January Wrap Up (2018)

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

And this month has been more balanced than I thought it would be. I've read less books, but all but one have been new (one re-read).

I've watched more, and even though I haven't done much in terms of working on my manuscript, I've prioritised my career, which is kind of the way it should be.

Here's my wrap up!

BOOKS

I've read a total of five books this month, and enjoyed every single one of them, which I have to say does not happen often, so it came as quite a surprise!

1. This Mortal Coil (This Mortal Coil #1), by Emily Suvada

There is a review up for this if you want a more in-depth view on this book, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed it. It got off to a bit of a rocky start, what with it being kind of info dumpy, but it turns into a book where you don't know what's up sometimes, a book that you just don't want to stop reading, with each new chapter. Frankly, it was an amazing way to kick of 2018!

2. Unbecoming, by Jenny Downham

This review is back from 2016, so I doubt it's that detailed, but I'm going to link it anyway because, I loved it then, and I loved it in my re-read this time around as well. It wasn't my absolute favourite, but it still remains a comfortable 4 star read, a story about bringing the generations together, and not fearing who you are. These individual stories fit very comfortably side by side, so they mould into one big story about love and family.

3. Strange the Dreamer (Strange the Dreamer #1), by Laini Taylor

I have a review for this too! Although the start was a tad bit slow, it picked up immediately! This novel is well worth the hype, and will most likely end up on my Favourites list of 2018, for sure! It was on another level of fantasy than I have read, and although I waited so long to pick this up, it means there's less time before the sequel is released, which I can't wait for!

4.The Diary of Anne Frank

Such a hard-hitting book that almost had me in tears at the end- and I was reading this on the bus! I really can't fault this. But what kind of stops you in the track is that you can clearly picture Anne writing this in her diary, where it's so easy to see the circumstances, to put yourself in that place with her, and it's just so powerful! I recommend this not just to readers, but everybody. It's just one of those books that everyone should read.

5. Fireblood (Frostblood #2), by Elly Blake

I've had a month of reading a bunch of fantastic books and this one is no exception. Elly Blake's writing is so smooth, going from one plot point to another does not seem forced at all. I read this book in four days, and I was never so surprised at how good a book was as when I devouring every word in Fireblood. The story takes place a few months after the first one ends, where Ruby's presence has disrupt the peace of the Frostblood court. From that point on, we see more of the world from enemy lines, and see Ruby attempt to control her wild Fireblood powers. And let me tell you, there was never a dull moment when I was reading this. I have no clue how Elly will wrap this up and I can't wait to find out!

WRITING

Like I said at the top, I didn't do a whole lot of writing. 

I looked over maybe 30-40 pages at the start of the month, caught in the want to write, write more, and write yet more. But around the middle of the month, I went back to college, and something else took priority. From the rate I'm going, I should finish it by about half-way through the year, around the time that I finish college, but I'll finish my second draft as soon as I can. 

Until then, college takes priority. 

FILMS AND TELEVISION SHOWS

TV SHOWS

1. The Next Step

I've had this recommended on YouTube for the longest time and I continued to fight it, unsure whether I wanted to watch it because of how many episodes there were (there is literally 5 seasons x at least 30 episodes a season), but alas, I could not resist any longer. This was about a fortnight ago, and I am now halfway through season 3! It was a bit slow going, especially the first half of season 1, but then it just picked up and kept getting better! It's about a dance club/building/business, and there's A-Troupe, B-Troupe, and J (Junior) Troupe. A-Troupe is competitive, so it goes to regionals etc. There's also a ton of drama, most of which is romantic hehe. 

But it's really good, so go watch!

2. Orange is the New Black

Now, I'm not as far in as "The Next Step" because I'm on like episode 10, but this was the tv show that I jumped into, having finished Pretty Little Liars, a couple of days into 2018! 

This is such a crazy show, I know that even from just 10 episodes, and I cannot wait to see what happens in each season!

