The Sunday Post #21

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted at The Caffeinated Book Reviewer in which book bloggers recap their week and look at what’s to come.

I’m currently on a mini hiatus, as I mentioned before, so this is a scheduled post! I start my new job tomorrow, on Monday, and it’s my first full time job after graduating uni last summer. So, I’m going to be quite busy. But fear not, I should be back in a week or two, hopefully with my review of Morning Star.

Now, here are the posts from this week and the week before, as I haven’t done a Sunday Post in a while:

• Waiting On Wednesday: When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
• My Top 5 YA Books From My Early Teens
• Review: An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
• Another Little Update (But a Happy One This Time)

On Monday I finished An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir, and you can find my review above. I really did enjoy it and I loved Elias and also Helene’s complexity. However, there were a few standout flaws, and whilst my enjoyment won out overall, I couldn’t ignore the problems. Still, I really look forward to getting my hands on the sequel.

Now, I’m onto Morning Star, the final book in the Red Rising trilogy by Pierce Brown. I loved the first two books and they were pretty much faultless. Thankfully, Morning Star is turning out to be the same. Whilst I struggled to remember all the characters and everything that had happened at first, I’m now back into the flow of the story and I’m loving it. Seriously, this is one of the best mature YA series out there. Even if you’re not into Sci-Fi, I highly recommend you give this series a go as it’s so complex and really character driven, with an amazing plot to boot.

After that, I’m thinking of reading YA Contemporary How Not To Disappear. After the brutality of both An Ember in the Ashes and Morning Star, I think I’ll be needing something a little more lighthearted.

The last few months I’ve been listening to a lot of Novo Amor. It’s the moniker of a Welsh singer-songwriter and his music sounds quite similar to Bon Iver. So if you like slightly melancholic but melodic indie folk rock, then you’ll like this song: 

The Sunday Post #20

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted at The Caffeinated Book Reviewer in which book bloggers recap their week and look at what’s to come.

Another very busy week! Last week, I mentioned that I hadn’t posted because my hamster had fallen seriously ill with pneumonia. However, he’s made a miraculous recovery and is pretty much back to normal. In fact, he seems to have even more energy than he’s had for the past few months! He’s got his final injection of antibiotics tomorrow and then the course is complete. Fingers crossed the pneumonia never rears its head again.

Also, we adopted our cat on Thursday! She’s settled in surprisingly well and has already found her favourite spot on one of the sofas. Hopefully she’ll begin to see this as home and understand she’s not going to be neglected again.

As far as posts go this week, I only managed to post twice as I’ve been busy with animals. Because I didn’t find the time to post a Sunday Post last week, I’ll include the posts from the week just gone too:

• Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Books I’ve Added To My Wishlist Lately
• Stacking the Shelves | I’m On a Book Winning Streak!
• Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Favourite Sci-Fi Films
• ARC Review: Gilded Cage by Vic James

So, after nearly three very busy weeks where it was almost impossible to find the time to read, I finally finished my ARC of Gilded Cage! I really enjoyed it and was actually surprised by how complex the characters were. You can check out my review above.

I’ve now started on A Darker Shade of Magic, like I’ve been saying I would for weeks. I’m about eight chapters in and really enjoying it so far. It’s my first V.E. Schwab book and, if this book continues well, it definitely won’t be my last.

Once I’ve finished A Darker Shade of Magic, I have to read Gemina. I adored Illuminae and I can’t wait any longer; the only reason I’m not reading it this second is because I’ve been promising to read ADSOM for so long! Plus, I’ve heard that it’s somehow better than Illuminae which I didn’t think could actually be possible!

My song of the week has to be ‘Dancing In The Dark’ by Rihanna. I’m not normally much of a Rihanna fan but this has been playing nonstop where I work in Lush and it’s from the soundtrack for a Dreamworks cartoon, so it’s quite cute. Have a listen here:

The Sunday Post #19

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted at The Caffeinated Book Reviewer in which book bloggers recap their week and look at what’s to come.

I’m sorry that it’s been another week where I’ve been pretty absent. However, I’m here to update you.

The last two weeks I was busy due to being horrendously ill, my boyfriend visiting, my Dad’s birthday and my job at Lush.

