Waiting On March

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

1. Beyond the Red by Ava Jae 

One ruler. One alien. Both framed for assassination. In an alien/human world? Yes please!

2. The Girl Who Raced Fairyland All The Way Home (Fairyland #5) by Catherynne M. Valente 

The finale to Fairyland is much anticipated! I'm excited but also sad that this modern day fairytale is about to end.

3. The Girl Who Fell by Shannon M. Parker

I'm guessing this is about dysfunctional relationships and the dangers a person may possess despite them talking about loving you. 

4. The Crown and The Arrow (The Wrath and The Dawn #0.5) by Renee Ahdieh

I am obsessed with this series and anything that can feed my withdrawal until the next book comes out is most welcome. 

5. Seven Ways We Lie by Riley Reigate 

Seven view points of high school dramas. I haven't read a contemporary in awhile so I'm excited!

6. Wink Poppy Midnight by April Genevieve Tulchoke

A boy named Midnight is definitely a character I want to read about. 

7. The Moth and the Flame (The Wrath and The Dawn #0.25) by Renee Ahdieh 

Need I say more?

8. The Winner's Kiss (The Winner's Trilogy #3) by Marie Rutkoski 

We've reached the ending of this series and whilst I loved the first book I have yet to read the second one. Hopefully the release of this will motivate me to! 

What Books Are You Looking Forward To?

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Creepy and Captivating With Night Film

Title: Nightfilm 
Author: Marisha Pessl
Publication Date: July 16th, 2013
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On a damp October night the body of young, beautiful Ashley Cordova is found in an abandoned warehouse in lower Manhattan. Her suicide appears to be the latest tragedy to hit a severely cursed dynasty.

For McGrath, another death connected to the legendary director seems more than a coincidence. Driven by revenge, curiosity and a need for the truth, he finds himself pulled into a hypnotic, disorientating world, where almost everyone seems afraid.

The last time McGrath got close to exposing Cordova, he lost his marriage and his career. This time he could lose his grip on reality.

Review

My love for psychological thrillers/thrillers was completely satisfied after reading Nightfilm and I definitely think it's a must read!

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Top Ten Tuesday: Recent Books I've Enjoyed Outside Of My Comfort Zone

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. Check out future topics here!

Top Ten Books Out Of My Comfort Zone That I Enjoyed Recently 

So I don't necessarily have 10 to list, but I do think that's because I enjoy a variety of genres that it's hard to find ones I don't read regularly. That and maybe there are some genres I haven't dabbled in yet because I tend to read amongst Young Adult and few Adult genres only. If you have any recommendations definitely let me know!

1. Inside by Chris Judd

I rarely read non-fiction novels, let alone auto-biographies/biographies, but Chris Judd's self narrated novel was definitely interesting for me. I've always loved him as an AFL player but this gave me a little more insight into his life and what made him how he is. 

2. Ten Tiny Breaths (Ten Tiny Breaths #1) by K.A Tucker

Not a huge New Adult fan but this series, especially this book, drew me in and did not let me go. Highly recommend if you like this genre! (Full review)

3. The Host (The Host #1) by Stephanie Meyer 

Sci-fi's also another genre I tend to steer away from because I don't have a huge fascination for it but this was thrilling and addictive, albeit it is a mix betweens sci-fi and romance. (Full review)

4. Picnic At Hanging Rock by Lindsay Joan 

I do like classics but I would have to admit they are out of my comfort zone, especially the earlier novels. Most of it is due to the language used by Picnic at Hanging Rock is easy to read and the plot is intriguing and gripping. 

5. Shantaram (Shantaram #1) by Gregory David Roberts 

Adult fiction is something I do enjoy but Shantaram's size and the content of it was really intimidating. I managed to plow through and am so glad I did! (Full review)

What Books Did You List This Week?

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Talking Personal: Counting Down Summer

Look at me, almost two months into the year and still on the blog grind. I mean I deserve a hi-five right? 

It's pretty much the last month of Summer now and the weather's starting to become dreary and wet. I'm trying to get as much sun as I can before I'm doomed to 6 months of gloomy, freezing weather.  What I am excited for though is Winter fashion! I do find that there's something a bit more classy with this seasons style than summer. 

I'm still working as many hours as possible but in between them I've seen friends, celebrated the last few 21st in my social circle and have gone on brunch hunts. I love that I'm also getting to know my workmates more and actually developing really good friendships! 

My family also celebrated Lunar New Years, which means the year has officially started - at least for our culture. I love that LNY brings the family together and I got to see relatives I don't see often. I also love that my mum pretty much cooks up a massive banquet for us to feast on. Definitely a major perk. 

Highlight of the month would be seeing A$AP Rocky live though! His concert was every bit as exciting as I expected - he has a presence about him that draws the crowd and energises them. It wasn't the most well behaved crowd but I was so into the moment it didn't really matter. I was sad to find out I didn't save all the videos I had of him though so I'll have to resort to clips I find on the internet. I am a huge fan of hip hop so it was amazing to see him in concert!

Also wanted to share my favourite song of the month as a result of seeing Deadpool. Now that is some movie, absolutely hilarious and worth the watch. Just keep in mind it is very inappropriate so be age conscience. Without further ado!

It hasn't been overly exciting month but because uni is about to start again, I've been planning my last semester and researching different options for further study and career options. It all sounds so daunting and I am definitely not ready for full time adult life. 

That's pretty much it for this month. Hope you guys enjoy the final days before March comes around.

How Has Been February Been For You?

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Cute And Easy But Not As Impactful in Finding Audrey

Title: Finding Audrey
Author: Sophie Kinsella
Publication Date:
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An anxiety disorder disrupts fourteen-year-old Audrey’s daily life. She has been making slow but steady progress with Dr. Sarah, but when Audrey meets Linus, her brother’s gaming teammate, she is energized. She connects with him. Audrey can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she’s never been able to do with anyone before. As their friendship deepens and her recovery gains momentum, a sweet romantic connection develops, one that helps not just Audrey but also her entire family. (Source: Goodreads)

Review

Finding Audrey is one of the few young adult novels I've read addressing teenage issues that can sometime be swept under the rug by society. Whilst I appreciate Kinsella's attempt to raise awareness on such events, I wasn't entirely sold by the premise of the novel.

The best thing about reading Finding Audrey was the fact that it made me laugh out loud. I rarely read books that actually crack me up, and whilst the jokes may have been corny or childish, it was still funny to read.

Other than that it was a very easy read, cute at times when Linus and Audrey started to explore their relationship further.

However, what was unsatisfying was the fact that while there was a big fuss around the events that traumatised Audrey, Kinsella only alludes to what happened without a full explanation. I really wanted to hear what brought about the change in Audrey - a full recount without sparing the details. Instead, I had to guess and deduce based on the clues. I also didn't find Audrey's recovery to be as realistic or as empowering as I wanted. It's hard to see a young girl struggling to even look at her parents in the eye but meet a young boy and start to make not just baby steps, but almost giant leaps. It was almost like a race although, much like any story, the journey isn't as smooth as planned.

I do think that Audrey's feelings of anxiety and uncomfortableness, her struggles with adapting to a normal life, was relayed in a way where I could grasp it emotionally and sympathised with her. At the very least it was relatable and meaningful towards readers.

The characters themselves had only one sense of direction, especially Audrey's mum. I found her so annoying for being overly protective, old-fashioned and trying to relate to her children but failing to.

I know many readers do enjoy Finding Audrey and I did think it was a good read, just not as impactful for a novel wanting to raise awareness on serious issues.

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