21-30 Books of 2019

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

And I think it's time that I post this, especially as I'm halfway through the 30s in my Goodreads challenge! Here are some of the books that I've read recently!

Enjoy!

21. Noughts & Crosses (Noughts & Crosses #1), by Malorie Blackman

22. Knife-edge (Noughts & Crosses #2), by Malorie Blackman

23. Checkmate (Noughts & Crosses #3), by Malorie Blackman

24. Double Cross (Noughts & Crosses #4), by Malorie Blackman

This is my favourite series and I re-read it a couple of months ago to prepare for the release of the fifth book, Crossfire, which was released a few days ago. This is a story that takes place over the span of at least 10 years and there are so many topics that it covers, I can't even begin to list them. If you like to read about the situations where right and wrong aren't black and white, then I urge you to pick this series out. I currently own the fifth book in the series and I can't wait to pick it up soon!

25. Fated (Slated 0.5), by Teri Terry

When I heard about the existence of Fated, I was hesitant to say the least. Teri Terry is one of my auto-authors, and even though I love the Slated trilogy, I didn't know what I was going to gain from reading the prequel. Nevertheless, I picked it up during my week in Durham in June. And I have to say, I was kind of right. I didn't see any relevance to the characters until the very end, when it all wrapped up. It was interesting to delve deeper into what led to the concept of slating, but other than that, I didn't get much from it.

26. Heartstopper. Vol 1 (Heartstopper #1), by Alice Oseman

I can't even begin to tell you guys how surprised I was at how much I enjoyed this graphic novel. Basically, I can't believe how quickly I read this! (Under an hour.) The characters are wonderful, the story is so addictive, it flows like a dream. If you like LGBTQ+ books and/or graphic novels, then this should be high on your TBR. 

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

This was the third book in the Dark Artifices trilogy, and I had been reading it for about 12 weeks/3 months. It was so long-winded that I've forgotten most of what was contained in that book, except for the main points and the ending. I very much enjoyed the predecessor, Lord of Shadows, and was hoping that this was going to be like the second book in the series, but there was just something about Queen of Air and Darkness that didn't gel well with me.

28. Black Beauty, by Anna Sewell

Reading this book from the POV of Black Beauty himself was quite an experience when I was young. This book taught me so much about how animals experience love, happiness and hardship over their lifetime, just as much as humans do. It was wonderful to re-read it again and relive all of Black Beauty's life, and all that came with it.

29. Bedlam (Skulduggery Pleasant #12), by Derek Landy

I can't give too much away because it's the third book in Skulduggery Pleasant-2, and the 12th book in the overall series. What I will say was that I definitely enjoyed it more so than Midnight and Resurrection, and that Bedlam feels like Derek Landy has written something to rival how strongly I was a fan at the original series. I'm also overjoyed that there are going to be more in the series.

30. Heidi, by Johanna Spyri

Another one of my childhood favourites. This book doesn't have the complicated plot. It's about a girl Heidi, living with her grandfather up in the Alps in Switzerland. There's just something about the writing, the description of the Alps, just picturing in your head what it's like to be so at one with nature, that you can't help but love the classic story.

Okay! Those are the books I've read recently! If you've read any of these and want to discuss one of them with me, comment down below!

Right! I hope you have a wonderful day full of reading/writing, and I'll see you guys soon!

Byeeeee!

-Abi xxxxx

Top Contemporaries On My TBR!

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

And I was genuinely stuck on what to post for tonight. I started off looking for upcoming releases, when I released that, aside from a select couple, I'm not really looking forward to much in the next couple of months.

And then I started to think about my top contemporaries that I want to pick up.

And the list just started to pile up!

Enjoy!

1. The Exact Opposite of Okay, by Laura Steven

This has been out for so long, the second book is already out, and I still haven't picked up book 1. I've heard absolutely amazing things of this novel, and it's been on my TBR since it's release nearly 18 months ago. All I know about this book is that it's from the point of view of Izzy O' Neill, who has been publically humiliated. She's trying to keep her head up above water, but that's almost impossible. It sounds quite good, and I'm looking forward to picking it up soon.

