Back To School Tag

Back To School Tag

This is a tag that was created by Athena at INTOTHEMINDOFAREADER and she so greatly tagged me to do it. I'm so excited!!! My second time tagged to do a tag!!!

Ok, so simply you answer the questions. Even though I'm not going back to school, I'm going to college!! *Big difference* (I'm sorry, I've been saying that in nearly every post, but I'm so excited!!) I'm still doing this tag and for the questions I am going to pick books, where at all possible, that I haven't read yet, so I can apply them to my year :)

First question :

1. You’ve just started back and your workload has already increased. What short book do you read which doesn’t take up too much time?

I have quite a few book that are quite short which I haven't read yet. Short to me is under 300 pages. So there is two choices that I have and they would be What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell which has 265 pages or then Crash Into Me by Albert Borris which has 272 pages. Both are different, one is about a girl and her family and a war soldier, the other is about four suicidal teens who make a pact, so it's whichever one I'd be in the mood for at that time, I will read.

2. You are in your English class and the teacher says you will be spending the lesson reading an assigned book. What book did you have to read for school but end up actually enjoying?

I have actually only ever read 2 books for English class and well the best one was 'To Kill A Mockingbird' by Harper Lee.

3. You and your friends have had an argument and you’re feeling quite upset. What book never fails to cheer you up? 

A cheery uppy book, hmmm, I'm not one for reading comedies so any book that I love and that I am just lost in the world of would cheer me up. That wasn't a very good answer....

4. You’ve been given detention. What book do you wish you could have with you to pass the time? 

I've never been in detention!! I'm such a goody two shoes. Anyway, a book that I would love to read right now if I was in detention to pass the time would be Gates of Thread and Stone by Lori M. Lee. I want this book so bad. I just. It's been on my mind since the release day. And it is one of the only books that I'm intentionally getting in hardback. Like Wow. So ya, I have it on order now, but the guy said it might take a month. So I'm stuck, for a month....

5. The bell rings for lunch time! Name a food from a book that you would love to try.

Most of the books I've read, the protagonists are starving, but anyhoo, the banquet on the train in The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Pretty much any of the Capitol food..

6. You have a ton of homework to do and one assignment is to write a short story. What author’s writing style do you most enjoy to read?

I love Kelley Armstrong's writing. I love many author's writing style but she was the first name that came to mind. I love her Darkest Powers series and then there's a new series called Age of Legends and I read the first book, am totally in love and can't wait for the rest of them!!

7. Uh oh, exam time! The nerves are getting to you. Which book do you read to calm yourself down?

You should be studying!! But the book I would use to calm me down would be any of Cassandra Clare's Shadowhunter Books. The Infernal Devices, The Mortal Instruments, any, except City of Glass, that one would make me cry, and Clockwork Princess. 

8. You did amazingly well in your exams and are given some money as a reward. What book(s) do you rush straight out and buy?

A lot. Ok here's just a random list, a small random list of what I really want because if I listed them all it'd be way too long...

Here we go:

• Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
• Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
• Mortal Danger by Ann Aguirre
• The Girl From The Well by Rin Chupeco
• The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton
• The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
• Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes
• A Crack In Everything by Ruth Frances Long
• Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson

Wow, that is a lot :/ and not even half of them...

9. Summer is almost upon us. What book do you read to get you in the mood for the fun and excitement that summer brings?

I haven't read a summer book. Contemporary is just not my thing. But for next summer, perhaps, I'll have Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson and I can read that!!!

And that is it!! I hope you enjoy my answers. Moi, I tag Constance from cravingbooks and Michelle's Minions and of course anyone else you wants to do it :)

Friday Finds #9

Friday Finds #8

This is a meme hosted by MizB at ShouldBeReading :) What you do is post up books that you have discovered from bookstores, friends or the web or whatever way you discovered them. You post the books you've only discovered during the week period.

The Books I Discovered This Week:

I discovered three books from a book store this week:

SAY HER NAME BY JAMES DAWSON

Roberta 'Bobbie' Rowe is not the kind of person who believes in ghosts. A Halloween dare at her ridiculously spooky boarding school is no big deal, especially when her best friend Naya and cute local boy Caine agree to join in too. They are ordered to summon the legendary ghost of 'Bloody Mary': say her name five times in front of a candlelit mirror, and she shall appear... But, surprise surprise, nothing happens. Or does it?
Next morning, Bobbie finds a message on her bathroom mirror... five days... but what does it mean? And who left it there? Things get increasingly weird and more terrifying for Bobbie and Naya, until it becomes all too clear that Bloody Mary was indeed called from the afterlife that night, and she is definitely not a friendly ghost. Bobbie, Naya and Caine are now in a race against time before their five days are up and Mary comes for them, as she has come for countless others before...

