online, I'm excited to read it and find out what the fuss is about. 

Reading Roundup

March has been a super busy month – deadlines, Easter holidays, job interviews – and my reading has experienced a bit of a slump. Which makes me sad, BUT the very few books, that is, two, which I've managed to fit in have been extremely good reads. And, I will be back on it for April. I will. I am DETERMINED. So, March's books:

Glass Sword

Rating: ★★★★★

Not going to lie, Glass Sword was pretty intimidating to look at. 400+ pages, the size of a hardback? If I hadn't been waiting for this book to come out, I would not have even tried. I don't think it was quite as good as Red Queen, but there were so many twists that I wasn't expecting, ones that had me scribbling in the margins. My full review isn't up yet, but it's going to be a special one, I promise. (Edit: it's here)

Blue Lily, Lily Blue

Rating: ★★★★★ ★

I WILL finish this before the end of March *nervous laughter*. I'm so nearly finished but so far, much like the two before it, Blue Lily, Lily Blue is amazing. I won't gush too much here, I'll leave that for the full review, here. Plus, look, a gold star! 
(Edit: I finished it in the (very) early hours of April 1st...does that count?)

Like I said, I'm pretty disappointed in myself this month. It can only go up from here, right? 

Review: All I Know Now by Carrie Hope Fletcher

Title: All I Know Now
Author: Carrie Hope Fletcher
Edition: Sphere, 2015

Rating: ★★★★★

Synopsis

We all know that growing up is hard to do, and sometimes the only thing that makes it better are the reassuring words of someone who has walked that bumpy road just a few steps ahead of you and somehow ended up as a fully-functioning adult. Carrie Hope Fletcher is that person.* Thanks to her phenomenally popular YouTube videos, Carrie has become an 'honorary big sister' to hundreds of thousands of young people who turn to her for advice, friendship and, most of all, the knowledge that things will get better. Carrie has created a safe and positive space for young people to connect and share their hopes and concerns online, and now she will share her most personal thoughts and experiences in her first book, ALL I KNOW NOW. Part memoir, part advice guide, it will include Carrie's thoughts on some of the topics she's asked about most regularly: bullying, body image, relationships and perhaps the scariest question of all: what does the future hold for me? With warmth, wit and a sprinkling of hard-won wisdom, Carrie will provide the essential tools for growing up gracefully ...most of the time. *Although she did recently post a video about how to pee in a onesie. So the definition of 'adult' is a bit flexible here ...

Review

I've been watching Carrie's videos for a while now and actually only just realised that there's only a one or two year age difference between us. This means that I've read All I Know Now at the age she was when she wrote it.

For me, it wasn't about looking to Carrie for advice, although she gives it in abundance, it was more about finding out about the things she believes in and the journey she's made to get where she is. Having watched her videos, I already knew I admired her – her success, her outlook on life – and I wanted to know more. So when my housemate turned up with a copy of her book I knew it was time to read it. 

March TBR

March is here! 2016 sure isn't waiting around, and the pile of unread books currently in my room is slowly getting smaller. And on that note, here are the books that will finally be opened and, hopefully, enjoyed this month.

Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

FINALLY. I thought it took a long time to get a hold of The Dream Thieves but that wait was nowhere near as long as the wait for this one. But it's okay because I have it now and I am looking forward to every single page. *grins*

Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

You'd think after spending months on a project solely focused on Red Queen I'd be sick of the series but I am NOT! I am so unbelievably excited to read this monster of a book (seriously, it's ridiculous...the size of a hardback, but with a paperback...paperback, but huge. Just huge). I might even try something new with the review for this so stay tuned!

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

I'm going to get myself back to what I really, really LOVE. A bit of good old romance. *sighs happily*. I'm so excited because this book is so pretty and summery and, you can't see it here, but the spine has stripes, and for some reason it makes me really happy.

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

Firstly, do not google 'Peter Pan book cover'. There are SO MANY. Maybe half of which my friend owns. Speaking of who, her obsession with Peter Pan seems to be rubbing off on me. It's not like I don't know the story, I think most people do, but I want to read the original version, the one that's inspired said friend to write THREE (edit: FOUR) different adaptations. 

Reading Roundup

February has come and gone sooo quickly. I've spent most of it chilling, thinking "It's cool, my deadlines aren't until March," and suddenly March is a weekend away. I guess I better get my head down. Before that though, since I tried out a pretty in-depth TBR for February, I'm going to try a little roundup, summarise my thoughts and linking you all to the reviews if you missed them. Anyway, here's how my February has gone:

Slated

Rating: ★★

It kinda pained me to give a book such a low rating. I get super passionate when I love a book, and super passionate when I really don't, but when it comes to writing the latter kind of passion in a review, I'm constantly thinking about the author whose work I'm being critical of. I've got to be honest though, that's what reviews are for, and I've tried to balance my negatives with the positives. Find it here.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson

Rating: ★★★

Not my favourite John Green book, but it was good. After having it sit on my bookshelf for months, it was a little bit disappointing. I mean, all I was really expecting was good old John Green, but I guess meaning to read something for so long just builds expectations from nothing. You can find my review here.