But this week? Well, my room is being completely redone now that I’ve moved home again permanently from uni. Last time I had my room done I was about 5 so it’s in desperate need of a makeover. So I’ve been busy with that, but also…

We’re adopting a cat!

She’s only a year old but has had a very rough start in life. Her owner neglected her and pretty much left her to fend for herself. She’s also had one litter of kittens already and miscarried a second litter. But now she’s hopefully going to have a much better life with us! We’re picking her up on the 15th and I am so excited!

So yes, I’ve been busy with my room and a cat. And because I don’t want my hamster to feel like he’s not getting any love, here’s an autumnal photo shoot of him (he’s a poser):

Anyway, enough about my animal obsession, here’s the posts from this week:

• Let’s Wrap: October
• My Most Anticipated November Book Releases

I’m still reading my ARC of Gilded Cage by Vic James. I haven’t read since Tuesday and I’m having withdrawal symptoms! But this book is really great so far.

And for the last billion years, I’ve been telling you all that oh I’m definitely going to read A Darker Shade of Magic next… But Gemina is calling my name. I even had a dream about it. A dream about a book I haven’t read. I think it’s a sign.

Anyway, we’ll see.

I also have a few posts planned! It’s just about finding the time to write them at the moment as next week is going to be even busier, especially since I’m visiting my boyfriend at the weekend. So please just bear with me! Normal service will resume in a couple of weeks, I promise.

INHEAVEN are a band I’ve been keeping tabs on for a little while now. I really like their sound – it’s a little punky – and I’m hoping they release something full-length in the near future. ‘Bitter Town’ is my favourite song. Check them out here:

The Sunday Post #18

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted at The Caffeinated Book Reviewer in which book bloggers recap their week and look at what’s to come.

My boyfriend came to visit on Friday and just went home today so I was busy all this weekend and haven’t done any blog hopping. I’ll try and catch up next week! However, it was lovely seeing Mark as we’re currently doing long-distance after uni ended. It’s difficult but we’re managing it!

Anyway, that’s my little update. Here were the posts this week:

• It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #2 + Update On My Week-Long Absence
• Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Horror Novels On My Wishlist
• Halloween Read-A-Thon Review: The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich
• Stacking the Shelves | Sequels and ARCs

I finished my last book in the Halloween Read-A-Thon, The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich, which was sadly a bit of a disappointment. After that, I started my ARC of Gilded Cage by Vic James. I’m only a few chapters in but I’m really liking it. The atmosphere is great and the characters are intriguing, not to mention the opening was especially good.

After that, I was planning to start A Darker Shade of Magic but An Ember In the Ashes has been looking at me from the bookshelf. I’m really tempted to start that instead. However, I’ve had A Darker Shade of Magic longer.

I also got Gemina (The Illuminae Files #2) this week and whilst I’m itching to read it, I’m going to be patient and read some books I’ve had for longer first. Whether I can actually be that patient is another thing entirely!

Instead of music this week, I’m going to post a film trailer! Specifically, the new teaser for Guardians of the Galaxy 2. I am so so excited for this film, and even more excited for the Avengers Infinity War films when the Guardians will meet up with the Avengers. That’s going to be one strange encounter.

Enjoy and Happy Halloween!

The Sunday Post #17

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted at The Caffeinated Book Reviewer in which book bloggers recap their week and look at what’s to come.

I’ve missed a few Sunday Posts recently but I’m back to update you all! I’ve been working and sorting out my life, looking at what I want to do career-wise. Of course, I want to be a published author someday, and I’m getting closer to finishing my book with only ten chapters left to go! (And then the inevitable editing). However, I need to do something in the mean time in case I never manage to get published, so I’m thinking of training to be a secondary school English teacher. I’ll just have to see how it goes.

However, I did discover recently that I am one of the shortlisted authors for the HG Wells Short Story Competition in the 21 and under category which is so amazing! My story will be published and I’ll be finding out who won at an awards ceremony in November. Even if I don’t win, I’ll still be over the moon that I’ve been shortlisted. I haven’t had anything published or won any writing competitions since I was 16 and it’s just so great to get back into it and for my work to still be doing well!

Anyway, enough about me. Here are the posts from this week:

• It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #1
• Waiting On Wednesday: Scythe by Neal Shusterman
• Review: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

This week, I finished Six of Crows and I adored it, especially Nina, one of my favourite characters I’ve come across in a while, and the Peaky Blinders feel to Kaz and the criminal underworld.

