Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margret Sthol

So this was a sort of shadowed, unpopular..ish book series when they first came out... well from where I am from, the books were underrated and unknown. But also I was stupid and read the second book first.... I know very smart.

When I heard there was going to be a film out for Beautiful Creatures I was super excited but forgot all about actually going to see the film..... Yes another smart move from me!

I did watch the movie a few months ago and really, really loved the film. It was dark and enchanting like a beautiful nightmare.

The story line is about a girl called Lena and she turns up in Gatlin living under the roof of the town recluse 'Old Man Ravenwood'. Because Lena is living with Mr Ravenwood she instantly is disliked by the entire town apart from one person, the one person who can't resist Lena.

But there are too many secrets that posses Lena, who she is, who she is too become, whether she is dark or light.

The book was really, really good. I loved every page of the book and the plot twist's were breathtakingly magnificent.

I think maybe the story line took place kind of too far into the book, but I also get that it did help make the story really hit home, and made me understand the towns hate towards outsiders.

Brilliant book. Next review will be The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Anastasia x

Sabriel- Garth Nix

So this books wasn't one within my normal book reading genre but I have to say the suspense was amazing and the book was a great read.

The book is about a girl called Sabriel who is called an Abhorsen (they can send people who are in a sort of dead limbo through to the gates of death.) The book has this amazing extravagant adventure with a lot of risks for Sabriel on the way. Her journey begins when a creature turns up with Abhorsen's bells for the afterlife, Sabriel knows that time is slipping aways fast and that she needs to find Abhorsen fast to give him back the bells.

Sabriel heads of in search for Abhorsen and meets some lovely and also some deadly people on the way.

The book was great but I do have to say the beginning of the book was confusing as hell and nothing was actually really explained in the beginning so you are clutching at straws from the start until at least half way through the book. After I got past the confusion I loved every page of the book I really couldn't have loved it more in the end.

The story was well put together, I think the story built up well and had a good ending to keep me invested enough to want to buy the rest of the books.

Anastasia x

20 Book Questions Tags

What is your favourite book?
Hmmm. Jane Eyre By Charlotte Bronte.

Who is your favourite author?
John Green is an amazing author and so is Holly Bourne.

What genre do you prefer?
Pretty much all genres there isn't one specific one I could really love more.

What is your favourite book series?
Gayle forman's If I Stay and Just One Day series Or Fallen series By the amazing Lauren Kate..... Or Hush Hush series by Becca Fitzpatrick.

What books did you hate reading in school?
Didn't actually read any books at school.

What is the first book you remember reading as a child?
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte or the Jacqueline Wilson books.

Bookstores or libraries?
BOOKSTORE

How many books do you own?
Ermmmm over a hundred for sure.

Do you read before bed? 
Pretty much every night.

What is your most comfortable reading position?
Curled up all cosy!

What is the most recent book you read?
A Picture Of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

What quote from any book will you never forget? Why is it significant?
This was in Paper Towns but from Walt Whitman 'I do not ask the wounded how he feels, I myself become the wounded person'.

And also an author Jandy Nelson's I'll Give You The Sun 'He's the sort of man who walks into a room and all the walls fall down'.

Science Fiction or Fantasy?
Little bit of both I wold say.

What books do you regret reading?
Erm Me Earl and the Dying Girl Jesse Andrews or Duff by Kody Keplinger. I just hated both storylines and pretty much everything in them.

How large is your bookshelf?
Not really that big *sad face* The fit into an alcove of my room, there is 3 shelves instead of the original 4 thanks to my brother chucking the 4th.

On average, how many books do you read per year?
I really wouldn't know a while ago I did a month reading test and read 12 books.

What book can you read hundreds of times and never get tired of?
Ginger Snaps by Cathy Cassidy....or any books from Cathy Cassidy.

Do you like to read outside?
If it's warm then yes I love reading outside.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned from a book?
That things don't have to be perfect, that love can destroy and also conquer anything and everything.

Of the past year, what is the greatest book you’ve read?
Am I Normal Yet by Holly Bourne or Wonder by R J Palacio

The Picture of Dorian Gray- Oscar Wilde

So my thoughts are negative about this book. I was really looking forward to reading this book and heard such great things for the book but was rather disappointed.

The book is about a young man called Oscar, he is wealthy and of high class within the communities.

Because of his amazingly handsome good looks a painter called Basil creates a stunning piece of artwork that makes Dorian realize he will lose his stunning looks to old age and makes a wish for the painting to grow old whilst he stays youthful.

Dorian becomes evil hearted as the painting controls his life and is a living nightmare.

This book didn't progress well like the big events that builds to the massive dilemma or anything to that degree there was no real build up at all.

Also not everything stayed on the topics it would drift off, especially at one point it dragged on over 4 pages and I had no idea what it was about as it wasn't specific to the book.

I think the characters rambled on too much about nothing, the sentences weren't direct enough to make any sort of sense for me.

I probably won't be reading this book again but I respect other people thought dearly about this book.
Anastasia x

The Ultimate Book Reading Tag

 Do you get sick while reading in the car?

Not really. I love to read in the car especially on long journeys.

 

Which author’s writing style is completely unique to you and why?

Gayle Forman. I love her books, she puts so much passion into the books and I love the plots.

 

 Harry Potter Series or the Twilight Saga? Give 3 points to defend your answer.

The Twilight Saga. 1.Stephenie Meyer does a great job of writing in my opinion, the books have great imagination entwined in the book.