The Heir

Rating: ★★★★

I got pretty dresses. I got royalty. I got romance. I had my issues but I got what I wanted. Plus, I read it in 48 hours max. It must have been good. I'm aware that my review might not quite match up to my rating. But I did love it. I just chose to put a lot of focus of the problems I did have. You can read it here.

We All Looked Up

Rating: ★★★

I loved the concept, and the apocalyptic feel. The friendships were slow to get going which, at first, I was disappointed by, but now that I've finished the book, I realise that it made it realistic. People don't normally just instantly become friends, and that stood in this book. You can read my full review here.

All I Know Now

It's this month's LUCKY BOOK!! All that means is that it wasn't on my TBR but I finished all the books that were. It's probably going to carry over and I'm enjoying it so far. Being only a few years younger than Carrie, I'm reading it having finished school, but so much of it is still so relevant. 

Review: We All Looked Up by Tommy Wallach

Title: We All Looked Up
Author: Tommy Wallach
Edition: Simon & Schuster UK, 2015

Rating: ★★★

Synopsis

Before Ardor, we let ourselves be defined by labels - the athlete, the outcast, the slacker, the overachiever. But then we all looked up and everything changed. They said the asteroid would be here in two months. That gave us two months to leave our labels behind. Two months to become something bigger than what we'd been, something that would last even after the end. Two months to really live. (Taken from Waterstones.com)

Review
I was so excited when I read the blurb of this book. I was looking forward to tension and action and high emotions, everything getting tightened like a wind-up toy before being let go as the asteroid arrived. This concept held so much potential...and I feel like it didn't quite reach it. The anticipation of a collision fell flat for me, maybe because of the way so many chapters started with 'a few days later...' or even 'a week later...' There's such a limited amount of time left, and yet there are empty days, days where nothing of note happens to any of the four characters the book follows. I felt like it reduced the impact the asteroid was supposed to be having on them.

Speaking of which: I liked these characters. The premise of the book required them to be labelled, suggested they were stereotypes but that didn't seem to be the case, even in the first few chapters before they had a chance to explain themselves. The friendship they developed was realistic. It wasn't like 'oh my goodness, two months to live, now we're all best friends'. It took time and had its difficulties which made it all the more rewarding, and sad, at the end when their friendship really blossomed.

We All Looked Up shone a pretty accurate light on what would happen if a meteor really did hurtle itself towards Earth. It's horrible to think that we'd all descend into chaos, but it's probably the only realistic scenario. The book touched on subjects like death, and how we fear it, life, and how short it is, but somehow it wasn't too heavy.

I've given We All Looked Up three stars because the speed of the book felt a bit slow, the missing days kind of hindered the anticipation of it all, and it felt a little strange that their parents were mostly out of the picture, some explained and some not. On the other hand, I did enjoy the concept and the relationships between the characters. Thoughts?

Favourite Quote

"The best books, they don't talk about things you never thought about before. They talk about things you'd always thought about, but that you didn't think anyone else had thought about. You read them, and suddenly you're a little bit less alone in the world."

Review: The Heir by Kiera Cass

Title: The Heir
Author: Kiera Cass
Edition: Harper Collins UK, 2015

Rating: ★★★★

Synopsis

Kiera Cass's Number 1 New York Times bestselling Selection series has enchanted readers from the very first page. In this fourth romantic novel, follow Illea's royal family into a whole new Selection - and find out what happens after happily ever after. Kiera Cass's #1 New York Times bestselling Selection series has enchanted readers from the very first page. In this fourth romantic novel, follow Illea's royal family into a whole new Selection-and find out what happens after happily ever after. Eighteen years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won Prince Maxon's heart. Now the time has come for Princess Eadlyn to hold a Selection of her own. Eadlyn doesn't expect her Selection to be anything like her parents' fairy-tale love story...but as the competition begins, she may discover that finding her own happily ever after isn't as impossible as she's always thought. A new generation of swoonworthy characters and captivating romance awaits in the fourth book of the Selection series!
(Taken from Waterstones.com)

Review

Considering I've read the rest of the series, it's a little bit backwards for my first review of it to be The Heir. It's pretty simple though; I read the first three last summer, before this blog was a thing, and although I'd love to review them all together, I'll need to re-read them in order to give a proper review. So, until then, here's my review of The Heir.

I'm going to start with my biggest question: why is The Heir a part of The Selection series? This question makes me think so many things at once I don't know where to start. Plus, I have a lot of feelings about this series in general.