So so creepy, I think we've all heard of the Bloody Mart stories that haunted our childhoods and because of that I really want to read this book. If it truly is as creepy as the premise sounds, I may not sleep for a long time afterwards.


A CRACK IN EVERYTHING BY RUTH FRANCES LONG

Welcome to The Other Side ...
Chasing a thief, Izzy Gregory takes a wrong turn down a Dublin alley and finds the ashes of a fallen angel splashed across the dirty bricks like graffiti. She stumbles into Dubh Linn, the shadowy world inhabited by the Sidhe, where angels and demons watch over the affairs of mortals, and Izzy becomes a pawn in their deadly game. Her only chance of survival lies in the hands of Jinx, the Sidhe warrior sent to capture her for his sadistic mistress, Holly. Izzy is something altogether new to him, turning his world upside down.

An Irish author, a book set in Ireland. Damn hell, yes, I am going to read it!!! I actually had this book in my hands a few days ago even though it's not supposed to be out yet, but it was in a bookstore. Maybe I should have got it then....





SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE BY MORGAN MATSON

It was Sloane who yanked Emily out of her shell and made life 100% interesting. But right before what should have been the most epic summer, Sloane just...disappears. All she leaves behind is a to-do list.
On it, thirteen Sloane-inspired tasks that Emily would normally never try. But what if they could bring her best friend back?
Apple picking at night?
Okay, easy enough.
Dance until dawn?
Sure. Why not?
Kiss a stranger?
Um...
Emily now has this unexpected summer, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected), to check things off Sloane's list. Who knows what she'll find?
Go skinny-dipping?
Wait...what?

Ok, I didn't just discover this one. I've actually seen it on different sites a lot but after seeing it in person I decided to add it to my wishlist. I need a read like this on my shelves anyway.

Day and Night Tag

Day and Night Tag

I was tagged to do this tag by the wonderful BookingAwesome!! First time I was ever tagged to do a tag!!! Wow there is a lot of 'tag' right there....

So here is the Tag, simply you answer the questions and the start letter spells DAY AND NIGHT if you read it down :)

Do you read more in the morning or the night? 

Actually I'm more productive in the mornings because once I get tired, that's it I can't read anything...But with college just around the corner, the nights will become my best reading buddy.

Are there books that changed the way you thought about things?

I'm going to say, yes, there have been. My mentality has changed greatly because of books. I've learned how short life is, how not to dwell, or regret, or be angry or sad for longer than necessary, but to enjoy life as much as possible. 

YA or not? 

Hello?? My blog is called the "YA Bookaholic". Anyway, yes, of course, YA, all the way. I've actually only ever read few adult books, ok maybe one and that was 'The Lovely Bones' by Alice Sebold (Review to come soon!!) and I really want to read 'A Game of Thrones' but I think that is about it that is non-YA.

Are there characters you honestly believe are real? 

I wish they were real!! Does that count?? In my fantasies book character are real....Okay!!

Nobody touches your books or I don't mind lending them out?

Nobody!!! Nobody!! TOUCHES. MY. BOOKS. I learned the hard way about lending out books. I lent a book I loved to a friend. It was actually Maureen Johnson's 'The Name of the Star'. I loved that book. And it's gone!! Poof!! My book, just gone!! So now I have to go get it again...

Do you ever smell your books? 

I admit, sometimes I do. If I get a new book, yes. What I love the most though, is walking into a bookstore and just getting that book smell. It's heaven!!

Not everyone loves books...Is this a positive or negative?

Meh, everyone has their own tastes. I grew up for a while being the only bookworm until I made awesome new friends two years ago who share my bookworm passion!!

I keep my books in the best condition...or maybe not? 

Do you know me??? I am the person who in a bookstore will search through all the books to make sure there are no marks on the one that I get so yes, I have to have my books in the best condition. A small bit of comfort wear is alright, but nothing major. No rips or tears or stains or creases, nothing like that...

Gosh, I have too many books! True or False! 

Never enough!! But ya, I have over 160 books on my shelves and well I'm running out of shelf space and money so I've tortured myself into selling some books that I read and didn't like or that I know I won't read again. I know...it's killing me :'(

Have you ever spilled or stained your books before with something, and if so, how?

Never!!!!

Toned or untoned while reading? Aka do you work out and read at the same time?

