Top 5 Books of 2016

Hi there. A wild blog post on a seemingly defunct blog has appeared! I'll get to the reasons why another time, but for now, I thought I'd put out a (much delayed) best books of 2016 post. Initially this was going to be a Top 10 post, but then I went through what I actually read (thank you Record Keeping God, Goodreads) and realised that only five books were really worth me talking about. So here we go! (These are in no particular order, by the way).

I was fortunate enough to get a review copy of this one from Harper Voyager (thanks Harper Voyager!) and so I got to read it a little early. Boy, wasn't I happy I did that. I was blown away by this book - the first chapter especially was next-level. It has to be one of the best first chapters I've ever read. The writing was gorgeous, the characterisation was great, and the world-building was outstanding (especially with the interesting use of footnotes).

A little slow on the uptake, it really amps up towards the end. I cannot wait to read the sequel, Godsgrave.

I actually did a full video review of this one on my BookTube channel, so if you wanna see it, just click here. But a definite must-read.

     

Far from the Madding Crowd took me by surprise. After vowing to not read another Hardy for at least two years after Tess of The d'Urbervilles in 2015, you can imagine my annoyance surprise when I got it in my head to read this one. I was a big fan of the Carey Mulligan film, and thought that since I knew what was going to happen, it wouldn't be as difficult to get through. 

While I was sometimes wrong (the man loves to talk about farming), for the most part I adored this book. The first sentence was an absolute winner, and I loved that Bethsheba wasn't a girl of her time. She wasn't always likeable, she made mistakes, and on more than one occasion, I was bloody sick of her. It was a great exploration of character, and if you decide you want a bit of Hardy in your life, I can definitely recommend this one.

As far as I'm concerned, Melina Marchetta can do no wrong. With every new trial in genre, she has never gone wonky. This is Melina Marchetta's first foray into adult fiction, and it absolutely blew my mind. I wouldn't necessarily call it a thriller - it's not exactly fast-paced, as it really delves into the characterisation, but I think it's fair to say it definitely fits in the crime genre. The exploration of identity and racial profiling was especially well-done.

Intense, with some wonderful dialogue. I can't say enough good things about this book. For a more in-depth look at my feelings on the book, definitely go to my September 2016 Wrap-Up, around the 5:25 mark.

It feels sort of weird to talk about this book when the last one was released earlier this year, but oh well. This was definitely a stand-out book for me in the year of 2016. Everything that I had liked about A Court of Thorns and Roses had been expanded on and fleshed out in this sequel. I had definitely been interested to see how the story would continue to play out, when the first book had such a neat ending.

The world building was out of this world (hah!), and the depth of character created (especially for Feyre) was solid. I loved this book (which is great because I can't say as much for the last book, A Court of Wings and Ruin).

Definitely my favourite in the series.

The Underground Railroad just edged in, in time to make this list - it was one of my last reads of 2016, and it helped end the year on a good note. In every way, it knocked it out of the park.

The writing was stunning, and the story was provocative, and I feel like Colson Whitehead thought about every little thing. It was such an impactful read, and I can't recommend it enough.

If you want more of my thoughts on the book, definitely watch my Summer Reading Wrap-Up Part 1 video, around the 7:53 mark.

And we're done! Those are my top 5 reads of 2016. What do you think? Any agreements? Disagreements?

Hopefully (if I can learn to manage my time better), you'll be seeing me a bit more on this blog. It's fallen into disrepair because I haven't used it in so long, but I'm hoping to make it new and squeaky clean.

Expect some sort of general life update soon!

Sarah J Maas Interview!

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So, here's a funny story. About a month ago I got the opportunity to interview my all-time fav author Sarah J Maas while she was in town. I know. I did that thing where I got this huge exciting thing and I then took a month to actually do anything with it. I'm a failure of a blogger. The important thing is that I'm finally getting to it, yes? You can blame Christmas working hours.

Myself, along with Angelya & Philippa, Chelsea, and Brittany were hustled into a media room and given some one on one time with Sarah herself. We weren't allowed to record, but needless to say she was a darling and I didn't cry in her presence. I call the day a success.

