Wednesday 30 July 2014

I feel so Far From You

Title: Far From You 
Author: Tess Sharpe
Pages: 352
Publisher: Indigo
Source: Bought
Rating: 4/5

Summary (from Good Reads): 
Nine months. Two weeks. Six days

That's how long recovering addict Sophie's been drug-free. Four months ago her best friend, Mina, died in what everyone believes was a drug deal gone wrong - a deal they think Sophie set up. Only Sophie knows the truth. She and Mina shared a secret, but there was no drug deal. Mina was deliberately murdered. 

 Forced into rehab for an addiction she'd already beaten, Sophie's finally out and on the trail of the killer - but can she track them down before they come for her?

So it seems that I took an unintentional week off last week. I've just been so busy - last week I had a lot going on, what with coming home from my holiday Sunday afternoon, going back to work Monday, having my birthday meal Tuesday (it was my birthday on the 19th!), Bingo on Thursday, my parents going on holiday Friday as well as going to the movies that evening, and then Saturday and Sunday I spent both days at my boyfriends house! Busy week, but I'm hoping to get back into blogging mode now!

I started Far From You on the plane to Zante, but as we were so tired (5:40am flight, but hadn't slept properly since Friday night), I almost fell asleep..oops! I started to read it again on the flight back, but again, I felt so drained from the holiday, I didn't read too much. However, once home and topped up on sleep, I really got into this one. 

I'd heard a lot of great things about this book, and I think it lived up to the hype. I actually really enjoyed this, it was fast paced and full of mystery. I liked the time hopping. At first, I was a bit worried that it wouldn't work, but it really did! I also liked the feature of Mina in the book. Although she wasn't actually there, she was present in almost every page and in Sophie's every thought which leads me onto…

The relationships in the book! First of all, although I did like Sophie and liked seeing how close her and Mina were, the more I read, the more I noticed how Sophie was almost obsessed with her which, in a way, got on my nerves a little because I really don't care much for obsessive relationships! However, speaking of relationships, I enjoyed seeing how Sophie's relationships developed with the other characters, such as Rachel and Kyle, but also with her parents!

I thought that the story line for this book was really great. The killer was completely unexpected. There were a few times when I thought I might know who it is, but no! I was completely surprised. As well as this, I also really enjoyed the incorporation of other mini stories that were in the book. This really added layers to the story.

All in all, I did enjoy this book and would most definitely recommend it. It was interesting and once I had recovered from my holiday, I really got into it and flew through it! It really captured and held my attention for the duration of the book. I don't really read many murder mysteries, despite finding them interesting, but this really fit the bill, what with it being a YA contemporary murder mystery! Again, I would totally recommend this to pretty much everyone looking for something new to read!


Have you read Far From You? If so, what did you think? If not, are you hoping to read it soon? Is it sat on your TBR list, or are you currently reading it now? Let me know what you thought of Far From You!

Tuesday 29 July 2014

Top Ten Tuesday


Top Ten Tuesday is a meme featured over at The Broke and the Bookish.

This weeks Top Ten Tuesday is Ten Authors I Own the Most Books From. I may have to shorten this one down, as although I really enjoy reading and owning books, I actually don't have that many, surprisingly, with most of the authors below, I actually own 2-3 of their books, so in a way I feel like I'm cheating!

So, in no particular order

1. J K Rowling
2. John Green
3. Stephanie Perkins
4. Leigh Bardugo
5. Suzanne Collins
6. Rainbow Rowell
7. Emmy Laybourne
8. Veronica Roth
9. Cathy Cassidy

I couldn't manage 10 I'm afraid! However I did manage to list 9 authors that I own more than one book by! 


Do you own any books by any of the authors above? Are there any authors that you would recommend I check out?