FILMS

1. Fame

It may not be the original, but this film shows the harsh reality of what life in the stoplight is... even if they wish to be there, even if it's the one thing that fits you better than anything else. The characters in this film want it, and they won't stop until they can spread their wings and fly. I love this film because they're doing it for the joy of theatre, and because they want to be good. This is one of my favourite films, and I could watch it every day. 

2. Mother's Day 

This is kind of the opposite of the other one. It's sort of the opposite of intense. It's funny and light-hearted, and what I love about it was the different story-lines each character has. They were all unique, they were all easy to follow, despite the fact that they were weaving between one another.  Also, there are so many famous actors in this that I knew it was going to be good. A classic pick me up if you're feeling down, and you can watch it at any time.   

So that is my January Wrap Up (2018)! I hope you enjoyed it! 

What did you get up to in January? Anything exciting? Let me know in the comments, whether they're book related or not!

Let's hope for a positive February!

Byeeeee!

-Abi xxxxx





Introducing... Monsters of Verity duology, by VE Schwab

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

And yes, I am aware that I have done a bunch of these recently.

And it's just because I've bought a bunch of books that I'm excited about, and I did not want to wait until the monthly book haul!

So, yeah!

Enjoy!

So, after having reserved the second (and having ordered in the first because Waterstones didn't have it in store) I finally have the Monsters of Verity duology!

This is the synopsis of "this savage song", because I know nothing otherwise!

"Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city,

a grisly metropolis where the violence has begun to create

real and deadly monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless

as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes

the inhabitants pay for his protection. August just wants to

be human, as good-hearted as his own father- but his curse

is to be what humans fear. The thin truce that keeps

the Harker and Flynn families at peace is crumbling, and an

assassination attempt forces Kate and August into a tenuous

alliance. But how long will they survive in a city where

no one is safe and monsters are real."

WOW. Even just reading that synopsis, I know this is going to be amazing. Also, I love the incorporate of music into the title, and the juxtaposition (which means two complete opposites things together) of something so harsh, and something so sweet and good together just puts me on edge.

Also, this duology has got crazy good reviews!

I have also heard that people come to read this book, expecting to love it, and coming back from it, having loved it even more than they originally thought they would. It's that kind of book.

Also, there isn't a romance, from what I hear.

Which I am really looking forward to reading about.

So that is all I know about the Monsters of Verity duology! I kind of want to read this in the next month or so, so reviews will be up soon, hopefully!

If you have read the Monsters of Verity duology, or also want to pick it up yourself, let me know in the comments!

I hope you have a wonderful week, and I will see you all on Wednesday!

Byeeeeee!

-Abi xxxx

December & January Book Haul (2017/2018)

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

So, the last time I posted a book haul was back in November.

So, I thought it was time I posted a new one, because I've bought more books these past couple of months!

1. Wool (Wool #1), by Hugh Howey

The summary on the back is kind of vague, but that's one of the things I like about this. It talks about a community that lives underground, the ones that have been the 'unluckiest' to survive. They live a life full of rules of regulations, where some of them dream to go up. They are the dangerous ones, the ones that need to be feared. And that's all it says. This is a series that has been on my radar for years, now. Something I might read in my spare time. It still is, but I saw it in a charity shop, and I thought, why not?

2. It, by Stephen King

I mentioned this in my TBR Jar for 2018 post. I recently got this book for Christmas, and well, it's about clowns. There's a character called Pennywise, and there was a film about it. I haven't seen the film, I haven't read the book yet, but I'm thinking Halloween, because it would be perfect! (And I'd likely be haunted by it for the entire month).

 3. This Mortal Coil (This Mortal Coil #1), by Emily Suvada

I have already read and thoroughly enjoyed this. It's a heavily info'ed Sci-fi novel about DNA. But it is so good! I was so in the mood for a good sci-fi book and this one totally fit the bill in the right moment. I have a review for it, you can check it out here. But what I loved about this book was that the world, and the concept was so good. There were twists and turns that I did not see coming, and I cannot wait for the sequel, which comes out sometime in the next couple of years.