The interview is below but I just wanted to send out a huge, huge thank you to Sonia from Bloomsbury Australia for setting this up. You're an absolute legend, and a gem of a person. It was wonderful meeting you!

Also big thank you to my fellow interviewers - you are dolls and it was such a pleasure to meet you all. And an even bigger thank you to Brittany to transcribing the whole thing. I tried but then life got in the way.

There are spoilers in this interview, just a heads up. So if you haven't read the series and you don't want to be spoiled, then maybs give this one a miss. If you do want to be spoiled, then feel free to continue.

Now. Let the interview commence!

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Brittany: Did you intend on having Celaena have multiple romances before you started the Throne of Glass series, or was it something that just kind of happened as you wrote the books?

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Sarah: I don’t know how much you know about my history when writing this story, but I began writing it when I was sixteen. And with the way it wound up ending (when I posted it online) Celaena kind of stayed with one dude-ish, but she had some other slight romances. By the time I got to the very end of it, I realised that 1) who I wanted her to actually be with and 2) that throughout the entire draft, I was fighting so hard just to keep her stuck to this one thing that I had planned, but she did not want to go in that direction.

So, when I finished roughly the first three books in the series (of the drafts when I was a teenager) I decided to re-write it word for word. I wouldn’t even LOOK at the first draft, so that wound up being the series in its current incarnation, where I wanted her to lead the story where it needed to go.

I wanted her to just feel real – and I think sometimes you can have that romance where it’s like the first guy you kiss and fall in love with – that can be very compelling and romantic. My husband was my first boyfriend ever and we got married, so I am that story, but I believe that (and I never want my books to be preachy) it’s okay for girls to date whoever they want to date, and however many people they want to do. And that just kind of ended up being part of her story.

But, I didn’t want that to be the defining thing about her story, either. And with the last book, I didn’t want it to be about who Celaena ended up with, I wanted it to be about what she does for her kingdom, and her people, and her world.

So the romance for me has always been really fun to write, but always kind of secondary to what her actual growth is. I wanted Celaena to have these relationship and fall in love, and have it mean something and change both of them – but also evolve beyond that, and for her to be able to walk away and realise what she does need and does want.

And I did know who I wanted her to ultimately end up with, and I laid the seeds for that even as early as The Assassin’s Blade – like, there are little details like ‘the scent of Terrasen’ which is also Rowan’s scent, and it’s mentioned in The Assassin’s Blade what that smells like. With all of that, I just wanted her journey to feel like something that was organic. And I do trust Celaena to lead me where she wants to go… It’s fun to have her fall in love and fall out of it, and for her to decide that she can go after what she wants if something isn’t working for her.

And on the opposite end, it’s okay for the men in the series to also move past that and to have their own storyline that’s totally separate from hers. They aren’t defined by their relationship to her, but also by what they do in their relationships with other characters. So something I planned, but also something I ran with, I guess.

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Angelya & Philippa: There have been a lot of passionate fan responses to the different relationships – they’re getting together and they’re breaking up – especially in Queen of Shadows. Are you shocked by the amount of different responses by people and how does it make you feel?

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Sarah: I don’t really go looking for stuff. The only time I ever encounter it is if someone will directly say something to me. And even then, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

I think of myself as a fangirl first and foremost, so I totally understand what it feels like to be passionate about a ship. I’m a big fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Zuko and Katara? I’m totally still bitter about that, so I understand that passion.

At the end of the day, as wonderful as it is when your readers are so vocal about your support, I really need to maintain that bubble of my own creative voice. Sometimes when I’m writing, I’ll just turn off the internet – as much as I love chatting to all of you guys online – in order to hear my characters voices, as I can’t hear anyone else’s.

 

I think, regardless of what people are saying, it’s wonderful people are even talking about the books. It would be really bad if people just didn’t talk about them… probably the worst thing they could do is literally say nothing. But passionate readers? It really gets the word out there. People are having debates about who they want the characters to end up with and people are like ‘Oh, I want to read for myself!’

With Queen of Shadows, I kind of knew before that book came out that some readers would be excited, some would be upset… but at the end of the day, again, I just kind of had to let the characters do what they wanted to do.