That would never work out for me!! (Get it, Get it, work out, ya)

So that's the tag, and if any of you guys want to do it go do it!!! :D

Liebster Award!!! - August 28th 2014

Liebster Award!!! - August 28th 2014

I was just nominated for the Liebster award by the wonderful Noelia over at A Day In Bookland. Thanky you so so much!!! I'm going to love you forever!!! :P Anyways, this award is all for the new bloggers and the bloggers that have less than 200 followers so that us new bloggers can get out there in the blogging world.

IT'S SO SPARKLY!!!!!

There are just a few simple rules to follow. Here they are!!!

1. Thank the blogger who nominates you!! (THANK YOU SO MUCH NOELIA!!)
2. Answer the 11 Questions that they asked you....
3. List 11 RANDOM facts about yourself.
4. Nominate 11 bloggers with less than 200 followers for the award.
5. Ask the bloggers you nominate 11 questions, dun dun dun...
6. And finally let them know you nominated them!!

Here we go!!!

Noelia's Questions For Me:

1.      Explain the meaning behind your blog name:

Well, my blog name. Ammm I just made it up on the spot cause ya, I'm bad with names. Really bad with names. But on the other hand, I kind of wanted to link it with my Goodreads group which is YA Book Gang!! is any ya'll want to go check it out. Okay, I admit it, they don't link up...

2.      If you could travel through time, which period of time would you go?

This is a tough one! I'm stuck on whether I should visit the past or the future. Nope, I'm going for the future, future like thousands of years from now, just to see all the difference and to be like "Well, in my day...."

3.      What got you into reading?

Don't hate me!! I went to see the Twilight movie, a few weeks after it came out and I loved it and then I found it was a book and my mam and dad got me the books. And that was what started my whole bookaholic phase. Granted it took 12 year old me a year to read those four books, but I did it!! Then I came home one evening from school and City of Bones and City of Ashes were sitting on my bed!! This was well before the craze started. I even went to a Cassandra Clare signing a few years ago and she commented on how I had the old book covers and I was like "Ya, I got these books when they came out, back in 2008." All thanks to my mam and dad!!!

And here is a picture in case you don't believe me!! :P

4.      If you had to re-read a book for the rest of your live, which one would you pick?

I can't answer that!! Ok, one book for the rest of my life. Clockwork Angel, I couldn't live without Will. Imagine never reading about Will again!!

5.      Besides reading, what other hobbies do you have?

Besides reading, my other passion is Photography. I love it so much!!! I'm a nature, wildlife photography person and I could spend hours outside taking photos and I mean hours, in any weather...

6.      Do you like to listen to music while reading? Or maybe have a snack?

None, music and food are both great distractions when reading.

7.      Physical books or e-books? Why?

Physical books, all the way!! There is nothing better than holding a physical book in your hands and flipping through the pages. Anyway you can't show off your collection then. It's like oh come here, look at my books and it's just a screen, where as you come in to my room and I say oh come here, look at my books, you're eyes are mystified by over 150 magnificently, beautiful books. 

8.      If you could create the perfect group of friends choosing fictional characters, which ones would you choose? Why?

I like my small groups so this is going to be a small list. Perhaps consisting more of guys than girls. Anyway, first off William Herondale from The Infernal Devices (could he be my boyfriend???), then Rudy from The Book Thief, The Darkling from Shadow and Bone, Rose Hathaway from Vampire Academy, Cassie from The 5th Wave,  Karou from Daughter of Smoke and Bone and finally Em/Marina from All Our Yesterdays. I went with more girls because well I don't want to be listing out my fictional boyfriends do I??

9.      Have you ever disliked an author, or rather his/her books, which everyone seems to love?

Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck. I've just read it recently and it bored me so much. Kelsey was annoying. The writing style did not suit me. Everything was predictable. And it took a lot of pages for such little to happen...

10.  If you could be a fictional character, in which genre would you like your story to happen? Why?

Dystopian. So cool, you would never know what type of situation you'd be landed in to.

11.   (At this point I was completely out of ideas, so maybe this last question could be lame… this is so hard!) Last one: if you are given the opportunity to re-write the ending of a book, would you do it?

No, I wouldn't do it. End of. 