4. The Help, by Kathryn Stockett

This is a book that is on my TBR Jar for 2018, and probably one of the most anticipated read from that hand-full of books on that particular list. It's set in 1962, and was one of those books that I think, really opened the eyes of a lot of people, to things like the 'black lives matter' movement, and it's one of those books that I've wanted to read because of that reason. I have to say, I'm expecting a lot from this book, but I have hopes that it'll most certainly live up to them.

5. THE FULL MORTAL INSTRUMENTS SERIES, BY CASSANDRA CLARE

I actually found these in a charity shop for under £7. And I just had to have them! Now I have every book that I have read by Cassandra Clare with me! Now all I have to do is find space on my bookshelf...

6. The "To All The Boys I've Loved Before", by Jenny Haan trilogy

I mentioned that I had recently bought these when I posted my TBR Jar for 2018 too, so it would make sense that I'd include these. The covers are beautiful, I can't wait to read this, and I will read them as soon as spring is here, so March/April time. Everybody that has read this had read them and loved them. They are kind of chick-lit and romance contemporary, and they are meant to amazing. So, I can't wait to read them!

So that is my December/January Book Haul (2017/2018)! I hope you enjoyed it, and if you have any thoughts on any of these books- whether you liked them, whether you want to read any yourself, or whether you hated them! Let me know in the comments!

I hope you have a wonderful day, and I will see you all on Friday!

Byeeeeee!

-Abi xxxxx

Strange the Dreamer (Strange the Dreamer #1), by Laini Taylor

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

And I was going to post this, but I had to prioritise.

But I'm back, and I'm ready to post this review!

Title: Strange the Dreamer

Author: Laini Taylor

Genre: Fantasy

Release date: 28th March, 2017

Status: Book 1 in trilogy? Duology? Not too sure

Pages: 532

Blurb: "THE DREAM CHOOSES THE DREAMER,

NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND- and

Lazlo Strange, war orphan and junior librarian,

has always feared that his dream chose poorly.

Since he was five years old, he's been obsessed with,

the mystic lost city of Weep, but it would take

someone bolder than he to cross half the world in

search of it. Then a stumbling opportunity presents

itself, in the person of a hero called the Godslayer

and a band of legendary warriors, and he has to

seize his chance or lose his dream forever.

What happened in Weep two hundred years ago

to cut it off from the rest of the world? What

exactly did the Godslayer slay that went by the

name of God? And what is the mysterious problem

he now seeks help in solving?

The answers await in Weep, but so do more

mysteries- including the blue skinned goddess

who appears in Lazlo's dreams. How did he dream

her before he knew she existed? And if all the Gods

are dead, why does she seem so real?"

My Thoughts

First things first: overall thoughts. This was on another level of fantastic.  I didn't even realise how invested I was getting into the story. Not so much the characters, it took me a while to feel for the characters, and the hardships that they went through, though that happened eventually, but the story was so surreal, which is why it was perfect as a book about dreams.

I had a couple of problems, but more on those later.

First up, let me talk about the writing.

The writing style was everything. It was poetic and smooth, and so goddamn beautiful. It was like the sky on a sunny day, blue and beautiful.

It's like ice-cream on a sunny day.

The writing took what have been a decent book, to another level.

The writing style was fantastic.

The characters. I fell in love with Lazlo instantly. There's nobody that's like him anywhere that I have read in YA, or anywhere for that matter. He's such a precious bean and he remains that way, untainted and perfect. Even though his physical status changes, his personality remains sensitive and emotionally strong. And that's what I love about him.

I have to admit, I felt a bit sorry for Thyon. Constantly pressured to come up with something brilliant, there was always a consequence to his actions, and he paid for it so harshly.

I kind of want to see more of the two of them in the next book, but because of recent events, I highly doubt that's going to happen.