Now I’m onto my books for the Halloween Read-A-Thon and I just started I Am Legend today. I’m really enjoying it so far. It’s quite different from the film, but I expected that. There’s something more sinister about the zombie-ish vampires in the book, which I didn’t quite think was possible.

After that, I’m onto my second book of the Halloween Read-A-Thon, which is YA psychological horror The Dead House. I’ve heard mostly good things about it so fingers crossed!

In terms of my blog, I’m having a bit of writers block with my posts, I think because I’ve just been worrying about my career path. Hopefully I’ll be able to overcome that soon so bear with me!

This week, one of my favourite bands Kings of Leon released their 7th album and I’m loving it. They’ve definitely gone back to their roots here, which is great because I really love their earlier stuff before they got big, especially Because of the Times. However, they still have that polished, anthemic quality of their later work, so there’s something for everyone here in WALLS. The main single ‘Waste A Moment’ is of course great, but I’m really loving songs like ‘Find Me’, ‘Over’, ‘Eyes On You’ and ‘Wild’. Basically, I just love the whole album. Check it out below:

The Sunday Post #16

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted at The Caffeinated Book Reviewer in which book bloggers recap their week and look at what’s to come.

So this week I haven’t posted a lot because I’m visiting my boyfriend. But I’m back home next Tuesday and have some posts planned for when I’m free so I’ll be more active next week!

This week’s posts:

• Waiting On Wednesday: Gemina (The Illuminae Files #2) by Amy Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
• Diversity Spotlight Thursday #1

I’m still reading Radio Silence by Alice Oseman but I’ve almost finished it. I was enjoying it at the start, and I think the writing style is really good, but I’m actually a little bored. The plot isn’t really capturing me and neither are the characters. I like them, but I’m not fully invested in them, which is a shame because I’ve heard a lot of good stuff about this book! However, it is pretty diverse, which is great.

Afterwards, I think I’m either going to read A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab or Nevernight by Jay Kristoff. Or Six of Crows, or An Ember In the Ashes. I’m not really sure; I have too many good books in my TBR pile!

Nothing new on my music radar again this week, but I am waiting on the new Kings of Leon album which I’m pretty excited about. So, this week, have some alt-J:

The Sunday Post #15

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted at The Caffeinated Book Reviewer in which book bloggers recap their week and look at what’s to come.

Another pretty uneventful week, but next week I’m visiting my boyfriend so that should shake up my boring life a bit!

I’m still working on my novel and I’m almost halfway through writing it which is very exciting. I’ve been writing since I was a child and this is the first proper novel I’m determined to finish. So, fingers crossed!

Anyway, the posts this week:

• Top Ten Tuesday: Ten ALL TIME Favourite Books of the Sci-Fi Genre
• Why Diversity Is A Good Thing
• Stacking the Shelves | YA Fantasy
• Review: The City of Mirrors (Passage #3) by Justin Cronin

I’ve just finished the final book in The Passage series by Justin Cronin, which was such an amazing book (and series). I’m pretty sad now and I have no idea what I’m going to read next. I’m thinking Nevernight, but I honestly don’t know, there are too many good books in my TBR like Six of Crows, An Ember in the Ashes, A Darker Shade of Magic and Radio Silence to name but a few.

However, seeing as I just finished a Science Fantasy novel, I’m thinking I should try and read something other than Fantasy next. I might just sit and stare at my TBR for a bit.

I haven’t listened to anything new this week, so have some London Grammar:

The Sunday Post #13

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted at The Caffeinated Book Reviewer in which book bloggers recap their week and look at what’s to come.

My Weekly Recap

It’s been a pretty uneventful week in terms of my life! But next week I’m starting my part-time job to bring in a little money whilst I work out my career after uni, so that’ll actually be a reason to stop lazing about the house!

However, I’m almost at 200 followers on WordPress and Bloglovin, so a huge thank you to everyone who’s followed me! I’ve only had this blog since March so it’s amazing to be so close to such a milestone.