And in regards to Chaol, I wanted him to be at an all-time low. What happens in Heir of Fire is devastating. He is someone who has dedicated his entire life to serving Dorian, to protecting Dorian and serving his kingdom. At the end of Heir of Fire, he literally has to – not walk- run away, and leave Dorian to one of the worst fates that someone can deal with. And that breaks him; breaks him emotionally and I think – again, everyone’s entitled to their own opinion – but for me, I find that he doesn’t have to be perfect all the time and it’s okay. Okay for him, for all of us, to have moments were we break and fall apart and we don’t act our very best way.

In some ways it can be really hard to have someone expect you to be perfect, but everything’s falling apart and that can make you break even harder. And with Chaol, I wanted him to break, but he also had to learn (like he told Celaena in Throne of Glass to ‘get back up again') and so in Queen of Shadows, he is definitely not himself at the beginning of the book because he is trying to re-organise his world and who he is and how he’s going to fight for it. And he is allowed to be mean and ugly because if that happened to my best friend, I would be a wreck! I would be the nastiest and most horrible person. So for him, he is allowed to have that moment.

He also owes it to himself to find a way to get back to that place where he was before – and not just that places, but a better place. For me, that was one of the most meaningful journeys that I wrote about in Queen of Shadows and I know that some readers were upset about who Celaena/Aelin winds up with.

(I always change what I call her depending on what book I’m working on. Assassin’s Blade through Heir of Fire I always refer to her as Celaena, but then Queen of Shadows onward she’s Aelin – but then when I’m talking to a group of people who haven’t necessarily read all the books, I have to call her Celaena because I don’t want to spoil it! So I’m always juggling the names!)

For Chaol, his main relationship is Dorian and that friendship – that bond. And I love that Dorian and Chaol can both exist outside of Celaena. They don’t have to BE their relationship to her. They can be with her, and then move on and have their own stories and contribute to the world and how they’re going to save it. I’m really excited for all the adventures that are coming up!

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Jocie: Diversity in fiction has recently been a really big topic, and I especially so in fantasy. So I guess my question is - when you write, are you conscious of it and make an effort to incorporate diversity?

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Sarah: Oh, absolutely. With my world I want it to be as interesting and diverse as possible and not just with the way that people look, but also the way women and men interact. Often by default I’ll find myself writing a random side character (like a shop owner) and by default I’ll make this person in power a man. I will then actively stop and go ‘You know what? I’m going to make this a woman. A woman owning her own business” or a female member of the guard. So I always try and add different sorts of diversity into my books.

There are new characters coming in and I want it to be reflective of our own world, which is so diverse, even though it’s a fantasy world. Because it’s pretty boring when everyone looks the same, acts the same. And part of what’s really great about writing this giant, sweeping fantasy world is that I can just create so many different cultures and have readers connect with different people and places.

It’s very important to me. It’s something I’m really, really glad that attention is being brought to it and people are speaking up and championing it. Things are starting to change in the industry. It’s been really wonderful to witness, and so many authors are doing so many brave and wonderful things in the name of it. It’s very inspiring and I’m in awe of those people!

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Chelsea: A Court of Thorns and Roses is loosely based on Beauty and the Beast and East of the Sun, West of the Moon. Did you plan to base future books off of something as well? How do you choose?

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Sarah: I don’t really actively sit down and choose… it’s just that the story I have in mind that kind of sometimes resembles one of the folk tales or fairytales that I love. And with A Court of Mist and Fury (the sequel coming out May 2016!), that one is very loosely inspired by Hades and Persephone.

You have the kernels of that starting in A Court of Thorns and Roses in the way of Rhys and Feyre’s bargain. It’s not really spoilery – because it says it in the synopsis – but Rhys calls in that bargain and Persephone was the daughter of Demeter (springtime and fertility being stolen away to the Underworld – ‘Night Court’) so there are very slight nods to that, but you’ll see it’s very sprawling.

There are a lot of new characters that kind of come in that aren’t from any kind of fairytale, rather just ‘WELL YOU’RE VERY ATTRACTIVE AND YOU’RE IN THE BOOK!’ but then that fairytale feel will often creep in.

