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Tuesday 30 September 2014

Top Ten Tuesday: Hard To Read Books

Hosted By: The Broke and The Bookish
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and The Bookish, where we list our top ten according to a topic of the week. I'm actually not participating in this weekly, only because I know that for some of the topics I really can't come up with a list of ten. For future topics though, check them out here.

Top Ten Books I Found Hard To Read



1. A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire #1) by George R. R Martin 
2. The Hobbit by J R. R Tolkein 
These two were more because they were dense and required a lot more concentration. I'm not a massive fantasy reader so it really did take some time to get use to. 

3. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
I had some expectations for this because I really liked the movie, but I found the novel to be a bit slow.

4. Dead Lovely by Helen Fitzgerald 
This started off really well but all of a sudden it changed pace and the plot twist was absolutely ridiculous and freaky. I was so creeped out by the end and I literally kept asking "what is going on?"

5. Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L James 
Two things - 1) the content (which has forever scarred me) and 2) the writing; I could not stop laughing at it.



6. Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler
I found this dry and bit of a bore after awhile, but it's more because I couldn't connect with the meaning of the story and the characters.

7. Broken by Shy Keenan
This is an exceptional true story of child abuse but it's contents really made me uncomfortable. 

8. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
The first half was a drag, I really had to push through to get to the second half. I feel like I'm the only person who found this hard to read though. 

9. Passion by Lauren Kate
10. Burial by Neil Cross 
Both of these are actually DNFs with the first just being utterly cheesy and the second really, really disturbing.

What's Your Top Ten?





Monday 29 September 2014

The Waiting List

The Waiting List is a new feature hosted by PrintedWordsAnd, where I list some upcoming releases for the month that I'm most excited about! 


Sequels



1. The Blood Olympus (The Heroes of Olympus #5) by Rick Riordan - 7th October

2. UnDivided (Unwind #4) by Neal Shusterman - 14th October

3. Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Cycle #3) by Maggie Stiefvater - 22nd October

4. In The Afterlight (The Darkest Minds #3) by Alexandra Bracken - 28th October

I'm not going to lie, I haven't read any of those series but I really, really want to get into The Heroes of Olympus. The others I do want to read but I'm not sure when I'll get around to it.

Fantasy/Sci-Fi




5. The Body Electric by Beth Revis - 6th October
The synopsis of this reminded me of Mystic City with the main character having chunks of her memory missing. Hmmm.

6. The Young Elites (The Young Elites #1) by Marie Luu - 7th October

7. Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick - 7th October

 8. Snow Like Ashes (Snow Like Ashes #1) by Sara Raasch - 14th October

9. Stitching Snow by R. C Lewis - 14th October


Mystery/Thriller



11. The Perfectionists by Sara Shepard - 7th October
From the author of Pretty Little Liars, this sounds absolutely thrilling. It's about a group of girls who come up with a plan to kill the girl they hate - hypothetically of course. What shocks them is that the girl really is killed and in the way planned. Who killed the girl?

12. Of Scars and Stardust by Andrea Hannah - 8th October

13. The Cure for Dreaming by Cat Winters - 14th October
Yes, yes yes! Cat Winters won me over with In the Shadow of Blackbirds and I am so excited for her new thriller.

14. They All Fall Down by Roxanne St. Claire - 14th October


Contemporary/New Adult



15. Burying Water (Burying Water #1) by K. A Tucker - 7th October
I'm only interested in this because Ten Tiny Breaths by K. A Tucker was a really good NA read for me. It was different and touching.

16. Bleed Like Me by Christa Desir - 7th October

17. Damsel Distressed by Kelsey Macke - 14th October

18. Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult - 14th October


Graphic Novel



19. Hansel and Gretel by Neil Gaiman (Author) and Lorenzo Mattotti (Illustrator) - 28th October
This sounds absolutely fascinating, with Gaiman's own storytelling and haunting illustrations. I am so excited for this! 

What's On Your List?




Sunday 28 September 2014

Talking Personal

It's actually been more than a month since I've written my last "Talking Personal" that I can't even remember what I've actually done.

I've been swamped with uni assignments and tests, that I spiralled into a hole. I completely abandoned my blog, which really annoyed me, because it meant that all the content I had planned were being forgotten.

It also didn't help that The Sims 4 was released and I was quickly sucked into the new game. I even "forgot" that I had an assignment due in the week because I was too busy with my new Sims family.

It's so beautiful!

One my latest commitments has been eating healthy and exercising regularly. I absolutely love waking up with meals to look forward to, especially breakfast. I've got a new found appreciation for Overnight Oats. I add a bunch of bananas and strawberries to sweeten the oats and in the morning, as a drizzle of honey before I eat it. My favourite though is adding a spoonful of peanut butter and mixing it in, it tastes amazing! Other than that I'll have scrambled eggs and avocado once a week, and yoghurt and muesli on others. Breakfast is definitely my favourite meal of the day!