11 Facts About Moi!!!:

1. I'm starting college on the 9th of September and I'm so excited!! I finally get to study something I'm fully interested in. Yesh!!! It's Animal Care if any of you were wondering.
2. I am a big child. Seriously, a big one. I asked for a toy Minion for Christmas last year and it had to be Dave. It just had to be. And this year, I'm looking for a giant teddy bear of Toothless from How To Train Your Dragon.
3. At the moment I am addicted to 3 songs. These are Maps by Maroon 5, Pop 101 by Marianas Trench and One Last Time by Ariana Grande (it was free on itunes, so happy I got it!!)
4. For the first time ever, I am intentionally buying a hardcover book. I even have it on order and that book is Gates of Thread and Stone by Lori M. Lee. Such a beautifully covered book.
5. I am trying to stop buying books. At the current rate, I have brought down my TBR pile in my room by about 10 since May 2014 and it's now at 135!! Getting there!!
6. I just got a kitten 2 months ago. That brings my number of pets to 7. I love her, she's an adorable little black kitty but plenty of attitude, but loving too .
7. Why is it 11 random facts D: - I think my favourite season is Winter. I love the snow, and the fresh coldness of the air and it is a great time to take pictures.
8. I am weird with food, especially pizza. I won't eat a pizza that has the tomato base on it.
9. I'm addicted to Pringles at the moment. I'll only eat that much, never works.
10. I sleepwalk and it scares the hell out of me. I can't stand the thought that I am not fully in control of myself..
11. Dog ears on books are my worst enemy!!

The Bloggers I Nominate Are:

I've found amazing bloggers since I started blogging and here are the ones I'm nominating :)

Michelle's Minions
craving books
Anne Books
The Readical Effect
BookingAwesome
My Little Pocketbooks
Three Cheers For Butterbeer
A Blonde Librarian

My 11 Questions:
This is the hardest part D:

1. How many books do you currently have in your possession?? (Sue me, I couldn't think of anything else)
2. What was your best reading experience, or best book you've ever read?
3. Has a book ever had a life changing effect on you?
4. Have you ever lined up or was there extra early at a book release or author event?
5. Have you ever seen a cover for a book and just impulsively bought it without even reading the blurb or anything about the book?
6. (This is only number 6!!!) What is your most anticipated release for 2015?
7. Do you set yourselves goals for how many books you want read over a certain period of time?
8. (Creative One!!) You're in the middle of the forest and there are three doors with one female person behind each one. The first one is Katniss Everdeen, the second is June Iparis and the third is your favourite heroine of all time....Who is it? And Why??
9. Movies or Books?? Choose one!!
10. Are you the type of person who would be scared to see your favourite book on the screen or are you the type who would be excited for your favourite book to be on the big screen?
11. (Last One!!) Completely random and non book related - Have you any pets???

That is it!!! :D

Book Review - The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

The Awakening

(Darkest Powers #2)

Author: Kelley Armstrong

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal

Published: May 4th 2009

Pages: 357 pages (Paperback Edition) (Orbit)

Read: August 2014

Rating:  5 Stars

Chloe Saunders is on the run
and raising hell. Literally. 

Chloe Saunders is not your average supernatural teenager. Genetically altered at birth by a sinister team of scientists, she can barely control her terrifying powers. Now the team that created her has decided it's time to end the experiment. Permanently.

Now Chloe is running for her life along with a charming sorcerer, a troubled werewolf and a temperamental young witch. Together they have a chance for freedom - but can Chloe trust her new friends?

This is the second book in the Darkest Powers trilogy. The story continues to follow Chloe and her friends as they run from a cruel, evil group of Supernaturals. 

I loved this book just as much as I loved The Summoning. As I may have mentioned in my The Summoning review, this book is a re-read of when I first read it years ago and I still enjoyed it as much as I did back then, even though I'm much older now.

The story of this second book is intense and enjoyable as betrayals are found out, mysteries are solved while others are brought to the surface. There are fights, arguments, the beginnings of new friendships and a more understanding of the characters and their backgrounds. I thoroughly enjoyed this and was stuck to this book until I had it finished.

As mentioned above the characters grow in depth as backgrounds are revealed and as they change to adapt to their new situations. Derek is by far my favourite. I love the temperamental werewolf and  now, after getting to learn more about him, I love him more. Derek and Chloe are the two main characters that I care about. Simon is still meh, to me, although I love the fact that he is an artist and that comes very in handy in this book. Tori, is the usual, but I understand her more now, than before and I may be getting to like her a tad bit more.

I enjoyed the story immensely and the way the characters built depth. They were my favourite things about this book. I also loved all the twists and turns that developed. As for the dislikes, I can't remember any. There was anything that completely irked me, so there was no dislikes.

This ending was completely different ending to the one of The Summoning. This was not a cliffhanger, it did not end in a scene. It ended more of Chloe talking about what was happening to her emotionally. I'm not going to say anything else in case I spoil anything. I don't even know if what I just said is a spoiler. O.o I'm sorry if you think it is.

I'm going to say it again....I loved this book...I loved it just as much as the first time I read it. I would completely recommend it to everyone and definitely to people who have already read The Summoning. Enjoy this book!!!