Sunday 20 July 2014

Shadow and Bone

Title: Shadow and Bone 
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Pages: 358
Publisher: Orion Books
Source: Bought
Rating: 4.5/5

Summary (from Good Reads): 
The Shadow Fold, a swathe of impenetrable darkness, crawling with monsters that feast on human flesh, is slowly destroying the once-great nation of Ravka. Alina, a pale, lonely orphan, discovers a unique power that thrusts her into the lavish world of the kingdom’s magical elite—the Grisha. Could she be the key to unravelling the dark fabric of the Shadow Fold and setting Ravka free? The Darkling, a creature of seductive charm and terrifying power, leader of the Grisha. If Alina is to fulfill her destiny, she must discover how to unlock her gift and face up to her dangerous attraction to him. But what of Mal, Alina’s childhood best friend? As Alina contemplates her dazzling new future, why can’t she ever quite forget him?

I'm a bit late catching onto this series, as I only heard about it when Ruin and Rising was released just last month, but seeing how many people were raving about this book, I thought I ought to give it a go!

I really, really enjoyed Shadow and BoneI love it when books are full of adventure, and this is just that! It was so well thought out and I just loved the whole story. It was mostly fast paced which meant that the book completely captured my attention and then kept it throughout the book. 

The main character, Alina, is a good character. She wasn't weak, or really that dependent on anyone else, which I liked. I hate when you're reading a book and the main character is just so dependent on others! I enjoyed being in Alina's mind, and seeing her come into her own and accept her 'gift'. I also enjoyed the last couple of chapters where Alina really came into her power.

One thing I liked was seeing how her relationships evolved with the different characters, such as Mal, The Darkling and Genya. Although can I just say, the Darkling was so annoying at times. I really found that he got on my nerves at time. I also didn't really know where that plot line with Zoya was going (maybe I just need to wait till the next book..) but still! Oh and can I just say, Mal and Alina! Ugh, I just want them to be together!

Another thing I liked about this book was the different things in it, such as the different powers and the names of things, such as Ravka and Kvas. I also liked the feature of Morozona's Herd and the Volcra. What I liked about this book, which relates to the Volcra, is the little story behind these creatures. It definitely added a new dimension to some parts in the book.

You know, Shadow and Bone was just really great because it put me more in the mood to read more fantasy books, and I just want to get on and read the next book already (which I've ordered)! I can't wait!


Have you read Shadow and Bone? If so, what did you think? If not, are you hoping to read it soon? Is it sat on your TBR list, or are you currently reading it now? Let me know what you thought of Shadow and Bone!

Tuesday 15 July 2014

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme featured over at The Broke and the Bookish.

This weeks Top Ten Tuesday is Top Ten Favourite Movies or Shows. I don't watch that much TV, so decided to split this into two different sections which are Top 5 Favourite Movies and Top 5 Favourite TV Shows.

Top 5 Favourite Movies

1. The Wizard of Oz
2. Harry Potter Series
3. The Hunger Games
4. Tangled
5. ..I don't even know right now - this is so hard!

Top 5 Favourite TV Shows

1. Pretty Little Liars
2. The Walking Dead
3. Once Upon a Time
4. The Great British Bake Off
5. Doctor Who..although I don't watch this that much anymore..

So there we have it! What are your favourite Movies and TV Shows? Are any of your favourites on here? 

Sunday 13 July 2014

Under the Never Sky

Title: Under the Never Sky
Author: Veronica Rossi
Pages: 374
Publisher: Atom
Source: Library
Rating: 4/5

Summary (from Good Reads): 
Aria has lived her whole life in the protected dome of Reverie. Her entire world confined to its spaces, she's never thought to dream of what lies beyond its doors. So when her mother goes missing, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland long enough to find her are slim.  Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He's searching for someone too. He's also wild - a savage - but might be her best hope at staying alive. If they can survive, they are each other's best hope for finding answers.

Hi everyone! When you read this, I'll be on holiday in Zante for the week! I've got a couple of posts lined up so follow me on Bloglovin' to stay tuned!

I've been wanting to read Under the Never Sky for quite some time, but never got round to it until now and let me tell you, I was not disappointed. At first, it took me a little while to get into the book, but I think that's more down to the fact that I was still in Contemporary book mode, rather than Fantasy book mode!