In Book Two, there are a lot of new creepy creatures. There is one moment when Feyre is in a Hansel and Gretel-type situation – it’s one of my favourite scenes ever. It’s not a spoilery thing, but this creature is called ‘The Weaver in the Wood’. I mean, I wrote that scene and I was so excited but also gagging – it’s pretty horrific! So there are definitely those fairytale elements that make their way into it.

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And that is the interview. Hope you guys enjoyed it, found it engaging, got a little bit of goss from it. I know I certainly did.

Again, a huge, huge thank you to Angelya, Philippa, Chelsea, and Brittany. Also Sonia. And of course, Sarah for being wonderful and writing the Throne of Glass series. :)

Book Review | A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas.

Here's my review for the wonderful new book Sarah J Maas has created. I loveeeeeee it. 

And a big, big thank you to Bloomsbury Australia for sending me a copy of it.

Video | March 2015 Wrap-Up.

Books Read:

When You Are Engulfed in Flames | David Sedaris

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius | Dave Eggars

We All Looked Up | Tommy Wallach

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass | Lewis Carroll

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So, that's what I read in the month of March. What did you guys read? Any stand outs?

Friday Reads | #1.

Books Mentioned:

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers

Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll

Oranges are not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson

Spirit Gate by Kate Elliott

These are the books I'm going to try to get through this weekend. What are you guys planning on reading?

Book Review | The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma.

"Ori's dead because of what happened out behind the theatre, in the tunnel made out of trees. She's dead because she got sent to that place upstate, locked up with those monsters. And she got sent there because of me."

The Walls Around Us is a ghostly story of suspense told in two voices - one still living and one long dead. On the outside, there's Violet, an eighteen-year-old dancer days away from the life of her dreams when something threatens to expose the shocking truth of her achievement. On the inside, within the walls of a girls' juvenile detention centre, there's Amber, locked up for so long she can't imagine freedom. Tying these two worlds together is Orianna, who holds the key to unlocking all the girls' darkest mysteries.

We hear Amber's story and Violet's, and through them Orianna's, first from one angle, then from another, until gradually we beging to get the whole picture - which is not necessarily the one that either Amber or Violet wants us to see.

Nova Ren Suma tells a supernatural tale of guilt and innocence, and what happens when one is mistaken for the other." (synopsis and cover from (x)

When I saw that Nova Ren Suma had a new book coming out, I clicked the request button without even reading the premise. That is how big a fangirl I am about Nova Ren Suma. Unfortunately I was left with very mixed feelings.

Violet is a ballerina on her way to Julliard, her whole life ahead of her. Amber is in jail for allegedly murdering her abusive step-father. She also happens to be dead. The two are linked by one person: Orianna. Violet's best friend, and Amber's cellmate. But Orianna shouldn't be in jail, and only through Violet and Amber are we able to learn why.

The Walls Around Us opens with a bang and it took me a fair few chapters before the shock would stop. Ok, I will admit that perhaps I should've read the premise. But the cacophony of words left me with a lot of lingering confusion.

I'll start with the one thing I utterly adored. The writing. This comes as no shock to anybody who knows me. Suma's style is remarkable and her writing still manages to make me speechless, even after three books. Its lyrical quality is something I very deeply aspire to. If there's anything you should read this for, it's the writing.

And this is where the positives end, unfortunately.

Pacing-wise, The Walls Around Us was something I found very easy to put down. It just didn't capture my attention, and I think it's in part due to my detachment towards the characters.

I wasn't a fan of them. Violet in particular, I found nasty and wholly unsympathetic. This isn't usually an issue for me, but it unfortunately didn't work in this book.

As I mentioned above, I also found the book mildly disorientating. It certainly didn't last the entirety of the novel, but it did last as long as it took me to properly read the premise.

It really pains me that I didn't love this as much as I wanted to. While the writing was a stand-out element, I found everything else to be lacking. 2 stars.

Rating: ** (2 Stars)

Publication Date: 24th of March 2015

Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers

Goodreads | Nova Ren Suma's Website | Twitter

Want to buy this? You can get it here:

Book Depository | Fishpond | Amazon | Book World

Thank you to Algonquin Young Readers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC.