Also, Sarai, and the other Godspawn really brought a lot to the story. Amazing and incredibly thought out, she destroyed you piece by piece, by each heart-breaking memory after enough.

Along with the other Godspawn: Feral, Ruby, Sparrow.

And MINYA. I'm not even going to say anymore.

The plot. It was more than just the direction of the story. It was crazy and detailed. To god it was detailed. The plot was so fleshed out, the two POVs' journeys intertwined to make the plot. I found that I was never bored, once the story got into it.

What I didn't love:

1. The first 80 pages was info dump. There's no two ways around it. There were words that I was just like "What?!" for, because I had no clue what they were talking about.

2. When is the next book coming out?

(I know it's called Muse of Nightmares, but as of now, I do not know the release date other than some time this year.)

Overall, I cannot wait for the second book. I would for sure recommend this to any fantasy lover. Or even any lover of books, really. The characters are so brilliant, the plot is crazy good.

And Strange the Dreamer is now a strong contender for my "Favourite Books of 2018", already!

So that is all I have for you today! I hope you have a wonderful day, and I will see you all on Wednesday!

P.S.: Comment down below your thoughts on Strange the Dreamer!

Byeeee!

-Abi xxxxx

Writer Habits That Other People Find Odd

Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I was looking through some blogs today and I thought of a pretty interesting idea:

Writer Habits That Other People Find Odd

And I thought it was a good idea to try it!

Enjoy!

1. Terrifying search history 

For a non-writer, it's probably not a good thing to have things like "machete killer mask" and "creepy alleyways", but for a writer, it's just normal. To be able to write an interesting story that may or may not include those things, you need to learn about them first. Which means a pretty "interesting" seacr history. 

2. Odd Sleeping Patterns 

Every writer knows that you reach a certain point in your downward spiral to only wanting to work on your book and do absolutely nothing else (and you'll reach that point). It might come and go, but it'll happen. And then you'll learn, that you get your best writing mojo at night. And from that point, you never really get back into that regular sleeping pattern of going to sleep at night and waking up in the morning. But that's okay, because you'll get some pretty good writing done.

3. Searching baby name websites for character's names

Now, this is one that I've done a number of times. I'm always terrible at names. First it was for the Sims, and now for this. For the life of me, I cannot think of the perfect name to symbolise any number of things that are probably unrealistic to start with. But let's face it, it helps you to think your being productive at least. 

4. Losing days wearing pj's, because they're comfy!

No judgy. If you're going to be working on one piece of manuscript for months and months... AND YEARS AND YEARS (oh god...) no one (except normal human beings) is going to judge you for dedicating days to wearing the comfiest clothes that you have in your drawer: 
PYJAMAS.
So, why not wear pyjamas? If you're going to be tortured by self doubt and the trauma of your characters, why not be comfy while your doing that?
(And if you want to stay in bed, why not do that too?)

5. Staring dramatically into space whilst thinking about book

It's not our fault. When you're sitting, or standing, and you get lost in the thought "I wish I was writing." (*Sigh*), and you start thinking about it, you can't help but get lost staring into space, or even worse, staring at somebody! And you don't even realise it! But you can't blame yourself- odds are you'd rather be writing! 

6. Eavesdropping for anything- whether it be plot ideas, or dialogue

And finally... I don't really do this, but I've heard most writers do, like they don't specifically sought out people for conversational sentences, or plot holes, but since we always seem to have a notebook and pencil handy, (is that a thing too?) then we can't seem to help writing down everything we hear, because, who knows? It might end up being a main point in our book. 
You never know.

So that is all I have for you guys today!
I apologise to all the writers that look at this blog for giving away what we do (especially that last one).
But let me know in the comments if you do any of these, or even any that I missed! I'd love to have a chat about any quirky behaviour you all do!
I hope you have a wonderful week and I will see you on Friday!
Byeeeeeeeee!

-Abi xxxxx

Introducing... A Thousand Perfect Notes

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

And I'm here with another anticipated release introduction for 2018!