2. You'll Miss Me When I'm Gone, by Rachel Lynn Soloman

What grabbed me about this book was the premise. It's from the point of view of twins, that are basically chalk and cheese. They have little in common, other than their blind ambition. Then their mother is diagnosed with huntington's. The women they both loved is now a stranger, and the delicate bond they both shared has now shattered. After they both take the genetic test, there's no going back. One twin tests negative. And the other tests positive. This promises to be an intense read, and I can't wait to pick this one up and delve straight in.

3. Autoboyography, by Christina Lauren

Now, this will be one of the cute ones. All of Booktube love this book, not just because it's got an LGBT romance within it's pages, but because it's unbelievably cute! Not to mention the gorgeous cover.

4. Opposite of Always, by Justin A. Reynolds

This is the book that I'll be picking up first, as it's on my TBR for the month. Once again, it's the premise that made this book sound interesting to me. When Jack falls for Kate hard, he's devastated when she drops dead six months later. The story should end there. But when he goes back to the day when he met her for the first time, he has a choice. What is he willing to sacrifice to save the people he loves? I'll get to find out in this book, and I can't wait.

5. Eliza and Her Monsters, by Francesca Zappia

From reading the blurb, this book is much more than a shy girl becoming her own in the outside world, not online. The hype is so big for this book, everybody who likes contemporary that discuss difficult issues loves it. I can't wait to get my hands on a copy.

6. Paperweight, by Meg Haston

Even from just the blurb, this book gives clues that it contains some heavy themes. Trigger warnings being suicide, eating disorders, and losing a loved one. If you even consider picking this one up, make sure you're in the right head space to do so. This story takes place in a treatment centre in New Mexico desert, in the middle of nowhere. Everybody on Goodreads has given this at least 3 stars, and I will definitely be picking this up soon, because it's so important to spread the word about mental health and eating disorders to stop the subjects being taboo.

Okay! So those are the contemporaries on the top of my TBR! I hope you enjoyed it, and let me know what contemporaries you want to read next.

Right! I hope you have a wonderful day, and I'll see you all soon!

Byeeeee!

-Abi xxxxx

July Wrap Up & August TBR (2019)

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

And it's time for my wrap up/ TBR!

And what's more, I just finished my first book of the month!

So, let's get on with this wrap up & TBR!

Enjoy!

JULY WRAP UP

-BOOKS-

I read a total of seven books in July, two of which were from the Reading-Rush-a-thon that I participated in last week.

Here are the books I read in the month of July.

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

I was trying to read this by the end of June, but I didn't quite manage it, so I ended up finishing it on the 2nd July. And as much as I enjoyed this book as a whole, and I felt so so accomplished when I finally finished it, it didn't really live up the expectations that the rest of the world had built for this book. I said before I started this trilogy that this would be the last Shadowhunter novel I would read. I don't know if I'll change my mind, but at this point, this still will be.

2. Black Beauty, by Anna Sewell

I got this when I was in Stamford last month and I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into it! I flew through this book in two days. It was one of my favourite childhood classics and it remains today one of my favourites today. It's considered a children's book but the struggles that the horses go through in this book, so it might be for the more mature children readers out there. It is however a wonderful story and a book that I think everybody should read at some point.

3. Bedlam (Skulduggery Pleasant #12), by Derek Landy

A lot of things changed in this book for me. It's the most solid Skulduggery Pleasant read I've picked up since the original series' concluded. I don't have a release date for book 13, but I know that this isn't going to be the last book in the series. Not by a long shot. If you've stuck with the series this far and are up to date, comment down below, or message on twitter or Instagram if you want to chat about this series.