Video | January Wrap-Up.

Book Review | I Was Here by Gayle Forman.

"From the bestselling author of If I Stay - this summer's YA blockbuster film.

This characteristically powerful novel follows eighteen-year-old Cody Reynolds in the months following her best friend's shocking suicide.

As Cody numbly searches for answers as to why Meg took her own life, she begins a journey of self-discovery which takes her to a terrifying precipice, and forces her to question not only her relationship with the Meg she thought she knew, but her own understanding of life, love, death and forgiveness.

A phenomenally moving story, I Was Here explores the sadly all-too-familiar issue of suicide and self-harm, addressing it in an authentic way with sensitivity and honesty." (synopsis and picture from (x)

I screamed when my old boss called me up and was like, 'do you want a proof copy of Gayle Forman's new book?' I wish I hadn't, but I did actually scream. Needless to say, my expectations were high. Unfortunately, I was left feeling a little disappointed.

Cody's been best friends with Meg since forever, and when Meg ends her life, Cody doesn't know how to cope. When she goes up to Meg's college town to pack her belongings, Cody realises that a lot remained unsaid between them. And she was going to figure out what.

I just want to start off this review by saying that I think this book might be perhaps a little more appropriate for an older audience. Now that that's out of the way, let's begin!

Like I mentioned above, I had very high expectations for this book. And while Forman does a good job with some elements of the novel, I found other aspects were severely lacking. But first: the good things.

I liked Cody. I liked her snark and sass and I appreciated that she was trying to mourn in her own way. Because mourning is a really personal thing, and nobody does it in the same manner. Likewise, I think the author did a great job with most of the secondary characters. She fleshes (most) of them out in a way that makes you connect to them quickly.

That's in part to the writing. I loved the writing. I can never fault Gayle Forman for her writing. The voice she created was clear and wonderful.

The biggest thing, however, that I think the author does the best - the most important thing - is how she looks at suicide and how it affects loved ones. Because that's what this story is about: it's about a girl who has lost her best friend and feels like half of her life has been lost and she doesn't know where to go. It's about her figuring out how to pick up the pieces and keep moving. And it's something I don't think enough people pay attention to. The what-happens-after.

There are, however, some not so great things.

Firstly, Ben. He didn't convince me as a love interest. He wasn't well-fleshed out and I felt like his and Cody's relationship was stilted at best. There just wasn't the spark between the two that I'd seen in her previous novels. Also, Ben tended to growl a lot. This was hugely amusing to me. Did anyone else pick that up?

I also wish we'd been able to see more of Meg and Cody's relationship. I understand that Meg is dead, so it makes things a little difficult, but. But. Because I didn't see a lot of their friendship on the page, I found it hard to believe that they were best friends.

More than anything, I guess I'm just a little disappointed. I Was Here didn't move me nearly as much as her other novels have. While some elements were wonderfully done, and Forman's portrayal of grief was exquisite, I found the lack of development in the key friendship stilted the book. 3 stars.

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia

Publication Date: 1st February 2015

Goodreads | Gayle Forman's Website | Twitter

Want to buy this book? You can get it here:

Book Depository | Fishpond | Bookworld | Amazon

Video | Completed Series.

Video | Australian Authors You Should Read.

Books Mentioned:

Tomorrow When The War Began by John Marsden

The Obernewtyn Chronicles by Isobelle Carmody

Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

Beautiful Malice by Rebecca James

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

Garth Nix

The First Third by Will Kostakis

The Starboard Trilogy by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Seven Little Australians by Ethel Turner

Picnic At Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsey

Melina Marchetta

Video | December 2014 Wrap-Up.

Books Mentioned:

Cross Stitch (Outlander #1) / Diana Gabaldon

Quiet / Susan Cain

Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops / Jen Campbell

Daily Rituals / Mason Currey

What We Talk About When We Talk About Love / Raymond Carver

Never Fade (The Darkest Minds #2) / Alexandra Bracken

A Room With A View / E.M. Forster

I Was Here / Gayle Forman

Saving Francesca / Melina Marchetta

BEDJ #8 | The Liebster Award Tag!

