Christmas Book Haul 2

It's that time of year again folks! I hope you have all had an amazing festive period whether you celebrate Christmas, any other holidays, or nothing at all. 

As per usual, it isn't really Christmas without family, gifts and, of course, books! I thought for this post I would do a quick update on the state of the books I got last Christmas (blog post can be found here) and then dive into the literary wonders I received this time round.

Last year's books:

Eragon's Guide to Alagaesia by Christopher Paolini

This was the first book I completed in 2016 and I gave it a 4* review.

Illustrated Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J. K. Rowling

I'm still yet to finish this one, but the images are just beautiful!

Wars of the Roses: Bloodline by Conn Iggulden

Oops I haven't even started this one yet.

Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan

Ahh yes this one was so good! I gave it a 5* review.

The Company of the Dead by David Kowalksi

Don't think I've even started this one either.

The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan

I haven't even touched the first of this trilogy. Maybe this year?

The Copper Gauntlet by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

I loved this one so much I actually finished it back in 2015, just after Christmas! It got a 4* review.

The Enchanted Forest Postcards by Joanna Basford

I've done a few of these now and I'm still super obsessed with how pretty they are. Check out my adult colouring page here.

And now onto this years books!!!

The Bronze Key by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

Already read this one and I am so in love with it! It had a great twist and I'm heartbroken and I just need the next one like right now. Review shall be up soon.

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

I read this back when it came out and gave it a glorious 5* review which you can read here. This was the edition I really wanted because it's so beautiful and is stamped by Cassie, but it was sold out when I wanted to get it. You should've seen the look on my face when I found some in my local Waterstones just before Christmas! I practically ran across the store crying! So yes, I am very glad to finally add this to my collection.

Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy by Cassandra Clare

In case you haven't noticed, I'm a pretty big Clare fan. I've wanted to read these short stories about Simon for a while now, but, as I did with The Bane Chronicles, I patiently waited until they were released as a full collection. Can't wait to get stuck in!

Wars of the Roses: Ravenspur by Conn Iggulden

Still haven't read Bloodline, but I needed this beautiful hard back edition to add to my collection.

Heartless by Marissa Meyer

I am a h.u.g.e. Meyer fan. The Lunar Chronicles is one of my favourite series ever and I've been dying to get my hands on Heartless since its release. This edition is gorgeous and I can't wait to get started! Find my review for Stars Above here, including links to the 4 main books of The Lunar Chronicles.

Magnus Chase and the Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordan

As you can see above, I loved the first book in the Magnus Chase series and can't wait to get stuck into this one.

Illustrated Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

Seriously, you can never read Harry Potter enough times. These illustrated editions are just a gorgeous collection to any Potter collection. They're almost too pretty to read!

Taylor Swift - This Is Our Song by Tyler Conroy

I have been a dedicated Swiftie for over a decade now so as soon as I saw this book, I knew I needed it. I'll probably get super jealous of all the fans when I read it (I still haven't seen her live - she always plays too far away for me to affordably go see) but I'll live with it because I just need more Swift in my life.


So there we have it! These are all the books I got for Christmas. Leave a comment with the ones you received!

#SundaySeven (20/03/16)

I know it's not quite Sunday yet in the UK, but I thought I would update this week's Sunday Seven early.
I'm so sorry, but I won't be able to update this week as I was out this evening at a family meal, and tomorrow I'm off to Bristol to see Simple Plan.
To make up for it, and to ensure no fantastic photos are left out, next week's will include photos from the fortnight.
Sorry guys!

World Book Day 2016

So, the most important day of the year in the book world is here! Happy World Book Day to fellow bibliophiles world wide, although I believe it's only celebrated today in the UK.

Now that I'm in sixth form, dressing up as my favourite book character is no longer an option, which is a real shame. I remember those primary school costumes that my mum spent hours on, my favourites being this beautiful mermaid tail we made with individual scales (although it was a pain to sit down in) and one year we had to wear a book-themed hat, for which we made this Charlotte's Web inspired top hat, with straw and soft animals.