4. Heidi, by Johanna Spyri

Another one of my favourite childhood classics, I squeezed it in in the time between finishing Bedlam and starting my reading-rush-a-thon tbr. There is just so much I love about this book, the way it's not like a book, that it's so easy to put yourself in the hut with Heidi and Uncle Alp. This is a book of happiness, with wonderful characters, you can't help but imagine them as real. An amazing novel.

5. Heartstopper. Vol 2, by Alice Oseman

Another absolute masterpiece! I flew through this in an hour. Under an hour. I just couldn't stop turning the pages. I don't know what it is about this series, but it's just so goddamn cute! Now for the waiting game: Volume 3 isn't out until February of next year, which is a whole six months away. *Sigh* .

6. Twilight (Twilight #1), by Stephenie Meyer

I don't know why I put this on my readathon tbr but, I've been thinking about re-reading this series for a bit, and it fit at least 1 of the challenges introduced in the readathon, so I thought why not? Even though I've grown in thoughts and opinions since the last time I read Twilight, there's no denying the fact that without this book, a lot of books would not have been written. I'm glad I re-read this.

7. A Poison Dark & Drowning (Kingdom on Fire #2), by Jessica Cluess

The month of July was all about reading the books in my TBR Jar Challenge (other than the fourth book in the Three Dark Crowns series, which isn't out until September.) This book has been on my TBR Jar Challenges for the past two years, and I didn't manage to get to it. I finished this a few days ago, and even though it took me a week and a half to get through it, I really enjoyed it. We got to see more of the world, meet new characters, face some tough challenges, and found out some interesting character development (which was the best part, in my opinion!) I'll be reading book 3 sometime in the next couple of months.

-TV SHOWS-

1. Dragonball Z 

2. Chicago Med- Season 4

3. Dance Academy

-FILMS WATCHED-

1. Tarzan

2. Aladdin (Live Action that came out last month)

AUGUST TBR (2019)

How is it August already? Month 8/12 already! I have my theory test in two weeks, wish me luck! Not much else planned this month though. Let me know what your plans are for the month in the comments!

Here's my TBR!

1. Girls of Paper and Fire (Girls of Paper and Fire #1), by Natasha Ngan

Having finished The Surface Breaks this afternoon, this is meant to be the next book I pick up. But because there are similar themes in this Girls of Paper and Fire to The Surface Breaks, I don't know if this should be the book I pick up next. However, on the other hand, if I don't read this book next then something tells me that I'll find an excuse and never get to it. There's a poll on my Instagram right now!

2. Dear Evan Hansen, based on the Musical (out in the west-end in November)

I haven't seen the musical yet, as it's out in November. (Definitely next year though.) But from what I know, this is a book about a boy called Evan Hansen, who has always struggled with fitting in. But then Connor Murphy takes his own life, and after people start to think that the two boys were friends (he takes his own life whilst in possession of a letter that Evan wrote himself). As the lie progresses, and he helps Connor's family deal with their grief, his star starts to grow and grow. And then it all starts to go wrong...

3. The Librarian of Auschwitz, by Antonio Iturbe

I got this last month in Stamford. This is based on a true story, about a girl called Dita who, during her time in Auschwitz (fourteen years old!) became the secret librarian for the camp. She was tasked with managing the small collection of precious books that were smuggled into the camp during the second world war. It promises to be a powerful novel to read.

4. The Opposite of Always, by Justin Reynolds

I am so excited for this. I don't know what it is about this book, but it will not get out of my head! The protagonist is a boy called Jack King, who  in love with Kate, who he met at a party. And then she drops dead. The story should end there. But Jack has a choice: he goes back in time, and when he makes different choices, another ending occurs. The final question is: what is Jack willing to do- to save the people he loves?

Okay! That was my July Wrap Up & August TBR (2019)!

I hope you enjoyed it, let me know in the comments what you've got planned this month, so we can chat about it!

I hope you have a wonderful evening and I'll see you all soon!

Byeeeeee!

-Abi xxxxxx