Hey lovely people! I have a tag for you today. The lovely Bernadette from The Bumbling Bookworm tagged me, and so here I am. Also, a thank you to her for tagging me. :)

So, what is the Liebster Award, you ask? It's basically a tag used to promote lesser-known bloggers, and to just generally spread the love around. Pretty neat, I think. Ok, let's get started.

First off, the rules:
1. Link/thank the blogger that tagged you
2. Answer the 11 questions your nominator gives you
3. Tag 11 other bloggers who have 200 or less followers
4. Ask the 11 bloggers you nominated 11 questions (and let them know you nominated them)

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Note: This has been in my drafts folder for at least two months. So, some of the information is a little outdated.

Number 1: When did you start blogging and why?
    I probably technically started blogging back in 2008 or 2009 when I was living in Canada, but I didn't use this URL. The Mother was keeping a blog so the rest of the family could keep up with us, and it was my first real introduction to blogging.

With this blog, I started it back in 2010. It was mainly used as a platform to showcase some long gone YouTube videos. Since then, I've expanded it (obviously). I guess I started doing it, because I enjoyed writing (still do!) and felt like blogging would help me improve my skills? Honestly, it was so long ago, I don't really remember why I decided to do it. It seemed like fun, so I did it.

Number 2: What book have you been wanting to read for a while but haven't yet read?

       I chose two books: A fiction and non-fiction. My fiction choice is: Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche. To be honest, I've been kinda keen to read all of her books. It just so happens that Purple Hibiscus was the one that really caught my eye. Ever since I watched her TedX speech, I've really wanted to read her books. She seems intelligent and gracious and yes.

My non-fiction choice is Quiet by Susan Cain. I've been told that this is also based on TedX talk, but I didn't realise that was a thing until I'd already bought the book. I've had my eye on this one since it first came out. As an introvert, I thought this was really interesting. So, here we are.

Number 3: Has a book ever made you want to travel somewhere, and if so, where?

       This will come as no surprise to anyone ever, but Just One Day by Gayle Forman. This book sort of owns my forever-wandering heart. It captures all the elements of Europe I adore. I didn't know whether to include Just One Year as well, given there's just as much travel in it.

Number 4: How do you choose which book to read next: are you a mood reader or do you stick to a schedule?
       I'm largely a mood reader. This sometimes works in my favour, because if I'm feeling a particular way I'll know exactly what books I want to read next. More often than not, though, it's a little difficult because I'll be at uni and not have all my TBR-books on hand. Not for long though! Holidays soon! (Read: Now)

Number 5: Where is your favourite place to read?
        I have two favourite places to read. The more obvious one is my bedroom. It's just the best atmosphere ever for reading a book. The other is my local Gloria Jeans. It's just got a really nice vibe, and they've also memorised my coffee order. I'm ridiculously proud of that fact, so don't harsh my mellow.

Number 6: Which do you prefer: reading the book before watching the movie adaptation, vice versa, or neither?
        I usually like to try and read the book before I watch the movie. It really just depends on whether I've got time to read it before hand, if I'm reading another book, etc. etc.

Number 7: What's your favourite book cover?

       Choosing one book is not fair. It's too difficult. I've tried to narrow it down to two but please know that there are so many others. Soooo many others. The two I decided to select were both classics. The first one is Middlemarch by George Eliot. It is kind of sitting there as a placeholder for the entire Penguin Clothbound Classics series.

Another favvie of mine is The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I think this one is apart of the Penguin F. Scott Fitzgerald Anniversary Collection? It's just gorgeous in it's simplicity.

Number 8: When was the last time a book made you cry?
       Oh dear. I'm not a huge cryer when it comes to books? Give me a sad movie any day, and I will ball my eyes out (I'm serious, I was watching Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2 the other day and I nearly started crying towards the end. The Brother was in the vicinity though and I didn't want him judging me). Books though? Not so much. My immediate response is to go with The Fault In Our Stars, but I'm not 100% sure on that one. I very nearly cried at the end of Falling Into Place by Amy Zhang. Does that count?

Number 9: What was your favourite book and author as a child?