And it's by Cait (@PaperFury in twitter)!

She's so funny, you have to check her out!

And she has a new book! Here's the cover:

It comes out 7th June, 2018, and from what I've seen of this, it's a jolly good book, even if it's super dark and intense.

A Thousand Perfect Notes is about Beck, a pianoist that is forced to spend hours upon hours after her abusive mother lost the chance after her illness all those years ago. Afraid to stand up to her mother, all Beck wants is to compose his own music, but even the smallest possibility of rebellion, ends in violence.

Until he meets August, somebody full of life and possibilities, he begins to fall for her, and glimpses a way to escape his daunting future. But dare he reach for it?

This has everything that I love to see in contemporary books. A passion, a problem, a love as bright as the stars- yes, it looks like it may be cliché, but I'm willing to give it a try, especially because of the author.

That's all I really know about this book to be honest, so feel free to let me know in the comments, if you are interested in reading this too!

So that is all I have for you today, I will see you all on Wednesday, and happy reading!

Byeeeee!

-Abi xxxxx 

The K-Pop Book Tag

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

Now, I got tagged for this a while ago, yet I follow through on my promises, and here I am doing the tag:

The K-Pop Book Tag!

Now, you might be a newbie, like me, having just been introduced to a few; you might be a pro, having watched for years, or you might have no clue what K-Pop is. So, K-Pop basically stands for Korean Pop Music. It's getting more and more popular with each passing day, which I'm not surprised about because it's so good!

This tag was created by The Book Prophet , who is absolutely amazing. I am so glad that she decided to create this tag, and I can't wait to do it!

Elenaoftheuniverse tagged me in this- I love reading her posts, so go check her out!

Thanks Elena!

Without further ado, here is the K-Pop Book Tag!

-Rules-

-Credit the creator of this tag, The Book Prophet, and link back to her original post.

-Thank the person who tagged you.

-Answer all the questions to the best of your ability.

-Tag as many people as you like.

-Have fun!

BTS- A BOOK EVERYONE KNOWS ABOUT

There are a number of these I could list- Harry Potter, all the Cassie Clare books, Hunger Games, Throne of Glass, the Rick Riordan books, the Six of Crows duology. There wouldn't be a book community without these YA books, but I have to go with what everyone undoubtedly went with, and that is Harry Potter.

EXO- Favourite Companion Novel

 Although I don't read many companion novels. In fact, I don't think I've read any! So can I just opt out of this one...

NU'EST- NAME A BOOK/SERIES/TRILOGY THAT DOESN'T GET THE ATTENTION YOU THINK IT DOES

I haven't chosen this trilogy for a while now, so I'm going to go with the "Medusa Girls" trilogy. It tells the story of three identical sisters from totally different backgrounds (it has a couple of tropes but it's still a decent trilogy) learning to work together to prevent a future where the world will be overrun with medusa's monsters, centuries after the curse was created. I highly recommend you check the trilogy out.

ASTRO- A BOOK THAT GAVE YOU A HAPPY FEELING WHILE READING

I have to go with the first choice that popped into my head: I'll Give You The Sun, by Jandy Nelson. This book, particularly the ending, shows the inescapable bond of siblings in the best way. I don't know it for the low points in the characters' stories, but for the truly beautiful moments.

MONSTAX- A BOOK CONTAINING A DIVERSE SET OF CHARACTERS

I have to go with Six of Crows for this. There has never before been a more diverse cast of characters than this book. (I mean, there probably has, but I haven't read it, if that's the case).

A.C.E- A FAVOURITE RECENT RELEASE

I'll have to go with my most recently read new release, Mortal Coil, by Emily Sumada. Heavy sci-fi, which I love, and although I had a couple of problems with it, I will definitely be picking up the sequel. You can check out my review for it here.

BLACKPINK- A BOOK THAT STICKS OUT FROM THE REST OF IT'S GENRE

Even though I have yet to finish it yet- I'm about halfway through, because it is a hefty book- I already know that Strange the Dreamer sticks out a mile in the Fantasy genre. It's so hard to explain! But I guess you'll see more on my thoughts on this in my review, once I've finished.