There are also more recent memories, such as only a few years ago when I went as a shadowhunter, which was a lot of fun. I also went as a Hogwarts student numerous times.

World Book Day was first celebrated in 1995, and has become an annual celebration ever since, loved by bookworms both young and old. It's mostly celebrated in Primary Schools to encourage young children to read more, especially nowadays when games consoles and TV are becoming more and more popular. I highly support this motive, ass I feel that reading is an important part of development to both encourage imagination, and to help people become more accepting and open-minded of the world, and to help them in making decisions. For me, I find it much easier to make difficult and stressful decisions, if I can relate it to a book character and remember how they reasoned through it.

Although I always have numerous books on the go, I usually have a main one that is my priority to finish. Currently, Cress by Marissa Meyer is my main read, and I love it so much! The Lunar Chronicles just get better and better. I hope that I shall finish it soon, with a book review being posted within the next week.

So what books are you currently reading? And, if you're celebrating world book day, what are you up to?

Introducing #SundaySeven

Recently I've been trying to think of ways to make my blog a bit more unique, and a little more interesting than just mostly consisting of book reviews. As well as this, I have been considering ways to link my blog and bookstagram. 

So, here is my ingenious idea, #SundaySeven! I discussed this on my bookstagram, and some of my followers thought it was a great idea so I've decided to go ahead with it.

Every Sunday, I shall write a post featuring my 7 favourite bookstagram photos of the past week. Of course, the accounts will be credited, and I will also write a little paragraph about why I like the photo so much. I shall also post an Instagram photo featuring my favourite one(s), or at least mentioning who they are.

In a way, it will also be a good way for getting some of my favourite bookstagrams some more followers. As I joined bookstagram for the community feel, I mostly avoid big accounts as I want mutuals that I can talk to and share things with, so most (if not all) photos that will be featured will be from the smaller accounts.

So, what do you all think of the idea? I would love to hear your views!

If you would like to partake in #SundaySeven, let me know! I want to compile a list of blogs taking part. I would also really appreciate it if you could credit me with the original idea. 

Book Review: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Red Queen – Victoria Aveyard

*Warning – may contain spoilers*

Author: Victoria Aveyard

Publisher: Orion Books

First published: 2015

Cover: Paperback

Pages: 383

Blurb: This is a world divided by blood – Red or Silver.

The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to seventeen-year-old Mare, a Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change.

But Mare possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.

Fearful of her potential, the Silvers hide Mare in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess. Knowing that one false move will mean her death, Mare must use her new position to bring down the regime – from the inside.

Now Mare has entered a game of betrayal and lies.

This is Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart…

History of my copy: I saw that the Red Queen was a hugely popular book in the Bookstagram community, so I picked it up for a 3 for £10 deal on Amazon along with the books I got my friend for her birthday.

At first, this book really did nothing for me. It was a terrible mix of Baldacci’s The Finisher, Cass’ The Selection and Collins’ The Hunger Games. However, I stuck with it and I am glad I did. It got better, especially the last ten or so chapters.

I will also applaud Aveyard’s brilliant way of creating an apartheid world. The whole idea of Red against Silver was different to everything I’ve seen before, and I think it did make a good premise for a book series.

Plot: Mare Barrow is a Red thief, stealing to help her family survive in the Stilts. She is conscripted to war, just like her brothers, best friend, and every other Red that doesn’t have a job. However, she is ‘saved’ when a man, who turns out to be the heir to the throne, Prince Callum, gets her a job as a servant. This doesn’t last very long when, at Queenstrial (an event where the royal family chooses who the princes should marry), they discovered that Mare has a power, just like the Silvers.

         The Royal family promise her to Prince Maven, disguising her as a Silver, where she will then secretly work with the terrorist Scarlet Guard to bring an end to the superiority of the Silver rule with the help of her future husband.

         Soon, Mare learns that anyone can betray anyone. Sons betray fathers, wives betray husbands and, perhaps worse of all, one of the Princes betray Mare.

Setting: I love how different this Dystopian world feels. I think the way Aveyard has conquered the differences between how the Reds live compared to the Silvers was beautifully done. The Silver cities and palaces are described in all their glory, whereas the Red slums are depicted as the dirty, poverty-stricken places they are, and it really feels like you are there.

