February Wrap Up (2018)

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

Long time no see! I have to say, other things that I consider to be more of a priority (like my future career and work) kind of came before blogging. I don't really regret that to be honest, because it's how it should be.

But that means I have a ton of exciting post ideas for next month!

(For example The Greatest Showman review, which I went to see on Monday :), so that'll be up soon.)

But so suddenly, another month is at it's end, and so another Wrap Up post!

Enjoy!

BOOKS

I read a total of five books this month (well four, because I finished My Husband's Son after I posted my January Wrap Up last month, but it still counts as January.)

But here's the list:

1. My Husband's Son, by Deborah O' Connor

This was an easy read. That was the first thing that popped into my head when I thought of this book. It wasn't truly captivating like one of my favourites, but it was an easy book to fly through. If you've read Baby Doll, by Hollie Overton, and was a fan of that book, I'd suggest picking this one up too. I have to say it had a surprising ending, but the rest was something I saw coming a mile away. A decent read.

2. Stealing Snow (Stealing Snow #1), by Danielle Paige

I have to say, I did enjoy this more than I thought I would. There were definitely some noticeable problems, I won't deny that. But the base of the story was quite interesting, I have to admit. I got a good look at the world, which I loved the different types of characters I got to meet along the way. Snow was a good enough character, though there wasn't much that was original about her to be honest. And the story tended to jump from love interest to interest, without really much depth to any of them. It was a dark book, and that was something that I thought that was done well. Overall, it was okay. I'll have to wait a while for the sequel though because it doesn't come out until 2019, but I'm willing to wait.

3. To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before #1), by Jenny Han

OMG THIS BOOK WAS SO CUTE I CANNOT. I finally get the hype. And when I finished this, I wanted to pick the next one up! But I was just like NO. I WILL PROLONG THIS TRILOGY AS IF MY LIFE DEPENDS ON IT. And March is tomorrow. Which means, I get to pick the next one up. As soon as I read my current read, which I'll get to in a bit. By the way, I will be posting a review for the book sometime in March. P.S. I loved this book so much, if you couldn't tell.

4. Handle With Care, by Jodi Picoult

Not unlike My Sister's Keeper, by the same author, this book read as something super familiar. But it was still an enjoyable read. (huge shocker there! Not.) The premise was that a woman with a child with osteogenesis imperfecta is suing her best friend. It means that if she had known that said child had this condition sooner, she would have terminated the pregnancy. It jumps from perspective to perspective. And reading it from a childcare student perspective was really interesting.

5. Contagion (Dark Matter #1), by Teri Terry

I just recently finished this, i.e. today. This was primarily a re-read to read emerge myself in my love of the new trilogy that Teri Terry created last year. The sequel came out this month and I am ready to pick up Deception starting tomorrow. This did nothing more than remind me why I love Teri Terry's storytelling as much as I do. I recommend this to sci-fi fans and anybody that thinks they might be interested in starting to read sci-fi.

FILMS

For this month I am just titling this section films as I have watched no tv shows (literally) this month.

I've pretty much watched only one film, and that was at the cinema.

The Greatest Showman

This film! I'm obsessed with the soundtrack! They're all amazing, all the songs and I want to see it again! For sure I want to see it again.

Full review coming soon.

So that is all I have for you today.

Man, it's good to be back! Missed you guys!

I will be back on Friday with my March TBR! (Is it just me or do you guys also love picking out the books that you want to read at the start at the month? Comment down below!)

I love all of you, and I will see you then!

Byeeee!

-Abi xxxxx

Fireblood (Frostblood Saga #2), by Elly Blake

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

This review has been coming for like a week, so I'm glad I finally get a chance to write it.

Yay!

I hope you enjoy it, and let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Title: Fireblood

Author: Elly Blake

Genre: Fantasy

Release date: 7th September, 2017

Status: Book 2 in trilogy

Pages: 408

Blurb: "Ice and fire are still at war.

Ruby has defeated the tyrannous Frost King, and Arcus,

the exiled warrior who captured her heart, has taken his

rightful place as ruler of the Frostblood kingdom.

But Ruby is the only Fireblood in a castle of frost and

ice, and the courtiers will not accept her. Even worse, the

dark threat release from the King Frost's melted throne is

stalking the land, bent on destruction- and as the one

who set it free, only Ruby can stop it.