        Now, when you say 'as a child,' I'm going to take that as literally as possible and I'm showing you my copy from when I was like, five or six. I adored this book. It's very well-loved (as I'm sure you can see). I would read it and re-read it, over and over. The story mixed with the illustrations just caught my attention like nothing else.

There was another children's book I adored, but I can't seem to find it. It was about the desert and how it was so deserted (funnily enough) and ugly, and how, after it storms, it becomes a field of poppies. Or something like that. I was just fascinated by it.

Number 10: Do you prefer to read e-books or physical books?
        Physical books, easily. I really can't stand e-books. Don't get my wrong, I've tried. I do see the advantages in using them when travelling. I just really do not like them.

Number 11: If you have to recommend one book for me (Bernadette) to read, what would it be?
        *coughs* Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas. I recommend it to everyone. I honestly cannot stop myself. A customer came into work the other day and asked me for a book recommendation and I was going to say Throne of Glass and then she said she only wanted a book with a happy ending. I was totally floored and had so much trouble thinking of another suitable book.

Throne of Glass, or The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski. Both are pretty impeccable. If you want a  contemporary book, Falling Into Place is pretty raw/amazing/heartbreaking. If you want a classic, I've been obsessing over The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood recently.

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So, there are my answers! Hope they were at least halfway decent.

Next step: Nominate some bloggers!

      + Jess from Jess Reads Things
      + Zoe from The Brit In Aus
      + Iona from Where Is Wallis
      + Julia from JulyeyCamille
      + Candice from Sense and Sensibility
      + Lauren from Lauren Reads YA
      + Anyone else who wants to do it

I'll be real with you guys, I'm cheating a little bit here. Some of these lovely people might have more than 200 followers. Also, I couldn't think of more than six people. Sorryyyyyyyy. But seriously, you should check these people out. They're the loveliest.

&&&

Next section: the new questions!

1. Tea or coffee when reading?
2. What book surprised you?
3. What is the place you most want to visit?
4. What are your ideal reading conditions?
5. What's your favourite quote?
6. Who's your style crush?
7. Is there a TV or film adaptation you prefer over the book?
8. Notebook or computer?
9. What's your classic red lip of choice? (Like, brand/name, that sort of thing)
10. What song could you listen to endlessly?
11. How would you describe your style?

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And we're done! Hope you guys enjoyed the tag. And sorry to Bernadette for me taking so long to actually post this up.

BEDJ #6 | Top 10 Books of 2014.

The Top 10 Books of 2014:

Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone by Kat Rosenfield | ✭✭✭✭ |

Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg | ✭✭✭✭✭ |

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski | ✭✭✭✭ |

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy | ✭✭✭✭ |

Falling Into Place by Amy Zhang | ✭✭✭✭✭ |

Sabriel by Garth Nix | ✭✭✭✭ | 

Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas | ✭✭✭✭ |

The Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann | ✭✭✭✭✭ |

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood | ✭✭✭✭✭ |

Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay | ✭✭✭ |

BEDJ #4 | The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon.

"Paige Mahoney has escaped the brutal penal colony of Sheol I, but her problems have only just begun: many of the fugitives are still missing and she is the most wanted person in London.

As Scion turns its all-seeing eye on Paige, the mime-lords and mime-queens of the city's gangs are invited to a rare meeting of the Unnatural Assembly. Jaxon Hall and his Seven Seals prepare to take centre stage, but there are bitter fault lines running through the clairvoyant community and dark secrets around every corner.

The the Rephaim begin crawling out from the shadows. But where is Warden? Paige must keep moving, from Seven Dials to Grub Street to the secret catacombs of Camden, until the fate of the underworld can be decided. Will Paige know who to trust? The hunt for the Dreamwalker is on." (synopsis and picture from (x)


From the get-go I knew this book would take a different direction to the first one - in fact this seems to be Shannon's favourite thing to do: change the direction of the whole story at the very end. But it worked, and I really liked it.

Paige has escaped Sheol I. Her, along with a small number of other clairvoyants have made it back to London. But things don't go back to normal. No, instead Scion puts every effort into ensuring Paige is found. And she herself can't go back to the normality of the gangs. People need to be warned about the Rephaim. And she's the only one who can do anything about it.