SEVENTEEN- A BOOK WITH MULTIPLE POV'S

Because I've included pretty much every multiple POV books in this list (not on purpose) so I'm going to have to go with The Raven Boys quartet. I got an insight into all four boys whilst reading this stories, and one of my favourite parts about the series was how well the POV's were written.

BIGBANG- A MODERN CLASSIC

I'm going to go with The Perks of Being A Wallflower. When it was published, it opened doors for the mental health community, and was more or less a foot in the door towards banishing the stigma that people have had about mental health. It is as close as I can think of as a modern classic.

SISTAR- A SERIES YOU WISH NEVER ENDED

Oh, definitely the Songs About A Girl trilogy, by Chris Russell. The final book in the trilogy comes out in June and I AM NOT READY FOR THE TRILOGY TO BE OVER. I have no clue how Chris Russell is going to wrap it up, and even though I want to see what happens, it'll be kind of bitter sweet as I love this trilogy so much.

RAIN- FAVOURITE STANDALONE

Oh this is so hard! I think... I'm going to have to go with

The Book Thief, by Marcus Zusak!

Tags

I tag these people:

Kat @Lifeandotherdisasters

Shannon @ShannonBookworm

Victoria @Victoria'sBookBlog

But, of course, if anyone wants to participate in this tag, feel free to do so!

(And then let me know in the comments :) ).

So that is all I have for you today!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend (I'll be working)

And I will see you all on Monday!

Byeee!

-Abi xxxxx

Movie Releases I Can't Wait For In 2018

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

And I was initially going to be posting an Introduction to The Help, by Kathryn Stockett, which I bought yesterday, but I decided on something I'd like to post.

There is a new post that everyone seems to be posting- Favourite Anticipated Book Releases in 2018, and even though I myself have done one of these, and I love to read these?

What's the reason not to do the same for films?

So here is my anticipated film releases for 2018!

January Anticipated Releases

19th January: Coco

February Anticipated Releases

9th February: Peter Rabbit

16th February : Black Panther

23rd February:  Every Day                           Game Night

        (Based on David Lethithan's book)

March Anticipated Releases

9th March:   A Wrinkle In Time   

16th March:   Tomb Raider   Love, Simon   

                                                 (Simon vs The Homo Sapien's Agenda)

23rd March:   Sherlock Gnomes   Midnight Sun

30th March: Ready Player One (from the novel by Ernest Cline)

April Anticipated Releases

20th April :Finding Your Feet

May Anticipated Releases

4th May:   Avengers: Infinity War

18th May: Slenderman

June Anticipated Releases

1st June:   Deadpool 2 (Though I have yet to see the first one- need to get on that)

15th June:  The Incredibles 2 (my childhood is back) & Tag

22nd June: Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

July Anticipated Releases

4th July: The Purge: The Island

20th July:  Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again

August Anticipated Releases

10th August: Untitled Anne Hathaway/ Rebel Wilson Comedy

September Anticipated Releases

14th September (My birthday): THE DARKEST MINDS

28th September: Boy Erased

October Anticipated Releases

19th October: Halloween   Mowgli (From the Jungle Book)  The Girl In The Spider's Web

November Anticipated Releases

2nd November:   X Men: Dark Phoenix   Mary, Queen of Scots  The Nutcracker and the Four Realms

9th November:   Dr Seuss: How The Grinch Stole Christmas   Holmes and Watson

16th November:  The Crimes of Grindelwald

21st November:  Creed 2   Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It-Ralph 2 

December Anticipated Releases

14th December:  Spider Man: Into the Spider Verse

25th December:   Mary Poppins Returns    Bohemian Rhapsody

Other films that do not have a release date:

Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors  Cruella    Triple Threat

Mary Shelley     Backseat

So those are my anticipated film releases! These are only the US dates, but I'm sure they're all out at some point!