 

Book Review - Breathe by Sarah Crossan

Breathe

(Breathe #1)

Author: Sarah Crossan

Genres: Young Adult, Dystopia, Science Fiction, Romance

Published: October 11 2012

Pages: 371 pages (Paperback Edition) (Bloomsbury)

Read: August 2014

Rating:  4 Stars

When oxygen levels plunge in a treeless world, a state lottery decides which lucky few will live inside the Pod. Everyone else will slowly suffocate. Years after the Switch, life inside the Pod has moved on. A poor Auxiliary class cannot afford the oxygen tax which supplies extra air for running, dancing and sports. The rich Premiums, by contrast, are healthy and strong. Anyone who opposes the regime is labelled a terrorist and ejected from the Pod to die. Sixteen-year-old Alina is part of the secret resistance, but when a mission goes wrong she is forced to escape from the Pod. With only two days of oxygen in her tank, she too faces the terrifying prospect of death by suffocation. Her only hope is to find the mythical Grove, a small enclave of trees protected by a hardcore band of rebels. Does it even exist, and if so, what or who are they protecting the trees from?

Breathe is a story about three teens as they live in a dystopian world where there are no trees, meaning no oxygen. Everyone is living in a dome under strict oxygen control, but suddenly everything changes in the minds of our protagonists.

I enjoyed this book enough to give it 4 stars. I didn't enjoy it immensely. It wasn't an Oh My God or WOW book. But, it was good. It was enjoyable. The thing I enjoyed most about this book was the plot. I loved the premise of a world without trees and everyone living in a dome. It was unique. And I can tell you that the plot continues to intrigue with the addition of action, mystery and suspense. So, most of the stars I gave to this book if for the story and the plot.

I found that the characters really lacked depth in Breathe. I couldn't connect to any of them. One of the main problems was that there were so many point of views. Two is acceptable. Go beyond that and it gets messy. There were three in this book - Alina, Bae, and Quinn. Quinn was so so annoying, especially at the start. Actually nearly all of them were. Alina was portrayed as pathetic, and Bae was a love-struck invisible girl. She was actually the best of the characters because of her kindness and the changes that she went through emotionally throughout the course of the book. 

As I said above I liked the story and the enjoyment it brought and my dislike was the portrayal of the characters, all the characters.

The ending leaves a lot of unanswered questions which I assume will be answered in the sequel 'Resist'. I am going to read 'Resist' because I want to know what happens and I'm going to be reading it next month, so we'll see if all my questions get answered.

In the end, I would recommend this book to others, not to people who are looking for amazing characters but to people who are looking for a good story, an enjoyable story without the importance of characters. 

Have any of you guys read Breathe? What did you think? Did you go on to read Resist??

Wishlist Wednesday #10

Wishlist Wednesday #10

Wishlist Wednesday is hosted by Pen to Paper and it is where you talk about one book which is on your wishlist.

My Wishlist Wednesday book is...

THE GLASS ARROW BY KRISTEN SIMMONS

The Handmaid’s Tale meets Blood Red Road in Glass Arrow, the story of Aya, who lives with a small group of women on the run from the men who hunt them, men who want to auction off breeding rights to the highest bidder.

In a world where females are scarce and are hunted, then bought and sold at market for their breeding rights, 15-year old Aya has learned how to hide. With a ragtag bunch of other women and girls, she has successfully avoided capture and eked out a nomadic but free existence in the mountains. But when Aya’s luck runs out and she’s caught by a group of businessmen on a hunting expedition, fighting to survive takes on a whole new meaning.

I added this book to my wishlist on August 15 2014 after seeing pictures of copies of this book on Twitter. It was either a bookworm's, publishers or the authors account, I cannot remember.

Anyway I added this book because I said that cover is so amazing and I had to have it in my collection of pretty book covers. So I added it to my list ever before I read the blurb. I actually have added a lot of books lately without looking at their blurbs. Let's just call them my sweet dive in blind book pile. 

So then yes, I read the blurb and it really interests me. It's like a dystopian. And I am going to assume that there will be plenty of strong women in this book even if the existence of women is scarce. 

The cover talk!! As I already said I added this book solely on the cover and what a cover it is!! It's unique in a way. I haven't seen  anything mildly like this yet and I just look the arrow and the arrow vines that lace the back. The colours on the cover are extremely suited to each other too. Ok, enough of the art, cover blabber....

I haven't read any other Kristen Simmons books before. She has a different series out called Article 5.  Which I'm going to assume is another type of dystopian. But anyhoo, she has those books out and I haven't read them and haven't really heard about them either. But I still want to read this new book and hopefully the books to follow in the series.

Are any of you guys waiting for this book?? (FYI: Release Date is February 10th 2015) Or have any of you guys read Article 5??