Characters: This bit definitely contains spoilers, so stop reading now if you don’t want the end to be ruined!

                Firstly, Mare, what a fantastic main character she is! She’s a heroine with realistic flaws oh my! She is confused by what she is, and remains loyal to her people until the very end. She totally does not deserve what happens to her.

                I love Call too. He remains loyal to his family, and cares about Mare. He does bad things, but he’s a soldier and he carries out what his father expects of him. The moment when he was made to kill the King broke my heart. I do hope him and Mare end up together and ruling a just world, the Silver King and his Red Queen, a world in which people are equal, regardless of their blood colour and powers.

                Maven. What slimy scum! From the start I wasn’t too sure on him. He seemed too nice and, as his mother’s son, I felt like I couldn’t trust a thing he did. I was surprised he was actually allowed to partake in the Scarlet Guard’s plans in the first place, I thought they would have been too clever to fall for that. However, regardless of how much I disliked him, I never thought he would be that evil! He truly is a villain of villains.

To read or not to read: Read. Read and persevere. I nearly gave up on the book at one point, and there were many times I felt like putting it down and leaving it for a while, but there’s a point you hit and you just can’t put it down! I am looking forward to reading the sequel and seeing what happens next.

Book Review: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Scarlet – Marissa Meyer

*Warning – may contain spoilers*

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Puffin Books

First published: 2013

Cover: Paperback

Pages: 452

Blurb: Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. The police have closed her case. The only person Scarlet can turn to is Wolf, a street fighter she does not trust, but they are drawn to each other.

Meanwhile, in New Beijing, Cinder will become the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive – when she breaks out of prison to stay one step ahead of vicious Queen Levana.

As Scarlet and Wolf expose one mystery, they encounter Cinder and a new one unravels. Together they must challenge the evil queen, who will stop at nothing to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner…

History of my copy: So this was the third book I got from Waterstones just after Christmas. (You can find reviews for the other two books, Reasons to Stay Alive and The Selection here.) Having read and loved Cinder, I knew I just had to get my hands on the next book in the series, and I am so glad I did.

I absolutely loved this book! I will admit that I found the beginning a bit slow and confusing as we were suddenly faced with the new character Scarlet, when all I cared about was Cinder escaping! But after a few chapters, I really did start to get into it and I ended up adoring this one more than Cinder. Now I just have to wait a long time to get my hands on Cress…

Plot: Probably my only major problem with Cinder was just how predictable it was. (I know, it’s based on Cinderella, but it still felt just a bit too obvious). So, of course, when I started Scarlet I was expecting Wolf to have killed Grandma and be horrible to Scarlet. Wrong! This book was hardly like the fairy-tale at all! Whilst it of course kept key parts (I especially loved Scarlet’s red hoodie, bringing a modern feel to the traditional red cloak), this book was nothing like what I expected. And the way it weaved into the story from Cinder was exquisitely done! I would have preferred a little more development on Wolf’s, Scarlet’s and Thorne’s character, but I’m hoping there will be a lot of that to come in the next books.

Setting: I am still so in love with the way Meyer has set these fairy tales to be in the future after the Fourth World War. It adds such an interesting spin to it all! And perhaps to give us hope that, even in a world of destruction, lunar wars and a horrendous plague, fairy tales really do still exist. As a fugitive, Cinder obviously cannot remain in New Beijing, and thus most of this book takes place in France, mainly Paris, which gives us a chance to see how other countries are faring in this modern world. Meyer is a brilliant writer at settings, and just truly makes you feel that you really are there alongside them.

Characters: Cinder still remains one of my favourite characters of course, and this book does well with showing how she is coping with her new found identity. If you read my review of the previous book, you will know that I wasn’t a huge fan of Prince Kai. However, throughout Scarlet, I have learned to like him a little more now that we get to see the side of him that’s running a country, not the side that’s of course, flirting with and falling in love with the main character.