Let me know in the comments if there are any anticipated film releases that you have for 2018!

Byeeeeeee!

-Abi xxxxx

This Mortal Coil (This Mortal Coil #1), by Emily Suvada

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

And I've kind of thrown reviews to the side in the past couple of months. Granted, I did say I only wanted to post reviews for books that I have a lot of thoughts on, but I haven't posted any in months!

So, why not start the year with a review? I finished this book last night and it is the perfect time to post a review!

Enjoy!

Title: This Mortal Coil

Author: Emily Suvada

Genre: Sci-fi

Release date: 30th October, 2017

Status: Book 1 in a trilogy

Pages: 450

Blurb: "My darling girl, if you're reading this, it means

I am dead. I know you want to grieve,

but there is something I need you to do.

When a lone soldier, Cole, arrives with news of

Lachlan Agatta's death, all hope seems lost for Catarina.

Her father was the world's leading geneticist, and

humanity's best hope of beating a devastating virus.

Then, hidden beneath Cole's genehacked enhancements,

she finds a message of hope: Lachlan created a vaccine.

But only she can find and decrypt it... if she can

unravel the clues he left for her.

The closer she gets, the more she finds herself at risk from

Cartaxus, a shdowy organization with the stronghold on

the world's genetic tech. But it's too late to turn back.

There are three billion lives at stake, two people who can

save them, and one final secret that Cat can unlock.

A secret that will change everything."

My Thoughts

Reading through this: I was trying to decide "Do I like this?" Because, to be honest, it could have gone either way.

There were factors I liked, but there were factors that could have been done better, in my opinion.

The story starts with Catarina, her father, and her (more than) friend Dax are coding, when Cartaxus (a company that has taken over basically) arrive to take Catarina's father, and Dax under their will. Catarina is warned to stay away, to never let them take her.

The story continues two years later, when Catarina is left fatherless and penniless, in the struggle to survive the Hydra Virus, a Virus that makes people explode within three days of having been infected. Of course, there's one immunisation: To eat living flesh of the people that have been infected. There's also the Wrath, a condition that takes control of your brain and your body, so that the only thing you want to do is feast on other's living flesh.

So, that feeling of survival was something that was done really well.

A recurring theme that was also done well was the intensity. It was a high intensity novel overall, and it was basically a race against time, to release the vaccine that Catarina's father created before the world dies out, and the mix between the need to save the world as well as the intensity was something that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Also, Suvada was on point with the end of each chapter. Each time I picked up this book, I was always thinking "One more chapter". But as soon as I got to the end, something would happen that would want me to carry on reading it. These end of chapters were why I read this so quickly, despite  the length of the story.

Those are the points that I enjoyed. This is what I thought needed work.

First of all, at the start, I really had to commit to the story and reading through the start. Not only was it kind of info dumpy at the start (though this was kind of necessary because I wouldn't have understood half of it if it hadn't been like that- another bad point, which I'll get to in a minute.)

But what I'm getting at is that the explanations could have more spread out, and smoother, instead of just info dumping each part all at once.

Also, I felt like you have to be a major sci-fi fan to want to carry on reading, especially at the start (this is what I was talking about a second ago). But the jargon used in this book, was so scientific, that I could barely digest myself through it to get the gist of what they were talking about. I got that it was a sci-fi language heavy story, but what could have definitely have been done better was to tone down the language used to explain all the sci-fi elements to the story.

Also, the characters. They were all super smart, but that was really their only redeeming quality. The rest I'd already seen somewhere before. Catarina's character development was decent, and it was something that I wasn't expecting, but I got the feeling that it could have been bigger. I didn't see it coming, like at all, but looking back, I felt that they could have been covered up, so I was more surprised in the long run.

Overall, it was a decent read. There were some things that I could have been written in better, and some parts to be improved on, but overall, it was a solid 4 star read, and I would be happy to continue, especially the way the story was left. There are a few things that I hope they carry on, but at this point I have no clue as to how the story will go.