Like I mentioned before, I didn't really know where this book would go. It worried me initially, but I think Shannon successfully pulled off progression of both the story, and the characters.

This is seen primarily in Paige herself. After spending time in the harsh conditions of Sheol I, she doesn't know how she fits back into the general scheme of things. Instead of becoming a wallflower and passive, she really comes into her own. She is a character that shouldn't be reckoned with. While she has a few stumbles along the way, she knows what's right and pushes herself to ensure it remains that way. I love Paige as a main character. In this book, we see a new side to her - a more ruthless side. It's fantastic.

The dynamics of Paige's relationship with Warden also change. In the first book, there is a clear line they shouldn't cross. In The Mime Order, that's not necessarily a thing anymore. The tension is at an all time high. I won't lie, there was a few moments of furious blushing on my part.

Shannon also did a wonderful job at rebuilding the world of Scion London. Unfortunately, we don't see a lot of it in the first book. As a result, the author has to remind us what it's all about, and then develop it more. She does a fantastic job at it. The descriptions of London are vivid and the little details she brings to the city make it all the more realistic.

The writing has also improved. My reservations from the first book have disappeared in this one. I really liked and appreciated it.

My only problem with The Mime Order is the pacing. For the most part, it's good. There is a little bit of inconsistency though. Understandably, the novel takes a while to gain momentum. New settings always do this. Once it does, however, it's like nothing can stop it. I felt compelled to continue reading.

This book is a bit of an oddball because it feels like not a lot happens, but a lot actually does. It's just not of the action-battle variety. Instead, it's quiet and creeps up on you. It's incredible because the author has all these little threads of side-plots that you don't think much of, but Shannon then turns around and makes it into a much bigger, more important thing later on. It's fantastic.

Overall, a great follow-up to The Bone Season. If you weren't sure about continuing the series, I think this book is proof that a lot is going to happen, and you really should. I'm very happily going to go along for the ride. 4 stars.

Rating: **** (4 stars)

Publisher: Bloomsbury Australia

Publication Date: 27th January 2015

Goodreads | Samantha Shannon's Website | Twitter

Want to buy this book? You can get it here:

Book Depository | Fishpond | Bookworld | Amazon

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury providing me with an e-ARC.

This review will also appear on Book Nerd Reviews

BEDJ #3 | What I Read In 2014.

Video | #xmasbooktubeathon.

Video | Book Haul #1.

Books Mentioned:

Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

A Christmas Carol and other Christmas Writings by Charles Dickens

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray

Intimacy by Hanif Kureishi

The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid

What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver

Angelfall by Susan Ee

Sabriel by Garth Nix

Lirael by Garth Nix

Abhorsen by Garth Nix

This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Video | The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon.

Things I'm Digging | November 2014.

TV

Season 3 of The Newsroom

This is the last ever season of The Newsroom. Cue tears. So far, it is at it's peak of intensity. There are only two episodes left as I'm typing this, and I honestly have no idea how they're expecting to wrap it all up.

MOVIE

Mockingjay: Part 1

As I said on Twitter, for the most part, I enjoyed Mockingjay. There was definitely moments where it was a little navel-gazey, but I did enjoy it. This, however, is not me admitting defeat to the idea of the book being split into two films. I still don't see why it was necessary. But it was good. And, The Hanging Tree. Epic.

Also, has Liam Hemsworth grown in attractiveness since the last time I saw him, or?

MUSIC

Hozier

(His new self-titled album)

I just love him, ok? He's like an Irish Blues-loving Jesus. Is that blasphemous? It wasn't supposed to be. Just take a look at him, ok. Great album. Especially loving the track 'Sedated.'

BOOK/S

The Bone Season and The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon

Dark as hell, and I had to stop midway through Mime Order, but wowzas, guys. Shit happens in the second book. I'll keep it at that.

FASHION

Purple Jumpsuit

It's really hot and this jumpsuit is made of really like fabric and it's really comfortable. That's all I really ask for during summer. Thank you Trade Secret for amazing specials.

Video | November 2014 Wrap Up.

Books I Read:

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

The Wrong Girl by Zoe Foster

The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon

Book/s Currently Reading:

Cross Stitch by Diana Gabaldon