To find the knowledge she needs, she must leave Arcus

and journey south to the land of the Firebloods. But the

homeland Ruby's never seen is treacherous, and friend

and enemy wear the same face.

If she's to save both kingdoms, Ruby must figure out

who she can trust- and unleash a fire powerful enough

to do battle with darkness..."

My Thoughts

I never know how to start reviews.

Bear with me.

Okay.

Sequels are often tricky to get right, especially if the first book of the trilogy/series was amazing and full of hype, like this one was. But I have to say, I enjoyed this as much as the first, and very possibly more so than the first book in the trilogy.

The second book starts a few months after the first one ends, when Prince Arcus has taken over the throne from his evil brother. Meanwhile Ruby and Arcus are still together, and even though the Royal Court has some less than agreeable thoughts on that idea- they don't really care.

Though I did actually enjoy the political controversy between Ruby and the Court, especially when they clashed. (Which was actually all the time).

At the same time, the Minax from the previous book is creating havoc in the world, possessing people into being awful things, and there's nothing to stop it. So that's a lingering threat.

But after Ruby does some research with Brother Thistle (who we don't get to see much in this one unfortunately) and decides that the only way to defeat the Minax from the Frost throne (that's a tongue twister) is to use the Fire throne Minax to defeat it.

And after a bit of chaos at a party, Ruby makes her way to the Fireblood kingdom to find the Fire throne, and to learn more about the kingdom where her heritage remains. Along with a mysterious yet charming character named Kai. (Love that name by the way, though my loyalty lies with Arcus).

So, what I liked about the book:

Firstly, the controversy between Ruby and the Royal Court, which I've already said I loved. There's nothing like polite confrontation not 40 pages into a story to start it off right (it's better than I'm describing, I promise).

When Ruby arrives at the Fireblood kingdom, she finds out that in order to search for the Minax throne, she needs to become a Fireblood master, and to become one, she must complete three tasks: she gets no clue as to what they can be and nothing to prepare herself for them. What I loved this book was how Ruby took this new challenge. It gave her an excellent character development because she pulled her socks up and worked hard, which I really loved to read about. It was kind of like Fireblood training and as a lover of sport and school, it was a good combination.

Also, the introduction to the new kingdom means a whole new set of characters. You're never quite sure who to trust until the very end, when they all reveal what side their loyalty lies on. It was all quite exciting really, that nagging suspicion that was constantly in the back of your head.

And finally, the end. It was crazy and amazing and... just wow. It was a whirlwind. The ending is still firmly stuck in my head and I can now not wait for the third and final book in the trilogy-

Nightblood- which comes out 18th June this year!

I'm awaiting the last release but I also don't want it to end!

Overall, an impressive book. As you can see, I couldn't fault it.

I highly recommend this book (though of course, you need to read Frostblood first.)

So that's my review of Fireblood! It was a long time coming, but finally it's finished and I'm happy I've written all my thoughts down.

(Let me know in the comments if you have any thoughts.)

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

Byeeeee!

-Abi xxxxx

Stranger Things Book Tag

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

And it seems like forever since I've posted a tag!

Yes I am aware that it is Valentine's Day on Wednesday, and that it would make more sense to do a Valentine's Day Book Tag, but as an eternal singleton, that's just another Wednesday to me

(after Pancake Day).

So, I hope you enjoy the Stranger Things Book Tag!

1.

 Frostblood, the first book in the series of the same name. I was like what happens now? But also super intrigued and excited about what would happen next. Then I read the sequel last month and loved it even more than the first, and now that's the case with this third and final book.

2.

The Hunger Games for sure. I would never want to live in that world, ever. That wasn't hard at all.

3.

Well, most of my books are damaged, so I can pretty much pick anything. I'm going to go with Mind Games, a book I savour the words in. It's my favourite Teri Terry novels, though I love all of them to pieces and is damaged (though not through fault of mine). I don't read it enough. Maybe that'll change this year.

4.

I don't think I have a favourite trilogy that I go to whenever I need a pick me up. I tend to pick up standalones, so I don't deviate away too much from my monthly TBR. But I do have a selection of contemporaries that I like to pick up, depending on my mood. This list is:

-Chris Higgins books (not that long, so a quick read, that contain themes that don't make them too chick-lit)

-I'll Give You the Sun, by Jandy Nelson

-Fangirl, by Rainbow Rowell

5.