    


My favourite thing this month though was going to see Wicked the Musical. It was exceptional from start to finish - I was completely blown away. Glinda was so funny, definitely my favourite character, and Lucy Durack made her shine. She was so enjoyable! I highly recommend you guys go to see if you haven't, although apparently I'm one of the few who hasn't seen it before.

Sneaky pre-show shot.
I'm currently on my mid-term break, so this week should be dedicated to catching up on everything I've missed before my exams start. I only have 4 weeks of uni left, that's insane! I'm so excited for holidays though because it means I can work and read and buy more books. Yay!

What have you guys been up to?




Saturday 27 September 2014

Ten Tiny Breaths (Ten Tiny Breaths #1) - K.A Tucker


Title: Ten Tiny Breaths
Series: Ten Tiny Breaths #1
Author: K.A Tucker
Publication Date: December 11th, 2012
Genre: New Adult
Add to Goodreads | Buy from The BookDepository
Kacey Cleary finds herself parentless at the age of 15, leaving only her sister left in her care. Four years later and they've escaped from their aunty and uncle's house to start a new life in Miami. 

Kacey's learnt to be strong and leave the past behind, but once she moves into her new apartment, her biggest challenge isn't surviving, it's actually living.

Review


I debated quite a bit on whether I wanted to write a review for this or not, but in the end I decided I actually had a few things I wanted to say about this.

Ten Tiny Breaths was a pleasant surprise, being probably one of the New Adult novels that didn't come off as mild erotica aimed for younger readers. It had a strong plot driven by issues that were actually relatable. K.A Tucker delivered a compelling story of family, trust and forgiveness, that had me engrossed. I was touched by Kacey's backstory and her struggle to come to terms with her grief and guilt. Those raw emotions radiated from her as I was reading, which is impressive for a writer to achieve. There was an underlying aspect of "love" and lust, but it didn't detract from everything that I got out of it. A lot of it had to do with physical attraction but I did feel that the relationship progress was realistic enough.

I'm not sure I agree with the plot twist, because if it played out like that in real life then 1) it'd be creepy as and 2) seriously it'd be creepy as. Still, I'll take it for what it is because it seems plausible in that setting and I enjoyed the overall book too much to really deduct points. I didn't catch on until right before the big revealing so I was quite shocked by it.

I really did like Kacey for her strong will and independence - the way she took everything into her own hands. My favourite character though, was her neighbour Storm. She was such a bundle of joy and good-naturedness and I completely fell for her charm.

I think NA can definitely be a daunting genre to tackle. I'm not particularly fond of it, finding it to be of little substance and not particularly memorable but Ten Tiny Breaths had a lot more depth than what I expected. It's definitely an easy read and I found every moment to be very enjoyable.




Wednesday 24 September 2014

Champions: At Fire's End (Champions #1) - Charlotte Jain

Title: Champions: At Fire's End
Series Champions
Author: Charlotte Jain
Publication Date: August 22nd, 2014
Disclaimer: I was sent this in exchange for an honest review
Add to Goodreads | Buy from The BookDepository
Two immortal factions have been at war without any result. They decide to draw a truce and leave it to their selected mortal champions to battle it out.

April Fall and Kyle Brown find themselves selected and possessing control over fire and water. They must fight as a pair in order to save the world and themselves. So when they happen upon Kyle and Kim, they realise that the time could be sooner than ever. Except their chances of survival are much more slimmer than they thought.

Review:


This was one of the most interesting and unique concepts I've ever reading YA Fantasy. Charlotte Jain takes on Greek Mythology with a modern twist, although I didn't realise that whilst I was reading the plot description. What drew me in were the elements at war and how two teenagers hold the responsibility to fight an immortal war. 

Despite my initial interest, I found my reading experience to be marred  by confusion. The book switches between April and Kyle's perspective, but I found it difficult to distinguish between their voices. The chapter titles didn't indicate the change in views as well so I would find myself feeling lost. I do understand that it is an ARC though, so the errors haven't been finalised and things might not be as clear as the finale should be. It's just I would've like to maybe read it without stopping and starting every single chapter. 

I think I'm part of the tiny minority, but my one issue with was how slow the first half was - and maybe that was due to the choppy reading. I really had to push through, and I just couldn't grasp everything properly. However, once I hit the second half the action took place and everything just meshed together really well. It built up towards the point of the battle and the cliffhanger does make me curious to see what the sequel will bring. 