Under the Never Sky was quite fast paced, with a very good story line. I liked that there was a separation between both the main characters, and the way that Rossi had split the book into two almost by having chapters alternating between the characters. I thought this was good as it made sure we had an insight into both characters head and the way they were feeling throughout the book

I liked Aria, and how her character developed throughout the book. Her character really progressed throughout the book as she became much more confident and stronger. I also liked Perry, despite the fact that he had a little bit of a temper. 

This book featured adventure, but also had obstacles within the book that the characters had to overcome, which I enjoyed reading. I felt like this added an extra story to the main one, which was good. I love a good adventure/fantasy book, and seeing that I was in contemporary mode and didn't have much thought for it, the more I read, the more engaged I became. I think that the fact that this book was pretty full of adventures, this really helped to engage me in the story. There were times when I was at work, where all I wanted to do was read this book as I just felt that some of the parts of this book were just so good, that I wanted to keep on reading!

I can't wait to get my hands on the next book and get on with the series!


Have you read Under the Never Sky? If so, what did you think? If not, are you hoping to read it soon? Is it sat on your TBR list, or are you currently reading it now? Let me know what you thought of Under the Never Sky!

Friday 11 July 2014

How I Organise…Good Reads


How I Organise… is the feature friday on a paper town. This is the third post out of 10.

Good Reads is probably one of the most used websites for book lovers alike. Whether you have a blog or not, Good Reads is extremely helpful. While on my blogging/life organising spree a few weeks back, I did a little work on my Good Reads profile. 

So here is my Good Reads profile page:



So this is what my Good Reads page looks like! As you can see, I've got my 'Must Read' shelf as the showcase shelf. Is that what it's called? I don't know! Underneath I have some other different shelves. Not many, but they keep me organised enough! I'm finding it particularly helpful to have the 'read 2014' shelf, as it means I'm able to keep track of what I've read so far this year(not much as you can see..)!

So what do my different shelves consist of? The good, old typical three you start off with, which are Read, Currently Reading and To Read. I've then added my own. I've got my wish list, which is obviously books I don't have and want to read. Once I've bought a book, I transfer the book over to my 'to read' shelf, as then I actually have the book! I've then got my did-not-finish shelf, which is helpful. Even if I haven't finished a book, having it on this shelf gives me the opportunity to revisit the book just in case I wasn't in the proper mood for it!

Then we've got the series shelf! Every book I read that is part of a series gets added to this shelf. Then there's the bought shelf, which has all the books I've bought, obviously! Then as talked about earlier, the read-2014 and read-2013 shelf. (I've already mentioned my must read shelf above!) As I said before, having these read-year shelves is helpful for me to see what I've read throughout the year as it will help to see if there was a pattern with my reading! 

In connection to this, there is the 2014 release shelf, which is great as it will help me to see how many new releases I've read this year! I only intend to update this shelf during the year we're in. Come January 2015, I'll then stop updating my 2014 releases and updating my 2015 releases shelf instead!

Then we've got the bought, e-book, library and gift shelves! These are helpful as I can see what the source was of the book..kind of! It also helps me to see how I tend to read books, or if I borrow more than I own (which I don't!).

I find that having the different shelves is a great way to keep my Good Reads account organised, as well as myself. I also use the app Literally (currently in Beta mode still, I think!) which is similar to Good Reads!

I hope this was helpful. Let me know what you thought - I'll probably be sat on a Zante beach as you read this…and it's my birthday tomorrow! Hooray!

Thursday 3 July 2014

July TBR


 You may or may not know this, but I'm supposed to be on a book ban until I've whittled my TBR list down to only a few books left to read. I can already see a few on my shelf that I just know I'm not that interested in. I was at the time, but they've been sat there for that long, I just can't see me reading them. So without further ado, here is my July TBR!
  • Sky on Fire
  • City of Bones
  • Far From You
  • The Sky Is Everywhere
  • Shadow and Bone
  • If I Stay
  • Divergent
I'm really hoping that I will be able to read all of these. Even though I'm on holiday for a week (where I probably won't be reading too much), I'm hoping that I'll be able to fit 2 books in a week this month though, as I've now finished studying and I won't have to start again until the end of July!