             Captain Thorne and Scarlet are both new characters in this book, and two that I would like to know more about. At first, Thorne annoyed me, but he has grown on me, just as he has on Cinder. Scarlet, however, is much more likable, and I particularly like how well she and Wolf complement each other.

Which, of course, brings me to Wolf! He’s probably one of the most interesting characters I’ve discovered in a while. Is he good, or bad? Do I love him or hate him? Can I even trust him? Who knows! I need more of him in my life, and I really hope Meyer delves into his back story some more at some point so we can see just why he is the way he is.

Iko! How could I discuss the characters without mentioning my beloved Iko! She is still hilarious and just so Iko-like, despite now being in a much, much larger body. I’m so glad Iko came back, and we don’t have to lose her for a long time again any time in the future.

To read or not to read: Read. Read! Read! Read! Honestly, stop reading reviews and go buy the book right now. Even if you weren’t a huge fan of Cinder, go read Scarlet because, in my opinion, The Lunar Chronicles have just got even better!

Christmas Book Haul

Firstly, I want to wish a very Merry (belated) Christmas to you all!

This Christmas, I was lucky enough to get many fantastic gifts from all my family, but to save boring you, I shall just stick to the books I received. However, I shall briefly mention a fantastic sort-of Christmas present. Just before Christmas, I received an offer to study medicine at Plymouth university!

~The books I received for Christmas~

1) Eragon's Guide to Alagaesia  by Christopher Paolini

Although I've only read the first two books of The Inheritance Cycle (the other two       remain on my ever increasing TBR shelf), I am a huge fan of the world Paolini has created. I saw this at a Garden Centre in Autumn and so got my parents to put it back for Christmas.

2) Illustrated Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling

Initially, I wasn't that sold on the idea of my favourite book series being illustrated. I enjoy the magic of using your imagination to picture the story, and was worried that the images would make me feel as if my version was 'wrong'. However, as soon as I saw the book itself, it instantly became one of my presents from my grandparents.

3) Wars of the Roses: Bloodline by Conn Iggulden

Although I wasn't a huge fan of the first in the series, as you can see from my review here, I absolutely loved the second book, Trinity. Because of this, Bloodline was a must-have Christmas present and again was a book I chose for my parents to give to me.

4) Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan

I'm a big fan of the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan, and all his other series have been on my to-buy-to-be-read list for ages. I'm also a huge Thor fan and, because of that, I have wanted to delve into Norse mythology a little more. When I stumbled across this book, especially a signed edition, I knew I had to have it!

I've actually started this one already and so far, I love it! It even has a special dedication to one of my favourite authors Cassandra Clare regarding the name Magnus. Also, it has a small appearance from one of my favourite characters from the Percy Jackson series too.

5) The Company of the Dead by David Kowalski

Growing up, I had a fascination of the Titanic, which probably rubbed off from my brother who loved it. This was a cover buy late this year, which ended up being put back for Christmas. I look forward to reading it!

6) The Kane Chronicles

As previously mentioned, all of Riordan's books have been on my TBR list for a while now, so The Kane Chronicles was one of the series that made it's way onto my Christmas wishlist for my family to choose presents from. Despite the fact I knew I could end up with the series as a present, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that they had found a nice hardback box-set of the trilogy.

7) The Copper Gauntlet by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

I really enjoyed the first of the Magisterium books so The Copper Gauntlet also made its way onto my wishlist this year. It was a good book, proven by the fact I've already read it. Find the review here!

8) The Enchanted Forest Postcards by Johanna Basford

At first I was sceptical of the new trend: adult colouring. Growing up, I found the task boring and repetitive, always preferring to do things more mentally active such as reading or doing puzzles or jigsaws. However, I did warm to the idea as I heard a lot of good things about how relaxing it is.

As some studying six A-levels whilst battling depression and anxiety, as you can imagine I find it quite hard to relax most of the time. My family took this into consideration, along with my occasional mention of these adult colouring books, and bought me one as a surprise Christmas present.