I didn't love the characters, although I liked the sense of depth that they had - more so April. She shouldered her responsibility despite her past. I still couldn't figure out some of their moments or what their characters were suppose to do, but I guess I could piece it together. 

Champions: At Fire's End was definitely an interesting read with a unique concept, placing it under a spotlight. I can see that on the Goodreads community it's received very positive feedback, and personally I think it's definitely worth a look at it. 





Tuesday 23 September 2014

Top Ten Tuesday: Books On My Spring TBR List

Hosted By: The Broke and The Bookish

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and The Bookish, where we list our top ten according to a topic of the week. I'm actually not participating in this weekly, only because I know that for some of the topics I really can't come up with a list of ten. For future topics though, check them out here.


Top Ten Books On My Fall Spring TBR List
It's not Fall where I'm living so I've tweaked the season a little! 

  


1. Bad Kitty (Bad Kitty #1) by Michele Jaffe 
2. The Diviners (The Diviners #1) by Libba Bray 
3. Every Day by David Levithan 
4. Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer
5. Anne of Green Gables by L. M Montgomery

      

6. Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #1) by Laini Taylor
7. The Minnow by Diana Sweeney 
8. Tarnish by Katherine Longshore
9. Eyrie by Tim Winton 
10. A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire #3) by George R. R Martin 
    I'm not much of a seasonal reader, at least I find that my taste doesn't change according to the weather. However, for this list I chose a few contemporaries - Bad Kitty, Every Day, Eyrie - just to slide into a more light and refreshing read to mirror the warmth and sun that's just arrived. Other than that I'm getting started on some fantasy series that's been on my shelf for awhile. Also I know A Storm of Swords was also on my Winter TBR list, but this time, this time I'm going to get it finished. And I'm so excited to read Tarnish because historical fiction is love!


    What do you plan to read?




Brownlown 2014: Standouts and Burn Outs

Definitely very off topic to my usual blog posts, but Brownlow Night is always one of the most exciting things to watch for me.

If you guys don't know, the Brownlow Medal Night is basically the most prestigious award night for the AFL - Australian Football League. It awards the best player of the season based on the umpires votes after every round. Except, the Night has extended from the award to the Red Carpet arrivals. These days it's about the WAGs (Wives and Girlfriends) as much as it is about the footballers.

I've picked out a few of my best dressed, personal favourite, and those I think missed the mark by a bit.

Standouts



Rebecca Judd is regarded as Queen of the Brownlow Red Carpet, ever since her infamous red dress in 2004. This year she stunned in a gorgeous muted grey/dull white J'Aton Couture gown with a slim fitted torso and voluminous skirt, creating a fuller bottom half. I especially loved the Victorian-like detailing on the chest.

Nadia Bartel is another WAG who constantly shines on the Red Carpet, and whilst this piece is a little different to what she wears, I think she pulls it off exceptionally well. The One Day Bridal design is actually leather, and contains studs and straps.

Contrary to the more adventurous looks on the night though, Candice Quinlan appeared in a classic full-length gown. It's elegant, and the colour choice is refreshing and fun. I actually really like the yellow, because that colour can definitely be very disastrous.

 



Full points to Jessica Holtman for looking absolutely adorable. She looks like she's just stepped out of a fairytale, and whilst the dress does have a more bridal cut, the muted grey makes it more appropriate.

Jesinta Campbell is an absolute babe! I love that she's gone for a more conservative look, with the grey and long sleeve, but she's kept it interesting with the shoulder cut. Elegant and tasteful. She just resonates beauty in this Steven Khalil piece.

Abbie Noonan is a surprising addition, but this lilac dress (Georgia Young Couture) is so unique and eye-catching. She looks absolutely gorgeous in it as well.

Personal Favourite

Alex Davis would definitely have to be my favourite though. I'm all for classic and elegant looks, and this beautiful blue number by Julie Simonelli is exactly that. I feel like Alexis does veer towards this colour quite a lot - remember her Versace gown in 2011 - but it is a perfect colour for her. It's sexy in a subtle way, pulling in the places needed to show off her curves, whilst being modest with the floor length train and long sleeves.




Burn Outs

There's always the ones who just seem to not get it, or maybe they think they do, and then it doesn't work out like how they want it to. This is definitely my personal opinion though, so I do understand that we do all have very err .. different taste.





I just couldn't agree with any of these, and I really have to question what they were thinking. 


Gabo Greko deserves a category of her own. The self-designed dress just yells out confusion to me, and I actually don't want to know what's going on. The metal poking thing on her hands just gives me an Edward Scissorhand's vibe. She definitely took over Brynne's position, practically overshadowed her. 

Thanks to my friends, Kim and Hang for working through this with me. 

Who were your favourites?

(Photo Sources: AFL Media & Getty Images via DailyMailUK)