Double Cross!

I would not want to cross Alex McAuley- ever! He just creeps me out and even though Toby is so much smarter than him, I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him- which isn't far because he's so tall.

6.

The first person that came into my head was Kaz!

But I can't choose him!

Can I?

Yeah... he leads a team that at the end is all but ready to kill each-other.

He also has a past history of manipulation, and we see that throughout the duology.

But he also has other qualities, that make me love him as a character.

7.

I dunno... all the books I've read this year?

I think I'll go with Fireblood, by Elly Blake.

That was the main surprise of January, and it's now a contender to be on my Favourites list for 2018!

When is the next book out? Does anyone know?

I can't wait to read it!

8.

I'm going to go with the Skulduggery Pleasant series! It's interesting and dead cool, but just that little bit nitty gritty, and I love it, because the characters- villains and heroes alike- are just that!

For the Stranger Things Book tag, I'm going to go and tag:

EVERYBODY.

If you want to do this tag, feel free to do the tag!

So that is all I have for you guys today!

And before I go, I have to address something.

Last week was a hectic week, where I didn't have a spare minute. And if I did, it was spent almost coughing my guts out.

But it's half term now, which means I have the time to dedicate to the type of posts that you guys deserve.

And It'll give me time to rest and recover, so when I go back to college, I'm able to keep posting.

...And I'm done.

So I will see you all on Wednesday.

Byeeeee!

-Abi xxxxx

February TBR (2018)

Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And new month equals new TBR for the month of February! 

I actually had some trouble deciding on what I want to read this month, because of that urge to think-

WHAT DO I READ NEXT?

But nevertheless, I have created one!

Enjoy!

1. Stealing Snow (Stealing Snow #1), by Danielle Paige

I am already over halfway through this, and surprisingly, I'm not finding it as horrible as I first thought it was. It's actually a fairly decent novel, and I was surprised to discover that I'm nervous as to how the first book is going to end, especially as I have to wait until next year to read the second book. With my thoughts at the start, compared to now, I will most definitely be reviewing this in the month of February. 

2. To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before #1), by Jenny Haan

I literally only decided this in a split second last night, after realising that 1) the last time I read a new contemporary/romance was back in September, also 2) that I really needed to read one SOON. So, I thought, because it's Valentine's Day, I could read this, as it's kind of both genres merged into one. Also, I'll read this in February, the second in March, and the third and final book in April!

3. Handle With Care, by Jodi Picoult

This is currently one of the biggest books on my TBR. And it's been ages since I've read something like this, w

here a debate is discussed within a story. They're so intense and so interesting, and I love to see how they're going to end, because it's never in the way I expect. Handle with care is a story about a couple with a child, Willow, who will suffer from hundreds of broken bones, because she was born with osteogenesis imperfecta. It involves a court case, and some what-ifs that have some weight to them. Like what if their daughter had been born healthy? Or what if their daughter had never been born? To gain compensation, that is what they will have to admit to the court. And I can't wait to see what happens.

4. The Help, by Kathryn Stockett

Aside from the fact that I really want to read this book, it's also one of the books in my TBR Jar and I have to yet to complete one, even though I own the books to tick off three of them! So I am eager to tick one off! This book was one of those books that changed the way people think about racism, and kind of open their eyes to the idea that people are equal, despite their race, gender or class. And I can't wait to pick it up!

5. One Dark Throne (Three Dark Crowns #2), by Kendare Blake

Yeah, I need to get on this at some point this month because everybody that has read this, says it is absolutely fantastic. This is the book where they all face off, and as much as I loved the first book, this is what I've been waiting for. And as much as I want to know what happens, I know that it won't be a happy ending. But that Kendare Blake herself confirmed that there will be one queen at the end of this book, something makes me think that they'll be a twist somewhere, and I can't wait to see what happens (especially as I think there's going to be another book after.)

So that is my February TBR (2018)! I hope you enjoyed it, What books are you reading this month? Do you have a planned list, or are you just winging it?

Let me know in the comments!

And that's gonna do it for today!

I hope you have a good weekend, full of books and reading and I will see you all on Monday, when I will be posting my Fireblood review!

Byeeeeee!

-Abi xxxxx