Anyway, this week’s posts were:

• The Versatile Blogger Award
• Let’s Wrap: August
• Review: The Fireman by Joe Hill
• YA Series I Haven’t Finished (And Probably Never Will)

Coming Up

I’m currently about halfway through Soundless by Richelle Mead but it isn’t really living up to my expectations. I love the premise but the execution is lacking. However, I’m hoping it’ll pick up. My review should be up next week!

After that, I’m onto The Stars Never Rise by Rachel Vincent which I have higher hopes for. And then after that I’m going to read the final novel in Justin Cronin’s The Passage series. It’ll be sad to finish it as this series has been with me for quite a few years, but I’m excited to see all the loose ends tied up.

I haven’t done Waiting On Wednesday in a few weeks so I’ll try and get back into it. Other than that, I have no specific posts planned right now, I’m having a little bit of blog writer’s block, but I’m sure I’ll come up with things to discuss next week.

And Finally

I haven’t been listening to anything really new recently so here, have some Foals. (Who make great writing music, by the way).

The Sunday Post #12

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted at The Caffeinated Book Reviewer in which book bloggers recap their week and look at what’s to come.

My Weekly Recap

It’s actually been a good week in terms of writing for me. I’ve planned the majority of my novel and I’ve so far written a prologue and three chapters so, you never know, this might finally be the one that sees the light of day!

But anyway, here are the posts from this week:

• ARC Review: Girl Detached by Manuela Salvi
• Pokemon Go Book Tag
• Discussion: Does a Character’s Name Affect Your Opinion?
• The Sunshine Blogger Award

Coming Up

I just finished my ARC of Goldenhand by Garth Nix today and I’m already having withdrawal symptoms! It was excellent, as always, and great to be back with the likes of Sabriel, Lirael, Touchstone, Sam and Nicholas. I need another book in the Old Kingdom series now please!

However, I won’t be posting my review until a week before the release date of Goldenhand on the 4th of October, so keep your eyes peeled for it in the last week of September.

I’m now onto The Fireman by Joe Hill, an apocalyptic viral-outbreak novel (just my kinda thing) that has been receiving rave reviews so I have high hopes.

I have a few more tags to do and another award which is amazing! However, my boyfriend is visiting next week so blog posts may be a little less frequent.

And Finally

I’m all about Tame Impala at the moment. Stand-out tracks for me are Let It Happen, The Less I Know the Better, and ‘Cause I’m a Man.

The Sunday Post #11

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted at The Caffeinated Book Reviewer in which book bloggers recap their week and look at what’s to come.

My Weekly Recap

It’s been a quieter week for me so I’ve had more time to post and get on with all the tags. Thanks to anyone who’s tagged me and, if I haven’t done yours yet, I’ll get round to it next week!

And now, the posts this week:

• Review: The Little Red Chairs by Edna O’Brien
• The Books With a Purpose Tag
• Waiting On Wednesday: The Burning World (Warm Bodies #3) by Isaac Marion
• Review: Nightfall by Jake Halpern and Peter Kujawinski
• Beauty and the Beast Book Tag
• Stacking the Shelves |Fantasy & WW2 Lit | YA & Adult

Coming Up

I’m currently reading an ARC of Girl Detached by Manuela Salvi and I’m enjoying it! It was banned in Italy and honestly I can’t see why. Manuela is handling the issues of the book carefully and sensitively. I’ll talk more about why it was banned and what the book deals with when I review it next week.

After that will be an ARC of the next installment in the Old Kingdom series, Goldenhand, and I am so so excited. I feel very lucky to have an ARC from my favourite series, although I’m still gonna buy the finished copy in October! I love the covers to this series. The UK hardback cover is going to be similar to the Clariel hardcover in that it’s pretty much a plain background (with some Charter Marks floating about) and a big embossed Charter Mark in the middle, but I also really want a copy of the usual paperback art because those painted covers are so gorgeous. The ARC cover, on the other hand, is blue with images of the bells on it (and my copy is signed!). But something tells me having three copies of Goldenhand may be a little excessive…

I still have some more tags to do, like the Pokemon Go tag and I’ve been nominated for a couple of awards which is amazing! So thanks again to everyone who’s tagged or nominated me.

Like I said last week, I have some discussion kind of posts planned but I’m trying to work my way through the tags! Once I’ve done those, I’ll get onto some lists and discussions.

And Finally

I am still all about The Temper Trap’s new album. It makes for really good writing music!