So far, I've only done a little, but I am really loving it! I've bought some new pens and pencils to keep with it, and I am thoroughly enjoying spending a few minutes here and there colouring to take a break from everything else. I really recommend it to anyone who finds it hard to relax for any reason, especially the postcard sets as they are much smaller and less daunting than a huge, blank page needing to be coloured. They can also fit in your bag so you can take it with you on the go. The only downside is that some bits are extremely tiny and fiddly, but that only makes it more fun!

Gift Cards

Whether it be Christmas, birthdays, or any other celebration, gift cards are always labelled a terrible gift (usually along with socks).
I can, to a certain extent, see why. Yes, they seem unoriginal and perhaps like you barely know the person. Furthermore, they also tell you exactly how much that person has spent on you, either making you feel unappreciated or perhaps like they've given you a lot more than what you spent on them.
However, I personally feel like they are wonderful gifts! A friend of mine gave me a £10 Waterstones one for Christmas, saying that she didn't potentially want to get me the wrong book, and I'm okay with that. As long as you get someone a gift card for something they enjoy (it would have been stupid to get me one for a clothes shop for example), it means that you avoid any chance of buying something dreadful. As I read so much, it would have been really difficult to get me a book that I haven't already read, without risking it being something I wouldn't like. This way, I can pop along to Waterstones after Christmas and buy anything that takes my fancy - it also avoids the stress of buying presents for the giver!
Of course, family or a significant other should probably warrant a little more than a gift card, but for friends and colleagues, I do believe that gift cards are a fantastic idea and require a bit more thought than just slipping a £10 note inside their Christmas card.

All I need to do now is to decide which books to spend it on!

Plymouth Medicine Interview Part 2

The interview went okay! I'm not as confident about it as I was Cardiff last week, but I do believe it could have gone much, much worse. It was also quite different as I had to fill in a questionnaire first and choose an ethical scenario to answer questions about.
After the interview, I went into the city centre and did some more Christmas shopping. I also bought myself A Tale of Two Cities and got an All Time Low calender for next year. I usually have the Taylor Swift one however, this year, I wasn't as impressed by it and was wowed over by the gorgeous photos of ATL.
Being Black Friday, which even the UK now gets in on, there was, of course, many sales. I'm not really the shopping type, but as we made our way back to the car, mum decided to pop into Saltrock. That was a bit of a mistake. I got three really nice t-shirts (one put back for Christmas) and a really comfy black sweater. Mum also bought some things and we ended up saving £80!

So, overall, quite a nice, relaxed morning in Plymouth. I've also just ordered the last of my Christmas presents on Amazon so that's all the Christmas shopping done. Now all that's left is to count down to the big day!

Book Reviews

As an avid reader, one of my aims of this blog was to start writing book reviews. I have wanted to do it for a long time now, and have always had a template planned, but now I am finally getting round to doing it!
As an A-level student, I struggle to find the time to read. I am also guilty of going through phases in which I won't read at all. However, I am trying to change this and I will update reviews as soon as I can. Due to my nature of reading multiple books at once, it is likely I won't post anything book related for months, and then post four at the same time! I shall try not to do this though, and maybe save some to post during times when I don't have any.

Shopping

So last night I popped into Plymouth after school with my mum and brother to do a spot of rushed shopping. I desperately need a dress for my uni interviews at Cardiff and Plymouth, so we raced around various shops until I fell in love with one from H&M.
As a special treat for myself, I also bought Throne Of Glass by Sarah J. Maas as Waterstones didn't have Cinder by Marissa Meyer, so I may have an early night tonight reading it. I hope it lives up to expectations!

Introduction

Hello everyone!

Welcome to my blog. The first thing I feel like I should do is give a short introduction to who I am.

My name is Kat, and I'm a 17 year old student at DHSB where I am studying Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Further Maths and General Studies for A-levels. I live in Cornwall, in the UK. I have recently applied to Cambridge, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Plymouth universities to study medicine next year.

I'm a huge bookworm, always with too many books on the go. I also love music, enjoy going to concerts and play the electronic keyboard, whilst dabbling among other instruments such as guitar and saxophone.

I have two dogs - a black lab called Merlin and a black jack russell called Ringo.

I would love to get to know loads of people through blogging, so please be willing to comment and talk to me if you wish.