Have you read any on my TBR list, or are any of them on yours? What's on your TBR list for July? What books are you excited to read?


Wednesday 2 July 2014

June Recap



This month has been pretty busy for me. I've had 3 exams for the AAT course I'm currently studying, all which I passed, so I'm very happy. I've also switched to a new job, celebrated my boyfriends birthday, celebrated our 2 year anniversary and have been getting ready for my holiday to Zante next month! In the midst of that, I also had the aim to try to read more books than I read last month. In all fairness, June has been a good month but I'm so excited for July as not only am I going on holiday, but it's also..my birthday which I'm on holiday for! I can't wait! So let's take a look back at June..

So in case you haven't seen my tweets, I've literally become addicted to the TV show Once Upon A Time (this has also contributed to reading less than I aimed for this month) but oh my gosh, IT IS SO GOOD. Also this month, I got a new bookshelf. It's smaller than my old one (boo!) but it looks so cute with all my books on it and I love it!

I also started a new mini series this month called How I Organise.. which I'm really happy about. It should run over the next 10 weeks (well, 8 now as I've already posted two posts of the 10!).

Books I've read this June:
We Were Liars
Since You've Been Gone
Lola and the Boy Next Door
To All the Boys I've Loved Before

Um…oops. June hasn't really been a great reading month for me.. But like I said above, I have been studying for exams and I started a new job, so for most of June I have been studying! I think that's a fair reason for why I haven't read as much. I'm really aiming for July to be a good reading month though. I'm currently reading Under the Never Sky, but I'm getting through it soooo slowly.

Blog Stuff:
This month, I spent a little time updating my blog. I've changed the background, updated the side bar, created a banner, and organised my tabs a little better. I finally feel like everything is coming together a little and my blog is really starting to get somewhere. I also hit 1000 views this month which, for me, is a huge achievement. Sometimes I feel a little disheartened as I don't get that many comments, but seeing the views really makes me happy as I feel that I'm not being completely ignored! You know, I really do blog for myself more than anything, but probably like most people, seeing a comment on a post is so exciting for me!

July:
Now that my exams and college work is out the way for a little bit, I'm aiming to try and read 2 books a week. As my new job states I have an hour for lunch, I'm hoping I can fill it up with lots of reading, plus there are quite a few books I'm excited to read so it should be a good month - stay tuned for my July TBR list tomorrow! 


Tuesday 1 July 2014

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme featured over at The Broke and the Bookish.

This weeks Top Ten Tuesday is Top Ten Classics I Want to Read.

I have to admit, I haven't really read any classics other than the ones they make you read in school.  However, there are a few 'classics' that I would like to read. Defining classic books can be quite hard though, because everyone will have a different idea of what a 'classic' book is. For me, I think of the old books written by Charles Dickens and the Bronte sisters, but I know there are people that will count Harry Potter as a classic. 

You know, I'm not the biggest fan of classics (I know, I know) because honestly, and this will sound so silly, but the language is so old and proper and it's because of this that I get bored easily. That's not even to mention that publishers decide to publish classic books with the tiniest writing I have ever seen, which I think is so it looks 'authentic', but it's like you need a magnifying glass to read it. And I've gone off topic..

So without further ado, here are some classics that I would like to read some day..

  1. The Great Gatsby
  2. Pride and Prejudice
  3. To Kill A Mockingbird
  4. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
  5. Little Women
  6. The Catcher in the Rye
  7. Nineteen Eighty-Four
  8. Wuthering Heights
  9. A Christmas Carol
  10. Lolita

What's your favourite Classic book? Have you read any on my list? What Classics do you want to read?