 

2.The books weren't like happily ever after it showed a realistic sense of a love triangle (if you forget about the whole werewolf/vampire deal for a minute). And also of a relationship and the struggles of being with someone (again if you forget the fact his is a vampire).

 

3.The books were actually good, millions watched and read what Stephenie wrote no matter how much people complain a lot of us were obsessed.

 

Do you carry a book bag? If so, what is it in (besides books…)?

I don't really have a book bag...I think. I always carry a book in my bag no matter where I am going

 

Do you smell your books?

Yes I do

 

 Books with or without little illustrations?

 

Either I would say. I don't mind little illustrations or when there isn't any.

 

What book did you love while reading but discovered later it wasn’t quality writing?

Paper Towns by John Green. It's was good writing but I have to say after reading The Fault In Our Stars I was expecting a little more from Paper Towns but I felt the magic wasn't entirely their and the ending didn't please me, I felt disappointed at the ending.

 

Do you have any funny stories involving books from your childhood? Please share!

I didn't have a childhood evolving around books as I had to teach myself to read at eight. But I remember my nan gave me a murder mystery by Peter James when I was 10-13. I loved the book... my mum wasn't too thrilled.

 

What is the thinnest book on your shelf?

Saving Private Ryan By Max Allan Collins.

 

 What is the thickest book on your shelf?

The Host By Stephenie Meyer.

 

Do you write as well as read? Do you see yourself in the future as being an author?

I have started trying to write. I don't see a future me being an author really.

 

When did you get into reading?

When I was eight I watched Matilda and that inspired me so much. I yearned to read like Matilda did.

 

What is your favourite classic book?

Jayne Eyre By Charlotte Bronte. It was the first book I had properly read and I felt so proud of myself for completing the book. I loved the story and still have a soft spot for the book.

 

In school was your best subject Language Arts/English?

I don't really remember my best subject as I left school to be homeschooled when I was 8. I went to college a college for music for a year and a half. When I was there some of the student had to do a GCSE in English Language I fell in love with English Language.

 

If you were given a book as a present that you had read before and hated…what would you do?

My nan did this a lot she would buy me books I wouldn't like. I always said thank you and kept the book for a while, if I haven't read the book after a period of time it would go.

 

 What is a lesser known series that you know of that is similar to Harry Potter or the Hunger Games?

It may sound crazy but for HP I would say the Gallagher Girls Series By Ally Carter. The HP kids have a detective sense to them like the GGS. They are both set in an elite school. They both have groups not just Harry but Hermione and Ron and the same goes for the Gallagher Girls.

 

What is a bad habit you always do

Hmmm... A bad habit of mine would be book buying. Buy books then keep buying books then have a stack of books to read then I read them all then back round....vicious cycle.

 

What is your favourite word?

I like the word eccentric a lot.

 

Vampires or Fairies? Why?

Both I couldn't pick one or the other so yep both. I love vampires because they make one hell of a love story and fairies can make a brilliant tale and brings magic.

 

Shapeshifters or Angels? Why?

ANGELS!! I love angels so much and love a good angel story.

 

Spirits or Werewolves? Why?

I love wolves so much so no doubt it's werewolves for me.

 

Zombies or Vampires?

Vampires, not a big fan of the whole zombie thing.

 

Love Triangle or Forbidden Love?

Forbidden love. I like the forbidden love route so much more, there is more possibility's with forbidden love. Love triangles can get exhausting for me.

 

AND FINALLY: Full on romance books or action-packed with a few love scenes mixed in?

It would be both for me. I like action packed with a little romance thrown in and love a mushy full on romance book. I think it depends on what sort of book I want to read at the time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dorothy Must Die- Danielle Paige

Wow, wow and just wow!

I loved reading this book, when I wasn't reading about it I was thinking about the next plot twist or the next smart ass remark made by the main character.

I have to say when I heard it was a book based on The Wizard of Oz but was a remake and more....twisted I was sold hook, line and sinker. I love twisted 'fairy tales' or different versions like Alex Flinn's Beastly which is The Beauty and the Beast.

Dorothy Must Die is about a girl called Amy who has a rough life after her dad had an affair and left with the other lady, her mum had an accident but managed to get hooked on her medicine and also drugs/alcohol.

After a tornado hits where Amy lives in Kansas somehow throwing her into the nightmare that is Oz, not the fairy tale Oz we all know but the one where Dorothy controls everyone and everything. Can Amy save Oz from the pending destruction of Oz?

Cross Bones Yard- Kate Rhodes

Thrilling murder mystery that just keeps you guessing, as soon as you think you know the murder behind the mask the evidence turns you to another person. It was a great read and thankfully not too graphic with the details but then again just enough so you know the full picture.

The book is themed around a massive murder case where hundreds of 'sex worker' ladies were brutally murdered, the bodies were all buried in what is known as 'The Cross Bone Yard' These murders where a long time ago.

There where these copycat murderers The Bensons who killed 'vulnerable' young girls, etched crosses into their skin and abused them. But now there is another copycat copying the Bensons work down to a T. Alice Quentin finds herself in the mix of things when she finds a dead body where Cross Bones Yard is making her a target.

Alice has to try and fit the pieces together to find out what happened but also has to find out how her older druggie, bipolar brother has to do with these murders and the evidence that stacks up against him.

This book was a great read, worth checking out.
Anastasia x