I would recommend this to anybody that love heavy sci-fi and is in the mood to start a new series!

So that is my review of This Mortal Coil, by Emily Suvada! I hope you enjoyed it, and let me know in the comments what you thought!

I hope you have a lovely weekend, and I will see you all on Monday!

Byeeeee!

-Abi xxxxx

Most Anticipated Releases for 2018!

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

And with a new year comes a new butt-ton of book releases- that I can't wait for them to be released!

They range from next month all the way through to December, and I can't wait for any of them.

What I think I'm going to do is release them in order of publication.

1. Deception (Dark Matters #2), by Teri Terry

Although I wasn't the biggest fan of the first book in the series, Teri Terry still remains an auto-buy author and I continue to read her books. Thank-fully I don't have long to wait until Deception is released and I get to jump back into the sci-fi crazy world that Teri Terry has created. 

Release date: 8th February

2. Renegades (Renegades #1), by Marissa Meyer

Now, I don't know too much about this book, except for the fact that it includes superheroes, and it involves a girl and a boy working together. However one of them is after justice, and the other is after REVENGE, which ought to be interesting. Also, every book that I have read by Marissa Meyer I have loved, which is enough for me!

Release date: 5th April

3. War Storm (Red Queen #4), by Victoria Aveyard

Now, I have almost half a year to finish King's Cage, but rest assured, it is quite an intimidating book. Nevertheless, I shall read it, because I want to pick this next book up as soon as it is released, and as soon as I can get my hands on it. I have no idea what it is about, having not read the third book. But I'm looking forward to reading it regardless.

Release date: 15th May

4. Legendary (Caraval #2), by Stephanie Garber

To be honest, I was kind of happy with how Caraval ended. But if there's another book, I'm reading it. Also, Caraval was one of my favourites from last year, and it was because of the undertone of mystery, of not knowing what was real. My expectations are high, and I would love to see my love of Caraval continued in Legendary.

Release date: 29th May

5. Midnight (Skulduggery Pleasant #11), by Derek Landy

Release date: June 2018

At present, there is no cover for this. It was only a couple of weeks ago that the release date was revealed. I am now fully caught up with the series, and ready to pick up the next one when it's released in June. This is one of those that I will continue to read, and I feel like this is a global thing as well. There is a group of people that have grown up with this series. But whatever happens, I know the 11th instalment to this series will be incredible. And I can't wait for it to be released.

6. As The Curtain Falls, by Carrie Hope Fletcher

Although I'm not madly in love with the premise of this book, because it involves ghosts that were in love 70 years ago coming back to haunt people now, and a couple trying to conceal and save those ghosts before tragedy repeats itself, there is something about it being Carrie Hope Fletcher's writing, that her stories always involve hope as a general theme, and it takes place in a theatre!

Release date: 12th July

7. Songs About A Boy (Songs About A Girl #3), by Chris Russell

The third and final book to the Songs About A Girl. A tiny part is sad that it's ending because I love this trilogy, but a bigger part is desperate to know what happens to Charlie Bloom and all the other characters. I really have no idea how Chris Russell will wrap up this trilogy, but I cannot wait to find out!

Release date: 2nd August

8. Queen of Air and Darkness (The Dark Artifices #3), by Cassandra Clare

Again, I haven't yet caught up with this trilogy, but since the release date is 4th December, I have some time at least. But even though I've only read Lady Midnight, I have a feeling that I will want to continue after Lord of Shadows because 1) of the amazing reviews that I have been hearing since it was released, and 2) I'll be caught up on the trilogy when I finish Lord of Shadows, so why should I continue? Looking forward to picking this up (even though it's released at the end of the year).

Release date: 4th December

So that is all I have for you guys today! What anticipated releases are you waiting for in particular? Let me know in the comments, so we can talk about it!

I will see you all on Friday, so happy reading, and I'll see you then!

Byeeeee!

-Abi xxxxx